I am sooooo sorry for the long wait, but I've been having problems with friends and family. Emotional breakdowns – the usual. But on top of all that, I have softball tournaments and I'll be in New York for a week soon and then Florida after that. And guess where my aunt is taking me? WIZARDING WORLD OF HARRY POTTER! But anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter. I was going to write another one because I have a good chapter plot in my head, but I'm extremely overtired and shouldn't push it. I have to go to bed before I pass out of exhaustion.

CARETAKERS.

When I woke up the next morning, Madam Pomfrey informed the Headmaster. Within minutes, Dumbledore, McGonagall, Slughorn, Snape, Harry, and Lupin were all standing around my bed. "How is it, dear?" Madam Pomfrey asked and I looked down at the now dry bandages wrapped around my arm.

I shrugged. Lupin looked terrible. That night was the full moon. His face was pale and there were bags under his eyes. His back was hunched over as he smiled weakly at me.

Lupin conjured two chairs for him and Harry. They both sat down at my bedside. "I've got to change it again, Darcy," she said quietly and she brought out the big bucket again with fresh bandages. "It'll sting a little less today now that it's a bit more healed up."

I nodded, bracing myself. She unwrapped my bandages and McGonagall gasped at my arm. The skin looked burnt and blackened, almost like Dumbledore's hand, but it was more eaten away at. "Poppy, hold on a moment," Dumbledore said, holding his healthy hand up. Madam Pomfrey waited with the bandages soaking in the liquid on the bedside table. I was a bit disgusted by it, too.

The four teachers huddled around my bed, maneuvering around Harry and Lupin. Slughorn was looking at my arm with a sad look. "Miss Potter, I – I didn't know he'd – I had no idea he would –"

"No, it's okay," I replied and Slughorn sighed heavily.

"Horace," Dumbledore told him seriously. "I think you should keep an eye on your students next time – and an eye on Miss Potter."

"Yes… yes."

"It was lucky you made those antidotes, Severus," Dumbledore said again. "Although I didn't expect something this severe."

Snape nodded.

"Don't you worry, Darcy, we have the situation under control," Dumbledore smiled at me. "I assure you, this is not happen again. And Madam Pomfrey tells me you will make a full recovery, but it will take a while."

"May I change her bandages now?" Madam Pomfrey asked, a little exhausted sounding. Dumbledore nodded and they all stood there. I felt embarrassed an uncomfortable. "Mr. Lupin, if you could, er –"

Lupin nodded and squeezed my hand tightly. I closed my eyes, bit my lip and then –

Pain overwhelmed me and I wanted to scream, but since there were so many people there, I didn't want to embarrass myself even further. I let out a small cry and a whimper, as Madam Pomfrey tied the bandages around my arm. It hurt much less than before and as the pain slowly subsided, I calmed down. Lupin's finger caressed my hand I looked at everyone standing before me. Professor McGonagall patted my shoulder before leaving and the others trailed out after her.

Lupin nodded to me and kissed my cheek, getting up and leaving Harry and I alone.

"That's gross," Harry said and we both laughed.

"Yeah, it is." I sighed. "Think it'll leave a scar?"

"Don't you think you've got enough of those?" he asked seriously.

I shrugged. "There's room on my body for more."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

That night, Lupin had gone out to the Shrieking Shack to transform, despite my pleading for him to stay. I was still in the hospital wing; Madam Pomfrey insisted on keeping me one more night. I sighed and agreed. The window behind my bed gave me a clear view of the Forbidden Forest and I wondered how Lupin was holding up.

When I woke up, a black form to my left made me jump. When I saw Snape sitting there, looking awfully bored, I screamed. Madam Pomfrey poked her head out of her quarters, but then decided it was nothing.

"Were you watching me sleep?" I yelled. "What are you doing here?"

"Lupin sent me," he replied flatly.

I sat up quickly, clutching the blankets around me tightly. "What? Why? Why'd he send you? What's going on? Is something wrong with him? Did he –"

"Are you done?" he asked and I quieted down. "Last night, he forgot to take his Wolfsbane and –"

I gasped, bringing my hands to my mouth. "You ass! You didn't give it to him!"

"Be quiet!" he hissed. "I gave him a full week's supply of it and he simply forgot to take it. It is not my fault. I don't know why you insist on blaming me for everything."

"So – so why'd he send you?" I asked nervously.

"He wants you to spend another night here," replied Snape.

"Doesn't he want me to take care of him?"

Snape sat there quietly.

I rolled over so my back was facing him. "Go."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I entered my quarters the next afternoon to find Lupin in bed sleeping. I sighed and sat down beside him, stroking his sweaty hair gently and noticing several new scratches on his face. His eyes fluttered open and he glanced up at me and then closed his eyes again. I continued to stroke his hair.

"Severus told you?" he rasped.

"Yes."

"Please go." He breathed in through his nose deeply. "I don't want you to see me like this." He pulled the blankets up to his chin and I noticed that he wasn't wearing a shirt. There was a long scratch on his left shoulder. I pushed his damp hair out of his eyes and ran my fingers through his hair slowly.

"It's not the first time I've seen you like this," I replied softly. "Don't you want me to take care of you? I want to help you, Remus, so let me."

Lupin didn't protest, so I kissed his temple and retreated out of the bedroom to make him some tea. I tapped my wand twice against the black kettle and immediately, the water began to boil inside it. I poured the water into a mug, placed a teabag in the water and waited for it to cool. Since Lupin was sensitive, I knew that if the tea was too hot, he would have had a fit.

I brought it back to him and as I entered the room, he sat up, smelling it and smiling weakly. He was propped up against three fluffy pillows and I handed him the steaming tea, sitting down beside him.

"How's your arm?" Lupin asked quietly.

"Fine," I told him honestly, glancing at it. "Madam Pomfrey switched out the bandages again before I left. Said that Snape would brew some more of the potion. He'll give it to me and then I can change my own bandages."

"Can I?"

"Can you what? Change my bandages?" I chuckled lightly.

Lupin nodded.

"Why on Earth would you want to do that?"

"Because I want to take care of you," he admitted softly and I smiled. "You're mine, Darcy. I've got to take care of you."

It was at that moment that I realized I was Lupin's. Before, I never would have allowed myself to belong to anyone, not even Harry, but somehow, things were suddenly different. Lupin had opened me up, showed me a world and showed me things that I didn't know existed. He had proved to not only myself, but to everyone around us, that I was a real human being with feelings and that I wasn't just the cold, angry person everyone thought. He was the first person that ever really loved me – the first person who could really protect and take care of me and love me. Harry, as much as he cared for me, could not care for me in the way that Lupin did and vice versa.

"Let me see it," Lupin whispered, putting his teacup on the bedside table. I held out my arm and Lupin held it gently, pressing his lips to the skin around the injury that was not bandaged up. I blushed. "Is it feeling better?"

I nodded. "Much better."

With surprising strength, Lupin wrapped his arms around me and pulled me on top of him, the blanket separating our bodies from actually touching.

He kissed my lips gently and softly, over and over again. "Are you alright?" I asked, pulling away for a brief moment. "I don't want you to get sorer than you already are."

He smirked and raised his eyebrows. "You're concerned about me getting sore?" he teased and I felt my face flush a deep red.

I sat up, straddling his waist and smiled down at him. "Are you sure?" I asked him, running my finger down his chest. I could feel his body tense up, his excitement pressing against the inside of my thigh. "I'm not too sure I'm in the mood tonight…"

Lupin closed his eyes and grabbed my hips tightly. "Come on, Darcy," he growled and I felt immediately aroused by his dominance. "You know I'm sensitive after a full moon."

I licked my lips and smirked as he opened his eyes again. The dominant side of Lupin was one that I rarely ever saw. "But it's just so fun to tease you," I grinned, my lips grazing his cheek. I put my lips close to his ear. All the while, his body was getting tenser and Lupin's hands were holding me down, stuck straddling him. His shifted slightly beneath me. I was having too much fun.

I trailed my finger down his chest again, lower and lower until my finger reached where the sheet that was covering him stopped – right above his waist. I pulled my finger away and suddenly, without warning, he flipped me over so he was on top of me. The sheet was tangled around his waist and I was grinning up at him. He grabbed my hands and laced our fingers together, holding them down against the bed. "What are you doing?" he asked me quietly.

"Having fun," I answered. "I have to say, I kind of like this side of you –"

Lupin's lips were on mine again and then he let go of my hands, unbuttoning my shirt from top to bottom and then throwing it to the ground with haste. I was giggling as his lips captured mine in bruising kisses, grinding his hips unexpectedly against mine. I wrapped my arms around his neck, digging my nails into his shoulder blades, my toes curling. I ignored the searing pain in my arm – nothing was going to stop this from happening.

Lupin placed a trail of kisses down my stomach and stopped at my pant line, unbuttoning my jeans and then tossing them to the side. Where he had gotten this energy was beyond me, but I wasn't going to complain anytime soon. With unusual speed and desire, he nearly ripped my bra off me and slid his hands down my hips and he tore my underwear off, grinning slyly as he dropped them to the ground, falling on top of my bra.

And then, he entered. I drew a deep breath and gasped, wrapping my legs around his waist, feeling the pain that getting less and less each time. I heard him groan as my nails scratched his back and drew blood. He kissed me again and I smiled into the kiss.

Our bodies were one; there was no space between either of us and it was flesh on flesh, sweat glistening on our skin, our hands roaming all around, trying to become familiar with every inch of each other's body. I cried out loudly and Lupin chuckled, shushing me with a smile, all while kissing me.

It was nearly nightfall when both of us finally collapsed beside each other, our bodies drenched with sweat, too tired to move. The feast must have been almost over. We had spent about three hours in bed. I rolled over on my side and propped myself up on my left elbow, keeping my right arm on a pillow, trying not to move it and injure myself further.

I placed my lips to Lupin's cheek and he closed his eyes, breathing heavily, as if he had just run a marathon. He opened one eye and looked at me, wrapping an arm around my shoulders and pulling me to him. I nestled my head in the crook of his arm and he brushed my sweaty hair off my forehead and out of my eyes.

"I love you," I whispered. "And no one else."

Lupin kissed the top of my head and spoke, "I love you, too."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Where were you at the feast last night?" Snape asked me as he handed me the potion. He wouldn't let go and I tried to pull it from him, but he held on.

"I was –" I hesitated and Snape gave me a knowing, yet disappointed look. I don't think he had to read my mind to know what I was doing, but I lied anyway. "Flying."

"You were flying?"

"Yes…"

Snape let go of the potion and I stumbled backwards, thanking him under my breath. "I have seen you fly, Miss Potter," Snape scoffed. "If you were indeed flying, then you would be suffering more injuries."

"I've gotten better," I replied quickly.

"Yes, well," Snape looked disgusted with me. "Do not miss a feast again – especially for something so… personal."

"Did Slughorn say anything?"

"Simply wondered where you had wandered off to, that's all. If he didn't love you so much…" Snape rolled his eyes. I blushed and looked at my feet.

"It's none of your business what I do with my boyfriend," I told him sternly and Snape smirked, raising an amused eyebrow.

"But I don't think Dumbledore would have any of that going on in Hogwarts. After all, this is a school."

"You wouldn't tell Dumbledore," I challenged him. "That's disgusting and gross – it's my private life! You can't be invading it, you know. Don't you have better things to do than harass me and my brother?"

"I could harass Longbottom if you wish –"

"Don't!" I argued, but I knew that my protest wouldn't stop Snape from making fun of Neville Longbottom. "He's a perfectly fine young man and a good student. You scare him is all. You scare a lot of people –" I looked Snape over and realized that no matter what I said, there was no changing that man. "You know what, nevermind."