Disclaimer: Please, if I owned Harry Potter, I'd be selling this stuff instead of posting it for free.

Author's Note: Brittany, if you are reading this, check your e-mail.

Chapter Six

The next week passed, and for Hermione, it was wonderful. Remus was flirting with her, lightly but still obvious enough for people to see, Ron and Harry seemed more used to the idea of the pair together, even if it slightly freaked them out still, and Dumbledore had asked her about joining the staff as the Muggle Studies teacher.

Needless to say, Hermione was shocked come Saturday morning, when Lavender asked her, "Hey, Hermione is it true?"

"Is what true?" the girl asked, looking up from the book she'd been reading and taking a sip of her pumpkin juice.

"Is it true that you became a werewolf after shagging Professor Lupin?"

Hermione spit her drink all over Ginny, who didn't even notice as she stood up to shout, "Bloody hell!" at the top of her lungs along with the Golden Trio and George, who'd been listening the entire time.

"I'm gonna take that as a no," Lavender commented.

"Where did you hear that?" Harry demanded.

"Mr. Potter, what is the matter?" Dumbledore asked, as he, Remus, and Hagrid now stood.

"Some sick arsehole has been spreading rumours about my family, and I don't settle for that," Harry snapped angrily. To Lavender, Harry demanded, "Tell me who told you that cock-eye story."

"Harry, calm down, I'm sure it's nothing to be so angry about," Remus soothed. "Please, Miss Brown, what is it that you said that to make them so angry?"

"Someone's started a rumour that Hermione shagged you and became a werewolf," George burst, his expression deadly.

The hall was silent as Remus Lupin bellowed, "What!" and pounded on the table. They were surprised to hear the rumour, but even more shocked to see normally calm and steady professor showing true anger. "I never laid a hand on her," Remus emphasized.

"Remus, my boy, keep a calm head," Dumbledore advised. "Perhaps it is all a misunderstanding. People will often think up excuses for things they don't know or understand. I assure everyone that no such activities have been going on in this school."

Several of the Slytherins scoffed, and one called out, "But she's a werewolf, there's no denying that."

Dumbledore nodded. "Yes, Miss Granger is indeed a werewolf, but she is still the Head Girl and deserves respect. She was not bitten by Professor Lupin, and like him, is in no danger of harming anyone in this school. There is no need to worry."

The school began whispering, and with one look from Dumbledore, all those that were standing, sat. Harry offered her his best smile from across the table and Ron looped an arm around her shoulders. Seamus was the first to break the silence at the table, saying, "We're still your friends, Hermione, no matter what you are."

Every head at the Gryffindor table bobbed up and down, even those that visiting their mates from other tables. Lavender piped up, "Hey, Hermione, can I ask you something?"

Hermione drew in a deep breath. "Of course."

"How long have you been with Professor Lupin?"

The other girl just started laughing at the question, gaining some strange looks from some people. "I'm sorry, it's just out of all the questions you could have asked, you chose that one, it's nice to see no one honestly cares. Anyway, I don't think you could say that Remus and I are together, exactly, we haven't even gone on one date.

Though she tried to keep her tone light, Ginny could hear the longing in her voice. The younger girl glanced at the teacher's table to see Remus staring at the group talking. Her attention turned back when she heard Parvati say, "Hermione, you can't ask him that!"

"She can't ask who what?" Ginny questioned.

In a low voice, Hermione explained, "Lavender brought something up, let's say I was pregnant, what would happen to the child when I transformed? I replied that I didn't know and that I would have to ask Remus, only apparently, I can't do that."

Ginny laughed, "Well, Parvati's right there. Hermione, you just can't go up to a man and ask about children. He'll run away faster than you can say 'stupid idiot'."

"Yes?" Ron replied.

"I wasn't calling you, Ronald, simply sharing some information with my dear mate, Hermione. Now pay close attention, Hermione. Harry, can I ask you a question?"

"Course, Gin."

"How many kids do you want?" she inquired sweetly.

Without hesitating, he answered, "At least ten."

"What? Ten kids? You do know that I'm the one that's going to have to go through labour, don't you?"

"I know that, I thought ten was a good number."

"Harry, I only want two," Ginny stated.

Harry turned to Hermione and with a face completely serious, asked, "Hermione, will you have my ten children?"

"Harry, if neither of us is married or in a serious relationship by the time we're thirty, I'll give birth to your ten children," she answered, and they shook to make it official.

"I can't believe you just agreed to that, Hermione," Ginny said incredulously.

"Gin, don't worry about it. By the time we're thirty, we're either not going to remember or we'll be in relationships," Hermione replied with a shake of her head.

Slyly, Ginny replied, "Well, even if you do remember then, I highly doubt you'll need that plan anyway, I've seen the way Remus looks at you."

Hermione blushed prettily, mumbling, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Sure, you don't. Everyone was always talking about that you know, why you called Professor Lupin Remus. No one but the teachers did that," Lavender answered.

"Unless you count Fred and George, but that was just to get the teacher's angry," Ginny added.

"That was why Snape kept taking points away from Gryffindor a few days ago, said you weren't showing the proper respect to a teacher by calling Professor Lupin Remus," Harry complained.

"Which we then earned back in our other classes. Don't be bitter, Harry, it doesn't suit you at all. It's just a habit, like when you don't call Snape a professor. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have studying to do," Hermione said, standing up and gathering her things.

Once Ginny was sure Hermione was gone, she stood up and demanded, "Lavender, Parvati, come with me." Then thinking it better, decided, "Scratch that, Lavender, you stay here, Parvati come with me." Ginny would have liked to speak with Remus alone, but knew it would be better if she had someone to back up her ideas, and though Parvati was still a gossip, she was no where near as bad as Lavender.

The two girls made their way up to the teacher's table to stand right in front of Remus. The first thing out of his mouth was, "How's Hermione?"

"Great, I mean, I know she's a bit upset about the whole school knowing, even though she doesn't show it, but she's got her mates, and then there's you," Ginny replied.

Remus nodded. "The one thing I never had to go through, only my friends and Severus knew I was a werewolf while I was going through school. If anyone else suspected anything, they never said a word about it."

"Yes, well, I do think I know something you could do to improve her feelings," Ginny suggested slyly.

"What?"

"Next weekend is a Hogsmeade weekend, you know for people who need some last minute presents or want to spend some time with their mates before heading off for holiday. I'm sure Hermione would be very happy if you were to take her out on a little date."

"Ginny, that's a great idea," Parvati complimented. "Hermione was just telling us about you guys; she sounded a bit off about not having gone on a date."

"Hermione was talking about us? What did she say?" Remus asked.

"Just that she really wouldn't say that you're together and that you haven't actually gone a date. Then Lavender asked about having children, and Hermione made promise to Harry that she would have his ten children if they weren't in a serious relationship by the time they were thirty," Parvati answered.

Shocked, Remus replied, "She can't do that."

"You're telling me, he's my boyfriend, I'm hoping to be married to him by the time he's twenty-three," Ginny commented.

Remus shook his head. "No, I mean it's almost physically impossible for Hermione to give birth to two children let alone ten."

Ginny let out a sigh. "Oh no, Hermione is not going to be happy to hear that. She's always wanted children. And isn't the full moon happening soon?"

"In about a week and a half, yes."

"Well, you have to ask her out now," Parvati stated.

"Miss Patil, Miss Weasley, I would like to remind you that this is the personal life of myself and Miss Granger, and I don't see how you think that it is your place to interfere. I am not going to ask Hermione Granger out on a pity date," he reprimanded.

Ginny shook her head. "Professor Lupin, we don't mean to butt in, and I don't want you to ask Hermione out on a pity date. She's practically my sister, and I'm worried because she's going through a rough spot. She's not even enjoying her studies as much as she used to. The only time I've seen her smile in the past week was when you were around her. I can't control you, Professor Lupin; the only people who can do that are Professor Dumbledore, Harry, and Hermione. Just think about it," she concluded before walking back to her boyfriend, while Parvati went to join her sister at the Ravenclaw table.

Why's everyone butting into my love life? Albus says that I can't manage it properly and then Hermione keeps lecturing me on how good I am or how I'm going to kill myself with what I'm doing. I wonder if she'll tell me how and when to propose. Wait-propose? Let's not get a head of ourselves, Moony, Remus thought. Still, he stood and trailed along Hermione's path. Remus didn't even bother checking the library, he knew that she wouldn't be there; instead he left the castle and went down to the lake.

Hermione was broken out of her reverie when Remus sat down beside her. He asked, "So what're you thinking about?"

"Everything and nothing," she sighed with a shake of her head.

"Ah, so the meaning to life?"

"Fate, actually. I was wondering if maybe Trelawney has the right idea, and that maybe everything is planned. We're just the players in a big, decided game of Quidditch."

Remus looked at her strangely and asked, "Who are you and what have you done with my Hermione Jane?"

"Remus, I'm being serious," Hermione replied, playfully hitting his shoulder.

"I just can't believe it, my sweet agreeing with anything the Divination teacher has to say, it's got to be a historical day. And mentioning a reference to Quidditch, from the girl who can't stand the game," Remus joked with a smile. Then he added, "Hermione, we decide our own life, nothing happens just because fate destined it to, we cause it to happen. This prophecy and Harry, it wouldn't have meant a thing if Voldemort hadn't done anything to activate it. If he had ignored it, Harry would just be a normal wizard like you and me with parents that were actually alive. Don't go thinking that fate decided to put you through this hell, Hermione; it was that werewolf that caused this."

"But doesn't that mean that I also caused this? I did go out for a walk in the moonlight without a wand."

"Yes, it is partially your fault, Hermione. Don't think that it would have happened at any rate, because it probably wouldn't have, like I wouldn't have become a werewolf if my father hadn't insulted Fenrir Greyback. The important thing is that you're dealing with it, you haven't tried to kill yourself yet, and I must say that that is an immense relief. That is unless there's something you would like to tell me?"

"No, Remus, I haven't tried anything so drastic," Hermione answered.

Hesitantly, Remus replied, "Good, now if there's nothing else you would like to discuss, I have something I want to ask you. But just remember that you don't have to agree to it, it's just a simple question that someone mentioned to me and it really made me think. If you say no, I will completely understand."

"Now I'm defiantly curious. Whatever your question is, Remus, I assure you, my answer will be completely honest and straightforward."

Remus rubbed his neck, stating, "I haven't done this in a long time, but you know how everyone is leaving on the twentieth for Christmas holiday?"

"Yes, and I also know that the twentieth is the full moon. I've already told my parents that I won't be visiting them this holiday and had Ron send a letter along to his family saying that I would be late arriving at the Burrow. I just figured it would be easier that way," Hermione answered, not completely telling the truth. It would be easier, but she didn't mention for whom.

"Well, next Saturday is a Hogsmeade weekend. I was hoping you would go with me? On a date?" Remus asked sheepishly, looking at his feet spread out in front of him.

Hermione didn't say anything for a minute and Remus feared that she would say no, but that thought was quickly driven from his mind when the girl wrapped her arms around him and nearly squeezed the life out of him. "Of course I want to go with you to Hogsmeade weekend, Remus. I'm assuming Ginny talked to you? We just discussed this at the Gryffindor table."

"As a matter of fact, she did mention something about it. But Hermione, don't think I only asked you because she told me or because I pity you. I did honestly think about it, and I realise that by now, couples have gone on at least one date. Two if they're eager," Remus chuckled.

Hermione pulled away, a slight blush creeping up her face. She mumbled, "They must have told you about the other thing as well then."

"They did, now about that, Hermione, I have something to say. But first, I need you to promise that you won't get upset about what I tell you."

"Remus, I don't want children now, and I don't mean to force the subject on you, I know guys don't like to talk about kids in the beginning of a relationship, it's just something that Lavender brought up," the young witch explained.

"Hermione, how many children do you want? Tell me, honestly."

"Four or five. Harry and I made a deal though, if neither of us are married or in a relationship by the time we're thirty, we're going to have ten children together."

Remus shook his said sadly. "Sweet, I'm sorry to tell you this, but that's going to be nearly impossible."

Hermione's head jerked up at that. "What? Why would it be impossible?"

"Nearly impossible. You see," Remus explained, "werewolves are only made when one is bitten. So the baby in a female womb doesn't change along with the mother, the movement of the bones and muscles in a transforming body almost always cause a miscarriage or a still born."

"What? What about in third year? While we were in the Shrieking Shack, you didn't change until we got outside and you saw the moon," Hermione demanded.

"That was because I received a steady supply of Wolfsbane potion, when this happens, the person doesn't transform until they actually see the moon." Cutting her off from an interruption, he continued, "But you can't just stay in a locked room without windows, Hermione. When a werewolf tries to resist the pull of the moon, it begins to attack itself and anyone it comes across, having the opposite effect of the Wolfsbane potion, it doesn't physically transform, but it does mentally."

Hermione stood up and straightened her clothes, trying to will herself to be calm. Finally, she asked, "So, there's no chance?"

"I've only heard of two successful cases," he replied, standing up as well.

"So I might as well get my tubes tied," Hermione replied.

Remus gathered her up in an embrace and rubbed her back soothingly. "Hermione, there's still a slight chance that you might be one of those capable of carrying a human child, and if you can't, you can always adopt. There are many children in orphanages, and I'm sure that if you loved them, they wouldn't care if you were Count Dracula."

Hermione leaned into him and sighed, "Yeah, maybe you're right. I was going to wait a few years before having children anyway. Until everything was nice and calm, or at least until I'd had some alone time with my husband."

"Everything will work out fine, Hermione. Just remember, it's the decisions you make that matter most, not what you think fate destines," Remus stated, pulling enough to look at her face.

"Thank you, we best be getting back, someone might worry if they see we're missing. Can I ask you a question before we leave though?" Hermione inquired, separating herself completely from the man.

"Ask away."

"Have you ever thought about children?"

Remus began walking backwards with his hands in his pockets. Still focusing on Hermione, he answered, "Course, I love children, one of the reasons I like teaching so much. But call me old-fashion, I'd like to be married when I have children, and what fool of a woman would want to marry me?"

What fool of a woman wouldn't want to marry you? Hermione thought before shaking her head and rushing up to meet Remus.