Hermione didn't get a chance to talk to Charlus again before he left with Dorea for their holiday a few days later, Sirius and James kept her busy; showing her all the secrets and hideaways that they had found on the Potter estate over the years. Hermione couldn't help but think that James should be showing all these things to Harry, not her. She felt like she was an intruder in their lives; out of place and not meant to be there. She started to withdraw from them some, as she stewed over her predicament. James seemed to notice her growing melancholia and made sure to give her some time to herself but Sirius never could leave her alone for long periods of time.
And so that was how she found herself being dragged out of the guest bedroom by Sirius that afternoon.
"Come on Hermione. We're going out. James too." He said excitedly. She loved it when Sirius was this kind of mood; all energetic and playful. She so rarely got to see him like this in the future. It called to her inner wolf who loved the man like a brother.
"It's play time human, let us go and have fun." Her wolf demanded and yipped happily when she complied. Hermione never could find it within herself to say no to a charming smile, especially the one that James was giving her from the bottom of the stairs that looked so much like Harry's.
"Where are we going?" Hermione asked as they rushed down the stairs, the energy of the marauders contagious.
"It's a surprise" Was all they said.
They got outside and Hermione froze when she saw the motorbike sitting in the driveway.
"No. No a thousand times no." She said and immediately started backing away from the contraption. Only to bump into James. He grabbed her around the waist as Sirius got on the bike and carried her over to the side without the side car and plonked her down behind the black haired teen.
"I'm really really afraid of heights." She protests as Sirius grabbed her now shaking arms and wrapped them around her waist.
"Hold on tight love." He said ignoring her protests and Hermione pinched him on the stomach in retaliation. James got into the side car and then Sirius said a spell, turning on the bike and it roared to life beneath them.
"I hate the both of you." Hermione said as they took off down the driveway, both men laughing with glee at the thrill. Hermione's arms immediately tightened around Sirius's waist and she pressed her face into his back to keep from being attacked by the wind, willing the ride to be over.
Soon, they pulled over and parked. As soon as the machine stopped Hermione was climbing off and stumbling away. A wave of nausea washed over her and she searched frantically for a rubbish bin, found one, stumbled over to it and threw up her breakfast.
"Your driving is terrible." She said after she'd cleaned her mouth out with a spell.
"It wasn't that bad. "Sirius said with a grin.
"It was a lot worse than usual though." James said.
"Where are we anyway?" Hermione asked causing their grins to widen dramatically as they each took an arm, dragging her across the road. They stopped in front of a tattoo parlour.
"What's with all the reckless behaviour today? First you almost kill me with that machine of death and now you want to get a tattoo?" She asked wearily.
"Yep. Come on little Mia. Todays the day we get our first tattoos." Sirius said practically bouncing up and down in his excitement as he opened the door to the parlour. Hermione thought of the Sirius she knew in the future, covered in various works of art and was thrilled that she would be there to witness the start of this particular addiction.
"In we go Mia." James said, pushing her in the door.
"What can I do for you?" A woman asked as she looked up from what she was doing. She had long black hair and sharp facial feature s like a Black. Hermione flinched and took a step back, clutching at her arm as phantom pain pierced her skin. The woman looked like Bellatrix and Hermione felt as though she were suffocating.
"Andy, good to see you." Sirius said rushing over to the woman and picking her up in a bear hug as she laughed. Her laugh sounded like bells chiming in the wind. Hermione took a deep breath. HER laugh sounded like nails scratching against a black board.
"And who are your friends?" she asked as Sirius put her down, a curious tone to her voice. Her Andy's curiosity turned to concern when she swathe distressed state that Hermione was in.
"Are you alright dear?" She asked, taking a step forward.
"I – uh… you look too much like your sister for comfort." Hermione said honestly, absently itching her scarred skin. James and Sirius looked murderous as they put two and two together.
"Bellatrix gave you that scar? I'll kill the bitch!" Sirius seethed as Andy just stared at her arm. She was wearing one of Remus's band t-shirts tucked into the black school jeans that Minerva had gotten for her months ago. The sleaves had been torn off somehow and so her arms were on full display. Usually she wasn't' so self-conscious about it but with Andromeda tonks nee black staring at it she couldn't help stepping behind James to hide it and herself from view.
"It's okay Hermione. I'll never let anything like that happen to you ever again." He whispered as he found her hand and held it tightly. Hermione felt like crying as the realisation that he wouldn't be alive long enough to full fill that promise crashed down around her.
"So, tattoos. I assume you came here to get one. So, what would you like?" Andy asked distracting everyone from her looks and Hermione's almost break down.
Hermione was standing naked in front of a floor length mirror staring at her newly tattooed and magically healed body. She lightly traced the still tender black outline of the animals that were now permanent residents on her hip and thigh. Hermione had been idly doodling on a bit of paper she'd found lying around while she waited for Sirius and James to finish up so they could go home again. She had been drawing a vague outline of all their animagus forms. She hadn't expected Andromeda to pluck the drawing from her hand beaming when she saw it , walk away to neaten it up and get it ready to be put on her body. The boys ignored her protests, spelled her silent and forced her into the tattoo room.
"Where do you want it?" Andromeda asked her. Hermione looked at all of them accusingly knowing she wasn't going to get out of it. She pointed to her hip and Andy raised an eyebrow in approval.
"Alright then boys, that's your que to leave." Andy said. For a moment Hermione froze in fear at the thought of being alone with her but came to her senses when she smiled warmly. Bellatrix didn't have a kind bone in her body but Andromeda seemed to be made completely of them and it made her calm. The wolf thought so too.
"She is the calm zone in a crazy world. Unfortunate that she is sisters with the devils mistress." Her wolf had said. Hermione agreed. And so Hermione and Andy spent the next two hours talking about nothing and everything. She learned about Andy's life, that tonks was five years old now and the she liked to change her appearance in crowds of people to play hide and seek. Ted though it was Hilarious but it made Andy panic. Andy was studying to be a healer and working here part time. She told her about how she met Ted and about how she'd never gotten on with her family, Bellatrix especially.
"Hermione? Are you in there?" Asked the voice of one Remus Lupin. Hermione felt a shiver flow through her body at the sound. She ran to her bed, pulled on her silk robe (an early Christmas present from Lily and Alice) and bounded over to the door. She threw it open and paused for a moment taking him in as the wolf howled with happiness. He seemed taller, she thought immediately, just a little bit and his shoulders were a bit broader somehow. It had only been a week and he looked bigger. Maybe she was just seeing things but with his days old stubble he looked a lot like his older self.
"Mia." He whispered a hint of smile on his lips as his eyes raked over her barely covered body. Later, Remus would say that she climbed him like a tree but she just couldn't help herself. He was so cute and her impulse control was practically non-existent this close to the full moon.
She threw herself into him, wrapping her legs around his waist, fisting her hands in his hair and kissing him. She threw everything she had into that kiss; she had missed him, she didn't want to ever leave him again, she wanted him with a burning that had kept her up on many a night, thinking about his lips and about his fingertips, the way he sighed when she ran her fingers through his hair.
"I want you; right now." She purred at him as she pulled back to look into his amber eyes. She saw the yearning there too.
"Everyone's waiting down stairs" He said though she knew she had already won. He was shutting the door behind them as he spoke and walking her over to the bed.
"I don't care." She said Remus laid her out on the bed, crawling on top of her slowly, kissing a soft trail along her body over her robe.
"God I missed you." He said as his hands followed his lips, caressing her skin and making her sigh. Her hands wound into his hair as he rubbed his stubbled face against her stomach, moving her robe as he did so. Hermione moaned when he came into contact with her skin.
"You don't know how many nights I've been kept away imagining this; you." Hermione said as she pulled on his hair, urging him to move up to her lips and kiss her.
"Did you…." Remus trailed off and buried his face in her neck, kissing her to avoid asking the question.
"I touched myself to the thought of you, moaned your name as I came. I missed you so much I could hardly sleep." Hermione whispered into his ear, nibbling it enticingly.
"Hey Hermione! I have to show you this really cute dress I bought in…" A voice said as they opened the door to Hermione's room, causing both her and Remus to freeze in her intimate embrace. Hermione groaned in embarrassment collapsing back onto her bed as Remus kneeled over her and tied her robe back up.
"Lily, this really isn't the best time." Hermione said as Remus slid off of her and stood next to the bed, not looking at anyone, an awkward blush covering his cheeks.
" I… I… Holy shit. Sorry." Lily stuttered, staring at both of them for a few more moments before literally running out of the room.
"Well it could have been worse…" Hermione said as she stood up.
"How?" Remus asked as he began to pace anxiousness filling his being.
"It could have been Sirius or James." Hermione said and Remus chuckled as he turned to her.
"You're not wrong." He said as he came over to her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. She snuggled into him and wished that Lily hadn't interrupted them.
"I should get dressed and go meet the others." Hermione said finally. Remus growled in response and pulled her in for a passionate kiss that made Hermione want to tie him to her bed and never let him leave.
"I'll see you down stairs." He said with a strained voice.
"You could wait here if you want. I don't mind." She said slyly as she got up and slid her robe to the ground as she walked over to her trunk to get some clothes.
"I'm going now," He growled, "Or we'll never leave the room." He said and then stormed out.