POINT OF VIEW OF LOVE
Hogwarts, school of witchcraft and wizardry, home of ex lovers y/n l/n and remus lupin who suck at the "ex" part
Or, in which,
Everyone in hogwarts is convinced that the two of you are (still) inlove with eachother
GENRE: Fluff, slight crack fic? Second chance romance + idiots in love
PAIRING: Professor! Remus lupin x Professor! Reader
FEAT: Hermione Granger (no 1 shipper), severus snape (the most lowkey shipper), Dumbledore (the most highkey shipper), Harry potter (the most confused person in the room), ron weasly (himbo king) minerva McGonagall(da legend)
A/N: probably the longest fic I ever wrote :p. pls do reblog!!!
Surprisingly unlike most new teachers in hogwarts who often drop the school after their first year of teaching, you somehow managed to stick around
(rumours say that ever since professor slughorn, the previous potions teacher left hogwarts and snape began teaching, all teaching positions were cursed and no teacher managed to stay in hogwarts for more than one semester)
(all students believe that snape brought the curse along with his greasy hair when he began teaching in hogwarts)
(good thing you were quite good in handling curses and hexes ;>)
Perhaps because you also used to be a student in hogwarts back in the days of your youth, you knew the will of the ever changing staircases and the ways through all the hidden and not so hidden corridors
All hogwarts students were baffled when they found out that you and their professor snape used to be classmates
They could all swear on merlin's beard that they were all very sure that professor snape and professor McGonagall were of the same age!!
("bloody hell! who would have thought that nasty professor snape and our lovely miss l/n used to sit in the same classes together" -ron weasly, merely 5 seconds before getting bonked in the head by professor snape)
It's was no secret that all the students of hogwarts adored you, regardless of which house they belonged too, you had a way of weasling into even the most frigid of hearts
But nevertheless, the students often wondered about your kind and sweet nature towards them, truthfully you couldn't help but be reminded of your days in hogwarts and ofcourse your dear friends, some of whose children's were now attending the school
After all, not many of your friends were still present to this day, not many of them found their so called happy ending, and yet their children still manage to find a way to smile
You wanted to protect that smile. The very same smile that used to be etched in your friends faces
It did make you feel a little old sometimes though, who knew even the snooty lucius malfoy, your senior of 4 years at hogwarts would find love and have kids
And yet here you were, still single as a Pringle, your last relationship was years ago, your last real relationship was... it was actually when you used to study in hogwarts, but that too was ages ago
You had simply given up. You had better things to do other than reminisce about your past, the past that never managed to manifested into your future
You had a lot more important things to do!
Such as conduct a quick checking in all the compartments of the hogwarts express, just to make sure that all the students are acquainted and to check up on any first years who may be facing any problems
You walk along the train, knocking on the compartments before being graced with cheerfull greetings and questions on how your holidays was
You move on to the next apartment and the next without wasting much time, much wanting to sit quietly in your own compartment as soon as possible until you heard a loud cry of terror
"Dementor! Dementor!"
You immediately rush down the train, running as fast as you could while your fingers grasped you wand tightly
Crap! You totally forgot about the new security regime being added to hogwarts
Dumbledore had written to you about it during the semester break, although you didn't quite share a positive sentiment towards the addition you also didnt really have much of a say on it
By the time you reach the compartment your relieved that damage control has already been done by who seems to be a new professor whose face was turned away, only seeing the back of his head showcasing messy light brown hair which you felt was oddly familiar
"Harry! Are you alright?" You kneel down as you try propping the boy up whose mouth was currently being shoved with chocolate
"The chocolate helps, I swear" the man says before he pauses and takes a quick deep breath
You almost take a double take, staring into the eyes of a stranger who you knew a little too well
"Y/n" remus lupin breaths out your name like its air, so naturally that you almost forget about all the missing years between the two of you
He says it so naturally that it makes you feel like he just said it yesterday, you almost don't find his face foreign as if the two of you never went your separate ways
As if the two of you never left eachother
You stiffen, you can't help it, infront of you is probably the only man you've ever loved in the entirety of your life, the very man who couldn't stay with you, the man who left you,
the very same man still looked at you the same way, as if you were as beautiful as the day he found you, as if you were as beautiful as the day he left.
"Remus" you mutter out, your eyes glued to his
there's a silent battle going on, one that only perhaps the two of you could recognise. A inner turmoil in both of your hearts
Do I love or hate the fact that you're here?
Do i embrace you or curse you're for standing infront of me?
Do you still think about me?
Did you ever think of me?
"Wh-what are you doing here?" You break away from the trance first "why are you here?"
You only halfway realise how harsh it sounds but you don't care, you didnt know whether to care, you didnt know what to feel
"Lovely seeing you too y/n, you look the same like the last time I saw you"
He says it in such a way only remus lupin could say, with so much sincerety and integrity, it makes your mouth go silent
"I heard that you were a teacher in hogwarts" he pauses "it suits you, i remember you talking about it"
Ofcourse he remembers you talking about it, you remember it too. You also remember him saying the exact same thing as he did years ago too
"It suits you"
"Thanks" you don't know how to respond, with remus lupin you never really did
"But then again, i suppose whatever you did would suit you"
The same thing again, you swear it's like he never left
"You didn't change at all" you blurt out without thinking much
Remus chuckles, an awkward warm laugh, shaking his head slightly so that his slightly curls would bounce
"I dont know whether you mean it as a compliment or not"
"You know what I mean" you say again without much of a hesitation, you catch the look in remus's eye
"I do, don't I?"
Your breath hitches, again
"Uhm professor? I mean professors?" Hermione interrupts with a slightly confused face which she tries to mask
At least she's trying to hide her confusion, the other two boys in the compartment looked as if though someone told them that Monstrose Maggie's were a better quidditch team than Holyhead Harpies
Ron especially was left with his mouth slightly opened being simply utterly baffled at what was going on,
first, their apartment was seemingly attacked by what seemed to be ghosts with ice powers,
second, ron was still trying to get over the fact that harry was passed out erstwhile shaking like a wet dog and
third, probably his favourite professor and the professor that saved his best friends life were stuck in a staring battle
You look at dazed boy sitting on the floor, remembering what had happened "Oh harry! Sit up, sit up"
Remus moves towards the bestecked boy, brushing against you as he helps harry sit on the seat of his compartment.
He groans slightly as he stands up, you throw a quick glance at him before turning your attention to the three teenagers
"Are you three alright? Harry? still feeling a little woozy?" You ask while remus breaks another piece of chocolate handing it to him "munch one, cmon"
"Erm yes" Harry takes the piece of chocolate "thanks- professor er" he looks at remus
"Professor lupin-" "the names lupin-" both you and remus say in the same time, before turning to look at eachother resulting in you quickly turning your head away
The three teenagers watch curiously (hermione) confused (harry) totally completely befuddled(ron)
"You haven't changed at all too y/n" remus says, half amused, and half of what almost seemed like relief
"Well, there's a limit to how much a person can change in a span of only a few years" that might cut a little deeper than intended, but remus's face looks like he understands where you were coming from
"Sorry i-" you begin, feeling a little guilty. wringing your hands "it's great seeing you..its been ages. I guess i just wasnt expecting to see you"
Remus smiles, his eyes crinkling while he did so, lines forming near his eyes which weren't there from the years in which you remembered him from
Godrick, it really has been a long time
"I know" he says in a all knowing tone that somehow didnt seem arrogant or conceited at all, you kind of missed it "I should have written you a letter or something"
"Yea" you blink "or something"
It was at this point when you realise that it wasnt only the two of you in the compartment, there was 3 other teenagers who were gawking and trying their best to make a connection between you and the other man who still remained quite unknown to them
"Uhm right" you turn away from remus, slight pink tinting your cheeks
Remus also seemed to realise this, shoving his wand into his pocket
"I better go check on all the other compartments, just in case" he says while moving out of the compartment
"Yes! You do that" you don't look at him, not quite
"Hey y/n?"
"Hm?" You turn to him, hands fiddling with eachother
"I'll talk to you soon?"
The same brown hair, same brown eyes, a coat that seemed a little too old to still be worn, the same sturdy ebony wand, and a older version of the same scarred face you often wondered about
You nodd
"Talk to you soon"
-
"What in the good name of gandalf was all that about?" Ron says appalled, as if though he just witness a crime worthy of a death penalty
Harry shrugged while nibbling on the rather large piece of chocolate in his hands
It had been a while after both you and Professor lupin or whoever he was left their compartment, albeit professor lupin looking a little ditzy after seeing you and your face being tinted a faint shade of pink
"I swear on my life" Ron points at scabbers, the old dirty rat that seemed way too scared for an animal who was safely locked up in his cage
"I swear on scabbers life! I have never seen professor l/n act like that"
Hermione rolled her eyes, scoffing
Are boys really this dense?
Harry and ron turn to her expectantly
"Well?" Harry asked
"Isn't it quite obvious?" Hermione folded her arms, her hair tossing behind her as she did so "it's so completly obvious! It literally happened infront of your eyes"
"What did? All I saw was two adults staring at eachother for like 30 minutes straight" Ron said raising his hands
"I mean" Harry added "30 minutes might be a bit of a stretch-"
"Honestly!" Hermione interjected loudly "don't you two get it?"
"Get what?"
Hermione finally losing her patience, bend down slightly, in hushed whispers, turning to see if anyone else was around, as she hissed into the ears of the two boys
"Oh" Harry blinked, unsure of what he was suppose to do with such information "Oh well, er" he looks at ron "I dont think davies is gonna take this news well"
"Poor guy" Ron announced with a rather sad face "Roger Davies is gonna lose his shit if he hears about this" shaking his head sympathetically "bluds got a bloody massive crush on professor l/n yknow"
"....ew"
-
Hermione granger was the brightest witch of her age. She wasn't bragging about her intelligence or wit, it was merely just a fact
She knew all the ingredients needed to brew the draught of living death, she memorized all the steps needed to brew the draught of peace
She studied all the uses of the mandrake root, she knew the uses of a bezeor and where to find one
She likes to be sure of what she knows, so sure that she can bet on it, she knows what's right and what's wrong, she can swear on what she knows and what she doesn't.
And Hermione Granger swears that her DADA professor and her astronomy teacher were inlove with eachother, she was so very positive about it
She had read alot about love, watched movies about love (please don't ask her to explain how a movie works, she already explained it thrice to Mr weasly)
she saw love in her parents whenever they talked with eachother, she saw love in the way molly weasly would reprimand her husband back when she spend the holidays in the burrow
She was the brightest witch of her age and she swears, that professor Remus lupin was (rather tragically) inlove with professor y/n l/n.
-
"Professor" hermione raised her hand up in an instant, rather proudly too, she knew the answer to your question almost perfectly
You nodd, urging her to speak
"Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky, its name deriving from the greek word which means scorching or glowing"
"Yes well done miss granger" you signal her to sit down "five points to gryffindor"
"Next class we will be charting and mapping some major constellations present in the northern hemisphere while using the help of sirius" you announce to your students "your all excused to go to your next class"
Immediately all students rush out, most of them grabbing their things in a hurry and running down
"Why is the astronomy tower at the top of the building and the potions classroom all the way in the dungeons?" Seamus finnigun huffed to his friend dean who nodded earnestly
"Snape would do anything to find something to pick on, cmon we don't wanna be late!"
Hermione lingered a few seconds, hiding behind the door as all the students fled downstairs, getting ready to use her time turner when suddenly,
"'Busy?" A deep voice came
You look at the tall man standing awkwardly at the door, you can't help but stiffle a laugh
"What are you doing? Standing about just like that?"
Remus scratches the back of his head while he comes into your classroom, rather carefully too as if he was worried he would break something
"Library" remus responds to your question with a slight swagger as Hermione listened intently from behind the wall
She knows she shouldn't listen, its bad to eavesdrop on other people's conversation, what would her mother say? But after what she witnessed on the train? She couldn't possibly miss out on this
"Library?" You question with a upside down smile "it's been ages since you've been to hogwarts and you still choose to hang out in the library?"
So hermione's hunch was right after all. You both did know eachother when the two of you were younger
"Well, its not like i hung out in the library alone you know" remus quipped quickly, you almost smile
"You can't teach an old dog new tricks y/n" remus says it so casually, it makes you look up to him, for a split second there was a sense of recognition inbetween the two of you
You cough, "but still.. hanging out in the library? I guess your still a nerd"
Remus raises his eyebrows "a nerd? Excuse me but I'm not the one here teaching astronomy" a smirk plays on his lips
You gasp in fake offense while remus raises his hands up in surrender "I apologise, too harsh?"
"Way too harsh Mr lupin"
The both of you crack into soft smiles and longing looks, Hermione could have sworn that if this were one of those "muggle' movies her mom and her used to watch back at home, there would be "kiss me" by sixpence none the ritcher playing in the background
"It really has been very long remmy"
Hermione's mouth forms an o shape
'Remmy' huh? Already on nickname basis are we?
"It has been quite some time y/n"
Cmon professor! Up your game a little!
"Is that all you have to say to me? After all this time?" You don't look away, your eyes piercing through remus, making him feel seen, too seen
"I- I've got too much to say" remus confessed "too little words to use"
You purse your lips, looking down on the parchment of paper on your desk
"Do you think you'll always have too little words to say? You don't have any words to spare me for now?"
His lips part, slightly open, remus realises that his sweather is quite worn out, there's a certain itch that won't go away, the colour a little too washed away, the strands fraying away at the hem of his sleeve
He has thought about this very moment for a very long time, almost every night, every day. Practicing what he should tell you, how to tell you
And yet he doesn't say anything, he cannot.
The lump in his throat is far too big to swallow, the pain in his chest pulsating through each and every vein present in his body
He fears if he opens his mout, he might swallow you whole, selfish and angry and dangerous. All things you were not, all the things you didjt deserve.
He wasn't safe to be around, his edges too sharp to be able to curve around and you were too kind to know better
The silence is overwhelming, slightly, like water droplets falling on an already filled cup
Hermione questions herself, for the first time.
Perhaps she is wrong, perhaps the two of you aren't inlove. Maybe the two of you once were and maybe that's all it was. Ashes of the past, remains of what once was
Instead, Remus walks next to you, wordlessly, quietly, and yet his actions remains defeaning against the silence that seemed to engulf the two of you
You snort, you can't help it
"Hey, you do realise we can use magic right? I don't need your help carrying those things down"
Remus nevertheless picks up a box of telescopes and other tools "we both know you were going to carry these by hand" he stated with certainty, giving you a knowing look
You resort the urge to roll your eyes
"You know me that well?" There's a slight challenge in your voice
"No, i know you enough" remus says softly, as if that itself was a sin for him to commit "im afraid that i might like to know you even more"
Silence. The wind blows, the pale blue curtains flowing as the charms hanging on the roof play a soft chime
Your unsure of what to say, how to react, the truth was painfull. But it was the truth
Finally you whisper back
"im afraid I might end up letting you"
-
Hermione quickly shuffles with her time turner, she has already wasted so much time listening to a conversation that wasn't even hers to listen but she ends up hoping for one thing
She hopes to find someone who would look at her the way remus lupin looked at you
-
Severus snape had his reasons for disliking remus lupin, you knew them too and like the decent person he knew you were, you respected his choice.
He guesses your fine, better than most actually, he doesn't like you or anything don't get him wrong.
Even back in his student days he never really talked to you much, lest it was you greeting him goodmorning whenever the two of you had classes together
But he guesses that he doesn't dislike you, your alright, your one of the few decent people that he knew in hogwarts. He doesn't mind you that much
Which is exactly why he didn't approve of remus lupin,
Perhaps back then he wouldn't have cared as much as he did now (don't get him wrong, he doesn't care about you)
but he supposes that you could do much better (he doesn't really have a valid reason he just doesn't like remus that much... again for certain specific reason)
"Lupin" severus cannot help but sneer a little as he says the name, greeting an old not very comforting face
"severus" remus nodds in acknowledgement, walking inside the potionmasters room "I suppose you know why im here"
"I do" severus rummages about to find a bottle, handing it, the air was always tense between the two, but it felt thicker tonight
"I'm surprise you came back" severus interrupts the silence "im surprised you came back at all"
Remus stops, thinking for a while "you do realise that i could say the same thing to you? Hogwarts is the last place i imagined you working"
Severus frowns, looking up at the scarred man standing infront of him
"Does she know?"
Remus stiffen for a second before answering "Yes, I suppose she does"
"Ah" severus announces like it was nothing a big of a shock "I suppose the two of you were always... close"
"What are you trying to instigate here severus?" remus snaps before stopping himself "i apolagise- i didn't mean to"
Severus shakes his head, stopping remus "the full moon is awfully close, i suggest you take care of yourself and those around you" carefully using his words
Remus stared at the bottle of Wolfsbane in his hand before placing it on the table with a thud, snape raised an eyebrow
"I never wanted her to know" remus says bitterly "it was never her burden to share, no one's burden but mine"
Severus clicks his tongue
"I almost didn't come back, i never planned to come back to hogwarts"
"Then what made you" curiosity got the better of the sneering man
Remus looked down, he let out a pathetic excuse of a chuckle "I guess I simply wanted to see her. I wondered if she ever thought about me too"
Snape doesnt say anything at first
"How pitifull' snape muttered while he moving around his room, his cloak swooshing alongst each movement
"Yes" remus murmers "I suppose so"
"Your a miserable excuse tonight lupin" severus gave a brief look towards the man infront of him "I suggest you get some rest"
"I suppose I am rather miserable tonight" remus throws his head back "the upcoming full moon is making me act strange, look at me confiding such matters to you"
Severus merely grunts
"I apologise severus, something has gotten into me tonight"
"Theres no need to do such things lupin, simply show yourself out"
Remus thanks him for the wolfsbane once more before heading out
"Professor lupin, before you go"
Remus turned around, the eye bags around his eyes much deeper than usual, his posture slightly more bend than usual
"Regarding miss L/n...im sure she thought fondly of you too, much more than you realise" Snape coughs "that is all, goodnight" slamming the door shut.
Severus walked away from the door, wondering what was wrong with him that night, what made him say such things to remus lupin of all people but ah, alas he had forgotten, the two shared one thing in common
They were both miserable,
both miserable, pitiful and pathetic for the love that they once had
Oh yes, they both loved and were loved
-
Now,
if you ask albus dumbledore, headmaster of hogwarts for many years now and counting, whether it was correct to place bets on his students than he would respond to you with a slight chuckle
Of course it was a little incorrect, but then again, he hadn't won a bet in years and he was dying to prove Minerva McGonagall wrong
"I'm telling you albus" the older women pulled down her glasses, giving a withering look at the bearded wizard "im afraid we might be getting too old with this"
"Minerva, afraid that I might break your winning streak after all?" Came the reply, his blue eyes twinkling
Minerva McGonagall frowned "you may be one of the most famous wizard of your age albus but you are hardly capable of placing correct bets"
Minerva knew that she was right.
She had been winning all the bets with Dumbledore for the past many years, successfully guessing and pairing students up.
She placed a bet on Molly and Arthur Weasly when they were once students at hogwarts,
she even predicted James Potter and Lily Evans budding romance (although she was a little worried when lily Evans refused to give in, luckily there was a turn of event in their seventh year much to Dumbledore's dismay)
She may not be the most famous wizard of her age unlike her counterpart, but she did rather have a good hunch when it came to romance (just keep that information between her and albus though)
"Well then" Minerva gave in, rather easily too "is this about your wager on Mr potter again?"
Albus shaked his head "no, it isn't, although I am immensely confident about mister potter and miss granger"
Minerva held back a scoff "Oh yes, you'll see soon that miss granger and mister potter aren't nothing more than friends, it baffles me albus! How your the smartest wizard of all time and yet you can't see that your bet should be on ms granger and mr weasly!!"
"I will not argue with you about this matter minerva" albus quickly said
"Well, atleast you didnt place your wager on ms granger and mr malfoy" Minerva tutted "what on merlin's beard is slughorn on i wonder"
"Minerva thats not the point, im talking regarding our miss y/n l/n and-"
"Remus lupin" McGonagall finished the sentence "Well theres no point on placing a bet on them, its obvious the two are made for eachother"
"Er- Oh well I was actually gonna say-"
Minerva deadpanned "Who were you going to say other than professor lupin albus?"
"Oh well of course" albus continued, hiding the fact that he was slightly flustered "our dear severus of course!"
A loud laugh escaped Minerva's lips, leaving the much older wizard slightly dumbfounded
"Oh albus" the woman wipes a tear away, a thin smile etched on her lips as she patted the headmaster
"I hope you prepared to lose you bet once again"
-
Albus Dumbledore usually never second guessed himself, he was sure of his words, his plans and especially, his bets (even though he has been in a losing streak for the past 50 years)
But after seeing such confidence in Minerva McGonagall, he was now rethinking every single thing he had witnessed so far
He was sure, absolutely positive that there was something going on between you and severus.
You seemed to be the only person severus tolerated,
Whenever you wished him goodmorning, he would always respond you back cordially
Amd albus is pretty sure that you served the boil peas to severus and not to remus lupin today during dinner tonight,
that has to mean something right??
Roaming around the school after hours was not a new thing to the old wizard, walking around the corridors and hallways as the stars glistened over head
He hears a muffled voice, continued with what seemed to be a rather private, almost confidential meet up
Noticing you and remus standing across eachother, the space between the two of you negligible
Well !!
It's none of his business, dumbledore guesses and that he has no reason to pry on such a conversation
And yet he found himself standing quietly from a distance rather much too invested in such private affairs
After all curiosity was his biggest trait
(Please forgive the old man, he simply wants to win a bet after such a long time)
"You left your lesson plans, again" you say, shaking them slightly "quite unlike you actually"
"I was coming to get them" remus waits "what makes you say that?"
"I might have thought that you left them on purpose" albus watches you shrug,
"What if I did?"
Ah!, realisation hits albus. Perhaps Minerva was right once again
"We've got to stop meeting like this, it might give the wrong impression"
"And what impression exactly are we giving?" Remus's voice rings in your ear, almost haughty
You attempt to glare at remus although your efforts are in vain as there in no heat behind it. Remus knows it too, he has a soft grin on his face
You turn to leave, exhaling slightly just before remus says, too casually "you still do that same thing with your nose when your annoyed"
You stop midstep.
"You scrunch them a little before you look away, just like back then"
For a moment neither of you speak
"And you still hate boiled peas"
Dumbledore silently comforted himself after the loss of another bet, perhaps he should stop placing bets with Minerva
"You still look after me" remus tilts his head "perhaps giving the wrong impression?"
You groan, despite the warmth in your eyes and the smile that struggled to escape "your impossible"
Remus softly shakes his head, your eyes plastered on him "your collar is still crooked, do i have to fix it?"
Remus's hands fly to his collar,
You glance up to the man you once knew, feeling all to familiar to him once again
Albus watches as you hold remus's collar in the most gentle way possible, as if though he were a precious glass doll that you were afraid of scarring.
Remus finds it a little ironic
Your fingers delicately moving alongst the nape of his neck while he muttered something to you
Your simply standing there, he's not stopping you in any sense at all, watching him with an insufferable fond look that albus remembers from back in your days as students
Why hadn't he noticed this before?
"I would have thought that you'd learn how to do your collar properly by now" you huffed, the tall man leaned in closer to you, for your comfort and ease
"I guess I got used to you fixing it for me"
You hum "you hate people touching you"
Remus lupin looks at you, a slight smile playing on his face "i suppose that makes you the exception"
Albus holds back his gasp
You sigh while finishing adjusting his collar, breaking away from him
"You're quite literally impossible"
Remus chuckles, his eyes never breaking away from yours "you like it, you still do"
"You" you point your finger at the tall man "are quite frankly delusion, might i suggest a visit st mungoes and check your head"
Remus takes a step closer, he's grinning, it makes him look younger, you think,
"Am I? Delusional?"
Albus feels like bursting out of his hiding spot, feeling like a quidditch commenter watching the most highly anticipated quidditch match of all time
But then- you laugh, its small, a little reluctant but a real laugh. And instead of walking away you simply look at remus with the same softness that has always been there since your hogwarts days
Albus turns his head away, giving the two of you space, deciding that he had seen enough
He wonders why in the world did he not catch it before, were his hunches always this bad?
"Well?" A flat voice came from a corner, Dumbledore couldn't help but chuckle knowing all too well who it was
"Minerva!" Albus smiled "I was hoping to bump into you"
The grey tabby cat transformed into a frowning women with a "I told you so" look on her face
Albus sighs "I believe you have won the bet once again"
The women suppresses a smile "Yes, I believe so too"
"Am I really that dense Minerva?"
Giving the older wizard a scathing look "im afraid so professor"
"Oh...but rather refreshing to see young love blossom in our very halls is it not?" Albus dumbledore says with a satisfied look on his face
"I hope they would atleast pretend to not be too distracted with their work" Minerva remarked
"Oh minerva" albus tutted "Have you never been in love before?"
Minerva McGonagall threw a look at the headmaster
"Now all we must do is wait for the inevitable" albus proudly said "I should begin drafting a speech for their wedding should I not?"
Minerva sighs shaking her head, her voice wavering but she knew better to discourage Dumbledore "Oh yes professor, you do that"
Dumbledore gleams while walking back up to his office, he may have lost the bet but he was a sucker for happy ending, especially for his students
"Oh Minerva!" Did I ever mention?"
Dumbledore calls the tall women before he goes up into his office
"Mention what professor?"
The wizard gleams, a twinkle of mischief in his eyes, Minerva wasnt sure if she was going to like what she was about to hear
"I once placed a bet on you and tom riddle back when you were a student here"
Minerva McGonagall paused, not even blinking, not even breathing
Dumbledore chuckle "Oh well, let's just hope for the best for miss y/n and mr remus lupin shall we?"
(A few hours later, filch recieves the fright of his life when he finds professor McGonagall is still standing in the hallway frozen)
-
When your called into dumbledores office in the middle of the night, the last thing you expect is to see the convicted felon sirius black and a tired, freshly scarred remus lupin
After Dumbledore filled you in with the recent events that took place and after the sirius was safely escorted to much safer place,
you found your arms resting on remus whose body remained slumped on a bed in the infirmary
The hospital wing was dimply lighted, madam pomfrey busy tending to the three teenagers (harry, ron and hermione) leaving you with the scarred man
Your eyes wander around his body which was covered in bruises, cuts, scars and a deep gash along his side from his recent turning.
You tend to his wounds, your hands shaking slightly while you moved with precision and a look of gentleness in your eyes which remus did not missed
"It might sting a little" you warn, while dabbing the cotten pad soaked in antiseptic to his cheek
Remus flinched slightly but does not move nor say anything, only nods slightly.
He had always been like this- quiet, composed and never one to complain. But you could feel the tension in him, the way his shoulders stayed rigid under your touch, the way his eyes darted around you, looking at you everywhere but at your eyes
"It doesn't hurt?" You ask in an attempt to lighten the mood but your voice wavers just enough to betray your feelings
Remus notices it without missing a beat, his body softening on hearing the vulnerability in your voice
It's all for him, it's all because of him
"It's not the cut that hurts y/n. It's the fact that yours still the one tending to them even after all these years"
You still for a moment- memories of late night study sessions and hushed conversations. You tending to his scars at midnight after every turning while the rest of the marauders watched with a knowing smirk.
Memories of the past seemed to dance infront of your eyes, flickering like candles and flittering like ghosts.
The quiet estrangement between you and remus, the way the two of you parted ways so easily- but here he was. So close to you, yet you have never felt further from him
"Maybe some things don't change" your murmer under your breath, your fingers brushing against his skin for longer than necessary
Remus smiles, its a wistful and rather melancholy smile
The both of you felt the weight of all the unsaid words between the two of you, it lingered liked the fog on a misty morning, just like the lingering glance remus always gave to you
"It's not that bad you know" remus mutters "your looking at me like I'm going to drop dead"
His voice is rough , deep and slightly slurred, still recovering from from the disorientation from his shift, he keeps his eyes closed, though his sharp breathing tells you that the pain is no less than real
You look up, a small frown tugging your lips "you always say that, but here you are, covered in cuts and scars" your tone is light but theres a hidden edge of concern that was undiscernable
Remus chuckles softly, though the sound is strained "i'm alot tougher than i look, have a little faith in me won't you?"
Your fingers linger around his face, your touch soft, slightly cold against his flushed hot blooded self.
Remus tenses from your touch, but relaxes almost immediately. You can tell he's holding back more than just the pain, you just didn't know what.
"I could have helped you, i was always willing to help you, you know that don't you?" Your voice betrays all the concern and worry you had been holding back, your voice breaking,
Remus doesnt meet your eyes, not at first, his expression distant and struggling to find the words
"I didn't want to hurt anyone" he finally says, "especially you, i never want to hurt you"
"I know" you whisper gently, your hands move towards his "but that doesn't mean you have to do it alone"
For a moment he remains silent, it makes you think whether he even heard you at all. His fingers curl into the edge of the cot, jaws clenched tight.
But then he moves his hands towards yours too, slowly, hesitantly, almost scared.
But he missed it, he missed your touch all too much to no longer deny it. He missed you
"I dont want to hurt you" he repeats again like a confession. His voice fragile and vulnerable
You look at him, the weight of his gaze holding you in place before you finally utterly "you won't"
Your afraid remus would pull away, push you away, retreat back but he doesnt.
He let's you finish bandaging him, let's you hold him, letting you do what you've always done, even when the two of you were no longer together: care for him
And even when your done he doesn't pull away, you meet his eyes again, once again feeling the weight of all the unsaid words
"I'm scary" his voice is barely a whisper "and dangerous, and frightening. You don't deserve to go through all of that"
You smile faintly, leaning towards him, brushing against lock of his his hair away from his face
"Remus lupin, you eat your toast burned to crisps, you have your coffee so black im convince your taste buds are dead, you have memorized lines from random horrible plays I have never heard of before"
your hands holds his face with utmost care
"Trust me" you smile, your tone teasing if not for the warmth in your voice "you couldn't scare me even if you try"
For a brief moment theres nothing but the sound of breathing, two people who had never really let eachother go. Though remus doesnt say it, the way his hands holds your waist, and the way he looks at you, speaks louder than words ever could
"Next time, let me help you"
A smile tugs on remus's lips, twitching in a rare crooked smile "ill try to remember that"
"And don't leave, i dont think i can bear it if you disappear from me twice" you whisper
"I wont be able to stay away for long even if I tried" remus whispered back like a solemn vow "I'll always come for you, ill always find my way to you"
Your hands still linger on one another, gazes still intact, though no words are exchange it is not necessary, the soft smiles tugging both your lips are enough
For the first time in years, it feels like the two of you are on the same side once again.
-
"Hand me the galleons you owe me albus" Minerva reaches her hand out, an eyebrow raised
"Oh Minerva, must we hurry? I'm well aware you won the bet but-"
Minerva McGonagall cleared her throat loud and clear
Severus snape rolled his eyes and sighed, muttering under his breath about "childish behavior"
Albus dumbledore sulked "im going to go bankrupt if this keeps on going on"
Minerva suppressed her smile, despite feeling proud of her achievement "do you still want to go on with the bets albus? Unless your afraid of losing once more"
Severus frowned "must you encourage such behavior professor McGonagall?"
"I'll win the next bet, just you wait and see minerva" Dumbledore said, despite his initial complain, repeating what he had been saying every time for the past 50 years since he had been losing
"mr cedric diggory and ms cho chang" Minerva announced her next bet, folding her arms, her head held high
Albus watched with a broad grin "Minerva, i might have to prove you wrong there!"
Minerva watched with eyebrows raised
"It's obviously ms cho chang and mr roger davies"
"Oh dear" severus groaned
Minerva covered her mouth, turning away to laugh, confident that she had won before it even begun while albus dumbledore began listing the reason for his belief
"Mr Roger Davies and ms cho chang were practicing quidditch together and may I mention that it seemed a rather private meet up with only the two of them-"
"Isn't mr Davies the captain of the ravenclaw quidditch team and ms chang the seeker of the quidditch team?" Severus reminded the older wizard
"Yes but severus your missing the point-"
Severus Snape raised his hand, he had heard enough, pinching the bride of his nose he excused himself, he had better things to do than involve himself in such trivial childish matters, especially those that involved the life of silly hormonal teenagers
He walked out with a whoosh of his cloak, seemingly ready to slam the door, just when-
"My bet is with minerva" he curtly announced before promptly slamming the door shut
