The end of term at Hogwarts always felt like a complete blur to Emma. A strong feeling of anxiety permeated Emma's entire being after the trip into Hogsmeade. The full moon came and went with Emma's usual aches and pains, but they felt much worse than expected. Though Greyson was with her, they were sequestered to the confines of the Hospital Wing once more under Pomfrey's watchful, hawk-eyed gaze. Emma felt like she had absolutely no time to herself, so when Remus informed her that the house in Hogsmeade would be available, she jumped at the opportunity of having him close by. Her anxiety didn't start to disappear until her final exam, Herbology, was finished.
Emma was grateful that she didn't make plans to get ready for the Yule Ball at the castle with the others. Justin had looked disappointed when he found out that she was getting ready in the village when the conversation came up while cleaning after Herbology, but Emma didn't understand why. She set her questions aside, for the time being, packed her things, and practically ran to the castle gates to be with her family instead.
The very moment she spotted Remus, Emma made a running leap into his arms with a squeal of delight. Every bit of stress Emma felt started to melt the very moment she was in his tight embrace, and she knew that she made the right decision. At least she felt that way until Padfoot barreled straight into their legs, nearly knocking them over. Elara had the sense to stand aside, shaking her head with her brilliant, twinkling laugh.
Being able to spend time with her family was exactly what she needed. There were no expectations that she had to live up to, no snide comments that she tried to ignore, and no tests or homework to deal with. Instead, there were near endless snuggles, late-night talks by the fire, and Emma laughed more than she had in a while. To her absolute delight, Remus rolled his eyes only one time at her joke of spending time with a bunch of old dogs.
Rather than celebrating the holiday on Christmas Eve or Christmas, it was decided they would put off the day until after the Yule Ball and they were all home. However, Emma should have known better, and when she woke up Christmas Eve morning to a tree and presents in their borrowed living room, she felt it was cruel. No amount of begging on Christmas Eve convinced anyone to let Emma have "just one!" of her presents early.
"Everything will be at home for you, exactly how it is now," Remus said gently that evening, curled up on the sofa with Emma on one side, Padfoot on the other. He kissed the top of Emma's head and smiling at her disgruntled noise of protest. "I promise you."
"Yes, but everything will be different," Emma huffed, staring at the tree set up near the fire with a look of longing. A sad, sympathetic smile crossed Remus's face, and Emma frowned up at him. She had known that the cottage was getting renovated – it wasn't as though they hadn't talked about it, but she wasn't fully prepared for the changes that awaited her. "It's not going to be the same."
"But it's still your home," Remus added, his tone soft, just as it always was. "And it will always be your home. It's just a bit different. Besides, it's not finished just yet. You'll have some time to get used to it."
"I know," Emma whined. "But it's still different."
Remus only sighed in response and pulled Emma a little bit closer in response. He knew it wasn't a battle that he was going to win that night.
Christmas Day seemed to awaken the entire village. Emma was still bitter that her presents were being withheld from her, but the entirety of Hogsmeade was seemingly alive. Fresh snow lined the ground, having fallen in a thick blanket overnight. The twinkling lights that lined the fences and windows of the nearby houses seemed to sparkle that much brighter in the daylight, and Emma could watch them all day. The villagers would leave their homes in small groups, laughing and singing delightedly about the day as they made their way to the Three Broomsticks.
As the afternoon arrived, Remus tugged Emma up from the couch, a smile on his face and her coat and scarf draped over his other arm. She looked at him in confusion for a moment and looked longingly back at the couch and the blanket cocoon he had pulled her from.
"Come on," he said, jerking his head towards the door. "Let's go on a short walk and see what's going on in the village –" he glanced over his shoulder at Elara and Padfoot waiting patiently "– all of us."
It felt like no time passed before Emma had to get ready. Some of the older students made their way into the village to head to the hairdressers, but Emma wasn't among the group. Instead, she sat in front of the bedroom mirror, staring at herself as Elara brushed her hair for her.
"Are you sure that you don't want to go to the salon?" Elara asked as she set the brush down and ran her fingers through Emma's hair. "I'm sure that we could get you squeezed in really quickly with your hair being so short. I'm sure they're working overtime right now for the Yule Ball and have plenty of stylists."
"Yes, I'm sure," Emma said, tipping her head up to meet Elara's eyes. "It doesn't need to be that fancy."
"It's your big day, kid," Elara said, leaning down to kiss Emma's forehead.
"It's a dance."
"And you are going to knock Grey off his feet with how beautiful you are," Elara said, straightening Emma's head out. "Did you bring the one gift I gave you with you?" Emma immediately flushed and stared at Elara's reflection in the mirror with wide eyes. Elara snorted and looked back at Emma with a knowing smile.
"So," Elara said slowly, "do you think tonight will be the night?"
"I don't know," Emma muttered, pulling her knees up to her chest.
"Well, we're all leaving here as soon as you head off, so you don't have to worry about being interrupted. It's just the two of you here tonight."
"I know," Emma said in exasperation. She grimaced at the startled look on Elara's face and pulled her lower lip between her teeth, and chewed it for a moment. "I don't know, though. I want to, but…"
"Don't overthink it," Elara said, running her fingers through Emma's hair. "I'm sure your dad has tortured you enough with that discussion, so I won't make you sit through it again. Just, if you do decide to sleep with Greyson, be safe about it. Don't think either of your fathers would be too pleased to become grandparents too soon."
Emma was relieved that Elara was true to her word and didn't force her to sit through another uncomfortable conversation. She tried her best to push aside the possibilities of what could happen with Greyson that night. It wasn't as though she hadn't considered the possibility of having sex, but the idea of it still seemed strange. As much as she wanted to, she wasn't sure if she was truly ready. They had come close to it several times, but all attempts were thwarted by their proximity to Pomfrey at any given moment. She refused to let herself dwell on it and allowed Elara to tame her wavy hair.
While she had gotten used to doing her own makeup, it was nice to have someone else do it for her. Elara had a way of making her look different but still very much herself. Before she knew it, she was dressed and suddenly feeling out of place.
Alone in the room, Emma found herself frowning at her reflection in the mirror. She had tried the dress on before but had never seen herself look how she did before. It was much different than how Persephone made her look on her fourteenth birthday.
Standing in heels, she was just a little bit taller, somehow more confident but unsure of herself at the same time. Her hair had grown surprisingly long since she cut it last, falling in much softer waves around her face and just barely skimming her shoulders. A part of her wished that she took advantage of a hair growth potion just to cover the bite; the dress's straps did nothing to conceal it. The bite on her arm she could handle, but the one on her shoulder still made her uncomfortable. It felt too personal, too intimate, too on display – that was the last thing she wanted.
She ran her fingers along the lowcut neckline, still unsure of how she felt about it. It was much lower than she would have picked for herself, and she blushed, remembering just exactly what she was wearing under the dress. There weren't many things that she could have worn underneath and still been covered. She anxiously smoothed out the sides, letting out a shuddering breath as she watched the dress flare back out, fabric skimming the floor.
The cape glittered and shone despite only being lit by the faint light of the room. The winter sun had long since set over the horizon, but Emma still seemed to shine. Emma met her own eyes in the mirror – dark red painted lips parting once more in surprise at herself. She didn't often feel like she looked any different from her younger self, still seeing herself with red hair and a much different face, but she was pure Lupin that night.
Emma turned at the sound of the knock on her door and smiled at both of her fathers in the doorway. Sirius had his arm around Remus, and they were both leaning on each other and looking proud. Emma searched Sirius's face first, feeling terribly self-conscious of herself, but he looked very similar to Remus. Both proud and delighted, expressions soft and full of love. She wanted to say something, but Remus beat her to it.
"You are growing up far too quickly for my liking, love," Remus said softly, glancing at Sirius with a small sigh. Sirius nodded in agreement before leaning into Remus a little more.
"Well, that's sort of what happens. You're growing up, too – both of you," Emma said, the corners of her lips twitching slightly at the look on her father's face. "You've both just got a bit of a head start on me."
"Hmm," Remus said, crossing the room to pull Emma into a hug. "Cheeky little thing you are."
"Learned from the best," Emma muttered into Remus's chest. She took a deep breath and relaxed into his embrace, more than content to stay exactly where she was until she was passed over to Sirius.
"You remember the plan for tonight?" Remus asked, folding his arms in front of his chest.
"Yes," Emma sighed, snuggling into Sirius's hug. "Grey comes here to pick me up, we take the carriage back to the school, have fun at the dance, come back here, and then come home tomorrow."
"And how are you coming home tomorrow?"
"Grey is Apparating us to the house," Emma replied in exasperation. "We'll be home for a bit, and then we're all going to Grandpa's. Daddy, we've gone over this plan at least a dozen or more times."
"I just want to make sure that you remember. It's going to be a long night for you, and I just want to make sure you remember that you're coming home. I would hate to not have you home for the rest of the holiday."
"As if I would pass up the chance of being home," Emma said, pulling herself away from Sirius. "Even if it is going to be different."
"But just think of how much bigger your room will be," Sirius added. "And it'll get you away from Daddy and me, so we're not across the hall."
Emma scrunched up her nose at Sirius's comment. They had been discussing the updates to the cottage nearly every day, but she kept choosing to ignore the idea that she wouldn't be across the hall any longer. Emma looked over at Remus and frowned slightly at the solemn look on Remus's face. She knew that expression, and she was not remotely amused to see it.
Sirius realizing that Emma had caught on that something was amiss, quietly excused himself, closing the door behind him. Emma stared at Remus with wide eyes as he sat down on the bed, leaning forward with his elbows propped on his knees for a moment. She already hated what was about to be said, and Emma had to suppress the urge to stomp her foot on the ground. When Elara spared her from the conversation that was about to be had, Emma thought it meant she wouldn't be having it at all.
"Come here," Remus said, straightening up and patting the mattress next to himself. "I want to talk to you. It's important." A pained whine escaped Emma's lips, and she crossed her arms, glaring at Remus. "Emma Hope, please."
Emma gave Remus a defiant stare, an eyebrow lifting in response. She glanced over at the door, wondering if she could make it out and downstairs into safety, but when she returned her gaze to Remus, she paled. It had been months since she had been subjected to one of her father's unamused stares, and the effect was not lost. Perhaps it was more persuasive than ever from not seeing it for so long. With a grumble, Emma dutifully took her place next to her father, casting him a sidelong glance.
Remus sighed as he looked over at Emma, who was still avoiding his gaze. "Oh, Emma," he said softly, putting his arm around her shoulders and pulling her into his side. Emma rested her head on his shoulder, not allowing herself to relax entirely. "I love you so much," he continued, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "You are growing up, and as your father, I don't feel comfortable letting you go without reminding you that I love you and how important you are to me."
"I know you love me," Emma said quietly. "And I know I'm important to you."
"Good," Remus replied. He hesitated for a moment and sighed once more. "I know what you're expecting me to say right now. You're waiting for me to drag you into yet another very important conversation –" Emma huffed out a nervous laugh in response "– but you are old enough that I won't do that to you. I think we've had the discussion enough times that I don't need to get into it with you again. I've always made it a point to have an open dialogue with you, and I trust you. And I'm proud of you."
"You're proud of me?" Emma questioned, not sure that she was hearing her father right.
"Of course, I'm proud of you. I'm proud of who you are and who you are becoming," Remus said, his tone earnest. "Here," he said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small, wrapped box. Emma looked at it curiously and only took it when he pushed it into her hands.
"I thought I wasn't allowed to get any presents until tomorrow," Emma said in surprise.
"Well, this one is special," Remus said, gesturing for Emma to open it.
Emma looked between the box and her father, still confused. She hummed to herself as she carefully peeled apart the wrapping paper to unveil the box. Emma lifted the box's lid and tilted her head at its contents and back to Remus with curiosity.
"Papa and I realized that you've been missing someone essential to have with you at all times," Remus said, reaching over to take the box from Emma to pull out the bracelet that was inside. He gently took Emma's left hand in his to lift it and fastened the silvery bracelet around her wrist. Remus paused for a moment before gently removing the leather bracelet that Emma never took off, smiling at Emma's confused, "Hey!"
"You don't need to worry about us tonight, love," Remus said, setting the leather bracelet in the box as Emma inspected the bracelet on her wrist. "You have your necklaces, so you'll always have a part of us, but we thought a daisy would be perfect for your mother."
Emma ran her fingers over the thin chain and touched the four daisies spaced out along the chain. "But there's four," Emma said quietly, looking at Remus curiously. He only smiled in response and shook his head as he lifted Emma's wrist to adjust the bracelet.
"There's one for each of us – one for me, one for Papa, one for your mother," Remus said, "and most important of all, one for you."
Emma stared at the bracelet for a long moment before throwing her arms around Remus tightly. It fit perfectly with her necklaces, and she loved the idea of having her mother with her at all times.
"Thank you," Emma said quietly.
"You're welcome, love," Remus said. "But Emma, I need you to promise me one thing." Emma tensed up slightly and nodded. Remus cleared his throat, squeezing Emma just a little tighter. "Whatever happens tonight, think of yourself first. I guarantee quite a few of your friends will be facing the same decision as you tonight, but I don't want you to do something because your friends are. Only do as much as you feel ready for. Will you promise me that?"
"I promise," Emma replied. "I think you've got it drilled in my head to only do things if I feel ready…and I still don't know."
"Well, you don't have to know just yet," Remus said, leaning back to press a kiss to Emma's forehead. "But I believe your date has arrived."
Emma looked at Remus, entirely panicked at the idea that Greyson was there and in the house. It was stupid of her to think otherwise, but his arrival meant that their little secret wouldn't remain a secret for much longer.
"It'll be fine," Remus said, seemingly reading her mind. He separated himself from Emma and tugged her back up to her feet. "Take a few moments for yourself."
"What if he doesn't think I'm pretty?"
"Oh, Emma," Remus sighed. "You are absolutely beautiful. Don't ever think otherwise." He ran a hand down the back of Emma's head, his smile fond. "I'll keep him distracted for a few minutes. You take your time."
Emma watched Remus leave for a moment, only turning her head to look at the mirror once the door was closed once more. She slowly made her way back over to her reflection and studied herself once more. If Emma could, she would stay exactly where she was and not leave the confines of the house. Her anxiety over the entire night was beginning to settle in, and she took in a shaky breath.
What if Greyson didn't find her pretty? What if her classmates made fun of her? What if she thought she was a much better dancer than she really was? Or worse – what would anyone think of her for being with Greyson? Hundreds of different thoughts ran through her mind, each idea more ludicrous than the next. What if, what if, what if?
She brushed her fingers over the chains of her necklaces, fiddled with the earrings Sirius had given her for Christmas the previous year, and then touched her bracelet. It was such a sweet gesture from her fathers, including her mother in her small jewelry collection that she never removed. It was true that the woman was equally as important to her, and a dull ache crept through Emma's chest at the realization that she wanted something from Elara as well. Their family was an odd one, but it was very much their family, and she wouldn't have it any other way.
A soft sigh escaped Emma's lips as she surveyed herself for a few moments longer. There was only so much stalling she could do, and she knew that if she took too long, Remus would be quick to send Sirius up. If she knew any better, Sirius would come barreling up the stairs as Padfoot, and the fabric of her dress seemed delicate. With one final glance, Emma straightened up and convinced herself to leave the room.
Emma could hear everyone talking, Sirius's barking laugh, Elara's giggle, and Remus's chuckle of amusement. She could only imagine that Greyson had told another one of his stories from his recent return to working at the library. He always seemed to have funny stories of the children that came through, and Greyson enjoyed telling them. Greyson confessed that he wished he could tell some of the more curious children that magic was real and was sorely tempted to break the laws just to create a little bit of wonder. Emma found it incredibly endearing.
Conversation ceased as Emma slowly walked down the stairs, gripping tightly to the railing on nervous and wobbly legs. She cursed herself for deciding that wearing heels would be a much better idea than something sensible. Even though the shoes were charmed beyond belief to be comfortable, she suddenly found that she lacked the finesse to walk in them. Emma found herself walking a little slower down the stairs, keeping her head low to prolong the moment and avoiding looking at Greyson. But when she finally reached the landing and looked up, she had no idea why she was so worried at all.
Greyson looked awe-struck, eyes wide and stunned and lips parting slightly before turning into a wide smile. Emma felt the back of her neck heat up under his appraising and appreciative gaze, and she ducked her head, looking back up at him sheepishly through her eyelashes. She took a moment to take a look at Greyson, trying to commit the entirety of him at the moment to memory.
She quirked a brow at his dress robes that seemed to match the shifting colors of her cape. His suit was equally reminiscent of the shifting night sky as her outfit, and she cast Elara a curious look and shook her head at the wink she received. She should have known that Elara would make sure that Greyson would match her perfectly. The buttons of his suit and tie were a muted silver, the perfect counterpart to the seemingly glittering stars that she wore. His shirt and vest were black to fit in the rest of his outfit. If Emma wasn't still nervous, she would comment about how handsome she found him, but the words weren't coming.
"Emma Lupin," Greyson said breathlessly, reaching out to take Emma's hand and giving her a quick twirl. "You are absolutely gorgeous."
"Stop it," Emma said with a shy giggle. "Don't be stupid; I'm not."
Greyson stopped Emma where she was, giving her a funny look as he lifted her chin to meet his gaze. "You. Are. Beautiful," he said, leaning down and pressing a soft kiss to her lips. Greyson only parted at Sirius clearing his throat, his cheeks pink with embarrassment. Emma couldn't say that she minded, and she looked past Greyson to shoot Sirius a look.
Remus, to his credit, only looked back at the couple when Greyson situated himself next to Emma, pulling her into his side. Emma happily tucked herself further into Greyson's side, looking at Remus expectantly. He looked as though he was about to gear himself up for a lengthy conversation, but he let out a slow breath, his expression softening.
"It's probably best that you two head on your way," Remus said, reaching for Sirius's hand and squeezing it tightly. "The night is young, but it'll be over before you know it. Have fun, you two."
Emma was surprised that Remus would let them off with such a simple parting. She tilted her head slightly with curiosity, but he shook his head, the smile he reserved only for her on his face. Emma's attention only shifted as Greyson separated from her to grab a cloak draped over one of the tall, wingback chairs. She went to take it from Greyson, but he brushed her waiting hands away and draped the heavy fabric over her shoulders, and clasped it in the front.
"Tonight is about you," Greyson said, giving her a quick kiss before finding his coat and throwing it on. Finally situated, Emma took Greyson's proffered arm with a giggle, still feeling exceptionally shy.
"I want her back home in one piece tomorrow, Greyson," Remus said pointedly. "I think just after noon would be perfect."
"I won't have her back a moment later," Greyson promised. With final farewells made, Emma and Greyson made their way through the village to the carriages.
Emma was unaware of just how many people had been staying in the village. It almost seemed like a typical Hogsmeade weekend, but most of its current occupants were dressed up. Most were in large groups and laughing with each other, primping and preening as they walked and showed off for each other. The energy was infectious, and Emma couldn't stop herself from pointing out each time she found a pretty dress or found another group's antics amusing. She leaned happily against Greyson, feeling a little more at ease than she did in the house.
They waited their turn for a carriage, this time drawn by horses instead of Thestrals, and were relieved when the group behind them didn't join them. While the carriages were massive and could handle carrying at least eight occupants, it felt nice to have a few more moments to themselves.
"Are you all right?" Greyson asked, leaning slightly to get more in Emma's vision. She looked at Greyson sitting across from her curiously and frowned at the question. At some point, she had stopped breathing entirely, and she took in a deep breath to get some air back to her brain. Emma was unaware of just how dizzy she was making herself.
"I'm fine," Emma said, giving Greyson a tight smile.
Greyson hummed thoughtfully to himself and moved himself to sit next to Emma. He took her hands gently in his, distracted for a moment by the new bracelet on her wrist.
"You don't seem fine," Greyson said, meeting Emma's eyes. "What's wrong?"
Emma shrugged, looking out the window of the carriage as it trundled towards the castle.
"I don't know," she said. "Nervous. I knew we were doing this, but it's scary. I almost liked our little secret."
"Well, it's not like it was too much of a secret anymore, was it?" Greyson asked, running his thumbs over Emma's knuckles. "But if you really don't want to, we can just head back. We can take advantage of being dressed up and go somewhere nice for dinner. Perhaps, if you'd really like, we could head to yours tonight instead of tomorrow."
Emma thought seriously about it for a moment, the idea sounding almost more appealing than attending the dance. She weighed her options carefully before changing her mind.
"No," Emma said. "We're already this far, so we might as well just get it over with."
"Are you sure?"
"I'm as sure as I'm ever going to be," Emma replied, smiling when Greyson lifted her hands to kiss her knuckles. "And you look incredibly handsome tonight. I would hate to miss out on the opportunity to show you off."
"Always the cheeky thing you are," Greyson chuckled.
"You wouldn't have it any other way."
Greyson had to agree.
All too soon, the carriage arrived at the castle. They managed to get out and into the castle with no wayward comments or anyone paying them any mind. Almost everyone in the entrance hall was meeting up with their friends or finding the groups they were meant to join. As long as everyone seemed too concerned with everyone else, Emma didn't mind. It meant a few moments longer to keep their little secret, and for a long moment while having their coats checked, Emma thought she could introduce things on her time. She should have known that nothing ever went to plan.
Emma blanched at the sudden shriek that echoed through the entrance hall, and she cast Greyson an apologetic look at the shout of, "Emma Lupin! What is the meaning of this?"
"Didn't take long," Emma muttered to Greyson and twisting herself to watch Persephone marching through the now very curious crowds. Emma flushed, trying to ignore the inquisitive gazes of the groups turning and looking between her and Persephone. "Thought we had a few more minutes," Emma added as Greyson pulled her into his side, the gesture both protective and soothing.
Persephone looked almost menacing with her amethyst-colored dress fanning out behind her. Emma had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from snickering over the fact that Persephone reminded her of Snape and his billowing robes. Persephone stopped in front of the amused couple, brows knit close together in aggravation, and she folded her arms in front of her, tapping her foot. She looked from Emma to Greyson and back to Emma again, her eyebrows practically raising into her hairline.
"Oops," Emma finally said when no one dared to say anything. Persephone scoffed, looking as if she couldn't believe the sight that was in front of her.
"How long?" Persephone demanded.
"That's what you're going to say first?" Emma asked, surprised. "Not an, 'Are you happy?' or a, 'Wow, you two look nice together?'"
Persephone reached out and pulled Emma from Greyson, ignoring Emma's yelp of surprise as she pulled her away. Greyson watched on helplessly, unsure of what to do, as Persephone dragged Emma off to the side of the entrance hall. The moment they were far enough away, Persephone let go of Emma and whipped around to glare at her.
"Emma, how long?"
"Since October officially," Emma huffed, her eyebrows raising in surprise. "September unofficially."
"So, the entire time Greyson was here –?"
"Only the last week he was here."
"Merlin's saggy tits," Persephone said, lifting her hands up to run through her hair and stopping herself to avoid messing up her hair. "I'm happy for you, but…"
"Fenrir knows," Emma said with a slight shrug. "And I hope that when I was informed that the information didn't come from you, it wasn't a lie."
"I didn't even know," Persephone said, looking over Emma's shoulder at Greyson. "He asked me once but dropped it when he didn't get the answer he was looking for. The next time I talked to him, he said he had his answer."
"Well, not entirely," Emma said. "He's never actually seen us together, but –"
"It's Fenrir," Persephone finished. "He doesn't need to see you two together to know the truth."
Emma nodded her agreement. "But it's fine, mostly…I think," Emma said, glancing back at Greyson and smiling at him. "We were worried, and we have been worried, but tonight was as good as ever. There's no point in trying to hide it."
"But Fenrir –"
"Is going to keep being Fenrir. It's not going to change a thing."
Persephone nodded, casting her gaze elsewhere for a moment and looking uncertain. When she looked back at Emma, she smiled, though it didn't meet her eyes.
"I'm glad that you're happy," she said quietly. "If anyone deserves to be happy, it's you. And Greyson looks very, very lost without you, so I'll let you get back to him."
"Thank you," Emma said, giving Persephone a curious look. "You know, you never did tell me who your date is."
"Pansy," Persephone giggled. "Decided to 'go' with Draco for appearance's sake, but she's my date."
"Sounds about right," Emma snickered. "You should probably go find her, then. Promise me at least one dance tonight?"
"Obviously," Persephone said. Emma turned to leave, but Persephone reached out and snatched her hand before she could get too far. The look on her face was severe, and it made Emma a little nervous. "Emma, be careful tonight," she said. Persephone looked as though she wanted to say something else but only squeezed Emma's hand briefly and letting it go. Before Emma could ask what Persephone was talking about, she left, leaving Emma feeling confused.
Emma was quick to return to Greyson, though her attention was elsewhere. Why would Persephone tell her to be careful? She looked around to try and spot Persephone again but gave up when Greyson touched her arm.
"Er, was everything fine?" Greyson asked, rubbing Emma's arm soothingly.
"Yeah," Emma said. "Now, let's try and get through the rest of tonight. Plenty more people to surprise tonight."
For a good ten minutes, Emma and Greyson were the talk of the Yule Ball. She could feel the envious and confused glares from the older female students that had been eying Greyson up during his time in the castle. Greyson was able to ignore the looks, but it was much harder for Emma. She thought that she would be used to the looks, but it was another thing for people to talk about.
Emma couldn't help but notice George's scathing look when he saw who she was with, and her stomach sank. They still hadn't talked since they broke up, choosing to awkwardly ignore each other whenever the other was around. Neville seemed less surprised to see her date but was mostly busy with Ginny, who had accepted his invitation to be his date. However, her other classmates seemed to have mixed reactions.
"I knew it!" Leanne shrieked when she saw who Emma was with. "I knew it! With the way you were looking at him and how you never wanted to say anything to anyone?" Leanne's smile was bright, and she clapped her hands in delight. "Susan and Hannah owe me a Galleon each!"
"Is it normal for you Hufflepuffs to bet on everything?" Greyson asked, watching Leanne scurry off to tell the others.
"More like it's normal for everyone to bet on my life in particular," Emma sighed. "Dad's done it a time or two himself."
"You're kidding."
"I wish I wasn't."
Whatever attention was on the two of them quickly disappeared, and there was a slight hush and feverish whispering as someone else entered the entrance hall. Emma let out a sigh of relief, and her curiosity was piqued when she heard someone say, "Is that who I think it is with Krum?"
Greyson, curious to see Viktor Krum himself, scanned the crowd and tapped Emma's shoulder to point her in the direction everyone looked. Emma smiled up at him appreciatively, but her smile fell quickly when she saw just who was with Viktor Krum. Of all people she expected to be Viktor's date, Hermione Granger was the last person she expected.
"Tough luck," Persephone said, walking past Emma as the doors of the Great Hall opened to let everyone in. "Looks like Granger's become the most interesting person of the night."
"Of course," Emma muttered, following everyone into the Great Hall. "At least it isn't me, I suppose." Emma wasn't entirely sure why she cared, but it seemed to her that Hermione very rarely had something go wrong in her life. Of course, she would somehow wind up having a Quidditch phenomenon be her date to the Yule Ball. Whatever negative thoughts started to cross Emma's mind were swept away by the brilliant decorations in the room.
Emma took in the brilliant silvery frosted decorations, almost like pure ice. Garlands of mistletoe and ivy crossed the starry ceiling, reminding Emma of Hogsmeade, but indoors. Instead of the long house tables lining the room, hundreds of smaller tables were scattered around, lit up by lanterns. Emma more than happily followed her housemates to a table, musing that the dozen chairs were filled entirely with the fourth year Hufflepuffs, Greyson, and Kevin Entwhistle. Emma wasn't the only one who noticed, and she couldn't help but begin to snicker at the perplexed look on Greyson's face.
"This is a very young and very Hufflepuff table," Greyson muttered under his breath to Emma as dinner appeared on their plates.
"Well, you should have thought about that one before deciding you absolutely had to be with me," Emma said, giving Greyson a pointed look. "Good news is you only have to sit through dinner, and then I will allow you wander."
"And miss out dancing with the most beautiful person in this entire room? Never."
The room filled with conversation as everyone tucked into their meals. Emma was almost jealous over how easily Greyson navigated the conversations around him. She knew it couldn't be too enjoyable being surrounded by people much younger than himself. Emma was half-listening to the story Greyson was telling Susan and Roger, who were sitting to their left. She was busy trying to figure out who everyone's dates were because something seemed off.
Susan was with Roger, Hannah was with Wayne. Leanne and Megan had decided to go as friends, neither of them wanting a date. Sally was with Kevin, and Emma was with Greyson. Emma didn't understand why Justin and Ernie didn't have dates when they could have easily gone with Leanne and Megan.
Emma looked across the table, staring at Justin and trying to figure out what exactly was going on. She tried to catch Justin's eye, but Emma quickly realized his attention was elsewhere. Emma looked over at Ernie, who was sitting next to Justin, and she watched how he leaned in close to Justin…perhaps a little closer than usual. The two were always close, but this seemed different to her. Emma watched for a few moments longer, tilting her head curiously at the way Justin's face flushed just a little bit. She couldn't stop her sudden gasp of realization.
Justin and Ernie both looked up at Emma's sudden outburst, straightening up suddenly, eyes wide and nervous. Emma didn't say anything but kept her eyes locked on Justin's. She lifted a brow, glancing at Ernie curiously, and Justin gave her a sheepish grin in response. Ernie just looked downright horrified until Justin leaned in to say something to him. Ernie turned his head to look at Justin, said something, and Justin nodded. Ernie took a look around at the others who were still enjoying their food, and with a resolute nod, he sat up stiff as a board.
He cleared his throat loudly to try and grab everyone's attention. "So, Justin and I have something that we need to tell everyone," Ernie said, his usual smugness gone. It was very rare that one of the Hufflepuff's passed up the opportunity to learn something new, and all attention was on Ernie and Justin.
Ernie hesitated for a moment and looked over at Justin for help. Justin let out an exasperated sigh and immediately reached for Ernie's hand, holding it on top of the table.
"We're together," Justin said, looking pointedly over at Emma. "We planned to say something earlier, but someone had to have bigger news than us."
"Oh, please," Emma huffed. "I've had enough of the spotlight this year! It's your turn now." And just as Emma had hoped, all attention was officially off of her and Greyson. Greyson seemed just as relieved. As well-spoken as he was, Emma could tell he felt a bit out of his element.
"Never would have picked that one out with Justin," Greyson said quietly, grunting as Emma smacked her arm into his stomach.
"Be happy for them, you idiot," Emma huffed. "Besides, now I won't have to hear you complaining about how you think I love Justin more."
"Oh, no, I'll still complain about that."
The moment dinner was over, and the dance floor was open for everyone, Emma dragged Greyson out into the growing crowd. She was torn between watching The Weird Sisters play and dancing, but ultimately dancing won out. Greyson was apprehensive at first, but after a few songs, he started to enjoy himself more. It was by far the best night Emma ever had in her life.
"Emma, do you mind having a dance with me?" Cedric asked later on in the night, bowing over-enthusiastically and giving Greyson an apologetic smile. "If your boyfriend allows me to, of course."
"My God, please take her," Greyson said, waving Emma off. "I have no idea how she has so much energy. While you're at it, try and get Justin to take her off my hands for a bit. I'm exhausted."
Emma's jaw dropped as she looked at Greyson, stunned at what he was saying. She glared at him until she saw the twinkle in his eye, and she understood. Emma huffed in annoyance and shook her head.
"Menace," Emma muttered under her breath as she allowed Cedric to pull her back out towards the dance floor. Emma and Cedric groaned simultaneously as the song switched to a slow song. "Dreadful timing, Cedric," Emma said, letting Cedric pull her close. "Maybe we should wait for the next song."
"It's fine," Cedric said, pulling Emma's hand into his. "Cho's off with Marietta for a bit, anyway. Bit glad, really."
"How are you doing?" Emma asked. "I feel like the past few weeks have been mental, and I haven't really talked to anyone."
"Well, haven't missed much. I see Justin and Ernie have finally come out and said something," Cedric said, looking over Emma's head at the two who were pressed close to each other. "About time. They've been together for at least a month now."
"Such a shame – now I know why Justin stopped flirting with me," Emma said with a heavy and overdramatic sigh. "How unfortunate."
"He'll never stop flirting with you," Cedric laughed. "He loves you."
"I know he does. I'm happy for him, though. How are you and Cho?"
Cedric fell silent, almost thoughtful. "Well, all right, I suppose," Cedric said slowly. "We've only been together for a few weeks."
"You seem unsure."
"I really like her, but she can be a lot sometimes. She's smart, but she values Marietta's opinions too much, I think," Cedric said, pulling Emma into a twirl and dipping her and making her laugh. He smiled at Emma as he pulled her back up. "But it doesn't matter, not really. I'm not going to let her change my mind on things. However, you are a much more fascinating topic. You and Greyson Fenmore?"
"Unexpected?"
"More than unexpected," Cedric said. "Never would have seen that in a million years. I thought you and Longbottom well before him."
"Well, it's funny how things worked out."
"Why did you keep it a secret for so long?"
"He's older," Emma replied, looking past Cedric to see Greyson talking to a group of seventh years. "And considering he was teaching for a bit…"
"Ah, you didn't want to seem like a hypocrite."
"You could say that."
"Well, as long as you're happy, that's all that matters," Cedric said with another smile. His smile faded slightly as he looked over Emma's head, and he let out a groan. "Come on," he added, pulling Emma towards Justin and Ernie. Ernie took one look at Cedric and Emma and excused himself.
"Sorry," Cedric said, leaning down to kiss Emma's cheek. "Just something I need to take care of."
Before Emma had a chance to see where Cedric was going, Justin pulled her into his arms.
"What was that about?" Emma asked, curious to see what was going on, but Justin spun her the opposite way of where Cedric went.
"Absolutely nothing," Justin said. True to typical Justin Finch-Fletchley fashion, he picked a topic at random to try and distract Emma from what was going on. Emma decided to let things go for the moment and focused on what Justin was saying. He talked about the new movies that he planned to see over the holiday, planning to take one of the late trains back home. It wasn't until the song was nearly over that Emma realized something was going on just behind them.
"I can't believe you!" Emma suddenly heard Cho shout, her voice shrill and practically echoing over the music being played. "I still don't understand why you're still friends with her!"
Emma frowned, looking at Justin in confusion. Was Cho talking about her? She dared to let herself look over her shoulder; Justin didn't bother stopping her from looking. Cho and Cedric were in the middle of the dance floor, but neither of them was dancing. Instead, they were glaring at each other, Cho's hands on her hips and Cedric's arms crossed. They weren't the only two to fight that night, and they certainly wouldn't be the last. If Emma had been paying attention correctly, she was sure that she had seen Hermione yelling at Harry and Ron for some reason.
"Cho, she is my friend," Cedric said sharply. "We have gone over this time and time and time again."
"Is she talking about me?" Emma asked Justin and sighing when Cho shouted, "It's always Emma this, Emma that! And then I come back and see you dancing with her?" Emma's stomach dropped at the pure venom in Cho's voice.
"Well, I guess that answered that," Emma said.
"Don't listen to her," Justin said, pulling Emma back around to face him. "She's just being stupid. She's been that way for a while."
"About me?"
"Cho is, well…she gets jealous easily." Justin sighed, pulling Emma in closer. "Her friend Marietta hasn't been helping much on that front. Marietta is one of the ones who started all of the stupid rumors about the whole 'werewolf supremacy' thing when you yelled at Hermione."
"But it was never about that," Emma said quietly.
"I know that. Most of the others know that, but Marietta and Cho –"
"She is like a sister to me, Cho," Cedric said firmly. "Like it or not, she's going to be in my life for a long time."
Cho practically snarled at Cedric, throwing his hand off of her arm and storming off. The crowd nearby watched on in morbid amusement, but Emma just felt sick. Whatever good mood she had was gone entirely. Emma didn't understand what Cho's issue was, and she didn't want to be the reason they were having problems. Cedric's jaw dropped as he watched Cho leave, and he ran his hands through his hair. He took a moment to think before following after her.
Emma let go of Justin and gave him a sad smile as the song finally ended. "Thanks," she said quietly. "I think I'm going to head off. It's been a long night…"
"Emma, don't –"
"I'll see you next term," Emma said quickly, darting off to find Greyson. She found him on the outskirts of the room, far off from where Cedric and Cho had been fighting. He was alone and content to just listen to the music, a glass of champagne in hand. Greyson's face lit up when he spotted her, but doubt quickly crept into his expression.
"Hey," he said softly as Emma tucked herself into his side. He set his glass down to wrap his arms around her. "Everything all right?"
"Grey, I want to go," Emma said quietly, tucking herself into his side, feigning a yawn. "I'm tired."
"What happened?" he asked.
"Nothing," Emma said, a little too quickly for his liking. "I just really want to leave."
Greyson looked as though he was going to tell her to just stay, but he sighed. "How about one more dance? With me?"
Emma nibbled her lip, looking out at the dance floor for a moment and then shaking her head. "I'd rather leave," she said. "I'm sorry."
"It's all right," Greyson said, kissing Emma's forehead. "Come on, let's go."
The temperature had dropped considerably, and despite being in the comfort of the carriage heading back towards Hogsmeade, Emma was frozen. She wished that she wasn't in heels, wished that her dress was made of a heavier material. Her cloak warmed her, but a definite chill crept up from the ground and up her dress giving her goose flesh. Greyson held her close, but it wasn't enough to warm her entirely.
Greyson helped her out of the carriage when it stopped at the entrance of the village. He reached out to take Emma's hand, clearly prepared for a leisurely stroll back to the house, but Emma had another idea. She wanted to get warm, and she wanted to get back to the house quickly. Emma cast Greyson a devilish grin, ripping her hand out of his and doing the only thing she could think of doing. She ran.
She took off at a surprisingly quick pace for wearing heels. Emma lifted her dress up, laughing brightly at Greyson's shout of surprise. He yelled for her to stop, but Emma only laughed even more, glancing over her shoulder at him and smiling at his stunned look. When he didn't chase after her, she stopped, turning around and lifting her arms in exasperation.
"Well, what are you waiting for?" Emma questioned. "Are you just going to stand there all night?"
"What are you doing?" Greyson shouted back. "It's absolutely bloody freezing."
"I know!" Emma giggled. "That's why I'm running!"
"You're wearing heels!"
"I know. And it seems I'm a better runner in heels than you are in your shoes since you apparently can't get yourself to move," Emma said with a smirk. "Catch me if you can!" And then she was off again, giggling at Greyson's shout of disbelief.
Emma was fully aware that Greyson was letting her get ahead of him, not wanting to push her to run too fast in her heels. They were nearly all the way back to the house with no signs of stopping when Emma decided to look back; it was a poor decision on her part. She shrieked as she felt her feet begin to fly out from underneath her as she hit an icy patch of the street. Greyson immediately ran faster to try and catch her, but instead of keeping them both upright, they slid to the ground. Emma's laughter was raucous as they laid in the snow, looking at each other in shock.
"You were supposed to catch me!" Emma laughed, clutching her stomach as she laughed.
"Technically, I did," Greyson said.
Emma turned on her side, lifting herself up so that she could kiss Greyson and silence their laughter. She sat up, still giggling as she checked herself for scrapes. The snow was soft enough to break their falls and only left behind bruised egos and Emma's aching stomach from laughter. She paused her search of herself as something wet touched her cheek, and she let out a soft "Oh."
"It started snowing again," Emma said, peering up at the sky with a wide smile. She sat up, wiping away her tears of mirth with giggles. Emma looked over at Greyson when he sat up next to her, looking at her more seriously than he ever had before. "What is it?" Emma asked, suddenly worried something was very wrong. She was about to turn her head to look around, but his hand came up to cup her cheek.
"I love you," Greyson said.
A flurry of butterflies filled Emma's belly, and she blushed furiously. She still couldn't get used to hearing the words, and she wasn't sure that she ever would.
"I love you, too," she whispered back, smiling happily into their kiss. They stayed that way for a few very long moments until Emma realized that her butterflies were more than just butterflies. She separated herself from Greyson slowly, trying to work quickly through the thoughts in her head.
The snow continued to fall softly around them, the lightest of breezes blowing the fluffy snowflakes about. Multi-colored lights still twinkled around the village from homes and the shops, casting a soft glow. One of Greyson's hands was caressing Emma's arm as he studied her, trying to work out why she had suddenly grown so solemn. He knew better than to ask right away and instead stood, pulling Emma up with him.
"I want you," Emma blurted out once she was upright. She immediately covered her mouth, shocked that she even said a word, and she stared at Greyson with wide eyes. She was grateful that it was cold out and that her cheeks were most likely a shade of pink already.
"You want me?" Greyson asked, his brows pulling together with his confusion. He studied Emma for a long moment, and then his eyebrows shot up with surprise. "Oh," Greyson said, clearing his throat. "A-are you sure?"
"Yes," Emma said, nodding fervently. "Yes, I'm sure. If you want, of course."
Greyson still looked stunned, frozen where he stood with Emma's hands still in his. He looked as though he was doing some very quick thinking, and it was making Emma nervous and starting to regret saying a word. She was about to change her mind, but then Greyson swallowed hard and nodded.
The very moment they finally entered the house, the energy changed considerably. An unspoken and thick tension filled the atmosphere, and it only increased the moment Greyson closed and locked the door behind them. Emma was slow to remove her cloak, lifting her gaze curiously to find Greyson moving just as slowly as she was. She fumbled nervously with the clasp for her cape and folded it carefully before setting it down on a nearby table.
"Do you…do you want something to drink?" Greyson suddenly asked, running a hand through his hair. "Just to relax, you know."
"Oh," Emma said, nervously chewing her lip. "I don't know. Maybe tea? Just something to warm up from being outside."
"Yeah, absolutely," Greyson replied quickly. He pulled Emma towards the living room and sat her down on the couch, lighting the fire with a wave of his wand. Greyson shrugged his suit jacket off and draped it over one of the chairs. He sighed, bending down to give Emma a quick kiss. "Stay here," he said. "I'll be right back."
Emma wasn't entirely sure how they got to the point that they did. One moment she was nervously drinking the tea that Greyson made, holding herself close together on the sofa. The next, she found herself upstairs and in bed stretched out underneath him. Emma worried that she wasn't going to have any idea what to do, but everything felt natural and easy. Things were awkward and a bit uncomfortable initially, but she felt more relaxed than she had in months by the end. Though she was a bit sore, having to wait was entirely worth it.
She was snuggled up comfortably next to Greyson, her head resting on his chest. His fingers ran up and down the bare skin of her arm, his touch light but soothing. Emma closed her eyes with a long yawn and snuggled closer, lifting her head to bury her face into Greyson's neck.
"Tired?" he asked softly.
"Well, that's a stupid bloody question, isn't it?" Emma asked, cracking an eye open to look at Greyson. "After what we just did?"
Greyson snorted, kissing the top of Emma's head. "Right, well, it was a bit stupid," he said, wrapping his arm around her tighter. His yawn was equally as wide as hers. "Suppose we should get some sleep, yeah?"
Being granted the rare moment of relaxation, Emma drifted off into sleep quickly, warm and cozy tucked under the blankets and against Greyson. However, her dreams weren't kind to her. She expected to have pleasant dreams, her thoughts momentarily far away from the danger that surrounded her, but her dreams were dark. They were twisted with sharp teeth and claws, and when Emma woke up, she sat up quickly in bed with a gasp.
Emma looked over at Greyson, worried that she had woken him up, but he was still sleeping soundly. A small smile crossed her face as she listened to his quiet snoring, but it felt quickly as she thought about the last thing she remembered in her dream. It had been a while since Fenrir had been the one to pervade her dreams, taking over and turning them into nightmares she couldn't make up on her own.
She frowned, rubbing her neck as if she still felt Fenrir's sharp nails grazing the sensitive skin over her throat. Emma took in a deep breath, trying to figure out why something felt wrong, but she decided to force herself to relax. She started to lay back down, but her brain caught up to the rest of her senses.
Emma took a tentative breath, brow furrowing as she caught a familiar scent that seemed to linger in the room. It was an almost sweet smell mixed with a heavy musk and tobacco. She ran her hand back over her neck, and her stomach dropped in realization. It wasn't a coincidence that her dreams consisted of Fenrir.
"Shit," Emma hissed, rubbing her hands over her face. Without thinking, Emma carefully climbed out of bed to avoid waking Greyson and dressed quickly. She snatched her wand up from the side table and crept out into the hallway following the scent.
She wasn't entirely sure of what she would find as she followed Fenrir's cologne down the hallway and down the stairs. Emma expected to see him sitting in the living room, cigarette in his mouth and waiting for her. It was one thing for him to know about her and Greyson, but for him to practically catch them in the act? Emma felt dizzy.
Her heart stopped when she felt just how cold the downstairs was. She gripped her wand a little tighter in her hand, unsure of whether she should step off the stairs. Fenrir wasn't waiting like she thought, but she didn't trust him to not be lurking around the corner. A sharp snap of something out in the entranceway made Emma jump, and the howl of the wind seemed to echo. Emma watched as snow blew past the doorway, and she squared her shoulders, deciding to investigate. Emma wasn't sure what to expect, but it certainly wasn't the sight that awaited her.
The door was blown open and appeared to have been open for a while. Emma didn't think she had been asleep for long, but she had no idea how long the door had been left open. Snow had started to pile up in the open doorway, but that wasn't the strangest part. She walked a little closer to the entrance and froze when she noticed the footprints in the snow. A set of prints covered hers and Greyson's, but it was the sharp grooves that were etched in the same path as the footprints that confused her. It was almost as if someone was dragged away like there was some sort of scuffle, but Emma wasn't sure.
Deciding that Fenrir wasn't actually in the house, Emma decided to peer outside the doorway to try and figure out what happened. She turned her head and leaned heavily against the door frame when she noticed the large, boot-shaped prints that stopped in front of the window into the living room. Those prints looked to be nearly covered, and with the slow snowfall…Emma had no doubts over who had been standing at the window.
Not only did Fenrir know who she was with, but he had to have watched them. They had spent their time on the couch before moving upstairs, and Emma paled as she remembered just how undressed she had been. Her blood ran cold, and if she wasn't leaning against the doorway, she would have fallen over from being faint.
Emma took another look around, still half-expecting to find Fenrir waiting. If he was still around, he was hiding and biding his time. Emma wasn't sure that it was a good sign if that was the case. She took another long look at the footprints that followed the pathway to the front gate, still not sure what had happened. The only person who could answer her questions was now the last person she wanted to be anywhere near.
She ran her hand back over the front of her neck, thinking about her dreams. If Fenrir had wanted to kill her, he would have done it. Was he issuing her a silent warning before he got distracted? Or did whatever happened outside occur before Fenrir decided to let himself in? Emma wasn't sure that she would ever get the answers she was looking for. She knew Fenrir well enough that the night could have been drastically different. Though she didn't understand what happened, she couldn't deny that Fenrir hadn't done anything to either her or Greyson.
Against her better judgment, Emma lifted her wand and covered the footprints with more snow. Some things were better kept a secret.
a/n: Y'all thought you were getting SMUT finally, weren't you? HA. YOU THOUGHT WRONG.
So, here's the deal. I started to write it, but then felt super super super weird about it. I know how I've skewed my world, I know how I've made my canon for werewolves, but that was never for smut reasons. It was 100% from a legitimate biological standpoint, and I didn't even consider the fact that people were going to want me to write smut. I knew it would happen at some point, but that is not at this moment in time. It feels super weird for me to write something underage and I don't feel comfortable with it, especially not in detail and it's why I avoided writing other scenes in too much detail. I'd rather leave it to everyone else's imagination for now, but some day it'll exist.
That being said, I may or may not have some future scrapped scenes that I'll potentially drop in Discord. I definitely recommend joining because we have wayyyy too much fun and there's a lot going on and you can see how much I complained about this chapter.
In additiiiooonnnn - you should go check out the two AU's that currently exist within the Moonlit universe. There's a more romantic AU that I started (and will probably rewrite just as fair warning), and then a slightly darker, but also kind of whimsical AU that I'm writing with my boyfriend. I love both stories very much and definitely recommend checking them out. I plan on updating a little more regularly. I usually pick up speed the second half of the school year in the fic, and now that the Yule Ball is over I can kind of get back into the story a bit more.
To all of my late night readers - please go to sleep. For my afternoon readers - I hope you've had a good day. Anddd for all of my morning readers, good morning and I hope you're having a wonderful day!
xoxo, cat