The next morning, Remus wandered downstairs into the kitchen to find a pot of steaming tea already on the table. Jesilynn was sitting there, a china mug in her hands. She smiled at him, but he noticed dark circles under her eyes. "Good morning," she said softly.
Remus returned the greeting before asking, "Where's Sirius?"
She shrugged. "Still in bed." She considered him. "I apologize for last night. I tend to have nightmares." She smiled, and Remus felt his pulse quicken as her grey eyes met his. "I can have Sirius move me into another room if it would be more convenient for you."
Remus frowned. "No, don't do that," he told her. "I understand. I'm sorry to hear about your nightmares, though."
Jesilynn didn't answer, instead pouring herself another cup of tea and avoiding his eyes. "Would you like a cup?" she asked politely.
He nodded. "Yes, please."
She filled a mug for him and he settled into his chair at the other end of the table, picking up the Daily Prophet that had arrived earlier that morning and scanning the headlines. He always saved the crossword puzzle for before bed. It helped him unwind in the evenings.
Jesilynn studied him closely from her seat. He was very handsome, his features only marred by a small scar running from his forehead into his hairline. She wondered where he had gotten it. His light brown hair looked soft and she fought an image of running her fingers through it. His warm brown eyes reminded her of chocolate, and his figure, from what she could see, appeared thin and fit. She wondered vaguely whether he worked out or was naturally thin- she supposed it was the latter; he fit the profile of an academic. She blushed when he looked up and caught her staring at him. "Is everything all right?" he asked mildly.
"You look like a reader," she said, immediately regretting the words as soon as they left her mouth. Where was her poise? This man made her speak without thinking. This was frustrating.
He smiled, and she felt her insides flutter. "I am, actually. I used to be a professor at Hogwarts."
"What did you teach?" she asked, thankful for a subject that wasn't embarrassing.
"Defense Against the Dark Arts."
This made her pause. So he was a dueler. He seemed so mild and controlled, though. She would have pictured her cousin teaching such a subject, with his rash ways and cleverness.
Remus laughed, guessing her thoughts. "I love the subject, but obviously I'm not quite cut out to teach, seeing as I live here now."
As he spoke, Sirius wandered into the kitchen, flipping his black hair and yawning. "What are you talking about, Moony, those kids loved you," he said around his yawn, punching his friend in the arm and sitting down next to him. He winked at his cousin. "Morning, Jesi." He reached for Remus' newspaper, but was stopped by a hand on his arm. "What did I tell you about stealing my newspaper?" Remus asked, but Jesilynn heard a note of laughter in his voice.
"That I'm not allowed to take it until you're all the way through," Sirius sighed.
"And why is that?" Remus raised a questioning eyebrow.
"Because I spill coffee all over it," Sirius replied, rolling his eyes dramatically.
Jesilynn giggled, and her cousin shot her an exasperated look. Remus shot her a wink, and she felt her laughter die in her throat as she looked into his hazel eyes. To cover up, she gave a small cough and took a sip of her tea. Sirius relinquished his hold on the newspaper, watching his cousin closely. He had never seen her act this way around anyone else, as if her façade of poise and grace had dropped. A faint blush tinted her cheeks as she busied herself with the teapot. He glanced at Remus, who only looked confused, and had to stifle a laugh at his friend's naivety. Remus had never had much luck with the girls, not for lack of attractive qualities, but because of his shy awkwardness. Sirius, however, with his history of dashing from woman to woman, picked up immediately on the source of Jesilynn's discomfort.
Sirius narrowed his eyes, thinking that maybe for once, he could do something to make Remus happy, instead of the other way around.
Jesilynn made her excuses and wandered back upstairs to her room. Sirius took advantage of the silence she left in her wake to grin at Remus. "Pretty, isn't she? I told you."
Remus stared into his teacup, swirling the now cold liquid around despondently. "I suppose."
Sirius nudged him in the ribs. "You gonna talk to her?"
Remus looked up in surprise. "I do talk to her, you idiot."
"No, I mean talk to her."
Silence met Sirius' statement. Finally, Remus spoke up, kicking at the flagstones under his feet while avoiding Sirius' eyes. "She's your cousin," he observed, as if that ended the conversation.
"Uh-huh….."
Remus rolled his eyes. "Leave me alone, Padfoot. I'm not like you. I'm not gifted with women."
Sirius threw his head back and let out his signature, bark-like laugh. "That's because you've never tried," he explained. "Talk to her."
Making a face, Remus replied, "I'm not good enough for her."
"What?" Sirius thought he knew where this was going. It was getting old having to boost his friend's ego all the time. But it did keep him from focusing on his own misery, stuck in this godforsaken dump.
"She's a pureblood," Remus observed. He sounded exhausted. "And I'm an old, poor, half-blood werewolf."
"And?"
Remus looked over at his friend. Sirius was lounging in his chair, looking completely unconcerned about what Remus had just said. Remus shook his head at his trademark smirk. "And. I can't provide a good life for her, I can't hold a steady job, or even have children. There's no point stringing her along just to let her down in the end."
"What makes you think you'll let her down?" Sirius knew he was pushing the limit, knew Remus was getting frustrated, but decided it was high time the man had some happiness in his life. Besides, it was fun baiting him.
True to form, Remus had had enough. "Never mind," he huffed, getting up and leaving the kitchen abruptly. Sirius knew he was headed to the library to drown himself in a book- where even werewolves could have happy endings.