Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter; it's universe or anyone of its beings or wonderfulness. I simply play with the characters J. K. Rowling so generously made for us to love. She is awesome, and if I ever get 1% as awesome as she is, I would be pleased.

I also don't own the song Promises, promises by Naked Eyes.

Chapter 12: Broken Promises

Never had a doubt in the beginning,

Trusted you true in the beginning,

Arm in arm we laughed like kids,

You made me promises, promises

-Promises, Promises by Naked Eyes

Present:

"You've got to be kidding with me!" James was furious.

"How could you do that? We are friends!" Peter shrieked.

"You disgust me, how could you do something like that," Remus whispered, ashamed.

"Me too," Sirius said grinning. Hermione turned to him.

"It's bloody you they are talking about, Sirius, you bloody baboon. How could you do that to Remus?" She was talking calmly; her voice wasn't rising. Her eyes were bloodshot like she had been crying. She wasn't hexing him, but Sirius knew that he was in trouble. He was in deep trouble.

"It was just a stupid joke!" He was trying to get out of dangerous waters.

"No. It wasn't just a stupid joke Sirius, it wasn't just a stupid joke,"

12 Hours earlier:

It was a Monday evening. The evening of Monday the 23th to be more correct. So late that it, indeed, soon would be Tuesday the 24th. Moreover, Sirius Black was up to something, Hermione knew that. Lily knew that, even James and Peter knew that. They just couldn't figure out what he was up to. Which was something that neither one of them liked much. Remus had left them a couple of hours before, to get ready for his night in the Shack. The full moon wouldn't be up until 7 in the morning, but Remus liked to be early in case something happened. Because of this, they were all a little 'on the edge'. James and Peter waiting for their cue to leave, Hermione and Lily worrying for all four of them.

The fact that Sirius, somehow, mysteriously had disappeared, didn't make any of them feel any better. Because they all knew he was up to something. Hermione sighed, putting the book she had been reading down on a table. This was hopeless. There was no way she was going to be able to read any more tonight. Not when this nervous. Thing is, she didn't quite know why she was so nervous. It didn't make sense to her. It wasn't as if Remus hadn't transformed before. He had done so almost a month ago, and she hadn't felt like this than. She didn't understand why now should be any different then than.

Hermione looked over at her friends. Lily had her head in James's lap, while her eyes were watching the flames that roared in the fireplace. Peter was sitting on the ground, his back to the couch James and Lily were occupying. He was yawning, barely keeping his eyes open. His hands were resting on his rather large belly. He let his head drop as he spoke up for the first time that evening.

"Where exactly is Sirius?" He looked over at James, because, he should know right? But James shock his head, as clueless as the rest of them. Hermione couldn't shake away the feeling she had that she had forgotten something, and Hermione Granger was not the girl that forgot anything easily.

"You guys, I think I'm going to bed now," Hermione claimed, before leaving the common room. She didn't notice the fact that the others barely noticed, to engrossed into their own thoughts to pay attention to anything else. She needed somewhere to think. She needed somewhere to remember. To understand. Somewhere where her thoughts wouldn't be filled with memories, both good and bad. Somewhere where the cold air could fill her lungs, and bring blood to her cheeks. She needed somewhere to think. Because something was going to happen. She just had no idea what.

8 hours until the present:

Remus had spent the last hours doing his homework in the Shack. He had made a deal with Professor Dumbledore several years in the past. He would be a spy for the order when a strange girl appeared, and Dumbledore would let him join Hogwarts, and make his life as easy as possible. That included the safe in which he could put all his personal belongings before the change. It was one of the things he treasured the most.

However, he didn't know if he should be happy or sad that he had to inform Dumbledore of everything Hermione did. He wasn't even sure if Hermione knew what he was doing. And if she knew, was she going to do anything about it? Why was Professor Dumbledore even interested in knowing about her? And how had he known that she would show up back when Remus was only eleven? Remus sighed. There was no way he would be able to focus on his potions essay tonight. He sighed again.

He didn't quite trust Dumbledore himself. He knew that both James and Lily trusted the man, looked up to him even, but Remus knew things they didn't know. He knew of Dumbledore's true being. How he was kind to the underdogs, because they could offer him something. How he took advantage of those he knew would fight for what was right. Moreover, also how he did nothing to help them once he was done with them

Had it not been for the fact that Dumbledore probably would throw him out of school if he didn't continue spying, he would have stopped. He told himself. In addition, the only reason he didn't tell Hermione was because, well because... He had no idea.

"Am I doing the right thing?" he wondered out loud, his voice hitting the walls and coming back towards him. Echoing in the empty house. He simply didn't know anymore. He didn't get a reply either.

He started passing the floor. He was currently in the living room of the Shack. There wasn't much furniture left, at least not whole furniture. Bits and pieces were shattered around the floor. Especially in corners. He was always like this right before the full moon: Scared, nervous, alone, passing back and forth. He wouldn't let his friends be with him yet. He didn't want them to see him when he was like this. The could see him after the pain was over, when the wolf had taken control, fully. Only than would he allow them to be with him, and he probably shouldn't allow them that either.

He looked down at his watch. He would transform in an hour. After that he would be in his wolf-state for six hours. Six hours where the man inside of him had no control over the wolf. Six hours in witch he barely remembered the events. Six hours where anything could happen, and he wouldn't be able to do anything about it before those six hours were over.

He started passing again. There was no use standing still. It only made him more nervous. Something was different with tonight. He could smell it. He looked at his watch again. 58 minutes until wolf. 1 hour and 58 minutes until friends. 6 hours and 58 minutes until freedom.

Severus was patrolling the halls. It was, after all, his duty as a prefect. He didn't quite like his post anymore. He had hoped to become Headboy. Why he didn't know. Perhaps it was to come closer to Lily again. Perhaps he only wanted the power that came with the position. Perhaps both. After a certain Hermione Granger had entered his life he hadn't been sure of much. Anyway, now that he was simply a seventh year prefect, he didn't quite like it anymore. It had become a waist of time.

He found himself thinking about everything possible while he walked the corridors. The corridors he knew was empty, because no one, except maybe Potter and his gang, would be out of bed when he was patrolling.

His mind took him places, that perhaps, were dangerous to go, but he couldn't seem to help it. He had been siting in the library when all the air around him, suddenly, became filled with that perfume, and he knew just who was standing behind him.

"Granger," More a statement than a question, really.

"Severus," he didn't understand why she insisted on using his given name all the time.

"What do you want?" he questioned, tired of not understanding her. He had looked up Professor McGonagall's family three, he knew she wasn't her niece. But what was she? Who was she? Why was she here?

"What do I want? Aren't a girl allowed to be in the library?" She grinned, and sat down opposite him. No one ever sat down near him. What was she doing? He still wondered about that event, even a month later.

"Well, yes, but why are you here?" She just smiled at him, shrugging with her shoulders. As if she had no reason. Bullshit, he thought, everyone always has a reason for everything they do, or don't do. He didn't know how to talk with her either. In potion class they usually just worked, their actions in perfect coordination. He didn't understand that either. She was the easiest person that he had ever worked with. Moreover, not one of the other Gryffindor's had bothered him a single time since Hermione, no Granger, switched partners. It was strange, because they hadn't stopped it when he and Lily were partners. Than why now? He found himself wondering, again.

He had been in the kitchens eating alone, when she had entered. He knew it was her at once. Firstly, because the fact that her bushy brown curls were hard to miss. Secondly because all the house elves greeted her warmly. He wondered what that was about. They never greeted him with such happy faces, but he did remember that they used to do the same to Lily. Perhaps it was a female thing.

He took a sip from his pumpkin juice when their eyes met. She just watched him for a second, before her eyes shifted. She had received the cup of coca she had asked for upon entering, but in stead of leaving, as he had thought she would, she had sat down next to him. She didn't say 'hi' or anything, but she sat there. Somehow he found it comforting. That made him wonder as well. Why would her presence be comforting? He didn't need comforting, he berated himself, inside his head, at least.

"Why do you care, Granger?" His voice was crisp, as if he hadn't used it for some time, which was indeed correct. She looked up at him, while licking away the chocolate moustache that had formed on top of her upper lip.

"Why don't you, Severus?" she replied. Why did she always have to answer in questions he wondered. She always did that. Like last night, he thought.

He had been sitting in the library, reading, and as she usually did, she sat down opposite him. He never understood why she chose to do so. Why she wasn't with her friends, or why she didn't sit alone. But something was different this time, and he wasn't quite sure as to why. He was scribbling away on his transfiguration essay when the unbelievable happened. He didn't know the answer to one of the questions ha needed to answer. Now, normally, would be the time in which he stood up, and either looked through all the books in the entire library, or left. Today, was different, he had reminded himself, as he looked up at the girl.

Her teeth were chewing on her bottom lip, as if she was in deep concentration, and Severus found that he actually didn't mind it so much. It was almost as if he shouldn't interrupt her, but he really felt like finishing that damn essay today.

"Granger? What the hell is the spell used to conjure sardines from a persons nose? And why am I supposed to know it." She burst out laughing.

7 hours until the present:

Okay. He was curious alright. So when an opportunity rose, how could he not follow it? It had started al right. He had been patrolling the corridors near the entrance hall when he had seen Black, the elder Mr. Black, sneaking out of the castle. So Severus, of course, had to follow him. Firstly, because he couldn't understand why Black was sneaking around alone, and without the cloak of invisibility. It was hardly normal to see him without the rest of his friends, or some girl he was 'dating'. Black alone meant trouble, and as the good inhabitant that Severus was, he had to follow him to make sure he didn't break any rules, and certainly report him if he did. That was, after all, his job as a prefect. So than he followed the marauder out of the castle.

The air was frosty, and Severus found himself shivering in the cold January air. He considered going back to the castle. Back to his warm bed, however, he didn't. Choosing instead to place a heating charm on his own being. He studied Black as both of them stopped walking. Perhaps he was going to find out what secret he and his friends always had had. Perhaps today was the day. Perhaps.

Black was kneeling, searching for something in the bushes. Severus was secretly glad that he didn't have to. Those bushes had those thorns that was hell to get out of your arms if they stuck. Bad for Black, he thought. Not my problem. It was than that Black pulled out a long branch. What the fuck is he going to do with a sodding branch? Severus had no idea. Black hit the three next to him with the branch, and Severus had to shake his head when he saw the Whopping Willow go still. That three wasn't supposed to go still, he had never seen it go still in his entire life! It was than that Severus saw that Black had disappeared. Where did he go?

The branch was halfway into the bush in which Black had picked up, but as far as Severus could see, the man had simply disappeared without a trace. He walked a few steps closer, carefully watching the three, making sure that it wouldn't suddenly come alive again and beat him to an early grave. Severus didn't much fancy that at all, actually. It was, however, then that he noticed the tunnel. It was unlike anything he had ever seen. It started out as a hole in the ground, barely large enough for him to crawl into. So of course he did just that. Crawling into the tunnel, everything suddenly got darker. Which, Severus had to remind himself, was logical as there was on moon shine under the earth.

The tunnel was slippery and cold. Goosebumps grew on Severus's arms as he crawled through the tunnel on his knees and hands. He considered turning and just going back. To pretend like he never followed Black at all. However, he had come this far. Hadn't he? He finally decided to continue going forward when he heard the three come to life behind him again. Now there was only one way, and that was forwards. The tunnel had more turns and swings than Severus bothered counting. His trouser knees were scraped, and his hands and arms ached.

Than he heard the growl. And he totally panicked. If I ever get out from here, I'll bloody murder Black! He thought as he turned and crawled as fast as he could towards the exit, but he knew that there was no way he would manage it. Damn his curiosity. Their secret. The thing he had been trying to find out about for years. He had finally found out what it was. Remus Lupin was a bloody werewolf. The growling kept getting closer and closer, and Severus had to admit that he actually was scared. Lupin was a werewolf. And by the looks of it, Severus himself would soon become the first werewolf snack of the night.

Severus screamed.

20 Minutes earlier (7 hours and 20 minutes until the present):

Hermione's eyes lit up. She knew what it was she had missed. Her feet met the ground of the girls' dormitories' before she was fully awake. She crawled under her bed, nearly knocking down the stack of books she used as a second nightstand. This was not good. Finally, her hands locked around the thing she was looking for. Not good at all. She pointed her wand at the wooden chest and it opened, reviling the bond leather notebook. How could she have forgotten to check it? It made her hate herself. How could she be so stupid? God damn it, she was supposed to be the smartest witch of her age. Smart witches didn't make mistakes like these. Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid!

Her whole being was shaking as she ripped the book open. She didn't even have to read what it said, she knew what was going to happen the second the full moon light shone onto her hands, there, as she sat on the cold floor. She hoped for dear God that she wasn't to late.

Without thinking, she jumped on her feet, running out of the Gryffindor tower, not even stopping to put on her shoes, not even stopping to wake her friends. This was not happening, she though as she ran the stairs three at a time, praying to Merlin that she wouldn't fall. That no one would be trying to stop her. Praying to Merlin that she wouldn't be to late. The outside air whipped against her, making her barely covered skin feel sore. She didn't have time to think about it, however. She didn't have the time to think about how the sharp stones of the courtyard made her feet bloody, nor to feel the fright that ran through her system at the thought of what might happen.

Finally seeing the Whopping Willow on top of the small hill, she ran faster than she had ever done priorly in her life. Faster than when running from the snatchers in the woods together with Harry and Ron. Faster than she did when they escaped the ministry. Faster, even, than what she had done when she stood face to face with Voldemort. She threw herself onto the ground, searching for that stupid branch that would make the three stop. Finally, she found it, and she made it into the tunnel safely. Or, as safely as one could, wearing only a nightgown. She crawled as fast as she could towards where she knew Remus would be. Where she knew he would be.

It was that that she saw both of them. It happened in slow motion before her eyes. Time seemed to stop, as well as her body. The world seemed to freeze as Remus, in full wolf form jumped on top of Severus, his claws sinking into the young mans chest, blood seeping out of his wounds, covering the muddy floor beneath him. She was to late, and she hated herself for that fact. The wolf, Remus, it, looked upon her, before lowering his face, looking upon the young man, bleeding beneath him. And than two things happened at once, the wolf went in for the bite, and Hermione remembered that she was a bloody witch.

A/N:

And that was the end of chapter 12. What do you think? You're welcome, by the way. That is the longest chapter you've gotten in I don't know how long. You're Welcome, anyway.

Reviews are always appreciated.

I'm also in need of a new beta. Let me know if you're interested.

Sincerely,

CapabilisMaiden