A/N: This is a very short chapter. We apologize. BUT to make up for it, we've decided to post an extra chapter next week - probably Monday :)
Chapter 7 – "It's very Neat, I Promise"
The next day Regulus found Remus sitting alone in the library at school. He stopped at the entrance, hesitating a moment. Once he had calmed down the day before he had regretted his behaviour. He couldn't get the image of Remus' face when he had torn up the picture out of his mind. He walked into the library and stopped a few yards from Remus.
Remus flipped through a History book and took a few notes, not realising that Regulus was standing there. He had gone home the day before Regulus had come back from his run, not wanting to face him. He had just wanted to go home and be alone. He hadn't even spoken to his mother about it and had just gone to bed early.
Since Remus did not notice him, Regulus cleared his throat, making the other boy look up a bit startled. "I..." he started. "Sorry I overreacted yesterday."
Remus looked surprised to see him and his eyes widened at the apology. "That's alright. I shouldn't have drawn you without asking."
Regulus nodded. Then after a little consideration he pulled out a chair and sat down a few seats from Remus. "It was quite good. Why did you draw me, anyway?"
"Because..." started Remus, choosing his words carefully. "You have such nice features and the way you were sitting with the sunrays coming in through the window… I just had to sketch it. I thought it would look great on paper and I was right. I'm sorry. I just sometimes get so lost in my drawings that I forget to consider that not everyone wants to sit model," he smiled and blushed slightly at the fact that Regulus had complimented his work.
Regulus was quiet for a moment, then said, "You can draw me if it's that important to you."
Remus' face lit up and he stared at Regulus for a moment, trying to determine if he had heard right. "R-really? Would you really let me draw you?"
"Like I said, if it means that much to you. I did destroy the drawing you had already made."
"Well I don't want you to be uncomfortable about it," said Remus, feeling his heart skip a beat. He would be able to draw Regulus and keep the drawing! "But if you don't mind me drawing you, then would you mind sitting model for me? Whenever you have time, of course."
"Sit model?" said Regulus, looking a little warry. "Like how?"
"Just sit on a chair by a window in a pose that I ask you to," Remus quickly added. "Like the drawing I already made. Nothing worse than that, I promise."
"Alright... I suppose I can do that. When do you want to do it? Do you want to come to my house?"
"We can do that," said Remus. "Or we can go to my house. Much more quiet and we won't be bothered by the others there."
"Your house?" said Regulus, furrowing his brows. "I dunno..."
"It's very neat, I promise," Remus assured him. "My mum cleans every day so there are no germs for me to get ill from. Also, my parents aren't home until six today so you don't have to worry about running into them."
Regulus thought about it for a minute. He had to admit that the thought of being alone with Remus got him strangely excited. "Okay."
Remus lit up in a smile and packed away his book and notes. "Brilliant! I'll see you after school, then."
o0o0o
Regulus stopped at the front door, hesitating for a moment before following Remus inside. Remus' room was small but well lit. "So, where do you want me?"
Remus cleared a chair next to the window and adjusted it so the light hit it just right. "Here," he said and pulled up a chair for himself, looking through his drawing materials and finding an A3 sketchbook and the right pencils.
"Do I have to sit completely still? Or can I talk?"
"You can talk," smiled Remus. "As long as you don't change your position. Tilt you head a little and look towards the window," he instructed. It would have been easier if he could touch him but he wasn't going to ask. That would be pushing it.
"How far are you?" Regulus asked twenty minutes later.
"Just going to do some shading and it will be done," Remus said, only looking up a few times to make sure that he had gotten things right. Another five minutes passed and he put the book down. "There. All done," he smiled and turned the page towards Regulus so he could see the result.
Regulus studied the drawing for a while. "It's good. Did you draw Sirius too?"
"No," said Remus, feeling happy that Regulus liked it. He bit his lip and looked around. "Do you want to see some of my work? I have a few sketchbooks and paintings..."
"Sure!"
Remus put the sketchbook down and went over to find another book. He then pulled his chair up next to Regulus and handed him the book.
Regulus stiffened and moved his chair a little back to get a more comfortable distance. Then he took the book and slowly flipped through it. "I like them. Especially the animal drawings. Do you think you could draw a nice picture of Kreacher?"
"Of course," smiled Remus. "I could come over and draw a picture of him one of these days. If you can make him sit still, or you could sit with him and I can draw you both."
"I can sit with him. He would be more comfortable that way. He doesn't really trust people," said Regulus and handed Remus back the book. Their fingers accidentally brushed and Regulus pulled his hand back as if burned. His heart was pounding. A little from the shock but mostly something else. He looked away. Remus made him feel strange. But not exactly in a bad way.
o0o0o
Peter and James went with Sirius home as they did most days.
"Your brother went home with Remus? Alone? Of his own free will?" said James, not fathoming it. "Is he ill?"
"I have no idea," said Sirius. "I would never have thought he would go home with anyone unless he was forced. I think Remus said something about drawing him. I have no idea how he managed to pull that one off after what happened yesterday. And even getting him to come to his house!"
"Maybe he is gay after all, and fancies Remus," suggested Peter.
"You think so?" said James.
Peter shrugged. "I dunno. Just a theory, because this isn't normal Regulus behaviour. What he did yesterday – that was normal."
o0o0o
Regulus looked at his watch and discovered that it was already a quarter to six. "I better get going," he said, not wanting to run into Remus' parents. However, Mrs. Lupin was a little early that day, and as Regulus was putting on his shoes in the small hallway, she came in through the door.
"Oh?" she said as she spotted him standing with Remus. She looked him over and then smiled. "You must be Regulus? You look so much like your brother," she beamed and stuck out her hand. "I'm Hope, Remus ' mother. Remus has told me a lot about you."
Remus gulped and shook his head at his mother, making her lower her hand as she remembered that Regulus didn't like to be touched.
Regulus gasped for breath, suddenly feeling claustrophobic in the small hallway. "I forgot something," he said and speed off to Remus' room. When he came back down, he stopped in the living room a good distance from the hallway, waiting for the others to come out. He was not going to be cornered out there again.
"Are you okay?" Remus asked when his mother had gone into the kitchen. "I'm sorry. I didn't think she would be home before six. She rarely is."
"Of course I'm okay. Why wouldn't I be?" said Regulus in an irritated voice. "I just left because there wasn't space for three persons in the hallway. It's a tiny house you have."
"Yeah I know," sighed Remus. "Can I walk you some of the way? I could use some fresh air."
"Yeah, alright," said Regulus. On their way down the street, he asked, "What did you tell your mother? She said you had told her a lot about me."
"Oh. Um…" said Remus and bit his lip. "I just told her that you played the piano for me." He felt a little embarrassed that his mother had said this. He couldn't very well tell Regulus everything that he had told his mother.
"That doesn't sound like a lot. Did you tell her I'm a freak? That's what everybody else says. Don't think I don't know that."
"I don't think you're a freak," said Remus looking at Regulus seriously. "I never thought that for a second. You're just being yourself, and that doesn't make you a freak."
"Yes, well... I'm just a little private. I think I'll take it from here. It will seem strange if you walk with me all the way home. See you tomorrow after school."
o0o0o
Regulus called Remus later that night. "You can't come and draw Kreacher tomorrow."
"What? Why not?" asked Remus, feeling his stomach drop. He had really been looking forward to seeing Regulus again and get a chance to sit and look at him while sketching.
"I forgot we have this bloody party at our house, so you can't come. And believe me - you wouldn't want to. I wish I didn't have to either. It's going to be hell."
"Oh, I see," said Remus, relieved that it wasn't because of something he had done. "Can't you just stay for an hour and then withdraw to your room? You shouldn't be forced to stay if it makes you uncomfortable," he said and sat down on the couch with the phone.
"They won't let me. They say it would look strange if I didn't stay for the whole party. Appearance is everything to them. They don't give a toss about me and Sirius. At least he enjoys the parties."
"I'm sorry to hear that," Remus sighed. "Can't you step outside to get some air a couple of times during the party? Or sit with Kreacher for good company?"
"I'm not putting Kreacher in the middle of all that! I love him. He'll be locked away in my room. Besides, our parents don't allow either of our pets to be within sight. They are ugly and filthy, they say. Well, in Padfoot's case, I suppose it's true."
A/N: To see Zayhad's illustration to the chapter go to deviantart dot com and look up Zayhad. She has a folder in her gallery with the story's name on it.
