serendipity - r. lupin

SEVENTY FIVE

Sirius sighed. "I wish we were."

Helplessly, James looked to Genevieve with a look of expectation. "What?" she asked, growing defensive. "You just expect me to know?"

"Yes," they all said in unison, flatly.

Genevieve had an idea where he could be. The full moon wasn't until mid October, which means he wouldn't have been in the infirmary, and he wouldn't dare step foot in the Common Room around this time of day as it's usually swamped with first years - his worst nightmare. The library was the only other option, and Genevieve knew that James and Sirius loathed the place. "Too much knowledge, too much agony!"

Just like in a movie, an invisible light bulb lit up above her head. Deciding to use this deduction to her advantage, Genevieve feigned being oblivious. "He might be in the infirmary," she suggested.

James snapped his fingers together as if Genevieve had just said something remarkable. "Good idea," he said, standing from the bench. "We should go check, send him love and give him hugs and kisses."

"You seem a little eager to do that, Prongs," taunted Sirius, a smirk on his face. "Careful now, Silvy might get jealous."

Peter choked while inhaling, trying not to laugh as the smoke travelled down his throat and into his lungs. Sirius plucked the cigarette from his lips and threw it into a puddle on the floor, patting the boy on the back. "There, there," he reassured.

As they made their way through the corridors, talking loudly as always, Genevieve walked behind them all on purpose. None of them noticed when she entered the library as they crossed past it. She smiled to herself, feeling proud her plan had worked.

It didn't take long to find Remus in the vast labyrinth of desks and books. Tucked between two bookshelves and scribbling something onto parchment, Remus never looked more at home. Next to him was a window, bathing him in sunlight and making his freckles more noticeable. His scars were on display too, the older ones faded and a beautiful shade of silver and the newer ones matching the same shade of his lips. He was secluded and hidden away from everyone, basking in the quiet the back of the library provided.

His hand glided across the parchment carefully, the moment quick but graceful. He had the most beautiful hand writing, elegant curls on his y's and a peculiar way of writing his f's. Too absorbed in his work, Remus didn't notice Genevieve until she sat down across from him, making him look up in interest.

At the sight of her, a flicker of worry danced in his eyes for a second. "Hello," he managed to make himself say, the unsureness in his voice obvious. "Having a good day?"

"It's been alright," shrugged Genevieve. "Would be better if you weren't avoiding me, though."

A shy smile found it's way onto Remus's face. "That obvious?" he said, rubbing his neck awkwardly. When she tried to conceal her own smile, probably to make him feel less embarrassed, he knew she was confirming what he suspected. "God, that's humiliating. I hope you're not offended."

"Not at all," she responded, "I think it's sweet." She pretended not to see the way Remus's eyes widened slightly and decided to test his limits. "It's a pretty day today, isn't it?" Genevieve said suggestively, a no-good smile pulling at her lips.

Remus let out a small, breathy laugh. "If you make some kind of flirtatious comment about how it's 'almost as pretty as me' or something, I'm walking away," he said, amused.

She rested her chin in her palm. "Why would I do that?" Genevieve asked, staring at him with innocent eyes.

"You've been doing it all week."

"I can stop if you'd like," she assured. When he pressed his lips together and began writing again instead of making another remark, it became hard for her to hide the satisfied look on her face. "That's what I thought."

Remus shook his head in disbelief and grinned. "See, this is why I avoided you," he laughed. "You love to make fun of me."

"I thought we just established I was flirting, not making fun," she reminded. "And if I'm not wrong, you liked it. I'm glad to see my charm works."

"It always works," Remus answered, looking up from his writing. "You just don't notice." His eyes found hers, the golden flecks among the brown shining hypnotically as they tried to read the hidden meaning her eyes held rather than her words. Shaking his head out of his trance, Remus looked back at his work and continued scribbling away. "You never notice."

Genevieve frowned, standing up. "Well," she started, circling the table to get to his side. "it's not like you actually listen to what I say."

"I always listen to you."

A scoff accidentally left Genevieve's lips, sounding more harsh than she had intended it to. At the sound, Remus looked up again, this time abandoning his writing altogether. He was surprised to find her in the seat next to him instead of across. "I flirt with you all the time, Remus," she started, helplessly, "and still you don't listen."

Remus leaned in closer. He kept his eyes on her, truth lying in them. "Genevieve," he said, extenuating ever word. "I always listen to you."

Although Genevieve didn't believe in soulmates, she did think that souls could intertwine. She desired to be bound to Remus, their hearts to beat in unison, and their hands to fit like puzzle pieces. She desired for their universes to crash, for their galaxies, oceans, and sunlight to be identical. Genevieve wanted to be a poem and Remus was to be the poet.

"You mean that?" Genevieve asked, her voice just above a whisper.

"I do," he said softly, looking at her lips rather than her eyes.

"Good." There was a beat of silence, one where their eyes lingered on each others lips. Slowly, they inched into each other, their bodies not touching but close enough to feel the heat. "Remus," Genevieve said, breathlessly. He hummed in response, too scared to say anything. "I feel like you should-"

Before Genevieve could finish her sentence, Remus had already pressed his lips to hers. They were soft and warm, working with both greed and delicacy and melting her insides. As one of his hands snaked behind her back, the other already rested on her jawline, Genevieve felt her stomach twist into loops and knots, pure ecstasy coursing through her veins. Their movements were slow but passionate, and all that worked up hunger they had denied each other since their fifth year finally came undone in a mess of entangled limbs.

Genevieve pulled away and rested her forehead on his, trying to form something witty to say but her brain couldn't form sentences. She couldn't help but smile and shake her head, disbelieving that he had turned her to mush so easily.

"That was nice," Genevieve said. "I would say more, but I really just want to kiss you again."

Remus laughed, breathily. "Oh, yeah?"

He could feel her smile against his lips. "Oh, yeah." Genevieve kissed him once tenderly, this kiss different and gentle. It was short, but he found himself more intoxicated by this one.

Remus kept his eyes closed as she drew away, savouring the sweet taste of her on his lips. "I hope you know that I'll never forget this moment," he told her. "Never."

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*