Chapter 14

Disclaimer: All characters and settings of Potterverse are the property of J.K. Rowling and other sundry entities. Only the plot belongs to me. I am making no money. I play in this universe for the sheer joy of it. My only payment is the kind reviews and comments of those who read and enjoy my tale. This story is canon-compliant through HBP. DH has, for the most part, been happily disregarded, especially that sappy epilogue!

Special thanks go to my beta reader, JuJuJenn. She makes sure I stay focused.

Fourteen

There was a lull in the war over the next several days. Christmas was coming, and it seemed even the Dark Lord was taking a break. There were fewer reports of attacks against Muggles. There were no appearances of the Dark Mark in the night skies. Snape was summoned less frequently, and when he was summoned, he was gone for only brief periods of time.

Although Ginny wasn't an Order member, she had been sworn to secrecy about Remus. The only other choices would have been to make her remain at Hogwarts over the holidays, or to hide Remus somewhere else. Neither alternative was attractive, so Arthur and Molly had sat down with their youngest child and explained the situation to her.

For her part, Ginny had been very happy to learn that Remus was still alive – almost as much for Harry's sake as for Remus's own. Harry had already lost far too many people who were important to him.

While it wouldn't be on the scale of previous Christmas Eve celebrations, Molly still planned a small party for those confined to Grimmauld Place for the holiday. A Christmas tree, covered with magically non-melting icicles and ever-burning candles, stood in a corner near the fireplace. Knit stockings hung from the mantle, each with a name embroidered on the cuff. Even Snape had a stocking, much to his chagrin. He'd grumbled when Molly had hung it along side the others, but he hadn't insisted she remove it.

Molly set Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny to dusting and cleaning the drawing room. When they were done, Remus, his wounds now completely healed, helped Molly string garlands of ivy and holly across the room.

Minerva left a mostly deserted Hogwarts in the care of Filius Flitwick and joined the others for dinner on Christmas Eve. Fred and George closed up their shop early and arrived at Grimmauld Place in plenty of time to sneak a few 'special' Christmas crackers in with the ones Molly had already bought.

The group ate the roasted goose, mashed potatoes, creamed spinach, and cranberry relish that Molly prepared and then retired to the drawing room for brandy and Yule cake.

Arthur tapped his wand on a small wooden box in the drawing room and tuned into the Wizarding Wireless Network, which was broadcasting a special program of Christmas music featuring Celestina Warbeck.

"Oh, I adore Celestina Warbeck's music," Molly said as she levitated a large tray into the room.

"It's a good job Phlegm ... er ... Fleur isn't here," Ginny said.

Harry, Ron, Fred, and George all snickered.

"Ginny!" Molly said as she cast a baleful look at her daughter. "You should be ashamed – speaking so disrespectfully of your brother's wife."

"Oh, come on, Mum," Ginny said, not looking at all ashamed. "Last year she spent all of Christmas Eve rolling her eyes and complaining."

"Still ..."

"Where are Fleur and Bill tonight?" Remus asked, diverting Molly's attention from Ginny. "I would have liked to have talked to him."

"They're with Fleur's family. They did spend last Christmas with us, so it's only fair that they be with her family this year. Besides, with Fleur expecting, they thought it might be ... less stressful there."

"Oi," George said, "it's not like they didn't want to spend half the night snogging under the mistletoe."

"True enough," Fred agreed. "Their lips turning purple might have been a bit much, though."

"That was a simple design flaw," George said. "That piece of mistletoe was just the prototype. This year's model is much better."

Molly glanced at the piece of mistletoe hanging in the archway.

"George, you didn't!"

"Course not, Mum," George said, far too innocently. "No one's lips will turn purple tonight, I promise."

"Why don't we have our brandy now?" Arthur said. "And I'd love a piece of that Yule cake you baked today, dear."

Molly allowed herself to be distracted and cut the cake.

Arthur handed out snifters of brandy while Hermione and Ginny passed the plates around.

Alongside each piece of cake was a Christmas cracker.

Molly and Arthur pulled one of the crackers. There was the customary small bang, and two paper hats fell from the cracker.

Molly unfolded hers and put it on her head.

"How do I look?" she asked.

"Oh my," Minerva murmured.

"What?"

"Molly, dear ..." Arthur began.

Molly scowled and picked up the discarded cracker.

"This isn't one of the crackers I bought," she said with a sharp glance toward George and Fred, who were holding on to each other's shoulders, doubled over with laughter.

"What have you two done now?" Molly asked.

She flicked her wand, and a large hand mirror appeared. She grabbed it and peered into it.

And then she shrieked.

Under the paper hat, Molly's auburn hair was now striped red-and-white like a candy cane.

"Don't worry, Mum," Fred said. "Those stripes will be gone in a couple of days."

"A week at the most," George added.

"Are they all the same?" Ron asked as he picked up one of the crackers.

He and Harry pulled on opposite ends and grabbed the paper hats that fell out.

"That'd be boring, wouldn't it?" George said.

"Go ahead and try one on," Fred encouraged.

Ron happily unfolded one of the hats and put it on.

There was laughter as his hair turned a bright, emerald green.

The laughter ended abruptly when Snape jumped to his feet, clutching his arm.

"My apologies for spoiling the party," Snape said through lips thinned with pain.

"Oh, no," Hermione said softly.

"Minerva, I'll be ready to report to you in the morning."

"I'll Floo you," Minerva said.

He nodded.

"Do be careful, Severus," she added.

"Always."

His gaze swept the room.

"Don't wait up for me," he said, and then he strode out of the room. A few moments later, there was the sound of the kitchen door opening and then closing.

Although he'd just been sitting quietly in a chair in the corner, not really participating in the conversation or the laughter, the party lost its spirit after Snape left. His summons had been a graphic reminder of the reality of war. The dinner, the Yule cake, and the twins' outrageous Christmas crackers had been but a brief interlude.

Minerva, looking tired and worried, bid them all a Happy Christmas and returned to Hogwarts.

Fred and George gathered up the unused crackers, and a large piece of the leftover Yule cake, and returned to the apartment they shared over their shop.

Molly cleaned up the kitchen, and then she, Arthur and Ginny returned to the Burrow, promising to be back first thing in the morning.

"Anyone want another brandy?" Ron asked, holding up the half-empty bottle.

"Now that Molly isn't here to 'tut-tut' over me, I think I want something a bit stronger," Remus said. He went to the sideboard and found a bottle of Firewhisky.

"I'll have some of that, then," Ron said with a grin. "She not here to 'tut-tut' over me, either." He held his brandy snifter out, and Remus poured him a couple of inches.

"Gonna have some, Harry?" Ron asked.

"Why not?" Harry held out his glass and Remus poured.

"Hermione?" Remus asked.

Hermione hesitated a moment, and then she shrugged.

"Maybe just a little."

Remus poured an inch of the Firewhisky into her glass.

"Sip it, don't gulp it," he warned. "It's quite potent – especially if you're not used to it."

Ron apparently didn't feel the need to heed the older wizard's advice. By the time Remus had finished pouring Hermione's drink, Ron had swallowed half the Firewhisky in his glass and was ready for more.

"Top this off would you?" Ron said to Remus.

"Maybe you shouldn't drink too much, Ron," Hermione said.

"And maybe you should drink more. Might loosen you up a bit," Ron said with a grin as he slipped his arm around her waist and drew her closer. "You know – help you shed some of your inhibitions, like."

"And I see you have no inhibitions at all," Hermione said in a scathing tone as she ducked out of Ron's clumsy embrace.

"Why don't we have a game of chess, Ron?" Remus asked, stepping between him and Hermione. "I haven't played in while."

"I'll set up the chess board," Harry said. He seemed glad to have something to do to remove himself from an uncomfortable position between his two best friends.

"Fine," Ron muttered.

Harry sat next to Ron offering suggestions, most of which Ron ignored.

Hermione sat next to Remus, but although he asked for her opinion on each move, it was obvious that her mind wasn't on the game.

After every third or fourth move that he made, Ron would get up and pour more Firewhisky into his glass.

Harry matched him drink for drink and after about ninety minutes, both of them were close to being totally pissed.

"Check and mate," Remus said.

Ron stared at the board for a moment, and then he started to laugh.

"I must be drunker than I thought. I don't remember the last time I lost a game of chess."

"You won't remember losing this one, either," Hermione murmured under her breath.

Ron either didn't hear her, or chose to ignore her, but Remus grinned.

"Maybe it's time you two went to bed," he suggested.

Harry yawned hugely. "Yeah, I'm knackered. Come on, Ron."

Ron got to his feet, swaying slightly.

"Are you coming up, Hermione?" Harry asked.

"No, I'm not tired."

"He told us not to wait up for him," Ron said.

"I'm not waiting up ... I'm just not tired yet," Hermione insisted.

Harry shook his head slightly, but didn't say anything more.

Ron just shrugged. "Suit yourself, then. See you in the morning."

As soon as Harry and Ron had gone upstairs, Hermione got to her feet and started pacing.

Remus went to the sideboard and poured himself another drink. Without asking, he poured one for Hermione and handed it to her.

"Thanks," she said. She took a quick sip. "I'm not usually much of a drinker, but ..."

"I know it's none of my business, but I couldn't help but notice that things are a bit ... strained ... between you and Ron. Everything all right?"

Hermione shook her head. "I love Ron, I really do," she said. "But I think we made a huge mistake by changing our relationship."

Remus sat down on the sofa and patted the seat next to him.

"Sit down, Hermione. You're making me tired just watching you pace."

Hermione took another sip of her drink, and then she went and sat next to Remus on the sofa.

"He was a better friend than he is a boyfriend."

Remus arched his brow at her, and Hermione blushed.

"That's probably more than you wanted to know."

Remus smiled. "I understand. But maybe it's not entirely Ron's fault. These are difficult times, difficult circumstances. You and Ron haven't had the opportunity to allow your relationship to develop in any kind of normal fashion. You can't go out on dates. You have no privacy to speak of ..."

"I never said it was all Ron's fault," Hermione said.

"Maybe it's not anybody's fault," Remus said gently. "Maybe you two just weren't meant to be together."

"He thinks we are."

Remus shrugged. "You both have to want a relationship to make it work. If you're not sure, or you're not comfortable with how the relationship is going, you have to end it.

"And you haven't been happy with your romantic relationship for a while, have you?" he asked

Hermione shook her head. "No, I haven't. But we have to work together – with the Order, with Harry. And I'd miss his friendship."

"Would you be able to continue working with Ron if you weren't ... involved ... with him? Could you still be friends?"

"I think I could. I'm not so sure about Ron, though."

"Sometimes you have to do what you know is right, instead of what's easy. Once you've reached a decision, the important thing is not to waver – not to give false hope. That really would be unfair. You must make a clean break."

"Is that what you did with Tonks?" Hermione asked shrewdly.

Remus gave her a small, sad smile. "Yes."

He drained his glass and put it on the side table.

"And were you able to stay friends?"

"It was a bit awkward at first. Like you and Ron, Nymphadora and I had to work together. It got easier as time went by.

"She's involved with Charlie Weasley now, you know."

"No, I didn't know that. I didn't think Charlie had time for anything but taking care of his dragons."

"In his spare time, Charlie recruits for the Order. Nymphadora was sent to Romania to meet some of those recruits. Things progressed from there."

"Does Mrs. Weasley know?" she asked. "She hasn't said anything, and I'm sure she would have – she's been trying to marry Charlie off for years."

"I'm not sure that they're quite ready for marriage. It's a pretty recent development. They haven't told many people."

"How did you find out?" Hermione wanted to know.

Remus smiled. "Because Nymphadora and I have managed to remain friends, she confided in me. She told me when she visited me last week."

"And you're happy for her, aren't you?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, I am. I've never wanted anything but the best for her."

Hermione up-ended her own glass and finished her drink. She put the empty glass on the table next to Remus's.

"I hope Ron and I can work things out the way you and Tonks have."

"You've decided to end it, then?" Remus asked.

Hermione nodded. "I'd pretty much already decided, but talking to you helped me realise that the decision is the right one for me. I just don't feel that way about him. And I can't pretend any longer that I do."

Remus reached out and took Hermione's hand in his. He squeezed it gently.

"He'll be hurt at first, but it's kinder in the end."

Hermione pressed Remus's hand in return.

"I hope you're right."

Before they could say any more, they heard the sound of the kitchen door opening and then closing. They both stood up and turned toward the sound.

A moment later, Snape strode into the room.

He pulled up short when he saw them standing there.

"I told you not to wait up for me," he snarled. "I'm not a wayward teenager out after curfew!"

"You know I'm rather nocturnal, Severus," Remus said in a reasonable tone. "I seldom go to sleep before one or two in the morning and it's barely gone midnight."

"And what's your excuse, Miss Granger?" Snape sneered.

"Remus and I were talking," she said coolly. "Not that that's any of your business."

Snape seemed a bit taken aback by Hermione's response.

"I'll leave you to your little tête-a-tête, then," he said curtly.

He brushed past them and went up the stairs. A minute later, they heard the old pipes begin to clang and bang as the shower started.

"I shouldn't have been cheeky with him," Hermione said in a distressed tone.

"You were hardly cheeky. Besides, he was rude to both of us."

"I shouldn't have snapped back at him. It was a bad meeting tonight."

"Are there ever any good ones?" Remus asked.

"He's taking a shower. That means ..."

"... the bloody bastard raped him."

Hermione nodded. "He was probably sick besides."

Remus sighed. "And I thought I had it rough with Greyback. At least I never had to worry about being raped.

"I guess his bad moods are understandable, then."

"When will it end, Remus?"

"I don't know," Remus said as he put a comforting arm across her shoulder.

"I'm so tired of this," Hermione said. "And if I'm tired of it, I can only imagine how he feels."

"We all just have to hang in there and hope it ends soon."

"It feels futile sometimes."

"As soon as we give up hope, he wins," Remus insisted.

"You're right. I know you're right. Thank you," Hermione said.

Impulsively, she threw her arms around him and gave him a hug.

"Anytime," Remus said with a smile as he returned her hug.

Many months later, Remus would wonder if it was at that moment that his feelings for Hermione began to change.

Author's note: My sincere apologies for the long, long delay in up-dating this story. I've repeatedly stated that I would never abandon a story, and I won't abandon this one. That being said, however, I must admit that I've come to realise the folly of beginning to post a story before it's finished. (Or mostly finished, at least.) It seems I've developed a rather large plot hole, and filling it is proving much more difficult than I ever thought it could be.

My New Year's Resolution is to work through the plotting of this story and finish it. I know where it's going, I just have to work out how to get there from here. I appreciate your patience.

I do have another chapter finished and nearly ready to post within the next week or so.

Thank you so much for your support and understanding.