Practice

Starting to heat up. Thanks for reviews, my lovelies. Keep them coming.



Chapter Three



Over the year, Emma and Remus grew closer, spending time together at school and during holidays. They also got to know their room mates, Remus developing a close friendship with James, Sirius and Peter in particular. They were lying on Remus’ floor looking through their books for Second Year when Emma shut her Defence book and sat up.

‘Can I ask you something?’ she said and Remus looked up.

‘Course you can,’ he answered, rolling over onto his side.

‘Will you tell me the truth? No matter what?’ she asked, her fingers fiddling with the hem of her peasant skirt. ‘And not take offence?’

Remus frowned and sat up, facing her. ‘Alright,’ he agreed, warily.

She took a breath and looked at his blue eyes. ‘Are you a werewolf?’

He couldn’t have hidden it if he’d tried and he was so stunned he didn’t even try.

‘You are, aren’t you?’ she said tremulously.



She’d been thinking about this for nearly six months. She was a voracious reader, as was he, and, wanting to learn more about this world, she’d devoured her school books and any other reading material she put her hands on. Whilst reading about werewolves, a few sentences struck a chord. The type of injuries that could be expected matched Remus’ scars; the change in his personality and eye colour just before he got sick - he became moodier, tireder and his eyes seemed more hazel than blue; his illness’ had always been about once every four weeks or so and, once she started to make note of them, she compared them to the lunar charts to find they coincided with the full moon.

Emma had kept quiet for half a year, wanting to be absolutely sure before she confronted him. She wasn’t upset that he’d kept it from her - she understood why he’d done it.



‘Yes,’ he admitted, biting his lip as it shook. ‘Em…’

‘It’s alright,’ she said reassuringly. ‘I haven’t told anyone. I wouldn’t.’

‘I know,’ he said shakily. ‘Do you hate me?’

‘No,’ she insisted, frowning at him. ‘Why? You’re still the same person you were before I knew. And, if I stop being your friend, who’s going to help me with my Defence homework? Potter? I don’t think so.’

He smiled and let out a soft laugh. ‘He’d love to help you,’ he murmured, knowing James was alternating his crush between Lily Evans and Emma right now and if either girl showed an interest, he’d jump for joy.



‘He’s a prat,’ Emma said matter of factly. ‘And Sirius is hotter - all the girls think so.’ Remus grimaced, having trouble believing that she’d just found out he was a werewolf and she was talking about which of their friends were better looking.

She leaned back against his bed and grinned. ‘And I know someone who thinks you’re cute, Lupin,’ she teased, her eyes dancing. ‘Alice.’

He frowned and looked a bit uncomfortable. ‘Really?’ he asked and she giggled.

‘You should ask her out,’ she said, nudging his leg with her foot.

He shook his head and she frowned. ‘Is this because of the werewolf thing?’ she asked and he laughed disbelievingly.

‘Em, most people think werewolves are awful, for a good reason,’ he told her. ‘I’m dangerous.’

Emma arched an eyebrow. ‘I’m more dangerous than you, Lupin,’ she growled and he laughed.

‘Thanks, Jack,’ he said and she leaned over and kissed his cheek.

‘Ask Alice to go for a walk around the grounds with you,’ she advised, lying back down on the floor. ‘Just make sure you finish helping me with my homework before the snogging begins.’



Their second year went as quickly as the first, Remus coming to find Emma late one night towards the end of the year.

‘Em,’ he hissed, seeing her by the fire going through the subject choices for next year. She came over to him and he pulled her into a far corner of the common room.

‘They know,’ he whispered urgently.

‘Who knows what?’ she asked and he made an impatient noise.

‘James, Sirius and Peter,’ he said desperately. ‘They know what I am.’

Her eyes widened and she drew him further into the corner.

‘How?’ she asked and he explained that they, like her, had guessed from his frequent absences.



Emma stared at him for a moment then asked, ‘How…how did they react?’

Remus calmed down a little. ‘Um, alright,’ he admitted. ‘They said they wouldn’t tell anyone.’

Emma smiled and took his face between her hands. ‘That’s good news, Lupin,’ she said. ‘And if they do tell anyone, I’ll beat them up for you.’

He laughed, wondering how she managed to do this - distract him and make him laugh when all he’d wanted to do was cry.

‘Yeah, right,’ he muttered now, drawing himself to his full height and looking down at her - almost a head shorter than him. ‘Although, you’re such a short ass they’d never see you coming, I suppose.’

She smacked him across the belly and turned away. ‘I can see my help isn’t appreciated here,’ she grumbled but he grabbed her hand.

‘Thanks, Em,’ he said softly and she smiled.

‘Tell me what subjects to take next year and we’ll be even,’ she suggested and he obliged, following her over to the table.



Third year came and with it the excitement of beginning new subjects and the prospect of visiting Hogsmeade, a nearby wizarding village. Remus never asked Alice out but now Emma was encouraging him to ask Mary to go to Hogsmeade with him for Halloween.

‘Why not?’ she asked, lying across his bed a few days before the visit.

‘Because I don’t want to,’ he told her for the third time. ‘She’s not my type.’

‘Your type,’ she mocked playfully. ‘I thought horny teenagers had only one type - breathing.’

‘Jack!’ he admonished, his face going pink.

‘What?’ she asked with a grin. ‘You’re a teenager. You’re a boy so of course you’re horny.’

He smacked her across the head with his pillow and she yelped, grabbing it but unable to wrestle it off him. ‘You’re too scrawny to beat me,’ he teased, putting the pillow back under his head.



‘I’m not scrawny,’ she snapped uncharacteristically as she sat up.

Remus looked surprised and immediately apologised. ‘Sorry, Emma,’ he said. ‘I didn’t mean to upset you.’

She sighed and slid off the bed. ‘No,’ she muttered. ‘It’s me. It’s just…’ Her face turned red and she shook her head. ‘Never mind.’

‘Em,’ he said, stopping her. ‘Tell me what’s wrong.’

‘It’s embarrassing,’ she mumbled, sitting down next to him.

He waited and after several moments she sighed loudly. ‘I’m skinny,’ she whispered and he frowned.

‘Yeah?’ he agreed cautiously, not sure why that was a bad thing. ‘I thought girls wanted to be thin.’



‘They also want boobs,’ she ground out, crossing her arms over her own flat chest. Remus bit his lip, not sure how to respond. ‘Boys like girls with boobs,’ she continued, face flaming. ‘I’ve got none. I guess I’m just sick of looking like a boy.’

He smiled and put his arm around her. ‘You don’t look like a boy, Em,’ he said softly. ‘And if big boobs is all a guy is asking you out for, then he’s not the kind of guy you’d want anyway, is he?’

Her jaw clenched but she nodded. ‘Suppose,’ she pouted and he pulled her closer.

‘I think you’re perfect the way you are,’ he told her and she let out a breath of laughter.

‘You’re a good friend, Lupin,’ she said quietly. He kissed her on the head then she patted his knee.

‘See you later,’ she murmured, walking out of the room, passing Sirius on the way.



He smiled then turned to watch her walk down the stairs. ‘Nice,’ he muttered then glanced at Remus. ‘Are you sure you two aren’t together?’

‘No, Sirius,’ he said wearily, growing tired of the question. ‘We are not together.’

‘I should ask her out,’ the black haired boy mused. ‘She’s pretty cute.’

Remus turned to look at him and said, ‘No.’

Sirius looked at him in surprise. ‘What do you mean, “no”?’ he said.

‘I’ve seen how quickly you go through girls, Sirius,’ Remus said firmly. ‘And you aren’t treating Emma like that.’

Sirius looked mutinous and Remus continued. ‘You can have any other girl in the school, Sirius. Just lay off Em, alright? I don’t want to see her hurt. I don’t want to have to choose sides.’



Sirius stared at him then sighed. ‘If she continues to show no interest in me, then I won’t ask her out,’ he agreed. ‘But if she does, all bets are off.’

Remus nodded, figuring it was the best he was going to get. They got into bed, leaving the lamps on for James, Peter and Frank.

‘Incidentally, Moony,’ Sirius asked, calling Remus by his nickname. ‘Who would you choose? If you had to.’

‘You’re a good mate, Sirius,’ Remus said softly. ‘But there’d be no contest. It would be Emma.’

Sirius was quiet for a few moments then said, ‘Are you sure you don’t like her?’. Remus sighed loudly. ‘Good night, Sirius,’ he said, finality in his tone.



Nine months later, they were back home, spending the summer alternating between each other’s houses. Emma visited Lily several times, and Remus, James and Peter cruised between each other’s houses, Sirius spending time with each of them but refusing to allow them to visit him at his place. They were visiting Remus when Emma came over one day and they spent the day together, Sirius watching her closely and finding opportunities to be close to her. Remus frowned, warning Sirius again about their deal.

‘I can flirt,’ the black haired boy said with a grin. ‘And if she flirts back then I’m in with a chance.’



He glared at them now from across the room where he was supposedly watching a game of chess between Peter and James. Sirius was looking through their new textbooks with Emma, sitting close.

He laughed at something Emma said then she stood up, stretching a little before calling, ‘Who wants a drink?’

Everyone did and she disappeared into the Lupin’s kitchen, unaware of Remus’ eyes on her. He was startled to realise that she wasn’t all that scrawny anymore, her stretch having tightened her clothing.

‘She got boobs,’ he thought with a jolt. And hips. She was still shorter than most other fourteen year old girls but she was filling out.

Remus pushed those thoughts out of his head, disturbed he’d even noticed. ‘I wouldn’t have noticed if she was James or Sirius,’ he told himself then stood up to help her with the cans of drink.



Sirius pulled her to the side later that afternoon when the three boys were leaving and spoke into her ear. Emma looked a little startled but smiled and shrugged, making Sirius smile. He saw his friend take her hand then kiss her on the cheek before he joined Peter and James in James’ dad’s car. Remus looked at Emma, seeing her red face.

‘Well, well, well,’ he said with a grin. ‘What was all that about?’

She looked up and he was surprised to see her confusion. ‘What was he doing?’ she asked softly and Remus frowned, then turned when he heard his parent’s come inside. ‘Finally,’ they said dramatically. ‘We have our house back. You staying for dinner, Emma love?’

‘Yes,’ Remus answered for her then took her hand. ‘We’re going to listen to some music upstairs.’



He dragged her up the steps and shut the door to his bedroom behind them. ‘I thought it was obvious what he was doing,’ Remus said, sitting on his bed and crossing his legs. ‘He was flirting with you.’

‘Why?’ she asked, sitting next to him.

‘Cause he thinks you’re hot?’ Remus suggested with raised eyebrows, talking as if she was slow witted.

She frowned and threw herself down onto her back. ‘I’m not,’ she muttered. ‘Not like the girls he goes out with.’

Remus lay down on his stomach beside her. ‘Do you like him?’ he asked worriedly.

She shrugged and he bit his lip. ‘Just be careful with him, Em,’ he warned. ‘He’s been out with lots of girls…’

‘Who’ve got a lot more experience than me,’ she said then turned to look at him. ‘Am I abnormal?’



He couldn’t help laughing then asking, ‘Why?’

‘Cause I’m fourteen and I’ve never even kissed a guy,’ she said, looking pained. Remus opened his mouth then closed it again. ‘Well, I’ve never…kissed a girl, so I must be abnormal too.’

She smiled and turned her head to look at him. ‘It’s not from lack of chances, Remus,’ she admonished him. ‘Alice would have been on you like white on rice last year. Now, she’d got the hots for Frank. There’s still Mary.’

He rolled his eyes and tugged lightly on the ponytail that was spread across the pillow in front of him. ‘I don’t think you’ve been lacking opportunities either,’ he teased, grinning down at her. ‘James and now Sirius.’



Emma snorted with laughter, making him laugh. ‘James was interested for all of two seconds until he caught sight of Lily,’ she said. ‘She’s gorgeous and so nice that I can’t even hate her for being so good looking. And Sirius…well, it had to be my turn some time. He’s running out of girls now after three years.’ She sighed. ‘I couldn’t kiss him. Not when he’s kissed all those other girls. I don’t know how to kiss.’

‘You’re kidding, right?’ he asked. ‘And I’m supposed to go and kiss girls that have kissed him. How do you think I feel?’

‘He’s supposed to be good,’ she said and he nodded.

‘If you listen to Sirius, he’s a God,’ he joked and Emma laughed.



There was silence for a few moments then she said, ‘We should just snog each other and get it over with.’

He looked at her, unsurprised by her words as the thought had just occurred to him as well.

She turned her head and saw his frown. ‘Bad idea?’ she asked and his frown deepened. ‘Probably,’ he said, not sounding sure at all.

Emma watched him for another moment then rolled over onto her side. ‘We don’t fancy each other,’ she said and he shook his head in agreement, ignoring the brief thought that he’d noticed her body earlier.

‘We could just…practice on each other,’ she suggested, watching him carefully.



‘You think we could do that?’ he asked, surprised by how much he did want to do this. ‘Snog but stay just friends?’

Emma thought for a moment. Could they? She thought Remus was cute but loved him as her friend. Although, there had been a moment when he was changing a few days ago when she looked at him in an entirely different way. They were never embarrassed about dressing around each other, although Emma was more modest now. And she’d never before noticed that he had brown curly hair running from his belly button down into his pants and the glimpse made her stomach squirm quite pleasantly.



‘I trust you,’ she said softly. ‘I wouldn’t be embarrassed cause I didn’t know what I was doing. I could ask you if I’m doing it right. I couldn’t do that with anyone else.’

‘Mmm,’ he agreed then looked down at her face, eyes sliding involuntarily to her lips. ’We tell each other what we’re doing wrong and how to do it better?’

She nodded then watched him consider the idea. ‘So?’ she asked, blue eyes wide as she ran out of patience. ‘Are you going to snog me or what, Lupin?’

Remus smiled then lowered his head, touching her lips lightly with his before pulling back.



‘Well?’ he asked and she shrugged.

‘Not enough to tell if it was good or not,’ she said, shifting so she was on her stomach next to him. ‘I’ll try.’

He watched as her face moved closer then her lips were on his. Soft but firm and she pulled away after a few moments. ‘This isn’t right,’ she mumbled and he nodded. ‘We’re not doing it right. We need to stop mucking around and just do it.’

She sat up and pulled him up as well. ‘Alright,’ she said, taking a breath. ‘Hit me with your best shot, Lupin. Knock my socks off.’

Remus laughed, surprised this didn’t feel all that strange. ‘Proves I can have fun with her no matter what we’re doing,’ he thought before he leaned over and tried to do what she’d told him to do.



Lips met and this time, he set about trying to make the most of having a willing practicing partner.

She pulled away and frowned. ‘Open your mouth a little this time,’ she told him then leaned in again.

‘God, you’re bossy,’ he complained but did as she told him and found this much more satisfactory.

Instead of planting his lips directly on hers, this time he let his lips part a little and took her bottom lip between them, hearing her little noise of surprise. This was much better.



Emma was surprised when he changed tactics but had to admit, his new technique was working. She noticed his eyes were closed and she couldn’t seem to keep her own open, enjoying the feeling of his lips. He was lightly kissing her: small, nibbling little kisses that she found herself returning, copying him.

‘Open your mouth more,’ he mumbled, not taking his lips off hers.

She did and the kiss seemed to deepen, heads tilting so their mouths had better access to each other.



Their mouths moved slowly, but now with growing assurance. Emma felt his hand touch her face, cupping it lightly and couldn’t help a little moan of satisfaction. Remus moved, tearing his lips reluctantly away from hers.

‘H…how was that?’ he asked in a raspy voice.

Emma nodded at him and cleared her throat. ‘Good,’ she told him. ‘Really good.’

He grinned, turning pink. ‘You were good too,’ he said, looking down. ‘You made a noise. Did I do something you didn’t like?’ He watched as Emma turned bright red. ‘What? You have to tell me.’

‘You touched my face,’ she said, closing her eyes in embarrassment. ‘It was nice.’

Remus smiled broadly and she smacked him with a pillow. ‘Shut up, Lupin,’ she muttered then they both jumped when they heard a knock on the door.

‘Dinner, you two!’