A/N: This is the REAL Ch.1. The chapter before this one is a trial just to test the waters, if you know what I mean. ALL IS IN THIRD PERSON! Severus Snape, Remus Lupin, Serius Black and Fred Weasly are NOT DEAD!
Disclaimer-I own NOTHING!
Song–Rattlin' Bones by Kasey Chambers and Shane Nicholson
Remus never thought that it would be a good idea to move away from home. He never saw the appeal in it. And yet, here he was getting out of a plane at Sea-Tac in Seattle.
To Remus leaving London was like tearing some big part of his life away from him. But on the bright side he wouldn't need to be looked after by the Weasly Matriarch or reminding people that they don't have to walk around eggshells around him. It was understandable the first year after the war but every time someone would mention Dora they would give him this apologetic look that always said 'I'm sorry for your loss.' Teddy was more mature than most in the house hold gave him credit for. And was beginning to notice the constantly sad looks that mostly everyone in the house held every time either of them would come into the kitchen or library. Remus was tired of that look and wanted to make sure that Teddy grew up in a happy and tranquil environment. He knew that it would never stop until something drastic would occur. Technically the only ones that helped him through the stage of grieving and taking care of Teddy were one Hermione Granger and surprisingly enough one Severus Snape. It was too much to hope that his best friend and pack brother, Sirius Black, would be there for him the same way as Hermione and Severus.
'I guess that when one is ready to move on and actually wants to move on the support is not given unless there is proof and even then the results might not be what I will expect,' Remus thought his hand brushing Teddy's hair.
He sighed picked up his carry on and made sure that Teddy was holding on to his overly stuffed teddy bear and ignored the ogling and overly giggly flight attendant that was trying to get him alone. He seemed to be on autopilot because of how exhausted he was. After getting the rest of his luggage he rented a car and began the drive to the small town of Forks, Washington. When Hermione told him to take a vacation away from everyone he thought that her having the name of the 'brightest witch of her age' could've never been better suited. It was perfect a getaway from everyone a break from all the sad looks directed at him whenever someone mentioned Tonks or someone that he knew from the war. When he really gave it some thought he said why not move. Why not go to a new place and get some fresh air and meet new people that don't look at him like a freak for being a werewolf. When Hermione and Severus first heard this news they thought it was a great idea. They liked the idea of a clean slate in a new place, and no judgment. The three friends spent the majority of the time helping Remus re-locate, find an apartment, and a rural enough place for his…fury little problem.
When Hermione found Forks they thought it was a miracle. The others would not be able to find him and neither Hermione nor Severus would tell anyone where Remus and Teddy's whereabouts would be. If anyone and they did mean anyone found out Hermione would do more than just obliviate them.
"Where exactly is Forks Hermione?" Remus asked as he continued to pack his belongings from his room in Grimmauld Place.
"Its in Washington State in America. It rains everyday most likely and its cold most of the time. Sounds like home doesn't it Remus?" she asked with a chuckle.
Remus nodded and turned his attention back to the box he was packing careful not to wake up a sleeping Teddy.
"Where did you find the apartment?" he asked sitting on the bed next to her.
"Near the reservation close to the town. I visited and to be honest Remus I would move in with you if I could. The town is small and everybody knows everybody and you will most likely be the talk for a while, besides that the town is lovely. The people are nice and welcoming, though a bit nosy at very inopportune times. But, don't worry as long as you don't eavesdrop on them they will maintain the same courtesy. And, its close to the beach," Hermione said with a warm smile.
Remus nodded again grateful to have his friends with him albeit not all of them.
As he continued to drive he noticed that the greenery was growing heavier as he drove on. Remus had to admit that Hermione had outdone herself in finding an acceptable place for him. The one thing she didn't mention was that the apartment wasn't just and apartment it was a café and bookshop all in one. The old owner was looking to sell the place and the books within it and maybe leave a list of future resources. That particular tidbit of information was Hermione's birthday present for Remus. He has been so busy getting ready to leave that he forgot his own birthday. Remus passed houses and was happy to see that there was a considerable amount of space between each one. He was sure that with the forestry behind each house that Teddy would be spending some of his time out side, nothing a few spells wouldn't fix. As he continued he found a very unexpected person walking the same way he was going. Remus stopped and walked to the person surprised to see a smiling Hermione looking at him.
"How the hell did you get here before me?" He asked giving her a hug.
"Well, let see there is this thing called apparating that allows me to go anywhere I please," she said getting into the driver seat.
"Put this on," she nearly commanded as she gave him a blindfold.
Remus looked skeptical and asked, "why?"
"Just do it man," she said holding the blindfold out for him to take.
Still skeptical Remus did as asked and waited for Hermione to reveal whatever she had in store for him, he just hoped that she was doing this to cheat on Severus.
That would kill Severus and Remus knew it.
"And no its not a plan to cheat on Severus. Its your birthday gift you ass!" Hermione yelled at him.
Remus flinched and knew he deserved that tongue lashing of a lifetime for thinking that Hermione was capable of such an act, especially since she is the one that had an early crush on Severus and was the one that started the relationship in the first place.
"Sorry," was his thoughtful answer.
Hermione took a quick peek at him and knew that he didn't mean anything by it, "Its alright I know you didn't mean anything by it. Just don't do it again, please."
Remus who was still blindfolded gave her a brotherly grin and grabbed her hand.
Hermione gave it a squeeze and stopped the car in front of the store/apartment that was now Remus' home.
"Ok wait here and I'll get you from the other side. No peeking!" she said excitedly.
Remus waited until he felt Hermione pull him out of the car. It wasn't raining which was a rare event but not unwelcome at the moment.
Hermione pulled him in and stopped once they were in the café area of the shop.
"Ok when I tell you remove the blindfold and turn so you can see your present," Hermione said not able to contain her excitement for long.
Hermione gave a recently arrived Severus and told him to set the cake on the table with the drinks and came back with open arms to take Teddy from her arms.
"Ok, Remus you can look now," Hermione said.
"SURPRISE!" She and Teddy yelled with smiles on their faces, Severus just offered a kind smile.
Remus looked around the place and gasped. He had always wanted a bookshop of his own and now that dream was coming true.
"Mia you really, really shouldn't have done this," Remus said as he walked towards his friends.
Hermione smiled at him, gave him the deed and said, "The old owner didn't have a price on the place and included a list of resources in the offer for free."
Remus couldn't believe it. His friends had given him a bookshop.
"And don't you go thinking that you have to repay us in anyway. Because the only way that will satisfy us to see you happy and by the smile on your face I can see that you are," Severus said with a chuckle.
Remus nodded and moved to sit between them with Teddy on his lap.
"So, who wants cake?" Hermione asked and laughed when the three boys raised their hand.
It seemed like hours and the three friends spent the time catching up and talking about anything really until someone knocked on the front door.
"Hello?" a female voice said.
Remus stood, passed Teddy to Severus and walked up to the door.
"Yes?" he asked at the woman that was currently looking out at the forestry around.
When she turned Remus didn't expect to be literally pulled to this young woman. And by the looks of it the woman wasn't expecting it either.
"May I help you?" Remus asked when he came back to his senses.
The woman blinked several times and nodded giving him a small piece of paper with the title of a book on it
"You wouldn't happen to have this book in your store would you?" she asked shyly.
Remus smiled warmly at the woman and nodded even though he hadn't the slightest idea.
"Yes, of course. Come in no need to be shy," he said in a soft tone.
There were gasps from the other room. Severus and Hermione were cleaning up the make-shift party items and trying not to make it obvious that they were more than just a little curious at the at the visitor that made Remus use his soft voice. It was obvious that the only time that voice ever came out was when he was with Teddy.
"Sorry, where did my manners go?" the young woman said with a shy smile, "my name is Leah, Leah Clearwater, what's yours." she asked.
'Oh, damn! What the hell is my name!' Remus thought, as his cheeks grew warm.
"Sorry for him not answering, but his name is Remus Lupin. And no don't worry he's my brother," Hermione said as she came into the main hall.
Remus almost sighed in relief at Hermione's rescue.
"Oh, its nice to meet you I'm Leah Clearwater," Leah smiled at Hermione and hid the fact that she was relieved that her imprint was not married, or was he?
Hermione smiled kindly and saw the paper in Remus' hand. She quickly retrieved it and looked for the book on the paper.
"She's a bookworm isn't she?" Leah asked kindly trying to start a conversation.
Remus laughed heartily for what seemed to be the first time in his life and nodded.
"Yes she is. It's a nickname that has been used for her many times," he said still laughing.
"Hey! Don't make me call you yours!" Hermione yelled from the other side of the shop.
"Which nickname I have none," he said not knowing that Hermione is well armed and ready to retaliate.
"I wouldn't say that you have none Remus, she is well armed and ready to fire," Severus said as he came into the room balancing Teddy on his hip, "hello, I'm Severus Hermione's fiancé." He said with a nod and smile on his face.
"Leah, nice to meet you," she said with a kind smile.
Leah's gaze shifted to Teddy who was trying to hide behind Severus' hair.
"Hi, what's your name?" Leah said softly.
Teddy looked shyly at Leah and smiled.
"Hi, my name is Teddy," he said with a shy giggle and returned to his hiding behind Severus' hair.
"Come on Teddy lets go find a book, yes?" Severus said to Teddy.
"Yeah!" Teddy nearly yelled.
Severus put him down and Teddy grabbed Severus' hand and pulled him along for the ride.
"He is and adorable one isn't he?" Leah said to Remus who was looking fondly at Teddy as he sat down in Severus' lap to read 'James And The Giant Peach.'
"Here's your book Ms. Clearwater," Hermione said coming into the room with Leah's book in hand.
"No need for formalities, please call me call me Leah," Leah said nodding her thanks for the book, "and little Teddy is adorable! Is he your son?" Leah asked curiously.
Hermione looked at Remus and he nodded signaling that he would be the one to explain as much as he could.
"Alright then call me Hermione or Mia is fine both the boys call me Mia. No, Teddy is not my son. Lets go to the register and your free to roam as you like," Hermione said trying to hold her wide smile.
"Thanks so much," Leah said happy to see that she could stay and read if she wanted but sad that her imprint has a son and may have wife.
There goes the hope of a non-married imprint.
"Not a problem, Lord knows that I did what you are doing more times than one, hence the nickname 'Bookworm,'" Hermione said.
Leah forced a laugh, that didn't go unnoticed by Hermione.
"Want something to drink or eat as you read your book?" Remus asked cautiously as he saw Leah walk towards one of the tables in the café.
Leah smiled kindly, nodded and said, "orange tea if you have any and shortbread cookies would be great thanks."
"Coming right up," Severus said as he walked into the room with a sleeping Teddy in his arms.
Severus moved to the kitchen behind the café counter to get Leah her refreshments and sighed heavily knowing that if Leah was interested in Remus that it was going to be a bit harder to now that she has seen Teddy. She thinks that Remus has a wife around here somewhere. Damn.
Hermione who was now taking Teddy to the bedroom called Remus to the apartment upstairs. Now in bed Hermione asked Remus to help enlarging the place to hold more than just the one bedroom it had.
"She seems to have caught your attention," Hermione said cautiously while casting the spell.
Remus blushed and nodded sheepishly casting the spell as well and said, "yes but now she must think that there is a mommy somewhere around here. I think I should at least say that Tonks is no longer with us."\
Remus was talking more to himself than Hermione at the moment. Hermione understood that he was thinking to himself to see how he was going to tell Leah about Tonks.
"Now, all has been taken care of business wise all we have to do is get the place running and the café stocked and you'll be good as new. And don't worry Minerva is giving the year off to help Harry get all the "guests" that are in Grimmaulds Place out. Plus, you can have me work here with you if you'll have me," Hermione said carefully.
Remus was shocked at what she had said.
"Come here Mia, you know that I would never be here without yours and Severus' help. I really appreciate what you both have done for me." Remus said hugging Hermione close.
"So, do I get the job?" Hermione asked.
Remus smiled at her and nodded.
Hermione smiled and continued magically enlarging the once small apartment and said, "this way I can babysit Teddy while you woo Ms. Leah downstairs."
Remus nearly tripped but nodded.
Down in the café Leah was chewing on her lip and thinking of the events of the day. She had been running around not really thinking of anything but the fact that if there really is or was someone out there for her then where could he be? And who is he? What she didn't count on was stopping at the small bookshop that is close to the rez and meeting her imprint there of all places.
The first time their eyes met she felt the world move and gravity shift as all strings to the world were broken and one steel cord held her tight to the man in front of her. He is a full inch taller than her with sandy hair with flecks of grey and dark blue grey eyes. When his sent reached her nose she realized that he was a werewolf. Leah tried to stare and while looking at him she noticed his scars. Damn, the scars accentuate his handsomeness and other things as well.
Leah was secretly a quiet girl. That she was as stubborn as hell was another thing entirely. She had gotten used to turning into a huge dog but the thing that bugged her most was that she didn't have any secrets to keep to herself, now that sucked.
When he asked if she needed anything she knew that she had fallen. She gave him the paper that was in her hand and asked if he had the book in his store. He was really sweet and by how he acted she knew that he had felt something when their gazes met. When he invited her in his last statement made her chuckle, almost.
No need to be shy he says.
'YES! there is a need to be shy I'm meeting my imprint! And he doesn't know it yet, crap!' Leah thought in a private rant.
'Damn! My mother would kill me if she ever found out that I had completely omitted my manners,' Leah thought as her brain kicked in.
"Sorry, where did my manners go?" She said with a shy smile, "my name is Leah, Leah Clearwater, what's yours?"
Leah noticed that his face got all pale and knew that he was going through what she went through a few moments ago, temporary memory loss.
"Sorry for him not answering, but his name is Remus Lupin," a woman said as she came into the main hall.
The woman is a real beauty with rich caramel colored skin, light chocolate brown eyes, a killer body, and a heart shaped face. Leah nearly collapsed at the thought that her imprint might be married and with family.
"And no don't worry he's my brother. I'm Hermione by the way," the woman said smiling.
"Oh, its nice to meet you I'm Leah Clearwater," Leah smiled at Hermione and hid the fact that she was relieved that her imprint was not married, or was he? Hopefully he wasn't.
Hermione smiled kindly and saw the paper in Remus' hand. She quickly retrieved it and looked for the book on the paper.
"She's a bookworm isn't she?" Leah asked kindly trying to start a conversation. It worked he smiled after his sister and did something surprising.
He laughed heartily for what seemed to be the first time in his life and nodded.
"Yes she is. It's a nickname that has been used for her many times," he said still laughing.
Leah was happy that she had done something to put a smile on his face. The smile seemed to light up his whole face and made him look younger than what he really is.
"Hey! Don't make me call you yours!" Hermione yelled from the other side of the shop. She sure is a little spitfire, which is never a bad thing as long as you have the spitfire in you on a leash.
"Which nickname I have none," he said still smiling.
"I wouldn't say that you have none Remus, she is well armed and ready to fire," Severus said as he came into the room balancing Teddy on his hip, "hello, I'm Severus Hermione's fiancé." He said with a nod and smile on his face.
'Damn, is the world based on sexy men? Or is it just me?' Leah thought trying not to stare. He is hot! And that voice damn!
"Leah, nice to meet you," she said with a kind smile.
Leah's gaze shifted to Teddy who was trying to hide behind Severus' hair.
Leah froze and hoped that the little boy in Severus' arms was his and not Remus'. Nonetheless she shifted forward slowly and said, "hi, I'm Leah what's your name?"
Teddy looked at Leah shyly and smiled.
"Hi, my name is Teddy," he said with a shy giggle and returned to his hiding behind Severus' hair.
"Come on Teddy lets go find a book, yes?" Severus asked seeming to sense the growing tension in the room.
"Yeah!" Teddy nearly yelled oblivious to the growing tension in the room.
Severus put him down and Teddy grabbed Severus' hand and pulled him along for the ride.
"He is and adorable one isn't he?" Leah said to Remus who was looking fondly at Teddy as he sat down in Severus' lap to read 'James And The Giant Peach.' Leah noticed the look and that seemed to answer the question that was burning a hole through her brain. Leah's heart gave a strong lurch and she recognized it as one of pain.
Her imprint has a son and that meant that his wife was around. Leah was going to be there no matter what, and she was going to start by finding out if Remus' wife was a good woman. With a mental nod Leah returned to the land of the living.
"Here's your book Ms. Clearwater," Hermione said coming into the room with Leah's book in hand.
"No need for formalities, please call me call me Leah," Leah said nodding her thanks for the book, "and little Teddy is adorable! Is he your son?" Leah asked curiously begging whatever God that is out there to make Teddy Severus and Hermione's little son.
Leah noticed how Hermione looked at Remus and he nodded in silent confirmation of something.
"Alright then call me Hermione or Mia is fine both the boys call me Mia. And no, Teddy is not my son. Lets go to the register and your free to roam as you like," Hermione said trying to hold her wide smile.
Leah's heart gave another painful lurch as her fears were becoming a reality.
"Thanks so much," Leah said trying to keep the happy façade. But also pleased that she could stay and read if she wanted. That way she could keep an eye on her imprint.
There goes the hope of a non-married imprint.
"Not a problem, Lord knows that I did what you are doing more times than one, hence the nickname 'Bookworm,'" Hermione said.
Leah forced a laugh hoping that she wouldn't break down in front of all of them.
"Want something to drink or eat as you read your book?" Remus asked cautiously as he saw Leah walk towards on of the tables in the café.
Leah forced a kind smile, nodded and said, "orange tea if you have any and shortbread cookies would be great thanks."
"Coming right up," Severus said as he walked into the room with a sleeping Teddy in his arms.
Leah sat in one of the corner tables hoping that Remus would leave so she could at least have a few moments to gather her thoughts.
When Severus arrived with her tea and cookies she noticed that Teddy wasn't with him.
'Teddy is with his mother most likely,' her brain yelled.
"Thanks," she said.
"Not a problem. And if your wondering what Remus' nickname is don't worry about it Mia will be calling him by it sooner rather than later, as harmless as the term 'Bookworm' is if used too much will get on her nerves and Remus has been using it more than he normally would. But don't worry your fine," Severus said with a kind smile.
Leah laughed and nodded. But the pain that had settle in her heart was becoming too much and she was ready to explode. She looked around to make sure that she was alone for the moment and let a few of her tears fall.
Here she was sitting down nursing her tea and nibbling on her cookies and bearing for the second time in her life the feeling of a broken heart.
A/N: RATE AND REVIEW PEOPLE!