I Already Know | Remus Lupin | Marauders Era

27

Remus and Robyn spent the entire day just enjoying each other's company. They helped Tim with the mural for a while before going to lounge about under the sun in the garden. Robyn was smiling lazily as Remus attempted to plait her hair, slotting in daisies to rest between the blonde strands.

"It's going to get dark soon." Remus said sadly as his fingers brushed Robyn's bare shoulder, "I'll have to go home before long."

"You could stay." Robyn looked up at him and Remus paused, thinking about it, "We have a spare room and you could send a letter to your parents saying you're going to stay here for a while. Maybe a week or so." Robyn's hopeful smile made it very hard for Remus to refuse the offer, not that he wanted to, and he soon grinned.

"You'd better ask your dad." he warned but Robyn squealed excitedly tackling him in a hug so they fell to the ground. Remus pulled Robyn into his chest and kissed her temple, "How far away is the spare room to your room?" he asked innocently and Robyn smiled up at him,

"Close enough that you can rush back before my dad wakes up." she said cheekily and Remus smirked,

"Sounds like a plan, my little lovebird." he mumbled as he buried his face into the crook of her neck.

"I HAVE SNAAAAAACKS!" Tim shouted as he skipped over the grass and Remus scrambled to put distance between himself and Robyn. The girl just smiled as she knew her dad didn't mind and enjoyed the obvious affection between the couple. Robyn scooted up beside Remus as Tim sat cross-legged on the grass, placing a tray of fruit on the floor. "So what were we talking about?" he grabbed a slice of watermelon and munched on it happily,

"As a matter of fact, we were talking about Rem staying for a while." Robyn smiled and grabbed Remus' hand, intertwining their fingers. Tim's face lit up and he almost choked on his watermelon,

"What a wonderful idea! I was actually hoping that you would stay, Remus, because I really wanted to paint you."

"Paint me?" Remus tilted his head and Tim nodded his head eagerly,

"You have the most interesting face! You have very soft features: warm eyes, long eyelashes, full lips, but the scars provide a contrast that makes you perfect for a painting!" Tim's excitement was infectious and Remus soon found himself grinning,

"It would be an honour." he said and Tim clapped his hands together,

"Marvellous! You stay here, I'll go and grab my paints!" with that he sped off into the house. Robyn shook her head slightly and stroked the back of Remus' hand with her thumb,

"He's never painted anyone that isn't in our family before." she hummed thoughtfully and Remus raised his eyebrows,

"Must be because I'm so gorgeous." he smirked and Robyn rolled her eyes,

"I mean...you're no Sirius." she teased and Remus' mouth dropped open,

"You can't say that! You're my girlfriend! You have to say I'm more handsome than Sirius." he pouted and Robyn ran her hand through his hair,

"Of course you are, Moony. You're the most beautiful boy in the world." she cooed and pecked his lips. Remus smiled happily,

"That's more like it."

———

It didn't take long for Tim to finish his painting and after only a day, he was calling Robyn and Remus into his study. They looked at the huge canvas placed upon the easel and Remus audibly gasped. Robyn was grinning and Tim looked very proud of himself as he stood in front of the painting, paint-splattered and sweaty.

"What do you think?" the man made a gesture with his hands as if to say 'ta daaaa' and Remus took a step towards the painting. The painted Remus was sat next to Robyn, the pair of them laughing on the outskirts of a forest. Upon closer inspection Remus noticed the shadows of the couple. His shadow was a wolf whilst Robyn's was a bird. He looked over to Tim and the man stepped up to him, placing a hand on his shoulder, "As much as you hate the wolf part of you, son, it is a part of you, and it's not as evil or corrupt as you think." he patted him tenderly on the shoulder and walked out of the room, leaving Remus and Robyn to admire the painting. Robyn stepped up to her boyfriend and wrapped her arms around him from behind, resting her cheek on his back.

"You're dad is one of the most incredible people I have ever met." Remus said quietly, his eyes still focused on the painting. Tim Morrow had managed to make the aspect of Remus' life that he hated the most, something beautiful and worth admiring - nobody had even come close to doing that before.

"He sees the beauty in things." Robyn nodded and she smiled, "It's what makes him such a brilliant artist."

"Other than the boys and Elle, I didn't think anyone would accept that part of me." Remus turned so he was facing Robyn, "Must be something about the Morrows." he tucked a strand of Robyn's hair behind her ear,

"Speaking of," she took a deep breath as she prepared herself to tell Remus something she had been pondering for weeks, "I want to help you like the others do." she said strongly and Remus frowned, "I want to become an animagus."

"Absolutely not." Remus shook his head and Robyn's brow furrowed,

"Why not?"

"I'm not going to let you expose yourself to a deadly beast once a month, whether the beast is me or not." Remus' tone was firm but Robyn wasn't giving up,

"Elle helps you! And the boys and you haven't hurt them in months!" she argued and Remus gripped her arms, looking into her eyes,

"I didn't know they were becoming animagus' until it was too late. I couldn't stop them from helping me and, yes granted, it's made the transformations a million times better-"

"Then let me help you too!"

"No, Robyn!" Remus raised his voice and she shrunk back, a pout forming on her lips. Remus closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, "I will never put you in a situation where there's even a possibility of you getting hurt." he continued more quietly, "If anything happened to you, especially because of me, I would never forgive myself." he opened his eyes and looked at Robyn, who looked wounded, "I love you and I'm not going to let you walk into a dangerous situation."

"Technically, I'd fly into it because I'd be a bird." she mumbled and Remus chuckled ever so slightly before pulling her into a hug,

"You're not becoming an animagus." he repeated and Robyn pulled back angrily,

"You can't tell me what to do!" she crossed her arms and Remus sighed,

"No, I can't." he accepted but his facial expression soon changed, "But if you think that I'm not going to make sure there is no way of you even getting close to the Shrieking Shack at any given time, then you have another thing coming." he muttered angrily and Robyn stared up at him, her eyes welling up with tears. Remus' expression softened and Robyn sniffed,

"I just can't sit in my bed, imagining all the pain you go through all night without doing something." she cried and Remus pulled her into a hug, alarmed at how much it affected her, "W-what if you knew that I was in excruciating pain and you had a way to help me...would you pass up that opportunity?"

"Never." Remus whispered,

"Then let me help you." Robyn sobbed and Remus pulled back, cupping her face and wiping the tears from her cheeks,

"On the night of the full moon, as long as I have my four best friends with me, I know for certain that you're safely tucked up in bed and I can look forward to waking up to you beside me in the Hospital Wing - there's nothing else I need." Remus assured her and Robyn's bottom lip wobbled, she looked into Remus' eyes and focused:

'I know you're in my head, Ro. I'm telling the truth.'

"Fine." Robyn's voice was thick with tears and she furiously wiped at her tears,

"Are you angry at me?" Remus asked as Robyn looked away from him and she nodded her head, "Does that mean I have to sleep alone in the spare room tonight?"

Robyn paused slightly before shaking her head. Remus smirked, "So, you're just going to be moody with me for a little while until I make you cookies?" his fingers softly caressed her cheek and Robyn perked up slightly at the mention of her favourite snack.

"Chocolate cookies with your special, secret ingredient?" she asked quietly and Remus chuckled softly,

"Of course." he nodded his head and Robyn looked round at him,

"I hate how hard it is to stay angry at you." she said sulkily and Remus leant down to kiss her,

"It's a gift." he smirked before connecting their lips.