Sorry for the slight slowness in update as of late, I've had a bit of a mad week. But to make up for it; a very long and eventful chapter.
It was the 5th of August 1993 and Nymphadora had decided not to go to the ministry that Thursday morning. She hadn't heard from her friend Remus in a week and was beginning to worry about him. It wasn't unusual for Remus to disappear for a few days at a time on a regular basis but she would always at least get an owl once a week. So Nymphadora had taken it upon herself to check up him.
She sighed as she approached the semi-derelict cottage in Yorkshire, pushing open the rotten garden gate. With only a slight second of hesitation she approached the front door and with one last deep breath she knocked firmly.
"Remus . . . ?" Dora called out to the older man.
A slight shuffle could be heard within the cottage, giving away the inhabitants attendance.
"Remus are you there?" Dora drew her wand, starting to become concerned of the lack of reply.
She stepped back from the door and gently stepped towards the windows of the cottage. She tried to peer in but was greeted by nothing but the back of Remus Lupins tattered curtains. More shuffling could be heard within the walls of the derelict cottage.
"Remus Lupin you answer this door right now before I blast it off its hinges and forcibly check up on you." Dora returned to the door, raising her wand and taking a deep breath, reading to do as she had threatened "I mean it!"
After a few more moments of silence there was a click of the door unlocking itself. Still on high alert at the lack of response Dora raised her wand to what would be chest level of any intruder within the cottage, ready to take them out. This wasn't like Remus, something had to have happened to him. Had her Uncle found out about her meetings with him and disapproved? Had he called for a favour from his old death eater friends to nip the problem in the bud? There was no question of Lucius coming here himself, he had never done his own dirty work.
Dora firmly turned the door handle and quickly kicked it open to reveal the interior of the cottage.
There was no intruder, no horrible evidence of a Death Eater style attack, just the run down cottage and even more run down Remus Lupin.
She could see him slumped over on the mismatched table and chairs past the open kitchen door.
"Remus?" Dora pocketed her wand, rushing in and shutting the door behind her.
"Remus what's happened? You look awful-no offense." Dora sat next to the man, trying to asses why on earth he hadn't got off his butt and opened the door to her.
"I'm fine, Dora." Remus coughed, pulling his mug of hot chocolate closer to him.
"You're an awful liar. Good thing I'm great and telling when you're lying. Go on, what's wrong." Dora raised an eyebrow, confused.
"Dora . . . Maybe you shouldn't come around here anymore." Remus looked away, his shirt collar adjusting as he turned to reveal a fresh wound running across his shoulder.
Dora frowned, confused and concerned "Remus what happened?!" She quickly got her wand out again, ready to heal his wounds.
Remus shrugged away, looking to the younger witch.
"I'm not safe to be around Dora, you should leave."
"I don't understand Remus . . . and I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what the hell happened to you." Dora glared in defiance.
Remus couldn't help it as a small smile tugged at his tired face "You remind me of an old friend of mine . . ."
"Stop avoiding the question. What happened?" Dora folded her arms, defiant.
"I can't. It's just best you're not around me anymore, it's better that way."
Dora paused for a moment, thinking. She'd suspected something for a while now, she just wasn't sure how to come out with it . . . maybe if she hinted . . .
"Remus, you and I have talked for about three years now . . . We write to each other or see each other for a drink throughout the month . . . Apart from a certain time of the month; when without fail you won't write, you won't see me and you'll go off the grid for a few days. You'll come back run down and looking like shit. Almost like somethings taken over your body and you've gone running around under the full moon . . . Remus if there's a reason you don't think I should be around anymore let me tell you right now you're an idiot."
Remus frowned, studying the young witch "Nymphadora . . ." He sighed "You're a very clever witch . . . But you should also be clever enough to know it's dangerous to be around me."
"Yes, because you have a little problem that makes you go a little crazy a few days in a month. Women have that too you know." Dora gave usual cheeky smirk.
Remus stood up gingerly in an attempt to separate himself from her slightly "The difference being that women don't tend to have the high potential of killing people once a month."
"Well that's arguable."
"This isn't a joke Nymphadora."
Dora stood up, taking a step closer to the older man "Do I look like I'm joking? Remus you're a good friend, potentially my best friend, I'm not letting you isolate yourself from the world because of some furry little problem."
"It's not that simple. You don't know the danger-"
"I'm highly equipped for danger thank you very much . . . I'm not leaving."
Dora took a step closer to the rugged wizard. They were practically touching as both stared silently into each others eyes, a spark of intense passion that neither had dared acknowledge in each others presence before.
"You're only 20, Dora . . ." Remus was practically whispering "you're too young, naive, you don't know the dangers of life yet."
Dora glared instantly, her hair turning red "I am not young and naive! I am far more aware of the dangers of life than you can imagine Remus Lupin!"
"Dora, you can't understand. What if something were to happen to you, Ny- . . . I don't even know your last name! What if you came in here one night and I was changed and I bloody mauled you to death, I don't even know where I'd send your remains. How the hell can you put yourself in so much danger willingly?! What about your family, your parents!"
Dora glared at him, she'd purposely not told him this for as long as physically possible, she knew his background. She didn't want him to shun her because of her background.
She took a deep breath and sat back down on a rickety wooden chair, staring at the table "Lestrange . . . Nymphadora Lestrange . . . You couldn't tell my parents unless you wanted to go to Azkaban-which is a horrible place so I wouldn't recommend visiting."
"You're . . . You're Sirius' cousin." Remus sat next to the woman once again.
"I suppose I am . . . He was your friend in school right? . . . Never really get to hear about disowned family much."
"Dora your parents . . ." Remus was in shock, not sure what to say or do.
"I know . . . But my parents don't matter right now. I want to be your- . . . friend . . . and I live with my Aunt and Uncle now. They have no clue where I am when I'm out of the manor . . . That's not the point." Dora looked back to the man, her eyes gleaming with tears and slowly reached out, gently placing her supple young hand on his rough ones on the kitchen table. "I've known danger. I met The Dark Lord when I was a baby, again when I was six, I saw things that could turn the bravest mans stomach when I was only seven and was on the receiving end of a full on Death eater and Auror battle when my parents were taken when I was only 8 . . . You knew my cousin, I doubt he was anything like his parents . . . You never once judged him for that . . . My point is don't you date say I'm naive to danger because I've seen things in my 20 years that most men don't see in a lifetime."
Dora had tears streaming down her face now, her hair had turned limp and mousy brown, her eyebrows furrowed in an almost begging glance at Remus.
He studied the young witch. He knew there was something about her but he had never guessed this. For one of the rare moments in Remus Lupins life he didn't think. He simply saw a young woman who-he was now slowly starting to discover- he was falling in love with and needed his comfort. He gently moved a stray strand of hair from her face and with his thumb he wiped some of the tears from her face. Even if she didn't know it yet he recognized this face, it was the face of someone who was struggling to conform to what she was being brought up to believe in, someone who was confused and didn't know what to do to escape, it was a look Sirius had given him many times in the past. He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her closer in an embrace.
Dora looked up to Remus, great full of his silent understanding. The pair gazed into each others eyes for what felt like their own personal eternity until finally they both leaned in and their lips were locked.
Remus pulled Dora onto his lap, kissing her passionately. Their bodies melded together in a flurry of passion and sadness, they were like two broken pieces begging for someone to put them together again.
They both knew what they were doing would have dire consequences. If this continued Nymphadora could potentially lose her life as she knew it, he knew that he was too poor, too old and perhaps a little too dangerous for the young witch-but in that moment they didn't care. In a flurry of clothes being thrown and one mug of luke warm chocolate being flung and smashed on the floor the pair made love in the middle of that semi-derelict cottage in Yorkshire.
It was at that moment that their relationship changed direction forever and they both had a secret to hold; their love.
Sooooo, hope you enjoyed that. As per usual please review. Next chapter will be up soon. :D