Ch 8 Falling Letters

The next day Hermione felt depressed still but she was determined not to let it bother her. Lily was being a really great friend and helping her forget Lucius had even existed. Hermione took extra care getting dressed making sure she looked perfect before leaving the dorm. She didn't see Lucius at the Slytherin table thankfully and she relaxed considerably. She began to tuck into some French toast when she was suddenly bombarded by no less than a dozen owls.

"Good God Hermione what's all that?" Lily said moving her goblet and helping Hermione untie numerous letters off their legs.

"I don't know." Hermione answered back it took nearly twenty minutes to clear out all the owls because they kept coming. When they did manage to clear off their table was covered in letters.

"What is all this Miss Dumbledore?" McGonagall said coming over to see what the commotion was.

"I'm not sure Professor" Hermione said she took a letter opened it. She blushed deeply at the contents.

"They want to know if I'll go with them to the dance." Hermione said moving to open the next letter. Lily took one as well and McGonagall conjured a trash bin before walking away. Every letter was the same they all wanted to take her to the dance some even left her photos of the writers.

"Wow Hermione I had know idea you were this popular!" Lily said.

"Oh Lily why are they doing this? I never wanted to be noticed especially not now" Hermione said quietly tears starting in her eyes.

"Its okay Hermione be strong. Look here comes Remus" Lily said hugging Hermione. She pulled away and Hermione looked in the direction of the front doors. Sure enough Remus was walking in alone. He smiled at her shyly.

"Morning Hermione, Lily. What's all this?" he said indicating the bin full of letters.

"They're letters Remus" Lily said her voice seriously. Hermione snorted trying to contain her laughter.

"Yes I can see that. What are they for?" He said with an eye roll he smiled at Hermione who was feeling better already.

"They are all from boys asking the same thing. 'Hermione will you go to the Christmas ball with me'" Lily said repeating what the letters all ended up saying.

"Oh Have you said yes to any of them?" Remus asked Hermione.

"No I don't know any of those people. I don't think I'm going to go after all." Hermione said her recent smile disappearing right off her face.

"Oh Hermione you have to go you bought that dress and it looked divine on you. You have to go strut your stuff. Maybe you could go with Remus either that or Peter" Lily said with a wrinkle of her nose. Hermione turned to Remus she hadn't thought of him she assumed he'd have a date already. She opened her mouth to say something when the bell suddenly rang.

"We're going to be late!" Lily said jumping up and grabbing her bag the three of them ran off quickly getting to their Potions class. Professor Slughorn just waved them in without taking off points or anything, after all the three of them were his best students.

Hermione and Lily went to their usual table at the back and Remus went to sit beside James and Sirius. They took notes during the entire lesson seeing as next class they would be brewing a difficult potion. Hermione however hardly paid attention. She was thinking about Remus. Would she be able to actually date him? I mean they had become really good friends in the past several weeks and she admired him in the future when he was her Professor. She glanced at him from across the room. He certainly was handsome. Hermione loved the way his brown hair always looked tousled. She wondered why he didn't still to it like that in the future. He also had the most entrancing brown eyes. They weren't just brown but when you looked close enough they were green and gold in the middle. They probably would appear green if he wore that color. The color wasn't the only thing that kept you looking either it was their expression. Remus was such a warm open person that it made you want to get to know him better. Yes Hermione thought she could definitely go out with Remus. She had never considered it before because he was always in the background. Sirius was always flirting wanting her attention and then Lucius came along. Lucius hurt her pride that's why she was so upset with him, because he made it seem like she wasn't good enough, he should have just waited because she was going to have sex with him after the Christmas ball.

The bell rang again catching Hermione off guard and she ended up blotching what she had been writing which was what she had been thinking about Remus.

"You okay Hermione?" Lily asked helping Hermione put her stuff away.

"Yeah I was just dazing off for a second. Hey can I borrow your notes later I don't think I did a good job on mine?" Hermione asked

"Yeah no problem, come on we're going to be late for Transfiguration and I don't think McGonagall will be as lenient." Lily said. Hermione nodded and the two girls left the classroom. They meet the Marauders outside and began to head to their next class. Hermione felt someone watching her and she turned to see Remus. She smiled slightly blushing. He smiled and looked away.

"So Hermione I heard you got drowned by letters?" James asked grinning at her.

"Yes unfortunately" she said.

"Lily will you go to the ball with me?" James asked suddenly.

"Um let me think… No" she said he sighed and looked away disappointed.

"Hey Lily what's up with you and James any way?" Hermione asked quietly

"Nothing he's just an arrogant prat that doesn't stop messing with his hair or other students. He's a great big bully" Lily said sadly.

"But you like him don't you?" she asked shaking her head sadly. Lily drew in a shaky breath and put on a small smile.

"Yeah I do I just wish he'd deflate his head a bit. He really is a good guy." Lily said looking at James who had just pushed a third year out of his line of walking

"So who are you going to the dance with?" Hermione asked.

"No one I'm going stag"

"That seems to be popular these days. Maybe I'll go stag too."

"You should go with Remus. You know he wasn't going to go until last night after he found out you broke it off with Lucius. You know he likes you?" Lily said smiling at her friend in a devilish way.

"I like him to Lily I just didn't realize it again until today when we were at breakfast. I've been busy with Lucius and whenever I wasn't around him I would end up having Sirius all over me." she said.

"Gee that must be hard having to beat men away from you" Lily said sarcastically.

"You know exactly how I feel constantly having to beat away James." Hermione said Lily would have answered but they had reached the classroom, neither girl realizing that Remus had heard every word of their conversation due to his heightened werewolf hearing. He was grinning in spite of himself, he would go through with his plans.

Class went by slowly and Hermione couldn't wait until lunch. She was starving and she had a really bad headache. She thought of going to Madame Pomfrey and getting something to dissipate the throbbing. She decided on going to lunch and if she didn't feel better by Charms she would go to the Matron. Finally the bell went and the class filed out quickly.

"Thank goodness I'm starving!" Hermione said to Lily as her stomach gave a loud growl.

"Gee Hermione what do you have in there a wolf?" Sirius asked laughing. Hermione rolled her eyes sitting down and immediately tucking in. She felt better almost immediately as the delicious food went down her throat. She was reaching for seconds when someone cleared their throat. Hermione turned around and her good mood disintegrated. It was Lucius.

"Can I talk to you Hermione?" he asked pleadingly.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Malfoy" Hermione said her lips pursed.

"Please Hermione I'm sorry please forgive me I'll do anything please" he said kneeling down beside her taking her hand.

"No Lucius you hurt me. You made me feel like I wasn't enough, and you know I can understand if we never did anything, but we did! I would get on my hands and knees to make you happy to keep you satisfied and then you go and do this. I'm sorry Lucius but I won't do it again." Hermione said quietly she felt tears begin to blur her vision and she felt Lily put her hand on her shoulder gently.

"But Hermione it was only once I won't do it again I'm sorry, please baby come back to me" Lucius said. Hermione shook her head.

"I think its time for you to leave Malfoy" Sirius said standing up in front of Hermione.

"This doesn't concern you Black" Malfoy hissed dangerously, James stood up beside him and Lucius glanced between the two of them with narrowed eyes.

"Well continue this later Hermione" he said before walking away. Hermione had her head on Lily's shoulder and Lily was rubbing her back soothingly. Hermione was trying to get her tears under control. She wouldn't cry anymore for that jack ass. When she regained control of herself she sat up and gave Lily and the boys a smile.

"I'm okay thanks guys. Lets head to class before we're late" she said standing up and grabbing her bag. The others followed suit and they walked to class. They only waited a short while before Professor Flitwick opened the classroom door. Hermione and Lily walked to their regular seats but Hermione stopped in her tracks. On her desk was a large assortment of red long stemmed roses. Lily looked at her then to the flowers she rolled her eyes.

"Come on Hermione they're just flowers" Lily sat down and Hermione stepped up to the flowers examining them. They buds opened up suddenly and in the center of each rose was a Hershey's kiss. Hermione smiled they were her favorite muggle candy.

"Wow who gave them to you?" Lily asked. Looking for a card. A fairy suddenly popped out from the center rose and handed Hermione a folded up piece of parchment. Hermione took the parchment and with slightly shaking fingers she unfolded the note. 'Take a chance on me' it said and at the bottom it was signed Moony. Hermione blushed smiling widely. She turned to find Remus he was blushing a nervous look in his eyes.

"Yes Remus I'll take a chance with you" She said he smiled widely like a kid who had gotten the best present for Christmas.

---Well there you guys go another chapter. I hope you guys like what Remus did for her and the note I thought it would be better than if he just asked her to the ball. Well review and tell me what you think---

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