Chapter 8 – A Distant Memory
The smell of firewhiskey and damp stone filled the air inside the Hog's Head. Remus sat alone at a corner table, hunched slightly forward, a half-empty mug at his elbow and the latest Daily Prophet splayed open before him. His eyes weren't on the headlines. They hadn't been for the past hour. He checked his watch again.
Where is she?
Doubt gnawed at the edge of his mind. He knew she might not come. Knew it was foolish to hope. But even so, he'd come early. He'd waited.
And just when he was about to lose hope… she walked in.
Vanessa Bradley… no, Vanessa still Bradley, for now, stepped through the crooked doorway of the pub, her eyes scanning the room.
She took his breath away.
Her hair, a cascade of soft curls, shimmered with chestnut and honey tones under the flickering torchlight. She wore a maroon v-neck sweater, fitted black jeans, and a scarf knotted loosely at her neck. Effortless and heartbreakingly familiar.
When her gaze finally found him, something twisted deep in Remus's chest.
She looked tired. Sad. But still, still, she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.
She crossed the room and sat across from him without a word. Her eyes didn't quite meet his. Remus flagged down Aberforth, who wordlessly brought another firewhiskey and set it in front of her.
The silence stretched, brittle and sharp.
Finally, she spoke. "I'm sorry, Remus…"
He felt the words like a blow.
"…but we can't see each other anymore."
Remus swallowed hard. The mug in front of him remained untouched. He reached for her hand across the table, and this time she let him take it, though she didn't look up.
"Vanessa… please. Give us a chance."
Her fingers curled slightly in his. She still wouldn't look at him.
"I can't," she whispered. "That night…"
"Don't," he cut in, voice rough. "Don't tell me you regret it. I couldn't bear to hear it."
Vanessa's shoulders trembled. She took a shaky breath and finally looked up, her green eyes glistening. "I'm getting married tomorrow, Remus. To Anthony."
The world fell out from under him.
Remus leaned back, stunned. "You don't love him. You're making a mistake."
"I have to," she said, her voice cracking. "You know why. Anthony… he can give this baby a stable life. A name. A future."
Remus froze.
"Baby?"
Her bottom lip trembled. "I'm pregnant."
A long silence fell between them.
Remus reached for the table to steady himself. "Is it mine?"
Vanessa hesitated, then shook her head slowly. "I don't know. It… it might be. But I'm scared, Remus."
He stood abruptly, pacing a few steps before turning back. "Then be with me. We'll figure it out. I'll take care of both of you. No matter what. I love you."
She blinked hard against tears. "And what kind of life would that be, Remus? Hiding? Moving every full moon? Scraping by while you work odd jobs because people are too afraid to hire you?"
"I don't care–"
"I do!" she snapped, then immediately softened. "I did it before, Remus. When it was just me, I could handle it. But not for a child. Not for my child."
Remus stood there, chest heaving, every instinct screaming at him to fight harder.
But she'd already made up her mind.
"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I can't have you in my life and give myself to Anthony. I need to let you go."
She turned and walked out the door.
He didn't follow.
Remus jolted awake, gasping as if he'd surfaced from deep water. His room was dimly lit by the moonlight streaming through the window. Sweat clung to his brow despite the chill. He sat up slowly, pressing a hand to his chest as he caught his breath.
Reaching for his nightstand, his fingers closed around a worn photograph, the corners curled with age. In it, he stood behind Vanessa, holding the ropes of a swing. She smiled up at him as he pressed a kiss to her cheek. She had flowers in her hair. Her eyes sparkled with something that looked like forever.
He stared down at the image, his thumb brushing the curve of her face.
A single tear slipped down his cheek. "Merlin, Vanessa… what did we do?"
