the_debt_of_time

"It's dangerous to meddle with Time Magic," Hermione muttered as she closed the
book and placed it quickly back on the stack, reaching for another. "You have Fowl or Foul?
A Study of Hippogriff Brutality? Professor, could I... Do you think I could borrow this? It's
just that I've been trying to help Hagrid with Buckbeak's case. The Ministry's trying to have
him executed over what happened with Malfoy."
Remus nodded as he pulled the kettle from the burner, burying the feeling of
disappointment as he watched her so casually disregard the book on Time Magic. He knew
when he was supposed to send her back—the date was burnt into his mind—but he could
not help but miss Mia the more he got to know Hermione. She felt so close and yet still so
far away. Remus still had years to wait before he could do a thing.
"I heard about that little incident. You're more than welcome to borrow it,
Hermione. It's very kind of you to offer to help Hagrid with his hippogriff."
"Well, it's not Buckbeak's fault that Malfoy didn't pay attention in class. He was only
acting on instincts. You can't blame a poor animal for attacking someone who―" She
stopped speaking when her eyes fell back to the books on his desk.
He curiously followed her gaze where it landed on his worn copy of Lupine
Lawlessness: Why Lycanthropes Don't Deserve to Live. He studied the girl carefully as she reached
out to touch the text, hesitantly as though it were infected with something.
"Tea?" he asked, interrupting the suddenly awkward silence.
She looked back up at him and offered a hesitant smile as she reached for the cup
he was extending to her. "Yes, thank you." She took a sip and smiled. "Oh, you sweetened
it."
"Sorry? I just assumed that.. ." he began, but Hermione cut him off as she peered
into his cup, which was a lighter shade than her own, indicating that he had fixed his with
milk.
Remus immediately realised his mistake. He had known how she took her tea
because it was how Mia took her tea. It would have been one thing to sweeten both cups or
leave hers alone entirely, but he had fixed hers specific to her tastes and then his own,
showcasing that he knew she did not like milk in hers.
Hermione smiled, a blush creeping across her face. "No, it's fine."
Oh Merlin, Remus frowned at the sight. He decided to see the silver lining in the
awkward situation. For one, Hermione knew nothing about their shared past—or future;