Title: Give Me A Reason, Part 7 (My longest-running ever! Wow!)

Author: TheNaughtyBits (That's moi!)

Pairing: Harry/Remus

Rating:

Disclaimer: If I owed Harry Potter, I so wouldn't be horny right now.

This chap came easier than the last, mainly thanks to the holidays…And was re-found earlier today, after a PM from ShyOne reminding me of its existence. So, major loves and huggles to Shyone, with the dedication of this chap, and of course loves to my wonderful reviewers. Thank you for your patience with this, hugs to you all. (And I do give kick-ass hugs)

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Harry sat on the sofa. He'd just finished his second glass of fizzy liquid he hoped to be alcoholic, and now rolled the glass between his hands. Remus was in the kitchen talking in serious tones to a well-kept man and a blonde woman, but Harry was trapped. He'd tried to stay by his lover, but somehow they'd become detached. People were everywhere, and all of them wanted to talk to Harry. He'd tired to disappear into his bedroom as soon as he was alone but found it (understandably) locked, and it was when he stood desperately twisting the handle that Hermione had found him.

With a gulp and a fake smile he'd been pulled to the sofa. Kingsley sat across from him, talking to Bill about nothing particularly interesting. Hermione was next to them, still talking. Ron was no-where in sight. He saw a frown flicker across his school-friend's brow and caught her look. With an internal sigh, the emerald-eyed boy tried to focus on her words.

"…. And everyone was so worried, Harry! Why didn't you tell us where you were? Ron's mother was going spare! I was going mad with worry! You didn't even bother to write!" Harry shut out her voice again, scowling. He didn't need lectures, especially hers. Her entire speech had been solely punctuated by exclamation points and over-exaggerated gestures, or at least, what he'd paid attention to had.

He coughed and stood, excusing himself with the smile he usually reserved for the press. The party had been going for a good few hours, and he'd been fine for the start of it. Fine when he was with Remus. Now he felt guilt ridden and vulnerable, only wanting to crawl into Remus' arms and lose himself in slumber, his mind too drained for anything else.

He wandered towards the kitchen; maybe Remus would be there, attending to some guest; that was likely. Harry couldn't see him talking.

"I can't see how they can get away with imposing such measures anymore, not with-" A blonde woman was speaking irritable, a frown etched into her face, but she stopped and smiled when she saw Harry. Harry returned the smiled weakly, looking round the door.

"Remus?"

"You alright, Harry?" Remus asked pulling Harry inside the kitchen and giving him a firm embrace. Internally, he was kicking himself very, very hard. Of course the boy wasn't ok; he was clinging to him! The golden-haired man found himself squeezing tighter planting a kiss on Harry's head. He never should have allowed himself to be taken away from his lover, and left him with all those people and their questions. Trembling fingers wrapped themselves and out Remus' waist, and the black haired boy nuzzled his face into the man's firm shoulder, his eyes squeezed shut.

Someone in the kitchen coughed. The fragile moment broke, but Remus kept his arms around the smaller man. Harry, for his past, didn't move away, just turned so he could face the one that had disturbed them.

"Harry," Remus said, his voice warm, introductory and sounding slightly amused. "This is Sophia Johnson, and James Parker Larrington." Harry nodded to each of them with a polite smile. He didn't feel like moving to shake hands. "They share my condition."

The man moved closer, as if to inspect him.

"Is he yours, Remus?"

"Larrington! Don't be such a snob!"

Harry flushed. The man's accent was upper class and intimidated, sounding superior. In his head, Harry labelled it condescending and found his hand being taken form Remus' warmth, briefly shook and then closely scrutinised. Remus raised an eyebrow, and met Harry's confused green eyes. The hand was sniffed, at the point where it joined the wrist.

"He smells of you."

Remus glanced at Harry, and pressed a kiss to his forehead, sighing very slightly.

"Then I guess that means, in our terms at least, that yes, he is mine." Harry smiled at the thought, proving he didn't mind, and Remus continued, dropping his voice slightly. "We were hoping to keep it quiet for a while."

The man nodded. And the blond woman smiled.

"We understand." She stood up. "But let's go play social. Can't have both the hosts hiding out in the kitchen all night."

Harry felt better standing with Remus. The rest of the night Remus kept himself in constant contact with Harry, nothing obvious, just the brush of shoulders, or the guiding hand on his shoulder or back. Together, Hermione didn't seem to have the nerve to lecture the black haired Gryffindor, as the pair circulated amongst their guests, but she did keep her beads eyes on them and catch them with conversations and questions whenever she could.

The pair talked to everyone, got handed there own food. Then, finally, the music faded, and the barrage of hugs started assaulting Harry. When the flat was eventually empty, Harry staggered to the sofa.

"I'm either slightly drunk or very tired."

Remus smiled, looking equally tired, leaning against the door Hermione and Ron had just departed through.

"Come on. Let me take you to bed." He moved across the room and scooped up Harry who nuzzled into his neck, listening to the steady heartbeat. By the time they got to the bedroom, Harry was too tired to respond to the gentle kiss, and didn't notice the loving hands remove his T-shirt, shoes and jeans. Before the boy knew it, he was asleep, and Remus joined him after a lazy flick in the direction of the living room to clear the mess. Remus perched on the edge of the bed, easily falling back to join his lover in the world of dreams, and they curled together, sleeping limbs entwined.

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When the tousled hair Gryffindor awoke, there was a weight lying across his legs. Warmth surrounded him, and he curled around it happily, smiling for real. He had something to do before Remus awoke, and tired wriggle out of his grasp. Remus, an evidently heavy sleeper didn't wake, just grunted and tightened his hold on his lover. That made Harry smile more widely and he turned to press a kiss to Remus' forehead, hoping it to be the key that released his arms. The arms tightened again, and Remus rolled. Harry forced himself to repress a giggle, and grinned at the positioning comfortably under Remus. But it gave him a problem; Remus' stocking was in the wardrobe of the guest bedroom. He could get up, but Remus… Or he could just wait, but that wouldn't be the same.

There was a wand on the bedside table – Remus'. He could always…He knew the wand worked for him…It was easily within his reach. He considered it silently for a moment, then picked it up. It was warm and encouraging under his finger, and had a sense of Remus about it. The memory of that great but terrible moment came forward, reaching into the forefront of his mind. It took a lot of strength to push it away and not let it overwhelm him. He waited until his breathing evened.

"Accio Remus' stocking." Harry felt the magic pulse for a moment under his fingers, and relieved that it had worked dropped it back onto the bedside, where it rolled. A moment later Remus' stocking floated eerily into the room and landed gently on the bed. Harry smiled and snuggled into Remus as the man shifted with a small happy moan.

They awoke in the same position. They sun was rising behind the half open curtains and they woke together, both rising out of their dreams, hands held. Harry shifted, running a hand through the golden hairs that adorned Remus, and removed the thin white band confining his long hair. Remus smiled and gave Harry a light, chaste kiss. His golden eyes opened drowsily.

"Merry Christmas" Harry whispered.

"Mornin'" came the horse reply, with a chuckle. The man sat up, shirtless, having removed his clothes when he wok in the night, sleepy and too hot. "Tea."

A feral grin lit Harry's face, and he kissed his partner. Remus was so adorable when he was sleepy. Then, he caught sight of the Harry stocking on the ends of his bed.

"PRESSIES!"