Chapter 2

Minutes ago…

Remus glanced at the grandfather clock next to the desk of doddery Madame Lachrymose, suppressed a curse and began shoving his books hurriedly into his bag. He put the stopper securely into his ink well and grabbed up the essay on Wand Cores as a prickling sensation traveled down his spine. Someone was watching him. He turned when he slung his bag over his shoulder taking in the few faces buried in their study. One dark haired girl put her head down quickly. A knot of dread began coiling in the pit of his stomach. He'd been ambushed before by a group of Slytherins and she was one of them.

Swallowing, he walked briskly out of the library, straining his ears for signs of anyone lurking in the corridor. He'd barely gone eight steps when he heard the library door close and the clipping of heels approaching. Carry on, you great pillock. He scolded himself and picked up his stride slightly. Then her voice, the voice that had so often sent scathing remarks, that had so often had a bite even Hagrid feared, cut through the space between them like a sigh on a breeze.

"Remus?"

He froze, his heart thundered as his thoughts spiraled into a gloomy pit. This is it. Any minute now…But all he could hear were her heels clipping the stone of the corridor and the blood rushing in his ears. He turned to look over his shoulder, his right hand on his wand concealed in his pocket.

It was cold in the corridor but she had left her robes in the library with her bag. He could see the hairs on her arms rising with the gooseflesh that chased it, she shivered. She was only in a blouse, skirt and black silky stockings, so far as he could tell, she didn't have her wand with her.

She advanced.

Her eyes were a startling shade of the palest sea green, rimmed with dark green, set in creamy white skin and bordered with long, dark eyelashes. The slim eyebrows were raised slightly as if she were unsure about what she was doing. Her full lips parted, letting out a wave of misty breath, her river of midnight hair coiling down her back in loose curls. She was stunning.

It's all part of their plan…any second now and they'll jump you, Lupin. But there's no-one else here. It's just me and her. She's unarmed and freezing and she- she used your first name... What's she up to?

Then she was stood infront of him, looking down- bashfully? Her arms were clasped around her waist and she visibly quivered in the cold. There was a moments pause, a moment's silence. Then Remus did something he never thought he'd do and at the same time could not stop himself. He dropped his bag to the floor, shrugged out of his over robe and slipped it over her shoulders.

Startled eyes flicked upwards and then a smile spread across her pretty features. Not the cold, sarcastic smirk she was known for, but a genuine, breath taking smile burning Remus with the full force.

"Thankyou, erm…Remus- I –" She paused. "How's you're Charms homework going?" Gobsmacked, Remus watched a crimson blush spreading over her cheeks. She came out here to ask me how my homework was going? Erm…ok?

"Yeah, it's going okay, I guess," Remus had finished it two days ago and done an extra two feet, but he wasn't about to admit that to a Slytherin. An awkward silence began to creep over them as they stood opposite each other. Remus wanted to go, needed to go or James and Sirius would kill him for being late, but he couldn't move a muscle.

"Good, that's…good to know," Her cheeks darkened. Remus smiled. "What?" she asked in an uncertain tone. And then it slipped out and Remus could have slapped himself.

"You look cute when you blush," Mortified he'd just spoken; Remus reddened and bit his bottom lip, praying for the ground to swallow him up. It was true though, she did look stunning when she showed emotions other than hatred, other than the Slytherin leer. A bubble of laughter escaped her, real laughter.

Then he was aware of her holding the bottom of his tie, aware of her long manicured fingers rising to the knot. Ever so gently, she pulled downwards. He followed, couldn't resist, needed to…

Their lips met in a soft kiss, sending jolts of electricity through him. He knew it was wrong, knew he shouldn't but couldn't stop himself. His hands slipped around her waist as he deepened the kiss and her hands slipped around his neck, pulling them closer. He could feel the warmth of her cheeks against his own. She tasted…she tasted exquisite, he wanted more.

He was vaguely aware of his feet moving backwards, following her until she was pressed against the chilly stone wall and then they broke apart. She let out a breath, fixing her pale eyes onto his amber ones. One of her hands rose and began to trace his bottom lip, feeling the ragged heat of his breath passing over her fingers.

"Why did you stop?" She breathed. Inside he battled with himself- with the wolf. The wolf threatened to overtake him, turning his vision to grayscale, heightening his senses and tasting more…tasting blood. For a few heartbeats he struggled to contain it. His eyes began to fade into the forget-me-not blue, their natural colour. He heard her breath catch and great weight settled on his heart. She's scared. She's- his thoughts were cut short at her lips met his in a gentle caress.

"Tomorrow, Remus, meet me," She kissed him again.

"Where," Another kiss.

"Anywhere, by Merlin…" she sighed into him and kissed him deeply once more. "Anywhere."

"…in the library," the invader's voice carried round the bend of the corridor and reluctantly the pair broke apart.

"I'll owl you," he whispered. He slung his bag over his shoulder, kissed her once more and began to step away.

"You're robes," She hissed and quickly threw them to him.

"Probably lost track of time, you know how Moony gets," Peter's voice became apparent to Remus. He heard the library door close as she returned to the library and sighed with relief as three familiar faces rounded the corner.

"See, what did I tell you," Peter grinned maliciously. "Knew he'd be here."