"I see that tick of yours hasn't faded with the years" Severus Snape said as he entered the potions classroom where Lexi was brewing her potion. "Professor Stark" he said with a nod acknowledging her presence.
"Professor Snape" she said with a light smile. "What tick?" she added out of curiosity. He cocked an eyebrow at her.
"You must be the only person who doesn't realize so" his tone polite yet it seemed as if he actually was trying to be friendly.
Ever since classes had begun Snape had been rather polite with Lexi, they had chatted during meals and in the hallways whenever it was their turn to guard them. It was her sixth time in the potions classroom since she had graduated and the fourth time making Remus's potion in a lab that was once known to her, yet after remodelations and the passing of the years was alienated.
"Your feet, they clank obnoxiously as you stir"
Lexi looked at her feet, which were indeed doing so. '' huh, I guess that explains why my ankles feel weird whenever I brew" She said with a smile, making Snape release a small chuckle. "Why didn't you say so before sir? I mean you stood up with it for about six years"
"I believe it would have been in vain, you would have continued with it either way, so I guess I was saving my time, which couldn't be devoted to you entirely" He said with an annoyed voice, yet she could have sworn a blush had been present.
"I'm not that reckless, you should know that"
"I do, yet if I don't recall poorly I also know that you called me a 'Poisonous git'" Severus was facing her now, and she noticed he had cocked his eyebrow rather playfully.
What's with him today?
"I was young and a tad reckless back then, I do admit so, I was thirteen, and you do, or at least did, hate me" She lowered her voice and matched his gaze. "Besides, you had done a rather ghastly thing to someone I really care for"
"Sure, your affections towards Lupin are rather obvious" he said somberly "and it was a ghastly thing to do, so I do apologize" He softened his voice at the look Lexi gave him. "Yet I don't and never did hate you Alexandra, I had a role to maintain, and you never know when someone is watching"
"Huh, it's good to know, yet the apologize shouldn't be addressed to me"
There was something in the way he shifted his gaze that made Lexi wonder why she felt awkward, or why she actually felt as if she was beginning to like Severus Snape.
"That's not wolfsbane Miss Stark, what are you brewing?"
"How much time do you have Sir?" She said with a smile that propagated even to him.
Remus observed as the snowflakes fell as he made his way towards the astronomy tower, knowing that there was what he was looking for. It had been years since he had felt the way he did, giddy-light-headed-certainbrunettecraving-ishly. She had woken up in Remus what he thought had died years ago. She had the same hunger for life that Sirius did, yet her ways were more contagious, even though Sirius might be considered 'irresistible' the way Lexi talked enthralled you and made you pay every ounce of your attention to her. The difference between them was that Sirius had always demanded for that attention, yet Lexi didn't do so, it was just her spirit that made her that fascinating. The tranquility the castle conveyed was beyond graveyard like, almost every student had left for the christmas break, and except for some exceptions, the professors where the only ones left. Thought the only person he actually cared as company was only a few steps away, so he was in paradise. He had woken up a couple of minutes ago, unable to go back to sleep, yet he hadn't dreamt anything, he only had remembered.
It had been during war, when Neville had communicated to the Order, saying that Harry was back. The first thing that had surged into his mind had been Lexi. Every person in that room apparated in a matter of seconds, yet he couldn't, he had to let every one else that hadn't been on call with him to prepare themselves for the final battle.
The first thing he spotted when he managed to apparate was her, Sirius was hugging her. Jealousy invaded him instantly. He smiled at Remus when he saw him and whispered something to Lexi while pointing towards him with his chin, who in a microsecond turned around to look at him. Hermione and Ron were the first to hug him, as they were the closest by as they had been speaking to Molly, who was only a few steps in front of him. Harry followed them. Yet he never took his eyes away from her while doing so, she never looked away either, sharing the same intensity. It seemed as if ages had passed before she run towards him to hug him as well, never breaking his gaze. This time he did close his eyes as he wrapped his arms around her waist and held her tightly, inhaling her scent, felling her young flesh against his. He couldn't help himself, he had been waiting for it ever since they had taken different paths after Fleur and Bill's wedding.
"Thank Merlin you are back" He found himself saying. He could feel her smile growing.
"I've missed you too" she whispered back, breaking away.
The two of them had been to enthralled with each other to notice the eyes tat fell curiously at the scene that had even shocked Remus and Lexi.
Another thing he remembered was the pain he felt when Voldemort had communicated after Harry had confronted Snape. The voice had been intensified by his senses, and he could feel it slithering through his veins. Apparently his wince was shown because he opened his eyes feeling a hand grabbing his. She only met his eyes once, yet it was enough. He linked his fingers with hers, and looked ahead trying to seem calm so as to soothe the scared students before him, just like Lexi was doing.
He woke up from the remembrance of his dream only to find what he had been looking for.
"Isn't it a little too late to be out here Miss Stark?" Remus said talking as if she were in trouble.
"It's never too late to admire the beauty that lies in front of you Professor" She turned around to face him with a smile already in her lips. "Care to join me?"
"Always" He answered with a smile. He already was admiring the beauty that lied in front of him long before she had said so. "For how long have you been up here?"
"A-About an hour or so, why?" She said trembling with cold.
"For Merlin's sake you are freezing" He said as he got closer to her concerned at her pale lips.
"N-No I'm not" She said while covering her hands. "Why a-aren't you by the way?"
"Because I have an average body temperature of 42ºC" He laughed at her. "And I'm at your disposition" He said while opening her arms for her, hope latent in his eyes.
Within a second she was colliding with his chest, his arms and his robes around her, doing as much to keep her warm, after a few seconds he placed his hands around hers, which were as cold as an ice cube. He could feel her breath as they walked back towards the castle, Lexi admiring the pearly landscape in front of them, and Remus admiring her as she did so, yet stealing a glance or two towards the landscape whenever he felt Lexi was about to look back.
"I thank god for your Remus" Lexi said making him laugh.
"There are certain pros about being a monster"
"Don't say that" She said meeting his gaze. She knew that behind his sarcasm pain was hidden. "You are not a monster Remus, you never were and you will never be one either, so don't you dare repeating that again"
He only smiled fondly at her, he couldn't speak out his mind, he was frightened that she wouldn't speak to him again if he did.
"Where were you twenty years ago?" He asked fondly.
"Literally?" She said laughing, lightening the mood. She got a closer hold of him as she crossed her arms around his chest, partially attempting to obtain more heat, yet also taking advantage of the situation. Yet she wasn't the only one as Remus passed his around her waist.
"Remus, can I ask you something?" Her voice hesitated as they entered the castle.
"Anything" He frowned in confusion yet anticipation.
"Don't you ever avoid doing something out of fear, yet at the same time have the uncertainty that the same thing you are afraid to do might have the most wonderful repercussion?"
All the time…
"I-" He noticed that they were reaching their rooms. "Why do you ask?"
"I just wanted to know whether I was the only one"
"No, no you're not" He swallowed surprised at her statement.
"What keeps you from doing it?" She broke apart from his embrace and was facing him now. Remus froze.
"Fear" He cleared his throat. "Fear of rejection" He gave her a lopsided smile, yet sad eyes. Fear that you will not want me…
Remus held his breath when Lexi opened her mouth to say something, yet cursed as the painting that was by her door interrupted her.
"I'm sorry Miss Stark" Said the petite girl in the painting behind them.
"Yes Cosette?" She said with a smile.
"Professor Snape came looking for you and instructed me to tell you to meet him at eleven in his chambers" She said with a small voice.
Remus frowned in jealousy and anger.
Why the fuck would Snape want to meet Lexi in his chambers this late? Stupid question, I know why, why would any man want a beautiful woman to join him on a cold night… but why would she?
"Shit" She muttered as she saw the time 10:58. "I must go, I'm sorry" She smiled apologetically at him.
"It's fine" He begun entering his chamber, crossed as he saw her running away, yet was stopped by a gentle arm. Surprised at Lexi's return and at the fact that she had just cupped one of his cheeks and kissed him in the other he stared at her.
"No one who is worth it will ever even dare to hesitate for a second before eliminating the possibility of rejecting you Remus" This time when she left it was for good.
For the first time in his life Remus Lupin felt jealous of Severus Snape.
