The big bad and the wolf *Completed*

A/N: Huge, huge thank you to my alpha - Holdt and my beta - inviteme <3 <3 <3

To say that he was confused was putting it mildly. After Severus retreated into his room, Remus figured out that he managed to scare Severus away. It wasn’t that he thought scaring Severus was easy, but in his case, it wasn’t that difficult.

Severus was afraid of him since that night in the Shrieking Shack.

What confused him was what came later.

Severus emerged out of his room, just long enough to hand him a list of things he needed along with a small bundle of muggle money. And, feeling guilty and disappointed at a sudden loss - Remus did his best to get all that Severus wanted.

Among other things, he bought a bottle of Bordeaux, way too expensive. It also took him a quite some time to find it - Severus was very specific about the brand, year and similar things.

The other things on the list were also a bit pricey but much easier to find.

When he came home, Severus tossed him out of the kitchen. That evening the dining table looked like a royal feast. Severus was smirking at him dressed in the washed out black jeans and a black hoodie, barefooted. Something that forced him to unstick his brain from the infinite loop of utter befuddlement.

“What is all this, Severus?” he couldn’t hide the note of uncertainty from his voice.

“We are celebrating.” calmly replied Severus.

“Celebrating - what?”

“It is not every day that you grow some spine, Lupin. Event worth a feast. Also, I want something edible and not burned for once.” flatly replied Severus, motioning for him to sit.

The food was exquisite.

“Figures you’d be a good cook.” Remus smiled with a satisfied smile, he was full of delicious food.  

“Don’t be thick, Lupin. Cooking is nothing like potion making, I thought we had that one cleared out.”

“Then…”

“I learned it.” the words were delivered in such tone that made it clear what Severus thought of his intelligence.

Severus waved his wand and plates floated to the sink, starting to wash - it gave a distinct feeling that spell was worthy of the Molly Weasley. But Severus sent him one of his glares so he kept his thoughts to himself.

Without a word Severus picked up two glasses, frowning he transfigured them to wine glasses and took the wine, walking to the living room. Remus was once more confused beyond words. If it was anyone else he would consider this a nearly romantic evening.

But this wasn’t just anyone…

For a few moments, his face battled between the sigh and a frown, before he decided to just follow Severus and try to decipher strange situation.

Maybe this is his way to show that he respects my honesty, or that he is fine with me being… Or maybe this is simply how he would usually behave if he is alone.  

There were too many maybe’s swirling around his thoughts. And they all were trampled by the sight in the living room. Severus was cosy in hisarmchair, book in one hand, glass in the other, focused on his reading. Next to the armchair Remus usually used was another glass of wine.

He took his book and glass, sniffing it. He didn’t know too much about wine, never bothered to know more than it was alcoholic and could get you wasted - if you drink enough and if you needed it. Especially not about expensive wines. He inhaled the rich aroma.

“It is not poisoned, Lupin.” there was an exasperated sigh before his glass was yanked from his hand and replaced with another. Severus was frowning at him, taking a slow sip and swallow.

Remus suppressed the urge to swallow as well. He tried to focus on something, anything else, but his eyes glided back to a long neck and bobbing Adam's apple. Severus smirked at him.

“Drink your wine, Lupin. It is a good year.”

Remus blinked. Severus took a more casual pose, flipping one leg over the hand-rest and stretching other. The book was placed over his thigh. Severus looked relaxed, his face soft and eyes focused on the book.

“Maybe he is just tired of pretending and decided to act like he would in his own home?”

He flinched, realising only too late that he’d spoken aloud. Severus’s head snapped sharply up. One eyebrow raised in a judging manner.

“And maybe he decided to be a good guest. I wager that it is true what they say - no good deed goes unpunished. Stop thinking, Lupin, it’s not your forte. Drink the bloody wine.”

By the end of that evening, he was thoroughly confused, aroused and shaken - and not necessarily in that order.  

~ RL ~ SS ~

The next few days weren’t any better. Severus was properly dressed in Muggle clothes, still the same acerbic self but somehow more - present. He would sit in the living room most of the time, reading.

Severus also took a possession of the kitchen, making one meal in the day and brewing, mumbling about standard apothecary potions and rubbish. With no small dose of surprise, Lupin noticed that his cabinets were now full of pain-numbing potions, invigorating droughts and other potions he found necessary but hard to get.

And that presented the problem. With each new discovery, Remus found that he was falling for Severus. A bit by bit, even more than he was before. He felt uneasy to think of the reasons why Severus did all that.   

His logical side conjured up ideas like: paying back, a display of sudden respect - something he doubted given that Severus still poured insults left and right, a new way to taunt him.

His heart tried to convince him that Severus was trying to show his affections.

Some other parts of him were just - frustrated as hell.