Research and Development

Part Five: Testing

Remus carried Harry back to his own chambers around two in the morning, after doing a cleaning charm on them both. He encountered Molly Weasley in the hall, and was surprised by his own calm demeanor. "Harry will be staying in my room for a while," he told her smoothly. "He's not been doing well on his own." Which wasn't exactly a lie...it was just a Gryffindor's way of telling the truth and still breaking the rules.

"Poor thing," she murmured. "I know I shouldn't speak ill of the dead..." she must have caught him glaring at this point, because her voice faltered a moment before continuing. "But...well...I just...I'm glad he has you, now. I know you'll take good, responsible care of him. Really, Remus...of anyone who might be in charge of him, I'm glad it's you. You'll be such a good role model, I just know it."

And then she made her way to check on Ron, leaving Remus to slip into his room, trying to hold back slightly hysterical laughter.

He woke several times during the night with an unfamiliar weight against his side, or a much-too-light arm across his middle. He ached every time, missing the accustomed burden of Sirius sprawled half-across him, taking up his eighty percent of the bed. He missed Sirius's snores, and even the frightened way he muttered things in his sleep, like he was trapped in the nightmare of Azkaban Prison again. Remus sighed a little. Harry was so light and gentle and young. It wasn't...bad, but it was terribly foreign, and now, at night, surrounded by the routine creaks and groans of the Black family home, Remus felt sharply nostalgic. The dull pain in his soul cried out to Sirius--not necessarily even to hold him, to kiss him, but just...just for him to be, again--and the werewolf had to swallow against a suddenly tight throat.

It was odd, now he came to think about it, but he didn't want Sirius back as a lover so much as a friend. And it wasn't the fact that he wasn't here with Remus now that hurt so badly as it was the fact that he wasn't anywhere. No more Sirius Black. Gone, like, like--something that left quickly, Remus supposed, coughing a little on the pain. And Remus was all that was left. Only during the dark of night could Lupin allow himself to be self-indulgent and wrap himself in a cloak of pity. Abandoned. Alone.

A sudden moan near his shoulder and Harry's small hand flexing instinctively on his arm brought Remus back from himself. The noise was a small, soft mewl of distress, and the werewolf remembered that he was not the only one to be missing someone; he was not the only one lonely, and aching, and overwhelmed. The quiet whimper morphed abruptly into a cry of pain, and Remus quickly had the boy in his arms, shaking him gently.

There was no effect except that the boy's eyes seemed to pinch up in pain. When Harry's hand flew to his forehead and his body curled into a tight ball of agony, Remus remembered belatedly that Harry had larger problems than he himself did. And he was supposed to be taking care of Harry, for Merlin's sake. "Harry? Harry, can you hear me? Harry. Wake up." He shook the boy more roughly, trying to rouse him from his nightmare. Luckily, it did not take him as long as it would have taken Ron to realize that Harry could not be woken by normal means, and he quickly found his wand. "Evigilus!" he said, and the boy's eyes flew open. He sat up gasping.

"W-what happened?" he stuttered in a weak voice, looking wildly around.

"Too much sex and not enough Occlumency," Remus told him grimly. "It was my fault; I should have remembered. You had a Voldemort-induced dream, I think." He summoned a glass of water. "Can you remember any of it?"

Harry shuddered. "I don't particularly want to. Just that there was a meeting. He was...happy, I guess. No...I would kind of more say that he was...amused. He kept laughing. He's going to do something." He looked up out of large, helpless eyes. "He--he said it would be a good joke..."

Remus frowned sharply. "Can you remember anything else? Any details? Can you remember anyone else present? Faces, voices, posture?"

Harry shook his head slowly. "No...it's all very fuzzy now. Mostly all I remember is...fear. I felt like someone was chasing after me, but I wasn't running or anything. And nothing seemed to be pursuing me, but that's what it felt like; it was like someone was reaching a hand out to snatch me up. He was amused, but I was terrified."

Remus wrapped strong arms around the boy. "All right. Don't upset yourself more by thinking about it. It can't be helped, at any rate. Here, just lean back into me and breathe deeply. All right?"

Harry nodded, the back of his head resting on Lupin's chest. Lupin's body was warm, and his arms an anchor to reality. He let his eyes slide shut, savoring the feel of the werewolf's tender embrace and strong heartbeat. He let a sigh out through his nose. "I...I'm sorry that I'm not better at Occlumency. It's just that Snape won't tell me what I'm supposed to be doing. He just attacks me and says, 'Fight me off.' He won't tell me how I'm supposed to do it--other than, 'Clear your mind.' How can I do that? You can't shut your brain off like it's a faucet," he complained.

Remus thought this over. "Let's try something. Now. Do as I tell you."

The reaction Harry's body had to this command was rather embarrassing. "Um. All right," he agreed cautiously.

"Keep your eyes shut. Breathe deeply and evenly." Remus was stroking Harry's arms and chest as he spoke. "Now I want you to pay attention to the sounds around you. Do you hear the cricket outside?" There was a cricket, chirping intermittently, and Harry smiled. He was about to say, 'yes,' when Remus covered his mouth with one hand. "No, Harry. Just nod." Harry did, trying not to rub against Remus, which he really wanted to do, at the moment. It didn't matter. Remus still knew what Harry was thinking. "Harry. Stop that. I need you to concentrate. This is important; don't you dare think about disobeying me." Harry let out a frustrated whimper at this, and Remus sighed. "Are you having a difficult time taking this seriously?"

"Noooo," Harry moaned. "It's just. That. Could you be bossy some other time? Like...when you don't want me to focus on something besides my sexual fantasies?"

Remus stiffened. "What--do you--Harry," he stuttered, sounding just a little bit scandalized. "Are you trying to tell me that that...excites you?"

"Well...yeah. I mean; it's not like I can help it or anything. You make me sit here all close to you with my eyes shut and then you go and use your husky bedroom voice and you start getting...strict, telling me to do things and not disobey you...yeah, I can't help it; I'm getting kind of hot."

Remus hid a smile. He had to remind himself several times that it was just the bond; Harry would ordinarily not have found this a turn on. But it was still awfully flattering. "All right," he managed, trying to choke back his amusement and rising desire for the boy...who was just as randy as he was, at the moment. It took him a few minutes to realize that he'd completely lost his train of thought. "If you do this for me now, I promise we'll do anything you want, later," he offered, and felt the boy shudder violently with desire.

"Anything?" Several of Harry's more improbable--not to mention kinky--fantasies ran quickly through his head.

"Only if you do well tonight," Remus bargained, although he was suddenly distinctly curious about what sort of sexual appetites Harry had. If 'bossy' was a turn on, how would he feel about discipline, bondage, role-playing? With a gasp, he had to push the boy away. They were never going to be able to sleep if this kept up! Harry kept his eyes closed, but reclined against a pillow with a far too cheeky half smile on his face. Remus growled at him. "Shut up," he ordered huffily.

Harry only laughed. "I didn't say anything," he protested.

"Yes, well, your face said it for you. So tell your face to shut up, then. Impudent little siren that you are. Now. We are going to try something, and it does not involve sex. Got it?" Remus shut his own eyes, trying to capture his own calm. "Quiet now, Harry. Listen to the noises of the night. Listen to the regular rhythms around you. Can you hear your breath? Can you feel your chest rise and fall? Focus on that. Can you hear the clock on the wall? Listen to it, Harry; breathe with the clock. Two ticks in, two ticks out. Focus on the sound. Focus on the night. Nothing else exists; not even me. There is no reason to be frightened or angry or happy or excited. There is only the clock. Breathe in....breathe out...listen to it, Harry. Everything is dark and still. Everything outside of your heartbeat is silent. No one can get inside your head, because nothing exists outside your head. There is only your heartbeat. There is only your breath. Breathe in, Harry. Breathe out." As Remus spoke, he could feel the boy's body becoming more and more relaxed, melting into a sort of puddle beside him on the bed. He kept speaking in a lulling, low voice, repeating himself, until he was certain Harry had fallen asleep. Just before Remus drifted off himself, he wondered why every aspect of his life had to be so difficult. Why the hell had he gone and fallen for someone destined to save the world? After grumbling to himself for awhile, while he teetered right on the edge of sleep, a tiny voice inside his head seemed to whisper an answer to him. He would not remember it when he awoke, but at the time, it seemed to say, "...because you have something. Something worthwhile to offer him..." Remus snuffled a bit as his mind was tangled up by a passing dream. Somewhere in his soul, a long-forgotten sense of pride twitched, just a little.

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The next morning, Remus discovered there was Order business to attend to. It was an errand outside of Grimmauld Place, and the werewolf found that he was not pleased with the news. Neither was Harry.

"But you promised we could do anything I wanted," the boy told him, in what could only be described as an obnoxious whine. "Didn't I do good? Did I do something wrong?" He glared at the man, who was in the process of dressing himself to leave.

Remus knew the boy was only trying to bait him, which was the reason he was able to answer serenely. "Well, Harry. Not 'good.' Well. And yes, you did well. You did wonderfully. I said we would do anything you wanted, but I did not specify when. And you shall be rewarded at a later time. I do not wish to have to explain to you, every time this occurs, why it is important that I fulfill my duties as directed. I understand that in many ways you are still a child," he added. "But I find it rather irksome that just now, you happen to be acting like one." He gave Harry a stern look, and the boy looked abashed.

"All right, then. I understand that it's your responsibility and all. But...Remus..." Harry trailed off, looking unhappy.

"I'll miss you, too," the werewolf sighed, looking rather distracted.

"I'll miss you a lot," Harry said in a quiet voice, looking disturbed. "It's just...we haven't been away from each other, before...I'm kind of...I. I don't know how I'll react, or anything. The further you are away from me, the more it hurts. It hurts a lot. I feel. Like you need to be in the same room. I feel. Like someone is ripping me open, whenever you're not there."

Remus finally turned to look at the boy--really look at him. He gave this some thought. Harry was right, after all. The bond made them crave each other's company--need each other's company, like air or water. They could not be apart for long. "Harry..." he finally whispered. "We won't know how this will affect us until we experiment with it a little bit. I will be very aware of how I'm feeling, knowing that it likely correlates to whatever you are feeling. And if it becomes singularly painful, I will make poste haste to be at your side. I will try not to go too far, and I will try not to be gone too long. But Harry, it is very important that we test the limits of the bond, and also that we be strong in the face of it's limitations. We cannot simply accept what is given us. We do not have that luxury. Do you understand?"

Harry watched him unhappily. He didn't understand, not really. What he knew, really knew, was that being away from Remus would be hell. Sheer, absolute hell. But Remus felt that it was important, and that was what mattered. He had to trust the man. Maybe he wouldn't like it, but he would do it, all the same. "How long do you think you'll be away?" he murmured softly.

"Perhaps overnight," Remus replied on the exhalation of a breath. Harry blanched. Lupin could read his face like a book. It said, 'That long?' Remus sat beside the boy, running his fingers up and down the nape of Harry's neck. "I understand. Trust me when I say that I will not let it...get out of control. I know this will be difficult, but you are strong, and I believe you will survive. Remember, I will be longing for you, as well."

At this, Harry began to get just a little sulky. "I really doubt you'll be missing me the way I'll miss you," he grated. "You'll have other things to occupy your mind, and you won't be stuck in this horrible house, all alone." It was true; Ron and Hermione were going to Diagon Alley with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley to pick up their school supplies, but Harry was not allowed to accompany them. "Besides, you're not a sixteen year old boy with a raging libido." Harry flushed a little as he said it, but he let it stay said. "And the bond only makes it worse."

"I know that, Harry," Remus replied calmly. Would nothing ruffle the man? "And the bond is affecting me, as well. A werewolf's senses are particularly sharp, and I...can become stimulated just from your scent. Don't try to tell me you're the only one suffering. And although my mind will hopefully be occupied, I anticipate some difficulty keeping it on the set task. And no, I won't be all alone and that, too, is something I envy you. How much fun do you think it will be for me, trying to hide my yearnings for you from the other Order members?"

Harry looked slightly mollified by this, but still sighed exaggeratedly. "I don't want to sleep in the room with Ron again, but I have the feeling I'm going to hate sleeping in your room without you. This whole stupid house is so big and creepy; I always feel like someone's watching me."

Remus gave him a wicked smile. "Pretend someone is watching you," he suggested. He placed a small kiss behind the youth's ear. "Pretend that I'm watching you, and that I can't touch you, but I'd like to watch you touch yourself..." He grinned at Harry's groan, and nipped quickly at his earlobe. "I want you to touch yourself while I'm gone," he breathed heatedly, his mouth less than an inch away from Harry's skin. "I want you to imagine all the games we're going to play when I return." He paused to slide his tongue in and out of the boy's ear a few times, earning a succession of fingernails embedded suddenly into his thigh, clenching and unclenching in the manner of a cat. He listened to Harry's rapid breath for a few moments before continuing. "I want you to give serious consideration to what you'll want as your reward. After all, there aren't going to be very many times I offer to do whatever you like. I think you ought to give thought to what you'd like to do and to how long you think you can hold out, and you probably want to think of a plan to make yourself last as long as possible. Oh, and don't forget your Occlumency before going to sleep." He pulled away, still smiling in a vaguely hungry fashion.

"What about you?" Harry panted, hands drawing patterns on the man's chest. "How are you going to manage to hold out?" A forceful mouth abruptly ate off whatever else he had to say, the velvet heat of Remus's tongue driving in and claiming Harry's breath as his own.

Remus finally pulled back and stood, doing up the last few buttons on his shirt. "Oh, don't worry about me. I have enormous willpower, not to mention werewolf stamina. Now, I'd better be on my way. You will behave yourself, while I'm gone?" He gave Harry a warning look, and the boy moaned with frustration before nodding. "Good." He bent and gave the youth another kiss, this one much more gentle. "Take care of yourself, Green Eyes." He stepped into the hall, and Harry followed him to the front door, where he was joined by Shacklebolt. "Ready, Kingsley?" The man nodded, and waved a goodbye to Harry before leaving the house. "Oh, and Harry?" Lupin called over his shoulder in a deceptively casual voice, "Don't forget. I'm watching you." He strode out, shutting the door behind him.

Damn dirty werewolf, Harry snarled in the privacy of his head. I can't BELIEVE he just did that to me. Then another thought occurred to him. Ron and Hermione would be in Diagon Alley until evening, probably, and the house was almost deserted. With a disgruntled huff, he went to spend the day in Remus's room, where his hand was going to make a damn poor substitute for Remus's mouth.

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Once in the sweltering heat of Remus's enclosed bedroom, Harry paced restlessly awhile. He couldn't really draw the curtains; it would be far too exposing. But the house was so hot in the lazy summertime that the idea of curling up amongst the thick blankets of the bed was not to be borne. Even looking at the wool and cotton made Harry feel sticky and uncomfortable. He tried pawing through the werewolf's things, just to find something personal enough to give a sort of attachment to the absent man, but there really wasn't anything. Remus did not have money, and his possessions were few. Oh, well. Harry supposed the bond would just have to be enough of a link to Lupin.

Shoulders slumping, he went and sat in the lumpy armchair near the fireplace. He missed his...what was he? This question shocked Harry down a different avenue of thought. Remus wasn't his boyfriend, exactly--he was much too old to be referred to in such a silly, trifling manner. And even though they were bonded, they weren't exactly married. Harry couldn't call Remus his husband, and the thought of doing so was extremely odd. Mate? It sounded a tad impersonal, like the bond was the only important thing they shared. His lover, then. Remus Lupin is the lover of Harry Potter, he tried out for size. He had to admit he liked the sound of that. It carried with it a promise of romance and emotional fulfillment, as well as physical gratification and helped to counterbalance the cold matter-of-factness of the bond itself. He smiled a little.

So...I miss my lover. Harry was unhappy to find that he did already miss Remus; he missed him rather desperately. He was beginning to realize that the bond's forced emotional dependence was every bit as potent as its surges of lust. He looked about the room, eyes falling on the comb left on the dresser. He got up and went over to it slowly, where he held it up and pulled a few brown and silver strands from its teeth. The gray in Lupin's hair was really quite sexy, when he thought about it. He turned the comb over and over, wishing the man had left more behind to comfort him. At the same time, part of him appreciated the fact that Remus's life was not strewn with useless odds and ends. He lived a Spartan life, and that somehow made him seem more immediate, more vital. Well, it did when he was around, at any rate. God, he really missed Remus. Something in his chest felt like it was about to shrivel up and die. He felt as though something had been stolen from his soul--something he urgently needed.

Harry went back to the armchair and flopped down, shutting his eyes. Oh! That was nice. With his eyes closed, Harry realized that the chair smelled of Lupin. The man must sit there often--reading a book, or sipping a cup of tea, or...imagining Harry, perhaps? Gazing at the wall that, until recently, had separated them, licking his lips wetly, trailing his hand down his body...? Harry gave a sharp intake of breath. What had Remus said? Pretend I'm watching you...I'd like to watch you touch yourself... Keeping his eyes squeezed shut, he pictured Remus sprawled on the bed, staring at Harry with the same avaricious expression he'd worn the day he'd made Harry that dessert. The young wizard slid one hand down his chest, pinching a nipple through his robes. He could clearly imagine Lupin's eyes narrowing covetously at that. He moaned quietly, pulling his robes up over his head and casting them aside. The imaginary Lupin on the bed smirked just a little, and Harry noticed that his torso was also bare, showing off those delicious scars and the seductive lines of muscle.

"Oh, Remus," he whispered, trailing his fingertips up and down his bare skin. Pushing out of his trousers, he shifted his hips so that he faced the bed more. "God, I want you. Want you so bad." He ghosted his palm over his hardness, watching fantasy-Remus's lips part, seeing his chest rise and fall excitedly. "Mmph. Merlin, you look so good. Love the way you look at me." He hooked his thumbs in the waistband of his underwear, and quickly slid them down. He was still focused on the face of a man who wasn't--really, after all--present. "Love your eyes," he grunted, running a fingertip from the base of his cock to the tip. "Love your mouth." Dream-Remus, imaginary-Remus, but Damn-Well-Good-Enough-For-Now-Remus pursed his lips a little, letting his tongue dart out once to flick at the corner of his mouth. "Ungh..." Harry responded while letting his body take control in earnest.

He lifted his legs, bracing his feet on the arms of the chair, and stroked himself vigorously. In his mind's eye, he saw Lupin was suddenly naked, and matching his strokes along his own length. "Ohhhh...." Harry was devoutly thankful that Grimmauld Place held almost no one at the moment, and that Remus's room was off the beaten track. "Remus...Merlin...Remus...yes!" Harry cried.

Sated, he curled up in a ball, still feeling pangs of loneliness for his lover, and wondering how on earth he'd be able to restore the seat before the fireplace to its previous, unstained state. He really couldn't ask Hermione if she knew any spells. He hoped Remus would return soon...Life was much too hard, when you were that way all the time, as well.

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Late that afternoon, Ron slipped into Harry's room with a conspiratorial grin. "Hey, Harry," he said in a hoarse whisper. "Got you something." Harry smiled back, feeling guilty that he hadn't spent much time with his friend lately. Ron was a great guy, always there for him, never pushing him into talking about uncomfortable subjects, and often finding fun ways of taking Harry's mind off his problems. Which was definitely a trait Harry could appreciate at the moment. He watched as Ron ducked his head out the door, making sure no one was around. "Sorry about that. These would get me into hot water with Hermione if she knew I was giving them to you. Courtesy of George and Fred." He rolled his eyes as if to bemoan his hen-pecked state, but Harry just smiled in response. Ron might act like Hermione was a big trial, but Harry knew better.

"What're these?" he asked, accepting a lavishly wrapped little box. Opening it, he found what looked like a container of multi-colored pebbles. He looked blankly up at his friend, who was beaming almost evilly.

"The twins' latest," Ron exclaimed. "They're bloody brilliant. First they turn Zonko's on its head, and now they're going to give Honeydukes a run for its money. Go on--try one! They're brilliant!"

Rather cautiously, Harry popped a small white pebble in his mouth. He was almost instantly overwhelmed by a strong flood of marshmallow. "Ack!" he gagged, spitting some out, into his hand. It wasn't that it tasted bad--it was just that there was so much of it!

Ron promptly burst out laughing. "Sorry, Harry, but your face! Succulent Spitters! Fred and George's newest gag gift--with a lot of gag, I have to admit." He looked slightly contrite when Harry shot him a dirty look. "There actually not bad, when you get used to them. They're just really concentrated candies. Here, have a blueberry one--it's my favorite flavor."

Harry shook his head ruefully. He should have known any gift from Fred and George would be hazardous to his health. Still, it had tasted pretty good. He stared down at his fingers, which were dripping with white goo. He absent-mindedly took the proffered blue candy, and was sure to bite it in half, rather than put the whole thing in his mouth. His palate was flooded with juice, and he rolled it around on his tongue contemplatively. The muck on his hands reminded him vividly of his werewolf, who wasn't due back until God only knew when. It struck him that he'd never tasted Remus. Shuddering with unanticipated desire, he stood up quickly. "I think I'll take a nap before dinner," he announced to Ron. "Thanks for the candy."

"You want a nap now?" Ron looked at him dubiously. "But it's not even five in the afternoon! Have you been having nightmares again?"

"Er...well, yes actually," Harry admitted, glad of the excuse. "But Remus found a crackerjack cure for them, and I think I'll have less, now. But I had one last night, at any rate, so I'm kind of knackered. D'you mind?" He rose and fell on the balls of his feet, looking at his friend anxiously.

"No...I guess not." Ron shrugged unhappily, and headed out to find Hermione. "You will be at dinner, though, won't you?"

"Oh, yes," Harry assured him. Then he brandished the bag of candies. "So long as I don't ruin my appetite!" Ron grinned and waved, shutting the door behind him. Harry sat at the foot of the bed, heart twisting in new and disagreeable ways. Why did Remus have to be gone? It wasn't right. He should be here, with Harry, where the youth could adore him in comfort. Adore. Did he really adore Remus? The short and altogether honest answer was 'yes.' Remus was sweet and kind and clever and unimaginably sexy, so of course Harry adored him. He felt his mind backpedal guiltily; it was the bond, though, really. He wouldn't be trying to jump the poor man's bones at every given opportunity, and worshiping the ground Remus walked on if not for the bond. He should probably try to keep that in mind.

Staring at fingers covered with white dribbles of sugar, Harry avidly licked himself clean, before flopping down on the bed with his eyes trained on the ceiling. When was Remus going to come back? He wasn't sure he was going to be able to stand pining for the man much longer.

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Harry heard Remus return just before midnight. He hadn't been able to sleep, although he'd dutifully listened to the clock and his heartbeat as a sort of substitute Occlumency. He had at least managed a light doze, when he slowly became aware of voices downstairs. Adult voices. Listening, he was sure that one of the voices was Lupin's. Excited, he had just tumbled out of bed and was trying to navigate into his pajama bottoms--which had been surrendered to August's roasting humidity--when the bedroom door creaked open, and Remus stepped in.

The werewolf stood in the doorway for an endless moment, mouth open, eyes riveted to the boy in the center of the room--who was, except for his ankles, entirely naked--before Lupin suddenly came to, and had the presence of mind to shut the door. Harry looked shyly at his feet, sure the man would be angry with him for almost letting the cat out of the bag, but after a long silence, he worked up the courage to meet Remus's eye.

Lupin was smiling broadly. "Well, that is a pretty sight to come home to, I must say." His eyes twinkled with good-natured greed, and Harry laughed with a sudden breathless affection. Kicking his pajamas back off, he leapt at the man, who caught him neatly, pulling the youth into an erotic embrace. "And such a welcome," Remus breathed, placing almost-too-light kisses across the bridge of Harry's nose. He pulled back, looking intently at Harry. "I missed you, Green Eyes."

Harry's eyes darkened with want at the simple admission, and he pressed his lips to Lupin's, tongue asking polite entrance to the other man's mouth. After a slow, wet, and much-needed kiss, Harry panted, "Missed you more." Remus chuckled softly, the noise reverberating through their bodies, and Harry squeezed his eyes in heavenly bliss. He pressed his face to the man's skin, inhaling the wild, fresh scent of him. "Hurt so bad without you. I worried--I worried that the bond wasn't working on you like it was on me. That you--you'd want to leave. That you'd want to leave me." he muttered, and felt Remus's arms tighten round him.

"I'm so sorry," Remus whispered fiercely. "I know it hurt, lover. It hurt me, too." He began shifting his weight from foot to foot, rocking them both from side to side in a gentle rhythm. Nuzzling the youth's wayward hair, the werewolf was growling soft, sweet phrases, assuring Harry that he was wanted and loved. "I'll never walk away from you. Never. You are my mate. You are mine. You belong to me. I'll always come back to you, Green Eyes. Always."

Harry smiled brilliantly at him, taking Remus's breath away. Merlin, doesn't the boy realize what an incredible beauty he is? How could anyone one walk away from that smile? How could anyone resist those eyes? Kissing the youth tenderly, he set Harry on his feet and gave him an encouraging wink. "Why don't you crawl back into bed, and I'll join you once I've washed up."

Harry sighed, but pulled his pajamas on and climbed into bed. "I don't see why," he called as Remus entered the bathroom. "You'll just have to do it again when we're finished, anyhow."

Remus felt the laughter swell up inside him once more, and marveled at it. It had been a very long time since he had been this happy this often. "Because naturally, no one could keep their hands off of your nubile body, hmm? You seem awfully sure of yourself, young Mister Potter," he teased, scrubbing his hands under the hot water.

Harry considered this. "Well, I guess it's the bond. After all, you probably feel a lot like however I'm feeling. Therefore, I deduced that you must want to screw me silly right now. Besides, I have this candy I want you to taste." He tried to keep the smile out of his voice, but knew Remus could hear it as clear as anything, especially since a peal of laughter emanated from the bathroom in response.

"Oh, my sweet little Green Eyes," Remus sighed, coming out to lean against the doorframe. "You are a caution, you know that? An absolute caution."

Harry gave him a lopsided smile, feeling a bit uncertain. "A caution, huh? So...is that a good thing, or a bad thing?"

"On you? I'd say it's an excellent thing." Remus grinned carnivorously, and Harry scooted back on the bed. The werewolf sat down across from him, eyes blazing as he raked them over the boy's bare skin. "Now, why don't you come over here so I can ravish you properly?"

Harry slinked over the covers to straddle the man's lap, leaning forward to lap his tongue over Remus's neck. The man shivered with desire and found a hand in front of his mouth. Balanced on Harry's fingertip was what appeared to be a little white pebble. "What's this?"

"Try it," Harry suggested, his lips twitching. Remus shrugged, leaning forward and taking the treat into his mouth, along with most of Harry's index finger. As soon as the candy came in contact with Remus's saliva, a torrent of flavored nectar gushed forth. It was more than Remus could comfortably handle, and quite a bit of it ended up running down his chin, as well as over Harry's hand. Harry sniggered softly.

"You little devil!" Remus exclaimed when his mouth was less full. "You knew that was going to happen." He went to wipe his chin with the back of his hand, but Harry had already leaned forward to lick kittenishly at the sugary mess.

Harry was still giggling a little. "Ron got me with one earlier. A present from the twins." He trailed his tongue over Remus's adam's apple, undressing the man at the same time. "Brilliant bastards that they are," he added happily. "I told you not to wash up. Now I'm going to have to lick you clean again."

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An hour later, the two were lying in bed, content and drowsy. Harry snuggled close to the man, who stared down at the sleepy face with a mixture of wonder and sadness. It was good to see Harry like this. He could not remember such contentment on the elfish face--ever. But at the same time, he knew he should not have been the cause of the emotion written there. It should have been someone younger, healthier, less world-weary. It should have been someone better. He cupped the thin face with one of his large paws. "Get back into your underwear, you little scamp," he instructed. "God forbid Molly Weasley decide to check on us for some reason, and find you looking like a debauched cherub, sprawled naked across my chest."

Grumbling, Harry yanked on his underwear, and struggled with his pajamas. As if the warning had come to life, an inauspicious knock sounded on the door. "Remus, dear?" Mrs. Weasley's voice sounded panicked. "Is Harry with you? Hurry, please! There's a problem!"

Remus was not an Auror--the Ministry forbade werewolves from employment there--but that did not mean he was without excellent instincts. Without a thought, he hoisted Harry--who squawked at the indignity--up and headed through the door. "What's going on?" he demanded.

"Outside," Molly gestured frantically, and Remus took the steps two at a time, pausing only to make certain the stout woman was right behind him. He shooed her out the front door first, and had barely followed down the front steps when a loud crack split the night behind him. He saw Bill grab Molly and haul her to the ground, flattening himself beside her.

Without hesitation, Remus threw himself and Harry to the lawn, covering the boy's body with his own. He did not need to look behind him to know what had happened. The street in front of them glowed orange, and a roaring, crackling noise filled the air. Greasy smoke was pouring out, tumbling into the sky.

There had been an attack on Grimmauld Place, and explosion and fire were the least of the Orders problems. Remus shivered in the cooling evening air, despite the inferno at his back. Harry Potter was now completely without protection from Voldemort and his Death Eaters.