Authors Note: A very Happy Birthday to remuslives!

Blind

"Are you sure? It's the latest model! Cost me a fortune in Galleons!" the plump, prematurely balding wizard called as she began to walk briskly across the street, as far away from the restaurant as possible.

"No thank you!" she called back without looking over her shoulder to see his reaction. He was the most insistent of her dates so far.

Not for the first time that evening she mentally berated herself, wondering what could be wrong with her to accept a blind date of all things. The last three hours had been the most insufferable she had been forced to endure in so many years she had lost count and she vowed that this would be the last time.

Plump and Balding wasn't her first such date, infact, he was number six in less than two months. The difference between him and the other five she had dated was that he had not only managed to offend her on several levels but he also believed that his money had the ability to attract any witch he wanted. She had lost track of the amount of times he had mentioned his pay check, how many times he had been so rude as to ask for her salary details and she had tried desperately to drone out every mention of the cost of living.

Just wait until she got her hands on Ron and Harry, the two who were responsible for ruining her evening. Ever since she had confessed she hadn't had a date in over two years they had made it their personal mission to hook her up with somebody. The problem was that they couldn't seem to get it right. Mr Plump was just another perfect example of who Harry and Ron felt would be the man for her.

She knew they meant well, it wasn't like they were deliberately setting her up with the most unanimated and downright disgusting individuals on the planet. They honest viewed her as the boring stuffy type and believed that setting her up with another 'like mind' was the way to go. This fact not only bruised her ego but had her assessing many aspects of her life.

She had a good job, head of the department of Magical Creature Welfare at the ministry, a position she had obtained by the age of twenty five. She had a good reputation, known by nearly everyone as the most responsible and reliable witch to go to for anything. She was known as a war hero, something that to this day she was still congratulated for. She was happy, she was secure and she had no worries. Well except for the fact that she was now twenty eight, single and considered by all to be boring as hell.

It was these realisations that had motivated her to seek out her best friends in the world. They were both married, happy and always seemed to be doing something interesting. Harry had claimed she just needed a change of routine, Ron just told her she needed to get laid. They were probably both right. So she now ate breakfast at seven thirty instead of seven, she went on horrible blind dates and occasionally wore odd socks just because she could.

She was still contemplating all her life's difficulties when she felt a prickling on the back of her neck, looking around the carefully designed wizard park just near Diagon Alley she found nobody in sight. Her hair, carefully pulled back off of her face ruffled in the unnatural wind and caused her to look up, she stifled a gasp and stopped dead in her tracks.

"Come on, just one good night kiss," her date cajoled, giving her a toothy grin.

Hermione suppressed a shudder and dug her hands deeper into her pockets, fingering her wand as she took her eyes away from the man above her and decided not to deign him with a response. She cursed the fact the Ministry had put aparation restrictions on every public place – ordering all wizarding citizens to now depart from the correct locations as a security measure. Well she wasn't feeling very secure now.

"Ah playing hard to get," he chuckled, floating behind her on his expensive broom, choosing to ignore her silence.

"Not at all, because there is no chance that you will get me," she ground out, walking faster now and hoping he would take the enormous hint and go away.

"Look, I paid for dinner, I spent the night talking to you – the least you could do is give me a kiss … and maybe a hand job," he sounded angry now and Hermione's hand violently clenched around her wand. She'd give him a hand job alright; she wondered how loud he would scream when she hexed his right off.

"I thanked you for dinner and I owe you no more than that," she tried to keep the slight note of panic out of her voice. She felt him get closer and poised to draw her wand. Just as she sensed his hand about to make a grab for her she flung around, wand held out in front of her. About to cast a rather nasty hex on the pervert she was shocked when a large dark shape emerged from the deep shadows and knocked him clear off his broom.

Mr Plump and Balding went squealing like a pig into the bushes, followed by the dark shadow, she now believed to be a rather large man in a trench coat. She was so shocked she couldn't even scream for help, rather, she just stood there like a statue with her hand pressed to her mouth as her would be assailant was beaten rather violently until his screams died off.

When the dark shadow began to rise Hermione began to back away, not sure if this man was really there to help her or if he was about to hold her to wand point and demand all her possessions.

"Are you okay Hermione?" the shadow asked her and her backing stopped immediately. He knew her name. She knew that voice.

"Remus! Thank the gods its you!" she cried, rushing forward to fling herself into the arms of the man she had not seen in many years. She had heard he had recently moved back to England, having moved to Europe after the war but she hadn't expected to run into him like this. She had a million questions to ask him but none were appropriate at that moment.

He held her securely to his chest, breathing deeply for a few moments before letting his arms drop to his sides. Hermione pulled back too, taking a step back for more personal space as she gathered her thoughts.

"Is that a friend of yours?" he asked lightly, jerking a thumb in the direction of the Great Perverted Pig.

"No, he's just some creep I was set up with. Is he dead?" she asked without feeling, craning her neck to try and see without actually going over there.

"No, but he will wake up with one hell of a headache," Remus said, offering his elbow and escorting her from the park, heading toward the still busy Diagon Alley.

"I can't believe he demanded payment for the meal! I mean, I knew he was obsessed with getting his dollars worth – do you know he tried to get the waitress to drop the price of our meal because he asked for no tomato in his salad," she began to rant, "And then he insisted on getting a doggy bag, a doggy bag from a five star restaurant," she huffed with disgust.

"Unless they have an efficient blender at St Mungo's I doubt he will be able to eat his leftovers," Remus smiled, flexing his hand a little as he remembered the other mans jaw cracking beneath it.

"Yes well, thank Merlin you came along. I can only imagine the paper work the ministry would have me fill out for hexing someone out of self defence, not to mention Harry and Ron's reaction when the Auror team got called in to pick up the mess in the park,"

"Yes, it was lucky I suppose. And despite the fact that I was the one who physically harmed the man, because it was done without magic and within a magical sector of the city, Muggle police wont be called in and nothing will happen to me,"

"Ah, sweet irony," she quipped.

"Indeed," he replied, letting them fall into silence for a few more moments. The walked in the shadows, far from the street lights, the silence between them was pressing and comforting at the same time.

"If you don't mind me asking, why were you out so late?" Hermione queried, squinting up at her companion after a few more minutes; suddenly realising just how unusual the circumstances of them meeting like this were.

Remus didn't answer, he just looked up. Hermione followed his gaze and saw the moon high above the canopy of leaves, a day from reaching its full maturity.

"Oh … are you, I mean, are you okay?" she asked, knowing from all her research and experience with him that the days leading up to the transformation were restless and uncomfortable.

"I'm fine," he replied mildly, gently tugging her along again, "I was just feeling restless being back in London. I thought a walk would calm me down,"

"And has it?" she asked, deathly curious to know if his symptoms were still the same as what they had been ten years before or if they had somehow diminished with age.

"You could say so. Hitting something helped a bit too," he joked, stopping them as they reached the opening to the alley. Ahead of them hundreds of late night shoppers enjoyed the evening, sampling wears from carts and catching up with friends in small huddles beneath the twinkling lights.

"I'm sorry my pathetic excuse for a date ruined your evening," she said as they crossed they waited for a group of huddled old crones to pass before them before plunging into the heavily populated street.

"I wouldn't call my evening ruined. After all, I got to see you again."

For some reason his words made her blush and she was grateful for the unnatural orange glow of the enchanted lanterns above, covering it. The smells and sounds of the Alley were familiar and distracting as they leisurely strolled down its cobble stone path. They reached the public aparation point and she stopped to look at him.

"It was lovely to see you again Remus, we really should catch up again soon now that you are back," she said, hugging him again.

The werewolf cleared his throat, "I believe the honour was mine and I will certainly take you up on that offer. Infact …" he trailed off.

"Yes?" she asked, not quite ready to leave her rescuer so soon.

"I-I'm staying at the Leaky Cauldron, and it's still early … not that I was getting any sleep tonight. I don't suppose you wanted to join me for a drink?" he asked hopefully.

Hermione's face lit up and she hooked her arm with his again, "I would love to. My treat,"

"That's not …" he was going to say necessary.

"Oh pish, just let me buy you a drink and we can reminisce about old times," she said, pulling him back into the crowds.

The Leaky Cauldron was just as it had been for the last fifty years. Dark, dingy but with some of the best food in London and judging by the crowd they weren't the only ones out for a nightcap.

"There's a table over there," Remus called over the loud din, grabbing her hand securely and tugging her toward the only available booth in the far corner of the room. The place was so full it was almost suffocating and Hermione was grateful when they reached their destination and sat down. As if materialising from nowhere, one of the wait staff was by there side in seconds.

"What can I get you folks this evening?" he asked, smiling with his pad and pen poised.

"I'll have the fish and chips and a glass of Elfin Wine please," Hermione responded automatically, getting the same thing she always did.

"Just a firewhisky thanks," Remus added. The man wrote their order with a flourish, folded it into a paper plane and charmed it straight toward the kitchens.

"You're not hungry?" she asked, fiddling with the napkin in front of her.

"No, I ate earlier."

"I tried to eat earlier, but I just had no appetite," she explained.

"Considering the company you were keeping I don't really blame you,"

She looked away sheepishly, "I don't know what I was thinking," she muttered.

"Me either to be honest, you could have done much for yourself," he chided gently, trying not to think of the pervert they had left in the park, "What could have possessed you to go out with a man like that?" he asked.

"It's kind of a long story really," she sighed, sitting back and wondering if indeed she had been possessed by something; maybe one of Luna's wrackspurts.

"Unless you have some other pressing engagement this time of night, I am happy to listen," he gave her an encouraging smile that she half heartedly returned.

"It's rather pathetic, I can admit that now. Harry said I was just lonely and bored and Ron said … well, you don't need to know what he said. Basically I'm a twenty eight year old spinster and boring as hell,"

"I would hardly call you a spinster," Remus suppressed the chuckle.

"I know I am being over dramatic, but its how I feel. I miss the adventure, the excitement and even sometimes the lack of routine I once had. Now I get up, go to work, come home and go to bed,"

"And that's how you ended up with the gentleman we just left in the park?"

"Ron and Harry decided he would be a good match for me. I guess the boring people are supposed to be good with other boring people," she sighed,

"I beg to differ. Hermione, you are one of the least boring people I have ever known,"

"You have been out of the country a while, haven't you?" she laughed, "I just think … I mean … I am stuck in a rut and I don't know how to get out,"

"That's easy," he replied, sitting back as her food and their drinks arrived.

"It is?" she asked, smiling at the waiter before dipping a chip into the small bowl of tomato sauce provided.

"Certainly it is. Do something you wouldn't normally do," he replied with a smile, leaning over and stealing a chip without thinking.

"Isn't that what I was doing?" she asked in confusion, sure that was the same advice Harry and Ron had given her.

"Going on a date isn't one of those things, especially not with people who are as you say, equally boring," he replied, finishing off one chip and reaching for another, "You used to fight giant spiders and defeat Death Eaters and save your friends from werewolf attacks. I saw you conquer spells no other witch your age could achieve and your thirst for knowledge was awe inspiring,"

Hermione blushed, remembering all these things and then some. Looking back on it all she knew exactly why she felt she was boring now in comparison, so what was his point in making light of it.

"Are you trying to make me feel worse?" she asked, taking a long sip from her wine and examining his flushed appearance over the brim of her glass.

"No, not at all. I am merely giving you examples of things that used to make you feel needed, less boring. The adventures of your youth obviously helped validate your existence, going on a date with a stranger isn't going to produce that high you are looking for so you need to start looking in other directions,"

"So you mean to tell me that in order for me to get out of this rut I need to go and … jump off a building or … capture the last few rogue death eaters or perhaps try to recreate the elixir of life within a two week time span,"

"Perhaps, if you were so inclined – although the jumping off the building part does seem a little extreme," he chuckled, taking a sip from his whisky before continuing, "I was thinking of something a little less out there and more here,"

"Pardon?"

"I have a proposal," he announced.

"Um … are we talking about the same thing still?" she asked, trying to get her head around his words.

"In a way yes, I need your help, and I think you need mine,"

"You do? I do?" she asked.

"You need more excitement in your life and I need, well I guess you would call it a carer," he sighed, draining his glass with a wince.

"Why do you need a carer?" she asked, sitting back from him with a frown.

"As you know, my condition isn't going away, is never going to go away. Whilst in Europe, away from anyone familiar that became more apparent. I used to wake up and be aware of what I had done during a full moon but lately … everything is a blank,"

"How recently have you noticed these black outs?" she asked curiously.

"The last two years or so it's been getting progressively worse. Until the other day …"

"Yes? She encouraged when she stopped.

"I was staying in a small village in Hungary, on the edge of a forest. The people were friendly, kept to themselves mostly and went about their daily lives as if I wasn't there. Anyway, I was down in the village square picking up some supplies when I realised that it was unusually busy for mid week in the market place. I followed the crowds until I came to the large open area they generally used for town meetings. I didn't speak much of their language but everyone was repeating the one word – werewolf,"

"What did you do?" she asked, fascinated.

"I turned around, calm as could be, and went back to my home. I was packed and flooing through to the British consulate within the hour. I realised that during one of my blackouts the Muggles must have spotted me or I probably made myself known somehow."

"And now you are here, lucky to be alive by the sounds of it," she stated, gulping the rest of her wine.

"Yes and I need your help. I don't want to have to leave here too. I need someone to stay with me during the full moon,"

"I-" she started to say but he cut her off.

"I know it's dangerous and I wouldn't have asked if I didn't think you could handle it. This could be beneficial to both of us Hermione,"

"Okay, I'll do this for you," she said gently, taking his hand in hers and giving it a squeeze.

"Thank you so much. I wouldn't have asked if I didn't think you were up to the task. Come up to my room, I have the address where I will be staying tomorrow night on a card," he said, standing up and holding out his hand for her to follow.

She gladly took it, abandoning the rest of her food and followed him toward the steps that lead upstairs. They got a few passing glances as they went and she realised they must have looked like lovers, retiring for the night.

"When did you get into London?" she thought to ask, as he sought the key to his door and opened it for her.

"About eight hours ago," he replied, fumbling for the light switch just inside the door. The small space was flooded with unnatural light, displaying a single bed and a writing desk to the side as its only decoration.

"Oh, you should have told me it was your first night back … we could have done something to celebrate," she cried, closing the door against the hallway.

"I don't know about you but dissuading an attacker and sharing a meal seems like something to me," he chuckled, moving to the desk and fumbling around the various papers he dumped there.

"Well yes, I suppose it did turn out to be an interesting evening," she smiled, moving to sit on the bed to watch him.

"Ah, here it is, I sought out a man I once knew the moment … shit" Hermione jumped when he swore. She rushed to her feet in time to see the blood pouring from an open wound in his hand. The shattered remains of the glass he had just knocked over crunched under foot as she moved to his side.

"No it's okay you don't have to …" he began to say as she gently pulled his hand away from his chest where he cradled it protectively.

"Hush, you don't think after the war I can't fix a simple cut?" she teased, pulling her wand from inside her robe pocket and disinfecting the wound before healing it. Without thinking, she bought the raw skin up to her mouth and kissed it gently.

"See? All better," she smiled.

Remus was looking at the hand she had just kissed, "Not quite, I think your date may have split my lip," he said quietly.

"Wha-?" she began before comprehension dawned.

"Forget I said anything," he mumbled quickly, not sure what had come over him. He pulled his hand from hers and turning back to the desk, trying to clean up the mess he made.

"No, it's okay. I just didn't realise you saw me that way," Hermione explained, feeling her face grow warm again.

"Well I certainly don't see you as my student anymore, can we just forget it," he said, begging now, "Please?"

"If that's what you want, but if it's any consolation, I don't see you as my professor either," she told him, moving to stand against the door as he once again searched for the card.

"It certainly makes me feel better about this whole situation," he replied dryly.

"What situation?" she thought to ask, feeling like they weren't quite talking about the same things.

"The fact that I have you up here alone and it is all I can do to keep from kissing you. I should have waited until after the full moon, it was wrong involving anyone else in this mess so close," the last he spoke as if talking to himself.

"You want to kiss me?" she repeated stupidly. Remus stopped his hectic movements and looked up at her.

"Me, the wolf, I am not so sure anymore. But yes, I have wanted to kiss you since I saw you walking on your own in the park this evening,"

"Oh," was all she could say, a little shocked.

"You can leave if I have made you uncomfortable; I'll owl you the address tomorrow," with that he turned his back to her and she was dismissed.

"It's not that I am uncomfortable, you just took me off guard," she practically whispered, suddenly very intrigued by the idea of kissing the older man.

"Regardless of what you think now, I was still out of line," he replied briskly.

She watched his movements for a moment and realised he wasn't actually looking for the card anymore, he was just shifting the papers around the desk and making a small pile of smashed glass in the corner, in effect, he was avoiding looking at her.

"Remus," she said, taking a step closer to him. His back stiffened when he felt her behind him, but he didn't turn around. She hesitated before saying, "I-I want you to kiss me,"

"No you don't, you're just saying that to make me feel better," he replied curtly to the desk.

She raised her hand and lightly touched his shoulder. His body heat practically radiated from his heavy robes but she didn't pull away, instead, with gentle pressure she turned him around to face her.

"Kiss me," she whispered, staring at his chest, unable to accept any rejection he showed on his face.

"No," he replied, but even as he said it his fingers were tipping her chin up and his eyes were suddenly an inch from hers.

"Yes," she breathed back, her eyelids become heavy as he leant in even closer.

"Do you always have to have the last word?" he asked, his lips now hovering a mere fraction above hers so that all the hairs on her arms stood up in anticipation.

"Yes, because I am always rig-" but she didn't get to finish her reply because his soft lips were brushing against hers, his movements gentle, unhurried and utterly bone melting. His hands came up to brush against her arms, moving down to cup her elbows, drawing her nearer. She sighed when he pulled back.

"In this case I would have to agree," he murmured but didn't give her a chance to reply, before capturing her mouth again. This time his tongue gently parted her lips, tasting the sweet wine she had indulged in earlier and something that was uniquely her. She moaned and her bones seemed to melt into him as he continued to kiss her.

He began backing her up until the backs of her knees met the bed and she was forced to sit down. Remus leant over her body, gently persuading her to lie back as he pressed his body more firmly to hers, his mouth becoming more persistent at the same time.

She responded in kind, wrapping her arms around his shoulders, welcoming him into her embrace. She knew they should stop, should leave things at just a kiss but she honestly couldn't find the strength in herself to pull away from the man above her. This was the adrenaline rush she had been craving, the high she had been seeking – she didn't need to jump from a building, she just needed him.

With the strength she had seen him display earlier in the evening he slipped his arms to support her back and shifted them both up the bed. Her hair fanned out across the pillows as he paused to look down at her.

"The offer to leave is still open," he said, looking down at her.

"I don't want to leave," she replied, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him down to kiss her again.

His fingers were soon fumbling with the ties on her robes until he eventually yanked them open, both of them ignoring the small tearing sounds. He made quick work of her pale blue shirt and even quicker work of her jeans, both items flying in opposite directions across the room. She had a little bit more trouble getting him out of his clothes but with a quick Divesto the problem was taken care of.

They both sighed at the skin on skin contact, Hermione tracing the thin scars that lined his chest, her fingers curling in the soft hair. Remus left her mouth to place kisses down the column of her neck, finding his way to her throbbing pulse point. They both moaned when he entered her with a single thrust.

Her mind was telling her it was too soon, that she wasn't ready. But her body responded otherwise, moving against the man between her legs as they both sought completion. Her nails dug lightly into his shoulders, his fingers gripped her hips just as hard causing both of them to moan.

She was beginning to feel light headed, lost in the throes of pleasure as he thrust into her with such a controlled rhythm she thought she would go mad. She bit lightly down on his lip, moaning and thrusting her hips against his harder in an effort to make him go faster. Her efforts seemed to go unnoticed as he continued his maddening assault, determined to finish things his way.

Her impatience was for nought when her orgasm hit her out of nowhere, Remus seemed to be expecting this as he finally gave in to the pace she wanted. She cried out loudly, convulsing against him as wave after wave of indescribable pleasure rippled through her. He sought her mouth as the feelings began to subside and found his own pleasure seconds later.

The groaned together as he collapsed on top of her, breathing heavily into her damp and tangled curls. Hermione cradled him in her arms, attempting to get her breath back to normal as she assessed what had just happened. She felt no guilt, remorse or disgust about sleeping with her ex-professor, infact she felt elated and alive and every other thing but least of all boring.

"Thank you," she whispered into his soft hair. Remus exhaled loudly and kissed her breast bone.

"What for?" he asked without moving.

"Proving me wrong," she sighed.

"But I thought you said you were always rig-" he began to tease but she cut him off with a kiss. That kissed turned into a caress and that caress turned into another bout of love making before they both fell into a deep sated sleep.

Years later, when those who had known them during the war would ask how they got together one would reply it was because she was so boring and the other would blame it on the moon.

Thanks for Reading!