The first time I saw the big black dog, I screamed. Luckily, thanks to the vengeful return of my nightmares, Madam Pomfrey and I had agreed that it was best to place a muffling charm on the screens around my bed in the Hospital Wing. Screams of terror did not help anyone on their road to recovery.

Once I'd gotten over my initial shock, my heartbeat slowing down considerably, I glanced over the side of my bed to see the dog still standing there. By his gently wagging tail, it seemed that he was quite used to people screaming at the sight of him. To be fair, if a pair of pale orbs stared at you out of the darkness, you'd be pretty scared too.

He ruined his scary reputation by hanging out his tongue and panting. I rolled my eyes and sat up. I reached for my wand, mumbling Lumos in my head. The half-moon cast a pale light through the high windows, but it created more shadows than it dispersed.

"Mr Dog," I was quite sure that he was the same dog as the one I'd met in the boathouse all those months ago. How many other half-bear half-wolves were there on the grounds that were comfortable around humans? I doubted their numbers would be higher than one. "What are you doing here?"

At the sound of my voice, the dog wagged his tail harder and jumped his front paws up on the edge of my bed. His adorable ears were cocked and his wet nose glistened in the wand light.

"Bad dog," I murmured, although as far as reprimands went, it was quite ineffective, as I was scratching him behind the ear nearest me as I said it. There was a reason why no one ever took my threats seriously.

The dog leaned his head into my palm, and I couldn't help smiling. There was something comforting about his presence. I'd been in the Hospital Wing for the past two nights now and I wasn't likely to be released for at least another three. Whilst my friends popped in as often as they could, the reality was that work and impending exams kept them quite busy. And that was completely fine. I didn't expect them to spend every waking moment with me. I didn't want them failing because of me and my strange craving for company.

It was just that I was so bored during the day. Between James, Remus, Peter, Sarah, and Lily, I always had a new set of notes, a stack of homework as high as Cleopatra's Needle, and book requests from the library to keep me occupied for the next three years. But still. I just wanted things to go back to normal. I wanted the soreness in my body to stop. I wanted the headaches to fade. I wanted the nightmares to go away.

The only upside to this situation was that I had a very legitimate excuse to avoid Sirius.

I sighed and looked over at my unexpected furry guest. "Do you have someone in your life that you wish you didn't like, but still do, despite everything?" The Hospital Wing was slowly driving me insane. I was now talking to a dog about my confused feelings for Sirius Black.

The dog expectedly did not really react to this question, except for giving me a tiny lick on my hand.

I sighed again, and continued. "It's just so bloody annoying, you know? I really, really want to hate him. He's such a jerk."

The dog had apparently become a little tired from standing on its hind legs for so long, so he sat down on the ground. Even then, his soft head was easily reachable, and his tail beat softly against the hardwood floor, in doggy encouragement. I was beginning to notice that dogs really only had one sort of emotion – I'm happy to hear your voice, therefore I shall keep wagging my tail. Or maybe that was just my crazy dog.

"But he saved my life," I continued softly, absently running my fingers through his soft fur. "And he's a good friend." Too bad he didn't make such a stellar boyfriend.

The dog gave me another soft lick, as if he could actually understand what I was saying and fully sympathised with me.

I smiled down at him. "You're a very good listener, you know."

His tail thumped and his wet nose gave me a little snuffle against my palm.

"You should probably go now," I said softly. I didn't really want him to leave, but it wouldn't be a good thing if Madam Pomfrey walked in and found a wild dog in her ward. Whilst he'd been very well-behaved so far, I don't think he was exactly toilet trained. "We don't want you getting caught."

He gave a sad little shake of his bushy tail and whined softly. It was a little creepy just how well he pretended to understand exactly what I was saying. The sparkle in his pale eyes had an uncanny resemblance to human intelligence.

I laughed and pushed him away. "Go! I need to sleep!"

Tail and head hanging down, he walked away from my bed. He stopped just before he left the curtains and gave me a sad look. I tried to school my features into as stern an expression as possible. "Go," I repeated.

He turned away and left.

Just before I drifted off to sleep again, I saw a large dark smudge slink its way back next to my bed. When I reached out my hand, a cold wet nose briefly touched it, before disappearing. When I woke in the morning, my doggy friend was gone.

I slept in the Hospital Wing beside Millie's bed for the next two nights. I couldn't exactly go visit her during the day, so this was the best way to be close to her. It really sucked that I'd realised that I was head over heels in love with her after I'd been such an idiot about the whole situation. I mean, why couldn't we just have had a conversation about our changing relationship at Christmas? Or Valentine's Day? Or any time between the day I stared at her like a deranged person in Diagon Alley and now? Why was that so hard?

But we hadn't, so here I was, peacefully dozing on a Tuesday morning next to the love of my life when who else but Remus I'm-a-flipping-werewolf-and-my-best-friends-are-illegal-Animagi Lupin walks in the door.

"Knock, knock!" he said rather cheerfully for a werewolf who was rapidly approaching "that time of the month".

"Remus!" Millie said with a little too much enthusiasm for so early in the morning.

"May I come in?" he asked politely. No, you may not come in. I'm trying to have a little private time with the girl of my dreams.

I was beginning to sound like Prongs. Merlin help me.

I cracked one eyelid open very slightly to see Millie glance down at me. I thumped my tail a little in acknowledgement.

She smiled at me, and I thumped my tail a little harder.

I tried not to think about how strange it was for me to have a better relationship with Millie White as a dog than a human. Maybe I should take Prongs' advice and just make the change permanent. Move in with her as her adoring pet. Our relationship would only improve, without me having to change my feelings at all – there was no denying that I adored her.

"Sure," she replied.

Moony stuck his head around the corner of a screen and immediately noticed me lying on the floor, my head resting on my paws.

He blinked at me.

I cocked my ears.

"Er…" Millie began. "I can explain the dog. Actually, I can't really explain the dog. He just sort of… appeared."

"Oh, I bet he did," Moony muttered.

Millie looked at him with interest. "Do you know him?" she asked.

Moony shook his head, no. "Just heard a rumour about a stray running around the grounds. Guess it's true."

Who was he calling a stray?

Millie laughed. "I suppose it is. Take a seat, Remus. What brings you here so early?"

Moony slouched into the chair next to the bed, almost dropping his book bag on my head in the process. I gave him a warning growl. This adorable face was basically the only thing allowing me to spend time with Millie. He better not blow it by smashing it under a ton of books on advanced Potions making.

"Just checking in. And also bringing you your requested reading of the day."

"Is it your turn for the unfortunate morning duty?" she asked, raising an amused eyebrow. It never ceased to amaze me how much easier she was to read when I was in Animagus form. It was as if my doggy instincts to please took over and allowed me to get a better read on the situation. Another reason to make the change permanent.

"Duty? We're not on duty!"

"You've organised yourself into shifts."

"We… have?"

"You notice the strangest things when you're bored out of your mind." Millie said, her voice heavy with wry amusement.

My ears lay flat against my head in sadness. Her amusement was derisive at best when she was with me. At worst, she wasn't amused at all. Now that I thought about it, how on earth had she stood up with me for so long? Clearly, I made her miserable. It was better that I was no longer in her life.

I should atone for my sins against her, though.

All the more reason to become her pet dog. She'd love me then.

"Do you know when you're being discharged?" Moony asked. He reached down absently and gave me a pat on the head.

I raised my eyebrows in canine sardonicism.

He surreptitiously shot me an evil grin.

Millie, unaware of this little exchange, bounced a little in excitement. "Tomorrow morning!"

"You're rather excited to return to classes," he observed.

"I'm just happy to finally leave this stupid bed. Even studying for NEWTs is preferable to staying cooped up in here."

I'd never thought of Millie as being particularly restless, but I realised that I'd never actually seen her just sit around for long periods of time doing nothing. She was either studying, or reading, or sketching, or spending time with our friends… or telling me off (we snogged sometimes, I swear). And she never stayed in one place for long. She'd never spend more than two hours in one place, even if that meant moving from the couch to the floor whilst studying. This must have been a nightmare for her, being cooped up in one place for so long.

And let's not start about her actual nightmares. She'd woken up no less than five times over the last two nights, sweaty and wide-eyed with terror. Those moments were the only times when I'd truly wished that I could turn into a human and comfort her. I don't think my frantic tail-wagging, slobbery kisses to her exposed arm, and panicked scrabbling of her sheets was exactly effective.

Not to mention a little creepy.

"We'll see how you feel after a few days," Moony replied, looking harrowed. I still didn't understand why he was so worried. He wasn't exactly an idiot.

Millie smiled at him, and I felt a sharp stab of jealousy. This was unexpected – and unwanted. I knew there was nothing between Moony and Millie except a strong platonic bond. I knew that.

Apparently, the irrational part of me didn't care. It was hell-bent on feeling jealous. This is what deprivation of Millie's smiles did to me. I was so pathetic and in love.

It was even more pathetic that I didn't give two flying hippogriffs' poops.

"How's everyone doing?" Millie asked. "Lily and Sarah keep claiming everything's fine, but they look a little pale to me."

Moony nodded. "No, everyone's doing well – or as well as can be expected. Lily and Prongs keep each other sane, I think. And Dominic Peabody is quite enamoured, and Sarah seems quite happy with that situation. Prongs, Padfoot and I are making sure that Wormtail doesn't drown in all the work, but he's holding his own quite well." I swelled with pride at hearing this. I felt bad for neglecting my friends a little this past week, especially Wormtail. It was my job to help him with Transfiguration.

"And…" Millie hesitated for a moment. "… Everyone's recovered from the attack last weekend?" Her voice was oddly blank of any emotion other than polite interest.

Moony glanced down at me briefly, glanced over at Millie, then glanced down at me again. He took a deep breath, and said, "For the most part."

Millie frowned. I head-butted Moony in the leg for making her frown. She was still recovering. She didn't need to hear any bad news. "What do you mean?" she asked, her voice laced with concern.

"Well… you know Sirius hasn't visited you," he rushed out.

Millie looked down at her blanket-covered lap.

I gave a low warning growl. There was no need to make her anxious by mentioning my name.

Moony, ignoring both our unfavourable reactions and continued, "He's been very… worried about you, you know." He glanced down briefly at me, and I raised my hackles as surreptitiously as possible.

"Has he?" Millie murmured, still staring intently at her lap. Her discomfort was rolling off her in waves.

Moony nodded. "He cares about you a lot, you know."

Millie nodded. "I know," she whispered.

Moony opened his mouth to say something else, but closed it. He looked at both of us intently, a keen expression on his face. After a long moment, he said, "I'd better be off. Otherwise Wormtail will eat all the toast."

Millie gave him a small, yet bright smile. "It was nice of you to drop in, Remus. Thanks."

He stood, and shrugged. "Don't mention it. If I don't see you later today, tomorrow then?"

Her smile grew. "Definitely."

With a wave and a final keen glance at me, he left.

I cornered Moony just before lunch in an empty classroom.

"What the hell was that about this morning?" I spat.

Moony looked taken aback. "What about this morning?"

"Mentioning that I was worried about Millie!" I waved my arms in the air. A distant corner of my brain noted that there may be some merit to Prongs' claim that I was a bit of a drama queen. I gave that part of my brain a shove down a tall and sharp cliff, as usual.

Moony's expression relaxed from wary to judgementally amused. "I was telling her the truth. You are worried about her."

"She doesn't need to know that."

"I surmised that from the fact that you've spent the last three nights sleeping next to her bed as a dog. Despite how creepy that is, it is rather obvious that you don't want her to know. What has me confused is why."

I looked at him incredulously. "Isn't that obvious?"

He crossed his arms and shook his head. "No. With you two, nothing really is."

"She hates me, Moony." Despite what she said to me that first night. I'm sure she was just trying to make conversation with me. "Besides, you saw how she reacted when you mentioned my name."

He rolled his eyes. "Merlin, you two are hopeless."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked, waving my arms around again. I really needed to stop doing it, but I couldn't help myself.

He rolled his eyes again for good measure. "She doesn't hate you."

"How do you know that?" I crossed my arms across my chest, feigning disbelief, but really, I wanted to know how he knew. Maybe werewolves have secret powers that let them know about girls' feelings.

"She did ask about you."

I blinked in surprise. "She did not. I was there."

He sighed, looking very put-upon. "What do you think she meant by asking how we all were after last weekend? She was asking about you, you dolt! She sees the rest of us every day!"

I mulled this over. "But she didn't even say my name!"

Moony let out an exasperated huff and raised his hands to the heavens. "Merlin, grant me patience." I mentally snorted. As if Merlin would grant his wish – I'd tried heaps of times, asking the old codger for even a little guidance with a certain brunette, and the bloke was yet to deliver.

"I know that she doesn't hate you the same way I know that you love her," he huffed.

I sputtered in shock. "I do not – I mean – love! Really –"

"Oh, put a cork in it, Padfoot. It's been as clear as day to all of us for ages."

How could that be if I'd only just found out myself a few days ago?

"You're so completely oblivious to your own feelings, you know," Moony replied. It took me a moment to realise that I hadn't actually asked that question out loud. Maybe those werewolf senses extended to all people, and not just girls… "Now if you're done, can we go down to lunch, please? I'm starving."

I stared at him a little blankly.

"No? Alright. I'll save you a seat." He began heading for the door.

"What do you think I should do?" I asked.

Moony glanced back at me, half out the door, his eyebrows raised. "I suggest you actually talk to her, Padfoot. Maybe start by telling her how you really feel, apologise for being such a twat, grovel for the next ten years, and buy her half of Honeydukes."

"Is chocolate always the solution with you?" I asked.

"Chocolate is always the solution, end of story."

I stood in the empty classroom for long moments after Moony left. There may be some merit to Moony's advice, especially the chocolate thing…