Disclaimer: Just own the plot.

Review Responses:

Marilyn, My Bitterness – You feel sorry for the twins? They are minions of the devil! Well Sev probably thinks so anyway! Hope the update was quick enough to prevent the stalking! Thanks for the review!

BekaJWP – I didn't mind the film werewolf but it's really not how I saw it being. Thanks for reviewing!

Arafel2 – Thanks for the review!

Kira – I'm going off Molly after the fifth book, I loved her before that but I just thought the way she spoke to Sirius was way out of line! Also I think she worries about Harry sometimes at the neglect of some of her own children. Still I tried to make her nice in this story so I'm glad people like her, I do think she has a good nature and means well she just gets things wrong sometimes. Thanks for the review!

Junsui46319 – Remus is very persistent, he's going to have to be! Personally I think Ralph Fiennes is too conventionally attractive for Remus but I hear that a lot of people wanted him to play him. Thanks for the reviews!

Nightengale – I adore Remus! Severus too and I hate it when people alter his personality too drastically. Thanks for the review!

Dokuhebi – It will now go to chapter six! You haven't seen the third film? Oh you poor thing! Still, this way the anticipation will make it all the more exciting when you do see it! In the meantime here's chapter six! Thanks for reviewing!

Lady of Paranoia – I liked the moustache but so many seem not too! Ah well. I'm glad people are enjoying this so much! I was very pleasantly surprised by the amount of reviews for the last chapter! Thanks for adding me on to your favourites list and for reviewing!

Ilmare2 – I doubt Severus found the image of a werewolf's head on his knee very touching! lol! Poor man, but it does show how far they've come that it hasn't damaged their somewhat fragile friendship. Are we going to see an update for Sorrows of a Slytherin soon? Pretty please! Sorry to bug you but I adore that story! Thanks for the review!

aliciablack52 – I used to like Sev and Sirius actually, it was because of that scene at the end of GoF when they had to shake hands, but after the fifth book I went off the idea of those two. I too thought the werewolf would look like a large wolf but he does indeed stand on two feet in the film, but he runs on all fours I seem to remember. Thanks for the review!

Ellrohan – Is Sirius supposed to be taller than Severus? I didn't pick up on that, I wish Sev would be the tallest! It was a good film, just because we criticise it doesn't mean we don't love it eh! Thanks for the review!

Bonezz – mixed emotions are always fun to use in plots! Thanks for reviewing!

KittyKat589 – Thanks for the review, here's the update!

Vampire-Puppet – I've updated! Thanks for reviewing!

chimerical – Unfortunately I don't think we're going to see a Snape POV other than what you saw very briefly in the last chapter! The fic just took off from Remus' POV for some reason. You may be slightly disappointed on the RL/SS action front but I'll say no more about that for the moment. Thanks for the review!

A/N: 18 reviews since I posted the last chapter! Wow! Thanks! I'm very appreciative! Sorry if the update took a little long!

Shades of Grey

Remus' Thoughts

Emphasis

Chapter 6

Remus waited a couple of days before seeking Severus out again, thinking that the man could probably use some time to recover from the ordeal at the full moon. He flooed to Hogwarts and found his way to the man's private rooms, after receiving no answer at his office and a nasty jolt of magic when he had tried to unlock the door. This door however opened easily, Severus had clearly forgotten to lock it and as Remus knocked it swung open at his touch.

He quickly ascertained that Severus was not in the small kitchen/laboratory where dragon's liver resided next to the tea bags, or in the bathroom next door to the bedroom. Remus hesitated at the bedroom door. Ever since he had first glimpsed this room he had been wanting to enter it. At first it had been nothing more than curiosity as to what kind of a bedroom Severus Snape would have but now he had to admit there were certainly other considerations. He had knocked but received no answer. Shaking himself he resolutely pushed open the door, after all if Severus had been in there he would surely have responded to his knocking, Remus was just checking.

The door swung open, revealing that the room was by no means empty. Severus was asleep in a large four-poster bed, the deep green quilt pulled up to his chin, looking surprisingly peaceful. Remus smiled suddenly, it wasn't often he got to see Severus without a nasty look on his face and he couldn't ever remember seeing him looking so peaceful, so he took a moment to savour the experience before turning to leave.

Unfortunately the room was only dimly lit by the light from the main room and, in his haste to leave before Severus awoke, Remus walked straight into the door which had swung partially closed behind him. The noise of his elbow hitting it might not alone have been enough to wake Severus but the yelp of startled pain certainly did the trick.

Remus whirled to face the bed in time to see Severus' dark eyes snap open and him sit bolt upright, the quilt sliding down to his waist to reveal that Severus didn't seem to sleep in very much, at least not on his top half anyway.

"You!" Severus didn't seem too pleased to have woken to find Remus in his room, "What are you doing here?!"

Remus opened his mouth to answer but no words were forthcoming. Severus cast his eyes about the room searching for his wand. Remus noticed gratefully that it was on the far side from the bed, resting on a chest of drawers made from a dark wood.

"I was looking for you, I was bored and thought you might want some company or something," the flustered werewolf found his voice.

"I was asleep! That does not require your company, now get out of here!"

Remus paused momentarily and reflected on how much he wished that were not true.

"I'm surprised you haven't gone for your wand by now," Remus smirked, "Come on fair's fair, you got to see me in my underwear!"

Severus glared at the werewolf and suddenly it hit Remus, "Ok, you're not wearing anything under that quilt are you?"

"Get out!" Severus growled.

Remus nodded and intended to leave but found his feet uncooperative and realised he was leaning heavily against a cabinet. It seemed the idea of Severus' state of undress was having quite the effect on him.

"Are you just going to stand there?!" a faintly horrified note had crept into Severus' voice.

Remus forced himself to move and muttered, "Sorry Severus," before stumbling out of the bedroom door and out of Severus' rooms altogether.

Once outside he leaned heavily against the wall beside the doorframe. Oh my god! He's going to kill me once he's dressed. A wicked smile crept onto the werewolf's face, Oh but it was worth it! His mind was fixed on the image of Severus scantily clad in a sheet, his hair slightly tousled from sleep, his eyes angry and alive but overall looking oddly vulnerable and exposed. Literally exposed Remus had been very happy to note, Severus' slender, slightly muscled form had certainly been shown off to great effect.

He was jolted back to reality by the door opening to reveal Severus clad in a long black dressing gown, wand in his hand and a scowl settled on his features.

Somehow just the sight of the man made Remus fell unaccountably flustered. "Severus! Hi!"

The potions master glared at him.

"Please tell me you didn't come out here to kill me."

"Well that was the idea." Remus couldn't tell from the tone of voice exactly how serious Severus was but it was clear that he was not happy.

"Severus, I'm sorry! I shouldn't have gone in there like that."

"Well there's one thing we can agree on."

"How was I to know you'd be in bed in the middle of the day?!" Remus asked defensively.

"I'm sorry, I was tired, I spent all of last night awake and for the most part wishing I wasn't so I didn't think anyone would mind too much if I caught up on some sleep!" Severus snapped.

Remus fell quiet, "You were with them weren't you?"

"Yes, I was."

"Severus, I really am sorry. I didn't mean to...well I opened the door and walked in so obviously I meant to do that but I mean... I don't know what I mean...I..." Remus trailed off, damning his own incoherence in the face of Severus looking so tiredly attractive in just a dressing gown.

"Lupin shut up!" Severus snapped wearily. "Just forget about it."

"You're not going to kill me?"

"I've got better things to do."

"Right, well I really am sorry, you have no idea how sorry! Oh not that I didn't like what I saw, not that I did, well not that I didn't, not that I was looking..." Remus' horror at his own words was growing steadily by the moment and he was almost relieved to see Severus raise his wand and point it at him. At least if he kills me I can't sound any more stupid!

"If you don't shut up, I will make you shut up!" Severus spoke in a soft but definitely dangerous tone of voice.

"By killing me?"

"I had a silencing charm in mind but that's actually a good idea."

"I do have them every now and again. Just clearly not today," Remus added weakly.

"Clearly not," Severus agreed.

"So you wouldn't be interested in a game of chess...that's what I came round to ask you see...of course you don't want to play chess, you want to go back to sleep...I should go shouldn't I?"

"No, I don't want to play chess. Yes, I do want to go back to sleep. Yes, you should leave." Severus sounded like he was trying to explain things to a rather stupid child.

"I'm sorry."

Severus shook his head in quiet despair, "Forget about it! Just leave me to get some sleep."

"Right, will do. Goodnight, well good afternoon. Have a good sleep anyway!"

"Goodbye Lupin!"

Remus gave a nervous smile and set off up the corridor, striding away quickly before Severus could change his mind and kill him anyway.

XXXXXXX

Arriving back at Grimmauld Place Remus' thought patterns were an incoherent mess. The intensity of the feelings Severus was able to cause in him was getting more than a little intimidating and clearly trying to make some sort of rational sense was not possible when all he could see was Severus sitting half naked in bed.

He wandered into the kitchen for a calming cup of tea and found Tonks making one herself.

"Hiya Remus!" she greeted him cheerfully, "Can I get you a cuppa?"

"That'd be great!" He sat down heavily in a chair.

"You alright, you look a bit stressed."

"I'm fine."

"Ok. So, what you been up to?"

"Nothing!" Remus said a little too harshly, causing Tonks to give him an odd look.

"Alright," she said slowly before proceeding to tell him about whatever it was she had been doing. However it all simply washed over him without making any sense, his mind was simply elsewhere.

"Well, what do you think?" he suddenly heard her ask.

"That it was a very bad idea," he groaned.

"What?!" the young woman looked confused.

Remus looked up, "I'm sorry, what was the question?"

"I asked you what you thought Dung was up to with all those saucepans he keeps stealing, Molly's going mad trying to do the cooking."

"Right."

"What were you on about?"

"Nothing. I'm sorry Tonks I'm not really in the mood for conversation."

"Oh," the young woman looked rather downcast, "Ok, I'll just leave you to it."

Remus vaguely noted the disappointed look on her face and was about to call her back when he realised she had already gone and he didn't much want to speak to anyone anyway. He picked up the cup of tea she had left out for him and made his way slowly upstairs, dodging two random Order members, one Weasley twin and an irritatingly concerned Molly.

Safe in his room, Remus sipped gratefully at the scorching liquid and ran a hand through his hair in a flustered manner. What now? He was suddenly reminded of Severus making him tea, in what Remus suddenly realised had been a rather thoughtful gesture after that first Order meeting of the summer. They must have all noticed that he had not been handling Sirius' death very well but Severus had been the only one to actually help in any way, no matter how small the gesture.

He set the tea aside and leaned back in the overstuffed, battered armchair that had been moved up from downstairs because Molly claimed she couldn't stand the sight of it any longer. Remus suspected it was really because she thought he needed somewhere comfortable to sit to recover from the painful changes. He was both grateful and annoyed by this idea, he was tired of being treated as different simply because of his condition and the fact that it might in future be a lot more comfortable due to the changes to his potion drew his thoughts instantly back to Severus.

There was to be another Order meeting that night and the last thing he wanted to do was face Severus again and give himself the chance to look even more stupid. It was for this reason that when Molly Weasley told him the meeting would be starting soon and most people staying for a late dinner afterwards he complained of a headache and said he would be unable to join them. The woman seemed suspicious but left him to it without question, for which he was profoundly grateful.

XXXXXXX

The next few days brought no change to his condition of confusion, he had no desire to see Severus at present though he could not deny that he did miss the man and he certainly could not stop himself from thinking about him. At least once a day someone would comment that he didn't seem to be aware of what was going on around him and he consistently came out of his thoughts to find himself much behind the conversation. He was well aware that he was acting like an idiot and that avoiding Severus wouldn't help at all but he found he simply hadn't the courage to go and find him and, as the day of the next Order meeting arrived, he found he lacked the courage even to go down and sit in a room with the other man.

That evening he was sat desperately mulling over his options when a knock came at his bedroom door. "Yes!" he called irritably. Why couldn't they just leave him alone with his thoughts?

Tonks stuck her head around the door, "Are you not coming to the meeting? It's starting in a couple of minutes."

"I'm sorry Tonks I really don't feel up to it, can you make my excuses to Dumbledore?"

"Sure. Are you ok? You missed the one a couple of days ago as well, you might be coming down with something," she frowned in concern.

"I'll be fine, I just can't deal with that right now."

"Ok," she smiled sympathetically, "Want me to bring you some tea afterwards and catch you up on what happened at the meeting?"

"If you want to."

She nodded eagerly, "I'll be here."

He watched her leave feeling more than a little guilty. The young woman seemed to be getting rather too fond of him and he certainly didn't want to start giving her the wrong idea, not to mention the fact he was using her to lie to Dumbledore just because he didn't feel like facing Severus again yet.

It couldn't have been more than twenty minutes before he heard footsteps approaching his room from the other end of the corridor but it didn't sound like Tonks. There wasn't any crashing or swearing for starters but the tread was different too, more measured and definitely quieter. The footsteps stopped outside his door and he heard a knock.

"Come in," he called, standing in confusion and hoping that it wasn't Dumbledore coming to check if he was alright. He hated lying to the man, plus it seemed impossible, but talking about his feelings for Severus was simply not an option.

The door swung open and Remus' breath caught as he saw Severus stood in the doorframe holding a mug of tea. He put this down on the table, stepping inside without waiting to ask for permission, "Your adolescent admirer insisted I bring you this."

"Who?" Remus asked in confusion.

"Little miss clumsy, she's currently having her knee healed by Molly because she spilt boiling water from the kettle down her own leg while trying to pour the tea. With people like her on our side I always feel like we couldn't possibly lose this war."

"She's not that bad, she means well anyway and I can't help it if she's fallen for my winning personality," Remus attempted to smile.

Severus scowled, "You're old enough to be her father."

"Thanks for the reminder. Anyway, she's not my type."

"I doubt she's anybody's type, she's crazy and nigh on incompetent."

"Don't be mean Severus, she could be worse."

"Well she's currently giving Longbottom a run for his money in the clumsy stakes."

Remus smiled slightly.

"You don't look very ill. Don't think I'm complaining but you seem to have been avoiding me."

Remus shook his head, "I haven't been avoiding you."

"Remus you've missed the last two Order meetings, with pathetic excuses! So either you're a lazy bugger who enjoys having the neon haired idiot running round after him, you're avoiding me, or you've just decided to take some timeout to practice your howling at the moon in the middle of the day! Which one is it?"

"I'm sorry, I suppose I just felt a little awkward after what happened the other day. I thought you might be embarrassed or something."

"When have you ever cared about my being embarrassed?" Severus asked, sceptically.

"Well, alright I was embarrassed."

"Well you can't just skip Order meetings like this. Please do keep avoiding me, it makes a very nice change to be left alone, but there's only so long you can avoid these meetings for."

"You're right. I'm sorry."

"Don't apologise, I like things much better when you're not around. Anyway, I need to get going." Severus walked out without another world leaving Remus feeling more confused than ever. Why had Severus come to see him at all? He was quite sure that had Tonks chosen to send somebody with the tea she would not have asked Severus unless he were already going to see him anyway, the potions master seemed to intimidate her greatly.

Not that there are many people Severus doesn't intimidate. Maybe, just maybe this was his way of saying he wanted me to stop avoiding him? Who knows? Remus slumped into a chair and decided that sooner or later he'd have to test that theory.

XXXXXXX

Sorry for any Tonks bashing there, I actually really like her I just don't see her and Severus hitting it off, particularly not with her seeming interested in Remus.

Next chapter Remus tests his theory and a stroll is taken through the forbidden forest.

Oh the next chapter is also the second to last in the story.