Selene || Remus Lupin

Ch. 97 - Face of Remorse

"Selene, darling, I'm home!"

It had been two months since Bill and Fleur's wedding at the Burrow, and while Remus had been out on occasion to meet with the Order, Selene had been holed up at home at her husband's request. Remus had – quite adorably, if Selene was honest – become a little overly-protective, even protesting when Selene tried to leave their cottage to go see the Weasleys for dinner. When he was forced to leave her alone at the cottage, he'd fret all the way up until Selene would practically shove him out the door, telling him he was going to be late meeting Kingsley, or whoever else he was supposed to see.

Selene would take this gladly though, as Remus had seemingly been revived by the impending arrival of their new baby. When he was home, he would frequently be caught humming or smiling to himself, and Selene wasn't sure she'd ever seen him so affectionate towards her.

She was thrilled he was happy.

She was happy.

"I'm in the kitchen!" Selene called back to him, as she poured herself a cup of coffee. She brought it to her mouth, sighing deeply at its delicious aroma. But before she could take a sip, the cup was deftly removed from her grip.

"And what, Mrs. Lupin, do you think you're doing?" Remus asked, appearing over her shoulder, her mug in his hand. "Are you even allowed to drink coffee?"

"Oh, Remus," she said exasperatedly, reaching to take it back from him. "It's decaf, and I've already sunk this low, so just let me drink my sodding wanna-be coffee in peace."

Remus shook his head at her, reluctantly letting the mug go as Selene grasped it in her hands tightly. Then he poured  himself  a mug.

"How was the meeting?" Selene asked him, pressing a kiss to his cheek.

"It wasn't much of  a meeting," Remus said bitterly. "We're not making any upward movement, and it's becoming more and more dangerous for us  all to gather in such a group like that. I just hope that Harry's having more luck than we are, because we certainly aren't any closer to defeating Voldemort than we would be to curing lycanthropy."

Selene bit her lip. "I'm sorry... I wish there was some way I could help..."

"I don't," Remus said firmly, grabbing her hips and tugging her into him. "I'd rather you stay here, where it's safe, where all you have to do is worry about the baby." He grinned at her wearily. "By the way, you look particularly radiant today."

Selene raised her eyebrows. "I fell asleep on the sofa for two hours, and I think I drooled into my hair. I think I look less-than-radiant."

"Then you're not seeing what I'm seeing," Remus said honestly. "I do have to ask, though. Are you ever planning on wearing your own clothes again?"

He looked down at her, clearly referencing the fact that she was donning one of his old Gryffindor t-shirts, which still draped largely over her, despite the ever-growing baby bump that had formed between her hips.

"Well, you try growing a human inside of you and then fitting into all of your old clothes," Selene said, frowning at him. "I don't suppose you have an alternative."

"Oh, I have an alternative," Remus said, waggling his eyebrows suggestively, "but I'm afraid it benefits me more than it benefits you."

Selene pushed against his chest playfully. "Oh, hush you."

"What?" he asked, grinning. "I'm just man who thoroughly enjoys the presence of his wife, especially when she walks around the house –"

"Remus!" she giggled, shaking her head at him. "Considering that Molly pops in and out of this house unannounced more times a week than I can count, I am not doing that." She bumped his shoulder, a smile on her face. "You're an incorrigible man."