Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling. All characters, places, descriptions, etc (unless original and created by me) belong to her.

Summary: It was a small pack, of course, just the five of them, but together they were something wild. Hermione finds herself in the Marauders' Era with four new best friends.

Chapter 35: Verus Amicus Nunquam Amici Oblisviscitur*

27 January 1978

The Shrieking Shack

"I now call to order the ninth official Concord of the Marauders. When your name is called, please respond in the affirmative.

"Mister Prongs."

"Aye."

"Mister Padfoot."

"Aye."

"Mister Wormtail."

"Aye."

"Let the record show all members are present." Dust rose as Remus banged the gavel on the decaying desk.

"Honestly, Moony?" Sirius rolled his eyes at his friend and looked to the other Marauders for support. Peter averted his gaze while James silenced Sirius with a glare. Remus remained unmoved.

"Members will remember the rules set forth by the premier Concord. Please wait until you are called to speak, Mister Padfoot."

Sirius mumbled some choice phrases under his breath, earning him an elbow in the gut from James.

"Mister Prongs, as you called the Concord to order, you may now take the stand."

James raised himself from his position on the floor and traded places with Remus.

"Marauders, I have called this Concord in order to prevent the fruition of what can only be described as a devastation of life as we have come to know it–"

"Can we cut the shit already?" Sirius jumped to his feet. "This was funny for approximately five seconds. What are we even doing here?"

James and Remus glared at Sirius.

"Mister Padfoot will remember Mister Prongs is speaking, and that he should shut his gob."

"Fuck this," Sirius muttered, but sat down nonetheless. James raised an eyebrow. The air thickened.

"All joking aside, I think we need to clear the air and address the elephant in the room."

"Hey–"

"Not now, Peter!" James, Sirius, and Remus shouted simultaneously. Peter's smile fell.

"Just trying to diffuse the tension," he muttered.

"As I was saying," James turned back to Sirius. "Look, mate, I get it. I mean, come one. If any of us were to understand, it's me."

"What are you on about, mate?"

James and Remus shared a look. Remus sighed before placing a hand on Sirius' shoulder.

"Okay, clearly you haven't come to terms with it, so this may come as a bit of a shock–"

"You have feelings for Hermione," James said, wincing a bit.

"Pup?" Sirius shook his head while the other Marauders nodded. Sirius repeated himself. "Pup?"

The Marauders all exchanged looks while Sirius blinked, ran his fingers through his hair, and brought both hands up to rub his face. He looked at the others in disbelief and opened his mouth.

And then he closed it. And paced. He stopped and looked at them again. And then paced again. All the while his friends waited until finally he stopped in front of the other three and looked up.

"Bloody hell."

29 January 1978

The Library

"I told you."

She was sitting in the library in her usual spot, surrounded by books none of which were open. Hermione lifted her head to meet the cold stare of one Severus Snape.

"Excuse me?" She asked, partly because she truly didn't hear him and partly because he hadn't spoken to her since before the holidays.

"I said, I told you." His gaze was frozen until he rolled his eyes. "I told you before, you can't have both."

Hermione stared at the young man before her. She didn't speak for a second. And then it was her turn to stare at him coldly. The controlled man's face shifted for an instant as if shocked by the chill emanating from Hermione. He backed up a few steps and walked away. But not before he heard her final words.

"Watch me."

She had been hiding in the library since Madame Trapner finally let her leave the hospital wing after lunch. She had considered escaping to the Room of Requirement, but the call of the library was too strong. At least there, among the familiar and unchanging stacks, she could pretend she was home. She could pretend that it was just another year at Hogwarts, that Ron and Harry were skiving off homework to fly around the Quidditch pitch, that the only troubles she had were Voldemort and exams—none of these personal problems.

Hermione was honestly surprised no one had come to look for her yet. It was, of course, the first place anyone should look if she was missing. But she supposed Remus had advised the others to give her some space, and she was grateful.

Lost in her own mind, Hermione almost didn't notice Regulus slipping behind some shelves. Hermione shot up, not even bothering to gather her books. For all she had been looking forward to this meeting, Hermione had nothing prepared to say to the Slytherin. Part of her wanted to yell and scream and hit the poor boy until he felt her pain, but that part quickly melted away as she looked at him.

Regulus was a mess. In all fairness, he looked even worse than Hermione. His skin was pale and splotchy. The bags under his eyes were dark and defined, and his hair, which was usually so perfectly styled, was looking like it belonged more on the head of James Potter than Regulus Black. His shoulders hung in defeat.

"Regulus?" Hermione approached slowly. He looked up into her eyes, blinking away the thoughts plaguing his mind. He didn't say anything, just looked at her, and she took this time to sit in the chair next to him.

"Regulus, are you okay?"

"How can you even ask me that?" Even his voice sounded defeated. "After what I did?"

Hermione's heart broke and she flung her arms around the boy.

"I've already forgiven you."

At her words, Regulus released himself into her embrace. His head fell to her shoulder and Hermione could feel his tears through her shirt. After a few minutes he pulled away.

"Are you okay, Hermione?" He put his hands on her arms and ran them down to catch her hands. He turned them over in his own and stared at the lines on her palms. "I went to visit you, after. You looked—I was so worried."

"I'm okay, Regulus. I promise. I'm okay." She squeezed his hands, and he finally looked up.

"I just don't understand. Why are you talking to me?"

"Because you need me just as much as I need you."

"Hermione, what I did–"

"Regulus, listen. It was bad, is that what you want to here? It was excruciating and terrifying and I never want to feel that way again. I'm not going to lie to you. I was terribly angry with you and disappointed.

Regulus hung his head.

"But I'm here now. Despite the fact that your brother would kill both of us if he knew I was talking to you. Despite the fact that you didn't show up last week. I'm here."

"But why?"

Hermione sighed.

"Regulus, we're friends. We'll make mistakes and hurt each other's feelings, but at the end of the day I'm going to forgive you. Because I care about you and because you are worth fighting for."

Regulus looked at Hermione. His own eyes hardened as he unconsciously grasped his forearm.

"We need to talk," he said before glancing around. "But not here."

The Room of Requirement

When Hermione and Regulus stepped through the threshold into the Room of Requirement, Hermione panicked. The room had shifted into a replica of the library at Grimmauld Place. She glanced worriedly at Regulus' back as he stood in front of her, terrified at what he would say.

"This is the library at my house," he supplied. Hermione breathed as she realized Regulus' desires had supplied the room. "I thought you'd like it."

Hermione walked deeper into the room, running her fingers over the back of what she had considered to be "her" chair. She looked up at Regulus.

"It's amazing."

The young boy smiled before taking a seat on the couch and gesturing for her to join him.

"I don't… trust very easily," he began slowly, waiting for Hermione to settle beside him. "I've never had friends like Sirius has. I don't have many constants in my life."

He flipped open the button on his wrist and began to roll up his sleeve, keeping the inside of his forearm hidden. He sighed and looked back at Hermione.

"I know you trust me, Hermione. I don't know why, but you do. And I guess, in light of it all, you deserve to know the truth." Regulus took a deep breath. Hermione reached out to touch his forearm, turning it over, yet her eyes never left Regulus'.

"I know."

"And you're–"

"Still here." Hermione looked down at the angry blackness that marred his perfect skin. Her eyes prickled. She ran her thumb over the Dark Mark and shuddered. "I meant what I said before Regulus.

"I will always be here for you."

A/N: *A True Friend Will Never Forget an Old Friend