Chapter Forty-Three
Just Enough
Heart beats fast
Colors and promises
How to be brave?
How can I love when I'm afraid to fall?
(A Thousand Years - Christina Perri)December 19th, 1975"What do you want for Christmas?" Remus groaned the question into a pillow as
Mia kneaded the muscles of his back. He was extremely sore and exhausted. It was nearing
time for dinner, and he had spent the whole day recovering in bed.
Mia was almost just as exhausted, having helped him with his recovery. Her
soreness, however, was much more pleasant than his.
The night before had seen the four Marauders and Mia in the Shrieking Shack.
James and Sirius suggested letting Moony out a little to run through the forest, but Remus
had been insistent that they keep him properly shut away until he felt in complete control,
which he admitted might not ever happen. Drinking the Wolfsbane Potion the week prior
helped him stay in control. Having four Animagus friends around him during the full moon
kept him calm.
Mia suspected that having a naked girl waiting for him in his bed once he left the
hospital wing might make enduring the full moon almost worth it.
Though they put an end to their official relationship the night they had given their
virginities to one another, Remus and Mia did not tell a soul. It certainly made it easier
when they were occasionally caught snogging on the sofa in the common room, empty
classrooms, or dark corridors.
Despite knowing that their stories ended with different people, Mia and Remus had
found a safe solace in one another. He would use her during his more aggressive moments
as the full moon approached, allowing him to wear himself out a bit, which he admitted
helped control his temper. She would use him to fulfil the most important rule in the guide
that his older self had left for her: enjoying life.