Be Silently Drawn || Remus Lupin & Hermione Granger

Chapter 17

You're leaving?" Remus said, looking completely stunned by the news Hermione had just given him.

"I'm leaving," she regretfully confirmed.

"Tomorrow morning?"

"Yes."

Remus simply stared at her for several long moments before shaking his head in disbelief. He appeared to be at a loss, unable or unwilling to accept what she was telling him.

"But that's so soon," he said finally. "That's tomorrow."

"I know," Hermione said softly. She was painfully aware of that fact.

"Why so soon? Why now?"

"I have to, Remus."

After learning about the magic rose and the Time-Turner last night, Hermione had told Dumbledore the sooner she left the better. She knew the longer she stayed here the harder it would be to say goodbye. It was already difficult enough.

"Are you in some kind of danger?" Remus asked, worry crossing his features.

"No, of course not. What makes you think that?"

"I sort of have a theory. You know, about what you promised Dumbledore to keep secret."

"You do?" Hermione said, a bit apprehensive that her astute boyfriend had speculated about this enough to have come up with a theory.

"Yeah. You told me when you first transferred here that last year was tough for you because you were always on the move and worrying about everyone's well-being. I think maybe you were on the run, and the witch you told me about, the one who attacked you for being Muggle-born, was a Death Eater. I think they might have targeted you for some reason, and you're staying here now at Hogwarts to be under Dumbledore's protection."

Impressed by Remus's guess work, but more greatly relieved that he hadn't mentioned anything about time travel, she told him, "I promise you, Remus, I'm not in any danger. I just have to go."

"Because of the thing you can't tell me about?"

"Yes."

"But you'll be safe?"

His concern for her touched her deeply. Feeling the threat of tears sting her eyes and not trusting her voice anymore, Hermione nodded and then she hugged him, holding him tightly. She couldn't help but feel like this was a permanent goodbye, an irrevocable farewell to the opportunity of being happy with him. Although she trusted Dumbledore and therefore his theory about the rose, she strongly doubted the possibility of the older Remus returning her affections in her proper time. The way he'd pulled away from their kiss in her dream and walked off without a backward glance kept haunting her. She knew this could very well be her final day with Remus.

Much to Hermione's dismay, this potential last day was passing by much too quickly. Before she knew it, morning was gone. Then the afternoon seemed to whirl by in a flash. Hermione wondered why whenever a person wished time to stand still it seemed to pass by at lightning speed instead. She and Remus tried to act normal and keep things lighthearted so they could make the most of the little time they had left, but the knowledge of Hermione's imminent departure loomed over them like a Dementor. They kept the soul-sucking creature at bay the best they could, but it became much harder to do so once dusk fell.

After dinner, the couple curled up together by the fireplace in the Gryffindor common room and remained there for hours, long after all the other Gryffindors spending their holiday at Hogwarts had retired to bed, when little more than embers were left burning before them. Time was ticking away, surely and steadily, but neither Hermione nor Remus wanted to leave each other's side.