UNDER THE MOON, Remus Lupin

xxiv.

REMUS IN LOVE

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On Alice's way back to meet with Remus, she ran into Cedric. He was apologizing endlessly for not showing up to breakfast the last two days and making sure she was okay since she appeared to be in a rush. It seemed he wasn't quite getting the idea. Alice gave him the benefit of the doubt and talked at least a little.

Then she had to run, bursting through Remus' door just to find out he was still getting dressed. "I had to run halfway across Hogwarts and you're still not ready?" Remus was about to pull his shirt on, but Alice stopped him, brushing her hands down his abdomen, and landing them on his belt.

"You're making me want to get undressed again." Remus blushed, taking her hands and pushing them into his pants slowly. Alice leaned up to him and softly planted a kiss on his lips.

"After the walk." Alice winked at him. That worked for him.

It was a lot colder out than Alice had anticipated. Snow covered everything in sight and it was freezing outside. Her teeth chattered and she held her coat tightly. Remus had offered that they just stayed in, but Alice assured him that she would adjust. She wondered why Remus wasn't that affected by the cold until she realized how many full moons he had to tough out in the winter. It hurt her to acknowledge that he went through those alone. Based on what she had read, it was painful.

Out of the castle's view, Remus laced his fingers with Alice's as they walked through the snow, stumbling here and there. Alice would trip, and Remus would grab her before she fell. If Remus tripped, they both tripped. They must've face-planted into the snow about 12 times already.

They both fell against a tree, breathing heavily and laughing. "This is all your fault." Alice blamed him.

"Mine? You're the one who said 'after the walk.'" Remus mocked her.

"And you agreed! So whose fault is it, really?" Alice crossed her arms, tilting her head back against the tree. The leaves were dripping with melting snow.

Remus caught her off guard with multiple kisses being scattered on her neck. "I guess we could say it's mine. If that's what you want."

"What if I want you?" Alice pulled him by his jacket, pressing him against her body. She sandwiched herself between him and the tree.

"We can have that arranged," Remus mumbled into her neck.

A large clump of snow fell off the tree branches above their head, and right onto them. They both froze and shivered, but didn't really move. Then they began laughing. Something clearly did not want them in their good graces, fornicating in the winter frost. Cold and froze to the bone, they continued their walk. If things went as they wanted them to, Remus and Alice wouldn't have to worry about wasting any time. Because there would be plenty of time.

If things went as planned, that is.

At some point, Alice decided she wanted to throw snowballs at Remus. He attempted to retaliate. But he couldn't figure out how to make snowballs without using his wand. So it took a lot longer, especially when he was being hit in the face with snow every 10 seconds.

Somehow, Alice was bringing out the youth that Remus had been robbed of. Already it had been one day and he'd smiled more than he had in the past 5 years. The sneaking around and playful teasing is the romance Remus had expected when he was 18. Instead, he was giving Alice the romance she never thought was possible. And to think that when Remus walked into the class on the first day, the last thing he expected was to fall for his student. The last thing Alice expected was to fall for anyone. Her Professor was definitely not someone she ever thought was a possible candidate.