Chapter Text
Lavender laid in her hospital bed. It was all she could really do these past five days. Except for deal with visitors she didn't want. It was her parents first, of course. They hadn't realised she was awake and could hear every. Single. Word. Her father seemed to be the only one willing to defend her. Her mother was quite happy to let her rot and fester with the lycanthropy. She may as well call it what it was. It was pointless denying it. Fenrir had got her good. Her arm and eye should be in a defence against the dark arts textbook as an example of what a pissed off werewolf can do.
Then of course there was Ron. Lavender thought that he had came there only out of a guilty conscience. Or perhaps he needed a break from his family and worrying about Fred for a second...she couldn’t really blame him. At least he had brought her a cookie from the canteen of Saint mungos. She didn't know if it was her heightened senses, but it was a really good cookie.
Parvati had visited that morning. And oh she was a sorry sight to see. She looked as if she hadn't been sleeping. All Lavender could do was sleep...and eat despite the nausea that settled in her stomach. She could still feel parvati gripping her hand as if she would lose her if she let her fingers slip. And she could still see the hurt look she wore when she tore her arm away. She had ripped her stitches doing that and parvati was soon rushed out of the room while a healer fixed her up again. Wounds were a lot different when caused by werewolves and magic didn't seem to be all that affective at dealing with them.
She was brought out of her thoughts by the sound of someone knocking on the open door to her room. She lifted her heavy head to look. She didn't need to though, she could smell another werewolf and the strong smell of tea. Professor Lupin had stood there with a sorry smile and two cups in his hand. He looked a right state. As if the intensity of the last moon still hung around him. She motioned for him to come in despite feeling the need to cover her nose. She prayed he wouldn't take offence. Instead he gave a small chuckle.
"You won't be the first to react like that and you sure as hell won't be the last. Sorry I haven't come to visit you sooner...I've been recovering myself." He popped the two cups on the little table at the end of her bed and brought it forward as she moved to sit up.
"Rough moon?" She asked. It was all she could think to say.
"No worse than the one you've had, I assure you." He made a feeble attempt to laugh. She smiled at him. Only slightly. "Bill would have come to visit too. But with Fred..."
"I already know...Ron came to see me yesterday." Lavender grabbed the cup in front of her. Lupin nodded in acknowledgement and reached for his own.
"So how are you feeling then? They taking care of you properly?" He gave her a warm smile.
"I don't think there's a part of me that doesn't hurt. And...I'm kind of hungry." She wasn't lying about that. A healer had explained that that was a common symptom of the lycanthropy. "I guess...angry too. And scared."
"None of those are unusual. And you have every right to be angry. Quite frankly I was angry too, when I heard." She could see he was genuine. He actually really cared.
Lavender thought back to her third year for a second. Remus had been an incredible teacher who genuinely cared for his students. She remembered how devastated most of them were when he left. And shocked when they found out why. The rumours spread like wildfire around the castle grounds. Partially by Lavender. Oh how the tables had turned.
"Professor-" Lavender spoke up only to be interrupted.
"I think you've earned the right to just call me Remus, now."
"...Remus. What was it like for you?" Lavender looked into the man's face and saw him grimace, as if the memory was something he'd rather forget.
"Well...it was a lot different for me because I was younger. I don't really remember much...I remember the pain...the hunger...the fear. And truth be told...I remember my father saying I'd better off dead too." He looked so sad and dejected. Truth be told, it was how Lavender felt. She hated it. He must have read her mind in that moment as he continued to speak. "I believed it for a while too. But I don't anymore. I learned to live with it. And learned to let others help me." She thought back to parvati once again. Would she want to help her? And then of course there was Seamus and Dean. Would they even want to be associated with a monster? No. Remus was proof that she wasn't a monster. Not like...him.
She watched Remus reach into his jacket pocket and pulled at a paper bag. He put it flat on the table and motioned for her to open it. She did as instructed and could smell it instantly. A burger. And not one from the canteen. A proper burger with cheese and lettuce and tomatoes and everything that should be on a burger. She ripped through the paper as her mouth watered. It was lukewarm in her hands but it would definitely be worth it.
"Well Bill suggested a steak sandwich but I'm glad I opted for a burger, now." Remus let out a laugh as he watched her. "The food here isn't the best is it?"
"Merlin, no." She wiped a bit of sauce from her chin. It definitely was a good idea on Remus's part.
"While I'm here, I wanted to ask you something." He shifted forward in his seat. "How would you feel about getting a little extra support from me and Bill? You don't have to decide on anything straight away, but having a little guidance can be useful."
Lavender thought for a second. She had no idea what she was doing. She continued to eat her burger while thinking of a way to verbalise her thoughts. "I think that might be useful..." She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand before noticing Remus holding out a paper napkin to her. She accepted it and wiped her hands.
"Of course your best interest is the centre of this and going through this alone isn't exactly the best thing in the world. Especially not in your circumstances." Lavender knew what he was talking about. The war. Or the aftermath she should say. Her head hurt just thinking about it all.
"Thank you." She barely managed to choke out the whisper. Remus smiled at her. It was weird seeing people smile at her that wasn't filled with pity. She thought that that may be why she didn't mind Ron coming to see her. He didn't give her the pitying smile she'd grown accustomed to. He didn't even smile at all.
The pair ended up talking for about an hour before she spotted Harry lingering in the doorway. He looked worn out. Must have been with the Weasley bunch.
"Hey Lav. You look a bit rough." He looked awfully awkward.
"You try getting attacked by a werewolf and see how fresh you feel." Lavender tried her hardest to joke. She watched him smirk at Remus.
"Third year, was it rem? Almost at the very least." He laughed tiredly. Remus picked up the paper wrapper from the table and chucked it full pelt at Harry. "I'm telling Sirius!"
"Sirius will say I should have aimed for your head." Remus grinned. She still couldn't get used to hearing Sirius Black's name being said.
"Well anyway, I'm feeling pretty tired so I'm heading back to Grimmauld place. I don't know if you want to tag along or come later." He glanced between her and Remus.
"Well I'm happy to stay longer if you need a bit of company, Lavender." Remus smiled. She felt oddly comforted.
"I think I'll be okay. I'll probably end up falling asleep again. I'm exhausted." Lavender wasn't lying. She wasn't ysed to talking to someone for so long.
"Alright then. Just tell a healer to give me a bell if you need anything, okay?" He patted her shoulder as he rose from the chair.
"Thank you Remus...I think I needed this." She could feel her eyes pricking with tears once more. Harry smiled at her as he ducked back out of the door. Remus said his goodbye and followed closely behind.
Lavender was alone once again. She laid back down slowly, careful not to hurt her arm. Sleep seemed like an increasingly good idea.