Chapter ten - 'He gets more and more like Remus every day!'
"Ok that's enough for tonight go and have a shower you lot." Harry called as the current attempts at the Quidditch team came to land in the cold and windy evening.
"Hmm showers. See, it's not that bad being Captain!" Ginny whispered as the rest of the team headed back to the changing rooms and Harry and Ginny locked the balls away.
"No, not that bad I suppose, but its bloody hard work trying to watch everybody at once you know." Harry replied picking up one end of the case with Ginny and carrying it back to the store cupboard.
"What, don't you like watching me?" Ginny asked as Harry just missed her toe as he dropped the box down all of a sudden.
"Actually your one of the few players I know I don't have to watch, but really I wish I could watch you fly about all day." Harry replied having not managed to get Ginny alone for long enough other than a quick steal of a kiss since Ron almost caught them over a week ago. Ron it seems took it upon himself to keep stumbling in on them whenever they were talking and had no idea what he'd just spoilt.
"That's not very professional now is it Harry. Taking time out of coaching to steal naughty glimpses of the players, shame on you I think I might request more separate changing rooms for girls." She replied giving Harry a cheeky grin and checking him clearly out as he bent down to put the box away.
"Yes well, if I've been a naughty boy then maybe you should punish me." He whispered sliding his hands around her middle and pulling her closer whispering in her ear.
"Careful you, someone might come looking for you. You know Cho's still got the hots for you and comes to watch us practice every now and then." She whispered but found herself cut off by Harry's gentle lips.
"I don't care if I get kicked off the team, I'd have more time to?" He started but never did quiet finished as Ginny was gently pushing herself up against him as he leaned against the wall. He felt himself getting hot around the collar as she kissed him and whished he could pull his thick robes off and feel the gentle curves of her body more freely through his t-shirt, but thought better of it, contenting himself with kissing her soft lips and imagining her in the shower later. But she suddenly stopped and stood back a bit.
"You have to go talk to the team now and you can't do that hiding in here with me!" She whispered knowing full well how excited she'd made Harry and enjoyed seeing the begging look in his eyes, as he stole another quick kiss before following her out the store room.
"You're evil ya' know sometimes!" He whispered before heading in to the boys side of the changing room hoping to return himself to normal before heading into the shower.
"So I'm evil am I?" Ginny asked later after dragging Harry into a quiet secret passage way that lead into Hogsmade.
"Yeah you're evil, making me go all mushy and the not letting me do the same to you."
"Oh trust me, I was mushy just not any where you could see at the time." She whispered gently in Harry's ear taking time to breath on his neck and watch the hair stand up on end and feel his heart suddenly skip a beat.
"Really, well this time I might have to check you're not faking it." Harry teased rolling her head sideways to gently kiss her neck with his soft red lips.
"Me fake it never. Ooo god that's?" She began with a grin but suddenly stopped as Harry began kissing her ear and pulled her closer smirking at her sudden inability to speak properly.
"Hmm, I think she likes that Harry." He whispered to himself.
"Yeah I do!" She whispered as Harry stole a few kisses from her lips and moved softly on to the other side.
"So what did you think about Quidditch today?" Harry asked having been trying to ask for her opinion ever since he missed out on wrestling her to the ground.
"It was good and I think the change really paid off. I was really disappointed though when Katie managed to drag you off your broom on the floor.' Ginny explained but then couldn't help but add.
'Loads of people think she might fancy you ya know?"
"Really, well my lips are otherwise engaged at the moment so they'll just have to wait until after you've gone to bed." Harry teased knowing full well Ginny liked the idea of keeping him all to her self despite the numerous odd offers he seemed to get recently.
"I think I can fit her in, between Draco's new bird in the second floor girl's bathroom and the charming Lavender brown in the third floor boy's bathroom." He grinned as Ginny stopped him and slapped him gently a few times.
"Oi you. Like you'd ever go near Pansy Pratt. She's such an arrogant pureblood and after being man handled by Draco I don't think there's enough disinfectant available!" Ginny giggled as Harry pushed her back against the wall and tickled her a bit, to see her squirm and giggle.
"Yeah I guess your right. Other than Tonksie you're the only girl for me." Harry teased again.
"Hmm, think Lupin might have something to say about that." Ginny laughed letting herself rest in Harry's arms as the warmth finally left the under floor passage way making her cold again.
"Yeah well, Sirius wants you to talk to Tonks on the mirror tomorrow about eight-ish and she wants to come meet us in Hogsmade next weekend. You know he asked me to drag you into some empty passage way to give it to you. Like I'd do that, who does he think I am, some horny dog that drags defenseless girls down corridors to have my wicked way with them."
She laughed seeing his innocent face and knowing full well he was blushing like mad in the dark corridor as he told her.
"Yeah well, if you look carefully enough, in some of the girl's bathroom there are a right load of stories about Snuffles written up there. If you can translate the seventies slang that is, it sounds like he really was a bit of a rampant teenager." She explained with a grin.
"I'll tell him you said that."
"Go a head, he's probably still vain enough to take it as a compliment. Lupin on the other hand, now he's gonna pass out when I tell Tonks what's written about him below Sirius's little notches."
"Oh really, I always thought he had that secret rampant thing going. No bloke can be as placid as him and not have a super horny side. Why else would Tonks like him so much?" Harry decided rubbing his fingers against the small of her back to watch her body push forward as she enjoyed the odd sensation of pleasure. He'd only found this out when she'd accidentally rubbed up against a doorknob the last time they had some time together and had been egging to have a go again at it ever since.
"Yeah well I'll tell you when I tell Tonks. Now get the map back out so I can check where Filch is."
"Why don't you let me do that?" Harry asked pulling his wand out along with the map.
"Because who's going to kiss my neck while I read?" She grinned back.
"Oh ok. But I best not leave a mark again. Ron still thinks you and Nev are at it and keeps following him around to try and catch him out in some way."
"If only any of my silly brother's knew the truth." She laughed taking the map and swearing she was up to no good.
"You know I'm beginning to wonder about them Marauders and why they had to swear they were up to no good down dark deserted passage-ways together." Harry wondered from his gentle kissing behind Ginny as she read.
"Harry you came?" Tonks called seeing Harry and Ginny walking around the very edge of the village towards the fenced off fields by the shrieking shack.
"Course, why'd you want to meet us here anyway?" Harry replied realising he was in fact a little late and spotting Lupin stood over to one side, looking out across towards to the empty shabby house.
"It's just easier than going into the pub to talk, besides you lot aint aloud in the back rooms of the Nargel are you?" She explained sitting back down on one of the upturned logs as Lupin finally came over to say hello.
"The Nargel?" Ginny asked sure she'd never hared of a pub like that anywhere in Hogsmade.
"Oh I forgot, most of Hogwarts haven't herd of it.' Tonks laughed pulling out a small amount of cake from her pocket and handing it around.
'It's right on the far side of Hogsmade and the very last magical building before you reach proper muggle territory." She explained.
"Snuffles mentioned it once and said he'd personally make me a eunuch if I went any where near the place." Harry explained unsure that they were alone in this empty patch but sure Tonks and Lupin would have made a point of checking the area before starting a conversation so easily.
The reality was Moody was hobbling around under one of his cloaks just out of Tonks's sight like he'd told her he would be and had also instructed her to pretend she had no idea anybody else was around keeping an eye on things.
"Yeah I bet he did. Even your adolescent godfather had his limits, though he gets more and more like Remus every day." Tonks laughed as Lupin raised his eyebrows and sat down.
"That's not necessarily a bad thing." Ginny laughed having nearly finished her small bit of cake already.
"No, it's not." Tonks laughed gently pulling some grass out of Lupin's hair and taking her time to stroke the back of his head before going back to the conversation.
"How is he?" Harry asked, seeing Tonks's mind was more clearly focused on them, rather than Remus who was trying his best not to blush in front of everybody.
"Fine, well board actually now you're here, but he's ok really. Molly keeps popping around to give him some accidental entertainment but he thinks she's getting a bit repetitive and I think he's worried Arthur might not approve if he was really nasty to her." Tonks explained but Ginny frowned.
"Mum keeps going to see Snuffles?" She asked stopping her hands from wondering to Harry by shoving them under her bottom as a sort of cushion.
"She's err, still a bit angry with him because he won't tell her about why you were ill over the summer. The most I think she's managed to get out of him is it wasn't very nice and she can just piss of and jump off a tall building!"
Lupin explained having barely understood Sirius when he wondered in to the room in a bit of a confused state to try and tell him something the first time, the second or even the third. But he had put the fourth time down dew to lack of sleep and some bad temper on his own part. Harry let his eyes wonder away from the others and mumbled aloud.
"Dumbledore said I didn't have to tell anybody, as long as I told him the truth. And Sirius said he'd keep quiet about it if I just ate something.' He explained but then feeling really quiet hurt that the supposed mother hen wouldn't respect his feelings bit out.
'Besides, it's none of her business what I get up to at home, she shouldn't even be asking about it. And I bet it never occurred to her to ask me did it?" Harry suddenly snapped but Lupin wanted to reassure him that Sirius had kept his promise even by refusing to explain it properly to him.
"That's basically what he said to us but with a bit more err, colourful language." Lupin explained quickly.
"It's true, we asked him if you were going to be ok and he didn't really say anything much, only he didn't want anybody pestering you trying to find out about it and if you felt like telling anybody then you would do it yourself." Tonks added seeing Remus slightly uncomfortable.
"I don't mind if you don't want me to know, honestly, nor does Mr Weasley or anybody else for that matter. You seem ok now and that's more important to us." Lupin explained and Harry was glad Lupin had the sensitivity he did to understand sometimes, Harry hated having his life discussed like an open book at order meetings but he was pleased that at least a few of them respected his feelings on most occasions.
"But unfortunately my mother doesn't have any respect for social boundaries or other people's feelings?" Ginny wondered aloud seeing Harry still slightly uncomfortable.
"Yeah well, does she do anything other than cause arguments about me these days?" Harry asked bitterly turning back to the others and letting his eyes linger on Ginny whenever he could.
It wasn't exactly cold at the moment like it should be in the beginning of October, but she still had a thin pink cardigan on and light jacket that looked lovely with her brilliant home made scarf. It had been made up with every shade of pink and purple wool Ginny could get her hands on and by the time she'd finished, it resembled more of a hippy scarf than anything else and Harry loved it. Mrs Weasley didn't approve and said it made her look scruffy but Ginny didn't care and loved to hear Tonks say how much she wanted one herself put didn't have the patience to make one up.
"Yeah sometimes she causes arguments about Bill's wedding. Some times she sticks her big nose in my business and other times she just seems to pester the twins, although Charlie's still successfully hiding from her at the moment and we all want to know what his secret is." Lupin explained in such a way that Harry could see it was really him, the sometimes sarcastic and offensive side Sirius and Tonks got to see and care about as he'd always tried to tailor his ways around Harry, to still be more of a serious sensible type.
Sirius had decided over the first summer they spent any time together that it was so Harry could have a variety of personalities but now he just thought Remus a bit of a wuss because of Lilly.
"Well at least she tried to spread her joy among most of her children.' Ginny snapped angrily.
'I keep getting little notes from her hidden in among things she sends me, usually some rotten note about how I should try harder at school and not waste me time on Quidditch."
"She said that to you?" Tonks suddenly wondered feeling outraged on Ginny's behalf.
"Yeah and after Charlie and the twins an all, she never had any problems with them playing. She told me over the summer she didn't want me trying out for the team this year because I wasn't a capable enough flyer and that it was more of a sport for boys. She felt Quidditch should be like when she was at school where the teams were made up of all boys." Ginny snapped feeling outraged at her mothers sexism.
Harry however was finding the fuming Ginny, highly attractive at the moment and was struggling to breath normally. Tonks however truly felt for Ginny as a budding feminist sometimes, and was just as outraged on her behalf, leaving Remus feeling very sympathetic with Harry if only he could stop that nagging urge to push Tonks to the ground and climb on top in the good old werefolf domineering style. The group sat in a slightly uncomfortable silence for almost a minuet before Tonks regained some self control.
"Any way, speaking of Quidditch how's school been?" Tonks asked brightly changing the subject with a bit of effort suppressing a smirk as she suddenly became aware of Harry's inability to stand up anytime soon. 'Sirius will be amused.' She decided with a little mental note.
"Ok really. Weasley merchandise is still the biggest selling thing ever at Hogwarts going, but Fred and George have put spells on all there stuff so if people try to sell them on, 20 of the cost automatically goes back to them." Harry added brightly trying not to think of Ginny looking cross in the shower.
"Wow that's cleaver, how'd they get around the copy right laws?" Tonks continued in her bright cheery manner that made Lupin feel his age rather than what he looked these days.
"We think they've got themselves an accountant or solicitor or something to help them. Seen as they didn't have any debt, when they started the business and if Hogwarts is anything to go by, then they must be rolling in it by now." Ginny added turning her slender body more to Tonks to show Harry the back of her neck which still had a red mark under her hair where he'd nibbled on it yesterday.
He merely grinned at himself and noticed Tonks had moved to a similar sort of pose for Lupin who was obviously trying his best not to notice the tattoo poking out from under the bottom of her jacket.
"Well that's sensible, at least they won't get in to too much trouble. How's the Quidditch going did you sort out your team yet?" Tonks asked looking over to Harry who was rudely brought out his day dream all of a sudden and Lupin was now contented not to be noticed for a while.
"Oh what, yeah I guess. Yesterday went ok even when McGonagall came out to have words with me." Harry explained as Ginny started to laugh at the memory.
"She came out to have words with you?" Tonks wondered how the bias Professor could ever have something critical to say out about her own team.
"Stop laughing you it wasn't that funny!" Harry half snapped as red blood flowed quickly to his cheeks making him blush more than he should.
"Oh yes it was, the way you wangled out of that one, when she found you and Katie laying on the floor like that was hilarious! We had to hide behind the lockers with gagging spells to see how you pulled it off." Ginny laughed as Tonks clearly wanted a full story and Lupin became mildly amused by what ever it was Harry had been up to laying on the floor with one of his older team mates.
"What did you say and I'm guessing you went ahead with your lassoing plan?" Tonks asked ready to smirk at any moment.
"Yeah he did and he ended up rolling around on the floor with Katie before McGonagall came out to investigate the shrieking noise."
"Snuffles will be pleased to hear that!" Lupin suddenly added in his dry sarcastic manner making Harry attempt to scowl at him.
"She dragged Harry off to one side and stood there in total stunned silence as Harry covered in muddy handprints told her how it was a new tactic, to embarrass the opposition into submission and maybe the professor would like some tips to help her with her man friend." Ginny laughed so hard as she explained that she fell off her log.
"It wasn't exactly like that, you've been listening too much to Dean's version." Harry answered hotly trying not to catch Lupin's eye while Tonks helped Ginny back on to her seat.
"Where were these handprints anyway?" Tonks asked with rapt attention.
"All over him, but the most obvious and amusing one was right across his left cheek." Ginny explained seeing Harry's begging look not to tell any more.
"You managed to get mud all over your face." Lupin asked looking a little naively confused by why Ginny was finding it so funny.
"I never said it was the cheeks on his face." She grinned as it was Tonks's turn to fall off her seat with laughter.
"I don't know why you find it so funny, all the rumours about her man friend are because of him anyway!" Harry snapped defensively pointing to Lupin.
"Me, what rumours?" Lupin asked having his turn to go involuntarily red in the cheeks at Tonks's piecing look at Ginny's hysterics.
"I think you'd rather not know Lupin to be honest." Harry explained plainly but was looking forward to telling Sirius when he next gets the chance over some more happy cake.
"Bugger him, tell me will ya?" Tonks laughed leaning into talk to Ginny.
"Tonks!" Lupin jumped, unaware how guilty he looked however innocent he supposedly was.
"No, I don't think I should tell you in front of Lupin. And besides people will start to talk if me and Harry are in the woods too long, why don't you walk me back to Hogsmade and I'll explain." Ginny decided standing up and offered her arm to Tonks, who took it pleasantly and lead the way back towards the village. This left Lupin and Harry to follow slowly in almost silence, only able to watch the two bright heads as they giggled and laughed all the way back. Although Harry began to wonder if it was Tonks's black hair he was watching or the tattoo on her lower back poking out from a very small glimpse of black underwear.
"You know, I recon that Weasley's a bad influence on Tonks." Lupin finally decided after enduring another round of giggles Harry hoped weren't aimed at him this time.
"All Weasley's are considered a bad influence at some point or another!" Harry decided plainly.
"Well I suppose Tonks needs a girlfriend of some sort doesn't she? Padfoot always wondered about her been so lonely, he was so surprised to see her again with no bloke and very few friends. She'd not done much better in that way after he was well, you know, than before." Lupin sighed walking a little slower now the wind had caught up around his stiff knee.
"But she can't have been that old when they locked him up, could she?" Harry asked unaware Lupin might find this offensive.
"You don't have to rub it in ya know." Lupin half snapped.
"I wasn't, honestly I'm not like Padfoot, but still, she can't be that old now can she?' Harry quickly added as Lupin stopped to look at him oddly before continuing his walk.
'I mean he must have been, still quiet a young man when they took him away, otherwise he wouldn't be such a well, an odd ball now would he?" Harry explained in his shockingly honest way that now Lupin thought about it wasn't that offensive after all.
"No he wasn't. He was always that bit younger than me and your dad, been a summer baby and all. But still, he wasn't quiet twenty two when he was dragged off and never quiet finished growing up. To be perfectly honest, he was always a total prat as a kid and now he's forced to behave like an adult and doesn't really know how."
Lupin explained sadly, he was always so aware of what Sirius had missed out on by being in prison for such a lot his adult life, it hadn't been easy for him either but at least he got to mature steadily and keep his freedom. Harry was also aware of this in a different way, he always felt Sirius was so odd when he behaved like a friend just as Ron would but looked almost like an old man. Even if Harry was always sure there was no way Sirius and Lupin could be past forty yet.
Harry and Lupin followed the girls all the way up to the three broomsticks in silence after that, where they sat down together for a couple of drinks on Sirius. Remus got up to pay leaving Harry to watch as Ginny and Tonks chatted happily away quietly. He was glad Tonks had Ginny to talk to but he was even more happier by the sight of Ginny happily talking about any old thing with another women. She had no equivalent of Ron to talk to these days and Harry was beginning to feel that might be his fault as Hermione never seemed to talk much to girls these days either.
Soon though, the two students started there way back up to the school for ten minuets alone before Harry had to go visit Dumbledore. Lupin had been intending to go straight back to London to tell Sirius about Harry but Tonks however wanted to spend the rest of her day off with Lupin in a far more intimate way.
"Well, where are you planning to go then?" He asked as Tonks dragged him by the arm on to a quiet street so they could disappear easily away.
"You'll see when I've decided. I'm not wasting my day off by sitting around with my dear demented cousin, I'd rather do that in the evening and for now we're going somewhere else. He won't mind anyway seen as he's probably still asleep or something."
"We are?" He asked carefully as Tonks grabbed him by the arm and pulled out her wand as she checked the street for Ministry members and Moody.
"Now on three and let me take you somewhere fun!" Tonks explained as they turned slowly together and disappeared with a pop.