Getting washed away in you II Remus Lupin x Fem! Reader

𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒆𝒆

12th of April 1912

Walburga Black was absolutely fuming. She was clenching her cup of tea in her hands, a scowl present on her lips. Her face was white as a sheet, dark circles clouding her eyes.

Regulus cleared his throat, putting down his own cup of tea. "Did you sleep well, mother?"

She turned her head towards him, almost getting a whiplash. "You shut it! You knew what they were up to!"

"What were they up to, mummy?" he replied innocently, doe eyes staring at her.

A fire ignited insider her gaze and she almost slammed down the cup when Y/N entered the room, a soft smile on her lips and a far away look in her eyes, a kettle in her hands. She was wearing her maid uniform, the apron already stained yellow. Walburga pinned her down with her venomous gaze, eyebrows pinched together. "Should I bring more sugar, ma'am?" Y/N inquired.

"No." replied Walburga sweetly. "Why won't you take the morning tea with us, dear?"

Y/N froze, the kettle stuck in midair. "Oh, I couldn't-"

"Sit." commanded Walburga, watching every move.

Y/N swallowed thickly, turning to look at Regulus, who was staring into his cup, avoiding eye contact with her. A shiver went up her spine and she almost turned around, leaving everyone in the dust, but she slowly sat down, the soft pillow of the chair almost swallowing her whole. "There you go." said Walburga, smiling enticingly. "Why won't you pour yourself some tea?"

Y/N started shaking her head, but Walburga's gaze turned cold. With trembling hands, she let the tea fall swiftly into a cup. She didn't bring the cup to her lips, letting the liquid simmer and the steam rise up into the air.

"Drink. It's not poisoned, dear."

The young girl tried to meet Regulus' gaze, but he was looking everywhere but at the exchange.

"I said drink." scowled Walburga.

Y/N brought the cup to her lips, wincing when the hot tea burned her tongue.

"You're one of us now." added Walburga coldly.

Y/N almost choked. She brought a hand to her mouth, coughing. "I'm sorry?"

Walburga laughed bitterly. "You sure behave like us. Wearing my clothes and jewelry? Eating like the rich? Can you imagine? A mere maid sitting at a table with my son, wearing my clothes? Eating on my money?"

All the colour left Y/N's cheeks. She fumbled with the cup, lowering it on the table. She couldn't move, she couldn't hear anything but Walburga's strident voice.

"Your mother was nothing but a servant, a slave. She didn't disobey me and nor should you and-"

At the mention of her mother, Y/N saw red before her eyes. "Excuse me?!"

"Excuse you?! I'm most certainly not excusing you and if you think-"

"How dare you?" Y/N hissed.

Walburga's eyebrows raised above her hairline. "I beg your pardon?"

Y/N raised to her feet slowly, meeting Walburga's intimidating gaze. "How dare you treat me this way? I've been the most loyal, the most patient! I've cleaned your sheets, cooked you and dressed you and you've been treating me like some- like some disease! I've never even looked you in the eyes, afraid you'd dust me away and burn me alive, as if I'm nothing more than leaves in the wind! Shame on you. Shame on you because you didn't know how to respect someone who respected you!"

Walburga's nostrils flared and her face got all red. "You ungrateful child! I raised you like my own!"

Y/N scoffed. "You raised me?! You didn't do anything but left me to pick myself every time. You're nothing but a pathetic excuse of a woman."

"That's it, you're fired!"

Y/N raised her chin proudly and straightened her back. "No."

"No?"

"No. Because I quit." She undid the bow at the back o her apron, crumpling it up and throwing it in Walburga's lap. "Have a good day, ma'am."

Walburga gasped, shockingly turning to her younger son and finding him smiling at Y/N, a twinkle in his eyes. "I'm sorry, Regulus." she heard Y/N say softly before her footsteps announced her retreatment.

The room remained quiet long after she was gone.

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Remus knocked on her door twice before she opened it, smiling. He was holding a basket full of fruits, sandwiches and a bottle of white wine. A notebook was sticking outside of his pants' pocket. Eyes shining and giggling, Y/N closed the door behind her and stepped out into the hallway. "What are you doing here?"

"I heard you ditched the hag. It calls for a celebration, love."

She laughed, lightly punching him in the chest. "You cheeky-"

Remus leaned down to whisper in her ear. "Sirius helped me with the food. Let's not waste it."

She looked up at him and nodded. "I know a spot."

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The stars were twinkling much like they did that first night, but this time they seemed to whisper sweet nothings and promising futures. Y/N was lying down her back, across the deck, staring up at the sky, her maroon skirt ruffled slightly by the breeze. The food was long forgotten, the bottle of wine long drank empty.

She was staring up at a sky and he was staring at her.

"I wrote you a poem." he announced quietly, afraid to break the serenity.

Her breath got stuck in the throat and she slowly turned her head towards him. He was looking at her like she was the only star in the never ending sky. Like she was the moon in the night and the sun in the morning. "I wrote you a poem." he repeated, worried she didn't hear him the first time.

"Read it to me?" she murmured, noses touching.

Remus opened his mouth, starting to recite it by heart, his voice filling the silence between them.

"You're a sculpture in the palm of my hand

Marble lips and bronze fingertips

You're the finest art to ever lay eyes on,

And you would bring artists on their knees.

You're the first sunrise and the last sunset

A portrait of violet and golden sunshine.

Let me be the brush to paint you with,

Let me be the one to bring you alive and colour you in.

I'm getting washed away in you,

I can only hope you are too."

She sighed blissfully, finding the air she needed. She got closer, lips barely brushing before her hands found his shirt's collar. For a moment, everything was stilled. The waves didn't hit the ship's sides anymore, there weren't any more violin sounds coming from inside, there wasn't any wind to nick at their skin. Just them.

Remus found her waist and brought her closer, lips finding lips, eyelashes fluttering against cheeks, hearts beating. "Thank you." she whispered against him, once the kiss was sealed.