Thank you to Kaydeek, Dracula5555 and songelf88 for reading and reviewing. Double thanks go out to ImRunN2 for being my totally awesome beta reader...I feel special now! Flames=Roasted Ms. Lunn (my principal)
The next morning, almost everyone was a little sore from Twister the night before. Ron was walking like an old man, and Hermione thought her back was going to collapse. Ginny seemed to be perfectly fine, but Harry was really feeling it in his legs. The three "walking wounded" were disgusted to see Remus, whistling cheerfully as he cooked breakfast."Good morning, everyone!" he said pleasantly as he served the waffles, sausage, and juice.
"Ugh." Harry grunted.
"Double Ugh." Ron added.
"Hi Remus." Ginny offered.
"Good morning, principe guapo." Hermione yawned.
"Did Twister do some wacky things to you guys?" he asked sympathetically. "Yeah...did a number on my legs!" Harry complained.
"Back and legs here!" Ron whined.
"Just my back." Hermione said.
"Nothing wrong with me." Ginny muttered. She was rewarded with a three-way death glare.
"Well, I'm fine too, Ginny. Perhaps after breakfast I can go get some muscle rub and we can take care of our pretzels. Care for a ride on the motorcycle sooner than expected?"
"Sure!" Ginny said excitedly. "I've always wanted to ride on one!"
Remus chuckled as he sat at the table and began to eat his own breakfast. "Just don't tell your mother...I can hear her now. Remus Lupin, what were you thinking! Those machines are dangerous, and I can't believe you even let Ginny catch sight of it!" he pantomimed in an uncanny imitation of Mrs. Weasley's voice. He was relieved when everyone laughed, including Ron and Ginny.
"Yeah, she would say something like that." The older boy said.
"Not too bad. The best things that's happened has been actually beginning something with Harry."
Remus chuckled. "He's a good kid, who's had a lot of really crappy things happen to him. I can already see that you're good for him, Gin."
She blushed, and replied, "Well, you've been good for 'Mione. She doesn't really stress about the future anymore. She says that no matter what else may happen, she knows she's got you."
"She's been good for me too...did she ever tell you why she was gone the first few days before school started?"
Ginny shook her head no. "All she would tell me was that you needed her help, but she couldn't say anymore because it would be like betraying your trust. I'm not trying to be nosy or anything, but Snape was saying something about how even he disliked freak shows to her one day at school."
"Severus is quite astute. I was captured by Lady Alyssa." He smiled wryly at her gasp. "I see even you've heard of her."
"Dad hates her." Ginny said, almost in awe. "She's not a very pleasant lady, but with Hermione's help, I was able to testify at her trial and make sure that she paid. I'm one of three people that have survived and live to tell the tale."
"Is that where the scar on your arm is from?" the younger girl asked.
"Yes. She had a nice silver knife and threatened me when I wouldn't perform like she wanted. It burned like fury, and usually I heal pretty well from wounds, but silver leaves permanent scars."
"I hate her." Ginny said suddenly as they paid for the items and left the store. "Why?" he asked as they climbed onto the motorcycle.
"Because you're a good person and you don't deserve to be hurt like that." She mumbled as she hung on to him. Tears stung his eyes as they went home, and they had nothing to do with the wind.
"Yeah...three invalids!" Harry called back.
While Ginny distributed various chocolates and treats, Remus pulled out the muscle rub. "What's that stuff?" Ron asked.
"Stuff to make your muscles less sore. Roll onto your stomach and pull your shirt, Hermione." Ron and Harry looked at one another with wide eyes. "Oh grow up, you too. It's just someone's back. Besides Harry, Ginny is going to massage your legs for you."
"I'm getting out of here!" Ron announced and made his slow way up the stairs. "Call me when the rub orgy is over!"
The girls vowed to get him for that while Remus replied, "I guess that'll be a few hours!" Both Hermione and Ginny threw pillows at him, but he beat them down and grinned. "Roll over, my dear." He said in a low voice as Ginny set to work on her boyfriend's sore legs.
Against her better judgment, Hermione rolled over and allowed him to hike her shirt up a little. He began to massage her back, and she moaned. His hands felt heavenly, and the things he was doing to her sore muscles made her want to stand up and begin singing the "Hallelujah!" chorus from the Messiah. Slowly, her eyes began to close, and she fell asleep.
Hermione awoke to find her face nestled in the crook of someone's neck. She inhaled deeply and recognized the cologne. She must have fallen asleep during Remus's amazing back massage. He had come up on the couch with her and had fallen asleep as well. His arms were tightly around her, and she smiled to herself. Reaching up her hand, she began to trace the lines in his face. "What are you doing?" a husky voice asked suddenly."Just memorizing your face...I didn't know that you were awake." She stuttered. "I don't mind. Memorize away!"
She laughed tenderly and her hands began to move over his face again. "Are you people done yet? It's been 3 bloody hours!" an agitated Ron yelled down the stairs.
"Just give us a moment to get decent!" Ginny replied.
"Ginny!" Hermione shrieked, scandalized. She winked at her friend and waited. A rapid clomping was heard, and then Ron showed up in the living room.
"Gotcha!" she laughed.
"Gin, that wasn't funny! I though I was going to have to kill Remus and Harry!" he complained.
Remus and Hermione looked at one another. "Um Ron? You might have to kill Remus anyway..." Hermione said. It took a moment for the boy to process this. "Oh, gross! You did NOT need to say that! That's just so...WRONG!"
"I knew it! Harry yelled triumphantly. "I bet it happened a few months ago, when he came to visit you at Hogwarts, didn't it? I wondered where you went after dinner in such a hurry, and when Ginny said you didn't come back to the dormitory that night, I figured that Remus was there somewhere, and...well, I guess we know for sure!"
"Sometimes you are too smart for your own good, Harry James Potter." She sighed.
"I agree, amor. I think this boy knows too much..." Remus pronounced with a very evil smile.
"Oh no." Harry groaned. He tried to get up and run away, but Remus caught him quickly and neatly had him in another Loony Lupin Lock hold. "I swear not to tell a living soul!" Harry squeaked from under the werewolf's arm.
"Good...if you do, you know the punishment!" he replied, releasing Harry.
"Christmas is tomorrow already!" Ginny cried. Everyone sat silently for a moment, taking this in.
"I'd better get cooking tonight! The desserts take longer than the actual meal." Remus mused.
"I still have some gifts to wrap. Come on, 'Mione. You can help me." Harry said. "Why can't I help?" Ron complained. "Because a few of them are yours, ding dong!" Harry replied, rolling his eyes.
"Oh...I see." He said.
As he walked into the kitchen to begin preparing the food, Remus began whistling a tune to himself. Hermione, who was going up the stairs with Harry, was amused to hear that it was "Christmastime Is Here".