IV.
The next day and several days after, Tessa learned the rhythms of life at Grimmauld Place. Breakfast in the morning was shared by the Weasley's, Remus, herself and other members of the Order who came to check in and out. After breakfast Ron and Ginny made their way to their rooms to do their holiday homework or so they said. George and Fred went to open their joke shop. Mr. Weasley went to his job at the Ministry of Magic. If any other members of the Order were there, they too went to work.
Molly took to cleaning the headquarters. This job, Tessa discovered, was not as mundane as it sounded. Grimmauld place was infested with magical pests that needed to be removed in order for it to be livable. Apparently, this cleaning had been going on for a year and would take a good bit longer to accomplish. Most days, Ron and Ginny would assist their mother in the afternoon. Other days it would be an all day affair.
For some of the nastier creatures, Molly would ask Tessa for help. Tessa was glad to be of some use. Unless she was needed to help Molly, she spent most of her time going over Remus' class notes, pulling out some of her own papers from her days at school and pouring through Defense books to come up with a curriculum for each of her classes for the fall term.
Lunch she shared with Molly, Ron and Ginny. Sometimes Remus was there and sometimes Arthur came home to share lunch as well. Most often Remus was off doing some work for the Order and would not return until supper or sometimes even later. Once or twice he was gone a full day and was not seen until breakfast the next morning.
Supper was a full family affair with the Weasley's, Remus, Tessa and various members of the Order. Tonks was there often, as were Moody and Kingsley Shacklebolt. After dinner the children were sent to bed and the Order would have meetings, some formal with Dumbledore leading, some informal when Dumbledore was not there. The twins were continually disappointed that Arthur had not gotten the chance to speak with Dumbledore and accused their mother of running interference.
Although Tessa had not done anything for the Order as yet, she absorbed as much information as she could about how the Order was set up and who was responsible for what kind of missions and of course, all the intelligence that had been gathered about Voldemort's plans and whereabouts. She felt slightly useless at the moment and expressed this to Remus one evening after the others had left or gone to bed.
"Don't worry. He doesn't want you out there right now because you are our secret weapon." She looked at him quizzically, "What are you talking about?"
"Tessa, Voldemort and his Death Eaters don't know you exist. He wants to wait to use you until he needs someone who is virtually invisible."
"I suppose." She said, not really convinced. "Of course, it could be he doesn't want to lose another Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher even before the term starts," he joked. Tessa laughed, "Now that makes much more sense." They laughed together over their coffee. It was the first time they had been alone together since she arrived a week ago.
During that week, whenever they were in the same room together the electricity was palpable. She felt a heightened sense of awareness. Tessa knew before she turned if he were looking at her. It seemed that he too was conscious of her attention on him. If he were looking another way, as soon as he felt her gaze upon him, he suddenly turned to her. To her delight he always had a smile to accompany that look.
Tessa, suddenly self-conscious, took a deep breath and looking into her coffee cup sputtered, "Remus, could you, um, look over some of my course schedules to see if they seem alright? I realize that you are busy with the Order but if you could spare some time, I'd really appreciate it." She looked up to see him smiling at her. She couldn't help but smile back.
"Of course. I would be happy to. I don't have anything tomorrow, would that do?" he asked still smiling at her. "Tomorrow will be fine." Tessa said. They continued looking at each other in silence drinking their coffee. Finally, Remus got up and took his cup to the sink and washed it. Tessa got up and brought hers to the sink as well, feeling quite tongue- tied and not her usual confident self. What was it about this man that made her such a ninny?
She was standing close behind him waiting for him to finish so that she could clean her cup. He turned around to take her cup from her and they stood facing each other in the tight confines between the table and the sink. He looked up from her cup into her eyes and all she wanted was to stay this close to him for as long as she could. She felt as if she were sinking into the depths of his brown eyes when he put his arms around her and brought her close into the gentlest kiss she ever received. Tessa felt as if her entire body was going limp, as if she were going to faint from the ecstasy of being kissed by this man. Slowly, he pulled back from the kiss and she realized that she had her eyes closed still drinking in the sensation of his closeness.
She opened her eyes. He eyes were smiling back into hers. This time she leaned into him and kissed him. The kiss started as gently as before but then both of them felt the need to express the passion that had been building between them for the last week. Slowly they began to explore each other. Kissing eyes, cheeks, throat and lips again, their hands moving freely over their bodies.
Suddenly, Remus pulled away looking a bit confused and upset. "What is it?" Tessa whispered, "What's wrong?"
"Tessa, I need to tell you something." Remus was clearly distressed.
Looking at him Tessa became worried. "What could he need to tell me now?" she thought. She feared the worst but said, "It's all right, Remus. Tell me anything you need to tell me."
He paced away from her, seeming not to know how to start. Tessa sat down. She knew whatever he was wrestling with right now was something very important to him and she needed to be patient. Several times he looked at her and then turned and started pacing again, trying to get the words to come out the way he wanted them to. Finally, he came over to her, crouched down in front of her to look in her eyes and took her hands.
"Tessa, I need to tell you.Oh, how do I say this?" He started to get up again but Tessa had hold of his hands and pulled him back down. "Remus, tell me what you want to tell me, because whatever it is can not be as bad as what I am imagining right now." To her surprise he laughed.
"Are you sure about that?" he said.
Feigning that she was affronted by him laughing at her, Tessa said, "I mean it mister, you had best tell me before I hex you."
He smiled and said "All right then." But when he started to speak the smile left him. Tessa looked at him intently as he took a deep breath and said, "Tessa, I am not a normal man. When I was very young, I was bitten by a werewolf." He stopped and looked at her trying to gauge her reaction. "Tessa, I am a werewolf."
There was a long pause as he waited for her to say something. When she didn't he said, "I understand if this changes things for you. It's all right I understand perfectly."
Thinking that she was upset or repulsed, he tried to stand but she held his hands. He looked into her eyes once more and he saw them shining at him. Tessa said, "Is that it? Or are there any other secrets you need to tell me? Because I don't want to be interrupted the next time I kiss you."
Remus laughed and pulled her to her feet. She fell onto him and kissed him with the same passion as before, and he did the same. Perhaps it was her imagination but it felt to her as if he was no longer holding anything back. Happily she let herself get lost in the new passion they were expressing.
When they finally pulled apart, Remus was looking seriously at her again. "Remus," she mock warned him, "You had better not be trying to tell me anything more tonight."
"Don't worry, love, nothing so dire as before." She smiled. She liked that he called her love and almost purred. Continuing he said, "But there is one thing I would ask from you."
"What is it?"
"I need for us to take this slowly, part of me is wolf and I don't think you may realize what that means."
Confused Tessa replied slowly, "Perhaps you should let me know what that means so I know what the devil you are talking about."
Lupin smiled, "You are the most incredible person I have ever met. Faced with this information, you seem totally unaffected by it."
"Yes," Tessa said, "Perhaps I seem that way. And I don't know why you should think it matters so much. You are you no matter what you are. And now if you will stop stalling and tell me what you meant."
"Yes, love. I am part wolf and as such I do not, um, share my bed lightly," he stopped because he saw a bit of a flicker cross her eyes.
Tessa was indeed taken aback by this statement. She wasn't expecting to talk about their future sexual relationship after having just kissed for the first time. These things were just supposed to happen naturally, not be discussed in depth before hand.
She cleared her throat, "So what is it you are trying to say here?"
He came close to her and she felt that wonderful weak feeling again as he folded her in his arms. "Tessa, wolves mate for life. I have yet to share my bed with anyone. I have never found anyone willing to take that risk with me. To commit to me for life the first time we shared each other."
Tessa laid her head against his chest, realizing for the first time how strong his arms felt around her and how safe she felt there. All she could say was, "Oh, I see."
The next day and several days after, Tessa learned the rhythms of life at Grimmauld Place. Breakfast in the morning was shared by the Weasley's, Remus, herself and other members of the Order who came to check in and out. After breakfast Ron and Ginny made their way to their rooms to do their holiday homework or so they said. George and Fred went to open their joke shop. Mr. Weasley went to his job at the Ministry of Magic. If any other members of the Order were there, they too went to work.
Molly took to cleaning the headquarters. This job, Tessa discovered, was not as mundane as it sounded. Grimmauld place was infested with magical pests that needed to be removed in order for it to be livable. Apparently, this cleaning had been going on for a year and would take a good bit longer to accomplish. Most days, Ron and Ginny would assist their mother in the afternoon. Other days it would be an all day affair.
For some of the nastier creatures, Molly would ask Tessa for help. Tessa was glad to be of some use. Unless she was needed to help Molly, she spent most of her time going over Remus' class notes, pulling out some of her own papers from her days at school and pouring through Defense books to come up with a curriculum for each of her classes for the fall term.
Lunch she shared with Molly, Ron and Ginny. Sometimes Remus was there and sometimes Arthur came home to share lunch as well. Most often Remus was off doing some work for the Order and would not return until supper or sometimes even later. Once or twice he was gone a full day and was not seen until breakfast the next morning.
Supper was a full family affair with the Weasley's, Remus, Tessa and various members of the Order. Tonks was there often, as were Moody and Kingsley Shacklebolt. After dinner the children were sent to bed and the Order would have meetings, some formal with Dumbledore leading, some informal when Dumbledore was not there. The twins were continually disappointed that Arthur had not gotten the chance to speak with Dumbledore and accused their mother of running interference.
Although Tessa had not done anything for the Order as yet, she absorbed as much information as she could about how the Order was set up and who was responsible for what kind of missions and of course, all the intelligence that had been gathered about Voldemort's plans and whereabouts. She felt slightly useless at the moment and expressed this to Remus one evening after the others had left or gone to bed.
"Don't worry. He doesn't want you out there right now because you are our secret weapon." She looked at him quizzically, "What are you talking about?"
"Tessa, Voldemort and his Death Eaters don't know you exist. He wants to wait to use you until he needs someone who is virtually invisible."
"I suppose." She said, not really convinced. "Of course, it could be he doesn't want to lose another Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher even before the term starts," he joked. Tessa laughed, "Now that makes much more sense." They laughed together over their coffee. It was the first time they had been alone together since she arrived a week ago.
During that week, whenever they were in the same room together the electricity was palpable. She felt a heightened sense of awareness. Tessa knew before she turned if he were looking at her. It seemed that he too was conscious of her attention on him. If he were looking another way, as soon as he felt her gaze upon him, he suddenly turned to her. To her delight he always had a smile to accompany that look.
Tessa, suddenly self-conscious, took a deep breath and looking into her coffee cup sputtered, "Remus, could you, um, look over some of my course schedules to see if they seem alright? I realize that you are busy with the Order but if you could spare some time, I'd really appreciate it." She looked up to see him smiling at her. She couldn't help but smile back.
"Of course. I would be happy to. I don't have anything tomorrow, would that do?" he asked still smiling at her. "Tomorrow will be fine." Tessa said. They continued looking at each other in silence drinking their coffee. Finally, Remus got up and took his cup to the sink and washed it. Tessa got up and brought hers to the sink as well, feeling quite tongue- tied and not her usual confident self. What was it about this man that made her such a ninny?
She was standing close behind him waiting for him to finish so that she could clean her cup. He turned around to take her cup from her and they stood facing each other in the tight confines between the table and the sink. He looked up from her cup into her eyes and all she wanted was to stay this close to him for as long as she could. She felt as if she were sinking into the depths of his brown eyes when he put his arms around her and brought her close into the gentlest kiss she ever received. Tessa felt as if her entire body was going limp, as if she were going to faint from the ecstasy of being kissed by this man. Slowly, he pulled back from the kiss and she realized that she had her eyes closed still drinking in the sensation of his closeness.
She opened her eyes. He eyes were smiling back into hers. This time she leaned into him and kissed him. The kiss started as gently as before but then both of them felt the need to express the passion that had been building between them for the last week. Slowly they began to explore each other. Kissing eyes, cheeks, throat and lips again, their hands moving freely over their bodies.
Suddenly, Remus pulled away looking a bit confused and upset. "What is it?" Tessa whispered, "What's wrong?"
"Tessa, I need to tell you something." Remus was clearly distressed.
Looking at him Tessa became worried. "What could he need to tell me now?" she thought. She feared the worst but said, "It's all right, Remus. Tell me anything you need to tell me."
He paced away from her, seeming not to know how to start. Tessa sat down. She knew whatever he was wrestling with right now was something very important to him and she needed to be patient. Several times he looked at her and then turned and started pacing again, trying to get the words to come out the way he wanted them to. Finally, he came over to her, crouched down in front of her to look in her eyes and took her hands.
"Tessa, I need to tell you.Oh, how do I say this?" He started to get up again but Tessa had hold of his hands and pulled him back down. "Remus, tell me what you want to tell me, because whatever it is can not be as bad as what I am imagining right now." To her surprise he laughed.
"Are you sure about that?" he said.
Feigning that she was affronted by him laughing at her, Tessa said, "I mean it mister, you had best tell me before I hex you."
He smiled and said "All right then." But when he started to speak the smile left him. Tessa looked at him intently as he took a deep breath and said, "Tessa, I am not a normal man. When I was very young, I was bitten by a werewolf." He stopped and looked at her trying to gauge her reaction. "Tessa, I am a werewolf."
There was a long pause as he waited for her to say something. When she didn't he said, "I understand if this changes things for you. It's all right I understand perfectly."
Thinking that she was upset or repulsed, he tried to stand but she held his hands. He looked into her eyes once more and he saw them shining at him. Tessa said, "Is that it? Or are there any other secrets you need to tell me? Because I don't want to be interrupted the next time I kiss you."
Remus laughed and pulled her to her feet. She fell onto him and kissed him with the same passion as before, and he did the same. Perhaps it was her imagination but it felt to her as if he was no longer holding anything back. Happily she let herself get lost in the new passion they were expressing.
When they finally pulled apart, Remus was looking seriously at her again. "Remus," she mock warned him, "You had better not be trying to tell me anything more tonight."
"Don't worry, love, nothing so dire as before." She smiled. She liked that he called her love and almost purred. Continuing he said, "But there is one thing I would ask from you."
"What is it?"
"I need for us to take this slowly, part of me is wolf and I don't think you may realize what that means."
Confused Tessa replied slowly, "Perhaps you should let me know what that means so I know what the devil you are talking about."
Lupin smiled, "You are the most incredible person I have ever met. Faced with this information, you seem totally unaffected by it."
"Yes," Tessa said, "Perhaps I seem that way. And I don't know why you should think it matters so much. You are you no matter what you are. And now if you will stop stalling and tell me what you meant."
"Yes, love. I am part wolf and as such I do not, um, share my bed lightly," he stopped because he saw a bit of a flicker cross her eyes.
Tessa was indeed taken aback by this statement. She wasn't expecting to talk about their future sexual relationship after having just kissed for the first time. These things were just supposed to happen naturally, not be discussed in depth before hand.
She cleared her throat, "So what is it you are trying to say here?"
He came close to her and she felt that wonderful weak feeling again as he folded her in his arms. "Tessa, wolves mate for life. I have yet to share my bed with anyone. I have never found anyone willing to take that risk with me. To commit to me for life the first time we shared each other."
Tessa laid her head against his chest, realizing for the first time how strong his arms felt around her and how safe she felt there. All she could say was, "Oh, I see."