Her Tulip Heart | R.J. Lupin

Chapter 17

The bright sun rays pierced through Alethea's curtains as she slowly began to wake up. Still with her eyes closed, she rolled onto her stomach, noting how much warmer than usual her bed was. But the warmth was good, wanting to relish in it, she pulled the blanket tighter around her. She was planning on sleeping for just a few more minutes.

Until of course; she felt the rise and fall of someone's breath beneath her. Surprised she didn't realise she was using someone as a mattress as soon as she was conscious again. Or, notice the fact that a long arm was wrapped around her waist, holding her to them. Her eyes snapped open, but then closed again, regretting opening them due to the bright sunlight. Alethea blinked slowly and once her vision was cleared she tried to lift her head to see who the comfy person was. Yet, she couldn't even lift her head, simply because something was weighing it down.

Now she was thoroughly confused, because it seemed she wasn't even in her dorm room, and was concerned with whether or not this person trying to keep her down on purpose? Or, had something fallen on her head while she was sleeping? To safely get whatever was on her head, off her head, she had to mentally create a plan. First, she'd swing her legs off the bed or whatever she was sleeping on, then she'd wiggle out of the arms and push her whole body to stand - keeping her head in its current turned position. Finally, she'd carefully remove whatever was on her head. It was a flawless plan.

Attempting to follow the first step slowly, Alethea had trouble untangling her legs with whomever she was lying with. Thankfully, she managed to plant her feet firmly on the hardwood floors without disturbing the sleeping form beneath her. Moving onto the second step of her seemingly perfect plan, she attempted to wiggle the rest of her body free.

As soon as she managed to lift her upper body not even an inch before the arm previously around her pulled her back into them, hugging her tighter.

'Stay.' Mumbled the person in a groggy voice.

Even through the grogginess of the voice Alethea could still tell whose it was. Remus Lupin. Why the hell she was lying on top of her Professor with his arm snaked around her waist, she was unsure. Although she wasn't complaining, she wanted to know what the on earth happened during and after that bloody party last night. Clearly, even after she had sobered up significantly early this morning, she still couldn't recall last nights events yet.

Alethea decided that because something was still living on her head, that she would just stare at the worn down, brown leather couch she and Remus were lying on. Although it wasn't a very interesting to look at, it did give her time to try and sort out her memories of last night. She remembered everything up until Katherine's turn at Truth or Drink. She briefly recalled herself threatening Katherine, then storming out, and then she just walked through dark corridors for over an hour?

That did sound like something she would do if she didn't have her wand and she was drunk. Now that she thought about it, she could remember pieces of what happened. Remus must've found her wandering; proceeded to invite her in and try and sober her up with tea; then they talked about something, but Alethea couldn't remember what they were talking about before she must've fallen asleep.

Suddenly there was movement on her head, claws digging into her scalp slightly causing her to grimace. So it's alive. Alethea concluded to herself. Now she was quite scared to remove it from her head. But, it must be done, because she can't lie about all day with Remus (as much as she wants to). Mainly due to the plans she had with Estella and Adelyn to go into Hogsmeade for its first trip of the year.

Timidly, Alethea rose a hand to touch her head, it coming into contact with something furry. Definitely an animal. Hopefully whatever animal it was wouldn't bite her if she tried to lift, or shove it off. All depending on how much fight it put up. Using her right hand again, she felt around for the fluff ball's body. Finally locating its midsection, she grabbed it quickly, praying to Merlin it didn't attack her.