Disclaimer: I don't own Remus. I own Luna. If you recognize it, it's not mine. I'm in no way making any money or being endorsed by Ms. Rowling or Warner Bros., or Scholastic or Bloomburg, for that matter. Bloomburg. Is that right? Oh, well. Enjoy and review!

If You Really Loved Me

Chapter One

She was wearing a long dress. That was the first thing Remus Lupin noticed about the woman, as he gazed at her from down the hallway, the dress clinging to her body. Her brown hair had a touch of gold in it if it was in the light, and right now, she was standing in a beam of golden sunlight, made even more glorious by the pane of stained glass that she was standing in front of. As if she knew he was watching her, Luna Grace Corrona spun around and took in the sight of the man before. She knew her knees were getting weak and felt like she had to it down, but she did her best not to let the desire she was ashamedly feeling leak through her steely resolve. Luna inclined her head at Remus.

"Hello," he said softly. She just looked at him.

"Excited?" she asked, falsely cheery note in her voice. To an outsider, she would have sounded truly happy for the man and excited for him, but Remus had always known Luna much better than anyone else did. Sometimes, he mused, he was sure he knew her better than she knew herself, and that's why Remus knew that something was wrong with the way she was trying to smile at him; in fact, they were both sure that if Luna didn't make an attempt at a smile, she would begin to cry. Remus came a bit closer.

"Luna?"

"What?" Trying to be bright and happy again, he noticed. Tears may have been starting to form, but she shook her head, and Remus was unsure whether he had imagined them.

"All I'm trying to say is, you should be happy, this being your wedding day and all! I mean, why should I be the least bit hurt or jealous? We know it was never meant to be, and I think we're both better people for that!" Remus just stared at Luna blankly.

"That's not true, Luna. I understand you being angry with me-"

"Angry? Who's angry? Why, Remus Lupin, I'm surprised at you! And who am I to stand in the way of true love?" Again, Remus gazed at Luna, this time in disbelief.

"Luna, come now, you know that I do not love that woman. I know you don't believe that. I know that you know how I feel about you. I know-"

"Yes, Remus, it seems to me that you know a lot of things, but none of them seem to be the right answer." When Luna Corrona was in a somewhat docile mood, her Pre-Raphaelite, golden- brown curls framed her striking face in a lovely way. But Luna had a passionate soul, and was far from being a calm spirit right at the moment, so the elegant updo had come loose and curls were beginning to peak out, betraying the elegance. This was what was actually beginning to happen to Luna. All morning, she's been exhibiting sheer iron-willed resolve. The façade was strong, but it was beginning to break, in spidery cracks, and anger, confusion, and what Remus hoped was love were beginning to peak through. They were an odd sight; Remus was in a finely fitted black tuxedo, and Luna was in gorgeous floor length champagne colored gown. Her longer dress was clear evidence of her position in this wedding as the maiden-of-honor, Remus was clearly the bridegroom. Would the guests think that they were running away together?

Fat chance, Luna thought to herself. They all thought that this was our wedding. The pretty 23 –year-old tried her best to clamp the mask back down, tried to conceal all emotions. Remus' keen eyes quickly scanned the dark church basement's hallway, and he scoped out an empty room in the hallway. He began walking towards it, and when Luna didn't follow, Remus turned and fixed her with his trademark glare. She turned her head away, hating herself for the warm, flushed feeling she knew he was giving her. Luna gasped when Remus gently took her arm and pulled her after him. Pushing her in front of him, he closed the door.

"Sit," he said, and Luna immediately obeyed before she could think. She sat on the floor in front of him, elegant dress neatly arrayed around her. She pulled the ribbon that was neatly holding her hair in place. When the pink satin was removed, her curls tumbled around her face, just barely brushing her shoulders. Remus had opened his mouth to make her listen to him, but he knew that couldn't make Luna do anything when she was looking at him like that. She sat before him, slightly out of breath, green eyes blazing, cheeks pink and curly hair free, tumbling carelessly around her but managing to look like she'd had every curl put in that exact place. Remus shook his head in an attempt to clear it.

He knelt before her and offered his hand. "Luna, do you trust me?" She loved the way he said her name. Remus was kneeling before Luna, palm up and hand outstretched to her, eyes hiding nothing. Luna looked at the fine wrinkles on his kind face and the premature grey that streaked his sandy brown hair. When Luna looked into those amber eyes and saw the trust, remorse, and the overwhelming love she knew in her heart was for her, she knew she trusted Remus with her life, so she took his hand and whispered,

"Yes, Remus; I trust you." He nodded and sat next to her, still holding her hand gently.

"Then please, will you hear me?" She nodded.

"But you don't have much time. You have t-to w-alk down the aisle in..." It would be time in 30 minutes.

"Shhh..." Remus tilted Luna's chin and tears spilled over her lashes. Wiping the tears away with his thumb, he took her face in his hands. "Luna, hear me out, please." She just turned wet, green eyes on him.

"Every time I picture you... touching that woman, my skin crawls! Remus, why? Oh, why?" She buried her head in his shoulder, and he sighed.

"I want to tell you-"

"Then do! I want to know what was going through your head, and I want it from the beginning. If you didn't love me, why didn't you tell me that from the beginning? Why did you mislead me?" She said, pulling away from him, and gaining anger with each question. "And if-if you did love me, then why did you go to New York and LEAVE me, and tell me to...move on!" Luna spat out with disgust. She was on her feet now. "Move on! As if there could be anyone but you, ever!" she screamed at him, eyes bright with unshed tears. Remus remained silent and still, not trying to fight with Luna.

She paced in front of him, and he still knelt where he had been. "You live in New York, you meet another woman and you get her PREGNANT, you're marrying her today-"she broke off, suddenly quieted and calm.

"Luna-"

"You didn't even tell me, Remus," she said, barely audibly.

"Darling, I wanted to tell you", he said.

"Then WHY didn't you?!"