Disclaimer: I do not own any Harry Potter related stuff, characters or anything else.
(A/N: Please, if you take the time to read my story, puh-lease, spare just a few of your minutes can you own minutes? to click the review button and send me your comments. Thanks! Smiles .)
Hermione's Troubles:
Chapter Ten:
"Hermione, you really don't seem yourself. Do you want to talk?" Angelica said gently. Hermione stared moodily into the fire that was flickering merrily in the Charms classroom.
"I'm fine." She insisted quietly, her lower lip quivering slightly.
"Hermione, you need to talk to someone." Vanessa insisted. Hermione shook her head, staring around at the otherwise empty room. The boys were off somewhere, and Renae was still sulking, Zoe following her around and shooting nasty looks at the others. Lily was no-where to be seen.
"Look, thank you and all, but I don't – want – to – talk – about – it." She said firmly.
"Well, too bad, because someone sure wants to talk to you." Angelica retorted acerbically. She stood and walked over to the door. She pulled it open and Lily walked into the room. The generally perky red-head seemed unusually subdued. Vanessa met Angelica's pointed gaze and followed the dark girl out of the room, closing the door behind them. Hermione continued to stare into the violet coloured flames.
"Hermione…" Lily started to speak, her emerald eyes looking directly at her. "I'm sorry. I knew how you felt about Remus…" Hermione looked up and saw only sincerity glittering in her eyes.
"Lily, it wasn't your fault." Hermione said quietly. "You didn't ask him out, he asked you, and you turned him down. Do you really love James?"
"With all my heart." Lily replied warmly, her cheeks going pink. "I didn't want to date him previously because he'd get even more arrogant and fat-headed. He can wait, he knows I like him." Hermione smiled at the blushing girl, her first real smile since she'd overheard Remus. "You know," Lily said suggestively, "No-one ever said that the guy had to be the one to ask the girl to Hogsmeade." She raised one perfectly arched eyebrow.
"No." Hermione said, understanding her suggestion. "Lily, he cares about you. I don't want to be a rebound date or person just because he couldn't be with you, okay?" Lily looked thoughtful. A slight frown creased her forehead as she smoothed a piece of her hair behind one ear.
"Well," Lily said slowly, sitting down beside Hermione on the flagstones, "How about, on the Hogsmeade weekend, you come with me, James, Sirius, and Angelica to the Three Broomsticks? Meet there at 3. Bring Vanessa if you want. We'll invite Remus too. Hear me out!" She insisted as Hermione started to shake her head. "He has to get used to me and James, and he can get to know you, and we'll all be around." She stated simply.
"It won't work." Hermione reasoned. "Five words. James. Fight. Renae. Fight. Zoe." She summarized.
"Oh yeah." Lily said, thinking hard. "Well… we won't tell Renae, which means Zoe won't know, so they won't get any madder at you." She solved the problem simply. "And I'll talk to James. He'll come 'round." She said with a mischievous smile. "So, it's good?" Hermione nodded tentatively, her eyes cloudy and unreadable.
"I suppose so." She confirmed hesitantly.
"Okay then!" Lily announced cheerfully. "I'm so glad you aren't angry at me." She hugged Hermione happily. "Well, if you want this to go ahead, as Remus!" Lily giggled. "We'll leave THAT for you!" Then she bailed.
After a while, Hermione rose to her feet. Slowly, almost hesitantly, she walked over to the door, and left the Charms classroom. Entering the Common Room, she looked around cautiously.
"Uh, Remus, can I talk to you?" She announced to the inhabited Common Room. Behind Remus's back, both James and Sirius gave her a thumbs-up, and Lily flashed a friendly smile.
"Yes. I suppose so." Lupin said quietly, rising out of his chair, escaping Renae's deadly glares. He followed Hermione to stand outside the Fat Lady's portrait. The Lady herself took one look at the two of them and whisked out of the painting with a 'Call me when you need to get back in!'
"So…" Remus said absently. "You wanted to talk?" His voice was only barely audible.
"Umm…yeah." Hermione replied, her heart fluttering wildly. She batted a thick lock of her wavy hair until it was out of her eyes. Tilting her head in the direction of the corridor, she started walking down the hallway. Remus soon caught up with her, and they were walking step by step together.
"So what was it you wanted to speak to me about?" Remus said again, his voice quavering slightly.
"Look, I spoke to Lily." Hermione began. At the mention of the perky red-head Remus winced, and Hermione regretted her choice of words. "Ah, look." She said gently. "I wanted to ask if you'd go to Hogsmeade with me." Remus stopped walking and just stared at her.
"How – how could you ask me that!" He choked. "After…" He shook his head.
"I didn't mean it like that." Hermione replied fiercely, feeling unlike herself. "You already know I like you. I think you may have worked that out already. If not, you know now." Hermione drew a deep, shuddering breath, amazed at her own courage in such stupidity. "I wouldn't ask you that now anyway. I will not be the 'rebound girl.' I won't have anything to do with you, as in dating, if I was simply second best, the last resort because you couldn't have Lily." Remus looked at her, nodded, and then opened his mouth.
"I wouldn't treat anyone that way." He stated. "Well, except Snape." A ghost of a smile played on his lips, and Hermione regained her usual self control.
"What I wanted to ask you was if you'd like to go to Hogsmeade, with me, and," She emphasized, "Lily, James, Sirius, Vanessa, and Angelica. We're meeting at the Three Broomsticks at 3." Remus shook his head.
"How can you ask me that!" He repeated, a look of despair flittering across his careworn features. "You know James and Sirius won't even look at me, let alone talk!" His voice cracked. "And, Lily…" He trailed off.
"Look, you have to get used to seeing them, as in, James and Lily," she stressed, lamenting the fact she had to enforce this, "together. You can't simply avoid them. And James and Sirius will speak to you. I promise." She looked into his misty grey eyes. "Remus," her voice shuddered, "I wouldn't ask you to come if you weren't wanted." By me, at least, her traitorous mind added.
"Well… do you promise they'll speak to me?" Remus whispered warily. Hermione looked at him, and instead of seeing the guy she cared about, a tall, smart, charming, cute, almost 17 year old, she saw… Remus. The thing that looked back at her was a small child, a lonely child. The toddler inside him that looked into her eyes desperately needed reassurance, needed to know everything would be okay. The boy with lycanthropy, the werewolf who's greatest fear, apart from injuring someone when he transformed, was the terror of losing his friends. In that one fleeting look she saw every last thing about him, reflected in his misty, soulful grey eyes.
"Yes. They'll talk to you." She promised, hoping desperately this was a promise that wouldn't be broken. "All of them." Remus looked into her eyes, and suddenly hugged her, then stepped back suddenly. Hermione was tingling and trembling all over.
"Well… yes. At least, I'll think about it." He said gently, a slight pink hue tingeing his cheeks. "But, most probably, I'll see you there." He smiled, eyes lighting up for the first time in days, then fled down the hall.
(A/N: I'm sorry this chapter was so short, I actually had a chunk that I was going to fit onto the end, after Remus leaves, but when I wrote that scene, I thought 'Nuh, it needs to stop there.' That is a really cute scene, probably my fave scene so far, or tying for first place.
I am going to TRY and by try I mean go to a MASSIVE effort to get at LEAST one chapter a month. This is February's chapter, late because of my internet. Growls . Should be another one sometime later in March. I'm terribly sorry it is so slow, but I have TONS of schoolwork. Plus, I have no free time in English anymore, and that class was very inspirational. Now it is gone. Cries Well, PLEASE review, especially if you have any comment on Remus and Hermione in the hallway! Smiles and Waves . Well, for now, Ciao!)