Monday, 14 February 1977
"Did we miss something?" Maggie asked.
Lena gave her a confused look.
"Was there some announcement that said all girls had to wear red and pink today and give out chocolates?"
Ava laughed. "Did you forget what today is?"
"Yeah, I never know what day it is."
Lena grinned. "Today, we are celebrating a man who was beheaded for performing secret weddings even after he restored his executioner's daughter's sight."
Maggie stared at her blankly.
"For Merlin's sake, just say it's Valentine's Day," Ava said, covering her face with her left hand in exasperation.
"Ahh, Maggie said. "So what are you getting you-know-who for Valentine's Day, Aves?"
Lena snorted.
Maggie tilted her head at the brunette. "What?"
"You just made it seem like Ava was getting a present for He Who Must Not Be Named for Valentine's Day."
"Are you okay today?" Ava asked. "You're acting super weird."
"I just had an epiphany last night that I was overthinking everything and I should talk to Remus."
"That's great!" Ava smiled.
"Yeah, now I just have to come up with an excuse in case he asks me why I've been avoiding him."
"Or you can just tell him the truth," Maggie suggested.
"It's hilarious that you think I would do that."
Maggie shook her head as the trio walked into the Great Hall.
Lena felt a hand on her arm. She spun around and came face to face with Sirius.
"Hey, Sirius."
"Hey, Lee."
Lena looked back at Maggie and Ava, who were waiting for her. She noticed that a few girls were giving her dirty looks for speaking with Sirius. "You guys sit down. I'll be with you in a minute."
Sirius waited for her friends to leave before speaking. "You need to meet me and James in Flitwick's classroom at four."
"Why?"
"We need to go over some Animagus stuff."
"Okay, sounds good. I'll see you then."
Lena was waiting rather impatiently for Sirius and James to arrive. Humming, she shuffled her feet and spun around on her shoes as she waited for the black-haired Gryffindors. She could hear her bracelet jingle as she moved around the room.
The door creaked open and then closed.
Lena steadied herself against one of the desks and crossed her legs. "Finally. I thought you weren't going to sh— What are you doing here?"
Remus stared at her with his green eyes and Lena was sure she would melt.
"Looking for you."
Lena swallowed. "How'd you know I would be here?"
"James and Sirius said you'd be here. They said you asked for their help in Transfiguration."
Lena would kill the pair of idiots when she got out of the classroom for tricking her.
Lena looked down at her shoes, wanting to disappear.
Remus took a deep breath and moved in front of her. "Look, I know you're mad at me—"
Lena whipped her head up to look at him. There was urgency in her eyes. "I'm not mad at you!"
"Then why have you been avoiding me?" Remus said softly, sounding hurt.
She hated that she hurt him.
Lena wanted to look away, but she couldn't. Like always, he had mesmerized her.
Lena chewed on her lip. "It's going to sound so stupid," she admitted.
Remus grabbed on her hands and lifted it in between their chests. "You can tell me."
Lena exhaled. She decided to tell him the truth. Well, part of it.
"I was overthinking everything, I couldn't help but think that you giving me the pen was a way for you to tell me that you didn't want to help me anymore and you didn't want to spend time with me. And I thought if I avoided you, you'd be happy. And it was easier to avoid you when I thought you didn't want anything to do with me."
Remus shook his head. "Of course not. I love spending time with you, Lena. And to be honest, I was nervous to give you the pen. I thought you may not want to spend time with me anymore if you had it. I thought you didn't need my help, you wouldn't bother with me. I thought that's what was happening."
Lena squeezed his hand in hers, eager to fix things and understand. "That would never happen. And why would you give me the pen if you were nervous that we wouldn't talk to each other more."
"Because I want to help you, even if it means losing time with you."
Lena could feel her eyes shining in admiration, surprise, and love. She wondered if he knew what his words did to her, making her love him grow. "You're quite wonderful, you know."
Remus blushed down at her. "No, I'm not."
Lena shook her head and placed her free hand on the back of his neck. Remus bent his head down to look at her more closely.
"You are, though. There's no one quite like you."
Remus laced their fingers together. "I think it's the other way around."
Remus had the urge to move his head down just a bit more to kiss Lena on her lips. Maybe it would be better to admit his feelings now than silently pine after her for what would seem like an eternity to him. Maybe she'd kiss him back. Maybe she'd feel the same. Maybe—
"What in Merlin's name are you doing?"
Still holding onto each other, Lena and Remus whipped their heads to face the now opened doorway. Flitwick was standing there. His arms were crossed and his face was red.
Remus and Lena started sputtering, unsure of what to say.
"I know it's Valentine's Day, but my classroom is not a place for snogging. It is never a place for snogging!"
"We weren't snogging!"
"Don't lie to me, Mr. Lupin! I know what you and your girlfriend are doing! I was young once, too! And you should know better than to break the rules, Mr. Lupin. You're a prefect!"
Despite the embarrassment, Lena felt her heart flutter. This was the first time, and probably last, she had been referred to as Remus' girlfriend, even if it was by accident.
Lena decided to correct her Charms professor.
"We aren't dating, though."
"Nice try, Miss Pettigrew, but I've got eyes! I know the two of you are dating! You and Mr. Lupin are always hanging around each other! And look at the two of you right now! You're holding hands! You're holding onto Mr. Lupin's neck! He's bending down to kiss you!"
Lena and Remus looked at each, blushing furiously. They released each other and Remus straightened into his full height of six feet and two inches.
"Now, I'm going to have to take points away from you two! Ten points from Gryffindor! 10 points from Hufflepuffle!
"Yes, sir," the non-couple mumbled in embarrassment.
"Now, enjoy the rest of your Valentine's Day. Just no more snogging my classroom!"
"Yes, sir," Remus and Lena said in unison.
"Or any other classroom for that matter!"
"Yes, sir."
"Now, go!"
Remus and Lena quickly shuffled out of the classroom. Remus could have sworn he heard Flitwick mutter something about horny teenagers under his breath.
"Oh my God! I still can't believe that happened!" Lena said as she took a scoop from the bowl of ice cream she and Remus were sharing in the kitchen.
They had decided to share chocolate ice with caramel sauce. Remus said it was fine to have what they had last time, but Lena insisted on them having chocolate ice cream. She wanted to make it up for avoiding him. Not that ice cream could really make for avoiding someone for a week when they had done something nice, Lena thought.
Remus grinned in between bites. "I just wish the door wasn't open when he was yelling at us the whole time. Everyone in the corridor was staring at us when we left."
Lena laughed. "I know! And all of those second years were pointing at us."
Lena looked over at Remus and couldn't help but smile. She was happy to be with him.
"You know you don't have to use the pen if you don't want to," Remus said suddenly.
Lena rested her spoon in the bowl. "No, I love the pen and it's so useful."
"No, I love it! It's been so useful."
Remus looked down and smiled shyly.
"I love the engraving by the way," Lena said, equally as shy.
"You noticed," Remus said, sounding surprised.
"Of course I noticed." I notice everything about you.
"It means a lot to me," Lena continued.
It means a lot to me that it means a lot to you, Remus thought.
"I'm glad."
The pair smiled at each other.
Remus happily flopped on his bed and closed his eyes. He was happy that he and Lena were speaking again. He was happy that she liked spending time with him. He was happy that people could see them as a couple, even if that person was a professor.
He felt a presence over him and he opened his eyes.
"What's this I hear about you snogging my sister?!"