A/N: Hello my lovelies. Just so you know, I will try to update every few days, if not at least twice a week. Any reviews and comments are appreciated- I am getting back into writing after like 7 years. Buckle up- this one's slightly longer.
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On My Mind
Emma was restless. It had been three months since she had been stuck indoors with no glimpse of the outside. Even Sirius got to leave on small missions. And it's not that she couldn't go, it's just that she needed a companion…and anyone interesting was usually on an assignment.
And then there was Remus who sometimes left for weeks at a time. While Remus hadn't explicitly told her where he'd be off to, she knew. Although there was no reason that she should care more for Remus than for say Sirius or even Kingsley, she couldn't help but worry. She had heard him whispering with Arthur and Moody after a meeting once about his assignment with the underground werewolves. Thinking back to that conversation, she entered the kitchen with a frown that morning.
It's not like anyone else could do it. You know he feels the need to be useful just like you do.
Remus looked up from his paper as Emma sat down with a huge sigh and started nibbling the biscuits on her plate. He had seen her get restless over the past few weeks. And they hadn't really been able to talk again without Sirius hovering. Sirius had suspected something funny ever since he noticed that Emma would keep staring at him before blushing and rushing off to talk to someone else. Remus both liked and didn't like this. He liked that she appeared to be just as flustered by him as he was by her. But he disliked it because he wasn't sure how to make a move- or even if he should given his condition.
"Knut for your thoughts?" Remus asked her.
"Honestly, I might offer to take Sirius on a walk just to have something to do!" she said. She saw the sides of Remus' mouth twitch as if holding back a smile. "I might have a solution to that. One that doesn't involve any dog walking" he put down the paper and leaned over to her.
"I'm listening," she leaned over too a flush creeping up her neck as Remus spoke softly. "How about say we sneak out around dinner to grab a bite. Any place you'd like. I'm looking for a break from alternating between Sirius' terrible cooking and Molly's cholesterol ridden feasts," he was smiling at her.
Emma found that whenever it came to Remus asking her with a smile. Her resolve usually broke. Add that low-husky voice- she was floored.
"I'm in"
"Say in an hour? I'll set up a distraction"
"My my Mr. Lupin. I'm starting to think that perhaps you were the real brains behind the Marauders I've been hearing so much about," she whispered back with a smirk. Blushing he got up.
"Dress warm love. I'll meet you at the front door, we'll need to make haste," he said. He tucked the paper under his arm and went upstairs to what she assumed was Sirius' room.
Her mind still reeling with the possibility of uninterrupted time with Remus she felt her mood lift.
It took a while to decide on something to wear that would both keep her warm and hopefully get Remus looking at her. Ugh! she couldn't believe that Sirius had actually caught her staring at Remus' pink completely snoggable lips. And then called her out on it in front of him no less. What must he think of me?
Eventually deciding that she was happy with her outfit, she grabbed her purse and left the room.
At least today we'll have no distractions, she thought.
As she made her way down the stairs as quietly as she could, she peeked around the corner to see Remus beckoning her over she and then she heard a loud crash upstairs. She hurried over to him and he pulled her closer to hide her from view as Sirius darted upstairs with Kreacher on his heels.
"Now!" he led her by the hand, out the door. As they exited into the November air, he realised that they still needed a destination.
Remus was about to say something when he stopped. In the haste, he hadn't noticed her dressed in tight jeans, a warm sweater (but again he was more interested in the tight jeans) and low-heeled boots.
Only now did Remus realise that perhaps with the full moon a week away and his emotions running high, maybe it hadn't been the best idea. He had been caught up in trying to cheer her up and oh the thought of possibly doing something fun even for a little while had been too appealing. It's as if she made him do stupid things just to see her smile.
Remus bit his lower lip in deep thought. This was way too close to the full moon, he thought as he felt something in him stir. His eyes went to her rear as she walked ahead in the skinny jeans, heels clicking on the pavement before stopping after they turned around the corner. Bringing his gaze back up, he pulled his thoughts together.
"So where are we going?" he asked.
"It's a surprise," she held out her arm motioning Remus to hold on in her side-along apparition and with a crack! they were gone. As they materialised in a dingy alley in the middle of busy a London, Emma quickly pulled him by his sweater towards the street. Five minutes later, they came to a stop.
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"And err what is this McDonald's?" Remus questioned looking between the bright sign and line of assorted customers inside.
"This Remus- is my craving. Although judging from your reaction I don't think you've ever stepped foot in a muggle fast-food joint. Consider tonight as the night you lose your McDonald's virginity. It's like a rite of passage really-" she stopped as she realised a few choice words she had just mentioned.
Remus just stood there looking at her as if he couldn't believe she expected him to enter that place and not contract something.
"Please?" she looked at him, eye shining looking at him expectantly.
To hell with it. If I do contract something here and die, it might as well have been delivered by an angel, he thought as he let himself be led in by a certain brown-haired witch he just couldn't stay away from.
As they walked in, Emma saw Remus looking around to figure out what kind of place she had just made him enter. "Why don't you go grab us a table while you wait and I can order our burgers," she saw Remus' eyes widen at the thought of eating here.
"Don't worry we don't have to sit here, we can go to a park of something if you'd like," she added. Relaxing a little he nodded. She got in line and watched him walk over to a small table with two empty seats. She chuckled to herself at how lost and out of place he looked. He looked up to see her still watching him.
That sweater does bring out his eyes, she sighed inwardly. Those brown eyes that shift between kindness and that one look that makes you think he's about to grab and kiss you any second now, she thought back to their almost kiss.
"Hey! Move it," the person behind her nudged her to go forward. The lined had moved up a few people. When Emma finally got to the counter, she ordered two burgers, fries and an unhealthy amount of soda for the both of them.
As she returned with the food, Remus got up to help her carry half of it.
"I know you said you wanted a break from cholesterol ridden food, but I really couldn't help myself," she smiled impishly. Remus just chuckled in response and they walked out the door to find a park bench.
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They sat in Hyde Park with a protection spell covering them that Remus had quickly cast up when no one was looking. It was getting dark and although ominous times were ahead, Emma couldn't help but relax with Remus next to her.
"So, what do you think?" she asked him. She had opened up the burgers and fries and arranged it for ease of eating, dumping a good dollop of ketchup on the side. She had then proceeded to devour her burger in less than five minutes. Remus who was still slowly chewing and debating eating any more of this burger had suddenly stopped when he saw her eating with such fervour. He only continued when she was done with her burger, now convinced that it wouldn't give him an upset stomach.
"Personally, not bad. Although I think Moony likes it a little mor-" Remus stopped when he realised what he was about to say. "I mean you know, it's passable" but Emma cut him off.
"Remus it's fine. I know" Remus froze. He was silent for a minute. He had stopped eating the hamburger altogether.
"And you're still here? Knowing what I am" he spoke quietly. He was afraid to look at her. He didn't want her sympathy.
"Remus, you have been nothing but loyal and kind to me. And for some reason and I know you feel it too, but we can't seem to stay away," she said trying to get him to look at her.
"I guess if you're not afraid, that's why you're here keeping me company aren't you? You pity me," he spat out the p-word and got up suddenly.
"No- for the love of Merlin. Remus stop being difficult!" he heard her shuffling to pack the leftover food and follow him as he started walking.
"Like I said. I don't need your pity," he called back to her without looking behind. He could hear her rushing to catch up with him.
"Remus STOP!" she grabbed on to the sleeve of his sweater and turned him around. She looked ready to bite off his head and then she started yelling at him.
"You idiot!" she hit him in the chest.
How was it that Remus was the one who had every right to be mad and yet she was the one smacking him?
"I don't pity you. No one in the Order does. I don't know where you got that idea. You are your own person and yes, you have your flaws, but being a werewolf isn't one of them. And if you can't see it for fuck's sake Remus, or so help me-" she smacked his chest again in a huff. She was about to do it a third time when he caught her hand mid-air and glared at her.
She stood there, hair messy in the wind now, lips in a pout, face red from shouting at him, glaring back at him. He was still holding on to her wrist when he pulled her in to him and crashed his lips into her with a force that surprised them both.
She kissed him back almost immediately and this time properly grabbed on to his sweater. Thinking that she never wanted this to stop she sighed into the kiss which only made him grab her waist tightly. They kissed like they couldn't have back at Grimmauld Place with no one to stop them; hands itching to roam- but this was still a public place. Doing something Remus wanted to all evening, he moved his hands a little south and grabbed her butt, squeezing it. Quite perky, Remus smirked into their kiss as he felt her put her arms around his neck and pretty sure whimper, he thought.
Mmm finally, he thought. Enthusiastic one, isn't she? Remus could feel himself getting too hot and heavy in the middle of Hyde Park. He felt himself itching to take actions that would certainly place him in jail for public indecency. Damn it Moony, Remus needed to stop.
But wait. What was he doing? They couldn't do this. What if he hurt her? Remus panicked halfway and stopped.
"I shouldn't have done that," he broke off. She scrunched her face in confusion. "Remus?" she was breathing hard as she tried to understand what had suddenly happened.
There was only one way out of this for the both of them if they continued. And it was downhill.
"I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me," Remus wiped his hand over his face looking upset. "Don't be" she smiled and took a step forward to kiss him again but he stepped back. Emma couldn't understand why Remus looked so guilty suddenly.
"We can't be doing this. I- I need to go," Remus turned and walked off in long strides. "Remus John Lupin you come back right now," she started calling after him again and almost followed him.
She hoped that he would stop and come back.
But he didn't.
Instead, she saw him eventually turn around the winding path and go out of sight. A few moments later, she heard a crack! that left her alone, confused and most certainly turned on, still reeling from their kiss.
