After breakfast the next morning, Tessa began to become a bit concerned. Remus again had not joined them. When the others had gone to work or dispersed throughout the house, she spoke with Molly about it over their coffee.

"He's been here, Tessa. He's just being cowardly and avoiding you, that's all." Even though she too was angry that he had been avoiding her, she still bristled at Molly's characterization of him as a coward.

"He's not a coward, Molly. He., he just doesn't want to make it difficult for me."

Molly looked at Tessa closely. "You aren't angry with him?"

"Well, yes, but I, ah." Tessa wanted to say that she still loved him, but it wouldn't come out; the words stuck in her throat and her eyes stung, threatening tears. Her emotions were still too raw.

"Never mind, Tessa, I understand," Molly assured her.

The door to the kitchen opened and the women looked up. Remus had started into the room but stopped. As Tessa stood up he started to leave.

"Remus, wait." He stopped, hesitated then slowly turned around. She looked at him and almost forgot what it was she was going to say. She willed the tears down which were again threatening to flow. "Look, don't go. I was just leaving and you haven't eaten yet."

He considered for a moment then came down the stairs.

"Molly, I have some packing to do so I'll be in my room." Tessa moved to the steps and Remus gave her a wide birth to pass by. She quickly went up and out of the kitchen.

She allowed the tears to come as she climbed the steps to her room. Today was Saturday. On Monday she and the children would be off to Hogwarts. "Two more days," she whispered. "I only have to last for two more days."

Tessa spent the rest of the morning in her room packing. She came down to lunch and to her surprise found Remus sitting at the table. Molly kept looking at him. She had obviously had a talk with him about the situation. Well, at least he will stay in the same room with me, she thought, not knowing if that were good or bad.

They sat at opposite ends of the table trying to avoid each others eyes. It was the most awkward and uncomfortable meal that the group had ever shared together. Everyone was subdued.

After the meal, Remus made a hasty departure. While helping clean up, Tessa let Molly know that she wouldn't be joining them for the evening meal. Molly looked at her reprovingly. "I know. It may be cowardly, but I never said I was brave."

Molly humphed. Tessa tried to explain, "Molly, I just don't want to go through two meals like that in one day."

Tessa went to her room and finished as much packing as she could, leaving out only what she needed for the next two days. Before the evening meal, she went to the kitchen and made herself a sandwich to take back and eat in her room.

She lay down on her bed and started perusing a copy of "Hogwarts: A History" which she had borrowed from Hermione.

She had just stared to nod off when she heard a soft knock on her door. "Come in," she said. For a long moment nothing happened. She watched the door, puzzled.

Just as she was about to get up to see who had knocked, Remus opened the door. He hesitated for another moment then walked into the room. He turned, closed the door but as yet had neither spoken nor looked at her.

Still facing the door he finally spoke. "Tessa." Again he hesitated.

Tessa couldn't bare the silence any longer. Her nerves were worn; her emotions frayed. She got up from the bed and went towards him determined to break the tension somehow. Remus turned and the look on his face was unfathomable. She stopped, uncertain now, she asked, "Was there something you wanted to talk to me about?"

For a moment he looked unsure and then he said, "No, there is something I wanted to do." With that he swept across the room and took her in his arms and kissed her. Shocked at first she nearly pulled away. Then the flood of emotions she had tried to keep in check for the past week consumed her and she clung to him and kissed him with all the passion she had for him, tears streaming down her face.

When they finally pulled back and looked, smiling, into each others eyes, Tessa said. "Remus, you are such a jerk."

Remus moved back out of her embrace slightly, "What?"

"I have to leave for Hogwarts the day after tomorrow, why did you have to wait until now to change your mind?" Not giving him time to answer, she pulled him back to her and kissed him deeply letting him know how happy she was that he finally had.

In a dramatic gesture, he swept her into his arms and moved to the bed. Tessa gasped and became rigid in his arms. Overbalanced Remus barely made it to the bed where they fell into a heap.

"I thought. I mean. I wasn't expecting that reaction." He didn't go on, suddenly not sure of what was happening.

Embarrassed Tessa started rambling, "I'm sorry, I just didn't expect you .Remember what you said about going slowly and being a wolf and what that means. It just took me by surprise that's all. You had pulled away and now. Do you. does this mean that you." Remus stopped her with a soft kiss. He smiled seeing her uncharacteristic discomfiture.

"Tessa, I can't imagine my life without you anymore. I suppose I should have done this better; thought it through a bit more thoroughly. I know what I told you. Wolves mate for life. But I am ready to take that risk. I am ready to spend the rest of my life with you, no matter what. I guess the question is, are you?"

For a moment, Tessa couldn't speak. For once in her life lost for words. She wanted to scream "Yes" at the top of her voice and bowl him over back onto the bed and start their long life together. Yet she had a nagging thought. "What made you change your mind?" she asked finally.

"Hermione," he said. "She confronted me in the kitchen and basically said I was an idiot if I let some stupid, small-minded people stop me from being happy. And that if I couldn't see that I would regret letting you go for the rest of my life that she would never respect me again.

"I suppose it shocked me so much that she would actually talk to one of her professors that way that perhaps I should think things through again."

Tessa smiled, "Remind me to award 50 points to Gryffindor when I get to Hogwarts. And by the way, Yes!"

She launched herself at Remus. He caught her and held her looking into the depths of her dark green eyes. They began hungrily to kiss and helped each other remove their clothing, enjoying the sensation of discovering each other for the first time, happy in the commitment they were making to each other.

Tessa whispered, "Well at least we will have one day to share before I leave."

Remus paused momentarily from exploring her body with his lips, "And two nights," he reminded her.