His Past, Her Future {Book One}

Chapter 23. Love Bites

"Remus Lupin!"

Hermione shuffled uncomfortably in her sleep vaguely registering a shrill voice abusing her ear drums.

It was only when she felt Remus' hand roughly nudging her shoulder that she couldn't ignore the interruption and rolled herself off his comfortable chest and onto her back.

"Miss Granger?!"

Hearing her name called in that same screech she opened her eyes to the darkened room. Disgruntled doubly that she was being awoken before sunrise she looked sourly towards the figure at the end of the bed, only to see her Head of House towering over their intertwined forms.

"Professor?" Hermione's voice shook as her face froze in shock, mirroring the older woman's expression.

"Shit," mumbled a deeper voice somewhere above Hermione's ear.

"'Shit indeed Mr Lupin." Replied McGonagall and Hermione flinched as she heard that familiar hard tone, so familiar to the Weasley twins, for the first time directed towards her.

Hermione opened her mouth to say something, anything, to somehow redeem herself to her mentor but the Professor held a hand to stop her.

"No. I don't want to hear it Miss Granger. Suffice it to say I am very disappointed, in both of you."

Hermione's eyes filled with tears. Although she knew she wouldn't have changed a thing she had done, she felt ashamed to be so looked down upon by her dearest Professor.

"Detention. For you, Miss Granger. Do not doubt I would give the same to you, Mr Lupin. If you were not already to be indisposed this weekend.

Remus' hand stroked Hermione's arm discreetly as she struggled not to cry.

"Five minutes. I will be waiting in the Common Room. I will expect to see you ready to leave Mr Lupin and Miss Granger returning to her own dormitory. You have five minutes." And with that she swept from the room.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm okay, really." Hermione brushed of his hand, reaching under the bed where she placed her dressing gown the night before.

"No My, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have fallen asleep. I knew she was coming in the morning and I should have at least told you in case. I -"

"Don't worry about it Remus," Hermione replied slipping the robe over her bare shoulders.

When he didn't look convinced, she leaned over and kissed him gently on the lips.

"It doesn't matter," she insisted as she stood up to tie her robes shut. "Just make sure you're okay... I'll worry about you." She whispered the last part.

He smiled smugly at her confession and stood up to gather his clothes.

"The boys are coming this time, I'll be fine," he replied.

Hermione pursed he lips but chose not to comment on this particular activity of the marauders, she knew it was important to Remus as she remembered his older his version once explaining to her.

"I love you," she chose to say instead.

"I know," he gloated, puling out a small bag and slipping it over his shoulder.

She reached across the bed to slap him playfully but he caught her hand before she could the momentum causing her to belly flop across the bed.

"I love you too," he whispered, leaning down to brush his lips against hers.

Long shadows were splashed across the walls of the first floor corridor as Hermione walked alone after finishing her detention that night.

McGonagall had passed her onto Filch and he had proceeded to have her reorganize each and every store closet on the first floor taking an inventory as she went. Hermione scowled as she stormed back through the corridors, papers in hand ready to take to Filch's office as she had been instructed, it was obvious Filch was making her do his own work. Despite it taking most of the night, the time she was guessing would have been about one in the morning, Hermione was at least grateful for the distraction knowing that she would have else wise been destined to wait out the Moon's setting, without even Sirius to seek comfort.