A/N : Jig - 'the Macarena?' *Nytd and Snape both shudder*

Hexed - It's next chapter. *winks*

Nytd looks up warily from where she sits typing, hoping that Severus hasn't returned after she banished him from her office while she writes. Remus stands in the doorway.

"Hi," Remus says.

"Hi, Remus," Nytd says as she types. "What's up?"

"I have a request from everyone," he says with a charming smile.

Nytd frowns. "Don't tell me you all want pizza again? You'd think none of you had ever had pizza with as often as we order it."

"Nytd, we never have," Remus reminds her. "Anyway, that's not the request."

"What is it?" Nytd asks.

"The beach," Remus says and grins.

"What?"

"Tomorrow, we all want to go to the beach," he replies.

"Everyone? Even Dumbledore?" Nytd asks.

Remus nods.

Nytd looks past Remus out the door and then whispers. "Severus?"

He shakes his head. "And I'd like to say that he's being a party pooper but I can't."

"Why is that," Nytd asks.

Remus shrugs. "He's brewing the wolfsbane potion again tomorrow."

Nytd smiles. "Ok, Remus. The beach it is." She types the last line of the next chapter.

The Bookcase ~*~

Lorien had been busy for most of the afternoon with other patients, and had just seen the last one leave when she became aware of loud voices in the hallway. The door to the hospital wing was suddenly flung open and two students entered the ward arguing animatedly. Lorien didn't realize what she was in for when the students arrived.

Atheis and Aeris Gainsborough were a couple of second year students that were sisters in different houses, Atheis a Slytherin and Aeris a Gryffindor. The two girls now stood before her covered in oozing boils, after having argued and then hexed each other.

From what she could gather from the argument, it was because Atheis had once again managed to get the girls detention, and at the rate that she was going, she would well surpass the record currently held by Fred and George Weasley when she reached the same year.

"Let me get something to give you girls for the itching, and then we'll get started on those sores," Lorien said, ushering them to an exam table, and leaving them momentarily to fetch the necessary potion.

Aeris managed a good look around and then whispered to her sister angrily. "See. I told you, he's not here! You got us both hexed for nothing, and detention to boot!"

Atheis rolled her eyes and gave her best 'idiot' look to her sister. "She's got the curtains drawn," she said, indicating the far side of the room. "Of course he's here, so the bet is still on."

The young Gryffindor sighed with exasperation. "You're going to get us in more trouble," she said as her sister crept toward the curtain drawn across part of the room. "She'll be back in a minute!"

"That's all I need," whispered Atheis, from near the curtain." Besides, a detention from HIM would be icing on the cake."

"No, thank you," Aeris said to no one in particular, and she watched as her sister crept close enough to try to sneek a peek around the curtain.

Lorien came back with two potion vials in her hand and looked bewilderedly at the single student sitting there.

"Where is your sister?" she asked with a frown, which turned into a look of horror as she realized that the young Slytherin was trying to spy on her most infamous patient.

"Miss Gainsborough!" she said sternly. "Would you kindly join us?" She waited until the girl fixed a pout firmly on her face and came to sit next to her sister.

"Here, drink this," Lorien instructed them. "May I ask what you thought you were doing just now?"

Atheis shrugged.

"She's trying to see who wins a bet," volunteered Aeris, between swallows of the potion she was trying to gag down.

"Shut it!" snapped Atheis.

"Bet? What bet?" asked Lorien.

The Gryffindor witch happily spilled her guts, knowing that this was one detention she was probably not going to share in. "She has a bet with a classmate as to what color Professor Snape's night attire is," Aeris said cheerfully.

Atheis sat silently and sulked, not drinking the potion.

"You were spying on him?" Lorien asked, not knowing whether to be amused or scared.

The pouting student shot her a look but said nothing, and her sister prattled on. "Atheis loses the bet if she doesn't find out."

"I said shut it!" Atheis hissed at her sister, who stuck her tongue out in return.

Lorien regarded the sullen Slytherin carefully. "I probably don't want to know what happens if you lose the bet, do I?"

Atheis shook her head, and even Aeris refrained from comment.

"That's what I figured. I'll tell you what, you drink that potion and let me get rid of those sores, and I'll make sure you have the answer - without invading the professor's privacy. Deal?" Lorien asked.

Atheis narrowed her eyes. "What's in it for you?"She asked the first question that popped into her Slytherin mind.

Lorien shrugged in return. "Let's just say you'll owe me one."

Atheis looked at the older witch for a long moment and then grinned. "Deal," she said, and looked expectant.

"Potion first," Lorien said.

Atheis drank the potion, making faces between swallows while Lorien dealt with her sister's boils, and then allowed the healer to banish hers as well.

"So, tell me what you think," Lorien said as she saw the sisters to the door of the hospital ward.

"Well, the others say he's got to wear green, but I think they're wrong," Atheis replied. "I say black, as usual."

Lorien smiled. "Well, then you would be correct, Miss Gainsborough," she said, watching the girl smile wickedly and run to join her sister in the hall.

Lorien shook her head, knowing that the Potions master would kill her if he ever found out she'd passed that information along.

Not long after the Gainsborough sisters had left, Cho Chang came to the ward to speak to Lorien. She looked tired.

"Hi Cho. How are you doing?" Lorien asked in a concerned manner.

"Not so well," the girl replied.

"Still having nightmares?" Lorien asked.

"Yes," she replied, somewhat dejectedly.

Lorien continued her questioning. "Were they any less frequent with the last potion?"

"Um, yes, a little," Cho answered.

"Ok. We're on the right track." Lorien retrieved a new bottle and handed it to Cho. "I bet this is the one. Same as before, two swallows twenty minutes before bed, and put these under your pillow." She handed the girl two small pillows full of dried lavender. "You'll let me know if it's helping after a few nights?"

"Yes. Thank you so much, Mistress Lorien," Cho replied gratefully.

The pretty young Ravenclaw seeker left.

When she had the opportunity, Lorien went back to check on Snape, and was surprised to find him not only awake, but sitting up and reading.

"How are you doing?" she asked as she approached.

"Better." He looked at her over the top of the issue of JAMWW that he had retrieved from where she had left it near his bedside, and then set it down. "What was all that about?" he asked, referring to the commotion caused by the Gainsborough sisters.

"Oh, nothing. Sick students," she replied, and changed the subject. "Do you want to go for a short walk?" she asked, wanting to see if he was feeling stronger.

"I'd kill to," he said.

She let him stand on his own, keeping nearby in case he faltered. He didn't. He definitely was a lot stronger this afternoon.

"Come with me." She tucked her arm in his and noticed that she didn't have to steady him as much as this morning.

He looked at her questioningly when she led him out of the ward and down the hallway two doors. He figured if the first door was to Poppy's rooms, the second must be her chambers. It made sense for the medical personnel to stay nearby.

"I wanted to show you something." She smiled and stepped through the door ahead of him. He followed her through.

"I thought you would be interested in this," she spoke as she crossed the small sitting room.

Snape did not immediately follow her, but curiosity forced him to take a moment to let his eyes wander around the room . The furnishings were simple but tasteful, and several large, beautiful works of needlework decorated the wall. One particularly detailed piece portraying a detailed bouquet of iris caught his eye. He moved to stand before it and admire it for a moment where it hung in the place of honor over the fireplace.

He went next to the large light colored oak bookshelf and scanned its contents. Medical texts, journals, anatomy books. He looked further. Books on medical potions, herbology, and a number of cookbooks. The last shelf contained a large amount of classic literature, magic and muggle.

He looked up and around the room and noted the large number of plants she had growing in her chambers, and then he realized she was waiting patiently for him to follow her. He went to where she was standing next to a large intricately formed wine rack. It was made to look as though the bottles of wine were nestled in a vine made of wrought iron. Twenty or so bottles of wine sat in their places.

"Well?" she asked, smiling.

"It's exquisite," he said, admiring the wine rack. "It looks quite old."

"It's been in my family for generations," she replied.

He picked up several bottles of wine, curious about what she had in her collection. Not a single bottle of white wine was present, and he smiled for a moment when he looked at a Spanish label in his hand.

"Quite impressive, Mistress Lorien," he spoke as he placed the bottle at a slight angle back in its spot.

"Thank you, Professor Snape," she teased. "I thought you'd be able to appreciate it. So what do you think?" She indicated the room around them. "Have you been able to dig up more information while you were being nosy?"

He snorted with mock derision. "Curious, not nosy, and yes I believe I have."

She looked at him expectantly. 'Well?"

Snape spoke with a matter-of-fact tone. "You have simple but expensive taste, judging by the fact that your furniture is the same make as my favorite armchair. You'd rather be outdoors, judging by the small jungle you have created for yourself in here. You like roses, but your favorite flower is the iris...Siberian iris to be specific, and your favorite book is written by a muggle author." Snape made the final pronouncement with a wave of his hand and a self-satisfied air.

She laughed. "Very impressive, Professor. Are you guessing about the book?"

"No."

He went to the bookshelf and then handed over her favorite book. "Kipling, I believe?"

She looked at the book he handed her and then back. "How....?"

"There are some things about a book you can judge from its cover," Snape replied.

She smiled when she realized how worn the book looked, and then replaced it on its spot on the shelf. She turned around to face him and jumped when she saw how close to her he'd moved when she had her back turned.

"You startled me," she said quietly, hand over her heart.

"Obviously." His voice was soft.

His black eyes were fixed on hers and suddenly she was reminded of the first time she encountered him in the dungeon.

She took a step back and laughed a little nervously. "Well, we probably ought to get you back," she said.

"Probably." He took a step closer, still looking her in the eyes.

"You really need to get some rest," she insisted as she backpedaled another step.

"Eventually." He advanced another pace.

"Severus, I don't...." Her back hit the bookshelf and she dropped off realizing she was once again in trouble as he stepped immediately in front of her. He placed one hand on the bookshelf on either side of her and she was trapped. She looked away quickly.

He leaned close to her. "You don't what, Lorien?"

"Think this is a good idea," she whispered.

"Why is that?" His voice held a trace of amusement.

"Because..." she trailed off.

"Why?" he asked again very softly.

A dozen reasons came to her mind but she couldn't bring herself to voice any of them at that moment.

Snape answered for her. "Because things wouldn't be neat and tidy now would they?" he chided her quietly, with a touch of sarcasm. "Things would be awkward? Messy?"

She nodded without meeting his eyes.

He spoke softly near her ear, as his fingers brushed her hair away from her face. "And do you think I worry about awkward or messy, Lorien?"

"No." She found it quite apparent that he didn't.

His fingers trailed from her hair to her shoulder, down the length of her arm until they found her fingers and gently lifted her hand. "Neither should you."

As she looked at him, his eyes never left hers but he brought her hand to his lips for a moment and then released her.

He gazed at her for a long moment. "Shall we?" He indicated the door. She nodded and with an inner sigh of relief, escaped from her own rooms.

Monday and Tuesday were confusing days for most of the students and staff at Hogwarts. Although Lorien had released Snape from the hospital ward, he had not returned yet to class, and it was difficult for the students to figure out which class they were supposed to be in.

Harry, Ron and Hermione were sitting through double Defense classes, which was great now, but the thought of doubling up Potions again at the end of the week was a little disheartening.

"I hope Snape's back by the end of the week," Ron whispered. "We could end up spending all of next week in Potions if he's not back soon," he exaggerated.

Lupin finished lecturing and the three students gathered up their books. Hermione approached the Defense professor. "Professor, may I ask you a question?"

"If it has to do with class." Lupin glanced around to indicate the other students still lingering in the classroom.

"Well, it has to do with werewolves." She could see Seamus Finnigan look at her and frown. There were many students that were obviously not comfortable still discussing this particular topic with Lupin.

Lupin smiled wryly at the young witch. He was anticipating her question but let her ask it. "What is it, Miss Granger?"

"Is there any other way besides the bite of a werewolf to transmit the condition? Say contact with werewolf blood, for instance?"

He shook his head. "Not to my knowledge. I can give you an excellent reference if you'd like."

She nodded and he wrote down the volume and page numbers from a medical journal from a year ago. "This should give you the information you're looking for. I became aware of this study only a short time ago myself." He handed her the piece of parchment and she noted the lingering smile as he handed it to her.

"Thank you, Professor," Hermione said with a smile.

"Any time, Miss Granger."

She caught up with Ron and Harry.

"Well?" they asked together.

"Snape's in the clear," she whispered.

"So you can't get it through blood?" asked Harry.

"No," Hermione answered.

"And we know you can't get it by kissing a werewolf," Ron said, rolling his eyes. He hesitated and frowned. "Hey, do you think it's a problem if.... well if....?"

"What?" asked Harry and Hermione.

Ron continued to stammer. "I mean do you think.... since he really likes Lorien that....well, it never occurred to me before."

Harry's eyes opened wider. The thought had never occurred to him either.

"Lupin said that there's no way other than being bitten to get it," Hermione stated emphatically, obviously not getting what Ron was going on about.

"So, do you think he just knows it from the article, or that he knows?"

Hermione got it. "Ron Weasley! That's none of our business!" she scolded her friend and walked past. Leave it to a teenage male to think of something like that. She headed for the library.

Madame Pince pointed Hermione in the direction of the shelves that held journals from many of the disciplines taught at Hogwarts. Hermione thanked her and began threading her way along the stacks. She found the back issues of JAMWW on a lower shelf and began tracing the volume numbers to the end of the row and around the corner to the next aisle. She was bent over and absorbed in her search and jumped when she heard the familiar voice.

"Miss Granger." Snape spoke to her in a low voice. He was standing only feet away.

"P-Professor Snape. I didn't see you there," Hermione stammered, as she straightened immediately.

"Obviously," he said, his answer laced with sarcasm.

"How....how are you feeling, sir?" she asked, unsure what else to say.

"Better." The black eyes met hers. "I believe this is what you were looking for?" He held up a journal that matched the volume number Lupin had given her.

Hermione opened her mouth but no answer came.

"I assume that like me, you have to read it for yourself?" he asked, but his voice held no malice.

She nodded silently, unsure about discussing the fact that she had been snooping to find out if he would contract lycanthropy.

"I am through with the article." He offered her the journal and saw her hesitate about whether or not to take it. "Miss Granger, I don't intend to stand here all day," Snape spoke a little more sharply.

She took the book. "Thank you."

He nodded and to Hermione's surprise, continued to speak to her. "It's a fascinating article."

She looked up at him again. "Really?"

"Yes. Retrospective case study. Ten years," he said casually.

"Ten years? And they were able to conclude that contact with blood was safe?" Hermione found herself interested immediately.

"Yes. It was quite a broad study and they have concluded that there is no known way to transmit lycanthropy other than the bite of a werewolf," he continued.

Hermione nodded at the Potions master. "Thank you. I'll read it. I'm, um, glad that things are....better, Professor."

Snape merely nodded. "Miss Granger," he said.

Hermione noted that he moved a little slower than normal when he turned and walked away. She looked at the journal and back up at the retreating wizard. She realized at that moment that she was beginning to grasp how somebody might be friends with the irritable head of Slytherin.

Remus was glad when Snape was released from the infirmary. Not only did it mean he was away from Lorien, but it also meant she had some free time back. He was sitting in his rooms with Sirius when she came in after his last class.

"Hi," she said to them.

They both greeted her.

"Long time no see," Sirius teased. He intercepted her as she was heading toward Remus and wrapped her in his arms. The next thing she knew he had dipped her backwards and was leaning over her pretending to engage her in a passionate kiss. She went along with it for a minute, until she couldn't help but laugh. He pretended to drop her and Remus laughed at them both when she gave a little cry of surprise. Finally he righted her and let her loose.

She finally made it to Remus who embraced her warmly and kissed him for real.

"Will you accompany me to dinner, Miss Desjardins?" he asked.

"I will, Professor Lupin," Lorien smiled.

Lorien and Remus walked into the great hall together, and Lorien was relieved when she saw Snape wasn't there. She bet it'd be another night or two before he reappeared. Remus gave a little tug on her sleeve as she headed for her end of the table, and she smiled and followed him to his. Madame Hooch had seen them coming and vacated the spot she usually occupied between Snape and Lupin so they could sit next to each other. She gave Lupin a warm smile, and he nodded at her.

It was fun to eat and chat with Remus for a change at dinner, although she had the impression they were being scrutinized as they sat together. She didn't care.

She went to the infirmary and he back to his rooms after dinner, but they agreed he would meet her at her rooms in a couple of hours. She was just opening her door with a stack of medical texts in her hands when he came down the hallway toward her.

"I keep taking stuff to the hospital with me and forgetting to bring it back," she said as he helped her with the pile of books. He followed her into the sitting room and over to the bookcase. "Here, hand me those." He handed her the large books one by one and she put them back in their places.

When she stood and turned he had moved very close and placed his hands on her arms and pushed her gently but firmly against the bookcase. He pressed against her and pinned her where she was with his body, and kissed her hard. She was a little surprised at this more aggressive approach from him, but her pulse quickened just the same, and she found herself kissing him back in similar fashion.

He broke off after a moment and leaned close to whisper in her ear. "I've missed you the past few nights." It didn't have the effect he was expecting.

Lorien was hit with a sense of deja vu when he leaned close and whispered to her and suddenly stiffened when she recalled her earlier encounter near the bookcase. Guilt and confusion suddenly doused the romantic spark that Remus had been kindling.

"What's wrong, Lorien?" He sensed her tenseness and spoke gently.

"Nothing, Remus. It's nothing. I'm....just tired, that's all."

"You've been working too hard," he accused her with a smile.

"Maybe, but I don't have much control over when I'm busy and when I'm not, do I?" She laughed a little. "Remus, I'm sorry. I know that...."

He put a hand to her lips to quiet her. "It's ok. I want you to get some rest, alright?"

She nodded, thankful that he didn't sense her inner turmoil.

A/N: Thanks to Atheis Gainsborough for her earlier entertaining reviews and permission to use her pen names in the fic.

My own copy of Kipling's The Jungle Books, is a broken, worn, old purple book that holds the place of honor on my bookshelf.