Disclaimer: You know the drill…anything HP equals JKR, lyrics as sung by Faith Hill.
Well, I am glad that most people seem to think that this is not too cliché…it is to an extent, but then again, all fan fiction becomes cliché after awhile…as Believer87 mentioned, time travel fics are the most clichéd, but that doesn't stop anyone from writing them…good thing too, because some of them are VERY good!
Anyway, I had something else that I wanted to say, but I can't remember what the heck it was…oh well; I won't waste time trying to think of whatever it was. If it turns out to be important, I will repost or something…
Thank you for all the many wonderful reviews! I treasure them, so keep 'em coming!
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It's centrifugal motion
It's perpetual bliss
It's that pivotal moment
It's, ah unthinkable
-This Kiss by Faith Hill
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Chapter Five
That pivotal moment
"You seem to have a good grasp on how this works," Remus said as he leaned back from the desk. "What do you think about teaching the first-years on Monday?"
In the last week, Hermione learned all she could about lesson plans, controlling students, keeping them interesting, the grading system, and just about anything else Remus could think of to teach her.
She was like a sponge, soaking it all up. He was really proud to see how she took to the challenge.
It was only little more than a week since they found out that she would be his teacher's assistant, and here she was; ready to teach her first class.
"Ah, are sure that I am ready?" Hermione asked nervously.
She was really excited but completely nervous at the idea of teaching her first class. It just seemed to be happening so quickly.
"I think you are ready. You know this stuff inside and out, Mione," Remus smiled at her as he reached out and squeezed her hand. "Besides, I will be right there in case you have any problems or questions."
Hermione smiled back at him, but more for the fact that he was still squeezing her hand than for trying to encourage her.
"Well, if you think I'm ready, then I must be."
Remus chuckled, and then blushed as he looked down to see his hand still clasping Hermione's. He cleared his throat and gently pulled his hand back from Hermione's. He looked up just in time to see the brief look of disappointment that clouded Hermione's eyes before she blinked it away.
"We've been working for hours on a Friday evening, what do you say we retire by the fire and have some tea," Remus suggested.
"I would like that," Hermione said. I would like it better if you would kiss me already, she added silently.
Working together every evening and observing him during first- and second-year classes after nearly kissing over a week ago was difficult for the Head Girl. That one moment just before Professor Dumbledore interrupted occupied her thoughts constantly.
And she wanted nothing more than to get that moment back and finish what they almost started. But they had a lot work to do in the past week and another opportunity had yet to present itself.
It was strange, but ever since the second full moon that they spent together, she wasn't nearly as concerned over her feelings for her professor anymore. Somehow she knew that he returned those feelings, even if he wasn't exactly willing to act on them yet – she wasn't quite sure if he was or not – and that was enough for her to stop trying to deny what she felt.
She decided to just let nature takes its course, as it tended to do anyway.
Remus stood up and led the way over to the chairs by the fire, stopping briefly to conjure two cups and some tea. He handed Hermione one cup and kept one for himself as he sat down.
They fell into an easy conversation as they sipped from their steaming cups, the talk mostly consisting of Hermione's classes and such. Once that line of conversation was exhausted, Remus moved on to something that still concerned him.
"How are things with Harry and Ron?"
Hermione looked at him sadly before answering.
"Still the same. They haven't noticed anything other than the fact that I am busier than usual and I am still too scared to tell them the truth."
Remus felt for her, she was stuck between a rock and a hard place. He could relate completely, but that didn't really change what needed to be done.
"You are going to have to tell them sometime, Mione," Remus reasoned. He was aware that she knew this already, but he felt the need to remind her. "The longer you wait, the harder it will be, on you and on them. You have to keep in mind that they are your best friends, they love you for you, no matter whom, or in this case, what you might be."
Hermione studied him for a moment as she considered his advice. She knew that he was right; he's been through it before so he would know. But that didn't make it any easier for her.
"I know. It's just easier to avoid the situation than it is to deal with it," Hermione said softly, "especially when I have you to come to with all of my concerns. You understand better than anyone else ever could."
"Yes, that comes with the territory, I'm afraid," Remus smiled.
Hermione looked into the fire thoughtfully for a few minutes before she turned to face Remus again.
"I think Ginny has figured it out," Hermione blurted out. "I mean, she hasn't said outright that she knows, but she just seemed to asked the questions that someone as perceptive as her would ask when they were on the trail to figuring it out."
Remus swirled the remaining tea in his cup as he considered Hermione's revelation. Ginny Weasley was more intelligent and perceptive than a lot of people gave her credit for. If anyone were to figure Hermione's condition out on his or her own, it would be Ginny.
She is also an accepting and caring friend, which is precisely what Hermione needs right now…surely Ginny would not push Hermione away for what she was now against her own will?
"Perhaps you should talk to her," Remus advised. "Ginny is a wonderful person, she wouldn't push you away in your time of need just because you are a werewolf now. She was raised better than that."
"I know, but again, I am so afraid of losing my friends over this," Hermione said worriedly. "Even though I know that they are all wonderful people in their own right, I can't help but be scared they won't accept me for what I've become."
Remus gulped down the rest of his tea and banished the cup before he stood up. He walked over to Hermione's chair and stood just to the side of her. He reached out and took the cup from Hermione's hands and set it down on the small table between the two chairs.
Hermione watched him carefully, all the while wondering what he was doing. She gave him a curious look when he reached out to take her left hand. His lips quirked up in a crooked smile and his eyes said all she needed to know…trust me.
She let him pull her up from her seat and sighed as he wrapped his arms around her. She snuggled into his embrace and turned her face toward his neck so that she could breath in the scent of him.
He smelled earthy, a crisp mix of man and nature…rain, trees, so clean and fresh. She would never forget that.
She lent in closer to his body in order to feel the rumble in his chest when he started to speak.
"You have to trust yourself to trust your friends, Mione. They will be there for you through thick and thin, and if, for some reason, they are not, then they are not worthy of being considered your friends."
Hermione nodded her head against his body, not wanting to lift her head to speak.
"And if that is the case, I will be here for you to trust and lean on," Remus said with a slight hitch in his voice.
This was dangerous territory for him…he was seconds away from breaking that cardinal rule regarding teacher/student relationships, and yet, he couldn't bring himself to care enough to prevent what he was about to do.
Hermione was touched at his words and she lifted her head to look in his eyes. She stared into his beautiful gray orbs and she saw things there that thrilled and frightened her at the same time.
His eyes held care, concern, trust, fear, desire, and other things that she couldn't quite put a name to. She was quickly becoming lost in those eyes and the things she saw, so she shook herself mentally to clear the fog of her mind.
She wanted to thank him before she was completely lost in the moment.
"Thank you, Remus," she breathed and quickly closed her eyes as Remus bent his head down to hers.
Their lips brushed together so softly that Hermione wasn't sure if they actually touched. Before she could question it though, Remus' lips pressed against hers more firmly.
They stayed in a lip-lock for a few seconds before Hermione let her tongue dart out and brazenly run along Remus' bottom lip. She smiled slightly when Remus groaned and parted his lips to let his own tongue dart out to meet Hermione's.
The kiss was deepened as the two lycanthropes explored each other's mouths.
Remus let his hands stray on Hermione's body and finally left one to tangle in the curls at the base of Hermione's neck, and let the other slide slowly under the hem of her shirt.
He moved slowly to allow Hermione time to stop him if it was not what she wanted. When she made no move to shoo his hand away, he gently slid his fingers over the skin of her tummy and around to her lower back. The softness of her skin made him moan and pull her even closer.
The feel of her breast pressed up against him made him ache to touch them. He moved his hand from her back to gently caress them one at a time through the lacy bra that she was wearing, eliciting sweet moans from her throat.
He wanted so badly to rip her clothes off, but knew that he had to tread carefully here. If he moved too fast, he might scare her away.
Hermione was surprised at the softness of his lips and the gentle passion of his kisses. She was delighted to be kissing Remus, finally, and it didn't even occur to her to stop him when his hand slipped under her shirt.
She just wanted to be close to him and his touch on her skin was sending wonderful little shivers all over her body that caused her to pull him closer.
She took her cue from his wandering hand and let her hands run through his hair before she settled one deep in the hair on the back of his head. She let her other hand slide over his shoulder and down his bicep before she slid it back up and down the one side of his chest.
She wanted to slide her hand over his bare skin, but he was wearing too much clothing, he had on a button-down shirt tucked into his trousers and a jumper over that. She decided to just run her hand down the skin on the side of his face and neck, eliciting a low growl from Remus.
She could feel his arousal pressed up against her hip as he held her close. She moved against him experimentally, causing Remus to growl. The hand tangled in her hair moved to her hip, then around to her bum as Remus pulled her even closer against his hardness.
Remus broke the kiss long even to whisper hoarsely, "Oh Gods Mione, see what you do to me?"
This was all new to her, so Hermione was thrilled and frightened at the knowledge of the effect she had on him.
They continued on in this manner for a while, both wanting to move faster, yet both scared of doing so. They finally reached that point where they had to stop or just take it to the next step when a knock sounded on the door to Remus' office.
Remus reluctantly tore his lips from Hermione's and gently knocked his forehead against hers.
"What now?" He growled quietly.
He looked sadly at Hermione and turned to answer the door, trying to compose himself on the way. He sincerely hoped that he did not look as flustered as he felt.
He just snogged the bloody hell out of a student, so he could only imagine how ruffled he looked.
He reached the door and took a calming breath before he opened it.
Remus didn't know what he was expecting, but it certainly wasn't Ginny Weasley.
Oh well, better than it being Albus Dumbledore, Remus thought ruefully.
"Good evening, Miss Weasley. What can I do for you?" Remus asked pleasantly, though he did not feel half as pleasant as he sounded.
What he wanted to say was, Would you mind terribly, if I asked you to come back in a few hours, after I have sufficiently shagged your best friend. But, somehow, he refrained from doing so.
"Evening, Professor Lupin. I was looking for Hermione, sir, and I figured that she might still be here," Ginny answered somewhat nervously.
"Ah, yes, Miss Granger is still here. We were just finishing up our work for the night, so she is free to go in a minute," Remus said to the redhead.
"Okay. Can you just tell her that I will be waiting in the hallway?"
"Certainly. Good night, Miss Weasley," he replied and tried not to slam the door in his hurry to get back to Hermione.
"Looks like our night has come to an end," Hermione said, half-disappointed and half-relieved.
I was only minutes from losing all coherent thought and shagging my professor. Oh, Merlin, am I on the path straight to Hades, or what? I wonder if they have early admission spaces for infractions like shagging your professor?
Hermione was jarred from her amusing thoughts when Remus bent his head down for a chaste kiss.
"Unfortunately, yes. Perhaps you can stop by tomorrow sometime?" Remus asked hopefully.
Hermione opened her mouth to answer when Remus cut her off.
"Unless you have things to do and are busy all day," he blurted out.
Apparently he thought that she was going to say no. Hermione smiled and cupped the side of his face in her slender hand.
"Of course I will come see you tomorrow. Ginny and the boys have Quidditch practice in the afternoon, so I will meet you down here then."
Remus nodded happily and kissed her forehead.
"You better go before Ginny gets impatient or suspicious."
Hermione nodded and gathered her stuff, she made her way toward the door and stopped once she reached it. She turned back to look at Remus before she opened the door, he was standing there with a wistful look on his face as he watched her. She smiled and left him staring after her.
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"How is your assistant thing going?" Ginny asked in an effort to make conversation as she and Hermione made their way back to the Head Girl's rooms.
She saw how ruffled Professor Lupin looked, so she could only imagine how well it was going…but she certainly wasn't going to say anything. Not yet, at least. She had other things to worry about for now.
"It's challenging and fun," Hermione answered. "He wants me to teach the first-years on Monday. I'm really nervous, but looking forward to it all the same."
"That's awesome! Too bad you can't teach the sixth-year classes."
Hermione laughed at her friend as they walked up the stairs leading to the portrait to Hermione's chambers.
Once the girls were inside, Hermione turned to her friend, a searching look visible in her brown eyes.
"What is so important that you had to come down to Professor Lupin's office to get me?"
Ginny hesitated a moment, as if she was re-thinking her decision to talk to Hermione about whatever it was she had on her mind.
"I, um, needed to, um, ask you something, and, um, I knew that if I waited, I would, um, not ask it," Ginny stuttered.
Her nervousness made it obvious to Hermione what it was she wanted to discuss.
"Okay then, ask away," Hermione stated with more confidence than she felt.
"Right, where do I begin…" Ginny said as she wrung her hands and sat down on Hermione's bed.
Hermione watched her friend with nervous apprehension. She knew what was coming and was powerless to stop it.
Just remember what Remus said. This is Ginny; she is one of your best friends. She is here because she cares. Hermione knew that it was true, but she still had to convince herself to believe it.
"What happened to you the night you went out to the Forbidden Forest to collect fresh potions ingredients?" Ginny asked bluntly.
Ginny went with the old 'when in doubt about where to start, get right to the point' idea, and it worked.
This is the point of no return, you can either tell the truth and face whatever comes your way, or you can lie through your teeth and hope for the best, Hermione thought.
"You can't tell anyone what I am about to say, okay Gin?"
"Of course, Mione," Ginny said with complete sincerity.
As far as she was concerned, the look on Hermione's face and the words she just spoke confirmed her suspicions anyway; she certainly wasn't going to betray her friend's trust.
"I was bitten by a werewolf that night, Ginny," Hermione squeaked as tears pooled in her eyes.
"Oh Merlin, Mione," Ginny whispered as she moved next to Hermione and wrapped an arm around her shoulder.
"It was so painful and terrifying. I was so stupid to go out there alone and without my wand," Hermione said, angry tears flowing down her face.
"You went without your wand? What the hell did you do that for?" Ginny asked surprised.
"I didn't do it on purpose!" Hermione shouted.
"I know, Hermione, I'm sorry. Why didn't you tell anyone? It's been two months!" Ginny was hurt that Hermione didn't come to her when it first happened, or anytime in the past two months, for that matter.
"I was scared of what you would think," Hermione answered honestly. "I didn't tell anyone, I couldn't. Re-…Professor Lupin discovered it almost immediately. He said 'it takes one to know one' and he wanted to help me handle it."
Hermione hoped that Ginny missed her slip…she tried to gauge Ginny's reaction, but the look on her face revealed nothing but concern, so she forgot about it.
Ginny figured that Professor Lupin knew since he and Hermione spent so much time together…and she caught the little slip Hermione made too, but she wasn't going to say anything about it, yet. One shocking revelation per night was enough.
"So the boys haven't figured it out yet, I guess," it was a statement more than a question, but Hermione still nodded in affirmation. "I'm not surprised, those too can be so bloody oblivious it's ridiculous."
Hermione chuckled through the tears still sliding down her face.
"When are you going to tell them?" Ginny asked, adding after a moment, "You are going to tell them, right?"
"Yes, I am going to tell them. They deserve to know that their best friend now becomes a dangerous beast once a month," Hermione said bitterly.
Ginny did not bother to restrain herself from laughing.
"Oh, Mione, all girls turn into dangerous beasts once a month. You just happen to turn into a hairy beast that just happens to be a little more dangerous than the rest of us. The boys won't notice any difference," Ginny said with a dismissive wave before both she and Hermione broke down in laughter.
That was exactly what she was shooting for, too.
The two girls continued to talk for a few hours, with Ginny re-affirming her acceptance and support every once in a while.
Hermione felt relieved to know that Ginny didn't think any less of her now. It felt truly wonderful to have another person on her side knowing her secret. She just hoped that everyone else would be just as understanding.
After Ginny left, Hermione decided that first thing tomorrow, she would go see Professor Dumbledore and tell him what happened that night. She should have told him sooner, if for no other reason than for the safety of the other students.
Then she would figure out when and how to tell the boys, her parents, and anyone else that would really need to know, such as the Weasleys.
She didn't know how everyone would react, but it was time to face the consequences of her actions. She could not hide such a big secret forever. As if being a werewolf wasn't exhausting enough, hiding it from everyone and their mother was far too draining.
She fell asleep that night feeling much lighter now that she unloaded part of her burden, and having vivid dreams of a certain werewolf professor made for a very good night's sleep.
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There you go…some nice Remus/Hermione goodness to make up for their little interruption last chapter…hope you enjoyed it!
Hope to have the next chapter up by Tuesday evening…