a/n: Hey everyone! Thank you so much for all the subscriptions and reviews and favorites :) I really appreciate it. Here's chapter two, I hope you enjoy it. Most of it will be in Hermione's perspective, as she is the one telling the story, but I'll have some from Remus's perspective as well, to give the story more depth and understanding of his feelings. I promise, that as the chapters continue, everything will become more interesting.

Thanks so much again for the feedback :) Please review, they are love to me and encourage me to update more often for you guys. I'd love to hear what you guys think of it.

Five years earlier…

Hermione studied the moon cycle over and over again, then decided to look at her list of symptoms, to make sure she had collected all the data she needed.

It was unbelievable. The boggart turning into a floating orb, the monthly absences all centered around the full moon, Snape giving that essay - it all came together. Her Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, was a werewolf.

Surely Dumbledore knows, Hermione thought. Of course he knew. Dumbledore wouldn't literally put them in danger, if he knew Lupin was a werewolf but was unsure of whether he would cause harm to the students. And surely he must know of Lupin's fantastic abilities to teach, which is why Dumbledore must have offered him the job.

Hermione's brain was in a jumble. Her new profound information on her teacher must be kept secret; if one student knows, then other certain students would know, and then Professor Lupin would most likely not have a job anymore. She couldn't do that to him. He was too good of a teacher, and too good of a person to deserve that. Hermione knew how most wizards viewed werewolves - half-breeds, filthy, dangerous, unequal, should be kept under control… she almost felt a connection. It was almost the same views they had toward muggle-borns.

She closed her textbook and stuffed the parchment inside the pages. Hermione couldn't tell a soul, not even Harry or Ron. She would try and go to Professor Lupin tomorrow and see if he would just tell her himself. It would be their little secret.

The bell had rung ever so loudly in her ears. "Hermione, are you coming?"

Hermione put her book in her bag and turned to her two best friends. "I'll just be a minute. You guys go on without me, I'll catch up." She gave a smile at them, and waited until they left her alone in the empty classroom. As the door shut, she took a deep breath. She needed to confront him about it, let him know she knew about his secret. Hopefully he wouldn't be too mad at her, but it was so obvious, she was surprised no one else had figured it out yet.

When she turned around, however, he was already standing in front of her, smiling. "Hermione, did you need something?"

Hermione looked up at him. His smile was… beautiful, radiant. And his eyes looked right through her; the grayish blue sparkle making her weak in the knees. She smiled back, then said nervously, "Oh, Professor… I was just, um -"

"Everything alright, Miss Granger?" He held a steady hand on her shoulder, concerned.

Hermione took a deep breath. She had to get her thoughts in order. "Yes, I just had a question regarding a previous lesson we had earlier in the year."

Lupin raised an eyebrow at her. "Alright, then. Go right ahead."

"Remember when we did the lesson on boggarts?" he nodded in reply.

She had to get this over with. "Well, I'm not sure if my eyes were playing tricks on me, but when you ran in front of Harry to protect him from the dementor… I could've swore that boggart turned into a- the moon."

There was something about the expression on Lupin's face that told her, her assumptions were correct. He seemed lifeless for a moment, pale even. Suddenly, his eyes shifted down at her, and a weak smile formed on his lips. "Miss Granger, have you been drinking too much butterbeer? That's completely preposterous - who would be afraid of the moon?"

"Werewolves." She replied bluntly.

Lupin sighed. Hermione felt herself blush, embarrassed by her straight forwardness. She hadn't meant to frustrate him.

"Yes, well, that's a wide assumption, I must say. Hermione, I'm afraid you'll have to leave now, I have a lot of work to be done." He left his presence from her, and proceeded to his desk, pretending to shuffle through papers.

Hermione's eyebrows furrowed together. "But, Sir-"

"I said leave." His voice was cold as stone and hit Hermione like a brick. She felt untrustworthy to him, and that's all she ever wanted; was to be trusted.

She gave one last look at him, his back turned to her. Then, she left. What she didn't see was the moment he looked back, wondering if her heart was as broken as his own.

There was horror and shock mixed in the dusty, creaking room, and Hermione wasn't the only one who could feel it. The brotherly hug between the person she trusted most, and person whom she loathed the most was stirring in her mind. Everything became blurry and unreasonable and just plain crazy, until Hermione let her mouth slip open.

"NO!"

Everyone turned to look at her but she didn't care. She held his secret, his most prized secret, and here he was, turning his back on Harry… turning his back on her.

He stepped forward in front of her, and peered down into her deep, brown eyes. Hermione felt scared for a second or two, but remained calm nonetheless.

"I trusted you. And all this time I've been covering for you… you've been his friend." She sneered towards Sirius' direction. She was ultimately disgusted with the situation. He wanted to betray Harry; well, she could do the same to him.

"He's a werewolf!" Hermione spitted, pointing a shaking finger at him. "That's why he's been missing classes!" She felt completely dominant at this point, as both Harry and Ron looked at Lupin with complete shock.

A small smirk appeared on her lips as Lupin narrowed his eyes at her. "How long have you known?"

"Since Professor Snape set the essay."

He laughed and scoffed at her, as if her secret information was merely childish. But proceeded to tell her, "My, Hermione you really are the brightest witch of your age, I have ever met! However, you must let me explain myself -"

"What is there to explain? Your as much guilty as he is!" Yelled Harry, pointing at Sirius.

"No, Harry, you must listen, he isn't guilty! I thought that as much myself, until I had reason to believe otherwise." Lupin said, reasonably.

"You betrayed us!" Hermione yelled, small tears forming in her eyes. "You helped him into the castle!"

Lupin, frustrated, grabbed her shoulders and forced her to look at him. "Hermione, please, you must listen!" But Harry had pushed her back away from him. "Don't you touch her!"

With a pointed wand at Lupin's throat, he proceeded to speak calmly, but cautiously. "Harry, someone did tell Voldemort where your parents were, but it wasn't Sirius. It's someone whom until quite recently, I believed to be dead."

"Who was it then?" Harry demanded.

"Peter Pettigrew."

Hermione waited by the door for Harry to return, so the two of them - along with Ron on crutches - could head off to breakfast, and get ready to set off for home as their 3rd year came to an end.

Suddenly, the door burst open and Harry strode on past her, muttering only the words, "He's resigning." for her listening ears. She watched as he headed off the Great Hall without her, Marauder's Map in hand.

Resigning? This wasn't because of…

Hermione let a gasp slip, as she rushed into the DADA room and ran up to Professor Lupin's office. As she approached his door, she stopped and took a couple of seconds to take in the closing of suitcases, and folded clothes sitting neatly on his desk. The man himself was standing in front of her, assorting books into a trunk. "Ah, Hermione. How pleasant to see you." He said, smiling at her, eyes twinkling nonetheless.

"You're resigning? This hasn't anything to do with me knowing has it?" She asked incredulously, hoping this wasn't any of her fault, but feeling guilty either way.

He chuckled and shook his head. "No, I don't believe it was you. However, a certain Professor as you might say, has let slip of my condition and well, parents wouldn't want someone like me teaching their children."

"But that's not fair!" She exclaimed, but feeling a little bit embarrassed by the loudness of her voice. "You're the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher we've ever had! People can't possibly be as prejudice as to rid you of your job!"

Lupin smiled. She was always so caring and passionate, and he remembered how much it showed in his class. "It's great to hear you say that Hermione, but I'm afraid, not everyone is like you. I'm used to it though." He gave a flick of his wand at a suitcase and watched it close by itself.

He didn't notice Hermione blush at his words, and she was thankful for that. "Professor, I wanted to apologize for my spite at you… in the Shrieking Shack. It was wrong of me to sell you out."

At this, Lupin walked up to her and leaned back against his desk for support. "That's big of you, Hermione. And I apologize for almost killing you in the Forest." He smirked at her. "But how could I resist the call of such a bright, young lady."

Hermione raised an eyebrow at him. "Professor?" She didn't know whether to be offended or flattered at his words.

"When you called to me, while I was transformed. Although I was unaware of my actions at the time and had no control over myself, I do require memory of what happened. And you howled at me to get my attention, saving Harry."

This was all recollecting in her memory. "Oh, right."

"Hermione, that was very brave of you, protecting your friend." He smiled, seeing her beam up at him. "Forgive me if this is uncomfortable for you, but you remind me so much of Lily, Harry's mother."

Pink rushed to Hermione's cheeks. "That's very flattering, Professor."

Lupin laughed. "Please, call me Remus, seeing how I'm no longer your Professor."

She nodded politely at him.

"Of course," he continued, "if there is anything you, or Harry need, feel free to owl me at no cost. I'm willing to help with anything." He wrote something down on a piece of parchment and gave it to Hermione.

Tucking it safely in her pocket, she spoke before deciding to leave. "Thank you, Remus."