Everything was peaceful.

In a few hours, the funerals for all those that died in the war, would take place at Hogwarts, and the time for recovery would begin for the future of the Wizarding World.

Harry couldn't get the images out of his mind. The Resurrection Stone, his parents, Sirius, and Lupin; their ghostly figures at his side helping him defeat the Dark Lord. He couldn't shake the thoughts of Hermione. Her shaking body, her shallow breathing and her tears seeping through Lupin's stiff skin. The way she held him, the way she kissed him.

Everyone at Grimmauld Place was quiet and mourning their losses. But yet, there was an unspoken question throughout the house - was there something between Remus and Hermione?

She hadn't left her room since they arrived; her, the Weasleys, Harry, and remaining members of the Order. No one was in the mood to celebrate the end of this war, of course, but they all managed to find their way around the house, getting fresh air and spending time with the people that were still there in their lives. Hermione didn't want any part of this.

Harry could sometimes hear her crying from his room. When he would see her come out to take a shower or use the bathroom, she didn't speak to anyone. She refused the food that was being brought up to her, and when Mrs. Weasley insisted, she just left the tray to sit in the corner, untouched.

He had to do something. The tension in the house between Hermione and the rest of them was becoming too much. Harry needed to see what went wrong, and if the rumors are true. He needed to help her, but he couldn't when he knew nothing.

"Harry, would you be a dear, and take this tray up to Hermione." Mrs. Weasley's voice was stiff. She had grown impatient with the 18 year old girl, and was still disapproving with the sight of her lips against Lupin's.

Harry grabbed the tray of food and proceeded up to the 3rd floor of the house. He knocked softly at her door, then spoke. "Hermione, it's me. Mrs. Weasley asked me to bring you lunch."

"I'm not hungry." Her voice was soft, but painful to his ears. He could sense the pain and torture she had felt seeping through her words.

Harry sighed. "Then can I talk to you? Please,"

He heard a shuffling of papers, and the creak of the bed as she got up and padded her way to the door. A lock was undone and she opened the door, slowly.

Hermione's eyes were red and puffy, as were her cheeks. Tear trails were stained on her face, all the way down to her neck. The sight of her killed Harry.

She let him in, and watched as he sat the tray on the vanity and looked around her room. Her untouched food from breakfast was still laying in the corner, and Harry made a mental note to take it down to Mrs. Weasley later.

Scattered on her bed were a bunch of papers, all from small pieces of parchment to several pages folded together. "What are those?" He asked curiously, though he had a feeling.

"Nothing." Hermione replied shyly, and scrambled back to them, hastily trying to organize and put them away.

Harry decided to answer his question by himself. "They're letters. Hermione, be honest; who are they from?"

Hermione let out a snort. "None of your business, Harry! Please, just let me be."

Something inside Harry made him desperate to know, but again, his instincts told him a lot. He ran over to Hermione and grabbed one out of her hands, and read it aloud - "Hermione, you don't know how sorry I am for ignoring you. But my dear, you have to understand; I'm much too old and you're much too young…"

"Harry, please!" Hermione yanked it back out of his hands and set it in the pile on her bed. "How dare you? That is my business, not yours."

'Hermione, I know that was from Lupin. You have to tell us what happened, so we can help -"

"I don't have to tell you anything, Harry James Potter." She shaking, just slightly, but she looked stern. "Now, please, leave me alone."

He wanted to know, though. He was desperate to find out, so he could help her get through this. One more day of seeing her tears and he would have to hurt himself, or simply lose his mind.

But he knew he wasn't going to win. With a sigh, Harry walked towards the door, not looking at Hermione. He grabbed the doorknob and just as he was about to shut it, he heard a soft whimper behind him. "He meant so much to me, Harry. I loved him, and no one seems to understand my pain."

Harry turned around to see Hermione on the floor, staring at the palms of her hands in her lap. Her soft, honey curls cascaded around her neck and shoulders, and something had made Harry's stomach tighten in a knot.

He took this cue as the final moment to talk, and shut the door to keep intruders out of their way. He walked towards Hermione and knelt beside her. "Then help me understand, Hermione. So we can get through this, together. Just like you always said, before - we're in this together."

Her chocolate brown eyes were welding with tears again, as they peered through his emerald ones. Taking a deep breath, Hermione stood up and sat down on her bed, scooting the letters out of the way and motioning him to do the same. Harry sat down and waited for her to start, giving her as much time to recollect her thoughts.

Hermione was searching through her letters for a couple of seconds until she found the right one. Smiling as she skimmed over it, she handed it over to Harry. "He's the one who actually started owling me first. This was right after 3rd year." She noticed his shocked expression and shook her head. "No, nothing happened just yet. But I did sort of have a crush on him that year. I imagine he was just grateful for me keeping his lycanthropy secret from everyone, even though Snape spilled his secret anyway. You remember 3rd year… when we met both Remus and Sirius."

Harry felt something wrench at his heart. Even though it was 2 years ago, he still couldn't get over Sirius' death. And now Lupin… it was all too much to handle at the same time. But he continued to listen to Hermione. She needed this - someone to vent to.

"Why don't you just start from the beginning Hermione…" Harry suggested.

Hermione nodded and took the letter from his hand. She cleared her throat, opened her mouth, and began her story of how her and Professor Lupin became the most secretive book held in her life.

A/N: I've decided to go ahead and upload Chapter One. I'll be doing this frequently because I already have most of my story done. Tell me what you think! I love reviews :)