I Can Hear The Bells ( :P Remus)

[Jaimi Willow]

(Started here cause this is where we'll end up, we have just left the pub )

Jaimi took Remus' hand as she followed him out of the pub. She laughed at Sirius, knowing he was only joking, she may have only met him n the odd occasion, but being the only two kids in a room who didn't like their parents had meant they spent a lot of time together.

"Ah, don't worry about it, it's just the way he is, I'm used to it." she smiled across at him, hoping what Sirius said hadn't affected his mood. She regarded his as the walked out of the door, refelcting on the fact that she was glad he was taller than her, not by a lot, but that was good. "You don't have to carry all my shopping you know, I'm a big girl." she said jokingly as they walked down the street in the direction of Hogwarts.

[Remus Lupin]

Remus smiled at her, relieved that she was OK about what Sirius had said. "I'm sorry, I keep forgetting that you've known him a lot longer then I have." He squeezed her hand as they walked. "He still shocks me sometimes with the things he comes out with. I can never tell if he's joking or not half the time."

Remus shrugged a little at carrying her bags. "I know, but you wouldn't deprive me of my one chance to be chivalrous would you?" He grinned. Remus gazed at her occasionally as they walked towards Hogwarts. He found that he couldn't take his eyes off her. "You have a pretty smile. I like the way your eyes shine . It's like your whole face lights up." He said blushing a little.He cleared his throat nervously and continued. "Erm... So did you have a good time today?"

[Jaimi Willow]

She smiled, and squeezed his hand back. "There's a certain twinkle in his eye that he just can't hide. We know him in different ways, I'm a girl, naturally I see him differently then you do. I pick up on different things than you will." True she had known him longer, but Remus knew him better.

"Well thank you, I appreciate it." She said with a smile, out of the corner of her eye she could see him glancing at her, and she returned them. When he complimented her, she blushed and looked away. "Yes, I did. Thank you for inviting me, and carrying my bags."

[Remus Lupin]

He smiled boyishly at her. "Yes I suppose you're right. I never thought about it like that." His smile faded a little. "James and Sirius are the best friends anyone could have. I'm lucky to have them." His voice was soft and reflective, as he spoke.

He grinned at her. "I'm glad you came. I did think that you wouldn't turn up." He blushed, smiling a little. "I've never asked a girl out before." He gave her a sideways glance. "I don't suppose you'd like to come out with me on a proper date? Just you and me?" He'd stopped walking now and was looking at her hopefully.

[Jaimi Willow]

"They're the kind of people that are loyal to the point of stupidity. Sirius would do anything for you, he talked about you and James all the time the summer after second year, you were literally the only topic of conversation, after Quidditch of course. I'm glad I finally got to meet you." she said glacing across at him once again, and seeing that his smile had faded a little.

"I'd said I would come, I'm not one for breaking promises, not unless I have to." she smiled when he tentatively asked her out again, stopping as he did and turning to face him. "It would be nice not to have Sirius keeping his beady eyes on us all the time." she said with a laugh, she took his other hand. "I'd like that."

[Remus Lupin]

Remus nodded occasionally, as Jaimi spoke about Sirius and grinned as he knew for a fact Sirius would do anything for him. "Yes I know. He and the others have been trying to..." He stopped with what he was about to say. He'd almost told her about their secret. "To...bring me out of my shell a bit more." He said, hoping that his slip wasn't to obvious. "I'm glad I met you to." He said and smiled weakly and when she accepted his offer of a proper date, and held both his hands, he became silent.

He looked at her, then at their hands. He licked his lips and looked back at her again. "It is nice not having Sirius and James watching our every move." He said finally, and wondered whether this would be a good time to kiss her? He hesitated and moved his head forward a fraction, before stopping, uncertainty etched across his face. Maybe I ought to ask her first? He thought. Oh crikey! What do I do? He could almost hear the minutes ticking by at this point. He eventually got a grip of himself and did the polite thing. "Jaimi. Would you be offended if I kissed you?" He asked in a small voice.

[Jaimi Willow]

"Well, sometimes they won't always do what's best for you. If you feel you're far enough out of your shell then stay there." She grinned and looked down at their hands only looking up at him when he spoke. She smiled and had to concentrate not to laugh at the question. Instead of laughing she opted for a different tatic.

"Why don't you try it and find out." she said with a coy smile and twinkle in her eyes. She took a step closer to him, making it easier for him to close the distance between them.

[Remus Lupin]

Remus sighed, relieved she hadn't caught on to his slip up. "Thanks, I think I'm as far out of my shell as I'd like to be at the moment. He thought by her smile, he'd made a complete pig's ear of the situation, until she spoke, and moved a step closer. "Oh..." He said quietly, and gathering all his Gryffindor courage, he closed the distance between them, making sure that he didn't close his eyes until their lips met, so he didn't end up snogging her nose. That would have been embarrassing.

He kissed her softly wondering if this was as pleasant for her, as it was for him. After a few moments, he pulled back and gazed into her eyes. "Was that OK? Or are you going to hex me now, or something?" He asked, looking slightly uncertain again.

[Jaimi Willow]

Jaimi watched him closely as he realised what she was saying. He seemed to be gearing himself up to kiss her, and she waited patiently in the few moments it took. She was glad he was nervous, it made the small butterflies in her stomach seem so much less important. She closed her eyes as he leaned in and felt the soft warmth of his lips against hers.

It was a sweet kiss, what her grandmother would have describe as 'innocent'. Her eyes slid open as he pulled away and she smiled. "Of course I'm not going to hex you Remus. Are we going to stand here like idiots or are you actually going to walk me back to school?" She said with a laugh. He was so sweet and kind and it was adorable how he was so desperate not to do anything wrong.

[Remus Lupin]

He smiled at her and blushed as she reminded him, that they were still stood in the middle of the road that led back to Hogwarts. "Oh yes... sorry." He muttered, feeling quite giddy inside, after their first kiss. Remus had a smile on his face, as he led them back toward school, his heart felt light and he swung their hands as they walked along.

"I'm glad you didn't want to hex me." He said, still grinning. "So what would you like to do o our date?" He looked at her. He didn't really know what kind of thing she liked to do; other then study books in the library. "Is there somewhere you'd like to go?"

[Jaimi Willow]

Jaimi couldn't help but smile as she and Remus began the walk back to the school, swinging her arm along with his own. the butterflies in her stomach now at least seemed to be flying in formation rather than a disorganised rabble. "Remus I don't exactly go around hexing people for no reason. Although if it had been Sirius it might have been a different matter." she said with a laugh, unable to stop herself thinking of her first kiss with Atticus and how different and uncontrolled it had been. This was safer, her hand in his felt safer, more natural.

"I don't know, what do you do on a date at Hogwarts?" she thought for a moment about where she had been in the castle already, and realised that she hadn't explored much of it outside of the classrooms, the library, the courtyard and the lake. "I don't know, I havn't had a chance to explore the castle properly yet, maybe we could do that?" she said glancing across at him to see his reaction.

[Remus Lupin]

Remus looked at her with a sideways glance. A smile lighting up his eyes. "I know you don't. I was just nervous. You're the first girl I've ever kissed." He laughed lightly. "Apart from my mum, and she doesn't count." He held her hand in a soft, but firm grip. "I just didn't know what to expect I suppose." He couldn't help but giggle at her comment about Sirius. "Unfortunately, his reputation precedes him."

He listened as she spoke about exploring the school and an idea struck him. "That's a good date activity. I think we should try and locate some unexplored rooms and secret passageways." He said grinning at her. *I don't know if you've ever been up on the seventh floor? But there's a room there that's unplottable.The room of requirement. Would you like to see it?" He watched to see her reaction as they walked, now almost at the school gates.

[Jaimi Willow]

Jaimi shot him a sideways glance and smiled. "Well the first girl you ever kissed was impressed your respectful approach, and the kiss." she added, not wanting him to feel disheartened, because in all honesty she was. They didn't bash teeth or anything silly like that and it hadn't been all slobbery and disgusting, better then some of the French guys who had been interested in her.

Well Sirius needs to watch his reputation, or mothers will soon be clamouring to keep their innocent daughters away from him. Luckily it's not that well formed yet." she laughed. "Why are we talking about Sirius, he's big headed enough as it is!?"

"A guided tour of Hogwarts, all the places I haven't been and am unlikely to go to again. Who better to show me around than a Marauder?" she said slightly excited by the prospect of an unplottable room within the castle, her eyes showing this excitement as they shone with eagerness.

[Remus Lupin]

He blushed as she spoke about how she had enjoyed the kiss and smiles a little. "I am glad Jaimi. I really wanted to do the right thing, and I would never do anything intentional to disrespect you."

He laughed at her comments about Sirius and agreed that they should stop discussing him now. "Well, I'm not the most marauding, marauder, but I'll do my best to live up to the reputation." He chuckled. They approached the bridge now and he helped guide her over an uneven part of the pathway. "We could have a picnic by the lake sometime if you like?" He said, looking over at the view, as they crossed the bridge.

[Jaimi Willow]

(would like to point out that I'm struggling to pretend to be 14... )

Jaimi smiled at his comment. "I know you wouldn't, and I appreciate that." she really did, she was quite glad he was one of those boys, unlike Atticus. Why was she even thinking about him now, now was clearly not the time. Shut up Brain!

"I'm sure your level of maraudering is quite enough for me." she said with a laugh. The lake, the lae was where she'd kissed Atticus, where she'd lost control. "That's a lovely idea." she said as she looked out up the gorge at the side of the bridge, the water rushing along the bottom of it towards the lake. The height making her feel a little giddy, she held Remus' hand a little tighter.