Tie your Heart at Night to Mine, Love

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

As soon as they arrived, Kingsley threw a copy of the Daily Prophet on top of the desk. Remus glanced at the newspaper, his attention drawn more by the splat with which it landed than the rag itself—he already knew its contents.

Across from him, Minerva's lips pursed at the sight. The Headmistress of Hogwarts and leader of the Order of the Phoenix clenched her wrinkled hand around the back of the chair before her, yet it shook still. Her wand was nowhere to be seen, yet Remus could feel the office grow cooler despite the raging fire shadowing the witch's standing silhouette. When she leveled her stare at him, her light green eyes were piercing.

"She's gaining more ground."

Having left as soon as Kingsley's Patronus had reached him, Remus had arrived early at the castle. Minerva's summoning had come as no surprise - he had been scrutinizing his own copy of the infamous paper, reading between the lines of the article on Dolores Jane Umbridge. Remus had Apparated at Hogsmeade and greeted Hagrid at the gates. Nightfall was an imminent thing, yet not a challenge to someone in possession of werewolf's senses. Few places proved troublesome for him nowadays, a familiar terrain such as Hogwarts grounds not one of them. Despite that, he had hoped the exercise provided by his walk would clear his head of the multitude of thoughts that crowded it.

It hadn't.

A crescent moon taunted him from the clear, darkening sky as critters twittered about, the scent of grass and of a night-blooming flower encompassing it all. Remus hastened his steps to escape it.

At the top of the Gargoyle's stairs, he was granted a distraction at last: dozens of inhabited portraits along with the rare opportunity to study the office. Past Headmistresses and masters watched him from inside their frames. Most of the residents had ignored his greeting - Slytherins in their majority, joined by witches and wizards that deemed themselves either too old to be dealing with the living or too proud to address a lesser being. Others, such as Dumbledore, had responded in kind. Not at all unexpectedly, Severus had sneered. Following a few small pleasantries exchanged with the more familiar portraits, Remus had taken an empty seat before the table. Which, incidentally, had been the same he had sat at many times during his youth when both mischief and his condition tended to often lead him to the Headmaster's step. It was also the one he had occupied during the happiest time he had had since losing his friends to the war. Remus would be hard-pressed to ever forget the day Dumbledore had offered him the position of Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts.

He cataloged the changes from that day. Bits and baubles pertaining to the wizard still rested atop the table and cluttered the shelves around the office. Nonetheless, the appearance of continuity was deceptive. The place ought to have been quite different while Snape had held the position, either as a reflection of his own, rather bleak, personality or as yet another effort from the spy in order to fool Voldemort. Minerva had restored it from memory—a commendable effort, even though it fell short where it counted the most. Fawkes wasn't there, and it's owner remained a painting on the wall, a travesty of the larger than life wizard.

Now that Remus thought about it, the year he had taught at Hogwarts had been a rather short-termed reprieve in his life. He had done what he had loved the most, sharing and immersing himself in knowledge, and had met Harry at last. For a little while, he had also gotten his best friend back, until most of it had been ripped away from him once again. One forgotten potion and the precarious balance of his position was tipped. Sirius and Dumbledore's losses seemed to soon follow. Could those have been prevented, had he tried harder to keep his secret?

There would have been no need for a new DADA Professor the following year, and Crouch could have been kept from infiltrating the school and tampering with the Triwizard Tournament. Or, if not that, if Voldemort managed to come back regardless, Harry would have known to come to him before barging into the Ministry to rescue Sirius the year after. Perhaps something could have been done when Death Eaters had invaded the castle as well, although Dumbledore's survival at that point would have meant Severus' demise. Unlike the Slytherin, Remus held no grudges. The spy had atoned for leading Voldemort to Harry, and Remus understood better than most what a life of torture entailed.

One missed potion. Had it not happened, however, what would life hold for a werewolf such as him?

He was a man doomed. Except that now, in the most unpredictable twist of fate, his doom had taken the form of the bravest, most warmhearted young woman. Hermione's parents' photograph burned on the inside of his cardigan pocket. The very witch who had threatened them at the Memorial had now a good chance at ascending to power.

She had to be stopped.

"How are our odds?" The Headmistress's brittle voice brought him back to the present.

Kingsley's tone was grave, "I'm afraid it can't be done without them. I still have some pull, as do you, Minerva, but I fear it won't be enough." In stark contradiction to the man's statement, a grin broke upon his face, "We do have Hermione on our corner, however. Not too shabby a job on my part, after all, was it?"

"Oh, don't congratulate yourself, Kingsley," The Headmistress chided him. "She's interested in the position, as anyone with eyes would suspect from the start, and we purposefully rid her of any chance to verify your actions. I have known Miss Granger since she was a child. It wouldn't surprise me to see her denounce you at the first sign of ill intent, or inflict punishment on you herself. The war may have blurred her definitions of right and wrong, as it does to us all, but it hasn't changed her core beliefs. She's loyal to her friends, first and foremost, and the Order comes at a close second."

Remus intervened, "You would do well to remember, Kings, that she kept my secret of being a werewolf to herself for months. Up until the point when she perceived a betrayal on my part."

"An undaunted, resolute lioness?" The Head Auror questioned.

Minerva shot the man a withering look over her oval-shaped spectacles. "With an intellect to match."

Kingsley let out a chuckle, "I shall keep that in mind."

"As you should, unless you'd like to risk our plans falling apart?" Minerva asked. "I didn't think so. Now, how are we with Mr. Weasley?"

It was Kingsley who answered. "Tonks was successful as well, it seems. She's working the night shift today, but she told me that while Molly is against it, the Weasley boy really seemed interested in becoming an Auror. Do we know where Harry stands?

"No, Potter still hasn't seemed inclined either way."

"I understand the purpose of this exercise, Minerva, but we will need him, regardless of whatever influence Weasley and Granger have." Kingsley added, "Our strategy will go up in flames otherwise, Britain won't trust us without the support of its savior."

"I'll ask him to participate in a Council meeting, we'll see how it goes from there."

"As his parents, Harry is very brave, Minerva," Remus said. "But he isn't the best choice to send to the snake pit. He does have James' tendency to rush into situations unprepared, and we can't risk it."

"Yes, well. We'll have to count on Miss Granger to prepare him."

After Minerva had retired to her rooms and the two wizards had descended the office's stairwell, Remus placed a hand on the other wizard's shoulder. "A moment, Kings, if you're not terribly busy?"

"Of course. What troubles you, my friend?" Kingsley asked. "Surely you're not cross for my attitude towards Hermione? It was all in good fun, Minerva's is easily goaded when it comes to her cubs."

"Not at all," Remus held out a hand to indicate they should resume their walk. He stayed silent for a few steps, "She knows. Hermione knows she's my—the wolf's mate."

From the corner of his eye, Remus saw a hint of surprise manifest on his friend's face. "I assume congratulations are in order, then?"

"Congratulations?" Remus huffed, "I wish, sometimes, that I had your optimism. Though I don't think I'd know what to do with it."

"Remus… An intelligent, striking young woman is infatuated with you. I don't see where that is overly optimistic."

"I've never said she was infatuated with me."

"Haven't you? My apologies, then."

Remus stopped in his tracks and stared at the other wizard's back for a moment. "You know something."

Kingsley turned to face him. Before he exited the castle, he left Remus the following words:

"I know many things, my friend. One of them just happens to be that you should let yourself be loved, whenever possible. It's rarely deserved, but if it was freely given to you anyway, why on earth wouldn't you accept?"

Later that night, Remus stared at Hermione's photograph. She looked so very young, so unburdened of the tolls of a full-fledged war. Hers had been a happy family, and he couldn't keep from remembering the night she told him her parents had no recollection of her. That she had erased their memories, a selfless sacrifice that had likely ensured their survival and future happiness but had taken the most precious thing from her.

He had performed all the spells he could think of on the picture, and his repertoire as an Order member and former Defense Against the Dark Arts ensured that that consisted of a very long list. There was no vestige of dark spells or any sort of malignancy apparent, none other than the possibility raised by Hermione herself. It could be a threat to her parents, but it had proved impossible for the Order to locate the couple, and Remus believed that was due to Hermione's resourcefulness in hiding and protecting them. Surely someone like Umbridge would be unable to succeed where Aurors had fallen short. It didn't fit.

There was, nevertheless, another explanation. One he could hardly contemplate without feeling his blood boil in his veins.

That the photo was sent to emotionally cripple her. To reopen an unhealed wound and let it fester.

A/N: And here's a new update. That I'm dropping almost a week before Valentine's Day. And it contains no fluff whatsoever. Eh, sorry about that. But I hope you'll enjoy it anyway :)

As usual, I'd really appreciate it if you get the chance to leave a review! You may not know this, but, after updating, I obsessively check to see if any have arrived and when they don't, my brain immediately thinks all I wrote was garbage.

Such are the joys of being a writer, lol.

I may or may not pull some really awkward dance moves when reading them as well ;)

Paper hearts and chocolates to...

My reviewers: OncerLoyal96, alexaguamenti, caprubia, bunnyobelenus, Ninamaria429, RAV3N R1PP3R, Dark Hanyou Maiden, and Guest.

To Nylhsa, ellasommers, Cinnamonheart7, PrettyLittleLiars. Stories, scifreak, Dark Hanyou Maiden, catlealint87, DliciousSnape, Avery-high-damage, Li'l Obsessions, and Ninamaria429 for adding the story to their favorites.

To WTFHP, chinaDevoradora, Slytherin726, Babewiththepower95, the3littlewords, A-Midnight-Reader, ellasommers, Cinnamonheart7, scifreak, Dark Hanyou Maiden, catlealint87, DliciousSnape, Avery-high-damage, Hellesbelles07, Li'l Obsessions, Ninamaria429, missyd28, and tootiredtothink for following the story.

To bunnyobelenus - I couldn't reply through PM, but I'm pleased you like how I worded that. Thanks for dropping a review!

Guest - Aw, you're welcome! It's been a great pleasure sharing this story here with you guys, and I'm so happy you love it! Thanks so much for the review :)