Dana Diggory is led deeper into the depths of temptation as she forms an unlikely bond with her new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor during a whirlwind of her final year at Hogwarts.
Little does she know that Remus Lupin's growing fondness fo...
THE DAYS AFTER DWINDLED BY and the distance between Dana and Remus grew. There was a feeling inside of her, an instinct which told her something was off. He had been acting strange for the past few days— no more sessions, no exchange of subtle smiles in the hallways. He simply refused to look at her, and Dana feared what was going to happen before it even did.
By the time Wednesday came, she couldn't bare the unexplained distance between them any longer, and she decided to confront him after class.
"Whatever's going on, tell me. You— me— this— it's driving me mad." said Dana, gesturing between them. Lupin was sat at his desk, wearing the same troubled expression he had sported all week.
Head bowed, he stood from his chair and took a black travelling cloak from the rail.
"Take a walk with me?" he requested, and Dana eventually nodded yes.
They strolled the grounds without a word shared between them until they were halfway along the bridge, wandering down the wonky panelled floorboards. When he was certain that no one was around, Remus stopped and rested against the bannister opposite her, staring out into the distance.
The chirping of birds grew quieter, the clouds drawing in. A hazy grey mass formed above them and a rumble erupted high in the sky. Within all but minutes, a light mist began to fall.
"If you've got something to say, just say it." Dana spoke up, breaking the chilling silence between them.
A weighted sigh escaped Remus's lips, his back still turned to her, "I can't do this anymore."
"You can't do what?" her voice cracked like thin ice beneath her feet, giving way as she landed into a pool of freezing water that stole her breath.
"I was wrong when I said I could be yours, Dana, because I can't... I just can't."
Though she had been expecting it, nothing could compare to actually hearing it. Dana took in a gulp of air, still feeling as though she were underwater. His back remained turned on her, knuckles growing whiter as he gripped onto the railing in front of him. She felt herself becoming angry.
If he was going to do this, he should at least have the balls to say it to her face.
"We should never have let this escalate. I was out of my mind thinking this could work— it was a weakness, a temptation." he said, voice monotone and placid as though void of all feeling.
"I told you I didn't want to get hurt, and you still let things get more serious between us anyway! You— you coward." Dana's heart raced faster and she scrunched up her face. "You know what, Remus, it's not the moon that makes you a monster. You do that yourself."
