When Remus woke he lay still out of habit, taking in his surroundings. When he felt well enough to open his eyes he expected to find Dora waiting with a warm blanket. She always claimed because she didn't fight the transformation she recovered more quickly. But this time Dora lay in front of him prone on the floor.
He shifted weary limbs and felt sharp pains in his arm that stood out from the usual aching joints the same moment the scent of blood hit his nose.
He looked down at himself. Tooth marks marred his arms. They weren't vicious, no tearing, but they were deep. These weren't warning nips or love bites. There had been anger behind them.
He pulled himself up on his arms and began to drag himself toward her.
"Dora, are you up?"
"Yeah." She sounded breathless and didn't stir.
He blinked several times, trying to get his once-again-human eyes to focus. "Did you bite me?"
"Sort of. Don't get too close."
Now he stopped, looking her over. She was pooled on the floor, probably where she had landed when the transformation was complete. But her shoulders were bruised and scrapes decorated her folded legs. He still couldn't stand using the wall for support he got his legs under himself so he could limp toward her. "What's wro-"
"Get back!" she snapped at him, her face turning toward him although she closed her eyes in a pained wince from the effort.
He stopped dead. "What's wrong?"
"My arm's broken."
"Are you sure?" Her right arm was laying at an odd angle, and while she managed to pull her legs closer and lean on her left for support it didn't so much as twitch. He moved carefully around her for a better look.
"Pretty sure. I thought the transformation itself was painful. You should try it with a broken bone."
"No thanks." He looked down at her helplessly. "Can I do anything?"
She glanced through the bars at the cloaks he'd placed within reach before Molly locked them in. "Could you get my cloak? I'm cold, and I'd rather not be unclothed when the parade starts. I'm sure Molly will have everyone down her once she realizes."
"Of course." He pulled himself up on the bars after retrieving them so he could lay it carefully over her, especially gentle with her arm. "What happened?" he asked, wrapping his own cloak around himself and propping his back against the bars.
"The wolf is claustrophobic."
"Oh. You didn't realize?"
"I've never changed inside before. She went mad. Started throwing herself against the walls. He tried to stop her. That's how he got bitten. Seems your wolf is as much a gentleman as you are."
Remus snorted as he looked at the splashes of blood on the wall, some with hair still clinging to it. "I hope not. How long have you been awake?"
"Dunno. I'm sure it feels longer than it's actually been. When does Molly come down to spring us?"
"Hour after dawn." She groaned. "I'm sorry. I wouldn't want to put her in danger."
"Of course not," she sighed. "You're such a bastard."
"Not on purpose."
"Excuses excuses."
He fell silent then, too exhausted to carry the conversation, and he hoped she could doze through the pain.
Finally they heard the jingle of keys and Molly called cheerfully, "How is everyone?"
"I hate morning people," Dora muttered.
Remus clucked his tongue at her. "Dora's got a broken arm for you to look after."
"What?!" That squeak could only be Tonks. Several sets of feet pounded down the stairs.
"What happened?" the Weasley twins chorused.
"See, parade, I told you," she said to Remus. "I broke it," she announced to the group.
Molly came in first, kneeling next to her. "How?"
"Throwing myself against the wall. Wolf is-" She paused to hiss when Molly prodded the arm. "Claustrophobic."
"You couldn't stop her?" Tonks demanded of Remus.
He freed an arm to show the puncture marks. "I got a nice thank you for trying."
The twins drew closer. "Think there's any saliva left on it?"
"Fred Weasley!" Molly yelled. "If you even think about messing with that stuff I will personally lock you down here myself."
"I'm not Fred," he objected, elbowing his twin. "Lock up the right son will you?"
"Don't sass your mother," Dora said. "You are so Fred."
The twins glanced at each other. "How can you tell?"
"You sound different." She sighed. "Smell different, come to that."
Molly dusted off her hands. "Leave her be, boys. Dora, you're going to have to sit up. Then we can get it into a sling so we can get you upstairs to work on it properly."
"I know," she sighed. "I was just bracing myself."
"Get to it then," Molly motioned. "The longer you sit there dreading it the harder you are on yourself."
She shifted slightly, trying to pull her legs under her, then sat up in one swift motion with a scream that made everyone in the room wince.
Molly removed her apron and gently wrapped her arm and tied it firmly behind her neck, not batting an eye at the bare skin, tucking her robe back around her. "There we are. Let's get you to a bed."
"Bless you Molly," she groaned. As Molly walked her toward the stairs she actually laid her head on her shoulder. "Will you adopt me?"
"Believe me darling, if I could have I would."
Dora smiled pleasantly as the witch led her upstairs, calling behind her, "Tonks, you're in charge of getting my boy to bed."
"No problem," she called after her. Stepping into the cell she offered him a hand, which he took. He swayed for a moment and had to grab the bars, giving Tonks a chance to catch his other arm and steady him. "Do I get to adopt you?"
"Not a chance," he shot back with a smile. "Before you go mothering anyone your hair needs to be a slightly more respectable color."
"That can change at a moment's notice. You have something against pink?"
"I will admit I'm developing a fondness for it." He paused, blushing and shaking his head. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"
"Tell the truth?" she supplied. "Between Dora and I we're going to wear you down."
"We can discuss it when I've had some sleep."