30A/N: Hey there, readers! I know it's been a ridiculously long waiting period for this chapter but I've started a new job and been really busy and for that I apologize. Also, since I wrote off book for the last chapter I've been trying to get my head together over how I now want this to go. However I think I'm on the right track now and I have the next two chapters ready. Alls I need is time to type and since I can't find any I have no idea when the next chapter will be up but I can guarantee that it most definitely will be up! Yay! Now...go read!
Disclaimer: A Disclaimer: when something is disclaimed...this definition isn't going anyhere relevent I just don't have anything clever to write. Mrs. Rowling and her affiliates own it all, I'm afraid.
Suggested Listening: I couldn't get a firm decision on a song so I'm just gonna say Fluorescent Adolescent by Arctic Monkeys but I may be using it again later so if you want to listen to another song go right ahead. Why is it that they're always good songs about confusion and hormones when you don't need them but when you do they disappear? Sigh...
Discarded all the naughty nights for niceness
Landed in a very common crisis
...Oh, the boy's a slag, the best you ever had
the best you ever had...
- Arctic Monkeys
Remus sat in History of Magic on Wednesday. On the same day he'd spoken to Lily. The same day Sirius Black had made a spectacle of himself at breakfast. The same day Remus Lupin had contemplated cheating on his relationship with the rules and transfiguring Nancy Sincavage into a bunny and making some furry underwear out of her and giving them to Peter for Christmas.
The violent thought took him by surprise and he went back to taking notes vigilantly, pausing now and then to doodle flowers and kittens in an attempt to smother his sadistic tendencies. It was almost unfair how mentally talented Sirius and James were. They could probably sleep through every class, come in to take their NEWTs and still be offered top jobs at the Ministry the next day. Of course, Remus liked to think he helped them out quite a bit but he was sure they'd still get by without him. He looked over to his right to see Sirius' head on the desk in a Binn's induced slumber with a line of drool dribbling down his chin in an unattractive, but still somehow adorable, way. James was in front of Sirius, in much the same position only more twitchy and muttering every once in a while. Peter, who was in front of a Ravenclaw boy with oddly familiar blonde wavy hair who was sitting in front of Remus, was staring out the window with glazed over eyes.
Remus huffed angrily, a piece of hair blowing into his eyes annoyingly. He knew they'd ask him for notes later and, for a moment, he considered witholding them. But he knew Sirius would beg and look all cute and his eyes would smolder in that unfair, lusty way that made Remus want to grab him and... stop, Remus, he told himself and images of half-naked Sirius were forced to the back of his mind. He sighed heavily and started to write again with renewed fervor, his quill sometimes piercing the page in his haste to write his anger away.
"Rough day?" He looked up to see the Ravenclaw boy in front of him turned around in his chair with a slightly lopsided smile on his face, making his blue eyes light up and twinkle in a way that made Remus want to smile back. Charlie.
"Unfortunately, yes," he sighed and looked over at Sirius, who was now swiping at his nose sleepily. The boy was even dramatic when he slept, he thought before grimacing and turning back to Charlie.
"Care to share?" he asked, shifting more in his chair so they could speak more comfortably. Remus laughed and shook his head.
"Not really...," he trailed off, not sure what to say next since he'd just obviously given away that his problems were Sirius related. Fortunately, he was saved by Filch hobbling past the open door, brandishing a rusty looking wrench at Peeves who cackled madly as he whizzed by. The class barely stirred at the commotion and Remus snorted a slight laugh while Charlie gazed at the space they'd just left with a raised eyebrow.
"You know, Filch has always -" Remus started.
"Reminded me - " Charlie continued.
"Of Joseph from Wuthering Heights!" they both finished excitedley. Remus laughed and Charlie smiled for what seemed to be the thousandth time in the last five minutes.
"It's my favorite book. I reread it every summer," he said, shyly casting Remus a look from under his lashes. He looked sheepish.
"Sorry if that sounded pretentious, I didn't mean - " But Remus had brightened. This was too good to be true. He shook his head as Charlie continued to mumble about books.
"No, no! It's actually one of my favorites, too. I know it's not very...," he struggled for a word.
"Masculine to openly admit that you've read a Bronte classic but I don't blame you. Wuthering Heights is such a good story! What with all that unrequited love and frustrating characters who can't see that who they need has been right under their nose the entire time!" he stopped himself when he realized he was rambling and using hand gestures, like he sometimes did when he got started on a subject he was particularly passionate about. He folded his hands in his lap and bit his lip.
"Sorry. It's just that it's -"
"Do you want to come to Hogsmeade with me?" Charlie cut him off quickly and the bell rang. There was a clatter of noise as the students roused themselves from sleep and gathered their things, exiting the room along with Professor Binns who simply floated through the back wall, leaving Remus and Charlie alone. Remus was aware that he was staring wide eyed at the handsome boy in disbelief and he quickly looked down and mumbled. Charlie cleared his throat.
"Sorry, I'd practiced that since this morning but it came out more special ed than suave and..." he trailed off and looked up from under his mop of hair. Remus' brain had forgotten the rules of etiquette in his shock at being liked by someone other than his friends and Lily and was currently still trying to find out how to close his mouth properly. He gave up and instead tried:
"Charlie?"
"Yeah?" he looked up eagerly at the sound of Remus' voice and Remus furrowed his brows and rubbed the bcak of his neck.
"Was...Just...Just to be sure; was that you trying to ask me out?" he said. Charlie paled and swallowed but nodded anyway.
"Oh God, you're not...I'm sorry. I'd just heard that you were...and I thought...I'm sorry. I'm just gonna go before I make any more of a fool of myself today." Remus frowned as Charlie started to get up and grabbed his things. Why was he leaving? Then he realized how his question might have sounded and he scrambled out of his chair to catch up to the boy who was already halfway down the hall. He ran past Sirius, who called after him then frowned, but Remus couldn't be bothered.
"Shit. Wait, Charlie! Charlie!" he yelled after him and Charlie turned. Remus panted for a minute and put a hand on Charlie's shoulder, absently noticing how he could actually feel the muscle under it. He stopped a shudder and looked at Charlie.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make it sound like I wasn't...I mean..." he sighed at his surprising lack of words at the moment.
"Bullocks, um, look...I do like you Charlie but I'm kind of ...promised," he grimaced at the formality of the word.
"To someone else. But if you still want, I'd love to go to Hogsmeade with you this weekend...as friends," he tagged on the end just to make sure Charlie understood what he was trying to say. Charlie smiled, showing brilliantly white teeth nodded.
"Ok, well I guess I'll see you then. Sorry for before," he said sheepishly but Remus shook his head, still baffled that he had the power to rend someone speechless since he'd felt so differently this morning.
"Trust me I get it so don't worry about it." Charlie nodded, looking like a happy golden retriever who was just happy to have made another friend.
"Alright, well...bye!" he called over his shoulder before bounding off, and Remus was sure that if he had one, his tail would be wagging. Then he turned and saw Sirius standing down the hall with his books in one hand, looking slightly put out, but happy none the less. His heart gave a lurch at the sight of the dark haired boy, with his tie already pulled down and his sleeves rolled up, and he felt confused all over again.
A/N: Ok, go easy on me with this one. I wrote this completely off book but i figured you'd rather have this than have me take longer with it. Sorry in advance for any grammatical/spelling errors! Review and you will be sent lots of love!