Disclaimer: As much as I love Harry Potter. . . or a certain George Weasley . . . I do not and will never own a thing.
Mistaken
I know I've been mistaken
But just give me a break and see the changes that I've made
I've got some imperfections
But how can you collect them all and throw them in my face
Life was perfect. They were perfect. Hermione and Remus, finally married and completely satisfied with their lives. Nothing to hold them back. Nothing to stand in their way of happiness. There was no school nor any Headmaster to say that their relationship was forbidden. Not anymore.
Here they were, a month after their honeymoon. They had bought a flat the day after the wedding. It was perfect for the newlyweds. It was just after Remus returned home from the local pub that he finally plopped down next to his wife on the couch, giving her an ear to ear smile.
"How many fingers am I holding up?" Hermione asked, holding three fingers in front of his face.
Remus pushed back his hair, finding this very amusing. "I'm not drunk." he said bluntly.
Hermione tipped her head slightly to the side, inspecting his face and each of his movements. "You're not drunk," she said, smiling. "but something did happen. I see it in your eyes."
"Oh really?" Remus said, somewhat frightened that Hermione might be able to read his mind. "Ah, well, you're wrong my dear, because everything went just dandy at the pub. I ordered a drink or two, chatted with a few of my good friends, and then got on my merry way."
Hermione watched him for a moment, and then deciding that he was telling the truth, scooted closer to her husband, wrapping her arms around his neck. Shutting her eyes as she moved slowly towards him, Hermione pressed her lips firmly against his. Remus placed a hand on the small of her back, the other on her thigh. It was minutes before Hermione let go of his lips, moving on to leave trails of sweet kisses to his neck.
Since when did Remus smell like strawberrys?
No. Oh God no. Pink lipstick. A tiny pink smudge on his collar. Hermione pulled away from Remus, flinging herself to the end of the couch, her hands in her already tangled hair, and her breath becomming short.
Remus' face grew pale. He knew what was coming. He knew too well. "Hermione," he said, giving her the space she needed, but reaching out a hand to show that he cared. "Hermione, what's wrong?"
It was an eerie sight when Hermione looked up at him ever so slowly, her eyes narrowed and brimming with tears. "What the bloody hell did you do at that pub?" she asked, her voice low and deadly.
Remus shook his head, lowering it just slightly so he didn't have to look into her eyes. "I told you, I went for a drink and I-"
"No," she said, sitting there so still, almost as though she were a bomb that was about to blow. "with another woman."
Debating whether he should tell the truth or lie, Remus shrugged his shoulders. "I-I really don't know what you're talking about?"
Hermione slammed her hands on the couch, a tear spilling from her eyes. "Don't you bloody lie to me, Remus Lupin! Tell me the truth!"
He knew too well than to keep lying to her. It wasn't good for the marriage, nor was it any good for the situation. "It wasn't my fault." he said, softly.
Boom. That was all it took before the time bomb exploded. Tears instantly broke free from Hermione's eyes at those words. "What?" She said, looking at him in such a way that it broke his very heart. "Who was it?"
Remus couldn't move. He couldn't speak. All he could do was sit there and stare at her, his mind screaming for him to say something, to try to make it better. But he knew better. He knew this would end badly. "Tonks," he said, his voice hoarse.
There was an eerie silence between the two. Hermione's mouth parted, thick, hot tears spilling from her eyes, her face just as pale as his. "No," she said, her voice just as deadly before. Getting up from the couch, Hermione walked over to the other side of the room, grabbing a vase and throwing it as hard as she possibly could against the wall. "Oh G-God," Hermione cried as she sunk down to her knees, pulling them to her chest and burying her face into her knees
But you always find a way to keep me right here waiting
You always find the words to say to keep me right here waiting
And if you chose to walk away I'd still be right here waiting
Searching for the things to say to keep you right here waiting
"Love," Remus said ever so softly as he got up from the couch and got down on his knees, trying his best to calm her. He knew that she had every right to cry, but the least he could do was try to explain what had actually happened. It wasn't his fault.
It appeared to Remus that what she wanted now was space, for as soon as he touched her hand, she sent it flying towards his face, knocking him on his bum.
"Don't you touch me," she growled as she looked back at him, tears soaking her cheeks.
I hope you're not intending
To be so condescending it's as much as i can take
and you're so independent
you just refuse to bend so I keep bending till I break
Remus watched as Hermione pulled herself up from the floor and stormed off to the bedroom, slamming the door behind her. He knew what was coming now. She could either be taking her anger out on the pillows, or she could be packing her suitcase, preparing to leave him. Remus allowed her a few minutes before he softly knocked on the door, and then entered, watching as clothes were being thrown out of the closet.
Hermione noticed his entrance and narrowed her eyes, sending him a glare. "I'll be at the Weasleys." she said, throwing an arm full of clothes into the suitcase.
Approaching her with caution, Remus said, "Hermione, will you let me tell you exactly what happened?"
"No," Hermione said, continuing to pile the clothing and items into the suitcase. "I don't want to hear what you say, nor do I ever want to hear what you have to say. You could go snog all of the women you want and I wouldn't care the slightest bit."
Remus sighed. "Hermione Lupin," he said, taking her shoulders, and gripping them, preventing her from moving. "Listen to what I have to say, and if you still don't believe me, you can leave."
Hermione crossed her arms, her eyes once again brimming with tears.
"As you know, I went to the pub." He said, his eyes fixed on hers. "I ordered a drink, chatted with a few of my good friends, and then left. On my way out the door, Tonks pulled me aside, for what I had imagined, a friendly chat. So I followed her down the hall and to the left, next to the back door. That's when she pushed me against the wall and moved in for a kiss. I knew that she had been drinking, for her breath and her clothing smelled of it. That's when I made my move and pushed her away, reminding her that I was indeed a married man, and that I had no interest in betraying my wife."
Hermione remained quiet for a few moments, deciding whether or not to believe what she was hearing.
But you always find a way to keep me right here waiting
You always find the words to say to keep me right here waiting
And if you chose to walk away I'd still be right here waiting
Searching for the things to say to keep you right here waiting
Hermione shook her head, turning her back on Remus and walking over to the dresser. Pulling open a small box, Hermione slid the ring off her finger, placing it into the box and shoving it into her luggage. "I'll be at the Weasleys." she said once more.
"No," Remus said, grabbing her by the shoulder and turning her to face him. "You're going to stay here until we work this all out."
Hermione was taken back by this. "Who the bloody hell do you think you are, telling me what to do?"
"I'm you're husband, Hermione. This is what you do in a marriage. If there's a problem, you work it out, not walk away from it like a coward."
Hermione's jaw dropped, and she narrowed her eyes at him. "So now you're calling me a coward? What the hell is wrong with you? I mean, first you go off and cheat on me, and now you're calling me a coward!"
Remus sighed at this. "I'm not calling you a coward. I'm just trying to get the point across that this is what we need to do if we ever want this marriage to work. We need to talk about things. I need you to work with me."
"And I'm just trying to get the point across that you cheated on me, and you just think that you can make things better, just with the click of your fingers. Well guess what, you can't. Happy now, Remus? Happy that you went off and let another woman snog your brains out? Huh?"
"Hermione!" Remus yelled, making her jump in fright. "Why can't you get it through your head that I didn't go out and cheat on you? I love you, Hermione. Why in the world would I let another woman touch me when I have you?"
Hermione shook her head, her arms crossed over her chest. "I don't know," she said, sobs escaping from her throat. "I just don't know."
Taking a seat on the bed, pushing back the suitcase, Hermione buried her face in her hands, weeping softly to herself.
I've made a commitment
I'm willing to bleed for you
I needed fulfillment
I found what I need in you
"Why'd this have to happen to me? Why?" Hermione cried, Remus taking a seat next to her and pulling her into his arms.
"I would never hurt you, Hermione." He said softly as he laid his head on hers. "I never want any other woman but you."
Hermione nodded, sniffing her nose as she looked up at him. "I-I know that Remus, but I can't just accept that now and let everything go back to normal. I need time."
Remus nodded his head, lowering it slightly. "I understand."
Why can't you just forgive me
I don't want to relive all the mistakes I've made along the way
But I always find a way to keep you right here waiting
I always find the words to say to keep you right here waiting
Kissing his wife softly on the cheek, Remus got up from the bed and exited the room, making his way back down the hall and to the living room. Plopping down on the couch, he rested his elbows on his knees, burrying his face in his hands.
She'll never trust you again, Remus. Never. You know that. Remus shut his eyes, images of Tonks and the pub flashing in his mind.
"Remmusss," Tonks purred as she stumbled over to him, taking his arm and dragging him down the hall, throwing him against the wall and standing in front of him. "I love you soo much,"
Remus narrowed his eyes, wondering what in the world had gotten into her. "Have you been drinking?" he asked, pushing her away when she moved closer.
She shook her head, shutting her eyes and stumbling over to him, using his shoulders for support. "W-Why can't you understand t-that I love you?" she said, patting his face with her hands. "You should be with me, not that girl."
"Tonks," Remus said, pulling her up by her forearms. "We have already discussed this. You said that you understood when I told you that I could never be with you."
Tonks shook her head once more, shoving him back against the wall and in one swift movement, pressing her lips against his, and then dropped her head on his shoulder, leaving a smudge of lipstick on his collar. It only took a few seconds for Remus to react to this. Pushing on her chest and making her fall flat on her bum, Remus ran as fast as he could back out the door and into the street, making his way back to his flat.
But you always find a way
To keep me right here waiting
You always find the words to say to keep me right here waiting
And if I chose to walk away would you be right here waiting
Searching for the things to say to keep me right here waiting
Looking back at the bedroom door, Remus sighed. He knew that it would take time for things to go back to how they were, and that there would always be some uncertainty. But he couldn't blame this on himself. He was right when he said that he loved her and only her. Why else would he have married her, and not Tonks, the woman that had loved him for as long as he could remember?
Settling down on the couch, Remus laid his head on a pillow, shutting his eyes and letting his mind take him off to a distant place, one where the world was perfect again, and Hermione was there, with open arms and her beautiful smile, ready to place all of the bad behind her and finally move on into the future.
The End
Author's Note: Hey there! The song that I used in this story is 'Right Here Waiting' by Staind. Big thanks to everyone that reviewied on my last story, My Everything. Please, remember to review.
Jess