serendipity - r. lupin

FIFTY THREE

"Jessie Hawthorne," she answered, playing it cool with a disinterested shrug.

James choked on the tea he had been halfway through drinking.

Remus's head spun painfully, and now not only was he dealing with a headache, but also cramps all the way through his body. On instinct, he began to reach for the chocolate bar in his robe, but Genevieve was already holding one out for him under the table. He tried his hardest to smile, despite the sudden news and agony he was in, and accepted the bar.

Once James had recovered from his spluttering fit (Lily had made sure to assist him by patting his back), he looked down the table to where Jessie was sat, and then back at her. "You're yanking my wand," he gasped, eyes wide as saucers.

Genevieve grimaced at the wizarding expression. "No," she said and then added a quiet: "Gross."

Lily began to happily clap, a thrilled smile upon her face. "So you're serious?" Lily beamed. She watched as Genevieve's lips twitched, and then closed cursed under her breath once as she realised what she had done. "Don't even—"

"No," Sirius interrupted, a large grin on his face, "I'm Sirius."

Peter smirked as he raised his pumpkin juice-filled goblet to his lips. "Never gets old," he murmured amusedly. "But did he actually? You're not joking?"

"Why would I joke about that?" The corner of Genevieve's lips twitched upwards as she observed everyone's shocked expressions. "No, I'm not joking," she assured. "He asked while I was packing up at the end of practice yesterday."

"He wasn't pushy, was he?" Remus put forward, and upon the way Sirius was nodding his head, it looked as if he had been wanting say the same thing.

Genevieve quickly shook her head. "No, no, he was great. He was really nice, nothing to worry about."

"What did you say?" Marlene asked, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

"I said no," Genevieve informed.

Sirius and Remus let out a sigh of relief.

"Good," Remus mumbled. He stirred the fourth teaspoon of sugar into his black coffee absentmindedly, unaware of the eyes on him. It was only when he noticed how quiet it had become that he looked up to see everyone staring at him, and then he realised his mistake.

Genevieve knew that anything Remus said near his transformation was often true, pure, uncensored thoughts that he wouldn't dare to speak at any other time. "Why is the a good thing?" she interrogated, one eyebrow raised.

Remus could feel the heat crawling to his face. "I didn't mean to say that out loud," he admitted.

"No but really, why is that a good thing?" Genevieve pressured, her eyes narrowing ever so slightly, but he still managed to notice. She had stopped picking apart her toast.

"I- I didn't mean... I just—"

"Spit it out, Moony," Sirius grinned, chin perched in his hands. "We don't have all day, mate."

Remus glared at Sirius. He wanted nothing more than to get everyone's inquiring eyes off him. He hated being the centre of attention, something that nearly all of his others friends did like. It made him even more shy, fidgety and awkward than he usually was. His head banged painfully. He fiddled with a lose thread on his tatty robe.