"Remus, please!"
"No, it has to be this way."
"You can't –"
"It's over, Hermione. I'm so sorry."
"It doesn't matter. I just want you."
"This is the last time we will see each other."
"I love you."
"I love you too."
6 months later
Sun sprays out on to the London footpath and Remus saunters down to the nearest pub, flowers dangling outside the blue front door. Keeping his sunglasses over his eyes, he creeps to the back and slides through a door. Even through the dark hall which follows, he strolls on blind. At the end, there is a crackling door and an even more damaged man at a desk.
"Remus."
Remus nods.
"Jack."
Jack scrapes open a drawer of the desk, ruffles out something in to his hand and slaps it in to Remus'. Remus looks and smiles.
"For nothing, Remus. Consider it a favour."
"Thanks, I owe you."
Remus starts the hall again, with a feeling of swimming through the dark.
Tonight will be a good night he thinks, pushing the neat plastic packet full of pills in to his pocket.
…..
"What you wearin' tonight Herm?"
"Not sure, you?"
"Thinkin' this."
Standing in her underwear, Lexi holds up a short purple dress that just about covers her arse.
"Nice."
Hermione winks and sips her vodka and coke, swinging her leg, in a red low cut top and black skirt.
Lexi has slipped on her dress, leans forward revealing her bottom and straightens up a line with her student card.
Hermione smirks behind her back in delight and sips again.
…
"MAKE SOME NOOOISSE LONDOOOON!"
Hermione's lungs stretch and scrape as she screams with vigour. Lights flash, blur and swirl in her eyes and one arm rests lightly on the shoulder of a young man. She jumps with the beat, faster and faster, jumps into the arms of the bloke and squeals before kissing him. He pulls her hair, she moans and grabs his head.
Won't be alone tonight.
Lexi is sweating in the corner, bopping with precision to the fast beat, a pixie girl stroking her thighs. Hermione nibbles the boy's bottom lip, drops from his arms and drags him out by the t-shirt to the taxi ranks. He slides in and pulls her in by the hips. The window buzzes open and Hermione giggles as they take off and her hair flies.
As the taxi pulls off, Remus stumbles in to the neon light of the club 'Waxers', the music booming behind him, then miles away, as the door closes. In hysterics of laughter he folds on to the ground. The cold feels soft under his body. He bites his lip and fumbles with a cigarette. A homeless man sits across the road, watching under a dirt stained cap.
"Fuck 'em all!"
The dirty man nods.
…..
"Hermyyy – Hermiioneeee."
"Uhh."
Lexi snickers.
"I've kicked out your friend from last night. It's four."
Hermione rolls on to her side.
"Thhhnks."
"I'll start rolling."
…
"You enjoy Waxers last night then?"
Mark smirks like a shark at Remus.
"Fuck off."
"What time exactly was it you lasted till?
"I don't know."
Remus shrugs.
"Think it was 'bout two."
"We should make a bet from now on, see who's gone first and before what time."
"And if we win the bet?"
"Free pill."
Remus chortles.
…..
"Four twenty miss."
Lexi climbs under the duvet next to Hermione and sparks the joint. Hermione stretches out and sighs in to her sheets.
"What a night, Lex?"
She takes the joint off her and pulls it in to her lungs.
"Brilliant. Fantastical. Again tomorrow?"
"Wouldn't say no." Puffs Hermione, passing.
….
"I bet you tomorrow night you will be gone by two."
"And I bet I'll last the night this time."
"I bet you can't, at my pace."
"Bet on."
"Deal."
Remus grins, lifts his coffee off the barrel table and clinks it with Marks.
…
"How 'bout we try Waxers this time? Yano the club across the street?"
"Sounds good, Lex. Anywhere is good with me."
Hermione's eyes sink and her brain swims.
"Lex?"
"Yup?"
"Were fucking A."