Belle stood at the top of the hill where she just Apperated, glancing down at the tumble down manor. The manor was once probably very beautiful once, but now the ivy threatened to engulf the brick walls, the garden needed some desperate weeding, and the trim could use a fresh coat of paint. In all the time she had known Remus, he'd never mentioned where he lived, who his parents were, anything about his personal life. Belle felt like she was now privy to a long lost secret, looking down at the manor and knowing who would be inside it.
Belle fought a hard battle to come, and she'd almost backed out at the last minute. In the end, however, Voldemort's return to power took precedence over her broken heart. Belle placed a protection charm over the muggles once Harry had been safely deposited there. She had done a number of extra charms in order to protect him if she was somehow delayed. She'd packed and unpacked eight times. Those bloody animals she was forced to look after were now at one of the next door neighbors home. She'd waited as long as she could before finally coming here. She'd given Sirius Black and Fletcher plenty of time to arrive before her, not wanting to be alone with him, even for a moment. Belle couldn't control the way her heart pounded, the way her breathing escalated, the way her mind swam as she walked towards the house. Fortunately, it was still a bit of a walk, so maybe she could get her reactions restrained by the time she had to face her demon.
To get her mind off of Remus, Belle thought about Harry. She had heard what happened at the Tri-Wizard Tournament and hoped he was getting on alright. It was hard, playing her role when she had to watch him for the Dursleys. He always looked so alone that it was all Belle could do not to tell him what he was, who he was. She was never a part of James' and Sirius' crowd, being two years younger than they were, but she remembered how much in love James and Lily were. She almost had that kind of love herself….
Belle mentally shook her head, scowling at the path her mind took. She inhaled the fresh summer air and focused her mind on Harry again. Belle remembered that night his parents were killed. She remembered only because she was still in Godric's Hollow that day, hoping that Remus would….damn it Belle! Stopping dead in her tracks, Belle closed her eyes and took another long steadying breath. She was going to turn around and Disapperate back to Privet Drive if she couldn't get her mind off him.
Instead, she turned her mind towards the one subject guaranteed to get her mind off of him. Those infernal cats! Why in the name of Heaven did Dumbledore think she should have to take care of four of the mangy beasts she'd never know. Belle thought about the time one of them made her trip and break her leg. Aging Potion was a potion not to be trifled with, it would not only make one appear to be older, it would actually make the person be older, with all the complications that being old held. Belle's bones became fragile, wrinkles and brown spots popped up all over her body, the simplest tasks tired her out greatly and nothing was where it should have been. When she stopped taking the potion last week, it was almost as if she forgot what it was like to look and feel young. Well, if thirty-two was still considered young. Pausing her stride, Belle looked up.
She was there. Here. Standing right on his door stop. Up close the old manor house was even more damaged than it appeared to be. She had passed the sign that read Luneridge Manor, the sign itself hanging from one chain. Biting her lip, straightening her back, and taking a deep breath, Belle reached out her hand and knocked on the door.
**************
Remus didn't have to open the door to know she was there. That sixth sense of his, the one of a predator sensing its prey told him she'd be there. He'd dreamed of her again last night. Hell, he hadn't stopped dreaming of her ever since he got that damned letter. But the last dream was so hot, so sweet, so real.
Remus pretended not to notice how his hand trembled when he touched the doorknob, didn't want to acknowledge how his heart had increased its tempo. He slowly pulled the door wide and greeted the woman before him.
"Belle." He prayed she didn't hear how his voice suddenly turned husky.
"Re-Remus."
They stood there for minutes, each absorbing the physical changes that time had taken on the other. He looked somewhat older than he actually was, his hazel eyes seemed a bit darker than they once were. His hair was longer than it should be, the rich sandy-brown locks shot through with a streaks of gray. She was still beautiful, her silver hair neatly pulled back from her face in a tight bun that Professor McGonagall would have been proud of. Her eyes no longer held that spark of life Remus had adored so, their gray depths were tired and…was that a bit of fear he saw in her eyes? Probably. She had to have known what he was by now; it even made the Daily Prophet when he was dismissed from Hogwarts. He'd never told her, never wanted to see the fear that he knew she'd have, didn't want to hear her scream in terror as so many others had.
"Are you going to make her stand there all day, Moony, or do you invite her inside?" Remus flushed with embarrassment. Trust Sirius to make his presence known in an untimely manner. Glaring at his best friend, Remus stepped aside.
"I'm sorry, Belle. You remember Sirius Black don't you?"
Belle gave a small smile. "Of course. Hello, Sirius." Remus watched her give Sirius a brief hug and whisper something in his ear. Sirius grinned and returned the embrace. Sirius always had a way with women.
"How have you been?" Sirius asked, taking her hand and leading her into the kitchen. Remus frowned. She never even looked back at him, as if he was wearing an Invisibility Cloak. "Dumbledore told me you were working on an important assignment for him."
Remus' frown deepened. What the hell was Dumbledore thinking, sending her off on some dangerous assignment?
"Yes, I was surprised when I got his letter," Remus heard her reply in her throaty voice. Her voice wasn't normally that deep; it was like she hadn't used it in years. What the hell was going on?
He followed them into the kitchen, trying not to inhale too deeply of her sweet scent. It was just another part of being half-human, his senses were heightened by the wolf prowling around inside his body, waiting for the moon.
Just then another being appeared inside the kitchen. "Thought I'd heard a woman," Mundungus Fletcher said, coming in from outside. "Hello, Belle. Dumbledore mentioned you'd be here."
Belle smiled at Fletcher. "Hi, Fletcher. Still up at the Ministry?"
"What's left of it," Fletcher snorted. "The Minister's gone into denial, pretending everything's ok. Bunch of bullshit if you ask me, I think the old man's finally lost it after what happened at the Tournament and all."
Remus watched at they all made small talk, nothing too serious. It cut him to the core that Belle wouldn't even look at him, not even when he handed her the cup of tea he'd poured. She just muttered a thank-you and went on listening to Fletcher bitch about the goings-on at the Ministry, Sirius sitting next to her. Remus wanted to howl, scream, slap her, do anything that would bring her attention to him, anything that would tell him that she knew he was there. Damn her. Damn him for caring.
*****************
Belle feigned interest in whatever Fletcher was bitching about and quietly sipped her tea. She felt sick. She felt like screaming. It wasn't supposed to be this hard, not after all these years. She couldn't even look at him, knowing if she gave him the tiniest glance, she'd either burst into tears or throw herself at his feet, both highly detestable things to do. She was glad when Sirius interrupted them at the door, she was about to make a complete fool of herself. She hated the way her voice had quivered when she said his name, something she hadn't done in years.
Belle glanced at Sirius, who gave her a sly wink. It was amazing that after all he went through in Azkaban, that he could even crack a smile, let alone wink. He looked older than she remembered him to be. His face was paler, his eyes haunted.
"So, what have you been doing with yourself, Belle?" Sirius asked her when Fletcher finished his story.
Belle bit her lip. "Well, I've been working for Dumbledore. His assignment keeps me pretty busy."
"But all this time? What on earth could you've been doing?" Fletcher was curious.
Belle swallowed. "Well, I've been guarding something for him. It's pretty much a full time job."
The four of them sat there for a while, the silence becoming uncomfortable. Belle could feel the tension sparking between her and Remus, but there was nothing she could do about it. He wouldn't speak to her and she still couldn't bring herself to steal one small look in his direction. Fletcher finally went back out into the garden again and Sirius excused himself to go send a letter off to Harry. There were only two people left in the room.
**************
Remus had had enough. "Eventually, Belle, you are going to have to say something to me. You can't pretend I'm not here forever." His voice came out harsher than he intended.
He watched Belle sigh deeply, still staring down at the chipped tea cup. "I haven't figured out yet what to say to you, Remus."
"A simple hello would be a nice start."
Cool, steely gray eyes met his hazel ones. "Hello, then."
Remus clenched his teeth, fighting back the beast in him, wanting to force her up from that chair, kiss her, shake her, anything wipe that calm expression from her face. Didn't she know what he was? Why was she still here, alone with him?
Belle suddenly stood up, nearly knocking the chair over in her haste. "I'm going up stairs to rest. I trust you have a room for me?"
Her voice was like ice, freezing him where he sat. "Upstairs, last door on the right." His mother's room.
"Thank you."
She never made it to the door. The beast inside him broke free and stopped her before she had taken three steps in the direction of the stairs. He had her in his arms, lips pressed against hers, his tongue forcing her lips apart, dueling with her own. He had her pressed against the table, spilling tea all over the tablecloth. He couldn't think through the red haze that had taken over his brain, didn't hear her small intake of breath over the roaring in his ears. He turned feral, lips roaming down her neck, biting at the pulse beating at the base of her throat. He wanted to consume her, make her his at last, make it so he could never leave her. Remus was going to take her then and there against the table, slide deep into her soul as well as her body. There was nothing she could do to stop him.
She did. Two hands lightly pushed against his chest, branding him with her touch. The red haze cleared from his mind. Remus stood over her, panting, staring at her bruised lips, at her trembling body. Dear God, what had he done? His eyes traced down to where he'd bit her neck, the teeth marks still evident against her pale skin. He couldn't meet her eyes, didn't want to see the hatred and fear he knew would be there. Couldn't bear it seeing it; not from her.
"Go," he panted, his chest heaving with the effort to speak. "Go. Now. Leave!"
She stood there for a moment longer, waiting, then turn and ran like a frightened rabbit. Remus smashed the table into. How could he face her after that?
~~~~~~~~~~
A/N: I'm amazed at all the reviews I've received for just that first short chapter. I really want to stop and thank a few people here: Kelzry, GinnyPotter, w&m_law, Cho Chang Girl, ~*Ginny*~, Svolkame, Orca Potter, Zelda, wendybird, ronluver, college girl, noneya, Carrie, Cancer, another *~Ginny Potter~* (and so many others that I can't even name); pretty much the same people that I'm always seeing reviewing my stories. I always look forward to reading your reviews and I just wanted to give a big thank you! : ) hugs