UNDER THE MOON, Remus Lupin

xi.

TO LOVE HER IN SOLITUDE

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It had been days since Fred showed up to any class that Alice was in. He wasn't in the mood to face her. She wasn't particularly excited to see him either, but she still attended class. There was no point in evading what was inevitable. Remus didn't even know that Alice and Fred broke up. That's the reason for what happened next.

"Where has your boyfriend been these past few days, Alice?" Remus asked her as everyone shuffled out of the classroom. "He's missing a lot of class."

"Oh... he's not my boyfriend anymore. I broke up with him," she said awkwardly, leaning next to him against his desk.

Remus wanted to frown for her sake, but he felt like smiling. "I'm sorry to hear that. May I ask why?"

Alice's eyes travelled from Remus' shoes to his face. Slowly and intimately. "I've fallen for someone else."

"Fallen?"

"Like Alice into the rabbit hole." She kept bringing that up.

"Would you like to tell me about it?" Remus wasn't sure if he wanted to hear what she would say. It could be about him. Or it could be about someone else.

Alice hummed to herself in an amusing manner. "No."

Remus handed her a paper from his desk. A graded quiz. "Then don't waste time. Get to class." He winked at her.

"Make me." Alice stood her ground.

"Make you? How do you suppose I can make you? Would you like me to drag you there by your hair?" He chuckled.

"I never did mind a little hair-pulling," Alice straightened her posture. "I was kidding, I'll see you later," she walked toward the door then stopped without feeling the need to turn around. She purposely dropped her quill. She now turned her head to Remus. The classic move. "Whoops." She bent over, skirt lifting. Remus' breathed hitched loudly throughout the empty room. Alice stood up with her quill. "But I wasn't kidding about the hair-pulling." And then she left Remus with his complicated, sensual thinking.

As Alice strolled the hallway, not in a rush, she was grabbed and pulled into a dark storage closet. And had the living daylights scared out of her by Clint. "Alice!"

"Clint!" She screamed back.

"Sorry... I need to ask. Do you trust me?" Clint licked his lips and looked away from Alice.

She bounced her eyebrows. "Not as much as I once did after the stunt you pulled a few weeks ago. But it's getting there."

"Fair. Get out, go away." He pushed her out of the storage closet and she fell. He just ran right by her as class started.

Alice began shaking her aching wrist back and forth. That was a painful experience that she wished to avoid. Late for History of Magic, Alice tried to sneak into class unnoticed. But Angelina had a big mouth, asking if she was alright because of the forming bruise on her arm. The one that Clint had given her. Alice sat down with Angelina and explained a little of the story. She left out that the so-called inflicter of pain was Clint.

Even though Angelina and Clint had been an adorable couple, there was very little hope that they'd reconcile their relationship. Alice just wanted to remain friends with both of them.