Creatures Of the Dark

That Friday, after his last class Remus hurried to his rooms to prepare. He had little in the way of dress clothes, but he'd received top marks in Transfigurations. A few quick taps of his wand whitened the aged and yellowed look of his shirt, darkened his faded brown wool suit and shined his shoes.



He did not bother to make them look new. For one thing, he never liked to present a false front; having to live as a werewolf was bad enough. For another, Narcissa had already seen his regular clothing and must have guessed that his finances were scant. She would get suspicious if he showed up looking like something from Muggle Savile Row.



One concession to vanity he did allow himself was the application of cologne from the small bottle he'd acquired as a gift many years ago. He'd only worn it for special occasions, as the still half-full bottle attested. He smoothed a small amount along his jaw and neck and wiped his fingers along the sides of his suit.



He stopped by the greenhouse on his way out of the castle, profoundly grateful the faculty and students were dining in the Great Hall, and after procuring a single perfect amaryllis, headed to the apparation point outside the castle gates.



Soon Mippy was leading him to Narcissa's sumptuous reading room. The tiny silver dragon zoomed close then flew away, recognizing him. He smiled at Narcissa, who stepped up, dressed in an ivory silk dress shot through with gold threads.



"I hope you don't mind, but I thought we'd eat here," she said, stepping up to him.



"Not at all. I'm not one to stand on ceremony." He extended the flower to her with a slight bow. "A flower for milady."



Narcissa raised a brow, studying the large, lovely flower. She snapped her fingers and Mippy reappeared. "A vase for this."



The elf quickly disappeared then returned with the amaryllis now ensconced in a lovely fluted glass vase that she placed on a small table set for dining.



"It's lovely, Remus, and I appreciate the bold sentiment."



He made another slight bow and stepped closer, now holding out the book. "This should make another fine addition to your collection. There are some potions in there I'm sure Severus would find of interest."



"I'll have to tell him, but I'll have you know, I didn't do badly at potions myself." She had stepped up as she spoke, taking the book, but also assessing him up and down in a speculative fashion.



"I'm afraid I didn't take Newt-level Potions."



"What a pity." She took his hand and led him toward the table. "Why don't we sit and eat and we can discuss our old school days?"



She put the book by her plate and they began to eat. The plates were already full -- there was a bowl of some sort of stew that Remus soon realized was oyster, lamb chops in a sizzling garlic sauce, salmon mousse with strange, but tasty little breadsticks, asparagus with small onions and some amazingly fizzy champagne. He had a lot of champagne to wash down the strongly flavoured food and soon relaxed, between the drink and Narcissa's inconsequential talk and mild questions.



They were laughing over some incident or other they both recalled from Charms class, Narcissa's peals of laughter sounding almost school-girlish, when Remus realized he was hard as a rock, his penis pressing almost painfully into his trouser placket. Was it the champagne?



He looked at the table and realized Narcissa could have placed aphrodisiac in nearly anything... or everything.



"Narcissa... did you--" he frowned. He did not wish to cause offense, but he also disliked having been drugged when he had already committed himself to action. He was also fighting extreme fuzziness of his thoughts.



"Yes, Remus? Did I what?"



His thoughts were truly addled, he decided, for he suddenly stood, displaying his blatant erection to her. Her eyes widened, but she said nothing, waiting for him to speak.



"This? Did you do this?"



"My dear Remus... if I did, I have to state I'm quite flattered."



He frowned. That wasn't the response he was expecting.



"Forgive me. This isn't like me." He started to turn away, but soon felt her hands against his arm, stopping him.



"Remus. My dear Remus, don't fight it. I feel the same way."



"Narcissa," he groaned.



"I like the way you say my name," she whispered back before pressing her lips to his.



It was no good, no use fighting. Remus took her in his arms and fiercely kissed her back.



He opened his lips and thrust his tongue into her mouth, fully expecting her to stop him, to pull back and slap his face and claim she was disgusted, that it was all some strange joke, but all she did was thrust her own tongue against his.



He heard plates clanging and crashing in the dim distance, but didn't realize he'd pushed her back against the table until he felt the table edge against his thighs. She was perched on the table with her legs spread and he was between them, still kissing her and holding her. His hardness was pressed between them and she was clutching at him now, trying, he realized, to remove his shirt.



With an animalistic growl, he tore it free and allowed her to paw him, to scratch along his hairy torso with her long, elegant nails as he kissed his way along her face to her ears, her neck. When her nails raked over his nipples he growled again and ripped her dress off.



Narcissa shrieked, but did not cower and he savagely swept everything left off the table to lay her down and lick her from neck to navel, pausing in between to suckle and nibble on her nipples.



She shrieked again and again, but held his head to her, and somewhere in the dim recesses of his logical mind, Remus realized it was his name she was calling. That same part of his mind hoped the room was soundproofed, but beyond that couldn't be bothered to stop and find out.



Soon his ravening mouth reached her center and he sucked, licked, and toothed her clit as her hands clutched at his hair and she screamed. Then he let his nose rub at her pleasure centre whilst his mouth and tongue worked at the liquid that leaked from her pussy, snarling with the urgency this gave him.



His prick felt enormous, hugely engorged, painfully trapped in his trousers. One swift yank took care of that as his trouser seams were torn asunder and his heavy erection swung free. He never wore underpants; he could rarely afford them.



The tiny, still-sane part of him wondered at his animalistic passion and his disregard to his pitiful clothes, but he ignored it.



What mattered was before him -- the scent of a willing female and his own dripping musk.



With a lunge upward that dragged his tongue from clit to collarbone, he slid his aching staff deep inside her and began to thrust as she panted out his name and clutched at his powerful shoulders.



He had never had such a passionate encounter. Remus hated his animal side; he disliked comparisons and he disliked how it took over his nature every month. This, however... having given in to his passions he found that the fire consumed him, made him feel everything as if it was magnified ten times, and he lost himself to it.



* * *



It wasn't the water, but her hands stroking his scars that roused him.



Remus found himself reclining in a large bathing chamber that rivaled the one in the Prefect's bathroom at Hogwarts. Narcissa was snuggled to him; her head on his shoulder and her long fingers were becoming acquainted with his body, with the long, striated scars on his torso and powerful legs. Those hands drifted and pressed and tested and soothed.



Soon they moved to his slightly sore, but definitely interested manhood.



"Oh..."



"I told you it was... decadent," Narcissa murmured dreamily, fingers stroking his scrotum now.



He looked around and had to agree. From the reading room, he had not been able to gauge the size of the bathroom, but this was more than just huge, it was huge and opulent.



Dozens of jets were within the tub itself, dozens more were above, but shaped like vines. A small waterfall to one side completed the picture, splashing and frothing into the tub.



Lush greenery overpowered the room, along with rainflowers, bromeliads and orchids that filled the room with their heady fragrance. Bunches of heliconia clustered by the high windows. The place reminded him of a tropical forest.



"Glad you decided to change your mind?" she murmured into his ear, nipping at the lobe and capturing his full attention.



"Oh? Uh, yes." Remus blinked, fighting to remember. The only thing that came to mind was the dizzying memory of him thrusting repeatedly into the very willing Narcissa... on the table?



He frowned. That had been decidedly ungentlemanly of him.



"What's wrong, Remus?"



He looked to her. Her pale, pert face and still-taut body pressed against him made his insides clench.



"I'm sorry, Narcissa, for earlier. That... that's not usually like me. I... I hope I didn't hurt you."



She got a truly lascivious smile and lay her head back against his shoulder, shaking it and nuzzling him.



"Not at all, Remus. I appreciate... passion." She sat up a bit to look at him and added, "Passion without pain. Pleasure and passion only. There was no pain in what you did, Remus. I wanted you as badly as you wanted me. That is a rare and wondrous gift."



He considered this, and then gently kissed her. She readily reciprocated and soon they were bobbing slightly in the water and caressing one another.



His mind was clearer now, and he couldn't help but think about what her words meant. Passion without pain? Had this woman experienced pain instead of pleasure? She had said she wanted him as badly as he'd wanted her. Was she... taken... by someone, by Lucius, when she wasn't desirous of attentions? This thought made him unaccountably angry. No woman should be treated that way!



"I love the way you growl," she said.



Remus blushed a bit to realize he had, in fact, been growling slightly, but not so much in pleasure as in anger. He decided not to think about Lucius Malfoy or else he might well do something entirely unwise. Although, a tiny part of his mind asked him how much more unwise it was to be sleeping with Malfoy's wife.



"You might enjoy this," Narcissa whispered, grabbing his hand and making him sit in a different part of the tub. To Remus's surprised pleasure, a jet of warm water pulsed right against the base of his erection and on his scrotum.



Then Narcissa straddled him and took him inside her, settling down to bob atop him, her breasts in his face. He obediently began to suckle them and caress them as she gently milked his prick with her tight passage.



She moved against him for what seemed like ages as the jets of warm water continued to pulse against his scrotum and the base of his cock, making him groan. It was quite heavenly. Narcissa moaned, too, as he gently nibbled on her hardened nipples.



"Narcissa!"



She clenched tight at his pleasured outcry and began to climax. Her internal muscles gripped him tightly and between that and the underwater massage, he began to come deep inside her.



"Oh..."



"Yes," she murmured, gently disengaging and moving to sit by him. "That was quite lovely."



She sighed, a bit unhappily.



"I'm afraid it's getting late, though. You should really be going."



Remus caught his breath, nodded. It wasn't in him to argue.



"As the lady wishes," he murmured instead, and leaned over to kiss her once more, before moving out of the tub.



He was gratified to find towels waiting for them, and even more gratified to find his clothing, pressed, clean and, most importantly, repaired of the damage he'd inflicted.



"Please thank Mippy for me."



"It's part of her job," Narcissa shrugged. "She's been with my family for years. She came with me as part of my dowry."



"Ah." Remus did not argue, merely getting dressed and then turning back to Narcissa who was watching him, dressed now herself in a long, ice-blue velvet robe.



"Mippy will show you out," was all she said, although she said it with a smile.



He nodded and left the estate.



* * *



When Dumbledore fire-called Snape, Remus groaned.



They had been discussing his evening -- and uncharacteristic behaviour -- in hushed tones appropriate to the gravity of the discussion as well as his deeply shamed state of mind. Snape, he knew, would feast on his humiliation. Still, he truly did want to know what had happened and Albus's exam of him had revealed no suspicious substance, either drug or aphrodisiac.



"Joy. Forced once again into discussing the werewolf's love life," Snape scowled after having been filled in. "How much lower can my lot in life become?"



"Severus, this doesn't help," Albus tutted.



"Believe me, Severus, I take no pleasure in having to disclose such private matters," Remus added.



"Well, what did you eat?" Snape asked now, clearly amused despite his prior comments.



Remus described their repast and Severus shook his head grimly, lips pursed in a contemplative expression.



"I don't know what to tell you, none of those foods interact badly with the healing potions Poppy and I have been giving you."



"What about alcohol?" Remus pressed. "I did have rather a lot of champagne."



Severus snorted in comprehension.



"What?"



"Most alcohol won't, but champagne, and especially the kind the Malfoys can afford would interact with the muscle relaxant potion you were given. The liqueur de tirage elves use is often infused with other elements such as carnation and primrose syrup to add flavour to the champagne. Those, combined with the effects of the muscle-relaxant potion, can bring about extremely amorous feelings, shall we say," Snape replied with a smug expression.



Remus winced. "Oh, hell."



"Yes. Well. Now that you have an excuse for your behaviour and a bit of knowledge for future consideration, I will be heading back to the dreaded mid-year grading. Not all of us have time for such... dalliances."



Snape exited via the floo, leaving a somewhat dejected Remus with Dumbledore who patted him on the shoulder.



"It's nothing to be ashamed of, son. We are all of us, from time to time, fools for love."



"That's just it, Albus... this isn't love. It's just..."



Dumbledore raised his brows and waited.



"Well, it can't be love. This was our first dinner together. She's married, a pureblood and a Death Eater. I'm a werewolf."



"It's just a turn of phrase, my boy."



Remus nodded.



"I shouldn't have gone through with it. I knew better and I still..."



"Whatever misguided pap the Ministry cares to spout, Remus Lupin, you are still human. Werewolf or not, you are prone to all the failings of the flesh."



Remus nodded again, sighing. Throughout his life, since boyhood, no matter what, this man had always made him feel better about himself, about his fate. He gave Dumbledore a wan smile.



"Thank you, Albus. I appreciate the ear... and the advice."



"Anytime, my boy."



* * *



When he finished the next book, Remus sent another letter. He took care to make sure it was well before the full moon.



This time he was not uncontrolled, but gentle and tender and Narcissa was the one who became a writhing mass of uncontrolled impulses under his ministrations.



He left her devastated by his kisses, his hands, his body. She could think of nothing but his touch, and practically begged for him to come back to her the next weekend.



He could not, though. It was his moon time.







Their relationship continued throughout the school year and Remus knew it would have to end before summer, since he knew full well her son would be returning home.



"I could send him to my uncle in France," Narcissa opined, relaxing against his warm naked body on the lounge that, he'd been delighted to learn several months ago, widened to comfortably hold them both.



"Hm?"



"Draco. I really don't wish to do without you this summer, Remus."



"Narcissa." He sighed. How to tell her? "I... I don't think that's wise. It's only two months."



"The mere thought of two months without you, of having to deal with my husband and spouting his Pureblood nonsense for appearances sake drives me mad!"



He turned to her and she clung to him. He frowned.



"Narcissa... we've never spoken of this, but... how is it that you don't hold your husband's, well, political views. You've been quoted in the Prophet--"



"That rag prints what money tells it to print. They don't care if the money comes from Fudge or August Longbottom or Lucius," she said with contempt. "As for me... my father wanted me to marry for money, so I did. Lucius was the best of the offers I received. He gave me what he promised my father, wealth, position, a family, and a proud old name. In return I promised him the prestige of my family's lineage, a son and never to interfere with his interests, most especially never to speak against him in public, and to raise our son to follow in his footsteps. He also has certain... appetites I can, of my own choosing, either assuage or willfully ignore as he assuages them on his own. In all these things, I have been a dutiful wife."



Remus nodded. "I see."



"He whole-heartedly believes in the Pureblood way, Remus. I don't. I don't believe the Muggles aren't dangerous, but neither do I believe they should be exterminated."



"And what of other creatures? What of... centaurs?"



"Intelligent beasts deserve respect and care."



"What of beasts like... werewolves?"



She made a face. "Have you been listening to what Greyback is saying to the media? My husband knows him, he and his league of beasts. They are not intelligent, I say. They are savages."



Remus swallowed. "I see."



"Of course," she added after a moment. "They can't truly help how they are, can they? They did not choose that life. But those who follow Fenrir..."



"I'd rather not discuss him, if you don't mind. That man has always made me... uncomfortable."



"On that we can agree," she said with a smile. She toyed with his brow and relaxed against him again. "I suppose if you are busy this summer, then I can manage to wait the two interminable months before I can see you again."



Remus said nothing, but he nodded, and that was enough to content her.



* * *



The following month, she was in her room, penning a letter to Remus when the yelling alerted her to the summons before even Mippy could fearfully appear at her elbow.



"Mr. Lucius is wanting Ma'am."



She sighed, took Mippy's hand and ordered, "Take me to the hall outside the drawing room."



The elf apparated them both there and she strode into the room just as Lucius was sticking his head out the door to bellow again.



"Oh, there you are! We need to talk."



He strode back in without even waiting to see if she followed.



"That Muggle-loving fool is in for it now. That madman has hired a werewolf to teach our son!"



Narcissa frowned. "What?"



"That idiotic DADA professor that belittled our Severus -- he's a werewolf, per Draco."



She paled. "He... a werewolf?"



"Yes. It's a wonder Severus didn't murder him for his audacity!"



Narcissa made a pacifying sound, not really thinking, her mind whirling at a furious pace. "Now, now... there are times Severus's pompous nature could stand to be trimmed back a bit. The way Draco described the incident, it was simply a bit of harmless fun."



"Really, Narcissa, what a thing to say about our good friend. Apparently, the werewolf was discovered when he neglected to take the Wolfsbane that our Severus was taking pains to make for him, and nearly ate the famous Harry Potter. What a pity they discovered him before then..."



"Lucius." She made a moue at him and he relented.



"Yes, of course, dear. Always the niceties, but honestly -- a werewolf!"



"Well, can't you fire him?"



"Of course we can and we would, but he resigned already."



"Then what is the meaning of all this lack of gentility that disturbed the peace of the house?"



Lucius grit his teeth, put down the letter and sighed. "There are times, my dear, when I wonder if we hold the same values."



She looked at him then. "Lucius, you know as well as I that I have no love for what we, on occasion, must do or profess to. I see no reason to put on a show in the privacy of my own house."



"Yes, but doesn't this upset you? Truly? Our son--"



"Draco has learned more this year in his classes, DADA included, than in the last two. I would say... let this poor man go, he resigned, it won't happen again because they know now that you will be watching. Write a strongly worded letter and have your feelings made a statement of record. That is what I would suggest."



Lucius nodded thoughtfully. "What you say is true. But I still find it abominable."



"My dear, even the Dark Lord courted the werewolves before his unfortunate demise," she pointed out.



"They ignored him," Lucius sneered.



"Yes, but he still respected them, respected their ferocity. Perhaps... perhaps we should, too?"



He brought her to him, holding her close.



"Next thing you'll have me inviting a werewolf to dinner."



"Well, at least the house elves wouldn't have to make anything special. I'm sure a fresh kill from the daily hunt would suffice," she said lightly.



Lucius chuckled. "We wouldn't even have to dress it."



Narcissa laughed, too, a blithe sound that hid her feelings as her husband began to gently kiss and nibble at her neck.



* * *



The full moon had been over three days before and Remus was feeling more like himself again. He had taken to walking about the neighbourhood near Grimmauld Place, since he was rooming with Sirius now, building up his strength. He still had a bit of a limp, although he did not need his cane anymore.



He was resting at a park bench, watching a myriad of pigeons feasting on a discarded and overturned bucket of popcorn, probably a child's forgotten treat, when an owl flew up to him and alighted on his arm. A deep mauve satin ribbon held closed the tiny scroll tied to its claw. He removed it and the owl flew off.



A pained feeling swept through him. He had not contacted Narcissa since the news of his affliction had become common knowledge two months before. It wasn't a howler, at least, he noted, but he still was reluctant to read whatever she had to say.



He unrolled the scroll and read: I'll be delighted to learn your opinion on the Daily Prophet's article on Werewolf Legislation this Friday evening over dinner. 7 pm.



A stylized N finished the message.



He surreptitiously pulled out his wand and cast retegere on the scroll, but nothing inimical or surprising happened. He put the wand and the scroll into his pocket.



He went back to his contemplation of the pigeons.



* * *



He had not dressed in his finest this visit, she noted, although what had passed for his finest before was material Lucius would consign to his ragbag.



It did not bother her, however. Narcissa well understood the meaning of necessity; not all of her family had money, many were quite poor, in fact. When one could barely afford food, fancy clothing was not something one spent money on.



"I wasn't sure you'd come."



"Nor was I," he admitted, stepping forward, still limping a bit, and then sitting on one of her chairs with an apologetic smile. "Forgive me. I still have difficulty standing."



"Was it bad?"



He frowned. "What?"



"Your last moon time. Was it bad?"



"I've had worse. It's the transformation that ... frankly, it stresses the joints of my body quite badly. The time it takes for me to recover varies with whatever happens during that time."



"You have no memory of it." It was not a question.



He nodded in agreement. "Fragments at most. Like a bad dream."



"What of Wolfsbane?"



"I no longer have a supplier and without a job, I can no longer afford it."



Narcissa said nothing for a while, and then snapped her fingers. Mippy instantly appeared, curtseying.



"Mippy, draw a very hot bath with muscle soaks added."



The small elf nodded and rapidly vanished. The bathroom door remained closed, but despite his acute hearing, Remus heard no sound of running water or anything else. The bathroom must have a silencing charm, he decided, and then considered that the whole room must be well warded against most intrusions, considering what Narcissa tended to use it for.



"You needn't have gone to the trouble."



"It's no trouble. It's obvious you're in pain."



"Well... thank you then."



"It's my pleasure," she smiled. Then she stepped up and with an inquiring look added, "At least, I hope it will be?"



"Narcissa... when I asked you of werewolves, you called us beasts... unintelligent."



"No. I called Greyback and his ken beasts and unintelligent, and they are. They choose to be involved in their treacherous doings to the detriment of all. But others such as you, who are so horribly cursed and yet simply struggle to survive despite the laws and the prejudices... you I have no quarrel with. I never have."



Remus sighed, and finally nodded. "Then I'd be a fool to say no to your offer. I have to say this, though: I've truly nothing to offer you in return, Narcissa."



"You give me pleasure, Remus. Pleasure without pain. You give me passion. You have nothing but yourself and the clothes on your back and you still offer it all. This humbles me."



"I'm still a werewolf."



"We are both of us, creatures of the dark."




* * *



Three years later...




Remus was seated at the park near Grimmauld Place again, staring at the stars this time. So much had happened. So much had changed.



Sirius was gone. Dumbledore was gone. Severus was a wanted man, in hiding with Draco. Narcissa was missing. Lucius was in Azkaban. The young and misguided Nymphadora Tonks was attempting to make him into something he was not and he had little heart to naysay her or to encourage her. He was going to have to make her see his heart was just not in it.



His heart was too heavy with pain, with loss, with regret.



Narcissa was missing...




A standard courier owl swooped up suddenly and perched on the bench beside him. He noted the scroll attached to its leg and retrieved it. The owl swiftly flew off without waiting for a response. His heart sped up as he unfolded the scroll and recognized her writing. There had been no mauve ribbon, but then, Remus supposed a person on the run would have better things to waste time on.



The scroll read: I would be delighted to discuss creatures of the dark and the fine art of camouflage with you. This Friday evening at 7p. The Shrieking Shack.




A stylized N finished the message.



Remus smiled for the first time in weeks, eyes full of happy tears, and he sent a silent prayer of gratitude up to the constant stars on getting word about his love... his Narcissa.




END



Note:
- Amaryllis means splendid beauty or pride in the language of flowers.
- in HBP, Snape mentions elf-made wine. I 'borrowed' this concept for the elf-made champagne.