Rose Petals ✿ Remus Lupin - Discontinued :(

Chapter 17

The last few weeks of school for the second year Gryffindors were stressful, to say the least. The exams were much harder than last years' and the professors were running around to all of them to make sure they had their extra classes for next year picked out. Belle chose Care of Magical Creatures and Arithmancy as she loved muggle math and always had a knack with animals.

Spring Holiday had gone over well, as Belle, Eileen, and Sirius had stayed at the castle. They didn't do much, never actually left the common room other than to eat and get a breath of fresh air on Wednesday. Nothing extraordinary happened, and Belle was completely okay with that.

Belle and Remus had managed to escape the other frazzled members of their friend group, who were all doing something last minute. Lily and Snape were off who-know's-where writing their Potions essay, James and Sirius were doing last minute revising, as it was Sunday, and Peter, Eileen, and Rose were all crammed in the library studying for their Herbology exam. Only Belle and Remus seemed to be perfectly caught up and studied.

The two had chosen to take a rather long walk around the campus, admiring it's beauty and taking in every last detail. Next year was going to be even more busy than this one was, with extra classes and more homework, but it also meant Hogsmeade, and being closer to becoming an upperclassmen. She couldn't wait until she was no longer looked down upon by the other students. 

"Rose had her first kiss." Belle sighed, looking out at the lake as they passed by. Remus turned to the girl, nodding.

"James informed us. Said it was something brilliant."

"Really? Rose said it was disgusting."

Remus chuckled, furrowing his brows as he squinted from the harsh sun glaring into his brown eyes.

"Seems like our subjects had very different views on the topic."

"Yea. I hope whoever I have my first kiss with won't think of it as disgusting. That'd just crush me quicker than you can say disappointment." Belle chewed on the inside of her cheek. "It's going to be different next year."

"The classes will-"

"No. Not the classes- I mean, yea, there will be more work, but we are going to change."

"We didn't change last year, why would we now?" Remus asked.

"We'll be thirteen, well- I'll be thirteen. You're already an old geezer." Belle laughed, making Remus smile in return. It was true, his birthday was in March, so he'd already turned thirteen, but he didn't feel much different. It felt good to be a teeneger, mentally, but he truly didn't see a change.

"Some fifth years told me that everything changes in third year. Friendships break apart, relationships form, and lives start to path themselves out."

"Nothing will happen to us, Belle. Not if I have anything to do with it." Remus assured, shooting his friend a small smile. "I promise."

"Remus?" Belle turned to look at him, only to seeing him already looking at her.

"Hm?"

"Thanks for being my friend."

"It was my pleasure."

The train ride was scarily similar to last years, as in no-one wanted to depart. Belle had no want to go back home as she did last summer, all she wanted to do was stay with the people that loved her and made her smile, and right now, she wasn't feeling it with her father.

"Do we have to leave?" Eileen whispered, staring at the floor as the train pulled into the station. Sirius jabbed his thumb in her direction, agreeing with her.