Chapter 3 - Hogsmeade

The sun beat down on the dusty track that lead out of Hogwarts and onto Hogsmeade, Remus found himself taking of his jumper and tying it around his waist. He turnd to Valentin to see that she was now only wearing a black lacy vest top. Feeling himself blushing furiously he turned away and watched his feet.

"So, you like quidditch?" asked Valentin awkwardly.

"Oh yeah, It's great, how about you?" replied Remus,

"Yeah, I love it too! I mean having 5 older brothers who play quidditch every day of the summer how can I not?" said Valentin grinning.

A thoguht suddenly struck Remus, "You have 5 older brothers? and your surname's Collet...well you wouldn't happen to be related to Jose and Nicholas Collet would you?"

"Uh, yeah I would their my oldest brothers" said Valentin now joining Remus in watching the ground.

"Wow!! Their on the french national team!! Not a better pair of beaters in the world!!" said Remus now turning to Valentin and smiling.

"Oh yeah, thanks" said Valentin, blushing slightly "You know, seen as they're in the team we get as many free tickets as we like....You should come along this summer!"

"You mean to the France vs. Britain game?" said Remus hopefully

"Yeah, that one! And bring James and Sirius if you like," She said beaming at Remus's obvious delight. Remus wrapped his arms around her and she put her arms around him. But as a group of 3rd years girls past laughing at them, they stopped quickly and stood awkwardly for a moment, before Valentin said, "Look I can seen Hogsmeade just ahead, let's go."

They spent a happy hour wandering around the Village, Valetin went to the post office to send a letter home to her parents about Remus staying, and Remus sending one home asking to stay with Valentin. They then went to Honeyduke's and Valentin bought a sugar spun quill and a bar of Honeyduke's Best chocolate.

Then getting bored of wandering the shops they headed up to the hill on top of which pearched the Shreiking Shack and lay in the hot sunlight.

"I'm so glad we came here today," said Remus happily turning over to lie on his back, sheilding his eyes from the sun with one elegant hand.

"Me too...So, James is going with Lilly to the ball right?" said Valentin, wrapping her arms around her knees, and resting her chin there.

"Yeah, I'm really glad...James has been after Lilly all year!" Remus grinned.

"Yup, me too," said Valentin, now rolling over and propping herself up on her elbows, "But at the start of term I wouldn't have been too happy..."

"Why not?" asked Remus.

"Well you see, in September when Lilly began to fancy James...Well I did too, I thought he was SO amazing," she laughed, but Remus did not say anything.

"I mean that was before I had met you...and I don't even like James like that anymore...I mean he's my friend...but you-I think you're really great...." Valentin spluttered hopelessly, she knew she shouldn't have said anything, and stared at the ground waiting for Remus to do something.

"Oh." He said coldly.

"Oh come on Remus! I don't feel anything for James anymore..." said Valetin, sitting up.

"Yeah....but you did, and you just think it's okay to come up here and rub it in my face, do you?!!?" said Remus hotly now getting to his feet.

"No Remus, actually I'm not that harsh!! I was just making conversation...I'm sorry you're so touchy!!" said Valentin, rising to her feet as well. Staring hard at Valentin, Remus yelled-

"Well, If I'm so touchy why not go to the ball with James...I'm sure he's not touchy!! I mean you said it he's amazing!!" he clenched his fists in anger.

"God! What is wrong with you?! I didn't even know James when I thought that!!" Valentin was frowning so hard it hurt, she thought Remus was different...Why was he being so stupid? "Why do you think I was crying the other day?-"

"I dunn-" said Remus blankly.

"Well it was because YOU hadn't asked me to the ball...NOT JAMES!!!!" and with her final yell she stormed of down the hill, and from what Remus could see back to Hogwarts.

Remus stood there, his fists still clenched, the silence Valentin had left behind ringing in his ears. The sun was fading behind the clouds, staining the sky a deep pink. Remus stood there for at least ten minutes, before realising where he was. As he trudged back down the hill and through Hogsmeade, he thought to himself, "Why was I so stupid? She used to like James...so what?! Now because I was so jealous and petit I won't be able to go with her to the ball...I'm so dumb! I'm mean who cares about James!? She liked me I liked her and now Iv'e completely blown it!"

Before Remus knew it the many turrets and towers of Hogwarts castle with it's glowing yellow windows flickering like fireflies in the quickly drawing dusk, was in front of him. He walked into the entrance hall, and feeling too angry with himself to eat, he diverted the great hall and hauled his weight up the many staircases to Gryfindor Common Room. Then up the to the Boy's Dormitory, where he colapsed onto his soft bed, and lay there until night had really fallen and the whole dorm was pitch black.