Turn back time - Hermione Granger in the Marauders era

Chapter 5 - An eventful breakfast

The next morning was a Saturday, and Hermione awoke surprisingly early considering the night before. Knowing that when her friends awoke she'd have a lot of explaining to do, she got dressed as quickly and as quietly as she could. She walked down the stairs silently, as she didn't want to wake anyone else in case it was really early. With the lack of a watch. Hermione had no idea what time it was. She entered the Common Room, trying to rub the sleep out of her eyes, she was about to flump into an armchair, when she saw Remus lying strewn across the large sofa. She jumped slightly, but then she almost smiled. He looked so peaceful in sleep. It took a few minutes for Hermione to decide whether or not to wake him, but noticing the strange angle of his neck, she thought it was the kindest thing to do. She leaned over him slightly and whispered his name gently.

It took several minutes for her to coax him out of sleep.

"Eh? What? What happened? Is anyone hurt?" he burst out, still in a dreamlike state.

He snapped out of it immediately.

"Hermione!" He gasped. "What's going on?"

"Nothing, nothing. We're in the Common Room, its early. I'm waking you so you can go back to sleep in your bed."

Remus groaned, "my neck."

"You just slept on it weirdly. Anyway, what are you doing here?"

"I guess I just... didn't make it upstairs. Didn't want to wake anyone."

Hermione smiled and Remus sat up, rubbing his eyes. "What time is it?" he asked.

"No idea. But its early anyway. It's probably about six, but its a Saturday, so no rush."

Remus nodded, and his sleepiness finally seemed to be wearing off.

"Thanks for waking me,"

"It was my pleasure," Hermione smiled.

He smiled back. It seemed a true smile. Not like the sad ones he usually did. And Hermione couldn't help but grin wider to think it.

"So, the 'Marauders' map. How are you getting along?"

"Great. We've nearly finished the drawings of the castle and the seven secret passage ways."

"The seven secret passage ways?" Hermione asked.

Remus proceeded to explain to her each of the secret ways out of the school that he, James, Sirius and Peter had found over the past five years, whilst Hermione stared intently in intriguement.

"You're all amazing! It's incredible, how you find out these things. You're all so clever, you should really use your minds for a greater cause!" Hermione didn't feel awkward or shy at telling Remus all this, even though she would've with James, Peter and maybe Sirius. But he seemed bashful at her compliments and he just shrugged.

"I'll have a future at Map-making. Just what I always dreamed of." Remus said as if he was joking, but on truth, having any career would exceed his expectations. What employer would take someone like him on?

"No, really. I think you should all become Aurors. Fight You-Know-Who and his followers... and all the Slytherins."

Remus gave a short laugh. "Sure. Beat up some Slithers, that really is a dream come true. Will you become an Auror?"

Hermione sighed. "I don't really know what I want to be, its weird to think of a life outside Hogwarts. But yeah, kicking some Slytherin ass would be cool."

They both laughed, and spent a number of minutes insulting various Slytherins. A weird topic to bond over.

And indeed they were bonding. Hermione felt a familiarity with him, and over the maybe hour that they talked, they suddenly grew close. There was a whole happy, joking and friendlier side to Remus that she hadn't seen before. She reached a point where her heart lept when he laughed. And, the more they talked, the longer and happier his laughs became. The feeling of joy and relaxation was certainly mutual.