Ch. 7- Hermione Realizes

Remus bit his lip and spoke to Dumbledore.

"Should Sirius and I give her a tour of the castle, for onlookers sake? I mean, if she were to know her way around the castle when will ask question, they'd wonder."

Dumbledore smiled and nodded. Remus was right, of course. He looked at McGonagall and Madame Pomphrey in turn; they both nodded.

"You're right, Mister Lupin," he said turning back to Remus. "Let us get Hermione some school robes to wear for the time being and then tomorrow the three of you can go into Hogsmede, and perhaps Mister Potter, Mister Pettigrew, and Miss Evans will want to come along. They, of course, will know her as a transfer student from Beauxbatons. I do believe that I am correct in thinking you have been to France, Miss Granger?"

She nodded and grinned. He would know she had visited France.

"Then it is settled. Mister Black, Mister Lupin, if the two of you could wait outside so Hermione can get dressed," Dumbledore said, his attention back to them.

Remus turned to leave but turned back when he heard Sirius clear his throat.

"Er, Professor Dumbledore, about the… my being an…"

"I have already guessed why you, Mister Potter, and Mister Pettigrew have become animagi. To help Mister Lupin during his hard times. Do not worry. I am merely amazed that the three of you have accomplished such a feat at the age that you achieved it."

"It is alright, Mister Lupin," he added, as the boy looked at Hermione. "She already knows of your condition."

He turned to look at her and their eyes locked, granting him the vision of a room he knew to be in the Shrieking Shack with three young students and two men he knew to be Sirius and himself.

"I DON'T BELIEVE IT!" the girl, Hermione, screamed.

He watched as his older self let go of the older Sirius and turn to her. She stood and was pointing at his vision-self. "You you "

"Hermione " he heard himself begin.

"you and him!"

"Hermione, calm down "

"I didn't tell anyone!" Hermione shrieked. "I've been covering up for you "

"Hermione, listen to me, please'" Lupin shouted. "I can explain "

It skipped ahead, as if he watched a movie.

"You're wrong," he said. "I haven't been Sirius's friend, but I am now Let me explain..."

"NO!" she screamed. "Harry, don't trust him, he's been helping Black get into the castle, he wants you dead too he's a werewolf!"

"Not at all up to your usual standard, Hermione," he said. "Only one out of three, I'm afraid. I have not been helping Sirius get into the castle and I certainly don't want Harry dead." An odd shiver passed over his face. "But I won't deny that I am a werewolf."

Once again, it skipped ahead.

"How long have you known?" he heard himself ask.

"Ages," Hermione whispered. "Since I did Professor Snape's essay…."

"He'll be delighted. He set that essay hoping someone would realize what my symptoms meant…. Did you check the lunar chart and realize that I was always ill at the full moon? Or did you realize that the boggart changed into the moon when it saw me?"

"Both," Hermione said quietly.

His vision-self laughed.

"You're the cleverest witch of your age I've ever met, Hermione."

He blinked. So, she did know, and Snape was a teacher in her present, and he a teacher in her third year? Well, it didn't matter now; the future had already begun to change.

He looked up at her through halfway lowered eyelids. She smiled sadly at him and nodded. Getting out of bed once more she went to him and hugged him tightly, as if he were a long lost friend she had just gotten back. He stiffened considerable.

"Remus, it's okay," she whispered into his ear. "I don't care that you are what you are. Whatever you may turn into, you are not a monster but a sweet, caring man, er… young man. You will become a great man regardless of the hostilities placed upon you by others."

Remus pushed her away gently and placed his hands on her shoulder, looking into her eyes.

"Thank you, Hermione," he said. She smiled.

"Now," she said to the two boys, "let me get dressed. I'll meet you guys outside."

Twenty minutes later, after the boys had shown Hermione the Great Hall, the Owlry, and introduced her to James—Hermione had to bite her lip to keep from crying, he looked so much like Harry, other than the eyes which were a light honey brown; Peter Pettigrew—she had to hold her hands behind her back as she nodded to him coldly, to keep from strangling him on the spot; and Lily Evans—Hermione smiled warmly at her friend's mother and also nearly cried when the red haired, green eyed girl hugged her, welcoming her to the school—they headed towards the library. Remus was happy to show her, but the other three boys protested in going, asking if she really had to see it.

"Of course she does," Lily said, coming to her rescue. "She's obviously an excellent student or the Beauxbatons's headmistress wouldn't have let her come."

Hermione grinned.

"I'm known as the Bookworm at my school," she admitted. Lily laughed.

"You and me both," she agreed. "It's so good to have another girl in the group. The other girls are either jealous, or think I'm crazy for hanging out with this lot."

She pointed at the four boys who promptly put on looks of mock hurt.

"Aw, come on, Evans," Sirius said, winking at Hermione. "We're all really not that bad."

"No, you're right, Sirius," Lily agreed, grinning at Hermione. "You are all not that bad. Remus, here, is the good one."

Hermione giggled as Sirius frowned and James came over to hug his girlfriend, and then blow into her ear affectionately.

"Oh, stop it, James," Lily said, blushing furiously but smiling nonetheless. "You know I was just joking. Now, look. We've already wasted time here. Come along, Hermione."

They headed off towards the library, Lily, James, and Remus in the front, Peter trailing them, and Hermione and Sirius bringing up the rear.

"You're really not that bad either, Sirius," Hermione told Sirius, a blush creeping up her neck and lingering on her cheeks as he grinned back. She didn't know why, but every time she was around him, she got butterflies in her stomach and a knot in her throat just for being near him.

I'm not falling for Harry's godfather, she told herself sternly, though she doubted herself greatly. There was no doubt in her mind, that she was doing just that.