Marauders One Shots

The Darling Buds of May (R.L.)

Warnings: one swear word - it's 'bloody'

Word count: 1.3k

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He had seen her around school, her nose constantly stuck in a book. No matter where she was going or what she was doing, a book was somewhere on her person. She had been doing this since they started Hogwarts together, placed in the same house – Gryffindor.

Remus related to that too. He loved books; he loved old books and new ones, ones written by muggles long ago and ones written by muggles in the last few years. He didn't care who wrote them as long as they had a decent narrative.

She was the same, Remus had noted one week. She was carrying a completely different book to two days previous. She was reading The Darling Buds of May, a book he had never heard of. It didn't look to be a very long book, but she was completely engrossed, pouring over every word as if it was medicine for her very being.

Remus knew that that could be his opportunity to finally talk to her. Unfortunately, so had James and Sirius who had been pushing for contact.

"It's a book you don't know Moony! You have to find out what it is because you've read every other book on the planet." James says.

"Ha bloody ha." Remus states bluntly. "I don't think I'm ready yet that's all."

Sirius raises his eyebrows at that, "You're having a laugh, aren't you? Remus, you have fancied her since your first clapped eyes on her reading one of your favourite books. You've been watching her read a new book now for months. If you're worried over your little monthly problem, don't be. I think it is time for you to approach her and start a conversation with her!"

Remus remains silent at that. He knows that Sirius is right, that if he wants any sort of relationship with her, he needs to talk to her.

Taking a deep breath to ready himself, he pushes himself away from the table. Sirius and James both let out whispered yells of victory; Remus flips them off on his way over to where she sat.

It takes him less time than he thought. By the time he gets to her, his palms are sweating ridiculously.

"Hi." He whispers.

She doesn't look up from her book. She hasn't heard him.

"Hello." He says, a little louder.

She looks up. And yeah, Remus is a goner. She's beautiful, and Remus is fairly certain he's fallen in love then and there.

"Hello." She greets him, smiling.

"Hi."

She chuckles slightly, "you've said that already"

"I have, haven't I?" He asks. She nods. "What I meant to say was, what are you reading? I don't think I've seen that book before."

Her face breaks into a huge grin, and if possible, Remus falls in love that little bit more. She places her bookmark to mark her page and hands Remus the book.

"It's called The Darling Buds of May by H.E. Bates. And I am loving it. I'm obsessed, I'm so glad it is a series because I don't know how I'd cope with just one book."

"So it's good then?" Remus asks as he sits down across from her.

She nods fast. "It is. It follows the life of the Larkin family who run a farm in Kent. It is set in the 1950s and it sounds so perfect."

"What sounds so perfect?"

"Their life. I don't know there's just something about how it is written that makes me want to live like it. Have a farm, cook huge meals, be in love like Ma and Pa."

Remus hums, "That does sound like a good life."

"Do you want to borrow it?"

"Are you sure?"

"Of course, I read it over the Summer, so this is a re-read for me. Tell you what, you borrow it and when you're done come and find me and we can talk about it."

"Yes. Definitely. I like the sound of that." Remus agrees, too enthusiastically.

She laughs, "Okay. I'll let you get started; I've got to get to first lesson anyway. I'll see you soon Remus."

He nods, somewhat dazed. "Uh, yeah! See you soon!"

She walks off with a wave, and Remus heads back to where James and Sirius are talking to each other, their heads bent close together. They look up when Remus sits back down, look from the book in his hands, to the glazed expression on his face and they both pat his back without saying a word.

Shaking himself out of a daydream where both him and her are sat in a living room on a cold day, wearing blankets and reading books, he opens the book she lent him. He reads the first page and he immediately understands why she loves the book.

It's normal.

There's no magic in it. It is completely ordinary.

Remus soon falls into the world of Ma and Pa Larkin and their six children, and how drama ensues when the tax man visits. Remus loves it, he loves every single minute of it.

He finishes the book that same night. With it only being just over 130 pages, it wasn't much of a challenge. Still, it means that he gets to see her sooner.

The next morning, Remus gets up early and heads to breakfast with the book in the hopes of catching you there so he can talk and eat breakfast with her. She is there, another book already in her hands, pausing reading to take a bite of her toast. She looks up when Remus enters, and a huge smile breaks out across her face. Remus' heart starts to beat a little faster.

He sits down across from her, and before he can open his mouth, she's asking "Have you finished it? Did you like it? What did you think?"

Remus laughs, loving her love of books. "Your answers are yes, yes, and I thought it was amazing."

"Isn't it!?"

"It is. I love how ordinary it is. I love Ma and Pa."

"Yes. Ma and Pa are my favourites. I love their love. Been together decades but still love each other like teenagers; it's a dream."

"I agree."

It is silent between them both then. Remus hands her the book back and she places it in her bag, making sure it doesn't get damaged. Remus is watching this when he has an idea.

"(Y/N)?"

"Yes, Remus?"

"We have a Hogsmeade weekend coming up next week. Do you want to go with me?"

Her eyes widen at his question, and he starts to panic, waiting for the rejection.

"I know we only began to speak yesterday but I've liked you for a while. A while, a while. Nd if you only want to go as friends that is fine, like 100% fine. I don't want to step over any boundaries, but I thought we could go to Madam Puttifoot's and then head towards the bookshops."

She is silent. Remus is starting to hate himself, but before he can let himself start, (Y/N) leans over the breakfast table and presses her lips to his cheek.

Remus' face immediately turns the red the minute her lips leave his skin. His hand grazes the spot where her lips were, he looks at her.

"Of course, I'd like to go with you on a date. I've liked you for a while too." She blushes, and in a moment of complete boldness, he grabs her hand and laces their fingers together. Her answering smile is blinding.

"Oh!" She gasps, "Before I forget..." she rummages through her bag for something, untangling their hands to grab whatever it is she is looking for.

She hands Remus a book. "It's the sequel, A Breath of French Air."

"I can't wait to start it."

She grabs his hand again and smiles at Remus before turning back to her book. He decides to do the same.

So they sit there, hand in hand, sharing smiles and reading their books. Both wondering whether they've found the love that it is only written about in books.