A/N: Sorry about the wait. Enjoy. :)

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

A Pensieve for Your Thoughts

Hermione waited tensely for Remus to come back. It was quite a lot of trust that Remus asked of her. She knew, though, if she could trust anybody, it was he. Still, it was not a situation she wanted to be in. She could tell that he did not like it either. However, they did not really have a choice. It wasn't like he could go out and kidnap a girl to do it for him. Then he really would be a criminal.

Hermione tried to focus on something else. Really. She literally couldn't lift a finger, anyway; she could just tune everything out. The fact that they could communicate by Pensieve was the best thing that happened to her since Remus had taken her into his care. Sure, it was not the most accurate way to converse, but it certainly was better than not communicating at all.

Hermione sighed noiselessly. Soon he would move her again, and she wasn't looking forward to it. 'I'll probably pass out again,' she thought glumly. 'Maybe it would be better if I did, though.' She found herself wondering what was happening at school, and what Ron and Harry were up to. 'Next time he wants me to tell him something, I'll give him a memory of me asking,' she decided.

She heard footsteps entering the room. "Let's get this over with, Hermione," said Remus tensely. He scooped her up, and she could feel how rigid he was. He set her down in the bathroom and took a deep breath. 'I can do this.' he thought, trying to quell his tension.

Hermione noted, with surprise, that the movement did not bother her as much as last time. She felt him ease her onto a towel and fold the rest of it over her.

A heavy silence followed. 'Get a grip, Remus,' he told himself. 'You're just giving her a bath. A kind, charitable act for a disabled person. Never mind that you're a man, she's a woman not related to you, and we're all alone in this house.'

"We'll get this done quickly," he promised her again. Setting his jaw, he used his wand to undress her while she stayed hidden under the towel. Wrapping her tightly in it, he picked her up and set her in the bath tub. He pulled the curtain shut, and muttered a levitation spell. He could vaguely see her shadow change to a standing position through the curtain. He threw a sponge in the space between the top of the curtain and the ceiling. "Pono Sal," he ordered.

When he saw the shadow of the sponge getting to work, he turned away and stood out of sight, next to the door. There; he was halfway through the most embarrassing part.

Hermione began to wonder if she should have suggested using the Lustral Charm. It was meant for things such as floors, tubs, and sinks. The sponge scrubbed so very hard. And yet, it felt good in a way. It brought more feeling to her body, and she almost felt like she could move. She began trying. The barest twitch, here and there, was all she could manage. It felt huge to Hermione, however, because her brain underreacted to the slightest movement on her part.

Remus waited for about five minutes, and decided that was enough. "Careo Sal," he intoned, pointing his wand at the sponge's shadow. The sponge instantly changed from wet to dry. He waited a couple more minutes before using his wand to set her down. "Accio sponge." It came flying at him, and vigorously shook in his hand. 'Great, I forgot to ask how to stop it.'

"Stupefy," he tried. The sponge cracked into a million pieces, which each scrubbed the floor in different directions. 'I'll take care of that later,' he decided. 'Right now I have Hermione to worry about.'

"Accio towel," he said. The towel flew at him over the curtain. He caught it. "I swear on my mum's bible my eyes are closed," he swore, as he opened the curtain and laid the towel over Hermione. He couldn't see, and he prayed that he had covered her completely.

Hermione had never felt so vulnerable in her life. She trusted Remus, but she just had to know. Were his eyes really closed? She concentrated all the force of her being on her eyes, twitching them fiercely. For a whole, lovely moment, her eyes cracked open. She could see Remus's face right above hers, and his eyes, to her satisfaction, were tightly shut. Then her eyes closed, and she was seized with a splitting headache. Her head spun as she felt him pull her up by the shoulders and wrap her in the towel. He redressed her with his wand and pulled the towel off. He sighed with relief. There, that was done.

"Now I'm going to wash your hair in the sink," he informed her. He picked up a brush and started working the knots out of her hair gently. It began to sink in with her just how much she was at his mercy. Not only his, but anyone's mercy. The thought scared and irritated her. 'I want to do something for myself,' she thought, her temper rising, 'I hate being little miss invalid!' She cooled down a bit as he ran water over her hair and began massaging shampoo into it. His soothing movements really helped her headache to recede.

Remus felt a bit of frustration as he viewed her mute face. He wished she could respond, show some outward sign of life. On impulse he began massaging her face. "Can you move at all, Hermione?" he asked softly.

Hermione could feel all her nerves spring to life at the touch of his hands on her face. She concentrated again on her eyes. They flickered and twitched promisingly. Remus lightly stroked the sides of her face right next to her eyes, hoping to stimulate them into opening. Hermione felt like dead weights were holding her eyes down. She continued trying, until–

Hermione felt a rush of joy as her eyes snapped open. She immediately began squinting. The room was much too bright, and it gave her a headache. Hermione ignored the pain and looked into Remus's eyes, which were wide in surprise. He beamed at her. "Nice to see you back in the land of the living," he said excitedly. He looked at her critically. "It hurts, though, doesn't it?"

Her eyes grew glassly and her eyes teared up, not because she was upset, but because of the pain. She blinked rapidly, trying to keep her eyes open, but to her grave disappointment, her eyes closed and wouldn't open again. She felt him hug her tightly. "That was great, Hermione," he whispered genuinely in her ear. "It's a start. You'll get better, I just know it."

Ron heaved Harry up the stairs to Dumbledore's office. It certainly was no easy task, Harry fought every inch of the way. To his relief, Dumbledore appeared at the top of the stairs, his face grim. Dumbledore muttered a spell, and Harry collapsed. "Thanks, sir," gasped Ron. "Harry can really put up a fight."

Harry groaned in pain. "You're welcome, Ron," reponded Dumbledore. "You may return to class now. I'll see to Harry."

"Yes, Professor Dumbledore," said Ron obediently, walking back down the stairs.

Dumbledore pulled Harry up. "Are you all right, Harry?"

"I'm - I'm fine," he insisted.

Dumbledore let go of him. "Come to my office. We have something to discuss."

With mounting embarrassment, Harry followed the headmaster to his office. He'd been possessed in front of the whole class. The rumors about him being insane were sure to resurface now.

Dumbledore sat at his desk, and Harry stood in front of him, preparing for his lecture. "Harry, I have an offer to make," he said simply. Harry waited expectantly. "I think, in light of recent of events, you should make use of my Pensieve. Now, it won't erase the memory of - her, or take away the pain, but it will no longer be foremost on your mind. Voldemort will still try to possess you, but I think it'll be harder for him to take over if she is off your mind."

Harry nodded silently, his throat tightening. "Are her parents having a funeral?" he inquired.

"They would like to, but what happened yesterday, of course, makes that difficult," commented Dumbledore. "Most unfortunate, don't you think?"

Harry's eyes widened. "What? What happened yesterday? What's unfortunate?"

"You don't read the Daily Prophet?" asked Dumbledore. He handed Harry the paper. "Prepare for a shock."

Harry took in the headline: "Werewolf Steals Girl's Body From Hospital." Harry glanced at the very uncomplimentary picture of Remus Lupin, and a much nicer looking, separate picture of Hermione. Harry's jaw dropped. He read the article in stunned silence. He hardly conmprehended the facts as he read it in a rush. The article portrayed Remus as a vicious, evil, villain who stormed into the hospital, stunning everyone in his way and taking Hermione's body by force to an unknown location by portkey. They had all sorts of quotes about how Remus was a menace to society, and should be sent straight to Azkaban without a trial. Hermione's parents were distraught, and swore to sue Remus in court. It made no mention of how Hermione had died, but did say she was an innocent, heroic friend of the famous Harry Potter.

Harry let the paper fall to the desk. "I - I don't understand," he stuttered. "This is way out of character for him."

"It's not entirely clear to me either, Harry. I've been thinking on it all day, and after looking into it, I've come to some conclusions. I have no way of knowing if they're true, but it's my best guess."

"Go on," urged Harry impatiently.

"Let's look at this from Remus's point of view, something the paper, I daresay, failed to do," he started. "Two nights ago, it was full moon. Naturally, he went to the hospital for his usual checkup. While he was there, he must have heard about Hermione, and decided to visit her."

"But why?" demanded Harry. "She's dead!"

"Harry," started Dumbledore grimly. "I'm afraid you have every right to be angry with me now. I've withheld something from you. At the time, I felt it was for the best. I can see that I was mistaken."

"What is it?" asked Harry.

"Hermione isn't quite dead. The doctor explained to me, in quite reasonable terms, that there is no hope for her to ever return to consciousness, and have any kind of responsiveness to the world. He was going to wait for her to officially die."

"She. Is. Not. Dead?" said Harry slowly, stunned.

"Not officially, Harry, but perhaps she is now, the article gives that impression."

"But why would Remus do that? It said he stole her body, and was violent!"

"You know as well as I do, Harry, the discrimmination against werewolves. From what I can glean, he did indeed take her by force from the hospital. I believe there might have been some sort of mild confrontation before he managed to get away."

"But how can we know for sure that it was him? It might have been someone else," said Harry desperately.

"There can be no doubt it was him, Harry," Dumbledore explained, sighing heavily. "I tried to enter Number 12, Grimmauld Place in various ways, but it was sealed against me. Remus is hiding out there, and probably knows full well that he's in trouble with the law."

"BUT WHY?" shouted Harry. He didn't want to lose someone else to the clutches of Azkaban. Especially Remus, of all people. How could this have happened?

"That's what I'm trying to find out, Harry," explained Dumbledore. "As of yet, I have not notified the Ministry that I know of his whereabouts. I wish to give him a chance. I trust him completely, and I know he wouldn't do something like this without very good reason. He must doubt that I'm on his side. But why? What could have happened?" Dumbledore frowned in puzzlement, staring into space.

Harry's heart told him why Remus must have done it. It was what he would have wanted to do if he was in his shoes, but probably wouldn't have carried it out as successfully. "He wants to give her a chance," said Harry. "He found out she's still alive. That what I think. That's what it must be."

"You may be right," conceded Dumbledore. "But let's not jump to conclusions. You have classes to attend, Harry. Let's put your thoughts in the Pensieve."

Harry, with Dumbledore's help, put his most weighty thoughts about Hermione in the Pensieve. He felt much better afterwards.

"Remember your Occlumency lessons are here, tonight, at seven," called Dumbledore as Harry strode out the door.

"I'll be there," Harry promised.

Replies to Reviewers:

Radingsouls4u: I guess that makes me weird too, LOL, I thought it was funny. :) I thought about not having her be able to talk at all until near the end of the story, but I thought that would get boring, so I came up with the Pensieve, I'm glad you liked that. Thanks for your review:)

Helli: Here you go. :) Thanks so much for your review!

Mithril-Moony: Thanks a bunch! Sorry about the longer wait than usual.

BlackPaintedWhite: Hopefully you'll be able to read this chapter. I don't see why parental controls would block you from reading chapter 4, though. The "T" rating is on the high side for this story, it could probably pass for a "K+." Are there particular words it blocks or something? If so, I could change them. Thanks for reviewing!

Preview of next chapter:"Great! Now, I'm going to go make us some lunch." He voiced the menu, and, through the Pensieve, he was able to find out what she preferred. He was about to leave the room when there was a sound that made them both freeze with fear.