Heat

CHAPTER 2: Confessions on a Train







Remus had said very little since collecting Hermione and their belongings. He had apparated them to an alley in Dublin. They made their way to the train station, where he bought tickets to Galway. Once they arrived they would take a ferry to the Aran Islands where they would stay. Traveling the muggle way was the safest method to prevent being traced by the Ministry and Voldemort’s army. Still, Remus said very little until they were safely ensconced in their private cubicle on the train. Remus fell onto the bench across from her, staring at her as though he feared her.



“Well, I suppose this would be a good time for us to go over our story for the villagers.” Hermione said, wondering why he seemed so wary of her. She wouldn’t deny being thrilled with her assignment, she adored Remus. She thought she may even be in love with him, not that he would look twice at her.





“We are Hermione and Remus Williams, newlyweds. It will be easier for us to use our real names than to make some up, less chance of accidentally saying the wrong name.”







“We could just call each other by pet-names.” She said smiling. She wished he would have smiled back, but he just continued to stare at her as though she had rabies. She almost laughed at her wayward thoughts, but stifled the inclination.





“A small cottage has been procured for us in a forested area, for obvious reasons. During the full moon I will stay locked in the cellar, and we should be far enough from anyone that they will not hear anything that should raise questions.” He reached into his pocket and withdrew a handful of bits and bobs. He rifled through some coins, paperclips, a key ring, half of a chocolate bar and finally found what he was looking for. He lifted a small gold ring with tiny diamonds imbedded in the band. “Here, you should wear this, so no one asks questions.”





Hermione smiled and reached into her own pocket, withdrawing a thick gold band and showing it to him.



“Great minds think alike. I say we are a perfect couple Remus.” She reached for his left hand, gripping his wrist firmly when he gasped and moved to withdraw. She slid the ring onto his finger and smiled. “Now that didn’t hurt did it?” She asked, holding her left hand out to him. Remus stared at the small hand for a moment, then slid the little band onto her finger. The action seemed oddly intimate and his pulse began to race as his face heated. “Remus are you well?” Hermione leaned over him and pressed her palm to his forehead.





Too close, she was too damned close! The sweet, musky scent of her was killing him. Every primal instinct inside him growled for him to take her. Didn’t she understand what she was playing with? Surely she had some knowledge other than what she was taught in school.



“I’m fine.” He said, backing away from her slowly across the bench.





“Are you sure? You are acting strange.” She frowned as she settled back on the opposite bench.





“I’m sure, I just need a nap, I’m a bit tired.” He settled up against the window and tugged his tattered robes around him. Hermione shook her head, maybe he was just stressed about the new assignment. She kicked off her shoes and reached into her bag for the paperback novel she had been reading and settled in for more of the erotically charged adventures of wizard bounty hunters.





He laid there for a long while, his robes pulled over his head, hoping and praying that the thick wool would block her scent, or at least filter it so that it wasn’t quite so potent. It didn’t help, and it wasn’t long before the sweet musky scent of her began to change subtly. The perfume darkened, became slightly spicy, a bit heavier. He pulled his robes away from his face, his eyes watching her over the edge of the garment.



She was reclined on the seat, her bare feet crossed at the ankle. She was flexing one pretty little foot over and over, curling her toes and shifting her legs, pressing them together. He let his gaze travel over the soft, curvy lines of her body to her face. She was flushed as she licked and bit at her lower lip again and again, her eyes slightly glassy as she read from the pages of the paperback novel. He noted the cover, a tawny haired lionesque looking man with bulging muscles and no shirt brandishing a wand in one hand, and handcuffs in the other as his flowing locks were blowing in the wind.





Damn it, she was reading something that was getting her excited, and that was bad. He could not be trapped in a small cubicle with an aroused, ovulating woman. Especially one he found so incredibly desirable even when she wasn’t mid-cycle.



“Hermione, what are you doing?” He rolled his eyes at himself for asking such an idiotic and obvious question.



“Reading.” She answered as she turned the page. Her eyes widened and a soft smirk tugged at the corner of her mouth. His nostrils flared as her arousal notched a little higher. His cock hardened painfully beneath the constricting fit of his trousers. He could hear the internal battle taking place in his head between his conscience and his libido. ‘Take her.’ ‘Leave her be.’ ‘Fuck her, dominate her and make her yours.’ ‘She’s too young for you, too good for someone like you.’ ‘She should be yours, you’ve earned a little happiness.’ ‘She would never have you, and you would never forgive yourself.’ ‘Bend her over, latch on to that shoulder and knot her, fill her with your seed until it takes.’





“Could you stop, please?” He asked, embarrassed at the needy tone of his voice. Hermione set the book down and looked over at him. He was still nestled beneath his robes, his face half covered so she could only see his eyes. His pupils were huge and lust shone bright in his eyes.





“Remus?” She closed the book and tucked it back into her bag. He didn’t respond, just continued to stare at her with eyes the color of chocolate. She waited, wondering why he was bothered by her reading. His robes slipped further down and she saw his nostrils flare slightly and suddenly she realized why he was so agitated. “Oh my god!” She covered her face with her hands, blushing furiously.





“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to embarrass you, it’s just…not a comfortable situation for me to be in.” He said, sitting up and righting his clothing, making sure to keep his lap securely covered.





“I didn’t think about it! I can’t believe…oh my gods! Our rooms are right next door…your senses…oh god!” She wailed softly, burying her face in her hands and lowering her forehead to rest on her knees. “I am so embarrassed.”





Remus felt like an ass now. He had gone and made her ashamed of being a woman and having sexual needs and desires. He reached out and laid his hand on her bent head, wincing when the movement shifted his erection uncomfortably.



“Don’t be embarrassed, it’s perfectly natural….” Remus exhaled slowly. “It’s just difficult for me not to respond to certain things.” He said softly. Hermione looked up at him slowly, still bent over her lap.





“Do you mean…you uh, become…”





“Yes. I’m not proud of it, but I am trying to control the response and it would just really help if you didn’t read things that made you….um……”





“I’ll try not to….but we have to live in the same house Remus…..how are we going to manage this, what was Sirius thinking?” She was embarrassed that he could pick up on her arousal so easily. There was a part of her that wished he would act on it.





“I tried to convince him to change the arrangements, but he said this was the only way. He felt that we would be believable as a couple, and that I should be the one protecting you.” But how could he protect her from himself?





“He has a sick sense of humor, I wouldn’t put it past him to have done this deliberately.” Hermione said, sitting back and crossing her legs as she stared at Remus. His eyes were watching her tiny foot as she bounced it nervously.





“Are you afraid of me now Hermione?” He asked softly. She breathed deeply and tilted her head to the side, pushing her hair off of her shoulder and baring her neck. “Don’t do that.” He growled.



“Don’t do what?” She asked, frowning in confusion.





“Do not bare your neck that way…to a wolf…even a werewolf….it is a sign of submission.” Hermione pursed her lips thoughtfully and watched him. He seemed very aware of everything she did. The idea that she excited him, even against his will delighted her.





“I’m sorry Remus. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable. Are you like this around all women?”





“I stay away from women.”





“How did you manage….I mean, half of the students were female.” She asked, curious.





“We only seem to react when the female reaches full maturity. So generally for females it happens between eighteen and twenty. Thankfully. This curse has robbed me of so much, I don’t think I could bear it if it turned me into a pedophile as well.” He said, massaging the furrow between his brows.

“I’m sorry if being with me is so repulsive…” She began, slightly defensive.





“I never said anything of the sort!” He sat up straight and stared into her eyes. “There is nothing repulsive about you. I am the one who is repulsive. I wish there was a way for me to prevent my reactions, but short of rendering my sense of smell inoperative, I just have to learn to deal with it, and hopefully remain in control of my baser instincts.”





“Have you ever lost control?” She asked.





“Every full moon.” He said wearily.





“I don’t mean the transformation, I meant with a female?” She was blushing.





“NO! As I said, I avoid being with them alone for long periods of time. It can be less…powerful when others are around, the other smells mingle and dull the effect somewhat.”





“Are you afraid of being alone with me? We will be spending a lot of time by ourselves….”





“I hope that by being honest with you, that maybe you will be more aware. Just please, if I behave in any way inappropriately, that you will do whatever you need to in order to stop me. I need you to promise.” He was watching her face for her reactions.





“And if……it was a welcomed advance?” She asked quietly.





“Don’t even think about it Hermione. Do not even consider developing an interest in a man like me. I’m too old for you, and you are way too good for me.” His smile was so sad, almost as though he wished it could be otherwise.





“That wasn’t an answer to my question Remus. And it’s too late, my consideration period was over long ago.” She stood slowly and slipped her feet back into the little black shoes. “I’m going to go for a walk, give you a chance to relax.” She opened the door and stepped out into the walkway.





Remus groaned and let his head fall back against the seat. Why did she have to go and say something like that? It was just a silly crush, she was a young woman who saw him as a father figure….sure, that was it. It couldn’t be real feelings. Could it?









A/N: In the paragraph where Remus is arguing between his light and darker sides, his animal side is encouraging him to “knot” her. This is in reference to canine and lupine mating physiology whereby the male develops a “knot” or swelling at the base of his penis, locking him into the female during intercourse. Now from the research I did, it indicates that this will last anywhere from 10-30 minutes, but I wont have Remus and Hermione locked together for that long….not without good reason anyhow LOL.





I hope you enjoy this, it is my first attempt at writing Remus. I only recently developed a liking for the character and David Thewlis. : )