Under the Moonlight

Under The Moonlight: Chapter 4

He'd gotten into a groove at Flourish and Blotts. People had heard he was working there and they sought him out for advice and support. He'd found this much more gratifying than he'd every imagined. A man in his early twenties approached him one morning.

"Mr. Lupin? Can I ask you a question?" After receiving Remus's nod, the young man continued, "Have you, have you ever been married?"

Remus was a bit taken aback, but recovered quickly. "Personally, no, why do you ask?"

"Well, I was just wondering if it was possible, to have a wife, and children and all," the young man looked down at the floor, "I'd really like to have a family, but ..."

"But you couldn't live with yourself if you ever hurt them."

The young man's eyes brightened. "Exactly!"

They talked for another hour, Remus reassuring him that there was no reason he couldn't have a family assuming he took reasonable precautions.

The young man left, looking very relieved, just as Raiyna appeared. She was smiling. "I'm so glad you could help him. He was in quite a state when he got here this morning." She sat down beside Remus, taking his hand in hers. Her smile was infectious. "How is it going?"

Remus shook his head. "I told him all the right things, but somehow, it doesn't feel like they apply to me."

She looked puzzled, but before she could probe any further, she was called away. Remus ate his lunch alone that day and thought about what it was he was doing with Raiyna.

***

Remus tossed and turned, still feeling unsettled about the conversation he'd had with the young man earlier that day. As he finally drifted off to sleep, not even his dreams would let him rest.

He was back in school again. The Yule Ball was fast approaching. Unfortunately for him, it fell on a full moon.

James had already asked Lily before he realized this. "I'll just cancel, she'll understand," he said as they ate their lunch.

"No way, Prongs, no way. You've waited way too long for this."

The others agreed.

"And anyway, Padfoot and I will stay with Moony," Peter chimed in.

"Come on, you guys, I've been doing this alone for years. One more night won't kill me. I'm not ruining this for you all. Go to the Ball, have a great time, pull some pranks, and tell me all about it in the morning."

"Shut up, Moony, you don't have a say in this," Sirius's voice was chiding but firm.

The bell had already rang and classes were in session as Remus walked to Madam Pomfrey's to pick up the potion she made for him once a month. He still couldn't believe he had friends that cared that much about him. As he walked towards the hospital wing, he saw a girl hurrying down the staircase. She was muttering to herself and her book bag was overflowing. He cringed as he saw her miss the last step. That had to hurt. He hurried over to her. She was younger than him, but quite pretty. He was surprised he hadn't noticed her before. He smiled at her as he helped her up. He couldn't help but look into her eyes, they were so welcoming, so warm. Her wrist hung at an odd angle; surely it was broken. He walked her to the hospital wing, smiling to himself. He was thinking he might like to get to know her better. Raiyna, what a beautiful name. Just then, she did something he unexpected. She asked him to the Yule Ball. It was a full moon that night, he couldn't possibly go, although he would have liked to, especially with her. He noticed too late that she had taken his hesitation the wrong way. She assumed he was going with someone else. She was getting away from him. He reached for her, and to his relief, she stopped. She stopped for him. He lifted her chin to meet his eyes--he had to see those eyes--so deep and brown and honest.

After he'd left, a sudden sadness settled over him. Why hadn't he seen it before? For the same reason he couldn't go to the Yule Ball, he could never have a relationship with her. What had he been thinking? Try as he might to get those brown eyes out of his mind, he could not. He hadn't seen her again until he saw those brown eyes looking down at him in the Leaky Cauldron.

***

Remus paced his study, waiting for Raiyna's arrival. She was bringing dinner, insisting that it was her turn. He was wearing his tattered gray robes, the ones he had worn to their first dinner at the Winging Park Inn. He wondered if she'd notice; he usually wore his nicer midnight blue robes for her. When she finally arrived, she looked strikingly beautiful. Her long hair played gently around her high cheek bones. She seemed to look more radiant to him when they were alone. He longed to sweep her up into his arms, bury his face in her hair, inhale her sweet scent. Hold her forever. But he resisted. There was no use delaying the matter any longer. He hated himself for what he was about to do.

"Raiyna, I don't think this is going to work, us, I mean." She looked stunned. He looked away.

"Excuse me? I thought- the other night-"

"The other night was probably one of the best nights of my life," Remus said honestly. "But really, Raiyna, what kind of life can I offer you?"

She rolled her eyes. "Honestly, Remus Lupin, think of who you are speaking to. I lived with my brother for fifteen years! And anyways, who are you to decide what I can and can't live with?"

He was about to say something but she interrupted, throwing a string of questions at him he hadn't expected.

"Do you take your Wolfsbane Potion every full moon?"

"Yes.

"Do you make sure you are in a safe environment before you transform?"

The questions went on and on. "Yes, Yes, Yes," he answered to each one, growing more exasperated by the minute.

"Well, then, I don't see what the problem is. Let's eat."

He sighed as he noticed that the flushed color her anger had brought to her cheeks just made her look more beautiful. He had to get her off his mind. They ate dinner mostly in silence, punctuated by her attempts at strained conversation that led nowhere. When dinner was finished, Remus rose to escort Raiyna to the door. The sooner she was out of his house, the sooner he could try to put his life back together the way it was intended to be lived--alone.

"Remus, can we talk?"

"There's nothing to talk about." His voice was distant as he leaned against the door jam, waiting for her to rise from the table.

"Then how about you just listen. Come sit on the couch with me." When he did not move, she continued. "Remus, please, you owe me this much."

The scowl on her face told Remus she wasn't leaving until he heard her out. Grimacing in defeat, Remus reluctantly moved to the couch. He sat down, clasping his hands between his knees and staring at the floor. "What is it that you want to say?" he asked, without so much as a hint of interest in his voice.

He was so tense from sitting so close to her that he flinched when she laid her hand on his shoulder. He hadn't meant to, but the way she instinctively pulled away from him, perhaps it was for the best. He watched her reflection in the window as she ran her hands nervously through her hair and took a deep breath. There were tears in her eyes. He could handle her anger, but her tears were sure to crumble his resolve. He closed his eyes then, willing himself to hold onto his control until she left.

"Remus, I don't know what's going on and you won't tell me. But I can't just let you walk away from me like this, I care about you too much. I know about the wolf, I've always known. Doesn't that count for something? I'm not afraid of you Remus!"

"Maybe you should be." His voice was low and dangerous.

"Stop it, Remus. This isn't fair. This isn't just about you any more! I know you are hurting--how do you think I feel? You act as if I haven't got a clue as to what I'm getting myself into. I lived with my brother for fifteen years! I am as mentally in tune with the lunar cycles as you are physically. I know how to keep myself safe! I'd never let you endanger me, Remus, and I'd never let you endanger yourself. You think I don't know what you're afraid of? You think I don't know the wolf could hurt me? Of course I know! But I'd never put myself in that situation!"

"You're not a monster Remus, you're a man! For one day out of the month the wolf comes out. The other twenty-nine-and-a-half days you are just like everyone else. I'm not afraid of you, Remus, and I'm not going to let you hide behind the wolf."

Remus stared blankly into the fire, clenching his teeth. He wanted to shake his head and scream in frustration. How could she possible understand? It wasn't just the wolf, it was so much more than that. He'd lost everyone he'd ever loved, everyone that had ever loved him. He couldn't risk that again. He fought to keep his breathing even, but the battle that raged inside of him made it impossible. Still, he said nothing, offered no response. He couldn't let her draw him in.

"Remus, don't do this to me. Don't shut me out!" Hot tears streamed down her face. "I know you're scared. But I'm scared too, I'm scared of losing you. Please..."

He wanted to pull her into his arms and tell her everything would be all right. He wanted to believe that everything would be all right. And maybe it would be if he were a different man. But he was who he was, and he had no business being with someone as sweet and special as Raiyna was. He should never have let it gotten as far as it had in the first place. He sat rigid next to her, not even allowing himself to scratch the itch on his cheek for fear that if he moved even a muscle he'd lose his iron control.

She shook her head and got up to leave. As she stood by the door, she looked back. "Dammit, Remus, I love you." He could hear the emotion in her voice but didn't dare look at her.

When the door clicked behind her, he put his head in his hands, shaking uncontrollably. "I'm sorry Raiyna. I'm so sorry. I never meant to hurt you. I never meant to let it get this far."

He turned in early that night, falling asleep wishing she were in his arms, knowing that it could never be.

***

Madam Pomfrey had healed her wrist. She sprinted to the Great Hall, but he wasn't there. She looked around on the grounds and didn't see him either. She wanted to see him again; she had to see him again. He said he couldn't go to the Yule Ball, but maybe he'd be interested in doing something else. He had been so kind to her. Maybe that's all it was. Kindness. Maybe he was that nice to everyone. She shook her head. If he was interested in her, he would come looking for her. Patience, my dear, patience; her father's words echoed in her mind.

***

When he arrived the following week for work it was pouring rain. He joined the staff meeting that had just started and took his orders for the week: inventory, restocking, owl orders, etc. When the others had cleared out, he asked Raiyna if there was someplace they could talk. She led him to her office and offered him a cup of tea.

"I'm here to tender my resignation."

"WHAT?!?" Raiyna said, choking on her tea and spitting it all over her desk and robes.

Remus steadied himself. "Raiyna I just can't do this anymore."

"What? This job or me?" Her voice had cooled considerably, her eyes narrowed.

He pondered her statement momentarily. "Well, they are related, aren't they?"

"No, as far as I'm concerned they are not. People are counting on you Remus. If you don't want our relationship to continue, fine, but I will NOT accept your resignation, at least not until I find a suitable replacement." Her eyes narrowed even further. "You owe me that much, Remus."

He nodded and got up to leave her office. He actually loved his job, but it was too hard to see her every day. He hesitated in the doorway, thinking maybe he should apologize for the way he'd acted. As he turned back to say something, he saw that her head rested in her hands.

"Dammit," she muttered to herself. "Well, I certainly handled that well, didn't I?"

He watched as she brushed the tears away and hurried out before she saw him, once again overridden with guilt.

Work was considerably lonelier that week. Without Raiyna's sneak attacks to punctuate the days, they seemed to drag on forever.

***

He was dreading that evening. Although the day of the full moon was always punctuated by loneliness without his three closest Animagi friends, this one was even more so. He'd gotten lax about taking his chocolate drops and was quickly noticing the effect on his stamina. He winded easier and his mind was not as clear on the days leading up to the transformation. He took off his clothes and waited, fighting back the feelings of loneliness and betrayal; self-betrayal. But he had no choice, he had to end it. He just couldn't risk hurting her. She meant too much to him. He shook his head with regret as the pull of the moon took over his body.

When he awoke to the morning sun, he'd found he hadn't fared very well the evening before. Even though he'd taken the Wolfsbane Potion, his body was oozing with fresh blood. He knew what that was about. The pain of loss transferred to the wolf, the emotional pain turned physical in the body of the wolf. The control he kept during day was the control he lost during the full moon. The anger he felt toward himself, the anger he kept under lock and key, was released with the fury of an angry wolf, leaving the man to suffer the consequences.

He forced himself to get up that morning, forced himself to eat the Morning After Stew. No one was coming over to take care of him today. He was alone again. He would be alone forever. There was, of course, no other option.

When he heard the knock at the door that evening, he flew off the couch. As he threw open the door, Harry, still with a slight limp, and Hermione were standing there bearing gifts. His disappointment was tempered as Harry and Hermione exchanged hearty hugs with Remus.

"You're looking well," observed Hermione.

"Thanks, I've been trying some new things. They seem to be working."

"That's wonderful, Remus," she said. "We brought you dinner. This is the first Harry's felt well enough to get out and we thought we'd drop by and see how you were doing."

As the food was being prepared and the table set, they talked about how Harry and Hermione and were doing now that they had graduated from Hogwarts and lost many of their good friends, including Ron.

"It hasn't been easy," Hermione sighed, tears swelling in her eyes, "but we're managing." She cast a glance at Harry who was looking rather downcast as well.

"And what about you, Remus? What have you been up to since the Order?"

"Well, I got a job at Flourish and Blotts. It's going pretty well actually." He wondered if his face contradicted the statement he'd just made.

They sat down for dinner and made mostly small talk until Hermione hit a nerve. "Oh when are you going to settle down, Remus?"

Remus felt a flare of anger race through him. His muscles involuntarily twitched. He gripped his mug tighter and took a swig, hoping they hadn't noticed.

"What-- What did I say?" Hermione asked with concern in her voice.

"Nothing." Remus stood to clear away the plates while Harry and Hermione exchanged glances.

"Did you meet someone Remus?" Harry asked cautiously.

"That would be wonderful!" chimed in Hermione.

Remus shook his head. "No, it wouldn't, it isn't," he said through gritted teeth, still not looking at them.

Hermione rose and put her hand on his tense shoulder. "Remus, why don't you sit down, I'll get you a cup of tea."

Remus sat, but didn't look at either of them.

Hermione sat next to him and handed him a cup of tea. "Are you afraid to tell her?" she ventured.

"Tell her what?" It suddenly dawned on him what Hermione was thinking. "Oh, that, no, she already knows. She knew before-- well-- she knew the first time we met."

"Where did you meet?" asked Harry in an obvious effort to keep the conversation going.

"In the Leaky Cauldron, actually, of all places." A slight smile crept across his face as he remembered.

"Well, then, what happened?" Hermione asked.

"You two just don't understand!" he snapped, a note of exasperation in his voice as he ran his hands through his hair. "She can't have a normal life with me. What was I thinking! She deserves better. She deserves a man who she can count on--every day of the month--and not have to worry about harming her or her children!"

"Ahh...." said Hermione in her all-knowing tone of voice, nodding her head and clasping her hands together in front of her on the table. "Well, Harry, you know I think he's right," she said thoughtfully.

Harry was too stunned to respond.

"I mean, after all, he isn't very reliable about taking his Wolfsbane Potion, is he?"

Remus raised his eyebrows, highly affronted by Hermione's assumptions.

"And, of course, he throws all caution to the wind when he's a wolf. It's just not safe to walk the streets during a full moon is it?"

"Hermione--" Harry gasped, but she continued as if she'd never been interrupted.

"And then, of course, if they ever had children, well, you just couldn't be sure whether they'd be babes or pups, now could you?" Hermione carried on dramatically, her eyes settling on Remus as a slow smile spread across his face. Harry looked horrified.

"Shall I go on?" Hermione inquired.

"No, I think I see your point," Remus said, feeling slightly sheepish but happier all the same.

Hermione glared at Remus. "You know, I could just slap you for saying she deserves better! Remus Lupin, you are one of the nicest men I've ever met, and I dare say if I was a few years older, this woman would have a real contender on her hands!"

Remus smiled genuinely for the first time in weeks.

"So how bad did you mess it up?" Harry asked, having finally caught on to Hermione's antics.

"Well," Remus thought, "Hmm...."

"Send her an owl, tell her your sorry," Harry suggested.

"Yes, you could do that. OR, depending on how badly you messed it up..." Hermione intoned.

***

It was almost closing time when Hermione arrived at Flourish and Blotts, her face fraught with anxiety. "I need to see Ms. Blotts, immediately, it's urgent."

The staff member who greeted her looked taken aback by Hermione's demeanor. "I'll, I'll see if I can find her for you."

The woman returned and ushered Hermione to Raiyna's office. Raiyna's face was a bit splotchy.

"I'm sorry, Miss, this really isn't a good time." Raiyna said, barely looking at Hermione as she made a show of shuffling papers around her desk.

"It's Remus," Hermione stated with an urgent edge to her voice.

Raiyna jumped at the sound of his name, "Is he all right?"

"Well," Hermione said, "He's in a right state. I think you better go see him."

Raiyna faltered. Hermione could read the indecision on her face. Hermione waited patiently, hoping her concern for Remus would win over her anger for how he had treated her.

"He asked specifically for you," Hermione added, hoping to sway her.

Under The Moonlight: Chapter 5

When Raiyna and Hermione Apparated in the living room, Harry was sitting on the couch, ringing his hands and looking thoroughly distraught. "He's in the kitchen," Harry said without looking up.

Remus was sitting at the kitchen table, his head in his hands. He knew it was her the second the door opened, her glorious scent infiltrating his senses.

"What is it Remus? Has something happened?" she asked, sitting down on the chair next to him and tenderly rubbing his shoulder.

"Yes," he said solemnly, his head still in his hands. "I'm a complete idiot and I'm letting the woman I love walk away."

He felt her stiffen at his words. He lifted his eyes to look at her.

"You- YOU-" she smacked him hard on the back with the palm of her hand. "Do you know how WORRIED I was?!?!"

Remus smiled at her tentatively, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"I can't believe-- I oughta--".

"Kiss me?"

She looked at him as if he'd suggested she'd fly off a cliff without her broom.

"Or not," he said with the most pathetic looking puppy-dog eyes he could manage.

At that she burst out laughing. "Don't you ever, EVER, do something like that again!" But a smile was breaking across her face.

There was a loud popping noise in the living room; Remus laughed knowing that Harry and Hermione had been listening and must have decided it was safe to Disapparate.

He stroked her shiny brown hair. "I missed you."

She eyed him cautiously, as if searching for the truth in his eyes.

"You know, you look even sexier when you're angry," he added, and then flinched in case she was going to smack him again.

She just rolled her eyes and shook her head at him before leaning in to kiss him.

Later that evening, Remus made them some tea and pulled out a small, gift-wrapped box. "I have something for you."

At the look of bewilderment on her face, he added. "It's not much. Go ahead, open it."

She unwrapped it carefully, stealing glances from time to time at Remus. Inside was a figure of a boy sitting cross-legged and waving at her. She noticed that he had a little bit of fur sticking out of his human ears. She looked questioningly at Remus.

"A friend of mine gave it to me as a joke when we were still in school, but I think it's rather useful. During a new moon, he will jump up and down looking very happy and energetic. But as the moon wanes, he will get nervous, edgy, anxious. He will pace around in a small circle. When the full moon comes nearer, he will sprout fur, his eyes will turn golden, his nose will elongate. As darkness falls, his transformation will be complete. He will become a wolf, he will prowl, and howl. As the sun rises, he will turn back into a boy. He will be very tired, choosing to lay most of the time, and then sitting, and finally standing again as the moon waxes."

"At any rate, you can always look at this wolf-boy to see what state I'm in. And you'll know when it's safe to be near me again, when the boy is no longer a wolf."

The boy was still looking up at her, waving as if she hadn't noticed.

"Thank you." Her genuine smiled warmed Remus's heart.

She paused for a moment, seeming to consider something. "You know, I think these are great. We should get some for the store. Do you know where to find them?"

Much to Remus's relief, Raiyna had long since forgiven him and was leaning with her back against his chest in the firelight. He was content to stroke her hair while she rested her head against his shoulder. He was calmer and happier than he could remember in a long time, and it seemed to him, she was too.

"Raiyna," he said softly, "I hate to do this to you, but I need to rest."

She sat up quickly and looked into his eyes. "Remus! Why didn't you tell me sooner! You know I'm not strong enough to carry you up the stairs!"

He was amused by the way she shook her head in frustration at him.

"Come on," she commanded, standing before him to help him to his feet.

He leaned heavily on her as they climbed the stairs, each step seeming like more effort than the one before. When they reached his bed, he collapsed, not even bothering to take off his robes. She looked quizzically at him, but he raised his hand to wave away her worry. He didn't have the strength to do anything more than curl up into a ball on his bed. He closed his eyes as she pulled the covers over him. He smiled as she ran her fingers through his hair, speaking softly to him. He couldn't decipher what she was saying, but it didn't matter; a feeling of serenity had washed over him, sleep wasn't far behind it.

To his pleasant surprise, he awoke the next morning to find her body curled around his, her scent filtering through his consciousness. He rolled over slowly, careful not to wake her. The morning sun shone through the window and reflected off of her perfectly sculpted face as she slept. He realized that she wasn't wearing her robes anymore, but a pair of his pajamas. That warm, tingling sensation invaded his body again as a smile slipped across his face. "I love you too, Raiyna," he whispered, brushing the soft curls from her face. "You are the most incredible woman I've ever met."

***

Work had gone tremendously better now that they were on speaking terms again. Whenever she snuck into The Library to steal a kiss, his heart soared. This summer was indeed turning out to be one of the better ones, all things considered.

They had just finished another superb dinner out in his garden. As they lay side-by-side under the stars, she turned to look at him. "You know, I've had a crush on you since I was thirteen."

"Really?" Remus asked.

"Really. I was late for class one day and as I ran down the stairs, I tripped on the last stair. I fell and broke my wrist. I was so glad that no one was there to see me, but then there you were. I was so embarrassed. But you just picked up my books for me and took me to the hospital wing. I thought that was the nicest thing anyone ever did for me."

Remus laughed, comprehension suddenly dawning on him. "You were the one who asked me to the Yule Ball."

"Yes," she laughed, "I was a bit forward then, wasn't I? Unlike now," she added, grinning. "But as I recall, you said you couldn't go."

"It was a full moon that night," Remus said quietly.

She looked momentarily surprised. "Oh. Of course. Good thing there isn't a full moon tonight," she said, offering him a seductive smile before leaning in to kiss him.

He relaxed as he felt her lips touch his. This was how it was supposed to be. Her hand smoothed his robes over his shoulder, gliding gently down his arm. He felt her fingers come to rest on the back of his hand, tracing the scars there. Instinctively, he grabbed her wrist--too fast and too hard. The shocked look in her eyes and the way she pulled away from him made him feel like a murderous beast. He let go immediately and looked away, swearing to himself.

"What happened, Remus?" Her voice carried not her usual easy tone, but a cautious, more guarded one.

He shook his head in self-disgust. "My whole body is covered with scars, Raiyna. You have no idea what I do-- what the wolf does--" his voice trailed off. He realized by the confused look on her face that to her, this had come out of nowhere; she had no idea that she had been stroking one of his scars a minute ago.

Suddenly she sat up. "Show me." The expression on her face was odd; defiant almost.

"What?"

"Well, show me!" she demanded.

He felt suddenly uncomfortable.

"Come on, I'm waiting."

Her hands were on her hips and the tone of her voice told him she was not going to take no for an answer. He felt like he was back at school being disciplined by a teacher. He sat up slowly and unzipped his midnight blue robes. His hands were shaking as he eased the material back, exposing just a few of the many scars that ran across his chest. He looked down momentarily to see the moon shining off his scars, gouges, and gashes, raised like mountain ridges against his pale skin. A swell of terror rose up in his throat. He held his breath. Would she be able to accept him, would she be able to see past the torturous scars? Or would she just see the beast? He looked away, not wanting to see what he saw every morning in the mirror, not wanting to see what she saw, not wanting to see the fear or pity or disgust in her eyes.

"Hmm...." she said, nodding as if examining the cover of a new book.

She very gently traced a particularly nasty gouge on his chest with her index finger. Then, she leaned forward and kissed the length of it. As her warm, wet lips caressed his chest, he felt his body temperature rise. She continued, following the multiple scars across his body with her lips, leaving no bit of skin untouched, uttering things like, "perfect," "lovely," "delicious," "wonderful." The comfort and acceptance her warm kisses conveyed were more than any words she could have spoken. As she slid his robes off his arms he cringed. But she did not stop kissing him. He sighed as her lips caressed him, coaxing him into letting go.

"Trust me," she whispered as she followed a scar up his neck and lowered him softly onto the yielding grass. She continuing to kiss the newly exposed flesh that glistened in the moonlight, loving every part of him--the scarred parts, the exposed parts, the ugly parts. Her touch was so simple, so gentle, so warm. He was trying hard not to think, not to worry. He was trying just to be. But how could she not be as repulsed by the beast as he was?

"Oooh..." she said, studying the long, red, jagged mark that stretched beyond where she could see, slinking underneath the band of his boxer shorts. "I think I like this one most of all," she said, her voice breathy.

She had found the scar he feared most of all. The longest scar; a deep, torturous one that ran all the way from his shoulder to well below his bellybutton. It was still fresh, too fresh. It was the one he'd given himself the night of the full moon when he'd thought he'd lost her forever. The loss had been too great. First his friends, and then her. The wolf had been furious, the wolf had lashed out in pain. That scar was still red, still painful. His hands had instinctively coiled around her, his fists clenching the back of her robes. "Not that one," he whispered in agony, "Please, not that one." He held his breath, his heart beating rapidly, his body trembling.

She put a finger to his lips as she very slowly and very gently kissed it, starting at the edge of the cut on his shoulder. The wetness of her lips curled around its edges. She followed the scar down his chest. Gradually, his shoulders relaxed and his grip on her robes loosened. As her lips reached his stomach, his muscles quivered. She kept kissing him, following the scar as it went lower and lower. He held on to her robes, he had to hold on to something. He was falling fast. She was going someplace no one had been in a very long time. It was both exhilarating and terrifying. But the warmth that spread through his body was intoxicating and he couldn't remember ever wanting anything so badly in his life.

Her fingers edged effortless under the waistband of his shorts and her lips followed in their wake. His breathing quickened. He couldn't think straight anymore. His heart was racing. He body was burning with desire. Instinctively, he arched his back to meet her, his fingers tangled in her hair. And then--warmth; wet, delicious, deep warmth like he'd never known before. A low, glorious moan escaped him as all of the nerves in his body screamed with delight.

When he was sure he could hold out no longer, she retreated, turning her attention to the rest of him. Slowly, she kissed her way back up his stomach, his chest, his neck. He reached for her then, looking deeply into her eyes before kissing her more passionately and intensely than he ever had allowed himself before. His hands slipped easily inside of her robes, finding the soft fleshy places he so often dreamed about. Her whole body quivered as he his hands glided effortlessly over her. He felt her chest rise and fall with anticipation, her breathing quicken. He inhaled her sweet, feminine scent; his body ached with longing.

"Remus," she whispered breathlessly into his ear, "Please, make love to me."

In an instant, he was inside of her, wrapped in her exquisite warmth. His eyes fell upon her moonlit body in awe as she pulled him in even deeper. He savored the delicious moment for as long as he possibly could, feeling her rhythmic movements as she gave in to her instincts. Feeling his own body called to hers. He rocked hard against her, falling into a rhythm as old as time, barely aware of the world around them. She was holding on to him as if her life depended on it. He was letting go as he had never done before. He was engulfed by her, lost in her, and for the first time in his life, he wasn't trying to fight it. Instead of feeling confined and threatened, he felt freed. She moaned in delight, pacing him, caressing him, kissing him. She was breathing as heavily as he was. Their bodies connected in ways their minds never dreamed. Under the moonlight they came together--in more ways than one.