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Author: Gabriella Du Sult Story: Never Give Up Rating: Mature Setting: Pre-HBP Status: WIP Reviews: 6 Words: 63,528
Disclaimer: This story is based on the stories and characters created by J.K. Rowling and I am in no monetary way profiting from it. Thanks again to my beta reader, Baffy, who was ready to roll up her sleeves and get into the fight. (AN: Yeah, erm…this is my favorite chapter, even if the characters did totally rip control away from me while I wrote it.)
*~*~* Remus Lupin was in agony. The previous week’s meeting hadn’t been so bad. Beatrice had come late, still in her St. Mungo’s greens. She had stood against the back wall and left soon after the conclusion, only pausing to confirm plans to come early this week for her talk with Harry. What could he say? If you don’t mind, I’d really rather you didn’t come, as I can’t stand being in the same room with you knowing you’re not mine. He couldn’t be so selfish where Harry was concerned, and to see Harry look forward to anything was all too rare these days. So he had taken a brief respite by excusing himself when Beatrice arrived – but now, even sitting as far away from her as he could, it was all he could do to sit still. He recalled the first time he had realized he desired her at her first Prefect’s meeting on the Hogwarts Express. He had been unable to concentrate on the proceedings then just as he was now. Severus was reporting on Voldemort’s latest plans for recruitment and outlining what Death Eaters methods of approach to watch out for in the workplace. Luckily for him, he had no workplace, he thought bitterly, so it was not a problem that he wasn’t giving the report his full attention. Instead, he rested his head in his hands wearily and devised a surreptitious, if juvenile way to watch Beatrice through his fingers. Finally, the meeting concluded. Molly, Arthur and Mad-Eye escorted members to the front door to exit and Apparate in small unobtrusive groups. Only a select few were allowed to Floo out the kitchen fireplace, as too much activity from a residential area would raise an alarm at the Ministry. Ordinarily, Remus would be more actively participating in the orchestration of the mass exodus, but he needed a moment to gain his composure. By the time he stood, only a small group was left and Moody had just come down the stairs to collect them. Remus decided to wait for them to leave, and then press on up to his room and shut himself away again. Dumbledore and Snape were the last two in line for the Floo, talking together as usual – no one but Dumbledore bothered to pretend to be sociable with the unpleasant man. "Once again, Severus, we appreciate the risk you take. Your information is invaluable." "Thank you, Headmaster," Snape responded, the sneer in his voice raised the hackles on Remus’s neck. "Now if you could just convince Potter to abide by the rules, then perhaps we might actually have a peaceful term at Hogwarts, hmmm?" Perhaps it was the extra strain of the approaching Blue Moon, or just the lack of Sirius to do all the violent reacting to Snape – but Remus felt a bubble of rage rising in him that he wasn’t sure he could suppress. Before he opened his mouth, however, someone else spoke. "Oh for the love of Merlin, would you please grow up!" It was one of those moments where all conversations had stopped at the same instant. Had they not – or if more people had been left in the kitchen – the quietly muttered statement might have gone unheard. As it was, everyone left turned towards the speaker, including Remus, though his heart knew that voice well. Beatrice was of course in Moody’s last group, which also included Kingsley, Tonks and the three out-bound Weasleys. She gaped, wide-eyed and pale with mortification – looking more like an abashed girl than a grown woman. "You have something to say, Bennet?" Beatrice snapped her mouth shut and looked at the floor as Snape eyed her superciliously. When Snape seemed satisfied that she was properly humiliated, he turned back towards the fireplace. Snape didn’t know Beatrice as well as Remus did, however. Though clearly embarrassed, the thin line her mouth had become was a clear sign she was drawing up the courage for something. Snape’s hand was reaching for the Floo powder before she finally cleared her throat. "It’s ‘Healer Bennet,’" she said tightly, her voice barely rising above a whisper. Snape froze and turned back towards her. "Excuse me?" She squared her shoulders and met his gaze. "It’s ‘Healer Bennet,’ Professor Snape. If we are to address each other formally, and not as friends, I must insist we do so with the proper respect." Snape raised an eyebrow and looked down his considerably long nose at her, clearly questioning her idea of proper respect. She sighed, and continued in a more diplomatic tone. "I do apologize if my earlier outburst caused offense. I’m just…surprised at the way you constantly paint Harry as some sort of bad seed. From what I’ve seen of him, he doesn’t seem much more prone to rebellion and rule breaking than any other boy his age." Snape took on his most arrogant posture. "You have not seen him at Hogwarts, Healer Bennet." There was no respect in his tone, though he used the requested address. "He is arrogant, self-important, over-indulged, and rebellious – I assure you – far beyond the acceptable norm." His eyes flashed suddenly to Remus and narrowed shrewdly. Remus felt his nerves tingle as they did when he expected an attack. "Although considering with whom you associated at Hogwarts, perhaps your measure of normal behavior is somewhat skewed." Beatrice lifted her chin and her eyes flashed. In school, Beatrice’s temper rarely got the better of her – but when it did, it generally was explosive. Even if Remus couldn’t smell the anger coming off her in waves, he remembered the signs well enough to know the tensing around her jaw meant she was struggling to control her anger now. Not that he blamed her. Snape’s baiting was hitting the mark with him too, and his own fists were clenched tightly as he watched. "True, I haven’t seen Harry at Hogwarts," she conceded in clipped tones. "But as you clearly recall, I was at Hogwarts when you were. Perhaps you also remember I have first hand knowledge of just what sort of rule breaking you were inclined to do?" Snape looked as if he’d swallowed something sour, but recovered quickly enough. He eyed her in his calculating Slytherin way for a moment and then, in what amounted to a victorious smile for him, his mouth quirked into a half-sneer-half-grin. "Trying to impress your alpha male?" His eyes flicked back to Remus, and there was a definite note of triumph in his eyes that had Remus tensing, but nothing prepared him for Snape’s next words. "It seems your bitch is in heat." Only the Auror reflexes of Kingsley and Tonks, who immediately grabbed Remus on either side, kept Snape from lying on the floor of the kitchen with his throat torn out. Nobody thought to restrain Beatrice, however, or perhaps she was just too fast for old Mad-Eye – as her hand met Snape’s face with a resounding crack. Remus couldn’t suppress a surge of pride. He remembered that there had been a reason that Beatrice was a Marauder’s girl as he looked at the red handprint mark on Snape’s cheek. The most colour I’ve ever seen on that greasy git’s face, a voice unsurprisingly like Sirius’s cracked in his head. Though the slap had to have stung, Snape gave no indication of any pain, not even a wince or a tender touch of the fingertips. He merely gave Beatrice his classic Slytherin, ‘You are beneath my recognition,’ look and turned back to Dumbledore. "If you’ll excuse me, Headmaster – I must be going." Dumbledore smiled seemingly benignly, but his eyes and voice were stern. "I think that would be best, Severus. We will speak more later." Snape’s eyes flickered briefly, and then he disappeared into the fire. Once the flames died down after him, the tension was released. Remus’s attention was quickly drawn back to Beatrice, who had let out a gasp and buried her face in her hands. "I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry." A muffled chant came from behind her hands. "Beatrice." Dumbledore put a placating hand on her shoulder. "You have nothing to be sorry for." She snorted in disbelief and Dumbledore chuckled kindly. "Well, very little, in any case – and I will speak to Severus about this, make no mistake. Unfortunately, I too, must go now. Please take some time to compose yourself before departing." Beatrice nodded, though she continued to keep her face hidden. "I’m sure we can all take something meaningful from this evening," Dumbledore said, his sharp blue eyes meeting Remus’s pointedly, before he too disappeared into the fire. Remus stared at the hearth and tried to fathom what Dumbledore’s point was, not for the first time in his life. Bill moved next to Beatrice and nudged her playfully. "Little volcano?" he asked. Her face finally emerged from behind her hands and she smiled at Bill sheepishly. "Ineffectual and embarrassing," she agreed. Remus frowned. When did Bill and Beatrice get so chummy? Why did they get so chummy? Bill knew how things stood. Of course, it wasn’t as if he could offer her any comfort himself – not without revealing how he felt. He took a deep breath in an effort to gain control. One thing he had to give Snape credit for – he had that innate Slytherin ability to find a person’s weak spot and attack it. Except for the fact that they were his weak spots – not Beatrice’s. Much as he would like to be – he was not her alpha male. "Let’s sit down," Kingsley’s deep voice rumbled. Remus realized that the Auror’s hand was still on his shoulder, only now, instead of restraining him, he was guiding him back the to the table. When he looked at Kingsley questioningly, the other man’s look was direct. "It will do us some good to really talk, instead of listening to reports all evening." What was going on? Remus wondered. First Dumbledore’s pointed look, and then Kingsley’s – and now Bill maneuvered Beatrice into the seat next to him at the table. She didn’t seem to notice, however as she put her face back in her hands. Molly and Arthur returned to the kitchen then, curious expressions on their faces – they were no doubt wondering what became of the last group. Molly took one look at Beatrice and exclaimed, "What happened?" "Beatrice gave ol’ Snape the what for about Harry," George provided. "And then she cracked him right in the face when he gave her lip!" Fred added with a huge grin. Both twins were eyeing Beatrice with new respect. "She did?" Molly asked. It was hard to decide, based on her expression, if she was appalled or impressed. "Aye, she did," Moody confirmed, his tone obviously impressed. "It seems our quiet new Healer has a bit of fight in her. If you ever get tired of sick people, you ought to consider being an Auror," he told Beatrice. She looked up at him as if he had made a joke she didn’t find funny. He shrugged and turned to Mr. Weasley. "Arthur, a word?" Arthur nodded and walked out of the kitchen with Moody. Molly looked around the room with her most mothering expression. "Well then, should it be tea or cocoa?" "‘Chocolate in all forms provides an instant and natural boost to the spirit that no other food can,’" Beatrice quoted absently. Remus remembered discovering that passage highlighted in her DADA text when revising with her at Hogwarts. "Never refuse cocoa when offered," she added smiling wanly at Molly. "All right then, I’ll have a cup for everyone in a wink." "Not for us, Molly," Kingsley said, taking Tonks’s arm. "We have an early morning, tomorrow." Remus wondered what happened to ‘really talking’ and suspected Tonks was about to ask the same thing when she suddenly smiled brightly and turned to Molly. "That’s right, big day tomorrow, can’t be late!" she exclaimed a bit too enthusiastically. Remus was about to comment on their odd behavior when Beatrice started muttering. "I don’t know why I did that. I kept thinking to myself, ‘Be quiet! Don’t make him mad!’ And then, Pow! Of course, I didn’t make him mad. Quite the opposite, it seems. Nothing I said or did seemed to make an impression on him at all. It just slid off the greasy git’s back." Fred and George snorted at this and planted themselves across from her at the table. "Merlin, there I go again – please ignore me." "But it was brilliant!" Fred exclaimed bracingly. "You’ll be a hero at Hogwarts," George added. "I don’t see how that can be since almost no one at Hogwarts knows me nor will anyone who attends ever hear of this," she said firmly. Fred and George just grinned at her impishly. "We can’t imagine how anyone would find out about it, can we George?" "I mean it," Beatrice said, sounding stern, "You two just forget that conversation ever happened." "Don’t worry about them," Molly said, distributing mugs of cocoa at the table. "They won’t be causing you any problems." She had a pleasant expression on her face, but something about it sufficiently cowed the twins, and their teasing subsided and they started gulping their chocolate in silence. Remus savoured his own mug, letting the strong aroma of peppermint that Molly always included for him to fill his nostrils and soothe the building wildness inside him. "So, what was Snape like back in school?" asked George, in between slurps. "Professor Lupin won’t ever say anything." Beatrice looked at Remus as if realizing for the first time they were sitting together. She attempted an apologetic smile, but her face couldn’t seem to hold it and she looked down at her mug. "I probably shouldn’t say anything either." "Of course you shouldn’t," Molly said, with a stern look at the twins. "I’m sure there is nothing to say." "Molly," Arthur said wearily, reappearing in the kitchen door. "It’s been a long day and I’m going to turn in. Why don’t you join me?" "Oh, Arthur, I have these dishes to clean up. I’ll be along when that’s done." "You can’t leave them until morning?" he asked adjusting his glasses nervously. Molly looked scandalized at the idea. "Arthur, you know quite well I would never leave dirty dishes out…." "Don’t worry, Mum," Bill said, taking her arm and practically dragging her to the door. "We’ll take care of it." "Bill, I don’t think…" Molly started to protest. "Mum, we are perfectly capable of washing out a few cocoa mugs," Bill countered her smoothly. "But you really don’t know…" she tried again. "Molly, I seem to remember you teaching all the boys how to clean dishes," Arthur reminded her softly. He took her arm from Bill and started gently pulling. Bill turned and winked at them before following his parents out the door to continue the debate. "That’s right, Mum, it may be a few years since dish washing was my chore about the house, but I still remember the basics right enough." When their voices trailed off, Fred turned eagerly back to Beatrice. "Now then, about Snape?" Beatrice chuckled. "You are a devilish lot, aren’t you?" She sighed in minor capitulation. "Snape as a student at Hogwarts seems to me to have been very much like Snape as a Professor at Hogwarts – lording over others whenever he had the upper hand. Acting disdainfully to those he felt inferior, which was just about everybody. The only difference, besides his age I suppose, seems to be the name of the Potter he hated." She looked over at Remus. "Is all his animosity towards Harry just because of a schoolboy feud with James?" Remus sighed and looked down into his cocoa mug, studying it as if it were a Pensieve. "I only came in for Harry’s third year – but by all accounts, Severus was immediately hostile to him, and though it was initially unprovoked, Harry didn’t take his treatment sitting down." "No, I don’t imagine he would," Beatrice muttered. George nudged Fred. "D’you reckon we could Floo to the shop without bringing the MLE down on headquarters?" he asked quietly. Fred considered for a moment then nodded. "I think it’s been long enough since the last activity, why? You thinking of leaving?" he whispered back. "I just don’t understand why anyone would hold a grudge for so long," Beatrice said, drawing Remus’s alert ears back from the twins’ hushed conversation. "Although," she admitted ruefully, "I’m not exactly the best person to be throwing stones about dwelling on the past." Remus wondered what part of the past she dwelled on. "Snape suffered at the hands of James and Sirius too," she grudgingly allowed. "I know that, but it’s not as if he was a complete victim in the matter – just out numbered." "It was a bit unfair," Remus agreed. "Either one of them could probably have taken him single handed – the two of them together could be outright…" "Cruel?" Beatrice finished for him. Remus looked down, a bit shamefacedly. "We were very young then," he offered lamely. "Yes – including him. Some of you grew out of it. It’s inexcusable for Snape to behave as he does towards Harry. As a teacher he should have much more objectivity and be able to see the obvious mark of…" Beatrice trailed off, looking hesitant and embarrassed. "Abuse?" This time, it was Remus who finished for her. Beatrice looked at him miserably. "See, a good teacher sees it right away. How bad is it at that Muggle house, do you know?" Remus sighed. "I know very little. He is understandably reticent about his home life. I do know that up until the time he was accepted to Hogwarts that he was kept in a cupboard under the stairs and since then he has been starved, locked up, and nearly enslaved." Beatrice drew in a sharp breath. "Thank Merlin he had over a year with Lily and James. They must have showered him with so much love it just built a fortress around his soul. I can’t think why else he would be as well put together as he is." "Dumbledore certainly believes that Lily’s love protects him physically," Remus agreed, "it stands to reason that she protected him emotionally too." She let out a noise of disgust. When she met Remus’s eyes, he was surprised to see guilt there – guilt he had often felt. "How could we let this happen?" she asked, burying her face in her hands. He sighed. Self-recrimination over how he failed Harry was common for him. At the time, grief and the limitations both legal and physical imposed on him by lycanthropy seemed reason enough. Now it felt like a lame excuse. But Beatrice had said ‘we’ as if she held some responsibility. Instead of dwelling on his own failings, he tried to alleviate her guilt. "You shouldn’t feel responsible. You had no way to know what he was going through." He reached out to touch her shoulder comfortingly, but withdrew his hand when she raised her head again. No physical contact, Remus, he reminded himself strictly. "I asked for him, you know," Beatrice informed him. "Who, Harry? You and every other Wizarding family. The Ministry and the Daily Prophet were flooded with letters from people offering to take care of him." Beatrice snorted. "I didn’t write to the Ministry," she said disdainfully. "I knew they had no say in the matter. I went straight to Dumbledore." "You did?" Remus suddenly recalled his own attempt to persuade Dumbledore. "Of course, I knew he would be making the real decisions." "You were barely out of Hogwarts," Remus countered. Beatrice shrugged. "Lots of girls have babies just out of Hogwarts." "You were undergoing a grueling Healer apprenticeship at St. Mungo’s." "You sound about like Dumbledore did when I asked him." Beatrice made a face before turning her features into a serene, patronizing expression. "‘Miss Bennet, you are too young and too occupied to be a proper guardian. Rest assured I have placed Harry somewhere where he will be well protected.’" She made a disgruntled face again. "I notice he didn’t say anything about him being well loved." Remus nodded sympathetically. "Dumbledore had his reasons. Harry’s safety was his main priority. And he was convincingly adamant that his way was the best course, as I recall." A knowing smile played about her lips. "You went to him too then?" Remus nodded. "Not right away. I was numb with shock at first and all too soon there was a full moon… that had been a particularly painful one. Once I recovered, I did go to Dumbledore. I was convinced he would help me overcome the legal obstacles – lend me a house elf to watch Harry during the full moons. I had a plan." "I take it he didn’t think much of it." "Well, it wasn’t much of a plan without his support. He told me things though… about Harry and Voldemort. Some merely suspicions on his part, well founded as it turns out. Anyway, he convinced me at the time that Harry was in the safest place." Beatrice gave a rueful chuckle. "Funny, isn’t it? If we had only been there together, we could have made a much stronger case. You could have taken care of and protected Harry while I was at St. Mungo’s – I could have arranged to have the full moons off…" "Don’t." Remus cut her short. The domestic image she had begun to weave sprang all too quickly into his mind. It created a longing in him beyond the physical and the physical yearning alone was difficult enough to keep in check right now. "It doesn’t do to dwell on ‘might have been’ – and Dumbledore never would have allowed it anyway." He caught the briefest hint of hurt in her eyes before she looked away. Then she was looking around the entire kitchen. He followed suit. They were alone. When had that happened? "Where did everyone go?" she asked. "Molly and Arthur retired for the night," he replied, "I suppose the twins Flooed out, I didn’t notice." That was odd, he should have noticed the fire flaring up, but it took so much energy to focus on Beatrice and not to focus on her at the same time. "Bill never came back, I suppose he turned in too – it is rather late," he finished, wondering if Bill had forgotten his promise to help clean up. "I’m not even tired," she observed, astonished. Although a part of him was panicking, Remus couldn’t be sorry she seemed inclined to stay. "Meetings often give us a charge of adrenaline." "Not to mention arguments with Snape." she cracked. Ah yes, back to Snape – that reminded him of something she had said earlier that had disturbed him. "What did you mean by first hand experience?" "What?" she asked. "You said you had first hand experience as to what rules Snape broke at school – what did you mean?" Beatrice wrinkled her nose and shifted in her chair to better face him. "Did I say it like that? That rather makes it sound like we were out breaking rules together which was definitely not the case." "I know that much," Remus grunted impatiently, not liking the idea even when he knew it was untrue. "But don’t you remember the time I’m talking about? You were there," Beatrice told him with a flirtatious pout, apparently emboldened by their lack of company. He suppressed a groan at her actions and concentrated on responding to her words. "I was?" She smiled. "Of course. It was my first year – so your third. We were getting out of Potions, and your class was starting next. Snape was early – must have been an eager beaver about Potions even then. Anyway, he started taunting some of my Muggle born classmates – just verbal stuff at first – but then he got out his wand and started zapping them with some minor hexes. It was early in the term and being Muggle born, they were completely at a loss. So, in my first really Gryffindor moment, I pulled out my wand and yelled, ‘leave them alone!’ He turned on me and hit me so hard with a disarming spell that I didn’t just drop my wand – I flew across the corridor into the wall. Thankfully, that’s when you showed up." "I did?" Remus struggled to remember. There had been an incident with Snape before Potions during third year… but he hadn’t been that involved, it was mostly… "Well, all of you. James and Sirius started throwing all sorts of spells at Snape in tandem. Peter really hung back a little until it was all clear. And you…well you stopped to make sure everybody was all right – starting with me." He felt a surge of pride in him at the adoring way she looked up at him now – though he couldn’t help but think her admiration was somewhat misplaced. "I do remember that now. I had forgotten that was you…it was your yell that alerted us. Then James and Sirius ran in to rescue you." Beatrice sighed in exasperation. "Weren’t you paying attention? James and Sirius didn’t so much rescue us as attack Snape. It was you who took the time to make sure everyone was all right – to make sure I was all right. When you took my hand to help me up…" Beatrice broke off. She had reached out to take his hand during her explanation and in an act of self-preservation he had pulled away. Her face fell and she withdrew her hand, staring down at where it clenched before her on the table. "Anyway – it was a significant moment in my life," she said in a small voice. They sat in awkward silence for a moment. Remus felt overwhelmed. For him, their relationship had started in the Prefect’s car on the Hogwarts Express his seventh year. That had been the first time he had noticed her in a romantic sense. It had never occurred to him to even ask when she had first noticed him. The fact that it had been her first year took his breath away. He knew his withdrawal had hurt her and more than anything he wanted to apologize and offer her comfort. To prevent himself from doing just that, he stood and collected their cocoa mugs, taking them over to the sink. When he turned back to the table, Beatrice was standing too. "You know, it is getting rather late. Maybe I should go. You need your rest after all." She reached out as if to caress his face, then pulled her hand back and fisted it in front of her mouth with her eyes screwed shut. Remus stared at her, temporarily immobilized. He knew his own withdrawal earlier had caused her to hold back now even if his cheek tingled in anticipation of a touch that wasn’t coming – but that wasn’t what stopped him in his tracks. Somehow, once the peppermint-laced cocoa was out from under his nose, the next strongest aroma in the room hit him like a stunner. Arousal. Beatrice was aroused -- by him. She wanted him and she was about to go home and satisfy herself with her husband. She opened her eyes back up to look at him, her brown eyes reflecting pain and longing he felt. When she took a step back as if to go, he reached out and clamped his hand around her wrist, bringing her hand up to his cheek where it should have been in the first place. The sound of her breath catching as he turned his face into her palm urged him forward. He pressed his thumb to her throbbing pulse and breathed in. Her desire called to him like a beacon – and something else, or rather, the lack of something else. There was no other male scent on her. How could that be? Even a shower couldn’t mask such things. Molly and Arthur fairly reeked of each other (a fact that Harry and all the Weasley children would no doubt shudder at – how did they think the pair produced seven children?). After James and Lily were married, he could almost not tell them apart by scent alone. Only a long absence would explain it – but why? Where was her husband? Could it be the man didn’t want her? Who would not want her? Was that what the yearning he smelled on her was about? Was it merely loneliness borne of rejection? His grip tightened on her wrist possessively. Didn’t she know she was his mate? Hadn’t she defended his cub against the enemy? A warning bell was going off in the back of his mind. He was starting to think in wolf terms. Harry is not my cub, his rational mind reminded him, struggling to regain control. Snape is not the enemy. Beatrice is not my…. She ran her thumb along his jaw. Reason took a holiday. Remus turned from her hand to look at her. Her lips were parted and moist; her eyes dilated and dark. This was not mere loneliness – this was for him. "I don’t think you should go," he rasped out, amazed that he had enough mental control left to speak – even if he was saying the wrong thing. "You don’t?" she barely whispered. She looked girlish – wide-eyed and breathless, but not with fear – with anticipation. He turned his head again and kissed her palm, reveling in the sound of her gasp. "I think you should stay." "I should?" Her voice was a sigh. "Yes." He was too far-gone to be embarrassed that his own hoarse voice was little better than a growl. He thought she started to smile, but he was kissing her before he could be absolutely sure. He finally released her wrist to wrap his arms around her waist. As her freed hand slipped into his hair, the last rational though Remus had was that this was not going to happen in the middle of the kitchen. He scooped her up in his arms and headed for the stairs. *~*~* "They’re coming upstairs!" Ginny exclaimed in a delighted whisper. Harry had yanked the Extendable Ears out of his actual ears. He wished, not for the first time, the twins had never invented the things. Some time after the meeting broke up, they had heard Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and Bill pass the sitting room. "Trust me, Mum," Bill had said. "After that spat with Snape, Beatrice doesn’t need a bunch of us hovering over her. She’s embarrassed enough. It’s best if we just leave her to Remus." Harry’s curiosity had piqued at the idea of a spat between Beatrice and Snape. And then she and Remus had been alone in the kitchens? He had wondered what it was all about and had considered going down to the kitchens when Ginny had whipped out three sets of Extendables. "The Imperturbable should be lifted now that the meeting’s over. Care to have a listen?" Harry had accepted a set, letting his curiosity quash his better judgment and the pang of conscience he felt. Hadn’t Remus and Sirius spied on his mum and dad? Never mind no good had ever come to him from putting a set of Extendable Ears on – he had had to know what they were saying. He was paying the price now. Even without the Extendables he could hear the muffled noise of Remus and Beatrice on the stairs. He backed away from the door, not wanting his imagination to attribute associated actions to the grunts, moans and gasps he was beginning to make out. He felt his face warm up and looked over at Ron who was crimson from his neck to his ears. Ginny, for whatever reason, looked perfectly normal. In fact, she looked perfectly gleeful – as if someone had just offered her a trunk load of chocolate frogs. "They’re going to his room!" Harry hissed. "I know!" Ginny exclaimed, pressing her hands together. "It’s wonderful!" "Wonderful?!" Ron burst out in horror. "Ginny, he’s going to… they’re going to…" "Shag?" Ginny cut right through Ron’s discomfort and caused his blush to deepen to purple. Harry thought he might be rivaling Ron for color. "It’s brilliant," Ginny declared. "Brilliant!" Harry was incredulous. "But… she’s married!" "Oh, Harry, she’s not." Ginny turned to him and sighed exasperatedly. "No new name, no ring on her finger and didn’t you pay attention to what she said about love earlier? Lots of people can make you happy enough – but when you find the one who can make you happiest, you should do whatever it takes to be with that person." "So how do you know she was talking about Lupin?" Ron asked. She turned on her brother. "Oh, Ron! Weren’t you listening just now? She’s loved him ever since he rescued her in her first year. A girl doesn’t get over something like that so easily!" Harry felt like he had been kicked in the chest by a centaur. He felt the air physically whoosh out of him. Suddenly, whatever Beatrice and Remus were doing seemed unimportant. He may have forgotten about the incident last year, but now he remembered all too well that he had rescued Ginny in her first year. She had just told Ron with a certain amount of authority that a girl didn’t get over such a thing. "She doesn’t?" he asked in a strangled whisper. She turned back to Harry, her eyes suddenly wide and finally, a blush started to color her cheeks. She looked a bit like a cornered Unicorn, pale, beautiful and frightened Beautiful? he thought. When had Ginny gone from pretty to beautiful? Just now, look at her. The color in her cheeks was spreading to her face and she seemed at a loss for words. "I…" she stammered. It had been a long time since he had caused Ginny to blush or rendered her speechless. Harry preferred Ginny when she was talking and more or less blush free – but knowing he could still affect her that way caused a bubble of happiness to rise up in his chest. He smiled. Her reaction was not quite what he expected, and certainly not what he hoped for. Her eyes flashed angrily and she stormed out the door, shoving Harry aside forcefully as she went. "Ginny!" he called into the hallway in a loud whisper, but she was already gone. Harry turned to Ron who gaped back at him for a moment, then suddenly grinned. "Well, she walked right into that, didn’t she?" Harry was still in the gaping stage. "Don’t tell me you maneuvered her into saying…" "Oh no," Ron denied quickly. "Chess, I’m good at, but she did that all by herself. Still, I told you. Dean who?" "Yeah – but do you think she meant it? I mean, if she meant it why’d she storm off like that? Should I go after her?" Ron shrugged. "Who knows? Those are questions for Hermione, interpreter of all the mad things girls do." Harry couldn’t help but smirk. "When’s she get here again?" Ron grinned sheepishly. "Morning after next." "Reckon I ought to leave Ginny alone until then?" Harry asked, looking back at the door. Ron nodded thoughtfully. "Unless you’re anxious to be covered in bat bogeys." "What about underage magic?" Harry countered. "I don’t think that’d stop her in her present state. It’s never stopped you," Ron added as a pointed after thought. "I was defending my life!" Harry protested defensively. Ron snorted. "What about blowing up your Aunt?" "I didn’t do it on purpose. Anyway, I was provoked," Harry grumbled. "Yeah, well, my advice is don’t ‘provoke’ Ginny." "But…I’m not even sure what made her so angry. All I did was smile. What’s wrong with that?" "Who knows, mate – just don’t do it again." Ron advised with a shrug. Harry was getting impatient with Ron’s current attitude. "Don’t do what, smile? How am I supposed to know what it is I’m not supposed to be doing?" "Good point," Ron said. "Best not talk to her at all until Hermione gets here." Harry narrowed his eyes at Ron. "Are you sure you’re fine with me fancying your sister?" "What? I’m helping!" Ron exclaimed in protest. "Is that what this is?" Harry asked. "I think I’d rather have romantic advice from Mad-Eye Moody." Ron gaped at him for a moment, then grinned and snorted. "What’s so funny now?" Harry asked. "‘Constant Vigilance!’" Ron barely managed to get out a serviceable Moody impression before breaking into real laughter. Harry couldn’t help but join him – the whole scenario of Mad-Eye and romance was just too ridiculous. Their laughter died down to an uncomfortable silence after a moment. Suddenly Harry remembered what had started the whole conversation – Remus and Beatrice. "So…erm…you reckon it’s safe to go to our room?" Ron finally ventured. "Yeah," Harry answered, "if not, Ginny would have come back here. You think she’s right? About Beatrice not being married, I mean?" Ron shrugged as he moved towards the door. "Probably – Ginny’s a lot more savvy about that sort of stuff – being a girl and all. She did go all funny when Ginny was asking her about love." "Yeah," Harry said, dropping his voice to a whisper as they moved into the corridor. "Don’t worry so much Harry – Professor Lupin and Beatrice are of age – they can work it out for themselves." Harry wondered if Ron knew about werewolves mating for life. It was not something he cared to bring up. Discussing it with Remus had been awkward enough – discussing it with Ron was out of the question. Already they had crossed into very uncomfortable territory. Ultimately, Ron was right. Werewolf or no, Remus was of age, as was Beatrice, and Harry had bigger things to worry about than who was shagging whom in Grimmauld Place.
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