Nine.
Remus waved his wand at the pile of wood squares and watched them slot themselves into each other one by one until they formed the well-scuffed teak dance floor. The tents were next and the main pavilion and the tables and chairs. Everything had a beautiful view of the lake, and once Remus had cast the protective wards that would keep everything clean and safe during the night, he settled himself down in the middle of the floor and looked over the rolling green lawn, watching the sunlight glitter on the rippling water.
He sat lost in thought until the click of shoes behind him brought him back to the present. Lily smiled as she sat down beside him.
"Mind if I join you?"
"Not at all. Come to inspect my handiwork?" Remus grinned.
"No need. Now if it were James or Sirius in charge here..."
They laughed and Lily tucked her arm in Remus', leaning on his shoulder to gaze out at the water, too.
"Nervous?"
"A bit. And excited. It's strange because nothing is really going to change is it? But it feels so..."
"Final? Binding yourself to the particular brand of insanity that is James Potter?" Remus nodded, trying to keep his expression solemn. "A sobering thought indeed."
Lily giggled. "Something like that. I don't know how I ended up in love with the blithering idiot, but I am."
"I know." Remus turned to smile warmly at her. "He tends to grow on you like that."
"I am nervous about showing in my dress," she admitted quietly. "Do you think anyone will be able to tell? The things my sister would say-"
"That you're beautiful? And blessed? With a husband who has rather frightful hair, yes, but who doesn't look like a walrus? She'll be filled with envy."
Lily's laughter was full of pleasure, and Remus laughed with her. "You do look beautiful, Lily. Don't doubt it."
"You always make me feel better, Remus." Impulsively, she gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you."
He just smiled and went back to staring at the water.
After a few moments, Lily cleared her throat. "I wish you would stay. James and I both want you to."
"I know, and it means a lot to me."
"But you won't."
"You two deserve to have this time alone together."
Lily sighed. "Well, I don't want to argue about it again, but you do know, don't you, Remus, that you always have a home with us."
"Thank you." Remus picked up Lily's hand and squeezed it. "I'll be over often enough to make you sick of me, I'm sure. You know Padfoot has no sense of boundaries, and I'm sure he'll drag all of us into it."
"Sirius should learn to fend for himself," Lily snorted. "If he thinks I'm going to keep letting him pop over for breakfast every morning because he's too lazy to learn to make eggs properly, he's in for a rude awakening."
Remus laughed. "I'm sure he'll learn someday."
"Not likely. He'll just bully you into doing it for him. Are you...are you really going to move in with him?"
"I really am."
"You two seem to be getting on much better now," Lily said carefully.
"I suppose we are."
"I thought for a while that-well, I was worried about you. About what would happen. James told me, you know." Lily curled her legs up underneath her and plucked at the hem of her robe with nervous fingers.
"What?" Remus looked at her, eyes wide with shock.
"He told me what happened. Between him and Sirius. And you."
"I-" The revelation left Remus speechless. He couldn't fathom why Lily was telling him this now, the day before her wedding.
"Would you really have let him obliviate you?"
Despite the warmth of the day, Remus felt his skin pebble as he thought back on that night. He looked down at his hands, frowning. "Yes," he said reluctantly. "But I'm glad he didn't." Instead, he had healed the cut on Remus' cheek and had promised to take whatever Remus offered.
They looked at each other, mirrored pain in their eyes. "I'm sorry, Lily. I hoped you would never know because...because I wished I didn't."
"Don't. None of it was your fault."
"Sometimes I wish it was."
"What do you mean?"
"I told Sirius once, jokingly, that I liked him because I could always feel morally superior."
Despite herself, Lily laughed.
"I know what you mean."
"Exactly. Only, it's not funny when everyone believes it."
Lily nodded, their mutual understanding going beyond the need for words. Finally, she smiled and Remus' eyed her warily.
"What's that look for?"
"We could lower ourselves to their level."
"Lily."
"Don't be coy, Remus."
Remus laughed, mainly in disbelief. "I'm not, but...are you serious?"
"Maybe just a kiss, then. A real one. I'm willing to bet they're both watching from the house. Sirius never takes his eyes off you if he can help it these days."
After a moment, a grin of devious proportions, intimately familiar only to James and Sirius and Peter, crossed Remus' face. She read his acceptance and leaned forward at the same time he did. Eventually, they pulled away rather breathless.
"Wow."
"That was quite a snog, Remus."
"I quite agree."
They laughed, and Remus pushed to his feet, offering a hand to Lily. "Shall we head inside?"
With Lily tucked against his side, they walked sedately back toward the house.
"Are you going to have him back then?"
Remus smiled, feeling lighter than he had in months. "Yes. I think I will."
They watched as the back door slammed open and James and Sirius bounded down the steps to meet them. Things were much better now. They'd learned from their mistakes. He would move in with Sirius. He would have him back. And nothing would come between them again.
