serendipity - r. lupin

SEVENTY

Genevieve watched Peter for a moment, curious. "'Course I am," she said eventually, her gaze unwavering, "I'm never wrong."

"And there she goes again, boosting her own ego," James tutted.

Lily raised an eyebrow. "Like you're one to talk, Mr I'm-So-Fabulous Potter." She grinned when he scowled at her.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

The cake tasted just as marvellous as it looked. Anna and Mary had done a good job on it, evenly spreading the icing on top and the jam in the middle. Anyone would think it was store bought.

Someone who took immense happiness in this cake was Remus, delighted that it was chocolate flavoured. As everyone gathered around in the garden, he sat by himself on the swings, plate in one hand and fork in the other, enjoying his cake in peaceful solitude. He was in his own little world, gazing at the gaps of blinding sunlight peeking through the leaves of the trees above him.

Genevieve made her way over to him, barefoot on the soft grass. "If you stayed still for long enough I could paint this moment," she said, sitting in the swing seat next to him.

Remus's hazelnut eyes strayed away from the sun and focused on her. She looked enchanting with her bright green eyes, so attentive and earnest, and her wild, dark hair. Becoming shy from her gaze, Remus looked back up to the sun. "I don't think I'm painting worthy," he replied with a small smile.

Genevieve rolled her eyes. "You're just being modest, love."

Remus's stomach did a flip at the name, and he desperately tried to fight away a blush. He couldn't tell if his cheeks were pink or not, but given Genevieve's satisfied smirk, they probably were. Remus looked down at his cake, getting a piece on his fork. "How's Jessie?" he asked.

Genevieve bit down on her lip. Her eyes drifted to her own slice of cake, half eaten. "I wouldn't know," she said. "Jessie and I haven't spoken in three weeks."

"Oh." Awkwardly, Remus ate his own bit of cake.

When Hope had picked up Remus from Kings Cross Station, she saw how desolate he looked as Genevieve ran to another boy. On the train ride home, she had non-stop pestered her son until she found out about Genevieve and Jessie, and when she did she only hummed. "I wouldn't get too upset," she had said, "This sounds awfully mean of me, but I don't think they'll last." When Remus, both appalled and curious, had asked why, she simply said: "It looked to me that Jessie loves Genevieve too much, and Genevieve loves him too little. Besides, how can she love him when she's already..." She had trailed off, and quickly changed the subject.

"It was all very sad," she said, but she sounded like she didn't care, "Like something out of a romance film." She looked up thoughtfully. "A rather short romance film."

"Forgive me for being blunt," said Remus, "but it really is his loss."

A snicker of bitter laughter left Genevieve's lips. She shook her head. "No it's not," she confessed, grimly cutting a section off her cake slice. "While I appreciate the compliment, Rem, it's no secret that Jessie deserved better."

Remus frowned. "I really don't see how that's possible."

"If you were in his position, you would."