the_debt_of_time

the moon, the scars on his face—the scars! How had she not put it all together before? Better
yet, how could Professor Dumbledore have hired a werewolf to teach at a school?
No. Hermione reprimanded herself for even thinking such a horrible thing. Of course
he should teach here. Professor Lupin was brilliant—the best Defence teacher they'd had
yet. Suddenly, she felt awful that she had so quickly judged a man based on his condition,
an action she had been disgusted with earlier. Not only that, but after reading the symptoms
once again, she realised that her favourite teacher, a man who had saved their lives from a
dementor, was suffering.
Without another thought, Hermione pulled her books and parchments together,
loaded up her book bag, and rushed out of the library.
She excused herself early from lunch and sneaked back to the dorms where she dug
into her trunk and pulled out a large bar of Honeydukes chocolate that she purchased when
she and Ron had gone to Hogsmeade. Though she was not overly fond of sweets, she
remembered that Professor Lupin had given it to them following the dementor attack,
insisting that chocolate would make them all feel better. With Harry's reactions to the
creatures, Hermione thought it would be prudent to stock up on a few bars, just in case.
Heading down the stairs, she found her way into the hospital wing where she
literally ran into Madam Pomfrey.
"Oh! Miss Granger. Are you feeling well?"
"I'm sorry, Madam Pomfrey. Yes, I'm well. I was just wondering if Professor Lupin
was here. Professor Snape mentioned that he had taken ill," Hermione said and began
looking around the hospital wing for the man, noting that there was a bed at the end of the
aisle secluded by a large curtain.
"He's well looked after, my dear," Madam Pomfrey promised, though the way she
eyed Hermione felt suspicious. "Unfortunately, he's not taking visitors."
"I understand. Would it be all right if I left something for him?" Hermione asked,
holding out the large bar of chocolate. "I'm not sure if it'll help, but he gave us all chocolate
after the dementor attack, and I, well, even if it doesn't make him feel better, I'd just be
repaying him."
"I'll take it, dear." Madam Pomfrey nodded with a strangely tearful smile. "It's very
kind of you to think of him."