Chocolate Covered Strawberries [Remus Lupin]

𝚜𝚒𝚡𝚝𝚢-𝚎𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝

''Because I have priorities and I am done with following my father's orders.'' She said strongly.

Gabriel looked at her weirdly wanting to say something else. Jasmine didn't let him as she picked up her wand, flicked it once and a bag filled with necessities appeared on her shoulder in a matter of moments. She didn't spare a look at Gabriel's way because she knew if he'll try to talk to her again she will have another anger tantrum.

''Where are you going?'' Gabriel asked as Jasmine was already halfway out the door.

She didn't answer as she sped through the hallway and ran down the stairs. Some conversation was happening in the dining room when she stormed past it, only feeling how she was being suffocated by the walls of her family home. She heard the satisfying slam of the front door as she exited and walked far enough away to get through the protective border. She turned around to look at the house one more time and just as she apparated away she saw the front door open but she couldn't get a glimpse of who came looking for her.

Her light brown hair whipped around her head as her feet planted on a pavement in a small village. She let out a long breath as she turned each way to look if anyone saw her but everything looked calm and quiet for the late afternoon. Only when she stood there still for a moment the things that just happened came rushing after her and it hit her like a rock.

Jasmine's shoulders sagged as she pressed her hand to her mouth to stifle a sob. Her eyes shut close as she felt the tears prickle in them. All of this was one step too far and she couldn't handle it. She was engaged, in her mind still unofficially, but by her father's words, it was already sealed. Her mum and Talisa were fighting for her while Gabriel was the complete opposite. Jasmine quickly wiped her cheeks free of tears but it was to no avail as immediately new ones spilt out of her eyes.

She just left her mum back there in the house with her monster of a dad. She couldn't fathom what will happen, she just wanted to get out and she didn't plan on coming back for a while. She couldn't fight off the guilt that was crawling over her even if she tried to convince herself her mum will be okay. There was no guarantee in that.

A couple of more sniffles followed when Jasmine decided she was done with feeling sorry for herself. She took a couple of deep breaths and got her sobbing under control. She couldn't hide that she was crying and there was no point in hiding it now really. Finally, her feet turned towards the lovely two-story house on her right and she walked across the pathway to the front door. After she rang the bell she took another deep breath to calm her heaves and again wiped under her cheeks. She looked up with slightly widened eyes when the front door swung open.

''Hi!'' James said enthusiastically at first until he got a good look at Jasmine. He parted his lips in shock and immediately opened the door wider. His body froze for a moment as he had no idea what to do. ''Lily!'' He yelled into the house.

Then he took a step forward and engulfed Jasmine into a hug. Jasmine never hugged James before and she was glad to wrap her arms around him as he was offering her comfort.

''What?'' Lily's yell came from somewhere far into the house. A couple of more quiet moments passed when Lily's voice came closer. ''James, what is it?'' She asked curiously.

James and Jasmine released from the hug and James stepped sideways, giving Lily a clear view of Jasmine.

''Jass.'' Lily's expression was shocked and it didn't take her a moment longer to bring the girl into a hug.

James closed the front door as the two girls hugged in the foyer, Jasmine not being able to keep it in and she quietly sobbed into Lily's shoulder. Lily rubbed her back comfortingly and stayed quiet, knowing her friend needed just that, the questions would follow later. Jasmine didn't release from the hug until her tears slowed down and she felt herself calming almost completely. She noticed James left them alone and she let out a deep breath ridding the fallen tears.

''Are you okay?'' Lily asked, turning her head so she could catch her glance.

Jasmine nodded slowly, staring somewhere far away into a wall.

''Do you want to talk alone? The others are outside in the backyard,'' said Lily.

Jasmine cleared her throat knowing it would appear hoarse from all the sobbing. ''We can go outside,'' she said.

Lily nodded and stepped beside Jasmine looping her arm through hers and guided her to the back of Potter's house. They stepped through the glass door to the backyard where there was a simple wooden table with two benches on each side of it. Sirius was the first one to look up from the game of Exploding Snap when he heard them come out of the house. Remus and Peter were sat opposite him and they looked at him with confusion as he dropped his cards and sprung out of his seat. Jasmine felt all eyes on her as it was clear as day that she just had a mental breakdown.

Sirius came to her with worry in his eyes. ''What happened?''

The next thing she knew, Jasmine was engulfed in yet another hug and she gladly leaned her head on Sirius' shoulder accepting the comfort he was giving her. When she pulled back her eyes locked with the familiar green ones of Remus who watched her with concern. Everyone stayed quiet and they all watched Jasmine when Sirius finally let go off her. She kept glancing between her hands which she had been fiddling with in front of her to Lily and then back to her hands and to Remus. She cleared her throat and looked up while blinking a couple of times to keep her tears at bay.

''I –'' She let out a breath. It was hard to say. Lily leaned into her side and Jasmine offered her the smallest of smiles for that. ''I ran away from my house because my dad decided to act on his arranged marriage tactic,'' Jasmine explained.

''What do you mean?'' Sirius asked wanting to clarify. Jasmine sent him an unreadable look as she really didn't want to say the word. She looked at others and they were all watching her with confusion.

''I- I'm engaged.'' She shrugged. Her voice broke somewhere in the middle and immediately tears threatened to spill out of again.

A collective gasp travelled through the group and Lily hugged Jasmine tighter when she heard. ''What?'' Sirius asked in disbelief. Jasmine nodded to confirm and she hated the look of shock and disbelief on his face.

''Who are you engaged to?'' James asked, taking a step closer to Lily.

''Gabriel.'' Jasmine let out in a monotone voice.

''Gabriel Fawley?'' asked Remus.

Jasmine nodded again and she couldn't look her own boyfriend in his eyes. Another silence followed the group the only thing that was heard was Jasmine's sniffles. She had to breathe deeply and tried to calm herself while wiping her cheeks.

''I thought you liked Gabriel,'' James commented.

''I don't like him.'' Jasmine immediately said with some edge to her voice. At least she didn't like him after he didn't oppose the engagement. ''I don't want him. I want someone else.''

Jasmine couldn't believe she was actually saying it in front of the group, but she decided exactly that when she was still in her room. As she said it she looked straight at Remus and didn't want to glance away. She felt the thick atmosphere that surrounded the group as she let out that she actually likes someone. She felt Lily stiffen beside her and move away so she could get a good look at Jasmine. She saw Sirius tilt his head in confusion from the corner of her eyes. She felt Remus' eyes boring into hers. All it took was a simple very small nod.

Remus stood up from the bench as well and crossed the little space to Jasmine. 

▴ ◃ ▾ ▹