In the Present
A HariPo fanfic
by mew-tsubaki
Note: I haven't finished To the Future and already I'm starting its second companion story. AGH! However, J.K. Rowling's characters are in good hands by now, so I hope everyone enjoys this Rena story. But to reach the present, one must glance at the past, where our story begins… READ & REVIEW!!!
Word of Caution: The end of this chapter contains some sexually graphic content, one reason for the mature rating. Read at own risk (But I'm sure most of you will enjoy it).
-------------------------------- ^-^3
The Sixth Harvest (& the Seventeenth Wax)
The next day Remus's head was somewhere else. Even ringing bells didn't bring him back to the present.
Luna was in love with him. He was sure of it.
After all, he got the meaning behind the Spectrespecs out of her finally. And what was the meaning? To find out the one who loved him, the one who couldn't think about anything but him! The one whose mind fuzzed around him. And all of that, straight from her.
What a year it had been.
Exams were two weeks away, and most classes were reviews or wrapping up some topics. The bell rang, and Remus's class of seventh years entered. They took out their texts, since he had written a book assignment down on the blackboard. He had to give them textwork. He couldn't think right now.
Luna was in love with him. He was sure of it.
He came back to reality for a moment to explain the pages they'd be reading, and then he passed out a worksheet. The seventh years weren't much trouble, but they did seem a little lack-luster. Probably because Sirius had them dueling so often, he told himself. They were used to the action of things. He shook his head, though, because one topic came back to his mind.
Remus was pretty sure that if Luna had his Spectrespecs right now, his mind would be the fuzziest thing she had ever seen.
-----------------------------------------------------------^-^3
That Friday, the day before the last Hogmeade trip, Remus found a note on his desk. It was the morning, so he wondered ho it was from. When he read it, he recognized the flowing, slightly spidery script. It was from Luna:
Remus-
Come enjoy a day free of students. I know tomorrow's the last Hogsmeade trip, so it's the perfect opportunity. I want to share something with you.
-Lune
Beside her name was a sketch of a tree, and he at least knew what that meant. She wanted to meet him in the Forbidden Forest. Where in the Forbidden Forest, he had to wonder- Of course. The kappa pond. At least things were looking up now.
----------------------------------------------------------- ^-^3
Saturday morning was bright and cheery. Remus awoke in a good mood. None of his recent anxiety touched him, and he quite literally hopped out of bed.
He took a quick shower and shaved –but then he ran into a problem. Remus's bliss had kinda clouded his mind, so while off in la-la land, he had accidentally gotten his razor too close to his mustache…and yeah. He accidentally shaved off half of his 'stache before he realized it.
"Oh, shit!" Remus dropped the razor in the sink and leaned in to the mirror to get a better look. Yep, half gone… He stared at the bit of bare skin that he hadn't seen in a looong time. However… The wizard picked up his razor, contemplating. Well, if it looks horrible, I could always fix it with my wand.
So with that in mind, he shaved off the rest. And gawked. Despite still having the scars on his face, he looked decades younger.
Why the hell didn't I do this sooner?!
Remus was still amazed even after he finished up and dressed. Since he was feeling and looking younger, he chose to dress that way, too. Hidden under the endless number of khakis was a single pair of dark denim jeans. He grabbed them and an old T-shirt and changed, but he paused. Many scars still covered his arms… Even though it was quite warm outside, Remus grabbed a striped, long-sleeve button-up shirt and put it on over the tee. While he didn't button it up, it at least covered his arms up. That was most important.
On his way down, he passed Sirius, who gaped at him. "What happened to your mustache?!"
"Can't talk now, Padfoot!" Remus called behind him. And he really couldn't. He was speeding downstairs, almost taking two steps at a time.
Outside, it was the most perfect day of summer. There were some gray clouds in the vibrant blue sky and the air felt summerish-springy, but it was definitely beautiful. An absence of students added to that beauty, but so did Remus's excitement. He sped through the outdoor halls and slowed as he got to the green. The wizard knew he had to calm down, otherwise he risked scaring her off –or raising suspicion from the underclassmen who couldn't yet go on Hogsmeade trips.
But right on the edge of the forest, his anticipation grew. It puzzled him; the most he was expecting was spending some time alone with Luna. However, something inside him told him that everything would go right today. And when he saw Luna waiting by the kappa pond, everything was.
----------------------------------------------------------- ^-^3
"Lune."
At the sound of his voice, Luna nearly melted. She looked up into his warm brown eyes and her heart stopped. He was looking right at her, seeing only her. Her cheeks burned under his…hungry gaze.
"I got your note," Remus said, and he smiled.
The witch tore her eyes away. Now if only I can quell the fairies flitting about in my stomach… She stood –and noticed the rest of him. "You look comfy."
He laughed. "Well, I can't be shabby all the time. You, my dear, are something else."
Luna glanced down at her flats, shorts, and tank ensemble. She hadn't thought much of it, but she met his eyes again. His eyes had been roving over her figure, too, but they also revealed a thought he hadn't expressed:
He thought she looked ravishing.
"How have you been holding up?" she asked, wanting to change the subject.
"I'm okay today," he answered. "The paper's kept you again, hasn't it?"
Luna nodded. "I've been exhausted."
"Well, that won't do." Remus brushed some hair out of her face and rubbed one of her shoulders. "Loosen up, Lune."
She smiled and leaned her head on his shoulder. "You're right." Maybe I can do that now, with you here, she thought. The witch took her wizard's hand. "Walk with me?"
He nodded. They went deeper into the Forbidden Forest, listening to the twitters and muffled sounds of the place. Hooves beat the ground far, far off into the distance. Luna tensed a bit, her ears picking that noise up as if it was right beside her, but she breathed when Remus squeezed her hand.
"Sorry," she muttered. "I guess there are things that make me jumpy."
"I said it before, Luna: I will protect you, no matter what. I love you too much to let there be things that make you jumpy," Remus finished.
"I know," the blonde whispered, entangling her fingers in his shirt. "You…sometimes make me jumpy, actually."
She could sense his mood darken. "I see."
"Not like the other things!" Luna amended, stopping him and facing him with her worry in her eyes. He met her blue eyes, listening. She pursed her lips, wondering how best to take the conversation down this direction. It helped to gather her thoughts by closing her eyes. "Remus, what I meant was that… You- I-"
Remus smiled amusedly. "This is your first time being tongue-tied, isn't it?"
Seeing how his smile reached his eyes, how a gentle breeze tousled his bronzed brown hair, how he was amused by her –"Your mustache is gone," she blurted suddenly, distracted. Immediately, Luna regretted it. I had been about to tell him, damn it!!
He didn't seem fazed, though, and he brushed a finger above his upper lip. "The last time my face was this clean-shaven was around the founding of the Order of the Phoenix," he joked.
"You look cute."
"Why, thank you," Remus chuckled. He drew his breath in sharply when Luna traced a fingertip along the scar that ran across his chin.
And then she put her hands on the sides of his face and kissed him. She was happy that her boldness around him had returned. Luna knew she could say it now.
The werewolf, on the other hand, looked as though she had Stupified him. Remus blinked several times, clearly confused that she had caught him again. "I- Wha- Lune, you-"
This time she gripped his shirt and brought him roughly down so she could kiss him again. The difference this time was that the kiss was much more passionate, for she forced her tongue into his mouth, welcoming the taste she missed whenever she was away from him. He relaxed, though, and wrapped his arms around her, one hand on the small of her back, the other between her shoulder blades. She moved a hand to his jaw and gently pushed him away.
"Luna…," Remus began.
She shook her head. "Shh, Remus, just listen." Luna let her blue eyes lock with his brown ones. "I should've told you when it happened, but I don't know when it happened. I…" She sighed. "I don't mean to play with you, you should know. You are fun to be around, fun to watch, but it was something else that drew you to me. I guess it was your inner strength that was there alongside your steady mind. You think things through, analyzing even the worst events, and somehow you come out on top. Though beaten down, you still manage to find one shred of hope, and I love that about you." She touched his cheek, her fingers grazing his skin. "I love you, Remus."
Again, he blinked. "But then –Why didn't you say anything when I told you how I felt?"
"I couldn't. At the time, my world was very delicate, and I was unsure of many things. But when you told me you're in love with me and I saw the determination in your eyes to be with me, even if you could only protect me, it reassured me." Luna leaned her forehead on his chin. "I wanted to tell you sooner," she whined, "but the timing was off. I couldn't get away from the Quibbler and you were suffering your own loses."
She felt his jaw move as his mouth opened and closed, and then he just held her tighter. "And this isn't a dream?" he asked after a silent minute had passed.
Luna pulled away, an impish grin gracing her features. "It isn't, though dreams do give nice suggestions." The witch took her hands from his and backed up, beckoning him with an upturned, hooked index finger. She turned around then, and ran into the forest. She knew exactly what she wanted.
----------------------------------------------------------- ^-^3xXxhot!xXx
Remus loped after her. His first thought was of the time he had found her after she had barely made it past the centaurs without alerting them. Fear tightened his muscles; adrenaline urged him on. He could not let history repeat itself.
I think Luna thinks she knows the forest too well, he noted, weaving in between the trees. But it can turn on anyone at any time. The usual ominous sounds surrounded him, but one resonance played with his ears.
Luna's mischievous laughter was ahead of him.
He sped along, wishing she would not toy with him so, just as she said she didn't mean to. But he thought of his personality and couldn't blame her. He was too easy to tease.
A flicker of wheat blonde hair caught his eye and he took a left to follow her. He had to be gaining on her by now. His legs were longer, he was used to Auror missions, and he was also a werewolf. But she was also a slip of a woman, light and in shorts and a tank top, and not weighed down by jeans or a second shirt.
Finally, he broke into a clearing. It wasn't a field but more of a large backyard with blue-green grass. Luna stood bent over near a felled tree, her hands on her knees. She straightened and deeply inhaled as she sat down on the log. Now she faced him.
"I win," she joked.
He walked over to her and remained standing, hands on hips. "Luna, remember what happened last time you went frolicking in here?" he reminded.
She touched three fingers to her lips. "Oops," she squeaked with a small smile.
"Yeah, 'oops,'" he echoed with a sigh. He sat beside her and closed his eyes. "I don't know what I'm going to do with you. It's tempting to lock you up in a cage, you know. But I know you; you'd find some way out."
"Then you'll have to think of something else," Luna stated with raised eyebrows.
"I can at least calm you down," Remus remarked. He kissed her lips and rested his forehead against hers. "Did that work?"
"Not really," she murmured against his lips as she kissed him back. He accepted it, her fervent affection, and his mind was buzzing with desire. He fought down a question when her hands removed his striped shirt, baring his arms.
He stopped then, covering some scars with his hands. "I'm sorry, I didn't want you to see these, some of them are a little disturbing and they're all ugly-"
Luna poked his lips. "I'm not scared, Remus." She kissed him again, and he believed it. Barely two or three minutes later, her hands were on his bare stomach, and his T-shirt was beside his other shirt on the ground. She lifted her tank over her head in one swift motion and pushed him against the log. Her body was on top of his, her mouth was on his, and everything felt like fireworks, like…
Magic.
In a few more actions, they were skin-to-skin, all the clothes on the grassy floor of the forest. She tugged her hair free of its braid and golden strands fluttered around her, covering her chest. Her cheeks pinked when he brushed that hair back and kissed her collar bone. She shivered at his touch and he at hers, his breath at her breasts so ticklish, her fingers on his back dizzying him with desire.
Now on the grass, he hovered over her. His lips crushed hers, her mouth welcoming his tongue again. His hands glided up and down her sides and she arched her back, like an invisible entity pulled her towards him. That was the right moment.
He entered her, Luna hugging him to her, and they were one body, one mind, one soul. Remus froze for a second when he realized she was still a virgin, but she dug her nails into his back, not wanting him to stop. He was gentle with her, and that was the right move, for he had never felt this way before.
She pushed on his chest then, and he thought she wanted to stop. However, this was not the case as she proceeded to push him down onto the ground. She kissed him hard and long, and then started up a wild rhythm. Yes, he was gentle with her, but she was rough with him.
He came right before her, but the climax was nothing like the world of passion had ever before seen. He sat up, her still on his lap, and kissed her neck, trailing kisses down her front. She moved her hand to his member when he backed up, keeping him inside her, keeping them joined. He suckled her breasts and she moaned with pleasure, clearly enjoying the moment. She again hugged her to him, and they came again until, finally they were spent.
----------------------------------------------------------- ^-^3xXxend!xXx
Luna awoke later in the day, and found Remus was watching her. She gazed up at him. He was on his back, she on her side next to him, her arm slung across his chest. He was tracing circles on her shoulder with the hand of the arm under her.
"She wakes," he stated, chucking. "I didn't disturb you, did I?"
She shook her head. "How long have I been asleep?"
"A few hours. Don't worry, I fell asleep, too, for a bit," he added when her mouth popped open and formed a perfect 'O'. "It's still daytime, though just barely."
The witch snuggled his chest some more. "We don't have to move yet, do we?"
He laughed. "No, dear, we don't. But we will soon, lest the werewolves get you."
"'S okay. They're not that scary after all," she mumbled with a lazy, happy grin.
"We did find one thing out, though."
"What?"
"Which one of us is the real wolf."
She blushed, which only made him laugh more. "Remus-!"
"I- I'm sorry," he said, trying to contain his laughter. "It's just- You're so cute and innocent-looking, and then I find out that I've got myself an alpha. It's rather entertaining."
"Yes, well…" Luna poked him in the chest. "You are a good man, Remus. Sensitive both in and out of the bedroom."
He furrowed his brow. "I'm not sure if you were complimenting me or getting back at me."
"That depends: Which one means I win?"
"Oh, you little-!" Remus turned on his side and started tickling her. She laughed like he had never seen her laugh before, urging him to tickle her more. "I win, just this once, okay?"
"O-Okay!" she managed, but she still laughed even though he stopped tickling her stomach. He had his arms on either side of her, and he looked down on her perfect body, her perfect face. "Okay…," Luna agreed.
"You know, I was pretty sure I figured you out," he said quietly.
"That I love you?"
He nodded. "I had tried out the Spectrespecs," the were admitted, rolling off her and lying by her side. "I saw you talking with Neville, but the glasses didn't show anything. Then you noticed me and finished up your conversation with him, and I saw it. Your mind was full of all these little things buzzing around in you head." He glanced in her direction. "All these little things fuzzing your mind.
Luna mock-sighed. "Well, you got me there. As it so happens, when I saw you, my mind did get a little hazy. I'll have you know that it was hard wrapping up my talk with Neville when I was thinking about this."
"Confessing your undying love?" Remus teased.
"Well, that and maybe my mind drifted into this territory, too," she trailed off, the hand on his chest moving down his torso and…yeah. He reddened and she giggled. She replaced her hand on his heart and pecked his cheek. "By the way, Remus, I don't just love you. I'm in love with you."
That feeling inside Remus was correct; everything had gone right today.
----------------------------------------------------------- ^-^3
WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!! YAAAAAAAYYYYY!!!!!!!!! OOOOOOOHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVED this chappie!!!!! Who DIDN'T?!!!! *ahem* Okay, with that out of my system as well as Lune's confession and Rena's little sexcapade, I think I can get back to some of the other things going on in the story's timeline. Whew! Was a big part of this chapter tastefully hot, or was it just me? *grins*
Ok, well, lemme know how ya feel in a REVIEW, PLEASE!!! See you in 18, too!
-mew-tsubaki :))))))))
P.S. –Today's dedication: ashleyahh, for loving this story so much. Thank you!
