CORMAC MCLAGGEN.

I stepped into the Gryffindor common room and noticed that the party from earlier was still going on. The music was loud and everyone was singing 'Weasley is Our King'. I grinned and threw my stuff on a table, trying to find Harry. Unfortunately, I couldn't find Hermione or Harry anywhere and as I turned to find Ron, I found him attached to Lavender Brown.

"Looks like he's eating her face off, yeah?"

I jumped and noticed Ginny had come up beside me. I laughed. "He hasn't got much experience," I joked. Ginny smiled and nodded. "Good game today."

"Thanks," she said, looking away from Ron and to me.

"Have you seen Harry or Hermione?" I asked, glancing about the room once more.

"They left a little bit ago," Ginny told me and she smiled and bid me goodbye as Dean Thomas stole her away and into the crowd of Gryffindors.

I heard the portrait hole creak open and as a couple left, Lupin slipped in and I quickly ducked down behind a few tall, muscular seventh years.

Lupin had his hands deep in his pockets and Ron waved to him; Lupin waved back awkwardly, seeing Lavender hanging by his neck. Several people greeted him, including Ginny and Dean. I looked over the shoulder of one of the seventh years and the blonde haired boy turned around. It was Cormac McLaggen. "Professor Potter?"

"No," I hissed. "You don't have to call me that. It's Darcy."

He smiled down at me. "May I ask what you're doing?" He tried to see where I was looking.

"Er – hiding from someone," I replied, spinning him around so he was standing between Lupin and I. Lupin still couldn't see us and was now talking to Neville, who glanced about the room.

"It wouldn't happen to be the only man in here that isn't a student?" Cormac smirked and I raised my eyebrows.

"You're good," I replied quickly. "Who is that? Who is that talking to him?"

Cormac quickly looked around. Lupin looked very uncomfortable talking to dark haired, big eyed girl before him. "That's Romilda Vane," he told me. "Sixth year. I hear she's been meaning to slip your brother a love potion."

I scoffed. "Come get a butterbeer with me. Don't make eye contact."

Cormac chuckled and I held onto his arm, guiding him towards the butterbeer where Lupin and Romilda were standing. Lupin hadn't noticed me yet. Cormac opened a cold butterbeer for me and then one for him and we drank them slowly, trying to listen in on Lupin's conversation.

"… so, Professor Lupin, you and Darcy are together, hm?"

"Er – I think you should call her 'Professor Potter'…"

"Oh right," Romilda giggled. I traced my top teeth with my tongue. "Well, should I call you 'Professor', too?"

"Um, well…"

The common room began to cheer again and the conversation was drowned out. Romilda was batting her eyelashes and touching his arm gently. While he looked awkward, I still felt jealous. Should I have been jealous? I had just rejected him minutes earlier… But I wanted him to myself more than anything.

"Come on, Cormac," I said, pulling him towards the door.

"Where are we going?"

But we didn't get far because Lupin called out my name and I stopped immediately, turning to face him. He looked quickly at my hands, still wrapped around Cormac's thick arm. Romilda looked me over, but I tried to ignore her. She was awfully pretty… "What the hell is going on?" Lupin said angrily.

"What the hell is going on with you?" I said, completely unsure of what else to say.

"Er – Romilda, do you want to go get some butterbeer?" Cormac asked and she nodded quickly. "Maybe we should let these two alone."

Romilda happily agreed and bounced off with Cormac, leaving Lupin and I in peace. "What the hell was that?" I said. "She was flirting with you!"

Lupin gave me a confused look. "She's Harry's age, Darcy! You're being ridiculous." He looked past me at Cormac. "You were flirting with him! And enjoying it! I wanted to get away from her as soon as possible! Do you think I would actually go for a seventeen year old student – do you think I'd go for anyone else but you?" A look of realization dawned on his face. "Darcy Potter, are you jealous?"

My face instantly turned red. "Jealous?" I shook my head and crossed my arms. "Me? No. I don't get jealous."

"Well, you shouldn't be jealous."

"I'm not!"

Lupin smiled. "Just admit it."

"Why should I?" I asked and he took a step forward and I looked at him seriously.

"Because, Darcy," he whispered on my lips. "I'm not used to people being jealous because of me."

I smiled, still blushing a bit, and grabbed his hands, pulling him from the Gryffindor common room.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Lupin and I reached our quarters and he shut the door behind us quickly. I didn't even have a chance to move to the bedroom; he grabbed my hips and pinned me against the door.

"You really love me?" I whispered, glancing down at his lips.

Lupin nodded. "Of course I do," he replied quietly. "Don't think that what I said earlier changes my feelings about you. If anything, I love you even more because of it."

I looked away from him, but Lupin grinned. He touched my chin gently and tilted my head back so I was looking directly at him. I tried to look away so I looked to my left, feeling guilty about running away from him earlier.

"Darcy," he breathed with a smile. "Please, look at me."

My eyes met his.

"I love you, Darcy. No matter what you say or do to me, I will always love you. I will always want to wake up next to you – you – no one else. It always has been you and always will be you."

I cocked an eyebrow. "Should I call you 'professor'? If Romilda has to, I think I should, too."

He smirked and lifted me up. I wrapped my legs around his waist, my arms around his neck, and he carried me to the bedroom.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I woke up with my back to Lupin, his arm around my waist, and his hot breath on the back of my neck. I yawned and I felt his lips against my bare shoulder blade. I sighed happily. "Let's just stay like this forever," I muttered.

I rolled over to look into his eyes and he was smiling, his dirty blonde hair tousled and his face covered in stubble. "Whatever you say, love." He placed a calloused hand on my cheek and kissed my lips rather passionately. He pulled away and kissed my neck. I smiled as he nipped at my skin. Running my fingers through his hair, I kissed his cheek lightly. His lips met mine again.

I pulled away and he smiled, looking as if he hardly slept. "Unfortunately, breakfast is about to start and everyone expects us to come." I grinned, jumping out of bed. I searched the ground for clean clothes. I pulled some underwear on and then put on a bra. I turned around to face Lupin, looking for a shirt. I glanced at him. "Quit your staring," I teased.

"I've seen you naked plenty of times, Darcy," he said simply and I blushed. "I think you're beautiful." I picked up a shirt of his and tossed it at him. "And as much as I would like you to always be naked, I think there are too many hormonal boys in this school for you to be parading around without clothes on."

I shook my head and laughed, putting on a dress shirt and pants, plus my robes. I raised my eyebrow. "Is this better for you?"

"That's what you need to wear whenever you're around other boys," he told me seriously. "I don't want all those students fantasizing about you during class."

"Stop worrying," I chuckled. "Now, hurry up and get dressed. And dress appropriately, please – I would hate for Professor McGonagall to fantasize about you because I asked for you to stay naked."

"Cheeky, hm?" he smirked and beckoned me closer to the bed again. He grabbed my waist and pulled me on top of him. My long, auburn colored hair was like a curtain around his face and he tucked it behind my ears. "There'll be punishment for that."

"I don't believe I put clothes on just for you to take them off," I replied, kissing him quickly. "But I'll be more than happy to pay for it tonight."

Lupin sighed, defeated, and I got off him, letting him dress.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"I'm happy for you," Tonks said and in the middle of packing my things back up, I turned to face her. "And I assume that you'll be going to the party together?" She was smiling, but not like usual.

"Are you okay?" I asked. She nodded slowly and I raised an eyebrow before turning back to my stuff. I shut my trunk and locked it, waving my wand and making it feather light. "You sure?"

"Yeah," she replied quietly. "Just a little emotional about you leaving." She laughed and I smiled.

"I promise I'll visit more often," I told her seriously. "Why don't you come to the party anyway? You can come with Remus and me."

"Oh, I don't know –"

"Well, if you don't want to do that, I can always try and set something up between you and Snape." We both started laughing again and Tonks scrunched her nose. "Ron invited us to his house for Christmas break – you coming this year?"

"Oh, er – maybe. I got a letter from Molly about that."

"You should come. It'll be fun. It's always fun at the Burrow."

"Yeah, I'll think about it."

"Looking forward to it," I grinned and I hugged her goodbye, thanking her for her generosity and I left.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Er – Darcy?"

"Yes?"

"Could you tie this tie for me, please?"

I stepped out of the bathroom, already in my dress. Lupin held up both ends of the tie and I smiled, taking them and slowly tying it around his neck. "Why don't you just learn to tie it yourself?" I teased.

"I like when you do it," he replied quickly, kissing my forehead. "You look beautiful, by the way – not that you don't look – I mean, you always are –"

"I got it," I chuckled. "Thank you. You clean up nice, yourself."

Lupin smiled a smile of contentment and I grabbed onto his arm as he escorted me out of our quarters. We headed down to Slughorn's office and it was decorated rather beautifully. Colored lights hung from the ceiling and there was a low murmur coming from inside; Slughorn's voice overpowered all the others.

Before I got to talk to anyone, someone tapped me on the shoulder. "Drink?"

I turned around. "Neville?" I asked. "I thought you were in the Slug Club. What are you doing handing out drinks."

His cheeks were slightly pink. "Well, I actually didn't get in the Club," Neville answered quickly. "But it's okay, though! He's got Belby handing out towels in the loo."

Lupin and I exchanged odd glances. "We'll pass on the drinks, Neville," he said and Neville nodded and walked away, offering another man a drink.

"Cute kid," I muttered and Lupin chuckled.

"Miss Potter! You made it! And Remus, good to see you!" Slughorn had pranced over to us and was shaking Lupin's hand. "Miss Potter, if you don't mind, perhaps we could get a picture? Your picture would go great on the shelf next to your mother's!"

"Oh, um, no, sir," I replied with a shrug. Slughorn motioned an older man with a camera over. Slughorn and I put our arms around each other and the man took two pictures. I pulled away and looked around. "Have you seen Harry?"

"He's over there with Luna."

I looked to my right and spotted Luna first. I grabbed Lupin's hand and dragged him over to my brother and he greeted me with a hug. "Hi, Luna," I said.

"Hello, Darcy," she replied in a dreamy voice. Even though she was looking right at me, she seemed distant and I looked slowly at Lupin with my eyes wide. I pursed my lips. "How are you?"

"Fine, great," I shrugged. "You?"

"I'm doing well."

"That's good…" I looked at Harry and saw someone in the background. Someone, a thin figure with bushy hair, had slipped behind a curtain and seemed to be hiding. "Er – Harry, is that -?" I pointed towards Hermione and I pulled away from Lupin, leaving him and Luna by themselves.

I slipped behind the curtain with Harry following me and Hermione jumped.

"Having a nice evening?" I asked her suspiciously and she breathed in deeply and shook her head. "What are you doing here? What's happened to you?"

"I've just escaped," she told us. "I mean, left Cormac under the mistletoe."

"Cormac?" Harry snorted. "That's who you invited?"

"I thought it would annoy Ron the most," Hermione admitted sourly. I nodded. "He's got more tentacles than a straffola plant."

A man suddenly opened the curtain and we all jumped. We stared at him as he held out some small, brown balls on a platter. "Dragon tartare?" I scrunched my nose; they didn't smell great.

"No, we're fine, thank you," I replied.

"Just as well," the man shrugged. "They give one horrible bad breath."

"On second thought…" Hermione grabbed the whole platter from the man. "I'll take the lot. It might keep Cormac at bay… God, here he comes." She dumped the dragon tartares in my hands and grabbed Harry's hand, pulling him away. I meant to protest her just leaving me there, but Cormac appeared and raised his eyebrows. He smirked and I backed up to the wall, feeling slightly uncomfortable.

"I think she just went to powder her nose," I lied.

Cormac huffed and in one quick motion, pressed his lips against mine. I pulled away immediately.

"What are you doing?" I spat. "I'm your professor!"

"So? You're young and you came onto me the other night! It's not like you're – you know – thirty six."

"You have no right ruining my relationship!" I shoved all the dragon tartares in his mouth and he nearly choked.

"What am I eating?" he said and I hardly understood him through all the chewing.

I paused and raised my eyebrows. "Dragon balls."

The curtain flew open again and Professor Snape looked from Cormac – who had gone green in the face – to me, who tried to put on my best innocent face. When he looked back to Cormac, the student vomited all over and it landed on Snape's black shoes. I was disgusted and scrunched my nose. "You've just bought yourself a month's worth of detention, McLaggen." I tried to sneak away from him, but Snape stopped me. "Not so fast, Miss Potter."

I froze and stood up straight. It did bother me that he treated me like a student, but I didn't say anything because I knew he wasn't going to change. "Severus," I said in my best serious voice, but Snape just raised an eyebrow and looked rather amused. "I believe I should rejoin the party. Remus is waiting for me."

"I'm terribly sorry, but it seems that Remus left after your little kiss here with McLaggen," Snape scowled and my heart sank.

"That kiss was not welcomed -!"

"Shh," he snapped. "I'm simply looking for your brother. I have a message to convey from Dumbledore."

"What's the message?"

Snape stared at me. "He's traveling," he said. "And won't be back until term resumes. He wishes to meet with Mr. Potter when he returns."

"Why can't you just call him Harry?"

Snape shook his head and walked away. I walked quickly to the door and took off my high heels, running towards my quarters. Lupin couldn't have been mad – I didn't want to Cormac to kiss me and I pushed him away immediately! I turned every corner trying to find him and when I was just about to give up, my stomach churned and I stood there with my shoes in my hand, tears building in my eyes.

Lupin was kissing Tonks. She was dressed up and I assumed that she was on her way to the party. I dropped my shoes and picked them up quickly as Lupin and Tonks pulled away from each other and looked around. I hid from them around the corner and closed my eyes.