Chapter Eleven
Lyla POV
My thumb stung as I bit my nail down to the quick. I had been pacing outside the Hospital Wing for a good fifteen minutes, only now leaning against the wall. Courage sure took a long time to gather. I had debated seeing Remus right when I woke up, but I figured he would want some time to get patched up by Madam Pomfrey before having company. All through double Transfiguration I had been fidgety and unfocused.
Sucking in a deep breath, I stole myself and opened the ridiculously big doors. Remus was easy to spot. He sat amidst a pile of blankets, chocolate, and boys. Four pairs of eyes swiveled towards me. Uh oh. Judging by the smirks and the raised eyebrows, the Marauders knew what had happened last night.
“Zemen!” James cried, winking. “Come in!” I hesitated for a moment but the boys’ frantic waving brought me over. Remus looked like death, all pale, shaky, and clammy. But he was smiling softly.
“Weeeelll,” Sirius clapped his hands together and I realized Remus and I had been staring at each other for a bit of time. “We’ll just leave you to it.” He slid out of the room smirking more than what was necessary.
Peter and James passed by, but when the bespectacled boy neared me he leaned in and whispered, “Thank you.” He was out of the door before I could even begin to think of a response.
“I want to begin by saying that you are under no obligation to stay,” Remus announced. His eyes were closed, and it looked like he was stealing himself. “I understand that being a halfbreed can be disturbing and—“ I held up a hand cutting him off.
“Remus. You are a human. And of course I’m not going to leave you.”
Remus frowned. “That’s not an ‘of course’ for everyone.”
“It is for me,” I insisted. “And I’m pretty sure it is for those boys that just left.” I came closer to Remus. “You matter. Just…just case you didn’t realize that.”
“Sometimes…” Remus sighed heavily, wiping the back of his hand against his eyes. “Sometimes…I’m not certain I do.”
“Well, then, I’ll just have to remind you,” I said. Remus smiled again.
“I think I’d like that.” I shift my weight from foot to foot anxiously.
“Actually, I wanted to say that you don’t have to stay either,” I admitted, blushing. “Last night…I was very…forward. I don’t want to…push you into something that you…don’t want to be pushed into.” Remus was grinning by the time I had finished pushing out the words.
“Lyla, I want to stay. I have to admit I’m quite taken with you. I’ve tried and tried not to be, but, well, I don’t want to try anymore,” he reached out a hand and I took it, gasping as he pulled me on top of him. “You’re funny and kind and strong and so, so brilliant. Brains, all I want is to learn more about you. To catch just a glimpse of the world through your eyes.” He leaned in. “Are you sure that you don’t care that I’m a monster?”
“Yes,” I breathed, letting myself come even closer, sharing every breath with him. He glanced at my lips.
“Is this okay?”
“Yes,” I nodded my head. “You?”
“Of course.”
His lips finally brush against mine. Hesitantly, he explored my mouth with his tongue, carefully caressing my face as he did so. I pressed harder against him, my heartbeat raising as I buried my hands in his hair. The kiss lasted only a few moments before we ruefully broke apart. He was panting slightly, his face flushed and his hair tousled. He looked happier than I had ever seen him.
“Be my girlfriend, Brains? Make me the happiest I can possibly be?” I laughed, pure joy filling the air.
“Of course.”
Iris POV
This morning came the report about the muggle parents who had been murdered by Voldemort. I knew I couldn’t stay here tonight even if there was only a slight chance that Mel might come back. I couldn’t face her, not when I was so destroyed emotionally.
She wouldn’t understand, not with her parents actually being wizards and having a chance to defend themselves if Voldemort ever came knocking, which he had no reason to. She would ask questions and want to talk, like the good friend she was but I just couldn’t right now. And the last thing I wanted to do was worry Lyla. So I grabbed my things and fled to the only person I could.
Regulus POV
I rolled up my sleeves, staring at the star charts in front of me. They had made sense in class but somehow tonight it all seemed like gibberish. I heard a clicking sound behind me and turned, surprised to see Iris standing with her back pressed against the door, the remains of the disguising charm she had used on her face shimmering away. She looked miserably desperate.
“Can I stay here tonight?” she asked, by way of greeting. With anyone else this question would have been incredibly suggestive but based on the stony look on her face, her pleading eyes, and given that she’s, well, Iris, I knew this was serious.
Then she burst out, “It's just that article about the murdered muggles. I couldn’t stop thinking about my parents. I know you might not even care but I can’t get it out of my head and I just needed someone to talk to who wasn’t going to tell me that they would be fine. And I didn’t know who else to come to. But I know what the consequences would be if we were caught. I know how it would look. And it would be especially bad for you. I mean, since I’m me: a Hufflepuff and a muggle born. If your parents found out… You know what?” she said, her hand already reaching for the doorknob. “I’ll just go sleep in the common room, unless Mel hasn’t gone to the dorm yet. Maybe I could stay in the library and wake up before anyone gets there.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” I interrupted. “Of course you can stay here. I said you could come to me whenever you needed to and I meant it.”
She looked incredibly grateful and whispered, “Thanks.” Her gaze was doing funny things to my pulse so I glanced down at her bag, noting that she had brought her things.
“You can use the bathroom to wash up if you want and all of the beds have been cleaned since the boys left.” My roommates were forever ditching classes and traveling Europe off of their parents' money, leaving me for weeks at a time. They used to invite me. They had stopped even trying to around the fourth year.
She nodded and without a word went in, shutting the door behind her. I ran a hand through my hair trying to pull myself together. So she would sleep in one of the empty beds and we would lock the door to prevent anyone bursting in. Then we’d wake up before anyone else and go to the Great Hall for breakfast where no one would be suspicious. We could do this. I felt a jolt of panic as I thought of the circumstances that brought her here. Room arrangements and stow always I could handle, but discussing her emotions? I wasn’t so sure. I never knew what to say to comfort people. Everything that was normally said felt so insincere. How could I promise everything would be okay when it most likely wouldn’t be?
But hadn’t she always done the same for me? Hadn’t she listened when I needed to vent about my parents? Hadn’t she been the best confidant when I was ready to share the story of Sirius leaving? The least I could do was return the gesture.
After she showered and changed she set her bag down on a bed and sat cross legged next to it. I swallowed. “Do you want to talk about it?”
She sighs. “Not really. Most likely, they won’t be safe until the war is over and I guess I just have to accept that. Easier said than done,” she broke off with a sob, covering her face with her hands. She looked so pitiful and crushed that out of nowhere, my heart broke for her. Before I knew what I was doing, I had settled beside her and wrapped my arms around her, wishing I could keep out anything else this world could hurt her with. She was warm and smelled faintly of roses, which I had smelled on her before but never fully registered. She sank into me and I knew I would hold her like that till dawn, till the end of time if she’d let me.
Iris POV
The first thought that passed through my head when I woke up was that it must be really early because everything was still dark. The second was that my chest ached but I couldn't immediately remember why. The third was that someone's arm was draped over my shoulders giving off that same comforting feeling that I now remembered I had felt last night when I had sobbed and sobbed until I must have fallen asleep. The feeling not necessarily that everything would be okay, but that even if it wasn't I wouldn't be alone.
It was Regulus, of course. I shifted as slowly as I could, turning to see him still fully dressed in school robes asleep on top of the covers. I realized that I was in my robes as well, but tucked neatly under the covers. Reg must have done that before falling asleep. I hoped I wasn't drooling.
Ever so carefully, I attempted to slide out from under his arm but, alas, he was waking up. He blinked sleepily up at me. Then, becoming more awake, took back control of his arm and lurched off of the bed, swaying slightly. I more slowly got up, rubbing my eyes and kind of wishing I didn't have to face the day.
“Thanks,” I croaked. “For letting me crash.”
“Like I said. Anytime,” he answered, his voice rough from sleep. It was strangely… intriguing. Not letting myself dwell on that and feeling vaguely awkward, I grabbed my bag and turned for the door.
“Well, I better get going before anyone wakes up. I’ll see you in the Great Hall for breakfast okay?”
He ran a hand through his wavy hair, messing it up and looking flustered and half awake. “Alright.”
Right as my hand landed on the knob he said, “Iris?” in the most gentle tone I’d ever heard him use.
I reluctantly turned back.
“Are you going to be okay?” I asked tentatively, like if he said one wrong word he’d ruin our friendship.
I shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“Okay,” was all he said, and I was glad of it. Opening the door, I fled.