Ah, I'm back for more in this chapter. I think I'm going to change the rating for this because of some...later events. Yeah, but not yet...okay! And now (drum roll, please): I don't own Harry Potter! Thank you, and now read!
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Ch. 19: The Oddest Dinner
##
"It really is beautiful," Aya whispered, not wanting to shatter the awesome silence of the forest in front of them. Remus squeezed her hand.
I can think of something more beautiful, he thought with a grin as he gazed at her. He sighed happily. "Yeah...much more..."
She looked at him, an eyebrow raised. The feeling erupted within her again. Oh, no...please, please, please don't...
Biting her lip, she looked back towards the forest. She longed to look at him again, but that odd feeling frightened her.
"You wanna go back inside?" he asked.
"Sure," she replied.
##
"Hey, anyone who's listening! Dinner's ready!" Liz called as she poked her head out from the kitchen doorway. "Is the table set, Thomas?"
"Yeah, Mum!" Thomas yelled from his room.
"Well, get your butt moving and go get everyone!" she yelled back. Why is it always a screaming match when I'm in the kitchen? It's better when it's nice and quiet.
##
"Would you like some salad, Aya?" Isaac asked from where he sat at the head of the table in the dining room.
"Yes, please," she replied. "Oh, would you like some help with that plate, Mrs. Lupin?"
"Oh, no dear, it's quite alright," Liz said with a laugh as she set the plate down. "Such nice table manners! My boys could learn a thing or two from you."
Aya blushed and stared down at her plate.
"Owch, Mum," Remus said through a mouthful of chicken. "That kinda hurt a little."
"Well, your mother's right, Remus. You and Thomas need better table manners, letting your poor Mother carry all that food out, and then have to do the dishes," Isaac replied.
"I was talking about you as well, Isaac," Liz hissed.
Isaac went scarlet. "Um...so, anyone have any Christmas wishes this year?" he asked with a quick glance at his wife. Oh, she's probably going to kill me later on.
Remus shrugged.
"There's some scifi action figures out...top of the line," Thomas said loudly. "What do you want for Christmas, Aya?"
"Um...I'm not really big on Christmas that much," she replied with a blush. "I never really celebrated it."
"Now, we can't have that," Liz said as she picked up her fork. "Come on, isn't there something you want for Christmas?"
Aya could feel her face burning with embarrassment. "Um...I really...don't know."
"Well, that doesn't help," Remus said glumly, putting his elbows on the table.
"Elbows off the table," Liz scolded, waving her fork at him.
"Yes, Mum," Remus said quickly as he removed the obscene appendages.
"Oh, Liz, I forgot to mention," Isaac said. "I need to go into the Alley tomorrow for some...things. Do you want to come?"
Liz nodded. "I've got some last minute Christmas shopping to do, and we haven't gotten a ham yet."
"Are you a werewolf, Aya?"
The table went dead silent. Liz, mortified, stared down at her youngest son. Isaac dropped his fork. Remus, nearly choking on salad, glared at his little brother, shaking with rage with a look of 'You-are-so-dead-when-Mum-and-Dad-aren't-watching' in his eyes. Thomas leaned forward, waiting for her reply.
Aya looked the boy straight in the eye and replied, "Yes, I am."
"That's so cool!" Thomas laughed. "My brother's one, too! Are you guys in love, then?"
"Shut up, Thomas, before you die," Remus said through gritted teeth.
"Uh...who wants dessert?" Liz said quickly, getting shakily up from the table.
"Well?" Thomas pressed. "Are you in love with him?"
That odd feeling was back inside of her. She bit her lip, her palms suddenly sweaty. "Um...um..."
The word wouldn't come to her lips, not in front of them. Even Liz was frozen in her place, watching Aya intently. Say something, idiot, Aya screamed in her head. Don't just sit there!
She knew she was blushing to death as she sat there, dumbfounded at the table.
"That's it! Thomas! You're dead!"
Remus nearly tore around the table in an effort to get at his prey. Thomas, screeching, half from laughter and half from wild fear, ran helter-skelter outside.
"Get your ass back here! Thomas! I'm going to kill you!"
"Ow-wow! Mum! MUM!"
"Uh...would you excuse me for a moment?" Aya pleaded with a wary eye towards the front door. As both Liz and Isaac, still astonished and now in a daze, nodded, Aya leapt up from her seat and ran out the door, yelling, "Remus, don't hurt him! REMUS! GET OFF HIM NOW!"
There was a screech, a holler, and a loud slap.
"Ow, Aya! What'ja do that for?" Remus could be heard from outside.
"For beating your own brother, you nit-wit!" she answered.
"Ah, yes," Liz said as she sat shakily down. "She really is perfect for our son, isn't she?"
"Yup, indeed," Isaac answered as he took a long draught of water. "Now, then...anyone up for dessert?"
##
"My face still hurts," Remus said glumly from the edge of the couch.
"Oh, stop it," Aya answered, glancing quickly up from her book. "You deserved it."
"I did not!" Remus hissed as he rubbed his cheek. "That little monster embarrassed me to death and put you in an odd situation!"
"Your brother was only asking an innocent question," Aya answered as she resumed her reading.
"Innocent question? Aya, you can't just ask people if they're a werewolf or not, or if they...you know," he replied indignantly.
"And since when is it that I can't answer such things? He didn't ask you, he asked me. And I was fine with it," she said with another furtive glance at him. "A little put out, yes, but he's just a little boy."
"Fine! You can keep him for a brother! I'll pay you to get him off my hands!" he hissed. "I hate the little bugger, anyway."
"No, you do not!"
Aya slammed her book shut as she blinked furiously. "You have a brother, Remus! Be happy with that! So don't go around saying you hate him because no one is capable of hatred, and you never know...you might...lose him or something!"
The tightening in her throat caused her voice to crack slightly. She sniffed and wiped her eyes furiously, then opened her book again with a sigh.
Remus simply sat there, his face white and his eyes wide open. "That's the second time you've done that to me..."
"Done what?" she snapped, refusing to look at him.
"Pointed out that I did something wrong, make me feel horribly guilty, and treat me like a child," he answered.
"I wouldn't have to treat you like a child if you didn't act like one," she answered curtly.
"I'm sorry," Remus replied.
Aya sighed, then looked at him again. He leaned forward, batting his eyes. "Oh, stop it," she said with a giggle.
"Do you forgive me?" he pleaded innocently, sticking out his lower lip.
"No," she laughed. "Stop it, you look like a fish!"
"A fish, huh?"
He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her close, tickling her.
"Not again!" she pleaded, tears of mirth streaming down her face. "Stop it! Stop!"
"I act like a child, right?" he laughed. "Might as well..."
"I forgive you! I forgive you!" she gasped out. "Just don't tickle me anymore!"
Remus sat back, triumphant. "Works like a charm."
"Oh, you-," Aya began, but was silenced by a kiss. "Mm...you didn't let me finish."
"That's exactly the point!" he replied with a grin, and leaned forward for another kiss.
"Remus Lupin! Get your butt to bed this instant!" Liz cried from the kitchen doorway.
Remus fell off the couch with a loud thump. Aya winced and glanced down at him. As he pushed himself up, he retorted, "Mum, do you have to do that? It's barely even eleven! And it's my break!"
"Get...to...bed," Liz hissed, narrowing her eyes. "Oh, and Aya, dear, why don't you go off to bed now, too? I'm sure you're exhausted from the train ride this morning."
"Thank you, I think I shall," Aya replied, trying to suppress her laughter.
"Get to bed, Remus," Liz hissed.
"But-"
"NOW!"
"Yes, Mum. G'night, Aya."
##
Moonlight was shifting in through the window onto her face, adding eerie light to the silent room. Aya rolled over in her sleep.
"Psst! Aya! Wake up, would you? Please?"
Remus tapped her on the shoulder gently.
"Mm..." she groaned, then rolled over to face him, opening one eye. "What...Remus? What're you doing here?"
"Sh!" he hissed, glancing warily behind him towards the door before he climbed into bed with her.
"Do you have any idea what time it is?" she asked groggily.
"No, and I don't intend to, now go back to sleep," he whispered happily as he pulled the covers back over them.
"Your Mum is going to kill us both, you know," she retorted.
"I'm trying to enjoy your company here," he replied as he wrapped his arms around her waist. She trembled at the touch and bit her lip. "Cold?"
"Um...not really," she replied hesitantly.
"Then why did you just tremble?"
"I have no idea."
"Uh, okay, then. G'night, Aya," he whispered in her ear. "I love you."
She sighed, snuggled against his chest and kissed his neck.
$%$%
That was fun. Please review!
##
Ch. 19: The Oddest Dinner
##
"It really is beautiful," Aya whispered, not wanting to shatter the awesome silence of the forest in front of them. Remus squeezed her hand.
I can think of something more beautiful, he thought with a grin as he gazed at her. He sighed happily. "Yeah...much more..."
She looked at him, an eyebrow raised. The feeling erupted within her again. Oh, no...please, please, please don't...
Biting her lip, she looked back towards the forest. She longed to look at him again, but that odd feeling frightened her.
"You wanna go back inside?" he asked.
"Sure," she replied.
##
"Hey, anyone who's listening! Dinner's ready!" Liz called as she poked her head out from the kitchen doorway. "Is the table set, Thomas?"
"Yeah, Mum!" Thomas yelled from his room.
"Well, get your butt moving and go get everyone!" she yelled back. Why is it always a screaming match when I'm in the kitchen? It's better when it's nice and quiet.
##
"Would you like some salad, Aya?" Isaac asked from where he sat at the head of the table in the dining room.
"Yes, please," she replied. "Oh, would you like some help with that plate, Mrs. Lupin?"
"Oh, no dear, it's quite alright," Liz said with a laugh as she set the plate down. "Such nice table manners! My boys could learn a thing or two from you."
Aya blushed and stared down at her plate.
"Owch, Mum," Remus said through a mouthful of chicken. "That kinda hurt a little."
"Well, your mother's right, Remus. You and Thomas need better table manners, letting your poor Mother carry all that food out, and then have to do the dishes," Isaac replied.
"I was talking about you as well, Isaac," Liz hissed.
Isaac went scarlet. "Um...so, anyone have any Christmas wishes this year?" he asked with a quick glance at his wife. Oh, she's probably going to kill me later on.
Remus shrugged.
"There's some scifi action figures out...top of the line," Thomas said loudly. "What do you want for Christmas, Aya?"
"Um...I'm not really big on Christmas that much," she replied with a blush. "I never really celebrated it."
"Now, we can't have that," Liz said as she picked up her fork. "Come on, isn't there something you want for Christmas?"
Aya could feel her face burning with embarrassment. "Um...I really...don't know."
"Well, that doesn't help," Remus said glumly, putting his elbows on the table.
"Elbows off the table," Liz scolded, waving her fork at him.
"Yes, Mum," Remus said quickly as he removed the obscene appendages.
"Oh, Liz, I forgot to mention," Isaac said. "I need to go into the Alley tomorrow for some...things. Do you want to come?"
Liz nodded. "I've got some last minute Christmas shopping to do, and we haven't gotten a ham yet."
"Are you a werewolf, Aya?"
The table went dead silent. Liz, mortified, stared down at her youngest son. Isaac dropped his fork. Remus, nearly choking on salad, glared at his little brother, shaking with rage with a look of 'You-are-so-dead-when-Mum-and-Dad-aren't-watching' in his eyes. Thomas leaned forward, waiting for her reply.
Aya looked the boy straight in the eye and replied, "Yes, I am."
"That's so cool!" Thomas laughed. "My brother's one, too! Are you guys in love, then?"
"Shut up, Thomas, before you die," Remus said through gritted teeth.
"Uh...who wants dessert?" Liz said quickly, getting shakily up from the table.
"Well?" Thomas pressed. "Are you in love with him?"
That odd feeling was back inside of her. She bit her lip, her palms suddenly sweaty. "Um...um..."
The word wouldn't come to her lips, not in front of them. Even Liz was frozen in her place, watching Aya intently. Say something, idiot, Aya screamed in her head. Don't just sit there!
She knew she was blushing to death as she sat there, dumbfounded at the table.
"That's it! Thomas! You're dead!"
Remus nearly tore around the table in an effort to get at his prey. Thomas, screeching, half from laughter and half from wild fear, ran helter-skelter outside.
"Get your ass back here! Thomas! I'm going to kill you!"
"Ow-wow! Mum! MUM!"
"Uh...would you excuse me for a moment?" Aya pleaded with a wary eye towards the front door. As both Liz and Isaac, still astonished and now in a daze, nodded, Aya leapt up from her seat and ran out the door, yelling, "Remus, don't hurt him! REMUS! GET OFF HIM NOW!"
There was a screech, a holler, and a loud slap.
"Ow, Aya! What'ja do that for?" Remus could be heard from outside.
"For beating your own brother, you nit-wit!" she answered.
"Ah, yes," Liz said as she sat shakily down. "She really is perfect for our son, isn't she?"
"Yup, indeed," Isaac answered as he took a long draught of water. "Now, then...anyone up for dessert?"
##
"My face still hurts," Remus said glumly from the edge of the couch.
"Oh, stop it," Aya answered, glancing quickly up from her book. "You deserved it."
"I did not!" Remus hissed as he rubbed his cheek. "That little monster embarrassed me to death and put you in an odd situation!"
"Your brother was only asking an innocent question," Aya answered as she resumed her reading.
"Innocent question? Aya, you can't just ask people if they're a werewolf or not, or if they...you know," he replied indignantly.
"And since when is it that I can't answer such things? He didn't ask you, he asked me. And I was fine with it," she said with another furtive glance at him. "A little put out, yes, but he's just a little boy."
"Fine! You can keep him for a brother! I'll pay you to get him off my hands!" he hissed. "I hate the little bugger, anyway."
"No, you do not!"
Aya slammed her book shut as she blinked furiously. "You have a brother, Remus! Be happy with that! So don't go around saying you hate him because no one is capable of hatred, and you never know...you might...lose him or something!"
The tightening in her throat caused her voice to crack slightly. She sniffed and wiped her eyes furiously, then opened her book again with a sigh.
Remus simply sat there, his face white and his eyes wide open. "That's the second time you've done that to me..."
"Done what?" she snapped, refusing to look at him.
"Pointed out that I did something wrong, make me feel horribly guilty, and treat me like a child," he answered.
"I wouldn't have to treat you like a child if you didn't act like one," she answered curtly.
"I'm sorry," Remus replied.
Aya sighed, then looked at him again. He leaned forward, batting his eyes. "Oh, stop it," she said with a giggle.
"Do you forgive me?" he pleaded innocently, sticking out his lower lip.
"No," she laughed. "Stop it, you look like a fish!"
"A fish, huh?"
He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her close, tickling her.
"Not again!" she pleaded, tears of mirth streaming down her face. "Stop it! Stop!"
"I act like a child, right?" he laughed. "Might as well..."
"I forgive you! I forgive you!" she gasped out. "Just don't tickle me anymore!"
Remus sat back, triumphant. "Works like a charm."
"Oh, you-," Aya began, but was silenced by a kiss. "Mm...you didn't let me finish."
"That's exactly the point!" he replied with a grin, and leaned forward for another kiss.
"Remus Lupin! Get your butt to bed this instant!" Liz cried from the kitchen doorway.
Remus fell off the couch with a loud thump. Aya winced and glanced down at him. As he pushed himself up, he retorted, "Mum, do you have to do that? It's barely even eleven! And it's my break!"
"Get...to...bed," Liz hissed, narrowing her eyes. "Oh, and Aya, dear, why don't you go off to bed now, too? I'm sure you're exhausted from the train ride this morning."
"Thank you, I think I shall," Aya replied, trying to suppress her laughter.
"Get to bed, Remus," Liz hissed.
"But-"
"NOW!"
"Yes, Mum. G'night, Aya."
##
Moonlight was shifting in through the window onto her face, adding eerie light to the silent room. Aya rolled over in her sleep.
"Psst! Aya! Wake up, would you? Please?"
Remus tapped her on the shoulder gently.
"Mm..." she groaned, then rolled over to face him, opening one eye. "What...Remus? What're you doing here?"
"Sh!" he hissed, glancing warily behind him towards the door before he climbed into bed with her.
"Do you have any idea what time it is?" she asked groggily.
"No, and I don't intend to, now go back to sleep," he whispered happily as he pulled the covers back over them.
"Your Mum is going to kill us both, you know," she retorted.
"I'm trying to enjoy your company here," he replied as he wrapped his arms around her waist. She trembled at the touch and bit her lip. "Cold?"
"Um...not really," she replied hesitantly.
"Then why did you just tremble?"
"I have no idea."
"Uh, okay, then. G'night, Aya," he whispered in her ear. "I love you."
She sighed, snuggled against his chest and kissed his neck.
$%$%
That was fun. Please review!