Loving Lupin

Another day, another destiny, another step in life...

Can I get any stupider? thought Hermione, an uncontrollable smile spreading across her face. She reached her hands towards the ceiling, hearing her back crack satisfyingly. It was the next morning, the morning after Ron had yelled his head off at her-- yet Hermione didn't feel the least bit upset. In fact, she felt positively joyous.

Hermione was in the library, as usual; she had sought refuge there ever since the boys had stopped speaking to her. Books were very nice and wonderful, but they could not compare to Remus' arms. Hermione secretly wondered to herself if she'd see him again tonight. She hoped so. Her big brown eyes moved towards the window, where the stunning Hogwarts grounds met her eyes.

It was a beautiful Saturday morning, but it was beautiful in a different way than one would assume. The sky was a dark, murky black, and rain thudded against the roof like bullets. Every now and then, a flash of lightning and a roll of thunder would shake the whole castle of Hogwarts, causing some first years to scream in dismay.

They were silly, though. They weren't old and mature, like Hermione was. She was indeed, very grown-up, or so she thought herself to be. If she was worthy of a man, then she must be a woman. Thus, she was above any childish games that the first-years played, or even some of the boys in her year-- Ron and Harry specifically.

They are SO stupid, thought Hermione bitterly as her thoughts flicked back to the pair. They think they know everything. But they don't. They certainly don't.

"How can they know everything, anyway?" said Hermione aloud. The library was completely empty, so she didn't need to worry about someone hearing her and thinking she was insane. "They think they do, but they don't. They want me to leave Remus. What fools. They know nothing." Another smile curved across her face.

Despite Hermione's vast "knowledge", she did not know that a keen ear was listening to her revealing monologue, hanging onto every word she spoke.

* * *

Later on in the day, Hermione wrote an owl to Professor Lupin.

Dear Remus,

I want to meet you again tonight, if that's all right with you. The only problem is, I'm out of Aging Potion. I'm afraid I'll be caught without it. Do you have any?

Love from

Me

The owl she attatched it to seemed quite old, but he was fast enough. Lupin's reply came in a speedy manner.

Dear You,

I don't think that's such a good idea. I've been thinking, and maybe we should stop the nightly visits. Snape has been more suspicious than usual lately, and I don't want to put you in danger.

Love always,

Me too

Hermione's eyes filled with tears as she read the message. Surely he wasn't... no... he couldn't... There was a mistake. She put her quill to the back of Lupin's message and scrawled another message as quick as she could with her shaking hand.

Remus--

What are you saying? Do you mean that you don't want to be together anymore? What do you mean? I thought you, you know, loved me. At least I thought. Maybe I'm wrong?

Me

In what seemed an impossibly fast speed, Lupin had written and sent another letter.

First off, don't use my real name when sending me letters. Can you imagine how much trouble I'd be in if these were found?

Listen to me, please. You know I love you. I'm just afraid for your safety. I hate to think of you being hurt by me. Don't you understand?

Me too

Wrath-filled tears made trails down her round cheeks as she wrote her reply.

No, I DON'T understand! I love you, and I thought you did too! I'm not afraid for MY safety, so why should you be afraid for mine? If you leave me now, you'll be hurting me more than anything else could ever hurt me.

Love from

Me

Again came Lupin's reply:

You're right, nothing could hurt you more... And nothing could hurt me more than to be away from you. I love you and need you. I promise to make some Aging Potion as soon as I can. Meet me tonight outside of the Gryffindor tower. I'm so sorry if you're upset.

Me too

Hermione hugged the letter to her chest. This was worth more tears than she could ever cry.

* * *

"He's late," whispered Hermione to herself, shifting from foot to foot uncomfortably. It wasn't like him to be late. So where was he?

Just then, a dark figured emerged from the shadows. It was Lupin.

"Let's go," he muttered, grabbing her cold hand in his warm one.

"Wait!" Hermione breathed. "The Aging Potion!"

"Oh, all right," he said in an agitated tone, pulling out a little vial from his robe pockets and handing it to her.

"Thanks," she replied, pouring it down her throat with a shiver. "Do you know what a sight we'd be if we were caught?"

"You're right." Lupin looked away from her, as if thinking about something dreadful.

"What is it?" she asked urgently.

"Nothing," he said shortly. "Come on."

She followed him through the corridors into his classroom. Hermione thought this was rather stupid; the classroom wasn't exactly a private area. She wasn't, however, in any mood to complain, especially not with Remus acting so edgy as it was.

For a moment, he simply stood there and gazed out at the dirty walls. Then, all sudden-like, he had moved towards her, and his lips had touched hers softly. Hermione wanted to push him away, because she felt in the kiss something that was especially discomforting: reluctance.

Keeping his face near to hers, with their noses almost brushing, Remus began to speak.

"Hermione, I've thought about everything, and I..."

His words were cut off so suddenly it was as if someone had choked him. His body went rigid and began to tremour, and his eyes widened in what seemed animal-like rage. Hermione gasped and backed away from him, her heart pounding like a bird's in fear. In this deeply petrified state, she glanced to the window. The stormy clouds that had covered the sky all day drifted across the sky lazily, and as one large clump sailed across the sky like choclate-flavored whipped cream, she saw something even more terrifying than Lupin-- the full moon.

He'll kill me, she thought, terrified.

Lupin growled viciously, thick, dark hair spreading across his knuckles and arms. His teeth enlarged and sharpened, and he bared them at Hermione. She screamed and desperately stumbled several steps backwards, falling over an overturned chair. Lupin snarled and leapt towards her, his eyes wide and hungry for prey.

Just then, the door opened with a bang! There was a startling flash of lightening from one of the storm clouds, illuminating the face of Professor Severus Snape.

"Snape!" whispered Hermione, distracted by this sudden turn of events.

"I knew something was amiss," hissed Professor Snape, his eyes narrowed angrily. "When he did not come for his Wolfsbane Potion, I knew he'd be putting the whole school at risk... Especially you, Hermione Granger."

"How did you know?" cried Hermione, staring at Snape in disbelief.

"I am not as foolish a man as you think," he snarled, his grip tightening around the goblet of Wolfsbane Potion. "There was never a Jeanie James hired, as I discovered through Dumbledore. You're a poor liar, Miss Granger."

Just then, Lupin gave another roar and leapt towards Snape, his claws flashing. Snape yelled wildly and rolled out of the way, his eyes now wide with fear. But as he stood up, his wand clutched in his hand, he was full of composure, though a muscle was twitching near his eyebrow nervously.

"You'll see, Miss Granger," he said, obviously making an attempt to keep his voice calm, "that werewolves don't make very good friends. Or lovers," he spat.

"You know..." faltered Hermione.

"Of course I know," he growled lowly, his eyes flicking to her for a moment before resting on Lupin again. Remus' snout was wrinkled into a snarl, but he seemed slightly stunned by Snape's escape. "Your little chat with yourself in the library only confirmed my most horrible of suspicions. I must say, I wouldn't have expected it of you... Miss Granger. The perfect student, the perfect friend... The ideal girl..."

"You won't tell anyone, will you?" gasped Hermione, tears spilling out of her eyes. "Please, please don't!"

"Professor Dumbledore will have to be informed, I'm afraid," said Snape in a business-like tone. "It's only standard procedure."

"No," pleaded Hermione. "Please, no, don't..."

"I'm terribly sorry." A cruel smile lit up Snape's features.

A terrible rage had overtaken Hermione. She didn't care that this was Professor Snape, or that she would be in serious trouble if she was ever discovered. The way she saw it, she was about to be expelled anyway... So why not make it for a good reason?

She pointed her wand at Professor Snape, and whispered one dangerous word:

"Obliviate."

Snape fell over backwards as the spell hit him in the center of the chest. In a flash, he was back on his feet, but looking extremely bewildered.

"What am I doing here?" he exclaimed. "What..." He glanced to the floor, where the Wolfsbane Potion was dripping through the floorboards.

"I don't know, but--" Hermione stopped speaking abruptly, noticing that

Lupin was staring at her hungrily. Her lower lip trembled in fear as she stared back at him, her eyes languidly watching him as she waited for the inevitable.

Another growl from Lupin and the rapid clicking of his claws on the wooden floor told Hermione that he had moved quickly... She breathed heavily, waiting for the blow, for the teeth to sink into her neck... Lupin growled yet again and leapt forward onto her chest, causing her wand to roll out of her palm and onto the floor. Hermione screamed, petrified, and put up her hands in a futile attempt to shield her face from his gnashing teeth. She saw a huge claw come out of nowhere and slash across her neck, then her chest... The blood rushed over her torn robes and into her hair, causing her to groan with both pain and horror to see the red liquid gushing over her own body...

"Stupefy!"

The word seemed to come out of the air. Who is that? she thought dizzily, her hand reaching for her neck lethargically.

Someone dark and ominous-looking leaned over her, dragging the dark, hairy body of the werewolf off hers. She groaned again, everything flickering before her eyes, everything seeming dark...

"Miss Granger?" said an oily voice. "Can you hear me? Miss Granger..."

"Remus," whispered Hermione, before slipping into darkness.