JULIET {remus lupin}

FIFTY ONE

Juliet had managed to avoid the majority of Gryffindors for her next few weeks, she dreaded to think how many people Colin, or indeed Peter, had told about who she was now. She saw the marauders from afar in potions, but Professor Slughorn kept the two houses fairly separate now. More muggles had been killed, and there was a report that Lucius Malfoy had been behind one of them. Narcissa had been particularly quiet that day. 

The grounds of Hogwarts were covered in snow, it was early November but the harsh winds made it feel  like the depths of winter, Regulus had joked that they ought to have a winter wedding because of how much he loved the weather. Juliet had laughed awkwardly and that had been the last time he'd brought up their engagement. The two spent little time together, he was being called back home quite frequently, and wrote letters to his parents and Juliet's father frequently.

"Take my patrol tonight?" Narcissa asked, catching up with Juliet after a particularly freezing quidditch practice.

The younger witch groaned.

"Please, I have to write to Lucius."

"To tell him not to murder any more children?"

"It was a child?" The blonde woman asked, abruptly stopping. 

"You didn't read the papers?"

"No- I- the Daily Prophet is full of rubbish, anyway."

"Is that what your parents tell you?"

"They tell me we'll have control of it soon."

"I see. Well yes, it was a child."

"Merlin."

"Don't act surprised."

"Oh, I'm not. It's just sad. So you'll do it tonight?"

"Who's it with?"

"Lupin."

Juliet's face softened a little, "yeah, sure."

"You're the best," Narcissa said, kissing the woman's cheek and rushing off to the owlery.

"You're not Narcissa," Remus mused as Juliet approached him outside the Great hall.

"Disappointed?" She smiled.

"Definitely," he laughed, before pausing and considering his words. "How are you? After, well. We haven't really spoke."

"We haven't... I didn't know if we should, after..."

"Summer," he finished.

"Yeah."

"I'm sorry for how I reacted that day," he said, nudging her a little as they walked. "I didn't have time to think."

"Oh, don't apologise. It's me that has it... Your reaction wasn't unreasonable."

"No but, you have it, but did you want it?"

Juliet slowed her pace and narrowed her eyes at the man, "what do you think?"

"Exactly. So I'm sorry, and I'm sorry that you had to go through with it."

"Thank you, no one else has said that."

"Was it painful?"

"Remus, we don't have to..."

"Juliet, you were alone, going through this all summer. You came to me and I pushed you away, it's the least I can do."

"It was excruciating, yes."

"Did Regulus help you after?"

"No, I was alone," she said stoically.