Lone Wolf

For the third time that day now, Hermione ran back upstairs to her room, meticulously making sure she had everything she would need in her trunk. Mentally checking off her list, she felt satisfied for the third time today, finally placing Crookshanks into his carrier. It was going to be a good year. It was, after all, going to be her seventh and last year, and she, Hermione Granger, had been made head-girl.

Ten minutes later she was at the foot of the stairs, carrier in hand, trunk at her side, and ready to go Glancing into the wall mirror one last time, Hermione studied herself carefully. She hadn't changed much, she didn't think. Her hair was still just as bushy and wavy as it had been in third year, but she was nevertheless thankful that her first and second year "poodle" hair had disappeared. And every other day when she found herself with an unusual amount of time to spare, she would even try straightening it. At the end of last year, Ginny had introduced her to a wide array of hair care products and quick spells. All of those combined with her mother's god sent-straightener actually got Hermione's hair to a point where it actually could be classified as pretty.

As her mother entered the room closely followed by her father, Hermione snapped back into reality and lifted up the carrier. Her father grabbed her trunk and together they walked out to the car.

"Oh, Hermione, we are just so proud of you! This is your last year, and then you'll graduate - our little head-girl! I just wish you would agree to come home for Christmas break - we miss you so!"

Hermione smiled warmly at her mother, placing the carrier into the backseat and seating herself next to it.

The ride to King's Cross Station followed on relatively uneventful, and Hermione reflected silently on her summer, and what to expect from the upcoming school year.

Before she knew it, they had arrived, and her mother and father pulled Hermione into a tight hug.

"I'll see what I can do about Christmas, all right?"

Her parents both beamed, and after what seemed like an eternity, they let her go. Gathering together her things, she ran through the portal, and instantly found herself on Platform 9¾. She smiled at the familiar surroundings. Looking about herself, she instantly spotted a mass of red heads along with one black one, and quickly strolled towards her friends.

"Harry! Ron! It's so good to see you two again! And you too Ginny!" She gave them all tight hugs before finally pulling away. Ron was scarlet. She scowled, turning her attention away from him. "Good morning Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. How was your summer?"

"Wonderful Hermione, thank you," Mrs. Weasley responded cheerfully. "Now let's get you lot stacked away on the train!"

Loading their trunks onto the train, they all got on. While Ginny went to look for her new mysterious boyfriend no one knew anything about to sit with, the three friends went looking for their own compartment. With everywhere else full, they were lucky to find the last compartment empty. Hermione realized that it was, in fact, the same compartment they had occupied third year.

About ten minutes after they had started their journey to their second home, Harry suddenly broke the eerie silence, which had begun to settle in the compartment.

"Listen, Ron, could Hermione and I talk for a little bit... in private?" Nodding, Ron left them to themselves.

"Err, Hermione, I need to tell you something important. But you need to promise me you won't tell Ron - he wouldn't understand. You will be the first person whom I will be telling this. Please don't hate me for finally having figured this out." He took a deep breath. "Oh, this is so hard. I should have just owled you. Dammit, why is this so hard? All right. I... I... I'm gay." He buried his face in his hands.

Hermione broke into a wide grin and gathered Harry in her arms, pulling him into a tight hug. "Oh Harry, I'm so happy for you!"

A look of complete disbelief and befuddlement spreading over his visage, he returned the hug, a grin now forming on his face also. "Thank you so much for understanding," he whispered to her, finally pulling away. Wiping a lone tear from his face, he started, "we better get Ron." Hermione nodded and went to go get him.

Half an hour later, she was changed and ready to arrive at school again. She had had her prefects/head-girl/boy meet (Harry had been made head-boy) and was now sitting in their compartment, reflecting. It had been four years since they had last sat here; four years since Professor Lupin had taught them. Four long years...

As the train came to an abrupt halt, Hermione was thrown out of her thoughts, and she and her friends got all of their things, exiting the train and heading up to their home in the carriages pulled by the thestrals.

She felt a warm feeling overtake her body as she stepped into the Great Hall. Home.

Seating herself at her regular spot next to Harry and across from Ron, Hermione eagerly awaited Dumbledore's speech. After the sorting had commenced and everyone had been placed into his or her respective houses, the headmaster stood, clearing his throat.

"Welcome students to yet another year at Hogwarts; new faces and old faces," he nodded at a few of them, "comparatively to the last two years, I can assure you that everything is back to normal, though we do have a new DADA teacher. I do believe most of you remember Professor Lupin?"

Wild cheers erupted from the Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw tables, and Hermione's stomach did a flip. Professor Lupin was back??

After the meal, during which Hermione had been severely spacing out, Dumbledore led both Harry and Hermione to their new head boy and girl's dormitory, where they met a portrait of a large gray wolf, sleeping peacefully under a willow. In the top left corner was a crescent mood, few clouds obscuring the view of the ethereal star-splattered sky.

"It's beautiful," Hermione whispered, and Dumbledore nodded.

"You password will be Moonshine." The gray wolf sleepily opened an eye, and the portrait swung open.

Upon their entrance, Harry and Hermione were instantly greeted by a large fire, one landing below them. They were standing on a white marble platform, two matching staircases leading the way down on either side. The floor, which was covered with a soft carpet, was a deep whine red, the couch and armchairs surrounding the hearth golden, with deep red pillows thrown on them. The mantel around the fireplace was a white marble, an imposing portrait of Godric Gryffindor hanging above it. Lining the left wall were several golden bookshelves, filled with all kinds of books. The right wall merely had four windows, in the center of them a door leading outside. To the left and right of the fireplace were two doors. It was dark out, the sky mostly clear, a crescent moon shining down and giving off little light, leaving their common room in the dark except for little light coming from the fire. The sudden sound of Dumbledore's voice startled Hermione out of her trance.

"I sincerely hope that the room suits your needs. The door on the right is yours Ms. Granger; the one of the left yours Mr. Potter. You will find that you are sharing a bathroom. All of your belongings have already been put away in their respective places. Classes start tomorrow morning; you will receive your schedules at breakfast with the owls. Sleep well."

The door closed silently, and Hermione went into her new room.

Upon her entrance she discovered that it too, was red and gold. The walls and floor were a deep burgundy, golden flecks scattered onto the walls at random. A large golden canopy with red sheets and golden pillows on it stood on the far wall. To its right was a matching gold nightstand with all of her schoolbooks already placed onto it. On the right wall were two windows, heavy golden drapes covering them, with large glass double-doors in between, leading out to a beautiful balcony. To her left was a door, with another door to its right situated farther back. To her immediate right stood an imposing cherry-wood desk, more of her things already placed on it also. Crookshank's carrier was already sitting to the left of the desk. Left of the bed stood a comfortable looking armchair, next to it, a mahogany bookshelf. Walking over to the far door on her left, she opened it, seeing Harry's room, which was decorated just as hers was. Next to the bookshelf, she spotted her trunk; Crookshanks already curled up on it. Making her way to the last door, she decided that it must lead to the bathroom. Inside, the floor was white marble, with golden counters on the right, in which golden sinks were embedded on the white marble top. A large mirror stood over the sinks. On each sides of the counter were golden toilets, one for each of them. To her left was a large roman-style embedded golden tub with jets on the sides. To the left and right of the tub were two also golden showers. It looked absolutely beautiful.

Deciding that the tub was just too hard to resist giving a try, and that she had wanted to take a bath anyways, she made sure to lock the doors and slowly undressed, letting the water run into the tub, pouring in just a small amount of bubble bath as well.

Slowly descending into the hot water, she sighed, letting herself grow accustomed to the heat. Closing her eyes, she began to think. This was going to be a good year... Sure, they had their N.E.W.T.s to take, but those would be simple enough, especially with Professor Lupin teaching them this year.

It had been quite some time since they had seen him. She hadn't done any work for the Order since fifth year, simply because others wouldn't allow her to be in such danger. But they didn't understand. She wanted to be put in that type of danger; she wanted to be part of all that. She didn't want to be left out. Which was exactly what she felt like - left out. And no one really understood.

She sighed again as she sank down under all of the bubbles, getting her hair wet. She was going to take her sweet time, gently massaging her milk and honey shampoo and conditioner onto her head. She still couldn't believe Harry was gay, she realized, once again going underwater to wash off the shampoo and conditioner. Getting up out of the bath so as to wash herself with her vanilla-lavender body wash, her thoughts continued. She would definitely have to find someone for Harry. There was no way around that. Suddenly, a colloquy from the past came back to her.

"How could you have done this to her?"

"I know Ginny's upset Hermione, but I can't go out with her. I... I'm gay."

Beaming with joy at her recollection, she jumped out of the tub, letting the water run out, quickly toweling herself off. Throwing on a light bathrobe, she ran from the bathroom, her hair still sopping wet. Taking out some parchment, a quill, and ink, she began scribbling away like mad.

Ten minutes later was as in the Owlery, tying the note she had so hastily written to the leg of a gray barn owl.

"Fly quickly," she whispered, letting the owl fly off into the night.

On the way back to the Head Common Room, she was still dressed in a mere bathrobe, her hair still soaking wet. She was about to turn the corner when she heard two voices coming from there.

"You better watch your step Lupin. You never know what kind of things could go wrong in the concoction of a Wolfsbane potion, now do you?"

"Severus, I now you wanted the job. But that was Dumbledore's decision. Fact is, I will teach DADA this year. I know you don't like it, but I was in dire need of a job. Besides, the Order..."

"Always Dumbledore's favorite, weren't you? You little suck-up. Besides, with such strange thoughts going through your mind as well--"

Hermione heard a crash, and Lupin's voice changed distinctly from rather passive to clearly alert; in fact, it sounded almost panicked. "Severus, have you been going through my things?"

"Well, you wouldn't want something like that to develop, would you? Dangerous, that is. Furthermore, illegal." Came Snape's drawled, teasing reply, the corners of his mouth curling evilly upwards in a malicious grin.

"Severus, nothing is going to develop. You are being paranoid, almost naïve. Good night to you Professor."

Hearing their footsteps dying away in the distance, she rounded the corner, promptly colliding with Professor Lupin.

"Professor..." she stammered, as he grabbed her arms to keep her from falling onto the cold castle floor.

He remained like this for several moments, their gazes locked. Realizing what he was doing, he jerked away.

"It's good to see you again Hermione. How have you been?"

She swallowed. "It's good to see you again as well, Professor. I've been fine, thank you. It should be a good year - especially with you teaching us again." She smiled up at him. He blushed lightly, and she continued, "I should go Professor. It's late, and well..." she looked down at her feet.

"Oh. Of course. Sleep well Hermione." Turning the opposite direction, he strode towards his room. Looking after him, Hermione sighed. It was going to be a long year.