Disclaimer : All these great characters belong to the wonderful Mrs.Rowling , but the twisted plot is mine : )
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Chapter 6 : Mounting Temptation
" I Just dont get it ! "
Ron , Hermione and Harry were sitting under the faomous beech tree beside the Great Lake.
Ron was bemoaning his disasterous love life, while Hermione and Harry nodded in understanding at the right intervals.
"One minute she's all over me like a rash of bubotuber pus , the next she acts like im a werewolf or something ..! "
Hermione smiled , thinking that being a werewolf was quite an attractive feat, as far as she was concerned .
Harry said " Whats wrong with being a werewolf? I mean look at Lupin! "
Harry was carefully anlysing Hermione , but she neither agreed nor disagreed , so he rest his mind on that particular subject.
" Stop changing the subject Harry! Whats wrong with her? She keeps walking off on her own all the time, disapearing for hours. Maybe i've said something!"
Harry was very silent , looking out over the lake.
Hermione decided a female opinion was needed,these two could be so tactless sometimes.
"Ron , have you tried asking her ? And ,sush for a second now , when you did , did you accept 'no i'm fine ' as an answer ?"
"She said 'no i'm fine ' so i left it "
"No im fine is ominous , don't accept it as an answer . Ron don't go off on one , but maybe she likes someone else? "
Ron exploded in a fit of red faced fury.
"Hermione! No she wouldn't! Thats cheating , i mean ..No..! Ridiculous.! I thought you were meant to be clever Hermione..jeez.! "
Hermione turned to ask Harry what he thought , and what she saw suprised her . Harry , for once , was as red as Ron , and very queit , avoiding eye contact.
xx What the devil? No no no Harry Potter you wouldn't ...You wouldn't..! xx
It would explain alot . But Hermione refused to believe this , and instead convinced herself he was thinking of something else.
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It was almost Christmas in Hogwarts , and the snow was starting to fall , turning the castle into a postcard-worthy sight indeed , its turrets and towers caked in the icing-like snow.
Dumbledore had announced that in celelbration and to lighten the mood this year , there would be a winter ball on Christmas night .
This certainly cheered the student population up , especially as most were staying for the holidays seeing as Hogwarts was , this year , the safest place to be .
However,The Head Girl and Head Boy , Hermione and Harry respectively , knew that they would be busy with all the duties that came with this new event.
After this announcement , Hermione trudged upto her Dormitory , which this year she had to herself .On her way , immersed in her thoughts , she walked right onto none other than Albus Dumbledore .
He surveyed her with a smile and twinkle in his clear blue gaze .
"Well , Hermione , just the young lady i was hoping to find "
"Oh I'm sorry sir , I wasn't watching , er, you're looking for me? "
"Yes, as head girl , you have the unfortunate duty of helping in various tasks , and I'm afraid you will be needed to assist professor Lupin in decorating the Great Hall , I'm afraid most of the other professors are busy with important work for the Order .."
Dumbledore stared right into Hermiones brown eyes and saw the emotions flitting past .
" Of course Sir , em , Christmas Eve is it? "
"Very astute , indeed . Have fun . "
Dumbledore walked away down the hall swiftly.
Hermione thought fate was pushing her and her professor together .
Dumbledore thought how wonderful it felt to be playing fate.
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Remus didn't know what to think . Dumbledore had just informed him he would be needed to decorate the hall with the head girl .
Hermione . Oh dear lord , he thought , we could be up for hours on end doing that ...What is Dumbledore at? But he doesn't know anything like that ..But what's to know? Stop thinking ..
One thing was for sure , He wouldn't let Hermione get the upper hand next time they had an encounter , he was her professor , it was all entirely indecent , and he would be as aloof as possible .
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It was the day before Christmas eve and a Hogsmeade visit was in order , albeit a heavily guarded one with various professors chaperoning , including Lupin which certainly did not go unnoticed by Hermione .
He walked past the Golden Trio , and muttered a general " Hello , you three . Miss Granger , will see you tomorrow "
"Yes , professor Lupin "
Hermione noticed how stand off-ish he was and frowned .
Ron however burst out laughing.
"You two.! All the proper english and proper names , everything is so bloody proper between you ..! "
xx As If , Ronald xx
Harry however asked " What's tomorrow?"
Hermione told him about her task and found out he would be helping Hagrid with trees , so he wouldn't be there late , or even at all .
Hermione , though she didn't want to admit it . was glad . She wanted to get him on his own .
The tension had been building for so long that by now Hermione didn't care what happened as long as something did . She knew , her instinct told her, that he felt the same and was covering it up with his new aloof professor act.
Hermione was not easily fooled . It took a very strong person to get the upper hand over Hermione , and she knew his weakness.
Ron interrupted her thoughts with his usual burst of sentiments.
"Well , try and be nice to dear Remus tomorrow , make him feel at ease and stop treating him like you don't know him..!"
xx Well , I'll get to know him much better then...much much better... xx
The trip was quite uneventful , and Ron suddenly stopped in his tracks and turned to Harry and Hermione and said
"What is up with you two? You both look like lost puppies , you're hardly saying a word ! What's wrong with ye? "
Draco Malfoy chose that exact moment to walk by . On hearing what Ron said he stated , very loudly , " Well , if you ask me , they're spending too much time 'talking' in the dungeons , though i doubt any talking goes on... Good day potty , mudblood ."
Hermione was about to ask what on earth that was about , when she noticed Ron smiling.
And Harry wasn't asking any questions .
"A-ha! Why didn't yous two tell me? Of course it makes sense , The two of you , single my eye! Why didn't yous say? "
Hermione and Harry both looked at eachother and laughed . Ron refused to believe their denials , and Hermione wondered why Harry never denied being in the dungeons the way she did. Eventually , Ron 'accepted ' what they were saying , though he still had a maddening smirk on his face.
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It was six O clock , Christmas eve , and Hermione had showered , put on the merest hint of make-up , and fixed her hair .
Most of the students were out in the snow , or beside Common Room fires as she made her way down to the Great Hall .
There were a few house elfs inside running around scrubbing the floors and walls . It made Hermione so mad to see the little creatures working so hard . She frowned deeply.
"Maybe now is not the time for S.P.E.W work?"
Lupin was looking at her with raised brows.
Hermione smiled , seeing a slight colour tinge his face , and she knew he was playing his little aloof game .
Two could play that game , at least until they were alone .
"Certainly . There's work to be done , and I'm going to do it . "
With a slight smile , she brushed past Lupin and took a box over to the furthest tree down the end of the hall.
xx I said I'd be aloof , but i didn't think she would be too...Oh..Well..For the best..I guess..Shit. xx
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Hermione was levitating a few silver bobbles up to the top of an incredably tall tree when she noticed the silence . She looked over her shoulder and saw that , at long bloody last , they were alone . And whats more , the tree beside him was bare.
She finished what she was doing and swayed over to about three centimetres away from him, carrying the box which magically refilled itself with decorations on her hip . She plonked it down , and sat up on the large desk between the two trees they were working on , crossed one leg over the other , while leaning back onto the desk with her hands behind her back a little. Lupin stopped and looked at her
xx Don't sit like that , please... xx
"Tired Hermione? "
"No , not at all , i told you before , I've great stamina , I can go for hours "
xx Could I test that theory? xx
"I'm sure . Well we're almost finished anyway ."
xx Well , im finished with holding back from jumping you ..no stop it Remus xx
" What about you ? Are you tired ? Sir? "
Her innocent tone of voice was deceptive .
The Hall was silent , and quite dark , as the stars on the enchanted ceiling glittered above them. Remus , without even realising it , moved a step closer to her.
" No , I'm a night owl ,me "
"Me too . You just seem to get so much more done at night don't you ?"
xx I'll do you at night xx
xx Try me try me try me xx
Hermione uncrossed her legs , her sensible side long gone . She saw Lupin shiver .
Though it was in no way cold .
"Are you cold , professor?Would you like me to warm you up? "
" I'm not cold , and no thank you "
xx You're already giving me fever xx
" If you're sure ."
He was surveying her with his grey-ish eyes.
"Miss Granger , maybe we should-"
"Maybe you should shut up,professor"
Hermione moved to the edge of the desk.
"excuse me?"
"I said , Maybe you should shut up ."
He felt hot anger rise in himself
"Miss Granger , I never thought I'd see the day-"
"Would you please just do as I say and Shut the hell up? Stop talking professor , I'm not listening to your words "
Lupin was becoming infuriated now.
"Well maybe you need something more than words young lady , maybe I should arrange a punishment for you "
"Now , That's the first good idea you've had all day "
xx What the hell is she at? xx
" Go ahead professor , punish me "
"I am disgusted at your behaviour Hermione -"
"Did I , Or Did I not , tell you to shut up? "
Hermione slid off the desk , and took off her school robe.
Lupin grabbed her by the arm and pulled her up to his face.
" You have crossed the line Hermione "
She smiled at him , and put her leg around his .
He didn't move.
"You wouldn't dare cross the line , you just would not dare , Mister Perfect "
That was It , something inside Lupin snapped and in one swift movement Hermione was on the desk , while he bent over her.
" Is that a challenge , Miss Granger ? Miss Not-so-perfect Granger? Did i not tell you before that I'll rise to a challenge? "
She put her legs around his waist , and said silkily
" Well , you're certainly rising to this challenge , its not all thats rising , sir "
The heat and chemistry between them was peaking. Christmas decorations were flung inceromoniously off the desk , many resounding crashes echoed around the hall , with the clash of mouth on mouth .
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At the exact same moment , Our mystery couple met up in the snow surrounded top of the astronomy tower .
"Talk about star-crossed lovers.."
He pulled her into an embrace , and after a while they broke apart .
" I feel bad "
"I don't "
" Well , you wouldn't you're not meant to be going out with
someone else "
" Its ok , Don't worry , Ive waited all day to get you on your own , now
relax "
" But...What... Ron..."
Her words were cut off by his kisses.
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Well , hey guys! Thanks to all my great reviewers! So , at last , Hermione and Lupin have had their long
awaited moment of passion.! And it's the first of many. And our mystery couple are about to cause fireworks ...trust me.! So , next chapter "Having A Ball " ,
what will happen at the ball ( clue ; Lots ) ? What is Draco Hiding? just who is the mystery couple! And What is Snape upto!
I'm very worried about this chapter , so leave a review as to what you personally thought of it , im very self-critical.!
CathFlower,Xx
