"HUFFLEPUFF'S SEEKER CATCHES the snitch!" The commentator of the Ravenclaw-Hufflepuff game that Claudia was in the middle playing called out. "However, it seems that Ravenclaw wins! Yes, indeed, the game lands on 250-200 to Ravenclaw!"
Claudia took a deep breath out of pure frustration with herself for not catching the snitch, but also out of pure relief that Ravenclaw had managed to win despite her terrible focus.
Why was Claudia so unfocused you may ask? Well, she had searched the stands a million times with her eyes and then she had come to the conclusion that Remus was not there.
He was not next to James, Sirius and Peter, nor was he next to Lily, Marlene and Inez or even Betty and Pandora.
Remus was not there - and Claudia couldn't deny that despite the amount of pain that she had caused him, it did make her feel sick to her stomach to think that maybe the boy had finally given up on her.
Maybe she had gotten her way, but maybe that was not what she really wanted.
The girl landed on the ground as her teammates hugged each other and cheered over the win, but Claudia found herself feeling rather keen on the idea of going to the library, grabbing a book and simply just staying in bed for the rest of the day.
But, the universe sure had different plans for her that day.
"Claudia!" She heard Henry call after her as he ran up to her. "Are you gonna celebrate with us later?"
"I don't think so," she said with a guilty smile. "I don't feel well."
"Oh, is something specific wrong?"
"No, not really," she said, turning around to head to the showers, only for Henry to turn her back around by her shoulder.
"If you're sad about not catching the snitch, don't worry about it," Henry said assuringly. "You're a fantastic seeker. And it's your first game, so it really doesn't matter."
"Thank you, Henry," she said. "I'm sure I'll get over it."
"You better," he winked, giving her shoulder a friendly squeeze and then running back to the team.
Claudia then took a shower - doing so without even greeting her friends beforehand - and then she got ready and headed to the library to get a new book.
She walked solemnly into the library, walking with only Remus and books in her mind - only to make the worst possible discovery.
A discovery that could make everything break as it fell right from Claudia's fragile hands.
The books were gone.
Like, they weren't physically there. Not a single muggle book in sight. The shelf was completely empty - no Pride and Prejudice, no Dracula and no Romeo and Juliet.
They were all gone.
Something so small that meant the whole wide world to Claudia. Books that had made everything easier. Books that hade helped her cope.
Books that had once saved her life.
They were all gone.
Claudia stood frozen in her spot as she stared at the empty wooden shelves, wondering what the hell she was going to do now.
Without books, without James, Sirius and Peter and without Remus Claudia would fall back into old patterns.
Patterns that she wanted to so badly never return to.
It wasn't that the books and her friends were the only reason that she was alive - but they were her way of coping.
And now the books and the boys were gone.
"Ms. Maple," she suddenly heard a familiar woman's voice said.
Madam Pince.
"What happened?" Claudia asked in a small voice. "What happened to the books?"
"We couldn't keep them any longer," the librarian explained.
Claudia could've sworn that a sad smile was on the woman's lips.
"We've received plenty of complaints from parents for keeping Muggle books," she said. "Rather cruel complaints, if I may say so myself. But it's a pity, really. Those books can bring people so much joy."
"Yeah," Claudia said airily as she almost felt like she could cry. "What happened to them?"
"Ah, that's where I was going with this," she said.
And this time around Claudia knew that a smug smile was on the librarian's lips.
"Tell me, have you spoken at all to Mr. Lupin today?"
"No," Claudia asked confusedly. "Why do you ask?"
"Because that boy is quite, if I may say it myself, in love with you. And the fact that he ran in here and begged me to let you have the books proves it."
"He did what?" Claudia asked out of pure disbelief.
"He was here when I was trying to get rid of them, and then he said that he would do anything to take them so that you could have them," she said. "Oh! And he left me this to give to you."
Pince gave Claudia a small piece of paper that only said a single sentence.
Please don't give up on us.
- R
"I would keep that boy around, Ms. Maple," said Pince. "I've read hundreds of books, and I sure do know true love when I see it."
Who would've thought that Madam Pince - the angry and stern librarian - would be the one to give Claudia her final little push?
"Thank you," Claudia said, and then the librarian left - only to stop and turn around with a stern face.
"If you ever steal a book again I will go to the headmaster," she said. "Understood?"
Claudia's eyes widened, "Yes. Understood."
"Good."
"May I just ask?" Claudia said hesitantly. "How did you know?"
"If you're asking wether Mr. Lupin told me, he did not. I figured it out a while ago."
"How long ago?"
The librarian blinked, "I'd rather not answer that."
And then she was off again, leaving the answer up in the air as Claudia read the note again.
Please don't give up on us.
Claudia knew that she wouldn't ever give up on them - and she also knew that she was finally ready.
Because she didn't need more time to think. Everything was as clear as daylight.
She was finally ready to let Remus Lupin have her.
Claudia pocketed the note and practically sprinted towards the boys' dormitories in the hopes that he would be there as she also hoped that things would for once turn out alright.
She practically yelled the password, sprinted by a confused set of James, Sirius and Peter - and then she slowly and quietly opened the door.
And things were finally the way they were supposed to be.
The dorm was a mess. There were books everywhere stacked upon each other, and Claudia spotted Remus walking around the room with a frown on his face as he tried to organise the books and continued to mumble things such as "too many books" and "they'll kill you".
He was his pure adorable and perfect self - and Claudia wouldn't let herself hide those opinions about him anymore.
She wouldn't let herself hide from him anymore.
She walked inside the room slowly as her eyes went over the piles and piles of books that covered the floor, accidentally knocking a stack of books over in the process.
Remus turned around abruptly at the sudden crash, meeting her eyes and feeling a sense of insecurity and assurance at the same time.
And there it was again - the sparks and the secret language and the longing and the desperation and the love.
"Hi," he said as if he was taking a deep breath. "How did th-"
"I could never give up on you," Claudia cut him off, leaving him completely baffled. "I don't think I would be able to even if I tried."
"Claudia-"
"I think I need to stop hiding," she said. "I need to start being honest."
"About what?"
"I love you," she said. "I have for...a little too long, but you already know that. And I'm sorry for avoiding you, and hurting you and kissing- actually no, I'm sorry that Henry kissed me. I'm sorry for all of it."
Remus looked at her the way he always did, and Claudia's knees felt weak.
"I could never give up on you either," was all he said.
Really? Claudia wanted to ask. But for once, she wondered if she really needed that reassurance.
Because Remus Lupin was bloody perfect. He did the right things, he understood her and accepted her for who she was and made everything warmer, brighter and more hopeful.
And Claudia had finally come to her senses.
So, instead of wasting her time and questioning him and herself and existence - she did the only thing that came to mind.
She practically leaped forward and brought the boy into a gentle and short kiss - that ever so naturally gave exploding fireworks and chocolate and safety and peace and love.
"I'm sorry," she said hurriedly as the kiss broke and her eyes widened, Remus standing still out of pure surprise as they did so.
"You kissed me," he said softly, smiling slightly.
"I'm sorry, I couldn't help it. My bad, I should've asked you before."
"You don't ever have to ask," he breathed, and then he cupped her cheek and kissed her this time - so passionately that Claudia swore her knees buckled for a second.
And then, as the second kiss broke, it was Remus' turn to panic, "Shit, I should've asked y-"
"Don't even finish that sentence," Claudia interrupted him, kissing him again.
Claudia smiled into the kiss, Remus following suit as he brought her closer to him, cupping her cheeks as she ran her fingers through his hair. The two then broke apart for just a little while to catch their breaths.
"Why did you do this?" She asked in a whisper, looking around at all the books as he continued holding onto her waist. "You didn't need to-"
"But I did," Remus interrupted. "And I wanted to."
"Why?"
"Because I love you, you fool," he said amusedly. "Surely you know that by now."
Claudia giggled a little in response, "Thank you. Nothing in the whole world could even describe what this means to me."
Remus smiled sheepishly at her, "Can I kiss you again?"
Claudia nodded, "If you just let me say one final thing."
"Yeah?"
"I want you," she said, and Remus swore his heart stopped.
"And I want you," he responded, smiling like an idiot. "What does that make us?"
"What do you want this to make us?" She said with a teasing grin.
"You know what I want."
"I don't," she said, bringing his face down with her hand and pecking him on the lips again. "What do you want?"
"Claudia..."
"Remus...."
"You know what, what do you want?!" He laughed.
"I already told you that," she chuckled. "I want you. Every last scar and every last day and minute. I want you."
"And I want you," he said. "Despite just how insane you are."
Claudia giggled, kissing him again, only to break it and look up into his eyes with a serious look on her face.
"Are you sure?" She asked.
"I'm as sure as I've ever been of anything," he replied without missing a beat.
"But-"
"I don't care about your last name. Nor do I care about your struggles. I want you despite it all, Claudia. It doesn't matter to me because I love you."
"I love you," she said softly, burying her face in his chest. "I never thought that it could be this easy."
But it could. Because they had each other, and that was all they needed.
And, after months and months on end of pining and waiting and avoiding and falling in pure love, Claudia and Remus were finally together.
It was finally them. It always had been at the end of the day.
And it always would be.
END OF PART VII
__________________________________
and so it goes - part vii.
i only have on thing to say...
fucking finally!!!!!
anyways, now that they're finally together you besties have earned yourself some very fluffy chapters that include several things such as:
snogging in broom closets,
a date in hogsmeade,
christmas,
parents
&
a happy claudia!
ilysm for sticking through these messy past few chapters!
moonsyrup 4 life <3