Her Single Rose (Remus Lupin)

Thirty-Eight

"Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs are proud to present, The Marauders Map." Aries read aloud.

She opened the parchment and was amazed by the work those four had put into it. Similar to Aries map, they both showed the professors, students, the classrooms, and offices.

Before she could get any further, the doors opened, startling Aries in her seat. James was the first to walk in, confusion written all over his face.

Next Sirius, Remus, and Peter. "Are you sure you were thinking of the right thing?" James asked Peter, none of them realizing another was among them.

"Uncle Alfreds, Green Library?" Sirius muttered, though he let out a girlish shriek when he made eye contact with his twin.

"Bloody hell, Sirius could you be any louder!" Aries winced as she covered her ears, the small room made his scream sound louder than it really was.

"Oi, what are you doing in here?" James asked. But his eyes shifted down to her lap, where their map was open and on full display. "How did you..." he started.

"How did you open the map?" Peter asked, finishing James thought.

"Easy, well...took me awhile to get it, but when I figured out it was an old code, I managed." She shrugged.

"An old code...Merlin." Sirius groaned rubbing a hand through his hair in frustration as he realized. "I knew it sounded too familiar." He sighed.

Aries ended up locking eyes with a very silent Remus, who looked like he intended to be in hiding right now.

He was trying his best to keep his eyes on his shoes, but glancing up every once and a while.

Aries folded up the map and walked over to him placing the parchment on his chest, handing it to him. She watched as he took it hesitantly.

"So what was even the point of taking the map?" James asked.

"Curiosity gets the better of me sometimes. I couldn't help it, I have something similar." She shrugged but looked back to Remus, "plus I was frustrated with you."

Remus furrowed his brows, "what did I do?"

Aries looked at him in disbelief, "Nothing! Remus, you said nothing! Nothing, it doesn't matter!" She recalled his words.

Remus felt so many emotions he barely knew what to say, "That's what this is about, revenge on me from not bringing it up?"

Sirius was chuckling as he sat himself down in an armchair and slumped into it. How ridiculous yet completely like her it was to find something that was so important to someone else in order to bring up something so important to her.

"Yes! Because apparently I'm the only one interested here and this was the only way to get your attention!" At that Remus frowned and looked to James holding the map out to him. He understood and quickly came to grab it

"Well, I'm impressed. You managed to steal the map and open it." James nodded before darting to take Peter and Sirius out of the room to give the two space.

Aries felt small for the first time standing in front of Remus, he towered over her slightly, his eyes darker than they usually would. His hair had fallen over his eyes a bit making Aries hand twitch to fix it.

"Merlin, do you really think I don't like you?" He asked, Aries only looked down at that. Remus simply lifted her chin with his hand to look up at him, "Aries you've had my attention since third year."

His words made her mouth open but no words could escape them, her name in a sentence like that drew her into shock.

"You have invaded my mind like the plague and driven me so crazy I lose my tongue whenever I'm around you. You frustrate me to no end, kissing me and then running right after. Merlin, you have no idea what you do to me. Every time I find you in the library, drawing or studying, I can't even focus when you're biting on those gorgeous lips. Yes, I said it was nothing, but never have I ever lied and said anything more wrong. I regret it, and I'm gonna tell you exactly how I really feel.

That was the most amazing kiss I have ever had and when you went and cornered me a few days ago...I have never wanted to snog the daylights out of anyone more in that moment." He clenched his jaw at the memory, "You make me second guess every signal that you give, every word you don't say and every action that I wished I was confident enough to act on. You mesmerize me with every aspect of your body and mind and heart and I'm completely dumbfounded how you manage to take my breath away everyday just wearing a school uniform. How even with your past with Sirius and the circumstances, you still get us all out of detention.

And then every time I think I've figured out exactly what to say to you or gain the courage to ask you out, you throw me a bludger like taking the map or running and I'm a mess all over again. I'm a mess for you Aries."

By the time he had finished, Aries was in complete and utter shock. No one had ever said anything like this to her before and quite honestly she found herself feeling light. 

Aries opened and closed her mouth again, processing his words while his shoulder began to tense. A few moments went by of silence making Remus nervous.

Maybe I stepped too far. Maybe she doesn't feel the same. Bloody hell I just admitted she basically makes me hard—

Aries giggled slightly in shock at his thoughts, "Stop overthinking so loud, Rem, I just need a second to process this."

Her words made him let out a relieved chuckle, "I didn't think that you were interested in me the way I am interested in you." She said slowly, her head instinctively beginning to tilt down but his hand was firm to keep her eyes on you.

His eyes twinkled with mischief when his head tilted down towards hers, "Guess I should've cornered you into a wall." He muttered close to her ear.

Aries bit her lip as the visual came into her head. She smiled nonetheless when she realized he was flirting with her. "Yes, that would've made things a bit more interesting." She said quietly, a tint of red rising on her cheeks.

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