By the time Christmas break rolled around, Remus had lost at least half the weight, enough to stop his self-esteem attacks, even if it wasn't quite enough to fit into his robes without at least one expansion charm. Between transformations and Remus sticking to a very rigid diet, which sometimes bothered Hermione, he looked much more healthy with the extra weight. It mostly decreased the size of his stomach. All the same, Hermione still insisted that they were going to buy new robes, because too small or not, his clothes still looked shabby.

Remus and Hermione had decided to leave Hogwarts for the Christmas break and finally spend some uninterrupted time with each other. Remus had been hesitant about even walking around Diagon Alley together, but Hermione had pleaded and Remus gave in. He hadn't been to Diagon Alley in several years. He never had any money, or any reason to be shopping there. The last time he had been there was to purchase books for his one year stint at Hogwarts.

"Hermione, I swear, you picked the coldest day to do this."

"There's no other day, I still need to buy Christmas gifts for Harry and Ron. We'll get your robes first."

They plowed through the snow on the ground and gratefully entered Madam Malkin's robe shop.

"Ah! Mr. Lupin, Mrs. Lupin. Braving the horrible weather? You two are the only customers I've had all day!"

Remus was completely startled by how she addressed Hermione.

"Mrs. Lupin?"

"I'm sorry, you two were married weren't you? Wasn't in the papers or anything, although I was looking. Always nice to see such a nice, smart couple together these days. I've gotten quite a lot of couples in here and some of them…" she shook her head, sighing disapprovingly, " I don't know how they're parents raised them. Now you two, you were raised right. I remember you and your parents first time in here, always respectful. I just don't know nowadays."

"Yes, but how did you hear we got married?" Hermione asked.

"Most of Diagon Alley knows, I would expect. I heard it from Tom down at the pub, a few days ago. Some young woman had a bit too much to drink one night and was talking about it. Not sure who it was, Tom said her hair kept changing colors. Awfully strange, but you know how word travels around here. One person says it and the next day everyone knows it."

Hermione looked slightly amused. Remus was anything but. Tonks. She hadn't gotten over he and Hermione dating, or marrying. She had cheated on Remus and still felt the need to blame him for everything. As soon as the store keepers at Diagon Alley knew, all their customers knew, and all their customers were Hogwarts students and parents….

Hermione squeezed his hand.

"Yes, we were married last year. It was very private…we didn't want to make a big display of it."

Madame Malkin smiled. "An interesting match. Regardless, you were here for some new robes?"

Remus was a very patient test subject and Hermione and Madame Malkin had him try on several different colors and patterns of clothes. Remus could personally have cared less, anything would be better then the tatters he was wearing now. It took just a little over two hours, but they finally walked out of the store with an entirely new wardrobe for Remus.

Before the exited the store, Hermione stood on tiptoe and kissed Remus on the lips. "You look very handsome."

"After two hours, I would hope so."

She pushed him out the door and back into the fiercely cold streets. "A lesson in patience."

"More like a lesson in gossip. How many other people do you think know?"

"Most likely the whole of Britain by this rate. You know how things like this travel." She linked her arm through Remus'. "But at any rate, I guess we'll find out. Does it bother you?"

"Well…the possibility students know I'm some lecherous old man whose after his student bothers me. But having everyone know I'm married to a beautiful and smart witch? Never."

"Most everyone at Hogwarts knows either you, me, or knows we're friends with the famous Harry Potter. They're not going to start accusing people that fought in the war."

They went into a few more shops, Hermione picking out a few Quidditch books and supplies for Harry and Ron's Christmas presents. The store owners gave them all similarly knowing looks as Madame Malkin, although no one commented on it. Hermione stopped in front of a small children's store, little Christmas jumpers and Christmas sweaters in the window.

"Aren't they adorable, Remus? My mom and I used to knit ones like it to donate. I was never any good at it by hand. I know a few spells for it, but it isn't the same. We'd go the houses on the list and drop them off along with the baskets from the soup kitchens and some toys."

"You liked working with children?"

"Sometimes. When I was younger, after school I'd wait in the dentist office, help calm down the little kids that were scared. I loved working with most of them. I mean, there were always those few that caused trouble…but for the most part, they're always so cute and honest. Haven't you ever wanted children?"

Remus looked uncomfortable. "I've never thought about it much. It's not really something a werewolf entertains…"

"But werewolves are only made by being bitten, aren't they?"

"Yes. It wasn't fear for my child…it was more about the fact I wouldn't have a child. Not many women would be willing to carry around a half-breed's child. When I was in a school, the Ministry considered having all werewolves….well, they wanted to make sure we could never have children."

"That's horrible!"

Remus shrugged. "You get used to it. Most witches and wizards who know I'm a werewolf don't like to shake my hand, I didn't really expect any witch to ever date me…Starting a family was an extravagant wish far beyond my means."

Hermione squeezed his hand and pulled him away from the window and back down the street. "Not anymore. What do you think about having children?"

"I'm not sure any child would want a werewolf for a father."

"Any child would be honored to have you for a father, Remus. Another little Marauder running around Hogwarts?"

"You – you're serious? You would want – would want to have a child? With me?"

"Not now, obviously, but in another year or two…if you were okay with it."

"I – to have a family…I would love to have a family – but –Hermione, I don't…my father was terrible. What if I ended up like him?"

"You could abandoned your child and your wife for the rest of your life?"

Remus moved his arm, that was currently linked with Hermione's, to wrap it around her waist. "I would never leave you. Or any child. I'm just not sure what kind of father I would be."

"I love you, Remus. Any child we have would love you just as much. You would be a fantastic father."

A/N: Thank you for all the reviews! Next few chapters might have a bit of evil!Tonks…