Sunday was miserable for Remus and Hermione. She was focused on writing a small novel to slip Remus with her History of Magic assignment. Hermione assumed that he was upset over everything the witch – while impersonating Remus' friends and family – had been screaming at him. Hermione had written almost two parchment's worth of paper on how Remus had nothing to fell guilty about and Hermione loved him, regardless of his lycanthropy, scars, or age.
Meanwhile, Remus was pulling out his entire wardrobe – which was fairly small – an expanding his clothes as far as the fabric would allow. Even that was barely enough. The clothes he was currently wearing were still fighting to stretch over his stomach and his pants cut into his skin when he say. Remus was adamantly refusing to buy new clothes. The biggest issue was that he had no money.
Remus had almost no money of his own. Hermione had a fairly large bank account. She didn't have a job currently, but the Ministry had generously offered to return her previous position – with a promotion – which she finished her schooling. Hermione told Remus that he was welcomed her bank account and had given Gringotts permission to allow Remus into her vault. Remus refused to take from Hermione's savings for anything, must less to replace he wardrobe. Remus had his own salary now, working at Hogwarts, but teachers got paid at the end of the semester and Remus had a few months until he got paid. Dumbledore would have paid him in advance if Remus asked, but Remus refused to swallow his pride and ask.
The second issue was that Remus refused to believe he would need a new wardrobe. He would be able to work of the weight in a few months. Until then he would just have to make due. Even losing five pounds would be a huge improvement.
That resolution ended Monday at breakfast. Remus sat down at the head table at the only seat available, which was unfortunately next to Severus. He guiltily saw Hermione was anxiously watching him from the Gryffindor table. Hermione watched him for a few more minutes, saw that Remus was purposely avoiding eye contact, and then turned around to talk to Neville, who was sneezing loud enough for the entire hall to hear.
"Lover's quarrel, Lupin?"
"I should hardly think that concerns you, Severus."
He hated how observant Severus was. As if he wasn't feeling guilty enough about being so quick to dismiss Hermione. He wasn't being fair to Hermione and he knew it, but nor was he ready to see Hermione. Remus distractedly reached out for a plate of toast and Severus made another snide remark.
"You ought to be careful. I don't think those robes will hide much more. Perhaps that is what sparked the lover's spat? Mrs. Lupin doesn't appreciate her husband's….weight of guilt?"
"Stay out of it." What would Hermione say if she knew? She had been with others before him, Ron had been as tall and slender as the other Weasley men and Viktor Krum was the typical muscular Quidditch player. What would Hermione – or any others – say about her and her old, dangerous, poor, and now fat, husband?
Hermione elbowed Harry in the side. "How long were the side affects of the book supposed to last?"
"Dunno. A week or two. Why? You've only fallen asleep once randomly and Neville has stopped sneezing as loudly…"
"I'm not worried about that. Well, not falling asleep while reading would be fantastic, but Remus worries me."
Harry looked up at the table. "He's eating, Hermione. It's what people do at breakfast."
"Ha – ha – ha." Hermione said dryly. "That's his fourth plate."
"Oh. Well….warn him after class he should just stay our of the Great Hall for awhile. It's nothing serious. It's just a side affect. He looks fine, Hermione."
She sighed. "Maybe I'm just getting paranoid."
"You've had a lot to worry about. I think you just need to relax."
"I guess you're right. But I'll mention the side affects to him anyway."
Monday, Hermione started to get seriously worried about Remus. He spend the entire class period sitting behind his desk. History of Magic didn't involve walking around of performing spells, but Remus normally walked around in the front of the classroom as she spoke. Had something more serious been wrong with him?
At the end of the class, Neville stopped to talk with her, really just to make it less obvious that she waited until everyone else had left the classroom to hand in her assignment. Once everyone had left, Neville slipped out, closing the door behind him. Hermione handed Remus her essay and then stood at his desk. He took the paper from her and then just sat there. When Remus didn't say anything, Hermione decided to speak up.
"Professor Dumbledore told Harry there might be a few…side affects of the spell. They should go away with an a few weeks."
"Yes, I've noticed."
"Then what's wrong? Neville sneezes, I fall asleep, you…?"
Remus turned red. "I eat when I feel guilty."
"Oh. Well, there's nothing for you to feel guilty about…is there?"
"Hermione, you a far cry from subtle."
She laughed. "I still try. To save me from further embarrassment, do you want to tell me why you spent all class sitting down?"
I didn't want you to see me like this.
"My legs still aren't feeling the strongest. I had been standing all morning, I figured it would be best not to overwork myself. As for the guilt…I honestly can't remember most of what the witch said. The spell made me zone out."
"Oh! That's fantastic, Remus. I also forgot to ask, Hogsmeade trip is this weekend, so should we play sick and visit the shops around Diagon Alley?"
"I'd love to Hermione…but I have a lot of papers to correct. Yours alone will take me at least five hours."
Hermione frowned. There was something he still wasn't telling her. But perhaps Harry was right, she was being paranoid and even pushy. She grabbed her bags and then turned and squeezed Remus' hand.
"You can always change your mind. I miss you. I'll see you Wednesday night for the full moon."
He nodded. As Hermione was walking out the door, he called her back.
"Hermione?" She turned around to look at him. "I love you."
A/N: Sorry I'm being so mean to Remus! There is just so much Hurt/Comfort out there with him and his scars and his lycathropy that I wanted to try something different...something Remus didn't have 30+ years to get adjusted to. And I love the idea of Remus as a cute pudgy wolf. (I'm sorry, I hate the movie werewolf. I picture him as a gigantic version of a wolf)