the_debt_of_time

He sighed while looking down at his plate, realising that Hogwarts food did not
taste as good when he had to dish it up himself.
Excusing himself, Remus made his way out of the hall, passing the tables of students
without a second glance. His plan was to return to his quarters to catch up on as much
sleep as possible, considering he would soon be heading to his warded office to wait out
the sunrise.
Turning the corner to the passageway that led to his rooms, Remus caught sight of
a head of bushy brown hair sticking out of a nearby alcove. He approached her very quietly,
curious when he found her fiddling with a long golden chain around her neck, from which
hung a Time-Turner. He took in a sharp breath and watched Hermione with interest as he
remembered the last time he saw Mia.
She had been standing right in front of him with a different Time-Turner wrapped
around her neck—blue sand instead of white—wearing Sirius's old Quidditch jersey and
green hotpants instead of a grey pleated skirt with black and crimson student robes. Her
hair was made up of long soft curls instead of bushy locks. Her eyes had been amber instead
of the brown he knew they were now.
Hermione gave the Time-Turner one sharp turn in her hand, and Remus watched
as she vanished from sight.
"Oh Merlin, nineteen years. Nineteen years without.. ." Remus looked down at the witch,
holding back the tears that were building in the corners of his eyes. "Without you." A part of him wanted
to pull the chain back and vanish the Time-Turner entirely. "How am I supposed to live nineteen years
without you?"
"Fourteen." She wrapped her arms around him tightly. "Remus, I love you," she mumbled through
her sobs. "You're my best friend, and I love you. Please take care of him. Remember what I said: trust
Sirius. Always Sirius."
"I promise," Remus said, holding her as tightly as possible, a part of him wondering if he could
just go with her. But no, he had a promise to keep. "I'll see you soon, yeah? You'll get your handsome,
grey-haired werewolf back."
Remus groaned and ran a hand through his greying hair and sighed in frustration.
"This is going to be the longest year of my life," he muttered before walking toward his
quarters, more eager than ever to sleep the rest of the day away.