{13-Sirius Can Do His Own Damn Arithmancy Problem}

Hermione was terribly enthralled by the lesson, though she wished her seat was in a different place. Remus was a few rows in front of her, and she was seated with Mary who seemed just as entranced. The class really was pretty interesting, but having Remus next to her would have been nice.

Sometimes she wondered if she was getting too attached. Say, if when it came down to her erasing people's memories, she wouldn't be able to do it. Then again, if she could replace her parents' memory then certainly there was no problem in the future. Hermione would be fine, at least that was what she kept telling herself. The anxiety of the whole situation was challenging her.

With a quick glance to Remus, her boyfriend for the time being, Hermione looked back up at DeLancey and re-focused.

When the class was over, attempting to get over her disappointment, she seemed to overly get her wish when DeLancey called her out yet again. Remus passed her a look that said he was sorry but left with Lily anyways, seeing as he hadn't been called out.

"I figured you out."

Hermione at this point had had so many secrets spreading over the past few months she wasn't sure which of them he was referring to. If he'd learned any at all.

"I'm sorry Sir, I'm not entirely sure what you mean by that."

"I've been very curious as to what is up with you, and, well, I wasn't entirely sure until a few days ago. I did some research, and your family doesn't exist. Anywhere... bar the muggle world. There are no magical Grangers... not from what any Ministry has said. However, there are several muggle Grangers of whom I am aware thanks to some friends in the Parliament. Of course, I figured you'd just made up a name, and why wouldn't you? Pick a muggle one and say you're home-schooled, why wouldn't that make sense? It should have, but when your sister grabbed my roster for the year, she looked terrified, as though she knew people here. This sounds mundane, why wouldn't it? But your knowledge is too extensive for home-schooling, and I checked with Beauxbatons, no girl by the name your sister gave me existed there."

He paused, looking very pleased with himself, having put-together all these things.

Hermione was terrified, as she should be, and her heart was somewhere in the dungeons, for it certainly wasn't in her chest.

"And..." Hermione stopped, having to breathe in again, "And what does all that mean?"

"You're from the future."

She could have fainted on the spot. What would he do, report her to the Ministry? Would she have to obvliate him too and leave? She hated to carry out such a thing on her friends let a lone a professor who had been so good to her this semester. Still, she couldn't let herself hurt time, it just couldn't happen. But, how would everything go down, if he didn't remember her? She'd have to drop the class, tell McGonagall she wasn't interested anymore or something... equally as ridiculous.

"Sir," she started slowly, reaching for her wand."

"Wait," he said, holding his hands up. Hermione was merely startled enough that he wasn't attempting to expel her for what she was about to do because she had a good ides that he knew, "I know what you're thinking, and now that you've confirmed my theory, I need you to know that I want to help you."

Feeling weak, Hermione stumbled back a bit to which DeLancey seemed very concerned. He rushed around his desk and stuck out his hand to attempt to help her. The fact that that wasn't the only help he was offering was what had her in this state.

"Sit," he commanded when she took his hand, settling her down in a desk and going back to his own, sitting behind it with a worried look, "Do you want help to get back to where you belong? I don't know how you got here, but waiting however many amount of years is probably distressing for you."

Mustering a nod, Hermione swallowed her anxiety and said, "I was cursed."

This took DeLancey by surprise.

"I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy. To be delayed for so many years... do you mind my asking how many?"

"Just barely over twenty."

"Well that makes things rather challenging, I suppose. I'm not one to back down from a challenge, though."

"I suppose you should also know that I am Hermione," she said slowly, but it didn't look like this information caused him any harm.

DeLancey, in fact, seemed as though he was anticipating it, "No problem. The disguise is genius, really. Regardless of that, I take it you're accepting my help?"

"Please. I've gotten nothing done but socializing and school-work. Well, that and discovering I was cursed."

"I take it your access to the restricted section was limited," he replied with a grin.

"Yes, I'm lucky I found what I found."

"Good thing I have unlimited access to the place. And also to my many years of knowledge. We'll work this out before the end of the year, I promise."

Hermione found DeLancey's promise the most wonderful thing she'd hear in many hours. There was suddenly a brighter light at the end of her tunnel of time. Maybe his help will get her home and back to her friends... just maybe.

"Thank you... do you think I'm being reckless, Professor?" She hadn't wanted to know, because in her mind she could argue both ways and have no outside influence to tell her otherwise.

So what was the verdict?

"No, not really. Relationships like yours are only a small part of life. If you make a few friends now to cope with where you are, I think you're just trying to stay sane."

Hermione smiled, feeling much better about herself.

"I've been warring with myself for weeks over it, I know so many awful things, and so many good ones too, but... it's like those two things are separate from what I know."

Professor DeLancey squinted his eyes at her slightly, the action just noticeable enough, as he leaned on his folded hands.

"You know what happens to many of us here, don't you?"

"Too much."

"Right," he said, looking far more grim, "Though I could tell you didn't recognize me, so I'm not even going to try to ask."

"Thank you, Sir."

"Anytime, young lady. That sounds very odd, indeed. Do remember to be careful, I do want there to be a Hermione Granger to help, understood?"

Hermione took that as her cue to leave and nodded, not wanting to disappoint him. If she could get out of this time period... that would take a load off of her shoulders, that was for sure. Looking forward to such a compelling idea, she waved at Professor DeLancey then vacated the room, a new skip in her step.

-

Now that the sheer panic had subsided, Hermione was able to rest easy knowing she had adult help. It wasn't as though she was adult enough to handle it on her own, but the experience was certainly to be on her side.

Everyone was gathered in the common room, and she was leaning against Remus, James sprawled over Lily, Sirius and Peter looking quite out of place. In fact, Peter seemed to be losing touch with everyone as it were. It didn't surprise Hermione, but at the same time she had thought it happened a little later in their lives.

Remus was scribbling out something looking over to his notes partially before going back to his work.

"Did you this for the last problem on the Ancient Runes work?"

Hermione turned her head to her left and looked at the sheet, "Yeah, I did a lot more work, though."

"If we got the same answer, I'm not worried," he said, sounding all the bit exhausted Hermione imagined he was. They all were, really.

"What did you guys get for four on the Arithmancy homework?" Sirius asked from his corner, looking up at everyone who seemed equally unwilling to answer his question.

"That was due today," Lily told him with a look of amusement.

Now, she was a different story compared to the rest of the Marauders. Everyone liked Hermione... bar Lily, and if Evans did like her then she certainly had a weird way of showing it. Lily paid almost no mind to Florizel, not even now that he and Remus were obviously an item.

"Well, can I get the answer anyways then?"

"No," they all chorused, and half the common room turned to them, Sirius glaring at the spectacle they'd all made.

"For Merlin's sake, I just wanted one answer," he muttered, seemingly tired of the work and just putting down whatever he felt was right. "I'm calling it, all you worms can read your books, but I'm going to go read my eyelids, maybe charm them shut."

Hermione let out an amused noise, Remus catching her eye and throwing him a smile.

"Night, Pads," James said absently, eyes closed as he snuggled in closer to Lily.

"Night, Prongs, Lils, Moony, Zel. Wormtail, you coming or staying?"

"I'm not sticking around for the love-fest, thank you very much," he replied smartly, getting up in a skittish way, his things falling about everywhere as he attempted to gather them up.

Eventually Peter put himself together and followed Sirius up the staircase.

So the lot of them relaxed for a little while longer as time dwindled down.

A yawn broke the contemplative hum and silence of the common room, Lily the guilty party.

"I think it's time for bed, Lils," James said, his own eyes shut as he turned on his side and hugged her waist.

Hermione felt mildly uncomfortable, watching Harry's parents like this, only ever seeing them in photos before. Still, it was nice to know Harry was born of these two individuals who had yet to act in any way unmentionable. Besides the fact Lily was the definition of a cold shoulder towards Florizel. They stood, James gathering their things up, handing his girlfriend hers

"Night, guys, don't be up too late, the common room is empty."

"Right," Remus replied to Lily who threw him a soft smile.

"See you, Moony," James whispered through a yawn, then looping his arm around Lily's waist to drag her to the stairs, "You too Florizel!"

Hermione smiled, happy and content.

"We should go too, you know?" She told her partner as she sat up, soon to be snuggled under his shoulder, looking at him and pretending she knew nothing at all of his future.

"Yeah," Remus sighed, absentmindedly, looking at her through his glasses, which Hermione thought looked quite good on him. It was funny that she hadn't had this inclination towards him in her Third Year. Merlin knows she'd made an idiot of herself in Second Year with Lockhart.

Hermione felt the tug... like the time she'd kissed Ron in the Chamber of Secrets, and she was anticipating this the same as she had been then.

She let the pull take her, eyes closed, so if Remus met her halfway or not would be a complete mystery.

Lips against her own, and warmth all done her spine, mystery solved.

"Oh, Merlin's balls-"

They broke apart in an instant, and Hermione glanced backwards over the couch she was on, staring... more likely glaring, at him with a fierce intensity.

"What in the name of Gryffindor are you doing down here?" Remus asked him, frustrated and looking quite angry at his best mate.

Sirius, in a set of bath robes, looking quite tired held up a piece of parchment and said, "I didn't want another Troll."

All Hermione could garner was a laugh, and quite the loud one for the late evening. It only grew when Remus picked up a pillow and threw it at the boy as forcefully as he could manage. Eventually the laughter quieted, but not without an end to the battle they had started.

A/N

So we're gonna start steering more towards the actual ship soon enough here, I was just enjoying Remus and Hermione as long as I could.

Also, sorry about last week, I was very sick and then I went home for a break from college for Easter, so an update just didn't happen. But now we're here!

See you next week!