Author's Note:

I wanted to change this a little bit to reflect his upbringing and yet still give him that important piece of his father(s) as well as reflect on his growing power. I hope you like it.

Reviews and Comments: To Wolf's scream: Yes, Hermione's parents would have found her first year adventure to be quite worrisome. I agree, I love Remus and Hermione both playing the piano. Remus did have a little flashback there. I'm glad you found the moment between Ginny and Colin amusing, thank you! To alix33: Thanks for liking Harry telling Hermione all Zee. Hermione was definitely bored over Harry's new broomstick haha. Everyone knows Oliver is Quidditch obsessed even the teachers LOL. Thank you! To Steelcode: Yes, Harry finally opened up. Thank you! To scrappy8: Thank you! To storp930: Thank you! Harry's main friends are up to date (except Ginny, but that's coming). We will have more Hinny soon, just not romantic Hinny any time soon. Is Colin gay? I've always considered him to be bisexual myself, but I haven't decided as to how I will write his character yet. I'm glad you're excited for the Animagus bit, but yes, it will be a while before you find out what their animals will be. Thank you!

To CrazyWithABook: Thank you! To coloredwords: It will do Harry some good, less tension on his shoulders. Thank you! To hills: Ginny will, just not quite yet. To Guest: Am I setting something up for you to lose Zee just for fake drama? No. To Guest: Thanks for loving my Ginny and Colin moment! They are adorable and Ginny is trying so hard to not be attracted to Harry lol. Thank you! That's exactly what I wanted with the flashback to Remus, to bring everything full circle. Thank you! To speedsONEandONLY: Yes, we are keeping Zee LOL. Harry might have wanted to hug Ginny tight, but he didn't. Did Oliver put Alicia over Quidditch and that's why it took him so long to find Harry? Haha, maybe. Thank you! To Lost: There will be more McGonagall eventually, but she's not a main protagonist. To Paola1991: Yes, Harry will tell Ginny. You can skip the sex scenes if you prefer, though personally telling the author you're skipping things they wrote is kind of hurtful no matter what the reasoning is, so just keep that to yourself. Sirius and Zee are cool! Thanks for thinking Dean and Seamus' starting something is fun, even though you apparently aren't going to read it? Thanks, I think.

Thank you to my Beta — SilverStarwolfe!

Thank you very much for reading and please, please review!

Your reviews give me life! They give me inspiration! And they make me want to keep writing for more than just myself! Thank you!

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIVE:

The One Where Harry Asks Out Cho

When Ginny left the hospital wing after her meeting with Na'eemah that night, she was surprised to see Harry waiting out in the hall for her.

"Harry?"

He smiled at her. "Hi, Gin."

"What are you doing here?" she asked, adjusting the strap of her book bag on her shoulder.

Harry shoved his hands into his pockets. "Can we talk for a bit?"

"Of course," she said, looking at him in concern. "Is everything all right?"

He shrugged. "I think right is relative to be honest."

Ginny only looked at him in confusion and followed him to where he led her to a secret passage behind one of the statues. Her eyes widened as she looked around the large stone cavern, a long tunnel leading out to the left. "Where does that lead?"

"Hogsmeade," he told her. "It's caved in at the other end now though. This was one of my dad's places to have secret meetings."

She smiled at that and took a seat on the ground. "A secret meeting, eh? Spill."

Harry grinned and sat down across from her. "How was your session with Na'eemah?"

"Good. Really good. Talking to her is nice. We spoke about how I was feeling and how I was coping and she thinks that since I'm doing so much better, especially since we went down to the Chamber again. She thinks that I won't have to meet with her anymore."

"Really?"

Ginny nodded. "I agree with her. It's nice talking to her, don't get me wrong, but I feel like me again and she helped me learn how to be me again. I don't really need her anymore and if I ever decide I do, I know how to contact her."

Harry smiled at that. "True. Good for you."

"Thanks. Your turn."

Harry sighed, but smiled at her. "After we… went back to the Chamber, Uncle Sirius and Uncle Remus told me about the Horcrux."

Ginny nodded, absentmindedly twirling the bottom tresses of her long red hair. "Na'eemah told me the diary was one. It was… a part of Tom's soul. It was a little scary to think that I had a piece of him inside of me like that. But you destroyed it."

"I did," he told her and then he took a deep breath. "There's more of them."

Ginny's eyes widened as he told her all about the Horcruxes and what Sirius and Remus believed.

"Why? Why would he make so many?" she asked in horror after Harry had finished telling her everything.

"He's afraid of death," Harry said simply. "He wants to live forever and I guess probably create chaos in its wake. Ron and Neville cornered me the other day and made me talk to them. Apparently I've been a bit of a moody git lately and was obviously hiding something from my friends. I wanted you to know that the Horcruxes are being worked on and not to worry and because… you already knew some of it. In fact, Uncle Sirius made sure you knew before me."

"Don't."

"Don't what?"

"Don't be angry at Sirius."

Harry let out a slow breath. "I'm not… not really, I mean, I get why he didn't tell me at first, but I should have known before you."

"Harry, I knew nothing! What you just told me is more than I ever would have known. I didn't even understand what a Horcrux really was until you explained it today. I thought it was just a more elaborate form of possession from the diary due to the nature of it holding a part of Tom's soul," she explained, her dark brown eyes on his. "Sirius and Remus trusted you with a huge secret. My parents never would share something like this with me."

He nodded. "I know and I've realized that these past few weeks, how lucky I am that they are trusting me with this. They are going to be giving me some extra lessons too so that I can… beat him one day."

Ginny nodded, her brown eyes on his. "You will. You just have to have faith in yourself and to trust the people around you."

"I'm trusting you with this secret. I heard a rumour somewhere that you're the best at those."

Ginny smiled warmly at him. "I am," she said with a smile and moved to hug him. "Are you going to be all right?"

He nodded, holding her close. "Yeah, I'll be fine."

Ginny kissed his cheek and settled herself back on the floor. "So, tell me all about these extra lessons of yours?"

He shrugged. "I don't know much yet. My first lesson is to learn the Patronus Charm with Uncle Remus tomorrow night to help me fight off the Dementors."

"Good," she said with a smile.

"Did you tell your parents that you might stop seeing Na'eemah?"

Ginny made a face and Harry laughed.

"Your mum still giving you grief then?"

"I know she means well," Ginny said slowly. "It's just that she's driving me bonkers! Mum gave me the space I needed in Egypt, though I'm pretty sure Bill and Dad kind of held her back. I told her what happened, mostly, and she still writes to me three times a week, asking me how I am, how I'm sleeping, if I'm eating, what I eat, how's Na'eemah, what did we talk about, how I'm feeling… it's rather frustrating and annoying."

"How are you responding?"

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Let's just say that I spent the first ten minutes of Christmas holiday crushed into Mum's arms as she cooed over me. Ron just laughed and didn't even try to help me escape — the git."

Harry chuckled. "Uncle Sirius is just as bad."

"As annoying as it is, it's kind of nice to know they'll always be there, though, isn't it?"

He nodded. "Yeah, it is."

Ginny smiled warmly at him. "We should head back. I still have some homework to finish up."

Harry climbed to his feet, holding his hand out to Ginny to help her up. "Yeah, thanks for listening, Gin."

She smiled at him, her brown eyes twinkling. "It's what friends do, Harry."

He just grinned at her. He was starting to realize that and he was incredibly thankful that he had such amazing friends in his life.

~ ASC ~

Potions class was still an incredibly intense lesson despite Snape's less menacing appeal since the pranking. He was still rather surly and miserable, but like Harry had told Sirius, he wasn't as much of a bully. Neville had even relaxed a margin around him and Snape had been rather less intimidating to Neville since he had called him a bully in the middle of class and told him to sod off. They were working on an antidote to common poisons today and Snape decided that they were going to invent their own concoction. He moved around the room, separating people into partners and Harry grimaced when he heard Snape pair him with Malfoy.

He gave Neville a sympathetic look (as he had been paired with Parkinson) and moved over to the table that Malfoy was sitting at. He unpacked his bag and supplies and turned to look at him.

"Look, neither one of us want to be partners here, but we have to get this done."

Draco nodded curtly. "Agreed."

Harry was surprised by the sudden agreement so he turned to his potions textbook and flipped it open to the chapter on antidotes.

"Potter, I've been meaning to talk to you anyway," Draco said, quietly.

Harry looked at him in surprise. "You have?"

He nodded. "Father blew up at me over the holiday when I tried to figure out what's been going on with my grandfather. He says that I'm too young and that it's none of my business."

"Well, he's your father so that's his choice, isn't it?"

Draco snorted. "Black told you."

Harry shrugged. "Maybe he did, maybe he didn't."

"You would really keep me in the dark on this? After I'm the one who told you what my grandfather did! After I'm the one who told you it was a bloody Basilisk last year! You fucking owe me, Potter!" he hissed quietly, his eyes narrowing.

Harry glared at him, lowering his own voice to match Draco's. "Don't beg, it's beneath you."

Draco glowered in response. "Theo insisted that I talk to you. Said that you were a decent bloke and that you knew what was going on. Obviously, he was wrong."

Harry snorted. "First of all, me telling you anything is not entirely my decision and second of all — I don't owe you anything. We already decided that last year when you willingly gave me the information about the Basilisk so, don't try to turn that around on me."

Draco started cutting up his potion ingredients at random, the back of his neck was red in anger. "Fine, if you don't want to hear what I've learned, then be that way!"

He only stared at him. "Like you even know anything, you're just fishing for information."

Draco glared at him. "Now you'll never know, will you?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "You're such a git, Malfoy. Meet me in the courtyard by the greenhouses before dinner and I'll tell you what I can."

Draco smirked in response and Harry wasn't sure whether or not it was actually a good idea to tell him anything.

After his last class that day, he made his way to the courtyard, leaning against the wall to wait for Draco. His smile widened when he saw Cho. He watched in fascination as her shiny black hair danced in the cool wind. She saw him looking and gave him a friendly smile and wave which made him feel slightly less embarrassed to have been caught staring at her.

"Why don't you just ask her out instead of staring at her all the time like some creepy stalker?" Draco demanded, sitting down on the bench nearby.

Theo rolled his eyes as he plopped down next to his friend. "Do you always have to be such a wanker, Draco?"

"I think it's too ingrained in his personality to be otherwise," Harry said with a grin.

Theo chuckled. "Fair point."

"I'm just saying that if Potter likes the bird he should just ask her out. It's not like it's hard."

"Having Pansy throw herself at you doesn't exactly count as asking a girl out now though, does it?" Theo asked, his eyebrow rising in amusement.

Draco shot him the finger and turned to Harry. "Ignore him, he's an imbecile. Seriously though, stop staring at Chang and just ask her out. Snog her, shag her — whatever — just get it over with already."

Harry only glared at him. "I can make my own decisions, thanks, and I hardly need your advice on my love life."

Draco shrugged. "What love life, Potter?" Harry glared at him and he smirked. "No skin off my bones."

Harry crossed his arms in front of his chest, his eyes on Draco. "What did you find out over Christmas, while you were being told off for sneaking around?"

"Oh, no," Draco said, a sneer on his face. "I tell you nothing until you give me something in return."

Harry sighed. He already knew what he was going to tell him and he definitely knew what he wasn't going to tell him. It wasn't his fault that Lucius Malfoy didn't want him to know anything and it wasn't like they were friends to begin with, but he was also thinking that giving Malfoy a little information couldn't hurt; he might actually know something that could help them.

"Your mum told Uncle Sirius that your grandfather wants to try to find a way to help Voldemort come back. That's why he broke out Pettigrew and Lestrange."

Theo frowned at that. "But you're The Boy Who Lived? I thought that you killed him?"

Harry shook his head. "I was a baby, how could I have killed him? My mother protected me, she died, and he was greatly weakened, and ran off to lick his wounds. He's weak and out there somewhere needing help; even weaker now since he possessed Quirrell in first year — and apparently Malfoy's grandfather has decided to be the one to help him this time around. If he succeeds, he's going to be stronger than ever and another war is going to break out."

Draco's eyes widened at that. "Missions." His eyes met Theo's and his friend nodded. "My father was a Death Eater."

"Yeah, and?"

Draco stared at him. "You knew?"

"Yeah, it was mentioned that he had some connection so I assumed that's what Uncle Sirius meant. But Uncle Sirius also gave me the impression that your dad isn't looking to help your grandfather and your mum isn't either so I guess that makes them okay," Harry said simply.

Theo smirked. "Handsome and bright, great combination."

Harry blushed at that. "Er, all right."

"Ignore Theo, I usually do," Draco said in annoyance. "That's all you know though, Potter, that he's trying to bring the Dark Lord back?"

Harry nodded. "Yeah, and that they're trying to figure out a way to stop it from happening obviously, but that they don't know how or when he's going to come back or even if they will succeed, but we're pretty sure that Voldemort is going to come back."

Draco nodded, his grey-blue eyes serious. "I don't know anything about that. What I do know is that my father was furious when he found me trying to get information — basically told me I was a child and that it wasn't my business, and to stay out of it."

"Well, that's his choice. Look, Draco, that's all I know and I hope that it doesn't happen, but your grandfather is a powerful man. If Voldemort has the backing of a powerful wizard, who knows what could happen."

Draco simply stared at him and then he nodded. "Thanks, Potter."

"Wow, an actual thank you from Draco Malfoy, the world must be ending," Harry said dryly.

Draco made a rude hand gesture and grabbed his book bag. "Don't push it or if I find out anything interesting, I won't share."

Harry simply grinned at him, grabbing his own bag from the ground. "I'll keep that in mind."

Theo smiled at him. "Hey, Potter, before you run off, what do you know about Cornfoot?"

"Who?"

Draco rolled his eyes. "Theo, Potter doesn't even talk to him! Come on!"

Theo smiled at Harry. "Stephen Cornfoot? He's in Ravenclaw? In our year?"

"Er, I think he's friends with Goldstein, that's about it, why?"

Draco rolled his eyes again. "Theo!"

Harry only gave him a puzzled look as Draco tugged his friend away. He had no idea why Theo would ask him about a Ravenclaw bloke he was pretty sure he had never even spoken to. He shrugged and shook his head. Sometimes talking to the Slytherins made his head spin. He would have to let Sirius know about Draco's interest and in the fact that his parents were shutting him out. He found that rather interesting himself.

He glanced at his watch and saw that he still had time to run back to Gryffindor Tower to put his books away before dinner so he hurried off, his thoughts drifting back to Cho and whether or not he could drum up the courage to ask her out.

~ ASC ~

Harry was on his way back from Quidditch practice that evening feeling a bit anxious and excited about his Dementor fighting lessons with Remus. Quidditch practice had gone over a bit and he realized that he was going to be late for his lesson. He started to jog through the castle and he jolted in surprise when he almost ran into the dark-haired girl in the hallway outside of his father's classroom.

"Er, Cho, hi," he said, almost stumbling in his attempt not to fall over.

Cho smiled brightly at him, flipping her black silky hair over her shoulder. "Practice?"

He nodded, smiling back. "Wood is determined to get the Cup this year."

"At this point anyone winning over Slytherin would be preferable," she said brightly.

Harry grinned. "Agreed."

"I heard you got a Firebolt; it's really nice."

"Thanks," he said, lowering it from his shoulder to show it to her. "It flies like a dream."

She grinned widely. "I can only imagine." She flipped her hair over her shoulder and smiled coyly at him. "Are you going to Hogsmeade on Saturday?"

Harry nodded, swallowing slowly. "Yeah. You?"

Cho smiled. "Of course. Maybe I'll see you there?"

"Definitely."

She smiled at him. "Bye, Harry."

He watched her walk away, his stomach flip-flopping. The sound of someone clearing their throat rather loudly had him turning to see his father leaning casually against the door to his classroom and grinning.

"Someone keeping you?"

Harry felt the back of his neck flush. "No. Practice ran over."

Remus smiled. "And you weren't just distracted by the lovely Miss Chang?"

"Er — no."

Remus grinned at him. "Why didn't you ask her to join you at Hogsmeade on Saturday?"

"I can't just — she's a fourth year!"

"And?"

Harry stared at his uncle. "I… I wouldn't know what to say."

Remus only smiled. "Just be yourself, little Prongs.

Harry only blushed in response to that.

Remus grinned wider. "I'll still be here when you get back."

Harry made to turn into the classroom and then changed his mind and hurried off down the hall after Cho. She had reached the stairs by this point and he made a mad dash to catch her before she headed down them.

"Cho!"

She turned, surprise in her eyes when she saw him hurrying towards her. "Hi, Harry, where's the fire?"

He shrugged. "I wanted to catch you before you went to wherever it is you're going."

"The library," she said with a smile. "I have a paper to write for Professor Snape. What can I do for you, Harry?"

His stomach clenched nervously and he bit his bottom lip. He wasn't really going to do this, he thought, was he? She gave him a bewildered smile and his stomach flopped again. He swallowed. "WouldyouwannagotoHogsmeadewithme?"

"I'm sorry," she said with a small smile. "I didn't quite catch that."

Harry took a slow breath. "Would you want to go to Hogsmeade with me?"

Cho's eyes widened in surprise and then she smiled. "Yes."

Harry's grin flashed quickly. "Really?"

Cho chuckled, tucking her dark hair behind her ear. "Yes."

"Brilliant!"

She smiled, holding her books closer against her chest. "I'll meet you by the front doors at ten?"

Harry only nodded, grinning like a fool as he waved goodbye and watched her hurry down the stairs. He walked back to Remus' office as if in a daze. He knew that he had a huge goofy grin on his face and Remus chuckled when he saw him.

"She said yes?"

Harry nodded and then smirked. "I have a date!"

Remus grinned and gestured for his son to come inside. "You do. Wait until Sirius finds out."

Harry blanched. "No!"

He laughed. "You don't want him to know?"

Harry dragged his fingers through his hair, putting his broomstick down on his father's desk. "I'll tell him on Saturday — after the date."

"Probably wise; knowing Padfoot he'd decide it was a good day for a jaunt in Hogsmeade."

Harry laughed. "She said yes, Uncle Moony! I can't believe that she said yes. Now what?"

Remus grinned and squeezed Harry's shoulder lightly. "Now, you go to Hogsmeade with her and you have a good time. And do you remember everything we told you about kissing?"

He blushed and then grinned. "I do."

Remus clapped his hands together, smiling widely. "I think you have the perfect mindset to learn the Patronus right now." He gestured to the chest in the middle of his office floor. "Obviously ideally you should learn on a real Dementor, but I thought that was too dangerous to practice on so I decided that we can practice on a Boggart. Do you think your greatest fear is still a Dementor?"

Harry thought about it for a moment and then nodded. He knew that the idea of Voldemort returning scared him and the idea that one day he would have to kill the dark wizard, but it still didn't really seem real to him. Not like the Dementors who were hovering nearby and draining the emotions from him. "Yes."

He nodded. "What did you learn about a Patronus?"

"That it's like a shield that pushes away the Dementor; protecting you from the negativity and the darkness they force you to mentally conjure."

"Exactly," Remus said with a smile. "Boggarts are defeated by laughter and Dementors are similar in the way that they are defeated by happiness. The trick is to think of the happiest feeling that you can imagine while conjuring the Patronus; if the memory is happy enough, your Patronus will take the form of something that defines you and the happy memory will help you keep the Patronus up and strong."

"Sirius' Patronus is Padfoot and yours is the wolf."

"That's right," Remus said with a smile. "Are you ready?" He nodded. "Excellent. Now repeat after me: Expecto patronum."

"Expecto patronum," Harry said carefully.

"Good," Remus said. "Now, think of a happy memory."

Harry beamed at him. "Cho saying yes to a date makes me pretty happy."

Remus chuckled. "It's a good place to start. Hold onto that happy feeling, little Prongs. Ready?"

At Harry's nod, he stood behind the chest and he opened it.

Harry gulped as the dark hooded figure of a Dementor stepped out; long, creepy fingers, wispy robes. He raised his wand, thinking about Cho saying yes when he suddenly heard his mother's cry and then he heard a man's voice.

"Take Harry and run, go! I'll hold him off!"

"Jamie, no!"

"Go, Lily!"

And then he was on the ground, Remus gently slapping his cheeks.

"Dad."

Remus cupped his chin in his hand and carefully slipped a piece of chocolate between his lips. "You all right?"

Harry nodded as he chewed the chocolate, the warmth slipping into his system. "I heard my dad this time."

"You — James?"

"He told Mum to take me and run. He… he said that he would hold Voldemort off, but my mum didn't want to leave him."

Remus ran his fingers through Harry's hair, his face pale. "Harry…"

Harry shook his head and climbed to his feet. "I'm okay."

"He would have done everything he could to protect you, Harry. There was no one in the world more important to him than you and Lily."

Harry nodded, his eyes on Remus as he held his wand tightly. "Let's do it again."

Remus made to protest, but then shook his head as he looked at the determined expression in Harry's eyes. He went to stand behind the chest again. "Try a different memory, Harry; something a bit stronger. As happy as you feel about going on a date with Cho — it's not strong enough for this."

He closed his eyes, trying to think of a different happy memory and he smiled brightly. "I've got one." At Harry's nod, Remus opened the chest and the Dementor rose up once more.

Harry concentrated as hard as he could on the moment that Sirius had given him Marauder; the moment that he truly knew that he had a home and how much he loved the man before him. He could dimly here James and Lily's voices in his head, but he stayed on his feet and yelled out: "Expecto patronum!"

A silvery blue smoke seemed to emanate from his wand, pulsing towards the Dementor. It pushed at him, but the Dementor broke through and Harry felt himself growing faint again, the voices getting louder. Remus stepped in front of him and the Boggart turned into Tonks, claw marks across her chest before he said, "Riddikulus!"

He stuffed the Boggart back into the chest and gripped Harry's shoulders, beaming at him. "Harry, that was incredible!"

Harry accepted the chocolate, chewing thoughtfully for a moment. "I thought it was supposed to take a form not just be, you know, smoke."

Remus smiled and kissed Harry's forehead. "It will. The fact that you conjured anything at all is amazing! Most adults have trouble with that spell."

Harry nodded and stared at his uncle for a moment. "When did your Boggart change from the moon?"

Remus hesitated a moment before he spoke. "I don't know exactly, but I think when Tonks agreed to live with me."

Harry nodded and smiled at his uncle. "You won't hurt her, Uncle Moony. I know you won't. You love her too much."

Remus only smiled at him. "Maybe, but our fears often contain more fact in them than we would like to admit. All right, let's try that again, shall we? That was excellent. Keep that memory firmly in your mind, Harry. It was obviously a good one."

Harry nodded and watched Remus open the chest again as he concentrated on his happy memory and the Dementor crawled out. "Expecto patronum!" he exclaimed as the smoke came from his wand again, this time thicker and darker, but still smoke.

He could dimly hear his parents voices, but he concentrated harder on Sirius; memories flooding his mind of Sirius tucking him in at night, singing to him, keeping him safe, promising never to hurt him, that he never had to return to the Dursleys, and the moments when he was with Remus and Sirius: Both of them hugging him between them and loving him, him sleeping between his two fathers when he was young — family.

"Expecto patronum!" he said again and this time, a huge white stag erupted from the tip of his wand. It pranced around him, emanating a soft glow and then a second form emerged from his wand, a huge white dog that turned to look at him before a large white wolf came out behind him. Then all three of them surrounded and charged at the Dementor, knocking it back and into the wall where the Boggart tripped and fell and Remus shoved it back into the chest.

Remus was simply staring at him.

Harry was panting from the effort, his wand still out. He accepted the chocolate Remus gave him with a smile. "It was a stag and a dog and… a wolf… how?"

"Bloody hell, Harry! I can't believe you… on your third try! That is amazing. Truly."

Harry beamed at him. "It was hard to keep it strong but… I barely even heard my parents at all, it was like a buzzing in my ears that last time."

Remus nodded, taking a seat on the chest that held the Boggart. "That is a really powerful spell. You did brilliant. I have never heard of a Patronus taking on multiple forms like that. The way each animal moved on, caged the Dementor and… it was brilliant."

"So, that's it then?"

He shook his head. "Pretty much, yeah. The more practice you get with it, the stronger your Patronus will be. It was still smoky, but you want it to be corporeal so that it can charge at the Dementor more."

"Let's do it again."

Remus shook his head. "That's enough for tonight, little Prongs. It takes a lot out of you."

He accepted the chocolate again, chewing it. "Can I try it on a real Dementor next time?"

Remus frowned. "We'll keep the Boggart for now, Harry. But if you do just as well next time, we'll talk about it again. You have a lot of James and Lily in you. Prongs would be honoured that your Patronus is a representation of him and the… you do realize what your Patronus was, don't you?"

Harry smiled at him. "The Marauders."

Remus smiled and tugged him close for a hug. "A stag, a dog and a wolf… it was the most incredible thing that I've ever seen. What was your memory?"

"Getting Marauder and realizing that Uncle Sirius had given me a home," he said quietly. "The moment I realized I was safe and I was loved and that I had you and Uncle Sirius in my life."

Remus smiled happily, resting his chin on the top of Harry's head. "Absolutely." He pulled back to smile into Harry's eyes. "I love you too, little Prongs." He kissed his forehead and Harry smiled at him. "Now, you did extraordinarily well tonight. Hurry off back to your dorm. Next Friday same time?"

"I have Quidditch practice again."

"After practice is fine," Remus said with a smile. "Excellent job, Harry."

Remus watched him leave and he grinned to himself. He couldn't be more proud, he thought. The thought of Harry's Patronus taking on three of the four Marauders, the way that they had caged the Dementor and protected him… if Prongs had lived, Remus knew without a doubt the three of them would be protecting Harry together just like that. His Patronus was the protection of the three men he loved most and Remus couldn't believe how incredible that made him feel to be a part of that.

He tidied up his office and then used the Floo that McGonagall had let him connect to his cottage in Wales from his Hogwarts suite. He stepped out into his living room, smiling when he saw Tonks stretched out on the sofa, napping.

He loved to watch her sleep. When she was sleeping, sometimes her Metamorphing faded away. Her bubblegum pink hair shimmered to its natural dark brown and some of the blemishes that she tried to hide like the circle of freckles on her nose, would appear, or the birthmark in the shape of a cube on the back of her neck. He knew the moment she woke up, she would glamour those away again. She was the most beautiful woman in his eyes.

He cleaned himself off, bent down, and kissed her cheek. She let out a soft sigh and he kissed her again, this time on the end of her pert little nose, kissing each freckle. Her arms came up around his neck and he laughed when she tugged him down making him lose his balance as he stumbled, falling onto the sofa and onto her. She deepened the kiss, her tongue meeting his, and he smiled against her mouth.

"Miss me?" he asked, moving into a kneeling position on the sofa.

"Desperately," she said, her voice teasing and her hair turning bright pink. She slipped his jacket off of his shoulders and tugged on his tie, pulling him back down towards her. "How was class, Professor Lupin?"

Remus smiled. "Class was great, Nymphadora. How was work, Auror Tonks?"

"Work was good, Remus," she said with a grin, kissing him quickly. "Did you eat?"

He nodded. "Yes. I ate at Hogwarts since I had to wait for Harry. Did you?"

She shook her head. "Meant too, but a nap sounded better."

Remus kissed her nose. "I'll make you something."

Tonks beamed at him and she followed him into the kitchen. She hopped up onto the kitchen counter and watched him as he pulled out the leftovers from the night before. "I can heat up leftovers, you know. I'm not completely incompetent."

He grinned. "I'm aware." He bent down to look on the bottom shelf of the ice box and Tonks not so discreetly stared at his bum.

"How did Harry do on his Patronus?"

"It had form on his third try."

Tonks simply gaped at him. "You're kidding?"

"No," Remus said, grinning widely and standing up and moving to the counter to add the green beans to her plate with the leftover meatloaf. "It had form, smoky but form. It was the most incredible Patronus I've ever seen. It was a stag and a wolf and a dog and …"

"His protection, of course," she said smiling at him. "He loves you."

"I know," Remus said, smiling at her as he headed up the plate of food. "I love him too. What did you do today?"

Tonks' eyes had fallen to his bum again when he turned around and she smirked. She unbuttoned her blouse, unhooking her bra, and slipping them both off as they fell to the kitchen floor. She undid her trousers next, lifting herself just enough to slip out of them, followed by her cotton knickers. Remus turned, plate in his hand just as she kicked her knickers off and his eyes gleamed as they raked over her.

"I thought you were hungry," he said, putting the plate down on the kitchen table.

Tonks simply spread her legs, reaching down to cup one of her small breasts. Her fingertips gently brushing across the scar Remus had left there. Each touch of the scar sent shivers down her body and she smiled as she watched her mate lick his lips with every touch. She could feel his heartbeat speed up and she smiled at him.

"Are you hungry, love?"

He made a growling sound and in two quick strides stood in front of her. He spanned his hands around her waist, thumbs rubbing the skin there, gently, as his mouth took her breast. She let her head fall back, hitting the cupboard behind her as he suckled her. She gripped his tie, tugging him closer, and moaning softly as his tongue twirled and twisted deliciously. She wrapped his tie around her hand, holding him close while his mouth worked over her. His lips trailed the underside of her breasts, licking the scar, kissing her stomach, her ribs, her belly button; licking and suckling the skin as he moved lower.

"No," Tonks whispered, tugging him by his tie up to her mouth. "No."

Remus licked his lips and kissed her deeply, wrapping her legs around his waist and lifting her off the counter. He started to carry her to the bedroom, but Tonks simply stopped him in the doorway, sliding down his body and leaning back against the doorjamb. She grinned cheekily at him, unzipping his jeans and tugging his erection free and then she turned around, gripping the doorjamb tightly, her head turning to give him a sexy smile.

His hands moved around her, one to cup her waist, the other to slip between her legs. He could smell her arousal and he hardened even more, as she pushed back against him. He moaned, lifting her, and rubbing himself against her bum.

Tonks bit her bottom lip, turning to wink at him. "Don't tease me, Remus."

Remus only groaned and slid into her, sighing in happiness and groaning as she began to push back on him.

"Harder," she murmured.

He groaned and did as she asked. Grabbing the doorframe for support as he held her up with his other hand, his hips pistoling into her as she moaned. He used his hand on her, his fingers pumping her tirelessly as she cried out. When he emptied himself into her, he breathed heavily against the back of her neck, sliding her down his body. His limp cock pressed against her spine and he kissed her ear, her neck, her collarbone.

"I don't think we've used this doorjamb before."

Tonks smirked at him, turning around to wrap her arms around his neck, tugging his face down to kiss him deeply. "I know," she said smartly, kissing the pulse in his throat. "You know what else we haven't used?"

"What's that?" he asked, sighing as her lips trailed down his neck and her fingers moved to unbutton his shirt. He reached up to loosen his tie and her hands stopped him.

"No, leave the tie on, Professor."

Remus grinned at her, but he didn't say anything as she finished unbuttoning his shirt and slid it off his shoulders. She pushed his jeans and boxers down all of the way and he stepped out of them. "Should I take my socks off?"

Tonks shook her head, grinning widely at him. "Nope."

"So, where's this other mysterious place that we haven't fucked on?" Remus asked her, his voice husky as her fingers slid along his shaft.

Tonks smirked at him. "I'm going to start putting x's on the walls we've used just so we're thorough."

He grinned against her throat, moving down to kneel before her, kissing her stomach, her belly button, her thighs. "Mmm," he said, lifting her leg and placing it on his shoulder.

Tonks moaned. "Rem… if you start that I'll never get to my dinner."

He kissed her there, softly. "It's your fault for distracting me, you should have eaten when I first made you food."

Her fingers fisted in his hair as he kissed her there again, featherlight and soft, teasing. "Remus," she breathed.

He slid his hands up the back of her legs, cupping her cheeks in his hands, squeezing lightly as he continued to just plant soft kisses against the purple hair, along her thighs, his tongue sliding along the edge of her thigh.

"I love how you smell, Dora; I love how you feel," he murmured, and he felt her legs tremble. He kissed her inner thigh, his tongue trailing along the soft skin, soft kisses, lick, nip. "And how you taste," he said as his tongue slid into her.

Tonks groaned as he licked her. "Remus…"

His tongue teased her. "And how you taste after I've had you…"

His tongue became more insistent now and she cried out.

He smiled against her, kissing her softly before standing up, his hands sliding up her ribs and cupping her breasts. "You should go eat your dinner."

Tonks only stared at him, her eyes bright. She was vibrating, trembling with need, and he expected her to just go eat her dinner. "You expect me to just eat my dinner now?"

He only smirked at her. "Better eat if you're hungry, Dora," he said with a grin. "Because once I start that, I'm not stopping again." He picked up his clothes from the floor. "I'm going to go take a shower. Eat your dinner."

Tonks watched him saunter off to the bathroom and she took a deep breath. She was throbbing with need, she realized, and the bastard bloody-well knew it too. She put the plate back into the ice box and followed him into the bathroom. She slid into the shower with him, kissing his back, and he turned to grin at her.

"Dora, I told you to eat."

Tonks kissed his cheek and smirked at him. "On your knees, Professor Lupin."

Remus only licked his lips and knelt before her, the hot water splashing his back. She gasped when he tugged her hips towards him as he knelt in the tub and her back slammed against the cold tile wall.

But then his mouth was on her and all she could do was hold on tight, grabbing the bar of the shower curtain overhead, and riding his mouth.

This was way better than food, she thought.