Alina stood in line behind Ginny sighing in exasperation. She grumbled under her breath about the professor's stupidity.

"prepare for preparations? Dumbest directions ev-ah!"

Remus slithered behind Alina without her knowing and pulled her by her hips into him. Her startled yelp brought a smirk to his face. Now that he knew her secret he felt in control and had more confidence to be assertive about what he wanted.

He leaned into her burying his nose in her hair and sighing.

"What are you doing?" Alina breathlessly gasped.

"Memorizing your scent." Remus purred.

"Well stop" Alina gasped again.

"Why?" Remus laughed nuzzling her closer.

"People can see us!"

"So? It's not as if you're embarrassed to be seen with me."

When Alina didn't answer him Remus suddenly became concerned. He turned his head slightly to see her face and suddenly wished beyond all measures that they were alone. Her head was eased back against him and her eyes were half lidded. Their normal silver had sudden turned deep and grey like storm clouds, and just as dangerous. A deep flush crept down her neck and her chest rose in uneven intervals. Her lips were slightly parted and her pronounced canines were caught lightly on her lower lip like fangs.

Remus's grip tightened as he pressed her even closer, their bodies going rigid with the tension building between them. Remus's chest began to rise and fall in rapid succession while his breath grew hot and ragged. He was so close to Alina he could feel the barely discernable tremble in her muscles as a shiver of pleasure crawled slowly down her spine.

"remus-"

"Don't!" he growled in warning. "Hearing my name on your lips will be my undoing."

Alina swallowed thickly and glanced around. Ginny had moved on already to the cages with the birds and the other students were resting against the nearby fence, Alina and Remus had somehow managed to find themselves where the line had ended on the other side of the groundskeeper's hut, just out of eyesight. Feeling the firm length pressed against her back Alina couldn't stop shivering again. Remus growled low in his throat while he spanned one hand across her stomach letting the other skim the skin of her thigh beneath her skirt.

"Remus!" Alina begged quietly. "please!"

"please what?" he demanded in a husky baritone.

"please, ahh" Alina's voice faltered as his hands wandered more boldly. Her skirt was rising and he had somehow managed to slip his other hand beneath her shirt to glide along the hard plane of her stomach. "don't. stop!" she begged trying to remove his hands

"don't stop," Alina could hear the smug smile in Remus's voice. "don't stop this?"

He slid the hand on her stomach up to firmly grab her breast through her bra. He felt the lace and silk cups where they held her chest in place, the tops bubbling up beckoning him with their softness. He slid his other hand up to the waist band of her underwear and beneath. Alina gasped and bucked against his granite member jutting proudly against her warmth. Remus continued his massaging assault while dragging his mouth against her neck caressing and nipping at her tender flesh. He heard her whimper and roll her hips against his hand while grinding her backside into him.

"Alina!" Remus growled pushing himself harder against her.

"I'm begging you to stop this… because I can't!" Alina moaned and grinded herself against his hand again.

Remus's fingers slid into her delicate folds rubbing her creating a burning sensation deep within her she'd never felt before. His large hands were proving very dexterous as he used his palm to knead her firmly, his fingers to slide in and out of her while caressing the precious bundle of nerves that was driving Alina to tears. Her knees began to buckle and she tried with all her will power not to cry out. The hand massaging her breast slipped out to cover her mouth as she fought to remain upright. Alina took one of Remus's fingers in her mouth and suckled it trying to muffle her sounds. Remus pressed his face firmly into her neck.

"No one can touch you like this, make you feel this! Only me, you understand?"

Alina fervently nodded her head while Remus briefly removed his hand from her mouth to release himself from the confines of his pants. The sound of his zipper seemed impossibly loud to Alina's ears, and even though she felt the fabric shift his pants had not dropped to his ankles causing their clothes to rumple together as he lifted her skirt leaving no barrier for his aching appendage but the flimsy silk of her panties. Shaking her head Alina tried to breathe out the building tension but Remus's hand went right back to her mouth, his finger thrusting deep into her warm, wet, cavern; a prelude to his intentions.

"You like this don't you? You want this, you want me!" Remus demanded his point by pinching and teasing her until she was nothing more than a writhing mass in his arms.

"Show me how you want me!"

Alina could barely think, her whole body was on fire, every nerve ending scandalously sensitive while she shamelessly grasped his arms, one to hold onto while she urged his ministrations on with the other. She had forgotten entirely her fear. Before when he touched her she remembered the rough hands of the men from New York, she was scared to kiss him because of it. But nothing Remus was doing was anything but unequivocal pleasure. Her insides were melting and her head spinning but she didn't care. It was of no consequence that it was broad daylight, outside, and in the middle of class. Somehow that just added to the excitement of it all. Remus, as if sensing her thoughts, began to carefully shift them behind the hut completely so that even if someone walked around they wouldn't find them.

Alina gripped his arm almost painfully as she pushed his hand deeper inside her. By Merlin she was so warm and tight! She rotated her hips to ride his fingers while grinding into his hips.

"ahh! Just like that, Alina!" Remus barked out huskily.

He pulled his hand from her underwear quickly and stopped her muffled protests by quickly sliding her panties out of the way and centering himself from behind her.

"You want this?" he growled teasing her entrance with his head.

She whimpered quietly.

"You want me inside you?" he moaned.

Unable to speak Alina rammed herself against him trying to impale herself with his thick length.

"oh baby, yeah." Remus positioned himself and closed his eyes savoring the feel of her.

"Mooney?" Sirius's voice drifted from beyond their secluded hideout.

"Remus? Alina?" Kat's voice joined Sirius's, they sounded louder, closer.

"shit!" Remus huffed. "This is far from over, but until we can do this properly, I'll just leave you something to remember and help keep you warm at night."

Remus's hand quickly slipped back inside her and worked at an impossible speed until he felt her muscles spasm and her teeth clamp down around his finger. She all but screamed and collapsed as her orgasm hit her, hard. Alina's legs finally gave out beneath her and Remus had to grab her quickly. He readjusted her clothing and his while she tried to catch her breath. Alina was glowing, looking amazing in the aftermath of his attentions; though there was nothing about her that screamed "I had my first orgasm." Remus sniffed proudly, his scent was all over her.

His original intention was not nearly so intense or passionate, he simply wanted her to understand how badly he needed her, and that he knew she needed him. He wanted to make sure she knew that he wasn't going anywhere and that before he was content to placate her fears and take what she was willing to give him, but now? Now he wanted everything from her, her heart, her body, her love. He knew without a doubt that there was no man anywhere who could give her what Remus could. His chest puffed out as he looked at her dazed expression, I bet she does understand now, in no uncertain terms.

Taking her hand, Remus walked them around the side of the hut stopping long enough to gather treats and toys that were supposed to help lure a Phoenix. As they emerged back in plain view nothing seemed to have changed, most of the students weren't paying attention to anything in particular and the only ones who seemed to have noticed their absence was Ginny and Sirius, who stood in conversation guessing where Remus and Alina were.

"oh there you are!" Ginny laughed.

"Where'd you get off to then?" Sirius asked with a smirk.

Remus silently held up the treats and toys not trusting his voice yet to be devoid of the passion he still felt simmering just beneath the surface.

"oh," Sirius scratched his head," I didn't think you needed any of that."

Clearing his throat Remus smirked and said, "I don't, it's for you."

Ginny laughed behind her hand and quickly grabbed Alina saying to Remus, who neglected to let go of her hand,

"I'm just going to steal my sister away for a bit."

"Hey, are you okay?" Ginny frowned at Alina, there was something off about her.

"Yeah," she dreamily muttered.

"Did you see that unicorn again?" Ginny asked starring at her.

Alina smiled, "No, better."

"What's better than that?" Ginny asked warily.

"A quickie behind a hut."

"a quick…oh!" Ginny finally caught a whiff and smelled the change in Alina's scent. "You did not! With me standing not ten feet away! Uggh!"

Alina just smiled wider, "you were more like twenty feet away."

"Who are you?" Ginny laughed in mock disgust.

Alina smiled and leaned against a fence pole. Her mind was still spinning, she felt like was breathing for the first time. Like the world was finally silent and the phantoms that haunted her nightmares were no more than memories. She had never felt so cherished and relaxed and vulnerable and safe at the same time. She had no idea what was happening with Remus, but knowing what kind of feelings and treasured moments he could inspire she wanted to pursue it as long as she could. Maybe she could make memories worth taking to the present with her. She sighed deeply and crossed her arms to lean her chin on her crossed wrists. Suddenly going to the present seemed like an obligation rather than a goal.

"Why so sad?"

Alina looked up at the voice she didn't recognize. She frowned and furrowed her brows at the flurry of red feathers in front of her face. Alina stood up straight and stared into the amber eyes of a young and curios Phoenix. It bobbed its head and flicked its feathers while flicking its tail and chirping. Alina's brain quickly interpreted that as dialogue.

"Can you understand me like this?" Alina asked surprised.

Another series of gestures coupled with squawks let Alina know that it was in fact a 'he' and yes, she was easily understood. He asked again, "why so sad?"

"I'm in a bit a quandary." Alina sighed again. "There's something I need to do, and at first…I really wanted to, but now….I wish I had more time, ironically."

The phoenix hopped further down the fence to be closer with Alina.

"What? Why do I have to do it? Because it's not for me, it's not even really about me." Alina looked over her shoulder. Ginny had wandered back to Sirius and was laughing about something he was telling her. "I wish we could stay here. It all seems better here."

The Phoenix came closer still, fluffing his feathers and squawking away.

"hmm?" Alina turned her attention back to the creature. "Oh no, I can't stay. It would be dangerous if I stayed, and I really shouldn't be here even this long, I'm not sure what the consequences of an extended trip would be." Alina let out another heavy sigh, "nope, I have to go…we both do. And not only do I not want to, but getting back has become increasingly difficult."

The phoenix was directly in front of her again and leaning in towards her face while it made some animated gestures and sounds.

"well, it's difficult because we have to make this potion that is incredibly difficult with ingredients that are incredibly rare."

The phoenix cocked its head.

"What do you mean how rare? Like…rare. Well for instance, I need a pile of phoenix ashes."

The phoenix became incredibly eager now, hopping up and down flapping its wings and crying out.

"Really?" Alina listened avidly nodded periodically to show she understood. "Thank you! Oh, thank you!"

Alina called for Ginny over her shoulder. She came saddling up next to Alina, a happy smile still in place.

"What's all the fuss about?" Ginny asked.

"I was just talking to this very kind phoenix who has given me the information necessary to acquire a pile of very special ashes."

Ginny's brows rose, "really?"

"Apparently, they are all kept in their cages right here in the groundskeeper's hut. And it just so happens that one of the phoenixes is due for rebirth here any day now."

"That's amazing!" Ginny said shocked. "What do we have to do?"

"Well that's the downside." Alina frowned slightly. "You see this information wasn't so much given as it was bartered for."

"Bartered? You bartered for information with a phoenix?"

Alina hedged further, "Well apparently there is now something expected from us if we want to get permission to take the ashes."

Ginny frowned, "and what is that?"

"Well, apparently there are being taken care of by Hagrid who has a less than delicate touch. We would have to take over some of the duties."

"What kind of duties?" Ginny asked now directing her frown at the phoenix.

"Routine maintenance. Cleaning out cages, feeding, grooming etc etc etc." Alina sighed.

Ginny grumbled. "Great…and how long are we expected to do this for?"

Alina shrugged and looked at the phoenix who gave them a series of gestures that made both the girls roll their eyes.