Hpov

Sirius wanted me to go to the hospital wing the next morning, but agreed to let me tend to my injuries on my own when I used his own argument that Madam Pomfrey would probably recognize injuries from a werewolf and wonder why I was wondering out on the castle grounds last night.

We made it back to the common room at about five in the morning, and while I expected it to be empty, the second I stepped through the portrait hole, I was attacked.

"Hallie oh my god we were so worried!" Lily cried as she and Alice tackled me into a hug. The second they spotted Sirius, they dropped me and tackled him into a hug as well.

"You saved her!" Alice said tears of relief streaming down her face.

"You know what happened?" I asked in shock.

"James told us everything." Lily said letting go of Sirius and then turning back to me. "Which reminds me." She smacked my shoulder.

"Ow Lily what the hell?" I asked annoyed.

"That's what you get for chasing around werewolves during the full moon!" she said scathingly. "Do you know what could have happened to you? You could have DIED you impulsive little-"

"Lily." Sirius said in an appeasing tone. "I think Hallie's had enough injuries for one life time."

"That's for sure." I muttered glowering at her then yawning. "Blimey I'm tired."

"You should probably get some sleep." Alice suggested. "Both of you. Don't worry about classes we'll get your stuff for you."

"Thanks." I said gratefully. I was about to say good bye to Sirius and head up to my dormitory when I spotted James and Peter walking down from the boy's dormitory. "Where's Remus?" I asked frowning.

"He's still in the dormitory." James replied.

"Is he ok?" I asked in concern, Sirius had had some nasty cuts I'd healed from their fight and I could only imagine what injuries he must have sustained.

"Yeah he's fine." Peter said.

"Can I talk to him?"

"He doesn't want to talk to anyone right now." James said sadly.

"Why?" I asked.

"He feels guilty." Peter said and when I continued to look confused, James explained.

"About attacking you."

"That's ridiculous." I said in shock. "There was nothing he could do about it."

"That's what we've been trying to tell him." James sighed. "But he won't listen."

"I'll talk to him." I said.

"Hallie I don't think-" Peter started but Sirius cut him off.

"Don't bother Peter, she won't listen. C'mon Hal I'll take you up."

He took my hand and we walked together up towards the boy's dormitory, up the stairs, and through the door marked 'Seventh Years.'

"Go away James." Remus said. He was laying on his bed, facing away from the door.

Early morning sunlight was just starting to stream through the windows as I walked over to his bed.

"It's not James." I said and he turned.

"Hallie?" he asked in disbelief, his eyes were wide and red, almost as if he'd been trying not to cry. Sirius let go of my hand as I sat on the edge of his bed.

"What are you doing here?"

"I came to make sure you were ok." He looked awful, not just tired but sick. I could tell from the way he was sitting that I was right, he had injuries, painful ones, but I had a feeling he'd refused to get them healed. From his expression I knew he thought he needed to be punished.

"Why?"

"Because you're mates." Sirius said in exasperation. "That's what mates do."

"Hallie, you don't have to do this." Remus said shaking his head. "I understand if you never want to talk to me again."

"Don't be thick Remus." I said frowning. "You're my friend."

"I attacked you."

"It wasn't your fault. Besides I hexed you, twice, so we're even."

"I could have KILLED you." He said miserably.

"But you didn't." I pointed out.

"Only because Sirius was there." He muttered refusing to look Sirius in the eyes. "If he hadn't saved you…"

"But he did."

"How you can be so calm?" He asked bitterly. "What I did, it was unforgivable."

"Remus it was my fault I was out there, not yours. There's nothing to forgive."

"And what about you?" he said looking up at Sirius. "Have you forgiven me?"

"Mate I was never angry." He said shaking his head. "Like Hallie said, it's not your fault Hallie was out there last night, in fact, it was mostly mine. I was sure she was going to try something, I should have just told her what was going on."

"But you were my keeping my secret." He insisted.

"Would you really have cared if I told her? If I'd asked you?" he asked.

Remus looked at me, clearly searching for any judgment in my expression, looking for anger, or fear. I smiled and gave him a hug.

"I guess not." He muttered hugging me back.

"Remus we're friends." I said quietly. "Nothing is going to change that."

"You know when I first came to Hogwarts, if anyone told me I would have this many friends who knew what I was, and still wanted to know me after what I'd done, I wouldn't have believed them."

"Well believe it because you do." I said smiling and letting him go.

I pretended not to notice as he wiped his eyes and then he looked back at Sirius.

"Where are Peter and James?" he asked.

"Downstairs with the girls. I think they're all going to go to breakfast together if you want anything."

"I think I'll do that." He said grinning weakly looking much happier all of the sudden. "Are you guys coming?"

"No." I said yawning. "I'm going to bed."

"Me too." Sirius agreed.

"Alright I'll see you two later then." He said standing up and walking towards the dormitory door. He looked over his shoulder one last time at us, but didn't say anything, then walked down the steps towards the common room.

It suddenly dawned on me that Sirius and I were now the only two left in his dormitory. I wasn't sure why that meant anything to me, but suddenly I felt wide-awake now that I realized we were alone.

"I guess I should get back to my dormitory." I said hesitantly but I didn't like the idea of it. Images of last night kept flashing through my mind now that it had time to slow down and actually process what had happened. I'd been so busy fixing my injuries, taking in everything Sirius had said, and trying to get into the castle unseen, that the fact that I had been attacked by a werewolf hadn't really registered until now. And now that I had time to dwell on it, the whole experience had been absolutely terrifying.

"You know you don't have to go." Sirius said hesitantly looking at me cautiously as if he were gauging my reaction. "You could stay here with me, if you want."

I hesitated.

"As in, sleep in your bed, with you?" I asked.

He nodded.

"Sirius I'm not-"

"I won't try anything I swear." He said quickly. "It's just I'm still a little freaked out after last night and I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't sleep better knowing you were with me."

I looked at him and could see that he was telling the truth, and as more memories came rushing to me from last night, I realized just how exhausted I was, and that I didn't want to sleep alone either.

"Alright." I said tiredly and he looked intensely relieved.

We made our way to his bed, neither of us bothering to change our torn clothes. I kicked off my shoes and fell onto the blankets and immediately felt as if my body was sinking into the mattress. Sirius laid down facing me, wrapped his arms protectively around my waist and I closed my eyes.

Instantly, I began to fall asleep. Sirius was saying something to me but already his voice was so far away.

"Hmmm?" I asked sleepily and I heard him chuckle.

"Nothing Hallie." He whispered and the last thing I remembered was him kissing my forehead and saying softly. "Sweet dreams love."

Spov

After the incident with Remus's transformation, the year seemed to be speeding past me faster and more recklessly than the Night Bus skidding on a patch of ice.

Both Lily and Hallie had joined the Order of the Phoenix, Alice, who'd agreed with Frank to wait and see if she'd been accepted into the auror program until she'd made her decision, had yet to join, but we all knew she would by the end of the summer, her auror career withstanding or not.

Speaking of careers, Hallie had sent off her application to St. Mungo's in March for their trainee program. That night had not been very fun. She'd been stressed and snappish up until the point where she'd actually sent the letter, after which she seemed much more relaxed.

I had to admit, it was nice having a single girlfriend I could tell everything to. I actually liked it when she told me to be careful each time we went out during the full moon, and when her family invited me to stay with them over the Easter Holiday. Over the break, I'd slipped a few times and called Hallie Katie, just because I heard everyone else saying it so much. To my surprise she hadn't been angry. She seemed much happier these days, more out going and impulsive like her real self at home and I realized she'd meant it when she'd said she was tired of fighting who she really was. I'd sometimes taken to calling her Katie when we were alone, and she didn't seem to mind, in fact I think she rather liked it. It was something between just the two of us, our own secret none of the others knew.

"Blimey." Hallie said frowning and looking over her textbook as a boy stormed out of the castle and in our direction. "Peter looks upset."

We were outside enjoying the fine mid May weather, studying for our upcoming N.E.W.T. exams. Well, Remus and the girls were studying. James and I were more talking really with textbooks open on our laps.

"Yeah, I think things between him and Valerie have gone completely south." Remus muttered.

"They hadn't already?" James asked in shock.

"I thought they had." Alice muttered while Lily nodded in agreement.

"Well that had that one date on Valentine's but I didn't think it went that well." Remus continued and I realized I'd been so preoccupied with my own relationship, I hadn't given Valerie a second thought in months, let alone her relationship with Peter. "I've seen them together a few times after that, but it never looked like they were actually together."

"He looks pretty unhappy though." Lily said frowning. "I wouldn't bring it up unless he wants to talk about it."

"Hey Wormtail." James said grinning as Peter joined us. Now that the girls knew about Remus, there was no point in hiding our nicknames from them, or anything else really. So we now used them openly around Hallie, Lily, and Alice. "What's up?"

"Nothing." He said rather moodily but he didn't elaborate. "What are you lot up to?"

"Studying." I said with a grin.

"Don't listen to him." Hallie said rolling her eyes, and I was momentarily distracted when she tossed her hair over her shoulder not bothering to look up form her page. Sometimes I wondered if she even registered how greatly little actions like that caught my attention. "We're studying. They're talking about Gryffindor's chances this weekend."

"What for quidditch?" he asked and she nodded.

"We're going to destroy Ravenclaw." James said excitedly. "And even if we don't win, which we are, they'd still have to score four hundred and ninety points to beat us for the cup."

"That's a tall order," said Alice who liked quidditch just as much as we did. "Even if they do catch the snitch."

"I know, I might not even play this weekend." James said in mock concern. "You know, just to give them a fighting chance."

"Does that mean I don't have to give you a kiss for good luck on Saturday." Lily said smirking and James grinned at his girlfriend.

"How about you give me one now."

"No. No." Remus said shaking his head. "Prongs no canoodling. Lily was just about to tell me how she memorizes the use of Dragon's blood."

"Aw can't we stop studying?" James groaned.

"No." The girls and Remus replied in unison.

"Besides why are you complaining? You haven't even been doing anything." Alice pointed out.

"It's a nice day." I said looking up at the sunlight that was poking between the leaves of the tree we were sitting under. "There could be much better things we could be doing."

"Like flying." James said.

"Exactly." I said trying to ignore the fact that flying had been the last thing that was on my mind. The light had caught in Hallie's hair and I couldn't help but remember the first time she and I had been alone together walking in the forbidden forest.

"Then go do it." Remus said. "And stop distracting us."

I looked at Hallie who'd gone back to her textbook and clearly wasn't resurfacing anytime soon, then glanced at James who'd obviously made the same conclusion about his girlfriend.

"I think the pitch is open if you want to practice." He said eagerly.

"Sounds good to me." I said grinning.

"Have fun." Hallie muttered distractedly as she underlined something in her book. But she smiled as I dragged her into my lap and gave me a kiss.

"See you Hal." I whispered softly so that only she could hear and her smile grew.

"See you Sirius." She said sliding off my lap and going back to her book.

"Shall we?" James asked as I stood.

I nodded and we both began walking towards the broom shed where our brooms were stored along with extra quidditch supplies.

We'd made it about halfway there when I noticed a tall blonde figure staring at me from about fifty feet away.

"That's a little creepy." I muttered as Valerie watched James and I walk passed her and her friends.

"Yeah mate, I think you dating Hallie for this long has caused her to go round the twist a little." James said frowning. "I'd watch out for her if I were you."

"What can she do?" I asked looking back at him and he shrugged.

"Don't ask me to try and understand the female mind Padfoot, for it is a task I will never accomplish nor any man should. But if there is one thing I've learned from watching you date so many people, is that you should never underestimate the lengths a desperate girl will go to, to get what she wants."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying be careful what you drink mate." He said significantly. "Lest you find something a little less harmless than pumpkin juice in your goblet."