Hermione followed Lily down the stairs into the common room. Her eyes were still bright with tears, but she had plastered a smile on her face. It felt like it might break into a million pieces. She dreaded taking the final step into the common room, dreaded facing the boys, but she could not put it off any longer. Lily had helped, and she knew Lily would support any lies she told. Not for the first time, Hermione wondered how she had gotten through her first six years at Hogwarts without Lily. Ron and Harry were her whole life, and Ginny was wonderful, but in the short months she had been here, Lily had become one of the most important people in her world. Knowing Lily hadn't believed her lies was somehow a comfort. Hermione felt that while Lily may not approve, she at least understood.

The boys were, of course, waiting for them. Remus was pacing in front of the fireplace; when he saw Hermione he raced to her side.

"Can you please now tell me what's happening?" he asked worriedly. James and Sirius did not have their usual grins and Peter still looked weak and tired from his beating. All four boys' eyes were heavy upon her.

"I'll try," Hermione said. "I really don't know where to start."

"Let's start with your freak out at Hogsmeade," said Remus

"I had a vision," Hermione blurted out, thankful once again to the God of Lies.

"A vision," James repeated doubtfully.

Hermione looked to Lily, who merely raised her eyebrows in an "it's all you, girl" gesture.

"Yes," she said, squaring her shoulders. You're a liar. Why not make it good? "It happened so suddenly, and I've never had one before so I panicked. That's why I raced back to talk to Dumbledore. Because of my dreams, he told me to tell him about anything strange that I might experience. I don't know what the vision means, but unfortunately I have to go back to Beauxbatons for awhile."

"What?" Remus whispered. "You've never... I thought you were staying here. What kind of vision?"

"I don't know. It's so hard to explain," she said.

"Try," Remus said.

Hermione nodded. "It flashed quickly, it was almost over before it began, but I could see my friends from home, and it looked like they were in trouble. Dumbledore said I should go back to see what's happening. He thinks anything I see has some truth to it. I wanted to talk to Lily first, because I knew she would let me cry."

"We don't want you to go!" Sirius burst out.

"I don't want to go, either," Hermione said. It was mostly the truth. "But it won't be for good." That was also technically the truth. She would return to Hogwarts, they just wouldn't be there anymore. "Remus, I'm so sorry. Please understand."

"No," he said. He abruptly turned from her and stalked out of the room. Hermione looked helplessly at Lily, who wore her now familiar look of sympathy and you-did-this-yourself. Hermione sighed and nodded at Lily. She did this herself. She could have stayed away from Remus and she chose the painful road instead. She turned to follow him.

"Not yet," said James. "Give him some time. You've never really spoken of Beauxbatons, so of course it's a shock to hear you're going back. It's just temporary, right? You're coming back to Hogwarts, aren't you?"

"I hope so," Hermione said. "I plan on coming back." What damage could one more lie do? She could feel Lily's disapproval, but she steadily avoided her eyes.

"Well then," said Sirius. "I think a party is in order."

"What? You're celebrating my departure?"

"It's called a going-away party, goof," Sirius said. "Surely the French have those, Granger. And when you return, we'll have a 'Welcome Back' party."

I won't cry again right now, Hermione thought. No matter how wonderful they are. She smiled at Sirius.

"Not a party," Peter said suddenly. "We don't want to share you on your last night. The six of us spend all of our time together anyway. Let's do the Forbidden Forest again."

"I don't know, Wormtail," James said. "Is that really such a good idea after what happened today?"

"Bugger Slytherin," Peter answered. "I'm okay now, really. I can't let those gits ruin our good time." Peter looked a little unconvinced by his own bravery, but Sirius grinned and clapped him on the back.

"That's settled," he said. "Leave Remus to us for now. You'll get a chance to talk to him later. Go read Hogwarts, A History until it's time to go and ruminate on how much you're leaving behind."

I will, Hermione thought.

"You can read the exciting parts out loud to Lily," James said, pulling his girlfriend into a hug and smiling cheekily at her.

"Great," said Lily, scowling. "Let's get right on that."

James watched Lily take Hermione back up to the girls' dormitory. It would kill him if Lily suddenly decided she needed to leave. While he did think his love for Lily was stronger than Moony's for Hermione - he had been in love with Lily a lot longer, after all - he knew that Moony was in a lot of pain right now. The only thing they could do was band together and try to make him feel better. It probably wouldn't work and James knew they were in for a lot of brooding, but that was friendship, after all.

"Padfoot, go collect Professor Moony, will you? He's probably gone to the library to recreate his courtship of Hermione. He might be underlining significant lines in Hogwarts, A History. I'm telling you, we're one step away from full-on tragic romantic hero stage, so nip it in the bud. Tell him what we have planned for tonight and remind him that it would be straight out of your playbook to let her leave without saying goodbye."

"Hey," Sirius protested. "I would never do that. I have class."

"No," Peter said, shaking his head and smiling. "No you don't."

Sirius greeted his friends' remarks with a rude hand gesture and left the room to collect Moony. Sure enough, the werewolf was sitting forlornly at a table in the library.

"A little less cliche, next time, if you please," said Sirius, sliding into a chair next to him. "I mean, you could have thrown yourself off the tower or something. Way more impact. Maybe you could have yelled Hermione's name as you plummeted to the ground."

"Sod off, Padfoot," Remus said, not looking at his friend. "Surely you can give me one minute in peace to be pissed my girlfriend is leaving. Lying, too, I'd wager. This story's about as convincing as her dream one. I think she just likes making dramatic entrances and exits. Mental, probably. No doubt she's got an equally snowed French twit waiting for her at Beauxbatons."

"You don't really believe that, Moony."

"I don't know," Remus said, raking a hand through his hair. "What am I supposed to think, Padfoot? Hermione appears out of nowhere, and just when I think things are going well, she tells us she's off again. You know how I feel about her. What do you think my proper reaction should be?"

"I can't tell you that," Sirius admitted. "I do know how you feel, but I know Hermione feels the same way. She doesn't want to go, Moony, but she feels like she has to. She's a Gryffindor. Do you really expect her to sit tight if she thinks her friends are in trouble? Cut her some slack."

"If she's even telling the truth!" Remus exploded. "Maybe she's not even from Beauxbatons! Who in the hell knows what's going on in that girl's head?"

"If you care about her, you accept her story," Sirius said. "Listen to your heart, Moony."

"Merlin, that sounded pretty gay," Remus said, smiling for the first time.

"Yeah, I know, but work with me here. Say goodbye and hope for the best. We're going to the Forest tonight. You'll have plenty of time to be alone with her there. We'll give her a proper send-off, and remind her of all the fun she'll be missing. She'll be back soon enough."

"Sounds fabulous," said Remus sarcastically.

"Of course, if you don't want to come, I can give her a proper send-off myself," Sirius said innocently. "I never did get my fair turn."

"That's not funny," Remus glared at him. "Fine, let's go."

Sirius laid a ressuring hand on the Remus's back and led him out of the library. As soon as they were gone, an eavesdropper stepped from behind the stacks where he had been listening to them.

How wonderful, Snape thought, an evil smile playing on his lips. I can finally catch those prats in the act. Poor lovesick Lupin's about to lose his fair mudblood. Pity. Perhaps my own invitation to the party was lost. No matter. There's no full moon, so I can join in the festivities. What fun we'll have.

X X X X

Their trip into the forest was more subdued than last time, although James, Peter and Sirius were doing all they could to brighten the mood. Lily seemed to be taking a page from Hermione and Remus's book; though she did her best to remain positive, it was clear she was not enjoying herself. The boys were charming enough to cheer Hermione slightly, but Remus had barely spoken two words to her. She needed to get him alone soon, but so far he seemed to be avoiding any hints she was sending his way. Sirius, however, noticed them all and gave her a sympathetic look.

"Prongs," Sirius said with forced joviality. "What say you, me, Wormtail and Evans leave these two alone for a moment. Granger's eyes are bugging out of her head trying to get Moony's attention."

"Lord, Sirius," Hermione said, turning scarlet. "Is the art of subtlety lost on you?"

"No, but it's apparently lost on Moony, so I thought I'd help you out," he said.

"Fine," Remus said emotionlessly. "Leave us be for a bit."

Lily looked at Hermione with concern; Remus was not exactly starting things out well, but she led the boys away.

"Remus," Hermione started timidly. His back was to her, and she walked around in front of him until he was forced to look at her. "I don't know what to say except I'm really sorry. What would you do if you knew that your friends were in trouble? You would go to them. That's what I have to do now."

"You're acting under the assumption that I believe you," Remus said, looking straight into her eyes. She was shocked by how hard he looked. "I don't. I don't think you had a vision about Beauxbatons any more than you had a dream about us. I think you're a liar, Hermione, and I think that you played me. That's the bottom line. This was a bad idea. I'm going back to the castle." He turned and started to stalk away.

Hermione was stunned at his words. She stood frozen for a moment before running after him.

"Remus, please wait," she said, grabbing his arm. He wrenched it away from her and looked at her with those same angry eyes. "I never played you. My feelings for you are very real, and they're making this hard. I never wanted you to think ill of me. You're right, of course. You've always been right. I am lying, but if you only knew why..." Tears were clouding her vision again, and she thought disjointedly that she had cried more in the last few months than she had her whole life. "I can't tell you the truth, I just can't. I can't tell any of you; there are dire consequences. Dumbledore said-"

"Dumbledore's in on this, too?" Remus asked incredulously. "What in the hell in going on? Who are you?"

"I'm just Hermione," she said softly. "I can't tell you anymore than that. I have to go because my friends might be in trouble, and they need me; I'm not lying about that. Please, Remus. Please believe me now."

"Believe what?" he shouted. "Believe something you can't tell me? Believe that you're a liar? I know all of that, Hermione."

"No, believe I love you," she said. As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she stared at him, aghast. How could she have said that now? She searched her feelings and knew it to be true. Too late. "I know how that sounds. It sounds weak, but it's true. I'm so grateful for the time we've spent together, and I really wish things could be different. I'm not leaving to hurt you. I'm leaving because I have to. I was hoping our last night could be... I don't know. I can't stand to see you looking at me like that. I'm sorry. I'll just go."

"Wait," he said. She turned to him hopefully, but he still had his armor up. "Hermione, I don't like being lied to. Funny, since I lie to just about everyone I know. But I don't lie to my friends. First and foremost, I thought that's what we were."

"I thought we were, too. Remus, I want nothing more than to tell you the truth right now, but I can't," she said. "One day, I will, and that is the truth. You trust Dumbledore, right? He would never help me if he thought I was dangerous."

Remus looked thoughtful at this. It was true, Dumbledore was not likely to be fooled by a seventeen-year-old witch, or by anyone else for that matter.

"Remus, I didn't come to Hogwarts to lie to you, it just had to be like that," Hermione said. "I did know who you all were, and I've come to care so much about you. I don't want to leave, but I have to. I have another life, and I must return to it."

"And what about us, Hermione?" Remus said. "What about me? You have another life? Well I don't and now you've messed up the only one I have."

"No, I haven't," Hermione retorted. "I'm just a small part of your life, Remus. It hurts now, like it does for me, but I'll leave, and you'll move on. And when or if we meet again, you'll be okay. I can feel it."

"You're just trying to make yourself feel better, Hermione."

"Yes, I am," she admitted. "I'm crazy about you, Remus, and I have been since I got here. You're under my skin, and it's killing me to leave you now. Please, can't we part on good terms?"

He grabbed her roughly in answer and kissed her fiercely. She responded eagerly, grasping him as if she were drowning. He pushed her against a tree and she grabbed his shirt, clutching him as close to her as possible.

"Well, well," a voice said. "And here I was hoping he wasn't a true rival for your affections. Didn't our time mean anything, my dear? I couldn't help but overhear. Surely you weren't planning on leaving without saying goodbye."

Hermione and Remus broke apart in alarm and stared in disbelief at the figure before them. Lucius Malfoy was leaning against a tree, smiling lazily at them and surrounded by six men who could only be Death Eaters.

A/N I had a review questioning my use of full moons. I'm sorry this wasn't clearer; I know there is only one full moon a month, but the night before and after the full moon is powerful for werewolves, too. This was my intention; I apologize if this wasn't clear