The Marauders could drink. Hermione however, could not and she knew that. She sipped on the one Firewhiskey that Madam Rosmerta had brought her. It was just enough to keep her warm and relax her so she could stop stressing. She knew and respected her limit

James, Sirius, Peter, and Marlene did not have that problem.

"And another toast!" Sirius called grandly. They had the attention of the entire bar. He was standing on the bench, Marlene up there with him under his arm. It was unclear who was holding up who at this point. "To Hogwarts and the glorious bastards who founded the place. Except Slytherin, fuck that guy."

This one was met with a rousing round of cheers and applause. The few Slytherins that were in the bar had left about fourteen drinks ago. James had produced a Gryffindor tie from somewhere and had it tied around his forehead. Peter was face down on the table.

Hermione had to laugh but Lily looked absolutely murderous. They both knew that it was going to be an event getting these idiots back up to the castle. Hermione could see that the redhead seriously just wanted to knock them all out and drag them back.

"Hey," Hermione jumped at the voice in her ear. Remus had moved his hand from her neck to behind her back after her shot, ghosting his fingers along her side for most of the party or whatever they wanted to call it. He was closer than he had ever been in any lifetime. "Come somewhere with me."

Now, Sirius was blowing kisses to everyone in the bar. James was attempting to unbutton his shirt with no success. Lily had got up to try and see if Pete was asleep or passed out.

Hermione, feeling just a little bit braver than normal, didn't move away but she did turn closer so that he could hear her over the noise. He brought his ear closer to her even though she knew he could hear her a mile away. He could probably hear that he changed the way her heart beat.

"We can't leave them like this. Lily will kill me." He grinned, scooting just a little bit in the bench and it brought them even closer together. Their legs were squished up against each other and she felt when he gently kicked out, long legs connecting with Lily's. When she glanced up at him it was looking well and truly harassed. She took a deep breath, rolled her eyes and smiled.

"You owe me, Lupin." He smiled sweetly at her and bumped Hermione's hip to get her to hop out. Hermione took a breath to calm herself. She wished that she had taken just one more shot and as luck would have it, Sirius had one left. She reached over and downed it. Remus raised an eyebrow at her but gave Lily a one armed hug and dropped a kiss on her head.

"Don't I always?" She rolled her eyes again but motioned her head for them to get out of there. Hermione sent her one last look but it was lost on Lily who was now wrestling with Marlene who was trying to get her to dance. Hermione felt a calloused hand slide into her own. "Alice and Frank are on their way, if it makes you feel less guilty."

Her muscles were starting to feel just a little less tense. Her tongue just a little loose.

"I feel guilty about a lot of things." He frowned at her but she squeezed his hand and he shook his head. That was something to file away for another day.

"Come on, I want to show you my favorite place in Hogsmeade." Hermione grinned, having a feeling that she knew where they were going. Remus led her through the village, not letting go of her hand. With just a little liquid courage running through her she spun her palm around and threaded her small fingers through his much larger ones. She saw him swallow.

"Where are we going?" she asked. It was so quiet that she wasn't sure if she even said it out loud but he heard it. She knew he would. His smile was lopsided, boyish, and absolutely fucking adorable.

"To get dessert."

Honeydukes was less crowded in the afternoon. Honestly, most of the students had cleared out after the display the Gryffindors had put on in the Three Broomsticks. In her time, McGonagall would have rained hell down upon them on the spot. Hermione was glad for the quiet though. It allowed her the time to feel the reactions in her body, hear the way she responded when there wasn't a threat of immediate death.

"I could eat everything," she breathed as soon as she stepped through the door. This was true. Growing up with dentists had the opposite effect than one would think. She had a wicked sweet tooth. He hummed his agreement but his eyes were trained on one place. Hermione knew what it was before they got there. "What's your favorite?"

Dark chocolate.

"Dark chocolate. I could eat it by the meter." She smiled at him and let go of his hand to look at the display. It did look delicious.

"I'm more of a milk chocolate kind of girl." He looked at her like she just adava-ed his grandma and put their connected hands to his heart, pulling her closer to him in the process.

"I thought we had something here, Hermione." She had to laugh at him. He was an entirely different person but the same soul all at the same time.

"Hey, you never know," she told him honestly, still with that false bravery. He grinned at her and let her go to explore some. She grabbed a few things, including dark chocolate and threw them on the counter. He was still staring wistfully at the display when she came back. "Are you going to get any?" An unreadable expression crossed his face but he replaced it with a smile and an arm around her shoulders.

"I got mine earlier. Should we head back up? I'm sure they have started the party without us." His words were trying to sound exasperated but the tone held too much tenderness for it to be taken seriously.

"That wasn't the party?" Hermione asked in shock. Remus tugged her against his side as they made their way back up to the castle. She grabbed a sugar quill out of her bag and handed him a piece of chocolate. He took it with a smile.

"Thanks honey," she didn't even think he realized that he said it, "nope, sure wasn't. That was the pre-party. I saw them smuggling a whole bunch of nonsense into the dorm earlier today." Hermione didn't know if she could hang with these guys.

"Oh boy." He laughed.

"It's okay. I'll protect you."

And protection she did need.

Lily, Alice, and Frank had managed to get the four of them back up to the castle but now the Common Room was being turned into some kind of bar. Lily was hoarse from yelling so loudly and Marlene was in front of her telling her to "shh." Peter had woken up, barely, and was setting up bottles of questionable substances – liquor and potions – on the table by the wall. James and Sirius were charming things to say Happy birthday Remus on them.

They all stopped when Hermione and Remus came through the portrait hole. Hermione gently let go of his hand and she glanced over, not missing the look that flashed across his face when she did. ""HE'S HERE!" Sirius screamed, ensuring that the entirety of Gryffindor tower was aware and present for the festivities.

"Happy birthday Moony! Remus! Lupin!" Could be heard from all corners of the room. He spread his arms wide and bowed in thanks. In her time, her Remus would have shrunk in on himself and died from all the attention, not accepted the drink of unknown origin from Sirius and downed it in one swallow.

He grimaced immediately.

"What the hell was that?" he demanded, wiping his mouth on his sleeve. Sirius inspected the glass with squinted eyes and shrugged.

"I dunno," he slurred. "PETE! What was that?"

"Some kind of muggle bourbon I think," he said looking at the bottle with sleepy eyes. Remus shuddered but took one more drink if it anyway. Hermione watched in amusement and looked around for Lily. She had given up and had taken a seat near the window on the opposite side of the common room. Alice and Emmaline the seventh year were trying to get her to dance.

"No way!" she said with a laugh. Hermione grinned as she took the seat opposite her.

"Not in the dancing mood?" Hermione asked. James and Sirius had joined them in the middle of the room doing some kind of hula.

"Not after dragging their drunk asses back up here." Hermione winced but Lily shook her head. "Don't worry about it! It's nothing I haven't done before or won't do again I'm sure. How was your date?" Lily was full on grinning now, giving Hermione her full attention. Hermione coughed, catching the attention of those around her.

Remus wasn't around her, but that didn't mean he couldn't hear.

"It wasn't a date." She watched him out of the corner of her eye put his drink down just a little harder than necessary. Lily frowned.

"No?" Hermione sighed and rubbed her forehead.

"I have too much going on to worry about something like that." Lily shook her head.

"Doesn't mean you don't like him." She looked back over at him and he was staring at her, daring her to answer with navy eyes. It was like he knew that she knew.

"No, it certainly doesn't."