Disclaimer: Since I've never said this before, I'll say it now. I DON'T OWN HARRY POTTER! J.K. Rowling, my hero, owns EVERYTHING. Thank you.

A/N: Hello fellow readers. I'm glad you're enjoying my little story here. I would have had this chapter up sooner but I had alot of important errands to run but here it is! And to answer wally4ever: PDA stands for Public Display of Affection. And I also give you props for owning the 'Americand Idiot' CD. You rock! gives wally4ever a big round of applause and the biggest, yummiest cookie in the world! And I'm sorry Elaine02, I want Hermione to stay too but Dumbledore just won't let her. I'm sorry. And I'm sorry to give poor (hot) Remus more drama and anguish but it must be done. cries for Remus. And thanks everyone for reviewing. I already have the ending plotted out and I don't know if I'm going to end it in the next chapter or the one after. I still haven't decided. Well, enjoy Chapter 9. Hope you like!

Hermione walked slowly towards the Hospital Wing. She had left Lily in the common room not too long ago. She knew Lily was right. She had to tell Remus what Dumbledore had said, even if it meant that he would hate her in return. Sooner than she would have liked, she reached the Hospital Wing. Madam Pomfrey was nowhere to be seen so Hermione quietly made her way to the only occupied bed.

"I was wondering when you'd come and see me." Remus said weakly, smiling and sitting up in his bed.

Hermione smiled back, biting her tongue to force herself not to breakdown and start crying. She walked over to Remus and bent down to greet him with a kiss. He surprised her by holding her face and planting a big, wet, soft, affectionate kiss on her lips. Hermione was momentarily stunned.

"You are a genius." He said, smiling widely.

"Huh?"

"The Wolfsbane Potion. It worked! I completely kept my head and didn't try to attack James, Sirius or Peter in their human form once. I don't think I can ever repay you, Hermione. I love you so much. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me." He kissed her again and held her in a tight hug.

This was too much for Hermione to take. She couldn't stop herself from crying right there in Remus' arms.

"Shh…It's ok." He said softly, stroking her hair as Lily had done earlier and moving over so Hermione could slide into bed with him.

Remus had apparently thought that he had made Hermione cry with his words of affection. Hermione lifted her head, her puffy, watery eyes obscuring her vision. Remus wiped away the falling tears with his hand.

"Remus I-" She couldn't say it. She just couldn't.

"What's wrong?" Remus asked lightly. "Whatever it is, you can tell me Hermione. I love you and nothing you say is gonna change that."

Hermione burst into more tears and Remus grabbed her once more and held her in a tight embrace. What she wouldn't give to stay here in this moment in Remus' arms forever. She never wanted to let go of him. Finally, she managed to pull herself together. She lifted her head from Remus' shoulder.

She took a deep breath and said, "Remus I…I have to tell you…that…that-" She just couldn't do it. How could she tell the man that she loved that she would have to leave?

"Tell me what honey?" He asked gently, taking her hands in his and stroking them softly with his thumb.

Hermione took another deep breath and told Remus what Dumbledore had said about Hermione having to leave through the door and go back to her own time.

"But-But what if you just stayed here?" Remus asked desperately. Hermione could tell he was getting ready to cry too.

She sadly shook her head. "Dumbledore says I don't belong here."

"Of course you belong here! You belong here with me!" He said, tears not steadily running down his cheeks.

"Remus, please don't cry." She said, reaching out to touch his cheeks as she started to cry herself. He held her hand against his cheek and closed his eyes. "I'm so sorry Remus. I-I don't want to say good-bye but I-I have to but I don't want to!" Hermione sobbed harder.

Remus grabbed her and the two of them sat there in the Hospital Wing and cried into each other's arms. After they had both cried their hearts out, they just sat there, still in each other's arms, neither wanting to let go of the other.

"I won't let you go." Remus finally said into Hermione's hair.

"What?" Hermione pulled out of Remus' arms and stared at him. His eyes and nose were red and puffy.

"I won't let you go." He said again, more firmly.

"Remus, what are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about not letting you go. We'll just simply leave. We'll go somewhere where they'll never find us." Hermione smiled and allowed herself to briefly imagine living in the woods together in a little cottage. "I mean it." Remus said forcefully, pulling Hermione away from her fantasy. "I'm not going to let anyone take you away from me. Not James, not Sirius, not Lily, not even Dumbledore. You're mine." He said stubbornly.

Hermione smiled faintly. "I'll always be yours Remus." She kissed him and he kissed back with such force, Hermione wondered whether the wolf had fully left him yet.

They broke apart and stared at each other.

"I better let you get some rest." Hermione said. The sun was almost fully up.

"I don't want to be apart from you." He said, holding on to her as she made to get off the bed.

She laughed lightly. "Don't worry Remus, I'll come and see you later."

"No." He said. "Let's go back to my dormitory. We can sleep there." He suggested.

Despite the nagging voice in the back of her head, Hermione agreed and the two snuck out of the Hospital Wing and made their way to Gryffindor Tower. When they reached the common room, nobody was yet awake. It was still fairly early. Hermione and Remus walked up the boys' staircase and entered Remus' dormitory quietly. James was wrapped around in his sheets, mouth open and was snoring lightly. He looked weird without his glasses. Sirius was over on his side and Hermione had to stifle a laugh as she saw that Sirius was sucking his thumb. Peter was somewhere underneath his sheets. All that suggested that someone was sleeping there was a huge lump in the middle of the bed that moved slightly.

Remus and Hermione walked quietly into his bed and drew the hangings. Hermione took off her shirt, jeans and robe and got into bed. Remus, who already had his pajamas on, slid in next to her. They cuddled in each other's arms and within minutes, Hermione was asleep. She awoke an hour or so later but didn't open her eyes. She could tell Remus was still asleep and couldn't hear the whispers that had woken her up.

"Should we wake them?"

"Of course not Wormtail! What are you thinking?"

"Prongs is right. Let the two sleep, lord only knows what they've been doing."

"Hey James."

"Lily! Shhh!"

"Sorry. Is Hermione in here?"

"Yeah, she's asleep with Moony."

"Oh, well don't wake them."

"Ouch!" Hermione heard someone bump into something.

"Damn it Wormtail!"

"Sorry."

"Poor Hermione. I hope she's alright."

"What do you mean Lily?"

"I'll tell you when we get downstairs."

Hermione fell asleep not long after the voices of Sirius, James, Peter and Lily drifted out the door. Hermione awoke several hours later to something rubbing her back. She opened her eyes and turned over to her other side so that she was face to face with Remus.

"Morning." She said sleepily, smiling.

"Afternoon." He corrected her, smiling also.

"What? What time is it?"

Remus chuckled. "Almost noon."

Hermione gasped. Her and Remus had skipped through half their classes and for once she didn't care. She snuggled closer to Remus who wrapped her tightly in his arms.

"Sleep well?" He asked.

"MmHmm. You?"

"Next to you? Who wouldn't?" He said playfully, stroking her exposed shoulder.

Hermione blushed and lifted her head and kissed Remus.

"I love waking up with you." He said after they had broke apart.

"Same here." She said.

They stayed in bed for a couple more hours then got dressed and headed downstairs. Lily and the others were down there.

"Well, look who finally decided to get up." Sirius observed as Remus and Hermione sat down on the couch.

"Ha ha. Did we miss anything in class today?" Hermione asked Lily.

"No, not really. You did miss an awesome prank on Snevillus today though." She said.

Hermione was surprised to hear Lily call Snape Snevillus. She never did.

"And what was that?" Remus asked excitedly.

"Well, you know how Snevillus fancies Malfoy's girlfriend, Narcissa?" Sirius said.

"Yeah…"

"Well, Padfoot and I bewitched him to sing 'I Wanna Hold Your Hand' whenever she walked by. Boy did Malfoy let him have it." James said, laughing.

"Yea, who knew the slime could run so fast?" Sirius said. Everyone laughed.

"Say, sweetie, could you excuse me for a second? I need to talk to these three for a second." Remus said, motioning towards James, Sirius and Peter.

"Ok." Hermione said, kissing Remus before he got up and went to the far side of the room with the other three. They all bent their heads down low and started whispering.

"What do you suppose they're planning?" Lily asked, eyeing the huddled Mauarders suspiciously.

"Probably planning on doing something else to Snape." Hermione said.

Lily laughed. "Yea, you're probably right."

Several minutes later, the guys came back, all with sneaky smiles on their faces.

"And what was all that about?" Lily asked as James sat down next to her.

"Can't tell ya, Lily." He said.

She eyed him.

"That's right. It's a surprise." Remus said, looking at Hermione and smiling.

"What?" She asked as Remus continued to stare at her.

"Nothing." He said, shaking his head and smiling. Now Hermione and Lily eyed their boyfriends suspiciously.

"You'll find out at eight o'clock tonight." Sirius said to Hermione.

"Why? What happens at eight?" She asked.

"You'll find out love." Remus said, kissing Hermione, who was as confused as she could be. What was Remus planning to do at eight? Whatever it was, she hoped it wasn't going to be too outrageous.

"C'mon, you guys can still catch Transfiguration." Lily said, changing the subject and gathering her things.

"Great." Hermione said, getting up. "I just have to go change."

"Ok. We'll just wait for you." Lily said.

Hermione dashed up the girls' staircase and within ten minutes, she had changed her clothes, slipped on a new set of robes and had run a comb through her hair. She rushed downstairs to find Lily and the others grinning widely.

"What?" She asked.

"Oh, nothing." Lily said, smiling widely still.

"Alright that's not fair! You guys told her what you're planning on doing tonight didn't you?" Hermoine accused. She was a little hurt that Remus would tell Lily and not herself about their practical joke or whatever it was that they were planning.

Lily just smiled more broadly. "C'mon or we'll be late." She said.

Hermione sighed and gave up. She knew she wasn't going to get anywhere with these five. She took Remus' offered hand and followed the others out the portrait hole and towards Transfiguration.

"Remus, are you sure you feel up to going to class?" Hermione asked, noticing her boyfriend's sickly appearance. He had several small cuts on his face that Hermione assumed was from the transformation and he was still deathly pale and looked like he was going to be sick.

"Yea, I'm fine." He said.

"Are you sure? You do look a bit peaky." Sirius agreed.

Remus sighed. "Would it make you feel better if I went back to my dormitory and rested?" He asked Hermione.

"Yes, it would." She said.

He sighed again. "Ok, if it'll make you happy."

She smiled. She loved being a girl. She kissed him and said, "I'll bring you back any homework that we might have."

"Ok." He said. And with that, Remus turned around and headed back for Gryffindor Tower. "Oh hey, don't forget to come and get me before you set up!" He called out to the others.

"Gotcha!" James said.

Now Hermione was really curious as to what they were planning. "What are you planning on doing?" She asked again. Maybe with Remus gone, they'd tell her.

"Sorry, can't tell you." James said. "And neither can you." He added to Lily.

"Me? You don't think I can keep a secret?" She asked hotly.

"No, It's just that girls always tell each other everything and I just don't want you screwing up Moony's big surprise." James replied.

Lily was in a bad mood for the whole Transfiguration lesson. Hermione's mind kept wondering off throughout the lesson. She hardly paid attention when Professor McGonagall bewitched an apple to sprout stem legs and tap dance across her desk, something she said was likely to come up in their N.E.W.T.S. Finally, class was dismissed and Hermione and Lily and the others went back to the common room.

"So, Lily, what is it that the guys are planning tonight?" Herminoe asked as soon as the guys were gone to go check on Remus, leaving the two girls in the common room.

"Oh…I want to tell you. I really do." She said desperately. "But trust me, you'll find out tonight."

Hermione wanted to press her until she told what it was the guys were planning. It must not be something too horrible, as Lily seemed perfectly fine with whatever it was they were planning. She actually seemed happy about whatever it was. Hermione sighed and knew it would be no use trying to prod Lily for any information so she opened her Arithmacy book and started reading. The guys eventually came down with Remus and joined the girls in the common room. They left, however, about an hour before dinner to "set-up".

"Shall we go to dinner?" Lily asked about an hour, closing her Transfiguration book and standing up.

"I suppose. Shouldn't we wait for the guys though?" Hermione replied, also closing her book and standing up.

Lily shook her head. "No, they said they would meet us."

"Oh, ok."

So the two girls walked down to the Great Hall to find the four Marauders waiting for them at the entrance.

"Where were you at?" Hermione asked Remus as he greeted her with a kiss.

"You'll find out now." Remus replied, smiling and grabbing her hand.

"Wait. What?" Hermione was utterly confused.

"Have fun you two." Lily said as Remus led Hermione away from the Great Hall and the others.

"What? Remus what is going on?"

"You'll see in a minute." Remus smiled. He led Hermione up several staircases until finally they reached their destination. They must've been at the very top of the castle; they had climbed about a dozen staircases. Hermione caught her breath and Remus just stared at her uncertainly.

"What?" She asked.

He bit his lower lip. "I think maybe I should blindfold you." He said.

"What?" Hermione laughed.

"Here." He pulled a clean handkerchief out from inside his robes and tied it around Hermione's eyes.

"Remus, what is going on?" She asked as the handkerchief covered her eyes so all she could see was blackness.

"Can you see?" She heard Remus' voice ask from somewhere.

"No, but where are-"

"Just take my hand and you'll find out." Remus said, grabbing Hermione's hand and guiding her through a door. It was quite uncomfortable having to follow someone when you couldn't see anything. Now she knew how blind people felt. A breeze against her skin told Hermione that Remus had led her outside.

"Remus, are we outside?"

"Uh-huh."

"And can you tell me why we are outside?" She asked helplessly.

"Ok. Now." Remus said. Hermione felt him untie the handkerchief and her eyes met a romantic sight.

They were on top of the Astronomy Tower. Hermione remembered being up here in her fifth year taking her O.W.L.s. She had been marking Saturn on her map when she and everyone else in the class had witnessed Umbridge try to take Hagrid and then stun Professor McGonagall. Hermione shook these thoughts from her head and looked at what Remus had done. There was a nice blanket set out with a picnic basket set on it accompanied with a bottle of wine that was chilling in a bucket full of ice. And off to the side was a telescope. There were two candles lit and they were floating in mid-air, inches above the blanket.

"So…do you like?" Remus asked nervously.

Hermione turned to him and smiled. "I love it Remus! No one has ever done anything this sweet for me before."

"Well I…" Remus trailed off as Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into a big kiss. "Well, it was nothing really." He said sheepishly.

Hermione just smiled at him. He smiled back and walked Hermione over to the blanket. They both sat down and Remus flicked his hand carelessly and the picnic basket floated and tipped the contents onto the blanket in between them. The contents then assembled themselves carefully to reveal a plate of honey ham, mashed potatoes, green beans, rolls and two big slices of chocolate cake.

"How did you manage all this?" Hermione asked amazed.

"Oh, it was easy. Those house elves seemed all to happy to do it." Remus replied, grabbing the bottle of wine and popping it open.

Hermione pursed her lips at the sound of house elf labor but decided not to say anything. After all, Remus had gone to an awful lot of trouble. "Where did you get that wine?" She asked suspiciously as she took the filled glass Remus offered to her.

"Oh, well you've got remember, I'm a Marauder and we have connection." He said mysteriously.

Hermione giggled and Remus held up his own wine-filled glass.

"Let's make a toast." He suggested.

"Great idea. What do we make a toast to?"

"How about…to us and our love." He smiled fondly at her.

Hermione smiled back sadly. "To us." She repeated.

They both drank. The meal was positively delicious. Once they were finished with their dinner and had started on their cake, Hermione thought of something.

"Hand on." She said.

Remus looked at her. "What?" He asked.

"I thought you said that you had something planned for eight o'clock?"

Remus smiled as if he had been waiting for Hermione to point that out. "I do have something to show you at eight o'clock. And unless I'm mistaken," he added looking at his watch, "it's nearly eight now." He stood up and helped Hermione up as he held her hand.

Hermione was bubbling with excitement. What was this big surprise? The out door picnic had been great. What else could Remus have to show her? Hermione's question was answered when Remus led her to the telescope that was propped up and pointed towards the sky.

"Look through the eye piece." He said to her.

Hermione looked at him funny and did as she was told. Hermione's eyes were met with the most breathtaking scene. In the sky, miles above them were several hundred what looked like shooting stars. But Hermione knew of course they couldn't be. No, she was watching a meteor shower.

"Oh my gosh." She whispered, still gazing into the eyepiece.

"I knew you'd like it." Remus said happily.

She tore her gaze away from the meteor shower and looked at Remus, a huge grin appearing on her face. "Remus, this is just…I don't' know what to say."

"Well, I at least owe you this after the Wolfsbane Potion." He said. He leaned in and wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her ever so softly and passionately. "I love you Hermione."

"I love you too, Remus."

"I know we're going to be happy together."

Hermoine pulled back a little as Remus went in for another kiss. "What?" She asked uncertainly.

"I know we're going to be happy together." He repeated.

"Remus, I don't-I don't understand."

"What's there to understand? All I said was we're going to be happy together. You do still want to be with me, don't you?" He asked in a frightened tone.

"Oh, of course I do Remus. I love you." She said quickly. Remus relaxed. "I just meant that well, we're not always going to be together…" She trailed off and looked at the ground.

"Oh, that's what you're concerned about?" Remus asked relived. "We already discussed this. We're going to run away where no one can find us. That way no one can ever break us apart." He said matter-of-factly.

Hermione forced herself to look into those big, blue puppy dog eyes. She smiled sadly. "Remus I…you know I want to stay. But-you know as well as I do that it's…just not possible."

Remus shook his head. "No, that's where you're wrong. It is possible. We just have to run away. I know of a place in the woods where there's an old abandoned cottage. It's thousands of miles from here. We can live there and fix it up. I would get a job of course and you could stay at the house and-"

"Remus." Hermione said kindly, intruding on Remus' run away fantasy. "You know that'll never work. I have to go back to my own time."

Still Remus shook his head stubbornly. "No, you don't if-"

"There's no ifs, ands, or buts about it. I have to go." She said sadly.

Remus let go of Hermione and stepped back. "No, you could stay if you wanted. But you just want to go back." He said harshly.

Hermione was stung by these words. How could he think that? How could he stand there and accuse her of not wanting to stay with him? He should know how much it broke her heart to know she would have to say good-bye. "Remus-how could you? I love you." She said defensively, tears starting to invade her eyes.

"Obviously not or you would stay." He shot back.

How could he be so childish? Didn't he know that he wasn't the only one hurting here? "You know I would if I could, but I can't! I already told you what Dumbledore said-"

"Dumbledore! Ha! Since when does it matter what Dumbledore says!"

Hermione put her hand to her mouth in shock. "Remus! How could you?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't meant that." He said quickly, looking awfully ashamed. "I just-I don't want to let you go." He added, stepping closer to Hermione.

"I know. I don't either." She said, catching a tear that was falling down Remus' cheek. He caught her hand and closed his eyes. She stepped closer into Remus' arms. "Please hold me." She requested.

He obeyed and sighed deeply. "I'm sorry." He said, sniffing.

"It's ok."

"No it's not. I shouldn't have said those things. I don't want our last memories together to be of fighting. I know you would stay if you could." He said softly.

"Of course I would. I love you. And besides, maybe the door won't appear for a couple of years." She said, wrapping her arms around Remus and squeezing him tightly.

They stayed there for a while, just taking in each other. Hermione rested her head on Remus' shoulder and looked out onto the grounds below. The night was calm. The trees in the Forbidden Forest were standing still, Hagrid was obviously cooking something as there was smoke coming from his chimney and two people had just sent out an owl. It flew away into the night.

Remus sighed deeply and lifted Hermione's head gently with his hand. "We could still watch that meteor shower if you want."

She smiled. "I would love to."

So Remus and Hermione watched the meteor shower cuddled up together on top of the Astronomy Tower, neither wanting the night to ever end.

A/N: Well, there it is in black and white, Chapter 9. The story will end in either Chapter 10 or Chapter 11, I'm still not sure, but the story is definately near the end. Thanks for reading! I have like 3 or 4 other stories up my sleeves so I'll have those up after I'm done with this one. And THANK YOU for reading!