Song:
Like Real People Do (Hozier)
"We should just kiss like real people do."
"Someone is cheery." Narcissa observed as Callisto grabbed a croissant and sat down on the table with a wide smile. It was true, Callisto was awfully cheery today. You can usually determine how a day is going to go from how the morning is, and if everything went according to her plan, this morning would be great.
"Just had a good night's sleep." She mused, taking a bite from the croissant and inspecting the table where all the professors were eating. Collins was sitting with the rest of them, chatting with Pomona Sprout enthusiastically. Well, Callisto wouldn't describe Pomona's expression as anywhere near enthusiastic, but Collins seemed to be super into the conversation, flailing her arms around and nodding emphatically.
"What are you looking at?" Narcissa asked, following Callisto's stare to the table. "Why are you looking at Collins?"
Callisto rolled her eyes, "Because I'm in love with her."
"I'll wait and I'll see then."
She didn't have to wait long. Because the thing about talking too much is that soon enough, your throat will dry out and you will find yourself in need of some cool water. So, it came as no surprise to Callisto when Collins picked up her goblet and drank a generous dose of the water and then some more. Callisto smirked slightly as a confused expression took over Collins' face and she yelped before she shrank into something so small that Callisto couldn't see her from where she was. That was until a ferret jumped up on the table, shrieking loudly. Every sound in the Great Hall disappeared except for the constant shrieking, and all eyes turned to the small ferret sitting on the table. Laughter erupted at the sight of the transformed teacher and Callisto got up from the table, a smile of triumph on her lips.
The last thing she saw before she left the room was Pomona Sprout and Minerva McGonagall, trying to hide their laughter, and Dumbledore raising his glass in a small toast towards her direction.
It seemed like she wasn't the only one that hated Collins.
~ ~ ~
"Yes?" Callisto asked, closing her book and putting it on the nightstand. DADA had been cancelled until Collins returned back to normal, meaning that Callisto had secured at least two extra hours of relaxation.
"It's Remus." A voice called from the other side of the door. Callisto got up and went to open the door, straightening her shirt with a frantic movement and letting her hair now.
"What do you want?" She asked, accidentally coming off a bit too aggressive.
"You're not even going to let me in?" Remus teased, smirking lightly. Callisto rolled her eyes and stopped to the side, frowning slightly at the way he moved. His hands were behind his back, and the moment he entered the room, he turned around so she would face him instead of his back.
"Why are you walking like that?"
"Because," Remus began, coming closer to her. "I brought you your present, as promised."
Callisto raised an eyebrow, "And why are you still hiding it?"
"It's a surprise and I'm not giving it to you until I receive mine." Remus smiled. There was something in his gaze that challenged her, but she didn't bother to think about it for any longer. Callisto sighed and opened her closet, pulling out a box. Perhaps it was better she hadn't sent it with an owl. The box was so heavy that even she struggled to carry it from the closet to the bed. The poor owl carrying it from Bulgaria all the way to London would probably die from exhaustion.
"That looks heavy." Remus observed, his curiosity heightening. "What is inside?"
"You know you can open it, right?" Callisto retorted. "It's your present."
Remus shot her a look and left Callisto's present behind him, opening the box in front of him. His eyes widened at the mere sight of so many books, neatly stacked on top of each other. He pulled out the first one, his fingers running over the front cover.
"Is that..."
"First edition of Pride and Prejudice?" Callisto finished the sentence. "Yes, it is."
"Are they all..."
"First or limited editions of classic novels?" She smiled. His eyes were so wide, she was afraid they'd pop out of his skull. "I think they are."
Callisto took the second book from the box and handed it to him, motioning for him to open it. If Remus was being honest, he still hadn't processed that he was holding not only one, but two first edition novels. Nonetheless, he tried to keep his shit together and opened the book, carefully turning the yellowed pages. In some paragraphs, there were small arrows pointing to small texts that could have only been written by Callisto herself.
"You read and annotated all of them..." Remus muttered, the shock still not having worn off. "Holy shit, Callisto. How much time did that take you? How did you even find them?"
"I got tricks up my sleeve, Lupin." She smiled and shrugged. It had taken her entire days of running around to find and annotate the damn books, but she had managed to do it. "Be honest, do you like it?"
"Are you kidding, Listo?" He blurted out, with a huge smile. "That's the best present I've ever fucking gotten!"
"Really?"
"Yes!" Before Callisto could process it, his arms wrapped around her and he engulfed her in a tight hug. Callisto's cheeks started heating up dangerously, but she buried her head in his shoulder, smiling lightly. "My present will suck now in comparison to yours..."
"I'll make sure to just get you a box next Christmas then."
Remus chuckled and slightly broke the hug, completely missing the slight disappointment in Callisto's eyes at the lack of contact. He took the box from behind him and gave it to her, watching as she opened the lid and her eyes widened.
"No way." She mumbled, pulling out a black, heavy book. "How did you know I lost my copy?"
"Wasn't that hard to figure out." Remus smiled, as she opened the book and turned the pages. "I put a charm on the pages so they don't get destroyed in case you spill something on them. After all, it's a potions book."
"This is not just a potions book!" Callisto corrected. "This is THE potions book! Do you understand how much in love I am with this woman's work? There is not a single mistake in this book! it is so beautiful and hot and I love it and I love her."
"So, what I'm getting from this is that you like it."
"I'd positively die for this book, yes." Callisto nodded excitedly.
"Well, there's more so don't freak out completely already." Remus said, motioning for her to take the small velvet pouch from the bottom of the box. Callisto looked up at him for a moment and opened the pouch, pulling out a necklace with a silver wolf charm.
"I was thinking of getting you a pig at first, but I constrained myself." Remus teased, feeling pride swell in him at the look Callisto gave him.
"You remembered my Patronus."
"Kind of hard to forget." Of course it was. It's not everyday you find out the girl you're in love with has the same Patronus as you. ''Let me put it on for you."
Callisto handed him the necklace and turned around, lifting her hair up. The metal was cold against her skin, unlike Remus' fingers that were warm and left a trail of goosebumps when they lightly grazed her neck.
"What is that?" Remus asked, his finger pressing lightly on her neck. The skin there seemed to be paler compared to her neck and from the angle he was, he could clearly see two circular marks.
Callisto felt like her head was dunked in icy cold water. "A birthmark."
"How is it so symmetrical?" Remus chuckled, clasping the necklace. Callisto shrugged and turned around to face him.
"Never paid that much attention to it." That was a lie. What also was a lie was the fact that this wasn't a birthmark. If Remus had looked more closely, perhaps he would be able to understand that there were small scars. This discovery would either confuse him even more, or make everything much more clear. Judging from his knowledge on dark creatures, Callisto was willing to bet he'd be able to understand what it was immediately.
"So, the guys, Lily, Marlene and I are going camping in the forest tonight." Remus said, snapping her out of her trance. "Do you want to come?"
Callisto raised an eyebrow, "Isn't the forest supposed to be forbidden?"
"Doesn't that make it much more fun?" Callisto did plan on refusing for various reasons including mosquitos and dirt, but she couldn't possibly do that when Remus Lupin was giving her the biggest, most adorable puppy eyes she had ever seen in her entire life. Whether he knew what he was doing or not, she couldn't bring herself to say no.
"Okay, fine." She sighed. "Where am I meeting you?"
"We'll all meet in my dorm." Remus answered. "Be there at eight sharp, Listo."
"Someone's bossy."
"The snake can't get poisoned by its own venom, Claire." He laughed, lifting the box with an ease that Callisto didn't expect him to do. She had barely managed to cover less than a meter carrying the box and he didn't even struggle.
"Fucking touche."
"The way you like it."
~ ~ ~
Dorlene fans i will do you justice