Meretricious | Professor Lupin

102. Three words, eight letters

"Dumbledore has done enough on my behalf" he shook his head. "Besides, it seems someone let it slip why I go missing every month."

"Who?" she stood up angrily.

"Whoever it was, it doesn't matter. People know and the owls will start arriving any minute now. Parents will not want a werewolf teaching their children-"

"Remus- who did that-"

"It doesn't-"

"Of course it matters, Remus! You're the best teacher I've ever had, don't tell McGonagall" she cut him off, a small laugh coming from her.

"There's nothing I can do about it" he shook his head

"Let me go with you," she walked to him, "wherever you're going, I'll go" she nodded. "I'll follow you anywhere."

"You deserve your end with Hogwarts" he shook his head.

"So do you..." she reached for his hand.

"Spencer it's fine, really. I'm happy to have had this opportunity."

"Remus-"

"Spencer, I have been dreading this moment the foot I stepped into Hogwarts. Deep down... I knew this would happen, eventually."

She sighed, "you don't deserve this."

He shrugged, "it happened, we can't really do anything about it."

She took a deep breath.

"What's a month? It's not even a month it's a couple weeks" he gave her a soft smile. "We can survive a couple weeks apart."

"Can we?" she tried to joke.

He nodded, "we can."

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm not sure yet," he shrugged "I could go to my cottage or-"

"Remus" she whispered, shaking her head slightly. "We should've planned ahead- we should've talked more about-"

"We're okay Spencer," he shook his head. "You don't need to worry about anything."

"We're going to be okay" she nodded. "And it'll all be okay because we'll have one another" she hugged him. "I'm so sorry this happened, love" she shook her head. "You don't deserve this."

"You didn't do anything, you have nothing to be sorry for" he pet her back, holding her tight. "I'll be okay, Spencer, I promise I'll figure something out and when I do you'll be the first person I'll tell."

She nodded against him.

"We're okay" he whispered.

She nodded again.

"Say it."

"We're okay" she whispered back.

"I'll write, okay?" he said.

She shook her head, "stay here, please" she whispered.

"I can't hide in your room" he shook his head.

"Yes you can" her voice broke.

"Love" he said sadly. "I promise it'll be okay."

"Pinky promise?" she asked with a small chuckle, hoping he couldn't hear how close she was to crying.

Remus chuckled, "Of course."

Spencer brought up her right hand. After their pinkies intertwined, Remus kissed her softly. She moved her left hand up to his cheek.

Once Remus took his head back, she reached to move a strand of hair from her face.

"What happened there?" he asked, finally noticing there was a bandage wrapped around her forearm.