Chapter 8

A/N- Hello! It's been soo long since I posted on here! I blame University and Engineering for that guys… Don't do Engineering if you want free time. I haven't been able to write or play games because of it T.T

Besides that, on with the story!

Disclaimer- Not mine

XxX

Both Hermione and Severus worked together on their project, with Hermione thinking about how to distract Severus long enough to make changes to the Veritaserum that would not only be obvious but would render it useless. Different ingredients ran through Hermione's mind as she tried to find a suitable one but none would come to mind. I need to find a way though or else I'm fucked... She sighed in defeat when she realised that it was no use. There was just no way for her to ruin the Veritaserum without making it obvious that it was useless. The only real option left was to sabotage it, and make her and Severus fail the project. He's gonna kill me when I do this... But I just can't risk it.

No words were spoken between them two during the entire lesson and Hermione would catch Remus looking her way with a worried expression on his face every now and then and the desire to talk to her after class. Once the bell rang, Hermione quickly left the classroom before Remus and the others could catch up with her as she made her way to Dumbledore's office.

'Knock' 'Knock'

Hermione didn't wait for Dumbledore to say anything and just entered his office, her bag close to her chest as she sat in the chair.

"Ahhh Miss Phelps, I was looking forward to seeing you again after you ran from my office two days ago and then don't show up to classes yesterday. I'm assuming the answer is in your bag?" Dumbledore asked as his eyes pointed in the direction of her bag.

"Yes Professor, you're right about that and I apologise for leaving suddenly during our meeting without explaining what I meant. I can't tell you how I got this but I have found a way for us to destroy the Horcruxes." With that, Hermione pulled out the basilisk fang from her bag which was wrapped around in a thin cloth. Dumbledore's eyes grew at the sight of the fang and carefully took it from Hermione's hands.

"Now this Miss Phelps... Is a very interesting item, I cannot inquire where you got this from? Though I can possibly assume it was from the Chamber of Secrets?"

"I... Yes you're right. I took it from the basilisk"

"I will not question how since you are alive and well and that is all that really matters here. But I must ask you to move with caution next time and do not believe that you are alone in this. I bear some responsibility with the outcome with Tom."

"I know Professor, I just believe that I had to do this alone," Yeah right, you have no idea at all Hermione... No idea.

"Well now that we have a way to destroy them we should start looking for them."

"That's a good idea. I know the location of one. The Locket of Salazar Slytherin if I'm right, should be at the Crystal Cave."

"That would perhaps be the best place to start then. The Christmas Holidays are coming in roughly a month, we shall leave for there after New Years? That will give me time to prepare."

"Of course, I need to go now though Professor, shall I keep the basilisk with you?"

"Keep it for now, I trust it may be safer within your possession for the time being,"

With that, Hermione took the basilisk fang and covered it up in the cloth before walking out of the room.

XxX

It was night again when Hermione snuck out of the Gryffindor Common room with a small pouch at hand. She had been planning all day and decided it be best to just sabotage the Veritaserum at night without having to worry about Severus catching her. Nope it's not Severus I have to worry about now, just Filtch and the Prefects... I don't know which I prefer really...

Once she was inside the Potions Room she quickly located Severus' cauldron and poured the contents of her pouch into the cauldron. She had chosen what she believed to be the most suitable ingredient that would show the least physical effects to the Veritaserum. Quickly making sure that it had stirred and was simmering, she quickly snuck away again, proud with herself for what she had just done.

XxX

Saturday morning came too quickly for Hermione as the first rays of sunshine hit her face. Rising and realising that everyone else was still asleep, she used this time to quickly get changed and leave the girls dormitory and hopefully the common room so as to avoid encountering Remus. Her luck however, didn't agree with her this time and she saw Remus, along with James relaxing beside the fireplace and looking at her as she made her way down the stairs. As soon as James saw her, he pat Remus on the shoulder and walked up to the girls dormitory to perhaps- according to Hermione- spend some time with Lily and sneak away with her somewhere.

Hermione looked down as she walked towards Remus and felt his arms around her shoulder.

"Let's go for a walk, shall we?" He whispered into her ear as he broke the warm embrace.

She knew she really didn't have a choice and so just nodded as Remus led the way out of the Common Room and outside the castle.

They walked through the snow just around Hagrid's hut as they mulled in the silence, waiting for the other to break it. In the end however, it seemed that Remus could no longer wait.

"There's something you're not telling me, isn't there?" He asked.

"Wait, what do you mean?" She replied, trying to act dumb.

"Please don't act stupid, it doesn't really suit you. I mean when you were missing for an entire day and your clothes were slightly torn and messy."

"I can't tell you what really happened..." Hermione looked away and Remus stopped. He grabbed her shoulders and forced her to face him.

"I like you, I really do so I want you to tell me up front. Is there another guy?"

"Another guy? No!"

XxX

"I like you, I really do so I want you to tell me up front. Is there another guy?" As soon as these words left Remus' mouth his world froze. He honest to Merlin's hoped there wasn't but he couldn't think of any other reason why her clothes were messy and torn. Maybe she had just gone to the forest or something with a guy and they'd spent the whole day fucking? That didn't seem like something Emma would do. But he didn't know her that well and just had to make sure.

"Another guy? No!" When she said that, he felt like a weight had been lifted off his chest and he released a breath he didn't know he had been holding.

"She's lying. There is another man that owns her and he is dangerous,"

"Shut up you stupid wolf, you know nothing. I trust her."

"And that could get us killed"

Before he could give his reply Mooney had cut off their link again and he sighed in frustration.

"Thank goodness for that... Now Emma, I may have practically just told you I have a crush on you, but I need you to know something first... Next Full Moon I have to show you something,"

"Remus," Emma said and cupped his face. "I know about your condition already, and I don't care, but currently, I can't be in a relationship with you," his heart shattered.

"What? Why? You don't have feelings for me too? Or maybe me being a werewolf does bug you! How do you know about it anyways?" He couldn't think properly, he didn't know how she knew, but she did and apparently still accepted her... But couldn't accept his feelings.

"I have feelings for you, but only as friends. Nothing more. And as to how I found out, don't worry. None of your friends told me if any of them knew. I just put the pieces together with how you had acted around the full moon and you telling me just now confirmed it. I wasn't sure before."

"Right..." Remus couldn't look at her, couldn't let his heart be broken even more and so just ran away leaving her there.