UNDER THE MOON, Remus Lupin

xxvi.

MISS HEARTBREAKER

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

The first breakfast since everyone's return after the holidays was not left uneventful. Zephyr was again rejected by Isabella. Alice felt bad for Zeph, but she hated how Isabella would glare at her. As well as the fact that Isabella didn't trust her around Zephyr. Zephyr looked so depressed that Alice wanted to carve her heart out since his must've been shattered. Another day without a girlfriend.

Since Aria returned from home, Alice sat with her. Their mother never came home. Aria spent the entirety of Christmas break alone. Alice would've tried to assure her that her break wasn't that interesting either, but that would be the biggest lie she'd ever told. Though Alice and Aria were close, they never really spent that much time together. Aria was like a ghost. She really only appeared when she wanted to be seen. Aria also didn't seem too happy about Zephyr's new attachment to Isabella.

Clint and Cedric were sitting together. Cedric assumed he should tell Clint about everything that happened with Alice. She didn't remember anything about their night at the Three Broomsticks, but it wasn't fair that he blurted it out. It was so obvious that he loved her, though. That's why Cedric needed to get it out there. Wrong time and the wrong place. It wasn't his place to tell Alice. So that's why, regardless of the outcomes, he would tell Clint what happened.

"Hey," Cedric cleared his throat. Clint jumped beside him. For a moment he feared he'd been caught staring at Alice. "I need to tell you something."

It was hard to look away from what he wanted most. "What?" Clint shook his head to clear his mind of the permanent imprint Alice had on his mind.

"Uh... Just hear me out before you get mad," That's always a reassuring start. "I know you have feelings for Alice. And over break, I got to know her. She helped me escape from Princess. In order to do so... she kissed me."

Clint's head snapped in his direction. "What?"

"No feelings involved! I swear!" Clint knew that much. She was too far in love with her teacher to even bat her eyes in anyone else's direction. "And... we got drunk together that same night... and I might have accidentally told her that you have feelings for her. But she didn't remember! At least not to my extensive knowledge..." Cedric trailed off, watching Clint glare at a section of crumbs on the floor.

"How was she? Was she a good kisser?" Clint gulped. There was no reason to drag it out. He couldn't control Alice or what she did.

Was it a trick question? Cedric wasn't entirely sure if he should answer it. "I guess... Maybe one day you'll find out for yourself."

Clint wished he were that lucky.

Aria got up from the table to quickly acknowledge her friends. That left Alice alone as she ate her breakfast. It was cold to her disappointment. Remus had been winking at her all morning. At some point, she had to force herself to turn away from him. It proved not to be worth the effort.

"Miss Lafitte. Can I speak to you outside a moment?" Her Defense Against the Dark Arts professor said rather loudly. Remus leaned over the table across from Alice, a smirk growing when she looked up at him.

"Of course, Professor." Alice placed her palms flat on the table and stood up, face inches near his. Then she followed him through the doors of the Great Hall, right on his heels.

As soon as Remus was assured no one was around, he turned on his feet and pressed Alice against the wall, taking her in a long, much-needed kiss. They were both smiling as Alice wrapped her arms around his neck. "Remus-," she mumbled.