sorry i didn't post last week, my internet was down for several days (hell) and i thought i'd continue on tuesday again :) (even if it is technically wednesday)

thank you commenters, you're pretty cool

It seemed Lupin wanted to talk to her again the next day, though she wasn't sure what it was about. She was fairly confident that no-one had seen her or Malfoy enter that shop together. If they had she could probably come up with… some sort of explanation. Though she didn't know why anyone would have told Lupin about it.

He asked her to walk with him, taking her to his office this time. She had to skip breakfast again, but by now she was used to it. There always seemed to be something she just 'had' to be doing around that time. Honestly, the poor girl was starving.

Lupin looked a little nervous, a great switch from his anger the last time they had spoken. He sat in his desk chair, and she across from him.

"So, what is it this time Professor? In case you haven't noticed, I'm in a rather chirpy mood. No need to raise any alarms bells," she joked. She was hoping to ease some of Lupin's obvious tension, but it didn't seem to work.

Lupin coughed. "Dumbledore and I have been discussing… your current situation."

Mila's blood went cold. "Situation?"

"Your living situation."

She relaxed. "Oh, that situation. Have you found me a placement yet?"

Lupin hand disheveled his already disheveled hair some more. "That's actually what I was hoping to discuss with you."

"Ok," she said slowly.

His hesitation was worrying her. Did this mean it was bad? Was she finally going to have to go to a group home. There was nothing she wanted less. That way she would absolutely have to stay there for holidays, which was the last thing she wanted.

"We thought it might be agreeable if-" he coughed again, and Mila sighed with impatience.

"It is bad, isn't it? Merlin, just rip of the bandaid, Professor, I can take it."

"It's not bad." He gave a small smile at her dramatics, before adding, "At least I hope it's not."

He paused again. So she filled the silence, again.

"If I was the professor and I had to grade you on delivery of news… well lets just say you're not doing very well."

"I was wondering if you would like me to be your guardian," he rushed out.

Mila's heart stopped. "What?"

"Like I said, Dumbledore and I discussed it, and we think rather than have you accumulate to another new environment, it might be beneficial for you to just live with me. Or rather, I'll be your guardian, but you can spend the holidays where you choose." He was babbling. Nervous 'Remus Lupin babbling'. Much of his teenage years had been spent in this state of conversation.

Lupin couldn't read her expression, she simply looked stunned. Mila herself was feeling awful.

Even though she hadn't done anything about it, she had been mad at Lupin for the past few weeks. The thought that he was keeping her parentage a secret had made her understandably angry. And she had been comforted by that anger, it was a distraction from the worry about finding out who her parents were. But now he was offering… this.

"I don't know what to say," she said honestly.

He was going to take her in? It was like he was offering her the freedom she had always wanted. Freedom from the system, and the constrained childhood she had always known. It made her feel even guiltier about her anger with him. How could a man who was offering her all this, lie to her? It didn't feel possible.

How likely was it that he knew anyway? She'd jumped to conclusions, just as she always did. How was he supposed to know about a locket found at the bottom of a pile in the Malfoy manner? She'd made a link between his concern and the locket that she should never have made.

"I understand if you object. It's a difficult—"

"No."

"No?" Lupin raised his eyebrow.

"I don't object."

A smile bloomed on Lupin's face as he took in her words. He searched her's and was happy to see her smiling back at him. He had noticed she hadn't smiled at him for a while, and found he missed the expression.

"When can I move in?" she asked eagerly, and Lupin chuckled.

"We have to sort out the paperwork, and well, maybe bewitch a muggle or two. It should be done before the next break."

"The next break it is," she beamed at him.

Honestly Lupin could cast any hex on her right now and she wouldn't even cast one back. She'd never have to deal with a rude foster parent again, never have to go to a group home, never have to go back to the orphanage. Someone wanted her. And it was ok that it wasn't her parents. In fact, right now she didn't even care who they were. The whole thing seemed to matter a lot less. Because she was wanted. And she had the family she had loved all along.

"We can spend it with Sirius and Harry. Or if you'd prefer-?"

"I don't mind," she interrupted him again, "Wherever you want. Whatever you want."

She stood up, and Lupin followed automatically. Her joy rubbed off on him, the way any mood Mila had rubbed off on people. She was infectious, and her happiness spread through him like a disease he had no hope of curing.

"Professor?"

"Yes, Miss Lovett?"

"I think I'm going to hug you now."

She pulled her arms around him before he could object, having already made her way around the desk. He stood stiffly for a brief second before releasing control and hugging her back. He often forgot how young she was. She was a girl who had never had a home, he hadn't realised how much she had always wanted one.

As she hugged him she noticed the wolf ornament that decorated his desk, the present she had gotten him for christmas. She stepped out of his arms and grinned at him.

"I can't wait to tell, Harry!"

"I'm sure he'll be happy for you," Lupin said warmly.

If Harry hadn't been in Mila's life, she suspected that Lupin never would have been more than a teacher to Mila. If not for his connection to Harry's father, Mila may never have grown to see him as a friend. Harry had given her Lupin, and Lupin was giving her a home.

"Thank you, Lupin. I wish there was something I- that I could do for you." Mila wasn't one to be speechless, but she didn't think anything she said would express who grateful she was.

"How about getting to my class on time," Lupin chuckled.

"Well now, that's just asking too much."

"It was worth a shot," he said.

"Speaking of class," she started.

"It's about time you leave my office," he finished.

He didn't want her to go. Her happiness was greatly improving his mood, and he was so glad he had been the one to give it to her. Especially after her mood the past few weeks. It was her words during their last conversation that had finally made him take this step, which he had been considering for longer than he cared to admit.

She smiled cheekily. "I guess I'm going to have to start doing what you tell me."

"You should be doing that anyway, I'm your teacher," he sighed lightheartedly.

She huffed, but started to walk to the door. She turned to him before she went through. "Thank you."

His eyes sparkled at her as he returned her sentiment.

"You're welcome."

When Mila went to find Harry, she felt the tension in her melt away. This changed everything. The anger she'd had inside her for suspecting Lupin disappeared. The worry about where she was going to live next summer was no longer necessary. Even the identity of her parents didn't seem to matter as much anymore. She'd gone on this long without them. Knowing who they were didn't suddenly mean they were going to be in her life. Pureblood or Slytherins or whoever they were… She would survive. Just like she always had. She hadn't felt this light since the christmas break.

She practically ran to the Gryffindor table. Breakfast wasn't over yet and her friends were all still eating. She grabbed Harry and hugged him from behind, even though he was mid way through a croissant. He stayed still, wondering what in Godric's name Mila was doing.

Even Ron stopped chewing as he took the pair of them in.

"Hermione, what's going on?" he fake whispered.

Hermione herself was unusually uninformed. "I'm not quite sure."

Mila let go of Harry and grinned at all her friends. "It's a lovely day, isn't it?"

Harry turned around at their audience before looking to her. "Has someone given you a love potion?"

"Yeah, Neville, I just can't stop thinking about him," she said. Her friends all looked to give Neville an accusatory look, as he was sitting by them.

"Don't look at me! I don't know what she's talking about." Neville shrugged, but he was blushing faintly.

"Sorry, Neville." She waved her friend's attentions back over to her, "What if I told you I could spend all the holidays wherever I wanted."

Harry's face began to smile. "I'd say thank goodness, because I hate when you have to go back home."

"Did you get a new placement?" Hermione asked excitedly.

Mila grinned and nodded.

"Well, where is it? Buckingham Palace? Because you look like you just got told you won the lottery," Harry said.

"Lupin asked me if he could be my guardian," she beamed.

All three paused for a second, taking the information in. Then all of a sudden, Harry jumped up from his seat and wrapped her in a hug.

She squeezed him tight. She saw Ron and Hermione look equally as excited for her.

"This is- Mila, this is great," Harry told her, still in their embrace.

She pulled away, but kept their arms together.

"Lupin said we could stay with you and Sirius whenever we wanted. It'll be just like christmas again. And I don't have to keep moving around anymore, I have a home."

Harry, the only person who understood what it felt like to not have one, smiled at her warmly.

"I'm so happy for you, Mila. You finally get- I'm just so happy."

She looked at her friend with his ruffled hair, and round glasses. Her best friend. She would stay with him for the rest of her life. Maybe Harry would get married one day, and maybe not to her, but she could see her future now. And no matter what form, it had him in it.

She hugged him again, "I love you, Harry." It wasn't a romantic statement. She wasn't sure if she would ever be ready for that. But how could you not love someone who was the source of your happiness. Every good thing that had even happened to her because either a direct or indirect result of Harry. He had been the first one she called family.

"I love you too," he whispered in the hug. She pulled away again and jumped and clapped excitedly.

"And I love you Ron, and you Hermione." She began shouting, "And I love everyone at this table!"

A couple of people raised their goblets to her laughing, and she gave a quick bow when a few people started clapping. She pulled Harry to sit down with her, who was looking a bit dazed, and eagerly tucked into breakfast.

"This is brilliant news, Mila!" Ron said excitedly, "You're both Marauder's babies now."

"Bets on if her patronus turns out to be a wolf," Harry added.

"Well that's not fair, mate, you saw half the bloody thing."

Harry and Ron argued over the bet and Mila looked to Hermione who, though smiling, seemed to have some concern in her eyes.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" she asked Mila.

Mila was taken aback. "Why wouldn't it be?"

Hermione shook her head, "No reason. That's great news, Mila."

Mila smiled at her friend. "Thank you, Hermione."

Every other table had witnessed the commotion. Mila was a hot topic on the gossip mill, and people were whispering about what her outburst could possibly be about.

Malfoy himself had taken in the sight confusedly. It was only yesterday she had been with him, scared and worried about the locket. He had been the one she turned to, not Potter. He guessed Potter was the only one who got to hear the good news.

"What do you think it's about?" Zabini asked their group.

Pansy, and Nott both thought about it.

"Maybe Potter finally grew a pair and asked her out?" Pansy suggested.

"Maybe Lovett and Potter singlehandedly just bought about world peace," Zabini sneered, "Just so bloody talented those two."

"Who cares?" Malfoy muttered, though he found he did care very much.

"Just as long as I can keep down my breakfast. Proclamations of love first thing in the morning are sickly," Nott stated.

And well… Malfoy had to agree with him there.

Though Mila was still determined to find out who her parents were, she found herself thinking only sparsely about the locket. The excitement for the ball was getting even more hectic. It was in the second week of the last term, and they'd still yet to have their easter holidays. It seemed slightly ridiculous that people were already so concerned about it.

They had it then so that when sixth and seventh years came back for the last term, they got the ball out of the way so they could focus on their NEWTs. Which was fair enough, but Mila was dreading that term already.

The ball was still so far away, but boys were already asking girls to be their date. Dean and Ron had gotten the ball rolling, and now Mila had to be careful about who she talked to lest she get asked again.

Terry Boot and Wayne Hopkins had already asked her, but she had politely turned them down. The sooner Harry asked her the better, because then she could use him as a shield. She knew it was probably because he assumed they were going together, but the confirmation would really help her avoid more of these awkward invitations. She was half tempted to ask him in the Great Hall, as a sort of public announcement. She almost did, but Ron said Harry wanted to do something special, so she was loathe to wait for him to get around to it.

With the weight of the locket not bearing down on her so much, she almost found she had a lot of free time her hands. NEWTs still hadn't gotten hard enough for her to have to start studying, much to Ron's chagrin. But she still had to take the time to write her essays just like everybody else.

They had a quidditch game coming up, and Harry had the team out practicing almost every night. Having Ron, Ginny and Harry on the team were just extra perks to a game she loved so much. Hermione would sometimes come out and watch the practice, simply because all her friends were there anyway.

Harry had them doing drill after drill. Mila was so exhausted she thought she was going to fall off of her broom. One of the beaters, Jimmy Peakes, flew up to her and asked her to get Harry to end the practice. They'd been there for four hours, and they had a solid team, it wasn't like they could get better with another hour of training in one day.

"Please, I'm so tired. So so tired. And if I have to look at McLaggen for another second, I'll have to hex myself," Jimmy begged.

He had a point there. Substitutes had to train as well, and that meant McLaggen for four hours at a time.

"Why don't you ask him yourself, Peake?"

"Come on, Lovett. Everyone knows he does whatever you tell him to do."

Mila mocked sighing. "You almost had me on your side, Peake, then you had to go and say that. I don't think a couple more drills would hurt you."

She let him suffer bit more until she flew down to where Harry was standing.

"Don't you think we should ix-nay on the aining-tray," she asked.

"I speak snake, Mila, not pig," Harry wisecracked.

"Very funny," she said cooly.

"Thanks, I thought so." He grinned at her.

"We've been here for four hours, Harry. Stop the training before we have a mutiny on our hands."

"A mutiny?"

"Yeah, led by me."

He laughed. "Your loyalty is heart-warming."

She shrugged. "I am a Gryffindor."

Harry sighed and blew the whistle. "Alright you sorry lot, training is over."

The rest of the team cheered in the air, and Peake mouth a 'thank you' to Mila. She rolled her eyes playfully at him, but grinned with the rest of the team.

She needed a shower. Badly. She flew to Ginny's side so that they could go to the girls change rooms together. They both mounted off their brooms and began walking down the end of the pitch, Katie Bell with them.

"Who knew Harry was such a hard ass. It's sexy," Ginny smirked.

Mila looked at her in horror, "Please don't describe my best friend as sexy."

Katie and Ginny laughed. "Why not?" Ginny started, "He thinks your sexy."

"Ginny," Mila choked, before joining in the laughter.

"Has he asked you to the ball yet?" Katie asked sweetly.

"No. What's he playing at? I'm a catch," Mila joked.

"Justin has asked me four times," Katie complained.

"He'll wear you down one of these days Katie," Ginny said, "Ron did wear Hermione down after all."

"That's different," Mila said, and the other two looked at her curiously.

"He's a keeper," she deadpanned. Both girls groaned.

"That was the worst joke I've ever heard," Ginny said, "You're better than this."

Mila snickered, "Who says?"

"I say. Mila, I'm very disappointed in you."

They continued their walk, laughter filling up the pitch, until Cormac came to a stop right in front of them.

"Oh no," Ginny whispered.

"Maybe if we don't move, he won't see us," Mila whispered back.

"Don't be rude, he is standing and looking right at us, you idiots," Katie said.

Cormac watched the three girls amusedly, keeping his damn smirking face the whole way.

Mila sighed, "What do you want, McLaggen?"

"News had reached me that you haven't got a date for the ball, Lovett." He winked at her, probably thinking she found it somewhat appealing. She did not.

"I'm going with Harry," she said automatically.

"Ah, but he hasn't actually asked you yet. So I was thinking we could start our own little arrangement."

Ginny and Katie were both trying to hold in their laughter beside her, and she'd never hated them more than in that moment. She tried to look at them for some help, but they could barely hold themselves together.

"Wow, McLaggen, that sounds really… swell. But- uh, you know, I just don't see a future for us."

Ginny made a pfft sound as some air escaped her clamped lips.

"You'll change your mind," he said knowingly, and Mila could have just about strangled him.

"I don't think I will," she disagreed.

In an even more obnoxious tone, he repeated, "You'll change your mind."

He began walking away in what he probably believed was a swagger, but looked more like an infant who hadn't learned how to walk yet.

Ginny opened her mouth and roared. She put her hands on her knees to steady herself, and her laughter echoed through the whole pitch. Katie herself was giggling, but to her credit she did look guilty about it.

"Thanks for the assist, guys," Mila huffed.

"Oh Merlin, I can't believe you've had to do that three times already," Ginny cracked up.

"Yeah," Mila said unamused, as they finally reached the change rooms, "Harry really better get his act together."