Chapter 7
The Finale: I tried to make this one extra long instead of combining it into two chapters. Enjoy!
The gift in his sleeve, Remus set off for Hogsmeade. He had already decided how to win her back, and this time it was for keeps. The only stormy cloud for his sunny day was the fact that Vanessa was walking towards him.
Vanessa stopped a few feet away from Remus, both outside the bookstore. She licked her lips before moving the rest of the way towards him, leaning her body into his. "Remus, darling, I'm glad to see that you left that snotty girl in tears. I knew you'd see it my way. Besides, only someone such as myself would welcome your savage appetites. Meet me tonight, lover boy." She winked at him and smiled, a cold cynical smile.
Remus had no expression what so ever on his face. "Vanessa, how about I take you out to the lake like we used to?"
Her eyes showed her surprise. "Fine with me. Don't bring blankets or anything. We'll use each other's body heat to keep warm."
"All I'm bringing is some rope and a dirty sock. I'm planning on gagging you, tying you up, and throwing you into the lake to drown. Which means if you'd like to remain in good health, stay the hell away from me and Violet." Remus's voice was low and threatening.
Vanessa felt a shiver run up her spine. He looked so dangerous that she couldn't help but want him.
"Chance meetings sometimes happen, my sweet, and I might accidentally let slip that I know who you are. You're ugly girlfriend won't stick around. She'll run off in a heartbeat. But I, on the other hand, would greatly appreciate you the way you deserve. Seductively, she ran her hands down the front of his body.
He stopped her before her paws went below his waist. With his other hand, he grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him. "Vanessa, she is nothing like you. She has a good pure soul and is kind to everyone. You may think of her as ugly, but to me she is beautiful. She loves me, and I realize now that she'll accept me for who I am. She is the keeper of my heart, and I'll never settle for a harpy like you. You disgust me. Just go crawl back into that hell hole that you came from."
Vanessa was fuming. How dare anyone talk to her like that?! She was beautiful and had the perfect body. Everyone fell in love with her, not some dusty owner of a bookstore. Oh, he would pay. Out of the corner of her eye, Vanessa spotted Violet standing by the window. She was watching them with pain clearly obvious in her eyes. Smirking, she gripped the sides of Remus's face and brought his mouth down to hers.
Stunned, Remus didn't immediately pull away. Finally, coming to his senses, he pushed Vanessa away. Spitting on the ground, he tried to get her vile taste off of him. Turning around, Remus went to the door of the shop and tried to open it, but someone had changed the sign to "closed" and the door was locked. Remus began pounding on the door, but Vanessa laid a hand on his arm.
"Your ugly girl saw you grab me and kiss the daylights out of me. You should feel horrible. You knew the girl was watching, but you just had to break her heart more. Remus, darling, you should be ashamed of yourself." With that, Vanessa walked off.
"Dammit! Violet, open the door. I can explain." But she wouldn't open up because she was too busy crying into her pillow up in her room.
Remus stalked off towards Sirius's home, realizing that he had blown it once again.
Screwed up once again Remus? I never said it was going to be easy getting her back, but through all the difficulties, I'm sure you will prevail. The great werewolf can't win against a harpy disguised in a dress. Explain about Vanessa and about who you truly are. All you have to do now is get around that locked door." Sirius couldn't help but laugh at his friend's misery.
Remus finally found love like I was hoping. However, I won't ever fall into that trap. There are too many ladies that would miss my being single.
"Sirius, I'm going to make sure you suffer as much as myself when you finally meet your match. Hopefully, she'll help you get rid of your notions about not falling in love and your philandering ways." Remus's scowl turned into a grin. "Well, this next time has got to be a charm, or else I'm going to think there is no luck for myself in this world."
Violet was sitting up in her room trying to concentrate on reading a book and not thinking about that tramp Vanessa. She knew Remus didn't deliberately try to be caught kissing Vanessa because he'd never hurt her feelings by being so cruel as to do it where she would see him. Vanessa had probably intentionally stopped at the shop, saw her, and grabbed Remus to get revenge. And it had worked. Violet was jealous and incredibly unhappy. Even talking to Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Sirius didn't help. They reminded her of Remus. She was beginning to wish she could just forget about him, but she knew deep down in her heart that that wish would never come true.
This had better be my lucky day because I'm getting frustrated. For the past week, Remus had tried to talk to Violet but the girl had some kind of anti-Moony radar. She avoided him like the plague, and would probably rather face boils and sores than talk to him. But this time, he wasn't going to give up until he talked to her. As he walked up to the bookshop, he heard the door lock and watched the curtains close.
"Violet, my love, you forget I'm a wizard and can easily unlock doors." With that, Remus touched his wand to the lock, and whispered, "Alohomora." The lock clicked and the door swung open. He walked into the room, lightened by the sun drifting in through the open door. Violet stood at the bottom of the steps, eyes wide.
"I'm not leaving until we talk and straighten things out." Remus slowly walked towards Violet. Grabbing her hand, he led her over to the couch and pushed her down following to sit beside her. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders effectively keeping her from jumping up and leaving. "It feels great to hold you again."
Voice quivering with unshed tears Violet cried, "Remus, please, don't do this to me. I've suffered enough. Just leave me alone."
"I'd thought you'd realize by now, that I'll never leave you alone. We're soul mates, Violet, ensnared in our love. You can't deny that you love me because both of us know it would be a lie. I know you can't forgive me, but at least let me explain." Remus's eyes pleaded with hers. "Violet, I know I've hurt you and I feel guilty as hell about that. But before I explain why, I want you to know that Vanessa means absolutely nothing to me. She's nothing but a grasping greedy witch, intent on spoiling everyone else's happiness because there's none for her. I met her in front of the bookshop and I assume she saw you through the window and that's why she kissed me. She wanted revenge at you. From the first time we met again, she realized any feeling I once had for her, which wasn't much, had disappeared when I met you. You're my life and she didn't like that because she thinks a beautiful body will make everyone love her. Please believe me that I love you, not her."
"Oh, Remus, I do believe you as much as I love you. But why, if not Vanessa, did you break things off with me? She once told me that you had a dark secret, and I'm beginning to think this all has something to do with it. Don't you trust me enough to tell me?" Tears began to slide down Violet's cheeks. She tried to hold them back but to no avail.
"Don't cry. I don't deserve to have you weeping for me." Cupping her face between his hands, Remus looked her in the eyes to tell his dark secret. "Violet, I was afraid you'd run from me if you knew the truth. This story starts when I was just a small child. Foolishly, I allowed myself to be bitten by a werewolf when I was a child. I never let anyone get close to me, not until James, Sirius, and Professor Dumbledore. They knew who I was, what I was, and didn't care. They were the first to know and not be afraid of what I had become. Every full moon, I would transform into a deadly werewolf as I still do today. Vanessa found out about this secret and ran. At the time I thought I loved her, but I realized infatuation isn't love. I never wanted to hurt you, but I was afraid you'd run. Who could ever love a beast like me, that's what I used to believe. I've come to my senses though. I realized that you truly loved me and nothing would ever change that. Tested by difficult trials, our bonds of love will never break. We're meant to be together, you and me. Soul mates, that's what we are. Apart we'll always know sadness, but together, where we belong, we'll be more content then we could have ever dreamed."
Violet couldn't stop the tears that were flowing. They weren't of sadness though, but of joy. "Remus I do love you so." With her left hand she punched his shoulder. "But I can't believe you didn't trust my love. I'm not so fickle as to not love you when you're a human or a werewolf. You'll always be my Remus Lupin, the man who holds my heart." She threw her arms around him and gave him a big hug. "I've been so unhappy, but now I'm ecstatic, knowing that you love me as much as I do you."
"I'm about to make you delirious. I've something for you." Remus reached into his sleeve and pulled out a small black box. "I've had this for days, trying to work up the courage to apologize to you. Violet, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife? Nobody will ever love and cherish you as much as I will. Please say yes, or else I'll be miserable in this life time and all the rest without you right by my side."
"Yes." Smiling, she watched as he slid the ring on her finger, sealing their promise with a sweet kiss.
A little while later, she was still looking at her ring and glowing with happiness. They were both talking about the wedding, which they had decided to have in a few weeks. Violet was a little upset that her best friend Melody wouldn't be able to make it. She was busy packing up at her apartment for the big move. A few weeks ago, Violet had called her to ask her if she'd like to move down and help with the shop. Melody was eager to get away but she had to finish working the next two months full time before she was allowed to leave. Violet also wanted to invite one other person…Vanessa. Maybe she had a bit of the devil inside of her, but Violet truly wanted to see Vanessa when she was in her wedding dress.
"Remus? I'm planning on inviting Vanessa."
"You should. We'll show her exactly how happy a person can be if they're not vicious cold-hearted people such as her." Remus smiled and pulled her closer. "How long has it been since I told you I loved you?"
"A few minutes ago, but tell me again. I shall never tire of hearing it."
Weeks later….
Violet was scared. There were so many people at the wedding and she couldn't help but be nervous. Waiting for the wedding march to begin, Violet scanned the crowd. She saw Vanessa, clearly furious, and she couldn't help but grin. Getting married to Remus was clearly going to irritate that girl to no end. Sitting in the front pew was Melody. Violet gasped. She couldn't believe that Melody had come. She didn't even know where Hogsmeade was. This had to be Remus's doing. Looking up the aisle, she saw her soon to be husband waiting for her, smiling.
The music began and Violet forced her feet to move. Head held high, she walked forward and Remus gripped her hand and pulled her close, leaning down to whisper his love into her ear.
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today..."
La Fin
Author's Note: I hope I didn't disappoint with the end of this story. I'm planning to start Sirius's story where this one left off. I plan to start it in the next week or so. Please keep reviewing and if you have any ideas, suggestions, or other pairings, I'd love to hear what others think.
