Chapter 2

"Ryan, come on," Adam groaned, running after her as she walked down the hall, her eyes rolling once again as the boy in her Herbology class continued to speak to her, "please, Hogsmeade, this Saturday?!"

"No, Adam," she sighed soon running a hand through her hair as she took her wand out of it, holding it in her hand and walking down the hallway at a quicker pace than before, "please leave me alone."

"But," he trailed off, shaking his head and thinking of something to say whilst sneaking a hand around her waist, "I love you!"

"Unfortunate," she soon growled, clawing her hand into his and yanking it off of her, her wand now to his neck as he backed against the wall, "I am not your possession, I barely even know you, just because I look good does not mean that you can just come after me like I'm something you are able to have. When I say no, I mean no. Got that?!"

"Rya-"

"I think the lady wishes to be left alone," Ryan turned at the sound of the familiar voice, eyes wide, mouth parted at the sight of a particularly angry looking Remus Lupin, his eyebrow raised and his prefect badge on full show.

Ryan pulled her wand away, taking a step back as Adam regained himself, coughing slightly, "she was the one who pulled her wand on me!"

"Well, I'm sure she had every right to," Remus shrugged, "now, Adam, is it? I'm sure McGonagall will be more than pleased to see you in detention this Saturday, or did you have plans?"

"I did, actually," Adam huffed.

"Oh, you did?" asked Remus, his head tilted, watching Ryan bring her lip into her mouth, gnawing at her skin to stop her smirk, "weird...I thought Saturday was when you wanted to take Ryan to Hogsmeade, but she said no, I'm aware, so you actually don't have plans, I'll make sure to tell McGonagall to expect you."

"She wasn't even worth it," Adam huffed, casting a glare in Ryan's direction, "not even that pretty."

"Let's agree to disagree, now leave before I give you two more detentions," Remus tutted, waving his hand down the hall which Adam quickly scurried down, leaving Remus and Ryan alone in the hall, her cheeks flushed red, and a grin upon Remus' features.

"First detention of fifth year," the boy spoke, staring down at the girl, playing with the end of his cardigan, "worth it, I think, one for the history books, I say."

"I was handling it," she blurted out, her voice merely a whisper as she walked down the hall with Remus beside her, trying her best to keep her composure around the boy.

"Oh, I know," Remus nodded, "although I think it would be a waste to see you going off to Azkaban just for an idiotic boy, who else is going to fall into me?"

She let a laugh fall from her lips, barely audible, and yet melodic as ever, to Remus anyway, he watched her with adoration in his eyes that she couldn't see, she was far too focused on the ground and instead of the boy she had fancied from last year, completely obvious to the fact that he, too, had fancied her after their encounter in the library. She looked so shocked to see him help her, and well, she was, no one really helped her before, instead they called out their praises to her, of her legs and her looks, completely ignorant to the fact that she was a real person.

No one seems to cared much for the fact that the library was a talk free zone when she tried to reach for the book on the top shelf, way out of reach, pushing herself onto her tiptoes, and when her skirt rode up her legs, showing off a few inches more of skin did she hear the whistles around her, but Remus didn't whistle, or ogle, or even stare at her legs, or her chest, in fact, he was too busy getting lost in her eyes to even notice her body.

"It frustrated me that he only stopped when you arrived," Ryan huffed, shaking her head, "he was the fourth boy to ask me to Hogsmeade."

"Well they're all completely idiotic," Remus shook his head, rolling his eyes at the number of boys who had their eyes on the girl, chasing her in the hallway. He wondered why she even talked to him with the number of people that harassed her, but he wasn't complaining in the slightest, in fact, he was entirely grateful that she opened her mouth to speak to him, to reply to his words.

"I'm glad you agree," she spoke, lifting her head to smile at him, her eyes crinkled ever so slightly at the wideness of her smile, showing her perfect teeth, "so, u-um, how is prefect duties?" her eyes snapped to the floor instead of the lanky boy beside her, knowing that if she didn't pull her eyes away then she would stare at him for what was longer than acceptable.

"Oh, it's alright," Remus shrugged, shoving his hands into his pockets. He was feeling as though fate was on his side that he was actually talking to the girl beside him, watching her as she tightened the grip on the bag hanging over her shoulder and her wand soon holding up the bun in her hair again, "I suppose it's a little tiring at night, especially when there's no one roaming the halls."

"Or your friends are roaming the halls and you're pretending otherwise," Ryan pointed out, casting her eyes in Remus' direction as the sheepish grin fell onto his lips, shrugging his shoulders as he stumbled ever so slightly.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Remus smirked, shaking his head and earning a laugh from Ryan as she shook her head, covering her mouth to stop her laughter from tumbling through.

"Oh please, Remus Lupin," she spoke, rolling her eyes, "you know exactly what I'm talking about!"

-

"Connie-"

"I don't know how you don't see it," Connie cut her off, watching the Hufflepuff as she narrowed her eyes at the girl, "I've heard him, Ryan!"

"You're only saying that Connie," Ryan shook her head, a smile on her lips, "you heard Sirius Black say, 'that pretty Hufflepuff?' that's all, that could be any girl in Hufflepuff!"

"True, but there was a fight today, Ryan, and he was there helping you instead with that bloke, and not to mention that he said he would agree to disagree when Adam said you weren't that pretty!"

"Everyone thinks I'm pretty, it's not much of a big deal," Ryan shrugged, tapping on the goblet in her hand which contained pumpkin juice. She had previously wandered to the kitchens to retrieve something to drink, missing dinner was a mistake on her part, but she was having a wonderful time exploring the life of two muggles falling in love tucked into the corner of the library.

"May I remind you that he was the only one to help you when you were clearly struggling in the library," Connie pointed out, winking as she done so, "please, Ryan, you are just in denial, you've had so many idiotic guys chase after you that when a good guy shows interest you're denying it!"

"Well, he could have anyone he wants-"

"And he wants you," Connie wiggled her eyebrows, "and you want him, you're making this complicated, just ask him out!"

"What?!" Ryan shrieked, wide-eyed, furiously shaking her head, "Connie I can barely talk to him!"

"Then try, it really is not that hard," she giggled, "guys are easy to talk to."

"That's easy for you to say, you have experience!" Ryan exclaimed, "the only boy I know is Vinnie!"

"How is he doing by the way?" she asked, her head titled, "still think I hate him?"

"Well I thought you did," Ryan spoke, her eyebrow raised.

"He's not very good at first impressions...but he's your best friend, so I have to like him." Connie shrugged.

"Well, he technically invited you to come along to the Christmas markets during the holidays if you would like to," Ryan smiled, "it's in London, so you can stay with me."

"Oh, that would be lovely, but I can't," she frowned, running a hand through her hair, "I'm going to Australia to spend it with my dad."

"Oh, alright," Ryan smiled, nodding as she done so, "that's exciting!"

A frown erupted on Ryan's lips as she watched Connie stand, her eyebrows furrowed as she stared at the girl, soon speaking, "where are you going?"

"Well I was going back to the Gryffindor tower," Connie giggled, "would you like to come and see your boyfriend?"

"Oh, shut up," Ryan whispered, glaring at the girl, but nonetheless did she rise from her seat, only did she have socks clad over her feet shielding them from the cold floor, making no attempts to slip on shoes as she followed the girl out of the dormitory, "is this a sleepover?"

"It could be, if you like," Connie chuckled, turning to look at her, "I'm sure Remus would love to join."

"Oh shush," Ryan mumbled, ignoring her cheeks very evidently heating up as she jogged to catch up with Connie as she turned the corner, a laugh falling from her lips, "so what is going on with you and that boy Flynn?"

"Caught him snogging Tracy Madison," Connie shrugged, throwing her arm around Ryan as they walked, "but I have a new victim."

"Please don't call boys victims, Connie, it's rather creepy," Ryan chuckled, shaking her head, "who is this new boy?"

"Peter Pettigrew."

"Wha- Peter?!" Ryan exclaimed, wide-eyed, she was surprised, to say the least, Connie usually went for the confident boys, cocky, charming, maybe Peter's friend Sirius Black, but not the awkward, shy boys. It was entirely confusing, Ryan wondered if she got the names of the two mixed up, "you're not talking about Peter in Herbology are you?"

"Yes, Peter in Herbology," Connie laughed, "he was rather sweet, actually. I dropped my books the other day and he helped me picked them up- no one has ever done that for me, I don't know, I just keep thinking of him."

"Maybe he's the one!" Ryan teased, nudging Connie's shoulder who merely rolled her eyes, a scoff bubbling from her lips, "I'm serious!"

"I know, which is exactly what worries me," Connie scoffed, "trust me, Ryan, if I ever find the one it won't be now as a fifteen-year-old still in high school."

"Never know, could be!" Ryan sang, passing Connie by on her way up to the Gryffindor tower, a giggle falling from her lips at the look she was getting from her best friend.

"You are terribly romantic, Ryan," Connie chuckled, rolling her eyes as she walked up the stairs, "a hopeless romantic."

"I can't help who I am, Connie," Ryan huffed, allowing Connie to recite the password before walking right in.

She gasped when she tripped over her feet, stumbling forward suddenly, and soon did two hands meet her, gripping her waist tightly, allowing her to fall into their arms...or his arms, the arms of Remus Lupin, who, with an amused smile painted across his lips, stared into her eyes, and she stared back, in complete and utter shock that out of all the people in the common room, he was the one to catch her.

Her cheeks heated a considerable amount, painting the red across her cheekbones like a painting, her wide eyes blinking, her shyness creeping out in his presence. She wasn't very good at talking in general, never mind to the boy she liked and so getting into these types of situations wasn't exactly ideal for her.

But they seemed to be happening a lot, nonetheless.

He helped her to her feet, his hand brushing hers as he let her go and a laugh tumbling from his lips at the sight of her red face, and soon, with a deep breath, and her eyes locked on his, she spoke, "we have got to stop meeting like this, Remus Lupin."

And with a smile wide on his lips and his hand lifted to scratch the back of his neck did Remus shrug, shake his head, and speak, "well, Ryan Tobias, let's agree to disagree."