Chapter 11

Valkyrie's POV

I was completely wrong. Sitting between Remus and Sirius, and across from Peter and James, I couldn't help but feel the burning gaze of one Lucius Malfoy from across the Great Hall. I hadn't told any of my fellow Marauders why I had fought so fiercely with my mother, and they, fearing that I might once again clam up and refuse to speak to them, collectively decided to drop the matter, but it seemed like Malfoy wasn't going to any time soon.

"Is he still looking at me?" I mutter to James, keeping my eyes on my toast. He glanced up, peering over my dark curls to get a better look at the Slytherin table before returning to his pile of food.

"Yep," he said causally, stuffing a muffin into his mouth, "What did you do to piss him off anyway Luna? He's looking at you like you shit in his pillow."

"Not a mental image that I needed Prongs!" Remus groaned, dropping his toast, as Sirius laughed loudly with Peter. James grinned widely, before turning his inquisitive eyes to me. I had stayed pretty quiet on the matter since we had returned to Hogwarts the month earlier, choosing to ignore the ever present glare that Malfoy seemed to send my way every time we shared the same air.

I forced a halfhearted grin onto my face, shrugging lightly. "Haven't the foggiest Prongs. Maybe he finally realized that his hair with never be as fabulous as mine, and has vowed revenge."

"Impossible! We all know that I have the better hair," Sirius cried mockingly, jumping up from the table, "and I shall prove it to you in a duel!"

"Sit down Pads, I'm sure Val was not trying to offend your honor." Remus drawled sarcastically. "And anyway we don't have time for a duel, Potions start soon." Rolling his eyes, Sirius plopped back down next to me, nicking a piece of bacon from my plate as he did.

"Moony," James whined, "do we have to go?"

"Yes Prongs, now finish your eggs."

"Yes, mum. Why do you have to be so responsible Moony?"

"Oi!" Val cried, reaching over to smack James' arm. "I'll have you know that Moony can be very irresponsible! Just last night, he-"

"And we're leaving!" Remus said quickly, slapping a hand over my mouth and pulling me up from the table, grabbing our bags as he went. "See you in Potions!" He called over his shoulder as he hurried us out of the Great Hall to James and Peters chuckles, and Sirius' sounds of disgust. He pulled me along the corridor, before pulling a tapestry away in order to duck into a secluded alcove, peeking around to make sure we were alone before moving his hand away from my mouth.

"You know, I think this counts as kidnapping." I grinning, letting my hands drift over his chest.

"Do you really mind though?" He ask, smirking cheekily as his rough fingers gripped my hips, dragging me closer and closer until we were only a breath apart.

"Not at all." I whispered, gazing into his lusty eyes.

"Then shut up." He growled playfully, attacking my lips in a kiss that was sure to leave a mark. Reacting quickly, I opened my mouth, letting his tongue dance with mine, one hand clutching his shirt, the other finding its way into his light hair. Moving his hands down to my ass, and then my thighs, he pulled back just enough to whisper, "Jump" before moving back to my lips with the same desperation he showed every month close to the full moon.

Jumping into his arms, I let him slam me back into the cold stone wall, frantically trying to keep up with his movement. Dragging myself back with a shuddering breath, I tilted my head back, exposing my neck to Remus, making him grow in approval, gently kissing his way down, pushing the collar of my shirt out of the way to allow his wandering lips to reach everywhere.

"Remus" I gasped breathlessly, as his teeth sunk delicately into the soft flesh where my neck met my shoulder, kissing the pain away before returning his lips to mine. He let my legs slide down his as his kisses became less and less frantic, and soon we just stood together, foreheads together, brushing lips together in light kisses.

"We're going to be late." I muttered softly, pressing an apologetic kiss to his cheek, knowing how he hated being late.

A lazy smile spread across his mouth, the sharp teeth that had marked me only moments before peeking through. "I suppose we'd better get a move on then love." He whispered, making no effort to move.

Heaving a loud sigh, I let myself kiss him once more before untangling myself from him in order to reach into my discarded book bag and pull out my compact to assess the damage done to my appearance. Quickly fixing my messy curls and wrinkled uniform, I noticed something strange.

"Remus?" receiving a questioning hum, I turned to my friend turned lover with a frown. " Is my hair- does it seem like it's, I don't know, getting less curly or something?"

Remus regarded me for a moment, tilting his head to the side with a furrowed brow. "Now that you mention it, yes, it does. Have you been using something new on it?"

My frown became deeper. "No." Looking back in the mirror, I could almost swear that my eyes flashed brown for a second before returning to normal. "That's concerning."

"It might just be stress, love." He said, wrapping his arms around me and pulling my back to his front. "You've had quite a rough summer and 6th year isn't exactly a walk in the park, especially with our friends." His breath brushed my cheek as I leaned back into him, and his chin came to rest on my shoulder, inches from where his mark still rested.

"You're probably right Moony."

"Aren't I always?"

"There you go, ruining the moment." I pulled my way out of his arms, grinning up at him to show I was joking, before grabbing our bags and handing him his. "We'd better get a move on Mr. Lupin, you know how Professor Slughorn hates tardiness."

"Lead the way Ms. Black, you know that I'll follow you anywhere." Looking into his eyes, the terrifying truth of his words were plain to see, but instead of letting the terror in, a warm feeling spread across my chest, and I let the corners of my mouth stretch into a grin.

"Right back at you Remus."