Disclaimer : All Harry Potter things are copyright of the one and only JK Rowling. I don't own a thing, I'm not making money off of this, and I don't even have any money that anyone could get if they sued me. So, erm, yeah.

The Darkest of Wishes

Chapter 4

Fool of a Moon

"They call me Cuban Pete. I'm the king of the Rumba beat. When I play the maracas I go..."

Hermione stared at the scene as she walked into the girls' dormitory. Pansy, Millicent Bulstrode and Graham Pritchard (whom Hermione had seen around a few times, but never really gotten to know her) were all singing at the top of their lungs; and they were very scantily clad. Hermione's eyes went straight to the floor and she put her things on her bed.

"Come on, 'Er-my-knee." Graham tossed a black feather boa to Hermione.

"Chick-chicky boom, chick-chicky boom, chick-chicky boom." Pansy bumped Hermione with her hip and Hermione felt that she had no choice. She sighed and threw the feather boa around her neck.

"Yes, sir, I'm Sally Sweet. I'm the craze of my native street-"

"SING!" Pansy grabbed Hermione's hands and pulled her into the center of the room. "Don't go shy on us now!"

"When I start to dance; everything goes chick-chicky boom, chick-chicky boom, chick-chicky boom." Hermione twirled around and then threw her hands up. "Voila."

"Oh, no," Millicent shook her head, "Next verse!"

"So, if you like the beat," Hermione paused only for a moment. She definitely was NOT having fun; while the other three girls were having a blast. She sighed, but then shook her head.

Let it go, she thought. Just let go.

"Take a lesson from Sally Sweet, and I'll teach you to chick-chicky-boom, chick-chicky-boom, chick-chicky-boom!" Hermione threw the feather boa up in the air an whipped her head around, her hair flipping in every direction.

"There she is!" Pansy tackled Hermione with a large hug. Hermione's eyes opened wide as Millicent and Graham followed suit. "We thought this might cheer you up!"

Hermione looked at the three girls and wondered why they were being nice, or at least seeming to be so. The hugs did not feel fake at all. In fact, Hermione could feel the love deep in her bones, that she thought were going to break. Millicent was incredibly strong.

"Air," Hermione coughed.

"Now," Graham ran over to a bed and patted both her hands on the sides. Millicent, Pansy, and Hermione all fit onto the bed; which Hermione found surprising. She thought for sure that Millicent would take up three-quarters of the bed; Hermione shook her head. She was being mean for no reason now; it wasn't like Millicent was throwing her into a locked closet or anything. "Tell us about your visit."

Hermione watched as all six eyes fell onto her. They certainly weren't talking about the Death Eater meeting, were they? She certainly was not going to tell them she was put under the Cruciatus Curse.

"Yeah," Millicent rested her chin on her hands.

"Did you... you know?" Pansy's eyes lit up.

Hermione opened her mouth and then closed it. She cocked her head to the side, trying to find the words. "Well," she shook her head. "No, I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Stop being coy!"

"Look, Milly, she doesn't have to tell us," Pansy held up her hand.

"Thank you," Hermione let out her breath.

"Though, you've never not told us before."

"Oh, er, well," Hermione shrugged, "Everyone was there. He talked for a long time and I barely listened to him. Then he got mad at me afterwards... what?"

"Everyone was there?"

"Yeah," Hermione cocked one eyebrow. "One of those 'be-there-or-die' things."

They are beyond any remote forms of intelligence. You would think that being in Slytherin that they would have at least one family member within his ranks.

"Oh, Hermione," Pansy started laughing (as did Millicent and Graham), "Not that visit."

"You know," Graham winked at Hermione, "Remus."

Hermione's eyes grew wider and more orb-like than Dobby's. "We did nothing." She stated firmly and hopped off the bed.

"Liar!"

Hermione ignored the cat calls. She walked right out of the room, thoroughly embarrassed and humiliated by it all.

x x x x x

BANG BANG BANG BANG

"Bloody hell!"

BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG

"I'm coming!"

BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG

"I said... oh, Hermione."

"Remus." Hermione nodded curtly.

"Why do I have the pleasure of such a visit?" He shut the door behind her and leaned up against it for support.

"Would you like me to be frank?" Hermione still hadn't looked him in the eye.

"Haven't you always been?" Lupin smiled at her, but Hermione still wouldn't look him in the eye.

"What are we?" Hermione's eyes flashed and she took in a deep breath.

Remus smiled and then, to keep himself from laughing, coughed. "You're serious?"

"Yes," Hermione stated and then put her hands to her hips, then quickly removed them since the look that Lupin gave her made her squirm.

"Well... I'm... are you feeling quite all right?" He placed his hands on her shoulders and Hermione pulled back sharply.

"Stop that!" Hermione realized that she was now up against the wall. She jumped slightly from its coolness.

"Fine," Lupin backed off, but still kept his eyes locked onto hers. "You're so much like a woman," he muttered.

Hermione blinked. For once in her life, she was confused.

Lupin continued to talk, except he was now mocking her, "Oh, Remus, touch me like that! Oh, Remus, do you love me? Remus - you better bloody kiss me now or you'll never shag me again! Oh, Remus, don't touch me! Remus, I don't love you! Remus - don't kiss me! Kiss me, don't kiss me!" He stopped and then stared at her. "Can't you ever bloody well make up that mind of yours?"

Hermione stared at him. There was silence for a while, finally Hermione shook her head and looked outside, trying to clear her thoughts. She squinted at the brightness of the full moon and then suddenly looked at Lupin. He was still standing there, looking very perplexed. Hermione's eyes widened and she looked back outside the window. The full moon was still staring down at her, but Lupin wasn't changing.

Something wasn't right.

"So, you wanted to know, what we are," he broke the silence.

Thank Merlin! Hermione thought.

"I guess the best way to put it... lovers."

Hermione nodded her head, not wanting to look at him, or even be in her own body, quickly left the room without another word. She needed some sleep. Sleep to think of how to get the hell out of this psychotic world...

x x x chapter end x x x

Author's Note : Graham Pritchard is not a made-up character. Read GoF; the character is there. Though whether or not Graham is male or female; I don't know. Female in my story.

Let's pretend that Cuban Pete/Sally Sweet (Desi Arnaz rocks my socks)is NOT a muggle song. Ha ha.

Also; it was too early into the story for the chapter title of "Lions and Snakes." Later on there will be a title named that; it fits better like this. Don't want to give you EVERYTHING so quickly. LOL

Sorry this chapter took me so long - I thought it was complete crap when I wrote it about a month ago - and yet no matter what I do to it - it is still crap. The only thing about this story is that I'm going to try and update it when I can, but it's giving me a lot of trouble. So, it's going through a major rewrite at the moment.

Hope you like the story so far - please read and review and let me know what you think of it.

Chapter 5 Entitled:

Visitation Rights