Selene || Remus Lupin

Ch. 98 - The Double-Agent

Selene's POV

Selene was furious. Actually, furious didn't begin to cover the feelings of anger and fear and worry that were seeping into her bones.

Remus was never late. Never once. He was, in fact, extremely punctual to everything, even things that did not require punctuality. Selene had always thought it was because he was so worried about others' perceptions of him, but it was clear that he cared nothing about what his wife thought of him any longer. He was too comfortable. Comfortable enough to be late and worry his poor, pregnant wife to death.

She'd kill him when he got home.

Because surely he had to come home to her.

Surely nothing had happened to her husband, Remus Lupin, while he was buying damn decaf coffee at her request!

She was about to swear off coffee entirely.

"Damn you, Remus Lupin," she said irritably, shifting uncomfortably in her seat in front of the window in the entryway and staring out of it with the intent to will her husband to appear in the front yard. "Damn you." She pressed a firm hand to her rounding abdomen, directing her words to the growing baby in her womb. "Your father is about to be in very big trouble."

If he ever came home.

Mustn't think like that, Selene, she thought. It's not a matter of 'if,' but 'when' he comes home.

Selene turned her face from the window with a huff and stood up from the window bench, rocking on the balls of her feet to gain her balance. She couldn't spend the entire evening – or night, since it had gotten so late – wasting away in front of the window. There was no chance that she'd be able to go to sleep, but she could perhaps spend her time a little more productively. She could read, or – or she could clean something –

Selene wrinkled her nose. She must be truly desperate for a distraction if one of her first instincts was to clean something. At least Molly would be proud.

At that very moment, the front door creaked open behind her, and Selene's hand shot into the pocket of Remus' old brown cardigan, reaching desperately for her wand.

"Selene, darling, it's me, I'm home," a soothing voice said from behind her, and within seconds, Selene had thrown herself blindly into her husband's arms, taking several shuddering breaths. "I'm so, so sorry I'm late, you must be very cross with me –"

She whacked his chest sharply. "I am cross, Remus Lupin! Where the hell were you? I've been worried sick!"

"I got held up," came his wary response, and he pulled back enough to grin sheepishly at her.

Selene looked up at him confusedly. "Held up? By what –?" Her gaze slid past his eyes and over his shoulder, where a familiar blonde-haired boy stood in the doorway, looking uncomfortable. She stiffened in Remus' grip, stepping backwards and staring at her nephew. "Dr-Draco?"

"Hello, Auntie," Draco said in a quiet voice. "I hear a congratulations is in order."

"What are you doing here, Draco?" Selene asked softly, as the boy shuffled his feet awkwardly, avoiding his aunt's stare.

"I had to speak with you," he said, his eyes trained firmly on the floor. "I – I had been waiting in town, hoping to catch sight of you... That's when I saw Lupin, and he agreed to take me here to see you." His eyes flickered upwards to hers before falling back down towards the floor. "I'm – I'm sorry to barge in like this, but – but –"

"Draco," Selene said suddenly, effectively cutting him off. "How on earth were you able to get away without anyone noticing? Don't you know how dangerous it was for you to come to us? If any of the other Death Eaters – your parents, even – find out you came to see us, it would be an act of betrayal! You could get yourself killed, or at the very least, be put under a great deal of suspicion!"