Fully Booked - Remus Lupin

015 - birthday

"I've got it all worked out.  I'll give you the details later, okay?"

"Great.  Thanks."  I forced myself to smile at her, trying to muster up some excitement.  I should be excited.  A first date was exciting.  But I just felt a bit queasy.

Our little trio entered the Great Hall, and I cracked up laughing as the sight of my friends at the Hufflepuff table in ridiculous pink and yellow party hats.

"She has finally arrived!"  Henry yelled, jumping up to put an even larger and more ridiculous hat on my head that read "birthday princess."

"Thanks for the hat."  I laughed, blushing as some of the other puffs at the table start wishing me happy birthday.

My eye flickered up to the front table, inevitably looking for a certain library assistant.  My smile grew when I discovered he was already looking at me.

"Happy Birthday."  He mouthed, winking at me.

"Thanks."  I mouthed back, hoping he can't see how my blush deepened.  I tore my eyes away from him and sat down in the seat designated to me.  As we ate, a few friends and acquaintances from other houses stopped to say happy birthday.  When a handsome boy from Ravenclaw, approached, Jeni elbowed me sharply, giving him a pointed look.  Was this the boy I was supposed to go to Hogsmeade with this weekend?  I felt a bit bad that I don't remember his name.  Maybe it was because he was in the year above, so I haven't seen him in classes.

"Happy birthday Tessa."  He smiled warmly.

"Thank you."

"I'll see you Saturday then?"

"Yeah, that sounds good."  I nodded, biting my lower lip nervously.  He headed off to class with his friends.

"So?  Did I do well?"  Jeni asked, shoveling eggs into her mouth.

"Yeah.  He's cute."

"You have no idea who he is, do you?"  Jeni chuckled, smirking a bit.

"No, not a clue."  I admitted, laughing as well.

"Terence Fellows, Ravenclaw seventh year.  Been on the quidditch team as chaser for the last four years, and is the Ravenclaw captain.  Half-blood, and wants to study magical artifacts."  Jeni summarized the boy in just a few sentences.  

"Wow.  Quidditch captain?"  I felt a bit dumb for not knowing of him.  I'm wasn't a super fan of the sport or anything, but I hadn't missed school a game.

"Yeah.  He's a pretty sought after man, Tess."  Jeni winked, both of us watching as he left the Great Hall.

"He's cute."  I turned my attention back to my food, but I didn't feel very hungry.  What I did feel, was the urge to look at Lupin again.  "I need the loo.  I'll see you guys in class."

I hurried out of the Great Hall, slinging my bag over my shoulder.  I kept my eyes determinedly to the front.  Don't look at Lupin.  Don't look at Lupin.

I managed to not look at him all the way through the Great Hall.  All the way until I stood in the doorway.  But then someone shouted my name, to wish me happy birthday.  After thanking the Gryffindor girl, my eyes glanced to the one place I forbade them.  He was talking to Sprout about something, his hair doing the floppy thing I love so much.  It always made me want to run my fingers through it.  

As if sensing my gaze, he looked up, eyes scanning the room until they settled on me.  He grinned, and my stomach lurched.  I tried to tear my eyes away, I really did.  But even across the room, I couldn't help but melt into them.