Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters.

A/N: Thank you for all the reviews. Yes, Corbett is over protective, but there is a reason for that. It will be revealed soon, maybe even in this chapter; you just have to read to find out. I know this is a short A/N as apposed to my more recent ones but I really just wanted to get right into this chapter. It is longer than the last one. So here we go.

Chapter 8 – 'We Aren't Really Alone'

I awoke the next day as the sun beamed through the small window of my room. I blinked the sleep out of my eyes and sat up. I had a wonderful dream that night that was most likely brought on by the events of the evening before hand. I grabbed a towel and a robe and made my way to the bathroom to shower and get ready for the day ahead. I hoped I would see Remus that day and he would kiss me again. I really was growing accustomed to everything about his kiss. I loved the way he held me when he kissed me, as if he was trying to save me from something, but I had no idea what. His lips were so soft against mine and the way his breathing quickened and I could hear it over my own rapid breaths. I especially loved that nights kiss. I loved the way his hand graced my cheek, his hand was so soft and beautifully sculpted and I marveled at how he could ever think that my small ink stained hands were so beautiful in his eyes. I loved how carnal the kiss we shared that night was. I loved feeling him so close to me; holding me as if he never wanted to let me go. I loved the way he traced my lips softly with his tongue and I loved the way he showed no inhibition with that kiss. I wanted every kiss we shared to be like that.

I finished my shower and got dressed. I walked back into my room and went to my mirror to fix my hair. "Well, don't we look chipper this morning. Must have something to do with that man you left with last night," I rolled my eyes as the mirror spoke. I really did hate enchanted mirrors. As I finished in the mirror I heard a knock at my door.

"Now, who could that be?" I said aloud as I walked to the door and opened it just a crack. I knew it couldn't have been Tom because after I had huffed at him the day that Remus had first kissed me he still was nice to me he had just stopped coming to my room to see if I wanted anything to eat. My face lit up with surprise as I realized who this raven haired woman standing in the hallway must be. My theory was confirmed at the appearance of Corbett.

"Well, stop just gawking at us through a crack in the door and let us in," his voice rang out cheerfully. I stepped back and allowed the woman to enter followed by Corbett. "Thank you, sis. Now, then, this is Brenna. Brenna this is my sister Iola," he introduced me to this woman who was an exquisite beauty if I had ever seen one.

"Nice to meet you, Brenna," I said holding out my hand to shake hers. She took my hand in hers and shook it as she smiled at me before releasing it, turning to Corbett, and whispering something to him. "Excuse me, is there something I am missing here?" I asked as Corbett laughed lightly.

"No, there is nothing you are missing. I wanted to ask you a question though. Was that man who came here last night your date?" he stood there with Brenna at his side. I was surprised that he would bring something like that up when I had just met this girl.

"Yes, but I will not answer another question that you ask me about last night," I said crossing my arms in front of me. "Now what is it you had in mind for today?"

"Well, I figured we could just take in the sites of the alley. It is not very often that I come here and Brenna has not been here since she was seventeen," he said. Brenna had still not spoken to me and the smile tugged at her curved lips was beginning to annoy me. She had the look of someone I might write about. She was slender but very curvaceous and her eyes were a glowing emerald colour. They reminded me slightly of Crispin's eyes but they had a very different quality to them. She only stood about five and a half feet tall but was still taller than I was. Her raven coloured hair seemed to shimmer as it fell down her back, even though not much light entered the room. I admit her beauty was beyond compare and I could tell she knew that she was beautiful by that smug smirk on her face. For some reason that smile made me want to slap her across the face.

"That sounds fine, Corbett," I said forcing a smile as another knock came from the door. I turned and let out a silent sigh trying to shake off some of the annoyance that Brenna was causing me. I opened the door only slightly and squeezed through the small opening I had made to see who was in the hall without letting Corbett know who it was. I was not about to sit around and catch a barrage of questions from my brother because someone knocked on the wrong door or something of that nature. I was not however greeted by a wayward traveler, but instead by Remus who pressed his lips against mine gently and took me into his arms. I had only just realized that it was him a split second before this contact began and had tensed up instinctively before relaxing in his embrace.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled myself into him; forgetting that not only were we in the hallway, but that my brother and his soon to be fiancée were on the other side of the door. I have no idea how long the kiss lasted because in my mind time stopped and nothing existed except for us. I did think that the kiss was entirely to short though when he broke away from me and looked into my eyes. His looked like they concealed a fire inside of soft amber glass. I had never seen anyone's eyes look like that let alone his. He leaned down to me again and kissed me quickly. "I couldn't wait to see you again," he whispered in my ear, his voice sounding almost like a growl, before he kissed me on the neck.

Suddenly the door was pulled open and Corbett's voice rang in my ears. "Iola!" was all he said. It was all he had to say. I broke away from Remus quickly and turned around timidly.

"Yes, Corbett," I said in an airy voice.

"What are you doing?" his voice was strained as he spoke through clenched teeth.

"Nothing that you need worry about," I said in that same airy voice. "Come inside, Remus," I said taking his hand and leading him into my room, "we don't need to have the whole pub hear us."

Corbett glared at Remus as he sat next to me and then he shut the door with startling force. "So, I don't think I have been properly introduced to you," he said his gaze burning into Remus.

"Oh, I'm Remus Lupin," Remus stood and offered a hand to Corbett. Corbett still glared as he shook Remus' hand.

"Corbett," I said looking at him disapprovingly. His eyes darted to me with an equally disapproving flare in them. I looked straight at him and mouthed the word 'don't'.

I had almost completely forgotten that Brenna was in the room when I heard a soft voice come from the side of me. "I, Mr. Lupin, am Brenna Keegan," she held out a hand, her palm turned down as if she was regal and she smiled coyly. I knew what she was doing and I felt a fire begin to burn in my entire body. I really wanted to slap her now.

Remus took her hand cordially and rather than kiss it as she had wanted, indicated by the way she offered it, he turned it slightly sideways and shook it. I felt a sly smile spread across my face as I watched her face turn a bit disappointed through her smile. "Nice to meet you Miss Keegan," he said and then turned to me and winked.

I felt my smile grow wider and for a moment I forgot the tension between everyone in the room. "Well, Mr. Lupin, we were going to spend the day wandering around Diagon Alley, seeing as Brenna and I have not been in the area in quite some time. Would you like to join us?" My expression turned to horror as I heard Corbett's words. I did want to spend the day with Remus but not under the hawk-like eye of my brother. I would not be able to steal a kiss or even touch him without getting a dirty look from Corbett. I hoped against hope that Remus would decline and say he had plans or something and just stopped by to say hello.

I let out a quite groan as I heard Remus reply to the request. "I would love to."

The four of us walked along the cobblestone path. Corbett walked on one side of me his arm and Brenna's intertwined as they walked. Remus walked on the other side of me with his hands shoved in his pockets. I looked over at him and flashed a half hearted smile in return to his somewhat cheerful one. I caught a glimpse of his eyes as he smiled at me and still saw that burning look deep inside of his eyes. 'I cause that,' I thought 'I cause his eyes to have that glow in them.' I continued to try and catch another peek at his eyes as we walked. My attempts were successful when he turned to look at me just as I tripped over a slightly raised cobblestone. I felt his tight grasp as he caught me once again and I looked up at him, not even trying to stand back up. I wanted to stay in his arms all day. I was almost tempted to pull him to me and kiss him passionately, but the unison voices that played in my ears caused me to abandon this plan immediately. "Are you alright?" Corbett and Remus said at the same time. I looked up at Remus with disappointment shinning in my eyes. I steadied my self but did not leave his grip. I could not bring myself to not be held by him at that moment. Our eyes were locked in a heart stopping stare and I could tell that the burning in his eyes had to be mirrored in mine.

"Are you alright?"

Only at Corbett's second inquiry of my wellbeing was I snapped back into reality. "Yes, Corbett, I'm fine," I said breaking my gaze away from Remus. I felt a sudden emptiness as I realized his arms were no longer around me.

We returned to our trek down the alley when Remus stopped. "Wait, I want to go in here," he said motioning to the bookstore. There was obviously some sort of sale going on as the store was teeming with people.

"But, it's chaos in there," Corbett said. "Look at the sign. There is some sort of event going on today."

"Yes, but there is a book I am dying to read and now would be a perfect opportunity for me to purchase it before I forget," said Remus calmly.

"I would like to go in too," I said in hopes that Remus would be able to steal me away from the watchful eye of my brother in the hectic environment.

"Fine," Corbett said making his way to the door.

I looked at the sign more carefully as I passed through the doorway. "Remus, it's a signing. It is a book signing," I said with a wild smile on my face as a stopped on the doorway and turned to face him behind me.

"Who is it?" he asked startled by my sudden movement.

"It's me. Well, it is but it isn't," I saw him inspect the sign more carefully and look back at me puzzled. "No one knows that I am the real Isadora Ianthe. I have another woman on my book jackets and she does all the book signings. It became a necessity after there were so many requests for books to be signed by me."

He laughed and gently kissed me on the forehead. "Well, I could have the real Isadora Ianthe sign my book anytime couldn't I?"

I pulled him into the store and checked around the mass of witches for Corbett and Brenna. They no doubt had already gotten lost somewhere in the back of the store. "The real Isadora Ianthe could do a lot more than sign a book for you," I whispered loud enough so he could still hear me over the sounds of excitement in the Shoppe. He smiled at me and turned a little red as he then took my hand and led me down an aisle near the back of the store. I crashed into him as he stopped short. He wrapped his arms around me to keep me steady and his eyes began scanning the shelves of books. "What are you doing?" I asked staring at him suspiciously.

"Well, I am looking for that book I wanted," he said as his eyes continued to scan the books.

"Is that really why you wanted to come in here?" I asked as I moved myself in front of him.

His arms were still wrapped around me as he turned his gaze down at me and kissed me softly. I threw my arms around his neck and returned the kiss. "Was it really that obvious?" he asked, the tip of his nose barely touching mine.

"I think it was only obvious to me because I wanted to be alone with you so badly," I said lightly caressing his lips with my own.

"We aren't really alone," he said indicating the bustle that was just a few feet from us. His breathing was shallow and his voice was affected by this making my heart to beat faster and my chest to rise into him more rapidly as I breathed.

"We are alone enough. I don't think they will notice anything." I connected with him fully as we both crashed into each other. Our lips meshed together and I felt his hands travel to the small of my back. My fingers were interlaced in his hair and I pulled him into me. I felt him try to break away from me, but I would not have it. I held my ground and his head. I kissed him with force and he backed into the bookcase that was behind him. He gave up as his back hit the bookcase without a sound and he leaned into me again. He groaned into my mouth as my hand traveled from his neck to his chest. He broke away from my mouth and began to nuzzle my neck softly kiss near the nape of it. I inhaled softly and pulled away from him.

"What is it? What's wrong?" he asked a little short of breath and leaning into the bookcase for support.

"Nothing," I replied looking around. "I just...I don't want to get into something that I will not want to stop. I want to be alone, alone with you. I didn't think it was going to get so....intense," I said moving close to him again. "Do you have any idea how much I desire you?" I placed both my hands on his chest and kissed him when he brought his head down to me.

"Well, if you keep talking like that it will always get 'intense' between us," he had his hands on my hips and I rested my head against his chest. "I think we should go and find your brother before he finds us." I smiled as his chest vibrated when he spoke.

"I don't want you to stop holding me," I stated looking up at him. He smiled at me and held me to him tighter. "I have never felt this way about anyone, you know. I'm serious. I have never wanted to be around anyone really. I don't know what it is about you, but I have wanted to be near you since I met you," I said pressing myself against him so he could hold me tighter.

"You have intrigued me since you first splattered ink all over me," he laughed.

"I am being serious. I really do feel that way about you. Since the first time you touched me to now I have never wanted to be around someone so much. I have never had a boyfriend that I really liked," at these words Remus' eyes widened.

"Is that what I am?"

"Well, we have been doing things a normal couple does, and we have had a date. If I was going to put a title on it I don't think anything else would suffice."

"I suppose you are right. I can't think of any other title for it either, but maybe we shouldn't worry about titles at the moment. Let's go find your brother," he said and kissed me again and we made our way into the crowd. The woman whom the world knew as Isadora Ianthe smiled when she saw me and waved. I waved back and we made our way to the counter with a book that Remus had grabbed just to keep Corbett happy.

We then were rejoined by Brenna and Corbett and we made our way over to the ice cream shop. Remus ordered a vanilla and chocolate mix and I got my usual plan vanilla milk shake. Brenna ordered something covered in bright coloured sprinkles and Corbett got Rocky Road. After I had gotten about halfway done with my milk shake Brenna's light voice was once again playing into my ears. "Iola, dear, I have to go to the ladies room to powder my nose."

"Okay, its back there," I said pointing down a small hallway after swallowing a mouthful of milk shake.

"No, Iola, I have to powder my nose, and so do you," she said seeming frustrated.

"Since when do I have to powder my nose?" I asked as she pulled me down the hall. I waited by the door as Brenna used the loo. I do so very much hate how 'sophisticated' women act. I think having to travel in pairs when you have to pee is one of the stupidest things I have ever heard of and it deepened my dislike for Brenna.

When we returned to the table Remus and Corbett were silent and Remus had the oddest look on his face. I tried to think of what my brother could have said to him in my absence that would make him don such and expression. We finished our ice cream and it seemed that Remus could not make eye contact with me. Before I had left the table he couldn't keep his eyes on anything else and now he avoided looking in my direction.

We then made our way around Diagon Alley and after a few more shops we went to the Magical Menagerie, where Brenna was dying to go and see all the different animals. I opted to stay outside because of my allergy to cats. Corbett went in the store with Brenna and despite his avoidance of looking at me Remus stayed outside with me. "What did he say to you?" I asked as I sat upon the ground and leaned into the building.

"Why did you lie to me?" his voice was cold and he made eye contact with me for the first time since the ice cream shop.

"What do you mean? When did I lie to you? What could I have lied to you about?" I was shocked. I had never lied to him and I could not think of what would make him think that.

"The other day when we were in your room, in your bed, you told me that you had never been with anyone and that was a lie," he crossed his arms in front of him and looked at me with a stern face.

"No it wasn't. What did Corbett say to you?" I was panicked. I knew what Corbett had told him and I didn't want to admit to it but I knew I was going to have to.

He could see the tears caused by my panic in my eyes and he crouched down next to me. "He told me why you never get close to anyone. He told me what happened when you were nineteen. Why didn't you just tell me that you didn't want to? You knew I didn't want to and that I wouldn't till we knew each other better. I don't see why you had to make up a lie. I wouldn't have pressed the issue. I just I don't like knowing that you lied to me," he said taking my face in his hands and wiping away the tears that began to slowly roll down my cheeks.

"I didn't lie to you Remus. In my mind it didn't happen. I don't like to think that it happened. It is null and void and only happened in some alternate universe where things like that happen all the time. I am still pure and I am still untouched because I refuse to acknowledge that it occurred. Would you want to admit to yourself that something like that happened?" he shifted to his knees and cradled me in his arms as I wept into his chest.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to make you cry. I hate knowing that I did this to you," he said as he stroked my hair.

"You didn't do it, Remus. You would never have known if Corbett hadn't told you, and he only told you because he thinks if you know why he is so over protective of me that it will make it ok for all of us. It isn't anyone's fault. The only people at fault are the Muggles who did it. My journal wasn't the only thing that little Muggle boy stole from me," I said through my sobs. "It never happened though."

"I only wish I hadn't found out this way. It is a big secret that you would want to keep. I know how that is."

"Well, I would have told you eventually. It would be unfair to keep a big secret if we were going to be in a relationship," I said looking up at him as my tears subsided.

"I agree with you completely. That is why I have to tell you something, but not now. I will tell you when your brother and Brenna leave. I don't want them around for your reaction," he smiled and kissed me on the forehead as Brenna and Corbett walked out of the store with a cage containing a cat. I sneezed.

The rest of the day went by so slowly because I wanted so badly to know what it was Remus was going to tell me. By the time that Brenna had said she was exhausted and I had just about sneezed myself sore a pit had developed in my stomach. I felt nauseous as we sat upon my bed. I was so scared that his secret was going to change everything about us. I hoped and wished as I sat there with my knees tucked under my body and he held my hands in his that I would be able to take what he was going to say.

"Iola," he started and I closed my eyes, hoping that if I didn't look at him it would be easier on both of us, "when I was a very young boy something happened to me that changed the rest of my life. It has made my life difficult and some people are very understanding of this thing and others, or most, are not. When I went to Hogwarts Dumbledore made special accommodations that made my education there possible. It is something that, if you wish to continue to see me after I tell you, will affect you greatly," he took a deep breath and paused for what seemed like two hours but was most likely no more than a few seconds. I held a breath and closed my eyes tightly. "Iola, you need to know that I am a werewolf," his voice trembled as he spoke those last words and I gasped softly.

"What?" I couldn't believe it. This gentle man whom I harboured such strong feelings for was a werewolf.

"I'm a werewolf."

"Oh, Remus," was all I could say as my entire body began shaking. I didn't know what to do or say.

"I can understand if you don't want to see me anymore," he said releasing my trembling hands from his gentle grip.

"No, Remus, I would never want to stop seeing you. I have never felt this way about anyone else and I probably never will. I would be a fool to let something like that get in the way of my feelings for you," the words seemed to come out of nowhere. It was as if I wasn't really speaking, but I knew that was how I really felt. I knew it was not my mind speaking because my mind was still in shock. It was my heart saying those things to him because I knew in my heart that I could never let anything take Remus away from me.

"Are you sure that is how you really feel? I don't want you to feel you have to be with me if you don't want to be," he said softly not even looking at me.

"Remus, I would not want you to be with me if knowing about what happened to me would be a problem for you. So if this was going to be a problem for me I would tell you, and I would never lead you on as if it wasn't," I hoped that what I had said would make sense to him because I had just gotten my mind to start working again.

"I don't want you to feel pity for me. I don't want this to be 'Oh, poor Remus. I can't tell him that I don't want to be with him now.' I want you to be completely honest with me right this moment," he said still looking at the floor, his voice wavering. I sat up on my knees and took his face in my hands and made him look me in the eyes. I held my gaze on him for a few moments. His eyes were starting to glisten with what I knew were tears. "Iola-" I cut him off when I connected my lips with his. I hoped that I could kiss away his doubt. I really wanted to kiss away his pain. I wanted to make his life easier. I wanted to erase all the things he had suffered because of how the world looked upon people like him. I wanted to make all things right for him again.

"Remus, I will never pity you, I will never utter those words in my life, and I will never want to stop seeing you because of what you are. I feel nothing but love for you," I still held his face in my hands and the tears still glinted in his eyes.

"What?" he was as surprised as I was. I was never one to throw the 'l' word around. I was never one to even have those kinds of feelings and I had said it before I even knew what I was doing.

"I am in love with you," I said sure of what I was saying this time. "I don't need you to say it back. I guess I just want you to know how I really feel." I saw the fire in his eyes ignite again and the tears were gone in an instant. It was like he pounced on me. Before I knew what had happened he was on top of me showering me with kisses. It was frenzied and passionate and I loved it. I never wanted him to stop, but he slowed himself and settled on softly kissing the nape of my neck again, which was starting to become my favourite thing about being with him. We didn't speak again that night and the action that I found so pleasing slowly stopped and he shifted himself next to me placing his head on my chest and holding me around the waist. He laid there with his head upon my steadily rising chest for a few minutes before I tried to speak to him. "Remus?" I whispered. My only response was his steady sleeping breaths and I too slowly fell asleep.

The next morning I awoke next to Remus Lupin for the second time in my life, and this time I was in love with him.

A/N: Sorry for the length of this chapter, but it is a very important chapter and I felt that there was no way I could cut it anywhere to make it shorter. If anyone has any questions as to what Iola's secret was put it in a review and I will go over it in my A/N for the next chapter. I feel that the actual word does not need to be said in the story and I don't feel like Iola would say it with the way she feels about it. But if you are confused just tell me and I will explain. Also don't get used to chapters this long. I don't think I can hold out for entire chapters like this for the whole rest of the story.