"You didn't tell her…"

"No, but it'll get your mind off things."

"Somehow I doubt a double helping of cherry cobbler is going to make me feel any better about the fact that my girlfriend, who may or may not still actually be my girlfriend, isn't talking to me."

"Might help." George gave Fred a shove. "Can't hurt."

Fred stopped and turned toward his twin. "This isn't about me at all, is it?"

"What d'you mean?"

"Remus is going to be here." He watched George's face flush. "He is, isn't he?" He glared as George looked away. "I was in a perfectly miserable mood, wallowing at home and you dragged me here so you can get shagged!"

"I dragged you here because, if I didn't, you'd be Apparating to Hogsmeade and embarrassing yourself in front of the entire student body of Hogwarts, ruining the perfectly good legacy we left behind us by acting like a girl."

"I'm acting like a girl? You're the one who's poofing about trying to get into Lupin's pants. Or him into yours. I'm unclear on the dynamics. And," he glared as George opened his mouth, "I want to stay that way."

"See?" George gave him another shove. "You're already feeling better."

"Oh, yes. Loads. Knowing that you're going to get some just makes me forget all about the fact that my girlfriend is in Hogwarts, a zillion miles away, and I'm here with you, watching you make cow eyes at Lupin all sodding night long."

"Could be worse. You could be watching Hermione make cow eyes at Ron or som…" George stopped as Fred froze, his blue eyes flashing dangerously. "It's a joke, Fred."

"Right. Brilliantly funny, mate. I'm going home."

"You're not." George caught his arm. "You're not going home and you're not going to Hogwarts. You're going in that door over there, you're going to eat dinner, you're not going to let Mum in on the fact that you've royally fucked up everything with Hermione, and you're going to eat both our double helpings of cherry cobbler, because I'm an insensitive git."

"Four helpings, hmm?" Fred thought for a moment. "You're not bringing him back home with you, right? Don't think I need to be listening to that all night long. I'm depressed enough as it is."

"What makes you think we'll make noise?"

"Oh, stop!" Fred wrinkled his nose and clapped his hands over his ears. "I really don't need bloody details, you wanker. Jesus."

George face was solemn for a moment; his eyes still alight with mischief. "Be nice or I'll tell Mum what you've done to Hermione."

"She'd thank me for it," Fred reminded him. "Probably sent her running straight back into Ron's arms." He narrowed his eyes. "Besides, you've got a lot more dangerous behavior to hide than I do."

"Mum wouldn't hear a word beyond 'Fred and Hermione practically had sex on the road into Hogsmeade.'"

"I don't know, 'And George is fucking Lupin in the front yard' might catch her attention."

George held out his hand. "Truce?"

Fred looked at the proffered hand and finally shrugged. "Truce. For now."

"Oh! Boys! Thank goodness you're here." She shoved a tray into George's hand. "Take these into the living room and then come back and help me out a bit, won't you?"

"Mum…"

"Fred. In the kitchen. Now."

"I can explain…"

"I need you to explain the spell that's got the very nice turkey I bought for dinner doing some sort of can-can in the oven…"

"Oh."

"…and something tells me you're the one who might have some answers." She gave him a stern look and pointed to the kitchen. Fred walked past her, sticking his tongue out at George. "And just what is it you feel the need to explain?"

"Dancing turkey. That's all." He hurried into the kitchen, blushing at his brother's laughter.

George walked into the living room and stopped, the tray full of drinks suddenly making sense. There were at least fifteen wizards in the house, some of whom he knew. Charlie was there as well, his distant eyes focusing as he saw George, his casual wave showing off a new burn mark on his forearm, the skin raised, red and slightly bubbled. George set the tray down in the center of the room. "Drinks."

He wove over to Charlie who was watching the gathered crowd with his typical sardonic smile. "Hey, twin."

"I've got a perfectly serviceable name, you know."

"Yeah, but no matter which one I call you, you'll deny that it's you and mock me." Charlie shrugged, his powerful shoulders rising and falling. "So I take the easy route. You know how I am."

"Oh, yes. Always taking the easy way. We all know Dragons are such joys to work with." George handed him one of the drinks he'd brought over. "So, what're you doing here? I mean, I know Mum's a good cook and all that, but Rumania's a ways off to pop home for a meal."

"My presence was specifically requested by Mum." Charlie shrugged and took a drink. "Followed by some not so vague questions about what I think of Remus."

George nearly choked. "Remus? Lupin?"

"You know other Remuses running about, do you?" Charlie gave his brother a knowing look. "Seems Mum's decided to take up matchmaking now that he's seemed to accept Sirius is gone."

"And what's that got to do with you, exactly?"

"Maybe Mum thinks my extensive knowledge of dangerous creatures makes me a natural for him."

"But you're not…I mean, you're not…Are you?" George looked over at Remus, suddenly realizing that everyone in the room was male, save for Tonks, who looked just as out of place as he suddenly felt. "Oh my God. Everyone here's…"

"Like I said, Mum's busy playing matchmaker."

"You're not gay though, are you?"

"Afraid I'll take over your spot as the family poof?" Charlie shook his head and took another drink, muscles shifting under his skin, eyes around the room watching him discreetly. "Nah. I've just been known to…experiment a time or two."

"And Mum knows?"

"Well, she walked in on me and Duncan Wood once. In a…compromising position." Charlie shrugged. "She accepted that it was more of an experimental thing…"

"Was it?"

"Hell no. We'd just found a dragon's nest in a cave and nearly gotten burned alive when the mother dragon came back. We were so blasted on adrenaline; we're lucky we managed to Apparate back to somewhere private before…" he stopped, smiling at George's complete fascination. "You're sure you prefer women, little brother?"

"Yeah. I mean, mostly." He cleared his throat and forced himself to look away from his older brother. "Kingsley's gay?"

"Wizards tend to be more open minded when it comes to sexuality. It's not so much that everyone here's gay. More that everyone here would be willing to have sex with Remus, at Mum's insistence or otherwise."

"Fred's going to flip."

"Why?"

"Well, let's face it, there's only one woman here and if there's any one wizard in the entire world that's completely straight, it's my twin."

"Yeah?"

Charlie's raised eyebrow caught George's attention. "What? I know you don't know anything about Fred that I don't know."

"He's off with Lee an awful lot, isn't he?"

"Drinking. Not fucking."

Charlie shrugged. "You know him best. Besides, I have a feeling the lone female, our lovely mother excepted, might be here for Fred's benefit."

"Fred's got a girlfriend."

"Yeah. Ron's." Charlie shrugged. "Just guessing, mate. Don't actually know anything other than the fact that if I stand about talking to you for too much longer, Mum's going to grab me by the ear and drag me over to sit on Remus's lap."

"I'd actually pay a galleon or two to see that."

Charlie smiled deviously. "The Mum bit or the Remus bit? Because that I'd do for free."

"Leave Remus alone, why don't you? He doesn't…" George stopped at Charlie's grin. "Oh, sod the fuck off."

"Should I tell Mum to just send everyone home so you two can be alone?"

"Fuck off." George flipped Charlie off. "Go sit on Lupin's lap, you poof."

Charlie laughed and headed into the crowd, looking back at George as he crossed his arms defiantly over his chest. Remus glanced in their direction, his eyes meeting George's and his lips lifted in a smile, his eyes lingering on the curve of George's neck.

"Stop staring."

He turned to Fred and shoved him with his shoulder. "I wasn't. I was watching Charlie."

"I swear to you that should one of these people ask me out, I'm never speaking to you again."

"Prejudiced, Fred?"

"Oh, yes. Terribly so." He glanced over at Tonks. "What's she here for? Just in case Lupin suddenly gets hit by the full lamplight and turns into a heterosexual?"

"Oh no." George grinned sharply as he walked away from his twin, "I think she's here for you."

George sat in the chair in front of the fireplace, listening to the chatter going on behind him. He'd barely tasted his dinner, hadn't even laughed as the charmed turkey had broken into a quick foxtrot on everyone's plate. He had noticed, however, that Tonks's chicken had been especially acrobatic and had taken to dancing very emphatically on her robes.

"Sulking?"

"What?" He looked up, caught by the amber light of the fire, of Remus's eyes. "Oh."

"I just wondered if this was sulking. Because it's not terribly attractive."

"Really? I thought I looked quite dashing all firelit and pouty." George raised his eyebrows. "Of course, I'm surprised you even bothered to notice. Surrounded by your admiring hordes and all."

"Your mother is a menace."

"My mother thinks you need to get shagged by my older brother."

"You want to know what I think?"

"About you shagging my older brother?"

"About what your mother thinks."

"What?"

Remus leaned down, his breath as warm as the fire on George's skin, "I think that your mother doesn't know anything about what I want."

George's breath hitched. "And what is it? That you want?"

"I thought I'd already told you in rather explicit detail." Remus straightened and stretched, muscles tightening, clothes clinging to his skin. As he dropped his hands back down, he brushed the nape of George's neck. "Would you like me to tell you again?"

George didn't say anything for a long moment, his eyes locked on the fire, his entire body focused on the feel of Remus's fingers on his skin. "Sort of a turn around from the other day, isn't it? As I recall, you couldn't leave fast enough."

"And yet you're still here." Remus moved his hand, walking over to the chair opposite George and sinking down into it, his gaze mostly on the fire. "Or did your mother invite you?"

"Yeah, my mum's going to invite me to shag you."

"She invited Charlie."

"Charlie's not young enough to be your…" He shook his head. "I brought Fred because I knew Mum was making a big dinner tonight and he needed cheering up."

"And you knew I'd be here?"

"You know what?" George leaned forward in his chair, Remus doing the same as the redhead dropped his voice. "You fucked me and you left. That means you don't get to play this cute, coy game. You don't get to touch me, no matter how much I might want you to. You turn me into a gibbering mess, but I'm not going to let you turn me into an emotional one, so go fuck someone else, because I'm so not your lad."

He stood up and walked away, collaring Fred and leading him into the kitchen. "C'mon. I need somewhere quiet and without any sodding males."

"Uh, hate to tell you, twin, but I'm something of a male myself."

"You ever had a desire to get into another guy's pants?"

"No. Never."

"Then you qualify. Come on." The door swung shut behind them and George sighed. The lights were dimmed, the dishes done and, now that everyone was out of the house, all the random signs of six kids and chaos seemed to be gone. He slumped into a chair and dropped his head on the table. "Cor, I'm tired."

"Prancing about does that, I guess."

George gave Fred a dangerous look. "I've never pranced a day in my life."

"You guys looked like you were getting on by the fire, George." Fred's voice was soft, confused. "Why didn't you stay?"

"On Halloween, when you were in Hogsmeade?"

Fred groaned, "Can we not use that as a bloody reference point in my life?"

"He was at the shop. He came in and he…well, I think he pounced on me. Cats pounce. Do wolves?"

Sighing, Fred sank into a chair on the opposite side of the table. "You shagged him again."

"He shagged me. He…owned me, Fred." George shook his head. "I couldn't even protest, not that I wanted to. But I just…"

"Then why are you in here with me? You obviously really like him, George, and he has the hots for you, considering he keeps trying to shag you. And succeeding." He blew out a breath, attempting to disguise a sigh. "Just get on with it."

"He left afterwards. Just…ran off."

"Sounds like a guy."

"Sounds like someone who thinks he's made a monumental mistake."

"Sounds like someone who…" he broke off as the kitchen door opened. Tonks stood there, smiling shyly, obviously embarrassed. "Yeah?"

"Your mum's looking for you, Fred."

"Then why're you here, exactly?" He winced as George kicked him under the table. He kicked back, sneering as he scored a hit on his brother's shin. "Right. Sorry." He stood and headed toward the door, glancing back at his brother. "If it's what you want, George, then you're just going to have to decide if all the other stuff's worth it."

"Risk getting left in the middle of a street alone?"

Fred's eyes widened painfully but he nodded. "If it's worth it."

Remus held up a hand as George approached him, keeping him silent. He nodded to the hallway beyond them. "Listen," he whispered, reaching down to find George's hand and pull him closer.

"I can be anyone," Tonks's accent was thick with drink, her pale pink hair shining in the candlelight. "Anyone you want."

"Except you're not, are you?"

George caught his breath at Fred's voice. "What's…"

"Shh," Remus shook his head.

"I could be." There was an imperceptible change and her pink hair was gone, replaced by something wilder, familiar. "Anyone."

Remus shook his head and looked away, pulling George after him. They slipped into Percy's room and he closed the door behind them, leaning against it. "She's lonely. Even though they weren't close, she idolized Sirius. Thinks finding someone will make it easier."

"Is that what you're doing?"

"I never idolized him."

"But you loved him, right? Slept with him? Fucked him?"

"We're not discussing Sirius."

"Of course not. Why should we talk at all, right?" George unhooked his robe and let it fall to the ground, tugging his shirt free from his pants. "Let's just get to the shagging."

"That's not…"

"Of course, the full moon's past, so you might not want to, isn't that the case?" George met Remus's somewhat horrified glare. "Because I can't help noticing that both times you've deigned to fuck me, it's been the night before a full moon. I'm just wondering if there's not some sort of cause and effect going on there."

"Pure chance."

"And that's why you bolted the minute I mentioned the bite, of course. Because the thought of being so close to being the wolf and the thought of your teeth breaking my skin had nothing to do with the fact that I couldn't see the back of you fast enough?"

"We were talking about the fact that Tonks is trying to seduce your brother."

"No. We're talking about the fact that you can't seem to decide if you want to shag me more than once a month or not."

"Do you want it in writing?"

"No, you stupid git," George snapped. "I want it in flesh. I want you with me, inside me. Merlin, how can you be this stupid?"

"You're barely old enough…"

"Oh, sod it if you're going to rehash these arguments. It's beyond that, isn't it, Remus? It's beyond my age and your age and everything else, because I've had your cock inside me. I've made you come and you've tasted mine. So, decide. Either go downstairs and fancy one of those other wizards who are all age appropriate and properly acceptable or…"

"Or what?"

George sighed and sank down on the bed. "Or kiss me." He looked up and met Remus's amber eyes with his own deep blue ones. "Please kiss me."

Remus leaned down, his eyes full of conflicting emotion. Sinking to his knees, he knelt between George's legs, his hands framing the younger man's face. "Kissing you is the most dangerous thing I can do right now."

George tried to joke, failing miserably. "Because we're in Percy's room?"

"Because I want it too much."

George closed his eyes, nodding. "And you hate it, don't you?" He looked into Remus's amber eyes, his own blue ones bright with desire. "That you want it? That you want me?"

Remus nodded, his lips brushing over George's. "No."

George caught his breath and shivered, opening his mouth to Remus's questing tongue, letting it slide over his, seeking hidden depths as he threaded his hand around the back of George's neck and pulled him closer.

Moaning softly, George urged Remus upward, pulling him along with him as he stretched sideways over Percy's bed, his body warm and hard under Remus's, his cock pressing against Remus's thigh.

Remus shivered as he brushed hair away from George's face, breaking their kiss only to draw in a long breath and dive in once more, tasting hints of wine and chocolate and fire as their tongues tangled together.

George ran his hands along Remus's sides, stroking his shirt free of his jeans, sliding his hands warmly under the pale shirt, worn thin and soft against his skin. He let one hand snake upwards, his thumb brushing over Remus's taut nipple, the responding bite of desire sinking into George's lower lip.

"George," Remus murmured into his mouth, breath hot and sweet, bathing George's tongue as it reached out to find his, lick at his lips, rough with stubbled kisses. "George, we have to stop."

"No." George ran his thumb over Remus's nipple again, watching as the older man's body shook with the simple gesture. Raising his free hand, George unfastened the buttons of Remus's shirt in rapid succession, baring Remus's chest and abdomen. He held Remus's gaze and let both hands smooth over Remus's stomach, palms warm against the hair-roughened skin. "No."

"Please," Remus found George's mouth again, crushing it beneath his as he rocked his hips forward, his cock skimming along the length of George's thigh, digging into his hip as Remus sank down to his elbows, trapping George beneath him.

George shook his head, breaking the kiss and breathing heavily, hotly as he managed to shove Remus off of him. He followed him, rolled him onto his back, straddling Remus's thin hips easily, his thighs hard and tight from years of Quidditch, taut with need. "Please what?"

Remus thrust upward as George grabbed his hands and pinned them to the bed. His cock was pressed against the crotch of George's jeans, the thick bulge visible beneath the faded blue fabric, the heat of his arousal surrounding Remus. George's eyes were blue fires dancing above him as he smiled, the illusion of power giving the curve of his lips an impish, mischievous quality.

Remus shook off George's grip and grabbed his hips, holding him still as he thrust up, his cock pressed firmly against George's body for a few long, aching seconds. George bit his lower lip, his teeth sinking into the shadows of the marks Remus had made earlier. He moved his hands to Remus's bare chest, running his fingers through the light, sandy hair that covered the pale, scarred skin as Remus closed his eyes, fingers digging into George's hips, scraping against his jeans, body rocking upward, colliding and colluding in whispers of fabric and flesh.

George's breath escaped in harsh pants exhaled past clenched teeth as his fingers trembled on Remus's skin. He moved one hand, leaving the other to make its way from Remus's waistband to his nipple and back, long, teasing strokes that forced explosive gasps past Remus's iron control. His other hand pressed against his cock through his jeans, rubbing the hard flesh, every stroke sending him thrusting down to meet Remus's upward thrust.

Remus shuddered and slid his hands higher, curling under George's waistband and jerking him down hard against him, his own hips arching off the bed as he came, heat pulsing against George's skin. George tilted his head back, unleashing his low groan toward the ceiling, gasping and jerking back to the moment as Remus's hands moved, pushing his hand out of the way and pressing against George's cock.

"No, it's o…" George tried to catch Remus's hand, his wrist caught in the older man's deceptively loose grip. "Remus, you don't…"

Remus's nimble fingers unfastened George's jeans and pushed the denim out of the way, working under the warm cotton of his boxers to curl around George's cock. "I don't?" He asked softly, dangerously as he ran his thumb over the smooth head. "Are you sure?"

"I just…you…oh…oh." George shook his head, his whole body following suit as he came, the thick, hot liquid spilling over Remus's spread fingers. "Oh."

"Charlie?" George jerked away, nearly falling off Remus's lap and the bed as his mother's voice seemed to fill the room. "Have you seen George? Or Fred for that matter? I swear, those two get up to more trouble, disappearing the second I leave them alone."

"I haven't, Mum." Charlie's amused chuckle also sounding far too close. George scrambled onto his feet, glancing at the door to make sure it was closed.

"And Remus. Where has that man gotten off to? You don't suppose he took up with someone do you?" Molly's voice took on a hopeful tone.

"Possibly, Mum."

George blushed and watched hungrily, unable to help himself, as Remus stood. His jeans were damp and dark, his shirt unbuttoned and hanging loose, his body glowing in the candlelight with a faint sheen of sweat. "My mum's trying to set you up."

"Yes." Remus dug in the pocket of his robe and found his wand. A few spell words later, he and George were both clean, if not presentable.

"Er…" George nodded. "Right."

"She's failing miserable." Remus buttoned his shirt slowly, precisely, not looking at George.

"She is, is she?"

"And unnecessarily."

"Oh?" He tucked his own shirt in then pulled it free, letting it hang loosely over his still somewhat aroused cock. "Why's that? Exactly?"

Remus caught George's neck and tugged him closer, his breath feathering over George's parted lips. "Because I'm already involved."

"So, you're on cloud nine then?" Fred prodded a suspicious looking lump in the cabinet, eyeing it instead of his brother.

"Somewhere in that vicinity." George grinned and moved up beside Fred, hoisting himself up on the counter.

Fred nodded and sighed, giving up on the lump being anything resembling food. "I am happy for you, mate."

"I know." George tried to stifle his grin. "I'm sorry, Fred. I'm sure this is the last thing you want to deal with."

"Nonsense. I want you to be happy, George. Even if I am miserable." He reconsidered the lump and grabbed it, tossing it in the garbage after closer inspection. He gave his twin a casual wave. "I'm off to bed."

George nodded, waiting until Fred was at the top of the stairs to speak. "What about Tonks?"

Fred stopped and turned slowly, his lips pursed into a thin line. "What about her?"

"I saw you two together. On the stairs. I just…"

Fred face was flushed red with anger. "You just assumed something happened?"

"No. No, I didn't."

"I'm in love with Hermione, George." He bit out the words, every one enunciated with razor sharpness. "Not just her looks. And I'm not so desperate yet that I'd take advantage of someone so obviously hurt and upset as Tonks. But thanks for that vote of confidence, brother-mine."

"I didn't mean…"

"Yes. You did, George." Fred's blue eyes were pained. "It's exactly what you meant."

George closed his eyes, cursing under his breath before dropping off the counter and following his twin up the stairs. "Fred."

"Sod off."

"Fred."

He opened his bedroom door, his blue eyes hot. "Sod. Off. Because, to be honest, I'm having a bad enough week without my own twin casting me in this particularly charming role."

"I didn't mean anything by it, Fred, I swear." George reached out and caught the door, refusing to let Fred close it. "I know you love Hermione. I know you're hurting. I just thought maybe the temptation was too much."

"There was no temptation, George. Because no matter how she looked or sounded, she wasn't Hermione. And Hermione's the only one I want."