Hermione Granger was in a hurry. She had woken up late and had to get to potions class in about five minutes. She flicked her wand at her hair, straightening and braiding it. Bloody hell, she only had about 3 minutes to go. Hermione hurried down the stairs and was rushing along the third-floor corridor when she bumped into something very solid. It turned out to be Professor Lupin.

"Oh, dear, Professor Lupin, I'm so sorry, I just wasn't looking, you see i've got to get to potions class in about two minutes and...." Hermione stammered.

"That's quite all right, Hermione, I think I can help you. Follow me!"

He took her down the corridor to a statue of a headless horseman, which he tapped and said "dissendum". It moved aside to reveal a large tunnel.

"Now, Hermione, just follow this tunnel down all the way and you'll come out right near the classroom. Hurry." Said Professor Lupin.

"Oh, thank you so much Professor, if you need anything, be sure to ask me" Said Hermione, and with that, she gave Professor Lupin a quick hug and hurried down the tunnel, leaving one very startled professor and one Potions textbook.

Hermione arrived at the classroom just in time for the bell. Harry and Ron were startled to see her standing there beside them, when they could've sworn she wasnt there a second ago. Ron looked at Harry and they just rolled their eyes at hermione.

They entered the Potions classroom and got their things out. Hermione couldn't find her potions book, and, figuring she must have left it in the tunnel or the corridor, hoped that Professor Snape wouldn't notice that it was missing. It worked for about a minute.

Snape walked up to Hermione with a particularly vindictive sneer on his visage.

"Miss Granger," he said, "you seem to have misplaced your textbook. May I ask where it is?"

"I...I..umm..."Hermione stammered. She was saved by a knock on the door. Snape whipped around to look at Professor Lupin, who was leaning very casually against the doorway, with his arms folded and a book in one hand.

"Yessss..?" Snapped Snape.

"Oh, I just came to return Hermione's book to her. I was doing some research on dark potions and she thoughtfully lent it to me" Said Lupin, winking at Hermione. Snape cocked an eyebrow at Lupin and took the book from him, crestfallen at not being able to take any points away. He briskly placed it in front of Hermione and walked to the front of the class. Hermione mouthed 'Thank You' to Lupin, who nodded and walked away.

After class, Hermione had a free period and decided to go and thank Professor Lupin. When she got to his (thankfully empty) classroom, she knocked quietly on the door. She heard a voice say "come in" and she entered the room. Professor Lupin was at his desk, and appeared to be marking. He looked up as Hermione entered and smiled.

"Please, sit down," He said, and she sat in a chair opposite Professor Lupin's desk, "So, Hermione, what is it that you wish to talt to me about?"

"Oh, I just wanted to thank you for returning my book today, and to ask you why you covered up for me" Hermione replied.

"You're very welcome, Hermione," Lupin said,"and the reason I 'covered up' for you was because I didn't want Professor Snape to deduct unnecessar points from Gryffindor. Harry has told me of how he doesn't really like you. Harry thinks it's because you're muggle-born, but I happen to know that Professor Snape doesn't take a liking to people that are smarter than him." Hermione blushed, and Lupin smiled.

"It's true, you know." He said softly, and Hermione looked up.

"What's true?"

"You are smarter than him." Hermione blushed deeper.

"Well, Professor, I, uh, need to go and, um, do something." She said, "And thank you, once again, for helping me"

"You're welcome Hermione, and I suppose I will see you later." Hermione got up and walked out of the room, smiling at Lupin as she left.