"Oh, come on, Lily!" James pleaded.
"I'm telling you, Potter, there is nothing, and I repeat nothing worth meeting my dreadful sister," Lily replied digging her spoon into the sundae.
"I don't really care about meeting her. If she's half as horrible as you say she is-"
"She's much worse… I just soften it up a bit so I don't scare off everyone," Lily replied taking a bite. "Wow… this is really good."
"Told you I make the best sundaes," James said smugly. "Besides-"
Lily stuck a spoonful of ice cream inside his mouth.
"Hankee," he mumbled around the spoon. "Like I said, I don't want to meet her. I want to meet your parents. You've already meet mine… and besides, I think they would love me."
Lily raised a brow delicately. "You do, do you?" She held up the spoon and James opened his mouth.
"What's not to love?" he asked. "This is really good."
Lily rolled her eyes. "Look, it's not that I don't want to introduce you all to each other… it's just…" She played with the toppings.
"Just?" James prompted. Lily took a few more bites of the delicious sundae. "Are you… are you ashamed of me, Lily?" James asked softly.
Lily glanced up quickly, her eyes widening. "Of course not! Why would you say that?"
James gave a noncommittal shrug, but Lily could see the hurt in his dark eyes.
"Look, James. This isn't about you…"
"It's not?" he asked, raising his voice. His eyes were smoldering.
"No… it's about me," Lily replied evenly, rising to the challenge in his deep hazel eyes. "I'm just not ready yet."
James's gaze softened.
Lily sighed. "I don't even know…"
"Know what?" James asked softly.
"Nothing. Never mind," Lily said quickly.
"Lily."
Lily glanced up. "I… I don't know… how I… feel about this. About us," she said hesitantly, wanting to be honest with him, but wishing more than anything that she could take those words back.
James furrowed his brow in confusion. "What do you mean?"
"I don't know," Lily replied. "I just don't know…" she murmured.
"Lily-"
Before he could say another word, Lily jumped out of her seat and ran from the room.
xoxox
Remus laughed. He loved Melody's parents. They were easygoing and nice.
"So, Remus, what do you plan on doing after school?" Melody's dad asked, looking at him attentively.
Remus blinked, surprised. "I... I'm not sure yet."
Mrs. Summers smiled kindly. "You still have plenty of time to decide dear. Don't worry too much about it," she said. "I had no idea what I was going to pursue until a year after I left school."
Remus smiled back. The rest of dinner passed by quickly. Remus found himself enjoying the company of the Summers family, feeling as if he could fit in after all.
"Do you need any help, Mrs. Summers?" Remus asked.
Maria looked up in surprise. "Oh, no dear. Why don't you go ahead with Melody and just relax in the living room?" she said. "And call me Maria. Mrs. Summers sounds so formal." She smiled and waved her wand. The plates and silverware jumped into the air and followed her into the kitchen.
Melody was smiling at him, her light blue eyes glowing with joy. Remus grinned back.
Mr. Summer was in the living room. "Why don't you two join me while we wait for your mother to bring the deserts?" he asked.
Melody nodded to Remus. Instead of going in, however, he went over to her. "So… how are we going to tell them?" he whispered, taking her hand.
"Tell them what?" she asked.
"That I'm… a werewolf," Remus replied. He was more comfortable with saying it out loud, but it still made him nervous. Melody stared at him. Remus gently kissed her hand.
Melody sighed and touched his cheek. "We'll just have to do it. Just sit down and tell them."
Remus swallowed hard. "They're your parents… how will they feel about that?"
"I don't know, but they've always wanted nothing than my happiness… and I only want you," she replied solemnly.
Remus felt his heart speed up at her honest declaration. "I love you," he said softly. Melody smiled and gave him a small kiss.
"Mel?" her father called. Remus could have sworn he heard the suspicion in his voice.
Remus looked at Melody nervously. "Coming, dad!" she said over her shoulder. "Should we tell them now?"
"Now's as good a time as any…" Remus said. "But…"
"I know… I'm nervous too," Melody whispered back, shivering slightly despite the warmth of the house.
"Deep breaths," he said softly. Melody laughed. She took his hand and squeezed it hard. "I'm the one who should be worried, Mel… I'm going up against your dad."
Melody laughed. "He won't hurt you… you've totally charmed them. Besides, they don't see the world in black and white… my dad is all about the gray. He changed his whole wardrobe once and wore nothing but gray until my mother made him stop." Remus chuckled.
"I doubt he'd hurt me… but the whole father protective instinct thing. Well, let's just say it's not a guy's best friend. At least not when he's standing on the receiving end of a curse."
Melody smiled and winced at the same time. She squeezed his hand again. "Love."
"Love," Remus whispered back. That's why I'm doing this… risking my secret… risking my future. I'm doing this, Melody… and I'm doing it for you.