Cherry Wine: Professor RJ Lupin

Chapter Seven: Firewiskey

On the other side of the castle, Emma was unaware of the torment Remus had been enduring the entire night, unaware of how the mention of an innocent photograph made the memories of that night rush back in an instant. Instead, Emma had eventually wandered back to the Gryffindor Common Room which was empty besides a few 3rd years chatting in the corner.

It was already 9 o'clock when she walked up to her dormitory, completely forgetting that she was supposed to meet up with Darcy, Emma fell back on her pillow, remembering how not less than 10 minutes before she had been intensely staring into his eyes. She flutters her eyes shut and smiles slightly at the memory; how his hand fell perfectly against her cheek and the surge of energy coursed through her when he did. Goosebumps travel up her arms and onto her face where is fingers previously laid, reminiscent of the feeling.

Emma allows herself to recount these thoughts over and over again until the last thing she remembers is their intertwined breaths before falling asleep.

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It's not long before the first week of classes come to a close, with homework piling up and free time becoming less common Emma had barely gotten a chance to tell her friends what had happened with Professor Lupin. When it came to Defense Against the Dark Arts with Fred, she would only dare to look up at Lupin when he had his back turned or was focused on something else. Emma's conversations with Fred were short and unimportant, just how she liked them when her mind was elsewhere.

It only took Fred a few minutes to watch Emma's eyes and demeanor change when she looked at Professor Lupin, he knew that there was something different about the way she looked at him now. Not wanting to pry the issue, he decided to wait until she brought it to him hoping it wouldn't progress any further before she did. A few times during class he noticed Professor Lupin taking one too many glances at their table, but only when Emma was conveniently looking elsewhere. When Fred had noticed it the first time, he felt his hands clench slightly and his heartbeat quicken in a reflex of jealousy. He saw him look her up and down and smile slightly before turning back to the rest of the class.

With Saturday night approaching and a party to plan, Emma had been looking forward to it all week. Walking into the great hall early Saturday morning, she noticed Fred and George sitting down next to Darcy leaned in close and talking in a hushed tone,

"Morning everyone, looks like you all are up to no good," Emma retorts taking a seat next to Darcy, grabbing an apple out of the bowl in front of her, and taking a bite.

"About time we saw you Em, feels like I haven't bloody seen you all week," George looks at her and shakes his head in mocking disappointment, "You 'ought to hear what Freddie and I have planned for tonight, reckon it's our best one yet. Right, Freddie?" He says, giving his brother a nudge.

"Reckon it is George. Darc and I have been scheming all week, pretty exciting stuff," Fred raises his eyebrows and looks at Darcy.

"So are you going to tell me or not?" Emma says, crossing her arms over her chest, "Would love to know what we are getting ourselves into"

"You Em, have nothing to worry about, we've got it all planned out," Darcy nudges her and winks, exchanging a glance with the twins.

"You see that is what concerns me Darc. Last time you said I had nothing to worry about we ended up butt naked, drunk off our asses at the shrieking shack," Emma retorts, shaking her head at the distant memory

"Bloody hell that was fun," Fred laughs, remembering the clearly.

"Well if you lot have nothing else to say, I'm going to go study but I will see you all tonight," Emma stands up, stuffing another apple in her pocket.