swim || remus lupin

whirlpool

Remus's rough hand took my own and lifted me from the warmth of my bed. We exited the dorm room quietly and the chill of the nearing winter ran through my body. We descended the cold stone steps and I pulled my arms through the short sleeves of my dad's old t-shirt, hoping to escape the sharp air.

"Cold?" Remus asked, his voice quiet and slightly raspy from sleep.

"No," I lied, teeth chattering. He rolled his eyes and smiled, slipping off his sweatshirt and holding it out. I groaned but pulled it on over my head anyways, allowing the warmth to loosen me up and inhaling his scent of firewood and caramel.

Remus turned the corner and took a few paces forward before stopping and glancing down either side of the hall. He tapped the bricks in a square formation, then stood back as they spun outwards and the wall folded upon itself. As the magical passageway opened, a small nook was revealed, no larger than 5x5 feet in area. Inside was a stone bench, lined with various pillows and blankets, as well as a basket full of chocolate and a stack of books in one corner. Remus sat down on one end of the bench and motioned for me to join him.

"What is this place?" I asked groggily, massaging my temples as a migraine pressed into the back of my eyes. He smiled, looking around at his little space.

"Found it my fifth year," he replied. "Been pretty secret until tonight." I nodded, trying to ignore the powerful headache brewing in light of the night prior. "Here," he held out a small pill. "Figured you'd be a bit smashed after that party," I accepted and swallowed the pill, feeling instant relief.

"What is that?"

"Wizard's aspirin," he said offhandedly. "James and I invented it last year," he smiled momentarily as he recalled the thought, but then a solemn looked washed over his face.

"You alright, Rem?"

"I just wanted to talk to you about what happened in Care of Magical Creatures Wednesday," he said quickly. I frowned. Seemed quite vicious to wake me up in the middle of the night to discuss his newfound hatred of me. I spoke up before he could continue.

"Look Remus, I know what you must think now. I get it, just let me tell James and Sirius, alright? It shouldn't come from you." He raised his eyebrows.

"You want to tell them?"

"Weren't you planning on outing me anyways? To protect them?" A look of confusion spread across his face.

"You thought I was scared of you?"

"Aren't you?" I asked. "You haven't talked to me all week and you said you had read about mermaids. I assumed you knew how dangerous we are," he shook his head.

"No, Sydney, Merlin's sake I am not afraid of you," now was my turn to be confused. "That's why I wanted to talk to you, actually," he continued. "I'm sorry for being so distant, it's just that there's never been a decent time to tell you, and I was afraid I would just blurt it out in the middle of Divination or dinner or something and ruin the whole point of telling you this which is to prove the exact fact, that I'm not afraid of you," he rambled on. I interrupted him.