Pragma // s.b.

7

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I simply couldn't believe that I wasn't able to find one single person willing to study with me. There are few things in this world that I hate more than studying alone. Except, Defense Against the Dark Arts of course. I know, there's something seriously wrong with me. It seemed like everyone else in the entire bloody castle loved DADA, but I found it extremely hard and extremely boring, and it was made even worse when I had to study for it alone.

    I dragged my feet down the hallway leading to the library, my bag sliding off my shoulder repeatedly, forcing me to pull it back up over and over. A pair of Ravenclaw girls ran past me, giggling loudly. I rubbed my temples as I reached the tall doors to the library. All I had to do was read one chapter on werewolves and take notes, then I could go back to the dormitory and sleep to my heart's content. I pushed open the oak doors, the lack of students painfully noticeable.

The sun had fully set, and stars dotted the inky sky. Most students had already retired to their common rooms, getting ready for bed or sipping tea. I had chosen to spend my evening at the lake with Olivia, following Quinton around until he noticed us and struck up a conversation with her. And what does she do to thank me? Refuse to come study with me because, "Only nerds do their homework on time". I looked around, wondering if anyone else happened to be here. It seemed like it was just me. Great.

    Locating a small table in the corner of the library with a lamp burning above it on a large windowsill, I threw down my bag and pulled out a long sheet of parchment and a quill. My eyelids were already heavy. I slapped my cheeks in an effort to wake myself up, I needed to get this done. I do not come to school to hang out with friends, I reminded myself, I am here for an education. I tried to focus, but my mind wandered to the kitchens, where I knew Amber was, gathering hot chocolate for everyone in the Hufflepuff common room.

I sighed and reached into my bag, digging around for my textbook. I felt the cool cover of my Potions book, and the velvety one of my Charms, but no leather bound DADA. "Oh you have got to be kidding me!", I cried, knowing full well that no one else was here, "I cannot believe I left it in the dormitory!". I actually dragged myself all the way across the castle to the library so I could focus and get work done, but managed forgot my book. Just my luck.

"Want to borrow mine?", a soft voice sounded from behind me. My heart literally exploded out of my chest. I jumped, bumping my head on the corner of the window I was sitting under, which caused the lamp to fall onto the ground with a loud crash. "I am so sorry!", Remus Lupin rushed forward, levitating the lamp until it sat perched in the same spot it was before, as if nothing had happened.

My heart was still beating a million miles a minute, but my brain was beginning to register what I was seeing. Why was Remus Lupin 1) talking to me, 2) alone, without his usual gang, and 3) in the library at such an ungodly hour. I let out a slight laugh, unsure of what to say. "Don't you need it?", I straightened up, pushing back my hair so it no long obscured my face. "What?", Lupin's light eyes looked confused, his thick brows inching closer together. "Your book", I gestured to the thick red volume clutched in his hands.

"Oh!", he laughed, not the usual laugh I heard from the group, the mocking "we just got attention" laugh, but a warm, genuine one. "No, that's okay. I already know enough about werewolves", he set the book down in front of me, then to my surprise, slid into the small wooden chair across from me. I blinked, my confusion growing. I had never really paid much attention to Remus Lupin. He was less obnoxious and in your face than Potter and Black, but at the same time, he also didn't seem to tag along like Peter Pettigrew did.

His eyes looked warm and soft in the flickering candle light, but they also looked like they held the weight of the world. "Thanks", the corners of my mouth turned up, one of my dimples forming, as I reached across the table and flipped open the book. "You just really into werewolves or something?", I said, flipping to the chapter we were supposed to take notes on. Lupin snorted and shifted in his chair, his gaze flitting to the crescent moon visible outside the large window above us. "Something like that", he breathed. 

Silence settled over us and I dipped my quill into the jet black ink, my eyes shifting from the pages to my parchment as I copied down facts about the human wolf hybrids. I glanced up occasionally to see what Lupin was doing. He had pulled out a small book and was reading it, his head leaned against the wall. The silence was noticeably there, but not uncomfortable. I still wasn't really sure what was happening, but I wasn't too mad at it either. He seemed...soft, in a way. Very unlike what I had presumed him to be.

I flipped the page, a yawn forcing its way out of my soft pink lips. Lupin glanced up, then over at the clock. "It's getting late", he noted. Almost an hour had passed and I hadn't even realized it. I sat up straighter, stretching my arms above my head. "I guess we should be getting back before curfew", I said, shutting the book and pushing it across the table towards him, "Thanks again, I might have lost it if I had to drag myself all the way back to the Hufflepuff common room to get mine". Lupin let out a light laugh and nodded, as if to say, "No problem".

We stood and I slung my bag over my shoulder. Remus led the way out of the library, his thin legs moving swiftly through the stacks of old books. When we reached the hall, I realized we were headed in different directions. Him, up to Gryffindor tower, me down the the basement. "Well", I smiled softly as we slowed, "This has been a very surprising part of my evening". Lupin chewed on his lip, and before he could stop himself let out, "They aren't as bad as you think they are".

My heart sunk. We had managed to go this entire time without discussing his unfortunate choice in friends. I mean, I knew he knew how I felt, it wasn't as if it were a major secret. I sighed, the warning from my brother suddenly forcing itself into my mind, "I've heard...things about them". What kind of things? What horrors could he have heard that made him feel the need to warn me? As much as I hated to admit it, Remus seemed like a good guy. Nothing about him seemed to warrant a warning by any means.

I sighed and looked up at the shaggy mess of light brown hair standing next to me in the dimly lit corridor. "I like you, Lupin", I folded my arms across my chest, "But that doesn't mean I approve of what you or your friends do. In fact, I detest it". Lupin seemed to deflate a little bit, and he let out, "Briony, I know that sometimes Black takes things too far, but he has a good heart, trust me". The look in his eyes were pleading, as if there was something he wanted to say but knew he shouldn't. "Goodnight, Remus", I whispered, and with that, turned around and headed down the hallway to the dormitory full of girls and hot chocolate waiting for me.

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