Upon the Moonlight (Remus Lupin Fanfic)

Eight

After pulling on my jeans and yellow sweater, I headed quickly out of the castle to Hogsmeade.

"Where are you off to in such a hurry?" I heard Minerva say from behind me, stopping me in my tracks.

"I am going to Hogsmeade to shop for clothes. I had something come up and am in need of a dress." I replied to her, not giving too much information as to being asked on a date.

"Remus finally asked you, didn't he? Why don't I join you? It is always nice to have a second opinion."

"I would like that, Minnie."

I smiled at her as she began to walk with me to the dress shop within Hogsmeade. Along the way, we began to make pleasant conversation.

"Minnie, you are my only friend here, you know. I don't know what I would do without you some days. Thank you for always being there for me." I said to her as we approached the entrance of the shop.

"You are a very special girl, Adeline. I felt a connection to you the very first time I ever met you, and I am glad that we have become fast friends." She responded with a smile as she ushered me inside.

Over the next two hours I tried on various dresses, just not finding the exact one I wanted or felt was right for the date on Friday. I had half given up when Minnie showed up to the dressing room with a beautiful dark blue dress, the neckline sweeping just low enough to tease at what was beneath but not show anything, the straps extremely thin to the point I knew I wouldn't be able to wear a strapped bra with it. It was fitted to my torso and a little looser as it draped to my knees. I was in awe at the way that I looked, never dressing up a day in my life as I exited the dressing room to show Minnie what it looked like.

"Well, my dear, I think we have found the one. You look absolutely stunning, Remus will be on his knees before you as soon as he takes one glance." She said to me as she walked up next to me and pulled me into a side hug.

"You think? I really do want to impress him." I said as I looked down at the dress upon my body.

"Then be yourself. That is impressive enough. But, this dress will heighten that I am sure."

She smiled at me as I went back into the dressing room to change back into my jeans and yellow sweater, grabbing the dress and heading to the counter. I paid more than I should have for it before exiting to head back to the castle.

"Now we must find you shoes to match!"Minnie said to me as she grasped my hand and drug me to the nearest shoe store.

The shoes were much easier to pick out as I grabbed a pair of black heels with only the tip of the toes peeking through, and about a three inch heel. With my two bags in tow, Minnie and I began our walk back to the castle arm in arm. We were casually talking about my date on Friday, the excitement and nervousness clear within my voice when she looked up and abruptly stopped. She let go of my arm and began patting her robes as if she was missing something.

"I think I left my wand back at Hogsmeade, we should turn back. I would hate for you to walk back alone not quite knowing the way." She said to me.

I smiled at her and began to turn around to head back with her when I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"I could accompany her back, Minerva. I'll make sure she doesn't lost." I heard Remus say from behind me.

I looked at Minnie, knowing she saw him coming and planned this all along, her giving me a shrug of her shoulders before turning and walking back towards Hogsmeade. Remus softly chuckled as he reached for my bags to carry them for me.

"You know she planned this, right?" He asked me with a laugh as I put my arm in the crease of his elbow.

"Oh I am well aware. She is an awfully sneaky one, isn't she?" I replied, laughing slightly as I crinkled my nose up at him.

"That she is. She has always been that way, even when I was in school. She is the one that set James and Lily up together. She tried setting me up with a few girls when I was in school, but no woman caught my eye in the way that you do so I always declined."

"Oh is that so?"

"Mhm. The sparkle in your blue eyes truly mesmerized me the very first time you ever looked at me that day awaiting the Hogwarts express."

"You remembered that?"

"How could I ever forget?"

I sheepishly smiled at him before looking back to the ground as we continued our walk back. As I looked up to him once more to say something to him, I heard a loud cawing sound come from the forest causing me to look up. I saw the most beautiful hippogriff soar over the trees and land by the lake. I walked closer to the stone wall upon the path and looked over at it, smiling broadly at seeing one in person for the first time.

"A hippogriff! They are the most beautiful animals, are they not?" I said as I sighed and kept gazing at it, feeling Remus walk up next to me and lean over the wall beside me.

"Absolutely stunning." He said, his eyes never leaving the side of my face.

I smiled back at him, leaning forward involuntarily wanting desperately to feel his lips upon my own. As our lips were mere inches apart, but a student rushing by bumped into Remus causing us to break apart rather quickly.

"We should, um, probably get back." I said as I began walking back towards the castle, the awkwardness lingering in the air between the two of us.