Oh Wonder

Grey clouds hovered above the great castle known as Hogwarts, transporting the torrential Scottish rain upon the castle. Large droplets of cool water pounded against the tall glass windows of the Gryffindor common room, blurring the outside world.

Lana thought it was poetic in a way.

The weather that raged on outside matched her emotions that late afternoon. It was her seventeenth birthday, but it was also the eve of the anniversary of her parent's death. It left her unsure of how to feel. Excited that she had reached another year, but distraught that it had been only three years since her parents had died, whereas to her, it felt like it had been a lifetime of agony and loneliness without them.

She shivered for a moment from her spot on the couch, regretting not bringing down a spare blanket from her room. She didn't bother pulling out her wand from her back pocket and instead brought her hand up in the air, waving it once with ease, and a gracefulness that most envied, the fireplace crackling before her a moment later. The heat that emanated from the burning wood spread a blanket of warmth throughout the room, soothing her soul, and protecting her from the cold that was seeping through.

It was on this day each year that she yearned for her family the most. She wished her parents could have been here to see how much she had grown, not only as a person, but with her magic too. Her mother who was a muggle would have been proud to see the development of her daughter's powers. She had always been supportive throughout her younger years, encouraging her to practice and learn as much as she could about magic. She could imagine the proud smile on her father's face. He had come from a pureblood line, and by marrying her mother and running away with her, he had disowned himself from the Cheng dynasty, a long line of pureblood witches and wizards from North China. But he hadn't cared, because with his wife Lara, and his daughter Lana, life was beautiful. That was until their family had been targeted by the Death Eaters upon their arrival to Godrics Hollow.

Lana had been at Hogwarts at the time.

She remembered that day clearly. It had been a Wednesday morning when she had felt something was not right. But she continued on with the day as usual, going to her morning transfiguration class, and enjoying it as per usual. They had moved onto more impressive and difficult spells and she was producing them with ease due to her late night studying with James Potter, one of her closest family friends. She then had double potions with Peter and Sirius, both of them begging for her to be partnered with her, knowing that she was just as good as Remus when it came to potion making. But she had politely extracted herself from that situation and moved onto working with a friend from Ravenclaw. It then reached lunch and she was happy to see Remus's smiling face, enjoying a meal with her large group of friends before he escorted her to Muggle Studies were they were to complete a project together. It was just as they had finished this lesson that she was walking with Remus through the long hallways to another class when Professor McGonagall had come rushing towards her, a letter in hand.

She had never known Professor McGonagall to ever run like she had in that moment. When Lana's eyes met hers, darting to the letter in hand, she could feel as though something was not right. Lana's face fell ashen at the words printed on the note. Her parents had been murdered by Death Eaters, purely because of the fact that her mother was a muggle.

Her life had been thrown upside down.

She could remember the world fading away, and she was sure that the only reason she had made it through that devastating time was because of the support of her friends. Whether it was the girls in her Gryffindor dormitory making sure that she got enough to eat, and at least a few hours of sleep, or the Marauders helping her out with classwork, or just being there for a good laugh or distraction, she was grateful she had made so many beautiful friends at Hogwarts, because now, they had become her family.

Lana was brought out of her deep thoughts when she heard the portrait open, and footsteps clamber through the empty common room, laughter lighting up the room.

She didn't have to glance over to know that James and Remus had walked into the room as she could recognise their voices anywhere. More specifically, she could recognise the sound of Remus's laugh in a heartbeat, something she prided herself on, but if anyone had asked her, she would deny it with a furious blush and a shy smile.

"Hey Lana," James called out.

She had hoped that they wouldn't have recognised her sitting in the corner of the room, her hair fanning across her face, but she knew better than that. She turned to face them, throwing him a small smile, it was all she could muster in that moment. She brushed some of her wavy hair out of her face, tucking it behind her ear so that she could see them better.

"Hey."

"We didn't catch you earlier at Lunch? Everything alright?" James asked as Remus stood by his side nervously, sending her a smile instead.

"Yeah, everything's fine," Lana said, doing her best to keep a neutral tone.

"Well, I hope you haven't forgotten about tonight's birthday celebrations," James said.

"I certainly haven't, especially after all the effort you all went to this morning."

Though she had dreaded waking up that morning, going to breakfast was a pleasant surprise. As usual, her friends had set up an elaborate welcoming at the Gryffindor table that morning with balloons and streamers, and even a mini show of fireworks before wishing her a happy birthday. A few small gifts were shared around but the rest would remain a secret and hidden until tonight.

"That reminds me, I have a few little final touches that need to be seen to. I'm sure that Remus here can keep you company til later," James said, shoving Remus towards Lana, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively when he was sure that Lana wasn't looking. He had to contain his laughter when he saw the blush that adorned Remus's face after his comment.

"Right," Remus hummed, moving to take a seat across from Lana, a book in hand.

She blinked, not realising that he had been holding it before.

"Uh, this is actually for you," Remus said, holding out the novel. "Happy Birthday."

"Remus, you didn't have to," She breathed out, taking the gift out of his hands, holding her breath when their fingertips brushed, a spark travelling through her fingers. She looked at him with wide eyes, wondering if he too had felt the spark, but it wasn't evident with the way he was looking away from her.

"I do hope you enjoy it. It's one of my personal favourites," Remus said.

"The Hobbit, by J.R.R Tolkien," Lana read out, dragging her fingers softly across the embellished cover. She flipped the front cover open to see a message written by Remus. As her eyes glanced over his heart felt words, she wanted to cry at how sweet and kind he was. She was truly blessed to have such a friend. If anything, his words just made her fall in love with him all the more.

"I-Thank you, Remus," Lana smiled through teary eyes. "This is honestly such a beautiful gift."

"You're very welcome."

She didn't say anything for a moment, trying to contain her emotions, because this act of kindness from someone so special and close to her heart on this day was becoming too much for her to handle. She just smiled as bright as she could, turning her gaze towards the window where the torrential rain fell.

"How are you holding up?" Remus asked and she turned to look at him with surprise, embarrassment flooding her as she realised that only he could read her like an open book.

"I-I'm not sure," Lana spoke softly. "It's weird. I miss them so much, and I want them here more than anything, but I've accepted the fact that it's not going to happen," She said, sniffling lightly towards the end.

Remus reached out and placed his hand in hers, his touch making her feel at ease.

"I'm sorry you have to go through this. It's not fair."

"Life isn't fair," Lana laughed. "I guess the both of us know that better than anyone."

"That we do."

It was silent, the two friends enjoying the comfort that each other's company brought until Remus spoke up.

"I think you'll enjoy the surprise for tonight," He said, a secretive smile playing on his lips.

"Not going to tell me what it is are you?" She asked, raising a brow.

"No, not exactly. But I will give you a hint. Dress warm."

"I'll do my best," Lana said. "Will we be needing the cloak tonight?" Lana had a cheap version of James invisibility cloak. It was something she had bought off the black market on a trip to Spain. It was a one-time use only invisibility cloak and she had been saving it for a rainy day.

"No, it's alright. I've asked James for his already."

"Ah, so we'll be heading out of the castle then I presume," Lana laughed even harder when Remus realised he had revealed a little bit of tonight's plans. If they had been travelling the castle they wouldn't have bothered with a cloak because they knew their way around secret and hidden passageways, and with their marauder's map in hand, it was unlikely they would get caught. But if they were to head say into the Forbidden Forest, or even into Hogsmeade, they would need the extra caution in case they got caught, because the consequences would be far worse.

"Fine, yes we are going out of the castle. You're too inquisitive for your own good."

"Sorry, I just happen to be a better detective than you are a liar, Remus."

Remus laughed and then glanced down at the watch on his left wrist. He needed to get moving if he wanted to get the rest of tonight organised and in place.

"I better be going. I'll see you tonight." She nodded, but his eyes lingered on hers longer than appropriate for friends, but she honestly didn't care.

Lana waved Remus off, sighing dreamily as he walked away, before turning her attention to the new book in hand, a warm fuzzy feeling erupting in her chest at the sight of the gift.

Come the eve of midnight, Lana had clambered down the stairs from her dorm and into the Gryffindor common room. She was wearing a berry red dress with bell sleeves and the flowy dress hugged her curvy body before resting just above her knees. She paired it with her favourite worn out pair of brown boots and had then thrown a thick black coat atop to keep her toasty through the night. She kept her hair simple and let it out in her natural waves, pinning to front pieces to the sides of her hair, framing her face delicately. The only jewellery she wore that night was a gold necklace that her grandmother had gifted her upon her arrival into this world, the letter L standing bright and bold as an engraving in the golden heart.

Lana was busy fixing the belt at the waist of her coat causing her to jump in surprise when someone came up behind her, nearly tripping over her own two feet. Remus caught her, one hand on her waist and the other on her shoulder.

"Godric you sacred me," Lana let out a shaky breath.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to. I was just trying to be quiet. Don't want to get caught in the common room at this time," Remus apologised.

As she turned around to face him, she could feel the butterflies erupting in her stomach just looking at him. He was dressed in a white button-up shirt, with jeans and his old worn out black boots, with a navy blue jacket atop. His hair was mused as usual and the smile on his face filled her up with feelings of adoration.

"I guess we better get going," Lana said, suddenly avoiding his staring gaze that sent her heart in a frenzy.

Remus was lost, his eyes staring at the soft curve of her lips that he desperately wanted to feel under his own, but he blinked, quickly shaking those thoughts out of the forefront of his mind. He gave her warm smile, letting her know that she looked beautiful, enjoying the warmth that rose to her cheeks.

Remus held his arm out for her and she smiled softly, slipping her arm under his own, moving closer to him as he draped the invisibility cloak on top of them. They walked in a comfortable silence throughout hidden passageways that were mostly dark, causing Lana to hold onto Remus's arm that little bit tighter until they exited the castle and had found themselves heading into the forbidden forest, with the moonlight to provide some light in the dark of the night.

They hadn't gone much further before they reached their destination and Lana was left with in a state of shock, her eyes wide and mouth open in surprise. She could feel the love and happiness radiate inside her chest, and she never felt more loved than her friends than she did in that moment.

"Happy Birthday!" Her friends cheered out, a few mini fireworks exploding in the air just above where they had created the little campsite. Between the trees there was a great banner with her name on it that was sparkling in the moonlight. James, Lily, Dorcas, Sirius, Peter and Alice were all standing there with bright smiles on their faces and open arms for Lana. Lana burst out into laughter at the sight and praised them all.

"Thank you so much, all of you," Lana said, smiling so big that her cheeks were beginning to hurt.

"We're just glad you like it!" Lily said. "It's been a long process."

"You guys are the best."

"Oh I know," Sirius replied with a wink.

"You look gorgeous Lana!" Alice greeted with excitement, bouncing over to her to give her a tight hug, pressing a kiss to her cheek. "Happy birthday again sweetie."

"Thanks, Alice. You look great too!"

A fire was going, the bright orange flames radiating warmth in the air. The smell of wood burning and being so close to Remus was enough to make her want to cuddle up underneath the stars. There was a few blankets laid out on the ground with cushions atop, bottles of firewhisky and some lighter drinks scattered around and plenty of food.

"Come on, let's go sit down," Remus said, guiding Lana to an empty spot that was just for her.

The rest of the night was spent with bright smiles, and laughter bubbling up and out of them. Stories were shared, food was eaten til their bellies were full and all had a little taste of the singular bottle of firewhisky that Sirius and James had been able to get their hands on at this time of year. But nonetheless they all had a splendid time. Some more gifts were given and Lana was sure that she had the greatest group of friends in the universe, and she made sure to tell them all that with lots of hugs and even a few kisses on the cheek, earning herself a lot of teasing from Sirius and James, in particular a whistle when she had planted a soft peck on Remus's cheek for organising the entire thing with Lily and getting her there in the end.

But it was now nearing a few hours later and it was decided that they should all head back to school lest they be caught. Plus the fact that they all had responsibilities to attend to early the next morning. But Remus insisted that he and Lana stay back, claiming that he had to show her something. The others had all giggled to themselves quietly before bidding them goodnight, heading off to the Castle, leaving Remus and Lana alone.

Lana was enjoying staring at the night sky, the stars shining bright only to be distracted when Remus took one of her hands in his own.

"May I have this dance?"

"There's no music, Remus," Lana said, her brows furrowed, surprise erupting on her face when suddenly with the wave of his wand, a soft classical tune played in the background.

"I guess since you've remedied that… Yes, you may have this dance."

She took his hand, accepting the dance, gasping when he pulled her close, one of her hands resting against his chest, the other around his neck. She had to do her best to stop her racing heart, but it was hard when he was in such close proximity, especially considering she could smell the musky scent that just radiated off him. He had one hand on her shoulder, the other resting on the small of her back as they swayed to the music. Her feet moved effortlessly, and eventually she rested her head against his chest as they moved together elegantly.

"Close your eyes," Remus whispered.

"Why?" She asked, looking up at him with curious eyes.

"I have another gift for you, I want it to be a surprise." They had stopped dancing and were now standing still, but the music still echoed in the background.

"Another gift? What are you going to do Remus, give me the entire world?" She teased.

"If you want it," He replied with a grin, a twinkle in his eye.

Lana rolled her eyes, yet even in the dim fairy light Remus was able to catch it.

"Do you trust me?"

"Yes," She exhaled, closing her eyes.

She wasn't sure what she was expecting, but this certainly wasn't it. A warm pair of lips were pressed against hers, the firm pressure sending waves of pleasure coursing through her. She responded immediately, moving her mouth against his, tilting her head and pressing herself closer to him wanting more and more and more. She gasped, her mouth opening in the slightest, allowing him to slip his tongue into her mouth, kissing her harder than before. She felt weightless, and was sure that if Remus's arms hadn't come around to rest on the small of her back that she would have collapsed into his arms, because he had her weak at the knees. Remus pulled back, purely because of the lack of oxygen, resting his forehead against hers. Lana's eyes were still closed and she was breathing hard. She blinked, opening her eyes to see him staring at her, a twinkle in his eye.

"I-I wasn't expecting that," Lana breathed out, a smile gracing her lips. Her cheeks were flushed, hair slightly mused and her lush lips rosy from his kisses and in his eyes, the sight was absolutely breathtaking.

"I hope that wasn't too forward of me," Remus said, a light pink dusting his cheeks that she found utterly adorable. He had liked her for so long, and he was so worried that she wouldn't reciprocate his feelings, but judging by her reaction he had been right to follow his gut.

"It wasn't," Lana smiled shyly. "It's been something I've thought about many times before," She admitted bashfully.

"Really?" Her words made his heart soar and he had never felt more at ease.

"Yeah."

"How about we remedy that?"

She didn't bother giving him an answer and instead leaned forward to capture his lips in a kiss, smiling through it because she had never felt more safe or happy than she did in that moment in the arms of Remus Lupin.

It had been a fairy-tale ending to her birthday, and she couldn't have wished for anything more.

Authors Note:

Thank you guys for the love and support on the last one-shot. I wrote this one and decided to post it as well, hope you all liked it! I love creating new OCs, it's so much fun. Let me know your thoughts on this one please, I live off reviews. ;)

I've got a Sirius x OC one coming up soon! Keep an eye out for it.

Thanks again for all the love.

Til next time.

Heroherondale.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters/plot devices/content that have been taken from the world of Harry Potter. That all belongs to J.K. Rowling, and respectively, I only own my OC and creative genius.