Author's note: Okay, i know i said two to three weeks but i was in a writing mood and couldn't stop instead of doing my homework. Thank you for the reviews! If you have any questions let me know! And sorry for the cliffhanger!


To be beautiful means to

be yourself

You don't need to be accepted by

others

you need to accept yourself


It ended before it even started. But that didn't matter to Adhara since any second now she is going to combust from embarrassment.

She was secretly grateful that there was an interruption but that was thrown out the window when she realized who interrupted. Did fate hate her so much that she had to be caught by Sirius of all people. But she guessed it was better than a professor or a prefect. But Sirius had to have his friends with him to make this even more mortifying.

Adhara needed to process this without company. She just had her first kiss and she couldn't even revel in it since Sirius just had to barge in and ruin it!

"I asked a question," Sirius was now in front of her, blocking her view of Fabian. Fabian seemed both annoyed by the intrusion and smug about the kiss.

"And I choose to ignore it," she retorted. Adhara do not want to deal with another row with her brother in front of everyone—mainly Fabian. She decided to avoid looking at both Fabian and Sirius and looked at the three Gryffindors blocking the entrance.

"I guess our date is cut short, Addie," Fabian sighed. She looks back up at him noticing how put off he was with Sirius. She knows the redhead disliked her brother but at least he was not blunt about it like a certain brother of hers.

"Yeah," Adhara agreed.


Numb. That was the only emotion he felt. Nothing and everything all at once. It didn't make sense but how could Remus described the emotions that came all at once when he witnessed Fabian kiss Adhara? It wasn't as if the two was sucking face. It was just a simple peck on the lips but that was enough for Remus to feel both heartbroken and bitter. The calm feeling before was now replaced with a constricting sensation in his chest. Is this being heartbroken feel like, he wondered. It wasn't as if he was in love with the Hufflepuff but seeing her dolled up and in Prewitt's arms was a stab in the chest for the werewolf.

He hadn't felt this way since he first realized his feelings for Adhara last year. But being older and with a slightly better relationship with her didn't make his romantic feelings for her wilt. If anything, it became more intense and harder to overlook.

He was too busy being drowned in his own misery that he didn't pay attention to the conversation between Adhara and Sirius. He felt someone—Fabian—brush past him as he left the kitchen.

"…date?" Remus shook himself out his thoughts to hear the last word of Sirius' question.

"Like he said, our date was cut short," Adhara glared at her brother. Remus' eyes went to Adhara. Never has he seen her dress so…normal. Not saying she was ordinary since she's anything but.

Besides seeing her in Hogwarts and quidditch uniform, he's only seen her in a few old-fashioned dresses when she's with them during Hogsmeade. She's finally stopped wearing such uncomfortable clothing and replaced them with loose jumpers and long skirts that hid her womanly shape.

Her hair was straighter much to Remus' dislike. He admired her unruly tresses. Besides her freckles, that was her main trait that he can pinpoint when describing her. And speaking of freckles…

Remus narrowed his blue eyes at the Pureblood's face. She barely had any on her face. A couple sprinkled across her nose and the heart-shaped mole under her right eye but the rest of her face was bare of freckles.

Remus was not the only one to notice.

"What the bloody hell you do to your face?" James asked with no tact. His hand pointing at her with face full of dismay. Sirius' eyes widened, now finally realizing that her sister looks completely different. Putting both hands on her cheek, he pinched them.

"What did you do?" Sirius fumed.

Adhara pushed him back. Face red from either anger or humiliation. Or the fact that he pinched her cheeks. "Put some blemish remover—

"—your freckles are not blemishes!" Everyone's eyes widened not expecting Remus to be the one to yell this. He couldn't even believe he blurted that out. But hearing Adhara got rid of one of the traits he thinks are cute for just a boy she fancies made his reservations vanish.

"Remus?" Peter squeaked.

Remus tried to ignore the anger he felt toward Fabian. He didn't want to direct that at Adhara who was now staring at him as if he grew three heads. He knew he couldn't retreat like a coward and brush it off. He had James and Sirius' attention, too. He was torn between looking down at his shows, or one of his mates, or Adhara. Remus thought the best course of action that could strengthen his friendship with Adhara and make her realize she should not change herself for a bloke was to tell her directly.

"You know what blemish mean?" he asked her. She furrowed her eyebrows, not expecting to be questioned. Before she could answer he said, "It means an imperfection. A flaw."

Remus knew he would regret saying this with his mates present later. He would be questioned and certainly teased. But at this moment he could care less. He would regret more by not saying anything. He is not going to regret by expressing how much of a wanker Prewitt is if he can't get over a few freckles and curly hair.

"Your freckles are part of you," Remus said full of determination. "Along with your curly hair. Those are what make you…you along with other things. And—and changing that for—Prewitt…ugh, Adhara you should not change yourself for anyone. It won't make things better. He would end up fancying the version of you that you changed into and what would that accomplish? You putting up a façade for however long your relationship would last? He should just sod off if he doesn't like the real you."

Remus was met with silence.

He just took the words right out Sirius' mouth. Well, he was actually going to bad mouth Fabian but Remus' argument was more reflective.

"Whoa," James spoke up. He turned to Adhara. "You just got the 'I'm disappointed in you' talk from Remus." That did not help at all.

Remus knew that he spoke out of turn. He was not as close with Adhara like James was to speak his mind freely with her. He didn't know what to expect from her. With bated breath, he watched as her expression morphed from shock to dejected to fury. Without a word she shoved passed the boys and ran toward the Hufflepuff common room.

"See," Sirius said to James and Peter. "If Remus doesn't like him then we know that Fabian is an arse."


Who did Remus think he was?

Just because she got rid of her freckles for a couple of hours didn't mean she hated the way she looked. She just wanted to look pretty for Fabian. But that was the problem, right? Getting rid of her most distinguishable trait meant looking appealing. As if she was ugly with them. But she shook that thought out of her head as soon as it appeared. She didn't want to see the logic in Remus' words. She already was irritated with Sirius and then Remus of all people had to speak up. If she wasn't so angry she would of realized how considerate his words was.

"Whoa, was your date that shoddy?" Adhara snapped from her thoughts at the sudden voice. She looked up to see Olivia and Emily sitting up on the bed as if they were waiting on her.

"I…no, it was…good," she muttered.

"Then what got you all hot and bothered?" Emily asked.

"I was…interrupted," Adhara confessed. She needed to tell someone what happened. She didn't have much female friends and she will not confide in Severus and Thomas about this. They didn't even know she was secretly seeing Fabian. Adhara decided to reveal what happened a few minutes ago leaving out the kiss she shared with Fabian.

"Wow," both girls said. Instead of looking pissed off like Adhara was they both shared a pleasantly surprised look. They gave each other an expression before turning back to the fuming Pureblooded Hufflepuff.

"What?"

"It's always the quiet one's huh?" Emily asked with a smirk.

"Always the quiet ones being a git?" Adhara guessed.

Olivia rolled her eyes. "No, we meant the quiet ones are always the secretly sweet ones."

"Sweet?"

"Yes, darling. Sweet," Olivia chuckled. "Look past the embarrassment and try to comprehend what Remus was trying to say."

Adhara huffed. She didn't want to understand whatever he was trying to say. Olivia noted that Adhara was not going to give Remus' words a chance.

"Pretend that your boyfriend said something like that to you," Olivia requested.

Adhara relented.

If Fabian said that she didn't have to change herself for him…

Her face flushed at the thought of it. That would have been the most romantic thing he would have ever said. But then her mood soured. Thinking how he reacted to her new look, how he complimented her hair and noted her clear face.

"Now you understand," Emily said. "I think you're just miffed that Remus—don't hate me—was right. It's okay to gussy yourself up for a date but if you changing yourself to make him fancy you, that's a whole different story."


"What was that all about?" James asked, mouth full of toffee pudding cake. They didn't bother leaving the kitchens right after the dispute with Adhara. Sirius appreciated Remus' outburst since that meant Adhara was now angry with the werewolf instead of him.

Remus shrugged. "I shouldn't have said anything."

"No, you should have," Sirius disagreed. "She needed to hear it. At least she's angry out you instead of me."

And angry she was.

She avoided him for the past two days. It's not as if they speak everyday but at least they would greet each other. And when Adhara avoids someone, she is not subtle about it. She doesn't eat at their table anymore. She sits as far as she can in class. Never meets with them during breaks. Remus noticed her hanging out with two blonde Hufflepuffs often.

"Never thought I would ever say this to you," Sirius said to Remus. "But you need to make up with Addie."

Remus frowned. He had nothing to apologize for. He was right. But he knew that he overstepped but everything he said was the truth. "Okay, but she always runs away every time I'm at least ten feet from her."

"Leave that to us," James said with a sly smirk.

Adhara vows to never talk to Sirius and James again.

Okay, that is not going to happened knowing her need to talk to her best friends. So she acquiesced to give them the silent treatment for a couple of days.

She was heading back from the library when she noticed the two boys walking the opposite direction. She waved at them and was about to continue walk when she felt two pair of arms grab her and lead her away. Next thing she knows, she is shoved inside of an empty classroom alone with Remus.

Adhara knew this was childish but she refused to acknowledge him.

Remus grinned when Adhara turned her back to him.

He knew what the plan was but he didn't even bother to think of a speech. He thought one would come to him in the moment. But as soon as she was pushed into the room, Remus' mind blanked.

There was silence for six minutes. Six long minutes.

"Aren't you going to say something?" Adhara asked. "Or are you expecting me to say something? I don't have nothing to say to you."

"So this is what it's like to have Adhara angry at you," he joked. "Always seen you cross with James and Sirius and now it's my turn."

She scoffed. "Don't make it seem like I'm always finding a reason to be in a row," she was now fully turned. Remus's smile became wider after noticing that her freckles were back. Her hair was still straight but Remus was okay with the one small victory. "You're the one that—that said—

"—you do not need to change yourself?" he cuts her off. "That there was no need for it since there was nothing to change?"

Remus beamed when he recognized the flush of pink rise from her cheeks.

"...thank you?"

"Your welcome," Remus said. "It's not me complimenting you. It was me telling the truth."

"Why am I angry at you again?" She groaned.

He chuckled. "Because I overstepped? Because I insulted your boyfriend."

That caused the Hufflepuff to splutter.

"It's okay. I can keep a secret," Remus promised her. His expression went back to neutral. "I am not sorry for what I said but I do apologize if I insulted you. I understand that girls wear make-up to make themselves pretty for boys but…I guess it's just my opinion but I don't see a need for it. Prewitt may be the type to like it but I don't. but it's not me who's your boyfriend so…"

Remus tried not to show how much he hates saying that Prewitt is her boyfriend. He detested it even more when she didn't deny it.

"I forgive you," she said. "I…I guess I am angrier with myself since you were right," she admitted. "I was a bit ashamed and I guess that is why I avoided you. Every time I look at you I see this disappointed look that you gave me in the kitchens."

He smiled. "You make it seem like I am a disappointed parent."

"Well, you did scold me like one," she argued.

Remus sighed. "So this is our first fight?" he teased.

Her eyes widened at the sudden question. "I guess so. Every friend needs one argument to make their friendship stronger."

"And we got through it."

"Yeah…we did."


The next few months went quickly. Remus and the rest of the boys kept her secret of dating Fabian under wraps. Sirius was not subtle with his dislike for the redhead or the relationship.

It's not like he had much power over her decision without risking Adhara being punished by their parents or having another row with her. So, Sirius left his complaints to his friends who became tired of hearing the ranting of how much of a wanker Prewitt is. They know it but they don't need a constant reminder of it. James was just tired of hearing it, period. Remus just didn't need any reminder of Adhara and Fabian being a couple.

This became the best year of Hogwarts for Adhara. Even though only a handful of her friends know about Fabian, all that matters was that she had him. They kissed more which by March progressed to snogging. Fabian was patient with her knowing that she was a novice at this.

Adhara also became close with her two Housemates/ roommates Olivia and Emily. She still hasn't told them she's seeing Fabian but it was nice to have someone to confide in.

And then summer break came. For the first time, she was not looking forward to going home. Yeah she misses her father but that did not outweigh the dreading feeling of seeing her mother. She was already missing Fabian as soon as she left the train.

Summer became the slowest months of her life. She had to be extra careful with owling Fabian since her mother was becoming more suspicious of her. She invited the Higgs over occasionally for dinner. And Adhara noticed a pleased expression on her mother's face one time when she was talking to Thomas…

Adhara knew it was something to worry about when her mother is pleased.

Fourth year finally came and Remus was giddy with excitement to finally see his mates. The only change that happened to the werewolf was that he grew again. Peter and James finally found his compartment. James was talking about his vacation in Australia when Sirius stomped in.

"Where's Addie?" James asked after greeting the Pureblood.

Sirius' mood darkened at the mention of his twin.

"Are you guys in another row?" Remus asked. He would not be surprised if that was the case.

"No."

"Then what is it?" Peter asked.

"She's with Higgs."

"That can't be all. What's wrong?" Remus questioned him. He knew something was up beside her keeping the Slytherin company.

"I didn't think…" Sirius trailed off.

"Didn't think what?"

"I didn't think she would do it this soon," he said. "Mum. She arranged a betroth for Addie."

"With who?" Remus didn't care if he sounded angry. He needed to know who.

"Higgs."