Chapter 3

Lika woke with a languid stretch and yawned loudly. She felt the sheets rub her bare thighs and looked down to find herself in a nightshirt that wasn't hers. She gazed around confused until her eyes came upon the bouquet of flowers lying next to her. She smiled and deeply inhaled their sweet aroma. She shifted to her side and spied the note lying on the pillow. Her stomach leapt with anticipation as she opened it.

Dearest Lika,

You looked so angelic sleeping I just couldn't bear to wake you. I hope you'll forgive me for coming into your home uninvited. I was concerned with your safety and wanted to make sure you were ok. I put you in my pajama top (don't worry, I used magic) to make you a little more comfortable. I did not want to further intrude by going through your things looking for a gown. Will you please meet me in front of the Three Broomsticks at midnight? I have something I want to show you and something I wish to tell you. I eagerly await your owl.

Unsure how to sign,

Remus

Lika smiled excitedly as she wondered what he wanted to tell her, normally her Inner Eye knew these things but Remus Lupin was a very hard man to read. She grabbed a piece of parchment and a quill from her bedside table and scribbled a reply.

She got out of bed and went to find Gin, her owl, so she could deliver the letter. She coaxed the snowy owl off her perch and tied the note to her leg. "Take this next door to Remus." She said. The owl took off and had just reached the window when Lika cried "Gin wait." Ruffling her feathers indignantly Gin swooped back down. Lika pulled Remus' nightshirt over her head and said "Sorry. Please take this to him also." The owl nipped her finger affectionately and flew out the window.

Lika became lost in thought as envisioned what Remus could possibly have planned. I should tell him tonight about me. If he wants to get involved he needs to know, not that I'm assuming he wants to get involved. What if he doesn't want to get involved? What if he disapproves of me? I don't I can handle another Anti-Seer. With the chilly morning air drifting in through the open window Lika's nipples had pebbled causing her to come out of her nervous revere. He's not like anyone I've ever known. He won't hurt me. She turned and headed to the shower unable to prevent her smile.

Remus was pouring himself some cereal when the snowy owl flew in the window. She landed on the breakfast nook gently and Remus noticed the pajama top he had dressed Lika in was the bird's claws. He took it and offered the owl some dried cereal, which it accepted while hooting gleefully before sticking out it's leg. Remus saw the parchment tied there and removed it as well and with that the owl took off. His heart pounded in his chest as he read the letter.

Sweet Remus,

Thank you very much for tending to me last night. Again. I can't help but wonder if you are this kind to everyone. I appreciate your hospitality so much and the beautiful flowers made my day. I have something I need to talk to you about also, so I'll meet you at midnight. As for how to sign a letter, you should always go with what your heart tells you. So in my case I must sign

Yours with her heart bursting at the thought of seeing you,

Lika

Remus wanted to yell with excitement but managed to tamp down the urge. She wanted to meet him tonight and her heart was bursting because of him, he thought happily. Life was good, except for one thing. The thing he was going to tell her tonight. He just hoped her heart didn't deflate after he told her. Fingering the material of the pajama top he idly considered the worst case scenarios. He could feel her heat radiating from the nightshirt and brought it to his nose to inhale her sweetness deeply and he knew he'd never be able to wear it again. She's different. She won't hurt you. Look how upset she was the first day you met her. She was passionately livid.

The day seemed to drag on endlessly for Lika. She tried to keep herself busy creating lesson plans for the coming school year but found her attention kept straying to Remus. She pictured his handsome face clearly in her mind, his beautiful smile so full of warmth, his gray eyes so full of sparkle yet so troubled at the same time, and then his unruly tawny hair. She loved how it fell over his eye, it made him look so sexy. He really was built well also, tall and leanly muscled. She liked how he made her feel delicate and cared for without being imposing and overbearing. She longed to feel his strong arms around her again and had to control the fresh wave of excitement at seeing him again.

Remus decided to work outside in the garden to finish the degnoming. Partly hoping to catch a glimpse of Lika, partly trying to work off his pent up sexual frustrations. He couldn't remember ever feeling like his stomach was tied in knots but every time he thought of her that's exactly what happened. Finally darkness fell and headed inside to prepare his surprise and shower the sweat off his sticky body.

Lika headed into the bathroom to get ready for her date. She fussed over her hair and make up until she was satisfied; then she headed to her bedroom to pick out which robes to wear. She pulled out her spring green set and tried them on. Surveying herself in the mirror she decided she looked very pretty indeed. The light green emphasized her eyes and made her pale skin look flawless. With one last look she set off for the Three Broomsticks.

Remus waited for her patiently in front of the café. When he finally caught sight of her coming up the road his breath caught in his chest. She's absolutely stunning, he thought. She was smiling happily at the sight of him and he returned it broadly as she stopped in front of him. Her eyes were positively glowing as the moonlight reflected in them.

"Hi" He said, suddenly feeling nervous.

"Hello" she replied, just as nervously.

Remus swallowed hard in his throat as he found himself reaching for her hand. He brought it to his lips to brush a soft kiss to her palm and watched her eyes drift shut. "Are you ready?" He asked. Lika nodded and he wrapped his arms around her and Apparated.

When they reached the grassy area he didn't release her right away but instead told her "Keep your eyes closed. Don't open them until I say to." She smiled and nodded.

Lika's heart was pounding so loudly she was sure Remus could hear it. She was so curious as to what he was doing she felt she was going to burst. She knew she was standing outside on the soft earth and could hear him moving around unloading something. Finally she felt him grab her hand, turn her around and pull her forward.

"Ok Lika. Open your eyes." He said near her ear causing her to shudder.

She opened her eyes and squealed delightedly as she was presented with a night skyline view of Hogsmeade. She looked up at the dark sky and saw all the stars twinkling merrily above them. Then she turned around to look behind her and saw what Remus had been fussing with. Spread out before her was an extravagant picnic complete with candles.

"Oh Remus." She said happily as she dropped to her knees, tugging him down with her so they could settle on the soft blanket. "This is wonderful. Thank you."

"You're welcome." He said as he blushed deeply.

Settling down beside her on the blanket he grabbed a plate and handed it to her before grabbing his. They talked about everything and nothing until they lapsed into a companionable silence for a while. Remus was trying figure out the best way to bring up his subject. He couldn't just drop it on her.

"So what are you?" He asked.

Lika choked slightly as she looked up in surprise. How can he know, she thought before she said "Pardon me?"

"Are you muggle-born, half-blood, or pure blood? I'm half blood myself. My dad was a muggle and my mom was a witch. He was quite shocked when he found out."

Lika relaxed as she said "Oh. I'm muggle-born. First witch in my family. That we know about anyway."

He smiled at her. Some wizards would think less of her but he had never been one to buy into that crap; the only way to judge a wizard was on their abilities. Remus watched her slowly clean her fingers and found himself fascinated. He watched her pink tongue slip out to lick her full lips and fingertips and tried hard not to groan as he thought about her licking other things.

Lika knew he was watching her and looked up into his intense gaze, knowing at once he was very turned on. She set her plate off to the side and rose to her knees to scoot closer. Stopping directly in front of him Lika reached for his hand which she brought to rest above her breast so he could feel her heart beating wildly beneath his fingers.

"Do you feel that?" She asked him quietly, waiting for his nod. When he did she continued "That's what you do to me."

Remus looked at her with a fervor he'd never known and pulled her roughly to him causing her to topple onto his chest but only for a moment before rolling her under him. He gazed into her eyes and saw nothing but arousal and he crushed his mouth to hers. He kissed her with an unrestrained passion and found her to be most receptive. He thrust his tongue into her mouth like a drowning man for land and wrapped his hands in the silkiness of her hair. Breaking the kiss he moved his attentions to her sensitive neck and tugged her hair gently so she would tip her head back to allow him better access.

Lika was going out of her mind with want. Her breathing was ragged and she was writhing beneath him. Her hands, which were caressing her own breasts, reached up to grab his as she said "Remus for Merlin's sake, touch me." She pressed his hand against her abdomen and arched her back but she felt him recoil from her instead. I was too brazen and demanding, she thought while mentally kicking herself for scaring him away.

Remus heard her voice through the fog in his brain and withdrew. What the hell am I doing? Does this look like talking? He backed away and his chest constricted as he saw her wanton expression. "Lika, please don't look at me like that. Believe that I didn't want to stop either but there is much to say and I can't think with you so close."

She was torn between pride at his compliment and irritation that he stopped. So she instead she spoke calmly. "What is it you need to say Remus?"

She saw him waging an internal war with himself and decided to make it easier on him.

Lika stood up and offered her hand for him to stand as well. She braced herself then said. "Give me your hands please." He looked at her closely for a moment but she continued. "Remus do you trust me?" He nodded and gave her his hands without another moment of hesitation. She held both of her hands to his, so they were palm to palm as she spoke slowly in her most soothing voice.

"Remus. I want you to relax your mind. I want you to close your eyes and think of nothing but what you wanted to tell me. I want you to know I will not judge you or think any less of you for what it is. Do you understand me?" She said and saw him nod. "Good. Now envision that you have just told me what it is. Picture your ideal reaction from me. What am I doing? How do I look? Do you see these things?" Again he nodded. "Excellent. Now when I release your hands I want you to look me in the eye and tell me what it is you want to say. I promise you I will react with how you envisioned. Do you understand this?" He nodded for a third time and again she spoke "Good. I'm going to let go now and you will be secure in the knowledge that nothing bad will come from it." With that she dropped his hands.

His eyes popped open instantly at the loss of contact and suddenly he knew everything was going to be ok. Lika wasn't going to judge him. She liked him for him so he looked her squarely in the eyes and picked her hand back up before speaking.

"I'm a werewolf and I have been since age 5." He said.

Well that explains the feeling of something bursting out of me the first time he touched me. Poor Remus. Having to go through that pain once a month. She squeezed his hand and pulled him to her for a hug. He dropped to his knees and pressed his cheek against her belly as he wrapped his arms around her waist. She idly ran her fingers through the softness of his hair.

"It's ok Remus. It doesn't matter to me. I like you just as you are. I can deal with it. It's only three days a month. It must be painful for you." She said as she felt his emotions spilling into her. She continued stroking his hair with one hand while the other caressed his shoulder and neck.

Remus kneeled there and just let her pour her sunshine into him. It felt good to let her take care of him. The feel of her fingers in his hair was settling to his troubled soul and he wanted to bask there forever with Lika, yet he wondered how she knew the way he wanted her to react. He shifted to the ground and looked at her standing over him. Grabbing her hand he pulled her to the ground behind him.

Lika knew what he wanted. Now that he had opened up to her, he was like an open book. She sat down cross legged, leaned against the tree and tugged his head gently to her lap where she began toying with his hair again. Lying on his back he looked up at her and said "Wasn't there something you wanted to tell me?"

Lika looked down at him and smiled mysteriously. "Yes, there is. Remus, I'm a Seer. I possess the Inner Eye." She braced herself for the verbal attack but none came.

"Ahhh. That explains a lot. You're very intuitive Lika. I've never met anyone like you. What does it feel like?" he asked curiously.

"I've never been asked that before." She said honestly.

Remus shifted positions so he lay down on his side. He tugged her down next to him and with his wand conjured a couple of pillows to rest their heads on. He grasped her hand firmly and said "Well I'm asking you now. What does it feel like. Always having other peoples emotions intruding on yours. "

"It takes getting used to. When I first learned about being a Seer I thought I was going crazy. Now I have it pretty much under control. My main thing is touching. When someone touches my hands I feel things. The first time someone touches me I see their negative memories in my head and I feel the emotions they felt at that time."

"Is that what happened that first day we met?" he asked guiltily.

"Yes, but you didn't know so don't feel bad." she said reading his thoughts.

"I'm sorry Lika." he replied as he pressed her palm to his lips.

"Don't be."

"So what kind of things do you feel when someone touches you?" He asked.

"It depends on who is touching me and in what manner. Most of the time with just a regular incidents I only catch the negative thoughts." she said looking him in the eyes as she continued "if I'm with a lover I feel nothing but happiness and care. When I receive a kiss something takes a hold of me. My palms are especially sensitive, as you might have noticed earlier when I was working on you. When I receive a kiss to my palm it's like a kiss to my soul. It feels wonderful."

Remus again brushed a kiss to her palm and watched her eyes drift close as she visibly shuddered. He felt jealousy surge through him as he thought of other men kissing her soul. Her previous lovers are not my business.

"Does it always feel like that?" he asked curiously before he could stop himself.

"I don't know. I haven't had a lover before." She said as her eyes bore into his. She could read the happiness in his gaze.

"Why not?" he asked incredulously.

She blushed hotly at this. How to explain. "Men don't think about me like that." she said flatly before changing subjects. "So tell me about becoming a werewolf. It's awful it happened to you so young."

Remus lay there telling her about how he got bit, how he had learned to live with it, the transformation process, and even about the Wolfsbane potion he used to control it. Lika lay there listening to him, squeezing his hand periodically in a show of support. She even found her eyes tear a couple of times but he promptly kissed them away. When he was done speaking they lay there with their arms wrapped around each other as the silence washed over them, each of them lost in thought about the other, yet both thinking the same thing. They both felt as if they'd struck gold in the dating department. Twenty minutes later Remus could tell Lika had fallen asleep. Her even breathing against his neck told him it would be easier to just stay here so he conjured a blanket over them and snuggled her closer to him and let sleep take him over also.