Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter

Okay, chapter 2. Keep in mind the rating and the first chapter's opening. Some moments may get dark and gruesome.

Red Moon

Morning had come, and with it came a brand new fear for Ginny. Sleep had not come easily, and she had not expected it to. She attempted to be first one to rise, hoping she could somehow convince the Order members that she should see Lupin. As soon as the thought came to her, she had questioned why.

The why was obvious, but at the same time she felt it wasn't.

So she tried to ignore looking up at the stairs that led to Sirius's door. She couldn't resist. She glanced up and waited, as if expecting him to come down and greet her. She imagined what she'd do. She imagined yelling and actually attacking him. Then the imaginings quickly faded away. She made her way straight to the bathroom.

Once again she found herself looking intently into the mirror at her own reflection. She hoped it was her own. She hoped it wouldn't turn into a reflection she wouldn't recognize; one that she would have to ask Lupin about. She turned away from it and let the tears fall. The anticipation was too much, and suddenly she felt like a little girl again; a little girl left alone in the house with a predator. She had thought she could handle Lupin on her own, but it seemed to be a lie. It had backfired and no one knew it.

She quietly brushed the tears away and finished up.

Outside coming toward her with a smile was Harry.

"Are you always going to greet me at the loo?" she questioned.

"Sounds like you're feeling better," he noted.

She could only give a slight nod.

"Come on, breakfast should be ready."

Without thinking about it, Harry grabbed her hand and led her on. As they walked, Ginny couldn't help but to stare down at their interlocked hands. It did not fully mean what she had wanted it to mean. They had not dated yet, but, at least Harry was showing an interest in returning the feelings she'd had for him since she was much younger; when it was just a silly little girl's crush. Their hands broke apart when they made their way to the doorway, as no one had known their peeking interests; both of them fearing the reaction. Ginny wondered how he would react if he knew what she had become; or what she might become.

As she thought of her ex-professor, her eyes landed right on him. He was seated near the head of the crowded kitchen table. He did not show a sign of worry, only tiredness, but he did not look as miserable as he was expected to look after a transformation. Her mum greeted him with a pot of coffee in hand. There was an exchange of smiles as her mum refilled his mug. There was no guilt smile from Lupin. She watched the exchanged, feeling somewhat betrayed. She actually found herself growling slightly under her breath. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Harry tossing her an odd look.

"Ginny dear, morning," her mum greeted. "Go and sit down. Are you hungry?"

"Sure mum."

"I've made eggs and bacon, and a few hotcakes to go with it."

"That's fine."

She paid no attention to the talk and scuffling around her. Her eyes were on Lupin. When he felt her gaze, he looked around and smiled at her. Nothing in his greeting told her he knew what she'd gone through with him.

She turned away and looked at the empty plate before her. Just as Harry sat down next to her, Lupin cleared his throat.

"Very brave of you Ginny."

She looked up, startled.

"I..I'm sorry?"

He was smiling softly at her.

"Very brave of you to stay with me." She gaped. "Tonks told me you sat here all by yourself while I was, well…at my worst."

Ginny studied his demeanor as closely as she could. She could not sense him covering up what happened. Surely he knew?

"You weren't that bad Remus," said Tonks as she seated herself next to him with her plate. "I suppose we can thank Professor Snape for that."

"Yes. It could have gone completely wrong. His new concoction."

Ginny flinched at his mention of 'gone completely wrong'.

"Well, it hadn't…since Ginny was brave enough to look in on you."

At that, several concerned faces turned her way.

"Tonks!" Mrs. Weasley cried. "You didn't..you didn't tell us.."

"I know, I should have Molly," Tonks apologized. "I'm sorry, but..I suppose there's no excuse not to tell."

"Ginny!" her father reprimanded.

"What were you thinking?!" her mum cried out.

"I'm sorry." Ginny could not look any of them in the eye. "I just…I was stupid."

"It was only lucky Snape managed to concoct that special wolfsbane, otherwise—"

"Otherwise she would have been in serious danger," Lupin scolded over Tonks.

"I knew we shouldn't have left you alone," her mum decided.

"Jeez Ginny, are you mad?" Ron asked.

The emotions were weighing in on her. She couldn't breathe. And there was Lupin, looking angry at her, like she had been the mad one.

"I'm sorry…I just…," she paused, trying to find a way to bring up what really happened, but she couldn't. She was choking on her words. "I'm sorry…I didn't…I tried…"

Suddenly she found herself in a quick embrace given to her not by Harry, but by her mum.

"Well, I can't blame you for being concerned," she said quietly. "But it is not your duty to stick your nose into such a dangerous task. But I'm afraid you can't go unpunished."

Ginny wiped away the oncoming tears.

"Well, no matter now I suppose," said Lupin. "But know it could have gone a lot worse Ginny."

She refused to meet his eyes. Here she was getting yelled at, and punished, and none of it was her fault; but she partially felt like putting the blame on her shoulders. She believed she could stay at the house alone with Lupin, regardless of all the protection. On top of that, she couldn't even admit the truth.

She sprung up from the table and stormed out of the kitchen. She found herself sulking in the living room on the arm of the couch. No one was coming after her. She brushed away another tear as she tried to figure out who she was really angry with. The answer came easy.

"Ginny?"

She didn't have to turn to know it was Lupin. She was surprised to find she was comforted by his presence.

"Ginny, I'm sorry if you're—"

"Don't..it was my fault. I was being stupid," Ginny interrupted.

"They just don't want to see you get hurt. Not with the things happening right now. You're still a young girl."

"But I'm not a child," she argued.

"But are still young, and must still respect the wishes of your elders," Lupin countered as he moved further into the room. "I'm really surprised at you. I thought you would have known better, but, I suppose you were only trying to help."

Ginny watched as he seated himself on the other couch and stared into the empty fireplace. Now that they were alone, she felt she could finally question him on the matter, however, the last thing she wanted to do was have the household members in another uproar; but when was she going to get another chance like it. Of course, she'd have to be clever.

"You don't…remember anything from last night?" Lupin looked at her curiously. "What I mean is…do you, ever, and I mean last night too, remember your time while you're a wolf?"

Lupin furrowed his brow, looking thoughtful.

"My memory for my time as a wolf, has not always been there. It's like trying to recall a dream, or pieces of it. Strangely enough, it was different this time."

"What do you mean?" Ginny cried. Her heart was pounding as she observed him. He raised a hand to his forehead as he strained to think.

"Even though I was here, I imagined I was in the forest."

"The forest?"

"Yes, the Forbidden Forest of Hogwarts." He paused as a small smile lifted the corners of his mouth. "From what I can recall, I was chasing a, horse." At Ginny's quirked eyebrows, Lupin gave a soft laugh. "Yes, I know it's odd, but it was a horse. A beautiful horse, and with red mane."

Ginny looked away as she thought it through. Lupin had assumed he was only dreaming about chasing his prey, when in actuality, he had acted it out, like a sleepwalker.

"Do you, normally hunt horses?"

"Well look at it this way, how often do horses go wandering around a forest? Especially red-haired ones."

"Good point," she said with a shrug. "Did you, well, catch that horse?"

Lupin turned away from her, and his smile dropped.

"Unfortunately I did. " Ginny didn't need the details of how. She had felt it after all. Her hand started to hover up to her neck, but she caught herself and lowered it to her lap. "Why did you want to know?"

Ginny met his eyes. In them she could see he did not know what he had done. She could also imagine how those eyes would look if he did. She dropped her gaze to the floor and ran a hand along her arm.

"No reason," she muttered. "Just curious."

"Well, I'm glad it went alright. Professor Dumbledore wishes me to take up teaching again, and I told him I'd very much like to."

"Good," she mumbled without looking up. Her feelings of betrayal and anger at her circumstances shifted to delight at the idea that Lupin would be near her. And now her heart was pounding for a different reason—nervousness. But it stopped when she sensed Tonks coming into the room. Tonks drifted over to Lupin and rested her hands on his shoulders causing Ginny to feel a slight rush of jealousy.

"What are you to on about?" Tonks asked.

"Oh, discussing what goes on in my mind when I'm not, myself," said Lupin with a smile.

Tonks looked over at Ginny, who had to quickly erase the frown that was forming on her face at the sight of them.

"Better make sure all your things are together," she told her. "Want to be ready for Hogwarts tomorrow."

Tonk's attention then turned to massaging Lupin's shoulders. For a minute, Ginny considered telling her that her things were together, or that she didn't need to bother telling her. Instead she got up and proceeded to leave the room. Her ears, however, did catch Tonks commenting in a near flirtatious manner on how well Lupin put up with the wolfsbane. Ginny balled her fists and felt the cut of a nail actually digging into flesh.

The minute she left Grimmauld Place, or rather the minute Lupin was out of her sight, was the minute Ginny found herself in a bit of a daze. She felt her body seated with Harry, Hermione and Ron as they talked about what was left to do for their sixth year, now that the holidays were over. With Ginny in their mist, they didn't dare talk about whatever mission they had gone on with the Order. It wasn't as if she cared to know anyhow. She was lost in her own little world.

Her gaze drifted out the window, and she imagined a wolf running along with the train through the countryside. And following besides her was another wolf, a lager wolf who was enjoying such a run with her. Ginny smiled at the sight. Such an imagining was true, as Lupin was in a compartment a few doors down.

She was only brought back to reality when a hand touched hers. She looked around, still smiling, and her smile only widened when she saw it was Lupin touching her hand. He was smiling warmly at her, and then without taking his eyes off her's, he lifted her hand and kissed it.

"Ginny, are you alright?" he asked.

"Huh?" She blinked, and Lupin's smiling face was replaced by Harry's concerned one. He had not kissed her hand, but he was squeezing it to shake her out of her daze. "Harry?"

"You alright? You seem a bit, off."

Ginny looked around to see Hermione and Ron also giving her a curious look. She pulled her hand from Harry's.

"Oh, I'm fine. Just…thinking."

It would be her excuse for a while. For the next couple of days at Hogwarts, she felt out of her self; like her body was acting and she was going along for the ride. Perhaps not unlike the time she was possessed by Riddle's diary. The only time it was different, was when she had finally made it to Lupin's class. As she listened to him teach, she imagined him only teaching her. They were alone in the room, and Ginny was hanging onto his every word.

When a couple of weeks passed and another full moon was to come, Ginny found herself hurrying along the dark corridors of the halls in an effort to reach the outdoors. All that day, she had been kicking herself to confide in Lupin. It would be easier than suffer the horrible possibilities alone. Instead, she resolved to head to the shrieking shack. Part of her hoped the cloak she wore would protect her from the moon.

When she found herself at one of the entrance doorways, she was hypnotized by the glowing white orb. It was beautiful to her, but at the same time she found it quite frightening. A horrible shiver ran through her form. She took a step forward into the courtyard and stopped.

There was another shiver.

Her grip slackened on her cloak. She made another step forward, then fell to her hands and knees. This was it. It was real. There was no denying that she might have escaped the curse. Ginny pulled the cloak from herself, feeling it would restrict her as she started to heave.

One. Two.

Her back was arching. Her legs; something warm was running over her legs, stretching them. Her feet were lifting her up as they started to stretch. Ginny gasped as she felt the same thing occurring with her arms.

The pain came about slowly. She could hear and feel the bones in her fingers shifting into a new shape. They were crashing together. Her fleshy fingers attempting to form paws. Ginny left out a scream as the unnatural affect worked its way down her spine and through her hips. Everything was starting to burn; invisible hands were bending hot metal within her body, shaping a new skeleton form—one that was not human.

Her pajamas started to rip along the back, as fiery red fur sprung up like a blaze. Her breasts were receding as her head snapped forward. She continued to scream as her nose and mouth pushed forward. Her ears were sliding up. More red fur was rising up everywhere. The pants tore and allowed a long fluffy tail to rip through. Her pajamas were in tatters beneath her as the transformation neared its completion.

Ginny could feel the fangs forming; feel her nose becoming cold. Everything was stretching and rising, and after some time, her new form had emerged.

Ginny threw her head back and howled in pain. A fiery, rose red wolf now stood in the courtyard, with an unforgiving moon shining overhead.

She dropped her head and tethered on her new legs. There were four now, not two, and her red hair was more red and everywhere. She looked behind her and gave a slight wag of her tail.

She was at a lost. She did not understand. Was she not a while ago, human?

Then her ears perked forward at the sound of a new howl in the distance. The howl belonged to a male, and it was calling to her.

Ginny gave a soft whine, and without much hesitation she hurried in his direction. She did not need to wait and learn how her new body moved. The knowledge was already within her. She ran beautifully, her glossy fur seeming to shimmer with the wind from her speed.

You should keep in mind that the werewolves in my story, I have them looking that larger versions of real wolves, and not the human like wolf you see in the Harry Potter movie. More like the ones you see in the "New Moon" twilight movie, if you've ever seen it. And Ginny's wolf color is an unusual rosy red, and not orange red like her hair. By the way, the horse Remus dreamed up was Ginny's patronus. I looked it up and found out that's what it was.

Keep reviewing, so that I may keep updating.