Hurt

A/N: I had this chapter typed up on here yesterday and was just about to hit the "add chapter" button when my son grabbed the mouse and hit the back button, deleting the entire thing.... I was irked. Kids will be kids though. And he's only one and half so hey, what can you do? Onward!
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Hermione rubs her eyes then stands from the bed. She pads across the room and reaches for the bathroom doorknob. It swings open at her touch so she frowns. The sound of running water catches her attention. “R-Remus?” she calls. The man in question raises his head and steps away from the sink.

“What’s wrong?” he asks. She blushes when she notices the towel wrapped around his waist. “Are you all right?” He wipes the remnants of shaving cream from his chin and raises an eyebrow at her.

“I need to use the loo,” Hermione whispers. She bites her lip as she studies the myriad of scars crisscrossing all over his chest. “Are those from your transformations?” she asks softly.

Remus glances at the mirror and brushes his fingers over a long jagged line. “Some of them, yes. Others are from various duels,” he murmurs. He looks at her when he hears a soft sniffle. “Oh honey, don’t cry! It’s not your fault.”

She shakes her head and swipes at the tear rolling down her cheek. “I know! I just… I don’t know why I’m crying,” she whimpers. Remus sighs and pulls her into his arms.

“It’s all right. Your hormones are just getting the better of you. Harry’s mum did it too.”

Hermione nods slightly then pulls back. “I really need to use the loo.”

~~~~~~~~~~

“The students arrive tomorrow. We must be sure that they do not discover what happened to Miss Granger. We have been careful not to let the media know about her situation,” Albus says.

Poppy and Remus glance at each other. “Albus,” Remus murmurs. The others in the room look at him. “We can’t hide it forever. They’ll find out from her in a few short months.”

Severus snorts. “Do you really think she’s stupid enough to draw the Dark Lord’s attention to a girl he ordered raped, beaten, and left for dead?” Hermione shrinks into her chair when a few of the staff members look at her with pity.

Remus slams his fist on the table as he and Sirius shoot out of their chairs. “Do you think you played no part in her predicament? Well, you’re probably going to be drawn deeper into it whether you like it or not!” he snarls. Sirius glares at the other dark haired man when he rises from his chair and leans over the table.

“What are you playing at wolf?” Severus hisses. Remus eyes glint gold and the hairs on the back of his neck stand up in his rage.

“She’s pregnant you lout! The babe is yours if it isn’t Malfoy’s,” Sirius growls and jabs his finger at the girl trying dissolve into the back of her chair. Severus’ eyes widen and Albus looks between the three men. His eyes finally settle on Hermione.

“Is this true?” he inquires softly. Hermione bursts into tears so Remus drags his furious gaze away from the offending man. He settles in his seat and pulls her out of hers in his lap.

“Shush now. No more tears,” he murmurs against her ear as he rocks her. Sirius lunges over the table at Severus while the man’s attention focuses on the sobbing girl.

Severus gives a cry of pain as he and Sirius slide across the hard floor with the momentum of the leap. “Get this mutt off of me!” Albus glances at the two then moves to Remus’ side.

“Miss Granger, when did you find out about the pregnancy?” he inquires to the muffled sound of Sirius pummeling Severus from across the room. Remus strokes Hermione’s back as she hiccups into his neck.

“Just yesterday afternoon Albus,” Remus responds. Albus nods slightly then turns to the wrestling men.

“That is quite enough! Severus, if this child proves to be yours, I will see to it that you take care of the poor thing. Sirius, get off him and return his wand. I don’t care if you want to snap it. Return it,” Albus says firmly when the bigger of the two grasps the other’s wand in both hands. Sirius gives Albus a reproachful look then sighs and stands.

Severus climbs to his feet and glares at Sirius then grunts when the man thrusts his wand at him, punching him in the stomach in the process. “If the child isn’t mine? Are you going to ship her and the brat to Lucius to do with as he pleases?” he sneers as he wipes blood from the corner of his mouth.

“You know I won’t do that. Now I suppose we’ll have to have a contingency plan for anything that crops up due to her impending motherhood. The meeting is adjourned until we all develop ideas for the occasion. Sirius, put your wand away,” Albus sighs. The other man quickly stashes his wand from pointing at Severus’ back.

“I wasn’t doing anything, Albus. I swear!” he says.

~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione grasps Remus’ sleeve as they watch the students filter into the school. Harry looks toward them so Remus waves slightly. She looks up at him then follows him as he turns and walks into the Great Hall. “You’ll be sitting with Sirius and me for meals. I spoke with Albus last night while you slept. You will stay in my classroom and do your work in there. Here,” he says and pulls a chair out for her.

She sinks into the seat as Remus pushes it in for her. He settles next to her as Albus smiles at them.

“I see you’ve decided to come to dinner. Remus wasn’t sure if you’d be able to handle the crowd,” he says. Hermione gives him a weak smile then looks at Sirius when he sits down. He smiles at her then nods to Remus.

She ignores the students’ chatter as the first year students enter to be Sorted. Remus nudges her elbow gently and nods to a young girl trembling against an almost identical boy. “I know their parents. I want you to befriend them and make their time here enjoyable, okay?” he asks softly. She nods slightly while Minerva explains things to the new students.

“Hey Remus, you’re drawing stares,” Sirius hisses from the corner of his mouth then nods to the two children. Remus chuckles and sends the two an encouraging smile so they return it.

Hermione watches Minerva call the girl up to the stool. “No worries dear. Just a simple act every student goes through,” the older woman says kindly. The girl nods then sits up a bit straighter when Minerva sets the hat on her head. A few seconds pass then the hat shouts “Gryffindor” at the top of its voice. The table on the far left of the hall begins to applaud so the girl pads over and settles on the bench, followed closely by the boy.

Remus beams at the two when they look up at him again. “I knew they would make it. Just like their mum and dad,” he says proudly and looks at Hermione. Sirius frowns at him.

“We went to school with their parents?” he asks. Remus nods and motions to the twins.

“Of course. They were three years below us so I never expected you to take notice of them.” Hermione looks along the Gryffindor table and notices the apparent absence of Harry and Ron. She tugs on Remus’ sleeve to draw his attention. “Is something wrong?” he asks.

“Harry?” she whispers. He looks along the table and frowns.

“Albus, where are the boys?” he asks softly. The older man raises an eyebrow at him.

“Argus caught them with Fred and George’s Puking Pastilles. I guess they were planning to use them to skip classes to visit Miss Granger,” he replies with a slight chuckle.

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A/N: I guess Harry and Ron won't behave even without Hermione breathing down their necks. Hermione has also started talking to Remus more, using full sentences. The beginning was just a little blah for me but I can't think of anything better to put in its place. I also just wanted to see her cry. D:< I've noticed that in most of my stories, Hermione is always being abused. That's awfully bad for me to do because I sort of identify with her outcast-ish-ness ("That's not a word elexma!") from her being so smart and a "teacher's pet". I was the same way all throughout my fourteen years of school. And now I'm going back to college to top that off. Oh well... still taking votes for sex/name of the baby. Anyhooz, on to the next chapter!