Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling. All characters, places, descriptions, etc (unless original and created by me) belong to her.

Summary: It was a small pack, of course, just the five of them, but together they were something wild. Hermione finds herself in the Marauders' Era with four new best friends.

A/N: Excited to see what y'all have to say after this...

Chapter 42: Combination Nova*

April 1978

April drags on slowly, more slowly than anyone can manage. Hermione almost finds herself looking forward to the next full moon as it marks the closing of the month. The days blend together before anyone notices a pattern. First comes the calm, the fleeting security of innocence. Then a sudden onset of storms that leaves the whole castle restless. Finally, a Daily Prophet article depicting horrors the likes of which no Hogwarts student has seen before, no Hogwarts student that is besides Hermione. The shadow of destruction would hang over the Great Hall until one day it just disappeared, replaced by a fragile calmness. And thus the pattern started anew.

Despite the increasing weight of helplessness Hermione felt, her prevailing emotion was anger. But as much as she hated Voldemort and his followers for the destruction they caused and would cause in the future, she was angriest with herself.

She lamented the fact that she had unloaded on Lily. Harry's mother had proved herself to be quite the confidante, but Hermione couldn't help but regret sharing a bit of the darkness she had seen with Lily. It wasn't that Lily had succumbed to curiosity and badgered Hermione with more questions. She had actually restrained herself in such a manner that Hermione knew, for all the comparisons that had been made between herself and the redhead, Lily possessed a greater capacity for patience. No, Hermione hated the fact that after every article reporting new attacks, Lily would glance her way with pity in her eyes.

Pity. Hermione hated the look of pity so much that she stopped looking Lily in her eyes almost altogether. Looking into the eyes of her best friend only served as a reminder of what she had lost and what she was failing to save. She knew the laws of time travel better than most, and she knew that attempting to change anything could create a paradox so severe it could shatter life as she knew it.

And yet… with every article, Hermione would steal a glance at the Headmaster, wondering if this was the day he would demand all her secrets.

18 April 1978

The Room of Requirement

The next article had Hermione so riled up, she chanced being seen with Regulus in public. Dancing on her toes, she moved through the library like a lioness stalking her prey. Once the snake was in sight, she pounced.

"I need you." Hermione winced at the desperation in her voice. Regulus looked first at her hand closed tightly around his arm and then her eyes. He immediately gathered his things together.

"Let's go."

The walk to the Room of Requirement was silent. Hermione stared at the ground as she let her feet guide her on the familiar trek. She tried to clear her mind and keep herself calm. Regulus on the other hand kept darting his eyes about, craning his neck to see around corners, looking for anyone who shouldn't see them together.

Once safely within the walls of the Room, Regulus turned to Hermione.

"Not that I'm not glad to see you," he started. "Because I am, always, but what's going on?"

"Did you see the article in the Daily Prophet this morning?" Hermione asked, already removing her layers in preparation for a session.

"The article?" Regulus' brow furrowed before recognition dawned in his eyes. "Did you know them?"

"No, of course not." Hermione shook her head as she leaned against the wall to remove her shoes. "I just—ugh! I feel so helpless!"

Regulus stared in shock as Hermione's fist connected with the stone wall. Hermione panted for a bit, staring at the blood blooming on her knuckles. She closed her eyes and fell down against the wall. Regulus moved silently to sit beside her on the floor. He held out his hand for hers, but she looked away.

"Give me your hand," he demanded though his voice was soft. Hermione acquiesced and winced as Regulus inspected her hand. "You can cry, you know. I know it hurts."

"I'm tired of crying," she said despite the tear that escaped down her cheek.

"And why have you been crying?" Regulus flinched at the anguished gasp Hermione let out as he waved his wand, healing her hand.

"It's that article." They were both staring at her hand now and the blood slowly drying on her skin.

"The article?"

"No, not just the article. It's the attacks, the mounting panic." Hermione took a deep breath before continuing. "It's like—it's like I'm standing on the bow of a ship. I can see the storm up ahead, but there's nothing I can do to avoid it. There's no way around; I have to go through."

"You could turn around." Regulus' voice was so soft Hermione barely heard his words.

"I don't think that's ever been an option for me. I don't think I would even know how."

Silence fell over them again, both stuck inside their own heads.

Hermione fell through her memories back to her first year at Hogwarts. It seemed her involvement in the fight against Voldemort has been predetermined. Meeting the boys, the troll, the third-floor corridor, the obstacles that seemed almost perfectly suited to their strengths – how was she not supposed to fight alongside Harry? And now? What was she to do now? Keep fighting? Remain on the sidelines and let the past unravel by itself?

Regulus sat beside her; a shadow descended on his mind. He wasn't stupid. He knew what the recent attacks meant, who was behind them. He heard the whispers of the seventh year Slytherins as they prepared to leave Hogwarts for the last time. He knew what was happening, and as he glanced at Hermione, he knew that he knew more than her. He thought back to the day he took the mark, how proud he felt. Then he thought back to the first meeting he sat through, the words thrown around, the insane ideology repeated by the grown-ups Regulus had once respected, the muggle-born wizard tortured before his eyes. How was he not supposed to question everything? And now? Now that he knew he didn't truly believe, what was he to do? Start fighting? Remain in the shadows and not get killed?

"Come on," Hermione got up and extended a hand to Regulus. The room around them shifted until it resembled once more the library at Grimmauld Place.

"I thought we were going to fight?" Regulus questioned although he followed Hermione automatically.

"Maybe we can forget about fighting for one day." She sat Regulus in his usual chair and conjured parchment and a quill for him. She browsed the library shelves for just a moment before selecting a book and settling into her own chair. She looked back at Regulus, a bit of sadness in her eyes. "Maybe we can just pretend for today, that we have nothing to worry about, that we're just like all the other students out there."

Regulus nodded and Hermione smiled. She opened her book and let the familiar words of The Tales of Beedle the Bard distract her from her own thoughts. Regulus stared at the witch in front of him before leaning over, the parchment resting on his knees. He sketched Hermione in her burgundy chair, careful to focus on the crease in her forehead that never quite disappeared and the way her fingers hesitated over the page corners. And if Regulus noticed her chair seemed almost twenty years older than the version that currently sat in the library of 12 Grimmauld Place, he never said so.

22 April 1978

Gryffindor Common Room

Four days later, Remus was spread out on the couch in front of the fire when Hermione returned from sparring with Regulus. The difference between the two werewolves on the day before the full moon was astonishing. Remus looked positively ill. His face was pallid, and heavy bags fell under his eyes. His hair hung loose and limp in his face as his eyes slid in and out of focus. Hermione, on the other hand, was fizzing with magic and energy. Her hair fell out and around her head like a lion's mane, blue sparks popping off every now and then. Her eyes were bloodshot, and her hands twitched at her sides.

The two werewolves met eyes across the empty common room and shared a look of mutual suffering. Hermione made her way over to Remus as he shifted his body to lay sideways against the back of the couch. Hermione sat down and pulled her legs up, settling into Remus' arms. For a moment they were able to find comfort in each other's presence. Hermione closed her eyes as Remus' scent washed over her, bringing with it a comfortably overwhelming sense of security.

"Something terrible has happened," Remus whispered in her ear. Hermione panicked for a moment; her heart rate sped up.

"What's wrong?"

"I did something bad." From Remus' dopey tone of voice, Hermione realized nothing life threatening was occurring and let herself sink further into the couch.

"Is this going to require me getting up?" She could feel Remus smiling into her hair. She groaned. "What did you do?"

"I ate all the chocolate."

Silence.

"All of it?"

"All of it."

"Before they all left or after?"

"After."

Hermione rolled over to face Remus, clinging a bit to his arms so she didn't fall onto the floor. She gave the werewolf as stern a look as she could muster before succumbing to his surprisingly successful puppy dog eyes.

"So you need someone to go to Hogsmeade and get you more." It wasn't a question. "Even though all the carriages have left by now, and that someone will have to walk the entire way."

Remus just wrapped his arms around Hermione and pulled her as close as he could given his weak state. He pressed a kiss to her forehead and chuckled into her skin.

"You know I love you, right?"

"Yeah, yeah," Hermione grumbled but smiled at Remus with twinkling eyes. "If I die from this little excursion, I'm coming back as a ghost to haunt you."

Remus pulled out a couple of galleons from his pocket and shoved them in Hermione's hand before she could protest. He motioned his head toward the door, and she gave him one last smile and a shake of her head before ambling away. As she climbed through the portrait door, she heard Remus' sleepy chuckling.

"Werewolf ghost."

Hogsmeade

The walk to Hogsmeade was quicker than Hermione anticipated, but nonetheless exhausting. While Hermione was used to having an overflow of pent up energy leading up to the full moon, this close to the full moon was usually better spent in bed. She looked up at the sky, thinking she could feel the moon tugging at her energy from its hiding place below the horizon. Brushing her hair out of her face, she scowled and pushed open the door to the noise of Honeydukes.

Now somewhat adept at controlling her heightened senses, Hermione tried, to little success, to block out the high volume of the candy store. She made her way over to the chocolate section, smiled at the sale sign, and loaded her arms with a variety of treats for Remus. The checkout line moved slowly and the cashier took his time calculating the precise cost of each and every item. Hermione finally paid, pocketed the change, and shoved her way through the masses out of the shop.

Once outside Honeydukes, Hermione rested against the side of the building, catching her breath. She closed her eyes and cursed Remus. Opening her eyes, Hermione looked directly at Tomes and Scrolls. She smiled and pushed off the wall.

Despite feeling as though each step was bringing her closer to death, Hermione couldn't fight the smile that slid across her face the moment she stepped into the quiet shop. She closed her eyes and breathed in the scent of the bookstore, feeling as though being there healed her just a little bit. She walked down the aisles aimlessly, running her fingers over the books at her sides. It seemed for the moment, she was the only soul there.

The deeper into the store Hermione went, the quieter everything became. So engrossed was she in the calming atmosphere of the bookstore, she didn't notice the young man who had stepped into her aisle. He looked down at his shirt and straightened the name tag on his chest before glancing back up at Hermione. He watched as she completely lost herself among the leather bound treasures, taking strength from the pages she held so dear. After a few moments, the store clerk gingerly walked away, but not before stealing another glance at Hermione.

She stayed as long as she could among the books, but she knew she needed to return to Hogwarts before she passed out in the middle of Hogsmeade. She moved reluctantly to the door, not yet ready to face the liveliness of the street outside. She rested her hand on the door handle.

"Leaving so soon?"

Hermione looked behind her. The young store clerk shifted from foot to foot balancing a stack of leather bound books. His sleeves were rolled back, and the muscles in his arms twitched.

"Sorry?" Hermione blinked, as the cloud of comfort began to dissipate. She noticed now that faint music was playing within the store.

"I said are you leaving so soon?" He set down the books and adjusted his suspenders. "It just looked like you were enjoying browsing."

"Oh." Hermione smiled. "I just needed a moment, but no books for me today, I'm afraid."

"Are you sure?" He raised an eyebrow and smiled playfully. It was Hermione's turn to blush.

"Yes, unfortunately." She raised the bag of Honeydukes chocolate. "I've got to get back."

"Of course." He nodded, but his smile remained. She turned quickly and opened the door, but just as quickly closed it again. She looked back at him over her shoulder.

"I'll be back though." His smile grew, and Hermione noticed a dimple appear on his right cheek.

"Good."

Hermione opened her mouth to ask his name when all of a sudden the door behind her flew open.

"Hermione! What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be resting?"

Hermione looked to see the concerned face of Lily Evans. She smiled sheepishly at Lily before letting the girl lead her through the door. As Hermione crossed the threshold, Lily looked into the store.

"Oh, hello Ben." The surprise in her voice held cheerful notes. "I didn't know you worked here."

"Just started actually."

"Ah. Well, see you around then." The door chimed softly as the girls left, Lily taking the heavy bag from Hermione.

"Thanks." Hermione gratefully passed over the chocolate.

"What are you doing here anyway? I figured you would be in bed right now."

"So did I, but Remus ate all his chocolate already." She shrugged as if it were the simplest explanation. "I don't get it, but the chocolate really helps him. And between the two of us, I'm the only one who can stand upright right now, so here I am."

"I swear," Lily huffed. "If that boy wasn't a you-know-what, he would be the size of a house."

Hermione laughed and leaned on Lily as they walked the rest of the way to the carriages. Once inside, Hermione couldn't help but let her head drop to Lily's shoulder and her eyes fall shut.

24 April 1978

The Shrieking Shack

Hermione groaned as her eyes adjusted to the light of day. She pulled the scratchy blanket that covered her up over her head with her right arm and yelped when it exposed her feet to the cold air.

"Ah, careful there, Pup," a soothing voice called out next to her. Hermione let her head fall back down to the floor as Sirius knelt down beside her.

"Damage report?" Hermione asked, at the same time trying to catalogue the various pains and aches she felt.

"Nothing too bad this time," Sirius said. Hermione looked down to realize he was dabbing at her left arm. Hermione twitched as the faint burn of firewhisky invaded her nostrils. They caught each other's' eyes. "Moony got your arm. It'll scar, but you gave him one on his leg so I'd call it even."

"5-Star medical service as always," Hermione mused, turning over onto her side. She winced as her weight shifted onto her left side, but the pain subsided to a dim throb.

"Firewhisky and a towel, what more do you need?" He joked, holding each item up. Hermione rolled her eyes, but smiled nonetheless. He finished cleaning the scratch on her arm and sat back, looking at her. Hermione shifted to sit up, careful to hold the blanket against her body. Sirius looked away briefly as she settled against the wall of the shack.

"Do we have to go back?" She whispered. Sirius moved to sit beside her.

"We could just stay here." He prodded her forward gently so he could lay his arm across her shoulders and pull her in tightly. Hermione rested her cheek against his chest.

"Skip classes and everything?"

"Sure, why not?" Sirius started tracing the lines of Hermione's upturned hand. "We don't have to leave."

"Mmmm," Hermione hummed in reply. Her eyes closed once more as she concentrated on the steady beat of Sirius' heart.

"All right, everybody! Time to go!" Both Sirius and Hermione groaned as James' voice carried up from the bottom floor. Sirius cursed his friend under his breath.

"And the daydream is shattered," Hermione mumbled. "Shirt?"

Sirius dug around the room for the enormous t-shirt Hermione wore pre- and post-moon. He threw it to her outstretched hands and left the room. Hermione slipped the shirt over her head and coughed, letting Sirius know she was decent once more. When the Animagus reentered the room, he immediately went to her side to help her stand. The two moved together slowly to descend the stairs and meet up with the rest of the pack.

"Peter just left," James said as Hermione and Sirius reached the bottom stair. "We'll give him a second to still the tree, and then we'll go."

Hermione nodded and looked over at Remus. His eyes smiled at her before he looked pointedly at his leg. He turned his leg so the newest scratch would be visible. Hermione's lip twitched as she saw it was still bleeding a bit. She looked back at Remus and held out her arm for him to see his own work. Remus' lip twitched as well. He removed himself from James' arm and limped over to Hermione. The two melted together in mutual support, both leaning on each other to give and take.

"Come on, Pup," Remus said, turning his face into her hair and smiling. "Let's go see Madame Trapner. These guys need to get to class."

Sirius and James scoffed behind them. Hermione could hear James following them and listened for Sirius' footsteps. She chuckled as she heard him shuffle his feet and groan before following.

"I hate Mondays."

A/N: *New Combinations