𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐨𝐛𝐢𝐚 || 𝘳.𝘢.𝘣𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬

094. the end of an era

Regulus grabs her face with his left hand and leans down to press his lips against hers firmly.

And she kisses back.

She kisses back.

He pulls away slightly to look down at her, his thumb stroking her cheekbone softly as he keeps his fingers on where her jaw meets her neck. Her hands are griping the drawstrings of his hoodie softly.

"I'll come home on your birthday." Regulus whispers, Maria nods, looking between his eyes and his lips again before closing the space between them tenderly. She sighs when she pulls away, taking one last look around at the astronomy tower before going to descend down the steps alone. "Ria?"

She turns around on the second step from the top and he smiles admiringly.

"I love you."

"I love you too.

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Maria wraps her arms around Remus' shoulders when she spots him stood with Sirius waiting for her on the platform. Remus smiles into her shoulder softly, lifting her off the floor slightly due to his height as he hugs her back tightly.

"You okay?" Remus asks her, gently setting her down and she nods, sniffling slightly at the sight of the gleaming red and black steam train before them.

"Come on, chop, chop." Sirius smirks, slinging an arm over Maria's shoulder as the trio make way for the large fireplaces. "How was it then?"

"What?"

"Come on, Mar, you don't think we didn't expect you and Reg to have hardcore make-up sex." Sirius rolls his eyes and Maria purses her lips, shaking her head slightly as Regulus reaches around Maria to slap Sirius on the back of his head. "What?! Oh fuck. . .I'm sorry, Maria."

"It's okay." Maria says as tears well in her eyes, thinking about the tousle haired boy that should be with them but is instead going to his cousin's house because he no longer feels welcome. "I just need to go home."

"It's your birthday soon." Remus reminds her with a boyish smile and she laughs slightly. "What are we doing this year? Beach? Muggle pub? I've always wanted to take you lot to one of them."

"I'll think about it." Maria smiles, Remus grinning and slinging an arm over her shoulders on top of Sirius', the trio walking to the front of the queue as it goes down quite quickly. They must want people off the platform quickly in case of emergencies or attacks. Maria can't blame the school for being cautious, it's horrible, not knowing when you might randomly be attacked by their little death cult.

The boys let Maria go first and she stands in the brick fireplace, glancing at the train one last time before sighing, "Potter Manor."

And green flames engulf her.

She is launched into the living room making Peter and Dorcas jump in surprise as they play chess on the sofa.

"Maria!" Dorcas exclaims, standing up excitedly to wrap the girl in a hug whilst Peter smirks and knocks a last piece he needs off, winning the game.

"Oh—we missed you so much!" Marlene shouts, joining the two girls in the embrace as Sirius and Remus appear in the living room as well with dark soot smudged on their faces.

"M?" James says with a frown, looking into the room before smiling at the sight of his sister who rushes over, abandoning the others and her bags to embrace her brother tightly. James laughs into her shoulder, rubbing her back softly. "You okay?"

"I am now." Maria mumbles, pulling Lily — who had also just joined them — into a hug and the red head smiles into her shoulder. "Regulus is staying at Andromeda's for now, he'll be back though."

"That's good." James says after a pause and Lily shaking her head discreetly at her fiancé, knowing her would've blurting out a line of ways he will make Regulus suffer if he hadn't caught her eye.

"I just really want to go to bed." Maria says tiredly and Remus furrows his eyebrows but they nod, the werewolf squeezing her shoulder gently as she strolls past.

"She's just upset." Lily reminds James who has a confused and distraught look across his face. "Once Regulus is back and they're back to being all 'intense teen romance' she'll be completely fine."

"Yeah, yeah you're right." James says but everyone can tell the red head's words only soothed part of his worries.

Because what if something happens? How will Maria be if the worst thing possible happens? James knows he would lose his younger sister for good if Regulus died, she would be completely lost.

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