DISCLAIMER: All the characters you see here that are in any of the Harry Potter books belong to JK Rowling and I am not her. I am simply taking them out to play.

A/N: So I know it's been a little while, but I hope you're still interested and enjoying this fanfic. Please let me know what you think by submitting a review!

Chapter 13: Saturday with a Gryffindor

The rest of the week was peaceful. The following Saturday Slytherin pummeled Hufflepuff in the third Quidditch match of the season. She had taken no interest in the Ravenclaw vs. Hufflepuff match a few weeks prior. She had no desire to watch the one on this day either especially not in the cold. Instead she spent Saturday in the library doing all of her homework.

"Mind if I sit with you?" Mallory looked up to see Remus Lupin standing in front of her.

"Of course not," she replied gathering some of her books to make space for him. He pulled his Transfiguration text out of his bag and set it on the table.

"Why aren't you at the game with everyone else?"

"I didn't feel like sitting out in the cold," he replied with a shrug of his shoulders.

"And your friends didn't mind?"

"No," he buried his nose in his book. For some reason Mallory had the desire to apologize to him. "I'm sorry," she whispered before she could stop herself. She placed her hand on top of Remus'. He looked up at her and then down at their hands. There was no other soul in the library except Madam Pince and she was purposefully ignoring them.

"Sorry for what?" He asked, not pulling away.

"For how I spoke to you last week," she replied, "I know sometimes I'm mean and I don't intend to be."

"Don't worry," he replied, "You had every right to be angry. If the situations were reversed and I found Severus trying to get into the Gryffindor common room, I would have been angry too."

"But I shouldn't have made you play messenger boy-"

"It was better that way, trust me. I don't think James would have taken well to you admitting that you knew it was him."

"It was him?" She asked, her eyes brightening. He eyed her for a moment.

"Did you not know that?"

"I assumed it was, but I was never certain."

"Oh," Remus looked at their hands again. "I shouldn't have told you then."

"I won't say anything," she smiled sincerely at him, "as long as you keep my secret."

"Your secret?" he asked but then remembered, "Oh." His heart sank to his stomach but he smiled, "I almost forgot about that."

She silently cursed herself. "I should have kept my mouth shut," she muttered.

"I won't say anything," he replied.

"Good," she pulled her hand away and began to finish her homework.

"There was something I wanted to talk to you about," Remus said softly about ten minutes later.

"What's that?" Mallory asked while not looking up at him.

"Why are you and Emily always at each others throats?" Mallory stopped writing and looked up at him abruptly. "Does it have to do with Eagar?" He asked after she did not respond.

"No," she whispered, "it has nothing to do with him. In fact, she doesn't even know about us."

"She doesn't?"

"Only a select few do," she replied giving him a 'so you'd better not tell anyone' gaze.

"Well what is it then?" Mallory leaned back in her chair contemplating him. Should she tell him? He was an honest, boy she knew that. Even if he chose to spend time with Potter and Black, he had an honest heart. She knew she could trust him.

"I remember you two were friends when we were young," he prompted.

Mallory nodded. "Yes, we were best friends. We remained friends even after you moved away," she sighed, "But the year we came to Hogwarts it all changed." She paused before continuing, "She was sorted into Gryffindor and I was put into Slytherin. I was heart broken and felt betrayed. Funnily enough she felt the same way about my being in Slytherin. We talked about what house we wanted to be in before we went that year. I promised her to ask to be in Gryffindor. But when I talked to my father about it, he beat me senseless." She gave an involuntary shudder at the memory of that particular beating.

"I'm sorry," Remus whispered, this time reaching out his hand and taking hers.

"So, after I got back from St. Mungo's," Mallory pressed on, "I came to Hogwarts and let the hat put me in Slytherin. I was sorted first and I remember the look of betrayal on her face. But she didn't understand I was not going through that sort of pain again. Instead of following me, like I thought she would, she asked to be sorted into Gryffindor. After that we went our separate ways. At first we were nice to one another, but we weren't really friends. Then we started making other friends and well you know the Slytherins that I am friends with?" Remus nodded, "They were not about to let me be friends with what they deemed a 'blood traitor'. So I started to ignore Emily. I didn't really want to be mean to her. So instead I pretended she didn't exist. I've been doing it ever since-"

"It only infuriates her," Remus interrupted.

"I know," Mallory half-smiled, "that was my intention. At least I didn't hex her or anything."

Remus had a playful gleam in his eyes. "Like you do James and Sirius?"

"Exactly," she replied.

"I knew you were never as mean as you pretend to be."

"Well don't spread that around," she quipped, "you could ruin my reputation." Remus chuckled. "I have to say you're looking better today than last week." She changed the subject.

"Yeah," he cleared his throat, "my immune system just isn't what it used to be. I get sick pretty often."

"I've noticed," she grinned.

"I knew you would, you've always been observant."

"More so then you think."

He eyed her for a moment. "Are you trying to tell me something?" He asked.

"No," she replied innocently and pulled her hand from his and began to work on her homework again.

"So are you seeing Eagar this coming weekend?" Remus asked, looking down at his potions book.

"I don't know," she replied casually, "he hasn't written me back yet."

"Do you mind if I ask how your relationship with him started?" Remus looked around the silent library. There was still no one there.

"Not at all," she replied while continuing to look through her book.

"Are you going to answer?" Remus ventured after a moment.

"Oh," she replied with a smile, "you asked if I minded you asking. You did not say anything about my having to respond."

"Will you tell me then?" He asked after a small chuckle.

She set her quill down and regarded him for a long moment, "Why am I the one being bombarded with questions?" She asked, "Why don't I get to ask you about your life?"

"Ask away," he replied leaning back in his chair.

"Why were you in the hospital that day I saw you?"

His eyes grew wide and he stared at her before responding, "I can't answer that."

"Why not?" She asked, "Were you beat up?"

"Just ask something else Mallory," he replied softly, "I can't tell you."

"Fine," she replied quickly, "Why are you friends with Potter and Black? You're nothing like either of them."

"I'm more like them then you think," he smirked, "they're not bad people."

"You've seen how they treat Severus."

"He gives just as good as he gets," Remus replied.

"Are you defending them?" Mallory felt a reproachful look from Madam Pince hit her back.

"No," he replied quietly after glancing over her shoulder at the formidable librarian, "You're right. What they do to him is wrong. But it's not entirely they're fault."

"If they would leave him alone," she whispered sharply, "he would leave them alone."

Remus shook his head. "I don't believe that."

"You don't know him like I do." They stared at one another for a moment. "You didn't answer my question." She finally broke the silence.

He sighed. "They are good friends to have, loyal to the bone through and through."

"Right," she scoffed.

"You can't say the same about your Slytherin friends," he retorted. Tears welled in the back of her eyes. She knew it was true. Severus was the only one of them that would ever truly remain loyal to her besides Eagar. She hated knowing that she didn't really have any friends.

"Don't remind me," she said roughly.

"I didn't mean to upset you," there was concern in his tone.

"No, I'm fine." There was a moment of silence between them again.

"Will you tell me about Eagar now?" He asked leaning across the table.

"Why are you so concerned?"

"It was a bit of a shock to see you two standing there kissing that day by the Shrieking Shack. Rachel told Emily all last year she thought something was going on between you and him. Emily chose to ignore it, but Rachel is usually right about these things."

"We were dating last year," Mallory agreed quietly, "but not openly. Not even the Slytherins knew and they don't now either."

"You really like him then?" Mallory was not able to suppress the smile that crept up on her lips.

"No," she replied softly, "I love him." Remus stared at her for a moment.

"Love?" he asked incredulously, "How do you know?"

Mallory just smiled at him. "I can't describe it," her smile widened, "you'll know when you feel it."

"But you're seventeen years old," he countered, "How can you know at seventeen that you're in love?"

"I've known since I was nine," she said softly.

"Nine?" She nodded. He let out a low whistle, "at nine years old I thought girls were gross." They both chuckled.

"He was eleven," she replied, "and I was nine and my mother allowed Mrs. Hart to take me to King's Cross to say goodbye to him and my heart just broke when the train pulled out of the station." Remus beamed at her.

"I knew you had a heart somewhere in there," he teased.

"Shut up," she replied playfully. They both laughed quietly for a little while. "I'm taking it you haven't found that special girl yet?" Mallory asked a moment later. Remus laughed.

"Not yet I'm afraid." He smiled, "girls just don't fancy me very much."

"I bet more than you think do."

"I doubt it," he smiled, but there was sadness in his eyes.

"You're a really great guy," she replied, "if the girls here are too dense to realize that, then it's their loss."

"Well the girl I was interested in has just told me she's practically married." Mallory looked up at him sharply. He turned a lighter shade of pink.

"Me?" She asked. "You're entirely too good for me."

"Eagar is certainly a lucky guy," Remus chuckled.

"I'm flattered," she smiled brightly. "You really are a great guy."

"Thanks," he whispered and then went back to his work. She watched him for a moment. Had he really just said he liked her?

"How long have you liked me for?" She whispered tentatively.

"Well when we were younger you were fun to be around," he replied still looking at his book. "You were the most fun girl I knew and then I moved" his expression darkened slightly, "and I didn't see you again until I came to Hogwarts. After that I always felt something every time I saw you. These past two years though," he looked up at her swallowing loudly, "you've been on my mind a lot."

"I'm afraid you're distracting me from my homework," she said looking down at the line she had written so far on her three feet long essay for Charms. She felt her face blushing slightly.

"You asked," he said before they both went back to studying.

The door to the library opened not long later and Mallory turned to see who walked in. To her horror it was Severus Snape.

"Severus?" Remus asked without looking behind him. Mallory nodded almost imperceptibly. "Did he see you?" Remus whispered. Severus had his nose buried in a book and was apparently unaware of their presence in the library.

"No," she whispered.

"Meet me in the corridor in a few minutes if you want to continue," he whispered back.

She nodded in response while still watching Severus. When he turned his back she whispered, "Go." In a flash Remus grabbed all of his things and slipped silently from the library. Severus didn't seem to have noticed at all. Mallory quietly gathered her things as well. Severus disappeared behind a shelf. While reading, he never really was very observant. She met Remus in the corridor a few minutes later.

"That was close," he said smiling.

"Yeah," she agreed, "Though, when he's reading he's not a very observant person." Remus nodded.

"We can go to the Charms Classroom," he said as he headed to the stairs. "It's only one floor down."

"Alright," she agreed following him.

They spent the rest of the morning together helping one another with their homework. The rest of the school returned around 1 o'clock.

"Are you hungry?" Remus asked looking at his watch. Mallory finished her Care of Magical Creatures essay and nodded.

"Quite."

"It's about lunch time. I wonder who won the game." They gathered their things and left the class room to join the throng of students talking excitedly in the Great Hall.

"I'll see you later," she said quickly weaving in and out of the younger students and hurrying over to the Slytherin table.

"See you," Remus said quietly to her back while heading to the Gryffindor table.

"You missed an exciting game," Regulus said as Mallory took a seat beside Bellatrix. Mallory simply shrugged and piled food onto her plate.

"It wasn't that exciting." Darcy replied. "It was actually quite boring." She sighed and looked at her nails for a moment. "Hufflepuff is never very much of a challenge."

"Speak for yourself," Rosier replied standing behind Darcy dressed in his quidditch uniform.

"It's harder than it looks," Avery added sitting next to Mallory.

"Well it doesn't look very hard," Darcy shot back. "All you do is fly back and forth up and down the stupid pitch. Why I even bother going I'll-"

"Why do you bother going?" Avery sneered at her. "No one really wants you there anyway." He had become increasingly more annoyed with Darcy as the year progressed. Mallory smiled as she remembered September when he was so keen on doing whatever she wanted.

"What's so funny?" Sophia noticed the smile on Mallory's face.

"You guys," Mallory chuckled, "the way you bicker. It's quite amusing." Darcy and Avery stared at her uncertainly for a minute.

"She's right Rob," Bellatrix smiled, "you two are quite funny from time to time." Darcy and Avery exchanged looks with one another.

"Whatever," Avery replied before shoving rotisserie chicken down his throat. Mallory hated to watch him eat. It was physically sickening some times.

The rest of the meal was passed in relative niceness for Slytherins. Avery and Rosier recounted the entire match, even though Mallory had no interest in hearing about it. Everyone else paid polite attention.

She left the Great Hall, for the first time in a long time, in a good mood.

What did you think? Please let me know!

Preview of Chapter 14:

Suddenly the door to the closet sprung open and they were standing face to face with a shocked Argus Filch.

"Aha!" He exclaimed grabbing both Mallory and Remus by their wand arms and yanking them from the closet. "What do we have here?" Mallory silently cursed herself. How could she have forgotten to lock the closet? Filch pulled them down the corridor and up the stairs to Professor Dumbledore's office.

"Milky way," he growled at the gargoyles that jumped out of his way immediately. He shoved Mallory and Remus up the stairs to the headmaster's door.

"Argus?" Dumbledore had a slightly bemused look on his face as the caretaker entered the office. Mallory and Remus followed him begrudgingly.

"Professor, I found these two," Filch pointed at Remus and Mallory, "in the dark broom cupboard by the Entrance Hall alone. Their heads of houses are teaching at the moment."

"Thank you," Dumbledore replied from behind his desk. A small smile played across his lips. Filch turned and made to leave, but not before giving the two students looks of utter revulsion.