This version is now beta'd! YAY!!!! - thanks to The weirdness, and Noel Cullen
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Dinner was to be a party in honor of Sirius, Remus, and Tonks' return. Anyone important to them or to the Golden Trio was there. All of the Weaslys, (and I do mean all of them; as there was a very nice picture of Fred on the mantel of Hermione's fireplace that would shout out to anyone in the room about the new product he had just invented when the picture had been taken) were in attendance. They were joined by Andromada, Kingsley, McGonagall, Neville, Luna, the guests of honor, and Harry. The table was huge, and by the time that everyone arrived and had sat down, plates full of food were elegantly laid across the expanse of the table.
Hermione was fortunate enough to be sitting between Sirius and Harry, across from her was the bright shining faces of all three Lupins. Ginny, who had been brought from school with McGonagall, was sitting on Harry's other side, allowing them time to catch up.
"Remus, I was speaking to a few people around the ministry about a new bill I wanted to impose and I was wondering if I could get your help on it?" Kingsley asked politely as he ate another bite full of the chicken that Hermione had cooked.
"What kind of bill would you need my help in?" Remus asked, extremely curious.
"It's an anti-discriminatory act for Werewolves. Employers wouldn't be able to not hire a werewolf on the basis of his condition, and they would be given three days off every month for their transformation, not to mention an unlimited supply of Wolvesbane." Kingsley answered, receiving wide eyes from all around the table.
"Are you sure that the Ministry, not to mention the people, is ready for an act like that?" Remus asked.
"They are going to have to be, as I'm not stepping down from this… its just one of a few new laws I want to put into place."
Hermione's head perked up, "Like what, Kingsley?" she asked wondering if he was going to work for the rights of any other minority.
"A few new rules with house elves, underage magic, maybe once I get those things in place I might make a jump to try and bridge the gap of understanding with the giants, as well as the goblins. It just seems to me that there is way too much oppression in our current society, and I want to fix what I can, if right now isn't the time for change I honestly don't know when it would be."
"I'd be happy to help in anyway I can Kingsley." Remus said in agreement.
Kingsley nodded and smiled, "Thank you."
Everyone resumed eating. Taking in Hermione's delicious food and complimenting her on it as night went on… it seemed to Hermione that everything was normal. Harry and Ginny were smiling coyly at each other. Remus had his arm around his wife and was holding Teddy while keeping a conversation with Andromada. George and Ron were in a quite heated debate over a new product of George's that Ron wanted in on. Charlie, Bill and Fleur were discussing the best potions for Fleur to take while she was pregnant. Molly, her husband, and Minerva sat at the head of the table looking over the adults that they had respectively raised over the years. Amongst it all Hermione and Sirius sat in the middle, soaking up the warmth of their rather extended family.
As Hermione brought the goblet in front of her to her lips to take a small sip of the elfin wine, Sirius leaned over and softly whispered in her ear, "You look lovely tonight."
Hermione placed the goblet back on the table, "Thank you, Padfoot," she said giving him a dazzling smile.
"You're welcome… and thanks for this. It's great to be around all of them again." He said this with a seriousness that Hermione had never before seen in Sirius.
She placed her hand over his and gave it a squeeze; "Glad you're enjoying yourself."
"I'm always enjoying myself with you around."
She blushed at this. Looking around she found that no one was paying them the slightest bit of attention. Or at least she thought so, as she gave him a small smile back turning her head back to the dinner before her, but not releasing his hand.
Across the table Remus and Tonks were watching them out of the corner of their eyes. To Hermione it seemed as if they were simply playing with their son, who had become much happier since the two of them reappeared in his life, but they were slyly watching the two, smiling at each other. As soon as he had seen Hermione standing on the other side of the veil when they stepped out, Remus knew what was going on, that when James had said certain "things had happened" to Harry and his friends, he was talking more specifically about Hermione.
Harry kissed Ginny softly on the cheek before standing up and raising his goblet. The entire table quieted down to hear what he had to say, "A toast…to friendships renewed, to lives regained, and to the best family a person could ask for."
Every one raised the goblets and clinked them together with a soft, "Here, here." Harry took his seat again, smiling at Ginny, then turning towards Hermione and giving her a dazzling smile as well.
"We should really do this more often," he said to her.
"We, huh? Well as long as it's a 'we' type deal, I guess it will be your house next time and you'll be cooking then?" She said mockingly, with a huge grin on her face.
Harry's face took a look of sheer horror, "Did I say we? I meant that you should host dinners like this more often…"
"I don't think so, buddy, you said 'we' so we'll keep it at 'we'…" she turned back to the table. "Everyone… Harry and I have decided to host dinners like this every month or so, switching off between our houses… what do you think?"
Everyone but Harry agreed whole-heartedly, and Harry sank lower in his chair in a defeated manner, with Hermione, Sirius, and Ginny laughing at him. Ginny just patted him on the shoulder, knowing that she wouldn't' be around to help. Hermione finally gave in. "How about this, we switch off houses and we split the food making?"
Harry breathed a sigh of relief, "Much better plan," he answered.
As dinner ended people slowly left the happy home one by one until all that remained were the two occupants of the house and Harry. Hermione started to clear the dishes but before Sirius and Harry could execute their plan to get out of the room before she asked them to help she turned to them and said, "You two wouldn't mind helping me clean up would you?" Giving Harry a look as if to say "don't help me and I won't help you…"
Harry hung his head, "Of course not, we would be happy to help, wouldn't we, Sirius?"
Sirius was about to say no, but quickly received a jab in the side by the very pointy part of Harry's elbow. "Of course, 'Mione."
Hermione gave them both a very Malfoy like smirk and turned back around, continuing to the kitchen to put the dishes away.
"I could have figured a way to get us both out of cleaning up, you know," Sirius said to his godson with a half mocking evil look.
"Yeah… I know, but you see when you do something nice for Hermione, you usually get it back ten-fold." Harry stated calmly, picking up the goblets, four in each hand as he moved to the kitchen.
"Ten-fold huh? I'll have to remember that." Sirius said charming the last of the plates to hover in the air as he pulled the tablecloth out from underneath in order to put in the wash.
"Surprised you hadn't already figured it out, you being such a great Mauerder and all…" The insult slipped beautifully from Harry's lips, and in that moment Sirius was almost positive it was James standing before him.
Sirius stayed quite and shook his head, reminding himself that James was gone, and it would be many years before he saw him again. "Don't make me hurt you, boy," he said with a laugh.
Harry simply rolled his eyes as he placed them into the sink that Hermione had charmed to wash the dishes. Sirius had moved over to the room connected to the back entrance of the house and threw the tablecloth into the washing machine. When he came back.the table was cleared and Harry was sitting outside with a glass in his hand. Hermione was still in the kitchen, putting everything in its rightful place. Sirius decided to go out and join his godson.
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"I give them a week." Remus said as his wife and him exited the room of their son, closing the door behind them.
"You know Hermione better than that; it will take at least two weeks before Sirius can break down all the walls…" Tonks whispered back as they moved towards their bedroom, hand in hand.
"I think you've underestimated Sirius there, love… back in school, he could have any person he set his eyes on within three days. I think a week is a reasonable time considering everything."
"Any, person, huh?" She asked slipping her arm around his waist and giving him a soft kiss on his neck.
"Yes," Remus responded, turning to his wife and lifting her up, pressing her against the wall outside of their room, making her wrap her legs around his waist. "Sirius has been bisexual since third year, and I seem to recall him turning many boys that way back then or as he liked to refer to it as "Sirius-sexual." He kissed her then, a soft, beautiful, powerful, amazing kiss, which if she had been standing up would have made her go weak in the knees.
One of her hands slipped into his soft brown hair, pulling his head closer, deepening the kiss, as her other hand undid the buttons of his shirt, "You're going to have to tell me that story later…"
"Right…"kiss "…later."
Once his shirt was off, his hands went to her waist and slipped under her shirt pulling it off over her head, breaking the kiss, to find underneath no bra.
"Have I told you how stunningly beautiful you are?" He asked, pressing his forehead against hers, and closing his eyes, wondering how he could have ever thought about not being with her. How could he have ever left her? She was perfection, she completed him, and it didn't matter how much he thought he didn't deserve her; he was going to latch on to every possible second he could spend with her, and never ever let go of her again.
"Only a few million times since I met you," she braced her hands on each side of his head as she slowly kissed his closed eyelids lightly, then down his nose, his jaw, and lightly on each side of his mouth, "But I don't mind the repetition."
Remus smiled and wrapped his arms around her once again taking her off of the wall and into their bedroom. "I love you." he whispered as he lay her down on their huge bed before following on top of her, pressing her into the soft mattress, his scarred hands tracing over her perfect body, pulling at her jeans and panties until she was completely naked underneath him.
"I love you more and more every single second, of every day." He continued as he kissed down her neck, to her breasts paying each one lavish attention, hiis hands stroking down her thighs.
Her hands were clenched in the bed sheets, holding on for dear life as his lips went lower, reaching her core and giving lapping at her, much like the wolf that he was. "I've always … loved…. yo…you … Remus." She was panting, her body quickly rising to completion.
He looked up at her from his place at her core, his eyes the color of the chocolate he loved so much, and grinned at her. She quickly slipped her fingers into his hair and pulled him up for a scorching kiss. She waved her other hand barely and his pants and boxers came off with the help of a little wandless magic.
"I need… you, Remus." She panted against his lips, pressing her own hips up into his, feeling his hard arousal, her hand running slowly across his now scar-less chest, marveling at the ways of magic, and what amazing gifts of life dying had given them.
Remus kissed down her jaw to her neck, kissing and sucking and gently biting her shoulders and neck as he slipped inside of her moist heat. "You are perfect, Dora… perfect."
She smiled and lifted her hips pressing closer to him, telling him just how much she wanted to be close to him. Remus moved back and forth, pressing into her deeper and deeper, holding her body close to his as he brushed against every one of her sensitive spots sending her into a mind blowing orgasm just a few seconds before him, causing him to collapse on top of her.
A few minutes later, when Remus had caught his breath he rolled over, pulling her on top of him and wrapping a blanket around them both, her head lying on his chest above his heart. Both were quiet, enjoying the feel of the others body pressed against them.
Dora turned her head, lifting herself slightly and looking up into his eyes. "You are an amazing man, Remus Lupin, and you own my heart in this life and the next."
Remus kissed her, answering her in his own way, pouring those same emotions into his kiss, as his hands gripped her against him, holding her.
"But I have really got to know the story of the 'Sirius-Sexual' Hogwarts days…"
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Review… pretty please, it would make the last horrible month, so much better if all of you that read this reviewed… come on… you know you like it