For all the times he saved me

She was still seething. They had retreated to the kitchens, and while the two men where quietly sipping their coffee at the quickly conjured up table, she was standing. It hurt. Even when standing up, so she couldn't even think about sitting down. She could just feel the bruise forming on her hip. Remus had spend the entire way there, laughing at her. Just great. She was angry at the both of them. And they had the nerve to just sit there and act like she wasn't even there! All of her joy about being back had evaporated. As she ate her toast, she was toying with the idea of hexing the bloody bat all the way into next year. Yes, next year. She was feeling ambitious. Her mind was working overtime, trying to find a good way of revenge. She was going to get him back for this, even if it was the last thing she'd do. And, if she did it right, it might be. But it would be worth it.

Severus was seething. He was confused, and he hated being confused. He had felt it. When she had looked up into his eyes. Still with the nausea. But he had had this overwhelming urge to bend down and kiss her. It freaked him out. When had this started? He had known there was a physical attraction, sure, he was a man, and she was a woman. Not an ugly woman either. But this felt differently. Or did it? He glanced up, over the rim of his coffee cup, and stared straight into the amber eyes of Lupin. He frowned. Lupin nodded. Thank Merlin for this man. He didn't particularly like him, or at least, he would never admit it, but this could truly be the only man in the world who really understood him. And he had given his consent. He delved into the werewolf's mind. It was as murky in there as it had always been.
What's happening? He could just think it, Lupin would answer. They had talked this way for way too many times. It had always been a good way of communicating when there were people around who didn't need to hear it. The thougths seemed to melt together, like both sets were your own. If they could be heard, like normal speech, you would hear them in both their voices. It was like they had become one person, thinking both parts of the conversation. It went by in a whir of emotions. He could feel Lupin's jealousy, which was very slight, but there nonetheless. Remus thought the girl fancied him.
Who, you? No. me. Oh. But he had the insane notion it was the other way around as well. He searched for the reason for the idea. Remus gave it willingly. He pushed memories forward for him to see. Refusing to open the door, the glint in his eye when the girl yelled at him, the way he looked when holding her at the bottom of the stairs. He prodded further, but found nothing.
Not enough. No? No. Remus moved. He pushed Severus out of his mind, using the connection to enter his own. He found what he was looking for, the moment he entered. They saw him see her, sitting in the middle of the street, in the rain, and pick her up. They watched him hold her while she cried, and let her fall asleep in his arms.
That's nothing, you would've done the same. Granted, but I love her. They watched him argue with Minerva.
So? Remus raised an eyebrow. Nothing.
He was buying her clothes. Because she was out of money? No, because she... Oh, maybe.
He pushed the wolf out. Back to reality.

She looked over at the table. They were staring at eachother. Very curious indeed. Their facial expressions looked like they were having a conversation, but neither spoke. She saw Remus lift his eyebrow. Severus just stared back. Okay...
This was starting to creep her out. They didn't seem to register at all, that she was in the room. Let's make it easy for them. She left.

The potrait slammed shut as they broke contact. Both men turned around to see she had left. Remus shrugged. "She'll come around."
Severus just nodded. Whatever. He had a lot of thinking to do. But now was not the time to do it. They needed to set up their lab today. He moved slowly, hesitantly, but moved nonetheless.
"Come." He said. Remus followed him like a little puppy. Good boy.

Hermione was surprised how quickly she regained her good mood. A few students in the corridors recognized her, both from her own schooldays, it had only been five years, and of course, because she was Hermione Granger. It was funny to see their faces light up when she walked by. Even some slytherins. A lot had changed since the war. They would get used to her soon enough, she reckoned. Arriving at the library, she found the biggest mess she had ever seen. The always tidy former librarian had apparently not been so tidy after all. The small office, which was hers now, she realised with delight, was cluttered beyond believe, and she set out to have it tidy and clean by supper. Without magic. It cleared all thoughts of the now blackening bruise and the man who had caused it, straight out of her head.

At around four-thirty in the afternoon, the lab had started to take the shape they had set out to create. One of the walls was stacked with the supplies they would need the most, the rest Remus was currently placing in the little closet beyond said wall. On the opposite side of the room, Severus was placing a few books, texts and journals containing information about the wolfsbane and their research and findings up to that point. The shelves were crammed and slightly straining to support the wait of their loads. In the middle of the large chamber, they had kept some room cleared for the large partnerdesk, which the shopkeeper had assured them would be delivered later that week. They had fabricated a nice long worktable for preparing ingredients, with enough room for six people to work on, let alone three, and that Wednesday, Severus would be moving his own cauldrons in, as soon as the potions he was currently brewing, were finished. He was even a little proud of how productive they had been that day. Because of the delicate nature of most of the ingredients, and even some of the texts, they couldn't use magic on them. And they didn't want to use any transfigured furniture, because even that magic could set some potions off to, well, turn bad, or explode, or turn them all into chickens, for all he knew. You never knew what would happen until you had witnessed it, and Severus really rather wouldn't.
"In what way do you love her?" He asked, slowly turning around to face the sandy-haired man. All the response he got was a small smirk and a snort. The insufferable man didn't even turn to face him. He just stood there, placing the ingredients in their spots, as if he wasn't even in the room. He knew why he did it though, he himself always said he wouldn't answer questions the inquirer already knew the answer to. So he already knew the answer? He turned back to the task he had assigned himself and thought. He remembered the small amount of jealousy he had found when he had moved inside Lupin's head. But it had been a really small amount, just the pang of jealousy you would feel when you see a pretty girl on the arm of a man who's on your level. That moment right before you shrug it off, and you think, that could be me. But that always goes away, it doesn't linger like that which he found in Lupin's head. Right. He did know. But Remus was with the mutt, wasn't he? He was. That would probably be the reason why he hadn't been attacked by a full grown, green monster. He loved the girl, but he loved the mutt more. Yugh. Shouldn't dwell on that one too long.
He turned as he felt a hand on his shoulder. Remus looked at him, with a little concern in his eyes.
"Just accept it, or it will eat at you for the rest of your life. I would know." The man sounded incredibly sincere, and as the last book he had been holding for the last couple of minutes was taken from him and placed neatly on the shelve with the rest of them, he nodded at the man. "Come, let's go get us something to eat."
This time, he followed the wolf out, stunned into silence and complience. All during supper, which the cause of all his inner turmoil never showed up to, he couldn't help but think some more. He had come to the conclusion that he would accept the way he felt, but it didn't mean he had to like it. And he sure as hell wasn't going to spread it around. He had spent his entire life hiding himself from the world, and he could deal with a little more. And, as a side-note, he decided the wolf was wrong. The girl knew better than to fall for someone like him. And she didn't just like him either. Did she? A little pang of hope deep inside his chest told him, this was suicidal thinking. He had made up his mind.

Not only Remus, but also Minerva had noticed his inner dilemma. But only Remus knew exactly what it was about. He sighed as he saw the dark man square his shoulders. He knew it meant he had reached a decision. The tiny bit of hope he still held for his friend evaporated when he saw the gates come down and the doors slam shut. His barrier was up and now there would be no breaking it. Now, there was nothing he could do for them. Hermione had to figure it all out by herself.


A/N: Okay guys, I know, I've been away for a week or two, and now I come back with one of the most confusing conversations ever. I couldn't make it any clearer than this, so sorry. Please review, but no freaking out about it. Thank you.