And There Were Always Two... - oc x r. lupin & oc x s. black

- 13 -

Ashley sat next to Lupin during potions. They were brewing a potion. She was watching Mavis try and spoon-feed Sirius their Befuddlement Draught, inching further and further onto his lap as he squirmed away with a grin on his face. Ashley glanced at Potter behind them, looking sadly at the two.

"They're quite a pair," Remus commented.

"Mavis is usually a little more modest," she answered darkly.

"Can't blame her, Sirius is good-looking and sought after. I've seen shyer girls do worse in his presence."

Ashley gagged and looked back at their cauldron. Remus was stirring clockwise. Once he was done, they bottled it. He gave it to Slughorn, who said something to him. Remus turned around and flashed a thumbs-up to Ashley.

"We can go," Remus told her, slinging his bag over his shoulder.

Ashley nodded, grabbing her own bag.

They stepped out of the classroom. Ashley was about to leave when Remus grabbed her shoulder.

"Oi," he called, gaining her attention. "Do you want to go read together by the lake? I know a good spot."

Ashley, who was going to go read in her secret nook, found the offer quite tempting. She nodded.

Remus grabbed her hand and pulled her along. Soon they broke free of the castle and were running across the grass to the Black Lake. He led her to a large tree with a nice mossy alcove in its roots.

Ashley and Remus sat down on the ground. From her bag, Ashley pulled out her current book and a jar of honey. Remus had his own book and some chocolate. They nestled into the roots of the tree.

"You should try dipping it," Ashley said, offering him her honey jar.

Remus broke off a piece of chocolate and scooped some of the thick honey. He had a bit of trouble. Ashley liked her honey thick and grainy with sugar. When he finally got some on his chocolate he put it in his mouth and he melted.

"That is the best thing I've had... ever..."

Ashley smiled. Remus really was one chocolate-loving idiot.

"Here," Remus said, breaking off another piece. "Try some."

He scooped some honey and brought it to her mouth. His eyes were on his hand, and hers were on his face. She opened her mouth and took the chocolate and suppressed a moan. She closed her eyes as she let the flavour soak in.

"It tastes like childhood," she breathed.

At that moment she noticed that they were sitting shoulder to shoulder, hip to hip. His warmth was radiating against her.

"Your sister said something about you eating honey-dipped chocolate when you were younger, what was that about?" Remus asked, folding his book in his lap.

Ashley's cheeks burned as they flushed into a pink colour.

"Just after you told me about your lycanthropy, and I reacted... terribly, I missed you. Your parents wouldn't let me into your house and you didn't come out of it. My mum tried to coax me into telling her what happened, but I wouldn't give up your secret. I still never have. I missed you so much that I started eating chocolate just to feel like you were still there. One time I dropped it into a pot of honey my mum had out. From then on I ate chocolate, dipping it into honey. At one point I ran out of chocolate and just ate honey straight from the jar. Now I eat honey religiously. I don't know why, it has nothing to do with you, but it's still something sentimental."

Remus listened to the girl tell him her story, her eyes glimmering with tears. He wrapped his arm around her and she sniffed.

"Promise me you won't let me run away from you again?" he asked.

"Promise," she mumbled. "And I promise not to be so selfish again."

"You weren't selfish, you were young and scared."

"And selfish," Ashley piped up.

"Oh stop it," Remus chuckled.

Ashley smiled a bit and buried her face in his shoulder to stop herself from laughing. She sniffed again and wiped her eyes against his sweater.

"Are you wiping your nose on me?" Remus asked jokingly.

Ashley sat up and slapped him with the sleeve of her overly-long sweater. Remus just laughed.

"Don't you make fun of me," she scolded him. "Can't you see I'm in distress!"

"Oh, are you?" Remus asked in a posh voice. "I couldn't tell!"

Ashley lifted her thick book to thwack him over the head, but he blocked the blow with his arm. In a swift motion, he took the book from her. She reached after it as he held it up, almost climbing on top of him.

Remus scrambled to his feet and so did she. He was significantly taller and there was no way Ashley could get the book as he stretched his arm up. She jumped up and down in a futile attempt to get it back.

"Give it back, you toothpick!" Ashley commanded.

"Toothpick?" Remus asked, raising a brow.

"Yes," she said, putting her hands on her hips. "Toothpick."

Remus put his arm down and offered her the book, but pulled it away as she tried to grab it, "Promise not to hit me with it?"

She nodded and he gave her the book back, mussing her hair.

They settled back into their spot in the tree roots. Ashley lay leaning against Remus this time, her knees bent up to prop up her book, while he used the tree as his back-rest.

"Do we have any classes left?" Ashley mumbled, yawning.

"No, potions was our last class."

She hummed a response.

A few minutes later, she was asleep with her head on his shoulder and her book collapsed onto her stomach. Remus wrapped an arm around her and kept reading.