UNDER THE MOON, Remus Lupin

ii.

"INFATUATION" MY ASS

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"But we'll miss dinner!" Alice protested with slight hesitance to Fred's suggestion.

"It's the same thing every year. Let's spend some quality time together." Fred encouraged Alice, spinning her in a circle.

Alice would feel guilty missing the first years' sorting. But alone time with Fred would be nice. She could get to know the first years later. Fred was more important. Or was he? "I'd rather spend some quality time with chicken wings and potatoes."

"Just come on!" Fred rolled his eyes with a grin and pulled her along. Sometimes he forgot that Alice was shorter than him. When he would pull her places, it was more like dragging. She couldn't keep up with his long legs.

They didn't go anywhere special, just sat on a lonely staircase. But that didn't mean Fred hesitated to absolutely maul his girlfriend. Without warning, Fred's lips were attached to hers like they were made of velcro. Alice snickered and gently ran a hand through his hair. "My my, someone missed me."

"Who could that be?" Fred asked, looking around.

"Professor Snape, I bet. Because we're just so incredibly close." Alice rolled her eyes.

"Are you sure? I swear I've seen you in Professor Flitwick's office a few times." Their playful banter was one that Alice certainly missed. But she'd missed everything else about their relationship too.

They never fought, never yelled at each other, and never even looked another person's way. After all, why would they? It was just them against the world, hopelessly in love.

Here they sat on the stairwell, missing the first dinner of the school year. There was more they were missing than that. The introduction of the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, perhaps. His presence would knock them off their feet. He just came for a job. Nothing more.

Fred and Alice came for their education, social life, and simply because they had to. They had no say in the matter. Sometimes that was the unfortunate reality. The moment you attempted to be anything but silent, the ghost of your failures clamped its transparent hand over your mouth. You could speak. You just chose not to. Because maybe it was useless. Or... shameless.

"I think we made a mistake, Freddie. I neglected to remember I missed breakfast. I'm starving." Alice complained while he walked her to the Slytherin dormitories.

"You're being dramatic. I'll bring you a snack or something, yeah?"

That was doubtful. "The only snack you'll end up bringing is yourself." Alice sneered playfully at him.

"Isn't that enough?" Fred sneakily pecked her on the cheek.

He was enough. But unfortunately, he wasn't edible. Alice shook her head at him. Zephyr always brought snacks to Hogwarts anyway. "Goodnight, Fred."

"Sleep tight, Ali."

Alice entered the common room, which wasn't all that impressive compared to what she'd seen of the Gryffindor common room. It wasn't important how it looked anyhow. All she needed it for was hanging out with her friends.

"Al! Catch!" Zeph threw a pretzel in the air.

Alice leaned forward and caught it in her mouth. "You thought you had me, didn't you?"