Reaching across time

Chapter 19: I know

The marauders were arguing. It was three days before the full moon and they simply couldn't bring themselves to agree on whether on not to tell Hermione about Remus's furry little problem.

"I'm telling you she knows" Sirius was saying.

"How exactly do you think she knows?" Remus snapped

"We don't know but it's a gut feeling" James agreed.

"She doesn't know until she knows" Remus said before walking out of their dorm angrily.

The two marauders followed after a few more minutes after to see Hermione standing at the foot of the stairs. They looked uncomfortable as they returned her smile.

"Uh, Remus already left" James said in greeting.

"Yes I saw him, now can we go?" Hermione asked.

"Are you okay?" Sirius asked looking concerned.

"I just need to find a damn book" She muttered before they all left for breakfast.

The marauders didn't see her much for the next two days as she kept vanishing to the library at every given opportunity and they tried hard not to seek her out, just to save themselves from having to lie to her.

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The full moon was almost gone; the night was ending when Hermione sat alone in the common room, waiting for a pair of familiar dark heads. She wasn't sure what time they would return but she was sure his transformation would be over by now.

She didn't have to wait long before the portrait hole opened and closed, no visible person walking through. She sighed.

"James? Sirius? A word if you don't mind?" She asked.

The cloak was thrown off and the two of them stood there looking guilty. There were a lot of scratches on their person, some bleeding a bit, others already starting to dry up. She motioned for both of them to sit down as she drew her wand.

Both boys obeyed and let her work on all their cuts as they sat in silence. A few more minutes later, neither one could take the silence.

"We snuck out to see Remus, his mother is worse now" Sirius lied smoothly.

"And there was this huge stray dog that got us on our way back" James added.

"Trust yourself to be a pair of idiots. How is Remus?" she asked.

"He will be back tomorrow I guess" Sirius replied.

"That's good. So I take it that you two can keep yourselves from stray dogs till then?" She asked sweetly.

They nodded vigorously. They couldn't believe their luck. She believed them! Then again the whole castle did...but wow! They had always assumed it would be harder to keep it from her.

"Good. Keep away from stray stags and werewolves too while you are at it would you?" She asked them sarcastically.

Their spirits drooped. She knew. Of course she knew and now Remus was going to think they told her. Oh dear Merlin...

"You know..." Sirius stated weakly.

"Of course I know!" Hermione told them as she fell back into one of the cushions.

"How long have you known?" James asked her.

"Since the day I woke up and saw Remus on the bed next to mine" she replied easily.

"What? But that's impossible" James protested.

"I've known werewolves before and I know what to look for" she told them coolly.

"And you never thought to mention it to us?" the messy haired boy asked again.

"It never came up" she shrugged.

"How about the time we were discussing all the magical creatures you've known?" Sirius suggested

"Okay so it came up. It's a marauder thing and I thought I would give you your privacy" She replied nonchalantly.

"And the animagus part?" was the next question.

"You two were hanging out with a werewolf and it certainly couldn't be as a human" She answered.

"And you knew our familiars how?" they continued to ask.

"Your names are a dead give away, though I did watch you a bit last month, only long enough to check if I was right" She replied.

There was a bit of an awkward silence, Hermione was sitting comfortably in her chair scribbling away on her assignment without a care in the world while the other two fidgeted in their seats unsure of what to do next.

"Sorry, we wanted to tell you but-" Sirius began in earnest.

"I have my fair share of secrets, you are allowed yours" She said before he could finish.

"Wait you aren't mad that we lied to you?" James asked in surprise. She laughed.

"Not at all" she said with a warm smile. Sirius felt his heart lift.

"And it doesn't bother you that he has a furry little problem?" James asked.

"Now you are just insulting me" Hermione said, scrunching up her nose.

"Sorry doll but this just went better than we could have ever imagined" Sirius said happily.

"Only, who is going to be telling Moony?" James asked.

"Nobody." Hermione answered for him.

"What? But we have to tell him before he finds out" Sirius argued.

"He didn't find out for till now, I can pull off the ignorance charade for at least another month" she told them.

"What difference will it make if we tell him this month or the next?" James asked.

"Well, I'm hoping next month, he'll be glad I knew" Hermione answered, looking positively happier.

Before either of them could say a word, she continued "but before we get to that, do you know how many rules you've broken by becoming illegal Animagi?"

"Enough to send us to Azkaban, yes we know, but we had to" Sirius tried and explained quickly.

"Well what would you two say to breaking about fifty more?" Hermione asked them with a slight smirk.

Their jaws dropped as they watched her, here they were thinking she was going to launch into a lecture just like Remus had done the first time and she was...Good Gryffindor! She was so full of surprises.

"What exactly do you have in mind?" the taller marauder asked weakly.

"Well now isn't exactly the time to talk about that, but if you two really want to help you could meet me after classes tomorrow, Sirius you know where to find me, do not be late and do not let anyone find out and go change before you actually sleep in that! Good night" She said

Neither boy could bring himself to reply as they watched the brunette go up the stairs to the girl's dorm in stunned silence. They sat motionless for a few more minutes before returning to the comfort of their own beds, both too tired to wonder much.