𝑼𝒏𝒃𝒓𝒐𝒌𝒆𝒏 (𝑒𝑛𝑔.) [𝑟. 𝑙𝑢𝑝𝑖𝑛]

7

"We would actually make a cute couple, Thompson."

I looked up from my homework, confused, and saw Bellmont grinning at me. "Over my dead body," I replied dryly. "That wasn't a question." His almost black eyes were fixed on me. "The answer is still no." I went back to my homework, but he didn't drop the topic. He sat down opposite me and put a hand on my book. I looked at him annoyed. "Do you want me to break your nose, or will you leave me alone of your own free will?"

The dirty grin turned into a confident, mocking smile. "You could use my help with those rumors." Now I pricked up my ears and sat down properly. Bellmont knew he had gotten my attention. I would love to beat the grin off his face, I thought to myself as I silently asked him to continue talking.  "Some Gryffindors think Lupin is treating you like this on purpose because you two are together." My blood froze in my veins. "Names, Bellmont," I growled. "Weasley, Wood and Granger," came the cheerful reply. "Is there something to that?" "Do I look like I would voluntarily get involved with a guy like that?"

My heart laughed at me, my head was silent knowingly. I have no idea how I managed to act like I didn't really want to end up on the list of Remus bed stories.

"Besides, that guy hates me. With all his heart," I added before I stood up. "He only likes his Gryffindors anyway." Bellmont nodded. "We could pretend we were together for the rest of the year." I couldn't stop my jaw from dropping. "Pure self-interest. You're in good standing with the Malfoys, and I want to go to the Ministry," he explained.  Politics was probably the only reason why you were friends with anyone in Slytherin. "Why should I help you?" I asked, eyeing him suspiciously.

"I know someone who could perhaps help you get rid of Dumbledore's magical blocks. We both know that this old man is far too afraid of you to give you all your magic back."

I had almost forgotten that Dumbledore had put magical handcuffs on me in my first year that made it impossible for me to use certain spells, especially those that were vital to survival in duels. Not even the Ministry knew about it and no one believed me, because Dumbledore, that arrogant bastard, had done it himself to protect others from me. He probably only wanted to protect himself.

"I will give you until the holidays to give me proof of your words, then I'll leave you with a huge drama." I held out my hand and he took it with a grin.  "I expected nothing else."

I don't know who was more shocked when Bellmont and I showed up together at the Yule Ball, which was held a week before the holidays as usual. There was no theme, which suited me very well, because in recent years there have always been absurd themes. I wore my favourite evening dress. It was black, with a slit on the side, the thin straps covered in rhinestones. For some reason, despite the magic, my hair was wavy and fell in light waves down my back. I didn't like looking so fine, but it was all part of the role I played at Hogwarts.

The majority of the Slytherins weren't even remotely surprised, but the rest of the older students, who probably still remembered our arguments from the past few years, looked at us in disbelief. Some of the teachers were also perplexed, shocked, but I could only laugh about it internally. None of it was real, it served as a means to an end for both of us.

Bellmont would get his job at the Ministry and I would finally be able to do magic without worrying. After all, there was still a mass murderer on the loose and a war was imminent, that could no longer be denied.

"That's a surprise." Oliver Wood and the Weasley twins showed up a little later that evening. "Chris informed me of your baseless accusations. Unfortunately, we were forced to make this public." I smiled slightly. "Excuse me, gentlemen." As quickly as I could, I retreated to the first prefect bathroom I found and took a shuddering breath. There wasn't enough alcohol at this event to get me drunk. With a sigh, I leaned on one of the sinks and took a deep breath.

I closed my eyes briefly and tried to imagine what Valerie would say. "You owe me an explanation." It wasn't my best friend who said these words, but they could have come from her. "I don't owe you anything, Rem."  I didn't have to look up to know that he was standing right behind me. His perfume and the warmth he always radiated were ever-present. The dim light in the washroom gave me the illusion for the moment that we were miles away from Hogwarts.

"What kind of game are you playing?" I felt his breath on my neck and was sure he could hear my heartbeat. I wanted to be honest with him, to tell him everything, but I couldn't. It wasn't just my life that depended on it, but also that of my family, which consisted of my two best friends. "Who says I'm even playing a game?" Remus turned me roughly to face him. My hair swirled in my face and a few strands caught on my lips. Annoyed, I wiped them out of my face and looked straight at him. The dilated pupils almost swallowed up the green. "Am I supposed to believe that you've been playing with this all the time..." Remus took a short breath, "Do you enjoy playing with me, Lina?" He asked, leaning his forehead against mine.

"As I said, I'm not playing a game. I'm honestly sorry if it came across that way..." The words died on my tongue as he kissed me.  A second - that was all it took to mute my head and give my heart absolute control. I knew right then that I would regret it, but I pulled him closer by the collar of his suit and kissed him back.

As quickly as the moment came, it was over. I didn't know how long we had been kissing, but I knew I wanted more of it. His pulse raced under my hand that was on his neck, he still held me tightly by the waist as if he was afraid I would run away. He could probably hear my heart beating while I prayed that he couldn't read my thoughts.

"Go home for Christmas." His voice was deeper than before. "Why should I?" I asked as innocently as possible. A grin crept onto his lips, which were covered in my lipstick. "I'm not very good at these spells that make a room soundproof," he said.  I tilted my head in confusion until I understood what he meant. My face turned red. I could only stare at him with my mouth open. "Unless your _boyfriend_ has something against it."

"Oh, I'd love to try to kill him again." I straightened my shoulders. I automatically fell back into the role of the ice princess. Anger boiled through my veins as I remembered my first year at school. "I should probably hold on to the memory to get through the rest of the year." "And you're sure you're not Black?" Remus let go of me and took a step back. "Sirius looked exactly like that when he was really pissed."

"Is that why you kissed me? Because I remind you of your lover?" It was meant to sound like a joke, but it came out more bitter than I had planned.  In a split second, Remus had me pinned against the vanity behind me and was glaring at me like he hated me to death. I could have sworn he even growled. "That's thin ice." "So I'm right. Wow. That's pathetic." I knew I'd just stirred up a hornet's nest, but I didn't seem to care about anything that night.

Remus was fighting against himself, that was obvious. "Shut up." He closed his eyes briefly, probably hoping I would comply. "I won't let anyone shut me up, Rem. Especially not you."  "We should go back to the ball before any more rumors start-" "Oh, don't worry about that, there are already rumors. Brothers Weasely and Wood are already busy spreading them because you're taking so many points off me and giving me detention. Why else do you think I'm pretending to be with Bellmont?" I interrupted him and pushed him away.

Two or three muttered spells and I looked as if nothing had happened again. Remus looked at me through the mirror. "Don't look like that. I'm not doing this for you. You're not a Slytherin orphan with questionable blood status who cast two forbidden curses on two classmates in your first year." I turned back to him. "You should probably wipe off your lipstick. It's not exactly your color." With a wink, I left him standing there and went back to the ball.