UNDER THE MOON, Remus Lupin

xxiii.

ALICE IN LOVE

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"I don't mean to rush... but what now?" Alice asked as she and Remus walked back to his living quarters, hand-in-hand. They'd returned their proper wands to each other. It was a good thing they were still there on the ground in the first place. Otherwise, they would have had big problems.

Remus quickly swooped down and kissed Alice on the cheek. "What do you mean?"

Alice didn't want to push Remus into anything. But she also wanted to know where they stood. Remus opened the door to his quarters and pressed Alice against the door when it had closed. "We'll worry about it later."

"Whatever you want." Remus admired her smile that absolutely lit up like a fireplace when she looked at him.

"It's snowing!" Alice accidentally pushed Remus off her and stood at the window. Small flurries fell deliberately to the ground and window sills of Hogwarts. Everything outside was green(from the trees) and white. Remus appeared behind Alice and wrapped his arms around her waist, firmly pulling her against him and burying his face in her neck. "Everything looks so... pure. And fluffy!"

With an amused eye roll, Remus stared at Alice's reflection in the window. "The view's gorgeous from where I'm standing."

Alice turned her head to see Remus. Her eyes followed his stare to her in the window. "Looks like a fool to me."

"Yeah, looks the same to me too." He teased her.

"I hate you." Her head wavered disapprovingly at his joking. Everything she'd waited for had proved to be worth the wait. Remus had his arms around her. And she didn't have to be scared to kiss him anymore, even in their own confinement.

"That's not what you said half an hour ago," Remus reminded her of her pathetic declaration of love.

Alice winced theatrically. "Well... I can both love and hate you. Especially since I don't really hate you at all."

"Are you sure?" Remus' hand began sneaking its way up her shirt as they both watched the snowfall.

"I love you, Remus." Her insides jumped telling him those three words. Alice never would've thought she could feel so profoundly about someone. Remus made her feel like a flower blooming in the middle of winter. Special.

"I love you, Alice." And there go her insides again. Remus chuckled watching her lean back into him. It winded him, knowing that she was comfortable around him. The fact that she didn't care he was a werewolf meant the world to him. He began to think that being a werewolf wasn't so bad. If Alice could love him, just maybe Remus could learn to love himself.

There was a day- yesterday actually- that Alice wouldn't have believed you if you'd told her that Remus loved her. Despite his lycanthropy, Alice cared more about him than she cared about her silly childhood fear. Remus couldn't hurt her if he tried. His lycanthropy would never come between them.

"Can I stay here? With you?" Alice asked him hopefully. If she had to leave, she wasn't sure she could do it.

Remus spun her around and squinted his eyes at her. Which was clearly a mistake, she began pouting. Even if Remus was the wolf, she had some very convincing puppy-dog eyes. "Yes," Remus glanced at the clock. 12:01. "And Happy Christmas, love."

Alice was reminded of the gift she had for him, still in her pocket. She pulled it out, forcing Remus to remove his arms for a moment. The second he did her body felt cold again. "I have this... for you."