I Already Know | Remus Lupin | Marauders Era

26

bit of a long un'
and no gif bc i'm not on my laptop

Robyn couldn't sleep. It was Thursday night and Remus would be arriving to 'talk' the next morning. Robyn had been rehearsing her apology and explanation for days but she just couldn't seem to find a painless way of saying: 'my blood-related uncle was the person you infected you with a murderous curse when you were a toddler...still like me?'. As her father had told her countless times, she had no involvement in any of it and had never even come into contact with her uncle, but that didn't stop the small girl from picturing Remus' heartbroken face followed by the words: 'Never speak to me again you evil, soul-sucking devil.'

Of course Remus was the most incredibly forgiving and loving person she had ever met but she was absolutely terrified of him hating her. She had never had a boyfriend before but she was sure that even if she had, they wouldn't compare to Remus. He was warm and loving but she knew that if it came to it, he would protect her with his life. Not to mention he was very, very attractive. He wasn't typically handsome, like Sirius who made girls trail after him and fall at his feet, but there was something about him. His floppy hair and kind eyes were endearing but his scars and muscles made him seem more of a rebel than he really was. Robyn thought he was the most beautiful boy in the world and could spend hours just admiring him.

At 4am, Robyn decided that sleep was fruitless and got out of bed, creeping to the half-finished mural in the conservatory, hoping that painting would take her mind off it. Robyn wasn't much of an avid artist but had certainly inherited a good knack for it and often helped her father with some of his works. The time flew by as Robyn painted intricate details on bird feathers and cherry blossom trees and before she knew it, her dad was passing her a cup of tea and some toast. The small family painted together, chatting and laughing as the large mural really came together. Robyn was humming to herself and painting rays of sun on the surface of a lake when Tim nipped off to get some more drinks. Any worries had drifted from her mind as she contentedly watched her paintbrush glide along the wall.

"Oh, hello, son! Of course, come in come in!" Tim's cheery voice filled the house and Robyn froze, her paintbrush falling from her fingers and landing on the splattered canvas lining the floor. "She's just in the conservatory." she heard her dad say and sprung up from her crouched position and dashed to the nearest mirror, wincing at her sleep-deprived face before straightening out her hair and crumpled clothes. She went back into the conservatory to see Remus admiring the painting. Tim was stood beside him, pointing out all the parts Robyn had painted, "She did that bird there...ooh, and these flowers, and the majority of that lake to be honest."

"I never knew she could paint." Remus breathed as his eyes raked the exquisite mural,

"One of my many secrets." Robyn said awkwardly from the doorway and both of them turned to look at her. The young couple stared at each other, Robyn searching Remus' face for a look of contempt as he just drank in her features. Tim stood there looking at them for a while before realising he should probably make himself scarce,

"What was that? I think the other person in this house who is definitely here in this house said my name from somewhere in this house...COMING OTHER PERSON THAT'S DEFINITELY HERE!" he shouted before sprinting out of the room. Robyn cleared her throat and gestured for Remus to sit down on the sofa as she went over to the armchair. She sat with her hands on her knees, her hair forming a curtain over her red face.

"Ro, come and sit next to me." Remus said somewhat exasperatedly and Robyn's head snapped up,

"Oh...right." she muttered and walked over to the sofa, still sitting far too properly. Remus rolled his eyes and grabbed her hand, pulling her into his side and wrapping his arms around her,

"Give me a fucking cuddle, you plonker." he grumbled and Robyn smiled, nestling into his chest. She realised he was still rather grumpy from the full moon the night before and didn't know whether that was a good thing or a bad thing. "I missed you." Remus whispered and Robyn tightened her grip on his shirt, "Even though you lied to get out of seeing me." he muttered and Robyn pulled back, biting her lip guiltily,

"I expect you want to know what that was about?" she asked,

"Would be nice." Remus said icily and Robyn took a deep breath,

"I did want to see you, I really did but I found something out this summer and I didn't want to tell you straight away. It's something I never knew and if I had I would've told you straight away but I was really scared about your reaction because-"

"Get on with it, Ro." Remus rolled his eyes but a small smile played at his lips at the cute sight of Robyn rambling,

"Right, ok ok." Robyn nodded her head and cast her eyes downwards. "I found out why my dad painted a werewolf on the back of the house." she said and she practically felt Remus become more interested but kept her eyes on the floor, "It turns out my Dad has another sibling, a brother who didn't react too kindly to Aunt Lucy being a witch. He ran away from home and nobody heard from him until my dad saw him on the front of the Daily Prophet." Robyn finally looked up and saw Remus frowning heavily. Her eyes filled with tears as she looked at the scars decorating Remus' face, "My uncle became a werewolf," she whispered and Remus' eyes widened, "And his name is Fenrir Greyback." Robyn finished and Remus reared back. His jaw had dropped and his brow furrowed in confusion as he stared out in front of him. Robyn now has tears streaming down her cheeks, "I remembered straight away who he was and I-"

"Your uncle," Remus began and Robyn bit her lip, "Turned me into a werewolf?" he ran his hands through his hair and Robyn muffled a sob with her fist. She reached forward to try and hold his hand but Remus jerked out of her reach. "You're related to the man that made me the fucking monster that I am?"

"I'm so sorry, Rem." Robyn said through tears, "This is why I didn't want you to know."

"You were going to keep it from me?" he faced her furiously and Robyn let out another sob. She buried her face in her hands and her shoulders shook. After a few minutes of silence she lifted her head and wiped her eyes.
"
I'm sorry." she repeated thickly and pulled the jumper she was wearing over her head, handing it to Remus. He looked confused,

"Why are you giving me my jumper back?"

"I figured you'd want your things back." Robyn said and stood to leave the room but Remus grabbed her wrist,

"Why would I want that?"

"Because you're leaving me." Robyn's bottom lip wobbled and Remus' lips parted,

"Are you insane?" he asked and Robyn shook her head,

"Why would you want to stay with someone who has the same blood running through her veins that turned you into what you hate?" she wept and Remus was speechless, "I don't blame you for-"

"I'm not leaving you, Robyn!" Remus put his hands on her arms and she frowned,

"Y-you're not?" she sniffed and Remus shook his head furiously,

"None of it was your fault! You didn't even know!"

"But- But it was my relative."

"But it wasn't you. Robyn, you weren't any part of it! As far as I'm concerned, you're one of the only people willing to accept this part of me! I would never leave you, Ro...I love you." Remus finished and Robyn's eyes widened. Her lips parted slightly as Remus stared at her, waiting for a reaction. She felt a rush of warmth through her veins and butterflies erupted in her stomach. Remus loved her. He loved her. Not anyone else...her.

"I love you too." she whispered and Remus grinned, pulling her into him and kissing her strongly. Robyn wrapped her hands around his neck and returned it. She loved him. She did. She loved everything about him. He took up all of her thoughts. And, unlike anything in the world, he blocked anyone else's. When Robyn was thinking of Remus, she didn't hear anybody's thoughts in her head. Robyn was completely in love. She was consumed by it. And she had never been happier.