Hello all! I'm back with the next chapter. Sorry it took so long to get this one up, but I really wanted it to be right. I hope it's good. Thanks again to all the reviewers. It really helps to know there are people out there reading it and liking it. Just to let you know, I have caught up with myself so the next chapter may be a little longer in coming. I've really just started it, but I'll get it up as soon as I can.

As usual, the only things that are mine are the mistakes. Hope you're enjoying it!

Dinner went about the same as the night before except now everyone also had Hermione to stare at. Hermione and Remus were in discussion with Professor McGonagall while Harry and Ron ate silently. Harry watched as Ron snuck glances at Hermione and couldn't help but wonder how their walk went.

"Alright," he said finally, unable to take it anymore. "I have to know what happened."

"When?" Ron said, taking a bite of his food.

"On your walk with Hermione," he said. "How'd it go?"

"Oh. It went fine."

"That's it? 'It went fine'?"

"What do ya want me to say, Harry? We talked things out. I'm going to try harder to listen and she's gonna try to be patient."

"And?"

"And what?"

"Did you ask her out?"

"Well, no because she has to go back to school. But we're gonna owl, and when she comes back for Christmas we're gonna spend time together and go from there."

"Wow," Harry said, blinking his eyes a few times. "I'm impressed."

"Shut up," Ron said with a smile, which Harry returned.

"I'm happy for you, Ron. This has been a long time coming."

"Yeah," Ron said, glancing down at Hermione again. "I just hope I don't muck it up."

"You won't," Harry said as Hermione laughed at something. "You want it to much." He silently hoped he was right.

Down the table, Remus, Hermione and Professor McGonagall were laughing at something Dumbledore had said. Remus glanced down the table just in time to see Ron look away. Harry, however, locked eyes with him and it was like time stopped. Until he felt a pull on his arm and faintly heard someone calling his name.

"Remus, can you hear me?"

"Huh?" he said, turning to find amused looks on the faces of, not only Hermione and Professor McGonagall, but Dumbledore as well.

"I said that I had to make a stop so I will meet you guys in Dumbledore's office."

"Oh. Of course. Is everything alright?"

"Yes, everything's fine. I'll see you all in a few minutes."

"Okay."

"Where's Hermione?" Harry asked a few minutes later when they were all getting up from the table.

"She said she had to make a stop before we met in Professor Dumbledore's office," Remus said.

"Everything alright?" Ron asked.

"She said it was. She said she just had to make a stop and that she'd meet us at Dumbledore's office."

"Speaking of offices," McGonagall said, standing up. "I have some work I must get done. Good night."

"Good night," they all said as she walked away.

Remus looked around the Hall and saw that most of the students were already gone. When he looked back to Dumbledore, he was gone as well.

"Well," he said, getting the attention of Harry and Ron. "Seeing as he's already gone, I supposed we should go on."

Harry and Ron nodded as they followed Remus out of the Hall.

When they reached Dumbledore's offices, he was already there waiting on them.

"Ah," he said as they walked in. "Now we are only waiting on Miss Granger."

Harry couldn't believe they had beaten Hermione there! She wasn't ever late for anything. Of course, as soon as the thought crossed his mind, Hermione walked in.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," she said, taking a seat next to Remus. Harry noticed he shifted and seemed a little uncomfortable, but let the moment pass as it seemed Remus did.

"Not at all, my dear, not at all," Dumbledore said.

"Is everything alright?" Remus asked.

"Yes. I just had to stop by my rooms for a minute."

Remus nodded and turned his attention to Dumbledore when he heard him clear his throat.

"I've asked you here, Miss Granger, to propose the same thing to you as I did to them last night. I wanted to offer you a position teaching here at Hogwarts."

"Me?"

"Yes. I've had some teachers retire recently so I have positions I must fill."

"What subject would I be teaching, Sir?"

"Charms. Unless you would prefer Muggle Studies. You are perfectly capable of teaching both as it Remus who will, hopefully, be filling the other position."

"You didn't tell us what we'd be teaching if we accepted," Ron said.

"You didn't ask," Dumbledore said plainly which earned a snicker from the rest. "So, Miss Granger, what do you think."

"Well, I won't be finished with University until December. I won't be able to start until then."

"Fair enough," he said, nodding. "And what about you three?"

"You can count on me," Ron said, smiling.

"Me too," Remus agreed. "I did enjoy it before."

At that, they all looked at Harry. He looked from Ron, to Hermione and Remus, then do Dumbledore and sighed.

"I'm in too. Remus enjoyed it. Maybe I will too."

"Splendid," Dumbledore said, smiling. "I am sure you have figured out what positions I have in mind for you. As you know, I would like Harry to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts. Hermione, as I said before, I would like you to teach charms. Remus, Muggle Studies and Ron, I would like you to be our flying instructor. These are, of course, not set in stone and, with the exception of Harry, can be switched if you desire it."

"I'm happy with flying," Ron said, sounding a little excited.

"And I'm happy with Charms," Hermione said. "Unless Remus wants to teach it."

"No, that's alright," Remus said. "Muggle Studies suits me fine. It'll give me a chance to do some research in an area I don't get to study very often."

Hermione nodded in agreement while Harry and Ron chuckled.

"Wow," Ron said. "You sound just like Hermione. You'd swear you two were related or something."

Everyone chuckled again. Everyone except Remus. The smile fell from his face and he got very pale.

"Are you alright, Remus?" Harry asked as the others continued to talk.

"Yes. Excuse me," Remus said as he quickly left the room. Everyone got quiet and watched him go.

"What happened?" Hermione asked. Dumbledore shook his head, wishing Remus would tell someone his secret.

"I dunno," Harry said, standing up. "I'm going to check on him."

Everyone nodded as Harry left the room.

Harry found Remus sitting outside on the castle steps, breathing deeply.

"Remus?"

Remus moved enough to acknowledge Harry's presence, but no more.

"Remus what's wrong?" Harry asked, sitting down next to him.

"Nothing," Remus said quietly.

"Not this time, Remus," Harry said, turning to him. "Something's bothering you. Please tell me what it is."

"I can't, Harry, I told you."

"Remus it's killing you," Harry said, turning Remus' head towards him. "If you can't tell me, then find someone else."

Remus was silent for a long time. When he finally did speak, it made Harry jump.

"The day after your parents died, I watched the only person I'd ever loved get arrested on the national news." He took a long pause.

"Remus..."

"No. Please let me finish. If I don't now then I never will." Harry nodded and waited for Remus to continue. "I wasn't totally alone that night," he began again. "I watched them arrest Sirius with..." Remus took a very deep breath. "With our daughter sleeping in the next room."

Harry stared at Remus in shock. Remus had a daughter! With Sirius!

"I didn't know Sirius and you adopted." It was the only thing he could think of to say. Remus couldn't really be saying what he thought he was...could he?

"We didn't."

It took Harry a few minutes before the words really sunk in. When he realized Remus was saying what he thought he'd been, his eyes got very big.

"How is that possible?"

"It's very rare for a wizard to become pregnant. One in about a hundred thousand or something like that. And they usually have an average or lower magical level. Average describes roughly ninety-five percent of the wizarding population. Imagine my surprise."

"So what happened to her?"

"About two days later, the Ministry took her away from me and placed her with a family."

"Why?"

"It's against the law for a werewolf to raise a child by themselves. Since Sirius was in jail, I couldn't keep her. It was also the reason you had to go and live with the Dursley's."

"That's why you said you were sorry the other day, wasn't it?"

"Yes. I blamed Sirius for so long, for everything. I hated him even. He tore my family apart. He took my little girl away. When I found out he wasn't guilty..."

"You were happy during that time he was back."

"I hadn't been that happy in twelve years. I thought we could be a family again. Then he was gone and I was right back where I started."

"No you weren't," Harry said, softly. "You had me and Hermione and Ron. You weren't alone. This time, we were with you."

"Yes," Remus said with a small smile. "You were. You have no idea how glad I am you were there. I don't think I'd have made it otherwise."

"So..." Harry said after a short pause. "How old is she?"

"Well, she's almost ten months older than you so she turned 23 in September."

"Wow. Have you ever thought about finding her?"

"Yes, I have. Many times. But then I think of what it could do to her. She doesn't know she's adopted. If I come to her now, I take away all she's ever known."

"Well I...wait. You know who she is?"

"Yes. I know her. I have for some time now."

"How do you be friends with her without going crazy?"

"It's not easy. In fact, it is the most difficult thing I've ever done and it gets harder every time I see her, or think of seeing her. It's probably the reason my behavior has been so off lately. It's beginning to wear me down."

"Why didn't you tell her?"

"She was still in school when I found out. I still couldn't raise her and she would have going home to those people knowing they weren't her real parents. And...I couldn't say to goodbye to her again, Harry. I couldn't live through that again." Harry nodded, completely understanding.

"So what made you react in Dumbledore's office?" Harry asked after a time of silence.

"It was...It was Ron's comment about Hermione and I being family."

"But why would that make you react like that?"

"Because, Harry, we are. Hermione is the little girl I was telling you about. She's my daughter."

Harry nodded and then realized what Remus had said.

"What?" he said, the shock evident in his voice. "Hermione? My friend, Hermione?"

Remus nodded and stared at the ground. This was end. The end of a relationship that hadn't even begun.

"Wow," was all Harry could say for quite some time. Roughly ten minutes or so.

Remus was getting rather tired of hearing it. He wished Harry would just get on with what he knew was coming. Thanks but no thanks...Sorry Remus, but I don't think it'd work out. He was surprised, however, when all Harry did was pick their conversation back up.

"You know she'd want to know."

"Why?" Remus said, finally looking up at Harry. "Why would she want to know about me? Why would she want to know she had a father that the government wouldn't even let take care of his own child?"

"Remus, Hermione loves you," Harry said. "She's not gonna hold the past or some stupid laws against you. It's not your fault they took her away. If it were up to you, you would've raised her. I think she would understand."

"And what about us? Would she understand about us?"

"She understands it now."

"She doesn't know I'm her father. How would she react to her father going on a date with her best friend?"

"How do you know she'd react badly?"

"How do you know she wouldn't? Harry I don't want to mess up what I've got with her. I like the relationship the way it is."

"Do you, Remus?" Harry said, standing up. "Because just from your reaction in there...I'd say it's eating you alive."

Harry went inside, leaving Remus to his thoughts. Maybe Hermione would take their relationship, whatever it is, alright even if she knew.

Remus put his head in his hands. Was he really scared that Hermione would be upset about the relationship with Harry? Or was he really afraid she'd be upset he'd waited so long? He stood up and walked out towards the lake. He had a lot of thinking to do.

As Harry had gone in and Remus went to the lake, neither had noticed that the broom closet just inside the castle door was cracked open, nor did they hear the soft, quiet crying inside.

So what do you think? Was it okay? Please review and let me know what you think.