River Dawson felt nothing more than ecstasy as a new adventure awaited for her. With the world in her hands she was itching to discover more of it and that is what she planned to do.
However, along the way a certain red headed man seemed to crop up...
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"And when you take me in your arms and hold me tight I know it's gonna mean so much tonight"
* * *
River stared at Remus with her eyes wide and her lips parted. She felt like a fish out of water- too long out of water as the air failed to reach her lungs due to a lump lodging itself in her throat. She glanced between the elder man, Bill and the Kit not being able to speak nor even make a sound as her heart thumped bashfully against her chest. Her hands grew clammy and she desperately wnated to rub them on her jeans to dry them but she was frozen still.
Kit stepped forward, his eyes locking with River's softly, "She stayed in the hotel I work in, probably the best customer we have had in a long time. She was polite, didn't leave a mess and actually respected the staff. Many customers we have are total nightmares so River was like a breath of fresh air. She got a little ill during her stay but even then she didn't make a fuss." He chuckled softly, nudging her gently with his shoulder dragging her from a state of shock.
"Yeah, haha, it was a nice hotel. Shame I got ill but these things happen, I guess."
As much as she could now move, that didn't stop her heart from racing and anxiousness rippling through her body. Her and Kit, there was nothing to it, but she still felt as though there was. She had thought about it at the time yet Bill was permanently invading her thoughts.
He had reassured her that whatever had happened before they actually became a couple did not matter. The people she slept with, experienced life with, anyone, was nothing to feel guilty over but that was before one of them stood before them both and was related to Lupin.
"Will you excuse me? I've just remembered I have some things to do." River bowed her head, slipping past Bill, his hand brushing against her wrist to try and stop her but she pulled her sleeve down over her hands and rubbed them together as she hurried up the stairs.
"You not going to go after her?" Charlie directed at Bill, his eyebrows raised.
"Why would Bill go after-oh! Oh...." Ginny smirked. She glanced at Hermione and wiggled her eyebrows before returning her gaze to her older brother. "Best friends' sister? Now, now, William that is a bit cheeky that."
"I...uh... it's-"
"My William and River? Oh Bill, dear, why didn't you tell us! How long? It's a bit soon is it not? You've only just met."
Bill scratched the back of his neck, his eyes glazing over everyone in the room, pausing on Kit who frowned. "I've known her quite a while, mum. I didn't know she was Eros' twin until she came here."
"My oh my! The world is a wondrous place, it is so wonderfully strange how people come into your life and are connected in so many other ways also." Mr Weasley exclaimed, his smile brightening up the room.
"Yeah, isn't it just?" Chuckled Kit, "she's a lovely one, you're a lucky man." He turned to Bill.
It was genuine, not a snidey, tactful comment, but rather one of which was full of happiness for the man. Of course, if he could have changed things and had the chance to date River then he would have been over the moon but other people's happiness meant a lot to him also.
River radiated a sense of beauty and grace, from the physical side of her to the metaphysical, she was truly a powerful woman. She held herself with such decorum that presented her as a kind-hearted, caring woman who anyone would be lucky to have.
Except, something was different. Her smile was not as bright anymore and her eyes bore a deep sadness with a glaze over them as though tears were permanently ready to spill. Kit could see that it wasn't anything that Bill had done or not done, but rather, it was something different. He could not place his finger on what it was and it was not his business either but it didn't stop him caring for her.
Bill nodded, awkwardly stepping back, "I'm just going to go..." he pointed over his shoulder and hurried off out of the dining room leaving his family and their friends to gossip and gush over the newly announced couple.
Passing by the dark ornaments and portraits, speeding up past the collection of house-elf heads until he reached River and Eros' room. He tapped the wooden door gently, hearing some shuffling around the room but no call for him to enter.
"River?" He called out, knocking again.
There was more noise, nothing else except movement so he gently pushed the door open and found her with somethings over her ears connected to a wire which were connected to a small box, as she organised a box, putting papers, tickets, photographs into it.
He closed the door softly behind him and wandered over to the bed, gently sitting beside her and pressing a small kiss to her temple. She slipped the ear-device off and leaned her head against Bill's shoudlers. Guilt swelled in her stomach, regardless of what actually happened between her and Kit.
"I know you didn't do anything with him." Said Bill, reassuringly rubbing circles on her knee as she still filtered through the box.
"You do?"
"Mhm. It's very obvious that he wanted you but didn't get you. Thankfully, if he had have gotten with you i think he would have been green in the face rather than congratulating me on our relationship."
"Everyone knows?"
"Everyone in the room, yes but I'm sure anyone who wasn't there will find out shortly, Unfortunately my mum gets verbal diarrhoea when she's excited."
River ran her nimble fingers through his long red locks, twirling them as she closed her eyes. She didn't say anything else. She didn't need to. Bill shifted and slithered his arms completely around her waist and nuzzled into the crook of her neck, his lips tenderly grazing her exposed skin, his breath fanning her.
They stayed silent for half an hour, just basking in each other's presence. The guilt slowly retreated and she was allowed to breathe, her negative thoughts suppressed for the first time in a while.
"When you take me in your arms and hold me tight, I know everything is going to be alright."
Bill hummed, "it will be. Whatever is making you feel unsafe or unhappy, you tell me. I'm hee to make you feel better."
"You're not my therapist, Bill. I can't get you to do that for me."
"Part of being a boyfriend is looking after my girlfriend and if that means becoming some kind of therapist for you, I will. I want you to feel safe and happy as much as possible. This is not up for discussion, you need me, I need you, we work this all out together."
"I really don't deserve you."
"If I had a galleon for every time you have said that I would be rolling in it."
