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Beautiful Stranger	By : TheLadyFeylene Category: Harry Potter > General > General Views: 5460 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 1
- 2
- 3
Disclaimer: They're still not mine. No money is being made.
Dedication: For Brendan, who wholly agrees that massage can be sexy!

Author's Note: Okay, so Charlie's new favorite saying is 'mum had cats'. I use it a lot with him, I can just see him saying it. And real people have sayings they use over and over again.

Beautiful Stranger
Chapter 2

//If I'm smart then I'll run away//
//But I'm not so I guess I'll stay//

Remus Lupin let out his breath only when he was outside, in the corridor. He closed the door, and leaned against the wall. He had left his battered little case outside the door, and was happy to see it was still there. Not that he had anything worth stealing...

//Go and get my things. These *are* my things.// Remus picked up his case, and ran a hand through his shaggy hair. He didn't know what to do, for the next few hours. He wasn't staying anywhere yet. He hadn't planned on looking into that until he knew whether or not Charlie Weasley was willing to help him. It had been a wild le, le, he knew, but he had no where else to turn. All of his life he had been forced to live under the curse of the wolf. If he had some small chance of making some sort of difference...

//This takes care of everything.// Remus couldn't remember when he had felt more relieved. It would have to have been when Dumbledore hired him on. That had been a steady job, and a place to stay, and the assurance of three meals a day. When he had left...it had been back to the life of a nomad. Wandering from place to place, trying to scrape out a living. News of what he was had traveled quickly, and the headlines in the Dailey Prophet had not been pretty. No one had wanted to hire him. He had tried eeking out a living among muggles, but that was even more difficult. He had little money, and life in the muggle world was expensive.

//All Charlie wants is some money for rent. That I can do. And I have a place to stay....it's far better then anything I could have found on my own. And he seems nice. He's not bothered by what I am. He sees me as an experiment, I think, but it's better then being seen as an animal.// Doubts b ass assailing him. //Are you sure this a good idea? What if something goes wrong? What if he gets hurt...//

Remus shuffled down the corridor, avoiding a few drips from the leaky ceiling. It was probably the cheapest apartment complex in Diagon Alley, but even that would have been out of Remus' price range. He had....a handful of sickles to his name. Enough for a hotel room, for a few nights maybe. But that was it. Nothing to live on...

//Things will be a little better now. A place to stay...someone to try and help...and Charlie seems nice enough. He agreed to help. Anything that happens is his fault...but you know that's not true! How could you think that...// Remus found himself out on the street. It was drizzling, so he simply sat down on the steps. There was a slight overhang that kept off most of the rain, and he pulled a battered sandwich out of his case. He had been saving it, but considering he hadn't eaten in two days, he decided it was time. It would start to go bad, anyway.

//Bah...I think it's starting to go bad anyway.// Remus made a face, wrinkling his nose at the smell of stale bread and slightly rank meat. It wasn't *that* far gone, just beginning to go sour. The cheese seemed to be holding up a bit better, stale but not yet moldy. Hopefully, this would be the last meal of it's kind for a long time.

***

Remus woke with a start, to the steady drip of rain on his head. He blinked once, twice, and looked about. It wasn't the first time he had woken up with his back to a building...he was sitting on steps. Ah yes, he had left Charlie Weasley's office, and had no where to go, so he had sat down to wait. Now it was dark, and Remus had a cramp in his neck. And his stomach was a bit upset about the bad meat he had given it earlier. He wasn't feeling as bad as a human would, but it was uncomfortable. He rose, stretching, and picked up his little case. All that was in it were a spare set of shabby robes, a few books, and a couple of little sentimental tidbits.

//Charlie should be done by now...// Remus hoped he wasn't being a nuisance. He knocked softly on the office/apartment door, smiling a little at the crooked sign that hung on the door.

"Come on in!" Charlie called through the door, and Remus eased it open, poking his head in.

"I'm not too early, am I?" He asked, frown

"No, not at all! Come in." Charlie was behind his desk, legs crossed and feet propped up it. "Office hours are over. Technically the desk shouldn't be here, but I was using it as a footrest." He gave a cocky grin, and Remus nodded. He wasn't used to people so at ease around him, not anymore. He closed the door behind him, feeling rather awkward.

"Sit down, put up your feet. Sorry there's no furniture, really. Can't afford it, and even if I could there's no room. I was just about to fix some dinner...have you eaten yet?"

"No." The thought of food made Remus' mouth water. He hadn't eaten since the old sandwich, and that really hadn't been all that much.

"Hope you don't mind ramin. It's a muggle food." Charlie explained. "But it's dirt cheap, and it tastes good. It's pretty much just noodles in flavor. Beef okay?"

"That will be fine." Remus sat down gingerly in one of the chairs, holding his case on his lap.

"Uh...is that everything?" Charlie asked, jumping to his feet in one smooth movement. He was actually quite graceful, Remus noted. His open, easy manner hinted at fumbliness, not grace.

"Yes." Remus felt himself flush, hands clutching at the knotted straps of the bag.

"Well, just dump it where you can find room." Charlie said. "Let me put the desk where it should be..." He pulled out his wand, and the desk slid across the floor to the wall next to the fireplace. "And pull out the bed..." Another muttered word, and a mattress fell out of the wall to lie on the floor. It looked rather comfortable, if a bit on the narrow side. The chair was quite comfy as well, and Remus certainly didn't mind sleepin it. it.

"There!" Charlie dusted off his hands, still grinning. "Now it's home. Not much, but it's where the heart is." He laced his fingers and cracked his knuckles, before bounding over to the stove. There was a pot of water there, and Charlie touched it with his wand. Remus set his case on the desk, still feeling a little uncomfortable. Charlie was obviously trying to put him at ease, but that was difficult to do.

"Ah....ramin!" Charlie was holding two steaming mugs. "You know, you can actually put your stuff away. There's plenty of room, I don't have that much crap."

"Oh...yes." Remus blushed again, suddenly feeling his shabbiness rather acutely.

"I'll put this here for you then." Charlie set down the mug-which was full of brown broth and noodles-and plopped himself down in the larger of the two chairs. Remus pulled out his books, a small wolf carving, and a stuffed dog. They were the only possessions to his name. And his robes, which weren't in much better shape then the ones he was wearing.

"Er..." He looked hopelessly over at Charlie, who made a muffled noise and nodded.

"Closet's by the bed!" He mumbled around a mouthful of noodles. Remus nodded, and hung his spare set of robes among Charlie's collection of leather and wool clothing. He spotted one set of robes in there, not in a better state then his own. He closed the door, took up his bowl, and sat carefully in the other chair.

"Can I get you a drink?" Charlie asked suddenly. "Sorry if I seem like a shoddy host, but I'm not really used to having houseguests. I've got...uh...some beer, brandy maybe....gin...."

"Oh, I don't drink." Remus said, holding up his hand. He took a spoonful of noodles, the hot broth going down his throat like liquid heaven. He hadn't had a hot meal in months...

"Really?" Charlie cocked his head. "Any reason why?"

"Mmmm." Remus nodded, swallowing. "I'm not sure how my kind handles alcohol..."

"Oh...think you might go nuts?"

"Er...something like that, yes." Charlie's nonchalance about his lycanthrope was refreshing, but offsetting. No one had seemed this unbothered by it since his school days...

"Really? Maybe we should start with that then..."

"Hmmm?" Remus looked up politely, hoping Charlie gave a bit more of an explanation.

"Getting you drunk, and seeing if I can handle you then. Sort of like practicing, before I set myself on the real thing." He grinned, and raked a hand through his dark red hair, pulling the thick, loose waves back from his forehead. "We can start on that tomorrow, if you want."

"Oh." Remus nodded. The entire thing was solely in Charlie's hands. "Whatever you decide."

"You are extremely docile." Charlie said, suddenly.

"Pardon?"

"You. You're docile. I half expect you to start bowing...what sign are you, anyway?"

Remus was taken aback. The conversation had taken a sudden turn, and it caught him off guard. Docile? Well of course he was docile. It was easier that way. He didn't like drawing attention to himself...

"Libra. With Aquarius rising." He replied. Astronomy had been one of his best classes. "Er...you?"

"Sagittarius. Who-knows-what rising. Never did like astronomy...Care of Magical Creatures, now there was a class!" Charlie put his mug aside and leaned back in his chair, stretching his arms out over his head. "Kettleburn was a good teacher, too. And I bugged Hagrid for 'extra' help."

"You really are interested in magical creatures." Remus attempted to make conversation. In truth he was quite interested. He hadn't been able to sit down and have a pleasant conversation with another sentient being in a very long time.

"Obsessed. Pissed my mum off to no end. I had a chance to play for the Applebe Arrows, but I turned it down. Mum had cats! Screamed about it for weeks, from what I hear. I was out of the house by then, already off to New Zealand. That was interesting. I was pretty much on pest control down there. Oh, I didn't start out on dragons. Took me a couple of years to make it there. Got to see the world, though. Some of it I didn't want to...that's why I started this whole thing." He waved his hand, indicating the building. "Dragons need rights. They're not an endangered species yet, but they're going to be. They're hunted, and captured, and crossbred...and then they get dumped. And if they're too close to civilization, they're 'put down'. That's not what I call it..." Charlie shook his head angrily. He was obviously very passionate about it.

"We're getting along all right. We get donation s every now and again, and we're trying to infiltrate the ministry, get a couple of dragon sympathizers in there. There aren't too many of us, but we do okay."

"You seem quite passionate." Remus said, and saw Charlie cock a wide grin. "Er...about dragons, of course."

"Yeah. I am. I really am."

"Is there anything I can do to help? I've no job, and I'll do what I can..." He felt awful, imposing on Charlie.

"Not really..." Charlie paused, obviously thinking. "Oh! Unless you want to be my secretary. Not what I had pictured for a secretary, but that's okay. It just means I can't flirt with you and grab your ass when you're leaving." Another wide grin. "Or I could, but I doubt I'd get the same reaction."

"Oh...yes..." Remus felt himself flushing again. Was that some sort of a hint? Or simply teasing? It Remus wanted to be perfectly honest with himself, Charlie was a very attractive young man. His hair was amazing...the color of autumn leaves, and thick and full. He was tanned, but still freckled, and his brilliant blue eyes stood out all the more for it. His face was squarish, and he was broad of shoulder and chest. He looked as though he were quite muscular under those clothes...but Remus didn't have the time to devote to that sort of thing. "As long as you paid me well enough, I suppose I'd allow you to take a few liberties." Remus said, smiling shyly. Charlie threw back his head and laughed.

"Pay? What's that?" He winked, shoulders shaking. "Nah, we'll work something out. And I promise to keep my hands to myself..."

Remus had to smile. There was something very charismatic about Charlie Weasley. He was open and friendly, and full of fire. Much like his younger brother, it seemed. They must be family traits.

"Damn, I'm beat." Charlie said, stretching again. "Who'd have thought that sitting in an office all day would tire you out? How about you?"

"Actually, I'm inclined to agree. I didn't sleep very well last night..."

"Then it's to bed." Charlie rose, twisting his torso. "We open up around 9, so I generally get up around....9. No, just kidding. 8:30 or so. I've got an alert set, to get me up. I'd sleep in something awful if I didn't. Is that okay?"

"Not a problem. I'm used to waking up much earlier. Er...would it be possible to have a blanket?" Remus didn't mind sleeping without one, but it tended to get cold at night, and the apartment was a bit drafty.

"Uh....yeah. We've got about five." Charlie said. "Which side of the bed do you prefer? It doesn't matter to me."

Remus stared blankly at Charlie. "What side...of the bed?" He repeated stupidly. He couldn't quite wrap his mind around the words.

"Oh, don't worry!" Charlie said quickly. "I'm not gonna try anything, if that's what you're worried about. I mean, I don't even know if you're attracted to humans. Not that I care, if you were. But that doesn't mean I'd...there's really no way to fix that, is there?" Charlie shook his head, covering his eyes.

"It's quite all right." Remus said. "To answer your question, yes, I am attracted to humans. I've actually never met another werewolf. As to which side of the bed I prefer, it doesn't matter."

//I don't often get to sleep in a bed, Charlie. That in itself is a luxury.//

"All right then." Charlie rolled his shoulders, turning and pulling off his tunic. The movement startled Remus, who couldn't help but stare at the well defined musculature of the red head's back...//He really is rather muscular...// Remus tore his eyes away, flushing. //There's a bit of light hearted flirting, and you start acting like a giddy school girl. Get a hold of yourself, Remus.//

But Charlie continued undressing, stripping down to a pair of grey boxers. He really did have a very nice body, though there was a burn scar across his lower back, and another across his right thigh. Remus let his eyes trail over his figure, from the broad shoulders, down the lightly freckled back, the firm rump, and tight calves...//And you're going to be sleeping next to that. Wonderful. It's gets close to the full moon, you'll probably rape him in his sleep.//

"Oh...you don't mind do you?" Charlie asked, and Remus flushed. He had been caught staring.

"Oh no!" he said hurriedly.

"Okay. I just...I dunno. I got used to sleeping like this, and I just can't sleep dressed anymore. I usually sleep naked, but that's pretty rude." Charlie sat down on the edge of the bed, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Stiff?" Remus asked, tilting his head.

"Yeah...damn desk job. I hate it." Charlie scowled, adding a second hand to the back of his neck.

"I've studied a bit shiatsu and massage therapy...would you like me to...?" Remus waved a hand vaguely at Charlie's neck, and the other man nodded enthusiastically.

"Oh, would you? That'd be great..." Charlie immediately lay down on his stomach, pillowing his head on his hands.

"Oh...actually, it would work better if you were sitting up." Remus explained. Charlie grinned sheepishly and sat up, chuckling.

"Sorry 'bout that." He rested his arms on his knees, bending forward. Remus gathered up his robes, and climbed onto the bed behind Charlie. He was anxious for some form of physical contact, no matter what it was. Just for someone to allow him to touch them...suddenly, a painful memory came flooding back to him. Charlie's younger brother, Ron, had been injured. Remus had reached a hand out to him, and the boy had jerked away, despite the pain, and screamed for him to get away...

Shaking that from his mind, Remus placed his hands lightly on Charlie's shoulders. He just established the contact, letting his hands rest gently there. After a few moments, he slid his hand along Charlie's right arm, raising it slightly. He pressed his fingers firmly on the other man's wrist, his other hand running down Charlie's side to rest on his waist.

“Oh...h...tickles." Charlie said, squirming a little bit.

"I'm sorry..." Remus immediately moved his hand, and Charlie shook his head.

"It feels good." He said. Remus nodded, and replaced his hand. He then worked his hands across Charlie's back, keeping his hands soft and relaxed. He smoothed his palms over the warm flesh, stroking down the other side of the younger man's neck. One hand traveled to the front of a shoulder, to press his thumb into a hollow there. His other hand stroked across Charlie's shoulder blades, then down his spine languidly. He rotated his thumb, increasing the pressure. Charlie groaned, titling his head back. Remus smiled, and let his hand wander up to apply pressure to a point at the base of Charlie's neck. He pinched and kneaded, enjoying Charlie's soft sighs of appreciation. He ran his hands along Charlie's arms again, before returning them to his shoulders and lifting them off.

"Better?" Remus asked, not being able to stop thinking about the way Charlie's skin felt under his hands. There were few people who allowed him to touch them, and hardly any that allowed him to touch them that intimately.

"Oh yeah..." Charlie rolled his head, looking slyly at Remus out of the corner of his eye. "Yeah...so that was just an excuse to feel me up. Kidding!" Charlie exclaimed. Remus realized he must have flushed, or made some sort of indication of embarrassment. He swallowed and gave a soft smile.

"I'm not used to people letting me touch them." Remus explained.

"Well, feel free to touch me all you want." Charlie said, and there was no apology or follow-up. "I'm for bed." he stretched, sighing happily, and slid under the covers. "Put out the lights, when you come to bed."

"Oh I won't be long. I just need to...get undressed." Remus flushed. This was going to be awkward. He shed his robes, feeling odd in his loose fitting pants. Putting out the lights, he crawled into bed on the opposite side of Charlie, suddenly very aware of the overpowering scent of the other man. He spelled slightly spicy, and a bit like...cinnamon. It was a pleasant scent. And it wouldn't let Remus sleep. He was painfully aware that he was in a bed (a bed!) with another man who was highly attractive, and in whose hands he had put his life. All in all, it was a bizarre situation. Rolling over onto his side, Remus buried his face in his pillow and forced himself to relax. It was his first chance at a decent nights sleep, and he wasn't going to waste it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Beautiful Stranger