𝕄𝕠𝕣𝕖 𝕋𝕙𝕒𝕟 𝔽𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕟𝕕𝕤? [ʙᴏᴏᴋ 1]

࿔ Danica ࿔

Remus follows Danica out of the Great Hall and down a quiet hallway.

"Remus," Danica says after turning a few corners and he is still following her. "What do you want?"

Remus' lips pull downward and hurt flickers in his eyes for a moment. She realizes how it sounded as it came out of her mouth.

"Sorry," she says quickly, "I didn't mean to sound like that. I know I've been avoiding everyone but I just wanted to be alone."

Remus nods and reaches out to her.

"Well," he says and brings her close to his chest. She feels safe. "You don't need to be alone."

Danica melts into him and nods, closing her eyes. Since the night she got a reply from Jackson, she's not been sleeping. Though relieved that she will spend the summer with her brother, Regulus has filled her mind and taken it over. The feel of his lips on hers. The closeness.

The regret.

"Remus?" Danica's voice is muffled against his chest.

"Mhm?"

"Has Regulus spoken to you?"

There's a pause. "Yeah."

She pulls away from him to look into his eyes.

"Tell me what he said."

Remus nods and takes Danica's hand, pulling her out a side door and into the sun. He walks to a copse of trees and leans against one, sitting down. Danica follows suit and sits by a tree facing him, waiting for him to speak.

"Danica," Remus begins. "He's been cursed."

Danica's heart must have stopped for a moment. "What do you mean? What's this about? He's being controlled to kiss me? Is that what-"

"Danica!" Remus interrupts her. "Just listen, okay?"

She nods and bites her tongue.

"When he's home, he can't get out. He physically can't leave, no matter how hard he tries. Sirius found the curse last night but we don't know the counter. Look, what I'm trying to say is that when summer comes, you won't be able to see him at all."

Danica let's what Remus said sink in. "So you're saying Regulus and I should make up?"

Remus nods and looks her in the eyes.

"What about the kiss?" She asks.

Remus sighs and bites his cheek. "He told me that he said it was a mistake because you're his friend and he didn't think you wanted it."

"So does he still regret it?"

"I don't know..." Remus thinks. "Well, I told him how bad 'regret' sounded and he was angry."

Danica rolls her eyes. "So?"

"So...?"

"So what's the answer? Does he like me? Does he actually regret it?"

"I don't know, Danica." Remus sighs. "The Black brothers are very complicated."

"Can you talk to him?"

"No," Remus says shortly.

"No!?" Danica sits up off the tree and looks at him confused.

"No. I am not an owl!"

Danica huffs and folds her arms together in front of her.

"Thanks," she says flatly and stands up, slinging her bag over her shoulder. "I'm going to be late for class."