the_debt_of_time

She noticed that Remus's eyes flashed gold at her smile. She was certain that she
was blushing, and his attention only made her blush more. Averting her gaze for a few
moments, she did her best not to argue the fact that he had called her beautiful.
"I know it's a while off," Mia began, biting her lower lip nervously, staring at the
floor. "But do you want to go to Hogsmeade with me?" she asked hesitantly, slowly
bringing her gaze up to look at him.
Remus sat there, pale and wide-eyed, his irises back to their soft green. "You...
You want to go to Hogsmeade with me?"
"Yes."
"We've gone to Hogsmeade. You've never needed to ask me before."
"That was just as friends," she blurted out before she had a chance to think the
words over. Realising her blunder, she looked away, humiliated, but Remus squeezed her
hand again to get her attention, and she drew her eyes back to his face.
"You mean... a date?" Remus asked, needing clarification. "With... me?"
"If you don't want to, I understand... I just thought that―"
"Is this because of Sirius?" he asked, his brows furrowed, and his gaze suddenly
dark.
"No," Mia answered immediately, much too quickly for his liking if the way his nose
twitched was any indication. "No. I... I don't think so. I'm not asking you because Sirius
broke my heart or anything. Because he didn't. I didn't kiss him, to begin with; he kissed me.
I won't lie and say that him running off didn't hurt a little, but.. ." She exhaled sharply,
fighting through the awkwardness of the situation. "I... I like you, Remus. I have since I
first met you."
Of course, Mia was thinking of the first time she had met an older Professor Lupin
who saved her and her friends from dementors—the first Patronus Charm she had ever
seen. He was wise, kind, and powerful, and a schoolgirl crush had developed rather quickly.
It faded over time, of course, only to resurface here in this time in the guise of a deep,
abundant friendship.
"I don't want to be a backup," Remus whispered.
"You are not a backup. You deserve better than to be anyone's backup," Mia said
firmly but then frowned. Was he? She knew about her bond with Sirius and knew that
Remus would eventually find Tonks and have his own family. But a part of her did not