"Are you ready for this?" Remus asked Emma as they stood outside the Burrow. It had been a month since the war had ended and Molly had decided to throw a small celebration for the trio and everyone else in the Order.
"As ready as ever," she said and took his hand in hers.
"This is going to be a doozy. I for one, cannot wait for her reaction," Sirius whispered behind them excitedly as they opened the door and entered.
"Ahh! There you are. It's about time," Molly instantly came to greet them. Remus smiled at Molly as Emma hugged her.
One glance around the main room told them that way too much effort had been spent on this 'party'. But the mood was too somber. Their friends stood idly making small talk while the Weasley matriarch busied herself making sure the conversation was going.
No one knew why Molly had decided to hold it here when Sirius had offered the same at his place. Arthur had nudged Sirius to let his wife do this as a distraction and he had relented.
Harry, Ron and Hermione sat in a corner whispering to themselves quietly looking like they wanted to do anything but be there.
Emma went off to chat with Molly and try to get in her good graces before she had to break the news. Remus made a beeline for Arthur, Ginny and Kingsley. Sirius looked around, sending a wink at the trio when they caught his gaze but kept on scouring the sparse crowd.
He spotted eight Weasleys instead of nine.
Of course. No one mentioned the elephant in the room.
Everyone did, however, keep glancing at Molly cautiously.
He decided to fetch a drink from the kitchen before they were whisked off to the backyard where dinner had been set.
"This is a disaster," George spoke up next to Sirius. The young redhead had sunken eyes and looked as if he hadn't slept in weeks. A little dishevelled, he also looked like he hadn't properly looked at himself in the mirror before deciding to go with his outfit for the evening.
And knowing the boy, he wasn't even sure he owned a mirror anymore, not since..
Sirius felt for him.
"I don't know what she's trying to prove. She keeps thinking he'll show up somehow," he said giving Sirius a dark look as he took a sip of his drink.
How many has he had already? Sirius wondered.
Sirius shook his head. "And you?"
"What do you think Sirius?" George angrily chugged the rest of his drink annoyed at the charade he was forced to be a part of.
"That he wouldn't want you to mope like this," Sirius trod carefully.
"He isn't here, is he? Tell me something I haven't heard already," he slammed his glass down on the kitchen counter that earned him a worried look from Ron across the room. George was about to walk away but Sirius held him back.
"Can I interest you in a small bet then? Something to distract you," he hoped this might lighten his mood. Even a little.
Sirius knew what if felt to lose a brother. He had already lost James and Regulus. But he had grieved alone. What he wouldn't have given for someone's helping hand back then.
George considered his offer for a moment before agreeing.
"Two years ago, Fred and I made this bet at that Christmas party," Sirius hoped George would get the hint.
"You want to bet how long it takes Remus and Emma to shag in our house?" he looked at Sirius as if he had grown two heads.
"Not exactly. There is something else that is sure to blow Molly's fuse," Sirius pointed to his cousin who was bustling about topping everyone's plates with small appetisers looking almost too cheery.
"Did Fred lose?"
Sirius nodded.
"Well, then it's up to me to untarnish that reputation isn't it," George accepted.
With a small grin, Sirius leaned over and whispered something in George's ear- his only ear. His eyes widened at the information as he took in the news, a small smirk forming on his face for the first time in days.
"Mum's going to go mental."
"I say five galleons and a knut she loses it and cries," was the best Sirius came up with.
"This is easy. I say five galleons and a knut she loses it, yells at them, AND tries to hold an impromptu wedding on the spot," George said.
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Once dinner had ended and everyone was settled down with desserts, Emma gave a small nod to Remus and they both stood up.
You couldn't get mad with dessert on your plate right? she thought.
"We have a small announcement," Emma started saying and the rest quieted down suddenly. She looked at Molly nervously who returned her look with a curious one of her own. Everyone looked somewhere between uncomfortable to borderline bored.
Yes, the war was over but most were still dealing with the aftermath. They knew that it would be a few months till normalcy returned.
Sirius sat on Molly's opposite side, winked at the duo, and mouthed Good Luck while the corner of George's lips twitched to smile. When no one prompted them further about their announcement, Emma finally took a deep breath and said it.
"As you know, Remus and I have been together- err of sorts for a while," she paused when there were a few murmurs, and a glare shot at him by Hermione. The Weasley parents pursed their lips recalling the memorable way everyone had discovered their secret.
"On that note," she continued.
Rip it like a band-aid, was a muggle saying she'd heard. She didn't even know what a band-aid was.
"We're having a baby," Emma said placed a hand over her belly. Her billowy pink dress had been carefully selected for the evening since it didn't give anything away. Now that she held it over her stomach, the bump was visible.
For a moment there was complete silence outside which was followed by an almost immediate uproar. Almost everyone got up to congratulate the couple. They got turns hugging everyone as they were congratulated with That's wonderful news, How far along are you? and I can't believe I didn't see it, the signs were all there. The last one from Hermione of course.
For a short while, it did wonders to the dying party as conversation bubbled around the soon to be parents. Arthur patted Remus on the back like a man proud but he was snatched away too soon when Molly pulled them in for one of her giant hugs breaking down into tears
When the commotion died down, the inquisition started.
"So when's the wedding?" Molly asked. "Don't worry about the venue, you will hold it here I assume?"
Remus looked at Arthur before chuckling uneasily and said, "We're not."
Emma didn't get a chance to finish her full thought before Molly was standing up again.
"Remus John Lupin do you mean to tell me that you knocked up this poor girl without any intention to make good on your responsibilities as a man? As a father?!" she sounded completely appalled.
Remus glared at Molly and then Emma. "Firstly, Emma is anything but someone to be pitied. Secondly, No. I offered to marry her but she refuses," he gritted.
"Emma!"
Approaching awkward territory, all the Weasley kids were suddenly interested in their treacle tarts. A few small murmurs went around the table telling Harry how scrumptious his favourite dessert was. Taking small bites, everyone else kept their eyes down on their plates while Molly continued to question the couple.
"Having a child doesn't warrant a wedding Molly," Emma was standing firm on her ground. Remus hadn't budged her yet and she wasn't going to let her either.
"How will you do this alone?!"
"I'm not alone. Remus will be there. I do not plan him cutting him off. I'm not cruel!"
"How will you pay for everything?"
"I'll figure it out. We still have five months. The Ministry is considering giving me my old job back-"
"This is absurd! Remus, tell me you're not going with this ridiculous notion," Molly was all but shouting at full volume turning red.
"I told you this wasn't my idea Molly! She won't listen to me!" he sounded tired of arguing the same point over and over again.
"Stop talking about me as if I'm not here!" Emma slapped her hands on the table causing everyone to look at her.
Throwing her napkin on the table, she stood up, anxious on the inside but she refused to let it show. Deciding that she had had enough of this conversation she took off into the kitchen leaving everyone stunned.
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"How're you feeling?" Remus was by her side not even a minute after Emma had entered the kitchen.
"Annoyed. Exhausted. All the time. This baby isn't making it easy," she rested her head on one hand at the kitchen table. With a sigh, he sat down next to her and brought his chair closer to her.
"She didn't mean to be harsh on you, you know that right?"
"I do. It's just that we do only have five months left. Molly made some good points about affording stuff. It-it got to me."
"We'll be fine. You have me," he assured her. "Although I wish you'd just marry..," he began again but she gave him a look which made him shut up instantly.
"I think he knew," Emma said.
"Who did?"
"Fenrir Greyback," she said. Remus was confused at this admission and didn't know what to make of it.
"There was this confusing moment at the Malfoy Manor when I thought he was able to sniff it or maybe you on me. It made him protective, hoping that our child would be part-werewolf," she said quietly. She had held off on telling Remus this part and the incident had been festering in her mind ever since her pregnancy was known.
He was quiet for a few moments as well. Even he hadn't been able to smell the pregnancy changes in her and he had been there for those first two months. He knew how far gone Greyback had been in his quest to turn more people into werewolves. It irked him that he had thought of having a hand in his unborn child's life.
"Look, he's gone. Plus, there is no way he could be sure of that. He also didn't know what we do. That all the articles I've read about it don't really support what he thought would happen when our baby is born," he said.
Emma nodded silently. He always knew the right words to soothe her.
"Wait, you read news articles about it?" she teased.
"It was Sirius' idea when he insisted I was being an arse this time last year," he admitted.
"He was right on that. The man has his moments," she giggled and leaned back against her chair.
"Oddly so," Remus agreed.
Tired from standing up on her feet all evening, she realised that her feet were killing her. Not too literally. Exhaling loudly she went to remove her heels. Even the short ones hurt her like hell. Taking his chance to help, Remus interjected and brought her foot up to his lap and started massaging it himself.
His rough hands were working a miracle on her feet. She didn't have the heart to stop him.
Blame it on the pregnancy, she thought.
"Don't stop," she moaned with her eyes closed focusing on the pain ebbing away. At one point when he started rubbing circles, she cussed out loud which made him stop. Disappointed at the loss of comfort she opened her eyes to see him staring at her.
I know that look, she thought. He looked as if it physically hurt him to hold back and she could see the bulge straining against his pants.
Without a word, she was up almost instantly and Remus helped her onto his lap instead. With one hand on her cheek and the other on her waist, he brought her lips down on his. She responded wrapping her arms around his neck and deepening the kiss further. Pulling her closer, he moved to along her jaw, placing quick kisses down her neck then making her fist her hand in his hair tighter.
"Remus," she whispered throwing her head back as he continued his sweet assault on her neck.
"I know," he murmured. She ground herself against him eliciting a groan on both their parts.
It had been too long for both of them. Two months too long. Emma hated to admit it, but she had been getting too used to him again. True to his word, Remus had spent every chance he got last month driving her up the wall with his teasing touches whenever he visited her at Grimmauld Place. But he had limited it to just that- teasing. He'd kept his distance otherwise until now.
Getting restless, Emma grabbed his hand on her waist and brought it to her breast and squeezed herself.
It's the pregnancy hormones, she thought. She had learned that pregnancy made her nipples very sensitive. Something Remus was about to find out as well.
"If you continue that, I don't think I'll stop, love." He lowered his mouth to her chest, licking and nipping as he went and lowered a dress strap.
"You know, you two really bring out the voyeur in me," almost like déjà vu, Sirius' voice broke them apart. He was leaning against the door, arms crossed looking proud of himself.
"Sirius what the fuck?!" Emma hurried to adjust her dress and straps.
"Just thank your stars it wasn't Molly who found you christening her kitchen chairs," he tutted in response. "Come back whenever you're.." Sirius eyed their state of mess and Remus' arms around her waist that were holding her tightly against his crotch "..decent."
With Sirius out the door again, Emma was going to get up when Remus stopped her suddenly.
"What?" she asked.
"Go on a date with me," he murmured surprising her.
"I'm sorry?" For a moment she thought her hormones were now making her hear things.
"A date. I want to take you on a proper date."
"Remus..I don't know," she evaded the notion. With his arms still around her, he grabbed her hips and pressed it down against him making her whimper. She bucked almost instantly trying for more contact.
"Please," his voice was husky now as he saw her eyes flutter when he did that. She whispered a soft Okay.
"Just so you know. This time I plan to wine and dine you properly," he said as she got up huffing in fake annoyance. Emma was already dropping her walls with every look and kiss and so she only grinned coyly at his admission.
"You know Sirius only called us back outside to see if Molly will try to wed us on the spot or not," she pointed out patting down her dress. Remus rolled his eyes thinking of his friend's intrusive tactics.
Emma saw Sirius deep in conversation with George once they were back outside.
"For interrupting my time with you, I think we can make him suffer a bit longer, no? Say we let Molly try that and make Sirius lose the five galleons this time," he said as they approached the table.
Emma looked at the Remus next to her. With a boyish grin, he looked younger taking away the years of tension off his face.
They hadn't called him the brains behind the Marauders for nothing.
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A/N: Found the GIF on Pinterest
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