Disclaimer: I do not own or have any rights to Harry Potter

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Chapter 10. Tears

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"Mister Snape, my office immediately," came the voice of Professor Dumbledore from behind the group, taking in the scene in front of him, eyes void of their usual twinkle. "I suggest the rest of you return to your common room," he said to the Marauders who at present were staring at Hermione, curiosity written all over their faces, with the added flicker of fear in the golden eyes of Remus.

Not making eye contact with the others Hermione started to lead the way to the Gryffindor common room. When she reached it she went over to sit with Lily who was sitting at a table pouring over some of her Charm notes. They'll come to me Hermione thought if they want to talk. After about five minutes a shadow fell over her desk and Lily and Hermione looked up at the pensive face of Remus Lupin.

"Uhh, Hermione, can I have a word?" He asked.

Hermione sent him a reassuring smile and followed him up to the boys' dorm. Remus made his way to his neatly made bed while Hermione sat on the slightly messier one opposite, waiting for Remus to start.

"I…uh, how did you know?" he asked.

Hermione smiled kindly. "One thing is, Snape was right, I know my defense, I know how to recognize a Werewolf in human form, and you have uncharacteristic golden eyes, and a sensitivity to certain smells, which is probably why you don't do as well in potions as your other subjects. But it was the last full moon that gave it away."

"And you don't care?" he asked apprehensively.

Hermione shook her head. "You're still Remus," she said. "I'll just make sure I'm inside during the full moon."

This seemed to lift a weight off Remus' shoulders as he sighed in relief and let out a small chuckle. "Did you see Snapes face when you said those words?"

Hermione smiled. "Yep, his plan kinda blew up in his face. What do you say about letting in your dorm mates?" she asked

He cast a knowing smile and crept towards the door and swung in open to reveal three sheepish looking Marauders who found a new intensity at staring at the door frame.

"Do you think this is Mahogany Padfoot, or Oak?"

"Hmm I don't know James, Peter?" Sirius asked.

Remus just rolled his eyes. "Get in here you gits," shoving his friends inside the room.

"So," James asked Hermione with slightly narrowed eyes. "What do you know?"

"She knows about me," answered Remus, not wanting to give away his friends secret also. "She worked it out on her own, just like you guys, only much faster." He said smirking at his friends.

"That's great; I'm guessing you don't care then?" James continued.

Hermione shook her head. "He's still Remus," she repeated, those words had the desired effect on the other boys and she felt a strange sense of being closer to the group now, even Peter seemed to have let go of his misgivings.

"You can't tell anyone though you know that." said Sirius.

"I know, but I still think Lily would be fine with it," she said, "but its not my place to tell." She quickly continued as three of the Marauders', who were obviously very protective of their Werewolf, eyes narrowed.

Remus just sighed. "I'd be surprised if she hasn't worked it out yet," shocking the others. "But I'd rather keep the numbers who know about this small, I mean its bad enough Snape knows," he said shooting Sirius a look to which the other boy squirmed uncomfortably.

Hermione nodded somewhat disappointed and guilty that she would have to keep this from Lily, but at the same time honored to be included in the tight knit group.

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As Halloween dawned Hermione woke up in a bed 'wait this isn't right, I've been waking up on the couch' she thought 'maybe Sirius broke Lily's charm' she lifted her head and looked around and took in her slightly familiar surroundings that didn't quite match her own dorm room. She looked down and saw Sirius asleep atop a transfigured mattress on the floor. 'Shit' she thought uncharacteristically Hermione like as she peered at the sleeping forms of the other three boys occupying the beds. She moved to leave the room trying not to wake the boys, once she had reached the door she bolted to her own room.

"Hey Padfoot," said James waking up the sleeping Animagus. "What 'choo doing on the floor?" he asked.

Sirius propped himself up on his elbows and looked at his now empty bed. "Umm, I brought Hermione up here to sleep, I thought she'd do better in a bed you know, not a couch, and I can't get her up to the girls' dorms anymore so I couldn't think of anything else."

The others nodded, Peter having only just woken looking slightly confused.

"I think she must have got a fright and fled," said Remus as he started to get dressed.

"Well can you imagine waking up to see Padfoot's face in the morning?" said James. "I'm surprised she didn't run screaming" he joked.

"Ha ha very funny Prongs, I don't see any girls in your bed," Sirius retorted.

"I haven't seen any in yours this year yet either Pads, you losing your touch?" asked James.

"Either that or he's found his Lily" Remus added.

Sirius just glared. "I'd have you know that after the end of last year I've found there are more important things in my life then my little fanclub, like for instance, my friends," he said looking pointedly at Remus, before stalking out into the bathroom.

The other three just looked at each other guiltily. Remus had forgiven Sirius for telling Snape about the Shrieking Shack but apparently Sirius couldn't find it in him to forgive himself.

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Hermione noticed Sirius' somewhat more withdrawn behavior at breakfast and looked at him curiously. Sirius caught the look and just smiled.

"How'd you sleep last night?" he asked.

Hermione caught the amused faces of James and Remus. "Fine thanks," she replied.

Sirius nodded and went back to his food.

On the way to class Hermione excused herself and headed to the girls bathroom, when she got there she froze and looked around, in thirteen years a young bushy haired girl sat crying in one of the cubicles as a Troll entered and subsequently destroyed a bathroom at the same time as forging a lifelong friendship. She swallowed hard and quickly left the room, thoughts of Harry and Ron again filling her head.

The others noticed her demeanor drop again and in the common room that night they sat by the fire in the otherwise empty room while Hermione had found a quiet corner to read her Time Travelers book.

"I think we should just ask her," said Peter.

Lily glared at him. "Give her time."

"She's had time, two months of it," he retorted. "Come on guys you know you want to ask."

The other Marauders looked torn, on one hand they wanted to let Hermione heal at her own pace, on the other they wanted to know what was bothering her so they could help. A sudden scream interrupted the groups debate as the looked over at Hermione standing looking furiously at the book in her hands.

"Hermione?" Sirius ventured standing up.

She cried out again and threw the book across the room with such force that it smashed through one of the paned windows and fell to grounds of Hogwarts far below.

"WHY?" she asked. "WHY DID THEY COME?" No-one answered, all too shocked at her outburst, instead Hermione continued to yell at the top of her lungs. "THEY…Death Eaters attacked us on a trip to our village, they attacked STUDENTS!" Her voice was starting to lower now. "I had the Cruciatus Curse put upon me until an Animagus friend saved me, I saw one of my friends killed as he defended another." She was whispering now. "I used and Unforgivable on another human," the others were not only shocked at hearing a seventeen year old using an Unforgivable, but that one had been placed in the situation to use one, they continued to listen not making a sound as Hermione's voice became barely audible. "I saw my best friend fall under the killing curse defending his younger sister." Sirius was moving towards her now and she looked up at him. "And I cant even cry for him." She whispered so that only he could hear her.

He gave her a small smile and raised a hand to wipe away the moisture on her cheek "You're crying now," he said softly. And with that her knees buckled and her body started to shake as she sobbed into Sirius embrace.

The others left the two of them in front of the fire, Hermione finally finding a release for her grief in her tears, with a certain Animagus, who always seemed to be there for her, not leaving her side.