I stared up in shock at the enormous structure before me, my mouth hanging open. The beach house loomed down from its hill top perch as it cast its shadow over all that stood beneath it, darkening the sand and water. The long cobbled pathway up to it was clean and the whitewashed wood of our vacation home was bright and fresh. Curtains were drawn on the large windows and the twin oak front doors were a dark contrast to the blinding paint, giving the house an elegant, almost sophisticated look. The sound of the surf crashing on the rocks behind the house were soothing. The breeze carried the fresh scent of the ocean and the sandy beach looked warm and inviting.

Remus set his bag beside mine where it had slipped from my grasp. I could hear Harry and Draco laughing as they hauled their suitcases from the back of the taxi before they joined us.

"Welcome to the Lupin summer vacation house," Remus said, his tone as bright as the sun gleaming off the painted home.

"You mean mansion," I said. The two boys laughed as Remus smiled at me. "Seriously, Remus, this place is gigantic!"

"Yeah well, it's been in the family for ages. I hardly ever came here, so I forgot all about it until my grandmother suggested I take Harry to see the old place before he and Draco start at the police academy next week." Remus slung his arm around my waist and pulled me closer. "I thought it might be a good get away for all of us. I've also heard that the boys want to spend most of their time exploring, which leaves us a lot of quality one-on-one time."

"Is that the real reason you wanted me to come?" I laughed. Remus grinned and gave me a chaste kiss on the lips, eliciting cat calls from Harry and Draco who were farther up the path.

When we reached the door, Remus pulled an old fashioned skeleton key from his jeans pocket and unlocked the door. He pushed on it lightly and it slowly swung inwards, a long, hollow groan sounding from its rusty hinges. Inside was polished wood flooring and a wide staircase leading up. As we made our way through the doorway, the entry opened up to reveal two rooms, one on either side. Directly in front of us was a connected kitchen and sitting room, complete with an armchair and a couch resting upon a plush sand colored carpet. The whole far wall was nothing but a large pane of glass covered by a thick curtain. Dust swirled in the air as we moved, leaving the impression that no one had disturbed the silence for a long time.

"Okay boys," Remus said as he placed the key into the bowl by the door, "Upstairs, down the hall, first door to the right. The room on the left is ours. There is a spare if you don't think you can share one room nicely, but if one of you decides to use it you're doing the laundry. Go on and put your stuff away."

Harry and Draco nodded before taking their bags and racing up the steps. I smiled as I heard them run down the hall.

"What, I don't get my own room?" I joked as Remus wrapped his arms around my waist again.

"Nope. Fortunately, there are only three rooms but I've already booked ours. Besides, the spare is rather small and unaccommodating. It was usually used when a couple couldn't get along, so unless you'd rather sleep in there alone or on the couch, I suggest you settle for simply picking your side of the bed," he teased. I barked out a laugh and placed my hands on his hips.

"Thank you for having me along by the way. I've really been needing a vacation."

Remus hummed and nuzzled into my neck. I tilted my head to give him better access. "You work too much. I can't believe they made you tach summer school too!"

I sighed. "Some kids failed this year and since I'm the only one who really didn't have any other obligations, I had no excuse for saying no. Besides, it was an easy choice for them because I'm also the only one who can teach more than their designated subject effectively. This way they didn't have to pay more than one teacher to do it. At least I had a little extra cash to keep me afloat during the break."

Between that paycheck and the ones from my newest book, I was more than set for the three short months of summer vacation. With all the wet, dirty dreams I kept having of Remus almost every night finding their way onto paper, I'd decided it was in my best interest to propose the idea of a collection of short stories to my publisher. They didn't take to the idea at first, but after I promised to continue with my regular time novels, they didn't have anything to lose by saying yes. Only eight or nine manuscripts made the cut, but as soon as they were released, almost every copy was bought. When the demand for more prints came in and my publishers saw the sales chart, they begged me to consider doing a second volume. My alias was blowing up on social media and the man I used for cover was in high demand. It still surprised me how generous he was with his time; doing book signings and going to interviews in my place, although the large sum I paid him probably made all the difference. His wife was very supportive, even with the general public prying into their private lives, soaking up the attention I so desperately avoided. And while they were the focus of the media, I was free to live my life the way I chose without worrying about who might be watching. I was a private man by nature and wished to keep some things (like my abusive childhood and my sexual orientation for starters), strictly to myself.

I pulled Remus closer. "You know, in two weeks we'll both be working full time."

"Don't remind me," he groaned and I laughed. We'd both been offered positions at Hogwarts, me for Chemistry and Remus for some mandatory self-defense class. We had, of course, accepted. I had even been chosen for head of my old house, Slytherin. We would stay in special dorms for the nine months of school, but we were more than welcome to leave on weekends if we wanted. The pay was good and I was hoping to have a student body who cared more about their grades, being the prestigious school that it was. These parents didn't pay the hefty fee for nothing. If the family couldn't afford the price, the child would be tested. If they passed, they had to do twenty hours of community service throughout the year to make up for the lack of payment. Remus and I had both gotten in that way. The work was hard, but it was worth it for the education. Either you wanted t or you left.

Remus and I stayed that way for a while, holding each other in silence, listening to each other's breathing. So much had changed for me in the past few months. For the first time in a long time, I found that I was okay with where I was in life. I had come so far and gone through so much, but I was happy. My usual pessimism was persistent, but with an optimist to balance out and challenge my stormy way of living, everything felt perfect.

Remus pulled away. "It's too quiet up there," he said suspiciously.

I laughed. "I'll go check on them if you want. You go unpack the food."

He nodded and let go of me. I picked up his bag and my own and made my way upstairs. Turning right, I saw one of the doors was slightly ajar. I knocked lightly before peeking in. the boys were sitting together on the queen size bed, Draco's arms wrapped around Harry, who looked up at me. It appeared that Harry had been reading aloud, a thick book laying open in his lap as Draco dozed behind him. He smiled at me.

"Hey, Severus," he said quietly.

"Hey. I just came to see what progress you guys made on unpacking. I didn't mean to interrupt."

"You didn't." Draco mumbled from Harry's shoulder, eyes still closed.

I chuckled. "Well, there's nothing special for dinner tonight, but come down when you're hungry. There are sandwiches in the fridge."

Harry nodded and Draco grunted at me in response as I left. I walked to the other end of the hall and opened the door to the master bedroom. I stepped into a room spacious enough for at least four large beds, of which there was only a queen canopy, but there were also two chairs facing each other in front of a large, uncovered window to the right. The wooden floor boards were warm with sunlight as I padded across them with bare feet, having removed my shoes at the front door. I reached the tall mahogany dresser in the far right corner and set both bags next to it. Unzipping my bag and opening a drawer, I began unpacking. About twenty minutes later, my side of the drawers were full I took a minute to look out the window at the large expanse of blue before making my way out of the room and downstairs. Remus was sitting in the armchair by the fireplace, reading a slim novel. I stood silently in the doorway, admiring him with a small smirk on my face. He really hadn't changed in some ways and I felt a familiar flutter in my stomach. I remembered it from high school, when I'd sneak glances at him while he was studying. The incredible focus and concentration displayed in his furrowed brow and gentle frown were so different from his happy-go-lucky attitude. It had filed me with an odd amount of fondness for him. I was equally proud and in awe when I thought that he was mine.

I forced myself to swallow down the sense of nostalgia and cleared my throat. Remus looked up at me and smiled as I walked to him and sat on the arm of the chair. He rested his hand on my knee.

"I left your stuff in your duffel. I wasn't sure how you wanted it.," I said.

"Thanks. What are the boys up to? They came down, wolfed food, and hauled arse back up to their room."

"Last I checked they were just hanging out."

He raised an eyebrow. "Really? Huh. I thought they'd be trying to jump each other's bones by now."

I choked back a laugh and thumped him lightly on the head. "I think they have a bit more sense than to shag with us in the house with them."

"You're right, Severus," Remus said. Then he added, "I give them to the middle of the week before they can't keep their hands off each other."

I smiled. "And how long do you give us?"

The implications of this week away from our everyday lives weren't lost on me, and with Remus' subtle hints and the sexual tension that had been building, clouding the air when we so much as brushed hands, I knew it wouldn't be long before one of us exploded. I also knew I wasn't what one would call a romantic, and this was my way of showing Remus I not only acknowledging his advances, but I accepted and agreed to them. I wanted him too, but being the kind of man I was, I was unsure of how to tell him this directly.

Remus seemed to understand. He took my hand in his and brought it to his lips. "I already can't keep my hands off you," he said. His soft timbre sent shivers of pleasure rippling through my body, starting with where his lips left a feather-light kiss on my knuckles and spreading like a wild fire I had no hope of ever controlling.

"But not yet," he said, releasing my hand and standing. I let out the breath I didn't realize I had been holding as he made his way to the kitchen. "I waited on dinner so we could eat together. The boys took the ham sandwiches, so all we have is turkey. I can try to whip something up if you want though."

"N-no, that's fine," I said, cringing at the stutter and willing my voice not to crack and my heart rate to slow.

Remus threw a smug smile over his shoulder at me and it amazed me how he could act calm. "I could whip something else if you'd like, Sev."

My mouth grew dry and I swallowed as the image of being tied down and whipped at Remus' expert hands flashed through my mind but I forced it out. I had for the most part, kept my kinks to myself, preferring not to share something so personal with the few quick partners I had had over the years. The idea of confessing those dark fantasies and actually trying them with Remus made my heart pound. I always knew Remus was a tease, but I wasn't sure how long I could tolerate it. I was already roaring and ready to go. If he continued, this week would be the ultimate test of my limits.