A/N: Hello everybody. I finally have finished another one. Sorry it took so long again. Anyway, I hope you like it. Thanks for all the motivating reviews! Big hug to everyone of you:)

Getting closer

A sharp pain rushed through Remus' body. He shut his eyes and breathed deeply until it was over. He knew this pain. It was about to begin. He checked the magical lockings he had put on his door and walked over to the window. The sun was gone. Just a red sky was left. And it was getting darker rapidly.

Remus inhaled sharply. Another cramp shook his body. He fell to his knees. Cold sweat ran over his body. The pain got overwhelming and Remus screamed. With all his willpower he looked up to the window again. He just wanted to get a glimpse of it. And there it was: The moon. In allits cold and mysterious beauty. Its light broke through the clouds and blinded his sensitive eyes. Butit seemed to warm him in a way. And suddenly, out of nowhere,he had to think of Hope. Remus clung to this thought. Her face, her voice, her smile. And all of a sudden, the pain lessened. When his bones broke, he didn't scream. He focused on Hope. And on the warm light which fell on his transforming body.

After the transformation was complete, Remus looked up to the moon once more. It was still having this comforting glow. He sat down and looked at it for a while. After an hour or something like that his eyes got tired. The wolf laid down under the window and was soon asleep.

He didn't know how long he had slept when the moonlight woke him. He stood and blinked his wolfish eyes. He looked out of the window again. He let his eyes wander over the roofs, until his eyes fixed on a single figure on one of these roofs, directly under the moon. The figure had female curves and long black hair. Her hands were raised up into the sky. It looked like she was holding the moon from Remus' place. The wind was moving her hair mysteriously and Remus thought he could hear a soft female voice sing, although he didn't recognise words. The hair in Remus' neck stood. He watched the woman praising the moon. Or wasn't it praising? Something in her desperate movement told him that she wasn't praising...she was begging. Suddenly, before he could stop himself, he raised his head and cried long and loud. After he had stopped, Remus saw the woman had turned around to him. And his heart stopped. Hope!

...No. It's not her, something told him. Her hair was different. She was smaller. But she wore this blue dress again, which he saw her wearing in his dream. And her eyes...Although Remus couldn't see her clearly, he knew it were her eyes. And she looked at him. Her eyes shone with happiness and...love. She smiled. Remus couldn't see but feel it. Something in him wanted to call her name. For one second he heard a name in his head, which he didn't know. But before he could get the name, it disappeared into his heart again.

Suddenly the woman reached out one hand into his direction, the other one pressed to her heart. Suddenly Remus heard a voice inside his head:

"Come to me! Please!"

Remus tried to move, but he couldn't.

"Don't go!"

"I'm here!" Remus shouted in his head.

"Don't leave me!" Tears ran down the woman's cheeks and her voice sounded frightened and desperate.

"I'm here!" Remus shouted again. Her voice had alarmed him and he got frightened himself.

"NO! I'm here! I'm here! Don't leave!" The woman sank to her knees and put her face into her hands.

Remus didn't know what to do. He seemed to be frozen to the ground. He wanted to callher, but he didn't have his human voice.

While Remus thought desperately about what to do, the light of the moon intensed. The woman looked up to the sky. The light seemed to close around her, grabbing her.

"No! Not yet!" Remus heard her voice inside of his head.

The light got brighter and brighter and Remus had to close his yellow eyes. And then he heard this scream again which hunted him in his dreams, full of deadly pain.

When Remus opened his eyes again, the woman was gone and the moon showedits cold face as if nothing had happened...

"Hey, Moony. Are you awake? I brought you some dinner."

Remus heard a loud knocking on his door. He moaned and opened his eyes. He was on his bed. In his room. Another knock on the door.

"Moony?"

"I'm coming!" Remus mumbled and stood up. He walked over to the door and took the charms off with his wand. Then he opened the door. Sirius stood there, holding a tablet on his hands. Remus stepped back and let him in. He walked over to his chair and pulled a t-shirt on. Sirius went over to his desk and put the food on it.

"How are you?" He asked while Remus sat down and began to eat hungrily.

"Has been worse."

"How come?"

Remus swallowed his meat and looked out of the window. Only roofs...

"I thought of Hope."

Sirius laughed. "So it's true that love eases the pain?"

"I don't think it wasn't just the thought of her."

"What do you mean?"

Remus sighed. "I don't know. I DON'T KNOW! I don't know what to think! Since I met Hope, everything feels weird. I have bad dreams. I have visions. Or WHATEVER! And last night I saw a woman on one of the roofs which I think was Hope and wasn't at the same time!" Remus sighed. "I guess I'm losing my mind."

He put his head in his hands and closed his eyes.

Sirius sat on the desk and looked at his friend.

"A woman on the roof?"

And so Remus told Sirius everything that had happened during last night.

"This is weird. And you're sure that this was real?"

Remus nodded.

"I agree with you, this IS strange...Talk to her. Maybe she can bring some light into the darkness. You know, when I talked to her, I also thought she knew more about you than she told me. There definitely is some kind of magic around her. But not the magic that is around us. It's...just like a shadow. Perhaps she doesn't even know that it's within her."

Remus thought about that.

"No. She knows. She always smiles at me so knowingly. Like she wants to tell me something. And last time we said goodbye she told me to listen."

"Listen? To what?"

Remus sighed again. "I'm not sure, Padfoot. But everytime I'm near her, I feel strange. Not like myself. And at the same time more like myself than ever before."

"Man, you definetly have to talk to her. I don't think you can solve this without her help."

Remus looked out of the window again.

"She reached out for me, Sirius. She told me to come to her. She cried. She was frightened. And she screamed...I've never heard someone scream like that. Maybe I'm danger to her."

"Then why would she call you? Maybe it's more dangerous for her if you don't get to her. Maybe she needs you."

Was Sirius right? He remembered his dream, where his touched burnt her. But why would she call out for him then?

"Tomorrow, I go talking to her."

Sirius tapped him on the shoulder. "I'm sure this will help both of you. And now eat...Oh, I nearly forgot. I brought you some chocolat from Molly's secret stock."

"Thank you, Sirius."

"No problem, Remus. That's what friends are for, right?"

Remus smiled and took the bar out of Sirius' hand. "Right."

"Shall I accompany you tomorrow?"

"In your dreams, mate!"

Sirius shrugged his shoulders. "Was worth a try."

"I'm sorry, Sirius. I know that you hate to be locked-up in here. But we don't want to lose you."

"I know, I know. Don't worry. What would you do without my mental support?"

Remus laughed. "Exactly!"

While Remus ate, Sirius planned his meeting with Hope for him. It contented a lot of grabbing her and snogging her senseless. Remus just shook his head, although he painted these pictures in head and wondered what Hopes lips would taste like...

It was quarter past 3 when Remus arrived at Hopes house. And at once he recognised the awkward silence around the house. No wolves running around, not even the birds where singing. The sky was grey and two cars where parked in front of the house. The blue one was Hopes, but he didn't recognised the second car, a big silver VW. For a second he thought about going back home, for she already had a visitor, but the awkwardness here made him ring the door bell. He waited a few seconds before a woman with brown hair opened the door.

"Remus?"

"Oh, hi Kate!"

"Hi. Come in."

Remus stepped inside. No wolves came to greet him. The curtains in the living room were drawn, so that most of the light was excluded.

"Isn't Hope at home?" he asked.

"She is. But she's sick."

"Oh. Something serious?"

Kate sighed. "I don't know. It's the third time this happened."

"What happened?"

"That she is like that. I don't know how to describe it. It seems like all energy was sucked out of her body. The first time this happened was three months ago. I came to visit her. We always have breakfast together after I brought Tiana to school. Well, I came here and saw the wolves in the garden. As I came closer, I saw a white spot between them."

Kate shivered.

"It was her, Remus. She laid on the ground, unconscious. I never had a bigger shock in my whole live, believe me. I had to climb over that damn fence to reach her. Thank God the wolves kept her warm the whole night..."

"Why did she go outside?"

"She can't remember that she went outside. This is the scariest part, if you ask me. If you can't remember what you did..."

Remus froze. Suddenly a horrible picture was inside of his head: Hope, cleaning his wound during their first meeting. Touching his blood!

"Was she naked?"

"Pardon me?" Kate asked confused.

"Three months ago. Did you find her naked? Did she have scratches? Wounds? Or bitemarks?" Panic swung in his voice.

"No. She just laid there in her nighty."

Remus breathed a sigh of relief. So she hadn't become a werwolf. But what was wrong with her?

"Did she go to a doctor?"

Kate shook her head.

"No. She said she is alright. She just locked all doors at the last two full moons."

"So Hope knew that this would happen again?"

"Obviously. Remus, I can't tell you more than this. She doesn't talk to me about this...Maybe you should try to get something out of her."

"Me?"

"Yes. She trusts you."

"But she hardly knows me."

"This doesn't matter for her. You know how much she likes you. She trusts you more than any of us. In a very special way...Would you try it?"

Remus, who's cheeks had blushed, nodded. He followed a relieved Kate upstairs and found himself in front of her bedroom. Kate opened the door carefully. The room was darkened by the close-drawn curtains. All six wolves laid in the room. Freki and Lupa were on the bed while the others laid around it. Freki blocked Remus' view on Hope. But as soon as he entered, the wolves raised their heads and wagged their tale slowly to greet him. Freki looked at him for a second, then he got up and left the bed. Lupa followed him. They were very carefully so that they wouldn't wake her.

Hope seemed to be asleep. Remus looked at Kate, but she pushed him forwards. She got a chair from Hopes deks and put it next to her bed. She smiled at Remus and then left. Remus was alone with a sleeping Hope and six wolves. Slowly he went over to her bed. As he stood in front of her bed, he recognized how pale she was. Her lips seemed to have lost their color, her skin was as pale as the moon and her breathing was flat.

Remus said down and looked at her. She really looked exhausted, nearly dead. In a moment of overwhelming pitty and tenderness Remus let his fingers ran over her cheeks. He let his hand wander over her arm down to her hand, where he put his in hers and stroke her skin softly with his thumb, like she had done for him. And he got a response: Hope's hand closed around his and her eyebrows twitched. Then she turned her head slowly in his direction and opened her eyes. For a second they looked hollow and unfocused, until they met his. She shut her eyes again and a soft smile spread across her face.

"Remus", she whispered and a shiver ran over his body. He pressed her hand a little more. She opened her eyes again.

"Hi", he whispered. "You look awful."

Hope laughed softly and said: "Always charming, Mr Lupin."

After they smiled at each other, Hope continued: "You should have seen me yesterday. It was a lot worse."

"What happened?"

"Well...I had bad dreams. So to say."

As Remus looked into her eyes, he realised that she didn't mean what she said. And she didn't even try to hide it, for she was smiling at him. Remus didn't know what to think about this. Has she been the lady on the roof? Did she call him?

"What happened to you?" Hope asked suddenly. Remus had completely forgotten that he looked bad, too. He was pale and had a cut on his cheek and one on his hand. And thatjust were the cuts she could see. He had a lot more on his body, which he had gotten from his transformation, when his bone cracked and his skin enlarged.

He knew this was the right time to tell her. She had asked directly and she deserved an answer. But he didn't want to talk to her about this serious, everything changing topic, when she was so weak. So he just said:

"I had bad dreams, too."

Hope smiled. "Many people can't sleep in a full moon's night."

Remus just nodded. For a minute they just looked at each other and held their hands. Hope closed her eyes as Remus started to caress her hand with his thumb again and he noted that she got goosebumps. His heart nearly exploded as he saw how she reacted to him. And he got braver: He moved a little closer to her and bent a little bit down so that he could smell her lovely scent. Hope opened her eyes.

"It's so good to have you here, Remus. I already feel a lot better."

"I haven't done anything... I must be good."

Hope laughed.

"A little cocky today, aren't we Mr?"

"It's all your fault. Stop saying such things. I'm not used to this..." He didn't find the right word.

"Affection?" Hope volunteered.

Remus head suddenly felt hot. "See? That's what I mean."

Hope laughed again and placed her hand slowly on his cheek. She looked deep into his eyes as she whispered:

"But it's so easy to...like you, Remus."

Remus noted the hesitation.

"Thank you, Hope. It's easy to like you, too."

Again they shared a magical moment. And he saw that Hope had a little more color in her face.

"You really look better." He said and stroke her cheek with the back of his hand. Hope leaned into his hand and closed her eyes. Remus moved his hand, so that he cupped her cheek. For a few seconds he just held her like this. Then he felt something wet in his hand. A single tear ran into his hand. Hope laid her hand on his and pressed it against her skin. Another tear rolled into his hand. Remus had a lump in his throat. He couldn't speak, but he kneeled down in front of her bed and stroke her silky hair. Hope opened her eyes. Tears shimmered in them.

"Hope", Remus whispered before he took her in his arms. She clung to his body and Remus felt another tear ran down his neck. He held her closer and spotted soft kisses on her forehead.

"I'm sorry, Hope. I'm sorry."

Remus knew that it was his fault she was crying. He was sure now. She had been the woman who had called for him. And he hadn't answered.

"Please listen, Remus. Listen...I can't stand it any longer."

"I try. I want to. But I don't know how to answer."

She cried and pressed herself against him. He rocked her back and forth to calm her. She felt so fragile in his arms. He wanted to protect her. He wanted to answer her. But how? How could he safe her and himself? He felt so many things now: Pain, endless sadness, anger, love, frustration. He was overwhelmed by these feelings and didn't hear the voice in his heart, which cried out a name Remus had forgotten a long time ago...

They held each other for what seemed eternity, until Hope calmed down again. She was more relaxed now and her head laid over his heart. The beatcalmed her. She had her eyes closed, but her fingers played with his. Remus just said next to her, eyes closed, stroking her hair. It felt so good to hold her, to caress her. It felt right.

The overwhelming feelings had calmed down and he was himself again.

"Can I get you something? Some water? Or tea? Something to eat?"

"No, thank you. I'm fine again. I'm sorry if I scared you. I'm not myself today."

"It's my fault."
She looked up to him. "No. It's mine." Her voice sounded sad. Just as Remus was about to ask what she meant, he heard a knock on the door.

"Come in", Hope said.

Kate opened the door and stepped into the room. She didn't seem to be surprised to see them in this position.

"Keno called me. He can't make it to fetch Tiana from her friend." Kate seemed to feel guilty.

"It's okay, Katie. Just go. I'm fine. I won't die, you know?" Hope tried to joke.

"I don't want to leave you alone."

"I will stay with her", Remus said.

Kate smiled gratefully. "That would be very nice of you. Thank you."

"No problem."

"I will hurry."

"Kate?" Hope asked.

"Yes?"

Hope looked down for a second and then said: "Please, don't bring her here. I don't want to worry her. You're worried enoughfor both of you. Just wait until Keno comes home. If this is okay for you, Remus."

"It's okay." They smiled at each other.

Kate looked relieved and said goodbye to them before she left.

Remus and Hope were alone again. They chatted about everything. Hope asked about Sirius. Remus got them some water and made them sandwitches. They listened to some music and talked about their childhood. Remus hated it to lie to her, but he didn't want to shock her. It has been enough shock for one day. Two hours had passed when Kate came back. The sun had set already and it was time for Remus to leave.

They hugged eath other gently as they said goodbye. Hope held Remus head close as she whispered:

"Next time you come we will talk."

"Yes", he answered, looking into her dark eyes. "There are many questions to answer."

Hope nodded. She looked down at his lips longingly and ran her finger carefully over his lips. They trembled at her touch. Remus pressed his lips against her finger. She smiled softly. She pressed the finger against her own lips. Remus stroke her cheek again.

"Goodbye", he whispered hoarsly.

"See you soon."

"Yes."

They shared another look. And then Remus left, with no question answered, but having many more.

No. One question was answered. She had called him. She was the woman on the roof, the woman in his dreams.

And she loved him.

He was sure now...

A/N: Maybe now you have a hunch what Hope is? I try to hurry with the next chapter, the big talk! And maybe the kiss that everybody is waiting for (me too):) See you, guys!