Heart Scars ||| Remus Lupin

Nineteen

Valentine's Day was just days away, and Adhara wished for nothing more than for it to just end.

She had never liked Valentine's Day, even when she had a date. Adhara had never been good at expressing her feelings, and she certainly never liked visiting Madam Puddifoot's. It was like Valentine's Day rotted peoples brains and turned them all gushy and gross.

"No date yet?" Severus asks as he settles into the seat beside her. They were in a dark corner of the Slytherin common room, hoping to go unnoticed by their friends. It worked, seeing as no one had approached them in quite awhile.

"No, but not for lack of boys trying, I've had twelve offers." She shakes her head as Severus' lips pull together in a small smile. That made her smile slightly, a smile from Severus was rare these days.

"Well, since everyone will be going to Hogsmeade anyway, I need ink, and I wouldn't mind grabbing a butterbeer, want to come with?" Severus asks.

"Are you asking me out on a date?" Adhara teases. She knows he isn't, he would never have eyes for anyone other than Lily Evans.

"Oh yes, I'm planning to take you to that ridiculous little tea shop and everything." He monotones, and Adhara makes a face.

"Too far." She stands from couch. Severus doesn't say anything, just shakes his head and looks out the window that shows the black lake.

///

The next few days are almost unbearable, and the morning of Valentine's Day is the worst. She watches as girls run around, trying to make last minutes changes to their appearance, and some are crying because of canceled dates. The boys were talking about who had the hottest date, and who was likely to get the most action. She had been disgusted when she heard that Sirius was voted most likely to get laid by his date.

"It's disgusting." Severus mumbles as he eyes the people in the great hall with distaste. He had always shared her views on Valentine's Day.

"It's horrendous." She says, loud enough for some girls to turn to her with a glare, only to stare at her wide eyed when they realized it was Adhara. Their cheeks immediately burned pink before they scurried away from her.

"Let's go." He says, and he grabs her arm to pull her out of the great hall. She follows him quickly, wanting to escape from her classmates.

///

"That was hilarious." Adhara laughs as Severus drags her into the three broomsticks. Severus doesn't comment on how loud she is, or how she's leaning into him for support, he's just relieved to hear her laugh for the first time since she came back from Christmas break. It was like she had become a shell of herself these past couple of months.

"Yes, especially when she threw the scalding hot tea in his face." Severus draws as he leads them to a table. Adhara rolls her eyes at his bored tone, and she lightly smacks his shoulder.

Severus pulls out her chair for her, and she grins.

"My my, such a gentleman. Pureblood boys could take notes from you." She points at him, and in turn he rolls his eyes.

"I'm going to get us butterbeers." He sighs, not replying to her, knowing she was trying to get a rise out of him.

Adhara looked around while she waited for Severus to come back. She spotted her twin, sitting with a blonde Hufflepuff seventh year. She quickly looked away as he looked up, hoping he hadn't seen her watching him.

Adhara's luck seemed to run thin, as the bell over the door rung, and the other three marauders walked in. They didn't seem to have dates, but as the girls in the pub eyed them, she knew it was their choice to go stag this Valentine's Day.