A/N: Another chapter. Please review.

"Mr. Lupin, your cheque."

Remus smiled at the brunette as he took his salary cheque, raised his hat in response and walked out of the shop.

Life had handed him a golden chance when he met Emma two months back. Not only the little girl had brought colour in his black and white life, but also led him to Dr. Jackson, her father, who had provided him with a place to live and a job to earn. After whatever happened last Halloween, Remus had lost interest in the wizarding world. What was left for him there, anyway?

Remus shook his head, hoping it would remove those depressing days from his memory. He would be meeting Emma after a fortnight and she was bound to get angry. Remus looked around for something that could appease Emma and smiled when he found the perfect thing. Balloons! Emma loved balloons.

"Hey, Remus!"

Remus breathed a sigh of relief. He was looking like an idiot with a dozen balloons. He turned around to see the girl running to him. She was dressed in blue, his favourite colour and even made the chauffeur wear blue cap.

"Those balloons for me?"

"Yes. And see, half of them are blue."

Emma took balloons in her hands and jumping with excitement, led Remus to ice-cream parlour.

"I know why you bought me balloons, Remus," Emma said, slurping her ice-cream. "All this doesn't mean I am not angry at you. Just too happy to express it properly."

Remus laughed. "That poses a problem, doesn't it?"

"Oh, a very serious one." Emma tried a serious look. "You will get lax that way. There will be huge gaps in our meetings. And I would be spoiled because of all the compensations!"

They laughed together. "I'm really sorry, Emma. It took me time to get settled in this city and the job. Now that I am all settled, we will meet often."

Emma gave him a toothy smile. "Good to hear. How's Dad treating you?"

"Great! Remus, what exactly do you do?"

Remus smiled. "Something or other. I proofread his papers and articles. I help him with his research. I drink the coffee he makes. And remind him to eat his meals on time."

Emma laughed. "He makes you drink his coffee? I have heard it's horrible."

"It's okay," Remus shrugged.

"So you do all the boring stuff, Dad does. I need to balance your life, just I like do with Dad's."

Remus ruffled Emma's hair. "How's your school?"

At the mention of school, Emma perked up. "Great! Good grades in my assignments. No complaints from teachers. Gold medal in skating. That's a-"

Emma was interrupted by the hug Remus gave her. Spinning her around, she congratulated her. Emma shrugged when Remus finally put her on the ground, but she was smiling brightly.

The meeting continued for another two hours, with Emma talking about her school and friends and Remus patiently hearing her, enjoying his coffee. He had met Emma in the same place in January. He was sitting all alone, contemplating his life, the events of Halloween and, ashamed as he was now to admit it, suicide. A waiter had disturbed him at some time asking for orders. It was then he noticed a girl sitting across him, staring at him.

Remus had started the conversation, out of politeness and soon, they learned each others' losses. Emma had lost her mother a week back and Remus his friends. If nothing else, their loss bound them together. That was the start of a friendship, a relationship that brought them back from nothingness, emptiness and depression.

"You are thinking about your friends, aren't you?" Emma interrupted his musings.

"Why?"

"You have got that strange smile on your face ... happy and sad."

Remus smiled and, shaking his head, replied. "Actually I was thinking how we became friends."

Emma smiled wryly. "Well, that has to be an improvement."

"Enough, girl," Remus got up and picked the ten-year old brunette. "Time for you to leave for home. It's getting late."

"Yes, Sir." Emma saluted him, still in arms.

Within moments, Remus was waving his little friend off. Things were getting back on track, little by little. If only that nagging feeling pulling him to Godric's hollow would go, he could pretend life was good.

"I'm staying back in the castle, Severus."

Severus whirled around, coming face to face with the brunette trailing behind. "You are?"

Hermione nodded.

"May I ask why?"

"My parents have gone to visit some far-off relatives and they will be staying there till New Year." Hermione shrugged.

Severus looked hard at the girl, but Hermione didn't flinch away. "Surely, you can join them wherever they are?"

Hermione looked at Severus with surprise. This question was so un-Severus. They never cross-questioned each other. "No," she answered a moment later, surprise still etched on her face.

Severus turned around and without any further question, they continued their trek.

"Severus, I think this is the perfect time to tell me where are we headed to." It had been an hour since they left the safety of Hogwarts and entered Fobidden Forest and she still had no idea where Severus was taking her. All he had said when they started was that he had something to show her.

"We are close," Severus whispered.

Within few moments they reached ... wherever they were supposed to be. Hermione bent down, holding onto her knees and breathing hard. They had climbed a steep height in the last half an hour.

"I hope it is worth it," Hermione puffed out. "I have never walked so much in my life."

But Severus didn't answer her. Hermione looked up to find Severus with his back at her gazing at the full moon. Hermione walked to him. For the first time, Hermione found Severus looking peaceful.

"I have come to this place since my fifth year. This is still in Hogwarts boundary, so its magic protects it from wild animals. It is always calm, quiet and peaceful here. And you can see Hogwarts it its full glory."

Hermione followed his line of sight and her breath caught. Hogwarts had never looked this beautiful. Lights glittering here and there, towers guarding it from four sides, stone walls making it look eternal... it was breath-taking.

Severus squatted on the cool grass and pulled Hermione beside him. Quietly, they gazed at the Hogwarts.

"Why did you bring me here, Severus?" Hermione whispered after some time. Severus wasn't this kind of person; he was possessive and territorial. What was his was his.

Severus looked at her. Hermione turned to look at him when he didn't answer.

"Because," Severus answered and turned back to his Hogwarts-gazing.

"Hello, Hermione."

Remus greeted the brunette before slumping beside her.

"Hello, Remus."

Remus was looking for Hermione for an hour and had found her in Charms classroom.

"Odd place you have chosen for your homework," Remus commented. "Took me an hour to find you."

Hermione simply raised an eyebrow and went back to her homework. "It's quiet here and I love the quiet."

"I need your help," Remus told her straight forward.

When Hermione didn't say anything, Remus continued. "My charms project. I decided to go for multiple objects' animation."

Hermione stopped working on her homework. If what she had heard was right, Remus was friendly with the most intelligent girl in Charms – Lily. And yet he had chosen to come to her for help. Perhaps, the recent rift was the reason.

"I thought of entertaining the class with a battlefield. That means an army of 50 figurines on both sides, with their kings battling it out separately."

"Isn't that very ambitious?"

Remus nodded. "It was." Hermione raised her eyebrows in appreciation; it meant Remus had already managed multiple charms. Remus smiled in response. "The problem is the battle gets repetitive. I can't pre-programme the figurines to change their moves."

"Charms on charms and pre-timed charms," Hermione said a moment later in a thoughtful mood. "Couldn't you have chosen something easier?"

"Talks a girl who has chosen to combine transfiguration and charms together?"

Hermione chuckled. "I am too tired today. Let's work on your project on weekend. It's just two days away."

Remus smiled as he got up. "Thanks, Hermione."

Hermione packed her bag as well. It was late and time to go to bed. They walked back to the common room together. Bidding farewell, they climbed their staircases.

"Remus," Hermione called out when Remus was about to turn to his floor.

"Yes?"

"Lily would have loved to work on the project with you."

She was gone in a blink. But Remus kept staring after her for quite some time.

"Come in, Hermione."

Hermione suppressed the question that was on her tongue about Dumbledore knowing in advance about his visitor.

"Please have a seat. Lemon drops?"

Hermione shook her head. She had important matters to settle down than enjoy lemon drops.

"Before we proceed, I would like to know something, Hermione. Do you still have communication with the outside world going on?"

"That was my brother, breaking all the ties with me. There never has been any communication between us hence."

"I am sorry to hear that." After a moment's pause, Dumbledore called. "Hermione, they are searching frantically for you. Are you sure that was your brother?"

Hermione nodded. "One hundred percent."

"Very well then. These are the papers you requested, Hermione." Dumbledore handed Hermione an envelope. "I assure you Goblins are very good in what they do."

"I trust you, Sir, even if I don't trust the Goblins."

All was quiet as Hermione read the contents of the papers. She looked up at Dumbledore once she was through them.

"You just have to sign those papers with a blood quill and your seal. That seal will be your key."

Silently, Hermione removed the ring she was wearing around her neck. Dumbledore looked on in curiosity. The ring had a dagger engraved in the centre with a rose coiled around it. As Hermione closed her eyes and chanted quietly, the engraving came alive. Within a second, they were covered in blood, as Dumbledore knew would be the tattoo at the nape of the neck of Hermione. Still chanting and taking the ring upside down, she pressed it on the papers. A moment later, the same alive and wet design was on the paper which quieted gradually.

Next, Hermione took the blood quill in her left hand and, without wincing once, signed her name on those papers.

Hermione Dominique Bordeaux