Chocolate Toast, Remus Lupin

Hate

"Come on Avery, it's just a day." Avery pulled the curtains around her bed back into place, blocking Lily out.

"Just let me wallow, Lily."

'Oh come on, we can go with the other girls and eat chocolate and shop."

"Please Lily, just leave me be."

Lily huffed. "Avery I will not let you rot away in here. It's Valentine's Day. Date or no date we can all hang out and share our love for each other."

"You can do that with the others. Please, Lily, I'll only drag you down today."

Lily thought for a moment and let out a defeated sigh. "I'll bring you back some chocolate, okay?"

"Thank you." Avery waited for the door to close before she threw the curtains open. Valentine's had turned into one of her least favorite days. She walked towards the window and pushed it open, allowing the cool breeze to fly in. Down below she could see people walking towards the carriages to go to Hogsmeade. Her mind went back to Theo.

The letter he had recently sent sat on her desk. Deciding she might as well she opened it.

Avery,

Happy Valentine's Day. I know our last meeting didn't go as you'd like but since the Prophet has gone out I think you're smart enough to figure out what's going on. If you want to see me, maybe talk, I'll be at the Hogs Head Inn from noon to one on Valentine's Day.

I know things ended badly last year, I know you probably still hate me, but we are to marry in less than a year and a half. I still love you, no matter my mistakes. Please, come to the Inn, let me start making up for my mistakes.

Love, Theo

Avery bit her cheek. It was ten and if she wanted to she could meet him. She remembered Valentine's Day last year, the quick kisses, the cooking, keeping cold hands warm. She threw the letter into her trash bin and flopped back onto her bed. Though she'd been feeling better, more, normal, today was an off day. She felt that coldness starting to seep back in.

She moved her arm to cover her eyes. "Merlin, save me."

Remus walked slowly up the steps toward the girl's dorm. Lily had run into him on her way out and told him Avery would be staying in today. Well, if she was staying in he was too. He knocked on the door, "Come in." Slowly he pushed it open. Avery lay on her bed, her hair spread around her like a halo.

"Lily said I'd find you here." Remus watched the girl as she moved her head to look at him. She was wearing one of James' hoodies and a pair of blue and bronze pajama pants. "You look comfortable."

"I am." Avery looked him over. He wore dark corduroy pants and a sweater. "Were you going to go to Hogsmeade today?"

"I was."

Avery sat up. "Why didn't you then?"

"I didn't want to leave you alone here."

"I wanted to be alone."

"Then we can be alone together."

Avery flopped back down and Remus joined her. The two stared up. "Can you believe we're almost done with school?"

"No. It's gone by too fast."

"It's weird for me to think we weren't friends until last year."

"I think we met at the right time."

Avery moved her head to look at him and he followed. "I don't. Maybe things could have been better, different if we'd met earlier."

"Better how?" Remus felt his stomach knot. Was she going to say what he was hoping?

"I don't know, maybe I could have felt better sooner, or we all could have been friends sooner. Maybe I wouldn't have made stupid mistakes like shutting the girls out, or dating Theo."

"How could that have stopped you from getting with Nott?"

"I probably would have listened to you all more, and I wouldn't have run out on you at Slughorns because I would have known you were a werewolf."

"Oh."

"I don't know, things happen for a reason I guess."

"Yeah, timing is everything."

Avery and Remus walked side by side to the great hall for dinner, meeting the others at the Gryfindor table. "Have fun today?" Sirius asked as the two sat down.

"As much fun as you can have staring at a ceiling all day," Remus replied.

Avery rolled her eyes. "I had a great time. Thank you for staying Remus."

The boy smiled down at her. "Any time Avery."