Bless the Beasts and the Children - 10. Chapter 10

I thought the night would never end.

Leave it to James to choose this evening to be chatty and whimsical. Peter wasn’t helping matters any. If it wasn’t one of them going on about the problems with trying to communicate with the fairer sex—and how badly I wanted to tell him the problem was that he never listened to them—it was the other asking Remus dumb questions about homework. Like it made any difference anyway.

At least Frank had the kindness not to chime in with his own tales of Alice, with which he often regaled us. He was sitting on his bed, scribbling furiously away. I knew eventually he’d get up and head to the owlery, and his missive would be relayed to his lady love, with his compliments, over breakfast.

How sappy was that? And how odd, when she slept just down the stairs in the girls’ dorm? Whatever. I was focused on other things and everything else was just a distraction.

Well, just one thing, and that was Remus Lupin. For him I burned. Literally, I think. I felt all in a fever in anticipation of what was to come. Why couldn’t the others take a hint?

I tried yawning, over and over. Subtle hints. “Well, tomorrow is another day.”

Less subtle hints. “It’s getting late, don’t you think?”

Subtlety was clearly wasted on them.

I was getting ready to shout out, “Get to bed, you bloody wankers,” but Remus caught my eye and shook his head, and I swallowed the words, rather grumpily.

“What’s the matter with you, Sirius?” James frowned at me. At least he’d quit talking for the moment.

“Nothing. I don’t know what you mean.” I feigned ignorance and chose to yawn instead.

“I think I’m going to call it a night,” Remus broke into her pointless discussion which had degenerated into a staring contest, James’s eyes trying to pierce into my brain, as if he could read my secrets.

“I’m going too,” Peter chimed up. Good boy. Sometimes his being a follower was a definite blessing.

Frank finished his letter and gave a big yawn of his own. “I’m just going to pop out for a sec, then I think I’ll be going to bed myself,” he announced. He hopped off the bed and headed quickly out the door without waiting for a response.

That left just Mr. Stubborn.

“Maybe I’ll read for a bit,” he began, and I swear his eyes were filled with mischief, as if he knew what was going on and wanted to yank my chain a bit.

“Study? You?” I snorted before I could help myself.

“Who said study?” he replied with a faux innocence that didn’t become him. “I’m just dying to read this Muggle novel I borrowed from Remus.”

I glanced at Remus and caught a quick glimpse of confusion in his expression. Aha! James was lying through his teeth.

The next moment, James himself grinned broadly. “Just having you on, mate,” he said, even as he began to undress. “It’s getting late, I know. Catch you in the morning.”

“Night everyone.” I followed suit, undressing as I headed back to my own bed, not daring to risk a look in Remus’ direction lest I give us away. I climbed into bed, pulled the curtains closed and waited.

The next thirty minutes crept by as if they were twice as long, if not longer. But I didn’t dare take a chance on any of the others being awake. Not until I was safely in Remus’ bed, and we’d set our silencing charms.

When I’d decided from the sounds of soft snoring and lack of any movement that they were all asleep, I tiptoed from my bed to Remus’ and parted his curtains. He was wide awake. When he saw me, relief flitted across his face as he beckoned me in, beneath the covers. I closed the curtains behind me, and slid as close to him as I could get.

I started to whisper an apology, but Remus laid one finger across my lips and spoke a quick charm that would keep all noise contained within the confines of the space of Remus’ bed. I added one of my own for good measure.

“Sorry I took so long,” I tried again but Remus surprised me. He pulled me closer to him and pressed his lips against mine, his kiss taking my breath away. I loved it when he got like that. The others would be surprised to know how dominant Remus really was in our relationship. He might not be one to say boo to a goose, but he was more than capable of telling me what to do and when to do it… and I liked it.

Will wonders never cease?

If James ever dared to say anything, I’d just have to remind him that a certain Miss Evans had him wrapped around her little finger and when she said jump, he said how high. Case closed.

When we drew apart to breathe, I said, “Remus, I have a new spell I’ve been working on for us. To make life easier. Want to see it?”

If he had his doubts, he kept them to himself, but I had the feeling he had a few. “Go ahead,” he encouraged me. “I’d love to see it.” He probably thought it was something mundane, such as shooting sparks from the ends of my fingertips or something equally as vapid.

I focused my energy and my attention, murmured a few words, then grinned at him. He appeared a little uncertain.

“What did you do?”

“Look under the duvet,” I said.

He did and his mouth dropped open in astonishment. “What the hell happened to my clothes?” he cried out. Thank goodness for silencing spells, right? I could only imagine what the others would have thought at hearing those words.

“I did,” I replied, grinning widely, rather pleased with myself if I did say so. “That’s the spell I’ve been working on. Took me a while to get it right.” Took longer to get the animagus spells right, but I couldn’t exactly tell him that. “What do you think?”

“What do I think? I think you’re bloody cheeky is what I think. What’s the purpose of this, and where are my clothes? And do you seriously think you’re going to pull this on me any time you see fit to do so?”

I admit to being a little disappointed at his lack of enthusiasm and limited vision. Hopefully, once I’d explained it to him, he’d see the light and praise what I’d done.

“It’s not for just any time, Remus,” I tried to explain. “This is for us, for our alone times. You think I want anyone else to see you? No way. Only my eyes and no one else’s can see your beauty.”

I think this slightly mollified him. He seemed less irate, at any rate.

“What about you? You still have clothes,” he pointed out.

“Not for long.” I felt on stronger ground now, repeating the spell on myself. Poof, I was naked as a jay bird too.

“Let the games commence,” I whispered as I reached for his lips once more.