The evening ended not soon after.

Hermione was on edge, unable to stop thinking about what Remus had wanted to tell her. However, Harry and Sirius seemed quite mellow for such a sombre occasion. It was as if talking about Ron's death had lifted the pressure off of everyone's chests.
They arrived back at Grimmauld Place, all of them fully sated and drowsy, but before Hermione could return to her room, and cringe furthermore about her rash words, Remus gently took hold of her arm and led her into the dimly lit library.
She looked up at him, her eyes glowing and her heart thumping.
"What's the matter?" Hermione inquired, her voice weary. Remus swallowed once, running a hand through his sandy hair.
"I-I wanted to conclude our conversation from earlier on." He said composedly, sitting down on the settee and drawing her down beside him. His scars were curiously beautiful in the candlelight, and his eyes were darker than they had been in the sunlight. She didn't reply, instead, she looked down at her hands. Her dress was wrinkled by now and her hair was a singular mess, and all she wanted to do at that moment was take a hot shower and fall asleep in her bed.
"I cannot be with you, Hermione." He murmured, taking hold of her hands. She revelled in the feeling of his rough, warm skin touching hers.
"I'm well aware of that Lupin." She said a little colder than she had intended.
He deliberated for a moment, then without him realising what he was doing, he moved closer to her, his knee grazing hers.
"Please, Hermione-" He began, but she glowered at him.
"What? 'It's not you, it's me?'" Frustrated tears pricked her eyes, and she wiped them furiously with the back of her hand. She stood up and made for the door, but he grasped her hand so that she was forced to turn back towards him.
"You don't know what you'd be getting yourself into! Hermione, I wouldn't wish myself on my worst enemy." He blurted, his eyes wide with pain. She scoffed loudly.
"I'm so tired of your pathetic self-loathing. I know you still see me as a silly schoolgirl, Lupin, but I sure as hell know how I feel about you! You don't get to decide if someone falls in love with you or not." She shouted, getting angrier by the second. He looked taken aback and for a minute he was incapable of responding.
She exhaled slowly then gazed up at him, her anger replaced by resignation.
"But, that also means that I don't get to decide how you feel about me. Remus, I love you, but in no way shape or form do I expect the same of you. I decided to look after Teddy because you are my friend. My love for your son doesn't come with conditions." She said softly.
What happened next was unexpected and took her by surprise.
Remus leaned forward and suddenly his tender lips were caressing hers. She melted into his embrace, unsure if she should allow this. He was probably doing this out of sympathy. They would both regret this in the morning. But she couldn't get herself to stop. His tongue tried to gain entrance and she gave it willingly. Her hands wandered over his back and he pulled her even closer to his strong body.
Finally, he pulled away, leaving her breathless.
"I can't promise- I still-" He began to say, but she placed a finger over his mouth. He didn't speak, his eyes were caught in her deep coffee-coloured orbs and they stood like that for an eternity.
"You don't have to do anything. It's fine." She whispered sadly.
He let go of her hand and she squeezed his shoulder gently before exiting the room. Once she was lying in her bed she let her tears finally fall, sobs making her body rock as she clutched her pillow.
No more crying.

"Lovely morning, eh, 'Mione?" Sirius said brightly as she entered the kitchen the next day.
She was late for work and in absolutely no condition to pretend she was a morning person. She merely nodded in his direction and poured herself a cup of coffee. She heard Sirius clear his throat behind her and she turned to look at him. He peered over his daily prophet and gave her an odd look.
"Are you feeling alright?" He asked.
"Yes, I feel great." She uttered sarcastically.
He paused for less than a moment, then looked at her sincerely.
"Hermione, I'm here if you need to speak to someone." He murmured.
She hesitated, unsure if he was being serious, then nodded appreciatively.
"I might just take you up on that offer." She muttered, forbidding herself from letting her voice break. She needed to keep it together. She had done the right thing yesterday when talking to Remus. Sirius smiled slightly, then returned back to his newspaper. She drank her coffee in less than three gulps and bit into an apple, grabbing her coat and bag simultaneously. Harry hated it when she wasn't on time.
She gave Sirius a halfhearted wave then hurried into the hallway, tactfully manoeuvring past Remus as he came down the stairs, not giving him the chance to greet her.
She opened the front door and walked straight into Harry. He gave her a slightly irritated look, but then he saw her messy hair and exhausted expression and resolved to let the matter drop.
"You're usually never late." She could've sworn she heard him mutter. She straightened her robes and took a hold of his outstretched arm.
"Let's go." She stated, staring straight ahead. Harry gave her a short nod and off they went.
Work didn't wait, not even for the golden duo.

Remus POV

"Merlin's beard, Remus, why on earth are you in such a foul mood?" Sirius exclaimed, his voice exasperated as Remus sank down into the chair beside him. He had dark rings under his eyes and his face was haggard and clammy.
Remus gave him a sarcastic glare, and Sirius rolled his eyes.
"Except for the fact that you'll be turning into a monstrous killer in the next few days," Sirius appended.
"Sirius, please forgive me for saying so, but I don't feel like talking about my concerns with you at the moment."
Sirius sneered slightly and took another huge gulp of his fourth coffee that morning.
"First Hermione comes down here looking like her puppy died and now you!" He said exasperatedly. Remus glared, why did Sirius have to be so alert in the morning?
Remus didn't reply and he ignored the watery fried egg Sirius had placed before him. He found Sirius' cooking hard to bare even on the best of days.
"Has this got something to do with what she said yesterday at the Burrow?" Sirius pressed, leaning over the table. Remus glared at him with such hostility that Sirius hesitated for a bit before continuing with his inquiries.
"Remus, she loves you, you can't change that. She probably feels just as bewildered as you do."
"I don't need you to tell me how she feels, Black." Remus spat. The animagus looked wounded but quickly regained his composure.
"I know that it's been hard for you, Moony. I know that you loved Tonks. But don't you think that you're ready to move on. After all, I'm sure it's what she would have wanted. She loved you too, Remus. She always wanted you to be happy." Sirius spoke quietly.
"Don't pretend like you have the slightest idea of what it feels like to lose someone you love." Remus seethed, straightening up, his hands gripping the edge of the table.
This time Sirius looked enraged as he sprang from his seat, his eyes ablaze with shock and indignance.
"You bastard! Don't you dare act like I haven't suffered loss! You're not the only one who lost James and Lily! You're not the only one who has lost his family and friends!" Sirius exploded. Remus, surprised by his friend's temper, took a step back.
"I can't help if you've decided to give up any hope of finding contentment in your future. That's your choice. But this time, you're pulling Hermione down with you: This time you're not the only one who's hurting." Sirius continued, his voice quieter now but still laced with menace.
"Padfoot, you know I can't be with her. I'd only hurt her even more by letting her enter a relationship with me. She has to get over me, and I swear she'll find it easier than you think."
Sirius shook his head and pressed his forefinger against Remus' chest.
"You are one of the most pathetic people I've ever known. If only James was here, he'd kick you right in the arse." He grumbled to himself then looked Remus undeviatingly in the eyes, "Moony, this is your opportunity to find love again. Merlin, I'd take Hermione in a heartbeat, but she loves you and only you. So for your sake and mine, let her have you."
"I don't know how to let her love me. Sirius, I still love Tonks, I can't do that to Hermione."
"In what world is a man incapable of loving more than one person? Hermione knows that you will always treasure Tonks, but that doesn't mean that you can't be happy with each other." Sirius said.
Finally, Remus let his words sink in. His friend gave him a gracious smile and pulled him into a bone-crushing hug.
"For Merlin's sake, Lupin, she's already accepted your cub as her own. She's the perfect woman." Sirius said, the irritation in his voice replaced by amusement.
"Oi, no-one said anything about marriage!" Remus exclaimed, before pulling away from his surrogate brother and cracking up with laughter.
"How about a proper drink?" Sirius asked as the tension had completely left the room. Remus nodded and smiled appreciatively as Sirius poured him a tumbler of fire whisky.
Sirius clinked glasses with Remus and gave him his signature wink.
"To love." Sirius murmured. Remus paused then echoed him in surrender.
"To love."

Hermione's POV

"What do you mean?" She asked blankly, sitting in the conference room. Harry sat opposite her and Ginny sat on her left side.
Kingsley had just concluded updating them on the current situation.
"The Minister refuses to see sense, he's blaming it on the drought." Shacklebolt proceeded in that rumbling voice of his.
"An entire bloody village is burnt to a bloody crisp and all the Minister bloody says, is that it's the climate's bloody fault?" Ginny cried in outrage. Hermione couldn't help the swell of respect she felt for her friend. She'd always been the most eloquent of her siblings. Kingsley, however, overlooked her rant and observed the room. Ten Aurors were sitting in the mahogany stools, around a hardwood table, quietly listening to the conveyor of bad news.
"So clearly, this was a crime committed by ex-death eaters. I mean it's a direct attack on muggles. The message is loud and clear." Hermione's colleague, Agatha Whittleby, stated in her soothing, Scottish lilt. The room was hushed as Shacklebolt shrugged then agreed.
"I've said this numerous times, but I suspect Lucius Malfoy. He's made his views on muggle's very apparent and now that Voldemort's dead, he finally has the opportunity to fulfil his wishes in any way he sees fit." Hermione said composedly.
The eyes of her colleagues immediately turned to her and Harry nodded reluctantly, before saying:
"I think it wouldn't hurt to at least examine Lucius a little more thoroughly than we initially intended to."
Kingsley sighed and gave the others a questioning look.
"Who else recognises Granger and Potter's suspicions?" He inquired.
Ginny promptly raised her hand, and as Kingsley gestured to her neighbour she held up her hand, making him halt, then nod.
"The reason I see Lucius as a legitimate suspect is that when the war was over I had the displeasure of meeting him in the leaky cauldron. He was needlessly rude and obnoxious as usual, but then things took a more sinister turn. He... well he threatened Harry and told me of his plans to slaughter every muggle on the face of the earth. At first, I thought nothing of it and decided he was being his usual loudmouthed, narcissistic self, but then Ron... died and well, now this..." Ginny trailed off.
Kingsley merely gave a nod of his head and continued with the vote. Swiftly a lot more hands were raised.
"I see, well, that makes things a whole lot more straightforward. The problem is that the Minister refuses to support us in any way. He hasn't forbidden us from doing anything, but without being fully upheld by the Ministry, we'll have to work in constant secrecy and can't let anything slip about our inquiries." Kingsley declared.
"But doesn't the wizarding population have the bloody right to know what's going on?" Harry asked sharply. Shacklebolt shrugged him off.
"Harry, we don't want to get on the wrong side of the Minister."
"For Merlin's sake, Ronald Weasley is dead and nearly 200 muggles were killed! This is exactly how it began last time. We need to unite the people. Secrecy isn't going to get us far if we want to hinder Lucius!" Harry cried.
"We don't know if it's Lucius!" An Auror who hadn't raised his hand blurted out.
Harry stared daggers at him but ignored his comment.
"All of the indications point to him. He threatened Ginny, he threatened Ron before he was killed, and he came bloody close to torturing Hermione because of her blood status."
Hermione reddened furiously, she hadn't expected him to tell everyone about that offensive, degrading experience. She yearned for Remus at that moment, he could command a room with the littlest of words. However, he had retired against her better judgement, shortly after Tonks had passed.
"Not everyone has been pleased with the result of the war. It wouldn't be difficult to gather these unsatisfied wizards and turn them against people who aren't as 'superior'." A separate Auror stated openly.
Kingsley held up his hands to silence the agitated wizards.
"It's decided. We will begin an investigation into Lucius Malfoy and his alleged schemes. Therefore, the first step to finding out if he is the culprit will be to discover his current dwellings."
"Yeah, easier said than done." Harry muttered darkly to Hermione, "The ruddy coward will be hiding in the bloody north pole or something, slowly murdering one muggle after the other."
"Harry, don't overlook the fact, you're the top victim on his list." Hermione hissed across the table so that only he could hear.
Ere Shacklebolt disbanded the meeting he gave Hermione a serious look.
"I fear things are much worse than we originally anticipated."

Tomato sauce splattered all over her top as she stirred the pot on the stove, whilst simultaneously chopping an onion. She stubbornly refused to use magic when cooking, she had always preferred the 'muggle' way. It reminded her of home and family.
She cursed aggressively as she wiped at the sauce with a dishcloth, simply making the stain bigger and more troublesome to wash out.
A deep-toned chuckle made her whip around, and she dropped the knife to the floor. It clattered loudly and Remus instantly stopped laughing and rushed forward to retrieve it. She turned her back to him, making it clear that she wasn't in the mood to 'chat'. She stirred the pot a little more vigorously than necessary as she stared into the distance.
Remus took the knife into his hand and gently pushed her right fist away, replacing it with his own. She had to admit that he was a whole lot better calmer whilst cutting onions.
"How was your day?" He asked, absentmindedly, not catching the irritated scowl she threw his way.
"Fine."
He nodded thoughtfully, then poured the onions he had already finished chopping into the bubbling pot of bolognese.
"I'm glad." He replied genuinely.
She inhaled deeply, deciding that unfriendliness would just make the circumstances harder to shoulder.
"Did Teddy eat alright? He was being a bit fussy yesterday." She queried, trying to soften her voice a little.
"Yeah, he was fine. He finished the last of the tuna pasta you made him yesterday." Remus replied, now able to gaze at her that he had finished his self-induced task.
"I'll tuck him in tonight if that's OK with you." She murmured, as she continued to stir.
"Of course!" He exclaimed, his relieved tone catching her off guard.
She neglected the pot for a minute and turned towards him.
"Remus, just because things are a bit inconvenient between us at the moment, I'm not going to stop looking after Teddy. I meant what I said, I love him as much as I'd love my own son." She said soberly, drying her hands with the dishcloth she had just used to clean the mess on her shirt.
Remus breathed heavily, tucking a lock of escaped hair from her messy plait, behind her ear.
"Remus." She sighed moving her head slightly to escape his touch.
He withdrew his hand but didn't avert his gaze.
"Hermione, I've made a huge error."
She shook her head, willing the tears that were pooling in her chocolate brown eyes to evaporate. She couldn't handle this.
"Remus, please, I don't need your pity."
"Oh Merlin, Hermione, that's not what this is." He whispered fiercely, his eyes also shimmering with unshed tears.
"I'm sorry for saying those things yesterday. Just forget it, OK? It's unreasonable for me to require you to reciprocate my feelings for you. Tonks was your companion, I'm nothing compared to her." She breathed, through clenched teeth.
Remus' breath caught in his throat as he saw her wounded expression.
"I- this isn't fair to you. I just don't know how to express how I feel about you. For Christ's sake, I care about you, 'Mione, I love- like you." He stammered helplessly.
She exhaled deeply, then looked at him evenly.
"Remus, as I said, I don't expect you to love me. Love is a strong word. All I want is for you to allow me to make you happy, but I can't do that if you won't let me, or don't want me to."
"But that's not what-! I want to love you. I just don't understand how."
For the first time that night, she smiled lovingly. Her hand brushing his cheek as she tried to formulate what she wanted to say.
"Then let me show you how. There's no need to rush anything. Just let it happen." She whispered.
He nodded mutely, then placed a tender kiss onto her forehead, his eyes closing as he breathed in her minty scent.
A few minutes passed and only the sudden crackling of the bolognese brought them back to the present. She grinned bashfully as she returned to her cooking.
"Can you call the others to the table?" She requested, finally feeling like she was ready to enjoy his company and look at him without freezing up. He nodded instantly, giving her hand a quick squeeze before heading towards the doorway.
"Oh, and, Hermione, I'm going to try my best to give us a bright future. Just don't give up on me, alright?" He said abruptly, just before he was about to shut the door behind him.
She nodded, she knew this was going to be challenging.

Whatever this was.