Author's Note:

It has been a long time, I know. You probably all thought I had given up on it, but I would never abandon any of my stories! I apologize for how much time it took me to update, I promise it will not take so long for the next chapter. I was kind of having writer's block, I must have re-wrote this chapter four or fives times.

Also, there is a scene in this story where Hermione and Sirius have a conversation that most of you will probably find extremely boring and wonder why I put it in there. I felt even though most of you won't enjoy it, it is necessary to show the connection between them. I needed to show that their relationship is not all physical but also emotional. I promise not all their talks will be this boring, lol. :o)

Well, here it is finally, enjoy…

Chapter 8: The Truth Comes Out

"I know your secret," Remus said softly.

Oh no, Hermione thought desperately. It's okay, calm down, he could have gotten it wrong, just hear him out before you start confessing.

"What are you talking about?" Hermione asked calmly.

"You know what I am talking about. It doesn't take a genius to figure it out. You're from the future, aren't you?" he asked.

Oh crap, was the only thought that entered Hermione's mind at that moment.

"No," she said dumbly.

"At first I tried to ignore all the clues, telling myself that it was all a coincidence. But you two were slipping up so much, I couldn't ignore it anymore. It all makes sense now," Remus paused for a moment, and then continued. "Harry is James's son, isn't he? That is why Harry is so desperate to seek James's approval. Because he is his son. You were going to say 'how would you feel if your father punched you?' That is how you and Harry know your way around so well, because you go to Hogwarts in your own time. Now the only questions left are, first, how did you get sent back here? Was it an accident or was it on purpose? And two, why does Harry seem to be so engrossed in Lily Evans? Because let's face it, if Harry really wanted to seek James's approval, all he had to do was leave Lily alone. Yet he chose not to."

When Remus was finished, Hermione could do nothing but stand there with her mouth open. She couldn't believe he had figured it out… He was so smart. Oh, curse Professor Lupin for being so damn smart!

"Are you going to say something or are you just going to stand there all night?" he asked impatiently.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Hermione finally said.

Remus looked into her eyes for a moment. "There's no denying it now Hermione," he said softly.

And she knew he was right. There was nothing she could say. He had guessed it all. She had to confess now. "We messed up a potion in Potions class… well, Harry messed up the potion, I would never mess up a potion. Then it exploded and the next thing we knew we were here," she said softly. She did not make eye contact with him.

"And Harry is James's son?" Remus asked. All of a sudden, Remus put a hand over his mouth, as if he had just made yet another discovery. "Sirius told me that Harry's parents are dead… that means…" Remus trailed off realizing it meant that the future James was dead.

Hermione nodded in confirmation. She slowly approached Remus and pulled him into a hug.

With Sirius

Sirius walked up to the Astronomy Tower and once he got there, he had to admit he was a little surprised by what he saw. Hermione and Remus were hugging. As soon as they saw Sirius, they quickly pulled apart.

"Sirius… hi," Hermione said.

"What's going on?" Sirius asked.

"Nothing, nothing at all," Remus said immediately. "I should go. I'll see you later Hermione," he said as he left without another word. Sirius watched him leave and then turned to Hermione.

"What was that about?" Sirius asked Hermione.

"Nothing Sirius, we were just talking, I swear," Hermione replied.

"Why were you hugging?" he questioned.

Hermione tried desperately to think of a lie. But she couldn't. "He just found out something…" she paused, "something horrible."

"What?"

"I…. I can't tell you," Hermione said looking at the floor. "I swear nothing happened Sirius," she said softly.

"Look me in the eye and say it again," Sirius demanded.

"Nothing happened," she repeated while she looked him in the eye.

"Okay, I believe you," he said quietly. "Everyone has their secrets Hermione. And it's okay to have secrets. Just as long as they don't hurt anyone."

She smiled. She was very happy he was so understanding about it.

1 Hour Later

Hermione and Sirius had been talking for an hour without knowing it. They never ran out of things to say, every topic just sprang to another one.

"But if you think about it," Sirius began. "Everything we do is in our own self interest."

"That's a theory called psychological egoism. It says that humans are wired psychologically so we can only pursue our own interests. But if you really believe in that theory, then there is no such thing as ethics. Because ethics tells you that you should do things to benefit others and not yourself."

"Do youagree withthat theory?" he asked.

Hermione thought a moment before answering. "No. I believe that in general, most things we do are in our own personal interest, but not all things. For example, over the summer I got my driver's license. It's a little card muggles have that basically gives you permission to drive around in a car. Anyway, my parents kept making me drive my sister everywhere. So when my sister asked me to take her somewhere, I didn't really want to drive her. I did it because I thought it was the right thing to do."

"Well, you did it because your parents would have gotten angry with you if you hadn't, right? So it was in your self-interest to take her. And you also did it because you love her. And don't even get me started on love, love is the most egotistical thing in the world," Sirius said.

"You really think that?" she asked. "Why?"

"Because when you think about it… why do you love someone? Because they make you happy and you want them to love you back," Sirius explained.

"I see what you're saying, but I don't know if I agree. I think love can be selfish, but not always," Hermione said. "Harry's parents both died trying to protect him. They risked their own lives for him. Do you think that is a selfish love?"

"Well, first we have to distinguish between selfishness and self-interest," Sirius said. "What's the difference?"

"Well selfishness is when acting in your own interest is hurting someone else in some way. But self-interest is when you're still acting in your own interest, but it doesn't hurt anyone else," Hermione said.

"Exactly."

"This is a stupid argument. I mean, in principle, I can't falsify this theory," Hermione said. Sirius laughed. "I didn't think you were the type of person to ever think about this kind of stuff," she observed.

He laughed again. "You thought I was stupid," he said.

"Oh no. Not stupid. I just didn't think you cared about---"

"I can be serious Hermione. I know no one thinks I can because I play a lot of pranks and stuff, but I can be."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize. In fact, it's nice to have someone to talk to about this kind of stuff with. I can't talk to James or Peter, they don't care. Remus might care, but he doesn't take me seriously."

Hermione couldn't help but smile.

They talked until one in the morning, about everything. She couldn't believe it. She had not expected him to have this side to him. Before he was just cute and charming and funny and sweet. Now he was smart on top of all that.

But even as Hermione lay in bed, and thought back to their night, she remembered the first words Sirius had said to her. It's okay to have secrets. Just as long as they don't hurt anyone. Was she hurting Sirius by not telling him the truth? Maybe he didn't need to know. With these thoughts, she finally drifted off into sleep.

The Next Day

"Where's Hermione?" Harry asked Lily in the common room that morning.

"I think she's still sleeping," Lily replied.

"She's so lazy lately, will you go wake her up?" Harry asked.

"You're right. She's slept long enough. I'll be right back," Lily said as she headed up towards the girl's dormitory. "Hermione wake up," Lily said shaking her. Hermione groaned and pulled the covers over her head. "Oh no, we're not playing that game," Lily said as she yanked the covers off of Hermione. Hermione groaned louder this time. "Come on, rise and shine. Seize the day. It's bright and beautiful and today will be wonderful." Hermione would never understand how Lily could be this optimistic at times. She slowly sat up out of bed. "So, I heard you sneak out of here last night," Lily said grinning mischievously. "Where did you go?"

"Oh… I… uh, went to go… uh… finish a potion," Hermione lied.

But Lily of course saw right though it. "Oh right, finish a potion, at 9:00 at night? That took you until one in the morning?"

"Yes, you see, the potion was a very difficult one. And I messed up the first time so I had to do it all over again," she said quickly.

"Right," Lily said disbelievingly. "Anyway, Harry suggested I wake you. I think he wants to talk to you."

"Oh crap," Hermione said as she sprang out of bed and threw on her clothes from yesterday.

"What's with the rush?" Lily questioned.

"Nothing, I just forgot that I have to tell him something really really important. I'll see you at breakfast, bye," Hermione called as she raced down the stairs. "Harry! I've got to tell you something!"

"What is it?" Harry asked approaching her.

She glanced around her to make sure no one was listening and then leaned into Harry's ear and whispered, "Professor Lupin knows."

"He knows?" Harry asked surprised.

"Yes. He told me last night in the Astronomy Tower."

"Why were you two in the Astronomy Tower?"

"Never mind that Harry, the point is he knows. He knows we're from the future, he knows that you were James's son, and he knows that your parents are dead, therefore he knows the future James is dead. Oh my Merlin, who knows if he's okay right now."

"What do you mean Hermione? You didn't talk to him about it afterwards? Calm him down about the whole thing?" Harry asked.

"Well I was going to but Sirius came in and then I forgot all about it," she replied.

"Yeah, let's not get started on that one. Do you have any idea where Professor Lupin might be right now?"

"Breakfast is my best guess. I just hope he hasn't told the others," Hermione said worried.

"Are you wearing you shirt inside out?" Harry asked suddenly noticing it.

"I got dressed in a hurry, now come on," Hermione said as she grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the common room. They raced all the way down to the Great Hall. "Okay Harry look, now be casual. If he's there, we ask him to come with us, if he's not, we go look for him somewhere else, got it?" Harry nodded showing he understood. "And if by any chance any of the other marauders have found out, we go straight to Dumbledore." They slowly entered the Great Hall and looked around the Gryffindor table. Remus was sitting there by himself playing with his food but not actually eating it.

"Morning Remus," Hermione said sitting down next to him.

"Oh, hi Hermione."

"Good morning," Harry said, taking a seat across from him.

"Hi," he mumbled in reply.

"Look, Remus, we need to talk about last night," Hermione said.

"No need," Remus replied. "I'll keep your secret if that's what you're worried about."

"It's not just that, we're worried about you," Hermione said gently. "Are you gonna be okay?"

"I'm fine. I really don't want to talk about it," he said softly. Hermione knew she shouldn't try to push it, after all, it wasn't everyday that you found out your best friend would die in his twenties. She slowly stood up and signaled for Harry to follow her. "Let's not press the issue. It will just make him mad."

"You're right," Harry agreed.

Back at Breakfast

"You don't care if I sit here, do you?" James asked taking a seat across the breakfast table from Lily.

"Of course not James," she said smirking. "I don't care about anything you do."

He frowned. "Look here Evans. You've had such an attitude lately and I'm telling you, you better cut it out or else."

"Is that a threat Potter?" she asked becoming angry. "I treat you the way you act. And you act like an immature child. You think you're really something, don't you James Potter? Well let me tell you, you're not! Just because you're captain of the Quidditch team and have rich pure-blood parents you think you're some kind of saint. You're the most selfish person in the world! You can only think of yourself, never anyone else. Everything you do is in for your own personal gain. Have you ever in your life wanted to help someone other than yourself? You're disgusting James. You mean nothing to me. You're dead to me." Lily expected James to come back with some foul comment or remark, or at least try to curse her. But instead, he almost seemed…. well, hurt. He looked hard into her green eyes one last time and then got up and left. Lily sighed. Why did she feel so bad? He deserved it, after what he did to Harry. Didn't he? "James, wait," she said as she got up and hurried to catch up with him.

Author's Note: Next chapter will be more interesting, less philosophical talks, I promise. :o) Peace, emma