Werewolf in Disguise

Friday night, found everyone sitting around the kitchen table, finishing up Order business and discussing Harry’s dream from the night before. Hermione, having already heard the details, began to let her mind drift back to earlier that day. She, Ron, and Harry had been in the library most of the day studying and Remus and Hermione hadn’t been in close contact since last night. If anything, it seemed he was avoiding her. Every time she would look at him, at mealtime and the like, he would make a point to look away. The hurt could be seen plainly on her face, until she hid it and redirected her thoughts. She had redirected them so many times that day however, there was no where else for them to go. She had decided to talk to Sirius and see if that would leave her feeling any better.

“Hermione, are you alright?” Sirius had asked her worriedly after lunch.

“No,” she sighed. “I can’t help it. I promised to give him time, but I miss him so much. I really need him right now and he won’t even look at me.”

“I’m sorry, love. Just give him time. Please don’t give up on him,” Sirius said softly as he held her gently.

“Why is it so easy with you? Why so hard with him?”

“Because I love you, Gyps. But he was, and I think still is, in love with you. He’s worried about you.”

“He’s not in love with me, not anymore. He won’t even be in the same room with me for very long.” Sirius had just held her tightly as she sniffled, before they parted and went their separate ways.

Hermione was jerked back to the current conversation by Harry’s next question. “So, Remus, do you think this is for real?” he asked with worry. “Do you really think Hogwarts will be attacked?”

“I don’t know. What’s your take on this, Severus? Is this just another ploy, or did Harry actually see something he shouldn’t?”

“It’s impossible to tell. If he had learned Occlumency when I tried to teach him, we wouldn’t be having this problem, now would we?”

“If I had a professor who actually taught me, I would have learned!” Harry said angrily as he stood up and placed his hands on the table.

“You were impossible to teach!” Severus said loudly as he too stood up, leaning towards Harry. “One who wears their emotions on their sleeves as you do, Potter, can not learn to shut others out of his own thoughts.”

“At least I have emotions,” Harry spat back.

The whole of the room had gone quiet and were watching the long awaited confrontation. Even though it appeared Harry and Snape and come to a silent agreement, there had always been an underlying tension between the two.

“You have emotions enough for everyone in this house, Potter, so don’t pride yourself too much.”

“You’re one to talk about pride. You walk around like everyone is beneath you, and no one fit to touch your robes.”

“You really should consider growing up one day, before the choice to do so is taken from you,” he said menacingly as everyone gasped.

“THAT’S ENOUGH!” Remus yelled, as the two men stared menacingly at one another.

“Sod off, Lupin, this is none of your concern.”

“Leave him alone!”

“Defending loved ones again?”

“At least I can love, that’s more than I can say for you,” Harry spat angrily.

Snape snarled at him and his anger became more evident as the air around him crackled and a slight breeze began to stir. “Love?! Don’t make me sick, Potter. No one needs it. Love is the reason muggles claim to do half the moronic things they do. It’s why these two,” he said as he waved his hand in the general direction of Remus and Hermione while raising his voice considerably, “can’t be in the same room without him hurting her. And if love is so great, Potter, where is your mother now? Where is Lily? Does love deserve death?!” he asked as his voice shook with rage and Harry just stared at him, unable to speak. Everyone else in the room stood in fear. No one was sure what he could do when angry, but the powerful and dark image he was emitting was very scary indeed and had most backing slowly away from him.

Hermione gaped at him as he made his speech. She knew he had a hard life, as they had discussed some of it while she was in the past, but to never have love, or give love, that was more than she could comprehend. Everyone needs love. She decided to intervene soon, before Severus did something he might very well regret. Getting up, she walked over to him slowly, as the others watched open mouthed, wondering why she would do something so stupid as to approach him while he was like this. She lay her hand on his arm making him jump and face her, wand pointing at her chest. No one had even saw him draw it, and many wondered if he planned on using it against Harry first, only seconds ago. Hermione simply looked at the wand and then up at Snape. It was impossible to tell who in the room was most shocked, however, when she started to speak calmly.

“Put your wand away, Sev, I know you won’t use it,” she said quietly, then looked between Harry and Severus. “I believe that is enough from both of you.”

Harry stared at her incredulously. Did she just call him Sev?! And why the bloody hell was she touching him?

“You can’t fix everything and everyone, Princess, so back off,” he said, but with less menace in his voice and the air stopped crackling as the tension in his body began to dissipate.

There were so many questions in the minds of all in attendance at the moment yet, no one could voice them. Did they really just hear the words Sev and Princess? And did they really just come from those two? And was he really allowing someone to touch him?

“This, that’s going on between the two of you, I can’t begin to fix,” she said, again looking at both of them, before adding in a voice that was not to be argued with. “But this is not the time, nor the place, for you two to be acting like children. You’re two grown men and the world needs you both right now, so act like it!”

Severus regarded her closely for a moment before speaking, “even without your twin, Princess, you think you can still put a person in their place,” he said quietly as he shook his head and started walking to the door.

He turned back to see everyone still staring at him and said, “Love may be your great power, Potter, but I have no use for it.” With that, he walked out of the door, leaving everyone speechless and Hermione sadly shaking her head.

“What the bloody hell was he talking about?”

“Ronald Weasley watch your mouth!” said Molly angrily as Ron just rolled his eyes.

“Hermione, forgive me for being a bit confused over here, but I think I speak for everyone when I say, first ‘gross’ and second, you need to explain.”

“I agree Fred,” George said, with a matching look of disgust on his face. “We speak for the room when we say, you need to explain what he was saying to you, and you need to explain it word for word. And then you need to tell us where you got the bullocks to do what you just did. He looked downright scary, scarier then he‘s ever looked before and that’s saying something.”

“What are you two on about?” Hermione asked as she slumped into Snape’s abandoned chair, rejoining the others and noticed Harry do the same across from her.

“Hermione,” Sirius said, also looking slightly disgusted, “I believe they want to know about your, um, disgusting names for each other,” he said as he grimaced.

“And what twin he’s talking about,” Ginny added.

“And who was he pointing to when he told Harry that someone kept hurting someone else?” Molly asked quietly. “We know it has to do with you going back, dear, but that was very unusual behavior for Severus, and we’d all just like to know what he was talking about.”

“Fine,” she said exasperatedly. “Well, ‘Sev’ is obviously short for Severus and it started when Lily and I got paired with him in Potions as a way to get him riled, then it stuck. Lily is the twin he was talking about,” she said and noticed with guilt that Harry’s eyes widened so she looked at her hands and continued. “She became my best friend when I went back, well one of five anyway. He used to call us the Gryffindor Princesses, which got shortened to Princess, which was never meant as a term of endearment, I can assure you. See? Simple enough,” she said looking up, hoping no one would remember Molly’s question as Remus was obviously eyeing her nervously.

Molly however, noticed she left this out and decided to let it go. There was something else that happened, aside from her deranged friendship with Severus, that still had her a bit upset. Since this was her second night back, Molly had decided to let it go for now. She’d find out who had hurt Hermione, and if they continued to do so, she’s step in then.

When the meeting had ended, only Hermione and Sirius were still in the kitchen, making tea for the night and small talk about the past, when Remus walked in.

“Has everyone left?” Hermione asked, as she sat the cups on the counter. Noticing his face when he saw her, she sadly added, “I’ll leave if you want to stay.”

“No, Hermione. Stay, please,” Sirius pleaded as he looked at Remus with warning in his eyes.

“I think most are still in the living room,” replied Remus, watching every move she made and trying to act as though he weren‘t. Although what she said bothered him, the attraction he had felt for her 18 years ago was still going strong, or stronger now. He just didn‘t know how to tell her that, or if he should, or what to do about it, if anything. He was very confused.

Sirius looked over at Hermione and grinned. “I want to see it,” he said, acting like an excited child.

“No, Sirius,” she replied, grinning back at him.

“But Gyps, it’s been sooo long, please let me see it.” he whined.

“What do I get if I show it to you?” she asked, slowly turning to him.

He replied cheekily, “I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.”

“But you forget Sirius, I’ve seen yours and I don’t need to see it again,” Hermione said.

“Yea Padfoot, I don’t really want to see yours either,” Remus said smiling, seeing a way to get physically close to Hermione if not emotionally, “but I wouldn’t mind seeing Gypsy’s again.”

The three weren’t aware that their conversation in the kitchen hadn’t been private as most of the house were watching and listening by the open door, some excited and some a bit disturbed.

Sirius moved in front of Hermione and said, “Please love, I’m going through withdrawals here. It‘s been 18 years.” He slowly lowered his hands to the snap of her jeans.

Remus moved behind her and whispered loudly in her ear, “Just this once and we won’t ask again.”

“Fine,” Hermione sighed, “just this once.” She would have given Remus anything he wanted at that moment, just to keep him behind her and so close that his breath was touching her neck again.

Suddenly remembering the comment the previous night about the boxers, Mr. Weasley stormed into the room, making everyone jump as he yelled, “What is going on in here?! Sirius, Remus, you should be ashamed of yourselves! I will not have that going on around here and NOT with Hermione. Now leave her alone!”

Harry looked at them and, finding his voice said, “I understand there’s a lot that happened that we don’t know, but this is a bit much guys.” His face turned bright red, out of anger and embarrassment, Fred and George were heard to say, “damn, it was just getting good,” and everyone else was standing there shocked at what they had almost witnessed.

Hermione looked at them, then at Sirius’ hands on the snap of her jeans, then up at Sirius and Remus. The three suddenly burst into laughter, clutching their sides as tears streamed down their faces.

“Harry, come on in, I’ll show you too,” Hermione said giggling as her hand went to the snap on her jeans.

“For crying out loud Hermione, I do NOT want to see that!” Harry practically shouted.

“Harry, grow up, you’ve seen me in a lot less then this before,”

“But that was an accident!!” Harry squeaked, his face growing very red by now as everyone said “you have?” and “Wow, my hero.” Ginny however, was looking murderously at him. “I was looking for you and walked in on her in her underwear Ginny, I swear it wasn’t intentional!”

“GUYS!” Sirius yelled, as Remus was starting to get very agitated at the way some were ogling Hermione. “Arthur, we weren’t talking sexual for Merlin’s sake, what do you take us for? Hermione has something that we want to see, and now,” he said grinning down at her, “she’ll have to show everyone.”

Hermione rolled her eyes and said, “fine” as she undid the snap and lowered her zipper. Then, turning around, she rolled down the top of her jeans to expose a beautiful tattoo of a wolf howling at the moon, with the name ‘Gypsy’ floating below it, on her lower back. It would walk around, looking lost, lower its head, and then throw it back up and howl silently again. Everyone gasped again and Mr. Weasley mumbled an apology.

“Wow Hermione, when did you get that?” Charlie asked, clearly impressed and walking over to get a better look. She answered, “about 18 years ago and it was Sirius’ fault.”

“No, it was your, um, right of passage so to speak, and you agreed. Remus is the one that said where you should get it, not me!” Sirius replied, trying to look innocent.

“But James talked her into it, I only helped!” replied Remus, trying to look innocent as well.

Fred and George asked at the same time, “Right of what passage?”

“To become a Marauder of course,” Remus replied, “Hence the name ’Gypsy’.”

Suddenly there were cries of “you were a Marauder?” and “Gypsy?” along with “No way, not Hermione!”

Remus, deciding he better explain the story, started quickly, “Hermione didn’t want anyone to know about her condition, so she was a little shocked when the guys were there the night of her second transformation. I had told her they would be ok with it, but she was nervous telling someone she had only known for two months. They came to rescue me from the hospital wing, when they discovered who the new wolf was. James decided that she should be inducted into the group, I think it was his way of showing her that no one else would find out, and after all of her ideas for pranks already, no one disagreed. The tattoo is of her animal form and her name all together.”

“Why Gypsy though,” asked Ron.

“Well, ‘Moony’ was obviously taken, so we named her ’Gypsy’ since she just wandered into our lives and had no idea how she got there. James called her that when she suddenly appeared in front of us, and we remembered it that morning,” said Sirius proudly. “We call her Pup when she transforms, because it makes her mad.”

Harry tried to hide the jealous look on his face at his father’s named being mentioned with Hermione, but wasn’t quick enough to keep Hermione from seeing it first. Her face fell as she felt increasingly guilty, yet again.

The next morning found the house fairly empty. Well as empty as Grimmuald Place ever got these days. Hermione had drug Harry and Ron to the library to study, reminding them that NEWTS started “THIS WEEK, AND YOU BETTER BE READY!”

“Hermione,” Ron sighed, “I think you forget you weren’t actually gone for five months. We’ve been studying, remember?”

“Yes Ronald, but you can always study more. Now, let’s go over Charms. I have a few questions about Potions, but I’ll wait and ask Severus later. Now,” she said as she grabbed her book, but then realized her friends were staring at her with weird expressions on their faces. “What?”

“It’s just a bit mental, Hermione. The way you talk about him like he’s an old friend,” Ron said.

“I wouldn’t have called him a friend exactly,” she explained. “He would never have been friends with us, but there was a certain level of respect and something close to friendship, I guess you could say. Which reminds me, Harry, before we leave Hogwarts, you should get your old Potions book back. Some of the things he wrote in it came from me and Lily.”

“Ok,” he said slowly.

“Um, ok, let’s get back to Charms then,” Ron said, breaking the awkward silence. “Then when you talk to Severus, you can help us with Potions.”

“Fine,” she said grinning.

The door opened an hour later and in walked Sirius with Remus in tow.

“Hello, bookworms!” Sirius called as he sat down a tray of tea. “Thought you could use a pick-me-up.”

“Padfoot, if that’s your pick-me-up, then I’ll pass. Harry and Ron will love it though, I’m sure,” Hermione said, sharing a knowing smile with Sirius.

“Now Gyps, don’t be like that, and yes, they will love it. Yours however, I did not make and it should be exactly to your liking,” he said, glaring at Remus’ back as he walked out the door.

“Ah, I see, avoiding me again?” she asked, trying to mask the hurt look on her face.

“Give him time, love, he’ll come around,” he said consolingly.

“Sure, and pigs fly. But thank you for the tea.”

“You’re welcome,” he said, then grinned at the boys, “enjoy!”

As he walked out the door, he conjured a cute, little pig and made it fly around the room. Hermione gave a sad laugh and then looked back at her book.

“What’s Remus’ problem?” Ron asked curiously.

Harry and Ron both picked up their cups cautiously, “what’s in it do you reckon?” Harry asked changing the subject.

“You’ll like it, just drink it…” she was suddenly sprayed with hot tea as both Harry and Ron spit their mouthfuls all over her. She grinned and finished, “slowly, it’s a bit potent.”

“Hermione, I’m sorry!” Ron said as he drew his wand and performed a cleaning spell.

“No worries, now where were we?”

“No worries? Who are you and where is Hermione?” Ron asked.

“Funny Ronald. I’m a Marauder now, you have to remember that.”

“Charms,” Harry said as he pulled his book over closer to himself.

They finished studying and headed down to dinner when Ron’s stomach started growling so loudly they couldn’t concentrate.

Dinner Saturday night was a quieter affair than usual. Only the residents of Grimmuald Place were there and the younger ones would be going back tomorrow to take their NEWTS. Most everyone had agreed to leave Hermione alone and let her tell her story in her own time. This was hardest for Ron, who wanted to know every single detail about everything, especially how she came to be a Marauder. Harry was torn between wanting to know all about his parents, and being extremely jealous by what he had witnessed.

Snape finally walked in, after everyone else was seated and already eating. Hermione was sitting closest to the door and as far from Sirius and Remus as she could get, as Remus was being cold to her yet again, so she greeted him warmly.

“Hello, Sev. Glad you could join us,” she said sweetly, as if 18 years had not passed. Harry and Ron both looked disgusted at hearing her address him like that, while Remus and Sirius smiled slightly, but were also disgusted.

“Hermione, I believe I told you, many years ago, not to call me that,” he said, his lip curling and not realizing he had called her Hermione.

“Us, too,” Sirius added grimly as everyone smiled. “Well I‘ll be! The Marauders and Severus Snape did agree on something at Hogwarts after all!”

She grinned wickedly and replied, “Don’t blame me, Sev, blame Lily…um, excuse me,” she said as she ran from the kitchen, leaving everyone behind confused.

“Um, was she crying?” Ron asked hesitantly.

Harry stood to go after her, but Remus lay a hand on his arm, “I believe this is not something you can help with. Sirius, would you mind?”

“I’ll be right back,” he said to no one in particular as he left and headed to the library where he was sure to find her.

“What’s going on, Remus? Why Sirius?” Harry asked incredulously.

“This is not something you can help, Harry. Hermione is having a hard time knowing that two of her best friends are dead now, and another betrayed them,” Remus said quietly. “Not to mention her other best friend makes her feel guilty,” he added looking pointedly at Harry.

Sirius looked in the library, but didn’t find her there. He was walking down the hall when he heard sobbing coming from her bedroom. Slowly, he opened the door and entered.

“Hermione, love, are you ok?” he asked as he walked over to the bed.

“They--they’re gone, Sirius. Dead, both of them. And I didn’t get to say g-g-goodbye,” she sobbed loudly.

Sirius lay down on the bed and pulled her to him. He held her tight as she cried for her lost friends. She stopped crying several minutes later, but he held her, afraid to let her go.

“Peter,” she sighed, “I just can’t believe it was Peter.”

“I know, Gyps,” he said. “I was just as shocked. So was Moony when he found out.”

“Oh Remus! How did he do it? How did he make it after losing James and Lily, then you and Peter all at the same time?”

“Shh, we already talked about this. It‘s you who has to do it now. You can‘t keep it all in,” Sirius said.

“How could anyone believe you would betray them?” she asked. “I know why you went after Peter though I’d like to see him pay for what he did. For what he’s done to Harry!”

“Well, it didn’t work out too good for me, so don’t get any stupid ideas in your head, ok?”

“Ok,” she sniffled before saying quietly, “I lost Remus, too. He doesn’t love me anymore. I won’t even have his friendship.”

Sirius didn’t know how to reply to this, so he held her tightly until he was sure she had drifted off to sleep. He then covered her gently and left her sleeping.

“She’s asleep,” he said, looking at a concerned Remus accusingly.

“Thank you,” Remus replied, quickly looking away. He felt very much like a coward for not going himself, but he just wasn’t ready to be that close to her, that emotional with her, not just yet.

“Can I talk to you a minute?” Harry asked Remus, who reluctantly joined him in the deserted kitchen.

“I’ll make this quick,” he said tensely and Remus eyed him warily, but noting how grown up Harry actually had become. “It’s very difficult for me to think of you and Hermione together, but I can get over that. What I can’t and won’t get over, is you hurting her. I warned you this would happen. She needs you and you’re being cold to her. Don’t do this to her, Remus,” he said, before briskly walking out of the kitchen and leaving a stunned and miserable Remus behind.

An hour later, as everyone was seated in the sitting room exchanging small talk, Hermione entered. Sirius had his back to her, playing wizards chess with Ron. She walked up and wrapped her arms around him like she had done so many times before. Although this was nothing new to her, he hadn’t felt it in many years. He closed his eyes and held her arms as Ron looked slightly confused.

“You ok?” he asked gently.

“Yes, thank you. I’m sorry I ran out like that,” she told everyone as she stood back up, “I just, well, I have a few things to deal with I guess.”

“Hermione!” Harry said loudly and slightly angered. “Where did you get that?”

“Get what, Harry?” she asked as confused as everyone else around her.

“Your necklace, that’s what,” he said, obviously more angry now and staring at the pendant that had slipped out of her shirt.

“In the past, Harry, why? What’s wrong?”

Harry jumped up and started for the door, “I’ll be right back.”

Several minutes later he reentered, looking rather excited. “Sorry, Hermione,” he said sheepishly. “But look at this. Can you explain it to me?”

Harry pulled out the familiar pendant and Hermione gasped loudly. “Where did you get it?”

“It was with the things Aunt Petunia gave me last summer, remember? I thought about wearing it, but it was always so cold. Funny, it‘s not now.”

“I can’t believe I forgot! Can I see it?” Harry handed it to Hermione, but when she touched it, grazing Harry’s hand as she did so, a brilliant red light was emitted. The light diminished when Harry let go.

“What was that about?” he asked in awe.

Everyone sat around stunned. Most, like Molly, were just curious about what happened to Hermione last week, and if she really was ok, others wanted to know about the light, but weren‘t sure how to ask.

Finally, a third voice entered the conversation, “Was that the Oath Pendant?”

“Yes, Severus, this one was Lily’s,” Hermione answered.

“Well, that explains the light then,” he said, confusing everyone even more.

“What explains the light? What’s an Oath Pendant?” Ron asked slightly scared, while Harry just watched the conversation and the pendant.

“Wait,” Sirius broke in, “that was the Potions favor you and Lily asked Snape for, right? The one you never actually told us about?”

“The one you never asked us about,” Hermione admonished. “You were all too busy jumping on us for having his help that you never even asked what we were doing, remember?!”

“Oh yea, right,” Sirius replied. “Well then, what is it?” he asked grinning.

Hermione sat down, across from Severus, and looked guiltily at Harry.

“You better tell them, Princess, otherwise they’ll never leave you alone. And since it involves Potter, he should know.”

“Well,” she began slowly as she looked at Harry, “your mum bought these Pendants so that we could agree to take care of each other. We made an oath to protect the other and their children with our own lives and put it in the pendants with blood.”

“You did what?!” Remus asked loudly. “How could you do that and not tell me?! This is your life we’re talking about Hermione, your life, and you didn’t even tell me! You told him, but not me?” he asked, angrily pointing to Snape.

Remus didn’t realize his immediate reaction. He didn’t realize he was standing or that by his own earlier actions, he had no right to be upset by this anymore. Most of all however, he didn’t realize that everyone else noticed his reaction and were gaping at him like fish, until Sirius pulled him down by the arm.

“So,” Sirius asked quietly, “you pledged your life to protect each other and your children?”

“Basically,” she said, grinning at Harry, who was fuming, “but I didn’t realize at the time that her son would actually be my best friend also. One that I would protect with my life, oath or not.”

“Granger also didn’t know at the time exactly what she was doing,” Severus said sneering.

“Knock the sneer off your face, Sev,” she said as everyone gasped at the way she spoke to him now.

“Need I remind you, Miss Granger, that I am no longer 18?” he said angrily.

She looked at him sharply and they glared at each other for a bit, before replying, “need I remind you that you are still Severus Snape? And that I know it was you that hexed Bertha when she caught you…”

“That’s quite enough!” he said loudly.

“Wait,” Harry asked, “Bertha Jorkins? That was you?” he asked incredulously.

“Harry, how did you know?” Hermione asked as Severus looked at Harry in shock.

“I…er…saw her telling Dumbledore about being hexed, in his pensive,” Harry said, an incredibly disgusted look on his face as he realized that Snape had been snogging someone.

“Yes, well, she always was a nosy little…”

Hermione looked at the room and added quickly, “He’s right though, about the oath, he explained it to us that night. We were so excited after that Hogsmeade trip, that we got a little carried away,” she said sheepishly.

“Yea, that’s the first time we all ever really argued, too. We were so mad that you let Severus help you and you were mad that we were mad. You two always trusted him and we just never understood,” Sirius said looking at Hermione and Snape.

“Well, the Gryffindor Princesses did possess an unusual amount of bravery,” Snape said without menace and Hermione laughed.

They sat in silence for several minutes while Hermione held both Pendants and looked at them thoroughly. Suddenly her eyes lit up and she jumped out of her seat.

“I’ve got an idea!” she yelled. “Love, Harry, love is your greatest power!”

“Er, yea Hermione, we all know that,” Harry said, shaking his head slightly.

“No, you don’t understand. There is no greater love than that of a parent, right? Your mother sacrificed herself for you, willingly, having been given the chance to step aside, right?”

“Right, where are you going with this?”

“Her blood is in both these pendants Harry, along with mine. I’m also someone who loves you, who would sacrifice myself for you. What if we combine your blood with mine and Lily’s in these pendants? I’m not saying that you’ll be able to use them to defeat Voldemort, but it would add a certain level of protection for you and possibly for me as well. The blood that saved you, that runs through your veins, is in this pendant, and if worn, could protect you further!”

She looked at Severus for confirmation. “Once again, Hermione, you surprise me. These Pendants do offer a level of protection as well as the Oath,” he said. “You would, however, have to do the ritual again.”

“Um, ok, what do we need to do?” Harry asked nervously.

“Wait here, we’ll be right back,” she said automatically grabbing Severus’ hand and dragging him with her. “Do you have everything you need, Sev?” she asked.

“I believe so, I’ll go check. You need to get the knives and let’s get this over with. This one I‘m doing for free I take it?”

“Ok, correct me if I’m wrong,” Molly began, “but it appears Hermione had some sort of relationship with Severus that most of us don’t know about. And no one that I have ever known would be allowed to grab his hand and pull him anywhere. They weren‘t…They didn‘t…”

“A twisted friendship, yes, but nothing more,” said Sirius obviously revolted by the idea, “it was quite disgusting and we all warned them to stay away from him, but they believed he was good. They respected each other and had some sort of friendship.”

“They?” Molly asked.

“Hermione and Lily.”

“This is Hermione we’re talking about. She could charm a dragon, why not Severus?” Remus said grinning.

“There’s obviously two different Hermiones then,” Ginny said.

“No,” Harry told her thoughtfully, “when she went to the past, she was allowed to be herself. Here she has to be part of this ‘Golden Trio’ and best friends with the ‘Chosen One’ and all that. I have a feeling only Remus, Sirius, and Snape know the true Hermione,” he finished sadly.

Hermione ran to the kitchen while Snape went to his room, grumbling the entire time. They both returned several minutes later with their supplies. Snape began the potion which was ready shortly after and Hermione handed him the pendants as the others gathered around the table.

“Ok, Harry, first I need to tell you what I was told. This is a form of Dark Magic. If you don’t wish to do this, I’ll completely understand.”

“I still don’t understand, but let’s do this. Just like you and my mum did.”

“Ok, take this knife. When Sev tells us to, cut your palm at least four centimeters long. Then,” she said over all the gasps and cries, “place my pendant in your palm and grab my hand. We’ll say the incantations at the same time and our hands will let go automatically when it’s done. Ready?”

“Ready.”

They preformed the ritual exactly like Hermione and Lily did many years ago, only this time, when they grasped hands, the light was even brighter. Severus again shouted, “Don’t let go,” as the light brightened even more. The pain in their hands became unbearable and as soon as they were released, they both fell back, gasping for air.

“Wow,” Harry said in amazement at the vivid red Pendant and watched as the previous infinity symbol began to glow red as well.

“That was interesting, Granger,” said Severus. “I believe, with the connection you and Potter had previously formed, that your, um, bond is stronger and therefore the magic as well.”

“That makes sense I guess. Well, I feel just as funny as I remember feeling the first time,” she said weakly. “I think I’ll go on up to bed. You should probably do the same, Harry.”

She then put the pendant she was holding around Harry’s neck as he did the same for her.

Harry started to leave, but grasped Hermione in a tight hug first. “Thank you,” he said quietly, with tears in his eyes. “When we did this, just now, I was able to see you and my mum doing this at the same time. That was amazing.”

With that he walked away, leaving a very stunned Hermione behind him. She walked shakily to the door, telling everyone goodnight as she went.

“Come on, love, I’ll give you a hand,” Sirius said as he walked along beside her, steadying her.

“You know,” came Ron’s voice, “I wonder if maybe Sirius and Hermione had, um, some kind of relationship or something when she went back. They seem far closer now then before.”

No one noticed the look of anguish that crossed Remus’ face, or the look of amusement that passed Snape’s.

“Ron, that is none of our business and she’ll tell us when and IF she’s ready, you’re not to ask her about it as it obviously still has her upset,” Molly admonished. She had her own thoughts of who, if anyone, Hermione had had a relationship with, but refused to voice her opinions just yet.

“Yea, well, it’d be a bit weird for Harry to deal with, that’s all,” Ron continued.

“Perhaps, Weasley, you should consider leaving things alone for a change,” interrupted Snape, much to everyone’s surprise.