The Nap
Lily was watching the raindrops racing down on the window of the classroom of History of Magic. Professor Binns had been talking for thirty minutes and Lily hadn’t even written down a word. Remus in the seat in front of her was barely awake, probably still in pain but he didn’t have a choice. Usually he has a day off after a full moon to recover from the night and Madam Pomphrey gives him some sort of sleeping potion to help him get a proper sleep. But today, after all that happened with the attack, McGonagall was worried that someone would put two and two together so she told Remus that if he was able, he had to get up and go to classes so no one would find out. And Remus, being Remus of course did, even though he was in terrible pain. He was limping, he had bruises, and was exhausted.
Professor Binns didn’t even notice him, or perhaps he didn’t want to. But Lily was really worried. Remus had been such a great friend of her and she hated seeing him like that. Suddenly she had an idea.
Lily raised her hand. Professor Binns first didn’t even notice her but then when he did he was truly shocked. No one has ever raised their hand before in his class.
“Yes, Miss Evans?” he said surprised.
“I’m sorry to interrupt Professor, but I don’t feel well. May I lie down in my dorm for an hour or so?” she said and tried to fake a weak voice.
“What seems to be the problem?” he asked oblivious.
Lily panicked. If she says she has a fever or her stomach aches, or she is nauseous the Professor will send her to Madam Pomphrey and that’s not she wants. She had to say it. There’s no other way. Remus had done so much for her! A little bit of embarrassment is nothing compared what he has to go through now.
“It’s just, I have my ohm…” she mumbled “It's my lady time..” she finally said it and she could feel her face go red.
She could hear Mary snorting and then trying not to laugh too loud, while Dorcas chocked on her water which she was drinking, and Marlene next to her covered her face to hide her smile. She saw James froze and Peter closing his eyes in embarrassment while Sirius just looked at her confused. Even Remus sat up to that.
“Well, ohm” Professor Binns face went even whiter which Lily didn’t know was possible for ghosts “Then you might as well do what you, ohm, have to do.” he coughed “So moving on to…” he tried to avoid more unpleasantness but Lily opened her mouth again.
“I’m so sorry sir, really, but I don’t think I can take my belongings up the stairs. Can Remus help me, perhaps?” she asked.
“Yes, yes, of course, Miss Evans, just go!” said the Professor who started to loose his temper “Mr. Lupin stay with her in case she…” but he couldn’t finish this sentence because he had no idea what a girl on her period could possible need help with.
“Thank you, sir!” Lily cut him off in a week voice again.
Remus took Lily’s bag and for a minute he just stood there wondering if Lily needed some help in walking, so he held out his hand. Lily smiled. Even when Remus himself was in pain and had problems with walking he held out his hand to help Lily. She shook her head and walked as if she had a terrible stomach ache. When Remus opened the door for her he looked at her confused and mouthed “What the fuck?”. Lily just waved a hand and mouthed back that she will explain everything.
When they got far away enoug from the classroom Lily straightened her back, and took her backpack away from Remus. He looked at her even more confused.
“You’re not hurt anymore?” he said.
“I wasn’t even hurt back there.” she waved a hand “Now you can go and have a nap, while I do my Arithmancy homework.” she smiled.
Remus’ eyes got filled up with tears.
“You fucking pulled off this show just so I can have a bloody nap?”
Lily shrugged her shoulders.
“Oh, don’t be that full of yourself. I didn’t do it just for you. I can sometimes have a little spare time too, can’t I?” she joked “You’re my best friend Remus, and I wanted to do something for you.” Lily smiled at him.
Remus laughed and quickly dabbed his eyes.
“I can’t believe I’m fucking crying because you faked having your lady time for me” he laughed.
They slowly walked up on the stairs of the Gryffindor Tower. Lily offered Remus at one point that she can levitate him up, but he refused.
As they entered the empty Common Room Remus fell into the couch exhausted. Lily sat down in the armchair and pulled out her Arithmancy book. She then heard a clicking sound and a big inhale, so she looked up.
“Oh, come on!” she rolled her eyes as she saw Remus smoking.
He exhaled a lot of smoke causing Lily to cough.
“It helps me with the pain.” he responded “You’re not going to tell me to stop when I’m this ill, are you? God knows how much time I have left.” he teased her.
“You smoke that much and then wonder why you’re out of breath when you get up to the Common Room.” she stood up.
“It’s because Gryffindor Tower is the bloody highest of all.” he put the cigarette into his mouth, but Lily suddenly pulled it out.
“I didn’t fake my period just so you can have a fag.” she said and sucked into the cigarette.
Remus was surprised but even more surprised when Lily didn’t even cough. He started laughing so hard that even Lily couldn’t help but smile.
“Well, well. Turns out, Miss Evans isn’t as much of a saint as everyone thinks she is.” he said with a voice of a narrator as if Lily was a sculpture and Remus would be the guide. He even stood up despite of his pain and pointed at her “There she is: gets into a fight on the train, smoking a fag…”
“Faking her period!” Lily laughed.
“Stop saying period for fuck’s sake!” he smiled too but a bit awkwardly.
“Why? Does it make you uncomfortable?” it was Lily’s time to tease.
Remus lied down again, and covered his face with his hands, but Lily could see his shoulders moving from laughing.
“You know, it’s pretty normal.” she continued while walking closer and closer to Remus “Most girls get it every fourth week or so, and we bleed for about five days. There are a few products that we can use to stop our underwear to get bloody, because you know the blood comes out of our v…”
“Okay, stop, stop!” Remus yelled while laughing and tried to cover the standing Lily’s mouth but because of his bad hips he just ended up pulling Lily onto himself to the couch. As Lily fell onto Remus she left out a small scream.
“Oh my god, Remus, I’m so sorry, are you OK? Did I hurt you?” she looked at him but his face was covered with Lily’s long, red hair. “Remus, say something you’re scaring me, or at least let me go so I can get up from you!” she panicked because Remus was still holding her so she just lied on his chest.
Suddenly Remus burst out into laughing so hard that Lily was shaking on top of him.
“Jesus, you scared me Lupin!” she slapped him playfully on the chest but then she couldn’t help but laugh too.
They were just laughing and laughing for minutes and Lily couldn’t even tell how long time had passed. Slowly, they calmed down, and Remus made some space for Lily on the couch but refused to let her go. She gently stroked his arm and it didn’t even take a minute for Remus to finally fall asleep.
Lily listened to Remus’ smooth breathing and looked at his peaceful face. From that close she could see his scars and his new bruises and cuts. She couldn’t even imagine what he will have to go through in the future when he will search for a job or wants to start a family.
But Remus was tough. He had always been. There are a lot of things going inside his head, he keeps in a lot of things, he has a bunch of secrets, but Remus wouldn’t be Remus without those things. He is more of a loner and Lily had to understand that. In the beginning of their friendship, she wanted him the to tell her everything that goes on inside his head, and she wanted to talk about the hard stuff. But she had to realise that Remus works different. Sometimes he just needed Lily to make him laugh, or hear her laugh while he was smoking, or he just needed a hug or a stroke on the face, but sometimes just an assuring look from Lily was enough too.
And Lily will never forget the night, after Severus called her a mudblood in fifth year. She was crying all night in the bathroom, and Remus - despite the fact that it was the women’s lavatory – just entered, sat down on the floor next to Lily and offered her a drink and a shoulder to cry on. He then stayed with her all night and never once mentioned that he was tired. He just let Lily talk and cry and drink.
And Lily did the same when Sirius pulled that awful prank on Remus and Remus never once hesitated to go after Lily when she left the Great Hall with teary eyes after reading one of Petunia’s letter.
Their friendship was like that. They needed each other first just to have someone to cry with but later Lily caught herself being excited to tell Remus when something good happened to her. That’s when she realised Remus wasn’t just one of the Marauders. He wasn’t just her classmate. Remus was indeed her best friend.
“What the hell?” she suddenly heard a voice behind her back.
She jumped in fear and Remus sat up quickly holding his wand up.
“Oh, it’s just you?” she breathed when she realised that Sirius is standing in front of her. They had already been lying there for an hour? Time flies.
Remus lowered his wand too.
“You scared us, mate!” he said.
“Well, I’m sorry.” he said with a very strange tone “I just came up to tell you that History of Magic is over so you should probably join us for DADA but if you two lovebirds aren’t finished with cuddling I can leave you alone for another hour.”
Lily frowned and looked at Remus who looked at Sirius quite guilty.
“What is wrong with you Sirius?” she asked confused while standing up “I got us out of class so Remus can have a nap. And that is exactly what happened.” she shrugged her shoulders.
The Marauders knew that Lily and Remus were close friends so it mustn’t be new for Sirius. Then what’s the matter with him?
“Yeah, having a nap hand in hand.” Lily noticed that Sirius wasn’t even looking at her, he kept direct eye contact with Remus “And I fool believed that she’s just your best friend.”
Lily was surprised how hurt Sirius sounded. She kept looking at the boys, and tried to find out what previous argument got brought up.
“No, Sirius you’re overreacting. Nothing happened.” Remus stood up too but Lily could see that it was painful for him.
But Sirius didn’t even react. He just looked at Remus with a cold expression on his face, turned around and without saying another word he left the room.
Remus tried to go after him, but he was terribly slow and limping so he gave up. He ran his fingers through his curly hair.
“Fuck” he muttered.
He picked up his backpack from the floor trying to calm himself down.
“Fuck!” he yelled and kicked the table in front of them which caused several items to fall on the floor and a vase to broke. He then limped to the portrait hole and basically ripped it open and went after Sirius leaving Lily and her thoughts alone.
And the moment the portrait closed Lily finally understood. Remus John Lupin and Sirius Orion Black were in love.