TW AND CW: light cursing

"Remuuuuu!" shrieked James, standing on top of the pillow fort.

Remus smacked James' arm lightly with the book he was reading.

"Let the poor boy read, James!" Ana tutted. "I feel bad for you, having to put up with these gits everyday."

Remus scoffed, looking up at Ana. "At least you're in Hufflepuff- don't have to be in the same common room as them."

Ana raised an eyebrow. "There are PLENTY of gits in Hufflepuff too- remember Dan Abbott? Tried to climb up the girls dormitory staircase. I kicked his arse down the staircase so hard that he twisted his ankle."

Remus' eyes widened in shock. "And here was the sorting hat saying you Hufflepuff's are kind and gentle."

"Who said I was gentle?" joked Ana. "I've punched people before."

"Really?" asked Remus nonchalantly, flipping a page of his book.

"Yeah, it was an annoying boy- in other words, Sirius," said Ana proudly.

Remus looked up from his book in awe. "You've punched Sirius?"

"Well," said Ana. "It was mostly instinct. He tried to take my chocolate."

Remus turned to mockingly glare at Sirius. "How dare you steal her chocolate."

Sirius gasped and threw a pillow at Remus.

Remus swatted it away with a laugh. 

"And I stole your chocolate too, Remus," added Ana, looking down and her fingernails with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

Remus jumped up. "Not my chocolate."

Ana grinned at him. "You have a very good taste in chocolate. I was a bit surprised when I found out you hide it inside your Transfiguration notes."

Remus blushed and attempted to shush Ana before she revealed his chocolate hiding spots.

"And your pillowcase," she continued, purposely ignoring Remus' hand gestures. "And the smallest compartment of your schoolbag."

Remus gaped. "But how do you-"

"You're really quite obvious about it, actually," grinned Ana. "I can see you shoving random wrappers down your sleeves in the middle of class. Didn't know you were such a chocolate enthusiast, Rem."

Remus was about to retort when his hand grazed over a fresh scar. He winced.

Ana stopped grinning and got up to stand next to him. "You alright?"

"I'm fine," he muttered.

"You don't look that great," supplied James. "Bit peaky."

No one knew yet of Remus' condition, not even the Marauders.

And the full moon was in a couple of days, making Remus feel much more ill and moodier than usual.

Ana placed her warm hand on Remus' forehead.

Remus tried to ignore an odd tingling feeling where she had touched.

"You feel quite warm, Remus," muttered Ana in concern. "You sure you don't have a fever? It seems quite like it."

"I'm alright, Ana, I'm positive."

Ana pursed her lips. "Alright."

But Remus could tell she didn't believe him.

She sat down again. "So when are you guys leaving my place, again?"

James, Peter, and Sirius all replied, "In a week," but Remus said, "In 3 days."

Ana looked over at the night-sky themed calender hung haphazardly in her room. 

It had all the stars written on it, and what days you could see what planets. It even had all the moon phases.

In that one single moment, something clicked in Ana's mind. He mouth made a small 'o' shape.

"Oh, Remus," Ana tried to say as casually as possible. "I wanted to show you a new book I got."

Remus' eyes looked very interested. "Ooh, which one is it?"

"Here, I'll show you," said Ana, grabbing his hand and pulling him out of the room and into the nearest bathroom. "Why haven't you told us?"

"Told you what?" asked Remus, hoping what he knew was coming wasn't coming.

"You know what I mean, Remus," said Ana, looking straight into his eyes. "You're a werewolf, aren't you?"

Remus' eyes widened. "N-no... I'm not, I assure you..."

Ana raised an eyebrow. "Soooo... your casual disappearances every month and your scars and the fact that you leave from my house the day before the full moon... seem to TOTALLY add up to the fact that you're NOT a werewolf... right."

"Look..." muttered Remus, scratching the back of his neck. "I didn't tell anyone because they would think I'm a horrible monster. And I am."

Ana's regular sarcasm-filled face lightened considerably and she did something that caught Remus by total surprise.

She hugged him gently, placing her head on his shoulder. "You're not a monster, Remus. I'm honestly more concerned of the fact that you fold your socks and make your bed."

Remus smiled slightly. "But I'm still a horrible, dangerous, monster every month."

Ana grinned and pulled away from the hug. "So you think I care about that? Certainly not. You're still adorkable, sock-folding, chocolate obbsessed, little Remmy Lupin. Anyone who says otherwise is a little dipshit."

"ANA!" 

"What?" she shrugged. "We're 15, we're allowed to curse. Now come on, Remus."

Remus held her arm as she went to open the bathroom door.

"Wait..." he said. "Don't you think I'm a monster, Ana? I'm seriously dangerous, you know."

Ana raised an eyebrow. "You think sock-folding is dangerous? I know you're smarter than me, but you're being very narrow-minded in this situation. Besides, us girls turn into horrid monsters every month too."

Remus looked confused. After a couple of seconds of a mischievous grin from Ana, he finally got it. "You idiot!"

"Thank you," said Ana, opening the bathroom door.

"That wasn't a compliment."

"I know."

As they went back to her room, Ana turned to Remus. "Are you gonna tell them?"

Remus shook his head. "Not now... now's not the time."

Ana pursed her lips. "It's not my choice, but they're your best friends. You ought to let them know sometime soon."

Remus nodded. "Sometime. Just not now."

Ana nodded and walked inside.

"Hey, there, Lames," she said playfully, ruffling James' hair.

Remus smiled to himself. He was overjoyed to see Ana not mind his condition and instead, embrace it.

Remus was glad to be with friends who had accepted him.

A/n: hope you guys enjoyed! Thanks for the reads! :)

Love, Jui Weasley