“Twelve more days until
freedom!” Sirius announced to the Gryffindor common room. Everyone
cheers, and all the girl sigh and stare dreamily at Sirius, except me
and Lily, who's at the other side of the room, doing homework. I'm
sitting on the couch, Remus's arm around my shoulders.

Remus rolls his eyes. “You
wanna go to the library?” he asks as I leap up from the couch.

“Please! That is so much
better than watching...whatever that is,” I say, gesturing towards
the crowd of girls petting Sirius's hair. Remus smiles a little and
begins to lead me out of the common room, until a couple of girls
race after us and grab Remus.

“Um... we were going
somewhere...” I say as they offer him butterbeer and bat their
eyelashes at him. Remus squirms out and straightens his sweater. We
scurry away from the girls, who look devastated.

“I had no idea you had
fangirls too,” I said after we were a safe distance away. Remus
wrinkles his nose.

“Yeah, all of the Marauders
have at least a few. Even Peter has these two Hufflepuff girls,” he
says as he brushes off his sleeve. “But they've never attacked me
like that before. Kinda weird,” he said, frowning.

“Well, let's hope they
don't do it again,” I say, grabbing his hand and leading him to the
library. He blushes a little, then grins a bit as we walk through the
empty, dark corridors to the library.

“I love coming here at
night,” I say quietly, making sure Madam Pince wasn't around. “I
used to hide around and read books from the Restricted Section,
stories about dark magic and things. It was what I did before I met
you guys.” Remus bites his lip.

“I remember when you were
like that,” he said quietly. “I always saw you as...different.
Not in a bad way, though; you wouldn't worship all the popular kids,
is what I mean. You were – better than the other students, is what
I guess I was saying.” I feel my face heat up. He noticed me when I
didn't talk to anyone but Alice? I didn't think anyone noticed me
back then. Now, maybe, but then, I was just another nerdy kid. Not
one of the pretty girls that I thought all the Marauders were
attracted to then. Remus noticed my shocked face.

“I didn't stalk you or
anything,” he said quickly, “I just saw you walking around in the
corridors while everyone else was giggling and flirting with Sirius
and James, and noticed you weren't involved in it. That's all.” I
nod silently. Then, without thinking, I bring my face closer to his,
and it might just be me, but I think Remus leans in too, until our
lips are touching.

His hands slip around my
waist, and mine go around his neck, and then nothing else matters.
It's just Remus and me in the library, after curfew.

I could've stayed like that
forever, until the dream hit me again.

Remus and me in the library
after curfew. Running away laughing after Madam Pince shooed us out.
And then the next day, the same thing – except I was alone.

I pulled away. Remus cocked
his head at me, confused.

“Something wrong?” he
asked, frowning at me. I nodded.

“Remus, there's something I
haven't told you -” I began.

“You can tell me anything.
I won't get mad,” Remus said, “I promise.” I bit my lip.

“Well... Remus, I had a
dream the other day,” I said, “and you and I were in the library,
and we were talking and laughing. And then the next day, I was there
alone.” Remus frowned.

“How are your dreams so
important?” he asked,

“My dreams – they're
cursed. My dreams tell the future,” I said, waiting for Remus's
reaction. He just kept frowning.

“How?”

“My great-grandma was a
Seer,” I explained. Remus nodded.

“So... what was the dream
again?”

“You and I were here, after
dark – and we were talking, laughing, that sort of thing – and
then Madam Pince caught us and we just ran off laughing. And then the
next day the same thing happened – except I was alone. You weren't
there.” I felt a stabbing pain in my head when I said it. I fell
over onto the floor, squeezing my eyes shut and holding my head in my
hands.

“Rachel! Rachel, are you
okay? Rachel!” I heard Remus say, terrified. I felt him lift me up
onto the chair I was sitting at before and cup my face in his hands.
I opened my eyes the slightest bit, pain still shooting through my
skull.

“Rachel, are you hurt? What
just happened? Should I take you to the hospital wing?” I shook my
head the slightest bit.

“No – no, I'm fine,” I
say. Remus shakes his head.

“I don't think collapsing
randomly is fine,” he said,
frowning at me. “Tell me what that was. Please.” I shook my head.

“I don't – I don't know.
Nothing like that's happened before.”

“Do you want me to take you
to the hospital wing?” he repeats.

“No. I think I'll be fine.
It's already gone, see?” I say, even though it still hurts just as
much. Remus stares at me for a moment, then nods.

“Okay. I think – I think
we should go back now.” he says. I nod.

“Yeah, we should probably
go.” He takes my hand and guides me through the dark corridors, my
head feeling as if it were about to explode.