The Ultimate Power

A/N: Deep breath and hold...

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I can't be losing sleep over this, no, I can't
And now I cannot stop pacing
Give me a few hours
I'll have this all sorted out
If my mind would just stop racing

'Cause I cannot stand still
I can't be this unsturdy
This cannot be happening

This is over my head
But underneath my feet
'Cause by tomorrow morning I'll have this thing beat
And everything will be back to the way that it was
I wish that it was just that easy

'Cause I'm waiting for tonight
Then waiting for tomorrow
And I'm somewhere in between
What is real and just a dream?
What is real and just a dream?
What is real and just a dream?

Would you catch me if I fall out of what I fell in?
Don't be surprised if I collapse
Down at your feet again
I don't want to run away from this
I know that I just don't need this

-Lifehouse (Somewhere In Between)

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Somewhere In Between

Mid to late October, 1997

The weather was quickly turning cold and the students of Hogwarts had taken to packing their scarves and gloves around the halls with them. Halloween was approaching rapidly and the air around Harry, Hermione, Ron and Holli was thick with excitement.

"I'm really looking forward to seeing those gigantic pumpkins of Hagrid's," Holli was saying to the other three as they left Herbology bundled in their hats, gloves and scarves. "They sound magnificent."

"Oh," Hermione cried, "that's what we need to take you to do! You haven't met Hagrid yet."

Harry shook his head. "Can't believe we forgot. Hagrid will be upset."

"We'll go down right after classes are finished today," Hermione told Holli.

"Just don't let him lead you into the forest to meet Grawp," Ron said crossly. "He'll think its great fun to have a new toy to play with." Holli shuddered. For some reason, she wasn't all that anxious to meet Hagrid anymore.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Defense was their last class of the day and the trio waited for Holli while she told Remus what they planned to do and that she would be back after dinner. Afterwards, the foursome ran up to Gryffindor Tower to deposit their things in the common room and then made the journey down to Hagrid's hut. When they arrived, Hermione knocked on the door and they were greeted by load, booming barks.
"Ge' back, Fang!" they heard Hagrid bellow from the other side of the door. "Ge' back yeh bloomin' mutt!"

When Hagrid finally managed to get the door open his face lifted into a smile behind his great shaggy beard at the sight of them.

"Was wonderin' when the three of yeh would show up," he said as he ushered them through the door. "An' who's this?" He gazed at Holli for a moment in puzzlement. "Yeh look familiar, yeh do. Haven' I seen yeh walkin' round the castle with Professor Lupin?"

"Hagrid, this is Holli," Harry introduced. "She's new this year and Remus has been tutoring her."

"Well then," Hagrid said cheerily, "tha's all righ' then, is'n' it? Welcome to Hogwarts, Holli!"

"Thanks, Hagrid," Holli replied breathlessly as Hagrid patted a dustbin sized hand on her back.

Hagrid busied himself making tea for the foursome as he asked them about their classes and teachers.

"Wha' d'yeh think of Kinlin?" he asked as Holli took a rock cake, not noticing Ron's furtive warnings.

"He's all right, I suppose," Harry answered. "No McGonagall, but okay."

Holli scowled. She had just had this conversation with Remus the night before. In her opinion, Kinlin was incredibly - assertive - she supposed the best word would be. His teaching methods were incredibly bland and Holli suspected that Kinlin's philosophy was "my way or no way" when it came to learning. She also had the sneaking feeling that Kinlin did not care whether his students learned the material or not. He recited the lesson; they either got it or they didn't. There was no middle ground as far as he was concerned. Seeing, however, that the other three seemed to think their Transfiguration professor was at least okay, Holli took a bite of her rock cake to keep her opinions inside. She winced as she thought she heard a tooth crack. Ron snickered at her as Harry discreetly jabbed his elbow into his ribs.

"All righ' there, Holli?" Hagrid asked after seeing the look on her face.

"Fine," she replied as though she were rolling gravel around in her mouth.

Hagrid nodded. "Where are yeh from then? Live anywhere near these three?"

"No," Holli said as she shook her head. "I was born in Chelmsford, but when I was about five, my mum and dad decided they wanted to move for some reason. So we packed up and went to Peebles and I lived there until I came here."

"Never bin ter Peebles before. Bin ter Edinburgh plenty o' times, 'course, an' I'd imagine it'd be 'bout the same."

"In some ways," Holli agreed. "It's beautiful, actually."

The five of them chatted until dinner time and then Holli, Hermione, Ron and Harry departed Hagrid's in search of edible food.

"I did try to warn you, you know," Ron told Holli as they journeyed towards the castle. "I'll be the first to admit that you're not my favorite person, but I wouldn't wish Hagrid's rock cakes on my worst enemy."

Holli snorted and said, "Too bad, really. Maybe Harry could use them. Throw them at Voldemort's head instead of curses for a change." Ron had to be grabbed round the arm by Harry to avoid collapsing from loud guffaws of laughter.

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After dinner, Holli left the trio and went in search of Remus. After finding his quarters vacant, she finally found him in his office, grading essays at his desk.

He glanced up when Holli stuck her head through the gap in the door.

"Can I come in?" she asked.

"Of course you can," he replied as he set his quill down. "Did you meet Hagrid?"

"Yes, and we all had a very nice chat," Holli answered as she rested her hip against the side of the desk. "So, when are we starting?"

Remus leaned back in his chair and regarded Holli for a silent moment before responding, "I thought we could take a break for the night. You've been studying incredibly hard and I think you deserve a small reprieve."

Holli's eyes narrowed suspiciously as she glanced at the desktop. "Really?" she asked.

"Yes, really," Remus said innocently. "You don't believe me?"

"No," Holli said matter-of-factly, "I do not."

"Why ever not?" Remus asked in exasperation.

Holli didn't answer him and said instead, "You're telling me that you're giving me a freebie night simply out of the goodness of your heart? There's no other reason for the sudden leniency?"

Remus rolled his eyes. "Why is that so hard to believe?"

"Because I think you have an ulterior motive," Holli said.

"And just what motive would that be?" Remus questioned loftily.

"I think," she said smugly, "that you are not so much being kind as you're trying to catch up on your recent procrastination."

Remus scoffed as he stood from his chair and walked to the window. "This is ridiculous! I try to do something nice for you and you accuse me of grinding an axe! What on earth are you talking about?"

Holli had moved around behind the desk during Remus' rant and had flipped through a stack of essays that sat on the desktop. She smiled angelically at him and said, "These essays have dates on them from almost two weeks ago. You should have had them finished with and returned by now. That's what I call procrastination," she exclaimed triumphantly as she flopped into his vacated chair. "Mr. Axe, meet Mr. Grinder."

Remus' mouth worked silently for a few long moments as Holli spun in circles in his chair. Finally he managed to say, "Fine, you caught me. Now get out of my chair and let me get back to work while you go enjoy a study free evening. Tomorrow I'll make it up to you for pointing out my little problem." Remus smirked at her. Holli simply scoffed.

"I think you've dished out more than enough punishment in the past three months, Remus. Besides," she added, "I like your chair. I might just take it with me."

Remus grunted and leaned against the wall, looking out the window. Suddenly, Holli saw his eyes widen slightly as he said, "I think that's Hermione down by the lake and it looks like she's kissing some bloke." Remus paused momentarily as Holli made a noncommittal comment then said casually, "Sort of looks like Ron."

"What?" Holli exclaimed as she launched herself to the window. Remus slipped by her and reclaimed his chair. "Where, Remus? I don't see them." She turned to look at Remus when he didn't reply and shook her head when she saw where he was.

"Bugger," she muttered as Remus chuckled to himself. "I should have known not to fall for something like that." Holli made her way over to the desk once more and seated herself atop the stack of essays Remus had been working through when she had first arrived.

"You do realize that you're sitting on your year's essays, right?" Remus asked her. Holli wiggled a bit.

"Hmm, no wonder they're so soft. Hermione's adds the extra cushion."

Remus' eye twitched as he tried to control his smile at the same time. "That may very well be, but you are now subjecting those poor essays to arse prints so I think it's time for you to go," he said as he stood and shooed her off the desk and out the door, Holli protesting the treatment the entire way. When Remus shoved her back out into the corridor, she turned just in time to see him close the door in her face.

"Remus," she yelled. "Remus! Open up, damn it." Holli paused and turned at the sound of approaching footsteps to see Ginny Weasley standing beside her. "Oh, hello, Ginny. How are you tonight?"

"Ah," Ginny said as she glanced from Holli to the closed doorway and back again, "I'm fine. How are you?"

"Wonderful," Holli replied. "Excuse me for just a moment."

Holli turned back to the door and shouted, "Remus! Those essays deserve to have my arse on them, Remus!"

Ginny decided to leave Holli to her one sided argument and left to make her way to the common room, thinking that Hogwarts hosted some very odd students at times. Unbeknownst to her, Remus, who was hidden behind the closed door, was thinking similar thoughts as he laughed silently to himself.

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Three days later, Holli and Remus were back to their normal schedule. Holli begged for another break or more procrastination on Remus' part but to no avail. Remus was solid as stone and not about to crumble anytime soon. Her next course of exams were quickly approaching and Remus maintained that there wasn't time for anymore breaks.

Holli sighed and closed her book as she rubbed her eyes. They were in Remus' quarters as per usual while Remus silently made up study charts for Holli to use when she wasn't with him and Holli was perusing the Order of the Phoenix once more. She had studied the book with a fine toothed comb over the past month so many times that she had lost track. It was all more than a little exhausting. She simply couldn't shake the feeling that she was missing something that was written in between the lines.

"Have you maybe thought," Remus asked without looking up from his parchment, "that the answer you're looking for may be in a different book?"

Holli groaned. "Yes, I have and no, it isn't. I know it's in this one."

"But how can you be sure when you don't even know exactly what you're looking for?"

"I don't know," she huffed. "I just have this...feeling, you know? Like it's in here, not another one."

Remus hummed and shrugged his shoulders. "Well, can't help you with a feeling."

"I know," Holli said as she once more opened her book.

Remus glanced at her and sighed. "I know you want to help and all, but I swear I'm going to charm that bloody book so it won't open anymore."

Holli chuckled and Remus returned to his work. Suddenly, Holli's head jerked up and she asked sharply, "What did you say?"

Remus looked up at her quizzically and said, "I said I was going to charm you book to not open anymore. Why?"

Holli, however, didn't respond. Her mouth had dropped open in silent shock. That was it! She couldn't believe it. Holli started flipping pages rapidly, having not a care as to the damage she did to the book until she found the passage she was looking for. Finally, she found it.

"Holli?" Remus said in concern. "Holli, what's the matter?"

"...a locket no one could open..." Holli muttered to herself.

"What?" Remus asked.

Holli jumped from her seat and raced to the door. "I'll be right back," she yelled back at Remus.

"Holli," Remus shouted after her. "Tell me what the bloody hell you're on about!" But she was already halfway up the corridor and not slowing down. She had found it!

Several minutes later, Holli burst through the portrait hole, panting for breath. She paused only long enough to locate the trio seated around the fire and rushed to them, jerking them up by the sleeves of their robes.

"Holli," Hermione protested, "we have work to do. What on earth has gotten in to you?"

"C'mon, I've got something to tell you guys and it can't wait!" With that, she pulled them back out of the common room with her and raced back down to Remus' quarters where he was pacing back and forth in front of his own fire.

Holli allowed enough time for the trio to make their way into the room and the door to be shut before she exclaimed, "I've found it!"

All four looked at her in bemusement. "Found what, Holli?" Remus asked as he came forward and gripped her shoulders.

"The locket, the Horcrux! I know where it is, or was, at least!"

Remus collapsed backwards into an armchair as Harry breathed, "Are you sure?"

"Of course I am. You think I'd get this excited over nothing?" Harry looked at her doubtfully, but she waved him off. "It is, or was, in Grimmauld Place."

"How do you know that, Holli?" Hermione asked tentatively. "We cleaned almost every surface in that house and we never found it. You've never set foot inside and you claim that's where it is."

"But you did find it," Holli insisted as she looked towards Remus. "You're the one who made me remember it, Remus, with that comment you made about not be able to open my book." She turned back to the trio. "The summer before your fifth year, the three of you, Mrs. Weasley, Fred, George, Ginny and Sirius all went on a cleaning frenzy. Sometime there you were cleaning out a glass case and found a locket that no one could open." Harry's mouth suddenly formed a perfect 'O'. "That was the Horcrux!"

Harry shook his head as he followed Remus' example and crumbled onto the couch. "It was right there. I had it in my hands; we all did. Why didn't we realize?"

"We threw it out," Ron said softly. "There's no telling where it is now."

"Maybe - maybe not," Hermione said. "Remember that Sirius kept having to send Kreacher away repeatedly because he was pilfering everything we threw in the rubbish sack. It's possible that he took it."

Remus scrubbed his hands over his face. "I'll talk to Minerva and see about the five of us taking a trip to Grimmauld Place the next Hogsmeade weekend. Maybe we can find it."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

McGonagall readily approved Remus' request to take the foursome to London on their next Hogsmeade weekend under the pretense that Harry was working on something for Dumbledore and nothing more. The elation of Holli's discovery soon faded, however, as they had nothing to do but wait. Holli and the trio found it more difficult than ever to concentrate on their lessons as their minds continued to wander to the unknown of what they would find at Grimmauld Place. Remus himself even admitted having a difficult time focusing on his classes.

Holli found that she looked forward to studying now more than ever before as it simply gave her something else to concentrate on. It was for this reason that she found herself in Remus' empty classroom as soon as lessons were over for the day.

"Eager, are we?" Remus asked wanly.

Holli shrugged as she threw her bag on the floor at her feet and seated herself atop one of the students' desks.

"Just ready for a distraction," Holli replied with a grin.

Remus chuckled to himself as he said to her, "You're always ready for a distraction."

Holli nodded her head slightly. "This is true."

Remus moved himself to stand in front of Holli. "How about we do something else instead?" he asked her. "I could use a distraction right now as well and, truth be told, I'm not much for books at the mo, so I know you're not."

A small smile blossomed on Holli's face. "What did you have in mind?"

"Well, we could always go down to the lake and mess with the Giant Squid, regardless of whether I'm supposed to be a mature adult or not." Holli snickered. "Maybe a nice game of chess instead," he suggested as Holli made a look of disgust, "or, though I've never been fond of it, I would welcome a game of Exploding Snap."

"Oh," Holli sighed, "that sounds good. I haven't got to play that yet."

"Well, then, I have some cards in my quarters. Should make us nice and singed."

Holli laughed joyously as she shoved herself off the top of the desk. What came next happened so quickly, it still made Remus' head spin. As Holli's feet landed on the floor she continued to try to walk away towards the door, but she didn't realize that her ankle was hooked through the strap of her bag.

Holli stumbled and began to fall as Remus reached out and caught her in his arms in what looked to be a mock up of the Tango. They stared at one another for a brief moment before they both burst into galls of laughter. As their laughter subsided and they tried to catch their breaths, they looked at each other once more, Holli still suspended almost horizontal over the floor in Remus' arms, and something clicked. Without quite thinking, Remus leaned forward and kissed her. It may have lasted all of three seconds, but to Remus, it was three lifetimes.

When he came back to himself and jerkily pulled away it was to see Holli staring at him with wide, round eyes. He released her quickly and backed away, giving her space.

"Holli, I -"Remus started, but Holli cut him off by stuttering out something incoherent. She shook her head a couple times as though trying to shake it all away.

"I - I have to -" she mumbled before glancing at him once more then darting from the room leaving Remus wishing he was able to stick his own foot up his arse for being such a tosser.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Harry found Holli sitting down by the lake, shivering slightly from the cold. He threw the cloak he had brought with him over her shoulders before seating himself on the ground beside her.

"Bit cold to be sitting round without a cloak," he commented.

Holli grunted in response but said nothing else.

Harry plowed on. "I saw you out here through one of the windows. I thought you would be studying with Remus tonight since your exams are coming up?"

"Change of plans," Holli mumbled without looking at him.

Harry hummed. "Well, at least you get a break. Everyone likes breaks from studying. Even Hermione, though trying to get her to admit it is worse than just letting her drag us down with her."

"I can believe that," Holli snorted. Harry chuckled and they sat in silence for a long while after that, both staring at the lake's surface.

Finally, Harry leaned sideways and nudged her. "What's the matter, Holli?"

Holli finally turned and looked at him as she asked, "What makes you think there's something wrong?"

"You're never this quiet," Harry answered as he flopped himself backwards on the ground to stare at the stars, "and you're looking at the lake like you haven't decided whether you want it to burst into flames or ice itself over. Which you could very well do and, for the Squid's sake, please don't. He'd probably eat you the next time you came anywhere near here if he survived."

A chuckle sounded from deep in Holli's chest as she moved her eyes back to the lake. "I thought the Giant Squid was a vegetarian?"

"Oh, he'd make an exception for the person who's responsible for burning off two of his arms and freezing off three more," Harry replied with a vague wave of his hand. Holli didn't say anything else to him so he asked, "How long have you been out here, anyway?"

She shrugged and said, "A few hours I suppose. I just...need to think for awhile without any distractions."

"And how far have you got yourself?"

"Hardly anywhere," she sighed reluctantly.

"Want some extra input?"

Harry saw her back and shoulders tense and stiffen as she turned to study him for a few long moments before moving her gaze back to the lake. "Let's say - say something happened," she finally stuttered out, "that you weren't expecting; that you'd never even thought about and you don't think anyone else ever has, either. You -" Holli suddenly cut off and seemed to be struggling with what to say next. Harry decided to help her.

"Was this something - welcome to happen?" he asked.

Holli sighed. "That's what I've been trying to figure out."

"Well," Harry said slowly, "how did you feel when it did happen? Good? Bad? In between?"

"Great," Holli said softly, "and terrified. It was like everything just kind of melted away, you know? Like nothing else mattered except - that."

"It sounds like that's your answer, Holli," Harry told her.

"But it's not, Harry!" Holli cried. "If I let this happen, it could ruin everything. Not just for me, but for everyone else involved as well." She turned to look at him and, seeing the horrified look on his face, quickly added, "No, it's nothing dangerous or life threatening to anyone. It's just - oh, I don't know - immoral would be the right word I suppose."

"I see," Harry said as he slowly sat up and studied her. After a minute or two he sighed, "Holli, I'm probably not the best person to give you advice, but I think that sometimes, a person has to take risks. Otherwise, what's the point of living because you're not, really?"

Holli mouth worked soundlessly for a moment before she turned and looked up at the castle. For what reason, Harry wasn't sure. A small crease formed between her eyebrows as she moved her gaze back to the lake and thought about what he had said.

Finally, she sighed, turned back to him and smiled. "You're right," she murmured as she reached over and hooked her arms around his shoulders to hug him. "Thanks. For the advice and the cloak." Holli released him as she stood from her spot on the ground and made her way back to the castle.

Harry watched her until she disappeared from view then returned his attention to the lake, congratulating himself on a job well done.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Remus started at the sound of knocking on his door which showed the nervousness he was feeling as he had been waiting for it. When Holli had ran out earlier that day, she had left her bag behind and he knew she would turn up eventually to get it back.

"Holli," he said breathlessly as he opened the door.

"Hello, Remus," she greeted as she strode past him into the room.

Remus closed the door and put a silencing charm on it for good measure before turning to her and saying in a rush, "Holli, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. I don't know what came over me; I don't know what I was thinking. Actually, I wasn't thinking," he ranted while Holli tried to hide her amusement. "It was just a mistake and I'm - I'm so sorry, Holli. I don't know what else to say."

Holli took a step toward him and cocked her head slightly. "Is that really how you feel?" she asked him.

Remus swallowed hard. "Yes," he said softly.

"That's too bad," Holli said as she took another step in his direction.

"Why?" Remus gasped before he could stop himself.

"Well," she answered, "I've been sitting by the lake for hours thinking about it and I figure that there had to have been something there or else you wouldn't have done it in the first place."

"I -" Remus started to say, but Holli continued as though he hadn't spoken.

"I've also just had a bit of a chat with Harry," she said. Then she added quickly when his eyes widened, "Oh, I didn't tell him what happened, I promise. There's no good reason for him to know that. He does, however, figure that life isn't worth living if you don't jump in and take risks and I agree with him.

"So," she whispered as she took one last, large step to position herself directly in front of him, "what's it going to be, Remus? Are you going to play it safe and stay sorry, or," she reached up and placed her hand on his cheek, "are you going to admit that what happened wasn't a mistake and take the plunge into the River Risk with me?"

Remus stared down into Holli's shining eyes, burning with something that was, amazingly, just for him. His breath caught and he knew.

"I think," he told her huskily, "that this is going to be the warmest swim I've ever taken." Then he grabbed her and kissed her with a force so hard, it knock Holli back into the wall.

He followed her, his mouth never leaving hers as he pushed her further, and harder, and flat against the wall. He felt her fingers thread through his hair as she moaned against his lips and deepened the kiss. Remus had always scoffed at people who talked about fireworks exploding in their head, but now he knew better because this - with Holli's body pressed flush against his and the intoxicating scent of her wafting through his nose and the small noises of approval she was making deep in the back of her throat - this was something more. This was an exploding star in all its warmth, light and beauty.

Remus reached down and hooked his arms around the undersides of her thighs and lifted her until she was able to wrap both legs round his waist. He then carried her swiftly over to the couch where he laid her on her back against the cushions. He finally broke the kiss and began to plant slow, tender kisses along her jaw, neck and collarbone whilst keeping one eye on the rapid rise and fall of her chest as she tried to regain her breath. Remus felt hot fingers working at the skin around his waist as Holli tried to grip his jumper to pull it over his head.

He reached back and stilled her hands as he tried to calm his own breathing. "Holli," he said, "we can - we can still -" but he couldn't finish. He didn't want them to stop and try to salvage what they might still have. He wanted her, damn it! All of her and only her.

Holli smiled at him as she loosened her wrists from his grip. "That's not what I want either, Remus." Then, she tugged the jumper over his head and was kissing him once more. Remus melted into her in a way he would have never thought possible.

Holli suddenly pushed him back and Remus grunted his disapproval as she chuckled low in her throat. "Plenty of time," she murmured, then leaned up and placed a slow kiss on his neck. Her fingers began to trace the scars scattered across his hot flesh as she studied everything about him, memorizing every single one, from the smallest to the largest. When she was finished, she leaned up once more and kissed him sensuously.

Soon after, they both lay upon the cushions completely devoid of clothing. The studied one another, committing the lines of the other's body to memory. Remus' finger traced down the middle of Holli's torso, then stilled as it came in contact with a scar above her naval.

"Holli," he croaked as he stared into her eyes, searching for an answer. Holli gave him a small smile while she moved her hand up to his cheek and lightly brushed it over his jaw, down his neck, and over his collarbone and chest.

"The only reason they matter, Remus, is because they make us who we are," she whispered to him. "And isn't that why we're here now?"

Remus leaned down and kissed her tenderly. He deepened it quickly until Holli pulled away and gasped, "Remus. Remus, please?"

Remus kissed her intensely once more as he positioned himself and then thrust into her, welcoming the heat that wrapped itself tightly around him. Holli broke the kiss again as she moaned her approval.

Remus thought that had someone watched them, they would have thought it a story told out in not words, but actions like in a ballet. They moved together in fluid symmetry as Holli's legs wrapped around his waist and her nails scraped along his back in ecstasy. Their moans and sighs and gasps said more than a thousand words ever could. Remus nuzzled Holli's neck as she weaved her fingers through his hair once more while he began to go harder and faster to her gasped requests and it simply said one thing: bliss.

Holli grasped at Remus' shoulders as they both came closer to their end. His thrusts became quicker and harder as Holli moaned out unintelligible words of encouragement. Finally, with strangled gasps of each other's names, they came together. Remus' movements became sporadic after that as he thrust out his completion, then collapsed against Holli as they shared their moment of euphoric bliss with tender kisses and murmured affections.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

They lay in Remus' bed in the early morning talking softly to one another with Remus tracing patterns into the skin of Holli's stomach.

"You do realize what an unfair advantage you have over me now, don't you?" Remus asked her as drew a mouth into the smiley face on her hip.

The corner of Holli's mouth twitched upwards. "No, actually I don't. What advantage are you talking about?"

Remus snorted and poked his finger into her naval making her squeak in surprise. "You do know what I mean. All you have to do when you don't want to study now is give me one of your looks and I'll cave like a rockslide."

Holli retaliated by swiping her tongue over a sensitive part on his neck causing him to jump. "Of course I know that," she snorted. "Just one of the many good things to come from this."

"Really?" Remus said as he traced his fingertip down her side from her shoulder to her hip. "What other good things are going to come from this, then?"

"Oh, you know," she whispered as she leaned closer to him, "you."

Remus wrapped his arms around her, pulling her body against his chest and kissed her until neither one could breathe.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Hours later, as the first signs of dawn were falling over the castle, Holli crept into her dormitory. Instead of going directly to her bed, however, Holli made her way to her trunk and dug inside until she extracted what she was searching for. She climbed into her bed and drew the curtains that hung around it tightly, then lit her wand.

Holli brought the silver spoon up to eye level and studied the inscription on the underside of the handle. Unbeknownst to her, Remus was sitting up in his bed, doing the same thing.

The Moon's love will never fade.

Death is never the end.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A/N: ...and let it out. So I've never written a scene like that before. I hope I turned out all right. Let me know what you think! Pretty please? With a whole lot of mini-Remus' on top? Also, I'm not sure if I'll update again before Christmas so just in case, have a warm, safe and happy Christmas, everyone!

Kewolf: Hope you enjoyed your fix!