Full moon & the morning after...

[worldfromafar]

ooc: First part is backdated to last night (full moon). Second part is open to anyone in the house.


The previous evening Remus had left Grimmauld so he could go to Headquarters and use the room in the basement that Sirius had prepared a couple of months ago for him. He had kept to himself, not wanting to disturb or bother the occupants there, and once he was locked in the room he added silencing and protection charms so he would keep himself as isolated as possible in case the wolf decided to try and make a break for it. No one would be able to hear him or approach the door, on either side, until the morning when the charms would lift on their own.

Tonks had stayed with Maisie, to accompany her during her transformation, which Remus understood and preferred. He didn't want their little girl to spend another transformation alone ever again, and he felt more at ease that she and James would be there keeping her company. If things things were 'normal' in this transformation of his, and if things in general were back to normal, he would suggest an outing the next month and the months after that. The Marauders, Scorpius and Maisie (and even Harry and Tonks if they wanted to join them) would be able to enjoy the outdoors on a full moon how they had done so many years ago.

It was that thought that he tried to concentrate on as his body started to shift. On his family. His friends. On hope that he was wrong, and that his transformations could be controlled once more by the Wolfsbane potion...

The pain he was so used to, yet unfamiliar still in some ways, took over as he transformed and for the first few minutes his mind seemed to go blank. As far as Remus was concerned there was nothing. No light. No sounds. Just a blinding darkness and a deafening silence.

...and then it happened. His hearing and vision cleared and his mind was back even if his human form wasn't. He, the wolf he changed into, was on the same spot, laying down against the wall.

The wolf had taken over, only briefly, but not long enough to try anything against others. The door had been charmed on his end to shock him should he try to go near it - he would rather hurt himself than hurt others, honestly - and nothing of the sort had happened. He was just restless, wanting to run freely how he had been thinking of earlier and how he had done so many years ago with his best friends.

But that would have to wait. The relief that he was feeling was enough to appease that restlessness for the rest of the night.

----------------------------------------------

How he had managed to make it back to Grimmauld the next morning he would never really know.

As soon as he transformed back to normal and was able to stand on his own he had changed into some clean clothes before making his way back home. Tonks was supposed to show up later to help him apparate back, once she had gotten Maisie settled, but Remus refused to wait. It was a lot to gamble, trying to apparate even if he hadn't slept and his body was trying to adjust, but that didn't matter. It didn't matter how much his body was shaking as it readjusted, how sore or agitated he was, or how his brow was sweating slightly from all the effort and strain he was putting his body through after a transformation.

None of that mattered. He just wanted to make sure Maisie was all right, and he wanted to share the news that things had been mostly normal. As close to normal as he could ever ask for and that made him so happy no matter how he felt or might look.

Normal. As he walked as quietly and as quickly as he could into the house so he could look for Tonks he couldn't help but smile very faintly as the word popped into his head. He was really starting to love that word, and that concept, far more than he had ever done in the past.

Comments

[thelionharted.livejournal.com]

Here's James, then, sprawled in a chair and giving him a sleepy wave. "Hey, Moon."

[r-moony.livejournal.com]

"Good morning," Remus responds quietly with a tired smile as he walks over to him. "How... Was everything all right last night?"

[thelionharted.livejournal.com]

"It went pretty well, or so I thought." He stretches a little and winces. "Bit more tired than normal, but --" There's a shrug.

[r-moony.livejournal.com]

Notices the wince and moves to sit on the chair across from him since his legs are suddenly too unsteady to keep standing for long. "I really appreciate your help. Are you sure you're all right? I can look for something for the pain, if you are hurting."

[thelionharted.livejournal.com]

"I'm fine, mate," he promises, smiling. "Just like I said, I'm a little more tired than usual." Good thing Remus sat down, James was about to make him do so. "You need the rest more than me, anyway."

[r-moony.livejournal.com]

"Ah, that's because my furry little problem showed up again." There's a twinkle in his eyes as he says so, a corner of his lips tugging a bit as he leans back against the chair he sat on. "I'll be fine, I had just forgotten that apparating immediately after a transformation is not a good idea."

A beat.

"I was thinking earlier... How about we go out next month, on the next full moon? All of us again. We can take Maisie and Scorpius and see if they can outrun the Marauders."

[pinkhairedauror.livejournal.com]

Tonks was tucking Maisie in when she heard Remus's voice and her eyebrows shot up. He's... has somebody brought him in... then much more brightly. He's here. He's fine. as she kissed the girl's forehead.

Then she rushed down the stairs to him - which wasn't such a good idea, as she should have known, as she slipped two steps above the floor and almost ended thudding down on her behind.
Still she walked fast.

"Remus?"

[r-moony.livejournal.com]

Remus was just making his way towards the stairs when he heard her, and that just made him want to rush to her faster. Which he wasn't really able to, considering that he was not feeling (or even looking) much better than when he had gotten back in, but he did try at least.

"Good morning, Dora," he said as soon as he saw her, his voice still a bit hoarse. "Are you both all right?"

[pinkhairedauror.livejournal.com]

She felt her heart freeze as she saw him... "You. Bed. Now." The words were out of her mouth before she ever realised she meant to say them; she was rushing to him and holding him so tight. She spoke rapidly so that they could move sooner and he could rest.

"We're fine. Little bit's exhausted, but that isn't really..." She swallowed, stopping herself. She didn't need to explain to him. She switched to, "she's as sweet a little puppy as she's a sweet little girl. I had her have chocolate, as much as she would have, and then left her to sleep. Which I should to with you too."

[r-moony.livejournal.com]

His shoulders sagged with relief as he held her and she gave him the news.

"I needed to know that she was all right." Lips tugged very slightly at the corners, suddenly shivering since his body temperature was readjusting as well.

[pinkhairedauror.livejournal.com]

"Oyee!" She didn't LIKE the shivering. So her arms tightened again for a moment, then she let go just to take her wand out and Accio a jumper for him that she immediately put on his shoulders, and a bar of chocolate, that she placed in his hands while hugging him around the waist again. She motioned towards the stairs. "Right. She is. Shall we?"

[r-moony.livejournal.com]

He was about to take a bite out of the chocolate bar, no matter how much his stomach tightened at the idea of food at this moment, but didn't as she motioned towards the stairs.

Move towards the stairs or eat chocolate... He really wasn't sure if he could do two things at once right now, so he turned to her and kissed her cheek softly. "Could we just...apparate upstairs? I don't think I can do it by myself again, however."

[pinkhairedauror.livejournal.com]

"Merlin! Of course!" She tightened her arms about him. "Ready?"

[r-moony.livejournal.com]

His smile widened just in the slightest, and he nodded. "Please."

[pinkhairedauror.livejournal.com]

Because she wouldn't have apparated with him in this state without warning. But when he confirmed, she did so immediately - right by the door of their room. She wasn't sure if he wanted to check on Maisie in the next room first, or else she'd have apparated them inside. By the bed.

When they apparated, she held tight still for a moment to steady him should he need it. After all, apparating wasn't all that nice on the... third ear. And the stomach.

"Here. No stairs. Neat. I think I still can hear Molly berating the twins for apparating up and downstairs back when this was Headquarters..."

[r-moony.livejournal.com]

He did want to check on Maisie, but apparating had thrown him a bit off balance and at once his hand reached out for the threshold of the door as well, so he could steady himself using that as well.

With a very faint chuckle under his breath, he nodded slightly. "I can as well. Sometimes I think my mind starts playing tricks on me and I can remember things that happened years ago as if they happened just yesterday."

His body was way too used to at least laying down immediately after a transformation, and he was starting to be realize just why. For a brief moment he turned towards Maisie's door before turning back to Tonks.

"...she is all right?" Not that hedidn't believe her, he just wanted to make sure. Especially because he doubted he'd be able to make it to her room and then back again. "I am so glad you were here with her..."

[pinkhairedauror.livejournal.com]

Tonks gritted her teeth, seeing him just...

"Yes, she's fine, really she is." She snuggled under his arm (a.k.a. draped his arm around her shoulder so he could use her for support) and firmly guided him into their room and to the bed. Where she sat him down and pressed her fingers over his, still holding the chocolate. "Eat, you need it."

Then she sat beside him, making sure he could just lay down as soon as he needed to, and only then did she speak.

"It was fine. Prongs was there, and they ran around a bit. I don't know if he was quite ready for it, but he jumped as soon as I suggested it, so... I thought, for one night only, he could run a bit. And they ran." She rolled her shoulders. "Flying's fun, but it does require muscles I don't usually use. But it was OK. Then she slept, and I watched over her. Prongs seemed to want to run a bit, but... he soon came back and lay down to rest as well."

ooc: the narrative not ran though either James or Maisie mun, so if either of them have corrections over it, their is valid.

[r-moony.livejournal.com]

As she sat he took a bite of the chocolate, letting it slowly melt in his mouth. After a transformation that was the first thing he did when eating chocolate; chewing and trying to stomach it that way was too difficult. Letting it melt was an entirely different thing altogether.

Remus smiled slightly and leaned towards her to kiss her cheek. "I'm glad... Maybe next month we can all go out running together."

His eyes twinkled briefly and he brought the chocolate up to his lips again without adding more to what he had said, but that was his way of 'surprising' her with his news that the Wolfsbane had worked well enough for him to run around next month.

[pinkhairedauror.livejournal.com]

Tonks nodded, slightly relieved at the brightening of his face, then her eyes widened. "It's ... it's all right? You can be with..." Her arms wrapped around him from the side and she kissed his shoulder.

"That is good. Very." No, she decided, that 'all' would probably not include her. For one thing, she'd promised not to intrude on HIM again unless there was an emergency. And for another... now just wasn't the time for her to suggest spending a full moon with three werewolves, pregnant, even if they were controlled and two were just pups.

"I think all running together would be just brilliant. She looked so excited and... glad when she had the wind in her fur..."

[r-moony.livejournal.com]

If he would have had more energy he would have grinned and hugged her, but he was just so tired. So, instead, he simply wrapped his arm loosely around her waist and leaned slightly against her. "I'm glad that she had fun. Hopefully knowing that...she won't be alone will help her face the transformations better."

He took another bite of the chocolate, the shaking and shivering very slowly coming to a stop. "It is not perfect, exactly. The potion... There were a few minutes when I was not aware of anything, in the very beginning, but it didn't last long. And not much happened, so if I simply wait the first few minutes before I join them..." He shrugged. "My hope is that it is getting better as time passes. It still feels how it first did, but it is getting a bit how it was by the end."

He sighed under his breath. "And, before you get too worried once you see them... Some of the wounds on my chest reopened, but just a bit, with...the change. And my shoulder is a bit sore once more, which is why I might not be using the arm much for the next couple of days just so I don't aggravate it. But, over all, I am all right."

[pinkhairedauror.livejournal.com]

She winced, thinks about holding him for the apparating and his open wounds... she was lucky the weeks of habit had kept her hands away from the sore areas.

"I ... think I see. I hope you're right, and there's a movement." A pause. "When you're ready, lay down and let me look at those wounds reopening before ... well, and bandage them up. Good thing it's Saturday and you have at least two days before you start fretting about getting back to work." And that depended on how the wounds were healing, it really did.

"Oh, and I think I'm sleeping in with you afterwards. A day asleep, at least until we need to be up, sounds a lovely idea, doesn't it?"

[r-moony.livejournal.com]

Remus' smile softened. "They didn't open that much, love. With the change it just caused some bleeding in some of them, but nothing how they had been in the beginning. Really, I'm all right."

It had just been the change that had done it. The bending and stretching his body did, and after just weeks of recuperating he wasn't surprised it had happened. If anything, he had expected things to be much worse.

"Sleeping in sounds wonderful." He kissed her cheek again before slowly laying down since he was just too tired to keep sitting. Holding back a wince as his sore body made contact with the mattress, he added quietly, "You don't work today?"

[pinkhairedauror.livejournal.com]

"You sound and look just fine..." She rolled her eyes then her expression softened. "Won't do harm to look, eh?" She leaned in to kiss him when he lay down - on the cheek, but her lips did brush by his in passing.

Then she smiled. Nope... not till tonight. And since I've resolved not to run myself to exhaustion, that means sleeping during the day." Since she was watching over the others in the forest.
It felt right too. And now she had an excuse to - ahem, carefully - snuggle in with him.

[r-moony.livejournal.com]

He returned the kiss, his own features relaxing slowly.

"Good," he said softly as he brought her close to him. "Because I've missed you. And we could both use the rest, I think."

With his free hand he reached to caress her cheek, his skin already somewhat warm again. "How are you feeling? With...the baby? Any morning sickness yet?"

[pinkhairedauror.livejournal.com]

She did mean to look at the wounds, she did.

But when he held her like this... and touched her like that... and when his blue eyes took her in their gaze... quite that way, and his voice so tender...
She just...
Forgot.
Possibly because her heart was swelling; possibly because her breath caught a little bit at his words.

"Missed you too..." she swallowed. Then gently shook her head. "No... outside that... morning last week, nothing serious. The fact that I've been eating and sleeping little before, and that I'm trying to be good and go at things more regularly than usual - between the two 'extremes', my nausea is... controllable." She smiled.

"Oddly enough, staying up all night on a shift, or like last night, kinda helps. In the morning I'm just too tired to bother or something." She wiggled a little till she was really comfortably curled against him, carefully.

"'m fine. Baby's too little to be felt... more like... I just get tired a bit faster or something. Just too much running around for me to notice it." And an open, honest look. "I'm feeling good. Even better now that you're here."

[r-moony.livejournal.com]

He preferred this, holding her like this, anyway. Besides, if the wounds would've been bad enough that they needed immediate attention he would have told her. As it was, he figured they had already stopped bleeding.

"Good, I'm glad it's controllable." His voice lowered a bit more as he held her closer, almost murmuring into her hair. "You need to rest and take it easy too, you know... For both you and the baby."

Once she seemed to be comfortable, he kissed her forehead very softly, tightening his hold on her for a brief moment. "I love you, my Dora..."

[pinkhairedauror.livejournal.com]

If she had recalled, she'd still have moved to bandage them... just the thought of his clothes clinging to them would have been bad.
And if they start to make the front of his clothes sloshy, she most definitely will break out of the hug to take care of that!

"Except for that morning, yeah." She smiled; at the feel of his body close, and recovering; at the sound of his voice, quiet, tired, but warm. At his words. Without really sitting up and away, she pulled the cover over them. "I will. Try to take it easy, I mean. And we can get about resting and together."

Then his words made a soft warmth spread around her heart. She looked up at him and kissed the tip of his chin. "Same here, you know. With fluffy little ribbons and flowers and ruffles and little cupids and bows and arrows, and without them, and with... well, whichever way comes around. I love you."
Yes. Tonks was babbling - may be from relief.

Shocking, wasn't it?

[r-moony.livejournal.com]

Now that they were under the cover and they were there, all warm and holding each other, Remus was slowly starting to drift off. He hadn't slept throughout the night - yet again - because he had been wanting to see if the potion had worked so now everything was catching up to him. The exhaustion of the transformation, of not sleeping the previous night, of the previous nights...

But what she said caused him to chuckle, a very low but happy chuckle at the bottom of his throat as his eyes closed. "Fluffy ribbons and ruffles and all that...?"

[pinkhairedauror.livejournal.com]

Tonks smiled, and craned her neck to kiss his closed eyes, though her own were rather close to following suit - so she cradled her head gently against him and answered softly, "Yeah. And all - my all, my love."