Ginny

I woke up. The weather has gotten worse the past few days. I quickly put on robes. It is still early as I walk out the dormitory. Ginny is already awake. "Well, I'm glad I'm not playing today," I greet her. Today there was a quidditch match between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff.

Ginny smiles at me. "The weather has been rather awful lately, hasn't it?"

I nod happily, then I sit down next to her on the couch. Ginny puts her book away. She had been doing homework. "You're up early," I note.

Ginny then bites her lip. "It's just some nightmares." She looks to the softly crackling fire.

She does not seem to really want to talk about it. "Is it the dementors," I ask. "I know they affect you worse."

Ginny glares. "It's nothing."

I swallow. "You know, Potter was pretty badly affected too by those dementors. It does not make you weak."

"I know," Ginny says. She bites the inside of her cheeks, trying not to tear up. "I just keep getting reminded of last year every time I walk past them.. I hate going to herbology. I don't even want to go out to fly anymore."

"Well, we definitely can't have that," I say softly. "I expect you to get on the quidditch team next year together with Pansy. I just have to coax Pansy into it."

Ginny chuckles softly. "You and Pansy are cute together."

"I am not cute," I object immediately.

I then look at Ginny, tears roll down her cheeks. I forget what I wanted to say. Ginny softly kicks against the small table. "It just sucks. I thought I was doing better." She hiccups. "I just wish.. they wouldn't affect me so much." She then sounds surprisingly bitter. "Look at me. Already bawling and the day barely even started.."

"Hey, don't cry," I mutter uncomfortably. "You don't have to do it all on your own. Vin will help too, I just know it-"

Ginny glares again. "I don't need protection."

"I didn't mean-" I try to say.

Ginny interrupts me. "For if you haven't noticed yet, I have more than enough older brothers acting like I can't take care of myself."

I raise my eyebrow. "I never noticed them hover over you at Hogwarts. I thought they almost forgot about your existence."

Ginny gives me a tired look. "Well, Ron kinda does. Fred and George are fine. They keep me company a lot though. Crack a lot of jokes, which is.. kinda nice. Percy though has been annoying me to no end. Walking me to classes and the common room.."

I snort. "And you let him?"

Ginny rolled her eyes. "I hexed him." She sounds a little too pleased.

"See," I say. "You can take care of yourself just fine. And I know that too. I was not planning on hiring Vin as your new bodyguard." Ginny snorts softly. "You helped me defeat my boggart. Now I'll help you defeat a dementor.." I squeeze her arm lightly.

Ginny smiles weakly at me. "You know how to defeat a dementor?"

I roll my eyes. "I know I'll find out how to defeat a dementor. You should watch the quidditch match with us. Vin would love it if you joined."

Ginny nods and gives me a curious look.

DADA

I had my arm slung around Pansy as we walked into the classroom. I had dreaded defence class, but to my relief Severus took over Lupin's classes today. Severus though was in a particular bad mood, snapping at students and to my surprise started teaching us about werewolves instead of grindylows.

I felt as if Severus was communicating something, why else would he randomly start teaching about a subject ahead of our class. Did he just want to say Lupin was inept that we weren't this far in the textbook? No, Severus had admitted Lupin would at least be an adequate teacher, even if it was sourly. It had to mean something else. Was Severus trying to tell us Lupin was friendly with werewolves? That he befriended wrong people, like Black? No, that made no sense. How would anyone find out about Lupin being friends with werewolves from this? No, no it had to be something else.

I leaned back and tried to soak in all that Severus taught today. Then a horrible thought crossed my mind. What if Lupin was absent because he was a werewolf and tonight was the full moon?

I raise my hand. Severus smiles softly at me. "Malfoy," he drawls.

"Sir," I say. "When is the full moon?"

Severus seems delighted by my innocent question. "Why, I hope you are not in need of moondew?"

I smirk. "Of course not sir."

Severus smiles appraisingly at me. "Good. Full moon was last night. It would be a shame if you would be out of it during brewing. Of course you can tell me which potions need it?"

I nod. "Wiggenweld potion, draught of living dead and antidote to common poisons."

Severus smirks. "Fifteen points to Slytherin."

"That's unfair," Potter blurts out. "That's a potions question."

Severus smiles cruelly. "You want one too, Potter?" I roll my eyes, how stupid could Potter be to interrupt Severus when he was in such obvious mood? "Tell me some other ingredients of the draught of living death?" He tutted. "Surely you can manage one ingredient?" He sneers. "Just as I thought. Twenty points from Gryffindor."

Potter looked annoyed. "I can tell you how to defeat a grindylow."

Severus glares at him. "I thought I had made it clear that today we would treat werewolves.. Ten points from Gryffindor for your insolence." Potter kept his mouth shut for the rest of the class.

Did this mean Lupin was a werewolf, I thought. I really wanted it to make no sense at all, but it did, in a horrible kind of way. Lupin, I realised even thought I had known about it.