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Chapter 4

Aurora smiled happily at the man sitting across from her but her smile slipped a bit when she noticed the almost horrified expression on his face. He was gaping for Merlin's sake.

"Hi." He finally said in a deep timber.

"Hello." She answered self consciously as the students chattered away.

"I'm Remus Lupin."

"Aurora Moon."

"Looks like we're going to be partners." He said unnecessarily.

"Looks that way." She said, her smile back.

Remus couldn't help staring at her white even teeth as she grinned like she knew a secret. He decided her smile could light up a room brighter than five Patronuses.

Remus cleared his throat and said "I haven't seen you before."

"You saw me on the train." She said with slight disappointment. He doesn't even remember me, she thought.

She does remember me, he told himself, inexplicably happy.

"I know you from the train. Before that I mean. I've never seen you in any of my other classes. Are you new?" He clarified.

"No. I..." Aurora began but was interrupted.

"Have you all met your new study partners?" Professor Sinistra asked and was met with nods from the students.

"Excellent. Between you you'll find the location of where you are to study the planetary alignment and star positions. Please take a moment to find out where you'll be."

Remus reached for the parchment that had appeared between them and read aloud "The lake."

Aurora had to bite back another smile. Studying the stars , by the moonlit lake, with one of the most handsome guys I've ever seen? I think I can handle that, she thought slyly.

"Oh." Was all she said.

"Now, for your assignment." Professor Sinistra interjected. "You'll be charting the night sky on every evening but Friday. I want the position of the planets and stars and a chart showing each nights movements. I will be wandering the grounds checking on you in case you have questions. You will be separated from your classmates so your charts will be different. "

"Any questions?" She asked. "You may take your telescopes and begin."

Remus stood quickly and sought out his friends. It appeared Professor Sinistra had tried to integrate the Ravenclaws with the Gryffindors.

Peter was paired with a short mousy haired girl who was complaining about how heavy the telescope was.

Sirius was partnered with an exotic looking girl with black hair and almond shaped eyes who was blatantly checking out his ass as he walked, levitating the telescope in front of him.

"See you Avery." Aurora said as the girl walked by with a wicked glint in her eye. "Behave yourself."

"You too." Avery said as she waggled her eyebrows suggestively.

Then finally James traipsed by giving Remus a knowing smile as he talked to his study partner. He had the only male partner out of the four and Remus had seen and spoke to him on several occasions but didn't know his name. He gave him a courtesy nod as he passed carrying their telescope.

"See you in the common room." Remus said to James.

When it was just him and Aurora left in the room he turned around and found her watching him with an odd look in her eyes.

"Er..shall we?" He asked.

"I'm ready whenever you are." She replied as she watched him pick up the telescope.

They walked down the many flights of stairs from the Astronomy tower to the grounds in complete silence. Neither knowing what to say and the silence becoming more tense with each step they took.

"Can I help you with that?" Aurora asked in desperation.

"No. I got it. Thanks." Remus answered.

The silence was deafening and he could feel her watching him as he led the way to the lake. He was never really good at small talk but cast around for something to talk about.

"Your name is an oxymoron." He said suddenly.

"Pardon?" She asked.

What the hell was that Moony? Is that the best you could come up with, he raged at himself.

"Your name is contradictory. Aurora means dawn, which indicates morning. And Moon, which indicates night." He said lamely as he stopped walking.

"Erm...yes. Thank you for noticing. No one catches that." She replied as she stopped as well and looked into his shadowed eyes, mesmerized.

"You're welcome." He said as he stared hypnotically and relaxed marginally. "So how come I've never seen you?"

"I'm not sure. I've been here all six years but I haven't seen you before yesterday either. I don't think." She said softly as the air around them crackled.

"I'd remember seeing you." He answered thoughtlessly. Like anyone could forget someone as beautiful as she is.

"Why do you say that?" She wondered.

"Oh, I have an excellent memory for faces." He explained quickly.

"Me too. We better get to the lake in case Sinistra comes to check on us." She said as she resumed the trek.

Remus followed, watching her hips sway gently as she walked ahead of him and felt his throat go dry.

"So you're a prefect." She said casually, it was more of a statement than a question.

"Yes. How did you..."

"Your badge is on your robes." She replied as she turned and pointed to his chest.

"I forgot." He answered stupidly. Normally he was quick on the uptake, relaxed and easy to talk to but with her he felt dumb, uptight and clumsy.

He's absolutely adorable. Aurora stopped underneath her favorite tree when they reached the lake.

"How's right here?" She asked.

"Works for me." He replied as he set up the telescope.

When he got it steadied he had no choice but to look at her and immediately felt the air whoosh out of his lungs.

She looked even lovelier by moonlight. Her blonde hair seemed to glow and her clear blue eyes were reflecting the moon.

"Are you ok Remus?" She asked with concern.

"Yes. Of course. Just lost my breath for a moment. Telescope was heavy." He said as he busied himself looking at the stars.

"It's a brilliant night for stargazing. Not a cloud in the sky." She commented as she moved to stand behind him.

He nervously shifted away so he could see her and found her watching him intently. The breeze blew her hair gently and carried her soft scent to his nostrils.

"What?" He asked worriedly.

"I make you nervous don't I." She said astutely as she took a step toward him.

"Don't be ridiculous." He replied as he took a step backward.

"It's ok if I make you nervous, you know." She continued as if she hadn't heard him.

"You don't. But why is that?" He inquired curiously and watched as she took another step toward him.

"Because you make me nervous too." Aurora said boldly.

This time he crossed his arms over his chest and stood his ground as he allowed her to take another couple steps toward him. She was so close he could hear her shallow breathing and smell her perfume. He swallowed hard as she began to lean toward him. She placed a hand on his forearm and felt a jolt shoot through his body.

"Why..." He squeaked, then cleared his throat and tried again. "Why should I make you nervous."

"Remus?" She asked. He could feel her hot breath on his lips and his eyes drifted shut for a moment. What is she doing, he wondered.

"Hmmm?" He managed.

"Don't you know why?" Aurora replied.

Distantly Remus heard footsteps on the grass and snapped back into his right mind.

"Somebody is coming." He said as he stepped back and made his way back over to the telescope to study a constellation.

"How do you know?" She asked feeling bereft.

"I hear them walking." He replied. His werewolf ears were very sensitive to noise.

Aurora strained to hear anything but came up with silence.

"I don't hear footsteps." She said matter-of-factly.

"Get over here and look busy. I'm telling you Sinistra is coming." He said positively. Not only hearing the teacher but catching her scent as well.

Aurora looked at him as if he were crazy but did as she was instructed nonetheless. She pulled a piece of parchment from her bag and made herself comfortable in the soft grass.

"Lumos." She said and planted her lit wand in the dirt as she began drawing up a star chart as Remus named off what he saw.

Sure enough about three minutes later the professor showed up to check on their progress.

"How's it going?" She asked them.

"Well." Remus lied.

"It's a perfect night for this." Aurora answered.

"That it is Miss Moon. That it is. Did either of you have any questions about the assignment?"

"I don't." Aurora answered.

"How long is this assignment going to last?" Remus asked.

"This is a year long project Mr. Lupin. Anything else?"

They were both silent at this news.

"Well, I'll leave you to it then."

A whole year with Remus as my study partner, Aurora thought with excitement.

I can't like her. There are far too many complications. I'm better off alone. I don't know if I can take a year of this, Remus thought with confusion, still wondering about what the hell she thought she had been trying to do before Sinistra had came.