Miserable Without You (Harry Potter: Remus LupinXOC)

Chapter 13

It was a Hogsmede weekend and the Marauders, Lily, and Allison were all planning to go together. Their first stop was The Three Broomsticks for some butter beer. Allison was dressed a little warmer since the seasons were changing. She was wearing her favorite outfit, a gray sweater, red skirt, with matching accessories. Lily was also well dressed. The boys were in their casual clothes as well. Jeans and a t-shirt. Remus however was wearing a white button-up with brown suspenders to match his trousers.

They went into the shop and a tall, tanned man took their order, letting his eyes wander over the girls, which went unnoticed by them and Peter, but James, Sirius, and Remus were completely aware.

"For the gents and lovely ladies." He said as he set the mugs on the table. The girls thanked him and he moved back to the bar.

"That bartender is kinda creepy." James thought aloud. The boys nodded in agreement and the girls were too caught up in conversation to notice what they said.

Throughout their stay at The Three Broomsticks, the bartender was hanging around the girls, much to the boys' discontent and by now the girls had picked up on his intentions.

Prongs moved next to Lily and swung an arm over her, hoping that this move would make him back off. Then it was just Allison. His focus was on her and she felt extremely awkward now that they had all become aware of his advances. She was making sure that her skirt was pulled down, never meeting his eyes, and staying close to the boys.

They were all rushing to leave when they finished their butter beer, not leaving a tip for the bartender. They went to Zonko's next, James and Sirius bought dung bombs, hiccough sweets, and nose biting tea cups.

Next stop was Honeydukes. They all practically melted at the sweet smelling air. Lily went for the lollypops, followed by James, Sirius and Peter both moved to the sour section, and in the sweets section were Allison and Remus. The were in the same aisle. He was looking at the chocolates that she got him after his first full moon at the school. Allison was eyeing the caramel candies and decided to grab a few. Remus plucked a few bars of chocolate off of the shelf and followed Allison up to the front counter.

"I didn't know you liked caramel." Remus stated.

"It's one of my favorites kinds of candy." She smiled shyly.

"What are your others?" Remus inquired.

"I do love anything that tastes like oranges. I like real oranges even better though." She said feeling awkward. This explained why she smelled like citrus. Remus was smiling and urged her to continue.

"I also really like cinnamon. It is like a drug." She closed her eyes, imagining a tasty cinnamon stick.

"What about you? You can't just like chocolate." She quirked a brow.

"Well, other than chocolate, I like pumpkin pie. And an even better treat would be a chocolate and pumpkin pie hybrid." He said, using his hands for emphasis. Allison thought that he was adorably dorky. He had a crooked and awkward smile on his face that Allison thought was very handsome.

"Let me get those for you." He said, taking the candies from her hands.

"Oh Remus, you don't hav-"

"I want to." Remus looked to her. She was, not for the first or last time, captivated by his eyes. She blushed and nodded.

"Thank you." She said gratefully. He nodded and paid the cashier, leaving and heading up the path to the path that lead to the Shrieking Shack. There were a few other Hogwarts students looking from the fence at the old house.

The Marauders weren't exactly happy to be here, especially Remus, but Lily had insisted on seeing it. There were tales of ghosts screaming in the night. Some said that they heard them at Hogwarts. Allison believed in ghosts of course, but she didn't know how much she believed in the Shrieking Shack.

The boys knew the truth behind the story. It was really Remus. Every full moon, he went there to transform, and his screams would wake all of Hogsmede. It was a painful process he had to go through.

"Lets go and get a closer look." Lily said. She was eager to investigate the rumors. Is it really a ghost? She thought.

"That's not a good idea Evans." Sirius said solemnly.

"Don't tell me you're scared." Lily teases. Sirius only huffed. She confidently started the trek to the old rundown house.

"Lily wait!" James called. He looked over at Remus sympathetically before him and Sirius and Peter started to follow the redhead.

"You alright?" Allison asks, noticing his glum face.

"Yeah." He sighed. Allison grabbed his arm just above his elbow and leaned close to him. Remus felt his breathing hitch when she touched him. Allison then lead him up the hill to the old house.

The door was open and the pair figured that the others were inside. Allison sneezed as she breathed in dust. It was dull inside. There was a thick layer of dust covering everything and a musty smell hung in the air.

They heard voiced up the stairs and Allison pulled Remus along by his hand now. She took careful steps up the old stairs, them creaking beneath her weight. She noticed claw marks along the walls and she reached a hand out, running her fingers along the grooves.

Remus watched her with a frown, knowing the cause of the marks. He had a feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach and he was shivering from his nerves. He had never been here when it wasn't a full moon and he's anxiety was through the roof.

Allison felt his tight, sweaty grip on her hand and looked at him from a few steps below her. He was paler than usual and his eyes didn't have their normal glow.

"Lets go outside. It's kinda stuffy in here." She said. Remus agreed and stayed close to her as they headed out the way they came.

They sat on a grassy patch outside of the old house, looking up at it. They could see the others through a window on the second floor. They weren't paying much attention to them though.

"It's okay to be scared." She finally said.

"It wasn-It's just...that place. It's sad and gloomy. There is no happiness there." To many, they would have chalked up the words to be something a child would say. And Remus thought that maybe he was being a little childish, being so afraid of a house, but those walls keep his dark secret. Allison didn't completely understand the meaning behind the words, but all she needed to know was that Remus didn't want to go inside. That was good enough for her.

Allison placed a warm hand over Remus's and they look at each other. They didn't blush and turn away, they held eye contact. Remus was trying to read her mind though her chocolate eyes and she was trying to tell him, I'm here for you through his emerald eyes.

They were pulled away from each other when they heard chatter and footsteps coming out from the house. The boys and Lily came out, talking about the house.

"No ghosts."

"Creepy place."

"I wonder what could have cause those scratches."

They all thought this aloud. Remus and the other boys knew the answer, but the girls were still in the dark and confused. Remus prayed that Allison would never find out.