Time's Last Laugh [Harry Potter Fanfiction]

The Man in the Clock (cont'd)

A/n: Apparently my story decided it wasn't happy with the way the last chapter ended. So here's some more in a new part so you don't have to re-read the previous chapter to get it. I also changed Hermione's name from Hermione Grainge to Mione Gibbons, so heads up for that. Britpicking would be much appreciated.

"What?" Remus blurts. 

"What do you mean, what?" Mione asks, seeming baffled.

"I mean...I don't know what I mean, actually," Remus admits. "I suppose it's the shock of hearing that DOVH," Mione's eyebrows fly up. Remus waits to see if she has anything to say, but she waves him on, "err, that DOVH is restarting, when really, it shouldn't have been closed in the first place."

"Mm," Mione commiserates. "I understand that. But there's something more to it, isn't there?"

Twelve years hasn't dulled Mione's perspicacity any. "Astute as always, Mione," Remus smiles weakly. "I, err..."

"You're worried about Harry."

Remus closes his eyes. It sounds so...clean, when she puts it like that. As if his stomach hasn't just knotted, his heart given a painful squeeze, his mood taken a nosedive at the mere mention of Harry's name.

"Yes," he breathes, "I'm worried about Harry."

A small hand covers his. "I understand," Mione says softly. "I feel the same way."

He looks up at her to see she's worrying her lip again. She meets his gaze steadily enough, however, offering him a weak smile.

"I can't promise that he won't explode when he sees us, because, well, Harry," she says, earning a weak chuckle from him. "But I can promise you won't be alone, either. Harry was rather displeased with me the last time we were together."

"What?" Remus says, before his brain catches up with him. "He can't possibly blame you for not seeing what was coming. Does he?"

Mione ducks her head. "That was the general gist of his anger, yes," she admits. "But I'm sure that he'll come around, especially for you," she adds, looking at him beseechingly. "I mean, even he could see the strain the mission was putting on you, only he didn't know what he could do about it except work harder to try to find the Horcruces sooner, get them destroyed faster, so you wouldn't have to spend any more time absolutely miserable than you had to. But that just made it worse, didn't it?"

She peers at him where he's staring at his hands. He doesn't know what to think. At the time, he had thought... "I..." he starts, then stops. So many things are whipping through him, he can't – he doesn't know what he's feeling. Only that it's huge and that he doesn't want to, can't, have it burst out with anyone else looking.

Speaking of Mione, she's saying, "It's all right, Remus. Whatever it is, it's all right. You couldn't have known, because Merlin knows Harry is awful at expressing his feelings except when he's angry. I can't begin to tell you how many times I've told him he has got to be better at not bottling everything up, but that man, oh!" She makes a motion like she wants to strangle someone, presumably Harry.

Remus laughs, weakly, but still a laugh. "Thank you, Mione," he says. "Not just for..." For telling him. For still knowing how to make him laugh when he was overwhelmed. For being there for him when everything was falling down, and even Lily couldn't help him. For coming to find him. Everything, really.

Mione clearly hears what he's trying to say, as her frustration softens. "You're welcome, Remus." She squeezes his hand. "Really, though, think about it. Coming with me, I mean. If only so you can have it out with him for being so stupid, or having the emotional range of a teaspoon."