A/N - Next chapter for you all. I'd say sorry for the minor cliff-hanger last time, but since I've done it again here, I guess I can't be too sorry. ;) Thanks to everyone that is reading and to those that are reviewing! Enjoy!

Chapter 22

Strain

7 July 1998

Hermione walked into the Leaky Cauldron after Apparating to Diagon Alley. She looked around for Ron but didn't see him anywhere. She was fifteen minutes early, so she sat down at a table in the middle of the pub in order to see both entrances. She was aware of the glances she was getting from the other patrons and hoped that none of them would bother her before Ron showed up.

"Excuse me," a voice said and Hermione bit back a sigh. She looked up to see a rather good-looking man standing in front of her. He appeared to be a few years older than her, but she didn't recognize him. "You're Hermione Granger, aren't you?"

"Yes," she replied. The man grinned.

"Jeremy Stretton," he said holding out a hand. "I was in Ravenclaw, four years ahead of you."

"Nice to meet you," she said, shaking his hand briefly.

"Mind if I sit?" he asked, pulling out a chair before she could respond.

"Oh, well, I'm actually waiting for someone."

"This won't take long," he said. "I just wanted to thank you for everything you did during the war." Hermione managed to contain her eye roll.

"No thanks necessary," she said, glancing at the door for Ron again. Jeremy smiled and kept staring at her, causing Hermione to fidget in her chair. "If that's all, I really am waiting for someone."

"Harry Potter?" Jeremy asked, eyes alight at the prospect of meeting the Boy-Who-Lived, Hermione was sure.

"I'm not sure how it's any of your business, but no," she said.

"Sorry, sorry, I probably sound like a complete tosser," he said. She managed a thin smile but didn't disagree with him. "I really did just want to thank you."

"Well, you've done that."

"Right," he said, then rose from his chair. He turned to walk away, then stopped and turned back towards her just as Hermione saw Ron come into the pub. "Would you like to have dinner with me some time?" She saw Ron stop short a few feet from the table and Hermione cursed Jeremy Stretton in her head.

"I'm sorry, but I don't think so."

"How about coffee then?" he persisted. "I promise that I'm really not a complete prat." He gave her a wide smile.

"No but thank you." He continued smiling and shrugged.

"Can't blame a bloke for trying. Nice to meet you."

"You too," she said as he finally walked away. Hermione looked at Ron who seemed torn as to whether to join her or not. Before he could turn and leave, she got up and walked towards him.

"Please don't read anything into that," she said. "I was sitting here waiting for you and he just started talking to me."

"You didn't tell him you were seeing someone when he asked you out," Ron said. He glared at Jeremy.

"Am I seeing someone?" Hermione asked, quietly. Ron stared at her for a moment but didn't answer.

"Can we take a walk?" he finally asked.

"Of course."

"Maybe on the Muggle side," he said, looking around the pub. "We won't be recognized there."

"All right," Hermione agreed and the two of them left the Leaky. They walked in silence for a few minutes, Hermione leading them towards a small park she knew about a few blocks away.

"How's training going?" she asked when she couldn't stand the silence anymore.

"Good," Ron said. "It's a lot of work, but it's good." She nodded and indicated the park once they'd reached it. He followed her in and they found a bench near a small duck pond. Hermione noticed the space Ron kept between them when he sat down.

"Harry told me you're staying at your parents' place," Ron said.

"Yes," Hermione replied. "I wanted to get it ready for them, if I found them."

"How's the search going?"

"I've made some calls, but I haven't found them yet." Ron nodded. There was silence again. Hermione searched for something to say but came up with nothing. They needed to talk about their argument, but she had no idea where to start.

"Did you take care of the portrait?" Ron abruptly asked. Hermione started for a moment at the change in topic.

"No, I…wasn't up to it that day," she said. "I cancelled with Remus. Didn't Harry tell you?" Ron shrugged.

"He said he didn't want to get in the middle." She nodded.

"I don't want him in the middle either."

"Yeah," Ron agreed. The silence returned, but this time it was too much for Hermione.

"Ron, I'm sorry about what happened the other day."

"I know," he replied. "I'm sorry too." He looked out over the duck pond. "We're always sorry, aren't we?"

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked.

"We fight all the time, Hermione, we always have, even when we were just friends. And we're always sorry afterward, but we keep doing it."

"I know," she said quietly.

"I know before, at Hogwarts, you joked that it was because of years of practice, but why do we really do it?" Ron asked.

"We're different people," Hermione said with a shrug. "We think differently about things." Ron nodded absently, still looking at the pond.

"Don't you think that's a problem?" he asked.

"That we think differently?" Hermione questioned. Ron nodded. "Well, I guess it might be, if we let it."

"I feel like we've been letting it," he said.

"I suppose we have." They were both quiet for a bit.

"Sometimes, I think we know each other too well," Ron said. Hermione looked at him quizzically. "Most people, they're not best friends first, like we were. They date so they can get to know each other."

"That's true," Hermione said, somewhat surprised at Ron's insight.

"But we skipped that whole part."

"Not really," Hermione countered. "Maybe all those years of being friends was the getting to know each other part." Ron smiled slightly.

"Just without the snogging." Hermione laughed.

"Without the snogging," she agreed. "Where are you going with all this, Ron?"

"There's a lot going on right now," he said.

"There is."

"I'm really busy with training and," he trailed off.

"And?" Hermione prompted.

"Thursday, after I left, I went to the shop," Ron said. "I stayed in George's flat that night."

"Harry told me," Hermione said.

"It was, I almost left in the middle of the night," Ron paused and looked back at the pond, but Hermione could see the pain in his eyes. "Every single thing I looked at reminded me of Fred. I don't know how George can stay there."

"Maybe that's why he does," Hermione said softly. She allowed herself to inch a bit closer to Ron.

"Maybe," Ron said. "But I was lying there and I just got so angry. I wanted to get up and break something."

"Did you?"

"No." Ron squinted slightly towards the ducks in the pond. Hermione opened her mouth to say something but before she could Ron spoke again. "People come up to me sometimes, at the Ministry, and thank me for what I did in the war." Hermione's brow furrowed at the abrupt change in topic.

"I liked it at first, you know, being recognized. Sometimes, it happened even when I wasn't with Harry," Ron continued. Hermione remained quiet, not sure where Ron was going with this. "But then, one day, I was shaking this wizard's hand and I just thought to myself, where were you? Where were you when kids were fighting against Death Eaters? Where were you when Voldemort was slowly taking over the Ministry? Where were you when innocent Muggle-borns were being sent to Azkaban just because they happened to exist?" Hermione stared, unable to take her eyes off him.

"And then all I could think was, if he had been there, would Fred still be alive? Would Tonks? Or Lavender or Colin? Would I not have to hear my mum crying every night or watch my brother try to figure out what his life was supposed to be like now?" Hermione felt the tears gathering in her eyes.

"And I wanted to punch him, right square in the bloody face for hiding in his fucking house, safe with his family while we went out and suffered and bled and died for him. And ever since then, any time anyone comes up to me and wants to shake my hand or thank me, that's all I can think about. Are they the one? The one that would have kept Fred alive if they had been brave enough to help?"

"Oh, Ron," Hermione said and took his hand. He squeezed it gently and then pulled away from her. He took a breath and finally looked at her.

"And that night, in George's flat, I realized that I'm angry. I'm angry at the Death Eaters and Voldemort and everyone who supported him, but most of all, I'm angry at all those people that were supposedly on our side but didn't do anything." Ron clenched his hands into fists. "My brother's dead. He's dead and Tonks is dead and Lavender's dead and Colin's dead and Mad-Eye and Dumbledore and Sirius and Cedric are dead. And those people, they're just going on with their lives, happy as can be that they're safe now and Voldemort's gone and it's all fine. But my brother is still dead!" Ron was shaking with rage now. Hermione wrapped her arms around him and held on tight.

"I know it isn't fair, Ron, I know," she said. "But you can't think like that. It will eat you up inside." He hugged her back for a few minutes, before he pulled away from her and stood up, swiping at his eyes.

"I don't want to feel like this," Ron said. "But I don't know how to stop it. I don't know how to stop being angry."

"It will take time, Ron," she said. "Everyone handles grief differently." He shook his head.

"That's the thing, though," he said. "You say that, but then we'll argue again and it will be just like it has been."

"It won't," Hermione said. "Because I understand now."

"For how long, Hermione?"

"How long what?"

"How long are you going to 'understand' before you get tired of it? How many times can we yell and scream at one another before everything is ruined?"

"Ron, that's not going to happen."

"You don't know that," he said. He shook his head. "I look at my parents and I know I've got my mum's temper. But my dad, he's not like that. She gets upset and yells and he just listens to her and then figures out how to make her feel better. But you, Hermione, you're not like my dad. You give it straight back to me." Hermione wanted to protest, but he held up his hand and continued quickly.

"And there's nothing wrong with that, that's not what I'm saying. But that's what I meant by how long? You're my best friend, Hermione, and if you weren't my friend anymore, I don't think I could handle it." Hermione stared at him for a moment. She hadn't missed the fact that he said he didn't want to lose her as a friend, not a girlfriend.

It was Hermione's turn to stare at the pond. Her conversation with Ginny while she had packed her things came back to her. Maybe they were too different. They had jumped into their relationship in the middle of a battle and everything that had happened since affected them whether they realized it or not. And she knew what Ron said was true. She wasn't the type that would just sit back and let Ron rant without saying something, especially if she thought she was right. She could try, but she would never be the patient, calming presence that was Arthur Weasley. And eventually, they would likely come to resent one another because of it.

"Are you saying that you want to, to break up?" Hermione finally managed.

"No, I don't really want to. But maybe we should." Hermione looked at him in surprise. "I love you, Hermione," he continued. "And I'm afraid that if things keep going how they are, we'll end up hating each other. And I don't want that, not ever."

"I don't want that either," Hermione said, realizing that as much as she didn't want to admit it, a lot of what he was saying made sense. And if she were honest with herself, she had thought the same things, deep down, for some time now. It was the fact that she and Ron were supposed to be together, just like Harry and Ginny were, that had kept her from admitting them. She still didn't want to admit them now, but she couldn't deny that there was something about her and Ron that just didn't fit. At least not right now.

"I don't know what to say," she finally said. "I don't want to agree with you, but I can't figure out how not to." She sniffled.

"Then maybe, maybe we should just take a break for a while," Ron said, his voice breaking. He cleared his throat. "Until we figure things out."

"Maybe we should," Hermione whispered, looking at her feet.

"I'm sorry, Hermione, I really am," Ron said softly.

"I'm sorry too."

"You're always welcome at the Burrow," he said. "Mum wanted me to be sure you knew that. It's okay with me if you want to move back in."

"Thanks," Hermione said, her voice wavering. "But I think I'm just going to stay at my house for now."

"All right," Ron said. They were both silent for a minute before Ron leaned forward and kissed the top of her head and squeezed her hand. He then hurried away towards a large oak tree and Hermione heard the crack of Apparition seconds later. Not even worrying if he had been seen by any Muggles, she sank back down on the bench and stared dully at the duck pond. It wasn't until it was completely dark that she pulled herself from the bench and with a glance around, Disapparated back to her childhood home.

23 July 1998

"Who could that be?" Andromeda asked as they both looked up from their breakfast at the distinctive sound of Apparition in the back garden.

"Harry didn't say he was coming over today," Remus said. He stood from the table, drawing his wand. "Take Teddy upstairs."

"Remus, you don't think," Andromeda began, but Remus interrupted.

"Please, Andromeda," he said curtly. Andromeda said nothing else, simply picked Teddy up from the infant carrier. She settled him on her hip and drew her wand with her free hand, then hurried up the stairs. Remus made his way toward the narrow window next to the back door. He peeked outside, staring into the garden. Knowing that few people knew where they lived and that the wards would keep out anyone with the Dark Mark, he wasn't intending on panicking. However, he wasn't sure just who would be visiting them this early on a Thursday morning.

Moments later, a familiar figure came into view and Remus' brow furrowed. What on earth was Hermione doing here?

"It's all right, Andromeda," he called up the stairs as he opened the back door. He took a few steps outside. "Hermione?" She looked startled as she glanced at him, as if she hadn't been expecting to see him in his own back garden.

"Oh, Remus, good morning," she said. When she got closer, he could tell that something was off, but he couldn't put his finger on what. Maybe it was that her smile looked just a little too bright or the shadow of something he'd seen in her face when he'd said her name. He frowned.

"Hermione, are you all right?"

"Of course," she said with false cheerfulness. Andromeda appeared in the doorway, holding Teddy.

"Hermione?" she questioned, just as surprised as Remus to see the young woman.

"Good morning," Hermione said. "I'm sorry to just drop by like this."

"It's all right," Andromeda said with a quick glance at Remus. "But what has you up and about so early?"

"Early?" Hermione repeated. She looked at Andromeda in confusion. "What time is it?"

"It's half seven," Remus said. Hermione instantly colored.

"Oh, I am so sorry," she said. "I thought it was later. Did I wake everyone?"

"No," Andromeda assured her when Hermione's eyes filled with tears. "Teddy is up early these days. We were all awake. Would you like some breakfast?"

"Oh, no, that's not necessary. I'm so sorry, I'll just, I'll come back later." Hermione turned to leave.

"Hermione," Remus said. "Please stay. Join us for some tea at least." She turned towards him, biting her lip.

"All right," she said. Remus glanced at Andromeda who smiled before she went back into the house with Teddy.

"Are you sure you're all right?" he asked as Hermione reached him.

"I'm fine," she said. "I've just been so busy; I must have lost track of time."

"When is the last time you slept?" Remus asked.

"Last night, of course," she said with a laugh that sounded just a bit too high in Remus' opinion. He knew what had happened between her and Ron. Harry had mentioned it the last time he had visited Teddy. Remus also knew that Harry was worried about Hermione. She had thrown herself into remodeling Grimmauld Place and Harry didn't think she had been taking care of herself. At her tight smile, Remus ushered her into the house. Andromeda was just setting things for tea on the table.

"Are you sure I cannot get you something to eat?" Andromeda asked, clearly concerned. She had put Teddy back in his infant seat.

"No, I'm fine," Hermione said.

"Just a bit of toast?" Andromeda coaxed.

"All right," Hermione agreed. Andromeda turned back to the kitchen as Hermione walked towards Teddy. "Hello, Teddy." Teddy grinned in response and grabbed hold of the finger Hermione offered him.

"I think he's even more adorable than the last time I saw him," Hermione said with a genuine smile that Remus was glad to see.

"I'm sure he thinks so too," Remus said with a chuckle. "And thank you."

"Here you are," Andromeda said as she set the plate of toast in front of Hermione, along with a cup of tea. Hermione sat down and began to nibble on the toast. "What brings you by?"

"I don't know if Harry told you, but I've been working on Grimmauld Place," Hermione began.

"He did," Remus said. "How are things going?"

"Well, they would be a sight better if I could get that portrait bricked over," Hermione said with a roll of her eyes. Remus chuckled. "I was wondering if you would still be willing to help me."

"Of course. When you would like to work on it?"

"I know it's not much notice, but if you're free today, I have all the materials we'll need." Remus looked at Andromeda. They had been planning on doing some shopping for Teddy this afternoon, as he was outgrowing most of his clothes. But Remus was very concerned about Hermione and thought it might be a better idea to try and get to the bottom of what was going on with her. He and Andromeda could easily shop tomorrow or the next day, as Remus still had more than a week before Minerva had asked him to be back at Hogwarts for the August tutoring sessions. Hermione saw the look between the two of them.

"Of course, if you're busy I completely understand. It was presumptuous of me to just come over and so early too. I'm sorry, we can do it another time and-"

"Hermione," Remus said gently, cutting off her rambling. "Today is fine."

"Are you sure?" Hermione asked.

"I'm positive," Remus replied with a smile.

"All right, then," she said, taking a sip of her tea. She looked at Teddy who smiled at her again and then began to make the cooing and gurgling noises he had recently mastered. "Well, look at you, talking already. What a brilliant little boy you are." She looked at Remus. "He really is so perfect, Remus."

"Well, I'm not sure if I would say perfect," Remus said with a laugh. "But we are quite taken with him." Hermione nodded and Remus was surprised to see tears in her eyes.

"Hermione," he began in concern, but she abruptly stood, blinking quickly. When she looked up, the tears were gone and she had a very fake smile plastered on her face.

"Is one o'clock all right for you?" she asked gathering up her plate and teacup.

"Let me take those," Andromeda said, clearly taken aback as Remus was. Hermione handed her the dishes.

"Yes, fine," Remus finally managed. "But, Hermione-"

"I'll see you then," she said, cutting him off again. "Sorry again for stopping by so early. I'll see myself out." She practically ran from the room and seconds later, Disapparated. Remus looked at Andromeda.

"What in Merlin's name just happened?" she asked.

"I have no idea," Remus said with a frown. "But I intend to find out."

Hermione landed on the front step of Grimmauld Place and wrenched open the front door. She slammed it behind her, causing the portrait to begin her shrieking.

"Oh, just shut the bloody hell up!" Hermione shouted as she grasped the curtains and yanked them closed. She took a few steps backward until her back hit the opposite wall. Then she sank down to the floor and buried her face in her knees.

She had made a complete fool of herself with Remus and Andromeda. Who dropped in on someone unannounced at half seven in the morning? She couldn't believe that she hadn't checked the time before she left. The only thing worse would have been if she'd woken them up. Groaning, she raised her head and let it fall back against the wall. She supposed having been up for over two hours herself didn't make her a great judge of time. Her schedule had gotten so erratic lately, she didn't even look at clocks much at all anymore.

After her break-up with Ron, Hermione had thrown herself into the work at Grimmauld Place. Unable to face more disappointment by calling more people in Australia that were not her parents, she ignored her lists and cleaned instead. She had been doing nearly everything the Muggle way, stripping wallpaper, scrubbing floors on her hands and knees, scouring windows and painting walls. The only thing she used her wand for was to move furniture around when she needed. She had even taken the carpets that she intended to continue using outside and beat them with an old carpet beater she had found in one of the spare bedrooms. It had felt rather good, actually.

She worked herself every day until she was exhausted, then Apparated home, fed Crookshanks and fell into bed. She slept until the nightmares woke her and then returned to Grimmauld to keep working. She had brought Crookshanks with her the first couple of days, but he hated Apparition and was sometimes difficult to locate in the old house when it was time to leave. So, she had begun leaving him at home. He obviously didn't think much of her plan, as he had begun ignoring her when she came home now. Hermione couldn't blame the cat. It seemed she was disappointing quite a few people these days.

Sighing, she looked down the corridor towards the dining room. Harry was going to be shocked with how much more she had accomplished since he had visited nearly a week ago. She knew he was worried about her. Both he and Ginny had come by on Sunday and tried to talk into taking a break and coming with them to the Burrow. Hermione just hadn't been up to seeing Ron. It wasn't that she was angry with him, but she was still hurting and if she saw him, she would likely do something stupid like burst into tears. She didn't disagree with what he had said two weeks ago and she wasn't even sure if they would ever have any kind of romantic relationship again. That didn't make it hurt any less.

She had relented when Ginny came by the next day and threatened Hermione to within an inch of her life if she didn't stop by the Burrow. Molly had been going out of her mind with worry, according to Ginny, and Hermione immediately felt guilty. She had gone to tea that very day and assured Molly that she was fine and just needed some time to herself. Molly hadn't looked convinced and Hermione couldn't really blame her. Hermione knew she probably wasn't handling her stress in the best way. But if she stopped working, she started thinking and thinking made things even worse.

After the first week, Harry had sent Kreacher to Grimmauld to at least make sure that Hermione was eating, but the old elf had been so appalled when Hermione started removing the wallpaper in the drawing room that she'd had to ask Harry to send him back to Hogwarts. She couldn't stand the hand-wringing and whining from Kreacher, especially once he'd gotten Mrs. Black's portrait going.

Scowling up at the curtains covering said portrait, Hermione was ecstatic that she would be getting rid of the horrible woman later today. Cleaning the wooden floors in the entry that Hermione had found after she pulled up the carpet had been one long insult after another. Even being as quiet as possible, the portrait had heard her working and slur after slur had been thrown out about her blood status and doing work like a 'filthy Muggle'. When Mrs. Black began insulting Hermione's parents, however, Hermione yanked the curtains shut and placed a sticking charm on them which lasted for three days. Three blissfully quiet days.

Hermione rose from her position on the floor wavering slightly as she stood. She put a hand on the wall to regain her balance. There was still plenty of time before Remus got here and the drawing room was likely ready for its second coat of paint. She walked quietly past the portrait and up the stairs to continue her work.

Remus landed on the front step of Grimmauld Place just before one. It still pained him to be back here, as much as he had hidden it during the full moon in May. Thinking of Sirius still made his chest hurt, even after two years. He knocked lightly on the front door and then again after a few minutes when there was no answer. When Hermione still didn't come to the door, Remus drew his wand and cast an unlocking charm wondering if she had set any additional wards on the place. When the door opened with a soft click, he quickly stepped inside.

"Hermione?" he called quietly, not wanting to wake the portrait. When there was no answer, Remus walked further into the house. He glanced into the dining room as he passed, then stopped short and took two steps backward. His mouth dropped open in shock. The room was unrecognizable.

The wood floors gleamed, as well as the table. The silver chandelier had been polished to a bright shine and the dresser that held the china had been buffed and polished. Remus noticed that there wasn't any china in the dresser but remembered that most of it had been smashed on the floor the last time he'd been here. Hermione must have decided not to repair it. The room was brighter than he remembered and a look towards the windows showed him why. The heavy velvet curtains were gone and, in their place, gauzy white sheers covered the sparkling windows that Hermione had obviously scrubbed clean.

Stepping back into the entry, Remus realized that the carpet was gone and the wood floors beneath were as clean and shiny as the one in the dining room. The troll leg umbrella stand was gone too, a cherry wood coat rack in its place. His heart clenched a bit at the missing stand; Dora had tripped over it so often; he'd become almost fond of it. Besides the moth-eaten curtains over the hideous portrait, the entry looked almost inviting.

Remus cocked his head, listening for any sounds in the house to determine just where Hermione was. He heard a creak above him and headed for the stairs. The House-elf heads were still in place he saw, but Hermione was likely going to try and get Kreacher to remove them once they'd finished with the portrait.

Noises coming from the drawing room drew him towards it. He peeked inside to see Hermione with a paint roller, listening to music playing softly on the wireless. Not wanting to startle her, he knocked on the doorjamb before saying her name. She whirled towards him anyway, drawing her wand at the same time.

"Remus," she said, closing her eyes for a moment.

"I'm sorry that I startled you," he said.

"No, it's my fault. I lost track of time." She set the paint roller down in the tray near her feet and tucked her wand back into her sleeve, taking a step as she straightened.

"You've done a fabulous job in here," Remus said stepping further into the room and admiring the new paint. "The dining room looks wonderful as well."

"Thanks," Hermione said with a faint blush. "Are you ready to get started?"

"Unless you'd like to have a break first," Remus said. "Lunch perhaps?"

"No, I'm not hungry." Remus frowned. She hadn't done anything more than nibble at the toast Andromeda had given her this morning.

"I've got the bricks stored in the small pantry in the dining room," she continued as she cast a spell to remove the paint from her hands. She led the way out of the drawing room before Remus could say anything else.

When they reached the entry, Hermione's steps stuttered and Remus reached out to steady her.

"All right?" he asked in concern.

"Yes, I must have just tripped," Hermione said waving a hand. Remus looked at her doubtfully. There was nothing to trip on and Hermione wasn't a clumsy person.

"I'm actually a bit thirsty," he said. "Do you mind if I get a glass of water?"

"No, of course not," Hermione said. "I'll just get started on moving the bricks out here."

"Why don't you show me what you've done with the kitchen," he suggested, sure that she must have cleaned the main gathering place in the house.

"Oh, well, all right," Hermione said, changing direction to take the stairs down to the kitchen.

Despite being underground, the kitchen was brighter than he'd ever seen it and every surface was pristine. It smelled faintly of vinegar. He knew that Molly had cast all manner of cleaning spells on the kitchen when they had begun using it as Headquarters, but it had still had a dark, somewhat dingy feeling to it. Obviously, Hermione had either found stronger cleaning spells, which knowing Molly Weasley, Remus found hard to believe, or Hermione had cleaned it the Muggle way.

"I see you've been working down here as well."

"Yes," Hermione said. "My mum always said that a little vinegar and elbow grease could clean anything. It took me a while, but I managed." She stepped up to the sink and filled a glass with water, handing it to Remus. He took a sip, trying to figure out a way to convince her to eat without sounding rude.

"I'm sorry again about barging in this morning," she said, leaning against the sink and crossing her arms over her chest.

"It's quite all right," Remus replied. "As we said, Teddy gets us up early these days." Hermione nodded.

He cast around for something to talk about that wouldn't make her more upset than she seemed to be. Every topic, though, seemed to be a loaded one. He was curious about the search for her parents but wasn't sure if it was going well or not and didn't want to distress her by asking. He wasn't going to ask about Ron, either. Not only was it none of his business, but that was sure to make things worse. He continued to sip his water instead.

"Are you sure you won't have something to eat?" he finally said, giving up on being polite. She shook her head.

"No, I'd rather just get to work," she replied. "I've had enough of Walburga Black." Remus couldn't help but chuckle.

"I can't say that I blame you on that score." Hermione gave him a half smile and began walking towards the stairs. Remus put his glass in the sink and followed.

When they reached the entry again, Hermione stepped into the dining room. She opened the pantry and Remus helped her levitate the bricks into the corridor, which of course, set off the portrait, as it wasn't a quiet job by any means. Remus helped Hermione pull the curtains shut and they began to arrange the bottom row of bricks.

They hadn't even completed the second row before Remus accidentally kicked a loose brick on the floor and the curtains flew open once again. Sirius' mother gave them a few choice opinions on Muggle-borns and werewolves before they got the curtains closed. With a huff, Hermione cast a sticking charm at the curtains.

"That works?" Remus said curiously. "It never lasted for long when Sirius tried it." Hermione shrugged.

"The longest it's lasted is three days," she said. Remus' eyes widened. "But I was rather angry when I cast it that time. Usually it's a few hours. Hopefully we can get this finished before it wears off again."

They worked in silence for a while, Remus glancing at Hermione from the corner of his eye every so often. She worked as efficiently as she had when they were repairing the tower at Hogwarts, but she still didn't seem herself. He finally realized it was because there was almost no emotion in her eyes. She was concentrating on her work, but there was none of the spark she normally had.

"Hermione," he finally said.

"Yes," she replied, not looking at him.

"If there's anything that you want to talk about, I'm happy to try and help." She glanced at him and Remus gave her an encouraging smile.

"Actually, there is one thing," she said. "I'll be right back." Remus' brow furrowed in confusion as she hurried up the stairs. She returned a few moments later with a book in her hand.

"I was thinking that we need to soundproof the bricks somehow," Hermione said, flipping through the book. "Even if we cover the portrait, you know how loud she can get when she gets angry enough. I don't know if even a brick wall is enough to contain her." Remus chuckled, even though this wasn't what he'd had in mind when he asked her if there was anything bothering her. "There are Muggle ways to do it, of course, but it would be time-consuming and might even require tools that wouldn't work here."

"So, you've found a spell to do the same thing, I take it?"

"I think so," Hermione said. "It's actually a variation of a silencing spell invented by a wizard to use on his dungeons." She grimaced.

"Wouldn't want the wails of the prisoners to interrupt dinner, after all," Remus said dryly.

"Indeed," Hermione replied, trying to hide a smile. "Anyway, I thought it might work on the wall. What do you think?" She handed him the book and Remus read through the spell.

"It seems like it would work," he agreed, practicing the wand movements for a moment. It was very similar to a simple silencing charm. "Have you tested it?" She nodded.

"I put the wireless in a box and cast it on the box. Couldn't hear a thing."

"And it says here it can't be cancelled by a simple 'Finite'," Remus mused, tapping the page with his finger.

"Right, so there's no concern about someone accidentally reversing it."

"Well, there doesn't seem to be anything malevolent about it," Remus said. "It looks like a good solution." Hermione did smile then and Remus saw some of the old Hermione in her eyes when she had just worked out a solution to a problem. It was gone seconds later, however.

"We should get back to work then," she said. "No telling how long that sticking charm will last." The returned to setting the bricks and mortar. A few minutes later, Remus glanced at her again. She had the same flat look on her face as before.

"Hermione, what I said about something bothering you," he said. "I wasn't talking about the wall." Hermione glanced up at him and then back at the brick she was levitating.

"I know," she said quietly, settling the brick in place. They worked in silence for a few minutes. "Thank you, but I'm fine." Remus highly doubted that but he knew he couldn't force her to talk to him, nor should he. She had every right to her privacy. They settled into silence again until Hermione yawned, although she tried to cover it with her hand.

"Tired?" Remus asked in concern. Hermione waved him off.

"Just a bit," she said. "I was up early this morning. Which you already know." She gave him a sheepish smile.

"We can take a break if you like," Remus said.

"No, no, I'm fine," she said. They had finished about half the wall, the bricks finally reaching the bottom of the portrait. Hermione swayed slightly for a moment and reached out a hand to the partially completed wall to steady herself. It was then that the sticking charm failed. The curtains flew open and Mrs. Black began spewing her filth. Hermione's face contorted in rage.

"Shut up, you despicable cow!" she cried, reaching out for the curtains. She managed to grab one side and as she lunged for the other, she seemed to lose her balance. Remus reached for her even as she continued to yell at the portrait.

"Why can't you…just…just...shut…," she trailed off as her body sagged.

"Hermione!" Remus got hold of her arm before her eyes closed and she crumpled to the ground.