A/N: Before you begin this chapter, my beautiful sea nymphs, I want you to know that the ship has not changed.
But it is evolving.
oOo
Well, at least this won't be worse than being tortured. It can't be worse. Right?
"Settle in, chaps," Hermione began, taking a sip of the tea Remus had brewed perfectly. Of course he had. "I've got a wild tale for you."
The wizards, as instructed, settled into the sofa after Sirius wondered aloud whether firewhisky would be any good in tea and after they'd all agreed that no, it would not, Hermione pulled a chair over for herself. She wanted to face the boys while she told this story- her story. She wanted to watch their faces.
The witch took a deep, fortifying breath.
Here goes...
" Well, it all began September 29th, 1979-"
"That wasn't too long ago then was it-"
"-and it ends on April 22nd, 2002."
"Wait, what do you mean it ends?" Remus blanched.
"Sorry! Wrong choice of words," Hermione apologized. "It continued April 22nd, 2002 would be a better way to phrase that, I suppose."
Sirius gawked, mouth agape. "2002?" he asked. "That's-that's twenty years from now?"
Remus stared at his friend. "I honestly thought you understood the whole time -travel part of this, Pads."
"I mean, I did- I do, but shite, is that the year it was for you, Hermione?" The ebony haired wizard paled further. "That would mean- Godric! If this is you from the year 2002 that would make us- we'd have to be at least twenty years older than you!"
"Sirius Black can do basic maths, I'm shocked," Remus snickered before taking a demure sip of tea.
Sirius looked as though he was considering pouring his own tea all over his friend.
"Why are we friends?" Sirius deadpanned.
Hermione nodded her agreement to Sirius's previous assessment, continuing quickly to keep any tea related incidences to a minimum.
"That would be true if we existed in the same timeline, but as it is, your timeline has no Hermione Granger and mine no longer has Sirius Black or Remus Lupin." The witch thought for a moment. "As it is currently, I'm actually fairly certain I'm older than both of you. How old are the two of you, again?"
"Twenty-two," the wizards answered in tandem.
"Moony's birthday was just in March, though," Sirius clarified. "So, I'm older."
Remus rolled his eyes. "How old are you, love?" he asked, returning his attention to Hermione. "Don't think we've ever discussed the specifics before, honestly."
"According to my birthday, I'm twenty-two and a half, but last time I calculated it, with all the time I borrowed third year with the time-turner, I'm actually closer to twenty-four."
"Time-turner?" Sirius drew his dark eyebrows together in a frown and Hermione took a moment to admire just how actually adorable he was.
Focus, Granger.
"We'll get there, don't worry. Now as I was saying-"
Remus tilted his head thoughtfully. "Wait, if you had a time-turner is that-"
"No. No, you're getting ahead." Hermione shook her head. "Okay. No more interruptions-"
"I can't promise that," Sirius interrupted.
"He really can't," Remus agreed.
Hermione frowned.
Adorable? Obviously I was thinking obnoxious. Yes, obnoxious.
"Just-just let me get through the first part of this, alright?"
The wizards exchanged glances, before turning their attention back to Hermione. They nodded.
"Get to it then, what happened September 19th 1979?" Sirius asked, taking a sip from his tea. "Are you lot sure we couldn't have firewhisky instead?"
"Yes, we're sure, Sirius," Hermione snapped and then sighed. "I was born September 19th, 1979."
"Ooooooh," both wizards said.
"Yes, 'ooooh' now shut your gobs and let me talk."
The story began how you would expect (depending on who you are, that is), with a muggle girl who was much different from her peers, two dentists as her parents. Hermione had to stop again to explain dentists to Sirius, the only pureblood in the room, but after that the wizards let her move rather smoothly through her first two years at Hogwarts, gifting her looks of equal awe and horror when she described her run in with the basilisk in greater detail.
It was during her retelling of third year that things really took a turn.
"I was in Azkaban ?" Sirius muttered. He had been listening intensely and, despite his earlier declaration, had rarely interrupted. Hermione knew, however, it was only a matter of time before he realized she had yet to mention either Sirius nor Remus in Harry's life.
Hermione pulled her bottom lip between her teeth with a frown. "Yes, for twelve years."
"Twelve years?" Sirius gasped. "What the hell could I have done- twelve years? "
Remus remained silent. Hermione had already filled him in on certain parts of these events.
"Well, it wasn't you technically, not you you," Hermione reminded him.
Sirius snorted. "Fine. What did the other Sirius do?"
Hermione hesitated. She had been dreading this.
Sirius, noticing the look on Hermione's face, raked a hand through his hair. "Godric, that bad? What-what did I do, Hermione?"
"You didn't do anything," Hermione said forcefully, catching his grey gaze in her own. They shared a long silent moment and then, Sirius nodded.
"What happened?" he asked again.
Hermione sucked in a sharp breath. Here it comes then.
"You were framed."
Sirius narrowed his eyes and looked as though he was about to speak, but Hermione pressed on.
"You, well not you- you know what I mean. You were betrayed, by Wormtail-"
"That rat!" Sirius yelled, slamming his fist into his open palm, his tea cup having been abandoned on a side table a few moments earlier. Remus reached out a hand and placed it on his friend's shoulder, squeezing it reassuringly. Hermione fought the urge to do the same.
Instead she asked, "In your version of events, Peter was the Longbottoms' secret keeper, correct?"
Sirius and Remus both nodded.
"Well in mine he was the Potters'."
Sirius took in a ragged breath. "So, in your timeline, he betrayed James and Lily," the wizard correctly concluded.
Hermione's nod was grave. "It seems in both timelines Peter is still the betrayer."
"But- what does that have to do with me? How did I or-ugh this is complicated-" Sirius sighed "- your Sirius Black end up in prison?"
Hermione snorted. "He was never my Sirius Black, I assure you," she muttered, her mind conjuring a rather unlikeable man, all skin and bones and tattoos.
Sirius cocked a brow.
It was difficult to reconcile the two of them. The Sirius Black Hermione had known and this younger man sitting in front of her. If he had been spared Azkaban, is this who he would have become? Arrogant and rash, brave and charming?
Gods, don't tell him he's charming. His ego doesn't need the boost.
"Never mind, I just mean, we never really got on well-"
"Why, what did I do?" Sirius asked.
"Astute of you to assume you did something." Remus nodded approvingly.
"I know myself," Sirius affirmed.
"You didn't do anything. I mean, you drank and smoked and overall were a rather unsavory character with a penchant for foul language."
The two Marauders nodded sagely.
"But I think it was that mostly, after Azkaban, you didn't have much room in your heart for anyone but Harry and I wouldn't begrudge you that. You were..." Hermione hesitated for a moment. There wasn't a pleasant way to phrase the effects Azkaban had on a human. "As I understand it, you were much changed after twelve years in Azkaban," she said after a moment.
"I can only assume," the wizard in question muttered.
"What does this have to do with Peter?" Remus asked. Hermione knew, however, that she'd already explained this part to him and Remus's subject change was purely for her benefit or really, perhaps Sirius's.
Not everyone wants or needs to look down certain rabbit holes.
"The Sirius in my timeline, after the Potters were betrayed and found by Voldemort, tracked down Peter to kill him. He was unsuccessful and not only that, Pettigrew killed a handful of Muggles at the same time and framed Sirius for it."
"Rat," Sirius muttered again under his breath.
Hermione nodded. "An apt animagus form to be sure."
She pressed on, then, recounting the remaining events of third year while choosing to omit how, the night they'd found Pettigrew out had been a full moon, Remus had been sans his wolfsbane potion-
It's only 1982!
Hermione gasped and stood suddenly. The two wizards followed suit, wands brandished and tea now covering the floor.
"What!" Sirius exclaimed, looking around frantically. "What is it?"
Hermione, hand on her mouth, looked up at Remus. The werewolf shifted nervously under her gaze.
"What's wrong?" he asked tentatively, tan face pinched.
"Oh my god, Remus!" Hermione, nearly laughing with the joy of her realization, grabbed Remus's shoulders and pulled him into a tight hug. Remus, though surprised, wrapped his arms around the witch nonetheless.
"Godric, she's gone barmy," Sirius stage whispered to his friend. "Should I incapacitate her?"
"A witch embraces me passionately and you assume she's a nutter?"
"Wouldn't call this passionate…"
"Your jealousy is palpable."
"I can brew you wolfsbane!" Hermione declared, pulling away from Remus just enough to look up into his face. The confused turn of his mouth reminded Hermione that she wasn't being clear. "In my time," she began in an excited rush, "there is a potion called wolfsbane and if consumed before the full moon, it will negate many of the side effects of your transformation!"
Hermione watched as something much like hope, trepidatious in its beginnings, began to infiltrate Remus's features.
She continued. "It's not a cure, mind. You'll still transform, but when you do the wolf won't take control, you will be in control."
"What?" Remus barely breathed, eyes searching her face.
"As I understand it, based on the experiences of some wolfy friends, you will retain complete control of your mental faculties." She couldn't help the grin splitting her face.
"I'll what?" Remus asked again in astonishment.
"You'll still be a wolf, but you'll be you," Hermione whispered. "Just in a furrier version of you."
"Have you seen this rogue shirtless?" Sirius cut in. "Not sure if he is furrier post- transformation."
Neither Hermione nor Remus acknowledged him.
"Tough crowd," Sirius muttered.
"You-you're sure?" Remus asked, arms wrapped tightly around Hermione's waist.
Hermione nodded. "It is a tough potion to brew and the ingredients are expensive-"
Remus's face fell.
Damnit, actually, Hermione hadn't considered the cost of the ingredients. Maybe McGonagall would-
"Mate," Sirius said, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder. Remus turned, meeting Sirius's eyes. "I'm filthy goddamn rich. You can have whatever potion ingredients you need."
Remus blinked twice before whispering, "Really?"
Sirius nodded. "Really."
"You're sure?" Remus licked his lips nervously, turning back to Hermione. "You're sure you can brew this potion?"
"Oh, I can brew some wolfsbane, don't you worry," Hermione reassured him, bouncing on the balls of her feet. "Yours truly oversaw the implementation of a ministry funded wolfsbane program for all registered werewolves during my short but productive time in the DRCMC. I can brew wolfsbane all day."
"So humble, our Hermione." Sirius laughed.
Our Hermione.
The witch's heart swelled.
"Why be humble when you can be brilliant?" Hermione shot back, a glint in her eye.
"You bloody beautiful witch," Remus breathed, taking Hermione's face in both his hands, thumbs brushing the apples of her cheeks.
Hermione beamed at him. Finally she was doing something right. No Basilisk in the Chamber, no diary from Malfoy Manor, but this- this she could do.
"When's the next full moon?" she asked. She knew when they were at Malfoy Manor the moon had been waxing, but she wasn't sure the exact date.
And she needed exact dates.
Remus opened his mouth, but it was Sirius who answered. "June 5th."
Hermione raised her eyebrows, a silent question.
Sirius shrugged noncommittally. "I've had to make note of the full moons since what- fourth year, I suppose? Occupational hazard, being friends with a wolf."
June 5th, how far away is that?
"Oh," Hermione said quietly. "Y'know, I think I've quite lost track of the days since being here. What's today?"
Remus's hands fell back to Hermione's waist, but they did not retreat.
"May 26th," Sirius supplied. "Wednesday. Wednesday May 26th, 1982. Figured you might as well know the full date."
"Nine days! Cutting it close, but I can do it!"
"Can you?" Remus asked.
"Yes!" Hermione insisted. "Just enough time to gather the ingredients and brew enough for the week before the full moon. Oh! You'll need a goblet full every day for the week leading up."
"A whole week?"
"It's worth it! Tastes like utter shite I've been told, but trust me! It'll be worth it."
"I do," Remus said smiling. "Trust you, that is."
Hermione's grin was so wide by all rights her cheeks should've been aching when her amber eyes again met Remus's, only his were no longer the green she had come to adore. They were a piercing shade of gold, nearly luminescent. And when Hermione's gaze locked not with Remus the wizard, but with Remus the wolf, her breath hitched.
A little tiny something fluttered through Hermione's abdomen. A little tiny something that wasn't brotherly or familial in the slightest. A little tiny something that urged Hermione's eyes to linger just for a beat too long on the curve of Remus's lips-
Oh fuck.
Oh, what the fuck?
Startled by her own unprecedented reaction to Remus, Hermione attempted to take a step back, but Remus did not release her, if anything his grip on her tightened. His fingers dug into the flesh of her hips not enough to be painful, but still they burned. Hermione shivered.
Oh, what the ever loving fuck.
"Remus?" Hermione whispered, voice gravel scraping against her throat.
This was entirely inappropriate, absolutely ridiculous and was coming completely out of fucking nowhere.
Was it though? Was it coming out of nowhere, a treacherous voice whispered in her mind. It was her own voice. Suddenly, their weeks long friendship ran through Hermione's mind like someone hit fast forward on the VCR of her memories. Every glance exchanged and casual touch, every time he stroked her back or she cuddled him in his goddamn bed.
Oh my god.
Remus licked his lower lip and it was positively predatory.
Hermione swallowed, her pulse suddenly racing.
"Remus?" Sirius asked slowly, cautiously. Hermione had almost forgotten he was here.
Remus did not move, golden eyes still boring into Hermione. The witch felt color slowly paint itself across her cheeks as those eyes, so fixated on her, drove a rush of something she wasn't prepared to name through her.
"Moony?" Sirius nearly whispered.
As had been pointed out mere moments ago, they were over a week from the full moon, why was the wolf suddenly making an appearance? Hermione had hardly seen him but for a flash or two here or there. Well, and the other night of course, which he can hardly be blamed for seeing as he'd just been splinched and then just this evening when Sirius had hold of Hermione's arm and now- now this.
"Moony, I'm going to need you to let go of Hermione," Sirius spoke slowly, tone neutral and Hermione briefly wondered if this was his Auror voice. "Moony." Sirius made a move towards them and Remus growled, growled in a way that human throats could not growl, of that Hermione was certain, and as he did, his fingers dug into Hermione painfully.
She yelped, from surprise and pain, and it was suddenly that sound that seemed to snap something in the room.
Remus let her go or- no, a better description would be that he pushed her away like she was on fire. Hermione stumbled back, tripping from the motion. War-trained, auror-honed reflexes, in that moment, completely failed her and Hermione fell gracelessly onto the ground.
"Oh fuck, Hermione!" Remus reached out, hand extended to Hermione where she sat now on the floor, pushed up on her elbows on what was going to be a nasty bruise blossoming on her bottom.
She stared at that large calloused hand and then followed the arm it was attached to up Remus's shoulder and then to his face where finally, her gaze settled upon his now sage green eyes.
But even as they were now, lacking their golden hue, something in those beautiful eyes had changed.
And, not for the first time in Remus's presence, Hermione armadillo-ed.
And then, using those reflexes that finally decided to make an appearance, she ran.