"Mister Malfoy," professor Lupin then says at the end of one of his classes, "If you would please stay back after class with me."

I look at him confused. What did I do?

Lupin then calmly continues. "For next lesson I want you write down an essay about grindylows and to read the introductory text about Hinkypunks."

Pansy shoots me a questioning look as she walks past me out of the classroom.

Lupin is studying my face carefully. "Tea?"

I feel baffled. "I- Wha?"

Lupin sits down on the opposite side of the table and looks very seriously at me. "I know you are very close with Severus. I also know Severus is not very fond of me. I also noticed you have been reluctant to participate in class and you try to- err, well, you seem not to want me to teach here." Lupin keeps silent for a few seconds. "I just wanted to know if there were things about me- or well, my affliction, that caused you to be upset in my classes."

I am not sure what to answer. He put it very lightly when he said Severus was not fond of Lupin. Severus seemed to hate Lupin even more than Potter and that is saying something. The tired-looking teacher before me hardly seemed dangerous, but obviously looks could be deceiving. He dealt with the dementors and grudgingly I had to admit he was the best teacher we ever had for defence.

He was right, I realised. I had been stubbornly uninterested in classes.

I look at his shabby clothes. I take my time to think this answer over, cause you can't always take words back. My father could have easily abhorred the man for how he looked. Severus, however, always liked talent in people. Severus was not well-liked, he would have hardly cared. Something about Lupin was not good.

I glare at Lupin. "How can I trust someone like you?" I try my hardest to sneer as hard as I can in disgust. Would this man really let a mass-murderer in? Severus had seemed so sure. Could this be Black's right-hand?

Lupin's face hardens. "I see."

"I don't want to be in the same classroom as you," I say. It sounded more hateful than I had meant. I was not quite sure what I thought about Lupin.

Lupin hardly looks like he blames me for it. I see acceptance in his eyes. "You'll still have to come to my classes," he reminds almost gently.

I shrug.

Lupin sighs. "I still expect an assay from you."

"Whatever," I say. I want to walk out of the classroom, just before I step into the corridor, Lupin speaks up.

"Twenty points to both you and miss Weasley for facing your boggarts," he says. I look embarrassed at him. "I do know what happens in my classroom, mister Malfoy. It is good to see that at least if you don't participate in classes, you do take your studies seriously." Embarrassed I storm out of the classroom.

I run into Pansy. I had not spoken a lot to her the last few days. "Draco," she shrieks in shock. She hits me softly. "What did Lupin want with you?"

I feel angry. He shouldn't have seen it. It was a private moment.

"I can't believe they let an idiot like Lupin teach," I blurt out annoyed. I ignore the small voice that tells me he is the best defence teacher we ever had. "Have you seen how shabby he looked, like he transformed his robes just out of the bin."

At that precise moment Potter, Weasley and Granger had to walk past. Potter argues softly, "Professor Lupin is the best teacher we ever had, I don't know what you're talking about.." He looks a bit warily.

I look at them. How dare Potter call Lupin the best teacher we ever had? He should hate him. He should not even respect the man who was friends with Black. I flush when I look at Granger. How dare she hit me.

"Well, even Granger," I start, "Should prefer Lockhart to him. At least he knew how to dress." I smirk as I see Hermoine flush brightly. "You liked him didn't you?" I sneer. "I think you'd make a perfect fit. A stupid know-it-all and a blubbering idiot who doesn't remember a thing."

Pansy laughs. "Oh Draco, that's so funny." I blush. She then pulls me away before anyone can retaliate. She keeps pulling me till we're standing outside on the grounds.

She looks confusedly at me. "Not that I am not amused, but why are you trying to get into a fight with them?"

I glare at her.

She rolls her eyes. "Fine, don't tell me. Try and beat me in quidditch."

I didn't beat her in quidditch. She catched the snitch for the third time before me and looked completely at ease in the air.

She looked amazing. I stared at her.

I feel my throat go dry. "You should try out for quidditch. You should be seeker."

She laughs looking completely care-free for a moment. "Don't be silly," Pansy says. "We already have a seeker for Slytherin. Plus I think he is quite magnificent."

I smile. "I don't think he'd mind it. He could always try out for chaser."

Pansy looks a bit touched. "Mother wouldn't like me playing Quidditch."

"I do like looking at you play quidditch," I then say playfully. I know I won't push her on the subject. She is right, Persephone won't like her playing quidditch.

Pansy smirks. "Well, maybe if you hadn't been staring so much at me, you'd caught the snitch at least once.."

I blush. "I wasn't staring," I mumble.

Pansy smirked. "You weren't staring?" She flutters her eyes at me. Her hair looks wild after flying for a few hours.

She stands really close to me. I start to feel panicky. I am not sure what to say. "I think we missed dinner." I blurt out, no longer able to keep the silence lingering between us.

Pansy takes a step closer to me. "Maybe we could find the kitchen just the two of us?"

"Luckily for you," I then say, "I just happen to know where to find the kitchens."

Wow, I think, that piece of information from dad of where the kitchens are is really coming in handy.

Pansy gives me a light shove. "You found the kitchens and you didn't tell me?"

Maybe I really shouldn't tell her I actually already went there with Ginny. Nope, definitely not something I should tell her. "I was waiting for the right moment to take you there," I try to say as smoothly as I could.

Pansy happily latches onto me. "Well, lead the way." I feel my cheeks flush again. I feel strangely happy.