Between Coffee And Cigarettes

-31-

Out of habit, Lenny went to the library, every morning before breakfast. Absentminded her eyes searched for a head with grey eyes and thick, black hair and she always caught herself by doing so. Regulus was never there and it ached her heart. She missed him.

With a sigh, she let herself fall onto a chair and pulled out her parchment and ink, before standing up again to get the books she required. For this morning, she decided on a Herbology essay she had to hand in the next day and she was already running quite late. Out of the massive shelves, she pulled out the right books and returned with them to her seat.

In these early hours of the morning, the library was pretty deserted and it suited Lenny just fine. She could never concentrate when too many people were around. The essay itself didn't take as long as she expected and it was surprisingly an interesting topic, so when she was finished and looked at the time, she saw that she was just in time to fetch a big breakfast and take her time with it.

Gathering the stack of books she had used into her arms until the tower was so big that she could barely look over it, she sorted them into the right places, the weight on her arms lifting with every book gone. When the last book was safely tucked away in one of the shelves she rubbed her hands together and let out an audible exhale, before returning to her table.

She stopped in her track when she could see one other book laying beside her quill and pot of ink and Lenny wondered if she missed one. But when she stepped closer, she sucked in her breath and quickly looked around. After making sure that no one was within her sight, she slowly picked up the relatively thin and old book. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian it read and she instantly knew who put it there.

Remus must have gotten her letter, she sent him over the Christmas break, in which she requested the title of the second book of the series, and decided not to answer her on purpose. He had brought the book to Hogwarts to give it to her, but why did he do it so anonymously then, if he had wanted to give it to her personally. Or did he? It was the only explanation that made sense, otherwise, he could've just answered her letter. Instead of the confusion, Lenny felt at the beginning, fury rose in her now.

She put the book hastily back on the table as if it was suddenly burning coal in her palms and hurried to stuff the parchment, ink and quill into her bag. If he wanted her to read it, he had to deliver it himself. She was the one hiding from him, not the other way around.

The young witch shouldered her bag and began strutting towards the exit, determined to just leave the book there and not look back. But something let her halter in her steps and she closed her eyes while loathing herself for being so indecisive. It was just a stupid book, she didn't need it. She was mad at him and herself. He made her mad.

With the last bit of dignity, she had, scraped away, she turned around, grabbed the book, and marched out of the library, robes flying dramatically at the speed she was attending.

Only when she burst at the same speed into the Great Hall, she noticed how fast and aggressive she was walking and slowed down a bit and went at a moderate speed to the Gryffindor table where Lily, Sirius, James and Peter were already sitting. As always, Lily waved when she saw Lenny and made the others turn their head too.

"Why so early?", Sirius asked, when she sat next to Lily. "No 'Good morning to my favorite person in the entire universe'", Lenny teased, "I'm disappointed", she added with a pout. Sirius just smirked and winked at her. "We both know that James is my favorite person in the entire universe", he said and gave James a hearty pad on the shoulder. "Yeah, Lenny, sorry", James played along, "Sirius just developed good taste the moment he met me".

Lenny just rolled her eyes, a grin tugging at her lips, but Lily gave James a warning smack on his arm. "What, Evans?", James asked with that typical joyful look on his face. He leaned forward a bit and lowered his voice, a spark of mischief in his eyes, as he said: „Did my arm felt as muscly as you imagined?". Lily narrowed her eyes at him, although she couldn't quite hide the smile that played around the corner of her mouth. "You're so full of yourself, Potter".