UNDER THE MOON, Remus Lupin

lii.

THE MOON AND THE STARS
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Alice slowly woke up the next morning. The morning after her trunk full of letters revealed her father's identity. This morning was different; not because her father was her first thought when she woke up for once, but because her second thought was that Remus' hands weren't around her. They were always around her when she woke up. And if they weren't, it was because he was getting ready for his job. But he wasn't working this week.

It took Alice a solid 5 minutes to convince herself to seize the day. She ran a brush through her hair and brushed her teeth before heading downstairs. Harry was asleep on the couch with a book on his lap. His glasses had fallen halfway into the crack of the couch. She pulled them out of the couch and placed them neatly on his book.

In the kitchen, Sirius was sitting and drinking tea while reading the Daily Prophet. He always looked so elegant. Alice had seen him trip three times already, and he cussed like a sailor. When he wasn't drinking tea, he was as clumsy as she was. Alice slid into the chair next to him.

"Where's Remus?" She asked.

"Im not sure. I woke up and he was gone. I assume he went for a quick walk," Sirius said.

Alice tiredly placed her chin on the table. "Do you think of me differently now that you know I'm James' daughter?"

Sirius placed the paper down and smiled kindly at Alice. "No, Alice. You being James' daughter doesn't change who you are. Why do you ask?"

The thought had only crossed her mind for a second, but a second was long enough. Remus was thinking of her differently. "I think... it makes Remus upset. But I don't know why."

Sirius paused. He squinted at a spot on the table and Alice watched him think. His hesitation made her stomach churn. Finally, he opened his mouth, "I think-,"

The front door opened. Alice got up so fast she knocked the chair over. She picked it up and then ran down the hallway to the front door. Remus watched Alice stumble to him. Then she stood awkwardly. She stood the way she used to when she embarrassed herself in front of him. She stood the way she did before when they weren't dating.

Harry was awake now, rubbing his eyes and watched Remus and Alice stand feet away from each other for the first time since he saw them in the same place.

"Where were you? I missed you this morning." For the entire 15 minutes she'd been awake, she indeed missed him terribly.

Though she did not verbally tell him this, but Alice's heart shattered from the way he looked at her. He looked at her like he couldn't. Like it burned when he did. "I had to buy something."

"Right." Alice turned around and walked back into the kitchen. She should've fine upstairs instead because she felt like throwing up.

Did he not love her anymore?

"Wait, Alice," Remus went after her.

She swallowed slowly. Was this what heartbreak felt like? Is this how Fred had felt when Alice crushed his heart? "Wait for what, Remus?"

"When I left this morning it was to... I..." he took a step forward and reached into his back pocket. Then he reluctantly pulled a small box out of his pants, holding it between his fingers.

By God, was she an insecure idiot.

Remus gave her the box and gulped. Alice inhaled shakily. As relieved as she was, the feeling of throwing up hadn't left her yet. She opened the box and saw a necklace similar to the one she'd given Remus for Christmas. Instead of her name, it said 'Wonderland.' "Remus... you shouldn't have."