One Last Chance

It had been sixteen days since the wolf's departure and not a single person had heard a scrap of news about his wherabouts. He was starting to grow restless. This wasn't normal. Something had to have happened to him. There was no other explanation. He hadn't slept a wink in three days and was now refusing meals. He couldn't sleep or eat knowing that Remus could be out there in pain. It would be completely selfish of him. He could tell that the others were starting to worry about him as well.

Minerva took it upon herself to reassure him that he was fine every chance she got. He kept catching Harry and Draco standing in the hallway, having whispered conversations while shooting him occasional looks. He wasn't blind or stupid. He knew they were discussing him. He knew they were worried, but he couldn't bring it upon himself to assure them that he was fine because he was the farthest thing from it.

The students had noticed that something was wrong as well, although they had no idea what it was. They tiptoed around him, speaking in whispers in his classroom as if he might snap any moment. The Gryffindor's and Slytherin's had even refrained from taunting each other for the past few days. He no longer bothered to teach anymore, just wrote the name of a potion and the page number it could be found on. He didn't even bother to grade the potions, just wrote down a 100 for every one of them. He could tell that a lot of the students were confused about how their grades had suddenly gone up.

It was his last class of the day and he was watching the third years brew a fever reducer. He stared blankly ahead, not seeing. His mind was a million miles away. Wondering. Hoping. Wishing. Praying for his lovers safety. Suddenly, his classroom door burst open. Each head in the room turned toward the door, including his own. He had to shut his eyes and re-open them again to make sure the sight standing in front of him was real. Remus was back.

"Class dismissed." He said, wanting the idiots to get from his classroom right that instant. They all turned to stare at him, only a few of them rising. "Get out now." He growled, his voice menacing. That got them moving all right. One by one, they silently filed out. He didn't so much as look at Remus until the last one had left the room. With a wave of his wand, he slammed the door shut.

He stayed put, taking in the sight of the other man. His robes were ripped and torn, blood stains remaining in a few places. His hair was dirty and he was much thinner than he had been upon leaving. He looked as if he were going to fall over any moment. Somehow, he was managing to smile through it all. That bastard. No word from him for sixteen days and then he just shows up, bursts into the middle of his class, and stands there smiling at him.

"What happened?" He asked. Remus sighed and ran his hand through his hair, leaning against a desk. "I lived among them for a few days. Introduced myself as a werewolf from America. Tried to get them to enter the nearest village with me so I could sneak off and make contact with the Order. That's when my cover was blown. Greyback transformed and forced me to return to my human form. They locked me up. Didn't feed me a scrap of food. Beat me everyday. I was finally able to overpower them and apparate, but I was too weak to do it properly. I ended up about fifty miles away from here and had to walk back."

Severus was at a loss for words. He could have died. Would have died if he wouldn't have gotten away. He jumped up, striding forward. He stopped an inch away from the man. "You fool!" He yelled before launching himself at Remus. He wrapped his arms around his waist, never wanting to let go. He was so relieved. The man had driven him completely insane and they had only been together for a little over a month! What was becoming of him?

All anger was lost as arms wrapped around him, holding him tight. He reached up and kissed Remus softly before holding him tightly again. They stood there, holding each other, time slipping by. It felt so nice to be in the other mans arms again.

Their reunion was interrupted as the door burst open. Who dared to interrupt this moment?He started to let go, but stopped as he realized it was just Minerva. When Remus saw her, he tried to release him, but Severus tightened his grip. Remus gave him a curious look."You idiot boy! You scared us all to death!" She yelled, shaking her finger at Remus. "Didn't even have the consideration to come find me when you arrived so I knew you were alive! I had to hear it from one of the ghosts! Your lucky I knew you'd come here or else I'd murder you myself for making me treck all over the school!" She was fuming mad.

Severus chuckled to himself, tightening his grip on Remus so she didn't pry them apart and rip him limb from limb. Ignoring Minerva's ranting and Remus's apologizing, he buried his face in the mans robes. He was surprised when he smelled the familiar rose scent on him. After weeks without a shower and covered in blood, he still smelled good.

"I would like to hear what happened so if you wouldn't mind releasing him for a moment Severus." He could hear the amusement in her voice and it was only because he deeply respected her that he did not hex her. Reluctantly, he released him and led them out of the room to his quarters. He showed Minerva to an armchair and took a seat next to Remus. He began telling the story of what had happened, adding more details this time. He wrapped an arm protectively around his waist and listened to the story once again.

Once he was done telling the story, Minerva insisted he go to the Hospital Wing to get his injuries treated. "I'm going as well." He informed them. They both turned to look at him in surprise. Why they did so, he did not know. Of course he wasn't going to let Remus out of his sight. He'd just got him back not even half an hour ago!

Remus shook his head. "I'll be fine Severus. I know you have other things to do. More important things." He felt a pang in his chest at Remus's words. How could he think that he had more important things to do when he was injured! "Nothing" He said, putting emphasis on the word. "is more important than you." He blushed as he saw the look of surprise on the other two's faces.

Neither said another word of protest as they all took the Floo down to the Hospital Wing. Poppy immediately grabbed Remus and began fussing over him. "Should have came here straight away!" After running several diagnostic spells on him, she determined that he had several broken ribs, a cracked wrist, a concussion, and internal bleeding. Also, according to her spell, he hadn't had any food in a week and a half. It was his turn to round on the man as he learned all of this information. "Why the hell didn't you come here first?"

He didn't know what he was expecting in response, but it wasn't what came out of Remus's mouth next. "I had to see you." It was a simple answer, but the impact of it hit Severus like a wall of bricks. He had dragged himself down to the dungeons, broken bones and all, just to see him as soon as possible. He had stood, holding him in his arms, likely to collapse any moment. He cared about him. This wasn't just fun and games. He wasn't just there until Remus could find a replacement. This was real to him.

He glanced at the man he loved, his face full of compassion. Wait-did he just say love? He was ready to take it back in his mind, but he couldn't bring himself to do so. He had torn himself up over the man for days on end. Lost sleep and a few pounds over it. He had kicked out a whole class of third years upon his arrival and had refused to let him out of his sight long enough to get his injuries treated. If that wasn't love, then he didn't know what was.

Poppy was able to heal his entire body within seconds, but she insisted that he stay overnight. Remus had just opened his mouth to argue when the door burst open. "Why didn't you tell us he was back?" Harry asked as he strode in, Draco in tow.

To be honest, he hadn't thought to. He had just been concerned with getting him to the Hospital Wing. He could see now that was a mistake for the two boys were glaring at him as they strode toward Remus's bedside. Harry pulled Remus into a hug, screaching that he'd scared them all half to death. To his surprise, Draco hugged him as well. He chuckled as he watched the two boys begin fussing over him.

He tuned back in at the end of their conversation. "-hasn't slept in days. Refusing meals. Sneaking off to sleep in your bed. Giving good grades in his classes." The lecture was about him now. When Harry finished, Remus took one look at him before calling a house elf for food. Harry, Draco, Remus, Poppy, Minerva, and himself ate dinner in the Hospital Wing. He listened as Remus recounted the story for the three who hadn't heard it, wanting to find Greyback and murder him for hurting Remus.

At ten till curfew, Poppy started trying to get them to leave. Severus had no intention of doing so. He had been sick with worry for sixteen days and he never wanted to let the man out of his sight. "I'm not going anywhere." He informed her. She gave him another strange look and he could understand why. She didn't know about their relationship. She thought they were merely friends. "Very well." She said, exasperated. "I'll make up another bed."

Another bed? Fuck that. He had slept alone every night since the night Harry got kicked out. "That won't be necessary." He said, sitting on the edge of Remus's bed. He pulled out his wand and transfigured his robes to pajamas before crawling under the covers with Remus. He didn't so much as hestitate as he turned on his side and wrapped his arm around Remus from behind.

He smiled as the man reached up and clasped his hand in his. It felt so weird for him to be holding someone in his arms, but at the same time, it felt so right. He knew they had an audience, one who did not know of the relationship, but he didn't care.

He looked up and was only greeted by smiles. "I take it that you two can stay in the dungeons alone?" He asked Harry and Draco. "Do we have to go home Sev?" Draco whined. He wondered when it had became home to the boys, but he didn't ask, only smiled at them. "Yes. Now get going or you won't be able to wake up for classes tomorrow." Grumbling to themselves, they left the room. The two women said their goodbyes and left, leaving them alone.

There was silence for a moment before he let his thoughts accidently slip out. "I was so worried about you." He whispered. "I could tell from what they told me." He said. "So you really snuck off to sleep in my bed?" He added as an afterthought. He felt his cheeks burning and was glad that it was pitch black in the Hospital Wing. "Yes." Was all he could think to reply.

He decided to ask about the necklace. "Why did you let me wear the necklace your father gave you, but not Black?" The question had been eating him alive for the past few days. He was ready for some kind of an explanation. "Sirius was my best friend as well as my lover. I cared about him and I loved him with all of my heart."

He felt a pang of jealousy at the mans words, but let him continue on. "But when we got together, after he escaped from Azkaban, he wanted to dwell on the past. He couldn't accept me for who I am today. He still saw me as part of the gang of troublemakers, as one of the Mauraders. He couldn't come to terms with the fact that I am not who I once was. We fought constantly over it. But you are different, Severus. You accept me for me. You overlook the past. I'm not just James's best friend with the furry little problem. All I am to you is Remus, and that is more than enough for me." He finished.

Severus didn't know what to say so he settled for tightening his grip on the man and burying his face in his shoulder. "How did you know that my father gave it to me?" He asked. "Minerva." He said. He was surprised at Remus's next question. "I thought you wanted to keep our relationship a secret?" He had thought so too, but he had realized over the past week that he didn't give a damn what anyone thought about the two of them being together. And he told him so. "Who knows exactly?" The wolf asked, chuckling over his last statement.

"Harry, Draco, Hermione, Minerva, and Poppy." He was expecting him to ask questions, but he didn't. "Since when did Harry become Harry to you?" He wondered that question himself as well. When had he stopped referring to him as Potter? It was the night when he had witnessed the awful letters being carved into his back. The memory still made him shudder.
"When I realized that he is not his father." Remus chuckled at his words.

They lay in silence for a few moments. "Remus." He whispered. No response. Looking up, he saw that the other man had fallen asleep. He smiled to himself as he watched his sleeping form. He could tell that the wolf was completely exhausted and kicked himself for not forcing him to go to bed sooner. God, he was really starting to admit to himself how much he cared about him.

He reached down and traced his jaw, feeling his pulse as he did so. He brushed his bangs out of his face, his sandy hair streaked with brown from being in a dirt cell for days. Severus let his fingertips travel downward, brushing against his collarbone. He rubbed his fingers over the curve of bone. There was no fault at all. He was perfect.