Sorry for the hiatus.. Author note at the bottom.

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The moon was shining in all its receding glory, the stars helping it to light up the sky. The snow was thick and I had to put twice as much strength into each movement of my legs than usual. It was hard and exhausting to the point that I considered returning to the warmth of my grandmother's house, but I also knew that I needed the place and time to think for a bit.
It wasn't like there was anything really big going on, which would need the extra thought. I was content; happy to be home again, so maybe I just needed a few minutes to rejoice that, away from any kind of disruptions…

"Hales, you'll freeze to death in that outfit."

… So much to being alone.

I turned around, almost falling over my own feet with the snow weighing me down. The soft light of the moonlight illuminated his face and its scars as Remus smiled at me crookedly, hands thrust into the pockets of his coat.

"I'm feeling perfectly fine," I lied, suppressing the shivers of cold from showing too much.

"Liar," he mocked. At times it truly scared me how well he knew me (and then there were times were it annoyed the living Merlin out of me – in a friendly way of course). I really couldn't keep anything from him.

"So where's Sirius?"

"He's getting settled," he said, before adding with a small grin, "And smooth way to change the subject by the way."

"Well, thank you!" I smiled, bowing a little, "It did take a lot of effort."

"I bet it did."

"What are you doing out here anyway?" I asked him, "It's freezing!"

"I was actually about to ask you the same thing."

"I wanted to go for a walk," I answered, noticing how the wind ruffled his hair, "You can join if you want to."

It was too dark for me to see, but I knew he would be chewing the inside of his chin, thinking and deliberating whether or not he should go. He hated rushing things and always took his time when deciding on something – even on something as simple as taking a walk apparently.

"Sure," he smiled, walking up to me.

"Has someone ever told you that you have a knack for being too thoughtful?"

"Sure," he said as we headed for the fields and forest, "You've told me so tons of times."

We continued small-talking and teasing each other all the way across the field separating our houses from the forest. It belonged to my grandmother – the forest that is – as did much of the surrounding land, and Remus and I had always played there back when we were younger. We walked the paths, remembering the way as clearly as had we just used it the day before.

Without much thought we ended up in our usual clearing; our makeshift swings out of tires hung in an oak tree at the end and just to the left of it…

"Oh my- Is that our tree house?" I laughed, noticing the familiar silhouette.

"I thought dad tore that away years ago," Remus mused.

I bit my lower lip, "You wanna take a peak?"

"A peak?" he asked, raising an eyebrow, "Are you suggesting that we should climb up and sit in a sure to be very rotten tree house, which haven't been used for at least ten years?"

"No, that would be foolish!" I exclaimed, grinning wickedly at him, "It's only seven years ago or so. Come on; last one there is a chicken."

I started running, making the distance in an okay time, taking the snow and my bad shape into account. Remus walked after me, chuckling under his breath, like some dad watching his child running off to play.

The robe ladder leading up to the small tree house looked stable – and not nearly as long as I remembered.

"Remus, come on!" I called, climbing the ladder.

For some reason, seeing this place again made me feel giddy. I started remembering all the great times we'd have out here; playing, talking, discovering and dreaming. I guess all kids have that one special place, where some of their earliest and best memories took place – and this was mine.

I pulled myself up and got a look at the inside of the tree house, suddenly feeling the buzz of forgotten memories that were coming to life once again.

That one time when I'd fallen out of the tree, almost giving Remus a stroke in the ripe age of six. I actually lost my first tooth that day.

Or that other time when Remus and I'd got chased up into the tree by a maniacal deer. We hadn't dared leave the hut afterwards. Even after it'd left, we stayed in fear it might return.

Or that one time when-

"Hales, your butt's blocking the entrance," Remus grunted from somewhere below me, pulling me out of my own thoughts.

"Huh?"

"Your butt's blocking-" he started repeating, but I was just realizing on my own, that I hadn't really moved off the ladder yet.

Moving away, Remus had a clear path and quickly followed. I pulled my wand out of my back pocket, muttering the incantation for bluebell flames. The light blue flames started dancing across the wooden floor of the hut – without burning it of course.

The light highlighted Remus' face and made him seem younger, which only added to my continuous state of flashbacks. We'd known each other for so many years now…

"Can you forgive me?" I whispered softly.

He looked at me with a frown, "For what?"

"Being the worst best friend ever," I admitted, feeling miserable. I'd neglected him so much during the past couple of months – it had started to tear at my heart and soul.

"Hales-"

"I guess I've just been so used to not having you around me physically for so many years now, that I forgot how you should treat your best friends. I'm so sorry-"

"It's okay, Hayley," he said, his voice soft.

"I just got caught up with-" I stopped myself from saying the name, even though we both knew who and what I was referring to: Sirius.

"He likes you, you know."

"Why would he?" I asked, "We're friends. And he could have anyone after all-"

"But not you," Remus replied, his face set in an unreadable mask. "You're the only girl who ever said no."

"I… How…" I stammered. Did he know that Sirius had asked me out the same night, we'd helped James and Lily together? I knew Lily could have a hard time keeping such things to herself, but the idea of her telling such a thing to Remus? It didn't make sense to me.

"You didn't just fall for his good looks," Remus explained, while I sighed in pure relieve; Lily had kept her mouth after all.

"You turned out being a challenge for him," Remus continued, "That intrigues him."

"Remus, he and I are just frien-"

"Hayley, he's my best friend; I know such things," Remus' tone turned harder and I could practically hear how much his mate's (supposed!) infatuation with his best friend annoyed him.

"Why is this so important to you?" I asked him. I didn't dare look him in the eyes, so instead I watched the flames as they continued to lick at the unharmed wood.

"Because you deserve better."

I frowned, saying: "He's your best friend-"

"I know," I could him gulp from where I was sitting, "But you're like a sister to me, Hales, and I know how he acts around women; it's not very serious to him."

"Remus, I really appreciate you looking out for me, but you have to let me live my own life," I said, "I'm not saying that I love him or that I even like him in that way, but you need to trust me. Trust us."

Both of us fell silent from there on, not daring saying another thing. For the tiniest bit of a moment, I realized this had been the reason why Remus had been deliberating this walk so much; he'd wanted to have this talk. He'd just needed to decide whether or not to break it to me now or later. That wasn't important though and the thought fled my mind as quickly as it had formed.

"Remus," I whispered at last, my own voice sounding harsh in the soft sound of the night, "I'm sorry."

"For what?" his voice didn't give way to any of his thoughts and I was left rather clueless as to guessing how he felt.

"I don't know," I continued lamely, sounding like some scolded child.

And then the strangest thing happened. For no apparent reason Remus Lupin started to laugh and I'm not speaking of a chuckle or a small good-hearted laugh – no, he was laughing his head off; once again leaving me completely clueless. Before I knew it, I was laughing, too, and for a few moments it felt just like the old days. Back when we were younger and hadn't worried about things like love and infatuations.

For a few moments we were just Hayley Thorne and Remus Lupin; the bestest and oldest of friends.

A/N: Sorry.. I really didn't mean to leave you hanging for half a year. I've had to deal with some problems and things in my life that – in collaboration with a serious case of writer's block – kept me from writing. Words can't even express how sorry I am.. I just hope you'll forgive me and still read (and hopefully review) this story, because I'm planning on finishing it – no matter the costs!

I'm in the process of reviewing this story by myself, correcting old flaws and such and I've come realize that I'm missing a chapter or two.. And I'm talking about Remus-chapters. I'm writing them as we speak.. or… ehm… as I write ^_^' and I'll tell you when they're done and uploaded ;)

This chapter is dedicated to all the Remus-lovers, who I've neglected too much It's not the best chapter I'm afraid, but I hope it works as an okay bandage.. For the moment! ^_^ Remus will also show a bit more of his "fun"-side in the upcoming updates as well as in the (minor) corrections I'll make to the story.

Once again I'm terribly sorry for the unofficial hiatus! Be nice and review, fave or PM me ;) any kind of feedback is nice

-Marie