By the time Monday morning came round Hermione was glad to be back at work. Even though the week before had been so stressful the weekend socialising was exhausting. Friday's pub night had been followed by a celebratory dinner at the Burrow Saturday. Demelza and her parents were there, all the Weasleys, Harry, Hermione, Percy's wife Audrey and, to most people's amazement and shock Tonks had turned up with Bill. That led to a slightly strained atmosphere, but it quickly faded into well wishes for the happy couple. Sunday she had spent going over wedding plans with Harry and Ginny, and Sunday evening she'd had George round to her flat, and he'd told her all about his date over dinner and a bottle or two of wine. (The date was great, Angelina was great, they were meeting up later in the week which was great.) All in all she'd had barely a minute to herself, and the few she did have her thoughts kept wandering back to her friends teasing about Remus on Friday night.

If she was honest she'd had a bit of a crush on him back when he taught in her third year at Hogwarts, she'd seen him as a sort of tragic hero, battling the curse of his lycanthropy. But then she'd got older and there had been other crushes, then relationships, and he had Tonks. They were friendly, and she could rely on Remus for a good debate or an intellectual conversation when they saw one another, but all adolescent romantic fantasies had faded away. After his breakup with Tonks she had wanted to help, wanted to make him feel better, but that was Hermione all over, she was a fixer, couldn't stand to see people in pain. Her desire to help him had more to do with him hurting than it did with him being Remus specifically. But then he kept catching her when she was clumsy around him and her previous crush came back ten-fold. He was strong, and felt pretty muscular under his slightly threadbare robes. He smelt both earthy and spicy, it was entirely Remus, very male and, oh, so attractive. Most of all he made her feel safe. In some way she felt with his arms around her that not only had he stopped her falling, he would never let her fall if he could help it. Add a deliciously sexy smile and his endearing modesty and Hermione had to admit to herself that she was fighting a losing battle when it came to denying her attraction.

The problem she faced was that she couldn't like him. She'd heard through the grape vine that Tonks left, in part, because of the werewolf. Hermione had no illusions, she knew he was a werewolf, had been far closer to the wolf than she wanted to ever be again. She also knew he was poor, old enough to be her father and heartbroken. And not one of those things mattered to her. The reasons she couldn't like him, wouldn't let herself fall for him, had far more to do with her than him. Like she had told her friends in the pub, she didn't do relationships. She wasn't about to open her heart to all that pain again, it was better to be alone than to deal with that. Even though her logical side knew that Remus was nothing like him, she couldn't let herself feel for him. If she ignored it, maybe the attraction would fade.

All in all, she was grateful to be distracted from her thoughts by work. She spent Monday and Tuesday catching up, and managed to sort out all the fallout from the nightmare week before. By Wednesday she was recovered from the weekend, up to date at work, and was looking forward to dinner with George. They were going to a new restaurant in Diagon Alley, apparently so George could decide whether to take Angelina there for their next date. Maybe he would be able to help her sort her feelings for Remus out. Or maybe just distract her from them.

******

Since his resolutions the morning after the Anniversary Ball Remus had made some changes. All the brightly patterned furnishings that Dora loved and he had never particularly liked had gone, now earthy browns and creams. Dull, she had called his colour preferences, but he saw them as calming. The shelves were covered in his books, with pictures of the Marauders and some of Harry and the others interspersed. He had been meeting with George to talk about Wheeze's products and had even managed not to reach for Dora when he woke the last few mornings.

The one thing disconcerting him was Hermione. She was beautiful, intelligent, caring, funny and completely off limits. She was young enough to be his daughter, and there was no way that she would look at him twice. He knew all this, and yet he couldn't stop thinking about her, about the way it felt to hold her, about how he longed to hold her in a way much less innocent. Remus sighed to himself. Thinking about her like that was just going to make things awkward, she had been nothing but nice, and he was thinking lecherous thoughts. She was bound to run a mile if she caught any sense of his thoughts, and right now he could use all the friends he could get. Which was why he was grateful, if somewhat surprised, that Harry and Ginny had asked him to dinner.

Remus entered the restaurant Ginny had chosen and approached the hostess.

"Good evening, I believe there's a reservation under Weasley?" he said, Ginny having explained that Potter still drew too much attention, but there were so many Weasleys nobody bothered to make a fuss.

"Ah, yes, this way please." He followed the witch to a table, which was set for two.

"Sorry, I think there may be a mistake? I'm meeting two people you see." Remus said with slightly apologetic smile.

"No, there's no mistake. It'll be clearer when your companion arrives, I'm told." With that mysterious statement she left Remus to peruse the menu and try and puzzle out what was going on.

He wasn't left to wonder long, two minutes later the hostess returned, leading Hermione to the table. Remus stood as she approached.

"Hermione? What are you doing here? Are Ginny and Harry ok?" he asked. Hermione, however, looked as confused as Remus was.

"Remus? What's going on?"

The hostess smiled and handed them an envelope. "I was told this might help." She said, then with a smile she left. Hermione opened the envelope, recognising Ginny's writing, and read it out loud to Remus.

Dear Hermione and Remus

Sorry for setting you up like this, well, not sorry exactly.
The thing is it's quite clear to us that there's something between the two of you, or at least there could be. But knowing you both as we do we felt that you needed a push in the right direction. And since you were going to need pushing eventually we decided to do it sooner rather than later.
We know there's an age gap, and the whole former student-teacher thing, but you're also two of the most intelligent, kind, patient (mostly) people we know.
And we think you'd make a lovely couple.
We know you've been hurt before, but maybe that means you'll be all the more careful of each other.
We hope you forgive us for interfering.

Ginny and George.

"I don't know whether to laugh, cry, or go and kill them." Hermione said.

"I think we should have dinner, since we're here, send them the bill and kill them later." Remus said with a smile. "Unless you don't want to stay, I'd understand." He added, suddenly unsure of himself.

"Oh, no, I'd love to have dinner with you." Hermione said. "Besides, who better to plot revenge with than a Marauder?" She smiled, a cheeky grin which reminded Remus so strongly of Lily it hurt. Suddenly her smile faded and she looked embarrassed. "I'm sorry about this though. George has been teasing since dinner the other week and they all seem determined to see me settled now I'm the only single one, and you've ended up the unfortunate victim, and I really am sorry." She stopped at the amused expression on Remus' face.

"Hermione, it's fine, really. I'm flattered that they think I could possibly be the object of your affections." Hermione's blush deepened. "Besides, dinner with a lovely young woman is better than my own cooking, and can't do my reputation any harm either." He gave a devastatingly handsome grin as he spoke and Hermione felt her breath catch.

Merlin, he's so sexy when he smiles like that. She shook her head mentally, she shouldn't think like that. He did call me lovely though, maybe the others are right. No, it doesn't matter, not Remus, not anybody, remember. She told herself sternly. Her hormones wouldn't rule her mind, she wouldn't let them, not this time.

She's beautiful when she blushes like that. What would I give to make her cheeks flush from something other than embarrassment. Stop that. Dirty old man. He lectured himself sternly.

"So," Hermione said, trying to stop thinking the delicious but wicked thoughts floating through her brain, "what are you going to have?"

You, please. "The chicken looks nice." Remus replied. "Did I hear that Ron got engaged?"

Hermione smiled and began to tell Remus about the engagement, and Molly's delighted reactions. It was on similar safe topics that they continued until dessert. Although they had both been shooting heated glances at the other they had remained blissfully oblivious. However it took every bit of Remus' self-restraint not to lean across the table and kiss her when she had a drop of her chocolate mousse on her lip. Hermione gasped as she noticed the desire in his eyes, and shifted in her seat.

By the time they walked to the apparition point both were struggling to keep their hands to themselves.

"Thanks Remus, I had a lovely evening." Hermione said as she prepared to leave. Remus leant down and kissed her cheek lightly, curling his fists at his sides to stop himself from pulling her to him and kissing her senseless. She smiled softly and turned on the spot, disappearing from view. Remus leant against the wall, his body raging at him for letting her leave.

"Bloody fucking Hell."

A/N So, a bit of interaction and a whole lot of denial. And a few more not so subtle hints as to Hermione's past, explanations soon I promise! Reviews most welcome.