Time Traveller's Disease

Hermione ran a hand through her thick curls in frustration. Not only had she forgotten her packed lunch on the counter this morning, now her experiment in the time room was playing tricks on her. She had a swathe of parchment the size of her desk-top on display, and it carried the arithmantic equations and runes of over a year's work. Today was the day to try it out - according to said equations - but now the results were flashing and waffling back and forth, changing to display different dates and times every few seconds. What good was a study on Time Traveler's Disease if she couldn't accurately read and record the results? She huffed, casting a few spells at the equations to try to get them to stop their constant changing. Nothing worked, so she decided to take her work home. Maybe a pot of tea and a change of scenery would help her figure it out.

The world fell away as her fingertips brushed the edge of the scroll, sending her swirling into darkness with a sickening falling feeling. It wasn't unlike apparating or portkey travel, but it took longer and left her feeling like she didn't know which way was up.

Opening her eyes showed her exactly why.

She was draped over the edge of a bed, head nearly touching the floor. The first threads of warm morning light were just starting to stream through a crack in the curtains near the head of the bed, illuminating the room with a soft glow. Her heart pounded as she realised she was in Hogwarts dormitory - and a Gryffindor one, at that.

Had she gone back in time to her own years at school? Shite.

Suddenly, there was a rustling from across the dimly lit room followed by a melancholy groan. "Oi! Who got Moony a bird for his birthday? I thought we'd agreed that giving the best birthday gifts was my 'thing.'"

Shapes were starting to move in the room around her, and Hermione sat up to better understand what was happening, adrenaline kicking her into fight-or-flight mode. She knew the door was only a few steps away if she needed to make a run for it, but the distance seemed impossibly far when she didn't know who occupied the beds around her. A familiar mop of black hair appeared from the messy covers of one of the four beds in the room. "Padfoot. We all know that if Moony has a bird in his bed, you put her there. Pranks aren't as funny if you adamantly refuse to admit you pulled them." Hermione's heart stopped at the sight of a teenager who looked unbelievably like her best friend had in fifth or sixth year. But he'd said 'Padfoot'... Was this who she thought it was?

A chubby, blond boy with small eyes and an easy smile chirped, "You know he's right, Padfoot. That's one of the Marauder Rules!"

Seeing the boy - who she supposed must be Peter Pettigrew - sent her thoughts racing a mile a minute. Her first instinct was to whip out her wand and cast an Incarcerous, giving the rat over to the dementors before he could cause so much death and pain. But the logical part of her brain knew she couldn't change the events of the past without huge - most likely negative - consequences. The lectures she'd received on the mishap of Eloise Mintumble and others who had travelled through time with the intent of changing past events echoed through her mind at a dizzying speed. If she changed the past even slightly the present as she knew it may cease to exist. People could be un-born! Her hands grew clammy at the thought.

The boy who spoke first, a beautiful youth with satiny black curls and roguish good looks to spare, scoffed. "I wrote the bloody rules, Petey! If I put a bird in Remus' bed, you better believe I would be singing my own praises from the top of the Astronomy Tower."

This seemed to confuse the rounder boy, and he fell silent. The bed beneath Hermione shifted again, and she whirled around to see a very young Remus Lupin pull his head out from underneath his pillow. He had dark purple smudges under his eyes and the familiar set of three long, thin scars across his otherwise handsome face. His hair, usually so tidily groomed in the future, covered his ears and fell into his face. His tall, bony frame was wrapped in an oversized jumper, and Hermione had no doubt in her mind whose bed she'd landed on. Her mouth fell open in shock, and she couldn't help but stare incredulously at the boy who would one day be one of her dearest friends. His eyes were still closed when he calmly said, "James, please tell me it's you sitting on my bed to wake me up like you always do when I have a lie-in?"

James laughed, throwing his own pillow at Remus' head. "Open your eyes, Moony! Someone's sent you a birthday present!"

Remus sighed, pale and clearly exhausted - from a recent full moon, Hermione assumed - but complied. His warm green eyes grew wide as he finally looked at Hermione. His legs shot out from under her, and he curled his knees to his chest. "What are you doing here?" Something odd glimmered in his gaze before he recovered. "Padfoot, did you seriously convince a woman to come and wake me up on my birthday?"

The other three boys erupted with laughter, Padfoot crowing, "You slipped and said 'seriously'!"

Another sigh came from the boy Hermione shared a bed with, and he rubbed his hands over his face. "I hardly think that is the point right now, Sirius. Why is this poor witch in our dormitory?" He didn't seem quite as surprised as Hermione would have expected under the circumstances, considering he didn't know who she was yet. Or maybe he really did think this was all just some big prank. Whatever the boys thought of her appearance in their room, she decided to take matters into her own hands.

"Sorry, boys, bit of a mixup with my itinerary. I'm a time travel expert from the Ministry. I was supposed to arrive in the Headmaster's office, but I always was better with time than directions!" She stood from her awkward perch at the foot of Remus' bed and made her way towards the door.

Remus suddenly shot up. "Wait! I'm a Prefect. I'll show you where to go."

Hermione nodded, not sure it was worth arguing that any Ministry worker worth her salt would have gone to Hogwarts and should remember the way to the Headmaster's office. Remus had scurried off into the bathroom, coming back out a moment later in a shabby second-hand school uniform and robes that were tidy but starting to show wear in places. He smiled at her shyly and gestured for her to lead the way out of the room.

Taking the spiral steps slowly, Hermione wracked her brain for something to say to this younger version of her third year Professor and friend. He beat her to the punch. "I remember you, you know."

She was not expecting that. "Excuse me?"

He laid a gentle hand on her shoulder to stop her before she made her way into the common room. "I remember you. I've seen you before. Twice, actually."

She looked at him incredulously. "What are you talking about?"

Lifting a finger, he explained, "The first time was when I was little. I think you read a book to me." He raised a second finger. "The second time was just before I came to Hogwarts." He looked at her quizzically, waiting for a response.

Shaking her head, she searched for words. "I haven't been...then yet."

His eyebrows shot up, getting lost in his sandy brown fringe. "I see. I didn't realize it worked like that."

Hermione sighed, rubbing her hands down her face. "Neither did I. I was doing some research and I think it might have gone very wrong." She tried to laugh, but it didn't carry any humour in it.

Remus nodded, as mature and understanding as ever, and said, "We'll take you to Dumbledore. He'll know what to do."

She nodded, knowing that she didn't have any better ideas, and followed after him.

By the time they arrived at Dumbledore's office, Hermione was twitchy and nervous. Her fingers were twisting at the sleeves of her work robes and pulling at a loose thread there. Remus spoke the password, "Sherbet Fountains," and the spiral staircase appeared and took them up to the Headmaster's office.

Remus knocked on the door and pulled it open after they heard a soft call of "Enter!"

Hermione was surprised by how young Dumbledore looked. She didn't realize how much the events of the war had aged him. His long beard and hair were thicker and liberally streaked with auburn. The skin on his face and hands was smoother and less riddled with age marks and wrinkles. He even seemed taller than she remembered, the confident war-hero of old, intent on seeing this second war through to success, as well. His twinkling blue gaze held hers for a long moment, and Remus shifted awkwardly, finally breaking the silence when it became apparent that neither of the adults intended to do so. "Miss Granger's had a bit of a time travelling mishap, Professor."

Dumbledore raised a single, bushy eyebrow but remained silent. Hermione was gaping at Remus, a cold trickle of fear going down her spine when she realized she'd broken one of her own time travel rules and told young Remus her name at some point in his past and her future. She shook her head, stomach churning from the implications that her journey didn't end here - and possibly didn't even end in her own present day.

The Headmaster cleared his throat and finally spoke. "Miss Granger, is it? You are welcome to stay here until you are ready to go back to your own time. In fact, I have rather fancied the idea of having one of the Ministry's time travel experts come to lecture for Arithmancy or one of the other classes. I've just never made that desire a priority. It seems fate has dropped you here just in time to fill in for one of our Professors who was called away for a family emergency." His eyes twinkled, and Hermione wondered at the wizard's strange ability to twist everything to his advantage.

She sighed. "I'd be happy to help out, but I fear interacting with that many people would greatly increase the possibility that I might accidentally break the time loop and unintentionally change the future."

Dumbledore smiled. "On the contrary, the fact that you've already visited young Mr Lupin here tells me that this is all part of your path. I don't think a guest lecture will cause any harm."

She opened her mouth to argue further but was cut off by Dumbledore. "You're welcome to eat breakfast here with me, then Remus can take you down to the Arithmancy classroom." He waved a hand, wandlessly bringing chairs and a table together from various places in the room. As soon as they were clustered together, hot breakfast and tea appeared. Dumbledore filled a plate and retreated to his desk and paperwork, leaving a confused Hermione and hesitant Remus to eat at the table alone.

The young werewolf cleared his throat. "Erm, sorry about this. I didn't mean to make things uncomfortable for you." He ran a hand through his hair, ruffling it up before smoothing it back down. "I thought he might just say you could stay here until you had to move on again."

Hermione smiled, trying to reassure him. "Honestly, I don't know why I was surprised. He's always been one who embraces anything for the sake of the greater good. I do have a question, though."

Remus looked up, and his eyes flashed amber. He swallowed his bite of toast before answering. "Yes?"

"How did you know my name? Did I tell you last time you saw me?"

He nodded slowly. "You told me an experiment had gone wrong and that you came from the future. That was all, other than your name."

Hermione nodded. That seemed harmless enough. It was entirely possible that Remus had always known that she was a time traveller and simply kept her secret from her younger self. Her heart pounded at the thought and her chest felt tight. She had so many questions to ask the older version of the boy seated before her, but she held her tongue, searching for safer topics. "Are you in the Arithmancy class I'm to substitute teach?"

He nodded. "It's not my best subject, but I'm much better there than I was in Potions." He wrinkled his nose, evidence of his thoughts on the subject. Hermione knew he hadn't done well in that class because of the pungent mixing smells. They'd made his werewolf senses spin and given him a headache anytime he'd descended to the dungeons. Even for the best students, it didn't bode well for a good learning experience. Remus shifted uncomfortably in his seat before he said more. "My run-ins with you made me curious about the time travel aspects of Arithmancy," he admitted, suddenly seeming self-conscious. "I'd hoped to learn a little more about it before I ran into you again." His eyes tinged with amber as he glanced up to meet her gaze. "If I ran into you again, that is." He went back to eating his breakfast, blushing slightly.

Hermione felt a blush staining her own cheeks, and she was surprised. She wasn't usually so affected by flattery, but this was Remus. She'd had a crush on the man since she was thirteen years old, for goodness sake. He'd always been the epitome of kindness and courtesy, but she had never thought that her unrequited interest might be reciprocated.

"It's a bit odd that we keep running into each other, isn't it?" she asked.

Remus laughed. "How should I know?" He gave her a lopsided grin, and for a moment it was as if the burden he bore was forgotten. "You're the fancy time traveller."

She couldn't help the laugh that forced its way out of her mouth. "Touche, Mr Lupin. Touche."

His light mood disappeared and he was suddenly the mature Prefect, the only one of his friends with a sense of responsibility, when he averted his eyes back to his breakfast and asked, "Do you think you'll keep coming back?"

Hermione swallowed, and her breakfast felt heavy in her stomach. "I honestly don't know. My research was on something called Time Traveler's Disease. It's been mentioned here and there in the records in the Department of Mysteries - where I work - but the recorded accounts are absolutely ancient and not much help. I was hoping to do this research so we could avoid having these problems in the future, but it seems I may have contracted the disease instead of preventing it."

She expected Remus to flinch away, but he just put a hand over her own fidgeting fingers on the table, ever the voice of reason. "Did any of the records hint that the disease was dangerous?"

Hermione tilted her head to the side in thought. "No. They spent a few hours or days travelling here and there through time until they made it back to their own time again. There were no lasting side effects, as far as I can remember." She nodded toward their joined hands. "And it wasn't contagious."

He barked a laugh, startling a squawk from Fawkes on his perch above the Headmaster's desk. "As if I would be worried about that." His eyes glowed with mirth, and she wished she could capture this moment forever - Remus Lupin laughing in the face of his own disease. He was radiant. "You seemed to know enough about me last time we spoke that you should know I wouldn't care about something like that." He squeezed her hand a final time before finishing off his last few bites of tomato.

When the last remains of breakfast and the dirty dishes were whisked away, a single chocolate fairy cake appeared in front of Remus.

Hermione gasped. "I'd forgotten! Your friends said it's your birthday! Happy birthday, then!"

He looked uncomfortable under the attention but also pleased that it was coming from her. He flicked a careful spell at the cupcake that neatly sliced it in half before handing one of the pieces to her. "Cake isn't much fun if you don't share it." His smile was shy and embarrassed, and she couldn't say no to him. They ate the sweet in silence, Hermione thinking to herself that she really should have given it a rest with her misplaced "emancipate the elves" crusade. They really were fantastic cooks.

She rose to make her way to the class she would apparently be teaching and Remus followed suit. They were halfway down the Headmaster's staircase when Hermione's vision started to swim, and Remus' face fell. Fear and sadness radiated from his drooping frame; his disappointment that she was leaving so soon was nearly palpable.

"I wish you didn't have to go."

She wanted to comfort him but didn't know what to say, so she lifted a hand to say a silent goodbye.

He gave her a half-hearted wave in return as he watched her fade out of sight.

When the world re-formed in front of her, she was standing in a small bedroom with soft yellow walls and a wooden crib. The sound of a shower running filtered in through the wall. The crib contained a sleeping baby. He was curled on his side, sweetly sleeping with his thumb in his mouth. Occasionally, his arm would start to slip down, and he would vigorously suck to keep the thumb in place. Hermione smiled, giving in to the temptation to brush his feathery blond curls out of his face.

He was perfectly chubby and sweeter than any baby had a right to be, with long eyelashes that fanned out on his rosy cheeks. He sighed peacefully, and Hermione carefully stepped away, not wanting to wake him.

The sound of showering continued, and Hermione was about to open the door to make her escape from the house before she was found when the baby's thumb finally slipped out, causing him to whimper and fuss. The noise reminded her of how Teddy had sounded as an infant and she turned back to the baby, curiosity renewed. Could it be…?

He started crying in earnest, and she started to worry someone might come in to help and find her in the child's room. Wondering if it was the right course of action but not really seeing a better option, she reached in and picked the baby up, cradling him to her chest and shushing him quietly. When that didn't seem to work, she hummed a lullaby that she remembered from her own childhood. It had been one of the only things that had calmed Teddy down in his colicky days, so figured it was worth a shot.

"I see the moon, and the moon sees me,

Hiding behind the old oak tree.

God bless the moon, and God bless me,

And God bless the one that I love to see…"

Tiny Remus snuggled closer, thumb firmly in place again as his body relaxed back into sleep. She wasn't sure it was him yet, but she had a feeling.

The sound of running water shut off abruptly, startling Hermione from the tranquil haze that cuddling a sleeping baby induced. She set Remus gently back down in his crib, making sure not to jostle his thumb.

She heard the bathroom door open and realised she needed to hurry if she wanted to avoid being seen by the baby's mother or father. Turning to the window, she slid it open and had a foot out when she heard the doorknob turn behind her. Looking over her shoulder, she saw Hope Lupin's eyes widen in fear before the world went dark once more.

This time she reappeared outside. The air was frigid, the sky dark. Icy rain was falling, startling Hermione enough that she remembered her wand was still in her pocket. She pulled it out and cast a water-repelling charm, followed by a thorough warming charm. Her thin work robes whipped around her in the wind, and she glanced around for some kind of cover. She stood on a rolling moor with open space all around save for a small cottage in the distance. Lightning flashed, urging her towards shelter and safety.

When she reached the front door, still feeling chilled despite her charms, she rapped her knuckles against the worn wood and waited.

The door opened, and lightning flashed behind her, illuminating the scarred and sombre face of Remus Lupin. Her heart stopped when she saw the grief-stricken look he wore. "Remus."

His eyes widened, and his hand slid down the doorframe before it stretched out and caught around her waist, pulling her into a desperate hug. He buried his face in her curls, breathing in deeply before he pulled back just far enough to kiss her. She reeled in shock for an instant before the thrill of his lips on hers overwhelmed her, and she was lost.

Hermione had never been kissed this way. Remus' lips parted slightly before they reached her own; then he was devouring her. One hand was tangled in her hair, the other wrapped tight around her waist, pulling her ever closer. A soft, possessive growl purred deep in his throat, and she moaned. He swallowed the sound and tilted her head back to allow himself better access before nipping at her lower lip, causing a shudder to run down her spine. His tongue was hot and patient, begging entrance to her mouth. She happily granted it.

Time swam as they learned each other's mouths, hands wandering to hair, faces, waists, and finally tangling together when the couple broke apart, chests heaving gasping breaths. Remus stared at her like she was the most beautiful painting in a museum and clung to her hand. Her lips felt swollen, her hair mussed, but he seemed to love her all the more for it.

She couldn't take the unguarded intensity behind his gaze and looked away, her eyes drawn to their clasped hands. "When are we?"

When silence met her question she looked back up. It was the wrong question to ask. His adamant adoration of her had faded to his previous sad look, tinged with a hint of his previous worship. "November 1981. My best friends died last month."

Hermione felt her face fall in sympathy for what she knew Remus was feeling. Taking him by the hand, she led him to the lone settee in the sparse living room and urged him down with gentle pressure on his shoulders. Once he was seated she tucked herself into the space at his side, wrapping herself into all his empty places.

They sat in silence for a long moment before he turned his face into her neck, giving in to the heart-wrenching sobs that had tried to claim him so often since he'd lost the three people closest to him in the world all in one night. He cried for the betrayal, uncertainty, guilt, confusion, and absolute unfairness of it all. She held him as he let his heart bleed out its poison, tears trickling down her face to match his own.

She'd never wished so much that she could do something to change the past, but she knew, just as she had in the Gryffindor boy's dormitory, that there was nothing she could do - at any point in time - to change the horrible course of events that had destroyed Remus and Harry so thoroughly. She thought of James and Lily's son, already carted off to live with his horrid Muggle relatives, and wished for just a moment that she dared to throw caution to the wind and change it all.

When the sobs slowed to shuddering breaths, he turned and pillowed his head against her legs, telling her - he thought for the first time - the tale of the werewolf, the traitor, and the two who died because of the betrayal of their best friend. Hermione wanted to comfort him, let him know that Sirius, at least, was not lost to him yet. The temptation was great, but her desire to keep the future intact was stronger, and she didn't dare ease the years of suffering that this dear man was about to endure. Instead, she gave him her warmth and her ear, making sympathetic noises and saying she was sorry when he needed to hear her voice.

Eventually, he fell silent, spent from the exertion of the emotional release. She carded her fingers through his hair, gently stroking and humming and loving, hoping it would all add up to be enough to keep this wonderful man going when he was so very alone.

He fell asleep with his head in her lap, arm curled around her legs as if to anchor her down in place and time.

She almost wished he could.

The sun was rising, its golden light and hope filtering in through the wavy glass of the windowpane, when the room started to spin again. Tears came to Hermione's eyes once more when she realized she'd be leaving before she was even able to say goodbye. He'd poured out his heart and soul for her to see and kissed her like nothing else mattered. Maybe it was a tender mercy that she didn't have to say goodbye. She wasn't sure she would have been able to find words adequate enough. Instead, she pressed the lightest of kisses to Remus' forehead before she was pulled away once more.

The feeling of long-distance time travel sucked her in and spun her around, depositing her amidst the shelves of the familiar library at Grimmauld Place. A lone figure sat near the fire, a tumbler of firewhisky in hand. He sipped it slowly, and he looked at ease. Hermione couldn't decide how old this Remus was, so she stepped forward and cleared her throat to announce her presence.

He turned slowly and let his gaze wander over her face, seeming to savour the simple experience of knowing she was in the same room as him. "I was just thinking about you."

The statement surprised her, but she walked forward to sit next to him by the fire. "I just keep coming back?"

He nodded. "Like my own guardian angel or something." His smile was wry but sincere. Not the easy smile of the boy in Dumbledore's office but a smile of matured, earned happiness. "You're not usually here long."

She nodded, feeling an odd mix of excitement at the prospect of more moments with this man and guilt that she never seemed to stick around to finish any of them.

"Do you mind if I ask you something?" he ventured.

"I may not be able to answer."

He looked as if he'd expected that response and forged ahead anyway. "Can you tell me what day your present is? So I can know when you'll know who I am. What we are to each other." He looked sheepish, and she wondered what he was thinking.

Pursing her lips, she pondered the possible consequences of telling him. It seemed reasonable enough, given the fact that he already knew who she was and had apparently experienced a lifetime of little moments with her already by this point in time.

"It was a Sunday, February 29th, 2004. I was only at work that day because my research about the Time Traveler's Disease all pointed toward that being the best day to activate the equations and runes to figure out the cause." She looked at the fire, braiding her hair away from her face. "Call me crazy. It honestly never occurred to me that this research could actually give me the disease, just that it would give me the information I needed."

Remus smiled again and reached over to grab her hand. "That's not so far away." His eyes became distant as he lost himself in the memories of all the moments he'd shared with the girl in front of him. "How many jumps have you made so far?"

She swallowed, not liking the implications of that question. "A few."

He nodded. "I'll be there when you get back."

Sighing, she shook her head and asked, "How is everyone?"

That pulled another real smile out of him. "Teddy just started nursery school at that Muggle school you recommended. I forgot to glamour his hair and eyes one day last week, and I fully expected to have to obliviate his entire class. He came home and informed me that his hair had been boring brown and his eyes silly grey all day." He chuckled, his pride clearly written next to the relief on his face. "He's brilliant, Hermione. I know you younger self knows it, but I'm excited for you to see him with new eyes when you get back. He's his mother's son, but he also has so much of you in him."

"And you," she reminded him. "I recently met a baby who sucked his thumb and cried that same hiccoughing cry." Her eyes softened on this man she'd cared about for so long, this unknown part of his past making him even more dear to her. "He also got your goodness, your brilliant mind, and your ridiculous craving for chocolate."

That surprised a laugh out of him, and they smiled at each other, enjoying the peace found in that moment in front of the fire. They chatted about their favourite things, inspired by the talk of chocolate, and Remus' eyes settled on her meaningfully when the room started to sway beneath her.

"Come back to me."

She smiled, sad she always had to leave but happy in his presence. "I have a feeling I always will."

When the twisting and turning dissipated and light filled her vision once more, Hermione was back in the little nursery with the yellow walls. Remus was sitting on the bed, small and fearless, with the three familiar slashes forming fresh scars on his skin. Her heart hurt to see the first marks of the moon on his earnest little face. The colours of the sunset streamed in through the open curtains, enhancing the startling amber colour of his eyes.

He was staring at her intently, small nostrils flaring slightly. She realized he was smelling her, likely trying to sort out what her intentions were. Her scent must have passed his inspection, for the colour of the wolf in his eyes receded, leaving only the familiar faded green.

"Who are you?"

"Have you ever heard of time travellers?" she asked.

He nodded. "Mum read me a story about one once. He fell through time and made new friends before he found his way back home."

Smiling, she stepped over and sat in the rocking chair across from his bed. "I'm a time traveller, just like that."

He narrowed his eyes. "What's your name?"

"Miss Granger. But my friends call me Hermione."

"Why did you appear in my bedroom, Miss Granger?"

"It seems as though I've had an experiment go wrong in my time. I keep bouncing back and forth through time. It looks like fate has decided I should be here tonight." She looked around at the shabby but comfortable room. A shelf full of books caught her eye, and she remembered teenage Remus' story about how she'd read him a book when he was young. "Would you like me to read you a book?"

His eyes lit up, and he looked impossibly similar to Teddy in that moment - minus the grey eyes and turquoise hair. "Peter Pan!"

"Ho ho! You're a smart one, reading the classics at your age! Boy after my own heart."

He beamed at the praise and snuggled deeper into the pile of blankets atop his bed. Only his intent face and shaggy mop of fine, dirty-blond hair poked out of the top of his little nest. She grinned inwardly, the Ministry worker in her finding humour in the sight. She wished the fear-mongers in the Department for the Control and Regulation of Magical Creatures were there to see the sweet boy. If only they could understand how absolutely adorable a werewolf can be, she thought, standing to run a finger over the spines of his books before finding the one he'd chosen.

"All children, except one, grow up*," she began, enjoying the familiar words of one of her favourite children's stories.

"Maybe you'll be just like Peter Pan and never grow up," he interrupted, smiling at the thought.

He was right; it was possible she would never stop travelling back and forth through the past. She felt her face grow pale at the implication of his words but tried not to let him see how much his comment had affected her. It wasn't his fault that he was intelligent far beyond his years and she was falling uncontrollably through time.

She continued to read, glancing occasionally at the boy on the bed as he slowly grew tired, eyes blinking shut just a little longer each time until they finally fell closed.

And then she was gone again, leaving nothing but a figment of his imagination on the rocking chair as he fell asleep.

Hermione heard her surroundings before she saw them this time. Raucous laughter rang out around her, and her eyes were open and searching before her new "present" was even fully formed. When the blurry world was back in its usual crisp lines and full colour, she found herself sprawled on her backside in the middle of a table at a bustling bar. She was grateful for the jeans she had on beneath her modest work robes and the dignity they allowed her to keep, despite her compromising position. She was surrounded by three of the Marauders, clearly having the time of their lives and well beyond three sheets to the wind. They looked a few years older than the last time she'd seen them together, and James was wearing a fake pair of antlers. Mercifully, they were all turned to face the stage for the time being, where Sirius Black was performing a rather artful - if not enjoyable to listen to - rendition of Abba's "Take a Chance on Me." A similarly-sloshed hen party had taken up residence near the stage for their own night of fun, and they cheered and made entirely inappropriate comments for the entirety of the song. Sirius was eating it up, and there was a very good chance at least one member of the wedding party would be taking a chance on him that night.

Hermione slid off the table, claiming the empty seat next to Remus and slipping her hand into his to let him know she was there without startling him too badly.

He glanced over his shoulder in surprise, face breaking into a contagious grin when he saw who had joined their party.

"Prongs! Wormtail! Look who decided to join us! It's the time traveller from my birthday!" he announced, a little too loudly.

Hermione giggled but shushed him, nudging him with her shoulder and hoping he'd get the hint. He did, blushing a little and muttering, "Sorry, probably not the best thing to go shouting to the world." He brightened. "I am glad you're here, though! It's been ages." His hand tightened around her own, and butterflies fluttered to life in her stomach.

James Potter, who really was the spitting image of his son except for his hazel eyes and scar-free forehead, proclaimed, "I'm getting married tomorrow! To the most beautiful woman in the world! You should congratulate me."

She returned the man's infectious smile. "You're a lucky man! And she must be lucky to have a man who thinks so highly of her."

James nodded seriously, taking a few gulps of his beer and almost managing to slosh it all over his front as he did so. Remus - apparently the least drunk of the lot - managed to save his friend's shirt, but James was oblivious, too busy slamming his drink down to clap for Sirius as he finished his performance and made his way back to the table they'd laid claim to for the night. The drink spilt onto the table and started dripping onto James' lap before he realised what he'd done, and he started mopping up the mess with a pile of napkins.

Remus laughed while Peter guffawed, slapping James' back in amusement and shouting, "Let's hope you're not this much of a mess tomorrow!" The man with the antler headdress was unperturbed, though; whether because he'd had too much to drink or was truly that incandescently in love with his bride-to-be, Hermione wasn't sure.

Sirius' grey eyes lit up when he saw Hermione in what had been his seat, and he jauntily pulled up another chair next to her, sitting as close as he possibly could without smashing her into Remus. "Well hello, Kitten. Long time no see!"

Hermione had expected such a reaction from Sirius and simply offered her hand. "Nice to meet you. I'm Hermione."

Sirius shook it, weaving slightly in his seat. "Sirius Black. But I pretend I'm a Potter. Got the short end of the stick with the parent business. Good genes, though!" he chirped, turning his face from side to side for her inspection. She'd never known anyone who was quite so confident and proud of his own looks as Sirius was, and it felt good to laugh about something so utterly ridiculous. She also enjoyed the contrast he and Remus painted next to each other. Sirius with all his good looks and charm, and Remus with his scarred face that framed wise eyes and his big heart. They were both good eggs, in the end, but Hermione knew she had an ever-growing soft spot for the werewolf. She wondered just how many times she'd visited him by this point in time, and how he felt about her. The familiar way he kissed her in the future told her that they became more than friends eventually, and she grew nervous when she realised that it might all come down to tonight.

The party raged on, wandering as a group from one bar to the next when the first one closed up for the night, and the boys and Hermione consumed ludicrous amounts of alcohol until the wee hours of the morning. They decided to walk home since they were all far too drunk to consider Apparating, and Muggle bars didn't have a connection to the Floo Network. The walk was a longer one, so they filled the time by playing a few rounds of truth or dare. No one was really interested in telling boring truths - they pretty much knew everything about each other anyway, and Hermione didn't dare tell them anything revealing about herself. Instead, they proceeded with a game of "dare or die," as Peter dubbed it. James had to kiss Sirius - which Remus informed Hermione was not an altogether uncommon occurrence, though they both were as straight as straight could be. Peter gave Remus a piggy back ride across a deserted street. Sirius told the truth about his first kiss - since the others decided that was more of a challenge for him than any brash act of bravery. The group decided his tale was much less glamorous and exciting than they had all expected. And the first round ended with a highly inebriated Sirius standing nose to nose with Hermione, slurring as he commanded, "Ya have t'kiss whichever one of us ya think's most pretty."

The butterflies in her stomach were rioting again, and she was sure her face would have been tomato red if she wasn't protected by the blanket of darkness. The awkward attraction and hand-holding that had been going on between Remus and Hermione all night made it pretty clear to her that kissing was something they hadn't done yet in his timeline. Although she wanted to feel him press his lips to hers again more than just about anything, she wasn't sure she wanted it to happen this way. It was light-years removed from the sweet, private moment she would have hoped for. A first kiss seemed like something that shouldn't be taken lightly; it should be savoured.

But a very drunk and stubborn Sirius Black was as close to her as he could possibly be without their faces touching, and she had a feeling she wasn't going to be able to talk her way out of this.

Gathering up her courage, she turned to the man beside her. He looked a little uncomfortable and nervous, but he licked his lips. That served as enough motivation for Hermione, and she looped her arms around his neck, going up on tiptoe to kiss Remus Lupin for what he thought was the very first time.

He stayed still under the gentle pressure of her lips for a shocked moment before wrapping his arms tightly around her waist and taking control of the kiss. Her lips parted in pleasant surprise - he was already a brilliant kisser - and Remus took advantage, snogging her until they were both breathless and the three men nearby were wolf-whistling and not-so-quietly chanting, "Moony, Moony, Moony!"

By the time they broke apart Remus' eyes were amber and gold, and Hermione lost herself to them, the rest of the world falling away. The heady combination of alcohol and fantastic snogging gave her one last dose of courage, and she coyly grinned up at Remus. "We should do that again sometime."

He groaned. "Bloody hell, woman. You are going to be the absolute death of me."

She laughed and pressed another kiss to the corner of his mouth, thinking they would continue on with their game and walk home, but his reflexes were too fast. He caught the back of her head in his hand, tangling it in her hair and giving her a final long, fervent kiss before taking her hand in his once more and leading the way down the street to where the others were already continuing on with the game.

When they finally wandered home, it was to the flat Sirius and Remus shared above a shop in Diagon Alley. The lot of them made it through the first door but stared up the narrow flight of steps, which seemed to grow exponentially the longer they looked at them. Sirius flopped down onto the floor, every drop of Muggle alcohol he'd consumed that night seeming to catch up with him. "You lot g'won up. 'M sleepin' 'ere t'night," he slurred as he collapsed onto the floor, curling up on himself and using his arm as a pillow. "Dead comfy, this ol' floor. We picked a good'un, Moons…" he drifted off, snoring as soon as the words stopped coming out of his mouth.

James groaned. "No, Padfoot. This is my - and Lily's - big day. I'm not going to let you ruin it by losing you before the day even has a chance to start. Come on, up we go." He and Peter both grabbed him underneath the arms, hoisting him into an upright position and half carrying him up the stairs.

Remus chuckled as he swayed next to Hermione, arm firmly in place over her shoulders. He'd stolen a kiss or two as they finished their walk home, and he pressed another one into her hair before he helped her up the stairs.

It was strange that they always felt so comfortable with each other, no matter when she appeared or how long it had been since her last visit. She found herself pondering the way fate was juggling her future and Remus' past into one continuous whole as she fell asleep, still fully clothed and snuggled firmly against the chest of her favourite werewolf.

The next morning dawned bright and early. Far too bright and early. Lily Evans had a mean streak, Hermione decided, when she heard the woman fire-call soon after the sun came up. She was hollering for her fiance to wake up and get his half of the wedding party to the ceremony on time - or else.

James acquiesced, reminding her how much he loved her as she rang off, before grumbling about how much his head hurt, and did anyone have a hangover potion? Remus found a few vials in a cauldron under the sink - which he informed Hermione was usually for storing chocolate, but he would hide other goodies in there from time to time.

Everyone took a quick turn in the shower before disappearing into various rooms to get dressed and prepare for the wedding.

Hermione felt extremely out of place. This was, surprisingly, a new feeling amidst this time travelling experience. She knew Remus, and even Sirius, pretty well and was thrilled to spend the day with them, but James and Lily were ghosts to her. It boggled her mind a bit to think about going to the wedding of the parents of her childhood best friend, an orphan who had been raised by his Muggle relatives because his godfather was in Azkaban for a crime he didn't commit. She shook her head, hoping the deep thoughts and the last of the fog from her hangover would leave her in peace so she could do her best to enjoy the day.

She made herself busy, straightening ties and pinning on boutonnieres and smoothing wrinkles that weren't really there. Remus followed her like a lost puppy, not that she minded, and they spent the day sharing little facts about themselves. It felt like a first date, yet much more comfortable and intimate, as if it were the first date of two people who had already known each other for a lifetime. In some ways, she supposed, they had.

When everyone was ready, they Apparated to the location of the ceremony. They still had some time before the wedding began, so Remus took Hermione's hand and led her into the old Potter Manor. The ceremony and reception were being held on the grounds, but Lily was getting ready inside. "Come on. I have somebody I'd like you to meet."

Remus seemed to know where they were going, though the enormous house felt like a maze to Hermione. It was full of light and colour, the exact opposite of what she'd seen in other pureblood houses, like Grimmauld Place. She tried to memorise the details, hoping she would one day get a chance to tell Harry about his ancestral home.

When they reached their destination, Remus knocked and called, "Lily? I have a guest here who I think you might want to see."

The sound of heels against hardwood clicked closer to them before the door flew open, revealing Lily Evans in all her bridal glory. Her hair was down and flowed in soft curls to her waist. She had her veil in hand and was wearing an elegant cream sheath gown. Her bright green eyes were excited as they took in the pair in the hallway, and suddenly she squealed. "Remus! Why didn't you tell me she was here?"

He laughed. "I didn't think you would appreciate us showing up at your hen night with a drunk Prongs in tow. You know as well as I do that he wouldn't have been far behind us if he knew we were going to visit you."

"Then you should have lied to him!" Lily admonished, shaking her head. "James will not actually die if he spends a moment here or there out of my presence, contrary to what he tells everyone." She turned to shake Remus' shoulder. "So tell me everything! How long has she been here?"

Hermione looked at them in confusion. "You know who I am?" The panic she felt at the thought of changing the past and destroying back tingled in the back of her mind.

Remus opened his mouth to answer the question, but he was no match for Lily's vivacious energy. "Absolutely! Remus didn't dare tell James or the others the whole story since he rightly thought that they would probably poke fun at him and never leave the subject of Moony's mysterious time travelling woman alone, but he told me. We're the only sane ones of the bunch, so we have to stick together." She nodded definitively. "Now spill!"

Laughing, Remus and Hermione took turns relaying the events of the night before, all the way down to their eventful walk home from the bar. Remus was already blushing furiously. "Erm... And then Sirius had the brilliant idea to dare Hermione to kiss whoever she fancied most, which I am only slightly ashamed to admit I rather enjoyed."

Lily exploded into peals of laughter. "Remus, that's fantastic! Good for you! It's about time something happened to put a smile on that serious face of yours."

Remus just grinned, rubbing the back of his neck self-consciously. They continued to talk about the events of the night before, laughing at the antics the others had gotten into while under the influence. Before long, though, a woman came down the hall and reminded Lily that she needed to head down for the ceremony.

Lily jumped into action, declaring, "You can be my third bridesmaid, Hermione! I couldn't think of anyone I wanted to ask to balance out James' side of the aisle, but this will be perfect!"

Hermione was speechless. Lily and Remus looked at her expectantly until she found her voice once more. "Are you sure? This is a pretty special day for you! It's generous of you to let me tag along as Remus' plus one, let alone…"

"Nonsense!" Lily interrupted. "I have literally heard that boy go on about you for years. You're practically part of the family!"

And with that, Remus had been unceremoniously shoved from the room and told to go keep James and the rest of the boys from getting into trouble.

Hermione stood awkwardly in the middle of the large bedroom, clueless as to the next step in getting ready for a wedding. She'd been on Harry's side of the aisle at his and Ginny's wedding, but her duties had been limited to wearing a Ginny-approved dress and showing up a few minutes early.

Fortunately, Lily was more than capable of turning Hermione into a proper bridesmaid with her creativity and a little spellwork. As soon as the door shut on Remus' retreating form, Lily spun on her heel and started digging through the wardrobe, muttering, "Something long, maybe purple? With those nice fluttery sleeves I saw in a bridal magazine…"

Hermione felt herself growing nervous with the anticipation of seeing what Lily might pick for her, but the situation seemed strangely familiar. She couldn't count the number of times Ginny had dragged her from shop to shop, treating her like a life-sized dress-up doll, and forced her to sit through countless makeovers and girls' nights. The fact the Lily and Ginny seemed to be as similar in temperament as they were in looks only added to the odd feeling of deja vu.

Finally, Lily reappeared from her treasure hunt in the wardrobe holding a long, red dress. Hermione's hesitancy to wear anything that bold at a near-stranger's wedding must have flitted across her face, because Lily laughed. "Don't worry! It won't look anything like this when I'm done with it. It's just easier to start with something similar to what we want to make. Now, I know you're a mysterious time traveller, but tell me about yourself!" She draped the red dress across the foot of the bed and started making changes with her wand.

Hermione was impressed with her spellwork. It was obvious where Harry's impressive magical abilities - despite his Muggle upbringing and rather hectic school experience - came from. Lily was a natural with Charms and Transfiguration, and James must have been a dab hand, too, since he'd achieved his full Animagus form long before he'd even left Hogwarts.

She wasn't sure what she could tell Lily without possibly altering the timeline, so she kept things simple, listing off facts about herself. "I prefer red wine over white. Libraries are some of my favourite places on earth. I've been known to be a bit of a swot and overachiever, but I don't see that as a bad thing. And if I never get married I'll probably just buy a cat and grow old reading, doing research, and babysitting all of my god-children."

Lily erupted into laughter. "Not if Remus has anything to say about it! I think he's been in love with you since sixth year. Maybe earlier. The rest of the boys weren't in our Arithmancy class that day you visited, but I saw the way he looked after you'd gone. He's always been a bit mopey and self-deprecating, but I've never seen him so miserable."

Feeling her face heat up, Hermione turned away and started taking off her robes, folding them and placing them on top of a nearby dresser. "I know. It's not exactly how I would have imagined things happening when I eventually fell in love, either."

"Ha!" Lily turned on her. "I knew you felt the same way." She was practically vibrating with excitement. "And the look on his face earlier says you've given him something to remember you by this time."

Stuffing her hands into the pockets of her jeans, she looked down in an attempt to hide her red face and involuntary smile. "You could say that."

Lily crowed in delight. "Good for you! And him. I love James more than I'd ever believed possible, but Remus will always hold a special place in my heart. He might not think much of himself, but he's pure gold inside."

Words escaped Hermione for the second time since she'd met the redheaded witch. Lily had summed up the way Hermione had always felt about Remus in a single sentence, and she felt warm inside at the thought that someone else could see him for who he truly was, too.

The moment ended abruptly when Lily spun around, brandishing a gorgeous purple gown on a hanger. "It's done! Try it on."

Lily was truly her own force of nature, and Hermione didn't dare to stand in her way. It only took a moment for her to slip out of her jeans and top before she shimmied into the dress Lily had made for her. She turned to the other woman, hoping for a look of approval, and stared at the familiar green eyes that were eyeing her up and down.

"Maybe a little tuck here…" Another flick of Lily's wand had the dress shrinking in at the waist. The gown was beautiful. The deep, rich purple made Hermione's skin glow and her eyes and freckles pop. It was cut in a deep v-neck with short, fluttering sleeves. The waist cinched in before the material flowed out, gracefully draping all the way down to the floor. "There. Now for makeup!"

Hermione stifled a groan, closing her eyes and gritting her teeth to prepare for the odd tingling and stinging of makeup charms, but none came. When she was finally brave enough to peek out of one eye, Lily was standing at the vanity, fluffy makeup brush in hand. She raised a perfectly-manicured auburn brow and stubbornly said, "We're doing this the Muggle way. I hope you don't have a problem with that."

Sighing in relief, Hermione felt her stiff posture relax and she took a seat at the vanity. Lily went to work, furrowing her brow in concentration and occasionally biting her lip.

She stood and took a step back when she was finished, grinning from ear to ear. "Remus isn't going to know what hit him."

Hermione stared at the vanity mirror, wondering if she'd been doing this makeup thing wrong over the years. Lily had somehow managed to smooth her skin, accentuate her eyes, and put a pucker in her lips - all while keeping the quiet beauty that was so Hermione intact. She stood and carefully hugged the other woman, making sure she didn't crush her dress or muss her hair and makeup. "Thank you. It's perfect."

Lily grinned. "It's the least I could do. Come on! I want to see Remus' face when you come down."

She turned back to the vanity, carefully pinning her veil in place before she made her way out of the room and down the stairs. Hermione waited a moment, not sure when she was supposed to make her grand entrance. She counted to one hundred before she grew impatient and followed Lily down.

The hallway was wide and hosted various magical paintings. All of them were smiling, apparently just as excited about the events of the day as the wedding party was. She nervously grinned back, waving before she turned to make her way down the sweeping curve of stairs that descended into the main entryway below.

After a few steps, Lily and the other boys - save James - came into view. Peter was grinning, and Sirius threw her a saucy wink. Lily was standing on tiptoe behind Remus, her dainty hands over his eyes. When she was halfway down the staircase, Lily let go, grabbing one of Remus' hands instead, nearly dancing in delight.

Once Hermione looked back at Remus, she couldn't look away. He was utterly shocked, mouth parted slightly and gaze glued to her. His eyes flashed amber, and Hermione knew Moony approved of what he saw just as much as Remus did. She knew her cheeks were pink by the time she dropped her gaze, but she loved seeing the adoration written so plainly on his face. She heard the click of shoes on the marble floor and looked up to see Remus waiting for her when she reached the bottom. He took both of her hands in his before leaning down to press a lingering kiss to her mouth. Her heartbeat quickened at his proximity, and she stared up into his gorgeous green eyes.

His voice was reverent when he finally spoke. "I've always known you were pretty, even when I was just eleven and scared to go to the Hogwarts. But now it's official: you are the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."

Hermione's face heated again, but she couldn't stop the smile that stretched across her face. "Thank you." She gave him a once-over, appreciating again how dapper he looked in his tux (a nod to Lily's Muggle side) and bowtie. "You wash up pretty nice yourself, Mr Lupin."

He grinned unabashedly, clearly pleased with her praise. He turned and slipped her hand into the crook of his arm. "Let's go watch my best friends get married, shall we?"

Before she knew it, she and Remus were walking arm-in-arm down the aisle. She held a small bouquet in her hand - since Lily somehow had the foresight to order an extra one - and clung to Remus until they parted ways to stand on either side of the archway where James and the Ministry official stood, awaiting Lily's arrival. The garden and the flowers they'd brought in for the occasion made it feel like something out of a fairytale.

The wedding was perfect. The love Hermione had seen in James' eyes and heard in the way he talked about Lily the night before was mirrored in his bride's face and actions. Their vows were simple and funny, starting with the way James had relentlessly begged Lily to give him a chance to the time she'd finally said yes. He had walked halfway down the hall, expecting her usual refusal, when he'd realised what she'd actually said and come running back. He asked her to run it by him again so he could save the memory of the first time she'd said yes to him for their posterity. They'd more or less been together ever since.

They promised to love each other during every moment, the good and the bad. They vowed to share laughter, kisses, and tears. They vowed to have enough love to share it with their children when they came along. And they pledged to live each day to the fullest, never taking a moment that the fates gave them to spend together for granted.

Hermione could finally see, with her own eyes, the match made in heaven that was Lily and James Potter. The knowledge that they would always stay together - even in death - tore at Hermione's heart and her resolve to leave the events of the past intact. It was physically painful for her to watch the two of them together and know it would not last.

The party after the ceremony was small and simple. A tasteful dinner and an utterly ridiculous best man speech from Sirius later, Hermione was wrapped in Remus' embrace, swaying gently on the dance floor. His mouth was near her ear and his breath teased the curls at the nape of her neck, causing her to shiver slightly.

"Are you cold?" he asked, concern colouring his voice.

She shook her head. "Your breath just tickles."

He huffed a laugh and pressed a warm kiss to the curve of her shoulder. She half-giggled, half-moaned, and he stopped teasing her with his lips only to give her a hard time with his words. "I saw the picture you stole from the photographer." His voice was casual, even though the question behind his words was not.

She instantly grew defensive. "I can't tell you why, but I need it."

Remus' eyebrows shot up at her attitude and he crooned, "Easy, tiger. I was only joking." He eyed her speculatively. "I don't know what you took it for, but I'm sure you had a good reason."

She nodded jerkily, thinking of how happy Harry would be if this picture somehow managed to stay in her pocket until she made it back to her own time. He only had a handful of mementoes from his parents. A picture straight from their wedding would mean the world to him. "I'm sorry I have to keep secrets."

"It's alright," Remus reassured her. "The air of mystery makes it more exciting."

Hermione swatted at his chest then laughed as she pulled him down to kiss her. She wasn't sure he would always feel that way, but she wasn't above taking advantage of it for the time being. They danced the night away, stopping more and more often to steal a kiss or talk to other wedding guests.

They found themselves pressed up against a wall of the Manor, slowly kissing themselves into oblivion, when Hermione felt the strange spinning feeling and almost swore, but she filled every last moment she had with the taste of him before she was forced to leave him again. As the lantern light from the garden faded away, she felt him clutch her disappearing form a bit tighter and heard him stubbornly declare, "I'll see you soon."

Oh, how she hoped he was right.

The room materialized around her, and she looked up to see the familiar surroundings of the Hogwarts Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. Remus was as she first remembered him, shabby and studious in his second-hand Professorial garb. She glanced down at herself and noticed that her dress for the wedding had turned back to her boring work robes and shrugged inwardly, training her gaze back on Remus. She grinned at him, filled with the emotions of their most recent encounter, and walked forward. Thinking they could pick up where they left off at the wedding, she went around his desk and took his face between her hands, pressing a teasing kiss to his lips.

His lips remained motionless beneath hers, and she pulled away, confused. His face was stoic, and he wasn't looking at her. She wilted, face falling. "Remus?" she asked, unsure of herself. He didn't answer, and she took a few steps back.

He sighed, turning his attention down to the scrolls on his desk, stacking them carefully before he put them away and stood, leaning against the edge of the desk.

He stared at the floor for a moment before finally meeting her eyes. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Her hands started to shake, and her voice came out as a whisper when she finally dared to speak. "Tell you what?"

"That you came from my future," Remus elaborated, voice clipped and distant.

She wasn't sure what to say. How could he not have known? She'd been in his entire life. All of his past moments were part of her present. She gripped her hands together tightly, hoping the pressure would help ease their shaking.

"I... I thought you knew. You've always been part of my past, so I didn't think to tell you that I'd be part of your future…" her voice trailed off. "I'm sorry." The whispered apology was lost to the echoing silence of the space between them.

"The only problem with this is that you know things," Remus announced. "You know things about me. My past. My future. We're all tangled up in each other's lives, like you said, but you know things about my life. You could have changed things, saved people. You know how it all ends!" His eyes clenched shut with the pain the truth of his words carried, and her heart cracked. He turned back to his desk, fidgeting with some loose parchments before turning back to her. The stubborn set of his jaw and the hard glint in his eye informed her that she would not like what he was about to say.

She was not wrong.

"Tell me," he demanded.

She wet her lips, stalling for time, digging for answers that wouldn't upset the delicate balance of time. "Tell you what?"

"Anything!" Remus exploded, exasperated. He held his head in both hands for a minute before straightening his hair in a gesture she had recently come to cherish. But the look on his face had not changed. She knew she would either harm their relationship with her silence or - possibly - use the man's mulishness against him to keep the timeline intact.

"You marry someone else," she announced, wishing she could reel the words back as soon as they'd left her mouth.

He simply stared at her, his face devoid of all previous emotion as he searched her eyes for the answers he so desperately sought. It was obvious the words were not what he had wanted to hear, nor were they what she wanted to tell him. But what had he expected when he made his demand?

"I can't tell you more," she went on. "But yes, you get married. There's a war on, and things don't always last. You have to embrace love anytime you're lucky enough to receive it."

His face fell, and suddenly he rushed forward, crushing her to him as if every inch separating them caused him physical pain. His breath caught on a sob, and she barely heard him utter, "How could I want anyone but you?"

She pulled away enough to tilt his head upright and stare at his closed eyes. "Remus, look at me," she commanded softly. He shook his head, and a single tear slid down his cheek.

"You're all I have," he said. "You've been all I have for a long time now. I'm realising who you are - or who you're going to be. Now it all just feels like a lie, like I've been in a relationship with someone who's now my student. And now you tell me I'm going to have another relationship, fall in love, and I don't want that either. What does that say about me? About the kind of person I am?"

Her lips tilted up slightly, and she offered him the only answer she could. "A good one. You are a good man, Remus Lupin. I can't tell you how it all works out, but I know things are not always as dark as they seem. And I have a feeling things work out for the best for everyone. Fate has a funny way of playing out the way it's meant to, and the way my life seems to be interwoven with yours must mean something. But don't deny yourself the happiness you'll find, Remus. I know what's going to happen, and I would never wish to change it. It's happened in my past, so things are easier for me. It's different for you. Things are going to be difficult as the war goes on, and I want you to have somebody who isn't going to be dancing in and out of your life on the whims of fate, never there but never gone. You deserve more than that."

Remus scoffed. "You deserve more than me - a monster."

Hermione placed a gentle hand over his lips. "You don't get to call yourself that around me, Moony. I've known who - and what - you are since I was thirteen years old, and that's only made me love you all the more."

He turned and stepped away from her again, face breaking with emotion, chest shuddering with the effort to contain his sobs. "Will you still visit me?" he asked.

Hermione shrugged and said, "I don't know. Time is a fluid thing for me at the moment. I never know when or where I'm going to go or how long I'm going to be there." She paused. "But I hope for your sake that fate gives you the time you need to love and live in a way that will bring you the most happiness."

He finally turned back to face her. "I'll miss you."

She stepped closer and pressed a soft kiss to the lips that were all at once familiar and so foreign in this stolen moment with a man who was no longer - and not yet - her own.

And then the world was darkness.

Fate was a funny thing. It was merciful in ways Hermione had not expected. She never visited the Remus who belonged to another. The Time Traveler's Disease seemed to have a kind streak and did not wish to place either of them under any more strain than some higher power deemed absolutely necessary.

The next time she materialized ended the fast from each other's presence, and Hermione appeared a few steps away from the grave of Nymphadora Lupin nee Tonks. Remus sat on a nearby bench, cradling his infant son in his arms. His eyes were red from crying, but Teddy slept on peacefully, his signature turquoise hair fluffy and vibrant against his father's faded tweed jacket.

Hermione's throat was too tight with emotion to speak, so she made her way to the bench and sat beside him. She must have been quieter than she intended, for Remus startled, his head jerking up to see her. She placed a gentle hand on his arm and forced out just enough breath to whisper, "I'm so sorry."

He shook his head, astounded to see her again after a few years apart. "How did you survive through all this pain?"

She leaned her head against Remus' shoulder, stroking a finger tenderly across Teddy's downy head. "You've endured more than almost anyone I know, Remus, with perhaps the exception of Harry. But he doesn't remember most of his losses. You do."

Hermione wrapped an arm around his back, clinging to him like she never had before, wishing the love she had for this man was enough to heal the hurts of his own heart. She felt like her apology carried little weight in the face of his sorrow, but it was all she could offer, aside from her presence, however temporary. "I'm sorry, Remus."

He straightened, glancing at the headstone and then back at her. "The strangest part is that I always wondered if one day it would end this way, from what you said… I don't feel as if I've done anything wrong since I put my whole heart into this marriage once Dora finally convinced me to give it a go. I did lose it for a bit when we found out about Teddy, I suppose." He laughed hoarsely, and the sound made Hermione's heart ache. "I am lucky to have loved two such wonderful women," Remus added. "But the emotions that I feel now that she's gone are just…" he ruffled his hair with his free hand and sighed, "...complicated."

Hermione nodded, trying to understand as best she could the inner turmoil he must be experiencing in her presence. It wasn't just the death of his wife, it was all of the emotions they'd shared together over the years washing over him - the knowledge that it was his past, but that to Hermione… He was her everything. Her past, her present, and hopefully her future, all jumbled up in a bouncing ball of time, never knowing where she would end up from one moment to the next. Remus was Hermione's constant through it all, but right now she wasn't truly his.

This encounter was too soon after losing his wife. She heard the depth of the pain in his voice and knew it would be some time before he could open himself to the idea of loving her again. She was patient, though, and knew it would be worth the wait.

The bright summer sky began to fade, and Hermione stated, "I'll be there when you're ready."

Remus nodded dejectedly, tears still flowing freely as he clutched Teddy a little tighter.

Hermione drifted away.

She opened her tired eyes and found herself once again in the cottage bedroom of the young Remus Lupin. This time he was a tall, gangly boy of about eleven, if the tidily packed Hogwarts trunk at the foot of his bed was anything to go by. Remus was perched on the window seat, peering out at the night that was nearly pitch black, save for the twinkling of a few stars, because of the new moon. Nerves nearly radiated from the boy, and Hermione took a step forward, hoping to alert him to her presence.

He looked over his shoulder and gasped, "You! I knew you weren't just a dream!" He sprang up from the cushioned bench near the window and came closer, stopping a few feet away. "Mum told me you were just a dream and that time travellers weren't real, but I knew there must be some kind of time travel in the wizarding world! What brings you back?"

She shrugged. "I was serious when I said I had a research experiment go wrong. I can't control when or where I go, but my experiment seems to think it's pretty important that I get to know you."

He looked at her quizzically. "What do you mean?"

She tried to remember his words from her first time jump to the past and kept it vague. "It's not my first time visiting here, is it?"

He nodded - apparently seeing her point - and straightened, sticking his hand out in front of him. "Remus Lupin. Pleased to meet you."

She shook his hand happily, returning, "Hermione Granger, traveller lost in time. Likewise."

When his grin slipped back into a grimace and he started fidgeting again, she cleared her throat. He jumped, and she felt guilty for startling him. Searching for safe conversation topics yet again, she pointed at his Hogwarts trunk and asked, "Getting ready to head off to school?" He nodded glumly, but she responded, "How exciting!"

He agreed, mumbling, "School will be great. I can already tell the books and homework will be easy. It's the friends I'm worried about. I haven't made many growing up in the middle of nowhere." The added phrase 'as a werewolf' hung in the air, but Hermione didn't think now was the right time to broach that subject. She decided to offer empathy instead.

"I felt the same way when I left for school. Books and cleverness always came easily to me, but I had a hard time making friends. I accidentally offended a few people right off the bat by being a bit of a know-it-all, but even I made friends in time. You're much nicer than I was, believe me. I think you'll find great friends. Just be yourself and give everyone a chance. They'll all be nervous about going to school for the first time, too. It's okay to be nervous together."

He nodded and looked a little less panicked than he had when she arrived.

She took a risk with her next words but thought the teenage Remus had hinted at her knowing about his Lycanthropy. "Don't worry about the full moons either, Remus. There are lots of people out there who won't care one whit if you spend one night a month... elsewhere."

His eyes were wide and fearful, unused to having anyone other than his parents talk about his condition. "How…? You've seen my future?"

She nodded hesitantly, still nervous about giving too much away but knowing that she should all the comfort she could. "I have a feeling your friends are going to love all of you, scars and all."

He looked incredulous but smiled slightly. "Thanks, that actually makes me feel a little better. I appreciate it."

"You're very welcome."

And the past disappeared into darkness again.

On and on she travelled, spinning back and forth through time until the time away from her present day seemed more like months or years than a mere moment, always flickering back into existence next to the man with sad eyes, gentle hands, and a heart big enough for two of her. Finally, she appeared next to him as she remembered him soon after the Potters died. He was asleep in bed, curled around a pillow and snoring softly. Not wanting to wake him, but feeling too exhausted to stand another moment, she made her way to the other side of the bed and snuggled up behind him, her nose to the back of his neck, hand held over his steadily beating heart.

The movement caused him to stir, turning over to pull her into his arms. His voice was a husky whisper. "I've missed you."

"I'd do anything to stay."

He stayed silent, trailing his fingers up and down her back in a soothing motion.

"How many times have I visited now?"

He raised an eyebrow, eyes still closed, but said, "Do you really think I should answer that?"

She huffed in exasperation but shrugged. "I don't know. I'm doing everything I can to keep the timeline intact."

He pulled her closer, nuzzling his face into her neck. "You visit often enough."

She scoffed. "What's that supposed to mean?"

He pressed a kiss to her collarbone before pulling himself up onto one elbow. "It means I know where to kiss you to make you melt, how you take your tea, how suffocating your hair can be when I wake up with a face full of it, and that you are absolutely my favourite person on earth - past, present, and future. It means I love you."

She was stunned into silence, and he took advantage of her parted lips to steal a kiss that turned into a desperate snog. But she was tired from her journey, and he seemed to sense that. Pulling away, he placed a final, chaste kiss to her mouth and cradled her to his chest, tangling his legs with hers.

They were both easing into sleep when she realised she'd never responded to his earlier declaration. "I love you too, Remus."

He smiled against her hair and pressed a kiss there. "I know."

She fell asleep and hurtled through the years.

When she woke, she was sitting in her office at the Department of Mysteries, arms and hair sprawled every which way across the parchment that had just given her the most insane, beautiful, impossible experience of her life.

The sound of a throat clearing startled her into an upright position, and she saw through her riotous curls that there was someone in the doorway of her office. After impatiently flipping her hair out of her face, she saw that it was Remus.

Her Remus.

With soft green eyes that flashed amber and desperate kisses. He came from yellow nursery walls and stories of boys who never grew up. He believed himself unlovable but found friends who knew the darkness he held inside and loved him anyway. He had survived years of scars, transformations, loss, and loneliness. His hands found her own when she needed to be held, fingers twining with hers in a perfect fit. He was lazy mornings sharing tea in companionable silence and nights cuddled up reading by the fire. He had a heart that held an inconceivable amount of love for her - a girl who couldn't help but travel through time.

He smiled, and her breath caught in her throat.

"I thought I might find you here."

The words were barely out of his mouth before she was upon him, clinging to him like the lifeline he was. Every moment, past present, and future, had them entwined, and she didn't plan on fighting fate any longer.

He chuckled and pressed a kiss to her hair in a way that had become addictingly familiar. "Welcome home, love."

"It's good to be back," she mumbled into his neck, causing him to laugh at the ticklish sensation. She pulled back and touched their foreheads together, breathing in this man that has always been hers, even when he wasn't. "How did you keep it a secret all these years? I never could have done it."

His smile was teasing. "I was rather excited for the prize waiting for me at the end. I think you know I can be stubborn when I want something."

She threw her head back and laughed, loving the feel of his own laughter rumbling through his chest where she was pressed up against him. He gave her a bemused look. "Whatever am I going to do with you?"

Hermione grinned coyly. "Kiss me."

He was only a breath away when he whispered, "I thought you'd never ask."

~ fin ~

A/N: *Full credit for this line goes to J.M. Barrie, the author of Peter Pan.

This was written as a birthday gift for the lovely NiightKiitten17. She is the one who inspired this beast of a "one-shot" (HA!) by asking for Remione fluff... The fluff may or may not have gotten lost in the angst, but I hope you love it anyway! xo

Beta love to Maraudering Managed and alpha hugs to Mahawna. Love you both!

This story was inspired by Sequence (by artemisgirl) and Chemistry and Timing (by TheBookBully). While it's still my own "thing," I just wanted to say thanks for writing wonderful stories that made my muse sing. You're both wonderful!

If you've read this far, go eat some chocolate (Professor Lupin insists). Then drop me a line (or two) to let me know what you thought! I'm rather proud of this one. It took me on quite the adventure, and I have to say I like where it all ended up. I hope you enjoyed it! Cheers!