Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters!

A/N: This fic is in response to a challenge by Lady Acacia.

Hermione absent-mindedly scratched behind her ear, tucking her hair back behind it after she was done. She let out a sigh and laid her head down on her book. For the last few weeks since the battle in the Astronomy Tower, she had been so tired during the day and so awake when the sun went down. It was ... reverse insomnia. Or at least, that's all she could think of.

"Are you sure you're all right?" Harry asked the young witch. "You've been so tired lately."

"We've all been tired lately, Harry," she said. "But you're right. Maybe I should see someone about it. I shouldn't be this exhausted all the time. And it's worse at night still. I can lay down, but I can't sleep."

"Well let's hope there is something you can get. We need you," Harry said, giving her arm a squeeze before he got up from the table.

Hermione groaned and closed her eyes, a wave of heat flashing over her body. She tugged on her shirt collar, not even aware someone had entered the room.

"Hermione? You ok?" asked a very tired looking Lupin.

"Hmm?" she asked, sitting up. "Oh yeah, I'm fine. Just been so tired lately. I think I'm coming down with something."

Lupin stared at her for a few more seconds, a curious expression wrinkling his forehead before he dismissed it and walked to sit on the other side of the table.

"Are you going out tonight?" she asked.

Lupin gave her a small smile before nodding. "Yeah, wish I could find a way out of it, but orders are orders."

Hermione's hand reached across the table and patted him on the arm. "Don't worry, it'll be all right in the end."

"Tell that to everyone out there," he said with a sigh

Hermione just let her head fall back down on her book, her eyes barely staying open.

"Hermione?"

"Hmm?" she acknowledged, barely awake.

"Have you seen anyone about your illness?"

"Mmm..." was all that came out of the young girl as she fell into a deep dreamless sleep.

Remus stood up from the table, his hand running through his hair.

Hermione jumped up from her chair, a burst of energy refusing to let her stay asleep. She groaned to herself. She was hoping this would be the night she could finally get some sleep. She turned around to look at the clock and saw it was only 7 o'clock.

She stood up and stretched, feeling uncomfortabe in her own skin.

"Harry? Ron?" she called.

"Yeah?" she heard from both of them from the living room. She walked towards their voices and saw them both on the floor, a book between them.

"I think I need some fresh air. I'm gonna go out for a walk."

"Hermione, I don't think that's the best idea. You-Know-Who could-"

"I'll be fine," she said quickly, cutting Ron off. "I doubt he's anywhere around here, or any of his ...people."

"Just promise to be careful, ok?" Harry asked.

"I promise. I won't do anything you would consider to be brave."

Hermione turned and walked outside of the Order of the Phoenix Headquarters, looking behind her to watch it melt away from her sight as she reached the end of the sidewalk. She let out a barely audible sigh of releif as her legs started running down the street. Her feet pounded on the pavement of the road, the echoes surrounding her and adding to the noise of the blood rushing in her ears.

She began to run out of breath, but she kept running, try to calm her breathing. In through her nose, out through her mouth. Then she felt the familiar stitch in her side when she over-exerted herself. But still she didn't stop running. She had too much energy to stop. She felt like the world would explode if she stopped, so she kept running. She rounded the corner of the first street she got to, taking her into a wooded area.

Hermione looked over at the trees, making her way off the road and towards them. She ran into the woods, ignoring the scratches and scrapes the branches were giving her. She felt her head getting heavy and her skin starting to tingle, but she still refused to stop. The pressure was too much, the pain in her side was building. Her heart was about to burst against her chest. With an aguished cry, Hermione fell to her knees, her body trembling and her skin tingling more and more.

The poor girl let out another cry, this time sounding anything but human. She looked down at her hands, clenched tightly together in fists on her lap. Her breath hitched in her throat as she watched them grow longer, her nails sharpening. Then a spasm of pain rocked through her entire being. She began to panic as she felt like her skin was ripping off her bones. Another cry of pain escaped her lips before her skin ripped open, revealing the animal beneath her. The last thing she remembered was the woods darkening around her, the Full Moon the only thing in her view.

The sound of a werewolf call pricked at the hairs on his ears. He sniffed the air, pinpointing its location, then turning his body to run after it. It was the call of a new werewolf, the call of a creature that needed...a push in the right direction. He ran into the woods, the trees barely registering in his vision as he heard the call again. He stumbled upon the new werewolf in a small clearing, tearing and ripping at the clothes it had worn as a human.

She looked up at him, her yellow eyes piercing his. Oh yes, this was definitely a she, and she was very hungry. He emitted a low growl as he slowly took a step towards her. He made sure she knew he didn't mean her any harm. The young werewolf sniffed at him, her nose coming up to his neck. She sniffed down the length of his body and back up, the hostility gone from her eyes. As she finally accepted him to not be an enemy, she sat back on her haunches and howled at the moon.

He turned around and gave her a grunt, asking her to follow him. She got up and ran behind him, her speed matching his. Oh yes, she was definitely a young one as a human too. Her energy seemed to be greater than his, but he was an older werewolf. He knew not many reached his age, and for some reason, he was determined to not let this one die young. She would be a great student of his. And if he was lucky, a mate.

Hermione opened her eyes slowly, the filtering sunlight stinging them. She tried to move but her body was too sore and heavy for her to do anything more than lift her head. With a small moan she laid her head back down on the ground.

Ground? She opened her eyes all the way and found herself surrounded by trees. She sat straight up in a panic, ignoring the screams of pain her body was giving her. A cool breeze blew across her skin, making her aware of the lack of any clothing. She looked down, a flush covering her from head to toe. She looked in front of her and saw nothing. She turned to look behind and saw-

"Professor!" she yelped. The man was laying on the ground a few feet away from her, just as clothingless as she was.

Remus opened his eyes slowly, his head pounding. He hated having to turn, having to play a werewolf. It always made him feel dirty the next day. Then he registered someone beside him. He bolted up fast and looked over, making eye contact with a very red, very wild looking Hermione Granger.

Ooooh, she's in trouble now!