-nsfw-

Hermione had just finished vanishing the plates once she was done eating when she heard the sound of a shower. It was now or never, she thought to herself as she pushed away from the bar, portkey in her back pocket in case this idea of hers went sideways.

"You're a Gryffindor for a reason Hermione, you didn't choose to be sneaky or smart, you chose to be brave." Her little pep talk to herself made her smile but did little to calm the riot of nerves in her stomach.

"Be brave" she repeated, shaking her curls out once and heading up the stairs.

The door was ajar, as if some part of him wanted her to walk inside.

Her memory of the war warned her that this could be a trap, but despite her inward warning, she continued on her quest. His apartment was small, but was in much better shape from the cabin in the woods.

The walls were similar with exposed stone and brick, and the floors were the same hardwood but instead of tapestries the walls were adorned with book shelves. There was a photo of Severus Snape on his coffee table and what?

Hermione quickly walked towards the photo, picking it up and bringing it towards her to get a better look. Was that Luna? Next to Severus? Wearing a wedding dress?!

Holy hell she didn't expect that. The thought of them together made sense though she surmised as she placed the photo back to its spot on the table. If she remembered correctly, Luna's quirkiness and light personality would certainly complement Severus's curious and snarky one. Hermione was happy he had found his partner and was somewhere safe.

Now, where was she?

Her head turned and she listened for the sound of the shower, her mind no longer distracted from her goal.

The nervousness she felt started slowly disappearing as she pushed open the bathroom door. She felt the steam hit her face before she noticed the shower door slightly askew.

The water was running, and the room was warm but no one was there. Confused, she turned looking around to where he could be.

"You followed me?" His voice was rough and focused, as if he was hunting.

She still couldn't see him, but she could hear him. "I wanted to tell you thank you."

"Is that it?"

Where was he? Her head whipped in every direction trying to find him. He sounded so close, but also far like an echo.

An emotionless laugh tumbled from his lips causing a shiver to flow down her spine.
"What else could it be?" she acted innocent, wanting to be able to look at him before she admitted anything.

"Why do you insist on tormenting me?" the sadness in his voice almost broke her.

She never realised when she took the potion that something inside of her would still be drawn to him. No matter where she went the universe made sure that she would never be too far from him, with or without her memories.

"This ache" she started saying, her eyes closing as she tried to find words to describe it, "I've been hollow for as long as I can remember." she paused, "When I was hunting horcruxes with Harry and Ron, when we were burying Fred, when I graduated, when I started my new job…. when I spent the night with someone else." Her magic fizzled and snapped against her skin as she spoke, Remus's magic pulsing towards her with anger and pain as she mentioned her life without him. "I had this ache that could never be filled."

Remus remained silent as he listened, having had walked up behind her so she was close enough to touch, all he had to do was reach for her.

"I missed you, and I didn't know you." her voice was breaking as she spoke, shaking with her determination to get her emotions across, to convey how much loss she had felt although she had no explanation for it.

He trailed his hand lightly over her bicep, leaving a trail of fire in its path. He stopped at her forearm to grip it gently and she could feel the heat of his body radiating behind her. She resisted the urge to meld against him, and focused on his touch that she hadn't felt in such a long time.

"Do you think I didn't miss you?" He whispered, his lips grazing the tip of her ear as he spoke, "Do you think that I didn't repeat every conversation we ever had in my mind, in my dreams?" His grip on her arms grew tighter, pulling her flush against his chest.

She could feel the heat rolling off of his naked skin, the temperature permeating through the fabric of her shirt. "That I didn't dream of the taste of you, every night?"

Hermione whimpered at his words, feeling a small bit of guilt having lived without him for so long. She had a reason to make the choices she had, having not remembered him. However, her heart was breaking for the man behind her who had to go through his life without her for years, with his memory intact.

He spoke, quieting the fear that was in the back of her subconscious and his voice gave her comfort, "I would make the same choice Hermione, I would still keep you safe."

Relief filled her as he spoke and she finally relaxed into his hold.

"Remus" his name was a whisper on her lips and it was his turn to feel relief as she finally answered his fear, confirming that this was her.

He had never spoken his name to anyone in the bar, always using a different alias to make sure that when the potion wore off he would know for sure if it was her; she had her memory back.

Her head lolled back against his shoulder, peering up at Remus through her lashes, a smirk playing on her lips. "Want to play a game?"

Her question was quick and playful, having parroted the same question she asked him that night in sixth year. Her fingers reached behind her towards the back of Remus's head with the intent to scratch the back of his scalp, and as they moved so did the hem of her shirt.

With the newly exposed skin Remus slid his hands from her arms to her hips. Up and under, he pulled the offending fabric of her head and onto the floor.

"You want to play a game, kitten?" She hummed in agreement, turning in his hold to face him "What did you have in mind?" His voice was husky and the thrill it incited in her caused goosebumps to arise on her skin.

As she took a step back she reached behind her to unsnap her bra in a single move.

"What about a game of catch?"

While telling him her suggestion Hermione took this opportunity to trace her eyes up his body until she finally made eye contact with him. His ivy colored irises had turned full golden, the most of his wolf being in control she had ever seen.

Remus's pupils were blown, causing him to look drunk with desire. He had obviously been about to step into the shower as the only thing he was wearing was his boxers.

He looked fucking edible.

"Is that what you want? You want me to hunt you?" He asked with a growl, stalking towards her slowly. Predatory vibes were rolling off of him in waves, making her involuntarily take a few steps backwards.

He kept moving towards her until she stepped into the shower, the spray of the water breaking her out of her trance

"Oy, fuck." she mentioned, she hadn't expected that.

"Don't lose your focus, 'Mione" His tone was teasing, having lost a bit of the edge it once held.

"I'll never lose focus on you, Remus. Not again."

Her back was firm against the cold tile, both of them now in the shower. Hermione moved her hands to his hips, gripping his now wet body, pulling him closer to her. She greedily soaked up the image of his wet skin until her vision became dark, her eyes having closed the moment she felt Remus's lips on her own.

Fuck, he had missed this. He had dreamed of this moment, kissing her, for years. Sure, he also dreamed of fucking her over the bartop and waking up to her on a sleepy Sunday morning but this? The soft plump flesh of her lips, the sweet taste of her toothpaste and something distinctly Hermione, was what he desired most.

The moan that escaped his lips as he relished the taste of her caused Hermione to tighten her grip on him. She would never get over this moment, his kiss felt as perfect to her now as it did when she was sixteen. Ron had taken bits of her loneliness away, but he would never compare to Remus. His touch, his voice, the simple smell of him made her feel at home instantly.

Was this how Pansy felt? How Lavender did?

She would never regret following through with her instincts to trust him with keeping her safe in the only way he knew how but she was forever grateful to receive her memory back now.

She would never waste another moment without him.

Could she just stay in the shower, in his home, in his bed for the rest of time? Crookshanks would figure out how to feed himself, her position at work would be covered, and Remus had staff that could fill in for him surely? None of these were logical of course, but it didn't stop her from wishing it at this moment.

"Stop thinking" Remus mumbled as he pulled away from her, moving his lips to the side of her neck, kissing the skin that she had offered to him.

She stretched her neck upwards and to the side so he could get better access, mewing at his efforts. His other hand found its way down her torso, moving southeast towards her middle until his fingers slid underneath the small piece of fabric on her hips.

Remus had bit her neck a bit when his fingers reached their destination, her wetness on his digits making him wonder how she would feel around his swollen member.

The feel of his calloused hands on her skin, on her clit, sent shockwaves up her nerves and she felt her adrenalin rising with every push and pull of his movements. She was mumbling incoherently, not even realising that her hips had started grinding into him on their own volition, trying to increase the delicious friction of his hand, her body begging him to let her cum. She just needed something more, something harder.

As if reading her mind, his other hand gripped the fabric of her panties, snapping the fabric with a sharp tug. The fabric bit into her skin before it fell down her body and the quick pain it caused was enough to send her over the edge. She twisted her head towards his neck, biting into his skin with her teeth as she came.

The sound of water hitting tiles and his laughter filled her consciousness as she recovered from her orgasm.

Raising one eyebrow in his direction, she smirked "what's so funny, Lupin?"

"You trying to mark me kitten?"

She blushed, having not realised she bit him but as she thought about it, she shrugged.

Hermione didn't care if he was her other half as deemed by soulmate magic or his wolf bond, having a mark that she made on his skin was a delicious idea to her.

"Maybe."

Her simple answer did little to cease his laughter, but Remus shook his head in response and went to reach for the shampoo.

They had been in the shower long enough and he might as well get them both clean so he could properly ravish her in his bed.