She was darkness and absolutely no good for him. As the child of a vampire and a pureblood witch Karina was bred to be hungry for power and success. One could argue that a werewolf is undoubtedly darkness as well, but for Remus it is darkness of circumstance. He didn't ask for the wolf to overtake him every month; he didn't want the hunger for dominance that came with the change. Werewolves and vampires rarely fall in love with anyone, let alone with another creature of darkness.
The first time Remus saw her was in the great hall during her first year sorting. As a second year he was impatiently waiting for the hat to make it's final howl so he could eat dinner. It was only a few days from the full moon and he was ravenous. His friends sat beside him trying to guess students houses before they were called.
"That must be another Mclaren! Can't duplicate those bottle nose glasses." Peter snickered.
"All the better to see you with." James recalled a line from a muggle childrens story.
"Enough with the muggle studies rubbish. If you ever get in Evans pants I'm sure..." Sirius drawled.
At this moment Remus stopped listening to his friends. His drumming fingers froze on the table, while his head shot out of his hand. From across the room his chocolate eyes found ice. Pale blue eyes flickered to him and lingered. He could smell her. Lilacs, sweet apricots, and vampire. A scent he couldn't clearly define but that he knew all the same. He had several run ins with the species during nights of changes in the woods near his parents home. It was a diluted version of the vampire smell he was accustomed to and he assumed she was a half breed. She had to be to step under the sorting hat within these walls.
After a moment the line of first years moved forward and Karina forced herself to look away from him. A werewolf at Hogwarts. The wolves she knew were rabid when they changed. She could not fathom how a werewolf could live safely among so many people. Dumbledore was a kind of compassionate she thought of as insane. He took in werewolves like him, vampires like her, even a dark wizard like you know who. As her name was called she pulled herself onto the stool and decided that she was even more intrigued with the headmaster than before.
"Slytherin!" The hat's decision was swift for Karina.
He was a Gryffindor. She was a Slytherin. House unity was always encouraged, but as impending war closed in on the wizarding world a divide formed quickly between houses in Hogwarts. That day of sorting marked the first of many stolen glances and lingering stares. Each would pause when they could smell the presence of the other. If one was studying in the library the other would leave. Remus would breathe deeply when he caught her scent. Karina would inhale sharply when she sensed him.
Karina never shared what she knew about him with any of her friends. She wasn't sure why. After all, his darkness would be an asset in the war. The war she wanted no part of, but it was her duty to support. Her father was an elite vampire negotiating alliances with the darkest of wizards. Her mother was a firm beleiver of be the best or don't be anything at all. As far as her mother was concerned the dark side would be the winning side since they had the fastest growing power. She supposed she felt like she owed Remus protection. For just as Karina kept quiet about the wolf, he kept quiet about the bloodsucker.
He couldn't say he liked her. He didn't even know her. All he knew, aside from her scent, was that he was supposed to hate her. His friends were against everything she and her friends families stood for. He once tried to point out to his friends that Sirius held near polar opposite opinions than his family. Peter and James insisted the point was moot because Sirius was a rare exception. And so Remus spent four years watching her glossy black hair weave through throngs of students; everytime she passed by he wondered how she controlled the animalistic urges she must have within her.
She was a 5th year and he was in 6th when they finally exchanged words.
Remus was lounging on a cot in the hospital wing, waiting for a drought to kick in for his sprained ankle. It was a wolf induced injury he had acquired the night before. Earlier that year his friends had defied the odds and become animagus by thier own skill and tireless research. Since his friends had started changing with him he was much more managed on full moon nights. Aside from the wounded ankle he had just a few scratches littered along his body. He had a small, leather bound book in his hands, his eyes stitching together as he read.
"Must be a good read." she implored softly, brushing aside the curtain between thier cots with fingernails painted the color of crimson.
"I've read better." Remus responded without missing a beat.
"Is that from the shelf by the door?" She was referring to the shelf of abandoned library books Madame Posur kept for guests to read. "They are atrociously outdated."
His eyes found hers as he looked away from his line. "So, you've read them all?"
"I've had plenty of time to kill here." As if he never noticed her in the room with him before. Sometimes with just one curtain betweem them, as was the case now. She could smell him anywhere and she was sure he could do the same with her.
"What's the occaision this time?" Remus asked, the corners of his lips turning up knowingly.
"I tried to take down a deer. Evidently I am not that skilled yet."
"That was blunt." Remus was surpised that Karina had not only aknowledged her vampirism, but also admitted to acting on the predatory instincts she surely must have.
"I didn't need to do it. I just wanted to prove to myself I could. Obviously I need more practice..." she studied his face, "or should I blame you for spooking him right into me?" She smirked seductively.
Her smile sent shivers down his spine. She was predatory without a doubt. A small wave of darkness, the kind that always seemed to accompany vampires, filled his nostrils, followed by lilac and apricots; so sweet and pure.
Blame it on the draught, blame it on her pretty face, blame it on Remus' hormones going wild at the end of the month, as he found himself blurting out, "Come to Hogsmeade with me tomorrow? We can always escape to the shreiking shack if you're not scared of the dark."
Karina was pleasantly surprised by his flirting. She knew he was too good for her, his darkness buried safely deep inside of him after the full moon. She knew she should leave him be, for his own safety and hers, but she was drawn to him. His earthy, musky, pine needle scent was even more intoxicating within arms reach as it had been at a distance. She ached to nuzzle his neck and drink it in. To her chagrin that would be one of those predatory things she was trained to control. But she couldn't contain her hormones as she responded breathily, " I would like that."
"I'll swing by to pick you up at 10 tomorrow." Remus told her confidently.
As the doors to the hospital wing rattled open three other gryffindors barrelled in. His friends, James, Sirius, and Peter, Karina noted. In an instant she remembered why she had underestimated Remus' capacity for boldness. His friends were incredibly rambunctious. Locking eyes with his one last time she dropped the curtain between them and retreated back to her cot.
"Remus are you ready to go yet?" Peter started.
"Mate, we have big plans for tomorrow's trip!" The glee in James voice was evident.
"Prongs we are not buying anymore..." Remus cut Sirius off, "Actually you lot will have to go without me. I have a date."
Peter looked incredulous, "How do you get all the girls Moony!? I swear..."
"Now, now, we all know I'm the one who knows how to handle the birds. I know how to get them between the sheets. Moony if you need any pointers..."
"He does not need any advice from you Padfoot. How many times have you been called a wanker in the past 24 hours? You dirty mongrel," laughed James.
Karina listened to thier easy banter for at least another hour as Remus' draught finally wore off. As they left she concluded that she was in way over her head. Gryffindors were nothing like Slytherins. Vampires were nothing like werewolves. And yet, as she thought of his teasing grin coupled with the hunger in his eyes, she couldn't help but wonder if they may not be so different after all.