Hello all! I've gotten such lovley reviews. Thank you all for them and I'm glad you're enjoying the story. Makes me move faster in updating . In case you haven't figured it out yet, this is a slash story. If you thought it was going anywhere else between Harry and Remus leave now. Their feelings become blatenly (sp?) obvious in the coming chapters. Maybe not to them...but to the rest of us...well, you'll read it. Oh yeah...forget a few of the things that happened in Book 6. I'm still in denial about a couple of the things that happened therefore so is my story. For those of you that have read the book...you'll probably understand what I'm talking about reguarding a certain person. If you haven't read the book...shame on you! Go read it and you too will understand.

Anyway..as I said last chapter...these characters are not mine and I am in no way making assumptions about the characters from the book/movies or the actors that portray them. I am only borrowing them for my twisted fantasies and will return them with I am finished. ;-) Hope you all enjoy this chapter and remember, I am still unbetaed so any mistakes are mine. Happy reading!

Untitled - ch.7

A few weeks later found Remus sitting in his study reading. He had put a silencing charm on the walls as it was the only way he would have any peace and quiet. Ron and Hermione still had not talked and Harry had abandoned him to help the Weasley twins. He couldn't help but wonder why it was Harry and not Ron, and couldn't stop himself from wishing it were the other way around...for more than one reason.

He put his book down and sighed. He pinched the bridge of his nose and ran his hand over his hair. Better enter the war zone and make sure nothing's broken, he thought as he took the charm off the room. The silence he heard worried him as he hurried out of the room.

Well, everything was still in one piece and the silence was the result of one of the combatants being gone. Ron, to be specific. He discovered this when he found Hermione reading by the fire.

"Where's Ron?" he asked, sitting down next to her.

"I don't know," she said, not looking up from her book.

"Why haven't you talked to him?"

"I've tried, Remus, but he won't talk to me. He just tells me I'm making more of it than there is or that he doesn't want to talk then or something. I've given up on him. He doesn't want to hear anything I say."

"Maybe he's just not ready."

"Well he's been not ready for more than ten years and I'm tired of waiting. I can't do it anymore. I'm not going to put my life on hold waiting for him anymore. If he wants his chance, he better make his move." She closed her book and left the room, leaving him in silence once again.

He wished he could help her. He wished he knew what kind of advice to give her. He wished he could thump Ron on the head and tell him to get over it. He seriously considered the last one. Their fighting was really getting to him. He could kill Harry for leaving him with this. It wasn't too long before he had laid down on the couch and fallen asleep.

Harry came in the front door and found Hermione reading in the sitting room.

"Hey, Hermione."

"Shh," she said, putting her finger over his lips, then pointing to Remus. "You'll wake him."

Harry smiled and sat down on the coffee table. "How long has he been asleep?"

"I don't know. A couple of hours maybe. We were in here talking earlier and then I went to my room. When I came back down here he was asleep."

"Do you think we should wake him?"

"Probably. He doesn't like sleeping too late in the day."

Harry nodded, then reached over and touched Remus' shoulder.

"Remus, wake up."

When he didn't stir, Harry shook him a little harder.

"Remus, wake up."

Remus woke up with a jerk.

"Harry? What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong. We just knew that you don't like to sleep too long...so I was waking you up."

"Oh," Remus said, sitting up and totally missing the slight blush on Harry's cheeks. Hermione, however, didn't miss a thing.

"So where'd Ron go?" Remus asked, rubbing his eyes.

"To the store to help the twins."

"I thought you were helping the twins," Remus said, slightly confused.

"I was but Dumbledore sent word he needed to see me, so I flooed Ron."

"Anything interesting going on?"

"Not really. He's still trying to get me to teach."

"Why don't you, Harry?" Hermione asked.

"I dunno," Harry said. "I guess I don't think I'd be any good at it."

"No good at it?" Hermione said disbelievingly. "You taught all of us in our fifth year."

"With help from you."

"Help, yes, but the teaching? That was all you Harry."

"She's right, Harry," Remus added. "Yes you were able to show them how to do things and steps to take. But teaching is more than that. Teaching is being a leader. Not only telling them what to do, but showing them and setting a good example and doing the right thing."

"You did all of that and more, Harry," Hermione picked up. "I may have done some research, but you did all the work. You were our leader and the whole group respected you and looked up to you."

"Harry, if you don't want to that's fine. But don't let it be because you don't think you can."

"Thanks guys," Harry said. "I'll think about it."

"You're welcome," said Remus, as Hermione gave Harry a hug. "Now, as soon as Ron gets back we can get something to eat."

"I say we go on and let Ronald fend for himself," Hermione said, getting up and walking away. Remus and Harry just looked at each other.

"What was that about?"

"Hermione is tired of Ron. She says he won't listen to her."

"That's nothing new. He never listens."

Remus sighed. "I think they're going to just work things out when they're both ready."

"Well, I hope it's soon," Harry said. "I don't think I can handle their fighting anymore."

"I couldn't agree more," Remus said, standing up.

"So what now?"

"Now, we go to the kitchen to find dinner. That way, they can eat whenever they want with whomever they want," Remus said, heading toward the kitchen.

"Sounds good to me," Harry said, quickly following.

Remus reached into the refrigerator for...well Harry wasn't really sure what he was reaching for. He was more interested in the fact that Remus had left a spoon magically stirring whatever was in the pot on the stove.

"What are you staring at?" Remus asked, having found what he was looking for.

"All the years I've spent in the magical world, but I'm still amazed at the small things it can do."

"It is quite amazing, isn't it?"

"Yeah. Would've been nice to have when I was younger."

"I'm sorry," Remus said, turning back to the cooking.

"Don't be. It's not your fault Voldemort killed my parents."

"No. I don't suppose so, but..."

"But what?" Harry said, putting a hand on Remus' shoulder and turning him around.

"Sometimes, I just feel like there was more I could have done," he said. It wasn't a total lie.

"Like what?"

Like raise you myself, he thought. "I don't know," he said out loud. "I guess I just can't help it."

"Look, Remus," Harry said, finally. "If you ever want to talk about it or anything. I'm a pretty good listener. I know you sort of lost everyone all at once one way or another. That couldn't have been an easy thing to get through."

You have no idea. "Thank you, Harry. I might take you up on that some day."

Harry smiled. "Good. Now, about that dinner!"

"I was wondering how long it would stay off your mind," Remus said, chuckling and turning out of the grasp Harry still had on his shoulder. "It's almost done."

"Good. I'll go tell Hermione and she can come down if she wants to."

"Okay," Remus said and Harry left. Remus took a deep breath and ran his hands through his hair. "What is wrong with me?" he asked no one in particular. Imagine his surprise when he got an answer.

"Well that's obvious," Hermione said, causing him to whirl around and almost knock over the pot of stew he'd been stirring. "Sorry."

"What's obvious?" he asked, turning back to the stew.

"What's wrong with you," she said, walking further into the kitchen.

"Yeah? Would you set the table please?"

"Sure."

"So what's wrong with me?" he asked, moving the pot of stew to the table.

"You're in love," she said calmly, causing him to nearly spill the stew...again.

"I'm what?"

"In love," she repeated, sitting down.

"Where in the world would you get an idea like that?"

"I'm not blind, Remus. Anyone that watched you for any amount of time would notice it."

"You watch me?" he said slyly, grinning when she blushed the slightest bit.

"I live with you, Remus," she said, saving herself. "How could I not notice."

Remus nodded, then froze as her words sunk in.

"No, I don't think he's noticed," she said, seeming to read his mind.

"Who?"

"Harry. No offence but sometimes guys are just thick. They don't see what's right in front of them."

"Harry? But I'm old enough to be his father!"

"I know, but love doesn't know age. You didn't even realize it did you?"

Remus shook his head and sat down. It couldn't be...could it? He couldn't be in love with his best friend's son. His own godson.

"Remus are you alright?" Hermione asked as Harry walked in.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked when Hermione got no answer.

"I'm not sure. We were talking and he just sort of went quiet."

"Remus?" Harry said, squatting down next to Remus' chair and putting his hand on his shoulder. Remus jerked out of his thoughts and looked down at Harry. "Are you alright?"

"Fine," Remus barely squeaked out. "I'm fine."

"Good," Harry said, standing back up and sitting down in his chair. "We were a little worried."

"Yeah," Hermione chimed in. "You and I were talking and you just sort of went quiet."

"Sorry. Something you said got me thinking about a few things."

"So let's eat," Harry said, watching the odd exchange between Remus and Hermione. Feeling the green-eyed monster show itself just a tad, he decided he'd find out just what was going on between them.

Later that night, Harry, Remus and Hermione were in the sitting room. Harry was polishing his broom and Remus and Hermione were reading. It was a beautiful silence. However, that beautiful silence was broken by the sound of the front door closing.

"I'm back!" Ron called.

"Oh yay," Hermione said under her breath, causing Remus (because he was the only one who heard it) to smile.

"What took you so long?" Harry asked.

"Fred and George were testing one of their latest inventions and ended up knocking over the itching powder. We had to clean up the store, then we all took showers."

"There's some stew still on the table if you're hungry," Remus said.

"Thanks," Ron said, making his way to the kitchen.

"He'll be in there all night," Hermione said after Ron had gone. Harry and Remus chuckled, then Remus stood up.

"Well, I'm off to bed. If there's anything left when he's done, will one of you put it away?"

"Sure," Harry and Hermione said together. Remus had to smile.

"Thanks. See you in the morning."

"Goodnight," Harry and Hermione said, again in unison. Then Hermione watched Harry watch Remus leave the room, smiling knowingly to herself. She was still smiling when Harry turned his attention back to her.

"What?"

"Nothing," she said innocently, then went back to reading.

"So what were you and Remus talking about?"

"When?" she asked, not looking up from the book.

"Earlier tonight. When he spaced out."

"Different things."

"Like?"

"Thoughts, feelings...you."

"Me?" Harry said, his head snapping up from where he'd been staring trying to look like he didn't care.

"Yeah."

"So," he started, deciding to be blunt. "There's nothing going on between you and him then?"

This brought Hermione's head out of her book. In fact, it looked as if she were trying not to laugh.

"Me and Remus? No. Most definitely not."

"Why not?"

"Well...I'm not exactly his type."

"The age difference I guess."

"You really don't get it, do you?" Hermione asked.

"Get what?"

"Harry, Remus is gay. I would've thought you'd have noticed by now."

Harry sat back stunned. Had he really read the situation that wrong?

"Why did you want to know if there was something between us, Harry?" Hermione asked with it was apparent he wasn't going to say anything.

"I dunno," he said, coming back to the conversation. "Just the way you were looking at each other earlier. It just..."

"Jealous?" she asked, interrupting him.

"What? No. Why would I be?"

"I don't know. You've only been living with him since we got out of school, he's the last living friend of your parents, he's attractive, sweet, a good cook..."

"Okay, I get your point," Harry said, cutting her off.

"I guess the only question now is do you like him?"

"I guess so," Harry said, shrugging.

"Then you should talk to him. Ask him out or something."

"I dunno, Hermione."

"Harry, it's been eight years. It'd be good for you to be in a relationship again."

"You act like you know something I don't," he almost snapped back.

"That's because I do. You were the only thing we were talking about earlier. We were talking about you when he spaced out."

"So..."

"So. I think he would say yes if you asked him."

"I don't know, Hermione. I'm not good at the dating thing. It's been so long."

"I'd be willing to bet it's been longer for him."

"Yeah, but I bet his boyfriend wasn't killed by Voldemort before his very eyes at the age of fourteen."

"No, he...never mind."

"What?"

"Nothing. I just think it's safe to assume Remus knows a little bit about losing people. And I mean friends and boyfriends."

"I guess you're right," he said looking down. Then he looked back up. "Wait. You do know something I don't."

"Look. I have my suspicions about Remus and his past but that's all they are. If you want to know about Remus, you should ask him." Hermione got up and closed her book. "Would you put the stew away when Ronald is done?"

"Yeah. Sure."

"Okay. Goodnight."

"'Night."

After Hermione left, Harry walked into the kitchen. Ron was sitting at the table, just finishing the stew on his plate.

"Hey," he said, looking up as Harry walked in.

"Hey. There gonna be anything left to put away?"

"Nah. I finished the last bit up. I was just about to magically wash 'em and go to bed."

"Alright. Well, g'night."

"Hey, Harry," Ron called out before Harry could leave.

"Yeah?" Harry said, turning around.

"Hermione's right ya know. You should talk to him. You've been alone too long."

"I dunno, Ron," Harry said, looking at the floor and missing the fact that Ron had heard the entire conversation. "I don't know if I'm ready."

"Yeah. You are. Why are you so scared?"

"What if it happens again?" Harry said, almost in a whisper.

"What if he dies, you mean?" Ron said bluntly. "Harry, Voldemort's dead. And even if he wasn't, Remus isn't Cedric. You can't judge one by the other."

"I guess you're right," Harry said with a sigh.

"'Course I am," Ron said with a cocky grin. "So...are you going to ask him out?"

"Yeah. Tomorrow maybe. G'night Ron."

"G'night. And Harry?"

"Yeah," Harry said, turning back from the door.

"Not maybe."

"Okay," Harry said with a smile. Then he left. Ron looked around with a sigh, magically cleaned up and went to bed.

Well...hope you enjoyed it. I'll try to have the next part up in a day or two. Maybe less if I get bored. :-) Remember, reviews are love!