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So. There are over 230 reviews on Dalliance atm...LIke. WHAT. That's almost more than my Sirimione (Time Travel? Piece of Cake.) Just omg. I'm just stunned. Honestly I am. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
Okay everyone. I warn you. There's some...fun in this chapter (I had to pause whilst writing okay, and take a moment, that should be a clue). You've been WARNED.
Everyone's reactions to Dorea being the badass she is, and looking forward to how Regulus is going to fit into the story now have about made my week. Really. My year. You've all been so lovely and it's made me indescribably happy.
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Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling, and only the story line and any OC's belong to me.
As always for Sable and Lais xxx I love you. Your reviews give me life. HENNY AND WORTHFULL. YOUR REVIEWS THOUGH. This chapter is for Caleb, Henny and Worthfull as well cause I just can't WAIT to see their reactions.
Saturday, March 10th, 1979
Remus Lupin's Birthday
Potter Manor
Time had passed quickly since the golden trio had arrived. Yet simultaneously it also somehow seemed like an eternity.
Once or twice the trio had forgotten to put silencing charms on whoever's room they were sharing on that particular night and the other occupants in the Manor had rushed to the source of the screaming that rebounded and sprung about the corridors, hallways and rooms.
Hermione spent most of her days with Lily and Dorea making plans and learning more about their dimension; she was trying to ascertain where the similarities ended and where the differences between their dimensions began.
Harry and Ron spent their time out in the Orchards, flying or simply lazing the days away. When James, Sirius and Remus weren't on missions for the Order they would join them.
Just a few days ago Lily had been relaxing on a lounge chair in the Sun room, soaking up all the sunlight that she could, and Harry had gone in the room in search of some solace. She had grinned at him and patted the chair, Harry had hesitated before joining her. Lily pulled him back until his head was resting on her shoulder and he was settled between her legs. She had stroked his hair and they had had a lovely conversation about things that they liked.
James had found them both slumbering a few hours later and couldn't help the smile that spread across his face.
Charlus spent less and less time at the Ministry-where he worked as an Unspeakable-Voldemort's men had infiltrated the Ministry and one never knew who you could trust these days, especially amongst people that dealt with keeping secrets for a living. So to occupy himself he spent more and more time out in the gardens tending to his plants, and at home with his family.
Remus wished he could have seen more of Hermione in the last few weeks, but Dumbledore had been assigning him multiple stakeout missions as of late-which meant he was only coming and going from the Manor for the most part these days.
Last night he had trudged into the Manor, knackered and covered in a couple days worth of grime. He had barely had enough energy to shower. So he had tiredly crossed his room from his bathroom, rubbing his damp hair with a big, white fluffy towel, crawling onto his bed and passing out as soon as his head hit his pillow, the towel discarded on the floor beside his bed. He hadn't even bothered to pull on any clothes.
Which is why he is currently in a slightly uncomfortable situation.
"I'm sorry! I thought I would just come and wish you happy birthday early!" Hermione stammers, backing him now, hands holding her red face-the blush is creeping up all the way to her ears.
Remus is partially horrified that he just flashed Hermione everything, but can't help the small smile that touches his face as he climbs off of the bed to the far side of the room, he pads over the cupboard, reaching in and grabbing a pair of navy blue boxers.
Remus quickly puts one foot in after the other and pulls them up so they are on his hips-riding a little low, but everything is now covered.
He's smiling because her eyes lingered, and before she had been riddled with embarrassment he saw her bite her lip. It's been an almost playful dance, neither of them has said anything or done anything yet, but part of Remus just knows that something is bound to happen eventually. It could be all in his imagination though, which is why he's waiting for her to make the first move.
"Are you decent now?"
"Decent enough, yea," Remus smirks, crossing his arms over his chest and playing with his lip ring unconsciously as Hermione turns around slowly.
"M-Mipsy made a cake, and I volunteered to come and get you...do you want to put on anything else or are you going to go downstairs like that?" Hermione asks, her eyes skyward, her fingers fiddling with the bottom of her oversized white jumper-it was one of his coincidentally, she had borrowed it on a cold night they had spent together in the library a couple weeks back.
"Is there something wrong with how I'm dressed now?" Remus asks teasingly, walking around the bed, letting his arms fall to his sides-swinging gently as he walks-and he stops directly in front of her, right into her line of sight.
"Remus Lupin," Hermione says softly, his name just sounds so right falling off of her tongue and her eyes flutter half closed.
"Hermione Granger."
"I think we both know the answer to that question," Hermione breathes, and he can hear her heartbeat quicken and it takes everything in him in that moment not to pull her flush against him and claim her lips-her plump, pink lips that are slightly swollen from her always gnawing on them. How he wants to gnaw on them for her.
"Really? I don't think I do-" Remus leans a bit closer to her, their faces inches apart and close enough for him to see all the small details in her eyes, her thick eyelashes and how her bottom lip is trembling. However, just as he thinks he may do something about that, the door bursts open, and with it comes one very rambunctious raven haired wizard.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOONY!" Sirius freezes in the doorway when he sees how close Hermione and Remus are. Remus straightens up, glaring at his best mate over Hermione's head. Sirius looks genuinely sorry and unsure what he's meant to do, and it certainly doesn't help that he has exploding poppers gathered in his hand.
Exploding poppers are an invention they came up with in the middle of their Sixth year, one throws them up into the air and says a small incantation and they explode-raining confetti, glitter and occasionally small candies.
"Thanks, Pads," Remus smiles tightly, cursing mentally as Hermione takes that moment to scurry out of the room, glancing quickly over her shoulder at him before leaving.
"Sorry," Sirius says sheepishly.
"You're in here because you feel awkward with Regulus downstairs, right?" Remus raises a knowing eyebrow.
Sirius groans, slumping against the doorframe. He's wearing a pair of cotton black pyjama pants and nothing else. His inked chest is on full display; his tattoos seem to breathe and feel how troubled their owner is by how subdued and little they are moving as opposed to normal.
Sirius rubs his eyes with the back of his hand and then looks at Remus, looking lost and a touch dazed.
"I don't know how to act around him. We spent most of our adolescent life living vastly different lives...we didn't interact much at home...when I ran away a couple years ago, all communication we had-what little it was at the time-ceased."
Remus sighs, he remembers how troubled Sirius was after their first year when Regulus had been instructed by their Mother not to talk to Sirius during the summer break. James had invited Sirius to stay at Potter Manor during Christmas and they had all stayed at school during the Easter break. It had broken Sirius's heart and Remus doesn't think that Sirius has ever actually faced his emotions and feelings concerning his brother.
"Well. He's downstairs and he's probably feeling out of place and alone. He's surrounded by people he doesn't know in a foreign place."
Sirius sighs softly, blinking hard before he straightens up, tucking the poppers into his pyjama pants pockets. "You're right...as per usual," Sirius smiles wryly, and he strides over to Remus, pulling him in for a quick hug. "Happy birthday, Moony."
"Thanks, mate-" Remus laughs lightly, clapping Sirius on the back, "-I heard Mipsy made a cake, is it-"
"Chocolate? Of course, mate," Sirius laughs heartily and starts for the door. Remus feels a twinge of pain in his shoulder and a wave of nausea hits him like a ton of bricks.
Remus stops harshly and has to put a hand on the wall to his left. The smile on Sirius's face dies instantly.
"Moony? Remus! Remus!" Sirius is shouting and hurrying towards him, but he sounds so far away, like Remus is submerged under water and all of his senses are failing him. He's taken his daily dose of Wolfsbane so far for the week, so why are the symptoms so horrid? There's three more days until the Full Moon, three.
His legs wobble like jelly and then he's falling. Falling. Falling. Falling. Vision cloudy like he's looking through a grimy, translucent piece of plastic. His head is spinning and Sirius's features distort and twist strangely. It feels as if he's floating but at the same time as if the weight of the ocean is pressing down on his chest.
Agony. He hasn't felt this bad in the week before the Full Moon since he was going through growth spurts a few years back.
Then caramel and vanilla fills his senses, and he can sense her. Her mere presence cuts through the pain and somehow makes it so it isn't as excruciating. He feels her lift his head into her lap and then she's stroking his hair and making soothing noises. It's the last thing he hears before everything fades away.
