theshabbiestofmen | ic contact;

[His stomach twists. Yes, he knows, more or less-- about marrying Andromeda's daughter (still a bitey little child, loud and demanding, cute but a child!), about the baby he is supposed to have, the boy. James told him most of it, in bits and pieces-- and it's not that he thinks James is lying, precisely, but . . .

But, well, it's a dim future. A vague promise of brief marriage and happiness to soothe him after James' death and Sirius' false imprisonment. It's paltry fare, and one he has never taken much comfort in. Better to plan to prevent any of it from happening; better to focus on the now, instead of a future he can barely see.]

More or less, yes. Though I have to say, ah . . . Nymphadora was never what I pictured when I thought of a future wife.

That's why Harry is mad at me. He doesn't think I'm taking any of that into consideration - that I'm not thinking of Tonks or Teddy when I think about how I feel about you.

[ It's hard for her to think about that future, considering - but at the same time it's far, far too easy for her to dismiss it. That Remus, the one that's her professor, that wanted to run away with them, that married Tonks and had a child and died, it's an entirely different person. The Remus sitting beside her, holding her, making her feel warm all over and causing her heart to beat rapidly out of her chest? He was the one she cared about, had feelings for, wanted to stay here with.

Hermione moves, letting her cheek rest against his shoulder as she glances up, eyes barely seeing anything more than his chin. She isn't entirely sure she wants to gauge his reaction to this but, she knows, rationally, it's something she should bring up before they get any deeper into this. ]

And he's right, I'm not, but not in the way he thinks. Because the person you are in the future is irrelevant to how I feel about you, the way I feel when I look at you. You're two completely different people to me and I needed you to know that. That the way I feel about you isn't coloured by who you come to be.

Good.

[He murmurs that as he stares ahead unseeing. A beat, and then he sighs.]

Because I'm not that man. There . . . clearly, in the future, there's a version of me who falls in love with her, who has a son, but that man isn't me. And for us to say, well, that's it, we can't get together, simply because in the future I might marry and have a baby-- that's quite stupid. I'm here, now, and so are you, and while we might have other partners in the future-- well, that's for then. You might as well apply that logic to anyone and say they oughtn't date, because someday they'll be married to someone else.

[He says that a bit heatedly, but it's not directed at her. Remus turns his head, kissing her forehead.]

So long as . . . as you're happy with me, and want to do this, and so do I, and neither of us have partners at this moment in time-- that's all that ought to really matter.

Edited 2014-03-24 23:58 (UTC)

I think that's what Harry doesn't understand yet. When I look at you I see you. I know, at first, it was strange but... You're Remus. You're not Professor Lupin because he's an entirely different person. You're my Remus now and he's just going to have to learn to deal with that.

[ After his kiss she leans up, her hands lifting to cup his cheeks gently. She takes a moment to just look at him before her expression softens and she leans in to rest her forehead against his. She knows Morholt is making noises on the floor and Crooks will come searching sooner or later but - right now she doesn't care. She'd much rather focus on how warm and solid he is beside her and how lovely and tender he is. ]

I'm happy, Remus, I really am. You make me happy. That's what matters.

[He smiles against her mouth, pleased simply by the nearness of her.]

And that's all we really need, then. I . . . he'll come round. If he's anything like James, I'm sure he will.

I know. It's just strange - he and I have never, ever fought before, not like this - but we've got time here. We'll make things right.

[ She leans back, her thumb brushing over his skin gently. ]

How have you been? I really didn't mean to just up and disappear - I just needed to get away from here until I was less... Upset and angry, I think.

Oh, all right. Keeping busy at the shop, trying to train Morholt and actually care for him while Sirius gets to do all the fun bits. You know. Typical.

[He smiles and shifts, lying on the bed and tugging her down with him. It's not meant to be sexual, simply comfortable-- this way, they can face each other. His hand goes to her hair, gently pushing through it.]

I, ah . . . did wonder if I'd done something wrong, though.

Draco did mention that - it's Draco's shop, right? I offered to lend him a hand to help while he searches for some new people. Maybe we'll run into one another there and make Sirius train his dog for once.

[ She settles down comfortably, leaning into the touch of his hand before she shakes her head, earnest with wide eyes. ]

No, you didn't I - Merlin, I should've said something before I left, I'm sorry. That wasn't very girlfriend-y of me, was it?

[He huffs a laugh.]

It's all right. I talked sense into myself. Just leave us a note next time, all right?

Alright. If I decide to go and hide at a friend's house for a few days I'll make sure to tell you in person before I disappear, or tuck a well written note into Morholt's collar.

[ A pause, then she grins, almost mischievous. ]

Has Sirius been at you yet?

When is Sirius not at me-- but yes, about you, oh yes.

[He grins as he darts in to kiss her-- quickly, teasingly. On the floor, Morholt is grunting and snuffling about, searching for food-- which only really adds to the happiness of the situation, because it's all so ridiculously domestic.]

Horrible Marauder. He ought to have warned me he knew.

[ She can't help how she leans in to chase his lips, almost pouting a little before she grins. ]

I did make him promise not to tell - Lily too, actually, though I suppose she didn't keep that secret for very long. I think that only leaves James to come after us, doesn't it?

[ Not that she's going to mind. All of the teasing, from the lot of them, is wonderful and makes her feel like she's found a second home here - which she has. They're her family now and she cherishes that. ]

Oh, James isn't going to come after us. He's going to have a Very Serious talk with you about, oh, I don't know. Being chaste and not giving in to my fiendish demands, probably. And then Talk to me about marrying you. And he'll think he's utterly hilarious, so we have to, you know, discourage him as much as possible.

[ She snorts, shaking her head. ]

Your fiendish demands? I would love to see you be fiendish, Remus Lupin - I know you're a Marauder but I don't think I've ever seen you be particularly fiendish. Have you been holding out on me?

[ As for the rest of it, well - ]

He thinks himself the big brother I never had, really, which is a little ridiculous even if it is very sweet.

[He laughs and leans forward, kissing her again with a little grin.]

I have, yes-- but you've yet to earn such fiendishness. If I went around giving it to everyone, there'd be none left for those I truly liked.

Oh? [ She shuffles closer, reaching up to play with his hair absently. ] And what do I have to do to earn it?

Well, you're doing rather well so far. Kissing me, well done . . . playing with my hair, extra points . . . but you're clever, I oughtn't feed you the answers.

I'll need to make myself a Remus cheat sheet. 'Kisses and hair pets work well, disappearing does not. Must experiment with reading aloud later'.

[ And, as if to prove her cheat sheet right, she leans in for another kiss, quite content to keep sharing these cute, chaste little presses. ]

[Not-so-chaste, as he slips his tongue forward, teasing at her closed lips. His hand settles on her hip, tugging her closer.]

[ Oh. Hermione moves with his touch carefully, leaning into the kiss and turning her head ever so slightly to make it easier for them both. This is unfamiliar territory for her, really, despite her mixed history with boys, but she revels in it. She has always enjoyed learning, after all. ]

[It's slightly more familiar territory for Remus, despite what Sirius would have people believing. Rolling atop her, straddling her hips, he deepens the kiss.]

[ The weight above her has Hermione making a soft noise, a gentle gasp, against his lips before she settles, wrapping an arm around Renus gently. This is nice; something as simple as kissing making her feel like she's floating, her heart thudding loudly against her chest. ]

[And so he kisses her, again and again, pausing only to snatch in a hurried breath before returning to her mouth. It's ages before he surfaces properly, and even then, it's only to beam down at her.]

Very good. Ten points to Odin.

[ Hermione grins up at him, biting her lip before she laughs; she can't hold it back, especially when he looks so ridiculously happy. It's adorable and she shifts up to press another quick kiss against his mouth before she replies. ]

I could say the same for you. Definitely ten points to Odin for the both of us.

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