AN: Second chapter of the day! woot!

When dinner had finished, Remus stood and once again reached out and took Hermione's hand.

The two of them walked out of the great hall, and as Hermione turned back to shut the door behind her, she caught Professor McGonnagol's eyes. The Professor winked and nodded towards Remus with a grin. Hermione quickly shut the door, turning red and putting her head down instantly, hoping Remus wouldn't notice. Luckily, he didn't.

The two of them wandered the halls silently, looking at the moonlight that came through the windows as they passed.

Remus stopped at the entrance to his quarters, saying the password and stepping in slightly as the portrait opened. He turned back to look at her and tugged on her arm with a grin.

"You coming?"

The corners of her mouth raised into a small smile as she walked into his living room for the 2nd time.

She looked around, noting everything was exactly as she remembered.

He stood behind her and put his hands on her shoulders.

"Expect something different this time?" He joked.

She bit her lip. "I don't know. Maybe. It's been at least a month since I was here. Change does come with time, but everything is exactly where it was last time. Those are probably the same essays too." She laughed, pointing to the stack on the coffee table.

He squeezed her shoulders. "It's definitely possible."

He pulled her over to the couch where he took one end and let her lean against him. She pulled out books and parchment and put them on top of the knees she had propped up. Remus had grabbed a stack of essays and was silently grading them as she re-read chapter 8 of her potions book for the third time and began her essay on 'Medicinal Potions'.

When Remus finished his tack he looked over just as she was setting down her quill. He grinned, noting the book she was currently using was the one he had let her borrow.

"Nice book. Where'd you get that?"

She smiled and played along.

"I dunno. Some old guy gave it to me a few weeks ago."

"Old?! I am not old! Old is more like 50 or 60. I'll only 36."

Hermione giggled. "And I'm 18. You're twice my age. That makes you old."

Remus's eyebrows furrowed.

"How are you 18? 6th years should only be 16, and I'm certain you weren't held back."

Hermione smirked.

"Time turner. I had one for 3rd-5th year. So, logically I should be 16, but I really am 18."

He shook his head.

"An you call me old? You're legally an adult. You're headed toward old yourself. And how did I not hear about this?"

"Well, it wasn't exactly supposed to be common knowledge. I didn't even tell Harry until the end of 3rd year, and Ron still doesn't know. And do I look old to you?"

"That makes more sense, but why exactly did a third year need a time turner? Of course you don't look old."

"I needed it so I could take extra classes. The only reason I'm not using it now is because I dropped a few that I didn't need a NEWT in. If I don't look old then how I do I look?"

"Ever the bookworm. You look young, but why does that matter?"

"Because I just want to know. Do I look you like an underage kid or young like a woman?"

"Young like a woman."

"Really? Do you think that's the time turners doing?"

"Might be."

"What about my hair? Was it better light? And would it look better if I straightened it?"

"Your hair looked fine before, but it does look good dark. It gives you that mysterious vibe. I think any hair style would look good on you though."

"Thanks. I'll keep it dark then."

"Ok. Glad that's settled. Any more questions?"

"Yeah, if you could change one thing about yourself physically, what would it be?"

Remus raised an eyebrow.

"You first..."

Hermione thought for a moment and then answered, "My butt."

Remus laughed. "Your butt? Why? What exactly is wrong with your butt?"

Hermione laid on her stomach with her head on his lap so he could see.

"Well, I don't really have one. It's too small."

"Is not."

"Is too."

"Is not."

"My jeans don't fit. That means it's too small."

"Buy tighter jeans then, but your butt is not too small."

She rolled her eyes.

"Fine. Your turn."

It only took him a second to blurt it out.

"My scars." He said quietly, so quietly that Hermione could barely hear.

"What?" She asked.

"My scars." He repeated louder.

Hermione nodded slowly.

"Do you have that many?" She asked softly.

"Yes." He answered, looking down to the floor as she sat up next to him.

"Can-, I mean, May I see them?"

He nodded and pulled off the sweater he had been wearing, exposing his chest and back to her.

She reached out tentatively and touched a long scar that ran diagonally across his chest, a question in her eyes.

"Fenrir Greyback, from the first war. He tends to sharpen his claws. He got me clean to the bone."

Hermione moved on, running her fingers over all of the many raised shapes and lines across his body, trying to blink back tears.

When Remus caught her eyes and noticed a tear roll down her cheek, he reached out and grabbed her chin, brushing the tear away with her thumb.

"Hey," He said. "These are all old. They happened a long time ago. There's nothing you can do. They're a part of me now.

She nodded.

"But they shouldn't have to be."

He smiled at her.

"Come here."

She complied, sitting next to him on the sofa, leaning in as he put an arm around her.

They sat together as the sky got darker and darker, watching the fire in the fireplace flicker. Eventually they both fell asleep, unaware that someone was watching them.

"I told you so."

"You did not tell me so, you old codger. I agreed with you."

"You did? Well, I was still right then."

Professor McGonnagol rolled her eyes.

"You're always right…and you're usually cheating."

"Cheating, my dear?" Albus repeated. "I wouldn't dream of it."

"You've been watching them all summer."

"Well, yes, but that means nothing. Watching them would have been pointless had I not had some suspicion that something was going on."

"Yes, and this suspicion you're talking about came form where? You checking up on Hermione and Remus the way you always have the rest of the order an accidentally stumbling upon the two in a compromising position?"

Albus scoffed.

"Well it was not near as compromising as this one. He actually had a shirt on, though admittedly, Miss Granger was wring much less."

Minerva smacked him lightly.

"Don't even think about it. And it is cheating."

Albus rubbed his arm.

"I wasn't thinking about it. I believe young Miss Granger is too nice for my tastes. And just because I stumbled upon my suspicion by spying does not mean I was cheating."

"You're right."

"I am?"

"Yes. I'm not nice…but you did cheat."

"Did not."

"Did."

"Didn't."

"Good night Albus."

"Sleep tight my dear."

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