I was used to showing a naked face to the world. Julia wasn't. I ushered my best mate into the flat, asking, "Have you had breakfast? Would you like some tea or coffee?"

She shrugged. "I'm not hungry, but I'll take coffee. Black."

"I'll get it," Remus said.

I smiled at him in thanks. He was amazing. I'd shown up plastered and spouting poetry, now my friend dropped by and he took everything in stride. I didn't know what I'd done to deserve such a caring man, but I wasn't going to take him for granted. I turned to see Julia watching me eat Remus up with my eyes. She said, "I guess I can't call you Queen Elizabeth anymore."

I froze. Remus handed Julia a mug with a quizzical smile. "Queen—"

"Elizabeth. I told Tonks that after Evan she'd pulled an Elizabeth the First and declared she was a virgin again."

When the floor didn't open up and swallow me, I snapped, "Shut it, Jul."

She shook her head in disbelief. "You're not telling me . . . ."

"God save the Queen," said Remus, chuckling as he ducked into the kitchen to retrieve a platter of eggs and bacon. I pulled up a chair for Julia and sat down, glaring to let her know she owed me lunch someplace posh for being a big-mouth.

"Sorry, I didn't know," she whispered. With a quick peek to make sure Remus wasn't behind her, Julia said, "You sure gave the impression of morning after."

"If it was the morning after, I'd be asleep, since I wouldn't have slept the night before."

"That's something to look forward to," said Remus. He placed the food on the table, a smile playing about the corners of his mouth as we startled guiltily.

My face was warm as I shifted the subject of conversation back to Julia. "Erm, why aren't you still asleep, mate?"

She carefully set down her mug. "Tom didn't stay over last night." Her lips tilted up, but there was no smile in her eyes. "He hasn't spent more than the odd night with me in months."

"I had no idea."

Julia said, "I figured that out in February when Gulch told me you had already requested Connelly as your permanent partner."

The piece of bacon I'd picked up crumbled onto my plate. I wiped my fingers on a serviette. "The day you asked, I didn't think you were serious."

Her smile was bitter. "Tom had spent Valentine's Day taking care of family business. Afterwards, he made it up to me, and I was glad I didn't have the chance to switch, but right then, I wanted to hex Jerry for monopolising my best mate."

I looked at Remus. His expression was sympathetic. I scoffed, "Some best mate. I believed you two were doing fine."

"We are, most of the time. That's why I haven't shown up on your doorstep before now."

I slid off my chair to give her a hug. "Sorry, mate, but like you once told me, "'Good gods, your hair! You must really feel like shit.'"

She put a hand up to dishevelled blonde hair and gave a watery chuckle. "That bad?"

"You look like me."

"That is bad," she joked weakly.

"It's horrible," I shot back. "I think you're wearing my denims, and they're baggy on you!"

"Sorry."

"Ha! Wait until you need something on a high shelf. I won't be getting it down."

"I'll have to levitate it myself, then."

Remus had been listening to our affectionate bickering with a smile. When we took a breather, he asked Julia, "How can we help?"

She asked him, "Do you have any experience with personal enquiry?"

He looked at me and smiled. "I've been trained by the best."

Her lips twisted down. "Good, because I need one done on Tom."

'

After Jul Flooed back to her place, I hugged Remus as tightly as I could. "I'll never do an enquiry on you. Never. I'll talk things out if I have to tie you to the bed to do it."

"What a lot I have to look forward to," he murmured, bending to kiss my cheek. "Thank you for that sentiment, and the mental image."

I realised exactly what I'd said and groaned. "That's not what I meant."

"I know, but if you ever change your mind."

I giggled. "You're trying to cheer me up, aren't you?"

Remus cradled my face in his hands. "Is it working?"

"Oh yeah, well, maybe you should try something more."

A wolfish smile was an uplifting sight. The sensation of his lips rubbing and pressing against mine elevated my mood instantly. I loved the way he seemed to drink in my scent, my taste, stroking my hair and skin. My cares seemed light when desire pooled heavily. I kissed my way down his throat, inhaling deeply. Gods, he smelled good. I gave into impulse and sucked lightly.

"Nymphadora," Remus rasped, "What are you doing?"

I licked his skin. "Marking my territory."

He gave a huff of amusement. "Do you think that's wise when we're supposed to have lunch with your parents?"

My head jerked back. "Shit! I forgot." My eyes fell on the small mark that would rapidly become a bruise. "Shit!"

Remus chuckled. "I'll use bruise paste."

I looked into warm brown eyes and said, "Would you mind if I just...concealed it?" I reached out and touched the spot with a fingertip. "No one would see, but I'd know it was there."

"You like your territory well-marked?"

The way he said the words made me shiver. I nodded. He bent toward me, but not to give the kiss that I'd expected. His lips caressed my throat instead. My eyelids fluttered shut when he whispered, "Me too."

.

There was a new wreath on the door at my parents' home. I liked flowers, but never did more than stick some in water to enjoy. Mum's arrangements were the envy of the neighbourhood. Once, when I was five, Mrs. Oliver across the street asked me how Andromeda kept her flowers fresh for so long. I couldn't tell her it was magic.

I stood on the front step for a few minutes, admiring the lavender blue hydrangeas adorning a bed of shiny, thick salal leaves and wishing I had the time and patience to create something similar. The front door opened before I could press the doorbell.

Mum said, "Your father improved the wards. They now chime continuously until the visitor steps off the mat."

I pointed. "I noticed you made a new wreath. It's gorgeous."

"Thank you." I followed Mum's gaze across the street to see a faded arrangement of dried flowers and eucalyptus leaves. Her lips curved.

I snickered. "Does Mrs. Oliver still do penance over coveting your arrangements?"

"I wouldn't know, but she's always fingering her Rosary beads."

The satisfaction in Mum's voice made me laugh.

From inside, Dad shouted, "Get off the bloody mat! Remus and I can't think, much less talk, with that constant racket!"

Mum's smile was feline. "Yes, dear." She waited for me to enter before closing the door and kissing my cheek. "You look lovely, Nymphadora."

I'd put on a sleeveless dress in the same shade of pink as my hair. "Thanks, Mum, so do you." She wore a black and white floral dress that needed only white gloves and a hat to complete the tea party image. I looked from her silk stockings to my bare legs and pink toenails and sighed inwardly.

In the lounge, the men broke off a Quidditch discussion. I hugged my Dad and sat beside Remus on the sofa, observing my parents as they smiled at us before exchanging glances. I wondered at the silent communication. Was Mum's uplifted brow a silent "do you think they're sleeping together yet?" Did the small smile on Dad's face say, "no, she wouldn't sit so close or play with his fingers like that if they were sharing a pillow"? I hoped not. I wanted them to continue to think of me as a non-sexual being and would gladly return the favour.

Remus put his hand over mine. "Earlier, your parents asked if I'd prefer to eat in the back garden. I told them wherever you liked was fine by me. What do you think?"

I thought he was considerate and very handsome in his chocolate brown shirt. "The garden."

"Excellent choice. Everything is set," said Mum, rising to lead the way.

I pretended offence. "What if I'd chosen to eat inside?"

She smoothed back a wisp of hair into her tidy French twist. "You have never chosen to eat inside."

"There's a first time for everything," I retorted.

"Yes, dear."

Mum refused to bicker. It made me really appreciate my friends. I made a face at Remus that probably made me look like a bratty teenager. He chuckled. My dad laughed and told him, "Blacks have a contrary streak, a fact I'm sure you're well aware of."

"I find it enchanting," said Remus. I preened.

Dad grinned. "Amongst other things, I'll bet."

"True."

I huffed. "Thanks a lot." I tossed my head after rejecting the urge to morph long hair so the gesture would be more dramatic. Huffing again, I flounced ahead and linked my arm through Mum's.

Behind us, I heard Dad murmur, "Now you see why Mary, Mary quite contrary was her favourite nursery rhyme."

Outside on the terrace, I turned and said, "So I liked silver bells and cockle shells." I smiled at Mum. "I loved asking how does your garden grow too."

She said, "If you had not flitted off after butterflies, you would have seen it grew due to a little manual labour and a lot of spell casting."

We headed across the lawn to the table and chairs arranged in a corner of the garden. The dappled shade from an apple tree cast intriguing shadows across Remus's face. Once we were seated and the stasis covers removed from the food, I looked at the glass of wine my love offered and said, "Maybe I should stick to Butterbeer."

He winked and took the glass for himself. I swivelled in my chair and called, "Accio Butterbeer!" The sound of breaking glass caused me to wince.

Dad burst into laughter. "I told Andie moving the furniture around was a bad idea."

Mum waved her wand in a series of spells and handed me the Butterbeer that finally levitated to our table. Through her teeth, she said, "Yes, dear."

After lunch, Mum gave Remus a tour of the garden. I trailed along, adding a judicious comment every now and then. On one side, I pointed to a border of plants and said, "Those green, leafy clumps grow tall, fluffy clusters of flowers in the summer."

"Miscanthus sinensis?" asked Remus.

"Adagio," Mum said with a nod.

Wow, he knew the names of plants. I didn't. I only liked looking at them. Remus slipped his arm around my waist. "My mother enjoyed gardening. Ours was much smaller than yours, with not much more than a few lime trees with an under planting of hostas around a paved area."

"It sounds lovely." Mum nodded approvingly. "What variety of hostas?"

"Krossa Regal."

I tried to show I knew something by saying, "Those have pale lilac flowers, right? I remember colours more than names."

"You never asked the names."

I resisted the urge to stick out my tongue, although I did widen my eyes in a mother! look. Thankfully Dad, who had been listening to a Quidditch match on the wireless in the lounge, came to the back door and called, "Dromeda, luv, should I set the trifle out now?"

"That's his way of saying he's ready for dessert," she said before waving. "I'll be right there!" Mum told us, "Coffee and dessert will be ready in a few minutes," and walked back to the house.

Remus rubbed a strand of my hair between his fingers. "You rival any flower in colour and beauty."

I fluttered my eyelashes at him. "You're just saying that because you fancy my stems."

He gave a bark of laughter. I was about to make another cheeky allusion when Mum came to the back door. "Dessert's ready!"

I grinned at Remus and called back, "Yes, dear!"

.

Dad ate his trifle and spent the time it took the rest of us to finish telling Remus about his latest adventure in plumbing. Mother shared that she had visited a rare bookshop on Charing Cross Road and was very impressed with the selection. I stared. "When was this?"

"Oh…some little while ago." She shrugged elegantly, which annoyed me as much as the evasion. Not for the first time, I sent her the stare that told her to stay out of my business. She looked at me with cool aplomb that sent the message that my business was her business.

Mothers! She meant well, so I firmly repressed my door-slamming inner teenager. An idea struck. I asked Remus, "Want to come up and see my room?"

He slanted a questioning glance at my parents. Mum nodded. "By all means." Before we were entirely out of the lounge, she said, "Ted, are those wards on Nymphadora's room still active?"

Dad's boisterous laughter followed us up the stairway.

I stopped and leaned back against my door to say, "My bedroom hasn't been redecorated since my sixth year at Hogwarts, so keep that in mind and don't think I'm a case of arrested development."

He smiled. "Don't worry. I've seen your current bedroom, remember?"

I nodded sheepishly and opened the door. Remus's interested gaze travelled from the lavender eyelet fabric on the bed to the family photograph on my chest of drawers. He picked up the picture and watched a seventeen-year-old girl smile at the camera impishly before making bunny ears behind her mother's head. He placed it back onto the wooden surface and gazed around at the Weird Sisters posters on the walls, smiling widely.

I sat on the side of the bed. "Don't worry about wards. There's never been another male in this room, not even Sirius when he used to visit, or pretended to be a stray dog named Grim. I think Dad made that up hoping I'd keep it that way indefinitely."

"I'd do the same," Remus said with a rueful smile.

An image came to mind of a brown-haired girl stomping a foot as her boyfriend lay immobilised on her bedroom floor.

"Daddy, how could you!" she yelled. "We were only studying!"

"What was the subject, Anatomy? There are no books or parchments on your bed." The girl's father crossed his arms. "James Potter was my friend, but he didn't always practise restraint." Looking down at the grandson of his fellow Marauder, a seventh year with unruly hair who stared rigidly up at him, Remus said dryly, "It seems this apple didn't fall far from the tree."

"Nymphadora?"

Remus had just asked me a question. I hedged, "Yes?"

"I said I like your room. What were you thinking about?"

It wasn't the time to share my occasional daydreams about marriage and children. Instead, I patted the duvet. "Snogging you." The moment he sat, I parted my lips and lifted my face to his. The kiss that started out sweet ended up horizontal and passionate. The feel of his body and mouth moulded to mine caused me to moan, "Oh, Remus."

His chest and voice rumbled with tender amusement, "Oh…" Remus's tone changed abruptly when the mattress tilted and we slid onto the floor. "Merlin!" He held me close to absorb the shock of the fall.

I giggled madly. "I really thought she was joking about the wards." He looked so adorable smiling up at me that I kissed him. He chuckled after I said with a smirk, "No wards on the floor, how unimaginative my parents are." I tried to stand and felt my feet slide out from under me. The floor was now as slippery as ice.

"You were saying?" Remus grinned boyishly when I sat up and wiggled my way over to give him another lingering kiss.

After unlocking his lips, I scooted backwards toward the door, using the door handle to rise to my knees. I yelped when the door suddenly opened, causing me to fall into the corridor. With a sinking feeling, I raised my eyes to see Mum give Dad an admiring smile. He winked at her before transferring his gaze to me. While I tried to look innocent, he crossed his arms.

.

The next day, Remus came over while I prepared to go undercover. During her visit, Julia had shared with us that Tom had broken their brunch date because his father had called a meeting. She'd offered to come along and had been told it was family only. Julia needed me to find out if that was true.

I looked down at the pictures of the woman I was going to impersonate and let an image form in my mind. Moments later, I stared into a mirror and met the gaze of a blonde with short, stylish hair and ice-grey eyes. Pale lips curved.

A few minutes later, I sauntered into the lounge and drawled, "Wotcher, Remus."

He smiled and said, "There could be any number of reasons why a family meeting would be held at a restaurant."

I nodded, practicing the patrician tone of Tom's cousin when I said, "I'm sure there are, but Tom told Julia they were gathering at the family manse, which does not match the information discovered when she searched his pockets." I dropped the accent to say, "Jul really had to be worried to do that."

"Tom seems to have given her reason." Remus looked me over and shook his head. "How do you do it? Become someone else so convincingly?"

I took a bow. "It's playacting, except I dress up as another person instead of in one of Mum's old dresses." I glanced down and frowned. "The shoes are disappointingly similar, however. What is it about traditional women and boring footwear? Gran's orthopaedic shoes have more style."

"I don't believe they would match your trouser suit."

I snickered. "Not hardly." I checked my instinctive move to kiss him.

Remus smiled. "Who would you hex if you kissed me?"

"Both of us."

He gave a huff of amusement and asked, "I presume the real Cecilia Fenton is at home, sleeping under the influence of a Memory/Sleep Charm combination spell?" Seeing my nod, he said, "I'm impressed that you overcame your dislike of Hestia to ask for her help, and she was very kind to agree."

"Ha!" I put my hands on my hips. "Jones wasn't being kind, she wanted leverage. The second after she helped the witch invited us to join her and Podmore for an indoor barbeque at her place next Friday. How could I say no?"

"The same way you just did."

I made a sour face. "Hahaha. She'd better not hang on you instead of her date, that's all I have to say."

He continued to regard me with amusement. I marched to the fireplace and grabbed a handful of Floo powder, jumping to discover Remus had moved directly behind me.

"I'm going to track you down if you fail to return in two hours, but before you go, I want you to close your eyes."

I did so warily.

He said, "I'm closing my eyes and remembering the way you looked on your childhood bed—a vibrant, beautiful woman."

His lips grazed my cheek and slid to my lips. I sighed happily, returning his kiss. Before I gave into the urge to slip my tongue between his lips and started that jealous/hexing thing up, I bumped into the mantel and inadvertently dropped the Floo Powder. We both started coughing. I waved and gasped out the name of the restaurant.

.

After stumbling out of what looked like an authentic Tuscan fireplace, I stood up straight and looked down my nose at the host who stared at me rudely. Her expression altered dramatically, changing from disdainful to deferential.

"Fenton," I said curtly, as if she wasn't worth more than the scantest courtesy.

Her brow furrowed and then smoothed out. Smiling in what looked like relief, she said, "Your party is right this way."

I strolled after the woman who seemed to be practising a swaying walk for modelling robes down a runway and ignored the interested glances of the other diners. Funny how if you acted as though everyone was beneath you, people thought you must be someone important.

When I saw where she was leading me, I almost turned and ran. In the far corner of a canopied back terrace overlooking a covered garden, Tom sat at a table with a witch I didn't know and a wizard I knew only too well.

It was my ex-fiancé, Evan Rosier.

.

A/N: Miscanthus sinensis, for anyone who, like Tonks, would call it green, leafy clumps is just a type of ornamental grasses. Evan, however, is like a bad penny, always turning up! Did anyone miss him? The readers I would've missed like the deserts miss the rain…(yes, I'm thinking of the 'Everything but the girl' song, remix version, lol, feel free to sing along)…if they hadn't been so fabulous as to review were… 40/16 alix33 Bardlover cupcakeswirl Dipper eleen Embellished FemmeDraconis FNP Freja Lercke-Fallkenborg give em enough rope GraceRichie honeymufins ishandtwofourths Kates Master 2 katieweasley Klaus's Twin Lady Bracknell Lerie Lizet M MagicalMischiefMakersInc MamaLisa mkgreevey MollyCoddles NalaravatheRed NazgulGirl Nessime OTHCharmedHPFreak RahNee rayokoRavenclaw rt Sivaroobini Lupin-Black and sunny9847