Author's Note: It's been a while. Life got in the way. Comment if you like it. :] If this chapter seems to cut off suddenly, it's because I did that on purpose. There is a lemon at the end of this chapter that can be found on my AO3 account. It's still under the name MoHowl. Just scroll down to "Lupus Cor" and selected chapter 15. You can leave a comment there as well. Those are always appreciated.

P.S. There is a bit of female-bashing at the beginning of this chapter. Just warning you.

"Uncle, I think I have screwed up. Badly." I leaned my head against the back of the booth we were occupying. My fingers tapped gently on the shiny table top. "I thought it was going great, then that . . . that . . . that girl had to come along." I snagged my bottle of butterbeer. "Females fuckin' ruin everything."

Salo gulped down a few mouthfuls of his soda pop. He was never one to be a drinker, unlike me when I get in a huff. "So do annoying nephews who can't keep their dick in their pants."

I rolled my eyes. "I have no clue what you mean."

"That's bullocks. You think I didn't know you were seeing that boy." His nostrils flared for a moment. "You're drenched in his scent." He stared at me with narrowed eyes. "You didn't, did you?"

An eyebrow arched into my bangs. "Do you what?"

"You know very well what." Salo glanced around. I followed his lead and looked around myself. There were barely any people in the small pub. A man was sitting at the bar tossing back shots of stuff that flashed with flames. A pair of older women were reading a rather large book and chuckling dangerously every few moments, as if whatever they were reading was giving them sick amusement. Salo turned back to me and leaned in. "Did you mark him?"

I gulped at the sight of fire in his eyes. "Y-Yes."

"You fucking moron."

I slammed my bottle onto the table. "I didn't start it. He did."

"I don't give a damn who started it. You know your ass can get into a lot of trouble, Talis. He's underage. You're an adult. You should have made the adult decision and stopped him."

"My thoughts were full of killing Umbridge, and he was the perfect distraction."

"Is that all he is to you? A distraction?"

My acid green eyes locked with my uncle's dark green eyes. I thought about that day, the day I marked Harry. The way our bodies moved. The sounds we made. The feeling of a completed union with each other. I felt a tear prick my left eye. "No," I murmured after a few moments. "He's not just a distraction."

Salo leaned back with a heavy sigh. "What have you gotten yourself into?"

I didn't know if that was rhetorical but I answered it anyway. "It doesn't matter now. I - I broke it off." I mentally cursed myself for choking up.

"I hate to say it, kid, but it was probably for the best. Especially for you. I just got you back, and I don't want to lose you to Azkaban. As powerful as our heritage is, it would not be enough for you to break out of there if you tried."

I held back a sniffle. I could feel the disapproval oozing off my uncle in waves. He was right, though. I should have known better than to have sex with Harry. But, fuck, the feel of his skin against mine, his hot breath on my neck, the . . . love in his beautiful green eyes. He was perfection, and no one seemed to understand that. All they saw was the scar. The scar that cruelly defined his fate.

"Stop it."

I blinked. My uncle's dark green eyes were staring at me accusingly.

"You were thinking about him, just now, weren't you?"

My lips turned down into a small frown. "I honestly can't help it," I murmured.

"How do you know if he won't be another Blue?"

I slammed my hand on the table. "Do not say his name. Do not even compare them," I snarled. "He will never turn out like him." I shot a hand through my dark brown spikes, the green tips swaying through my vision. "He's nothing like him," I added in a quieter voice. "He actually cares about my well-being. I'm more to him than just a fuck toy."

My uncle stared at me for a few moments then sighed heavliy. "What the fuck am I going yo do with you?"

I shrugged. "Not sure. Whatever protective uncles do to their annoying nephews." I drank the last bit of my butterbeer. "To be honest, I'm lost, Uncle. All I can see right now is him. It hurts, right here." I pointed to my heart. "I didn't just hurt him by letting him go. I hurt myself as well. He was the best thing to happen to me recently, and I turned away. I thought it was for the best, but, now, I'm not so sure."

Salo didn't say anything during my small rant. He just observed me with eyes mulitple shades darker than my own. I could not tell what he was thinking until he finally spoke. "Do you love him, Talis?"

The answer slipped out without hesitation. "Yes, Uncle."

Anger and annoyance flashed in his eyes before slowing to a guarded calmness. "Does he love you?"

An image of Harry's tear-filled eyes and depressed face swam into view. I swallowed down my own sadness, but it didn't fully work. "He said he loved me when I let him go. I know it wasn't just a heat of the moment thing either. He seemed to truly regret what he had done. I said I loved him too, then told him that's why I had to let him go." A tear gently rolled down my cheek.

Another sigh escaped my uncle. "Then go talk to him."

My eyes widened. "What?!"

"Go. Talk. To him." Salo pinched the bridge of his nose. "I do not approve of this shit, Talis, and you know that. But if he makes you happy . . ." He glanced around again before continuing, "Go talk to him. This will remain between us. But if you get caught, then you'll have to deal with the consequences. On your own."

I blinked stupidly at my uncle. Did he really just say that? "But it's been a week," I protested. "I don't know if I could face him. I just got my room back in order after destorying it in a drunken rage."

Salo rolled his eyes. "Nephew, you are acting like a damned schoolgirl. Get your ass back to the castle and find that boy." He kicked me lightly in the shin. "And keep your heritage under check. If it comes out, the consequences can be very bad." He kicked me a bit harder this time. "Get going."

"Thank you, Uncle." I slid out of the booth and dug some money out of my pocket. I handed it to my uncle. "For my drinks."

"Just remember what I said about getting caught," he warned in a low voice.

I nodded solemnly.

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"Harry, you need to get some sleep."

"I'm not tired."

"You're looking dead, mate. Hermione's right. You need to sleep."

"I told you I'm not tired."

"Then what is the matter?"

"I'm not sleeping well."

I sighed quietly as I leaned against the library shelf. A book to my right repeated my sigh. Was he not sleeping well because of me?

When I had returned to the castle after drinking with my uncle, it had been relatively easy to find him. His scent is embedded in my brain. I followed it up several staircases to the library. No one paid me any attention as I drifted in and out of the stacks until I located him and his friends near the back by one of the windows. At first I had wanted to just go up to him and say that I needed to talk to him. But I didn't know how he, or his friends, would have reacted to that. Instead, I decided to lean against a shelf and listen. Harry sounded so distant, it made me wonder why Hermione and Ron had not sent him to Pomfrey.

"Nightmares again?"

"No. I just can't sleep."

"Have you been meeting Cho after hours?"

I didn't know if Ron had said that out of jest, but it made my hands clench into fists. I'd never hit a woman, but I was not a fan of the Ravenclaw.

"No."

"Okay. I was just wondering since you, you know, kissed her and all."

"I think the kiss was a mistake. I think it may have just been the mistletoe. Tradition and all."

"So you're saying you don't have feelings for Cho?"

"Not really."

That made my hands unclench a little bit. The trio went silent for a few minutes. Then I heard some shuffling as if someone were stuffing papers and book into a bag.

"Well, I'm heading to bed. I suggested you two do the same." Hermione scooted her chair back. I could hear the light slapping of her bag against her hip. "Harry." Her voice dropped to an almost motherly tone. "Please get some sleep. You're going to make yourself sick."

"I'll be fine, Hermone. I promise." I could image the false smile.

"Okay. Good night, boys." Her footsteps faded amongst the clamour of the books and the late evening students.

"You know she's only looking out for you, right, mate?"

"I know."

After a few more minutes of silence, I heard another chair scrape backwards. "I'm going to head up too. I'll leave the door unlocked for you."

"Thanks, Ron."

I could hear a hand lightly smack Harry's back a few times then footseteps walking away. I closed my eyes for a moment to gather my nerves. How the hell was I supposed to talk to him? What would I say? I didn't know I had hurt him that badly. I felt lower than a snake's belly.

"I know you're there, Talis. I saw you walking down the aisle."

Frowning inwardly at my carelessness, I shoved my fists into my pockets and moved away from my hiding place. He was staring at the book that was opened on the table before him. A quill hung loosely in his hand, ink dripping onto a piece of parshment that was covered in untidy scrawl.

"Have you come to make sure I was studying? I've been here for two hours."

I sat down in Ron's vacant chair. It was comfy but I was too nervous to get comfortable. I folded my arms on the table and rested my chin on them. My acid green eyes never left the downcast face before me. "I know. You did well on that exam yesterday," I commented quietly. I knew the library was starting to clear out and not many people ventured this deep into the library, but I wasn't taking any chances of being overheard.

"Maybe I did well because I did not have any distractions."

That sent a pang of hurt through my heart. Was I a distraction? "Is that what you call it? Or me?"

"You're not a distraction. You're a teacher's assistant. It's your job to help us." He paused for a moment. "Was I a distraction?"

I raised my head a bit to shake it a few times. "You could never be a distraction, Harry." I returned my head to my arms.

"Cho was a distraction."

"She was?"

Harry nodded, still not looking at me. He made a few marks on his parchment. "And she used me as one. Her thoughts were all about Cedric. I-I think her feelings for Cedric and me got muddled, and she was just using me as a substitute."

"You should not be used as such," I said.

"Were you using me as a substitute for Blue?"

"Never."

Emerald eyes finally looked up. I frowned at the dark bags under his eyes. He was paler than he was yesterday. I swallowed my frustration at myself. I was the reason he was like this. "I should have known something like that would happen - the mistletoe incident, I mean. My feelings are not muddled like hers."

"You do not have feelings for her?"

Harry shook his head slowly. "No. I thought I did, but I was wrong. I don't want to be someone's distraction."

"You were never my distraction." I slowly reached out a hand and touched his arm. He did not flinch at my touch. That was a good sign. "I ended us because I did not want you to get distracted if you were going to start chasing the opposite sex. Harry, you were the greatest thing that happened to me." His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed. I could see moisture gathering on his lower eyelids. "Don't cry, Harry."

"How did I save you?"

I blinked at the younger teenager. "You brought meaning into my dark life. I guess you could say that you were my rock, keeping me stable in my hectic life." I gently stroked his arm with my fingertips. "I did not come here tonight to convince you to get back together with me, Harry. I just wanted you to know that I'm still here if you need someone to talk to or hang out with." I drew my arm back to my side. This time the chair did not make a sound as I backed away from the table. "Just something to think about."

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The wolf stared down at me from her rose portrait. I could see the solemn questions drifting in her beautiful eyes. I kicked my feet up on the coffee table. My shirt had been removed as soon as the door had shut behind me. I saw no reason in wearing it when I was not going to have visitors. My scars gleamed in the light of the fire.

"I talked to him earlier, for the first time in a week," I said outloud. "He said he did not have feelings for Cho Chang." I sighed quietly. I knew the wolf had witnessed the ending of my relationship with Harry. "I told him he was not a distraction for Blue Jacobs. He's really not. He can not even be compared to that monster." I shuffled a hand through my hair.

"Are you going to try to patch things up with him?"

I shrugged. "I told him I'd still be around as someone to talk to. I doubt he'd want to rekindle our relationship. Not after the way I treated him."

"You never know."

"You're right; I don't know, but you and I both know Harry can be unforgiving."

"Just like you."

I snorted a laugh.

A knock on the portrait door echoed off the walls. I jumped, not expecting the sound. A yip from the wolf told me she was startled too. With a groan, I pushed myself out of my comfy chair. I glanced at my shirt, lying haphazardly on the sofa, then decided it wasn't worth it. I pulled opened the door shirtless.

I barely caught a glimpse of my visitor when I was shoved back into my quarters. The door shut with a snap, and a mouth was on mine. I just saw a gleam of emerald eyes when my eyelids slammed shut. My mouth worked harshly against the one that attacked mine. A tongue forced its way inside. Twin groans bounced off the walls. My hands gripped narrow hips. Two arms wound around my neck, holding me against my visitor. When oxygen became necessary, I pulled away. "What are you doign here?"

Emerald eyes peeked up at me through long dark lashes. They were brighter now. "I thought about it."

"Do you know what you want?"

"You."

I barely blinked when our mouths collided again. I hummed appreciatively. My hands made quick work of taking off his cloak; it was thrown somewhere behind us. Then they sought out the hem of his shirt, and burrowed underneath to feel that smooth expanse of flesh. As my hands were busy, I broke the kiss to start nibbling on his jaw. His mouth dropped in a soundless sigh as I traced the shell of his ear with the tip of my tongue. My teeth gently nipped at the lobe. His hold tightened on me as I continued to nibble and kiss my way to his neck.

"I think I'll go to my door portrait."

I did not respond to the wolf, though I could hear her scurry out of her rose portrait, because I was too focused on the teenager in my arms. The squeaks and breathy moans he was making were sending blood to my groin. My jeans were becoming uncomfortable. Harry's arms moved from my neck to my upper back, fingernails digging into my skin. I barely flinched. My own fingers dragged upwards on his stomach to his chest. His nipples were gently rolled by my fingers. A load groan right next to my ear sent shivers down my spine. My neck was starting to ache from being in a bend postion so I gave him a swift nip to the collarbone, which earned me another groan, then straightened up.

"Bedroom?"

Harry nodded eagerly, his pupils so wide they almost swallowed the emerald irises.