you are loved. - r.lupin (ft. THE s.black)

approval

"So, Anna. What did you say your last name was?" James asked. Lily, who was right next to him, hit his shoulder and James winced, grabbing his arm.

"You can't just say that," Lily hissed. "You have to say 'good morning' or 'how are you' and then once you get her talking, ask it casually."

"Well, how was I supposed-"

"My last name's Penna," Anna piped up. "It's Anna Penna."

"That's a lovely name," Caroline commented airily. Sirius smiled at his girlfriend and went over to kiss her but Caroline put her hand up, making him kiss her palm. Remus frowned at the two, confused on why they weren't snogging. "Where did you meet Remus?"

"At the library, about two weeks ago," Anna answered. "I sat down next to him and he looked up at me and then we talked. And then a few hours later, he asked me out, and here we are now."

"That's cute," Lily gushed. "Are you guys planning on staying together after Remus graduates?"

Anna nervously looked at Remus and he didn't answer, he just smiled at her. "I hope so," the brunette laughed. "We'll have to see if we last the rest of the school year."

"Psst, Marlene," Peter whisper-yelled over to the girl next to Caroline, causing the entire group to watch the interaction. "We're the only single ones left in our friend group and-"

"Absolutely not," Marlene scoffed. Caroline airily laughed at her brother's attempts to get a girlfriend and Peter tried to recompose himself.

"You didn't even hear what I had to say," Peter shot back. "We're the only single ones left in our friend group and I was wondering-"

"Absolutely not," Marlene repeated.

"Again, you didn't even hear what I had to say!" Peter whined.

"I'm not going to date you, Peter," Marlene sighed. 

Peter's face flushed red and he sunk into his seat on the long wooden bench. "I wasn't even gonna ask that," Peter mumbled.

---------------

"So," Remus said slowly. Caroline lifted her head from the crook of Sirius' neck and smiled nicely at him.

"So?" she asked. Caroline was laying next to Sirius on the couch in the Gryffindor common room but Sirius fell asleep and Caroline didn't want to wake him so she stayed in the same position.

"What did you think about Anna?" Remus was sitting in the red armchair by the fireplace that he always sat in that might as well be his personal chair because he was the only one who ever sat there.

"She was nice and sweet. I think you made a good choice," Caroline smiled, not a hint of sarcasm or jealousy in her tone. Caroline's blue eyes glimmered and she was just happy that Remus found someone that could make him happy.

"You... approve of her?"

"Well your relationship shouldn't be depended on my approval, Remus. If you like her, you like her, it doesn't matter if any of us approve of her," the Pettigrew girl shrugged. Remus frowned and Caroline let out a light sigh. "Remus, don't date her because all of us will like her, date her because you like her. Do you like her?"

"She's a nice girl," Remus commented slowly, drawling his words. 

"That wasn't the question, Rem," Caroline said softly. She listened to the sound of Sirius' heartbeat and her head rested on Sirius' chest as Remus tried to come up with a response. The sandy-haired boy slapped his book shut and stood, tucking his book under his arm.