Celeste and Minerva took their time over breakfast, discussing, among other things, the O.W.L. exams, which were only a week away. Minerva was confident her daughter would do well, although she fervently hoped Celeste would have the good sense to study extra hard for her Potions exam.
Celeste left her mother's apartments relieved to have finished her essay and glad to have spent some time alone with her mother. The East wing was quite a walk from the Gryffindor common room, but Celeste didn't mind, she was using the time to think of how to approach Remus. She was hoping to meet him alone, she wasn't sure how to act in front of Sirius at the moment and if he were to find out what she had to say to Remus, there could be trouble, and she did not want to cause Sirius any more distress.
As if reading her thoughts, Remus Lupin came up the corridor behind her. He had used the Marauders map to find her and had taken a long route back to the common room after breakfast so as to meet her on the way. He called out to her and she spun around, her face positively glowing to see it was him.
"Oh, hello Remus," she said breathlessly."Have you already had breakfast?"
"Yes," said Remus walking up to her. "I'm sure you already had breakfast with your mom, do you mind if I walk back to the common room with you?"
"Of course not," said Celeste, walking again. "How did you know I ate with mom?"
Remus looked uncomfterable, Celeste didn't know about the map, James and Sirius would kill him if she found out.
"Well," he answered, "you didn't come back from her office last night and you weren't at breakfast so I assumed you spent the night there. Anyway, I'm glad I met up with you, there's something I have to tell you."
Celeste stopped walking and turned to look at him. There had been something in his voice when he said those last words that made her heart pound furiously. Could he possibly...
"Yes?" she prompted, trying to keep her voice level.
As Remus had feared, the words would not come and he was left standing with Celeste in an empty hallway looking like an idiot. He would just have to say something quickly and hope it sounded all right, not easy when his stomach was doing somersaults.
"Celeste," he said looking at her left ear, then her nose, anywhere but into her eyes. "The thing is, well, I, um, I like you, a lot. And, well no actually I love you. I'm sure all this sounds terrible, but I think you're the most wonderful girl in the world and I wish I could tell you just how much you mean to me."
This all came out in a rush, as did the breath Celeste had been holding. She looked at Remus in wonder. He said it sounded terrible, but to Celeste his words were the most romantic thing she'd ever heard.
"Oh, Remus!" she exclaimed, wanting to throw her arms around him, but restraining herself. "I just don't know what to say except that, I love you too."
That was enough for Remus, he suddenly felt as if his feet were rising off the ground.
"But Remus," continued Celeste, "what about Sirius, don't you think he might be rather hurt?"
"No," said Remus. "I told him how I felt about you this morning, he was pleased about it, really pleased."
Her happiness complete, Celeste felt a sudden urge to kiss Remus, he happened to feel exactly the same way. Their lips were barely an inch apart when they heard a loud voice coming from a room close by, Celeste recognized the voice as Peeves. Not wanting to share her first kiss with Remus with the school poltergeist, she pulled away from Remus quickly.
"Perhaps we should get back to the common room," she said hastily, feeling rather irritated with Peeves.
Remus was a bit disappointed, but agreed and they made their way to the common room. They were both silent, but it was a comfterable silence and neither one was very happy to see the portrait of the Fat Lady, knowing they would have to share each other once inside.
Sirius and James were still flying, Peter and Lilly had gone to watch, so not very many people came to bother Celeste and Remus. They had sat across from each other at a small table to play chess, smiling each time their fingers brushed while moving their pieces. Celeste was still waiting for their first kiss, but there was nothing else to spoil her joy. If Sirius was really all right with this, then as far as Celeste was concerned, everything was perfect.
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