Love, Lupin

Part Fifty-Five

Bobbie jumped up in her bed in fright as she heard a terrified scream coming from the downstairs of the cottage. Remus rose in the bed, running a tired hand down his face.

"You sleep, I'll go," Remus stated before pecking her cheek and throwing a sweater on to cover his bare torso.  Having Harry stay with them had been wonderful, and it put her mind at ease knowing he was safe and away from those awful Muggles over the summer holiday. However, at least three times a week Harry would scream bloody murder in sleep and wouldn't stop unless he was woken up.

Remus trudged down the wooden stairs, opening the door to the small room he had set up for the boy. Harry was tossing in the bed he resided in, sweat drenching the blue shirt he was wearing.

"Harry!" Remus shouted, shaking him vigorously. The boy jumped out of the bed as he was awoken, reaching for his glasses.

Harry's breathing slowed as he saw Remus take a seat in the wooden chair at the desk in his room. His hand moved to wipe the sweat that lined his brow. "Let's get some air," Remus suggested, leading the boy out to the small backyard of the cottage. Bobbie and Hermione were using the warm weather to their advantage to start a beautiful garden, and Remus loved how much life Bobbie was bringing to their small wearied home.

"I saw him again. Sirius," Harry sighed as they sat on the stone steps that led to the garden.

Remus drew in a deep breath, plucking the pack of cigarettes from his pajama bottoms and snapping his fingers to light it. "I see him too." He said after taking a long drag, blowing the smoke from the left end of his mouth.

"You do? Where?" Harry asked excitedly.

"Everywhere, my boy. I see Sirius at every corner I turn, the same kind smile that radiates to his eyes on his face that never changed in all the years I knew him."

"I wish I saw him like that. I only see him in my dreams - nightmares really- and he's dying. He keeps dying in front of me and there's nothing I can do to stop it," Harry shook his head recalling how hopeless he felt when Bellatrix Lestrange cast the killing curse upon his godfather.

"He would hate us sitting here moping about him like this," Remus chuckled lightly.

"He'd say we should be celebrating, no tears," Harry agreed with the man. "Bobbie reminds me so much of him at times."

Remus nodded, knowing exactly what the teenager meant. It was the reason he had such a hard time facing Bobbie after Sirius died, his mannerisms had rubbed off on her completely. "I wanted to take you, you know. That night your parents died I fought Dumbledore to let me raise you."

"I'm here now," Harry smiled to his friend.

"You're here now," Remus repeated. He put his cigarette out on the stone porch, being sure to throw it far into the street so Bobbie wouldn't find it in the yard. He helped Harry from the ground, saying they should both attempt to sleep for the few hours the night had left to offer.

Remus smiled softly at the sleeping girl from the doorway of their bedroom. Their clothes were in messy piles all over the floor, half read books covering the spaces that the clothes didn't. The pair of them were so messy it didn't even phase them, but Hermione did typically have a fit and clean it when she was over.

As Remus sunk into their bed, Bobbie shifted to face the man and his arm draped lazily over her waist. "Remus John Lupin you smell of cigarettes."

"Shh, sleep darling."

***

Bobbie, Hermione, and Harry rested in the backyard sipping tea as they enjoyed the warm summer rays. Remus was out hunting down for a job that was well below his skill set and would embarrass him beyond belief. It was just another one of the long list of reasons Bobbie hated Delores Umbridge, as she was the main influencer for the anti-werewolf legislation.

"I can't believe how quickly this summer passed," Hermione frowned as she stared down at her orange cat, Crookshanks, that rested in her lap. Her hands were lazily rubbing the fur between his ears, and his eyes were closed in complete contentment.

"It'll be so lonely around here," Bobbie agreed as she gazed thoughtfully at the beautiful flowers spread about her garden. She and her sister worked endless hours when Bobbie wasn't meant to be at the hospital, cleaning out the bushes and planting beautiful flowers. Bobbie requested they didn't use their wands for majority of it, wanting it to be their own hands that transformed the home she and Remus shared. The home that they'd be starting their future together in.

The three sat on the patio furniture well into the afternoon enjoying the beautiful day, all peering toward the back door as Remus joined them. Bobbie moved from her seat, allowing the man to sit instead, as there were only three chairs. Remus took a seat before pulling Bobbie to sit with him, resting his head on her shoulder.

"How was the job hunt?" Hermione asked.

Remus sighed looking at the girl before saying, "So what did you three do today?"

Bobbie frowned as she realized the search must not have gone so well. She thought back to the stories Remus would tell her about employers spitting at his feet and turning him away, already knowing the status of his condition. Remus had expressed to Bobbie his true passion was teaching, his year at Hogwarts only further proved his ambitions. She only wished she could do something -anything- to help her fiancé.

Bobbie was making a fair amount of money now that she had completed her training, so they didn't have to worry much, but she knew Remus longed to contribute more. It only added to the burden of his condition.

"We just sat out here and read-"

"Well i read," Hermione interrupted Harry with a pearly grin. "They played a few games of wizard chess."

Harry rolled his eyes at his friend, flinging one of the chess pieces in her direction. "It's been lovely out, Remus, there's still a bit of sunshine left."

Remus smiled across the table at the black haired boy, saying they ought to enjoy what was left of the the day. From his tone, Bobbie guessed he had been in a sour mood the entire day.

"I'll make you some tea," she stated, Remus reaching for her hand to kiss the back of it as she rose from his lap.

As Bobbie entered the rickety old door of their patio, she turned to Remus, Harry, and Hermione for a moment. Her heart swelled as she saw the three of them laughing at something Hermione had just said. They would be alright.