Remus awoke late the next morning, gingerly stretching his sore limbs and taking stock of his surroundings. He was back at the little cottage, but surprisingly comfortable and warm. He saw that Tonks was probably the reason for that warmth, curled up next to him, and soon his heart was as warm as the rest of his body. He thought it might burst, it was so full of love for the little witch with the shocking hair. Right now, though, her hair was its natural color and fell in soft chestnut waves about her face. He found that the stiffness was not as bad as it often was and he slowly turned toward her, trying not to disturb her sleep. She could just as easily have chosen for them to remain at the Wesasleys, but he was glad that they would have a little time alone. He found his thoughts wandering to places he knew his aching body couldn't follow, even if Tonks had been willing. Why, he wasn't even sure that he would know what to do if she threw herself at him at the new moon! The few girls who had tried to attract his attention had soon enough realized that it was a lost cause. Eyes closed, he remembered. "Poor Remus," Lily had once said to him. "If you could just allow yourself to take a risk or two with your heart!" It wasn't his own heart he might risk; it was the health and safety of anyone foolish enough to want to be close to him. As his mind wandered down this long-familiar path, he felt the old fears well up inside him, chilling the warmth and dispelling his fantasy of small, warm hands and soft lips.
He was confused for a moment when he felt the touch of a finger as it caressed the tip of his nose. He opened one eye and found himself looking into two wide gray ones. She was smiling, pulling his hands toward her and folding them to her chest. "Wotcher, Remus!" she whispered enthusiastically, and he returned the smile. The fear melted as he gazed into her eyes. She shifted closer to him and brought her lips to his without looking away. He had never done this, kissing with his eyes open. It occurred to him that it took a lot of trust to share physical intimacy with someone while allowing them to see right into your soul – it was a lot like legilimency, but he knew that it would require no magic to see what she wanted to show him.
"You've far too much clothing on, Remus!" she chided playfully. But in a softer, sly tone, she added, "That is, if you don't mind me taking advantage of you in your . . . vulnerable state." She cocked one eyebrow at him questioningly before picking up where they had left off the other night, and he inhaled sharply. He was going to protest, but the touch of her lips against his collarbone felt so good that the words only came out as an incoherent mumble. . She tugged at his old woolen jumper until it was over is head. "Ooh, look!" she giggled, "a wolf in sheep's clothing!" He bared his teeth at her playfully, wishing that he could participate a little more actively in the moment. This wasn't how he had imagined it would be. "Dora, I've never. . ." he managed to formulate, only to have her stop his words with a kiss. "Me either," she whispered as she pressed close to his side and rested her head on his chest. She could hear his heart pounding and she worried that she had, perhaps, gone too far too quickly. Or was he embarrassed at having revealed his inexperience to her? Was he in pain? They had shared so much over the past couple of days, but still knew so very little about each other. She looked into his eyes and found the answer to her questions – all she saw there was desire. She regained her momentum and drew herself up to begin placing soft kisses across his face and along his throat. He attempted to wrap his arms around her but found them a bit too weak to reciprocate with any confidence. She gently stroked his arms and murmured, "Oh no, you don't . . . soon you'd have it that I was innocent and naïve and that you ravished me against my will. I'll have none of that. I'm going to have my way with you, not the other way around." Remus's eyes widened in mock surprise, relaxing into the moment, and she added, bashfully, "Although, I do freely admit that I am as innocent and naïve as a schoolgirl. She glanced down and frowned in mock concentration, then looked back at him with a wicked glint in her now-green eyes. "But I've heard you're quite the professor. . . "
He felt the twitch of a devilish smile curling on his lips and rose to her bait. "Ah, when it comes to matters of the heart, I have no expertise to offer, my dear. In fact, I'd say that you have been doing most of the instruction up to this point. I'd be. . ." he hesitated, swallowing hard, "fascinated to know what you were expecting for my introductory lesson."
"Hmmm. . . I was thinking something along the lines of a little directed inquiry. Shall we?" she queried in a most academic manner.
"I can't help but feel that I am a rather passive student in this lesson," he sighed, breaking character.
"Remy, next time, it's your turn. It's my game today, so either play along or I tickle you mercilessly. And you know full well you won't be able to do anything about it." She grinned mischeviously, readying her fingers to pounce on his unprotected body.
"Hmmm. . . a little tickling might be nice," he thoughtfully replied.
"Ah, that's a good sport."