Disclaimer: Still the same as it was last chapter, and the chapter before that, and the one before that...you get the idea.
So, today is the big deadline...
I just finished tidying up this chapter and figured I would post it now so that I can focus on getting the final chapter finished...it will be an epilogue set at the end of the school year. It will probably be considerably shorter than most of the chapters, but hopefully just as good as the others.
Thank you for all of the absolutely wonderful reviews...I am sorry if I have not replied to all of them individually yet – I know that I have a few that are still waiting for a reply & I will get to them when all is said and done, I promise. Oh, thank you to Joani for the anon review...I appreciate it!
If you haven't done so already, please check out the sketches Evil Cat Hater drew for this story. They really are wonderful! They can be found at her Live Journal.
This chapter is nothing special, really...for some reason it was extremely difficult to write and I am not all that pleased with it, but it does round out the challenge requirements, I think. The epilogue will be pure fluff with a happy ending, since I cannot bear to see unhappy endings. Anyway, enjoy...
I've dealt with my ghosts and I've faced all my demons
Finally content with a past I regret
I've found you find strength in your moments of weakness
For once I'm at peace with myself...
--I'm Moving On by Rascal Flatts
Chapter Ten
At peace with myself...
The Easter holidays arrived quickly and Hermione found herself at to the Burrow with the boys, Ginny, and, most importantly, Remus.
When she found out that her parents were serious about not wanting her to come home for the holiday, Hermione thought that she and Remus could spend the break together at the castle. When she mentioned it to Remus, however, he informed her that they would be going to the Burrow instead.
Hermione only hoped that she would be able to sneak in some quality time with Remus considering that the entire Weasley family and most of the Order would be there for at least some part of the Holiday. So far, it did not look promising, and they had been there for a few days already.
Harry and Ron were beyond pleased to have their friend there with them and were equally as pleased to be away from school for a week. The two things together meant that Hermione could not move without the boys knowing and asking why. It was not much fun for Hermione to be constantly surrounded by the boys when all she wanted to do was be with Remus.
Thankfully, Ginny noticed her friend's hopeless situation after the third day and decided to help Hermione by distracting the boys. Ginny rounded up her brothers and Harry and led them out to the field for a little impromptu Quidditch practice. At the mere mention of playing Quidditch, Harry and Ron quickly forgot about Hermione, just as planned.
With the boys out of the way, all Hermione had to worry about was Mrs. Weasley since Mr. Weasley was still at work at the Ministry of Magic. Hermione checked to make sure that Mrs. Weasley was sufficiently occupied – she was preparing for dinner – before she ran up the stairs to Remus' room.
The door was closed when she got there so she rapped her knuckles against the door softly and waited. She heard movement and rustling of sheets or something before the door opened a few inches. She looked up to see a very ruffled-looking Remus staring at her, a lopsided grin forming on his face, and she thought that she had never seen anything sexier in her life.
"Hullo, love," Remus' voice was raspy with sleep and Hermione immediately felt bad for waking him. The full moon passed only a few days ago, so he must still feel somewhat winded and tired, because she certainly did.
"Did I wake you? I'm sorry."
"I was just napping, but I am glad that you came up to see me." Remus reached out to grab Hermione's hand and pulled her into the room before closing the door again.
Hermione turned to get a full look at him and saw that he was wearing only a pair of boxers. She drank in the sight of him as if she had not seen him in weeks, when in reality they spent the night together only five days ago...it still felt like weeks ago.
Remus chuckled at her assessing look and wrapped his arms around her, drawing her close to his bare chest. He moved them to his bed so that he could cuddle with her under his warm blankets. Once they were comfortably ensconced beneath the covers, Remus tenderly kissed her. He would have liked to be less tender and more...passionate...but he was not sure how much time they would have to themselves, and he despised being interrupted.
After a few moments of tender kisses and soft caresses, Remus tilted his head back and gazed at his lover. Her eyes were closed and her lips were quirked up in a contented smile giving the impression that she was a very happy woman. Remus loved that look on her face and he could not tear his eyes away.
Hermione knew that he was staring at her, but she liked the feel of his eyes on her – they seemed to burn trails on her skin. It was only when she thought she might fall asleep if she kept her eyes shut a moment longer that she finally opened her eyes and looked up at her him. He was still staring at her with that lopsided grin of his marking his lips.
"Hi," Hermione whispered.
"Hi," Remus chuckled.
"What are you thinking about?"
"You. How much I love you. How I wish we had more time to spend alone," Remus answered without hesitation. "What about you?"
Hermione smiled broadly at his thoughts. She knew that most men become very uncomfortable when faced with that question, but Remus answered it so honestly, and without being coerced, and she loved him all the more for it. Remembering that he asked her the same question, Hermione answered by telling him what she was thinking about before he gave his answer.
"The same thing as you. I've been thinking about spending time with you from the moment we left the castle to come here. But I was also thinking about whether or not I should tell everyone about me being a werewolf. I mean, the Weasleys deserve to know and so do the members of the Order, right?"
Remus considered her answer. He knew that she would have a lot on her mind and he was very glad that she was honest about it. "You will have to tell them at some point so you might as well tell everyone while they are all in the same place. No sense waiting and having to tell the news over and over."
"You're right, of course. I just don't know if I have the courage to do it today, but I don't know if I can wait a moment longer either."
Remus pulled his love closer and breathed in the scent of her as he caressed her back. "You have the courage, Mione. I know you do. And I will be right there with you, so you have nothing to worry about," he whispered into her hair.
"It's settled then, I will tell everyone tonight. Thank you, Remus. I love you," Hermione murmured as she peppered his neck with kisses.
"Mmmm, don't do that, love," Remus groaned and Hermione smiled against his skin. "We don't have time to finish what you are starting by doing that. Maybe later tonight we can sneak some time together. I'm sure Ginny will cover for you if anything comes up."
"I'm sure she will, and if she doesn't I will hex her into oblivion," she said with a devious glint in her eyes causing Remus to chuckle.
"You should go get ready for dinner. I'm sure everyone will be here soon," Remus said as he climbed out of bed and pulled Hermione up after him. He pulled her close as they stood in front of the door and kissed her lovingly. The kiss was short but it conveyed all the feelings the two lovers felt and caused both to lose their breath.
Hermione flashed a bright smile at Remus when she stepped back to catch her breath. "I am so glad that we had a few minutes alone, I was beginning to miss you terribly."
"I know what you mean, I was beginning to think that the boys were trying to keep you from me on purpose. I guess that I owe Ginny for distracting them long enough for me to cuddle with you, though it was not for as long as I would have liked."
Remus opened the door for Hermione and he gently smacked her bum as she walked by. She shot him a mock glare before she laughed and said, "I will see you at dinner. Make sure the seat next to you is open so that we can sit together."
Remus watched her as she walked down the hall. He loved the way her hips swayed as she walked and he felt himself stir as he watched. Once she turned the corner, Remus ducked back into his room, shut the door and leant against it for a moment. He looked down at himself and groaned. I need to take a shower. A cold shower.
The kitchen was crowded and noisy. The long wooden table had been lengthened magically earlier that day in order to seat the Weasleys and all their guests. Many Order member were there, including Snape, and they looked like a real motley crew with all the different people mixed together at the same table.
Remus sat near the far end of the table next to Bill Weasley and made sure to keep the seat to his left available for Hermione by having Ginny sit on the other side of the open seat – she would tell anyone who tried to sit there that the seat was for Hermione. It worked well since the only person who tried to sit there was Tonks, though she did not take kindly to Ginny telling her she could not sit there. The pink-haired woman turned to Remus with a pout but he merely shrugged his shoulders and pointed to the other side of the table.
Remus heard talk, on previous occasions, that Tonks had a crush on him, but he always ignored the talk and feigned ignorance when she tried to flirt with him. Sometimes that would just cause her to increase her level of flirtation, but other times she would just stomp off in a huff, only to come back after an hour and try again. Either way, it irked him to no end that she just would not leave him alone.
Sure, she was a fine person, quite entertaining even, what with all her clumsiness. But the fact that she was a metamorphmagus and could change her appearance at will freaked him out just a bit. If she were to be his girlfriend, how would he know who she was when she changed her appearance without giving him warning first? In a crowd of people, she could be anyone, and what would happen if he kissed the wrong girl thinking that it was her? It was just too odd to think about.
Besides, he loved Hermione and he was not about to do anything to ruin what he had with her, including worrying about Tonks pouting over not being able to sit next to him. She could just bugger off because that was Hermione's seat and he would much rather have her next to him.
Remus was jarred from his thoughts as he heard Ginny call out his love's name.
"Mione! I saved you a seat here," Ginny shouted above the noise in the room as she saw her best friend enter the room. She pointed to the seat next to her as Hermione made her way over to where she was sitting.
"Thanks for saving me a seat, Gin," Hermione said with a conspiring smile as she sat down. She felt a hand on her thigh and turned to see Remus greet her with a smile.
"Evening, Mione."
"Evening, Professor," Hermione had to forcibly remind herself to not fling herself at him and kiss him silly, so she just flashed him a half-smile before she turned back to Ginny. She noted that his hand did not leave her thigh, it merely squeezed before moving to a caressing motion.
"How was your Quidditch game, Gin?" Hermione asked her friend.
"It was fun. George nearly fell off his broom and ended up inventing a new move, it was brilliant!" Ginny said excitedly.
Hermione laughed at the mental image of George hanging from his broom, flying about like mad while the others just watched. It had to have been a funny sight.
A moment later, Ginny shot her a mischievous look as she leaned closer to Hermione. "Did you have yourself a good time while we were playing Quidditch?" Ginny whispered, though not quiet enough because Remus heard and nearly choked on his pumpkin juice.
Hermione patted Remus on the back as he coughed a little and flashed him a sickly sweet smile. "Are you alright, Professor?"
"Er, I am fine, Hermione, thank you," he answered, a blush creeping up his face causing Hermione to laugh softly.
Hermione turned back Ginny with a look that said 'keep it down'. Ginny smiled innocently to her friend and raised her eyebrows, waiting for her answer.
Hermione shook her head as she leant in to whisper, "Yes, I did, but not in the way you are thinking. You did not leave us enough time for that."
Hermione chuckled when Ginny's eyes widened, but then she nearly choked on her own pumpkin juice when Ginny asked her next question. "Have either of you ever heard of a quickie?"
When Hermione was finished sputtering on her drink, she whispered, "Yes, we have, but we wanted it to be meaningful so we decided to just cuddle for a bit. Now drop it."
The rest of the meal passed in pleasant conversation and as the dessert appeared on the table, Remus nudged Hermione's leg with his own. "Time to get it over with, love," he whispered so quietly Hermione could barely hear him.
She nodded and, beneath the table, she grasped his had in hers for strength – she knew that she would not be able to go through with it if she did not have his strength to help her. When she felt the warmth of his hand flow through her, she squared her shoulders and her face was set in grim determination. In mere minutes, the entire group would know one of her darkest secrets and that very idea scared her to death.
Hermione glanced at Remus quickly, just to see the love in his eyes, before she lifted her fork to tap it against her glass to get everyone's attention. As if reading her mind, Dumbledore, who was sitting at the other end of the table, called for everyone to quiet down.
"I'm terribly sorry to interrupt dessert and the many delightful conversations, but it seems that Miss Granger has something that she would like to share with us all. Now, if you would all give her your undivided attention, I would greatly appreciate it." Every head at the table turned from him to Hermione as they waited for her to tell them what it was that was so important as to interrupt dessert.
Hermione blushed under the scrutiny of all present, but the gentle squeeze from Remus' hand forced her to speak. "I have something that I want to tell you all that you will probably find disturbing." She spoke loudly from her seat – she knew that she could not stand at the moment because she was not sure that her legs would support her, she was so nervous.
"Several months ago, I was in the Forbidden Forest at Hogwarts. I was collecting some ingredients for a project and it was midnight during the Full moon," Hermione paused as several gasps passed through the crowd at the table. She continued in cool detachment – if she was just reciting facts, then it was not so difficult. "I was foolish enough to be out there alone and I did not realize, until it was too late, that I forgot my wand. I was attacked by a werewolf just as I was finished collecting what I needed. It...it bit me on my left shoulder."
Mrs. Weasley was crying into Mr. Weasley's shoulder, broken words passing from her mouth, "Poor...dear...thinking...who...poor..."
McGonagall eyed Hermione sadly, as if all hope was lost for the girl. "What were you thinking, Miss Granger, going into the forest alone and without your wand?"
Hermione looked at McGonagall as tears began to well up in her eyes. "I am sorry, Professor. I am afraid that I was not thinking at all when I went out alone without my wand."
"That much is obvious," Snape sneered. He looked shocked for a moment at the initial news before his expression returned to his usual scowl. Hermione knew that he was thinking back to that day when she asked him to teach her to brew the Wolfsbane Potion.
Tonks looked suspiciously between Remus and Hermione, her mind running through the implications of the two of them being werewolves.
Most of the Weasleys and the remaining members of the Order had no major reactions to the news besides pity for the young woman before them. They were already used to dealing with one werewolf, what was the big deal if there was another? As long as they both took the proper precautions, they were fine with it.
Mr. Weasley, on the other hand, looked livid for a moment as he stared at Remus. Everyone at the table knew what he was thinking, hell some of them were probably thinking the same thing themselves. A few people still gasped when he spoke those thoughts aloud. "Remus Lupin, you better tell me that you had nothing to do with this, or I will hex you to within an inch of your life!"
Remus, to his credit, remained calm and sincere as he answered his accuser. "I swear to you, Arthur, I had nothing to do with this. I have been taking the Wolfsbane Potion consistently for the past few years. It was not me."
Arthur still looked unconvinced, so Dumbledore spoke again. "Remus is telling the truth, he was safely locked up in his rooms that night. I know this because I was the one to lock the doors after I met with him just before the sun set that day. I will also add that both Remus and Hermione take every possible step to protect themselves and others from any dangers that may result from their transformation, and I request that all of you treat this as if it were a meeting of the Order of the Phoenix, and therefore, not mention a word of what you heard outside of this house."
Dumbledore's explanation seemed to pacify Arthur, and anyone else who harbored similar thoughts, and everyone present nodded at the Headmaster's request.
Hermione was immensely relieved that everyone seemed to accept her new condition and it was like a giant weight was lifted from her shoulders. A kind of calm settled over her for the first time since the horrible event took place. Everyone important in her life knew her secret now and she was finally at peace with herself. She realized then that no matter how her parents felt about the situation, she would always have these people to call family. They loved her and accepted her when her own parents could not bring themselves to, and she was proud to know each and every one of them, Snape included.
After the dessert plates were cleared and everyone made their way into the sitting room, Hermione whispered to Remus. "Well, that went well, don't you think? Better than I thought it would and I feel relieved."
"I don't think this crowd could have reacted in any other way. They are already used to dealing with one werewolf, why would their feelings change now? I'm proud of you for letting everyone know, though. They all adore you too much to push you away because of what you are once a month."
Hermione wanted very much to kiss Remus at that moment, but she opted for a quick hug while she whispered, "Thank you, Remus. I am going up to bed now...I will see you in your room soon?"
Remus stepped back and flashed her a wolfish grin before he whispered, "Okay, love. I will be up in a little while."
Hermione said her goodnights to everyone and received a few hugs along the way, several were from Mrs. Weasley, who was of the opinion that she could squeeze the lycanthropy right out of the young woman.
"Molly, dear, take it easy on the girl. She knows that you care for her, you don't need to prove it by squeezing the life out of her," Arthur lovingly dragged his wife off of Hermione. "We are very sorry that you have to suffer as you do now, doll, but we are happy that you have someone to help you with transformations and such. Remus is a good man and he would stop at nothing to help the people he cares about."
Hermione smiled and thanked Arthur and Molly for their concern before she turned to search for their youngest child. When she finally came upon Ginny and the boys, she told the boys that she would see them in the morning and asked Ginny if she could talk to her for a minute. Ginny followed Hermione out of the room toward the stairs so that no one would hear what she had to say.
"I'm going to stay with Remus tonight, Gin. Do you think that you could cover for me if anything comes up?"
Ginny gave Hermione a knowing look and a mischievous grin. "Of course, I'll cover for you while you two randy werewolves shag your brains out, but you owe me."
Hermione shook her head and laughed as she turned to make her way up the stairs to Remus' room. Once she was inside the room, she went to his private bathroom to get herself ready for bed.
Remus climbed into bed an hour later to find Hermione naked and asleep. Not wanting to wake her, he merely kissed her forehead and settled himself in beside her. However, as soon as he closed his eyes, he felt a hand creep across his chest and down his stomach before if stopped on his hardening member and his eyes shot open. I thought she was asleep?
He closed his eyes and sighed contentedly while the hand worked to make him fully hard. His eyes shot open again when he felt a tongue lave at his nipple and he moaned in pleasure.
"I thought you were asleep, but I am certainly glad that you are not," Remus said, his voice laden with want.
Hermione licked a trail from his nipple up to his neck before she finally nibbled his ear lobe. "I was asleep, but my desire for you woke me up," Hermione whispered in her best 'sex-kitten' impersonation, causing Remus to growl as he flipped her onto her back and ravished her mouth.
Minutes later, Remus was very glad that he had the foresight to cast a silencing spell on the room – there was no need for the rest of the house to hear Hermione's cries of passion or his grunts of pleasure, for their love-making was decidedly passionate and slightly rough.
After their desires were sated and they both lay there completely exhausted, Hermione snuggled into Remus and fell asleep. Remus watched her sleep for a few minutes before he joined her, dreams of life with Hermione after Hogwarts consuming his slumber.
Just one more to go...yay!