Whew. I'm new at posting on this site so sorry for this changing twice in the first 10 minutes posted!
All comments are welcome, especially constructive criticism!! :)
peace&love, Kas
(A/N: the two characters that you see later on in the story, Mary & Brice, are the creation of Marauding Mara. Definitely check out her fic My Everlasting Love! It's wonderful!)
Kiss Away the Scars
"Remus?"
"Hm?"
"How come you never talk to me anymore?"
"I talk to you."
"About school work."
"Yeah?"
The redhead sighed.
"You're doing it again," she said sounding slightly frustrated.
He, on the other hand just sounded weary as he asked, "Doing what?"
"Not talking to me."
"Oh. I was under the impression that that was what a conversation consisted of."
The comment might have sounded sarcastic or even cheeky if it had come from James, but the dull tone in which Remus had said it just made Lily frown.
"That's not what I mean," Lily answered quietly.
"Then what do you mean," Remus asked. His doleful manner almost caused Lily to stop and ask what was really wrong, but then she plunged onward.
"I mean that you used to talk to me about important things. You used to tell me about classes and the Marauders and who you fancied and I used to tell you the same."
"You used to tell me about the Marauders?"
"Remus," Lily said sternly, strongly reminding him of his mother.
Remus was silent for a minute before he looked up at Lily.
"I can't tell you those things," he said softly.
"Why not?" she asked sounding hurt.
Remus looked away.
"It's too complicated," he answered after a minute.
"Try me," she replied in quiet defiance.
"Lil, no," he said desperately, but when he saw the look in her eyes he couldn't help it. He caved.
"Let's go for a walk," he suggested.
Lily nodded and they silently made their way down to the lake. Remus broke the silence first.
"Lily, if I tell you this, you have to swear to me never to tell anyone."
"Of course," she whispered looking into his golden eyes.
"I'm actually surprised you haven't figured it out by now… I thought for sure you would have by at least third year."
Lily didn't say anything as she waited to hear more.
"Every month I disappear as I'm sure you've noticed, and it's not to visit my ill mother." He paused. "My mother's dead."
"I'm sorry," Lily whispered.
"It's okay," Remus replied just as quietly.
"So have you figured it out yet, Lily, smartest witch in our year?" Remus seemed desperate to not have to say it.
And Lily, who had guessed, wanted just as little to say it.
Remus was perceptive, however; he saw it in her eyes.
"You're right. I'm a werewolf."
Lily sat there speechless. He had been right, she'd guessed back in third year, but she'd never let herself believe it.
"Oh, Remus, I'm so sorry," she whispered.
He looked over at her. Was she not afraid? Did she not feel disgusted to sit by him? Not sure what to say Remus looked away over the lake.
Then he felt a small soft finger come to rest on his cheek making it tingle. Then slowly, gently the finger traced a long thing scar that traveled from just under his right eye along the side of his face and curved in below his lips.
"Is this from…?" she whispered tentatively.
He nodded still unable to look at her.
Lily sat there looking at her best friend's scarred face knowing he was a werewolf. She knew most of her friends would be terrified or disgusted by the knowledge but she was Muggleborn and she hadn't been raised with the prejudice of others. Instead she felt an overwhelming sense of pity for the boy who sat beside her and she yearned for a way of making it all go away.
She's terrified Remus thought. She doesn't know what to say and she's too damn polite to just up and run.
Lily grew more frustrated with herself as she continued to try and come up with some way of making things all better. Then suddenly her mother's voice rang through her head piping a saying that had ruled Lily's childhood, "kiss it and make it better."
Lily almost laughed out loud then, but suddenly an overwhelming desire to do just that came over her and before she could think about it she leaned forward and kissed his cheek right where the scar was.
Remus flinched.
"Don't," she whispered softly as her small hand gently pulled his face around to face her.
She looked into his sad hazel eyes for just a minute before she completely lost the ability to think and she leaned forward.
When she was close enough that Remus could see the golden freckles in her brilliant green eyes he had to fight every instinct in his body to not jerk away.
Fear welled up inside him as the realization hit him of what was about to happen. Then suddenly a thought flashed into Remus' head that literally made him close his eyes in anguish.
And then her soft lips met his and he couldn't think anymore.
A moment later she pulled away and sat watching him for a moment. He sincerely hoped that she couldn't see the inner battle that was taking place inside him because he knew she would misinterpret it.
She looked back out over the lake then and said nothing. Instead, a moment later, Remus felt her slip her small hand inside of his.
He bit his lip to keep from flinching again as he tried to keep the internal battle from raging. The girl of his dreams had just kissed him and all he could think about was James.
James would kill him; murder him on the spot, if he ever found out. Just one more secret for him to keep, Remus thought, as a hint of bitterness seeped into his thoughts. James would probably never forgive him either—And then all ability for thought stopped once more and this time he returned the kiss.
She pulled away slowly, gently, just enough to move her lips aside to kiss the scar she had traced just moments ago. As she did so she found herself wishing desperately that someway, somehow she could kiss away the scars, both external and internal that seemed to haunt Remus. Then maybe he wouldn't flinch so when she touched him, she thought as her lips slowly found another scar just by his temple, and her heart found another, that ached constantly on his.
