The Marauders left her alone for the night, but Hermione couldn't sleep. She had awoken from another nightmare and decided her best recourse would to go read. Stumbling down the stairs, she went and fetched herself a fresh cup of tea before anything else. The witch tiredly dressed her cup and walked into the library, but she was not alone.

"Couldn't sleep either?" Remus asked her and she shook her head.

He was sitting on the couch and moved from his lounging position to make room. She untucked her book from her arms and placed her cup down before sitting next to him. He could see she was pretty uncomfortable so he grabbed his book and rested his back against the couch. Hermione glanced over at him with a tilted head and a quizzical expression.

"Why are you awake, Moony?" She inquired and he smiled.

"Sometimes it is hard to find a good position. I am restless." He remarked and fully turned to her.

Risking her anger, the werewolf tucked a few strands of her hair behind her ear. Her eyes closed and she welcomed his hand to her cheek. "I am still mad at you," she breathed and he chuckled.

"I can imagine why. I would be pretty angry too. Then again, I have had many years with Sirius and James doing things to me and around me for the betterment of ourselves. We are marauders. We get on each other's nerves and do stupid things."

Her smile appeared and she stared at him, "tell me about something then. Anything embarrassing or funny that they had done to you."

Remus chuckled and sighed, "well, it was fifth year. I had just lost my virginity the night before to a lovely Ravenclaw girl, absolutely a piece of work, but way too clingy. They had waited for me to come back to the dormitories to tell them about it. Yes, absolutely mortifying, but they had all but pushed me to do it." He paused, his cheeks were pink, "they decided to end each sentence the next day outside of classes with 'Remus got shagged,' and most of the school had at least heard it from them at one point that day."

Hermione giggled and sighed, "that is actually quite funny."

"James was gone for Lilly for many years. Sirius used to walk around and recite poetry to her that was borderline scandalous and say 'Love, James,' at the end of each one." Remus declared and he had Hermione truly laughing.

Remus ran a hand through his hair and sighed, "we had tons of fun. I used to trick Sirius into asking out girls he had already shagged by saying they didn't remember him, which would get his pride hurt. It was a bit of an ego humbler for him to get slapped by them. I needed to keep him in check." The werewolf grinned wolfishly and the witch exhaled.

"You were the sneaky one? The broody book reader, but always the secret brains? Harry also tells me that if I had a twin sister it would have ruined the school because we would always fight for who was smarter. I was a bit of your favorite in class I think. I hoped so at least. We all now know I had a crush on you..." She trailed off with a giggle and shook her head.

"That is a pretty nice compliment. I have to tell you, I was very pleased to know you crushed on the older version of myself."

He did not give her a second to reply, he kissed her gently and she obliged. She missed him so much and was so upset at them for so long. Hermione straddled his lap and deepened the kiss running her hands over his chest. "No, no, Hermione, we shouldn't." He grumbled as she continued her attack.

She leaned over and nipped at his neck, making him growl, "Hermione," he pulled her off of him and pinned her to the couch. "I am going to accidentally hurt you if you don't let me pace myself..." He murmured and she gasped.

Realization hit her and she blushed fiercely, "oh, Remus, I am sorry..."

"The caveats of being a werewolf. If I desired to, I would absolutely break you," he grumbled and pulled away. "But I won't."

She sat up and he chuckled, "It really is a bugger of a thing. I would love to be completely depraved in our temple, but I really can't afford to explain to Harry why we needed to keep you in bed for days."

Hermione laughed and shook her head, "depraved in our temple. Only a bookish boy would call a library a temple," she teased and he exhaled.

"You did not even blink when I told you that," he raised an eyebrow and she laughed.

"Seems Sirius has rubbed off on me a bit," she snickered and he grinned.

His smirk grew impish and he dragged fingertips across her revealed skin by the collar on her shirt, "tell me, how did a sweet girl like you end up pining for us?"

The skin on her neck developed goose bumps and she shuddered lightly, "you both are pretty convincing."

"I have to admit, I was sure you had moved on until I saw you at the Burrow. I remembered being buried in your hair that last morning and begging to have you. I am not Sirius, I do not have dashing looks or a smooth tongue... I also don't want him left out, so we are at an impasse. Still. If I asked him he would give up on perusing you and he would never ask me to."

Hermione turned to him and frowned, "why is that, Remus. As forthright as he can be and a bit self-involved, he bends to your needs. I know he cares about you, but I remember the night I asked him to shag me. He was physically tormented by it."

"He speaks my language." He told her simply and she glared.

"Specifics, Moony," she growled and he chuckled.

"Well, he is a dog and I am a werewolf," Remus was smiling and trying to get her to piece it together on her own.

Hermione tilted her head in thought and her eyes narrowed, "no," she said with pursed lips and he nodded.

"Sirius is a pack mate, not just a marauder. No biting, no ritual or any weird magics, it's all natural state of affairs. He understands me and I understand him."

Hermione frowned and pointed a finger at him, "then why the difference?"

He laughed and shrugged his shoulders, "I am a bit more forceful as a werewolf we can say? He's a dopey sweet dog. Loyal to the end."

"He's a beta?"

Remus snorted and chuckled, "hardly. He is just pack. There is no alphas or betas. It is my voice that is strongest during the moon and his is when I get to gladly step down after as he tends to my wounds and health. That's why I wanted to talk to you."

"You were waiting for me?" She asked and he nodded.

Remus ran a hand through his hair and shot her a guilty smile, "I had a feeling you were going to come down here at some point. What is your animagus form?" He cut to the chase and she blushed. "You are a canine of some sort?"

She nodded slowly and he looked like the wind got knocked out of him, "I am sorry," she murmured and took his hand. "Is that a bad thing for you?"

"Not terrible, not even bad, but complicated. James and Peter were easy to deal with. They weren't left out of the mix, but not on the same level that Sirius understood me. While Sirius Black is an enigma on his own, he knew I understood him as well. It was easier to deal with his mood swings and his secret self-loathing and insecurities with our bond. James was his ego fanner, but I am his rock. It's a string of consciousness I can only describe as organic." He finished and Hermione bit the inside of her cheek.

"You are worried about disrupting the balance," she said and Remus huffed.

"Precisely," he voiced and ran a hand over his face. "You aren't exactly Miss Subservient," he teased and she rolled her eyes.

She gasped when she remembered what he said earlier, "oh for Merlin sakes, I did do that!"

Remus knew she was talking about her gesture and chuckled, "yes, you did. And I appreciated it."

"Wait a moment, you aren't dominant..." She trailed off with a hard look.

His lips curved lopsided and he raised an eyebrow, "part of you thinks so." Remus rolled his eyes playfully. "Part of you is trying to figure it out. You will, don't worry. That just leads me to stand by what I say. Neither one of us should do anything with you. We have stayed pretty even toed despite my condition and with the mix a female wolf or dog or what have you... it could really pose an issue."

"Female because of breeding pairs in essence?" She asked and Remus smirked.

"In essence," he repeated.

"I am not part of this pack you are speaking of however."

"Yet. You would be if we spent a full moon together. Pack animals, Hermione. Lone wolves suffer, the pack survives." He replied and it all clicked together.

The silent conversations they seemed to have. The playful borderline flirtatious banter between them despite their disinterest to each other romantically. They know how each other feel. It was quite touching really that they could be that close.

"It is wonderful that you two have each other," she said with a simple nod.

Remus ran a thumb over the palm of her hand, "it is, but this has been a true test of meddle for us. I really want to do deviant things to you." He said with a wolfish grin. "not a mood I generally take. That is usually Sirius' cup of tea."

Hermione was the color of beets, "why the honesty?"

"No more secrets. I promise," he murmured and squeezed her hand before letting go. "I am going to go have a nightcap in my room. Enjoy your reading." The werewolf kissed her forehead and moved to leave.

"Remus," Hermione called to him as he reached the door. "Try to get some sleep. I worry about you." She declared and he turned with a heavy sigh.

"You too, Hermione."

Remus made sure she didn't hear or see him go up to the top floor and cast a few muffling charms. He walked into Sirius' room and the man stirred. "Get up. I need help." Remus growled and the animagus groaned.

"Moony, I don't want to scuffle right now. I am bloody tired." Sirius moaned and waved him off.

"Please, Sirius," Remus asked gently and the animagus sat up, nervously.

He could feel the tension coming off of his friend in waves. "Alright, but if you break my ribs again I will be so bloody furious."

Sirius hopped off of his bed and slid on his boxers before taking a fighting stance, "don't be angry if hurt you this time, Moony. We both need to let out a little steam." The animagus told him and they began their physical confrontation.

It went on a bit with punches and heavy shoves into walls, but it was an excellent way to release the pressure between them in regards to their witch. They tried never to take it too far, but every so often it got out of hand. Welts, bruises, and even a swollen nose, but sometimes it would even go as far as broken ribs and busted knees.

Once they were finished they sat on the floor, out of breath and laughing. "Oh, you are such a wanker." Remus chuckled and rubbed the welt on his face and tried to flex the fire in his shoulders out.

Sirius ran a hand over his torso and grimaced at the bruising starting, "says the arse who does this."

Remus whipped out his wand and started to heal the marks on his pack mate. Sirius did the same and they smirked at each other before Remus sighed heavily. "thank you, Padfoot. I needed that."

"Couldn't have been as bad as you made it seem," Sirius mused and Remus shook his head.

"She was in my lap sticking her tongue down my throat."

Sirius glared at him, "that is the second time! I want in on that."

Remus ruffled his hair and chuckled, "if you do, remember to stop her. She is very persuasive."

Sirius eyed him and frowned, "enough to worry?"

"Oh, most definitely."

"Well, bugger. Self-control isn't my strong suit."

"Neither is your right hook," Remus snickered and the animagus snorted.

"Funny every time, Moony."