╔═══*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*═══╗
❝ because i like you ❞
╚═══*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*═══╝

𝓔𝓿𝓪𝓷𝓰𝓮𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓮'𝓼 𝓟𝓞𝓥
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16th 1977

I storm through the halls of Hogwarts with rage flooding through my veins and tears threatening to spill down my cheeks, one of which is still throbbing in pain.

"Angel, what happened to your face?" Mallory asks me but I ignore her.

"Are you okay, Angel?" Pandora then asks, the girls following me as I exit the doors into the yard.

I spot the group of four boys messing around next to the tree line of the forbidden forrest, James trying pathetically hard to impress Lily who is sat a couple of feet away with Marlene and Sirius encouraging the Potter boy while Remus and Peter laugh at them.

"You!" I scream as I approach them, all six people look at me in surprise "You twisted gormless little knob head!"

They look between each other, as if trying to figure out who I'm talking to but I reach them and poke my finger into Sirius' chest letting them know exactly who I'm talking to.

"Look, Malfoy. I don't know what your issue is" The raven haired boy says.

"I get that you hate me, Black. You've made it very clear since the first day of first year" I speak calmly, tears rolling down my cheeks before I can stop them "But how could you do this to me?"

"Evangeline-" He starts.

"No. You have the audacity to call me a snake as if it's an insult and imply that I'm evil or something when you're worse than I ever could be!" I sneer at him in anger, slamming my fist against his chest "I trusted you and you went behind my back like the spineless coward you are!"

"Angel" He says with a pitiful look on his face.

"Shut up" I demand, punching him again "Shut up, Sirius!"

He stands there and lets me repeatedly hit him as tears stream down my face, insults flying at him.

"Hey, I think he's had enough" Marlene hollers, approaching speedily with Lily.

When he realises I'm not giving up, he grabs my wrists tightly and I struggle against his hold.

"Let her go" Mallory speaks up in anger, pulling me away from him.

"She was hitting him like a crazy person" James argues, defending his best friend.

"Stay out of it, Potter" Mallory snarls.

"Or what, Belovna?" James retorts with a glare.

"Who hit you?" Sirius asks me, completely ignoring the bickering.

"You left, so you don't get to pretend that you care anymore" I respond, my tears drying up as my anger fizzles into hopelessness.

"Fine. Will you at least tell me why you just attacked me in broad daylight?" The boy questions.

"My parents and yours know about me seeing Andromeda" I answer.

"And you think I told them?" He realises.

"You're the only one who knew other than Reg" I defend my assumptions.

"Of course, saint Regulus wouldn't let slip a secret but I would" Sirius says bitterly.

"Exactly" I nod.

"I didn't tell anyone. I swear it" He assures me.

"Then who told, huh?" I retort in frustration "Must have been a bloody unicorn!"

"Eva" I hear a voice speak up and I turn to see a guilty looking Regulus "It's my fault"

"What are you talking about?" I frown in confusion.

"I told Barty because I was nervous about meeting Andi's new family" He admits.

"Oh, Reggie" Pandora sighs.

Guilt fills my chest and I force myself to look at Sirius who is staring at me.

"I'm not sorry. I've wanted to hit you for a long time now" I tell him.

"Fair enough" He shrugs.

"Well, that was dramatic" James snorts.

"Shut up, Potter!" Mallory and Lily snap in unison.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Instead of walking to the Gryffindor Tower like I usually do, Remus is stood waiting for me outside the Slytherin common room with a book in his hand as he leans against the wall.

"Hey" He smiles when he notices me.

"Hi, Rem" I greet the brunette.

"Rem?" He questions as we start our rounds through the halls.

"I don't know" I shrug "It felt right"

"I like it" He tells me.

"Yeah?" I grin and he nods with a hum.

We wander the corridors for a while in a comfortable silence before I let out a sigh and turn my head to him.

"I'm sorry you had to see me like that earlier" I apologise.

"You don't have to be sorry. Everyone gets upset" He assures me.

"Yeah, but not everyone blows up and attacks someone over an incorrect assumption" I counter.

"True" He agrees, smiling down at me "But you're not everyone I guess"

"Because I'm crazy?" I suggest.

"Remind yourself who you're talking to" He chuckles.

"I don't think you're loopy at all, Remus" I assure him.

"And I don't think you're crazy, Evangeline" He replies.

"Not even a little?" I wonder.

"Okay, maybe a little" He shrugs with a grin and I gasp dramatically.

As we reach the door to the library, Remus grabs my hand and tugs me with him, slipping into the room.

"Remus Lupin, what do you think you're doing?" I question him in a fake scolding tone.

"Aren't you tired of aimlessly walking around?" He asks.

"I wouldn't say aimless. We did catch Marlene and Dorcas making out in a closet" I crawl off and shakes his head with a smile.

"Do you really want that to be the highlight of your night?" Remus scoffs in amusement.

"Are you offering something better?" I ask teasingly.

"Maybe" He hums.

"Is this your way of asking me to make out with you in a closet?" I joke and he flushes red, letting go of my hand that I forgot he was holding "Hey, I'm just having a laugh"

"Right" He nods "A laugh"

"Remus?" I frown in concern.

"Follow me" He chirps, walking away.

"Strange child" I mumble, following him through the dimly lit library.

We reach one of the far corners of the many rows of shelves full of books and I notice a large brown bean bag next to the window.

"How'd you find this?" I ask in awe, staring out the floor to ceiling window that is being rained on.

"I spend a lot of time in the library" He admits "Especially when the boys are at quidditch practice"

"Peter plays?" I say in surprise.

"He watches" Remus corrects.

"Ah, I see" I nod.

He flops down onto the bean bag and I take a second to admire him while he's distracted by the raindrops racing down the glass. His long trouser clad legs are stretched out in front of him, his tie is slackened lazily around his neck where his first two buttons are undone and the sleeves of his shirt have been rolled up to his elbows, showing off the subtle veins on his forearms. My eyes reach his sharp jawline before running over his scarred face, his doe eyes turning to me as his pink lips curl up into a smile and a few strands of his messy brown hair fall onto his forehead.

"Why are you staring at me?" He asks curiously.

"Read to me" I state, picking up a book from the shelf.

"You didn't answer my question" He replies.

"Move over, Lupin" I demand, ignoring his question.

"It's the scars, isn't it?" He murmurs quietly and I look down at his face to see his frown.

"It's not the scars" I argue.

"It's okay" He shrugs.

"Move over" I huff and he listens, shuffling over a little.

I plop down next to him, almost practically on his lap due to the small amount of space, and turn my head to look at him.

"I didn't have a problem with your scars when we were 10 and I don't have a problem with them now, okay?" I tell him.

"Then why are you always staring at me?" He retorts in frustration.

"Because I like you, Rem" I admit.

"Y-You like me?" He stutters with wide surprised eyes.

I roll my eyes and drop the book onto my lap, reaching out to cup his cheeks before pressing my lips to his. He kisses me back almost immediately, one of his hands gripping my hip and the other threading through my hair. The kiss itself is raw and full of passion, but Remus' hands are gentle against my body.

We eventually break apart, breathing heavily and staring at each other in awe.

"Angel?" Remus whispers.

"Remus" I breathe out.

"I like you too" He smiles.