Hermione looked at the man before her, the gentle man with the surprisingly intelligent beast within. Her mind reeled with his words, even as he stepped back and resumed his place on the couch. She bent to retrieve the book and then slowly walked back over to him.

"Remus?" she asked cautiously.

"Huh?" he replied, shaking his head slightly as if to clear his thoughts. "I'm sorry, Hermione, I keep getting lost in my thoughts."

Lost in the wolf, more like, but I can never tell her that. No one can ever find out that Moony is trying to gain control…and winning.

"That's okay, Remus. Listen, I think supper is ready if you want to head on down."

"Yea, I guess I better. Dora has been nagging at me lately for not spending enough time with her."

"Is everything okay with you two?" she asked, then suddenly held up her hand and shook her head. "Never mind, it's really none of my business. It's just that I'm here if you ever, you know, want someone to talk to."

He regarded her closely for a minute. It would be great to have someone he could confide in about his issues, but because the wolf seemed to dislike her so much, Hermione was definitely not that person. At least Sirius was back, maybe they could talk once he and Harry unglued themselves from each other. Then again, what would Sirius know about marital problems and wolf problems? It wasn't as if Tonks was doing anything exactly wrong, but if you asked her, she would say it wasn't as if he was doing anything exactly right, either. He sighed heavily. "Thanks, Hermione, but I'm fine, really."

When the door closed behind him, Hermione slumped into the nearest chair and finally relaxed. What the hell had just happened? She had often wondered if there were actually two separate beings living inside of Remus, instead of a monster who only came out once every full moon, but to actually see it was something else entirely. And what had he meant by her being his mate and taking her no matter what? Moony had said Remus wouldn't know what he was doing and it certainly seemed that way just now, so perhaps they were two separate entities living within a single host. However, the wolf certainly had Remus' intelligence which was both exciting and frightening, and highly unexpected.

Her hands went through her already messy hair and she clutched it tightly to her scalp. Now what? Was she just supposed to wait on Moony to come to her again? What would he do if he did? And what does she always do when an unanswerable question is presented to her?

Grinning, Hermione stood and walked back to the bookcases that lined the wall. There was an entire section on dangerous creatures and she skimmed the titles quickly. Werewolves and How To Use Them, The Blood of a Werewolf, The Full Moon and You, and How To Kill A Beast. She cringed; knowing these books were dark was one thing, but allowing her mind to wander about the details was a bit too much. A hand on her shoulder made her jump and spin around, wand up and ready instantly out of habit.

"Easy, love," he chuckled, "it's only me. Thought I should tell you supper is ready. Tonks cooked and from what I remember, you and I will be raiding the kitchen come midnight."

She tried to hold back her laughter, but it was really too much. "Sirius, you're incorrigible!" Leaning over closer to his ear, she whispered, "She's gotten worse with time, just so you know."

Sirius groaned and she nodded her head knowingly. Then with a grin, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and led her out the door. "You know," he said laughing, "I really like you!"

"Gee, thanks. So," she encouraged when they stopped at the kitchen door.

"So what?"

"The meeting, how did the meeting go?!"

"Meeting? Oh," he said nonchalantly, "you mean the meeting where I was cleared of all charges and sent back here with the Ministry's pathetic apology?"

"Really?" she squealed, suddenly throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him tightly.

"Yes, really," he laughed, holding her to him. "It was all thanks to you, though. If you hadn't talked to Kings and done that quick bit of research, I might have been sent back to Azkaban."

She released her tight hold on him, but allowed her hands to stay on his shoulders while his stayed on her hips. "It was the least I could do," she murmured through her happy tears.

"Oi! You two get in here already!"

After a glare in Remus' direction for interrupting them, Hermione and Sirius walked into the room. They took their seats beside each other, reaching for various odd looking dishes and trying not to grimace at the smell.

"Well, if I would have had some help down here, Remus, that wouldn't have happened."

"Dora, I never said…"

"You didn't have to! I know you well enough by now to know what you're thinking."

Hermione and Sirius shared a worried glace with each other before Sirius grinned slightly. "So, Daphne," he said loudly, interrupting the two arguing before him, "that's a lovely tattoo you have on your hip. When did you get it?"

Harry's face immediately turned red with anger and Daphne looked at him in shock. "How do you know where she has a tattoo?" Harry snarled, making Hermione, Sirius, and even Remus burst into fits of laughter.

"Oh, not to worry, Harry. Tonight I'll teach you both locking and silencing charms. That way, the next time I get slightly drunk and try to find my room, I won't walk into yours by mistake."

Harry joined in the laughter and before long so did Daphne.

"Honestly, Sirius, you should leave them alone," Tonks huffed.

"Yes, mother. Speaking of which, where is dear old Mum?"

"Hermione took her down and burned her several years ago," Harry said proudly.

"Well, one can only take being called a 'filthy Mudblood' so many times before it starts to grate on one's nerves."

Sirius threw his arm around her and kissed her forehead. "Sorry I missed that. I believe that's two that I owe you now."

'If you don't calm down, wolf, I swear I'll have Hermione double the damn dose of Wolfsbane in the potion. We're just eating, what is your problem?'

'You should keep them apart. I don't like them together.'

'Sirius and Hermione aren't together. Even if they were, they could be a good match, no matter how much you might dislike the girl.'

The wolf gave a loud growl and Remus turned his head away. Tonks was sitting beside him with her head suddenly on his shoulder and her fingers trailing up his arm while she waggled her eyebrows suggestively.

Just then, a small owl swooped into the room and dropped a letter on Harry's lap before flying around in dizzying circles and leaving.

"The Weasley's are coming over soon," Harry said after reading the letter. "Looks like maybe next week is the earliest they can make it for your surprise welcome home party."

Sirius groaned and Hermione chuckled. "They just want to say hello. Be a man, you can handle it," she chided teasingly.

"You're right. But I swear if one of the twins tries to turn me into anything, I'll string them both up by their…" His mouth was suddenly covered by Hermione's hand and he rolled his eyes. She smirked at him, but soon squealed when his hands shot out and began tickling her.

'Nothing there?' the wolf growled menacingly.

'They're just playing around.'

'It is called 'foreplay' human and I don't like it in the least. Either you do something about it now, or I will. I do not like them together!'

'What the hell is your problem?' Remus growled back; the unusual sound gaining the attention of those in the room. It was Hermione's eye locked on his that did him in and he stormed from the room angrily.

He found himself in the library, once again arguing with the wolf and not understanding the problem. His hair was mussed from the constant abuse by his hands and he was sure there was a groove in the floor where he had been pacing.

'You left them alone?!'

'They're adults! They don't need a babysitter!' Remus responded exasperatedly.

'If she so much as touches him…'

'You'll do what?! Growl at her? What right do you have to say what she can or can't do, or who she can do it with. Get it through your head, wolf, your opinions of Hermione do not matter!'

'My opinion matters more than you realize!' he howled back at Remus.

'Your opinion doesn't matter! Whether they remain friends or become more is of no consequence to us!' Remus reprimanded.

'Then why were you so upset when you saw them in the doorway? They looked rather cozy until you interrupted them.' There was an arrogance in the wolf's tone that Remus didn't like, it angered him suddenly and he stopped by the table once more.

'It doesn't matter to me if they're fucking like rabbits on the table we just left, right in front of everyone!'

'You stupid human!' Moony roared. The contents on the table went flying across the room, followed quickly by the table itself. 'It all matters, you fool! Everything she does matters!'

The nick-knacks lining the mantel were next, thrown angrily at the wall and shattering sharply. The door burst open and Sirius stormed in, followed closely by Tonks and Hermione.

"My gods, Remus, what has gotten into you?!" Tonks screamed as she stormed from the room in disgust.

'Damn woman! Who the hell does she think she is?!' The wolf snarled only seconds before the chair flew against the wall.

'My wife! Now get a grip before they have us locked up for insanity!'

Remus' anger matched that of the wolf's and they both knew things were escalating too far out of their control, but neither was willing to back down from the other.

Hermione stood in the doorway watching. She didn't care about the objects that were flying around and crashing with such ominous sounds, nor did she care about Tonks walking out, or the angry and worried expression Sirius wore. All she cared about were the eyes she could see flashing from amber to blue and back again. His words from earlier spun through her head and somehow she knew what she had to do.

Taking a deep breath, Hermione walked cautiously closer to the conflicted man with apparently superhuman strength and the anger to match.

"Hermione, get back here! That's not Remus! What are you doing?" Sirius hissed as he grabbed her arm, knowing exactly what was happening to his friend, but not knowing why. He did know, however, that Hermione was certainly going to do something unknowingly stupid.

She jerked her arm from his grasp and walked closer to Remus, forcing him to look directly at her.

"I think," she started, before pushing the authority into her voice and trying again. "I think you should both calm down."

Remus continued to look at her, but it was Moony she saw in his eyes. "Moony, please," she pleaded, "let him be. What has he done wrong?"

He walked closer to her, ignoring the shocked look on Sirius' face when he grabbed her by the arms. Only the sound of Sirius slowly saying, "Moony?" broke his gaze from his mate.

He eyes bore into Sirius and grinned maliciously. "Hello, Padfoot, my old friend. Stay away from my mate, or you will regret it." Then his eyes were blue again and Remus dropped Hermione's arms as though they had burned him and stared at her in shock.

"Excuse me," he murmured, before rushing out of the room.

"Hermione, what exactly just happened here? You knew…I mean, you know the difference…I mean, hell Hermione, what just happened?"

Hermione sighed heavily before turning from the door and looking at Sirius, her shaking hands the only sign that she was upset. "Yes, I know the difference between them, Sirius. I also think I know a bit about what Remus is going through."

"He's fighting the wolf again," Sirius said matter-of-factly and she nodded. "You're not scared of the wolf?"

"No, I'm not scared."

"It's happened before, hasn't it? With you? What did he mean about his mate?" he asked curiously, wondering when exactly he had gotten too close to Tonks and why the wolf would see him as a threat.

"It's only happened once. What about with you?"

Sirius settled himself into the sofa, motioning for Hermione to do the same. "I saw it for the first time in our seventh year. It seems the wolf didn't like Lily once she and James became a couple." He shrugged his shoulders and continued, "we never knew why, but there were a few times he'd almost go after her or something. It became worse when we all came back from holiday. Then, one day in our dorm room, Remus started acting really strange and before we knew what was happening, this entirely new voice spoke to us. It was Moony, and he explained the difference between them to me and James. When we asked why he didn't like her, Remus took over again and we didn't get the answer. Remus didn't even remember the conversation we had just had and swore to James that he had no problems with Lily. It seemed true enough, since Remus and Lily were friends long before she became James' girl, but that's why he didn't go to their wedding. Only he and I were invited, but he said he better not attend in case something happened." Sirius looked up at her sadly, "Remus and James started to drift away after that. He'd come over and everything would be fine, then he'd start acting a bit different and suddenly leave. His visits became a little farther apart…and then a little farther, until he hardly came over at all. I guess that's why I thought that he, you know…" he broke off, shrugging his shoulders again and refusing to meet Hermione's eyes.

"That's why you thought he was the spy," Hermione finished for him, gently taking his hand for support. "It makes sense, Sirius. But it's been years, decades even, and there's nothing for you to be ashamed about now."

"I guess you're right." He slowly took a deep, emotional breath and let it out. "I'm going to check on Remus and head to bed soon. Will you be alright? Do you know what he meant about his mate?"

"Not exactly," she said, shaking her head and chewing on her bottom lip, "but I intend to find out very soon."

"Maybe you should give Remus some space for awhile. You know, just until everything settles back down."

"I think you're right. Thank you, for talking to me and everything," she said shyly.

"Anytime, love."

"Dora, are you in here?" Remus called from the doorway.

"I'm in the shower, Remus, but unless you've finished with your temper tantrum I don't want you to come in here."

Remus hung his head in shame and took a despairing breath. He knew his wife didn't fully understand what he went through with his condition, but he had hoped that if the situation ever presented itself, she would at least try to be understanding. This was exactly why he had pushed her away for so long. Being a werewolf wasn't only about having a bit of rough sex a few days before turning into a monster once a month, but that seemed to be the only part she cared about. Lately, however, it wasn't enough for either of them. He still couldn't understand why she had wanted him in the first place, but when they were alone, she made it glaringly obvious she was disappointed in him.

There were many dynamics to his 'character' that he had lied to himself about for entirely too long. Somehow, he had convinced himself that if things should go wrong, Dora would understand and be there for him. Apparently he had been wrong, especially if she was going to continue to call his struggle with the beast a 'temper tantrum' and treat him like a misbehaving child every time it occurred, which was increasingly often. He loved his wife, wanted to give her the children she so desperately craved, but he knew he was fast becoming someone who just wasn't enough for her. Not being able to give her said children was yet another failure on his part. They had tried, for years now they had tried and failed, but lately she wasn't willing to even discuss it…let alone try more.

There was also Hermione to consider. Things were getting dangerous where she was concerned and he was actually starting to fear for her. It was like Lily all over again, only with different feelings of anger and control. He knew deep down that in order to keep her safe, he'd have to stay away from her permanently. Perhaps it was time for him and his wife to move out. Remus felt anger surge through him like never before, but before the wolf could speak, the door suddenly opened. Not giving the wolf time to react, he went into the bathroom, shutting and locking the door behind him as he slid slowly to the floor; head in his hands and the contemplation of his life in his thoughts.

The burning sensation was flowing through him hours later and he found himself unable to sleep once again. Instead of interrupting his sleeping wife for the second night in a row, he crawled out of bed, donned his pajama bottoms, and headed to the kitchen. He was thankful this time for the lack of smells and such indicating that Hermione might still be awake.

As he sleepily stumbled into the kitchen, his gaze was brought up sharp by the sound of something metal clattering to the floor. Then he realized his mistake. There, in front of him was Hermione, clad only in a bathrobe with a towel around her hair and her face flushed slightly. He felt the wolf welling up inside of him, just as desperate to take control as he was to keep it for himself. Before he could stop her, Hermione took her hair down, allowing the wet curls to fall down her back as she walked over to him. She licked her lips in the most seductive way he'd ever seen and the wolf growled at her close proximity.

"Her…Hermione, I'm sorry, but I need you to leave," his strained voice asked with desperation while he clutched the doorframe like a lifeline.

"No, Remus, I'm not leaving." Her voice was ethereal, but most shocking of all were her next words. "I want to speak to Moony."

He gasped in horror at her words. She wanted what?!

"Hermione, you have no idea…" he started, only to have her cut him off.

"Remus, I know exactly what I'm doing. I promise everything will be alright." Suddenly his eyes were flashing from blue to amber and back again. "Come on out, Moony. Talk to me," she encouraged and smiled triumphantly when his eyes stayed amber and he stared at her with a new confidence. He stood up, allowing his entire posture to stretch with arrogance as the wolf took control of the body.

"Hello, mate. I didn't think I'd be talking to you again so soon."

She shivered at his hoarse voice and realized that Remus' would have the same effect on her, if he only wished to seduce her. "I've been doing some reading tonight, but I've yet to find anything concrete on this subject."

His chuckle irritated her slightly, but his intelligent words filled her with a knowledge she had never expected to gain. "You wouldn't have found anything about this in a book, Hermione. We wolves are only as intelligent as the humans in which we reside. I was very fortunate to find such a human, but most, like my sire for instance, are not so lucky. Therefore, we have very little use for the written word where it pertains to us specifically."

"Utterly amazing," she said wide-eyed, walking back to lean against the counter. "Honestly, I should be terrified of you, but I find myself intrigued more than anything."

"You wouldn't be afraid of me, we belong to each other. But I don't think intrigue is the only thing you feel for me, is it?" he asked with a smirk, stalking closer to her until his body was only feet in front of her own. His hand came up and brushed a wet curl from her face. "I have an excellent sense of smell, mate, and I assure you that intrigue is not the only thing you feel for me."

She watched him nervously as he stepped closer. He looked into her eyes and she could swear he was looking into her soul. When he gently cupped her cheek with Remus' hand, she timidly asked, "What do you mean?"

"I mean," he rasped, allowing his gravelly voice to wash over her and his smile to become even more arrogant, "that you find yourself aroused by me. You desire me, do you not?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," she said haughtily, trying to turn her face from his as she clutched the robe tightly to her chest.

He growled low in his throat, then pinned her against the counter with his body. The pad of his thumb stroked her lips and her eyes fluttered closed despite her earlier declaration. Her hands came to rest on his arms and she sighed in pleasure. When his other hand slid down her naked thigh and drew her leg up around his waist, she pushed herself against his erection and silently begged for more.

"I thought you didn't want me," he murmured, his lips coming to rest on her neck and gently brushing along her pulse as his hand tangled in her hair.

"I…I think I was wrong," she responded, tilting her neck to allow him better access.

Her hands slid from his biceps to his shoulders, then around his neck to hold him close to her. "I told you I was only going to warn you once. Do you want me, my beautiful mate? Do you wish for me to show you what I can do?" His lips skimmed her hot flesh and she burned even hotter for him. When he pulled her head the other direction by her hair and nuzzled her neck she whimpered at his touch, knees weak and her body singing its' pent up need for release.

"Yes," she breathed in forgotten answer.

"I'm going to make you mine," he growled softly.

Both hands slid down her body to cup her arse and draw her closer. She moaned and pushed against his erection, making his body burn to possess her. He lifted her up onto the counter and stayed between her legs, his lips skimming her neck, shoulders, and collar bone. Her robe slid away from her thighs and she forgot to breathe when his hands slid down to her bare legs and splayed across her heated flesh. Fire danced through her veins when his lips caught hers and he kissed her possessively; showing without words exactly who she belonged to.

She held him to her tightly, ravishing his mouth with the same vigor he was showing hers. Within moments, her hands began roaming his lithe body; touching Remus in ways she thought she'd never be able to. Her fingers trailed around his chest and when they skimmed his hardened nipples and he moaned, she reveled in her feminine power. Right or wrong be damned, she wanted this man, this conundrum of a man, more than she ever wanted anything before in her life. His fingers slid up her thighs and untied her robe, pushing it away with roughened hands as he broke the kiss and looked down on at her flushed body.

"So beautiful, mate. So young and eager," he rasped, lowering his head and flicking his tongue over her nipple. Hermione should have been insulted, but instead she gasped in pleasure, drawing his head in closer as she threaded her fingers through his hair.

"Oh gods," she moaned. Her back arched into him and she swore she could already feel him inside her. When his hand took her other breast, testing its weight, she moaned again and wrapped her legs around his waist.

"So responsive to my touch," he growled against her.

"Need you…want you so much," she moaned, rubbing her body against his with frustrated intensity.

"Yes, you do. I can smell your desire," he said, bringing his lips slowly up her neck, "and it excites me."

She screeched and bucked when his fingers suddenly rubbed her clit. He grinned at her and whispered roughly, "Must be quiet, mate. We wouldn't want anyone to hear you, now would we?"

Biting her lip, her hips bucked again when he slid a finger inside her wet center. "Yes, that's it, witch. I want you to come for me. Show me how much you want my cock." Another finger slid inside of her and his thumb rubbed against her clit, slowly at first, then increasing in intensity when he lowered his lips to her nipple again. When he sucked the hard bud into his mouth and stroked her clit again, she bit down on his shoulder as her body shook with the most intense orgasm of her life.

"Beautiful," he murmured, gently pushing her back and looking into her flushed face.

Her trembling hands slid down his chest, running along the taunt muscles and light colored hair, along the scars she had always wanted to touch, until they stopped at the waistband of his pants. As quickly as she could, she untied his pants and pushed them down his slim hips, reveling in his moan and the way he threw his head back when her fingers grazed his large erection.

"My gods, where have you been hiding this?" she asked in amazement.

He chuckled at her softly, then grabbed her hands and placed the back on his shoulders. His own slid to her hips and jerked her forward, settling her on the edge of the counter. "Do you want me?" he growled with restraint. "Do you want my hard cock pounding inside of you as I make you mine?"

The fingers gliding across her soaked pussy drew a moan from her throat and she tightened her legs around him, pulling him even closer and silently begging him to take her. When he looked at her without moving, she lifted her eyes to his in confusion.

"Say it, mate!" he demanded. "Tell me what you want!"

"I want you! Gods I want you so bad."

He continued to watch her, waiting for something she wasn't sure of. Then she knew, just as she knew the sun would rise in the morning, she knew what she had to say and, surprising herself, she softly whispered, "Make me yours."

A loud growl rumbled deep in his chest and in one swift movement, he thrust himself deep inside her waiting heat, making her bite down on his shoulder once more to stifle her scream of surprised pain and pleasure. Her body encased him like a hot, wet glove and he moaned in pleasure, still not moving until she slowly relaxed around him.

"Made for me," he rasped into her ear.

She squirmed around, tightening her inner muscles and trying to achieve friction even with the inability to move her own hips. His hoarse chuckle sent new waves of desire coursing through her body and she moaned loudly when he slowly began to move inside of her.

"Wanted you for so long," he hissed between his teeth, rocking his body slowly back and forth into hers.

Her arms wound around his neck and her legs held him tightly. She breathed in the scent of the wolf and the man, reveled in the feel of his naked body so entwined with hers, and felt all the heat in her body pulling to her middle. Tight coils begged to be released and she could swear something was crawling under her skin. The feeling was unnerving, but only made her beg for her own release more.

Unable to hold back any longer, he increased the pace, slamming into her body with a force she couldn't have imagined possible.

"Please," she begged, "oh gods please!"

His hands were all over her; grabbing her breasts, her thighs, around her back holding her to him while he ravaged her nipples with his teeth. He was directly in front of her, but it felt like he as all around her, like he was part of her. Soon, his hands swept back to her hips, holding her steady as he pounded into her willing body. She could hear his breath become faster and her heart was once again racing with his.

"You must come for me, mate!" he rasped hungrily, the need and desire in his voice matched her own. "Come for me while I make you mine forever."

His words made no sense and she simply did not care. All that mattered to her now was the feeling of him thrusting inside of her over and over and when his thumb ghosted over her clit, she forgot to breath. "That's it!" he snarled uncontrollably, "come for me!"

And she did. His hand covered her mouth as the scream escaped and her eyes rolled back in her head. Fireworks exploded before her eyes and her entire body began to shake with release. A lightening hot burn erupted from her shoulder, but she couldn't even move her head to look as wave upon wave of orgasm washed over her before she went limp. Somewhere from a great distance, she heard him howl and felt as his own body contract before he spilled his seed inside her body and he fell against her.

Slowly coming back to consciousness, she eased her hold around his neck and looked down at him. What she saw both shocked her to her very core and made her feel cherished and protected all at the same time. Moony was slowly licking a small wound on her shoulder and she watched in fascination as the blood vanished, followed by a gentle tingling sensation. The wound soon disappeared and was replaced by a small scar. Hermione gasped when saw the ancient rune on her flushed skin. "Eternity," it read, but only to those that knew of the ancient language.

He looked up at her and grinned wolfishly. "Now," he rasped, "you truly belong to me."

"What do you mean?" she whispered.

"I have marked you as mate, just as you asked me to do. You will have none, but me, and I shall have no one other than you."

Intense anger swept through her and she roughly pushed him away. "And your wife," she spat.

He growled fiercely. "She is NOT my wife! I have told you, he took her without my consent and he has been most unhappy since. YOU are our mate and it is you that we need!"

His voice held no malice, only anger, and she shivered slightly when he stepped back to her and gently stroked her shoulder. "We belong to each other, you and I, and it is up to you to make sure the human sees that."

Her eyes widened in surprise. "What do you want me to do?"

The grin that crossed his face was triumphant and full of pride. "Nothing other than what you have been doing. The human wants you, has for some time now, but he has refused to allow himself to act on such things. He'll push you away and it will be your job to stay put. Do not allow him to leave the house permanently and do not allow him to ignore you…the rest will work itself out with my help."