Dirty Little Game ♠ Professor Lupin

Fourteen: Trust Issues

"Dear daughter blah blah blah, we found out about your last conversation with young Girnsle. We can't believe you behaved so absurdly. Your manner is not befitting a young lady like you, and certainly not our daughter. You obviously need a reminder - we don't tolerate such attitude. Surely Ryley will forgive you if you express your remorse. Remember you are part of this family only for as long as you deserve it."

Full of anger, I tossed the scrap of paper away, couldn't look at it any longer. "They're threatening to kick me out of my own family!"

Lupin stood in front of the window lost in thought, watching the falling snow. I came to him the same day I got this letter. This was a habit I noticed in myself only recently - I headed to his quarters whenever I felt like I wouldn't be able to handle something on my own. Lupin seemed to be the solution to all my worries.

"Am I too sensitive? Is this their way of caring?" I was babbling, walking nervously from wall to wall. "There's no way I'm gonna forgive that prat!"

There was a moment of silence broken only by the sound of my shoes on the wooden floor. Lupin spoke without moving from his place, "Was he always like this?"

I growled "This isn't the point!" and immediately regretted it. I shouldn't take it out on him. I clasped my hands together on top of my head, trying to cool down. "I'm sorry, I just... I don't know what to do."

Finally he turned with a quiet sigh and looked at me. He seemed tired and worried. "I hate watching you going through it." He pulled his hands out of his trousers' pockets, which I took as an invitation. I walked up to him hurriedly and buried my face in his chest. He wrapped his hands around me and started gently stroking my hair. "Don't think about it. You have a whole week left before you see them."

The thought of two weeks only with my family almost gave me a headache. I tightened my grip around him. "You make everything a little easier." I told him quietly.

He took a deep breath. "I'm always here for you. Whatever you need."

"This is much more than I ever got from anyone." I admitted. I appreciated what he was doing for me. At no point did he start giving me advice or telling me what to do. He listened to my problem, which was certainly not easy for him either. I didn't know how important I was to him, but if he did such things for me... Hearing about the wedding plans of a girl he liked was certainly not pleasant.

The repetitive trails of his hands on my back soothed me. I knew I would have to face my adversities, but not right now. Right now, I was in safe and comfortable arms. "Can I stay?"

"Of course, darling." From the way he replied, I knew he was smiling. "I have some work to do, but you are always welcome here."

"I meant... I meant stay the night."

"Oh." He breathed out. He hadn't expected this.

"Please, I don't want to be alone." I insisted. I lifted my head up to look at him pondering the possible consequences. I was hoping my pretty eyes would convince him. "I promise I'll behave."

He let out a short, soft laugh. "I think I can make an exception today."

I spent the afternoon lying on the couch watching him doing his work. To be honest, I felt at home here, which was quite funny considering what I said the first time I walked in here. I knew every inch of this flat - except the bedroom, of course. I knew where everything had its place, which chair was creaking and what was his favourite blanket. It was the one that I was covered with, thanks to which I could smell his scent, even though he was sitting a few meters away from me, bent over his students' homework.

"Take a break, you've been sitting there for two hours." I said, a bit bored.

"It's tempting, but I need it for tomorrow." He replied with a monotonous voice.