Hey guys! I have some big plans for this story but I'm not even sure if anyone is still reading! I would highly appreciate if you would leave a review so i can know if should continue the story or not. :)

On another note...finally an introductory chapter with Lupin!

*Lupin's POV*

Lupin stalked away from the Slytherin table, heading towards the professor's long table in the front of the room, when the bell announcing first period sounded. Oh, wonderful. Just wonderful, he thought stormily. I guess I didn't need breakfast anyways. He began to walk quickly to his classroom for his first class of the day- Defense Against The Dark Arts with sixth year Slytherins and Gryffindors. Lupin couldn't understand what Dumbledore could have been thinking when he made that arrangement- the two houses hated each other! Since returning to teach at Hogwarts, it hadn't really surprised him to see that things hadn't changed in that regard. He brooded as he imagined the squabbles that were sure to occur in the class ahead of him. As he waded through the crowds of students, Minerva suddenly appeared beside him, with a wary expression on her face.

"Long day already, Remus? I though you could use this," She said as she offered him a mug of strong black coffee. He began to thank her, but she was already striding away from him in order to investigate a scuffle between two Ravenclaw boys. He arrived outside his classroom door, took a gulp of the scalding coffee for luck, and walked in the door.

Most of his students had already arrived and had migrated to opposite sides of the room to avoid mixing houses with their enemies.

"Good morning, everyone! Glad to see you all. As you might remember from your third year, my name is Professor Lupin." He prompted with a smile. 'Now, before we get started on things this year, I'd like you to look about the room and see how all of the desks are arranged," He noted as he walked to his desk, and leaned against it casually as he surveyed his students. The desks in his room, unlike those in almost every other class, were not situated separately, but rather in sets of two. As soon as the words left his mouth, every student looked over or whispered to their best friend to pair up with them in their desks.

"Ah, yes...We will be doing quite a bit of partner work this year, and you do have the choice of who your partner is. Yes, yes, I can see your excitement, but there is a small catch. You may pair up- but I would like the groups to contain one student from Gryffindor paired up with a student from the Slytherin house." He found it hard to suppress a chuckle as he saw the happy faces of his students turn to those of terror at his final words. "You may now find a partner- you have five minutes! And remember- get along. I want no fighting in this class!"

No one moved for a moment, until finally, the students accepted their fate with only minimal complaints as the two houses converged into one large group. Slowly, sets of students came to find their seats with their new partners. Finally, it seemed everyone had found a partner, so Lupin began his beginning-of-the-year spiel.

"Well, welcome to my Defense Against The Dark Arts Class..First, if you could retrieve your text books and turn to page-" He was suddenly interrupted by a raised hand in the back of the class. How can there already be questions? he wondered. He couldn't see who the hand belonged to, so he simply replied "Yes?"

"Sorry, but..I haven't got a partner." When everyone turned to look, Lupin could then see that is was none other than Jasey Mathews. Her soft, sweet voice sounded sad, and he blue eyes were focused down onto her desk.

"Oh..Miss Mathews. How could that be? I could swear that there was an even number of students in this hour, are we missing someone?," He looked about when no one replied. He suddenly had an idea. "Well...If you would like, you can sit up in the front here near my desk, and when we do partner work, I could assist you if you have any troubles..." he trailed off kindly, feeling strangely shy suggesting the idea. "I'm not sure what else to do about this, I'm terribly sorry." He concluded with a small frown. He met Jasey's eyes, and she looked...Surprised? Confused? And still so beautiful... Lupin suddenly wondered if he'd ruined the wonderful teacher-student bond they'd had in her third year with his childish behavior so far this year...but he couldn't seem to help how he felt and behaved around her. He was still lost in thought when he noticed Jasey stand and begin walking towards the vacant desk nearest to her own quietly. As she was moving to set down her things, the door flew open and she turned with everyone else to see who the intruder war.

Much to Lupin's distaste, in walked a disheveled Draco Malfoy, followed by a stoic Professor Snape. It was the professor who spoke first.

"Do forgive young Draco for his lateness. We got to talking in the corridor, so the fault for his lateness was my own." He drawled. Damn it all, thought Lupin. So there was an even number of students. As Snape swished out of the room, Draco looked around awkwardly to find a seat- and immediately noticed the strange array of partners in the room. Lupin saw Seamus Finnigan lean toward Jasey and heard his whisper to her.

"Oh..looks like you've got a partner now, but in this case it'd be better to have none at all! Sorry dear." he muttered sympathetically, saying what every Gryffindor- and even some of the Slytherins were thinking. Lupin's heart sunk. He knew there was no way he could get the two out of being thrown together. He glanced at Jasey and noted with some pain that she didn't look at all upset to be stuck with Draco. Lupin could feel his heart breaking. This had been his one chance to be close to her..to talk with her..laugh with her, maybe even casually touch her hand... he shook the thoughts from his head and admitted that his ideal situation couldn't play out.

"Well then...Would anyone like to offer to change partners and be with Mr. Malfoy?" Everyone froze. He had hoped someone would accept his offer...wow. He thought, he's even more disliked than I thought. "Alright...Well. I suppose Miss Mathews will have to be your partner, then. Find your seats, you two." Jasey obediently followed Draco to the desks in the back of the room. "Alright..anyways, as I was saying...Today we'll just be reading the introductory chapter to the textbook with your seat partners. Stay quiet please, and ask me if you have any questions."

It was the longest class period of Professor Lupin's life. He tried to read the paper, work on lesson plans, anything, but it was impossible. He couldn't stop look at her. Eventually, he began wandering around the room, as teachers sometimes do, to see if there was anyone he could help...Anything he could do to distract himself. Jasey Mathews...He's remembered her as a sweet, extremely charming girl whom he'd had many pleasant conversations with when he's taught her before. But the moment her first awoke on the train and found himself so incredibly close to her, he knew that she'd changed, and everything else had changed with her...he'd found himself staring at her, and wanting to lean over to touch her soft brown hair...And had run out of the train compartment as fast as he could before he did anything stupid. He knew he was wrong to think such things about a young girl...his student, no less, but he couldn't help it. He was reduced to a jealous. fumbling schoolboy in her presence. With shame, he remembered his rash behavior the night before when he'd nearly knocked her over in the dark hall. His hand had brushed her shoulder and he was intoxicated by the sweet smell of her perfume...He was infatuated. He was embarrassed and ashamed, with regret that only deepened when he remembered the clipped, jealous words he had spoken to her about the dreadful Malfoy boy, and the confused, hurt look on her face. He remembered again the sting he'd felt when he looked up last night to see the boy practically on top of her, and then holding her hand...The jealousy was driving him mad! His thoughts had kept him from sleep until the late hours of the morning, when he finally found sleep in a dream of a certain student of his...and had awakened to quickly jump of bed to take a cold shower.

He was obsessed. Every time he attempted to focus on his work, he again found himself staring covertly at her. He noted the way her lips moved and she quietly read aloud, and although he couldn't hear her over the crowd of voices, he could almost imagine her sweet voice. He watched as she tucked a long strand of chocolatey hair behind her ear, and his eyes followed the curl down past the middle of her back. Unfortunately, he saw things he wished he hadn't as well. He saw the lingering eye contact she held with the Malfoy brat and the way her laugh rang like a bell at whatever he was whispering to her.

Finally, the bell rang. He was equally disappointed and relieved by this. He watched as Jasey stood, gathered her thing and walked over to Hermione so they could leave together. Everyone else was nearly gone by now, and Jasey was leaning casually against Hermione's desk as she second girl gathered her things. the two were talking excitedly about something. No, no...I can't let her leave yet. Not quite yet. He had to talk to her. He cleared his throat.

"Miss Mathews? If you have a moment, I'd like to have a word please."