Here I am with the next chapter. Sorry it took so long but I had to write it...and I stayed up really late tonight to get it up for you guys so you'd better like it! LOL. Anyway...Thank you for ALL the reviews I've been getting. I'm so glad you guys are liking it. Sadly, there will only be a few more chappies I think. I'm gonna try for at least 4 to make an even 20 chapters but I'm not promising anything. I had a request for longer chappies and I tried...I really did. Hope I got it at least a little longer. Okay...on to the story! Remember to review!

Remember, all mistakes are mine. Everything else belongs to JKR!

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Remus woke the next morning feeling refreshed and happy. He lay in bed for a while, just thinking about certain events of the night before and couldn't keep the smile from his face. He hadn't felt like this in more than twenty years.

He got out of bed and sat there, wondering if Harry was awake yet. He couldn't wait to see him again. It was a feeling he hadn't had in quite a while and he'd forgotten how wonderful a feeling it was. He continued to smile as he grabbed some clothes and headed off to take a shower.

When Remus emerged from the bathroom (still smiling), Harry was sitting at the table in the kitchen area, eating some cereal. He looked up when Remus closed the bathroom door and smiled.

"Good morning," Remus said, walking over to the table and sitting down.

"Good morning."

"Sleep well?"

"The best I've slept since I was eleven," Harry said with a smile. "You?"

"Yes. Very well. Best in a long time."

"Good," Harry said. "You want something to eat?"

"No," Remus said as Harry magically cleaned his dishes and put them away. "I'm supposed to meet Hermione downstairs in a couple of hours. I'm not really hungry."

Harry sat back down nest to Remus and took his hand, giving it a squeeze.

"It'll be fine, ya know. She'll understand."

Remus didn't look so sure. In fact, he was certain understanding was going to be the last thing Hermione would do. His expression must have reflected that because Harry squeezed his hand tighter.

"Hey," Harry said, putting his free hand on Remus' cheek and making him look at him. "She may be upset at first, but she'll understand eventually. You know she will."

"I know. But what if she doesn't? What if she hates me? Harry, I took her father away..."

"No!" Harry said, cutting him off. "Bellatrix took her father away. You did what was best for everybody involved. She may be mad, but she'll see that."

"But if I had told her..."

"If you had told her," Harry said, cutting him off again. "It would've caused even more pain than she was already in. You did what you had to do to protect her. It's what any parent would do."

Remus sighed and covered the hand on his cheek with his own.

"I hope she sees it the same way you do."

"Me too," Harry said as Remus looked down at the table. "Hey," he said, bringing Remus' attention back to him. "It's going to be alright."

Remus nodded and Harry slowly leaned in, softly kissing Remus' lips. It was a sweet kiss that rapidly became a deeper, more passionate kiss. When they broke it, they were both breathing heavily.

"Wow," Remus said, trying desperately to get oxygen back to his brain and sounding not a little squeaky. "That was...that was..."

"Amazing," Harry finished for him, not sounding much different.

"Yeah," he said with a smile. "Amazing."

They sat in silence for a moment just enjoying each other's company. Remus looked at his watch and took in a deep breath. He had to meet Hermione in exactly one hour and fifty-seven minutes.

"Well," he said, breaking the silence. "I think I'm going to go flying before I have to meet Hermione. It always relaxes me."

"Me too."

"Would you like to come with me?"

"Sure," Harry said with a smile. "Let me get my broom."

"Alright. I have to get mine too."

"Well let's go!" Harry said and they both went to their rooms.

An hour and a half later found Remus taking another shower. He and Harry and kicked up off the ground as soon as they were outside and soon a little friendly flying had led to competitive racing which Harry, being the thinner more aerodynamic one, had won. It then moved into a short one-on-one Quidditch match which Remus had won. He figured it was because they had decided to forget the snitch. They had landed about ten minutes ago with the promise of finding a tie-breaker later.

Remus left the bathroom and walked back to his room with a towel wrapped around his waist hoping he made it before Harry came out of his room. Closing his door, he took a deep breath and set about getting dressed.

Remus walked down the Grand Staircase about twenty minutes later on his way to meet Hermione. He didn't know whether to be scared of what was coming or glad it was almost over. Spotting her at the bottom of the staircase, he took a deep breath and walked down to meet her.

"Been waiting long?" he asked, surprising her from behind and causing her to spin around.

"Oh! Remus. You scared me. "No, I just got here."

"Good. I was hoping I hadn't made you wait. Are you ready to go?"

"Sure."

"Let's go."

They made their way to the main gate and Apparated into Hogsmeade, just as he and Harry had done the night before.

They decided to have lunch in The Three Broomsticks. They waved to Madam Rosmerta and sat down in a booth to wait for someone to come to them.

"So," Hermione said. "How was last night?"

"It was very nice. The new restaurant is very nice. The food is good. Harry and I didn't talk much, but the silence was very comfortable. We had a small argument over who would pay for dinner, then we decided to walk back to the castle. The night was so nice and beautiful. We talked about the stars and Astronomy."

"Did you hold hands?" Hermione asked, smiling at the shy smile that had appeared on Remus' face. He was practically beaming.

"Some," he said, blushing slightly. "And I stopped him from falling into a hole on the way back. Then went back to the suites and got something to drink."

"And," Hermione prodded.

"And," Remus said, blushing full now and feeling like a gossiping girl. "We kissed...three times." He breathed deeply, glad the recount was over. One thing Remus hated was spilling his guts to people, but he couldn't keep the smile from his face.

Hermione squealed (yes squealed) at the information. She clapped her hands together and her eyes sparkled.

"That's great! Oh Remus, I'm so happy for you! You look so happy."

"I am. I haven't been this happy in a long time."

At that moment, Madam Rosmerta came over and took their orders, leaving with something to drink and the promise to have their food in just a few minutes.

True to her word, Rosmerta returned just moments later with their order.

"Just let me know if you need anything else," she said, leaving them to their food and conversation.

There was silence as they stared on their food. Neither knew exactly how to start the conversation they had come here to have.

"So," Hermione finally said. "Tell me about her."

Remus took a deep breath. This was it. The whole truth would be out.

"Well," he started. "That's a long and complicated story. You know my preferences...obviously, as you set me up with Harry." Hermione nodded and he continued. "Well, it's always been that way."

"But I had to have a mother," Hermione said, slightly confused.

"Yes you did. It was me."

"What do you mean it was you?"

"I mean, if you had to assign the role of 'mother', it would be me. You see, Hermione, I was in a relationship with another man."

"How is that possible?" Her eyes were wide and he wished he knew how to say it better.

"It is possible, in some circumstances, for a man to become pregnant. As it turned out, I was one of those circumstances. We didn't even know it until we found out I was pregnant with you. But I could not have been happier."

"Okay," Hermione said with a small smile, trying to take it all in. "So if you're my 'mother', then who's my 'father'?"

Remus took a deep breath, looked down at the table and mumbled something under his breath.

"Who?"

"Sirius," he said quietly, glancing up at her.

To say Hermione was shocked would have been the biggest understatement of her life. Sirius Black! She had known Remus and Sirius were close. She didn't realize how close. She wasn't silent for so long, Remus felt the need to continue.

"Sirius and I started seeing each other while we were still at school. When we graduated, we moved in together. A few years later, you were born. Then a year after that he was gone. And so were you."

Hermione just stared at him. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"Sirius?" she finally said. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I was going to, Hermione, when it looked like Sirius was going to be cleared. I thought we could be a family again, like we were supposed to be. Then Peter got away and Sirius went into hiding, so I didn't. Then, in your fifth year, I was going to tell you again because we were so close to clearing him and then he..." Remus had to stop to take a very deep breath. Tears were threatening to fall but he was determined not to let them. "Then he got hit and I couldn't...There was nothing I could do, even if I had told you the truth. And you were happy. I couldn't take that away from you."

He began to get more and more emotional as he spoke and Hermione was starting to get a little worried. She wanted so much to calm him down, but she wanted to hear him out at the same time. However she didn't get much of the chance to do either once he continued.

"I did the best I could, Hermione, I really did. I'm sorry I didn't tell you everything right away and I'm sorry I didn't tell you about Sirius. I took your father away from you and you didn't even have the chance to know it. I just...I'm sorry." He quickly got up and, after stopping to pay for their lunch, walked out the door.

Hermione sat still, shocked at what she'd heard. Yes she was upset he didn't tell her everything but did he really think he'd taken Sirius away? She got up and quickly set out to find him.

She found Remus leaning up against a tree just outside of town. She took a deep breath and walked up behind him.

"You didn't take him away," she said, walking around to face him, causing him to jump a little. "Bellatrix LaStrange did that, not you. Yes I'm upset you didn't tell me, but I understand why. You did what you thought was best. You have nothing to be sorry for."

Remus wiped away the tears he'd finally allowed to fall and gave the best smile he could muster at that particular time.

"That's what Harry said you'd say...What I hoped you'd say. All I wanted to do was keep you happy. I was afraid that if I told you the truth without being able to do anything about it..."

"Remus," Hermione said, cutting him by putting her hand over his mouth. "I understand. You did what you thought was best. You were probably right to do it. I would have been miserable knowing here was something I didn't have a choice in. Thank you," she said, throwing her arms around his neck and holding him tight. "Thank you for trying to protect me."

Remus wrapped his arms around her as well and held her like she might disappear at any moment. He buried his face in her neck and they held each other for several long moments.

"C'mon," Hermione said finally. "Let's get back to the castle."

"Alright," Remus said, nodding.

After deciding to walk back, they slowly made their way back to Hogwarts.

Hope you enjoyed it! Remember to review! (I've said that before didn't I?)