borealis • R. LUPIN

chapter 5

chapter 5 - hogsmead

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"I have a couple of rules for this date." Poli shuddered internally at the word "date." Sirius only smirked and gave a nod cueing her to continue. "One, no touching." She saw his look. "Purposefully."

"Two, no calling me your girlfriend or actually saying this is a date. A date means two people that actually like each other."

"Are you saying you don't like me?" Sirius said with mock offense. She simply smiled sweetly and shook her head. "Okay, okay. Are you done?" She narrowed her eyes at him but sighed anyways and nodded. A shit-eating grin sprouted on his face. "Good." He grabbed her hand and dragged her down to Zonko's joke shop.

"This is against rule number one!"

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By the time they left Honeydukes, Poli was resentful to admit that she was having a good time. Luckily the two weren't alone the whole "date." They met up with the rest of his marauders gang in Zonko's and traveled together to Honeydukes. He had refused to let her pay for any sweets that she wanted to get, and even bought a dozen licorice wands then presented it to her like on would a bouquet of flowers. At that, she snorted out a laugh but rolled her eyes when he smiled brightly at her reaction. Sirius was joking around a few feet in front of her as they walked back to where Filch was waiting to take the students back to the castle. She twirled a licorice wand in her hand and let a light smile slip on her face.

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see a chocolate bar outstretched in her direction. She looked to Remus who had a sheepish, but lighthearted grin on his face. She smiled and graciously accepted it, breaking off a piece and savoring the sweet flavor of the chocolate. She handed the bar back to Remus.

"Thank you." He flushed a light pink but simple nodded in response. It was a slightly awkward silence as they walked and when James tripped Sirius making him fall onto the dirt, Poli couldn't help but snort out a laugh, quickly covering her mouth and chuckling quietly. Remus watched the act and could or stop the feeling of warmth that press through him at the sound. When Sirius and James began wrestling Poli slowed to a stop and kept her hand over her mouth to cover her laughter. He caught the last few giggles as she let her hand fall to another licorice wand and couldn't help but think that it was the cutest thing he'd heard.

"Why did you say yes?" Remus blurted before he could think of what he was saying. She blinked and turned to him with wide eyes and confused expression. "Sorry, I-I didn't mean-"

"No, no you're fine." She tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "You mean why did I say yes when Sirius asked me out?" Remus nodded with his red face showing his still lingering embarrassment. She sighed but kept up her lighthearted grin. "I-I mean he was right. I did owe him for freaking out on him when he pranked me."

"Why did you get so angry? I-If you d-don't mind me a-asking." Her grin grew.

"Are you always this articulate?" His blush spread and he couldn't keep eye contact anymore. She simply giggled at his reaction before her face fell slowly. "I-That was my mum and I's favorite book before she died. I was caught off guard and I couldn't think straight." She summarized, unable to keep eye contact either. Because she was so used to keeping up her façade in front of her family and her classmates, she found spilling out her feelings like this was uncomfortable and awkward, but Remus was sweet, trustworthy and something about him made her feel like she could say these things. From her peripheral vision she could see him nod.

"He's an idiot." Remus said looking to the boys who were brushing the dirt off themselves while laughing a few feet ahead. Poli chuckled from beside him.

"Yeah, he is." There was a pause before Remus sucked in a breath, his nerves building with vigor. He finally turned back to her seeing her shake her head while grinning at the boys ahead of them.

"Do you- maybe..." she turned back to him and he trailed off before taking in another deep breath. "Do you want to-" he didn't get to finish his thought because Sirius came boy them in a flash. He slung Poli over his shoulder making her shriek in surprise. He ran off laughing with Poli bouncing over his shoulder with a mix of angry yelling and laughing.

Remus wouldn't get to ask for his own date to Hogsmead until after holiday break and he didn't know if he could keep up his courage until then.

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shorter chapter but it's cute.