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#hes everything to me...hes everything to sirius too...his boyfriend better hope he can fight....
steelycunt · 1 year
Note
omg you’re WELCOME tumblr.com for the collab of Ridi x Siken I take gifts in the form of german cars or freshly baked pies just an fyi!!! Hmm okay can I pls have either 3 or 5! xx
HELLO BAB! FIRSTLY cant thank you enough for this ask game its wreaked absolute havoc on the dash xx SECONDLY sorry this is so late! i am the slowest of all time xx its kind of long though so there's that!! and THIRDLY: i went with five in the end!! some post-moon angst xx
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He’s been in there nearly three hours, now. Sirius has done the dishes, changed the sheets, sorted the cluster of plastic bottles and blister packs and jars of ointment on the bedside table into the precise order in which they’ll be needed. Dug out their Muswell Hillbillies record, since they were talking about it the other day. And Remus is still in the bathroom.
On the other side of the door, all quiet. Miserable bleed of the dripping faucet, but nothing else—no movement, no jostled water. They left the kitchen window open. A draft rocks through the flat.
“Remus?”
He thinks maybe he ought to knock. He doesn’t. The bathroom isn’t thick with heat, as he expected, and Remus doesn’t turn to face him: he’s hunched over in their narrow alcove bathtub, the hair at the nape of his neck slick and sweat-curled, his knees against his chest. The start of a bruise, splayed out over one of his shoulder blades.
“Hi. Hi, you.” Sirius wipes his hands on his jeans, kneels by the bathtub. Remus’ pyjamas, folded in a pile on the lid. “Everything alright? Can I do anything?”
Remus looks at him—or, rather, looks vaguely at his collarbone. He’s bitten his bottom lip bloody, and his eyes are red. Damp, like he’s been crying. When Sirius touches his face, it’s clammy, beneath a sheen of cold water.
“Sorry,” Remus mumbles, "I’m—yes, m’fine.” His voice is chafed, dusty; he digs the heels of his palms into his eyes, the dark thorns of his eyelashes. Rasp of raw skin up his forearm that’s yet to scab over. Pinkish tinge to the bathwater. “I’m sorry. Shit, god. Sorry.”
“Oi, no. None of that, Moons. What’s the matter?” Sirius swipes his fingers through the short, sticky hair at Remus’ temple, flicks away a tangle of dirt in it. So much of last night is still raked up against his body, gathered in the soft creases at his arms and thighs.
Leaves rotting on the forest floor. White moon, lodged there in the black like a bullet in an X-Ray, or a tooth through skin. The way the delicate bones at the wrist sound when they snap, like twigs: radius, ulna.
He deserves a gentler night than that. He always does.
“I’m not…m’sorry,” Remus shakes his head, a thinness to his voice that sours Sirius’ insides. “I just don’t—I don’t feel very good, and I wasn’t ready to get out, but I can’t—”
“What is it that’s playing up? Is it your hip again? I can—”
“No, I mean—” Then his shoulders jump, and something catches in his throat; some scraped-up, shuddering noise: “I don’t—feel good, Sirius,” he chokes out, blinking quickly. “I’m just so, so tired, all of the time, and—and it never fucking stops, it’s always so much. It’s so much, every month, and it doesn’t—doesn’t ever end, and sometimes I can’t do it, I can’t.”
Sirius watches the outline of Remus’ ribs, the way they heave. The divots between them that he has traced out so many times. In the corner of the bath, there’s the scummy soap dish that for whatever reason currently only offers a pack of fags: Cadets, white box and red stripe, which neither of them smoke. His jeans, wet at the knees from splashed water.
“I just—I want to feel okay,” Remus breathes, knuckles scratched beneath his eyes. “I don’t feel okay.”
Edging closer to the bathtub, Sirius tries to stamp his voice into something more solid: “Okay—okay, hey, look.” He presses the side of Remus’ head to his chest, kisses his hair and his burning cheek and the bump of bone at the top of his spine—sorry about all that broken skin, sorry there’s only loose change in my pockets, sorry I can’t hide you anywhere.
“Look,” he says after, “we’re alright. We’ll be alright again, you’ll see, Moony. My Moony.” His hand slips down to Remus’ neck; he knows exactly where to feel for his pulse, proof of the desperate kick of his heart. “I love you, and…and I’ll make you feel okay. I will, every single time. You don’t have to do a thing.”
He reaches past him for the washcloth, hanging limp over the faucet. “I’m sorry,” Remus repeats, with a cough. “I—I don’t know why, sometimes.” He pauses. “I’ve made your shirt wet.”
“No you haven't,” Sirius lies, just for the sake of it. “Fuck, though, you must be knackered. I’ll get a takeaway later. Indian, if you like.”
Remus nods. Sirius starts the hot water running again; Remus opens the packet of Cadets, takes five snaps of his fingers to light one. His hands are still jittery. He does this shy, sad smile, as if to say sorry, again.
“You have to know—you’re the very best thing I’ve got, Remus,” Sirius tells him, quietly, fingertips still against his pulse-point. Steady, darling bass beneath his skin. Ash in the water. “The very best thing, so. Sit forward, will you? I’ll wash your back.”
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Recovery
Pairing: Remus Lupin x F!OC (Hadley, featuring Poly!Wolfstar)
Warnings: Polyamory, mentions of physical pain and illness/fatigue
Word Count: 838
Summary: After a particularly rough full moon, Remus needs the two things that will help him heal most -- hot chocolate and snuggles from someone he loves.
A/N: Fluffcember Day 8, I hope you all like it!
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Sirius called Hadley; he had to leave on a mission for the Order and last night’s full moon was particularly rough on Remus, with it being the longest night of the year. Sirius had done the best he could to help his boyfriend’s recovery, but time was running short. He had to meet Kingsley Shacklebolt all the way across London in forty minutes. So he called in backup.
She arrived shortly after Sirius left and let herself into the flat. “Remy?” she called, only receiving a groan from the bedroom in response. She set to work right away, emptying her bag onto the kitchen counter before finding a pot and pouring in the milk she brought. Lighting the stove with her wand, Hadley made her way toward the bedroom.
It was dark, the only light creeping in from around the blackout curtain on the window on the opposite wall. The room smelled of wet dogs due to its two inhabitants and their activities last night, romping through the freshly fallen snow. On the bed, a large pile of blankets and sodden clothing moved as Remus shuffled around to look at her.
He breathed out her name, as if her presence alone was sweet relief. A pale, lanky forearm stretched out from under the pile and she cradled it in her own. She traced over the lines on his palm, down each one of his fingers and planted kisses at the tips of each one.
“How are you, love?” she asked, crouching down to his eye level and holding his hand against her chest.
“Fucking wretched,” he grunted, voice muffled slightly from the blanket draped over half his face.
“Any new cuts? Bruises?”
“Naw, Sirius patched me up ‘fore he left.”
She nodded and placed a gentle kiss on the back of his hand over one of his scars. “I’ll be right back.”
The milk on the stove was at the perfect temperature when she made her way back to the kitchen. She fixed up two mugs of hot chocolate and made sure they were well mixed, then cast a warming charm over them. Making her way back to the bedroom, she put one mug on Remus’s nightstand and the other on Sirius’s before she crawled into the other side of the bed, scooting as close to Remus as she could get. 
When he felt her weight dipping the other side of the mattress he flipped over, the blanket mound nearly toppling onto her. Hadley shuffled under it, seeking the feel of his skin. He sought her out as well and they met in the middle, his arms winding around her shoulders and hers around his waist, keeping her touch as gentle as possible. He was sensitive after a transformation but also needed to know that he was cared for, that he was loved. A physical reminder of those things helped speed his healing, hence the cuddling.
“Will Sirius be gone for Christmas?” she asked quietly. His eyes were closed tight, fighting against the pain that had dulled from a ferocious roar to a low growl with her presence. Still it radiated through his bones and muscles, the familiar, detestable ache of lycanthropy.
“He said he should be back by then,” he answered, “but who knows these days.” 
“Shh,” she soothed, “Don’t talk like that. We both know he will do everything he can to get back to you…back to us.”
The last few months she had spent more nights at their flat than her own, often ending with the three of them tangled together on the very bed she and Remus lay on now. The three of them hadn’t talked about it in depth, but they were all three in love. They had been since their last year at Hogwarts, after a drunken experiment in the Room of Requirement. 
“I know…I just worry.”
“There’s hot chocolate on the nightstand. It’ll make you feel better.” She was moving to reach it before she finished her sentence, knowing he was too weak and tired to reach for it himself. Slowly, she helped him sip from the mug. The creases between his brow eased at the taste, his body relaxing slightly.
“Mmm, perfect as ever,” he praised, raising his hand to stroke her cheek. She leaned into the touch but put the hot chocolate back and snuggled back down into the blankets with him. Leaning back, she encouraged him to rest his head on her chest while she wrapped an arm around his shoulders. His arm draped over his stomach and his legs entwined with hers. With a comforted sigh, he closed his eyes while she stroked his messy hair in order to lull him to sleep.
When Sirius came back later that day — the mission hadn’t taken nearly as long as originally thought — he found the two loves of his life cuddled on their bed. His heart swelled with love and he thought about joining them, but instead decided to clean up the cold mugs of cocoa and start dinner.
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emeralddoeadeer · 1 year
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I've been thinking of Everlong a lot lately and so I'm set for a reread.
I'm curious though, is Emmeline aware of how deep James' feelings are for Lily? She clearly doesn't like her since the beginning, but I felt it was more of her thinking Lily wanted to be near James than James actually wanting to be near Lily. Sorry, it's been a while and I may not remember correctly! But, if you have a chance maybe to share some Emmeline pov. We don't like her, but I wonder if maybe James behaved to be obvious from her pov of when they were alone. 🤷🏻‍♀️
Hello Anon,
thank you for your message, apologies it has taken a bit of time to reply i didn't find getting into Emmeline's headspace came naturally.
She wasn't aware of much. Such was the personality I gave her she was focused on herself not on the others so much...
I have actually worked on 3 different versions of this and they all came out with one clear message, she's boring. I made her that way, I didn't flesh her out, I wanted it but it was hard to get into her.
I hope this helps. sorry it's a bit crap💞
Waking up to the sound of the front door clicking closed Emmeline groans, the simple action of turning her head on the pillow waking a herd of elephants inside her skull.
When she stumbles through to the living room, she’s met with the sight of Marianne sprawled over the cream sofa, still wearing last night’s clothes, “I thought you were staying at James’, is he here? How was the party?”
Curling into the vacant space beside her best friend, she winces, fragments of the night before coming back to her as the hangover fog clears ever so slowly.
“Too many free drinks, he was a mess, I feel horrendous, where—”
Rachel appears from her bedroom, bright eyed and well rested, amusement coating her question, “Good nights?”
As Marianne regales them with tales of her night, Emmeline sips from the glass of water presented to her, closing her eyes to ward off the dizziness that comes with sitting upright.
With a cleansing wipe to her face, the grime of last night’s make-up is not all that comes away, recalling the utter mortification she felt watching her boyfriend emptying his stomach on the street.
What had possessed him to chase after Sirius, the animosity between them had been building all night — longer, she knows — but he’d seem resigned to let it go, insistent on sharing the taxi as if everything were fine.
Barely a glance her way when he stumbled away from the building, the cabbie had been quick to offer an ultimatum, get out and join them or leave without.
Chat between Emmeline and James 10.02am
Emmeline – What happened last night? You were an awful state.
Chat between Emmeline and James 10.23am
Emmeline – Two missed calls and not responding to my messages, don’t you think you should explain yourself?
Chat between Emmeline and James 10.57am
Emmeline – call me back please, are you ok?
James has been brooding for the past week or so, since they got back from Austria, she assumed this was an adrenaline crash, post competition come down… Last night he was on the charm offensive, bright smiles as they danced and mingled with the other sportspeople.
It frustrates her, how he doesn’t see it. It’s when he’s around those friends, they should be celebrating him, adoring him, and while they showed up, they don’t get him.
Chat between James and Emmeline 12.18pm
James P – I’m sorry.
Emmeline – that’s it?
James P – I’m in Surrey at mum and dads, can we talk later?
Emmeline – what time will you be back?
James – I don’t know, I think I’d feel better staying here tonight.
phone call -
Emmeline -
Are you serious?
J -
Emme, I’m so sorry.
E -
You said that much already…
J –
I drank too much, maybe because I had a few on Friday as well… It was a mistake.
E –
Did you fight with Sirius?
J –
Today?
E –
NO! Last night, he’s been off with you all week, and then… you stormed after him, I heard shouting before your public indecency.
J –
It was hardly indecency, and it’s not like I planned it.
E –
You’re a public figure, it’s embarrassing and you better hope there weren’t witnesses filming!
J –
That’s really not—
E –
Whatever. So, you fought with your friend and made me look like an idiot and I ended the night alone and now you’re hiding from him and not coming back to the city? Did you hit him?
J –
JESUS, no! I would never— I— It had nothing to do with Sirius— well, it did, sort of— not really… Look, I— I’m having a bad day. Please can we talk about this later, preferably in person?
E –
I’m not a total monster, you sound terrible and I’m guessing you have a horrendous hangover.
J –
My head is killing me.
E –
Fine. You can make it up to me tomorrow. Get some rest.
J –
Thanks, Emme, bye
The door bangs closed behind her on her return to the lounge, Marianne raising a brow in question presses pause on the television, “Why are your panties still twisted?”
Emmeline leans on the arm of the sofa, arms folded in front of her as she her attention centred on the frozen scene on the screen. “I had expected more from this day than a hungover boyfriend and Married At First Sight, there’s only a few weeks until uni starts back up and — ugh, I’m just annoyed.”
Looking instantly revived Marianne swings her feet to the ground, “I’ll rally the troops, Barry and Timothy are always up for a Sunday pub lunch, and I for one could murder a roast.”
For the rest of the day Emmeline puts last night and the unsatisfying conversation with James out of her mind, focussing on retelling only highlights of the glamourous event when questioned.
She avoids reaching out for the rest of the day, hoping he’ll parse that she’s still unhappy and expecting him to make efforts to connect. However, when she wakes the next morning, the only message she has is from Rachel confirming that she’s up for a yoga class today.
Was he truly so hungover that he just passed out for the day? He sounded tired on the phone, weary, he hadn’t even explained why he had ended up at his parents, or really explained anything at all.
Emmeline had expected humility, an apology, maybe a brief tale of why he’d bolted after his friend… But he said it wasn’t really to do with him, perhaps he fought with his parents and sought advice from Sirius, that would explain why he went to them yesterday.
Chat between James and Emmeline 6.29pm
James P – hey, back in the city. Need to rehearse with the guys tonight. Are you free tomorrow?
Emmeline – typing…
Annoyance simmers below the surface throughout the day, and when she finally does hear from him, he is perfectly casual about it. With determination that two can play that game, Emmeline lays her phone to the side and cracks open the book on her bedside table — Carolyn Steedman’s ‘Dust’ — getting lost in the engaging book about modern historiography.
Making the most of her free weekdays before the university starts back up for the year, Emmeline spends Wednesday at the stable’s, riding Minister is her favourite pastime. The day passes under blue sky and all tension leaving her shoulders, all concerns trampled under hooves.
Marianne is out for the night and Rachel is sits to her left on their large cream sofa, painting her nails a pretty periwinkle blue, the television playing an old episode of Friends.
“Oh wow, do you think we could do that?” Emmeline holds her phone to her friend, displaying the image of three girls in a complex yoga pose.
Impressed to the point that she’s about to comment until she sees part two of the post. James and his friends, in the same position, though not quite as skilled as the girls.
The sight of him wakes her up, they need to talk and clear the air, and he needs to show her he’s willing to work for it a little.
Chat between Emmeline and James 7.33pm
Emmeline – if you’re finished having a laugh with your mates and their gf’s maybe we could talk?
James P – I’d like that, do you want me to come over, or you could come here?
Emmeline – How about you take me to Salazars? Dinner is surely the least you can do
James P – Sure, I’ll try to get a table – 8.30 ok?
Emmeline – I’ll meet you there
When they arrive back at James’ home after the meal, the last thing she wants to do is sit in a room with his friends. They all knew, they must think she’s so stupid for not realising before that there was more to the history of this group. She wouldn’t have guessed it though.
Emmeline can hardly recall an interaction between the two, James and Lily when in the same room hadn’t seemed to like each other much, and so she had assumed that ginger girl was closer to his flatmates.
James wouldn’t go into details about the fight, insisting it wasn’t relevant and that really it was mostly his friends — and her — keeping something from him and that it was resolved now.
Contrite and eager to make amends, he made promises to be better.
When Friday comes around, James lives up to this promise.
Emmeline can’t help but admire the attractive trio as they enter the bar and make their way over to section off party area. James has to duck to pass under the balloon arch, sending her a dazzling smile, as a laugh slips from his lips.
Marlene and Sirius, also in attendance offer birthday wishes to Marianne, passing a bottle shaped gift bag — never a bad choice.
Though James has met a few of her friends, his impressive performance in Austria and word of his Men’s Health interview brings a chatter of excitement.
Vicky squeezes her arm as they lean on the bar, waiting for refills, “You are so lucky, god— are there more of them, these hot men— and are they single?”
Laughter dances in the air, filling all the small cracks that had appeared since last week’s debacle.
That is, until Emmeline steps into the kitchen on their return to Eaton Terrace.
A gathering on the terrace, laughter spliced through the music playing on the speakers. And there, at the counter, moving around as if the space is her own, is Lily.
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katcoquette · 2 years
Text
harry potter masterlist
golden trio + tom right after the break, marauders at the bottom!
☻Smutty, 18+  |  ⁕ Series |  » Requested
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━━ Tom Riddle ━━
★ Valentine’s Day (☻)
★ Periods Suck (») tom riddle reacting to bad period cramps.
━━ Theo Nott ━━
★ Valentine’s Day
━━ Blaise Zabini ━━
★ Valentine’s Day
★ And I Like Her (»)
━━ Cedric Diggory ━━
★ First Impression Cedric tells you about the first time he saw you.
★ Valentine’s Day (☻)
★ My Champion (⁕) Your best friend is chosen to compete in the Triwizard Tournament and you can’t help but worry about the dangers of it all, causing you to confess your feelings and hope he survives long enough to explore the new relationship. 
Part One 
Sad Ending  |  Happy Ending
━━ Draco Malfoy ━━
★ Forever (») When Draco betrays you and your friends, your relationship ends. after the war, you show him the wonders of the muggle world, and attempt to find your way back to each other.
★ Defending Him (») You stand up for your boyfriend after returning to Hogwarts after the war
★ Open Invitation (☻) You challenge Draco to claim you after making him jealous over your friendship with the Golden Trio 
★ Confessions Draco doesn’t know if he wants to yell at you or kiss you.
★ I Want to Ruin our Friendship (☻) You’re best friends with Draco until things start to change in the weeks leading up to a party at Malfoy Manor where your friendship is ruined for the better. 
★ The Best of Friends (») You and Draco have feelings for each other but don’t admit them until a fight leaves one of you unconscious.
★ Protect Me From What? (») Draco breaks your heart in an attempt to protect you from his life as a Death Eater, but once he realizes that’s worse for both of you he decides to tell you everything.
★ Healers (») a night out after a shift at St. Mungo’s ends in a life-threatening injury, forcing Draco to operate on one of the most important people in his life.
★ No More Games (☻) You tease Draco at a party by dancing with his best friend.
★ Nightmares (») You have a terrible nightmare and know that only one person can comfort you, your boyfriend, Draco Malfoy.
★ Back From the Dead (») Draco is convinced that you were killed in the battle for Hogwarts. 
★ Stressed Draco helps you destress after a disappointing day.
★ Jealous (») Draco gets jealous at the attention you receive at lunch. Inspired by Jealous by Nick Jonas.
★ “Rewrite the Stars” (») Draco confesses his feelings too late, after spending weeks convincing you your relationship would never work out. Inspired by Rewrite the Stars by Zac Efron and Zendaya.
★ Your Health is My Priority (») Draco takes care of you after a party that left you feeling sick.
★ Please Don’t Leave Me (») Your last moments are spent in Draco’s arms, but he’ll remember you for the rest of his life.
★ All My Love (») A private moment with Draco one morning in Malfoy Manor. Inspired by You’ve Got The Love by Florence + The Machine.
★ Let Me Take Care of You (☻») Dirty words whispered at dinner with your friends causes you and Draco to leave early. Inspired by Ride by SoMo.
★ Valentine’s Day (☻)
★ Don’t Let Go A snapshot of your relationship with Draco.
★ My Hufflepuff (⁕) You transfer to Hogwarts and reunite with the boy you fell in love with over the summer, but now you hardly recognize him. 
Part One  |  Visuals
Part Two  
━━ George Weasley ━━
★ Cheeky Tattoos (☻») You reunite with your boyfriend and he discovers you’ve added to your collection of body art since last seeing him. 
★ Valentine’s Day
━━ Fred Weasley ━━
★ Valentine’s Day
━━ Ron Weasley ━━
★ Valentine’s Day
━━ Ginny Weasley ━━
★ Valentine’s Day
━━ Pansy Parkinson ━━
★ Valentine’s Day (☻)
━━ Hermione Granger ━━
★ Valentine’s Day
━━ Luna Lovegood ━━
★ Valentine’s Day
━━ Cho Chang ━━
★ Valentine’s Day
━━ Harry Potter ━━
★ Valentine’s Day
━━ Neville Longbottom ━━
★ Valentine’s Day
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━━ James Potter ━━
★ Valentine’s Day
★ Don't Have To Be Sorry
━━ Remus Lupin ━━
★ Valentine’s Day
━━ Sirius Black ━━
★ Valentine’s Day
★ Just Thinking About You
━━ Regulus Black ━━
★ Valentine’s Day (☻)
★ Grapejuice
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messers-moony · 3 years
Text
Tomorrow | S.B
Paring: Sirius Black X Wife!Reader
Summary: James is nervous to marry Lily so he asks his best friend how he managed to marry his wife.
A/N: I know that this is vote number one instead of number two (which won) however, I decided to scrap what I had for number two because it wasn’t good. This is better and I’ll continue to rewrite number two until it’s to my standards. I hope you understand.
His hands were sweaty. He was nervously pulling his hair which received multiple slaps from his best friend for ruining his hair. James stepped foot in the full-length mirror readjusting his bow tie while Sirius stood behind him, chuckling at his nervous best friend.
James sighed, “How’d you do it, Pads?”
“Mm?”
“How did you marry Y/n?”
Sirius chuckled, “Have you turned daft?”
James tilted his head in confusion, “You were my best man! You were there the entire time.” Sirius replied playfully.
“No, no, I mean, how did you really do it? Like step on the altar and marry her?”
“I just did?” Sirius answered, and James gave him a look, “Bullshit.”
“Okay, fine! Fine!” Sirius relented, “I was practically shitting myself. Y/n means a lot to me, ya’ know?”
James was silent, letting his best friend rant about his wife, “Y/n means everything to me. She’s been with me through thick and thin. There’s nothing more I wanted than to marry her even if it was in the midst of this war.”
“You’ve been chasing Lily for years, mate. I can promise you that she wouldn’t have said yes if she didn’t really want to.” Sirius assured.
“You’re sure?” James inquired insecurely, “I’m one hundred percent sure.”
A knock resonated on the door with a soft voice on the other side, “It’s just me!”
The female voice on the other side of the door walked in, styled h/c hair and makeup placed upon her face. She was greeted with Sirius, and a hug pulled tightly into his chest. She saw James looking at them nervously, and she let go of Sirius to hug James tightly.
“You’re going to be okay? I promise.” She stated, pulling apart to look at his hazel eyes, “Lily loves you. Godric, she loves you more than anything!”
“Thanks, Y/n.” James smiled softly, and Y/n pulled her lips to his ear to whisper, “Lily’s liked you since second year.”
James and Y/n laughed as they pulled apart, “But that stays between us!”
“Oi!” Sirius interjected playfully, “Taking my wife, are you?”
“Never.” James replied smiling, all nerves having left, “Thank you both for being here. Seriously it means a lot to me.”
They smiled, “Anytime.”
Someone cracked open the door and spoke, “We need the maid of honor and the best man so we can start.”
“Suppose that’ll be us?” Sirius questioned teasingly, “I think so.” Y/n smiled.
Y/n kissed James’ cheek, “You’ll do fine, and we’ll see you soon.”
“Of course, Mrs.Black.”
Sirius wrapped his arm around Y/n as they walked out to the aisle and altar. Sirius took his spot on the right and Y/n on the left. Smiling at each other from the side, remembering what it was like only a few months ago when they got married. When Lily was in the maid of honor spot and James was in the best man spot. Now roles were reversed.
James stepped out, gaining a reassuring smile from them both. Lily following not too far after with her father. James and Lily looked like lovesick puppies. It was adorable. Vows were exchanged, and tears were shed, especially from James and Lily. On the alter, someone took pictures of the four of them together. Sirius told an absurd joke making them all laugh. A picture was taken at the exact moment.
It was nice. Y/n and Sirius sat at a table together. His arm was around her shoulders as they watched their best friends dance together and laugh together. Sirius took the clips out of his wife’s hair and scratched her scalp, causing her to move into his hand. Multiple hours of clips in Y/n’s hair gave her headache, and Sirius was relieving it.
“Feel nice, love?”
“Yes, these bloody clips. Make sure you save them. I’m going to throw them at Lily later.” Y/n stated, and Sirius chuckled, “Mhm, okay.”
Hours later, James and Lily began to act like fools. Y/n picked up one of the clips from the table, aiming precisely with some help from Sirius - a former Quidditch Beater - and threw it at her. At first, she didn’t notice, but after the third one, she did. The smile on her face was unmistakable.
Lily picked up the three clips and turned toward her maid of honor with her hair down completely. Another one was thrown at her, and Lily laughed loudly. Then one was thrown at Y/n and Sirius. Fortunately, Lily threw it and missed Y/n completely, instead hitting Sirius right in the face. James, Lily, and Y/n were laughing like the only people in the building.
“Oi!” Sirius yelled, “Control your wife, Prongs!”
Y/n stood up, reaching a hand out for Sirius, “C’mon Siri. Let’s go join them.”
Sirius smirked and took her hand, joining their best friend dancing together, jumping around like fifth-year Gryffindors in the common room. They looked like complete idiots, but that didn’t matter. Lily and Y/n holding hands, twirling each other around, laughing together. James and Sirius began to throw the clips at each other. Remus and Peter were on the side watching the idiots.
Lily and Y/n traded. Y/n danced with James, and Lily danced with Sirius. The girls could remember back in sixth year complaining about their boyfriends in the girl's dorms but always remembering that they love their idiots. When the night was over, just the four of them at Godrics Hollow, they just laughed the night away.
“So, Mrs.Potter, how’s it feel?” Y/n teased, “Surprisingly, it feels great.” Lily replied.
“How about you, Mrs.Black?”
“Being married to Sirius is a dream.” Y/n joked, “No, no, but in all seriousness, he’s delightful, sweeter than I imagined.”
Lily’s eyebrows quirked, “What’s he like?”
“Perfect?” Y/n replied, “Does laundry, cooks, cleans, makes my coffee every morning before order stuff?”
“Mother of Merlin! I never would’ve expected-“ Lily exclaimed, “I know! It’s crazy!” Y/n interrupted.
“We got lucky, didn’t we?”
“Indeed we did, sister.”
They clinked their glasses of firewhiskey together. Both girls finally married, finally together. Lily and Y/n hit the motherload with their husbands. Both were gentlemen and chivalry experts. Both girls fell asleep together on the couch, leaving both boys to bring them to bed. Sirius and Y/n in the guest bedroom. James and Lily in their bedroom.
The following morning the four of them woke up. Lily and Y/n were making breakfast while the two men tried to help despite having no knowledge of cooking. Two hours later, breakfast was made and being eaten at the dinner table. Clinks of forks and sounds of chewing were the only sounds coming from the table.
Until Sirius spoke up, “So, how was yesterday, newlyweds?”
“Perfect.” James answered, Sirius then turned to Lily, “Despite everything going on, I think we really needed it.”
Y/n nodded, “Completely agree. It was nice to let loose for a couple of hours.”
The conversation then went quiet, “I don’t know what I’d do without you guys.” Said James solemnly.
“Yesterday was great, but what we don’t know is the future, and I know that right now it’s a dark time. It’s probably one of the lowest points I’ve been in my life. My parents being terribly sick, the Dark Lord on the rise supposedly. Everything seems to be going in a downhill spiral.”
“But for the first time in months, yesterday I felt like a first-year at Hogwarts performing my first prank. I felt like that second-year who blew up Y/n’s cauldron for fun. The third-year who decided it’d be a brilliant idea to dye Sirius’ hair pink.” James stated as everyone laughed, “Let’s just say I didn’t have hair for a week.” He murmured.
“Fourth year when I stole Remus’ book, and he nearly killed me. Fifth-year, when I turned into an animagus for Moony. Sixth year when Lily finally decided to give me a chance. Seventh year when we blew up fireworks in the Great Hall for the graduating class of 1978.”
“Not knowing what tomorrow brings leaves us anxious and nervous. But there’s one thing I’m sure of.” James informed, “That if anything ever happens to me, just know, that every second we’ve spent together, every memory we have together, I hold them close to my heart. They all mean something to me. Even if it’s as simple as sitting in the common room together.”
“James-“
“I’m not finished.” He interrupted, “This is a scary time, but I’ve always been certain of one thing, that thing is you guys. You guys have always been constants in my life. Always been there for me through thick and thin. Sirius being my brother, Lily being my wife, and Y/n being the little sister I never got and my shoulder to cry on.”
Y/n chuckled, “Hey!”
“I still love you.” James replied teasingly through his tears, and she smiled, “I know, Prongs.”
“I’ll eventually have to repeat the same speech to Moony and Wormtail, but for right now, I haven’t felt happier. I wanted to say all of this at the wedding, but Lily didn’t want to dampen anyone’s mood, which I understand. Yesterday was a breath of fresh air for what’s to come.”
“But tomorrow, we will all go back to our Order missions and meetings. One thing I can be sure of is that I can always trust you guys, through and through. If for some reason something happens to me, just know I love you guys.”
“We love you too, James.” Lily replied.
Sirius sniffled and smiled through his teary eyes, “Nothing will happen to you guys. Not with me here. You guys have given me too much to let you guys go without a fight.”
“And that’s why we love you, Padfoot.” James stated, smiling at him.
“Everything will be okay. We’ll get through this.” Y/n said with hopeful optimism that would always brighten her friend's days.
869 notes · View notes
fruitcoops · 3 years
Note
You write Moody so well! I would love to see something where Moody and Remus talk for the first time after Coops was outed. Whether it happens after the meeting Coops had with Arthur and Alice or after the all star break. I feel like they have such a good relationship!
Thanks! This was partially inspired by watching The Karate Kid (1984) last night, so I hope y'all are ready for some mentor hurt/ comfort this fine Sunday! SW credit goes to @lumosinlove
TW for mentioned forced outing
Remus was almost done. He only had a few more drawers to clean out. The whiteboards were as squeaky and shiny as the day he arrived; the desk had a few more dents and coffee stains decorating the surface, but overall it looked decent. He still couldn’t bring himself to take the pictures off, though. It was his life. His friends. He just couldn’t do it.
The sleeve of his ancient Wisconsin hoodie was still damp when he smudged it under his runny nose. No tears had fallen, but he could feel the maelstrom gathering in his throat. Everything he had worked for, gone because of one stupid mistake.
Not Sirius, of course. Sirius would never be a mistake. It was Remus’ fault they had been caught in the first place.
He stared around his office in misery—no official notice of his layoff had arrived, but he knew it would come, and it was always better to be prepared. Maybe it would hurt less if he did it himself, one final ‘fuck you’ to the homophobes before he trooped off with his tail between his legs.
The tiles were cold through the seat of his comfiest jeans. He tucked his knees closer to his chest.
A quiet knock at the door interrupted the suffocating silence. He didn’t answer.
“Kid?”
Remus’ lower lip wobbled and he croaked out a ‘come in’ with as much strength as he could muster; it wasn’t much. The door opened with a creak—he had never gotten around to having it fixed, after all—and uneven footsteps shuffled in, followed by a sigh as his visitor settled next to him on the floor.
“You have a chair, you know.”
“I know,” he whispered.
“Not all of us have young knees. Doesn’t your ass hurt?”
Remus nodded.
Moody huffed through his nose and hoisted him up by the arm. “Well Christ, kid, up you come. You’re awfully dense for a beanpole. What, you got concrete for bones or something?”
“No,” Remus mumbled as he followed Moody across the hall and allowed himself to be plonked down in the soft chair by the door. It was his favorite of both their offices; as far as he knew, Moody never let anyone else sit there. His chest seized as a sob tried to fight its way out. “I’m sorry.”
Moody shot him a look at he got comfortable in the adjacent seat. “For what?”
“I dunno.”
“I don’t like useless apologies, Lupin.”
Remus sniffled. “I should’ve told you.”
“Says who?” Moody snorted. “Your business is your business. You’re a bright young man, none of this is your f—oh. Okay, Lupin, easy does it.”
“I’m sorry,” Remus blubbered as the tears finally started to fall. “I’m sorry, I know you don’t like crying, but I’m kind of a wreck right now.”
Moody made a few soft shushing noises, inching closer until he could wrap an arm around Remus’ shoulders and pat his arm like he was trying to soothe a frightened dog. “Don’t be sorry,” he said. “You’ve got nothing to be sorry for.”
The sobs were near-silent; Remus never cried loudly if he could help it, and he already felt bad enough for dripping his perpetual raincloud all over Moody’s office. He caught his breath after a few hitching inhales and scrubbed at his face with his sleeve. “Are you mad at me?”
“No.”
“Really?”
“You didn’t do anything wrong.”
Remus pulled his knees up again and hugged them tight to his chest. “I haven’t called my parents yet.”
“Did they know?”
His heart gave another painful yank. “Nobody knew. Nobody. And—and now it’s everywhere and people won’t leave me alone and I’m gonna get fired—”
“Woah, deep breaths,” Moody interrupted gently, giving him a little shake. “You’re not getting fired.”
“Yes, I am.” Everything felt gross and cold and sad.
“Who told you that?”
“Coach said it might happen ‘cause I’m a doctor.”
Moody scanned his face for a moment, then reached over and grabbed a box of tissues off his desk. “First of all, take some of these. You look like a mud puddle, Lupin. It’s very unsettling. Second, this is a complicated situation and I wouldn’t be too quick to make assumptions. And third, I’ll go to bat for you.”
He paused midway through blowing his nose. “What?”
“You’re a good man. An excellent PT. The best colleague I’ve ever had, actually. You know your shit and if they try to fire you over this, I’m not going to make it easy for them.”
More tears threatened to fall over the edge of his itchy eyes. “You’d do that for me?”
“Don’t sound so surprised,” Moody grumbled.
“He hasn’t called.”
“Who?”
“Sirius.” Remus swallowed hard and, before he could second guess himself, leaned his head on Moody’s solid shoulder. “I’ve called him 23 times and he hasn’t answered a single one. He just…left. Didn’t even look at me.”
“He’s making a mistake.”
“I ruined his life.”
“Hey.” Moody’s tone turned stern. “You don’t get to talk shit about yourself in my office. This is a Lupin Appreciation Zone.”
Remus’ shoulders shook and he closed his eyes; he wished he could just dissolve into the floor and stay there until someone mopped him up. Everything hurt. The world sucked. Moody—
Moody was petting his hair.
The tears stopped abruptly and Remus hiccupped in pure confusion. “What’re you doing?”
“I’m bad at comfort, kid, gimme a break.” The sat in silence for a few seconds as Moody continued to pat his head and muss his hair, which was in dire need of a cut but just long enough to cover his eyes when it was pushed forward. “Feeling better?”
“Yeah, actually. How did you…?”
Something akin to embarrassment tinted Moody’s cheeks and he cleared his throat. “My cat hates thunderstorms.”
“Oh. Cool. Thanks.”
“No problem.”
“Thanks,” Remus said again, much quieter. Moody’s office always felt safe; all the clutter was in its proper place, clean and homey. The touch of familiarity was more of a comfort than he cared to admit. He sat up straight and wiped his face clean, then leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees. “If I do get fired—”
“You won’t.”
“If I do, I wanted to say thank you for changing my life.” The words hung in the air. “You—without you, I would never have felt at home here. You were the best mentor I could ever ask for and I’m never going to forget that. You did more than just teaching me routines. Thank you.”
Moody cleared his throat again. “Tissues.”
Remus silently passed the box.
“If anyone gives you shit for being gay, you call me and I’ll take care of it,” Moody said once the tissue had disappeared into the depths of his pocket.
Remis blinked at him. “Are you offering to hurt someone for me?”
“I’ll deny it in court.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” he laughed. “Fuckin’ hell, this is a mess. I’m a mess.”
“You just got outed and your boyfriend ditched you in an airport,” Moody said bluntly, fixing Remus with a look. “You’re allowed to be a mess. Now go talk to Lily. Call your mom. Do whatever you do that makes you so sunshiney, and then we’re gonna unpack all your shit and put it back where it belongs.”
Remus swallowed hard. Fuck it. Fuck the NHL, fuck the homophobes, and fuck being sad.
Moody narrowed his eyes. “You want to use the kicking bag, don’t you?”
“I really, really do.”
---------------------
“Stupid—fucking—son of a bitch!” Remus gritted out as the beat-up and half-folded gym mat squeaked under his assault. It was two inches of plastic and therapy—he was 90% sure Moody had stolen it from a middle school gym, and it had rapidly become the team’s favorite way of winding down after a frustrating day.
“Harder!” Moody barked behind him.
Remus wound up and slammed his foot into it again. “I worked too damn hard to be kicked out for this bullshit!”
“Damn right you did!”
The kicking bag creased in the center. “And I’ve got too much student debt to walk out of here like—like a coward!”
“Yes, you do!”
His grief had burnt off at least five minutes prior. Remus was well and truly pissed now. “And it’s nobody’s goddamn business who I kiss!”
“That’s the spirit!” Moody cheered.
“And maybe his face is stupidly pretty!” Remus threw his shoulder against the mat before he resumed kicking it. “And, yeah, he has really nice shoulders and a great ass—”
“Lupin—”
“But fuck him for leaving me in an airport! What kind of douchebag does that to a guy? I’m hot and smart and nice and I can date whoever the hell I want if he doesn’t appreciate that!”
“That’s certainly one approach!”
Remus stopped with a harsh exhale and dropped one last halfhearted kick to the base. “I don’t want anyone else, though. And I miss his stupid pretty face.”
A hand, heavy but gentle, squeezed his shoulder. “Then go get him.”
282 notes · View notes
kohanayaki · 3 years
Text
.:Time and Time Again:. (Marauders Era x Reader) Ch 7
Severus looks back on everything that went wrong.
tw: non-consensual kissing/harassment, trauma responses
LINKS:   CH 1   CH 2    CH 3   CH 4   CH 5   CH 6   CH 7   CH 8
________________________________________________________
Ch 7 .:Things Unforgivable and Things Left Unsaid:.
Graduation day at Hogwarts was supposed to mark the beginning of a new adventure for you. Instead, it marked the day you decided that whatever it was between you and Severus Snape, friendship or otherwise, it was over.
Or at least that's what you had thought. Of course, the universe just loved making things more complicated for you. You were working with Charlie in Romania when you had gotten word that Severus defected from the death eaters and was now working as a double agent at Dumbledore's behest. He continued teaching Potions at Hogwarts, and was even indited as a member of the Order. If anything, that only solidified your decision to go to America instead of staying in London. You didn't even know what to think. Of course you trusted Dumbledore, confusing as the man was, but you didn't know if you could really trust Snape again. You had worked towards forgiving him; over time you moved past what happened, but it was difficult to really say it was 'resolved' when you quite literally haven't spoken a word to each other in over a decade. You didn't even know where to start.
For the entirety of your seventh year, you didn't speak a word to Severus. It was hard to imagine that such a tight knit trio like the one you, him, and Lily had formed could crumble in an instant, but that's exactly what happened.
The end of your sixth year at Hogwarts was a quarter Snape would never forget, no matter how hard he tried. It was when everything fell apart. . .
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   1976  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“James!” you yelled, running to the top of the hill where he and the rest of the Marauders had Snape held upside down.
“What are you doing?” you said, immensely hurt and trying to keep your voice steady, “You said this would stop, you promised. . . you swore.”
“(Y/n), I. . .” James trailed off, immediately feeling guilty. As he turned to you Snape dropped to the ground, attempting to scramble to his feet but finding his ankle twisted.
Sirius moved towards you to say something but you put your hand up firmly.
“No,” you said, “not a word out of you, Black.”
Sirius stared at you, wide-eyed, shrinking back as you called him by his last name for the first time in a long while. Not Sirius, not Pads. Black. As if your whole friendship had just been reset.
“And you two,” you said, addressing Remus and Peter, “how could you let this happen?!”
All four boys looked at you in shame, none of them daring to verbally respond.
Suddenly, Lily came running up the hill, having fallen behind you in your quick pace.
“Severus!” she panted, rushing over to him, “are you alright?”
Snape was in an angered daze, not even registering the words being said around him. The blood rushing through his veins felt like lava, his heart pounding in his ears, his chest, his tongue. His face burned with humiliation and hatred. Pure fucking hatred for James Fleamont Potter. For Lily to see him like that. . . for you to see him like that, pathetic, helpless, in need of your help once again. He wouldn't have it. He was a master of the dark arts now, he didn't have to fucking take this. He would curse Potter into the next century, he would—
“Severus!”
Snape's eyes snapped open, not even realizing they were closed. The world came rushing in around him and he was suddenly acutely aware of Lily's hand on his arm. He reeled back at her touch as if he'd been burned.
“Don't touch me!” he screeched, startling the redheaded girl. Her eyes were filled with concern, but all Snape could see was pity.
“Sev—“
“I don't need any help from you, you filthy Mudblood!”
And everyone in the clearing stilled.
The color drained from Snape's already pale face as he realized what he'd just said.
“Lily. . .” Severus whispered; pleading, desperate.
“Don't come any closer,” Lily said, her voice stone cold as tears welled up in her eyes.
“I'll kill you,” James said lowly.
“Prongs, no—”
“I'll kill you, you slimy bastard!” James growled, Remus moving quickly to hold him back.
You stood in the middle of it all, staring at Severus. Severus, who'd always told Lily that blood status didn't matter. Severus, who you and Lily always stood up for no matter what. Severus, who you thought you had feelings for up until this exact moment.
Without even thinking you stepped forward, grabbing Lily's hand.
“Let's go, Lils,” you said, your expression unreadable as you looked down at Severus. Lily squeezed your hand back gratefully, fighting the sobs racking her chest as she turned around and took off with you.
“(Y/n), wait—” Snape tried to get up but found himself shoved back down to the ground by Sirius.
“No,” he said sharply, “you don't get to say anything to either of them, you hear me?”
“I—”
“What?” James spat, “you're sorry? Well sorry doesn't cut it! You say a word to her after what you called her and you'll wish you'd never have been born.”
Snape's head hung low, that wish already present in his mind.
“Leave him,” Remus said, this time not out of mercy, but malice; letting Snape wallow in his own misery as he left with his friends, looking for you and Lily.
Soon, Severus was left alone. Just as he began, and just as he should have never hoped for anything different. Was this it? That's how it was going to end? One mistake, and the only two people he'd ever cared about were ripped away from him.
No. He decided he had to apologize properly, consequences be damned. If those Marauders wanted to beat him to a bloody pulp afterwards, that was fine by him. He just needed to talk to Lily one more time. To tell her how deeply sorry he really was.
He took off down the hill, sprinting towards the castle and completely ignoring the burning pain in his ankle. He rushed through the grass, ignoring the looks he received from the other students walking by. He ran past the oak tree, through the castle gates, flying through the corridors and cutting across the courtyard when he skid to a stop at what he saw.
Lily and James stood in the center of the garden, her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer as his lips captured hers. Her eyes were still wet with tears, the tears that he had caused. Severus didn't do a thing. His presence remained unknown to them as he slunk away back to his common room, heart silently breaking.
He was too late.
Nothing was the same after that.
Lily insisted that if you wanted to remain friends with Snape, as she now referred to him, she wouldn't hold it against you, but she made it very clear that she would never forgive him herself. But it wasn't as easy as wanting to stay friends with him or not; he'd changed that day.
After some time to let things settle down you tried to approach him, but he only became more and more hostile towards everyone, including you. You hardly saw him anymore. The only time you occasionally spotted him was when he was walking around school with Malfoy, Mulciber, Wilkes, and Avery, unable to look you in the eye lest you see the utterly crushed expression on your face as he fell deeper and deeper into the dark side.
You held your books tightly to your chest as you made your way to Hagrid's hut for one of your last Care of Magical Creatures class. You were being paired up with a few lower classmen to teach them the ropes for feeding all the creatures Hagrid kept in the meadows. You were a tad late, having been preoccupied at lunch, speedwalking to try and arrive on time when you saw a flash of silver-blue light emit from inside the forest. You could hear warbled shouting and laughter coming from the same direction, and your instincts told you to run.
However, because your nerves were on high alert, that also told you someone in there was in danger, and you couldn't just walk away from that. You drew your wand, abandoning your books by a rockface and moving towards the commotion, the distorted shouting soon becoming words.
“Oh come on, you little runts, you lot can do better than that!” you recognized Mulciber's voice.
A young girl shrieked as a giant acromantula barred its fangs at her, its front legs raised and poised to attack. Her friends were huddled in a corner, more students who couldn't have been older than second or third years, being forced to watch by Avery and Wilkes.
“How's this for Care of Magical Creatures, eh?” Mulciber taunted as he walked over to the other students, pulling a young boy out from the group.
“No!” the girl cornered by the spider cried, “please, don't!”
“Aw, how cute,” Mulciber drawled, “is this your little boyfriend, huh? Shame.”
The boy screamed in fear as he was suddenly lifted into the air by his ankles, forced to hover right above the spider just out of its reach. You wanted to wretch as you watched the scene unfold, unable to keep yourself hidden any longer.
You leaped into the clearing, a quick flick of your wrist relieving Mulciber of his wand. You did the same to Wilkes as he turned to you.
“Well well, why am I not surprised?” Avery scoffed. Right behind him stood Severus, his expression vacant.
“Grab this, and get to Professor McGonagall immediately,” you shouted to the younger Gryffindor students, tossing them a gold galleon. As soon as they touched the coin, the portkey shot them all back to the castle.
“Why are you always the one spoiling our fun?” Mulciber sneered.
“Someone's gotta do it,” you said, putting up a brave front although you were under no illusion as to your situation. You weren't fourth years anymore, and you were alone this time. They'd been studying the dark arts for the past two years. You knew you were outmatched, even with your dueling skills.
“Oh, come on, (Y/n), don't be a bore.”
You turned around at the sound of the familiar voice to see Rosier, an easy grin set into his face. Your heart dropped.
“So you too, huh?” you chuckled bitterly, “and here I thought you were one of the few good ones left.”
“You're not really that naive, are you?” he tutted, “you had to have known I would be inducted eventually. Might even get Barty to join us, even if he is a little nutty.”
You went for a stunning spell but found your wand spinning out of your hand before you even saw him move.
“Not so fun to be on the receiving end, is it?” Rosier said, “you're not the only one versed in non-verbal magic, (Y/n). In fact, I'd even go so far as to say we've surpassed you. Lucius will be furious, but I like you a lot, so I'll re-extend his old offer for him. Join us.”
You had no wand, no backup, no way out of this, but you stood your ground nonetheless.
“Eat shit,” you seethed. Rosier glowered at you, taking a few menacing steps forward. He grabbed your jaw firmly and you grit your teeth.
“I don’t think you heard me—”
He reeled back as you spit right in his face,
“You bitch,” he growled, wiping his face in disgust, “clearly no one ever bothered to train you.”
Without your wand you were really only left with one option, ready to defend yourself by revealing your animagus form, but you never got to take the first step forward.
“Imperio!”
You stopped in your tracks as a veil of what could only be described as pink fluff drifted over your mind. A smile immediately appeared on your face, and a giggle rose in your throat.
Severus looked at Rosier with horror, the rest of his crew looking among themselves uneasily.
“What do you think you're doing?” Snape hissed, “are you trying to get us all expelled?”
“So what?” Rosier said, “we've used the killing curse loads of times.”
“On insects, you loon,” Snape shot back, hoping his concern for you was masked enough.
“Don't worry, I'm not gonna hurt your precious (Y/n), Sev.”
The nickname made his stomach churn. You used to call him that. Lily used to call him that. No one else did. No one else got to.
“Release them,” he said, raising his wand, “now.”
“Put that away,” Rosier's eyes narrowed, a smirk sliding back onto his face as he got an idea, “hey, (Y/n)?”
“Yes?” you answered, your voice dripping with honey.
“I don't think Severus likes you being under this spell,” Rosier said, “but you like it don't you?”
“Mmm hmm,” you nodded, your head feeling like it was floating, “it feels so nice.”
“You know what else would feel nice?” Rosier goaded, “if you gave our friend Sev here a kiss.”
Severus' heart dropped to his stomach.
“You're sick, Rosier,” Snape said, his voice close to tremmoring.
“You don't have to act like you don't want it,” Evan chuckled, “we've watched you putz around (L/n) like a fool for years. Besides, they want to. Isn't that right, (Y/n)?”
“He's right,” you said, your voice deceptively melodic, “I love you, Severus. I've always loved you.”
And in that moment, Snape had never hated himself more. Because he didn't care that Rosier was making you say the things you did. He didn't care that you were under the influence of a curse. All he could hear was the words he longed to hear spill from your lips, over and over like a skipping record.
I love you, Severus. I love you, Severus. I love you, Severus.
He played the words on repeat in his head. His heart was beating almost painfully in his chest, so much so that he hardly even noticed you slowly walking towards him, wrapping your arms around his neck like Lily had done to James. And when you leaned forward to kiss him, his selfish desires held him in place.
It had lasted a fraction of a second, but he didn't pull away. It was the greatest regret of his life that he didn't walk up to Rosier, break his nose, and curse every single person in that clearing instead of doing nothing, knowing full well you had no control over your actions.
When his eyes drifted open and met yours and his stomach twisted into ugly knots, fear and panic wracking through his spine. Your eyes were completely empty, irises a vacant white, and in that moment it felt as if he were kissing a corpse.
Suddenly the color returned to your eyes, and fear immediately filled them. Snape grunted as he was shot away from you, unable to move when he hit the ground. The other Slytherins looked around for the assailant, but they had no time to react when every single one of their wands was pulled from their hands. McGonagall stood there, expression the same as ever but clearly brimming with fury.
“(L/n), come,” she said, ushering you over and taking you protectively in her embrace, “we'll get you to Madame Pomfrey.” Her eyes narrowed dangerously as she regarded Snape and the rest of their group, “As for you,” she said, “Mr Filch, secure them in the dungeons until the Headmaster calls for them. And put all of their wands in the lockbox.”
“With pleasure,” Filch said, almost blending in with the trees behind her.
“Are you alright?” McGonagall asked you as she helped you back towards the castle.
“No,” you said, honestly, “n-no, I don't think I am.”
“No amount of apology could ever equate to the remorse I feel that this happened to you, (L/n),” she said earnestly, “I am truly sorry. This was completely unacceptable, and I will see to it that the proper measures are taken for their punishments. Expulsion would suit just fine, but even if the Headmaster disagrees, I will personally ensure you never come into contact with any of those boys again.”
“Thank you,” you said, your voice sounding hollow in your own ears.
You didn't remember walking the near half-mile to the infirmary. Madame Pomfrey's words felt so far away, as if she were speaking underwater. You just remembered laying down in the hospital wing bed as she checked you for any lasting damage, and as soon as she'd turned her back you'd just wept.
________________________________________________________
That night, Snape found himself in the Prefect's bathroom, leaned over the sink and watching the water rush into the drain. His hands clutched the marble sides of the basin so hard his knuckles turned white, every breath catching painfully in his chest before he forced it out to take another shaky inhale. He was an idiot, he knew. There was no fixing this. Not really. First Lily, now you. Was he just predestined to lose everyone in his life?
He paused. No, he didn't deserve to think like that. Everything that had gone wrong was his own doing.
When he heard the door to the bathroom open he whipped around, ready to curse whoever dared to interrupt him until he saw you standing there, your eyes red from crying and the Marauder's Map clutched in your hands like a vice. He was half certain you were a hallucination, but as soon as he pulled himself to the present, he rushed to apologize. You had to know how horrible he felt about what he did, even if you would never forgive him. He made the mistake of being too cowardly to properly apologize to Lily, he wouldn't make that mistake again.
“(Y/n), I'm—”
“I know you're sorry,” you said callously, “and I know you mean it. That's not the issue.” you took a breath to collect yourself before you continued. This was so much harder than you thought it would be. Maybe this wound really was too fresh right now. You thought you'd be able to handle this conversation, but your prior feelings weren't making this any easier.
“Why did you do it?” you asked quietly, “Better, why did you do nothing? You were my friend, Severus.”
Whatever was holding back the flood of emotions in him, it snapped at your words.
Were. Past tense.
“I don't know what I was thinking,” Snape said in exasperation, though it came off more as anger directed at himself. His hands threaded through his messy black locks, his eyes nearly manic. You'd never seen him unravel quite like this. He was desperate to fix this, to keep you in his life. “No, I wasn't thinking at all, (Y/n). I couldn't, not when you were . . . not when I. . .”
Don't say it, don't say it, don't say it—
“Not when I've fancied you for years.”
Snape knew immediately that he had made a mistake. The expression on your face made his stomach twist, and he knew there was no taking back what he said.
“No,” you said, tears welling in your eyes, “Severus Snape, don't you dare say that. What, do you think that just makes this all okay? You're an oblivious idiot, you know that?”
Your heart ached so bad it felt as if you couldn't breathe.
“Do you know how many times I wished you would have kissed me?” you said shakily, not bothering to hide the hurt in your voice.
Snape was sure his breathing had stopped, eyes wide with shock. He couldn't have heard that right. Did you really feel the same way about him? But reality hit him in the face when he saw your expression. This was no heartfelt confession on your part.
“For you to just. . . for it to happen like that,” you said, still struck with betrayal and disbelief, “If you've ever respected me, you never would have let that happen. I was under a curse, Severus. And you took advantage of that— of me. All because you were too much of a coward to just tell me how you felt. And then you go on and say you've liked me this whole time as a last ditch effort to save our friendship? How the hell did you expect me to react?”
He had nothing to say to that. He blamed himself entirely. Every verbal blow you struck he gladly took, he would have sat there still as stone if you hexed him, but you refused to draw your wand at him. You just stood there, staring straight through him with unbelievable hurt in your eyes.
“I can't do this, Severus,” you said, “please, just. . . just leave me alone. I'm not saying I'll never forgive you, but right now I can't even begin to think about that. Not now.”
You looked like you wanted to say something more, but your mouth snapped shut, and Severus saw the finality in your eyes. He stayed glued to the spot where he stood long after he watched you leave, his eyes trained on the door you'd slammed shut.
If you thought Snape had made himself scarce after what he said to Lily, after what he did to you he practically vanished. He no longer sat underneath the tree that had become so symbolic of your former trio. He no longer roamed the Slytherin common room, or even the Great Hall for meals. Instead he would walk through the forbidden forest alone, or hole up in some empty corridor purposely hiding but hoping you would walk up to him. You never did.
The people who did find him in the few days that followed were the newly named Marauders, though incomplete as they arrived without you. As he glanced down at the parchment in Lupin's hand he had no questions about how they'd located him. Snape grimaced, not bothering to get up from his seat beneath the stone pillar. Anything they did to him was what he deserved.
James stepped forward from the group first. His expression was unreadable, but Snape saw the way his jaw was set firmly in place, fists clenching and unclenching at his sides. The Slytherin had expected Potter to come at him guns blazing, sending a flurry of verbal attacks and hexes his way. However, James Potter simply stared down at his former enemy with a look that met in the intersection of barely contained anger and utter disappointment.
“You didn't deserve them,” he said coldly, his voice oddly level.
“I know,” Snape glared, but not feeling very self-righteous.
“No, you don't,” James said, his voice rising steadily, “you will never know what you put them through. You sat there while your lunatic friends used an Unforgivable Curse on them, and you took advantage of them. I don't care if you know, I'm going to throw it back in your face, because it's what you deserve.”
“I think it's clear that (Y/n) doesn't wish to speak with you any longer,” Remus said, “if for some inconceivable reason they want to in the future, they'll approach you. Don't you even think about going about it the other way around before they're ready and willing to talk. If they ever are.”
“It's settled, Severus,” James said simply, “you're officially not worth our time anymore.”
Snape blinked up at him, trying to recall a time when Potter had ever called him by his actual name.
“Don't get us wrong,” Sirius glared, “the only reason we aren't throwing you to the Womping Willow is because we know the last thing (Y/n) would want is her friends getting expelled because of them.”
“We'll leave you alone now,” Peter said grimly, “just like you've always wanted.”
And they were telling the truth. They left him completely alone, not speaking a word to him after that; 'they' now including you and Lily, which destroyed him more than any amount of bullying had before. He watched from afar as you grew closer and closer to the Marauders. . . no, you were a Marauder. It was only natural that you became almost like a family in your seventh year. You, James, Peter, Sirius, Remus, and Lily had become as inseparable as Snape thought you, him, and Lily were, but he'd ruined that. He had ruined every good thing that had ever happened to him and pushed away every important person in his life.
The last time he saw you was graduation day. Everyone was running around excitedly, dressed in the ceremonial jewel-toned robes of their respective houses as they awaited Dumbledore's speech. You had been sitting with your group as usual, now having carved out your own spot at the Gryffindor table, when you noticed that Snape was nowhere to be found.
You frowned, wondering why he of all people had to slip into your mind on a day like today.
“You alright, Fangs?”
Sirius' voice snapped you out of your thoughts.
“Yeah, I'm fine. . .”
His handsome features contorted in concern, but that easy grin slid back onto his face as he nudged you with his shoulder.
“What, you worried you're gonna miss us?” he smirked, “this isn't goodbye, you know. We'll all see each other at the Order meetings—”
“Which you always seem to talk about at an extraordinary volume,” Remus shushed him pointedly. Sirius brushed him off with a roll of his eyes.
“(Y/n), are you sure nothing's wrong?” James asked from across the table.
“I'm alright, Prongs,” you said, “I just. . . you know what? I just remembered I left something in my dorm, I'll be right back.”
Your friends exchanged worried glances as you got up from the table, taking off towards the Slytherin common room. It wasn't a total lie, but your intentions went against your better judgment. After today there was a very, very good chance you would never see Severus again. What he did wasn't okay by any means, and it would take more than an apology or a simple conversation to forgive him, but you needed closure at the very least. Not for him, but for you. You deserved that much.
You swiped the map off your bedside table and opened it fully, your eyes quickly picking out Severus' name near the cellars only a few rooms away from where you were. You took off quickly down the hall, reaching the intersection where all the dungeon's corridors converged when you spotted him. Your heart stopped.
His left sleeve was rolled up to his elbow, as was the person's standing across from him, their back to you. Even though you couldn't see the second person's face, you recognized who it was immediately.
Evan Rosier.
He wasn't on the map before. . . how had he gotten in?! He'd been expelled after the day he cursed you. Did he somehow find a way to bypass the anti-apparition charm?
You felt your breathing hitch, fear creeping under your skin. There, on both of their arms, was a tattoo of a skull, a serpent weaving its way through the mouth and eye sockets in an undeniable pattern.  You stopped breathing all together. You knew Severus had fallen into the dark arts, but to actually be a death eater? To be proudly showing off that awful display of radicalism along with the person who had used an Unforgivable Curse on you, who had invaded your free will and taken over your body. . .
Severus must have felt you even from the opposite side of the hallway, because something pricking at his skin told him to look up, and when he did he wished he never had. You were looking at him for the first time in over a year, your eyes full of terror. Rosier followed his gaze, but when he looked over his shoulder there was no one there.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Severus sighed, trying to push the less than pleasant memories out of his head. He knew by now he was likely the last person left in the house besides you, Harry, and Sirius who were all staying here. Something like hope had sparked in his chest when he saw the faintest ghost of a smile on your lips as you saw him for the first time since graduation. He wanted to talk to you, to tell you he knew he deserved nothing from you, but he would spend the rest of his life trying to make it right if you would only give him a chance after all this time. In truth, he missed his friend. With Lily gone, you were one of the closest things he had to that left.
Against his better judgment, Severus made his way up the stairs, silent as a thestral as he headed for your room, but he stopped in his tracks when he reached the top. Sirius' door was cracked open the slightest bit, and what Snape saw inside made his blood run cold. You were sitting next to Sirius on his bed, your head resting gently on his shoulder. As you craned your neck to look Sirius in the eyes, that's when Severus saw it— the way the Marauder looked at you. The way his face seemed to light up, the spark that returned to his gray eyes, the utter adoration in them.
And just like that, Snape was a seventeen year old boy again, transported right back to that courtyard garden, watching Lily and James share their first kiss on the day he had made one of the biggest mistakes of his life. His heart shattered silently, though his departure was not so quiet as he took off down the stairs as quickly as he could. He grimaced at his own feelings, ones he knew he had no business owning.
As he was about to open the front door to leave, his instincts suddenly screamed at him to turn around, and he was just barely able to cast an invisibility charm as you began to come down the stairs. He held his breath as he looked at you. He knew he had no right to think so, but you were still beautiful like this; dressed in pajamas, hair disheveled, eyes still sightly puffy and red. He saw you look around, knowing you had no doubt heard his rather noisy descent of the staircase, and he cursed himself for not leaving sooner. Your eyes searched what should have appeared to be the empty space in front of you, but he saw you look him in the eyes, and he knew that you knew.
“Severus?” you called his name out softly, and the sound felt like a strike to his face.
He wanted nothing more than to say something to you, talk to you, hold you. But his mind flashed back to the way you had been with Sirius, and his words died in his throat. He said nothing, trying to remain unphased at your hurt expression as you turned around to walk back up the stairs. As soon as your back was turned to him, he left, unable to bring himself to do anything more.
Once again, he was too late.
Read chapter 8 here!
Taglist:  @sleep-i-ness, @blackpinkdolan, @parker-natasha, @ornella0910 @undertaker1827 @thatwierdo-koemi @nxstalgicnxbxdy @calaryssia @aleksanderwh0r3 @juggysgirlfriend @beautifulsweetschaos @kattirin @mialupin1 @crazy-obsessed-fangirl, @youcantbesirius​
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lyallblacklupin · 3 years
Note
Hey. I don't know if you are still taking prompts... but if so, I may have a challenge for you. 😉
Remus has to stay in the hospital wing for longer than usual. Sirius is secretly dating Remus and can't stand being away even though Madame Pomfrey says no visitors.
Thank you for such a cute prompt. I hope I have written just like you wanted. <333 Happy Reading! Stay Magical!
Rating: Teens and Up Audience.
The night was befalling as the walls of Hospital Wing started darkening, and the torches around the room ignited flames automatically with a thud. The room is filled with utter silence of the unoccupied beds with Remus Lupin being an exception, laying exasperatedly awake with bandages wrapped around his left leg. His stomach growled but it was the least he cared about because of the aching on the tips of his fingers and toes as his chest was in a constant state of agitation. He wanted something. No, he was craving for someone. He couldn’t stop his brain from the race of unwanted thoughts.
What if he doesn’t want me anymore?
What if he has realized that I’m not worth dating?
What if he is better off with my absence?
Suddenly, his thoughts came to a halt when his senses heightened with someone’s fastidious and highly familiar presence. Remus didn’t even have to look to recognize because it was none other than Madam Pomfrey. He loved her but not momentarily—infact not from the past five days who had strictly banned any visitors since his and Sirius’ fight. Speaking of, he shut his eyes as the memory enrolled in his mind all over for the hundredth time.
“I could have killed you!”
“But you almost killed yourself!” Yelled the boy who Remus was in love with.
“That is the last thing to be worrying—“ But he was not finished when the boy lunged at him and yanked him by his fists clutching his hospital dress, bringing him eye to eye and nose to nose as he growled, “Don’t you ever fucking say that. If you don’t care a shit about yourself then at least care about me! Us! But you don’t! You don’t care about us! Fuck you, Lupin!”
Remus’ heart was hammering in his chest, the pain of his broken leg was long forgotten. The tears glistened in the boy’s hard eyes. And before he could lift him his hand to hold his jaw, to soften the clenched face, to wipe his hurt away, Madam Pomfrey burst inside with her raging thunder.
“Mr. Black! Hands off this instant! How dare you bully a patient like that!? And within the Hospital Wing!” And he loosened his grasp which left Remus with an empty feeling in his chest. Even if he was being held brutally, he didn’t care because he was held by the foremost person in his life. The person he would never wish to leave.
“He’s my—“ He tried but his voice was a whimper in comparison to Madam Pomfrey’s.
“A week’s detention Mr. Black for scaring my patient like that! None of your friends will ever visit the Hospital Wing! Now off you go before I take away the house points!”
He gave Remus one last look of misery, tears still swimming in his heaven-made silver eyes, and scurried away from the hospital.
Remus numbly watched Pomfrey re-bandage his wounds. He suddenly felt so despondent and lonely after rethinking everything. He had hurt his favorite person in the world. And all that person had done was the care and love him with his deepest sincerity. He also knew that his lycanthropy had always been on his mind that even led him to convince the rest of his friends to become Animagis just to protect Remus from hurting himself. And now Remus had done the very same thing by not allowing his pack to accompany him to the last full moon. His broken leg and severe wounds were the aftermaths of his isolated transformation
He didn’t want to admit that he regretted his decision because deep down inside he had been unbound from the usual fretfulness of hurting his friends. He’d been better off hurting himself than hurt them, especially Sirius Black.
Now, it had been five days and Remus had not seen him. Neither James nor Peter.
“Ma’am?” He didn’t realize he had called her before she looked at him in question while applying the salve on the half-healed wound. He hissed in pain but asked anyway, “When am I getting discharged from this bed and these walls?” The bitterness cut through his voice sharply which made Pomfrey look up in surprise.
“Well, Remus. I expect to call me Poppy instead of Ma’am after five years I’ve been treating you.” Remus suddenly felt hot with embarrassment, “And it will take few more days until your walk starts, and then you’ll be well enough to join your classes and friends.”
The way she spoke, Remus felt like he had centuries to wait. He flopped down on his bed again with disappointment, the hollowness in his chest created a bigger void. A Sirius Black void. He needed it to be filled by that very person. The longing was more than Remus expected, intense enough to cause burning in his eyes as his throat began to constrict gradually, tightening his chest. He held himself until his throat had turned thorny. He let out a shaky breath and tears spilled down his temple, founding their place in his already messy hair. He cried silently. He ached and ached until sleep drifted him away.
Even in his dreams, he saw dark hair rippling like the black sea, shiny grey eyes like silver orbs, and fair skin like snow accompanied with pink flushes on the dips of the body. And then he saw a hand reaching out to him and just as he tried to grasp it, the hand flew away with a burning brush on his arm. The sensation was warm enough to jerk him from his unconsciousness. Remus’ eyes opened up to the same ceilings of the hospital wings. The room was still inky blue. He saw his dinner tray on the nightstand in which the food had gotten cold and dry. He immediately touched his left arm where the same sensation was tingling his skin. Or maybe he just felt it in reality? But no one was there. Remus was alone and cold.
He tried closing his eyes again, feeling no appetite at all, but he sensed a faint noise of rustle. He ignored it before it came back again with a feeling of fingers brushing his arm again. He sat up abruptly, clutching his sheets to his chest. His eyes were scanning the room desperately when—
“Moony?” Remus screamed when he saw Sirius’ head appear in the mid-air. Sirius rush ahead to put his hand on his mouth, “Shh! Please! I don’t want to get more detentions, Moony!”
It was all too much to process; Sirius appearing like a genie with no body—before he pulled off the Invisibility Cloak, and Sirius’ warm and sweaty hand on Remus’ mouth, and most importantly, Sirius was here in front of him after five fucking days. He removed his hand once Remus calmed down.
“Look, Moony, I’m sorry—“ He never got to the end of it because Remus shoved Sirius in his embrace. The embrace that was yearning for Sirius only. He thought he might have thrown away anyone if they had tried hugging him before his boyfriend. Remus squeezed him impossibly closer and tighter. He was clutching him like a lifeline. He had his face nuzzled in Sirius’ chest. His fragile arms were strongly wrapped around Sirius’ torso. He was relishing the scent, the touch, the love, and everything he had missed.
“Fuck, I missed you, Pads.” He grunted in his collarbone, “I was longing for you…”
“I’m here.” Sirius cooed in his ear, pressing a kiss beneath it, “And I’m not going.”
“You’ll have to,” He chuckled, traveling his hands to find Sirius’ and intertwined them both.
“Eventually, yes but don’t ruin the moment, Moony.” Remus was torn between tightening his embrace or pulling away to gaze at Sirius’ face but then he felt the other move away. They parted from their lingering hug, and Sirius delicately held Remus’ face and bent down to kiss him. Remus felt his body was set on fire. They kissed languidly at first until their desires amplified their passion. Sirius dug his knees on the bed while Remus complied by pulling him in his lap. Suddenly, his boyfriend gasped and jerked away.
“Remus! Your leg is broken and—I’m sorry!”
“Hey, hey, it’s okay. It’s just my calf area. I was not hurt okay?” Remus shushed him, peppering kisses on Sirius’ hands. The other boy nodded but frown still sitting on his face. He sat against him on the bed and Remus didn’t leave his hand. He just wanted them to be touching like an assurance of never parting again. They sat in silence. The flaming torches on the walls had already died out.
“Why did it took you so long?” Remus asked sheepishly, running circles on the outside of Sirius’ palm to make him sure that he was not mad.
“It’s not like I didn’t try,” Sirius spoke softly, “Had to sneak out from James’ hell hound eyes. And the last two days were spent in getting caught by Mrs. Norris. That fucking cat.”
“I love cats, okay? Don’t insult them.” Sirius cocked his eyebrow at him, “Yeah but she is such a pain in the arse.” They giggled. Remus couldn’t avert his eyes from Sirius who was avoiding his gaze, “Last two days, huh? It’s actually been five days. Are you mad at me?”
“Moony, how can I be mad at you?” The gentleness in his voice was powerful enough to cause Remus to feel hot behind his cheeks, “But yes, I admit that I was angry. I thought you didn’t want to see me. I thought that you’d want some space. But then I couldn’t stay away from you for so long. Life has been terrible without you.”
“Life has been terrible without you too, Sirius. I missed you so much. I felt bad the second you left this room. I felt so sorry to hurt you like that—“
“Your pain is my pain, Remus,” Sirius said sternly. His eyes are hard as steel. “You can’t isolate yourself like that. I know you fear hurting us but Moony, can’t you see? You are already hurting us like that. James has been quiet lately and Peter…well, he is just following his pursuit. What I mean is, none of us can see you wounded in hospital for like a week because of us. That we weren’t able to protect you.”
“It’s not your responsibility—“
“It is. You are mine.” Sirius squeezed their already entwined hands. The words were like a gush of affection in Remus’ heart. He was suddenly out of arguments. He smiled at the boy before him who smiled back weakly, “And yes, it’s been only two months since we started dating, but you already feel like my responsibility now.”
Remus arched an eyebrow at his flustered expression, “Wow, that’s quite patriarchal with few amendments since a man is claiming his supremacy on the other man.”
“Wha—you dominate over me all the fucking time!” They broke out in fits of laughter but then immediately clapped their hands on each other’s mouths to keep it down. Funnily, the more they forced themselves to be quiet the more laughter bubbled out of them. Remus suddenly grabbed Sirius by his collar and crashed their lips together. Their giggles were turned muffled until they were silently devouring each other’s mouths. Sirius was now moving from his jawline to his neck, and Remus turned into mush as the warmth began pooling into him. He just wanted to stay like this forever.
Suddenly, they both froze when the sounds of approaching footsteps came from the hall. Sirius lunged down to the floor to grab the invisibility cloak, and suddenly the door swung open.
“Mister Lupin?” McGonagall?
“Professor McGonagall.” Remus’ voice shook.
“I am sorry for barging into the Hospital Wing just like that, but I wanted to ask if Mr. Black might have stopped by here?” Even in the dark room, Remus was able to see the grave creases on her forehead. He gulped and eyed down the floor to found Sirius was nowhere to be seen.
“Umm…No, Professor.” He stammered.
“Well, that lad is one hurricane, isn’t he?” She sighed, “I hope you are recovering well, Remus.” Her voice softened and a hint of a smile passed her face. He nodded and then she was out of the hospital.
After he had made sure that there were no sounds of any footsteps he said, “What did you do now?”
“I came during my detention with McGonagall.” Sirius peeked through the cloak, with his entire body invisible.
“Okay, you look very creepy like that.” He stood, brushing off the dust from his trousers, “Come here, now. I want to relish you till my heart is contented. You are getting more detentions anyway.” He opened his arms for Sirius who fell into them with the goofiest smile on his face.
“You are such a masochist, Moony.”
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startanewdream · 3 years
Text
Do you know when there is something you are really happy of how it turned out but you also know that you'll never finish it? So a while ago I tried to write a fic about Harry realizing a little bit sooner that he fancied Ginny and Ginny not dating Dean at the beginning of HBP. All because, really, I wanted to give them more time together and allow Harry to be more of a teenager in love.
Well, I won't finish this, but it's too long to sit unread on my desktop, so I hope you enjoy those little moments of Hinny that could have been, with a strangely romantic Harry.
The moment that Ginny walks away from him, after telling she promised to meet her friends on the Hogwarts Express, Harry feels a strange twinge of annoyance. He watches her go, her long hair dancing behind her in a way that seems to reflect all the sunlight and he thinks he has become so used to her presence over the summer that he hadn’t stopped to think she usually did not hang out with him while at school.
He wishes he’d asked her sooner to sit with him.
It’s only when he is walking along the train with Neville and Luna, and he sees Cho Chang darting hurriedly into her compartment to avoid him, that he realizes this is not the first time he has wished he’d invited someone sooner. A shiver goes through his spine as he realizes the implications.
It’s not as if he feels for Ginny as he felt for Cho, he reasons silently. When he was near Cho, he was always nervous, like if there was a hole in his chest that was threatening to engulf him.
When he thinks of Ginny, he doesn’t feel nervous, he doesn’t feel like he is missing anything. If he thinks of Ginny in those last weeks of the summer, he remembers her being brighter than the summer sun. She is lively and fiery, and Harry had enjoyed her company, had shared her jokes, had made her laugh as much as she had made him laugh. After everything that happened – after Sirius – it had been nice to feel light and Ginny had helped him.
He feels peaceful and complete around her, which Harry tells himself it is perfectly reasonable. She is his friend after all, and if he considers Ron as his brother, then she would be like his sister, like Hermione.
Except now that Harry’s mind is grasping the effects of Ginny Weasley on his life, he realizes he doesn’t really think of her as his sister, no way. He remembers watching her imitating Fleur, her long red hair dancing around her in a way that seemed more entrancing than any veela power Harry ever met; he remembers when they got caught in the summer rain and the way her clothes were glued to her body and he had hastily looked away, feeling so embarrassed at how his stupid teenage body was reacting to that vision.
But now Harry doesn’t think it was just a normal teenage reaction. He thinks about how it would be if he were in the same situation with Hermione and the thought is unappealing just because he doesn’t really see her as anything but his friend.
It’s not the same with Ginny.
He thinks about her smile, about her long red hair, about the curves of her body he’d noticed even though he tried not to and about the freckles on her face that he was once strangely attempted to count.
He feels attracted to her.
That realization comes at the same moment that Ron enters their compartment and Harry feels suddenly guilty; Ron trusts him. He remembers hearing to Fred and George teasing her about her previous boyfriend and how her brothers are so protective of her; Ron would hate him if he knew Harry was –
What? Harry doesn’t know what he is feeling. Somehow this makes him feel less guilty. So he thinks Ginny is pretty. That’s reasonable, anyone with eyes could see she’s beautiful. So he misses her presence; that’s also fair, considering how much time they spent together over the summer.
That doesn’t mean anything, he tells himself when he attends the invitation of Slughorn and his heart skips when he sees that Ginny is already there.
It’s just a silly attraction, he insists, when his fists close after hearing Blaise Zabini commenting on how good-looking she is.
Oh, I'm screwed, he admits when Hermione is explaining how Amortentia works and Harry knows exactly whose perfume he is smelling in the potion.
-----------------
So he has a crush on Ginny Weasley.
That’s okay, Harry tells himself, I can manage it.
Except he is really horrible at pretending he doesn’t care for her. Harry knows this is stupid; it’s not like those feelings developed overnight, he probably was falling for her during the summer, but somehow realizing these feelings exist have made him flustered around her.
He nearly drools during trials when she flies perfectly and outflows all the competition, thinking that her flying is better than any dance he’d ever seen.
He sighs watching her play with her pigmy puff, and he looks around hoping that no one saw it.
Still, he can’t help but keep stealing glances at her in the Common Room, careful only to avoid Hermione’s increasingly knowing looks, and he realizes that maybe he should stop pretending he doesn’t have feelings for Ginny when he sees her talking to a boy from her year.
They could be just friends, for all Harry knows, but that’s when he understands that if he doesn’t do anything, someone will ask her out and eventually she will say yes.
He remembers how she teased a while ago that she was going out with Dean Thomas just to pest Ron and he feels suddenly happy that Dean is not on the Quidditch Team, that he doesn’t spend much time with her. He’d heard Dean and Seamus talking in low voices about her in their dormitory when Ron is not around, and he knows Dean still fancies her.
Sometimes Harry looks at Ginny and wonders what she would say if he asks her out. He remembers Hermione telling them that Ginny used to like him but she gave up on him ages ago. Indeed, now she treats him with so much friendship that Harry wonders if she will just be offended with his invitation. That fear burns inside him, but he cannot help himself from walking back with her from training – even if Ron’s there most of the time – and he doesn’t really think when he volunteers to help her with some spells for extra points in Defense Against the Dark Arts.
Harry soon finds out it was a terrible wonderful idea to spend a few hours with her on Friday night, just the two of them, in a closed classroom. His heart is beating faster as he watches her dodge his spells and he knows it’s not adrenaline from the duel. It’s her, it’s always her.
She is strong, he realizes, when Ginny looks fiercely as she fights him, her eyes blazing with determination and she deflects spell after spell he throws in her direction. She is gorgeous, he notices shamelessly, when her face is red and sweaty from their duel, and she is beaming at him at the end of their duel.
‘You are amazing’, he says and if his eyes are shining he thinks it could be explained by the fact that she really was very good.
But what he can’t explain is how much the energy he was spending on their duel is still running through his vein, filling him with heat and desire for her, desire to do something, anything. He wonders what she would say if he suddenly acted in his urges and just kissed her – he wonders if she would hex him if he pushed her against the wall, and his lips captured hers, his body pressed against hers, feeling her curves, their hands desperate, hearing her moan into his kiss –
‘Thanks’, she says, breaking his imagination. Harry nods, avoiding looking at her. The images are still very clear in his head and he’s glad he’s wearing a cloak. It’s much easier to hide the effects of his imagination this way. ‘I thought you were going easy on me at first’.
It’s the teasing in her voice that makes Harry turns towards her and he almost regrets it. She is still breathing hard, sweat shining on her neck, and Harry’s eyes are drawn to her neckline and then lower seeing her chest going up and down and suddenly the room becomes even hotter.
It takes real effort to look her in the eyes.
‘I would never’, he promises. ‘You’d hex me if I did’.
She giggles and Harry pretends that innocent sound doesn’t fill his chest with longing.
‘Let’s go? I need a bath after this’, she says and Harry considers seriously that she has to know the effect her comment makes on him. His imagination has been working overtime lately.
‘I need too’, he whispers more to himself than her. He doubts she needs a cold shower as much as he does.
‘So’, she begins, as they walk back to the Gryffindor Tower. ‘Excited for tomorrow?’
‘What?’
‘Don’t tell me you forgot the first trip to Hogsmeade. I’ve been waiting for ages for a day-off’.
The thing is Harry hadn’t forgotten Hogsmeade. He couldn’t, not when ideas of taking a stroll with Ginny through the village were constant on his mind; he’d thought about it ever since they announced the date of the trip, but his – that one that always got him into trouble – had faltered him for once.
‘I just lost track of time’, he says, hoping to sound distracted. ‘Got any plans?’
‘None so far’, she replies, her voice sounding as distant as his.
Harry takes a deep breath and urges himself to be brave. If he can face a basilisk, he can do this.
‘You could come with me’, he says, and when she turns to look at him, Harry discovers that looking her directly in the eyes would probably be as mortal as a basilisk eye. ‘Us, I mean, me and Ron and Hermione’. Harry forces himself to smile calmly, even though his heart is beating painfully fast now. ‘You know, if you want our company’.
He glances briefly at her. Ginny is frowning slightly.
‘I don’t want to intrude’, she says finally. Harry is glad she is not rejecting the idea.
‘You wouldn’t’. He smiled as charmingly as he can. ‘Come on, it will be like summer over again, we can tease Ron and Hermione’.
She laughs. ‘I would never miss an opportunity to tease them’, she agrees, and Harry tries not to beam as she accepts joining him – them – for Hogsmeade.
But he beams later that night when he hears Dean grumbling to Seamus that he’d asked Ginny out for Hogsmeade and she answered that she already had other plans.
Plans. They have plans together.
---------------------
The trip to Hogsmeade is an utterly disappointment, with the bad weather and finding Mundungus Fletcher nicking Sirius’s stuff and the curse of Katie Bell. Not even Ginny’s presence is enough to save the day and Harry is left feeling miserable the whole weekend.
The meeting with Dumbledore helps to ease his tension – never mind that they are discussing Voldemort’s past – but it’s in the next morning that Harry feels hopeful again.
First, Hermione tells him of Slughorn’s Christmas party and Harry’s mind, already exceptionally good at creating scenarios involving him and Ginny (he’s been so creative lately that he thinks he could provide ideas for Fred and George’s Patented Daydream Charm), immediately wants this opportunity to ask Ginny out. And second, Hermione invites Ron to go with her, and Ron’s subsequently bliss is enough for Harry to feel that his best friend wouldn’t mind if he asks Ginny out.
Harry tries to say to himself that it’s still early – they’ve just entered November and the party is a month away, but an unforeseen complication arrives the moment that Harry asks Dean to join the team.
He’d thought that Dean would have given up on Ginny already, but from what he collects – and Harry is becoming really good at overhearing conversations -, Dean considered that Ginny denying his invitation was not because she already had a date, just because she was going with her brother. He sees Dean is more invested than ever, and when he gives her a very nice drawing of her face, Harry feels suddenly useless.
Dean can draw. What can Harry do? Sure, he flies well, but it’s not like he could impress Ginny with that when she probably flies better than him. And it’s not like being the Chosen One is a talent – it’s more of a burden, really, and Ginny already knows him enough to see he is not a hero.
He’s feeling really dismayed after the training and for once, when he realizes he and Ginny are alone in the changing room, he doesn’t feel excited.
‘Spit it out’, she says, standing in front of him with her arms crossed, as soon as the door closes after Ron.
‘What?’
‘What’s been bothering you’. She frows at him. ‘You’ve been quiet all training. You didn’t say anything when I called Ron a prat. You didn’t say anything when Ron punched Demelza and he really deserved a call. So tell me, what’s wrong?’
‘Do you ever feel like a failure?’
She blinks, clearly not expecting that question.
‘Hum. Yeah. I once opened a secret chamber, you know’.
‘That was Voldemort, not you’.
‘Well -’, she takes a step back, but she relaxes her arms. ‘But before it was his fault, it was mine. I only let him get to me because I was feeling so insecure’.
‘You were eleven’.
‘When you were eleven you were stopping You-Know-Who’, notes Ginny, rolling her eyes. ‘But what I meant is that I still question myself sometimes. And when I do, I remember that the last time I really doubted myself, I let someone control me’. Her gaze burns into his eyes and Harry thinks she never looked so fierce than now. ‘No fear will ever control me again’.
Oh, God, he feels so smitten by her.
‘Thanks’, he says instead of pulling her closer to him, which is everything his body screams for him to do. She smiles.
‘No problem, Captain. And you are not a failure. How could you be when you have me in the team?’
He laughs easily.
As they walk the grounds, Harry asks her in the most meaningless voice he can manage: ‘I saw Dean giving you a present early. You and him –‘
She sighs and Harry tries to understand if it’s a happy or sad sigh.
‘Yeah, he is – and that’s his words, not mine – courting me’.
She doesn’t sound pleased and Harry’s heart nearly bursts then, satisfied.
‘It was a nice drawing’, he says nonchalantly. She just nods. ‘What’s the problem?’
‘Really? We wouldn’t work out together’.
‘How do you know?’, asks Harry, but he is not really thinking about Dean.
‘Well, for starters, he uses the term courting’, she says, making Harry chuckle without meaning to. ‘It’s just – well, I had one relationship so I’m not an expert but – he is the kind of guy who runs to open doors and I am the kind of girl who likes to open doors for herself. We just wouldn’t click’.
‘Oh!’, Harry bits his lips but the question is his mind slips through his mouth anyway. ‘And what kind of guy am I?’
She stops to look at him. They are a few steps away from the Entrance Hall and Harry almost lost his track when he sees her illuminated by the light of the castle. It feels like a vision from the heavens.
‘The kind who would let a girl open the door if she were closer’, she says warmly, but before Harry can answer, she turns away from him, entering the castle.
--------------------
The minute the door closes on the changing room, Harry lets out a dismayed sigh. His plan was supposed to help Ron get his confidence again, to let himself back into that bliss that had accompanied him in the days after Hermione asked him out for Slughorn’s party. Now, he doesn’t even know if Ron and Hermione will remain friends.
When he leaves the changing room, there is a crowd, many of whom are congratulating him. He just nods without really listening and when someone pulls him away from the crowd, he reacts until he realizes it’s Ginny.
‘Come on’, she says and instead of taking the shortcut that every other Gryffindor is using, they use the normal stairs to go up. ‘What happened?’, Ginny asks, when the sound of the crowd vanishes behind them.
He tells the story in a low voice, not wanting to look at her as he recalls his plan, wondering now how he didn’t think Hermione would assume the worst –
‘It was a good plan’, Ginny mumbleswhen he finishes the story. They are in the seventh-floor corridor now, and she stops by a window, crossing her arms as she lays her back against the wall. The wind makes her hair flow like flames around her; this distracts Harry for a few seconds until he sighs.
‘It backfired completely’.
‘Well, yes, but only after the game’. She bits her lips, thoroughly. ‘But for your plan of helping Ron, it worked. He is a good keeper when he can keep his head in the right place’.
‘Yeah’. He sighs again, taking a step closer to her and looking at the window, trying to ignore how her scent of flowers threatens to overwhelm him. ‘Except now he is mad at Hermione and she is feeling hurt and –‘
‘They are bickering, Harry’, she notes. ‘That’s what they do’.
‘Yeah, but –‘, he remembers that day in the greenhouses. ‘- but for once they were closer to be over that phase, you know? They were going together to Slughorn’s party’.
‘They still will’, Ginny says calmly. ‘It’s just another fight for them. You could call it foreplay even’.
‘Ew, thanks for the image’, he complains, but there is a smile on his face that reveals his amusement. It’s easy to let her quiet words wash over him, drawing away the apprehension.
That’s Ginny’s power over him, he thinks. There is a lightness in her, something that makes him feel as if he had just eaten a chocolate after encountering a dementor, or as if he is as protected as if he just casted the Patronus Charm.
‘You know, I can’t still believe Hermione invited Ron’, she says almost absently.
When Harry thinks about it, he considers that maybe Hermione just lost the patience that Ron would ever ask her out; but right now, he feels envy for her courage, for her stepping over any fear and asking out someone who is one of her closest friends. If Hermione could do it, then he can too.
‘I take you are nervous about it?’, she asks, and Harry turns to her, confused to what she means. ‘About Ron and Hermione, you know, dating’.
Harry shrugs, trying to look nonchalant.
‘As long as I don’t have to see it’, he says. She raises her eyebrows, not believing his indifference. ‘Okay, I worry a bit. If they split up, I don’t know how things would be’.
‘No one knows. But that’s their problem, Harry, not yours’.
‘Our friendship –‘
‘- will survive’, she finishes for him.
‘How do you know?’
‘With the things you’ve faced together, you just can’t stop being friends’. She stares at him for a few seconds, then adds gently: ‘And they won’t ever leave you’.
He blinks, losing himself in the warm brown of her eyes, marvelous at how she always seems to read his mind. He wonders if there is more she can see through him.
If she knows how he feels for her.
‘And if they do split up, at least they will know. Not knowing is the worst sometimes’.
Harry agrees. Sometimes at night when he wonders how it would be Ginny’s reaction to him asking her out, he thinks that the agony of unknowing is worse than any rejection he could face.
‘So it’s good they have a date’, Ginny is saying, seeming to not notice any of Harry’s internal discussion. ‘Slughorn’s party looks nice’, she glances at him rather amusedly. ‘You would know if you had gone into any of his dinners’.
‘I wish I’d gone’, Harry says rather fervidly, thinking he’d enjoy that extra time with Ginny. Then he takes a deep breath. It doesn’t make sense to wish for more time and do nothing about it. ‘Are you going with someone?’
She blinks slowly.
‘Dean’s been giving me some hints he’d like to go with me, but, you know –‘
‘- you are not interested in being courted’, he remembers, with a smile that is calmer than he really feels. His heart is beating so loud in his chest that he wonders if she can hear it. ‘So if you don’t have any plans, would you like to come with me?’
The words are said so naturally that something inside him is almost applauding him, elated that he could really ask her without tumbling the words; he can still remember that Wangoballwime fiasco. But now, as time seems to stop as he waits for her answer, he thinks it’s obvious he would be better asking Ginny out.
Whatever he felt for Cho is in no way comparable to what he feels now.
Ginny is still looking at him, without blinking, and he thinks it’s the first time in a long time he sees her so quiet.
‘Just to be clear –‘, she begins, then she shakes her head. He sees her taking a short breath. ‘We could go together, yes’. There is a smile on her lips that doesn’t reach her eyes. ‘I imagine this way Romilda Vane and all those other girls will stop pestering you about’.
He could just nod. He could accept her perfect reasonable explanation for them going together to the party and that way there will be no chance of things being weird between them.
But for her, he is willing to take a chance.
‘They would, but that’s not because I am asking you’, he says, his voice low. 'I really -'
There is a high shriek on the end of the corridor. They turn around together to see the portrait of the Fat Lady opening and Hermione is leaving the Common Room. There is a cloud of birds around her head and as they watch, the birds suddenly fly directly to the Common Room; there is a scream of pain.
Harry and Ginny look at each other.
'I'll see Hermione', she says, just as Harry nods.
'I'll go check Ron', and they split.
--------------------
There are many things Harry could've foreseen, but Ron dating Lavender Brown is not one of them.
Things between Ron and Hermione are rocky, and as he plays the middle man between them, he finds out there is not much room for telling either of them that he has invited Ginny to go with him to Slughorn's party.
He supposes Ron wouldn't be mad at him, but he only supposes because his friend is always occupied with Lavender these days - or rather their mouths are. At least Harry feels any protectiveness of Ron would be rather hypocrite considering how much Harry has unfortunately seen his best friend snogging.
And Hermione looks so heartbroken and furious these days that he doesn't have the heart to tell her about his plans with Ginny.
He couldn't stop beaming if he told her and that's not very tactful.
Sometimes he feels like the worst friend – his best friends aren't talking to each other, Ron has lost himself in a relationship and Hermione is so upset – but the truth is that the idea of going on a date with Ginny fills his heart with glee and makes him want to sing.
And if Ginny mentioned to anyone that they will go together, Harry wouldn't know. He thinks not, because he doesn't hear anyone talking about it – and between Dean Thomas and Romilda Vane, he would've heard; even Ron would return to the surface to say something, he thinks.
It's just one of these things that somehow feels weird to announce after not announcing it immediately, so he considers that people will just notice when they go together.
And it's not like there is anything different between him and Ginny. She treats him as normal as before he'd asked her out, and if their eyes meet randomly through the day – and she smiles at him – it's still normal.
But he waits more anxiously than before to Slughorn's party, imagining candle lights and romantic songs, maybe a slow dance.
He can’t dance for his life, but for Ginny he thinks he could learn ballet.
Romilda Vane keeps hinting that she’d like to go to the party with him and Hermione advices that he should ask someone else so people can stop pestering him.
‘I have’, he says finally, and the smile is already in the corner of his mouth, as much as he wants to pretend it's no big deal. ‘I’m going with Ginny’.
His attempt at apathy is pathetic and even though Hermione has not been herself lately, she is still smart enough to see right past him.
‘Oh. Finally, then’.
Harry pretends to not understand.
‘Why are you keeping it a secret?’
They aren’t, not really, so Harry just shrugs. He has dealt with the effects that being related to him have caused before, and he doesn’t want for it to happen again - not so soon, not before he and Ginny even… What?
He doesn’t know what he is waiting to happen first, but, still, it seems important to wait.
‘You better tell…’, Hermione is suddenly quiet. ‘Well, you don’t want people to know second-hand’.
Harry sighs, but he nods in agreement. Hermione is probably right, as always.
‘For what matters, Harry, I’m happy for you. I hope things go well’. They exchange a short smile, before Hermione is serious again. ‘Now, I really think you need to be careful with love potions...’
Hermione’s advice - both about love potions and telling Ron – stays in Harry’s mind. He doesn’t get the chance to tell Ron that night – Ron’s too much occupied with Lavender to notice Harry – and he promises that he will tell Ron the next day, hoping his friend won’t notice that he is telling just hours before the party.
The next morning, he waits until Ron finishes his breakfast – his humour is always better when his stomach is full – before telling him bluntly just outside the Transfiguration classroom.
‘There’s something I need to tell you. Slughorn’s party tonight. I’m going with Ginny’.
The fact that Ron doesn’t immediately draw his wand encourages Harry.
‘Ginny? As in my sister Ginny?’
Harry nods in silence, careful not to give any provocative answer. Sarcasm has always been his best defence, but he doesn't think Ron would appreciate it right now.
‘As friends?’
‘Hmmm, not exactly, we - we will see’.
‘Oh’.
And then Ron stays silent, but Harry sees him throwing glances at Hermione for the first time in weeks and when Lavender approaches him, he looks less thrilled than before.
‘Don’t mess this up’, is all Ron says quietly to him, just before the class begins, and Harry wonders if Ron is sorry for all the things he has messed up with his own love life.
-----------------
The thing is Harry doesn’t get many moments in his life where he can feel like something has changed; well, at least not many good moments. When he found out he was a wizard is one. The first time he flew on a broomstick. When he and Ron saved Hermione and they became friends.
But he likes to think he’s in one of these moments now, as he watches Ginny coming down the stairs.
He knows she is beautiful and he knows he has been smitten with her for a while now, but still his heart skips a beat as he takes in her figure: the shining red hair, which instead of being in the usual practical ponytail is falling in delicate curls; the way her eyes are glinting, with a soft make-up that he rarely sees her wearing; and the dark green robes she wears, hightlighting her figure and showing her curves much more than the school robes.
'Hi', she says brightly, and Harry appreciates the fact that she doesn't comment on how he is blushing (he must be, his face seems to be on flames) or how he's staring open-mouthed at her. 'You look nice'.
Harry couldn't describe for his life the clothes he is wearing. He could be naked and he wouldn't notice it.
'You look amazing', he insists, and there is so much sincerity in her voice that a light pinkness arises in her face.
But all she says is: 'Shall we go?'
He nods quietly, and then he wonders if he should offer his hand - or his arm? His arm would be the respectable option, but if he took her hand, then -
Ginny decides it for him. As they walk through the portrait, in a gesture that seems more natural than breathing, she takes his hand.
Her hand is soft and warm and as their fingers interlace, it takes all of Harry's effort not to kiss her now and then, even before their date really begins.
'Who do you think Slughorn invited?', she asks, her voice casual.
Harry smiles to himself. Of course Ginny wouldn't let things get strange between them.
They talk normally as they descend the stairs to Slughorn's office, and Harry is feeling silly for all the times he has feared that something could go wrong this night. It's Ginny whom he is with.
So he talks with Slughorn and accepts being presented to anyone because with Ginny by his side, he thinks he can face anything. She makes funny comments – and Harry chokes more than once when she passes ironic comments with the most innocent face he's ever seen – and after a while he notes that even when the people they are talking to were originally interested in Harry, it's Ginny that draws the attention. She is so lively that he can't blame others for noticing it.
They talk and they laugh and they save Hermione from Cormac McLaggen.
''She'll come back in a minute, Cormac', Ginny says with a straight face when McLaggen asks them if they saw Hermione. 'Why don't you try these custard creams while you wait?, and she apparently takes a biscuit from the nearest tray, offering him one. 'Let's get some air, Harry?'
Harry nods with a smile, already awaiting. He and Ginny are already on the other side of the room when there is a sudden pop and they turn to watch a canary appearing in the middle of Slughorn's office, in the place McLaggen was.
They laugh together, but as his eyes meet hers, Harry feels the reason for his amusement changing.
Or maybe not. In any case it is Ginny that makes him happy.
But now instead of feeling joy for a prank, he feels a quiet warmth spreading through his body and when their laugh dies, the silence that fills them is not heavy; it's a silence that questions Harry and it's a silence that there is only one answer he could give.
His eyes drift to her lips for a brief second – they are pink and shiny and they look so soft – and when he looks at her again, there is a blazing look in her face that Harry wants to see forever.
Her hand is still connected with his – he realizes now that they never once broke apart during the party – so it's the easiest thing to pull her through a curtain, to a nice desert balcony and take a step closer to her.
For a moment, they stand together, looking at each other, then Harry presses his lips softly to hers.
The softness lasts two seconds as if neither believes the kiss is really happening. Then Ginny places her free hand on his neck and Harry holds her by the waist and then suddenly they are closer, their bodies together and their lips urgently. Her lips part and he can taste her - really feel the taste of the butterbeer she drank and the other flavor that is spicy and sweet and intoxicating that screams of Ginny. Her hand playing in his hair causes shivers that have nothing to do with the cold air of December.
A part of Harry wonders if maybe there are fireworks in the party, because he can hear them exploding, he can see all the colours even though his eyes are closed. He doesn't know where he is, what day it is,how long they've been kissing each other on that balcony; all he knows is that she is the only real thing in the world and he promises he won't ever stop kissing her –
Unfortunately Harry breaks this promise a second later. There is a distraction back in the room and the loud noise is enough to break them apart. Still, Harry doesn't really move, breathing hard – they hadn't stopped for something as silly as breathing –, his heart pumping fast in his chest, all his senses still concentrated on Ginny, until he recognises the voices.
Snape. Malfoy. Their voices break through his bubble of happiness and blissfulness.
His distress must be evident on his face, because Ginny takes a step back, with a knowing smile, and pulls him back to Slughorn's office.
He watches the discussion and when Snape and Malfoy are leaving, he hesitates, looking back at Ginny.
For one second his eyes drift to her lips – their lipstick is gone and he remembers his promise, wants to taste her again, wants to be lost in the feeling of having her in his arms –, but when their eyes meet, she unclasps their hands.
'Go', she says in a quiet voice. 'I'll come up with something'. When he still doesn't move, she smiles slightly. 'We'll have all winter holiday, Harry'.
It's that promise – and the ideas of being together with her for two weeks – that makes him leave her side for the night.
------------------
He doesn't meet Ginny again until the next morning, when he arrives to get the Floo for the Burrow.
Ginny smiles brightly at him. His body reacts as always – warmth spreads through every part, a grin comes to his face and his heart beats faster –, but it's a welcome feeling after all the worry he had been with Unbreakable Vows or whatever.
He will worry about it later; now his only concern is being with Ginny and –
His eyes fall on Ron, at her side. His best friend has his eyebrows raised, and he looks to Harry rather questioningly, but he stays strangely quiet. Then Lavender is there, kissing him as if Ron's going to war, rather than being away from her for two weeks, and Ginny rolls her eyes in disgust, but doesn't say anything.
'Happy Holidays, Harry, Ginny', he hears Hermione saying by his side, her eyes suddenly red and she enters the fireplace hurriedly.
Ginny scowls at this and throws an annoyed look at Ron – Harry sees her hand twitching to brag ger wand –, but she presses her lips firmly.
Harry feels like he's missing something.
'Hi', he begins tentatively, and Ginny turns to him with a softer expression.
'Hi. Ready to go?'
'Always. Ah - about the end of the party –'
Her smile falters for a short second.
'No harm done. I got back in time to save Hermione one last time from McLaggen, so everything worked out perfectly'.
Harry sighs.
'That is not how I imagined the night ending'.
'So you were imagining things?', she asks teasingly and Harry feels his cheek burning, but he nods, taking a careful step closer to her.
'I've been imagining them for a while now', he whispers, for once happy with all the kissing noise of Ron and Lavender behind them. There is a sparkle in Ginny's eyes now.
'Perhaps we can turn those imaginations into reality'.
He raises his hand, putting a lost strand of her hair behind her ear, and he thinks her smile is warmer than the fireplace in the room. He wonders if he'd dare kiss her now – there is certainly a challenge in her eyes – but before he can move, McGonagall is calling them for taking the Floo.
'Later then', whispers Ginny, winking at him, and Harry's heart beats faster.
------------------
The Christmas Holiday is anything but frosty for Harry, even though he has his fair share of stressful moments - werewolves, discussing Unbreakable Vows, unexpected visits from the Minister of Magic.
Still, if Harry had to summarize those two weeks in one word, he would say Ginny.
Not that anyone asks him about. There is some mutual agreement between Ron and Ginny, so no one knows they went out together to Slughorn's party just as Fred and George are left without knowing about Ron's new girlfriend and their activities.
That means no one – except Ron but he is turning a blind eye, albeit a slight judgemental blind eye – really understand why Harry is grinning through the holidays, why he always wakes up smiling, why he offers to help Ginny set the decorations, why he and Ginny tries to cook apple pie closed together in the kitchen (the pie ends up quite tasty if a little bit burnt).
Sometimes Harry thinks people should know – they can't be really keeping a secret from Fred and George, and Mrs. Weasley always seemed to know things –, but most of the time his thoughts are occupied somewhere else.
Or rather in someone else.
Harry is patient on the first day of the holidays. He lets Mrs. Weasley take care of him – complaining that he is still too thin, asking how things are in school – until he drops his things on Ron's bedroom and says something about needing to take some air. Ron is not convinced, but Harry can't really care right now. Thirty seconds after leaving Ron he is already out of the house; ten seconds later, Ginny is in his arms, her body pressed against his as they kiss under an apple tree in the garden.
It's hidden there, with only the moonlight as witness, and Harry loses himself gladly in the feeling of her lips, her hands in his neck, the softness of her skin as he finds an opening in her jumper and touches her back, marvelling at the fact that she trembles upon his touch.
It's a routine they will share for the next few days. Hidden stolen moments in the garden, in the attic (ignoring the sleeping ghoul there), their lips exploring each other, discovering the best angle to kiss, until they are both left gasping for air, their lips swollen from the kisses and with that smile that Harry feels like an outdoor for ‘hey, I’ve been snogging’.
Still, no one asks him anything and for once Harry prefers it that way. They will tell people later, it’s just that for now it’s good to keep a secret that has nothing to do with Dark Arts or Voldemort, and it’s good to avoid any teasing or older brother-talking or – as Ginny says with a shudder – Mrs. Weasley’s delightful approval.
Maybe people think they are just good friends. In fact, every time he can’t be alone with Ginny without arousing suspicion, they are together, talking and discussing anything. It’s not much different from what they did during summer holidays, but Harry now thoroughly appreciates how Ginny is a good company, how he can talk to her about any subject.
Well, almost any subject. She doesn’t ask what he found out following Malfoy and Snape on the night of Slughorn’s party, and Harry doesn’t want to share with her – not because he doesn’t trust her, but because telling her it would somehow involve in that mystery and it would be too close to the fact that he is the Chosen One, and when he is with her, he just wants to forget it and be a normal teenager.
She seems to understand it. That's the thing he most likes about her, more even than the physical things he feels when he is with her; she never presses him for anything.
They kiss under the mistletoe she has left on the porch (and Harry can't help but think it's really an improvement from his first kiss), they kiss in the kitchen when they happen to meet late in the night for a hot chocolate (that he can taste in her lips).
It's the best holiday Harry ever had.
--------------
The night before they return to Hogwarts, Ron asks Harry nervously:
'What's going on between you and Ginny? Are you going out?'
Harry hesitates for a second.
'I don't know', he answers truthfully, but now that Ron has asked, this uncertainty bothers him. Ron frowns, his disapproval evident, and Harry hurries to add: 'I'm not messing her around. I really like her'.
At this, Ron seems to relax a little.
'Just - just talk to her, ok? I don't want people saying that my sister - well - just decide what's going on with you two'.
Harry nods in silence.
He lays in his bed for a while, hearing Ron’s soft snores in the bed next to his, before he quietly slips out of the bed. He’s careful to avoid any of the steps that always seems to resonate in the house, and before he can lose his courage, he knocks on her door.
After five seconds that seem to last longer, she opens her door.
‘Harry?’, she asks, blinking and confused. Harry doesn’t think she was asleep, but she was obviously preparing to; she’s wearing a robe, her hair wet, and he sees her holding a towel that she was using to dry her hair. When she sees him staring, a faint blush comes to her face. ‘I take a shower when I can’t sleep’, she admits.
That’s not where Harry’s mind was. He must have kissed her a hundred times by now, must have seen her blushing and teasingly and confident and daring, but seeing her fresh from a shower, with her floral scent heavier in the air, the only thing he was considering is how much he wants her, how much he is falling for her.
��Do you want to go out with me?’, asks Harry. She blinks, surprised, and looks around quickly.
‘Come on’, she says, pushing him inside her bedroom and closing the door.
Harry had never ever seen her room before, so he is distracted for a moment, taking in the small bedroom, her decoration. Then his eyes fall on the bed and he feels suddenly very hot.
He tries to ignore the flush creeping over his neck as he turns back to her, but he can’t really meet her eyes – Ginny always seemed to read him very well…
‘Why are you asking me out, Harry?’
That stops his creative mind that was still fixed on her bed.
‘Well - because I want to go out with you?’
‘I figured that out, you know, considering how much we’ve been snogging’, Ginny points out. ‘But that doesn’t answer my question’.
‘It’s just – Ron said -’, at this, Ginny furrows her brows and Harry considers that maybe Ron is in danger. ‘I just don’t want to seem like I’m taking advantage of you or –’
‘I believe I was having as much “advantage” as you’, she says with a grin that Harry can’t help but share too. Then he shakes his head.
‘I want to do things right’, he says firmly.
‘You mostly definitive are’, Ginny assures him, winking. ‘I just don’t know if you really want to date me’.
‘Of course I –’
‘I mean, we sort of never told anyone we were going together for Slughorn’s party and I thought you wanted to keep things private’. Harry bits his lips. She takes a step closer to him, grabbing his hand gently. ‘I know you don’t like getting attention and if we’ve dated, people would talk about. I can handle people – that’s why I learnt the Bat-Bogey Hex, but I thought you’d be stressed’.
Harry raises his free hand, touching her face, the wet locks of her copper hair.
‘I don’t like people talking about my life’, he whispers. ‘But for once people would talk about something that’s making me happier than I remember being in a while, so that would be a change. Still – if we could keep just between us – I just don’t want to seem like I’m ashamed of you or that I want to keep you a secret -’
She smiles.
‘Keeping this low was my idea as much as yours’, she remembers. ‘And we don’t need to keep it a secret forever, just, you know, until people find out. Until then –’, she approaches him, raising on her tiptoes to press her lips softly in this neck. The goosebumps erupt all over Harry. ‘– we can have some fun’.
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Text
Being a Malfoy and dating Fred Weasley would include:
Warnings: mention of death
Wordcount: 2.1k
Requested by anon
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To start it all off you were Draco’s older sister by two years, so you are in the same years as them
Your parents love you even tho only your mom really shows it
You and Draco are also really close, you have been since you were kids and you two never really got around to play with other kids
Still it is only natural for siblings to say they hate each other and fight but you make up eventually
Growing up you already showed a strong talent in magic and your parents knew you would do great things someday, so it got even more exciting when you started your first year in Hogwarts
The Sorting Hat took quite long to decide where to put you, you would have fitted into Ravenclaw just as much as into Slytherin but in the end you decided on Slytherin (out of family reasons or being scared of your parents wasn’t quite sure)
While the sorting ceremony happened you just couldn’t take your eyes of the two wet, ginger haired boys talking and grinning at each other
You soon found out they were Fred and George Weasley and that they liked to wreak havoc but it just made them that more interesting
Over the next two years you grew a major crush on one of them and you could have smacked yourself for it
You were a Malfoy and Fred was a Weasley, or as your family and the other Slytherins liked to call them, a blood traitor
So you kept your mouth shut about it and admired him from afar
And then your little shit of a brother came to Hogwarts and figured it out in less than a week
“Really (Y/N), a Weasley?”
“Oh shut the fuck up you little ferret.”
It stayed between the two of you for the time being but he kept on bringing it up and annoying you with it
Time passed and the feelings only continued to grow even tho you rarely spoke a word to him
It took until your fifth year that the two of you became friends and that only because you covered for them
You were in the library studying for your upcoming transfiguration test when the two red haired boys burst in and took a table not far from you. You looked over and looked them over. They were both breathing heavily but smiling while getting their stuff as fast as possible out of their bags and onto the table. Fred glanced around and stopped when he spotted you. He gave you a wink and put his finger over his mouth in a ‘shhh’ motion before turning to his brother once again. You felt your face grew hot but you tried to ignore it and rolled your eyes, getting back to work. 
Not five minutes later the silence got disturbed again when Professor McGonagall came in looking rather angry. She immediately made her way over to the twins and gave them a look which screamed ‘you better not try anything’.
“Mister and Mister Weasley, what were the two of you thinking?” , the professor's usual strict voice was upped and you got a chill down your spine. You never wanted to be on the receiving end of that. 
“Professor McGonagall, we don’t know what you are talking about. We were here all afternoon.” , Fred answered first. “Yeah, we have been studying for the test tomorrow.” George followed up trying to make it sound more convincing.
“Oh really? Can someone confirm that?” Professor McGonagall crossed her arms and starred the boys down.
They looked at each other trying to figure something out but you broke the silence before them.
“I can vouch for them, Professor. I came here after Potions to study and they were already here studying as well.” Your voice was as calm as ever and you gave her a small smile when she turned to look at you. Fred and George gave you both shocked expressions behind the professors back but you didn’t acknowledge them and just continued looking at her. 
McGonagall looked at you closely before letting you all off the hook and leave. Even if she knew you were lying she couldn’t prove it and as soon as she was gone you let out a sigh of relief. That was horrible, you thought.
Well not so horrible after all because after that little ordeal you and the twins became friends and after some bribing you even started to help them with their pranks
If your feelings grew while only looking at him they now skyrocketed through the roof and sometimes you felt like you could throw up
You grew closer to him over the next year and that is when the yule ball came along
You didn’t get your hopes up on him asking you, the year before he had shown interest in Angelina Johnson so for you that was his obvious choice but to the surprise of most he asked you and you immediately said yes, even tho a bit shocked
That was the point where Draco told your parents about you and the Weasley and hell broke loose
Your father was totally against it and even threatened to take you out of Hogwarts and send you somewhere else, thankfully Narcissa could stop him from doing so
She didn’t have to say anything for you to know that she was against the building thing between you and Fred but she kept her mouth shut
For a while before the ball you thought to cancel it but you decided against it
You wanted it for so long that you wouldn’t let your family ruin it
After the ball you and Fred grew even closer but the relationship to your parents and Draco got pretty strained, especially when Draco started to talk down on you
It took a while until you and Fred would start to date but what was clear is that he had some kind of feelings for you as well
When the summer came after Voldemort returned everything turned to hell for you and it didn’t took much for you to leave
Seeing as how your parents and brother treated you and how the dark lord himself was in your home
You were scared for your life so running away was the only options, but you still tried to make Draco come with you, trying to show him how much danger he will and already is but he didn’t listen
Thanks to a little help from Fred and George you found a new home rather quickly
Some of the Weasleys were a bit weary but Molly greeted you with open arms and soon made you her second daughter
She heard so much from the twins and especially Fred about you that she could see why he wanted you to stay with him
As this was the time they moved into the Order of the Phoenix headquarters for the summer, so did you and through that you met your estranged uncle Sirius who you immediately bonded with
Since you were a kid you were much more upon to muggles and others that your parents told you, you should hate and that are less than the purebloods that you and your family are that you started to hate those ideas
It was one of the things that made you bond with him besides being a runaway and the treatment you got from your parents after doing something that displeased them
Over the summer a lot happened and being in so close proximity with Fred everyday gave you two the final kick to start date
Seeing as you all lived together in only such a given amount of space everybody knew within a few days, and they were fine with it
But as we know as soon as Sirius bonds with any given child they become his, so a little talk happened, but otherwise everything was great
To sum up the next hell year of school, Umbridge is the biggest bitch you have ever met and you wished she would burn like the pile of shit she is
Also at some point your aunt and nine other Death Eaters were broken out of Azkaban and it made you fear even more for Draco because you knew where those individuals would be staying
But putting all the bad things aside you helped Fred and George with the creation of new joke articles and finding people to test it on, you joined the DA and gained some more practical knowledge on how to defend yourself against foes and the dark arts
Of course you also spend some alone time with your boyfriend in unused classrooms or his dorm and on the weekends in Hogsmeade, be it on the usual way or one of the passages
Most things were going good and after Fred kept on asking you about leaving with him before the school year ends and opening the shop with him and George you said yes
Screw it, you already finished all your N.E.W.T.S and what is a few weeks left going to do to your grades?
So you guys made the show of the years with fireworks and a kick to Umbridge in the ass with one particular one, and with that off you were
The next two years went by in a flash with the work that came from opening the shop and keeping it running, the time you spend with Fred building up your future together and all the other stuff that life throws your way
It was a bliss but you also kept thinking about your family
You had lost Sirius, which you started to get to know and grow closer to, you had lost your parents and brother in some way too because none of them would talk to you and you feared what could happen to Draco
But that was all put to the side when things got more dangerous after the Death Eaters attacked Bill and Fleaur’s wedding and attacks in general happened more and more
Throughout the year muggles, half-bloods and even purebloods who were seen as blood traitors got killed and you knew that they would come after you as well, sooner or later
You got through the year with a few close calls and a lot of cautions until you got a message from the Order saying that there will be a battle in Hogwarts and they needed all the help they could get
During the battle you never left Fred’s side, even if you wanted to look for Draco and make sure that he was okay, Fred was now part of your family and you would do anything to protect the ones you loved
It turned out that staying with Fred would save his life in the end and after saving him from the collapsing ceiling he asked you to marry him
“Fred! I don’t think this is the right time to ask me that!”
“I just almost died! I think it’s the right time to do so!”
“Fine! It’s a yes!”
You battled your way through what turned out to be the first wave of attacks when you finally got a break
You gathered up with the Weasleys and Hermione and exchanged hugs when you spotted Draco and sprinted towards him
Without thinking he came towards you and hugged you back as you enveloped him in your arms
There was no way you would let go of him and tears started to roll down your face
“You're okay, you are okay… I was so scared something happened to you. I missed you so much.”
“...I missed you too.”
You made him come over to the Weasley family with you and he did so without saying a word
The rest of the day and the second half of the battle went by fast, when your mother called for Draco to come over you saw him think for a second but in the end he remained by your said and held your hand which made you look at him with a proud smile and to the surprise of everyone Narcissa came to your side and hugged both you and Draco
She fought by your side for the rest of it and after it was over she hugged you for the first time in years before she and Draco left
In the next few years you would rekindle your relationship with your mother and brother, you would marry Fred and eventually get two beautiful twin girls named Winifred and Roxanna. 
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Tagging: @satans-bae-and-queen, @hippogreif-joana
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willowbleedsonpaper · 3 years
Text
Good Company
Lupin!Reader x James Potter
W.C. : 2849
This is a Request from my friend @fleurdeslunes! I hope you like it and that I didn't change your request that much. I can´t find the request but it was something along the lines of: The reader is the twin sister of Remus and James' girlfriend where she doesn't like to be touched, the only one that can are Remus and James.
Warnings: Mentions of blood and a wound.
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The mornings at Hogwarts were usually quiet. The morning breeze flowing around in the air as the cold settled on the cheeks of the many students in the form of a faint pink blush. It was almost like being in a dream. The echo of your footsteps on the grand hallways, the firm feeling of stone as you ran your hand over a wall, some owls flying here and there in the morning sky, where there was light but still the sun wasn’t fully out. The kind of sky you could enjoy from the hills that rolled straight into the black lake, feelling the sun touching your skin as it slowly made its way up for the day.
If you weren’t watching precisely that, you would think it was about a dream and sadly, all dreams must come to an end.
Time for breakfast was almost upon you, and if you wanted to get your seat with your friends you had to leave immediately. Staring at the sky for a couple more seconds, you said a silent goodbye to the picture before you, smiling as you started walking. Your eyes remained on the horizon, taking a couple steps backwards before you fully turned in your heel.
You didn’t even see the people running in your direction until it was too late.
You could swear they didn’t see you either, pushing you out of their way with the same force they carried with them as they ran. Your feet stumbled back, your back hit the stone wall, making you fall with a hollow sound, one that didn’t go unnoticed by the others in the hall.
Soon the air was filled with murmurs, questions directed to you as many gathered around you. Two girls were to your right, one talking to you as the other tried to reach for your hand.
Your free hand rubbed your head, your eyes squinted closed due to the pain in your back and the throb in your ankle. It was too loud. Once your head started registering the voices from the girls next to you, you tried to muster your best smile, a tight smile appearing on your face as you shook your hand out of her grasp.
They gave you a worried look as you placed both hands on the floor, pushing yourself to a standing position when a hissing sound flew from your mouth, your body falling once again to the floor. Your grunt making the girls move again.
“Let us help you.” she said kindly, her hand coming to your forearm as her friend tried to do the same. “We’ll take you to the hospital wing.”
You were shaking your head furiously, fighting their hold from your arms. “It’s fine, please…”
“Y/N?” you heard your name being called, the crowd around you opening as a relieved sigh left your mouth. “Don’t” James said, pointing to the hold the girl had on your hand as she tried to pull you to your feet. She let go as soon as James got to your side, kneeling beside you and placing a hand in your cheek, nodding in your way and never moving his eyes from you until you nodded back at him, a smile spreading on his face “Thank you, but I got her.” he told the girls, both pulling away with a smile as he turned his attention to you.
The crowd dissipated as soon as James arrived, the incident turning to a distant memory in the student’s brains.
“Hi.” he said to you, your defeated face lighting up as he spoke “Don’t get me wrong, you look gorgeous sitting on the floor but I have to ask, Why are you sitting on the floor?”
You chuckled, pointing to your ankle that was quickly swelling, the little skin that showed between your shoe and the jeans you were wearing for the weekend now a bright red where a dark bruise would form in the following days “You could say that I fell and now I can’t stand up.” you told him, getting a questioning look from him as he moved to check on your ankle, his eyes asking for permission to take off your shoe as you explained what had happened.
“You saw who it was?” he asked once you finished, his eyes deep in thought as he moved your feet, quickly apologizing at the hissing sound that left your lips.
“No,” you mumbled, knowing exactly why he wanted to know “I was too busy falling.”
He looked up at you with a smile. Of course you wouldn't tell him who pushed you, it was alright, he would find one way or another. Just matter of time. “Good thing is that it doesn’t look so bad but I’m not a healer.” he said, taking your hand and pulling you to your feet, your good foot supporting all of your weight as you rested your back against the wall “I’m taking you to the hospital wing, m’lady.” he said with a smirk, turning his back to your as he lowered his body.
“What are you doing?” you asked with confusion, looking as he turned again to you.
“You’ve never had a Piggyback before?” he asked “Moony is the worst brother.”
“Hey!” you laughed, “He is the best. And I know what a piggyback is, I’m just not letting you carry me all the way to the hospital wing.”
James made a sound with his mouth, turning to his side as he murmured “Like you have a choice.”
Next thing you knew, James had picked you up with both his arms, your arms instantly around his neck as you let out a surprised squeal. His smile reached his eyes, walking the halls as he glanced down at you “What kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn’t take the chance to carry you, huh?”
“A normal one.” you chuckled, pulling yourself up to reach his cheek. He moved his face down automatically, your lips connecting with his skin in a quick kiss “Thank you for saving me back there.” you murmured, your voice soft as you thanked them.
“Anytime.” he said truthfully “You didn’t look very comfortable, I thought you needed some help.”
“Yeah.” you mumbled, snuggling closer to him in thought. When did you start to trust him enough so that now he was holding your entire body without a trace of anxiety in your body ?
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Remus is your brother, your twin. There was no other person on the planet you were closest to. He knew you better than anyone and you knew him like the back of your hand. You could put on a smile and he could tell by the sound of your voice you were hurting. He could put on a calm face and say something didn’t matter to him but you knew he was a second away from punching someone across the face. Maybe you had a twin connection, or maybe growing up together and being the only ones there for one another brought you closer than anyone else could ever dream of. No one really knows, and you don’t care at all. You just knew you loved your brother above all else.
The nights of the full moon were the worst for both. Remus suffered what a person should endure in a lifetime during one night. You felt his pain as your own and even then you knew, it didn’t come any closer to what he actually went through.
You made an arrangement. Every full moon, you would go to the Shrieking Shack and sleep there, waiting for the morning to arrive so he could return and meet you there or you would have to go and look for him. Needless to say, you didn’t sleep much those nights.
One specific full moon, you were sitting at the Shrieking Shack, resting your head over your hands on the old piano that sat in the middle of the room. It was something that brought you comfort during the hours you spent there, playing soft tunes that Remus had taught you. It was the only thing that could bring a smile to your lips. You started playing the keys slowly, the sound lingering in the air as your movements became faster, the melody taking a shape that engulfed you in your own little bubble that you didn’t even hear the clapings behind you until they were right next to you.
You jumped in your seat, stumbling to your feet as you pulled your wand from your sleeve.
“No need for that.” James said, hands in the air as he watched you slowly relax.
“What are you doing here?” you asked him harshly, closing the piano’s lid and falling to your seat once more.
“You can drop the act, Y/N.” he told you softly, walking around and taking a place on the floor across from you “We know about Moony.” he said, your face going pale at his words.
“What?” you stuttered, “What about him?”
Your heartbeat quickened as a soft smile appeared on James’ face, he had his head low, fingers drawing lines on the dusty floor as he shook his head. “We’re not that stupid, you know?” he told you “And you two aren’t that discret. We put two and two together and followed you.”
You stared at him with an eyebrow raised “We?” you asked.
“Sirius and Peter are arranging some things for Remus.” he answered, the questioning look on your face making him sit straight, his full attention on you making you shift, a soft grunt leaving your lips as your eyes danced between your side and the boy in front of you. “For when he gets back, I’m sure he’ll need more than just bandages…” he trailed off, seeing the glistening in your eyes as tears started to form “Hey, are you alright?” he asked, standing to his feet and taking a hesitant step forward, coming to halt as Remus’ words echoed in his ears.
No one touches my sister.
By the look on your face, James gathered Remus wasn’t just an overprotective brother.
You were pressing your hand over your arm, the white fabric sticking to your arm as a red spot formed. Your eyes held no emotion as you shrugged your shoulders, pressing your hand once more over the wound.
“You’re bleeding.” he mumbled.
The serious look on his face made you nervous as you nodded. “It’s nothing.” you whispered “I tripped and fell over my arm, that’s all.”
James said nothing as you avoided his eyes, knowing for sure you didn’t trip. “I’ll go look for something to clean that up.” he said, almost at the door when your voice stopped him .
“I have everything I need here.” you picked up your bag, wiggling it in the air with a shy smile “Apart from sister I’m half nurse too.”
James breathed out a laugh, returning to his spot on the floor, this time sitting closer to you. “You need help?” he offered, watching as you stretched your arm over your chest to reach the place you needed.
“I got it.” you whispered surely, moving thoughtlessly for a couple of minutes before your arm was bandaged.
He had stared in awe as you cured yourself, him being a frequent visitor at the hospital wing couldn't even think of tending to his own wounds, he knew how but never did it himself.
“You’re really good at that.”
“Taking care of Remus has its advantages.” you said, remaining in silence for a good couple of minutes, the previous conversation you held with him running circles inside your head. “You never told me what you were doing here.”
“What are you doing here?” he said back with a smile, making you shake your head as you crossed your arms over your chest, turning your body to the side. “Fine,” he laughed, “I’m here to keep you company.” he said after a few seconds, the light of the moon doing nothing but show even more the pink that appeared over his cheeks.
“Really?” you asked in disbelief.
“Is it that hard to believe?” he asked you back with the tilt of his head.
You nodded, not fully sure of what to do with that information. “Why you, though?” he looked taken aback, not sure what you meant until you added “Why not Sirius or Peter?”
“Do you want me to go get them?” he said pointing back at the door, an amused smile on his face “Didn’t know my company wasn’t worthy for the lady here.” he placed a hand over his heart, faking a hurt look as you erupted in laughter.
“You know that’s not what I meant!” you laughed, missing the glint that appeared on his eyes as he watched you laugh wholeheartedly. He had completed his task for the night.
“Don’t worry,” he said, ignoring your comments as he kept on “Next time you’ll get to choose who keeps you company. I’ll let Sirius know you asked for him first, let’s see how Remus feels about that one.” The smirk that formed on his lips did nothing to help you, the amusement in his words making it hard for you to stop laughing for a while.
But, when you did finally calm down, a comfortable silence had filled the space. You looked up through your lashes, James’ gaze completely focused outside the window where the sky started to get lighter, the night coming to an end. “So…” you said to capture his attention “Next time I’ll get to choose?”
He chuckled nodding his head “Peter has the better food and Sirius...” he told you, but you cut him off before he could say anything else.
“Can I ask for you again?” you asked in a whisper, but you knew he heard you. Wide eyes snapping up at you before he returned his face to his confident self once more. “Maybe?” you added.
His smile softened, no longer the smirk he carried wherever he went as he whispered back “Maybe.”
*****************************************************************
“And…” he said, making some twirls as he paced you down on one of the beds “We’re here.” he informed you triumphantly, the smile on his face only growing as he sat next to you and you placed a quick kiss to his cheek.
“My hero.” you said with a smile as you waited for Madame Pomfrey to get to you, the Hospital wing unusually flowing with students. “What do you think happened?” you asked curiously looking around to the line of beds, each one with a student.
James scratched the back of his head, his smile now nervous.
“James?” you asked again, looking for his eyes as your attention drifted from him to the fast footsteps approaching the Hospital wing.
Three figures slide through the floor, running and hiding behind a curtain as a very angry Professor McGonogall storms past the room. You stared with wide eyes, your gaze only moving when the figure of your brother emerged from behind the curtain.
“What did you do?” you asked him.
His smile fell and appeared over his face, his attention finally settling on James as he said “We found them.”
James let out a sigh, looking at his friends “You didn’t wait for me?!” he asked in frustration, a rant about to explode from his lips as the sound of Professor McGonagall’s echoed the halls once more.
“Black! Potter!” she yelled.
“I wasn’t even there, why is she looking for me?” he whispered shouted, the only thing making him react being the closer sound of her voice. James cursed under his breath, reacting immediately as he ran to your side “Sorry Love,” he said, placing a quick kiss on your cheek, not giving you time to respond “Someone’s gotta distract Minnie.” he said, the mischievous look in his eyes coming back as he elbowed Sirius.
Sirius nodded in return, both boys running out of the Hospital wing before you could react.
You squinted your eyes before turning to your brother “You found who, exactly?” you asked.
“The ones that pushed you.” he answered, letting his shoulders fall.
“James told you, didn’t he?”
“Yep.” he said, wrapping an arm around your shoulders “Peter found them, Sirius and I took over and… well, McGonagal wasn’t happy.”
You smiled at Peter, the boy sitting next to you, the three of you watched Professor McGonagall walk past the door with James and Sirius close by. You all stifled your laughter as they walked by.
“Someone’s got to get them out of detention.” you said, patting both Peter and Remus on the back “Go, I’ll wait for Madame Pomfrey here.”
“You sure?” asked Remus.
“Go get me my boyfriend.” you said.
Remus stopped, looking back at you with the tilt of his head “If you put it like that…”
“Go!” you laughed, throwing the pillow in the bed right at his head. They both ran out of there before you could do anything else but wait for Madame Pomfrey. You’ll see if they’ve made it out of detention later.
TAGS
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MARAUDERS TAGS
@destourtereaux
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mariamermaid · 3 years
Text
Patronus-Protector
Sirius x Reader
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Summary: Much to your dislike, your friends have been hiding something from you. Now it is your turn to find out what has been slumbering beneath the surface of the marauder group…
Words: 3.1k
A/N: requested by @divergirl9-blog Sorry it took so long!
Warnings: swearing, blood, little bit angsty
Patronus{m}, Latin- Protector
“Have they been avoiding you?”
Lilly frowned as you sat down across from her in the great hall. It was a custom habit of the two of you to do the potions homework on Tuesdays together. But your mind was everywhere but on the potions.
“What do you mean?”
“Don´t act stupid, Evans. Did James tell you anything?” You scrunched your nose and leaned a little over the table, so the red-head couldn´t avoid your glance. She held in for a second; James hadn´t particularly mentioned anything. On the other hand, the past times she had seen her somewhat secret boyfriend, there wasn´t much talking involved.
“Not really”, Lilly sighed and tried to get back on the homework. But you were too stubborn and took away her pen. You wouldn´t let this slip another time. “Not really? Is that all you got Lilly?”
“For Merlin´s sake Y/n, I don’t really know! He mentioned something about going to the Shrieking Shack.”
It was your turn to furrow your brows in confusion. “What do they want there?” You asked muttering more to yourself. Lilly rolled her green eyes, until they landed on a certain dark-haired boy. You quickly followed her glance, finding Sirius standing across the hall. It seemed like he had either watched, maybe even eavesdropped, but before you could further question the whole situation, he left the hall with hasty steps.
“You´re done, Black”, you cursed as you hurried after him and to hell with the homework, which you left behind.
Lilly watched as you left, her head back in her hand. “Young love.”
It was no secret to her that you felt a little more than just friendship for the heartbreaker boy. It was also no secret, that Sirius Black was only heartless until it came to you.
There was no thing he wouldn´t do for you, much against his own denial. However, Sirius was best at one thing; protecting you. Mostly, from himself.
Oh yes, he wouldn´t trade your long friendship for anything or anyone, but his craving to feel your soft lips on his, was getting stronger by the day. The fear of breaking in took away his sleep. But as the time the night came, he realized the empty spot in the bed next to him. However, he decided on the empty spot, instead of losing you forever. He had determined years ago, his purpose to protect you was greater than his pain.
You made it hard though. Especially as you ran after him through the halls, after he was explicitly advised not to talk to you with the upcoming full moon. It would be hard to contain Remus and James couldn´t babysit a werewolf and an Animagus at the same time. Especially, if said Animagus was only focused on protecting the girl he loved.
“Sirius!”
He ignored you.
“Sirius Black if you do not stop running, I´ll hex you!” Finally, he stopped in his tracks. So abruptly, you almost ran right into him.
“For Merlin´s sake, you better tell me what is going on!” You scolded him angrily. He avoided your eyes, staring out of the window instead.
“I don’t know-“
“Don´t!” You became angrier by the second, but beneath all that anger was hurt. Why didn´t he tell you? What had you done, that made him loose trust?
“Don´t do this, Sirius. We don´t have secrets from each other, I´ve known you my entire life. If I did something wrong-“
It was his time to cut you off.
“You didn´t do anything wrong!” He assured you quickly and you sighed, as he finally starred into your mellow face.
“But clearly something is wrong and as long as you prefer to keep it from me, instead of letting me help, you can shove our friendship up your ignorant ass!”
He wanted to prevent exactly what just happened; you getting hurt. But you were hurt and his actions felt like betrayal to you.
Angrily and gloomy, you left him standing in the empty hall.
For the next two days, neither of the marauder´s saw much of you. Lily, who shared her room with you was the only one. Sirius, who had given up on trying, after your recent fight, only watched you from afar. Both James and Remus attempted to catch you after class, but you slipped away and hurried back into safeties of your room. All of them worried about the silence that hung like dark thunder clouds, but the full moon was approaching fast. They had bigger worries.
It was on the second day of your oppressive silence; night was approaching and your stomach growled in hunger. You had skipped dinner in order to evade James and Peter, who sat with Lilly. It was weird seeing them without Remus or Sirius, but you hadn´t given it much thought. They were probably up to no good as always.
But as you snuck out your room hoping to get at least a late-night snack, you heard toned down voices. Waiting at the end of the stairs of the common room, you listened to James and Peter.
“Come on, Potter! You can always talk to your girl, but we have to get going now! Sirius will need our help.”
James sighed defeated. “If this continues, Lilly won´t talk to me just like Y/N.”
“If Sirius would´ve acted a little more elaborated, she wouldn´t be as pissed as she is. That boy knows how to charm every girl, but her.”
James snickered at Peter´s comment. “You´re right, let´s go!”
You had no idea what was happening, but your feet acted on pure instinct as you hurried after the two boys. After all, curiosity killed the cat.
They left the school building and you had trouble keeping up, cursing at Merlin for their endurance from the quidditch training. You watched as they arrived at the whomping willow, hiding behind rocks and high grass, and then, they disappeared.
How did the old willow not even attempt to crush them? You eyed the plant structure from a safe distance, analyzing where James had previously stood. Something was there, you couldn´t fully make it out, but James had leaned down a little to touch the willow.
“For Merlin´s sake, those boys will be the death of me!”, you cursed whispering as you hurried to the willow. Hastily and purely relying on hope, you searched the plant for anything. It was your luck, that you found the knot at the base and a secret passage opened up.
Your mouth slightly opened and quietly you admitted, that the marauder weren´t completely stupid. At least not all the time (often enough though). It was a rather awkward slide into the passage, but luckily, James and Peter were already more far off and they didn´t hear your stumbling.
It didn´t take long until you found yourself at the shrieking shack, slowly the pieces were put together. However, you already heard loud voices coming from inside.
At this point, your gut feeling took over your prudence and you hurried inside, following the yelling. Screams from all of the marauders echoed through the old shack and you panted, when all kind of horrible scenarios came to your head. Argument or not, they were your friends and you´d do everything to protect them. With your wand safely in your hand, you entered the large room, but what came to your view wasn´t at all what you had expected…
At the back of the stone wall was Remus… But he wasn´t himself.
In the rise of the silver full moon his eyes turned savage and fur crawled across his skin until he was fully covered. You heard the breaking from the metal chains as he rose from the ground, taller than ever before. A gasp left your lips, which brought all the attention to you.
“Remus!”
James, Sirius and Peter exchanged quick looks, it wasn´t their first battle against the full moon, but this time you were a new meeple in the game. James and Peter lunged forward, trying to keep Remus, who was in full werewolf mode, back and Sirius ran to your side. “What are you doing here?” He asked furious and your head snapped at him.
“Me? You were the one lying to me! I wouldn´t have come, but you were hiding something from me!”
“I wasn´t!”
“Uhm, how about Remus being a werewolf?”
“I wanted to tell you!”
Your argument was interrupted as both James and Peter were thrown against the wall, Remus was on the loose. Sirius who had positioned himself safely in front of you, let out a growl as well.
In the next second, he jumped forward, his clothes ripping and when landing, the four paws scratched across the wooden floor. Yes, you had spent many hours cuddled together with Sirius in his hound form, watching sunsets and sometimes sunrises as well. But it was the first time, you witnessed him other than an adorable dog. This time, he truly seemed dangerous.
Not only he, but Remus as well and you felt fear growing. You didn´t know what they were capable of. Barely realizing how Peter grabbed your arm to pull you back from the fight, you watched as the two shadow figures began battling.
“Y/n stay back”, Peter tried to remind you, but you too captivated. Both he and James couldn’t do much, until Sirius was thrown against a nearby dresser, which fell to pieces. Sirius bellowed in pain and while James tried to help the hound pack on his feet (or paws), you placed yourself right in between him and Remus.
“Remus, remember who you are! We´re your friends!” You exclaimed, but aimed with your wand right at him. No one hurt your friends and seeing Sirius down, felt like a wakeup call.
Remus however didn´t listen and as he made another step closer to you, you were left no choice.
“Stupify!”
The red light bathed the dim room, but then the darkness crawled back into the corners and your senses. Your eyes had to adjust again, but then he was suddenly right in front of you. A sharp pain emerged, as you held up your arms to protect your body and head, then you felt yourself hitting the ground. Everything was spinning, you had lost your wand and burning red liquid ran down your outer, lower arms. Screams echoed further in the shallow room and you did your best to concentrate. Sirius´s dark shadow lunged off the ground and threw Remus back down, howling and growls cut through the air. But the two of them disappeared in blurriness. Two pair of arms grabbed your side.
“Y/n, can you hear us?” James´s distant voice rang through your mind; you formed a faint nod.
Peter starred at the continues blood stream.
“James, she´s losing a lot of blood, we need to get her to the infirmary.” Peter quietly explained and shock as well as fear was clearly written in both of their faces. “What about them?”
James felt like vomiting at the sight of your injury and feared the fact, that you were zooning out more and more. But Sirius had Remus pinned down, and Peter carefully, but rapidly put your arms around James.
“Get her to the infirmary, I´ll help Sirius in tying him down, go!”
It was at the edge of your consciousness as you felt yourself leaning against James, while he tried his best to get you through the dark, dirty passage. Then, before you reached the light of the moon again, you blacked out.
 He had decided years ago, his purpose to protect you was greater than his pain.
 Now Sirius sat on the marble bench outside the infirmary. All he ever wanted was to protect to you, and he failed miserably. Deep, dark circles from lost sleep were seen under his matt eyes. It had been almost two days since the incident and he had not the slightest idea, how James had explained the entire situation. Madame Pomfrey sure had enough to do as he carried you in, in the middle of the night with blood dripping on the way. They were able to stop the bleeding fairly quickly, but your body needed a lot of energy to fully close the wounds. As steps approached, Sirius looked up to find Remus; he looked just as tired.
He had lost all memory of the night, but seeing you pale and injured, hit him hard. He probably hadn´t slept as well. “She´s not awake?”
Sirius didn´t answer, his sole presence was enough. On the other hand, he wasn´t sure if he could even face you.
“Lilly´s with her.”
McGonagall’s lecture was hard, but bearable. Lilly´s on the other hand, only created more remorse. She was right, if he had just told the truth, things would´ve been different, under control at least. A deep empty pit inside his stomach growled as blame remained. But the heaping pain in his heart was even worse. The image of you in the hospital bed had been like a trigger, that created an avalanche. It could´ve ended worse, he could´ve lost you.
Sirius felt like throwing up again as the thought crossed his mind. It was his biggest fear; losing you.
 “Amortentia is the most powerful love potion in the world. It is distinctive for its mother-of-pearl sheen, and steam rises from the potion in spirals. Amortentia smells different to each person, according to what attracts them."
“What in Merlin´s beard are you reading to me?”
Lilly´s head snapped up from the potions book, she couldn´t help herself but feel the need to entertain you. And maybe herself as well, while she held watch at your side.
“You´re up!” The red-head exclaimed excited and sat down on the bed next to you.
“How are you feeling?”
You let a small groan as you sat up a little higher, your limbs felt weak and heavy.
“Tired”, you offered her a small smile.
Your eyes traveled down to the bandages on your arms.
“Glad to see you didn´t amputate them.”
“At least you didn´t lose your humor.”
Then you found Lilly´s gaze again. “What about Sirius and Remus?”
She quickly shook her head. “You left us all worried and with terrible remorse, but we all survived, more or less.” You raised your eyebrow at her, questioning, but she ignored your gesture.
“I´ll just get them.”
Only seconds after, you heard steps approaching again. From behind the curtain came two terribly exhausting looking boys; your boys.
“You both look like shit”, you couldn´t hold back the comment and the three of you erupted in easier laughter. The tensions slightly shrunk. Remus was first to sit down next to you, guilt still hidden behind his eyes. But before he could even speak up, you shook your head.
“Don´t. It´s not your fault, you weren´t you.”
He offered you an apologetic smile.
“If I had told you the truth, or at least allowed Sirius to do so, this wouldn´t have happened.”
“Yeah”, you agreed nodding. “Better to remember for next time.”
Remus grimaced, still eyeing the bandages on your arms. “I hope there won´t be a next time like this.”
“If it helps, I barely remember getting here.”
Remus stayed still, but you carefully grabbed his hand. “Remus, I´m fine. Don´t beat yourself up about it, I forgive you.”
Finally, he looked up as well, nodding with tears in his eyes. It was a huge relief that he felt dropping off his shoulders. He gave you a careful hug. “I think I should give you some more rest, and don´t worry, I´ve been doing all your homework!”
Playfully, you hit his shoulder. “You should´ve started with that apology!”
Remus nodded at his friend as he left your side again, but Sirius remained standing next to your bed. You rose your eyebrow at him. “What´s wrong, Black?”
“Nothing´s wrong, you´re back and healing. It´s all that matters.”
“Something´s clearly wrong.”
Sirius pinched the bridge of his nose; it took all his strength not to break down. “We could´ve lost you.” He paused.
“I could´ve lost you.”
“But you didn´t”, you wanted to argue, but Sirius turned his back to you. Nervously wandering up and down in the room.
“I should´ve protected you better”, he mumbled quietly, his hand roughly running through his messy hair.
“That´s not your job-“
“Yes, it is. I can´t take seeing you hurt. So, I need to protect you!” His voice became louder, almost sounding angry. But beneath the façade was angst and deep distress.
“No, it´s not! Your job is to be my friend, not my patronus! You shouldn´t have to hide something like this!”
Suddenly he stopped, his back still facing you and his hands forming fists. You saw how his shoulders rose and dropped from his heavy breathing.
“Maybe, if I can´t protect you as a friend, we can´t be friends.”
His voice was low and so quiet, you weren´t sure at first about the words escaping his mouth. You felt your heart drop at his sentence, a gasp coming from your lips. Your mouth opened, but no words came out and you watched as Sirius pulled the curtain back, leaving the infirmary.
No, you wouldn´t let this go. Not like this.
You threw back the blanket and your bare feet touched the cold ground. You didn´t care though, or about the thin layer of white linen covering your body.
Just outside the infirmary, you caught up to him.
“Maybe we can´t be friends!”
He stopped once again, not bearing the thought of turning to look at you directly. He felt tears forming and he didn´t want you to see him like this. Weak and vulnerable, unable to protect you.
“And you can´t protect me from everything, especially not heartbreak! Because, you, you Sirius Black are breaking my heart!”
Carefully and slowly, he turned towards you, his eyes still glued on the floor. Your voice was quaking and your entire body shaking.
“You were never just a friend to me!”
Swift, in a blink, Sirius was right in front of you, his hands cupping your face. Only inches were left and you felt his warmth breath on your skin.
“I never wanted to break your heart, all I wanted was not to lose you”, he whispered with his voice shaking as well.
“You didn´t lose me and you never will.”
Then you felt his lips on yours and you eased into the kiss. His touch felt welcoming and you inhaled his musky scent. You had been right, no one was able to stop you from falling for your best friend. But after all, you didn´t need protection; all you needed were your friends and your love.
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Fifteen people who found out about James, Sirius, and Remus and the one person who never did
To clarify: James, Sirius, and Remus are queerplatonic partners in this case, or QPP's. This means that they're essentially special friends, ones who indulge in physical and emotional connections that are typically thought of as beyond platonic.
ONE: Peter Pettigrew
By fourth year the Marauders are legends. Everyone knows them as the fun-loving band of brothers without any cares in the world. Only the four of them know the true nature of the Marauders - bloody, battered, and bruised.
One day Sirius and James are fighting, an explosive sort of argument where Peter hides behind his curtains while peeking out through a crack in them and Remus reads calmly on his bed. Then suddenly the shouting stops, and Peter’s jaw drops open while Remus looks up from his book.
There, in the middle of the room, are Sirius and James, Sirius’ hands on James’ face and his mouth on his lips. Sirius pulls away before James can respond, covering his mouth with his hands and tearing up while James blinks in shock and Peter stares.
Then, Remus starts laughing, and James drags Sirius into a crushing hug, pressing kisses all over his face before finally pecking him on the mouth and then letting go. Peter squeaks out a garbled question when Remus rolls his eyes and says, “What, no love for me?”
Immediately, Sirius and James tackle him onto the bed, the three of them collapsing into a mess of laughter and kisses while Peter stares and stares and stares.
TWO: Marlene McKinnon
In an act of drunken desperation to forget her own confusing sexuality (girls are super hot but the idea of being in love makes me wanna throw up, for reference), Marlene flirts with Sirius at a party. His eyes are dark and alluring and he’s addicted to dancing, so it’s not exactly difficult. But just as her hand snakes up his arm, Remus appears, wrapping himself around Sirius and kissing him happily, Sirius melting against him.
Marlene steps back in her shock, creating just enough room for James to stumble over tipsily and start making fun of Sirius’ ears; that is until Sirius leans down and kisses him too just to shut him up, pulling back with a laugh so loud it rings in Marlene’s ears as she runs for the comfort of Dorcas, who simply smiles and slips her hand through Marlene’s blonde curls and kisses her until she can’t feel anything anymore.
THREE: Minvera Mcgonogall
In fifth year, Mcgonogall is awoken by a bawling James Potter at her door, sobbing uncontrollably and blubbering about something she can’t really understand. Eventually he calms down enough that she manages to get that he’s upset because he just found out that Sirius and Remus are dating.
Mcgonogall is terribly confused - haven’t the three of them been dating for years?
“No,” James says. “We’re just friends. Friends who kiss and love each other more than anything but aren’t in love with each other. I know… I know that doesn’t really make sense. I’m just… I’m just scared that since they’re boyfriends, or whatever, they won’t… they won’t…”
Mcgonogall opens her mouth to respond when Sirius’ voice cuts through the chaos -
“Won’t what? Love you? Because if you think that my being in love with Moony means I’m going to stop snogging you at every available opportunity then you’re an even bigger idiot than I thought, Jamie.”
James looks up with a grin even as the tears still stream down his face, taking in the sight of a grinning Sirius and Remus, whose hands are tightly clasped between them. Mcgonogall watches, blinking in shock, as James bounds over to them and laughs as Sirius dips him in a kiss and Remus rolls his eyes.
“Come on, you morons,” he says, dragging them away as Sirius tries and fails to kiss him silly, laughing.
FOUR: Severus Snape
Sixth year is when shit first hits the fan. The Prank is a tear in their carefully cultivated tapestry, one that sends all three of them exploding in different directions. Severus is on his way to the infirmary for some more dreamless potion from Madam Pomfrey (and to check on Remus after the traumatic mindfuck that was last night’s full moon) when he sees the shitshow begin.
Remus is lying in a hospital bed, confined by bandages and fatigue but looking no less terrifying as he bites insult after insult towards Sirius. (The only one of these Severus remembers is “I thought you loved me, asshole!”, and only because Sirius had fled the room in tears after it was spoken.) James tries to sit down at Remus’ bedside, but before he can Remus breaks down in tears.
James reaches out to hold him, but Remus shoves him away, screaming until James leaves, his head hanging low in defeat. Severus approaches carefully, holding out one of his bottles of dreamless sleep.
“Here,” he says softly. “So you can forget, for a little while.”
Remus looks up at him and smiles weakly.
“Thanks,” he rasps, and Severus leaves with a nod, deciding it’s better to quit while he’s ahead.
FIVE: Lily Evans
Despite all of the horror of the Prank, it is less disastrous than one might think. There is a war coming; Severus has sworn to Remus himself that he will never tell and has also started searching for the cure for lycanthropy while he’s at it (not that he’s found it; he never will); and Sirius Black and Remus Lupin love each other more than words can say and will no matter the consequences, everybody knows that.
And Lily, she misses Severus - no one else understands that, but she does. She loves him.
She’s studying with Remus one day, their backs against the wall and knees to their chests, and ends up asking him how Severus is doing, eventually winding them down a conversational path about lost love and finding hope anyway. Remus, however, collapses into tears talking about Sirius and how much he misses him and loves him, still.
Lily doesn’t know what to do; Remus Lupin does not cry, at least not in front of anyone. Before she can panic too badly about it though, James is there, on his knees in front of Remus and whispering quietly to him, taking his hands and kissing his knuckles in between murmurs of affection. Sirius stands behind him, hands clenching in and out of fists as he tries desperately not to touch, but that only lasts a few moments before Remus is laughing through his tears, making grabby hands for Sirius.
Sirius squats down hesitantly, gently wrapping his arms around Remus, who pulls him down by the neck and jaw and kisses him and kisses him and kisses him as James smiles tiredly, passerbys whoop and stare, and Lily looks at James and feels her heart flutter in her chest. He smiles at her, and she flushes, then stands and heads for the opposite corner, where Severus is leaning against the wall, his nose in a book.
No words are needed between them. She pulls him in by the tie, and there’s a single feeble whoop for them, too - Lily smiles at the sound of James’ voice, hope sparking in her chest as her eyelids flutter closed.
SIX: Regulus Black
Regulus, struggling under his parents’ stifling regime alone since Sirius left, can’t say he’s not shocked when Sirius drags him up to a Marauders sleepover in the Gryffindor dorms one night. Peter isn’t there - Remus says he’s staying with a Hufflepuff named Max he’s into - but Remus, Sirius, and James all gravitate towards one bed, Remus lying on his back with James’ head on his stomach, running his fingers lazily through James’ curls.
Sirius beams at the sight of them and jumps in beside them, and James leans up and pecks Sirius on the mouth, who smiles. Regulus’ heart twinges at the sight - his brother has so much more love than he does, and Regulus won’t deny that he’s always been just a little bit in love with James Potter - but then James smiles at him with those twinkling eyes and Regulus’ heart calms.
Sirius draws him close by the hand, pulling him into his side and kissing the top of his head. They laugh and wrestle and joke around until eventually Remus falls asleep in James’ arms, and James is not long to follow. Regulus lies awake long after, nestled into Sirius’ side, the silence comforting like a warm blanket. Until Sirius murmurs, “I love you, Reggie,” and drifts off, and Regulus is left staring at the ceiling, alone.
He knows, Sirius’ hand over his heart, that this is his brother’s way of saying goodbye.
SEVEN: Hope & Lyall Lupin
“Criminals” is not a word Lyall Lupin would use to describe Sirius Black and James Potter, but maybe it should be. Because they break into his house on Christmas Eve the boys’ seventh year, the moon already rising in the sky. Lyall tries to stop them, but Sirius Stupefies him with cold eyes and transforms into a hulking dog right then and there, trotting down the basement stairs as James follows, breaking Remus’ chains with his human hands and ushering him out the door before taking his stag form.
Lyall and Hope watch in shock from the kitchen as Remus turns and Sirius and James tame him easily, the wolf nuzzling them like old friends. By morning, they are still out in the yard, the sun rising, now fully human. At first Lyall worries for his son’s modesty, but Sirius has already wrapped his shirt around Remus’ waist, and Remus, barechested in the sun, is holding James’ head to his, muttering in Welsh as James tries desperately to breathe, apologizing over and over for a gash on Remus’ chest put there by his antlers. Remus smiles, and Sirius hums a Queen song under his breath, and Lyall can’t hear everything his son is saying but he catches just enough -
“Mae'n iawn, fy nghariad. Shhh, annwyl.” (It's alright, my love. Shhh, dearheart.)
EIGHT: Albus Dumbledore
The news that Regulus has died comes on a Wednesday. Dumbledore is the one to deliver it, with a heavy heart and a heavier theory in his head. He notices that James is there, in Sirius and Remus’ home, but does not question it, only offering the story of the Horcruxes to Sirius, who sits on the couch. As the words pour out, dry and frail, Sirius’ face pales to ghostly white. Remus emerges from the kitchen with tea just as the final phrase leaves Dumbledore’s lips -
“Your brother died a hero.”
The tea clatters to the floor as Sirius reaches for his wand on the table, pointing it towards his head and getting out “Avada -” before James and Remus are on him, James wrenching his wand away while Remus locks Sirius in his arms, gently coaxing him down onto the floor and rocking him back and forth as he breaks down. James returns from hiding the wand and wraps himself around the both of them, breaking down with Sirius and pressing tearful kisses to every inch of skin he can find. Remus looks up at Dumbledore with glassy eyes and says -
“Please take your leave, Professor.”
Dumbfounded, Dumbledore does.
NINE: Dorcas Meadowes
Dorcas has lived with Marlene since school - Dorcas was in love with her, and Marlene liked sex and liked Dorcas in a “we can be best-friend-partner-lovers forever, mkay?” way. But no one else can understand that - the fact that they’re physically intimate but not a couple, that they’re married by law and spirit but not in love, that’s not something anybody gets. So when Marlene dies, Dorcas locks herself in their home, for grief and madness alike.
One day, Sirius comes to visit her. She doesn’t know why - Lily is about to have a baby, Voldemort is specifically targeting the Potters, their husband Snape is a fucking spy, and Remus is undercover amongst the wolves. All this and there’s a traitor in their midst - Sirius has no business visiting a grieving woman when there’s a war on.
But war there is, and visit he does.
Dorcas makes him tea, and they converse quietly about Marlene for a time. It’s when Sirius’ apology comes that she snaps -
“You can’t possibly understand what it’s like to lose her. She’s - she was my everything. My other half, a part of me, my - my wife. Not just a friend but not a lover… well, not in anything but the physical sense anyway, but - she was my life.”
Sirius stands, throwing his hands out to the side.
“You think I don’t understand?” He says, laughing and running a hand through his hair. He blinks back tears, then thrusts his left hand her way. “I know exactly what you’re feeling. That grief, that fear, I - I feel that every day.”
Dorcas shakes her head, batting his hand away.
“Remus is the love of your life, not your - your, I don’t know, partner? You can’t -”
“James,” Sirius interrupts, desperately, and Dorcas shuts up. “Jamie. My Jamie. Well - Remus and I’s Jamie, really.”
He smiles - a broken, broken thing.
“I understand, see?” He says, twisting his wedding ring around so instead of a moon it shows a black set of antlers. “See? I know. I understand. I do.”
Dorcas stares, quietly, and then starts laughing. It’s a foreign, unwelcome sound, and Sirius reels back in shock. They stand there, opposing each other, until suddenly the laughs ebb out into sobs, and Sirius pulls her to his front and doesn’t let go.
TEN: Mary MacDonald
The day Harry is born, Severus isn’t even there. He’s deep into Voldemort’s forces by now, only holding contact with Dumbledore out of necessity, and James and Lily are both exhausted, missing their husband with a newfound intensity and knowing Voldemort wants to kill their newborn son. Sirius and Remus are there, Mary too, and as Lily sleeps with Harry on her chest and Mary holds her hand, Sirius and James fight.
Loudly.
(In the hallway, of course, but still.)
Remus is helpless in between them - Mary hears very little of what is actually said. Bits and pieces here and there -
“You can’t protect him by -”
And “We need you, dipshit!”
And “I swear to fucking Merlin, Jamie -”
But nothing really solid. She watches through the window as they scream, until suddenly Remus reaches out and pulls James into a kiss. Mary drops Lily’s hand in shock, and watches with a gaping mouth as Remus lets go of James to pull Sirius into him, kissing him passionately and without reserve. Finally, when he pulls away, he glares at the two men and seethes something just loud enough for her to hear -
“Listen up, you idiots. That child needs our protection. That means hiding. We know fuck all about the future but this is war. Our baby is not gonna die because the people who love him can’t let him go.”
Sirius and James both nod sagely, James leaning in to peck Remus on the mouth - “Sorry, Remy.” - before he wanders back inside the hospital room. Outside, Remus collapses into Sirius’ arms, the two of them holding each other and rocking back and forth. James looks up at Mary from the other side of Lily’s bed and smiles wryly.
“Shit, huh?” He mutters, and Mary, speechless, nods.
ELEVEN: Fleamont & Euphemia Potter
Fleamont and Euphemia Potter go into hiding when James and Lily do, knowing they could be tortured for their whereabouts despite not knowing them. Remus comes bursting through their fireplace on Halloween, covered in cuts and bruises and coughing with baby Harry cradled against his chest. Through hacking breaths and with glassy eyes, he tells them their son is dead with his wife and Sirius has been arrested for their murder, along with Peter’s and some Muggles’. He kisses their foreheads and tells them to take care of themselves, leaving with the last words he ever says to them -
“I loved your son. So did Sirius. We - I will do everything I can to protect Harry. I promise.”
He disappears through the fireplace before they can respond, leaving them to grieve.
TWELVE: Walburga & Orion Black
After leaving Harry with Dumbledore, who assures him the child will be given to the custody of his living father as soon as he’s emerged from his undercover work (a lie, Remus later learns), Remus makes his way to Regulus’ grave. There’s no body there, of course, but Remus never got to say goodbye to the boy he considered something of a son, and he figures now, when he’s lost everything, is as good a time as any.
It turns out he’s not alone - Walburga and Orion Black, not yet locked up in Azkaban for their crimes, are there already, and spit in his face for daring to grieve their son when he’s a werewolf who supposedly turned their other one queer and heady. Remus stares them down, and in a calm voice with his hands in his pockets tells them -
“I loved Regulus like a brother. As for Sirius… well, he married two blokes. Oh -” He smirks. “And he was damn good in bed, too.”
Walburga lets out a shrill scream, turning her wand on Remus, and he holds his head high as he disarms both her and her husband and promptly kills the two people who made his husband’s life a living hell for sixteen years. As he stands there, staring at their still-warm bodies and always-cold eyes, he can feel no remorse - only a deep ache, loss and regret plaguing him with age long before his time.
THIRTEEN: Molly & Arthur Weasley
Twelve years pass without so much as a breath from Sirius or Remus. James is six feet under and Harry is thirteen, and after the havoc that occurs at Hogwarts his third year, they settle at Grimmauld Place, together. Molly and Arthur are tasked with bringing them essentials and information, and take notice of the fact that the two rarely leave each other’s sides. They’re wearing their wedding bands, which Molly does not fail to notice are marked with antlers as well as moons and pawprints, and Remus has another ring around a chain on his neck with only a pawprint and a moon. They look tired and worn out, Sirius more than Remus, and one day Molly pulls him aside to ask him privately if they’re doing alright.
Remus gives her a wry smile, his eyes twinkling just the slightest bit as he answers, “Yes. Of course.” Molly asks him again, saying she’s worried, and Remus shrugs, looking through doorways to Sirius, at the table with Arthur.
“I’ve had twelve years to grieve. Getting Sirius - getting my husband back was the greatest happiness I could ever ask for. But Sirius, he… he was never allowed to truly mourn. He’s still…”
He gets this distant look in his eyes and startles when Molly touches his arm, offering a small smile.
“I’ve had time to grieve our partner, is all I’m saying,” he murmurs. “Sirius needs time before he can even begin to forgive himself for what happened to James.”
Molly keeps her shock inward, squeezing Remus’ arm once before ushering her husband out the door. Watching from outside as Grimmauld Place folds back into itself, she thinks she sees two silhouettes in the window, melting into one.
FOURTEEN: Nymphadora Tonks
Nymphadora Tonks falls in love with Remus Lupin almost the moment she meets him. He’s handsome, he’s funny, he’s kind and smart and brave - what else could you want? And she thinks he likes her too - even if her cousin is desperately in love with him, which she would have to be blind not to see. But she knows this the way she knows the rhythm of her heartbeat in her chest - Remus Lupin was born to be hers.
So imagine her surprise when his response to her confession is to shake his head and laugh.
“I’m a married man, Dora,” he drawls, standing and flashing his ring towards her around a glass of whiskey. “I thought you knew that. I am sorry to say I cannot return your feelings… beyond my marriage, age, and lycanthropy, you must have noticed that women are not… my area.”
Tonks flushes red, jerking back in shock. So her cousin…
“Is it Sirius?” She blurts, and Remus turns towards her again, his eyes twinkling. He nods.
“Yes,” he answers. “Though, I had a second husband… long ago, and a partner more than anything…”
With a distant look in his eyes, he leaves her heartbroken at the dining room table, but not before she sees him slip into a waiting Sirius’ arms, holding him close to his chest as they dance, their eyes closed and two rings bearing antlers hanging between them.
FIFTEEN: Hermione Granger
She starts to wonder, right around the beginning of her fifth year, why Harry seems to have no interest in hanging out with anyone besides her and Ron. Now, she and Ron, they’re in love with each other; Hermione’s neither daft nor blind. But Harry’s in love with them both too, she realizes, and his closest relationships outside of that are past platonic but far from romantic: she can’t call what he has with Luna or Draco “normal”. The summer before her sixth year, she travels to Grimmauld Place, needing some time alone to think before the war envelopes them all. But she finds, when she arrives, that she’s not alone - there, at the dining room table, is Remus, holding a glass of whiskey and wearing three identical rings on a chain around his neck.
“Professor Lupin?” She asks, and Remus smiles wryly. “What’re you doing here?”
Remus sighs, leaving his glass on the table as he stands and grabs his coat.
“Just a bit of reminiscing, my dear,” he says. “No matter. Off we go now, this place belongs to Harry and we have no right to…”
He trails off, his eyes glistening, and Hermione watches his Adam’s apple bob and averts her eyes to the rings, each holding a different two of three symbols: a pawprint, a moon, and a pair of antlers. One of them is the one Sirius used to wear around, always a little loose on his finger from all that malnourishment… Remus must have just grasped it before he fell through the Veil. At the thought, her breath catches in her throat.
“Sirius was your…” She says, and stops when Remus flinches. He gives her a kind smile and nods.
“Yes,” he says. “And James as well, though that was different. More of a… friend, partner - soulmate? -” Hermione coughs. “- than a lover. But, yes. Not that it matters now.”
Hermione’s heart stops in her chest.
“Of course it matters,” she fires back. “You loved him. You loved him, and he’s dead.”
Remus looks down at her, his smile gone, and shrugs.
“All things end, Hermione,” he murmurs. “Especially good things.”
He opens the door and has one foot outside when he turns back to her and says, “Miss Granger?” She looks up at him from her hands, shaking and devoid of rings, and nods.
“Yes?”
Remus smiles, his eyes sad.
“Tell your Harry we love him. All seven of the Marauders, even if some of us never really got to meet him. And tell him… tell him that even if he didn’t die for him or raise him, his father loves him.”
Hermione’s brow furrows, but she nods.
“Of course,” she promises, though she has no idea who the other three Marauders are and could not even begin to guess what Remus means by his comment on Harry’s father. “I will.”
Remus smiles one last time, tips his invisible hat to her, and disappears out the front door and into the night.
ONE: Harry Potter
Remus marries Tonks, but doesn’t love her. Teddy is an accident, and only his in name. Remus will only ever have one son, and his name is Harry Potter.
In the Battle of Hogwarts, Remus Lupin dies with three rings around his neck and a secret in his chest. He does not tell Harry. He doesn’t want to burden him.
Their love, along with them, is dead and gone anyway. But when he sees Sirius and James in the white light, for the split second between life and death -
He wonders.
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oingo233 · 3 years
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Rapture is a Boy
Summary: Remus and you have always had a playful, loving relationship but his behavior around the full moon leads you to assume the worst. A huge fight ends with the two of you heartbroken. Will Remus reveal the truth behind his behavior?  And will you still love him afterwards or has he truly lost you forever?
Young Remus Lupin x Reader
Warning: some angst sprinkled into this one, get ready for loads of it later, bitches like em’ sad, it’s me, I’m bitches.  Also, there are some cuss words, nothing too bad though. Self-doubt, cheating is mentioned.
 Authors note: I try to keep my writing(self inserts) gender, body type, ethnicity and house neutral/not specified.  If I ever slip up please let me know so that I can change it. Remus’s/3rd POV is italicized, it switches back and forth briefly to better show the relationship and luv. Ahhh to be in love with Remus fricken Lupin....
Word Count: 2.6
Part Two - Part Three - Part Four - Part Five - Part Six - Part Seven - Part Eight
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                                                       Part One
                                 **** Paper Skies and Butterflies **** 
It was so hard to focus with the most tantalizing pair of eyes burning into my back. I’ve felt them from the second my professor started to drawl on about the “rich history of muggles and witches” at the very beginning of class, it was now nearing the end  He was currently speaking passionately about the Witch Burnings. I can hear James, Sirius and Remus chatting quietly here and there but never once have those eyes of his left the back of my head. 
Remus, your boyfriend was admiring the piece of apparel you stole from him in a rush this morning, one of his favorite sweaters. He almost curses himself for not giving it to you sooner, he thought you looked beautiful.  
I try to focus on the lesson at hand “and as you all know, Wendelin the Weird was burned at the stake 47 times.  All in, of course, all in a different disguise.  No muggle will outsmart a witch everyone, especially not after my class...” He chuckles to himself smartly and this time I do turn back to Remus who rolls his eyes in response to the teacher, he breaks out into a huge grin as I try to hide my laughter.
I wish I could have heard the joke James just told because all 3 boys burst out laughing, only for the Professor to give them a mean look.  Remus apologies for the three and they all shrug ‘cooly’ to one another when the class won’t advert their eyes, and continue conversation.  I scoff to myself in a laugh of disbelief and wonder, how they’re able to stay so aloof and smart is beyond me.  But I’ve spent enough study nights with the whole gang in the library to know that they are more like hard workers than they let on.  They’re, in Sirius’s words exactly “...not daft pricks.  Just pricks here and there, ya know to spice up the ancient bore that is this school.”
The class is now more on-edge after the Professors mood was slightly damped, and it was for this same reason I decided to fully commit myself to paying attention.  But I was finished before I started, his eyes were back on me and now the smile Remus reserved just for me, as all lovers have one, is an image that won’t leave my trap of a mind.  I gave up trying to pay attention long before, but a tickle on my cheek brought me back to life with new curiosity.
There, fluttering in front of my face is a beautiful origami butterfly. It lands briefly on my nose and my friend beside me began to giggle, she watched as Remus had his wand out and was instructing the little thing on where to go. His tongue stuck out in concentration but there was a ghost of a smile as he watched me laugh softly. My friends constantly envied our relationship, because they admired moments like these.
The butterfly soars down to my desk and lands, showing off it’s snow white wings before dropping and unfolding itself before me. 
You look extra beautiful today.  Must be that dazzling sweater you’re wearing. Who would have thought you have such wonderful taste?
-R
I giggle and blush at every sweet word, and yes even the arrogant remark about himself, because it is both funny and rare when he subtly appreciates himself.  I just wish he could be as sincere in loving himself as he is to me.
Remus watches you as your blush and smile deepen in vibrancy each time you re-read his note.  He could not contain his adoration if he tried, and it was his bright smile in your direction that caught the Professors attention.  He watched with narrowed eyes, words still falling from his mouth about wizard and muggle interactions in History.  He watched as you smirked, licked your lips, and leaned forward over a piece of paper.  You flipped it and wrote a few words on the back before muttering a charm. He started to walk towards you, Remus watched with horror.  He tried to signal to you but it was too late.  You turned the paper into the shape of a star and it went darting into Remus’s direction.  A shooting star.
The class fell awfully quite as I spun around with a devilish smile to see Remus’s reaction, but instead I was met with my professor towering over Remus and prying the note from his hands.  
“No, sir-” The professor grunted and Remus spared you a quick look, you shook your head looking desperate.  He turned back to your teacher and yanked the note back with a charming smile.  “It’s just silly notes, Sir, really,”  The class waited, everyone held their breath.  When was the last time Remus denied so openly?  Pranks.  Yes, common business.  But this open act of defiance over something as trivial as a note is a rarity from the Remus Lupin.
“Just a silly note then, huh?  Wouldn’t mine me peaking at it then, huh, Mr.Lupin?”  The teacher stared him down with bitter eyes, I looked at the pair and shrunk down while I spoke.
“S’ alright.” I laugh nervously.  Remus hesitantly hands the note over and my face goes red.  There was no way I’d let Remus get detention for a silly note, but I might just with the contents inside.  I hoped on everything good and holy that he would read it quietly.  Not in his head.  And not out loud.  But luck was laughing and pointing fingers at me today.  
“You look extra beautiful today...” The Professor glanced at me from down his nose and under his glasses.  “...must be that dazzling sweater your wearing.  Who would have thought you have such wonderful taste.”  He cleared his throat and Remus smiled softly at me.
“She does,” Remus interjected, I hear some of my friends “awe” and Sirius made a gagging sound, James had half his hand in his mouth trying to stifle his laughter.  As if he hadn’t been caught saying more embarrassingly sweet things to Lily. I smile back to Remus, but he titled his head in confusion, his smile faltering slightly, my ‘grin’ came out as more of a grimace.  
Did he embarrass you?  He thought in horror.  But then the professor turned the note to your side and when he started to read Remus knew exactly why your face was flushed and your head hung like a beaten dogs.
“Very dazzling indeed, though I think you’d prefer it-” He once again cleared his throat and now he too, was blushing.  “Prefer it off of me.  I’ve been thinki-”
“Right Professor, I don’t think that was for you.  Quite pedophilic if ya ask me.”  Remus fights his own chuckle and mortification, and tries his best to protect you from the onslaught of laughter and embarrassment.  The loudest being the howling cackles of Sirius and James. The professor burned red, and grumbled under his breath, shoving the note into Remus’s chest.  He quickly pockets it.
I am half packed and ready to run seconds before the bell rang out.  I burst past the doors like a bat out of hell and only turn when I hear the joyous laughter of Remus.
“And I thought I ought to be embarrassed bout what I wrote,” He hugged me as I whined into his chest, inhaling his scent and reveling in the calmness it gave me after mortifying chaos.
“Bugger off...” I say, he hugs me closer and lets me bury my still very hot face into his neck, hiding from the whispers of others.  “awww.” He hid his chuckles with a kiss to my hairline, but I heard the bastard. I glare at his chest but soften as he squeezes me tight, when a particularly rude laugh echoes through the halls.  
He was greatly enjoying the comedy of it, though he wishes it was not at your expense. If it made you feel any better he’d later show you how much he enjoyed your full message to him.  “s’ alright love, they’ll have better, more nonsensical things to chat about by the end of lunch.” He says in an attempt to make you feel less anxiety about it all.
 I nod at his words, and emerge from his hug with a laugh of my own, hoping it’ll drown out my mortification.  But that did not last long.
“What ‘ave ya been thinking of again, (y/n)” James rushes out, as if he’s had it planned since the note was read aloud.  He burst into laughter again and Sirius was right beside him, hand clutching his shoulder for support as he just managed to get a remark of his own in.
“Yeah, m’ surprised to see ya still have that sweater of yours on.” Sirius barks out, James doubles over now and Remus pushes the two away. 
“You’re pricks, the both of ya.” You four walk down the corridors and though they’re taking the piss out of ya, the 3 boys glare at anyone else who dares to look down at you or call you names.  
Today was one for the burn book of course, but I couldn’t help but to enjoy Remus’s warm hand in mine, and the lightheartedness of the group today.  For the rest of the evening we met up with Peter and Lily and ‘studied’ which really just became an event of who could make the others laugh the hardest, and who can best re-tell the events of History class for Peter and Lily. It felt as if the sun had worked its way into the room, and shone brightly on the lot of us.  Filling us all with warmth and joy. I’ve enjoyed today so much because lately I’m beginning to notice quite an inconsistency in our happy times together.
Remus is very open with me, or at least I always chose to believe such nonsense.  I look at him now, illuminated by the common room fire, head thrown back in laughter, shoulders shaking up and down, the flames light dancing across his scars.  I’ve never seen something so beautiful.  And I’ve never felt something so beautiful, so all-consuming and passionate as our love.  I look at him now and want to believe that things are going well between us, but they simply aren’t.  
Tomorrow may be like this again, pure bliss infused with some normal teenage drama.  Maybe it will be this great even, for a full week.  But soon, he will begin to grow distant from me.  He will become quieter, and more aggravated towards Snape and others, he’ll pull away from all but James, Sirius, and Peter.  But then, those boys too will get distracted, acting weird. Leaving Lily and I to observe and ponder the behavior of the boys, and degrade ourselves quietly as to why they seem to isolate themselves from us.
Sometime soon... it will happen, it always happens.  But it never annoyed me to the extent that it has recently until Lucy Diamond, a Witch a grade below us, who started to walk occasionally with Remus in the halls, or to breakfast and flirting. Oh god, the constant flutter of giggles and laughter from the two made me sick. Half the time they’re interactions were brief, but sometimes I’d catch him share a smile with her and spark a long interesting debate about something or humor their conversations in other ways that made my head spin.   
Lily assures me that it is just basic human kindness, but she too will glance in confusion at the pair some nights at dinner.  Just the thought of Remus cheating on me, makes my throat dry up and my stomach shrivel up and drop with it. 
                                                     **** 
Remus was pulling away from me again.  We walked in silence with the others chatting around us, his eyes were on the moon’s powdered appearance in the still baby blue sky.  It was only mid-day.  I squeezed his hand and followed his gaze.
“S’ almost a full moon. Beautiful isn’t it?” I smile up at him, he smiles almost sadly down at me, nodding, god I didn’t think it was that bad of an attempt to converse. But then his smile grows and he looks straight into my eyes as he says...
“I’ve seen prettier things in my lifetime.” I laugh, and he can’t help his small chuckle at my blush.  He told be it looks beautiful but  personally I’ve never liked the whole tomato look. I lean into his side more and bump into him with my hip.  He bumps me back and we giggle like school girls through the hall.  
Then Snape walks by.  Oh Snape, must you be such a dick all the time.
He shoulders into me roughly, if it weren’t for the way Remus held onto me, I would have fallen over.
“Don’t you have eyes Snape, or is the view from so far up your arse blocking everything?”  Remus all but growls, we’ve all turned around to face Snape.  I tug on Remus’s hand to signal for us to go, I’ve never liked the way Snape and the boys are with one another.  But Remus lets go of my hand and steps forwards.  Snape sneers down at me.
“I thought whores enjoy being touched. Excuse me (y/n) if I wasn’t rough enough for your liking, I’ll do it much harder next time,” He drawls out smugly, his friends behind him laugh.  It was clear he was referencing my very inappropriate note to Remus last week. I burned hot from both anger and embarrassment, I went to defend myself but the voices of all our friends cut me off, beating me to it.  And then there was utter silence.
Remus was hunched over, his knuckles already turning red.  By his feet lays Snape, crouched on the floor, holding his nose, but not even the make-shift dam of his fingers could stop the flow of blood.  
“Bastard! You prick,” Snape hissed, already grabbing for his wand, Remus fisted his hands again and from the corner of my eye I see James whip out his own wand discreetly, Sirius already toe to toe with one of Snape’s goons. Lily ready to spar as well, her own wand gripped tightly in her hand. Peter stood behind us, his fingers twitching and he’s eager to pounce.
  But nothing happened. Because the bell rang and students filled the hall, hardly sparing any of us a glance despite the blood on the floor.  Snape points his wand at Remus
“You better hope you never see me again Lupin, next time I’m coming straight for you.” 
“It’s a small school, I’m looking forward to it.” Remus spits out through gritted teeth. Remus and Snape stare at one another for a long time, and with baited breath I think maybe not even the crowd around us will stop them.  Remus looks so angry.  I walk softly behind him and slide my hand over his shoulder, and take his hurt hand softly with my own.
“Lets go, my love,” I whisper into his ear.  He relaxes only slightly, tugging my hand he leads us out of the halls and rushes me to the entrance of my class before running off without a word.  His breathing was rough the whole time, and I watched as Lucy’s eyes follow his figure, and then she is off, racing after him. To calm him down no doubt. My heart turned into slabs of stone and fell down to my toes.   
Lily no doubt saw the expression on my face, she walks up to me slowly.
“You should talk to him. No use letting it build up, yeah?”  She urges me sweetly, squeezing my shoulder before walking into class. I stare down the hallway long after they are out of sight, I wonder where they have gone?  I wonder if they are alone?  I shake my head and decide to take Lily’s advice, I will talk to him about it all tomorrow. 
                                                         ****
 Now I love Lily dearly, and I’m not saying any of what happened next was her fault. In all and every sense, it was my own fault.  But the party we threw the night before all hell broke lose, was definitely her idea.  And it definitely heavily influenced what I did next....
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all-about-remadora · 3 years
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200 followers!
So here’s a list of One shots for celebrate✨
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Everyone Deserves A Someone by LoquaciousLupin
With nothing better to do during the holidays at Grimmauld Place, Hermione and Ginny wonder whether their former Professor has a special someone - with no other ideas, they do the only thing they can and ask him. With a little help from Tonks, Remus answers their questions as honestly... as he can. Remus and Tonks fluff.
A Beautiful Tune by SweetDeamon
I'm...not coming." he said, reaching to shove his hands deep into his pockets. "On the mission. With you." Tonks stared at him in confusion. "Why not?" she asked, grip upon the cloak in her hand going limp. Remus struggled to come up with a convincing lie. "Because I...I..." Because I'm dying. Because you've struck me dead in the heart.
The Unspeakable Girl by SweetDeamon
"She makes me feel so on top of this world that I wish I'd never been born into it in the first place! So I can't stand to talk about her, Dad! I simply can't!" In which Remus Lupin visits his father and confesses something quite extraordinary. Based on information from POTTERMORE. Consider yourselves warned. RLNT.
The Future's Not Ours To See by Gilpin
Remus Lupin has a lot on his mind; his current undertaking for the Order of the Phoenix, and how to obtain questionable potions from an unhelpful Apothecary owner. Can he bring both to a satisfactory conclusion?
Rhapsody in Blue by copperbadg
Remus has decided it's time to cure Tonks of her awkwardness, the only way he knows how.
Kissing It Better by Lady Bracknell
On her first date with Remus, Tonks discovers that spilt beer on wooden floors is the enemy of the less than surefooted everywhere. Will she die of embarrassment, or will Remus find a way to make it all better?
Kiss and tell by Lady Bracknell
For all his supposed genius, Sirius Black had always had rather a blind spot for the patently obvious.
What To Make Of Him by Lady Bracknell
Neither Ted nor Andromeda know quite what to make of their daughter's boyfriend. Can he win them round over Sunday lunch?
On First Impressions by  cafei-au-lei
"'You know,' Sirius said, 'it's kind of funny. For someone who thinks Remus is so annoying, you sure can't seem to stop talking about him.'" A series of moments in Remus and Tonks' developing relationship as they get to know each other and learn that maybe first impressions aren't necessarily everything. OOTP. Fluffy oneshot.
The Order's Most Eligible Bachelors by cafei-au-lei
The Order's Most Eligible Bachelors, or: the ladies indulge in some firewhiskey and gossip. Sirius and Remus stumble upon a game they're not sure they want to be privy to (okay, maybe Sirius does.) The results lead to some necessary conversation and introspection for a few of the parties involved. Oneshot.
The Talk, Or: The (Lighthearted) Trauma of Teddy R Lupin by cafei-au-lei
Teddy knew when Dad brought out the firewhiskey that something was suspicious. Then again, maybe he wasn't giving Dad enough credit for being the cool parent. AU. Remus and Tonks survive to raise their son and give him The Dreaded Talk. Oneshot.
Movement by MrsTater
Things appear to have changed. One shot, RLNT
Retrograde by MrsTater
Sequel to Movement: Tonks strongly suspected, though she hadn't much experience, that it wasn't normal for adults who fancied other adults to do what she was doing now.
Kernels by MrsTater
A Transfigured Hearts outtake: a cosy night in with Remus takes an unexpected turn when popcorn finds its way into odd places and leads Tonks to make an important discovery.
Party till the wolf comes by MrsTater
Fatherhood doesn't send Remus on a pub crawl, but announcing the birth of his son to his closest friends turns out to be the next best thing.
Overheard by MrsTater
Sirius tries to play matchmaker for an ambivalent Remus and Tonks, but when everyone keeps overhearing everyone else's conversations, things get a little complicated as shapeshifters prove to be anything but predictable... Updated Sept 3, 2007
The Honeymooners by MrsTater
Two years after their wedding, Remus and Tonks finally make it on their honeymoon. But now they've got something they didn't when they first married, will they be able to stop thinking about it long enough to enjoy themselves? AU
A Conversation That’s Not About Veela by starfishstar
Harry and Professor Lupin talk about women, and other things. During Christmas of HBP. (A gen story, but with very strong hints of Remus/Tonks and Harry/Ginny.)
Sleeping by starfishstar
Tonks sleeps; Remus muses
Precisely What I Mean by starfishstar
Remus with Teddy was easily the sweetest thing Tonks had ever seen. It seemed Remus couldn't ever hold Teddy without gazing down at his son with a huge, helpless, delighted grin. "Don't your cheeks ever get tired?" Tonks couldn't help teasing him once, and he'd glanced up, bewildered by the question – he didn't even realise he was doing it.
A Slow and Stopping Curve by aegle
Concerning Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks. Set during Order of the Phoenix and Half-Blood Prince.
St. Margaret's by aegle
Remus, Tonks, a Muggle automobile, and a slightly disappointing beach adventure
On Bethlehem Down by aegle
Remus Lupin finds himself at Nymphadora Tonks' flat on Christmas Eve, 1996
The poem which i do not write by aegle
So, it has come to London with them, whatever it is.
The Watch by Sirussly
He'd grown so used to her endless chatter and relentless questions, a burning ball of energy with a laugh like her mother's. Some nights Tonks would listen to him instead, to stories of war and the price one pays for being a soldier in the middle of it. Occasionally neither of them would speak, but once her hand found his and stayed there until the sunrise coloured the sky.
Flame by Eat a Taco
It's strange what the soft light of a candle can do to someone.RLNT, sometime during HBP
Cover Me by Maggiemaye
Remus and Tonks embark on a mission that tests their well-established partnership to its limits. Even while surrounded by Death Eaters hidden in plain sight, they find that their greatest threats may come from within.
Expecto Patronum by Shimotsuki
Remus and Tonks have dinner at the Potters' after seeing Teddy off on the Hogwarts Express. James and Al are full of questions, including one that not even Harry knows the answer to.
Meet the Reindeer by SweetDeamon 
Nothing untoward had happened since Teddy had arrived home from Hogwarts for the holidays this year. So far there had been no manically jingling elves, no traumatised Santa Claus, no mass snowball fights, no exploding cans of fake snow and as of yet nothing had come hurtling down the chimney or splattered anything or anybody with ammunition of the culinary kind. So far. RLNT AU.
Meet the Teacher by SweetDeamon 
In which Remus and Dora receive word from Hogwarts that their son's homework has been completed in a far from satisfactory manner. The subject? Defence Against the Dark Arts. The topic? Werewolves. They've been expecting trouble since the beginning of term...but who feels less prepared? Teddy's parents or Teddy's teacher? Neville has a hunch... AU. RLNT. Rated for mild language.
A Study In Pink by SweetDeamon 
"He isn't entirely sure how it is that a certain pink haired witch came to be lying snugly in the bed beside him yet again, or indeed why such a thing had ever occurred the first time around..." RLNT.
A Piece of Cake by SweetDeamon 
"How long does it take to make a bloody sponge cake!" "You can't rush art, Sirius." Tonks attempts to bake Remus a birthday cake. "Attempts to" being the key phrase here... RLNT. Happy Birthday Gelly Bean!
The Christmas Waltz by Lady Bracknell 
As Christmas approaches, Remus and Tonks dance around the idea of togetherness, wondering if either of them is leading, or know where they're going at all.
Mistletoe and Wine by Lady Bracknell 
Remus falls foul of the mistletoe. Twice. RL/LP, RL/NT, LP/JP, rated for language.
Afraid of the Dark by Lady Bracknell 
Remus had always been ill at ease in the forest, but when a mission for Dumbledore sends him into the heart of the place with Tonks by his side, he finds his apprehension harder than usual to shake off.
The Luck of the Draw by Lady Bracknell 
She sits on the carpet, shuffles the cards, then deals them out. She came here with the hope of forcing the issue, because she just knows they shouldn't be about can't and won't.
Chione by: cafei-au-lei
Remus has confirmation that Tonks may return his feelings - now all that's left is to decide what to do with this rather exciting and terrifying information. And although it's been a strange year, this year's Christmas could shape up to be one of the best Remus has ever had. Takes place after "The Order's Most Eligible Bachelors." RLNT OotP holiday fluff.
The First Night by: cafei-au-lei 
Most major events in Remus' life have done nothing but reinforce the crushing inevitability of his condition and the life that it has condemned him to. But maybe there is hope to be had, after all.
amare by: cafei-au-lei 
At first, the idea that Tonks and Professor Lupin could be together was equal parts baffling and absurd. But then, maybe it did make a tiny bit of sense, Ginny thought, as she watched the way Professor Lupin looked at Tonks over the breakfast table. But she still couldn't help but think that this love and relationships thing was far too complicated. RLNT.
War Baby by MrsTater 
It's time for Teddy's first outing, and for Tonks to make peace with a noble great idiot. Set during Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
Perchance To Dream by: MrsTater
A dream leads to an argument and an unexpected quest to seek out the meaning. Will Remus and Tonks kiss and make up? More importantly, who will come out on top? RLNT, Deathly Hallows, Mature.
Like a Cat in the Sun by starfishstar 
Remus is in a house full of women.
108 notes · View notes
ghostlywritten · 3 years
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If Only I Had Stayed In The Shadows - Chapter Eight
James Potter x OC
Words: 3,7k
Prologue  Chapter One   Chapter Two  Chapter Three  Chapter Four  Chapter Five  Chapter Six  Chapter Seven
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I rushed up the stairs as soon as James left for the boy dorms, trying my best to not squeal right then and there. I had to repeatedly remind myself that everyone else was still sleeping and hardly managed to not burst into my dorm room and jump on Marlene's bed. Okay, I did the last part.
"Marlene, wake up!" I whisper-yelled, shaking her vigorously.
"Wha..," Marlene mumbled, eyes still closed and drool dripping on her pillow. It was a bit disgusting to be honest, but natural.
"Get up, I have to tell you something," I whisper-squealed this time.
The brown-haired beauty groaned, stuffing her face into her pillow.
"James kissed me!"
"WHAT?!" she sprung up and I recoiled as our heads banged together. "Ow!"
"Merlin, I should have said that sooner," I said, rubbing my forehead and nose.
"What did you just say?" Marlene demanded to know, suddenly wide awake.
"I said 'Merlin, I should have said that-"
"Not that. Before that!"
"Oh, right." A wide grin spread on my face again and I gripped her shoulders in excitement, "James kissed me!" Marlene - ever not so careful with her surroundings - gave out a mighty squeal that woke up the rest of the dorm. Cringing slightly, I figured the damage was done and joined her.
"I can't believe it!" Marlene exclaimed, taking my forearms and shaking me, "No, scratch that. I can believe it! It was about time! Tell me everything!" I giggled, a pure rush of euphoria hitting me square in the chest when I thought back on the moment.
"Well-"
"What's going on?" Alice asked groggily as she sat up, rubbing her eyes with her knuckles.
"James and Cec kissed!" Marlene squealed and Alice's eyes widened. "Wow, really?" she asked warily, and I nodded, not knowing what to think of her expression. It almost seemed dubious, but I shrugged it off as Marlene insisted, I told her every single detail.
"...and well, it lasted for like a few seconds and then we just stood there, staring at each other...," I sighed dreamily, my heart pounding hard again when I thought about it.
Marlene sighed with me, "And then?"
"And then...he left with a good night," I said, and she giggled at the abruptness, "Loverboy probably got shy. I bet that was his first kiss." My eyes widened. "You think so?" Marlene shrugged, "Could be. At least he never kissed someone at school. Or I would know."
I gave her a creeped-out look in which she gave me a what-I-like-gossip look in return.
"Wasn't that your first kiss, too?" Alice piped up as she started rummaging through her closet and I nodded. She gave me a warm smile, "I'm happy for you. The first kiss is always memorable."
"Yes, I'm never going to forget it," I said with dopey grin, causing her to giggle. Just then I took a look around the room, "Where's Lily?"
"Right here," the red head appeared out of the bathroom as if on cue, drying her hair quickly with a swept of her wand.
"Have you heard?" Marlene asked with a sleezy grin, "James and Cec snogged."
"Yeah, I have," she said off-handed as I slapped Marlene's arm, exclaiming 'it wasn't snogging!', "Congrats on your first kiss, Cec."
"Thanks, Lils," I beamed, deciding to ignore her indifference and jumping off Marlene's lap. "Let's get ready for class!"
"Wow, I've never seen her so energetic in the morning," Alice commented as we skipped down for breakfast. Or more like I skipped, and they trailed after me.
"Must be the power of love!" Marlene announced dramatically, causing the others to laugh. My heart went into overdrive as we reached the Great Hall, wondering whether James was already there or not. Fighting down the blush I slapped my cheeks slightly before taking a deep breath. 'Alright, Cec. Act like you're normal. A kiss is a kiss. No biggie. Be cool.'
"Ready to see loverboy?" Marlene whispered into my ear and just like that my semi-calmness left and I couldn't help but giggle with her.
Reaching the Great Hall, my eyes immediately zoomed in on the Gryffindor table, flickering over each face until they landed on the one that mattered right now. He was sitting next to Sirius and across from Remus and Peter, a goblet swinging in his hand as he animatedly chatted about something through a mouthful of cinnamon rolls. I briefly wondered if he was perhaps talking about our kiss, being excited about it as much as myself. Blushing deeply at the thought of the boys talking about this, I felt Marlene nudge me forward to continue walking.
"Shall we sit at your boyfriend's?" she giggled loudly and I shot her look to keep it discreet.
"What about playing hard to get?" I teased her teaching methods.
"Oh, that part was a success. You don't need to do that anymore," she replied, nodding forward. I glanced the way she motioned and noticed James and the other three Marauders looking my way, the former waving me over with a cheerful grin.
"CEC, OVER HERE!" he shouted obnoxiously, and I almost cringed at the heads that turned at the commotion.
"Do you still need me to keep it discreet?" Marlene asked and I gave her the totally-unnecessary-look.
"Hi James," I greeted him almost shyly and his grin turned more into a genuine smile, "Hey. Come sit." Obliging, I settled down next to him, biting back a squeal as he kissed my cheek and naturally wrapped an arm around my waist. Marlene sat down next to me, elbowing me and shooting me a cat-like grin. I shook my head at her to keep quiet as Lily and Alice took their seats next to her.
"Did you sleep well?" James asked conversationally as he poured me a glass of pumpkin juice. I watched him with hawk-eyes, trying to analyse what all these sudden actions were supposed to mean.
"You kidding?" I asked deadpanned. We had literally departed only an hour ago. His shoulders shook with a silent chuckle. "Just asking," he shrugged, gesturing towards the various food in front of us, "What would you like?" he asked, already piling up a huge amount of food on my plate. That was probably the moment I fell in love with him...just joking. Maybe. But in all the time we had been 'dating' for a lack of a better definition he had never been that touchy and...quite frankly acting like a boyfriend to such an extent.
"Do you like bacon?"
"Ehm...no," I said as he squeezed some on the side nevertheless.
Sirius gasped. "Who doesn't like bacon?" he jumped into the conversation after mutely watching us with amused eyes. Now, however, they were widened in horror at my proclamation.
"Meh, they are okay," I said, grinning at his over-the-top display of disbelief.
"They are proof that heaven exists!"
"No, that is chocolate. Don't get it mixed up," Remus intervened, pouring himself a cup of coffee. I noticed he looked more tired than usual. Had it been full moon last night? I wracked my brain for the mental moon calendar. Shouldn't he be still in bed then? He would usually skip the next school day after his transformation. I bit my lip, feeling sorry for him. But he probably wouldn't appreciate the pity so it was good that no one knew what I knew.
Nevertheless, I fumbled for the bar of chocolate from my pocket. "Speaking of."
Remus smiled, taking the established piece of heaven from my outstretched hand, "Thanks, Cecily."
"Oi, how come I never get something sweet from you?" James butted in with a pout.
"You got almost half of the Honeyduke's bags I'd bought for Poppy," I pointed out and he was quick to agree, "Point taken."
"Not to mention he got something else sweet last night," Sirius added with a sly grin and I started blushing before I even fully understood what he meant, purely because of his smirk, "A sweet smooch for the sweet-deprived Prongs!"
Marlene giggled into her cup as I groaned lowly in embarrassment. His proclamation was loud enough for the already curious ears around us to snap to attention in hopes of catching gossip. 'Looks like I'm gonna spend the day in the library,' I thought as some ducked their heads together, whispering and shooting looks at our groups.
"What do you mean?" Remus asked cluelessly, not having arrived back with the others last night.
"They went off all night to Merlin knows where. Prongs only came back in the early morning," Peter filled him in dutifully and the sandy-haired boy's face cleared in understanding. He glanced between James and I, a contemplative look in his gaze. "I see...," he said slowly, and I couldn't exactly decipher the tone in his voice. Whatever it was, it made the messy-haired boy next to me shift slightly in his seat. "I didn't know, you guys were an item now. When did that happen?" The probably smartest one out of the Marauders questioned after taking a sip of his coffee.
I started to speak, "Well, we've never really establish-"
"Since I asked her out, duh," James butted in, casually munching on his toast. I stared at him in disbelief until he looked down at me. "Or not?" he asked, his hazel eyes wide and innocent behind his rounded glasses.
'This is not exactly how a boyfriend-girlfriend-relationship is established,' I thought back to all the romantic novels I had read so far before shrugging, 'But what do I know?'
"You have to ask her to officially be your girlfriend though!" Marlene voiced out, jumping in just as I let the fact sink in that James had already thought of me as his girlfriend for so long...'Wait, WHAT?!'
"Isn't that already implied when you ask someone out?" James asked confused and Sirius barked out a laugh. "If that's the case, I would have had hundreds of girlfriends already!"
"That's disgusting," Lily commented, speaking up for the first time, but there was hardly a bite in her tone. We were all used to his serial womaniser behaviour.
"Don't be jealous," Sirius waved off dismissively as he bit into his bacon.
"I still don't get it. What's the difference between asking someone out and asking someone to be their girlfriend?" James questioned and I could have cooed at his adorably confused expression.
Sirius cleared his throat, adopting a professional tone, "Let me give you a crash course on relationships. If you ask someone to be their girlfriend, your relationship will become exclusive. Asking someone out is the phase before that and you are allowed to date others, too."
"Though, the girl would prefer the dating phase to be exclusive, too," Alice piped in.
"Yes, but it's not in the rules," Sirius added, smirking as she rolled her eyes.
"Why would I date others, though...," James wondered, "If I ask someone out, why would I ask someone else out if I already asked someone? If I ask someone out, I obviously want them to become my girlfriend, don't I?"
Sirius groaned, muttering something about hopeless romantics. The others chuckled as James looked around, almost offended.
"Not everyone thinks that way," I said, my heart warming at his innocent views, "But it's sweet that you do." He gazed down at me, a small smile quirking up the corners of his lips as he saw my sincerity. His arm that was still wrapped around me tightened slightly.
"So, are you my girlfriend then?"
My breath halted in response but before I could open my mouth to stutter and embarrass myself, Marlene butted in, "You have to ask her officially, boy! And more romantically than at breakfast!" James rolled his eyes in mock exasperation, "Fine! As the lady wishes!"
I chuckled along with the others. "You don't have to, really," I told him quietly as we all stood up to head to our first class. James threw his arm over my shoulder and giving me the boyish grin that made my heart skip, "I want to."
The last week passed and before I knew it, the winter break had snuck up on me at last. I had barely registered the time fly with all the fun and sweet days and nights I had spent with James, either chatting in-between classes or holding longer, deeper conversations in front of the fireplace in the Common Room. And whilst I liked to freely talk with him without anyone else around, I couldn't help but prefer his more affectionate behaviour throughout the day where he would always initiate some kind of contact, from simple hand holding to arms constantly wrapped around me.
Something in me was hoping for another kiss but since I was too embarrassed to display affection in public and was also too shy for it when we were alone, it didn't happen again. Maybe he was waiting for me to do the move now since he had taken the step towards me again. The thought raced through my mind, wondering whether he was expecting something from me or not.
However, with the end of the first part of this school year, I had a more major problem to face now: the parents. As much as I had enjoyed the peace in radio silence, I was dreading the point where I would have to face them now.
"Will you calm down?" Alice placed a hand on my shaking knee, a nervous tick I inherited from my dad, "You act like you are going on trial for some committed crime."
"Might as well," I replied, rubbing my hands nervously as I stared out the window of the Hogwarts Express, the white scenery outside passing by in a blur, "Same difference, really."
Alice huffed out a laugh, "Don't be such a drama queen, Cec. It's going to be fine."
"Yeah, they're gonna get over it eventually," Marlene added from across of me, sat next to Lily, whose nose was - as usual - ducked in a book, "If they haven't already. It's been weeks since you've written to them about it."
I sighed, choosing to believe their words in hopes of calming myself down. No point in getting all anxious when we still had hours until we arrived...Hours that went by way too fast. "Seriously, doesn't the ride back to King's Cross usually take longer?"
The door to our compartment slid open in that moment, revealing none other than my self-proclaimed boyfriend and his three best mates. "There you are!" James said cheerfully, nodding at the three girls as he squeezed himself between me and Alice, throwing his arm around me. At this point, I was almost used to his touch. Keyword being almost. Alice scooted over with a silent smile as the other boys tried to pile in.
"No way, we all won't fit in here!" Marlene complained whilst Sirius wiggled down on the seat next to her, causing both her and Lily to move away from him.
"It's fine. Remus and I need to patrol anyways," Lily announced, shutting her book as she stood up and made space for Peter to settle down instead. "See you later on the platform?" We all nodded in consent and the two prefects left. Sirius stretched his limbs out, making himself comfortable and causing Marlene to immediately complain about his lack of manners. "Siriusly, there are other people around here. You are invading my private space, Black!"
"Don't act like you don't enjoy it," Sirius said with a wink and I watched silently as they started to bicker pointlessly, Peter and Alice joining in the attempt to calm them down. And as amusing as it was, it couldn't hold my attention for long and soon I was staring out the window, my mind picturing the stern faces of my parents awaiting my arrival.
"Hey, you alright there?" James asked, placing a hand on my knee that had started shaking again without my notice. He leaned forward slightly to peer at my worried expression. I gnawed on my bottom lip, feeling almost ridiculous at how anxious I was getting over this. Shouldn't I be excited to see my parents again after so many months? "Cec, what's with the sad face?" the dark-haired boy next to me tried again, pulling me out of my reverie.
I turned to him, his warm brown eyes soothing my inner turmoil slightly. I smiled, "It's nothing, really."
"It clearly is something if you are so nervous about it," he pointed out, the small frown not leaving his face. My smile widened though, feeling touched at the obvious worry. 'Merlin, can he be any more precious?'
"Siriusly, don't stress about it," I said, flicking his chin as I suddenly felt bold enough to add, "I'm fine now that you are here." James' eyes flickered in surprise and the boldness immediately left me, embarrassment reddening my cheeks at my comment. I wasn't one to say sappy stuff, so that even took me by surprise. I ducked my head, missing the genuine smile of the boy next to me. Lifting my face back up, he grinned more cheekily, "So cheesy."
I rolled my eyes to hide my bashfulness, "Yeah, whatever. Forget what I said."
"Oh no, love. This I won't ever forget," James retaliated and I ignored the way my heart sped up at his endearing term in favour of groaning in mock exasperation, "You are never going to let me live this down."
"You bet!" James replied and I simply shook my head, smiling as I realised how I hadn't thought about my parents anymore and felt significantly calmer. "Now that...," he added, pointing at my face, "...is way better. Don't worry, be happy." Huffing a laughter, I couldn't help but let his cheerfulness affect me and I felt myself relax more into my seat and his arm, noticing how close we were. He was leaned towards me, his hand still holding my knee. At my gaze, he lifted his hand to take a hold of my own, his warm touch soothing my entire cool limb. "Are you cold?" he asked quietly, shifting his arm to pull me closer.
"I'm fine," I replied, letting myself melt into him as I dropped my head on his shoulder. He leaned his cheek against my head as he stared down at out joined hands.
"You always seem to say that even if you are obviously not..."
"Well, I can't burden you with my troubles all the time now," I said, thinking back on the nights he let me rant about every issue as we sat in front of the fireplace, listening to every problem attentively, no matter how small they were. He was a very good listener, but I didn't want to constantly take advantage of it. And Marlene had stated in one of her million unwanted/wanted relationship advices that constant nagging could be a major turn off and the last thing I wanted was to annoy him away.
"You can, though," James argued softly, playing with my fingers, every touch sending slight electric shocks through my limb. My heart all but melted at his short but sweet retaliation and I intertwined our fingers together. "Thank you," I said softly, "Same goes for you."
We stayed locked in our embrace for the rest of the train ride and I barely noticed the world outside of the little bubble James created for us, feeling like all the problems were miles away and I finally found a bit of inner peace.
But alas, all good things had to come to an end, and I was more than a bit disappointed as we arrived at King's Cross, having to leave his arms and the security with it. The only thing that got me up and going was his hand tugging me outside...and the fact that I wouldn't know where the train would go after this.
"Are your parents picking you up?" James asked and my good mood plummeted at the thought of the inevitable happening. 'Stop being dramatic,' I scolded myself in my head as I nodded mutely. "Cool, mine are probably somewhere around here, too," he stated just as Sirius pointed at someone in the distance, "There they are. Let's go!" he said excitedly, and I smiled at his enthusiasm.
"A nice holiday to you too, Black," I called after him and he waved over his shoulder in dismissive response. I chuckled slightly before turning to his messy-haired best friend. "You should go, too. They are waiting for you," I said, tugging on my hand, not knowing exactly how to bid him goodbye.
"Yeah, just one second," James replied distractedly, tightening his grip on my hand. I watched as he bit his lip nervously, ruffling his hair one, two times before he took a deep breath. "Cec, are we...together now?" he asked almost shyly, staring at me from under his lashes, "Like- together, together? Like in a relationship? As in, boyfriend and girlfriend-"
"Yes," I laughed, surprising both him and I at the immediate response. It was natural for me to say yes. I mean, who would say no at this point? And especially at his beautiful hazel eyes. Maybe Lily would, but I certainly wouldn't. "Yes, we are together," I confirmed, trying to sound as confident as I didn't feel, my insides shaking like jello.
James beamed, causing me to melt inside. "Like, in a relationship?"
"Yes."
"As in, boyfriend and girlfr-"
"Yes!" I laughed, feeling more and more secure with each consent. His grin couldn't get any wider as he tugged me closer by the hand, wrapping his arms tightly around me for a second.
"Awesome! As my girlfriend I expect you to write me every day then," he demanded as soon as he let go, his shy demeanour completely gone. My eyes widened in disbelief, "Every day?"
"Every day," he repeated solemnly.
"Prongs! Come on, already!" I heard Sirius yell in the distance and before I could hastily argue about the 'everyday writing', James pressed a quick kiss on my cheek, rendering me speechless enough to make a quick escape.
"I expect your letter tomorrow!" he shouted as he jogged backwards, flashing me a last grin before he turned to rush to his parents. All the while I stared dumbfounded at his back with a hand on my flushed cheek.
"That brat," I muttered, biting my lips to stop a too wide smile.
Chapter Nine
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