Determination|| Remus lupin

Chapter nine

Ariana sat in the three broomsticks, a mug of butterbeer in her hands. She was squished in between Sirius and James, who had both insisted on sticking with her since she and James had entered the three broomsticka, and so far, they had stuck to their word. Remus was sat opposite her, mug in one hand, book in the other. She found it strange how he delighted in staring at words on a page.
Peter was sat on James' other side, eating a cupcake.

"So that guy, was one of the people who kidnapped you?" James asked. She looked up from staring into her butterbeer and nodded.

"Yes." She mumbled.

"D'you think he's looking for you?" Sirius came in with the next question. She sighed, but answered his question anyway.

"It's possible." She said.

"Do you thi-" James was cut off by Remus.

"Guys, drop it." He told them. They did so, allowing Ariana to go back to staring at her butterbeer.

"You know if you take your eyes off it, it won't disappear." Sirius whispered to her. She looked at him.

"Thanks Sirius." She said sarcastically. He looked at her in surprise, sarcasm was not her usual way of speaking.  With a rather stressed-sounding sigh, she got up and walked out of the three broom sticks. She was halfway back to the castle when Remus caught up with her.

"You ok?" He asked her, his voice full of concern.

"I'm fine." She answered, shrugging and almost ignoring his concern. Anyone could see she was not okay.

"Really?" He knew she was lying, and he cared enough to want to make sure she was okay.

"No." She finally opened up to him, he awkwardly put an arm around her. She accepted the gesture with a small smile.

"What's wrong?" He asked her gently.

"Remus, it is not a thing I particularly like to admit too. I'm scared." She admitted.

"You don't have to be scared, oh have us." He told her. She laughed lightly.

"Why thank you." He could tell she was begginging to feel better about things.

They entered the castle side by side.
"Come on." Remus said, stopping halfway up the stairs, when he noticed she wasn't coming with him. She sighed, but followed him.

"Where are we going?" She asked him. He smiled at her.

"You'll find out." He told her. She looked apprehensive, but went with him anyway.

They entered the library and she followed him to one of the very back corners. There it was quiet and serene and a nice place to be.

"Why are we here?" She asked him quietly.

"I thought you'd appreciate the quiet." He answered. She nodded and they sat down in the corner.

"Remus?" She asked a while later. He looked down at her.

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

He smiled at her and nodded his head slightly.
"No problem."

Remus smiled as she leaned her head on his shoulder.
"You're safe here, you know that right?" He told her.

"I know. I am sorry for he way I acted earlier. It was most... unlike me." She murmured.

"No, no it's not your fault. You were scared." He told her. She smiled at him and he seemed surprised as she put her hand in his.

"Ariana?" He looked back down at the girl to find out that she was crying.
"Hey, it's okay, you're okay." He put his arms around her, allowing her to cry into his chest.

"I'm sorry." She apologised, he sighed and looked down at her.

"It's fine." He told her. "Do you want to go back to the common room?"

She shook her head, he nodded and unwilling unwrapped his arms from around her, allowing her to sit next to him. She rested her head on his shoulder.

"Why were you so scared?" Remus asked a while later, he heard her sigh, but she didn't move her head.

"Professor Dumbledore told me that they're still looking for me." She told him, she was tracing circles into his palm with one hand, whilst the other held the back of his hand, keeping it still so she could trace circles.

"Why are they still looking for you? I would have thought that if they lost you, they would have given up." Remus sat up straight, in shock. She looked up at him, surprised at the anger on his face.

"If they try to hurt you, I will kill them Arie, I promise." He added, she was surprised at the determination and anger in his voice, but then she smiled at him and shook her head.

"I don't want you to get hurt Remus." She told him.

"Arianna-" she cut him off by wrapping her arms around his middle.

"You're far too important for that. So many would be truely distraught to lose you." She added. He bit his lip to stop the smile spreading across his face and hugged the girl back.

"Including you?" He asked a sly expression fleeting across his face.

"Including me." She confirmed. He grinned, holding her tighter to him. "Better?" She asked after their hug had turned into more of a cuddle.

Remus could only nod. He would have done something else, in fact he was about to lean towards her when she disentangled herself from him, stood up and offered him her hand.

"The others will be worrying." She told him. He sighed, but got up and followed her. Deciding that there would be other times for expressing his feelings for Ariana Dumbledore. After all, they had much time to spend together.