The Dark Side of the Moon

Chapter 6 - A Little Change

With the increase of free study periods for sixth years, James and Hermione were able to find enough free-time on their hands for more lessons. As both of them weren't exactly struggling with their school work, they had plenty of chances to meet in empty classrooms and the like during afternoons or at night. However, it was finding the right excuses to do so that was tricky.

'I think I left my history book in the classroom today,' Hermione said to Lily one night, while they were studying by the fire in the busy common room.

'Oh, well you can borrow mine,' Lily offered, taking hers out of her bag.

'Thanks, but I should really go and fetch it, I wouldn't want to lose it or anything.' She stood up and made to leave.

'Well, I'll come with you if you like,' Lily said casually, putting her quill down. 'I've been sitting down for far too long.' She began to stand up as well but Hermione pushed her down.

'Don't worry,' she said quickly, laughing nervously. 'I'll only be a moment. You keep studying.'

'Still, I could do with a break,' Lily said, trying to stand up again.

'No, really,' Hermione insisted, pushing her back down again. 'With N.E.W.T's coming up and all, you really can't afford to slack off, even for a moment.' She cringed, knowing how paranoid this must have sounded, but brought herself up again. 'I hate to have to leave myself, of course, but I don't want to put a disadvantage on you too.'

Lily looked at her strangely. 'If you're sure,' she said slowly, with an air of suspicion.

'I'm sure,' Hermione confirmed, relieved.

This keeping-everything-a-secret business was uncomfortable and rather annoyed Hermione, but she could understand James's reasons for wanting it so. As wonderful and loyal as his close companions were; if they found out, James would be taunted and humiliated to no end. While Hermione considered this could be somewhat useful in taming his over-abundant arrogance, she valued him as a person far too much to mess with such fierce pride. She wouldn't ever wish it on Harry, nor would she wish it on him.

She loitered by the portrait hole and when she caught James's eye, nodded and made her exit.

*-*-*

James was sitting on the other side of the common room from Hermione and Lily, discussing possible pranks to pull on Snape with Sirius. Peter was listening with glee and Remus, who acted disapproving, still proposed ideas every now and then.

'I still say that the Femininity potion in his pumpkin juice would be best,' Sirius conferred, as if he were discussing important business prospects. 'My aunt used to rave on about its confidence booster to my mum. She'd use it when she was trying to impress a date, because it would make her feel so -' he put on a shrill voice, 'pretty and womanly.' He thought for a moment then grinned wickedly. 'If we were careful enough, he'd never be able to prove it was us.'

'Yes, but keep in mind that Snape is strongest in potions,' Lupin said, and the others murmured assent. 'He'd be able to make the antidote easily. Knowing him, he probably already has five batches of every counter-potion ever invented stashed under his bed.'

'Ah, it'd be worth it though,' Sirius said dreamily. 'Seeing young Snivelly borrowing pink dress robes and floral perfume off the Slytherin girls would be the happiest moment of my life. Watching him chasing after a few of the male Slytherin Quidditch team would really put the cherry on top of a fantastic year. I mean, come on - if anyone is homophobic, he is.'

James was only half-listening. He watched as Hermione got up and stopped at the portrait hole. Catching her signal, he knew then to wait five minutes before leaving himself.

As their time together increased, James and Hermione had found better methods to make James learn. She had started presenting him with scenarios rather than lectures, letting him say how he would deal with it to begin with, and then giving him advice on perhaps a better approach to the situation. He still felt more than a little embarrassed about it all, but he had to admit that the seminars seemed to be working.

Very much to his vexation, James had stopped giving all the younger students he was convinced were brats a hard time. He'd even started being pleasant to them, or, as pleasant as he could handle. At the start, Hermione had told him that he was sounding too sarcastic, to which he retorted he must have been doing reflexively, but things were now ever so slowly becoming clear.

He had apologized to the Hufflepuff kid who he'd hexed and, on Hermione's orders, given him a Honeyduke's chocolate bar he had picked up in Hogsmeade, much to his reluctance ('he's fat enough already!'). The not remotely chubby boy had slapped him on the back, said that he was glad James had finally seen sense, and thanked him.

Suddenly people were being so much nicer to him. Instead of just being admired, he was actually liked. It wasn't a bad feeling, not a bad feeling at all. He still told Hermione when she brought it up, however, that as much as he wanted to impress Lily, he couldn't bring himself not to pick on Snape. He was, after all, the biggest git that ever existed and deserved special treatment. After a lot of bickering, Hermione finally agreed that he was allowed to still despise Snape, just not in front of Lily.

'What do you think, Prongs?' Sirius suddenly asked. 'Prongs?' he repeated when James didn't answer, waving his hand in front of his friend's face.

'Oh, erm, yeah I like the potion idea,' James said airily, coming out of his reverie.

'You've been really distant lately, mate,' Lupin said, a little concerned. 'Anything up?'

James shook his head and took a sip of Butterbeer that was sitting on the table. 'Apart from the sky, a few planets and a couple of stars, not much Moony,' he said offhandedly. 'I'm just going for a walk, I need a breather.'

He got up and much to his friends' puzzlement left the common room.

*-*-*

'I guess I'd quietly take her aside and tell her that I was a little concerned,' James said thoughtfully when Hermione had asked him what he would do if someone else was trying to come on to his girlfriend. 'I wouldn't accuse her of anything and I'd assure her that I did trust her, but I'd just let her know how I felt. I couldn't sit back and watch some creep sleaze onto her.'

Hermione was perched on a desk with her legs crossed, listening to him keenly and nodding every now and then as if she were the psychiatrist and him the patient. 'And what if it kept going on?' she posed, supporting her chin on her palm.

He stretched out his legs and propped them up onto another desk. 'Then I'd take him aside and explain to him that it was making me feel uncomfortable and if he wouldn't mind - well, buggering off.'

'Great response!' she congratulated him.

'Really?' he said, putting his feet down. 'Not too ... er ... uncool?'

'Well, last week when I asked you the same question, your answer was that you'd hex her for flirting, jinx him and set his belongings on fire for daring to go near her.' She laughed. 'I'd say this was a big improvement.'

James grinned. 'So I'm not completely doomed?'

'Not completely doomed, no,' she assured him.

'Ladies, lock your dormitories. James is back and more buff than ever!' he crowed, doing a little dance around the room.

'We'll have to work on that arrogance of yours though,' Hermione noted breezily.

'But it's part of my irresistible allure and panache, m'lady,' he said passionately. 'Without it, I'd be a lesser man!'

She giggled. 'The same allure and panache that has Lily grovelling at your feet? Replace lesser with better and we might have something to work with.' She looked at the clock on the wall. 'Well I think that concludes tonight's session. We've been here nearly two hours.'

'Time does fly so fleetingly when you're having fun,' he said sarcastically as they walked back to the common room.

'Oh shut up. You love every minute of it,' she teased. 'Being the attention seeker you are.'

'Attention seeker?' he repeated in disbelief. 'I am not an attention seeker. I despise attention! Flee from it, in fact.'

Hermione laughed incredulously and when she saw that he was grinning, punched him in the shoulder.

'Ah, James, you really have improved, you know,' she told him as they stopped at the Fat Lady's portrait.

'Well, it's all because of you,' he said sincerely. 'I know this is corny and kill me if I ever say it again ... ever, but ... you've really opened my eyes Isabelle.'

She shook her head. 'So, I gave you a bit of advice. Think of how unpromising you were when we started! If you ask me, you did all the hard yards yourself, lover boy.'

He grinned again, his glasses glinting with the light of the lanterns and his eyes sparkling behind them.

'You've said so many words, not one of which is the password,' the Fat Lady said suddenly in a bored tone. 'Now, are you going to stand around all night talking sentimental drivel or will someone let me have some rest?'

Hermione smiled guiltily. 'Sorry,' she said earnestly. 'Do you want to go in first James?'

He nodded. 'Sure. And you'll come in after five minutes, like normal?'

'Yes. Oh and it might be better if you just go straight to bed,' she suggested. 'That way, anyone who's in there won't see us together -'

'There's no need,' interrupted a voice from behind her.

Hermione whipped around and swallowed. 'Remus,' she said tensely. 'How long have you been standing there?'

'Long enough,' he responded coldly.

'Remus, mate,' James said uncomfortably. 'You understand, don't you? I mean, I've liked her for ages.'

Remus looked mildly stunned. His eyes moved to Hermione. 'Is this true?' he asked her.

'Well, yes,' Hermione answered frankly. 'I mean, I would've thought that you knew, being his best friend and all.'

'Right,' was all he said in response. He gave the password to the Fat Lady and disappeared into the common room.

James and Hermione stared after him before exchanging troubled looks. 'I thought he'd be fine with it,' James said, shocked. 'If not laughing at me, at least.'

'You'd better talk to him,' Hermione said grimly. She repeated the Gryffindor password and she and James emerged through the portrait together.

Remus was nowhere to be seen. He had probably gone up to bed, Hermione guessed. The only people left were a few students playing exploding snap on the hearth, some fellow seventh years studying in a corner and Lily who was in the same spot Hermione had left her, reading a book. She brought her head up as they entered; she looked very tired.

'You'll only be a minute, huh?' she said without humour. 'I'll take note for the future that a minute for you is two hours for me. It will save a lot of waiting around.'

'Oh no, I forgot!' Hermione said shamefully, cursing herself. 'I'm sorry, Lil.'

'I'm gonna go up and tackle Remus,' James said quietly to her. She nodded limply, not taking her eyes off Lily. 'Goodnight Evans,' he said, nodding at her before walking up the stairs.

'Look, I -'

'Save it Isabelle,' Lily interjected as Hermione began to speak. 'Let's just go to bed.'

'Okay.' She followed Lily up to the girls' dormitories, feeling wretched with guilt. When they reached the door, Lily turned to her.

'I'm just going to ask you straight out,' she said. 'Are you fooling around with James?'

Hermione nearly fell down the stairs in shock.

'God no!' she spluttered as quickly as she could get the words out.

'Really?' Lily said dubiously.

'Yes, really!' Hermione said, flabbergasted. 'Where on earth did you get that idea?'

'Well, I was talking to Remus and Sirius, and as it turns out, you both always seem to disappear at the same time,' she prompted. 'And you're always acting so friendly towards each other.'

Hermione had to laugh at the irony of the situation. 'Lily, I swear to you. We are not, have not and will always be more than good friends,' she said as sincerely as she could. 'I mean, never,' she corrected in haste.

Lily's face relaxed a little, and she smiled. 'I did think it was a little strange, that you two could be dating. I told Remus that, but he's positive you are.'

'Well I'm sorry that I -' Hermione stopped dead. 'Did you just say that Remus thinks we were, you know ...'

'Having it off in deserted classrooms?' Lily offered.

'Yes, that, that's the one, thankyou - so much - Lily,' Hermione said in a strained voice, wincing unpleasantly.

Lily grinned mischievously and nodded.

'So that explains it!' Hermione groaned suddenly, telling Lily of what happened outside the portrait hole.

'Oh dear.' Lily pursed her lips. 'No wonder he was in such a state when he came in just before you two. Didn't say a word, just went straight up to his dorm.'

Hermione shook her head angrily. 'The nerve of him!' she said hotly. 'What's it to him if I'm dating James? I'm certainly not dating him.'

Lily kept quiet. She was looking at Hermione in slight amusement.

'What?' Hermione snapped.

'Nothing, nothing,' she said defensively, opening the door to their room.

Hermione forced herself to calm down. Lily was just being teasing, as usual. It was time to turn the conversation in her favour.

'So, did I hint a bit of jealously in your voice when you asked me about James?' she whispered, pinching Lily playfully as they tiptoed over to her bed and sat down, trying not to rouse the other sleepers.

'Ow!' said Lily, pinching her back and putting on an innocent voice. 'Whatever do you mean?'

'You know what I mean,' Hermione teased, starting to untie her shoes.

'Well, I don't like him or anything ...' Lily started.

'No, of course not, completely out of the question,' Hermione cut in, in false seriousness.

'But,' she paused, 'he's changed, I'll give him that.'

'Changed?' Hermione asked, hardly containing her delight.

'You must have noticed,' Lily said wistfully. 'He's so much more ...'

'Pleasant?'

'Well, yes,' Lily laughed. 'Take the other day for instance. He bumped into a Ravenclaw first year on his way to class and instead of yelling "Watch where you're going!" or "Get the hell out of my way!" he ... he actually apologized! He said it was his fault and that he'd try to be more careful in the future.'

Hermione couldn't help but feel smug. She was setting up Harry's parents!

'And another thing,' Lily said, changing into her pyjamas. 'I know it sounds high and mighty of me, but he hasn't asked me out for a whole week! I think it's a record.' She shook her head and lay on down on the bed.

Hermione had advised James in his first lesson to stop trying to annoy Lily into going out with him. Let her come to you, she had told him.

And by the looks of it, her plan was working.

'He probably doesn't even like me anymore,' Lily said, a little disappointedly.

'Oh, he still likes you all right,' Hermione said with alacrity. 'I wouldn't worry about that.'

Lily beamed. 'You're such a great friend Bel,' she said fondly.

Hermione hugged her. 'Sleep well,' she said, getting up and changing into her own bed-clothes. She stopped and thought for a moment. 'What am I saying? Of course you will when you've got James to dream about.'

She caught the teddy bear Lily flung at her and poked out her tongue.

'Behave,' Lily said sternly, turning off the light.

Hermione felt a wave of sadness rush over her as she lay in bed. When she had first come into the past, she had never expected to make friends. Although she had no choice, she despised herself for lying to them. Every time they called her Isabelle, she couldn't help but suffer a twinge of guilt. She knew Dumbledore was right; she was well aware that she was not to tamper with time, but it didn't stop her from wanting to stand up at dinner in the Great Hall and scream at the top of her lungs, 'I am Hermione Granger! Pay me lots of money for I know all your destinies!'

But when she questioned herself of whether she'd rather have never fallen through that painting in the first place, she found that she answered no in an instant. She'd had to do sixth year twice, be away from her immediate friends and family, stress herself out looking for something unknown to her and nearly get eaten by her teacher to be. Yet somehow, coming into the past was one of the best things that had ever happened to her ...

Thinking about all the great moments she'd had over the past four and a half months, Hermione drifted to sleep with a smile on her face.