𝚂𝚠𝚎𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝 || Remus Lupin X Reader

Chapter Two: An Exchange of Sorts

Professor Lupin was very kind—truly a lovely man. He put up with my brash behavior, and even offered to help me. The least I could do was take him up on his offer.

So I did.

"Professor," I started, following Lupin throughout the halls. "What do you have planned?"

I knew we were going to the school library, but that was the extent of it.

What could Professor Lupin even do? It's not like he could magically heal my arm and convince McGonagall to let me back on the team... Well actually I suppose he could, since he's a wizard and all—but he definitely wouldn't. Something about messing up the natural healing process or whatever.

If you ask me, it's just a poor excuse to keep me from beating all the other houses into the ground. They didn't stand a chance really—with the perfect roster that the Gryffindors put together. Poor Oliver is probably crying himself to sleep over the fact that I can't be on the team.

He really did care quite a lot about the sport— We were similar in that aspect.

"My, my, have a bit of patience Y/n." Lupin glanced down at me. "I said we're going to the library, I'd be a fool to tell you the rest of my plan."

Professor Lupin was always relatively laidback, caring more about the wellbeing of his students— rather than a missing homework assignment. I'm sure he was prepared for my reluctance. After all, If I won I would be getting out of writing an essay.

"I'd prefer to go to the Quidditch field." I rolled my eyes. Lupin only seemed all the more amused.

His lips quirked upwards.

"Really? I never would've guessed." He chuckled. "Believe me, I'd get you back on the team if that were an option—but unfortunately it's not."

Lupin stopped walking to rub my shoulder and offer a sympathetic smile. It really did seem like he cared, at least a little bit. It was sweet.

While affection was not foreign to me, I still regarded it as special—cherishing the moments when someone decided to act nicely towards me.

I must admit...it was hard not to warm up around someone like Lupin.

I smiled at him.

"Sorry Professor, I'm just a bit stressed out." I began to feel a bit bad about being stubborn earlier—he was going out of his way after all. He didn't have to help me. He could've just ignored my sulking and politely asked me to leave class.

"That's why I'm helping you, is it not?" Lupin turned around and continued walking. "Let's hurry and get there before dinner."

There wasn't much talking between us while we walked the remaining steps to the library, just the occasional greeting from Professor Lupin to another student. The Hogwarts hallways were pretty quiet, given it was the last period of the day. Last period was when Quidditch practice was held—hence my free time. Unfortunately.

I suppose it was just pure luck that Lupin also had this period off, and pure luck that he wished to help me.

Pure luck that the library was deserted at this time of day.

Lucky indeed.

The Hogwarts library itself had a comforting ambience, similar to that of the Gryffindor common room. The chill of the air and the smell of the old books filled me with pleasant feeling in my chest. I smiled. That seemed to be a reoccurring theme today: smiling while I was with Lupin.