By the time they got to St. Mungo's, Remus was already admitted and a Healer had already been diagnosing him. The stigma of being a werewolf in this case helped – the Healers wanted him out as soon as possible, before the rumor of them treating a woman abusing half-breed spread to their other patients. The woman at the desk looked extremely hesitant when Hermione asked where Remus' room was. When she caught sight of Harry and Ron, however, she looked more at ease and pointed the three of them in the right direction.

Mr. Weasley was in Remus' room, talking intently with a Healer Maketta when Hermione walked in. Arthur gave her a quick hug and then left to wait outside with Ron and Harry. Remus still hadn't gained consciousness after Mr. Weasley's stunner.

"What happened to him? Is he going to be alright?"

"There's nothing wrong with him. The reaction was caused by a rather powerful aphrodisiac. We suspect that he was given a much higher dosage than normal, which caused feelings strong enough to act on the lycanthropy. Typically, they produce increases in sexual drives, rises in testosterone and sexual attraction. An increase in heart rate, pupil dilation…The more of the substance in the system the more hormones usually released. His levels were dangerous highly. In a normal human, the higher blood pressure could have induced several heart conditions. He should consider himself lucky that the lycanthropy took over to stabilize his blood pressure."

"So it's not a normal reaction? It won't…happen again?"

"I certainly wouldn't try putting anymore aphrodisiacs in his system, but it shouldn't happen again. I flushed all of the aphrodisiac's out of his system. Did he hurt you in anyway? Would you like to file an official report or – "

"– no, I'm alright. Thank you." She realized she must still have blood on her hands and face from when she fell. She quickly siphoned it off with blood, leaving only small abrasions.

Healer Maketta nodded and then headed out of the door. "If you need anything, I'll be back in a few hours. Once he wakes up, he can be discharged."

Hermione stood up by Remus' bed for a few minutes, watching him before she let Harry and Ron in. Harry and Ron leapt up, brandishing a newspaper in Hermione's face.

"Don't tell me. Rita Skeeter just happened to be around the Three Broomsticks and happened to see everything."

"Yep." Ron unfurled the paper to reveal the front page which was plastered in black and white images of Remus and Hermione. The largest and most central one was Hermione, pinned to the wall by Remus' hand around her throat, with Remus advancing on her, pants hanging around his ankles.

I don't know how she could have known…" Hermione furiously muttered. "This will look great at the trial. If this was actually us, there's no way to prove it wasn't us before!

"You could use Veritiserum. Dad says they only use it in really high-profile cases, unless it's by request. That will prove you two were innocent."

"Rita must have planned it," Harry said. "She's done worse things before."

"She wasn't in the Three Broomsticks though! And nowhere close enough to slip anything into Remus' drink."

"Hermione, what if Tonks turned into Madame Rosmerta? She could have slipped something into your drinks…and no one would be able to tell the difference."

"Then Veritiserum should be able to tell us that as well."

Ron shook his head. "It's not that serious of a case. Unless she volunteers to take it, there's nothing they can do to force her."

Hermione looked really worried. "What's the worse punishment Remus could get? If they find him guilty?"

Ron looked unsure. "Well, he won't be reinstated at Hogwarts…but with the werewolf thing already…I'd say worst case is he'll be banned from every being hired...maybe a few months in Azkaban."

"Hermione, we'll all testify. They're not going to throw him in Azkaban over something like this."

"Hermione! Hermione!" Remus came running out of the ward, wildly looking around the corridor.

"Remus, I'm right here."

She reached out for him, but he drew back.

"I – oh, Merlin, Hermione. I – what I did – I couldn't – I couldn't stop it – I tried…God, Hermione. I'm so sorry. I couldn't – I didn't…"

Hermione walked up to him and slipped her arm around his waist.

"Harry, Ron, I'll send you an owl later tonight? Okay?"

"We'll start working on stuff for the trial. See you, Hermione."

Hermione turned her gaze back to Remus.

"Remus. You warned me. I just didn't listen. I could have left. You gave me enough time to. It wasn't your fault, or the wolf's. Tonks – someone – slipped you an almost lethal dose of aphrodisiacs."

"Hermione! I - I almost...I would have raped you, Hermione! You...you can't say it wasn't my fault."

"Remus, you tried to warn me. Did you want to do that to me? Would you have done that normally?"

"Of course not! I tried - I tried to fight the wolf as long as I could but he was so loud and in my mind and my blood was almost burning...the wolf wanted you. Desperately. But - "

" - but you aren't the wolf. And even the wolf wouldn't have hurt me if he wasn't drugged. Next time I'll listen when you warn me to stay away."

"Thank you. Are you sure you're fine? Your forehead..."

"I got a few cuts when I fell. It will heal in a day or so. What we should be more worried about is how this is going to affect the trial."

Remus ran his fingers through his hair. "Let me guess, Rita managed to get a picture of it."

"Several. Hope you don't mind flashing all of wizarding Britain…"

"What?!" He took the paper from Hermione's hand and skimmed it over. "Oh, that's just wonderful. Hermione – the trial – you're going to have to say that – that I did this to you."

"I'm going to say that someone poisoned you which led you to doing this. Under normal circumstances you would never even think of doing something like that."

"It will prove to a court your trust in me is mislaid."

"I sleep next to you every night, Remus. I've never been worried and I'm certainly not going to start now. We'll just avoid public places until the trial. We should get out of here before anyone else reads the article. I don't know how she publishes things so fast."

"Why don't you leave ahead of me, Hermione?"

"I was planning on leaving with my husband, if that's alright with you."

"I – if you think that's best…I just..."

"Remus, there is always going to be gossip about us, even after this whole trial is squared away. I know who you are and how you treat me. That's all that matters."

He kissed her. "Then after you."

As soon as they were inside the house they were bombarded with a pile of envelopes.

"And the joy more hate mail begins. Up for an evening of some flaming letters?"

Remus eyes the piles of red envelopes. "Muffliato!"

"Does that work on Howlers?"

"No. But I'd hate to disturb the neighbors, even if they are half a mile away."

They spent the rest of the night dealing with the letters. Remus started a huge pile of burning letters in the middle of the table as Hermione started to slit open all the Howlers. The typical berating screams filled their kitchen, mixed with the occasional colored sparks from the odd hex. Hermione had opened about half the pile when she paused.

"Are you sure you want to keep listening to this?"

"Does it bother you that the entire wizarding population thinks your husband should be locked up or killed?"

"As long as the keep their threats on paper I could care less. Oh! I almost forgot! I was supposed to write to Harry and Ron to tell them we're back! I supposed I can write to them tomorrow. They've been working on the trial."

"Hermione, even if we win, the chances of the Board of Governors' allowing me to go back to Hogwarts is slim. And the chances of anyone else employing me are practically zero. As a werewolf I had very little support to begin with and now I have even less. "

"I'll be back to work after this year. We can live off the savings until then. If we get a muggle marriage license and register you as a foreign citizen, you'll be authorized to have employment there."

"I know about as much of muggle technology as Arthur Weasley."

"We'll figure something out. Or you and Sirius can start a book club."

Remus groaned. "While everyone else goes to work the ex-convict and the abusive werewolf will be sitting around moping and getting drunk. At least I get to come back to my beautiful wife."

"Your beautiful wife will kick you out if you come back drunk every night."

"Fair enough."

"Everything will end up okay. If not…we'll figure something you. At least you and Sirius can keep each other company. You could take up a hobby: writing, cooking, potions?"

"Cooking and cleaning. I'll be the male housewife."

"There's nothing wrong with being a housewife."

"Hermione, you couldn't stay at home cooking and cleaning anymore than I could without losing my mind. We both need to be doing something."

"It will work out. The trial will be fine."

"Well…we'll find out in four days, won't we?"

A/N: I'm sorry, but the next chapters are going to be a bit depressing for our favorite werewolf. I can promise it will end well though!