UNDER THE MOON, Remus Lupin

xxxviii.

THE SWEATER

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

After that disturbing and slightly scary encounter with Clint, Alice sat on Remus' sofa, legs pulled to her chest as she hugged her knees. The potion she made for Remus was sitting on the coffee table in front of the fire. It was said to be kept at a temperature a little higher than room temperature. Alice, personally, was fuming, so it's a good thing the potion wasn't closer to her.

She'd wanted a blanket but was too afraid she'd lose control of her anger to use her wand for it. She didn't want any accidents happening in Remus' place. It was getting darker and darker out as the hours passed, and earlier ones approached. Alice wasn't sure how exactly she'd been able to fill this time, but it may have had to do with her trying on all of Remus' sweaters. In the end, she folded them and put them away. Except for the Gryffindor one she was becoming obsessed with, with its comfort and promising invitation. The care it radiated was soothing, like the purr of a cat.

The fact that it belonged to Remus and smelled like him played a big role in her random infatuation with the sweater. Alice hoped Remus wasn't too attached to it. She may have been falling in love with the sweater.

Somewhere around dawn, Alice's eyes were beginning to deliberately close as her head sank into the couch cushions. The fire made her overly warm. When Remus came in, she knew he wouldn't want to be warm. Tiredly reaching for her wand, Alice put the fire out and dropped her arm. A groan was loudly released from her throat. Why had she done this to herself? What good could have possibly come from staying up all night long?

The door began to open. Alice sat up immediately and noticed it was Remus struggling to walk in. She hopped up and put his arm around her shoulder. Helping him to the couch, she sat him down. "Are you okay?" Alice asked though she knew he wasn't as okay as he'd say he was.

Remus nodded with his eyes closed. "I'm... okay."

Alice pressed a kiss to his forehead, which was moist with sweat. That didn't really bother her. Sitting next to him, she reached across the table and grabbed the potion. "Take this. It should help if I did it right." Remus pressed his lips to the glass bottle and Alice poured it slowly through the opening.

She gave him a break here and there, assuming he was hurting from the open wounds that were extremely noticeable on his throat. "It's disgusting," Remus commented with half a smile.

"Quite." Alice agreed, having him finish it off, then placing the bottle down. "Sorry. I was originally making one to heal the scars, but it was too complex for today. It would take longer and- and well I thought we'd try a simple calming draught. It'll calm down your heartbeat, adrenaline, and muscles from the whole fiasco."

Remus had to be honest. He hadn't been listening to a word she said. All he got was 'calming draught.' But he supposed that was all that mattered. "You're wearing my sweater." He finally noticed. A smile formed on his face. A pained smile, at that. But hey, a smile was a smile, she'd take what she could get.

"I rather like it. A lot. 'Think I'll start wearing it around Hogwarts. I don't think the name 'Remus Lupin' on the back will arouse any suspicion, do you?" Alice gently kissed Remus' cheek. Another grin grew from the corners of his lips.

"I think I dislocated my shoulder," he groaned. Remus glanced at the shoulder Alice was leaning on.

She jumped right off and covered her mouth. "I'm sorry! Here I'll fix it." Alice snatched her wand off the floor in a hurry and held it to Remus' shoulder.