(A.N. The song allusion is for my dear friend, Marie. She's been in Belgium for the past five months and it's for her.)

That night, Lupin got special permission to have Gris sleep in his room. He said it was "just to be safe". By midnight, they both were in bed. Gris on her right side and Lupin behind her with his arms around her waist.

"Are you still awake?" he asked.

"Yeah," she said.

"Me too," he said. Silence for a few minutes.

"Do you love me?" he finally asked. Gris turned to look at him.

"Of course," she said.

"I love you with everything I am. I just want to know if you feel the same," he said.

"I wouldn't be here if I didn't love you," she said. "Does this have anything to do with the old girlfriend today?"

"Not really, she was just trying to mess with my head. I don't remember what I saw in her," he said.

"How much have you dated?" she asked.

"Your mother and I flirted in school, but it was just silly. I dated her friend Casey briefly during our seventh year. Then I met Tara when I was consulting with the Ministry. We dated off and on for a year. She dumped me when she found out I was a werewolf," he replied.

"Is that all?" she asked.

"Yes. Most women won't date me because I'm a werewolf. They're afraid of me," he said.

"I'm not afraid of you," she said.

"I know," he said. "No nevermind you could kick the crap out of me with minimal effort." Gris laughed.

"I only hurt those who deserve it. I heard everything she said about me," she replied.

"Why didn't you do anything?" he asked, surprised.

"It wasn't my fight. You had to deal with her. If I came out there ready to pulverize her it would have caused more problems than it solved," she answered. "And I've been called worse."

"That doesn't surprise me," he said.

"I'm going to sleep now," she said.

"Goodnight, Gris,"

"Goodnight, Remus,"

September faded into October, bringing with it the students' favorite holiday, Halloween. It fell on a Saturday that year and Gris had badgered Dumbledore into letting everyone, first and second years included, get dressed up and go to Hogsmeade. Most of the students had never gone trick or treating before. The residents of Hogsmeade were thrilled to have the students come down and trick or treat. Gris zealously led the pack of nearly one thousand students down to the village and explained the whole theory of trick or treating.

"Now everybody split up and go for it! Be back to the castle by eleven!" she called. They cheered and then scattered. The heads of the houses had come along to chaperone as well as Hagrid. Gris and Ali decided to let the crowd thin before they started their quest for candy.

"This was a great idea. Everyone's loving it," Ali said, watching a pack of first years go breezing by.

"I'm hoping it'll become tradition every six years," Gris said.

"Figures it starts the year we leave," Ali said.

"Just our luck," Gris grinned. Ali flipped her blonde hair over her shoulder and perched on the back of one of the benches. Gris hopped up next to her, enjoying the festivities.

"So how are you and Remus?"she grinned.

"Fine," Gris said.

"So when's he gonna ask you?" she questioned.

"Ask me what?"

"To marry him, silly," she said. "The whole school is waiting for the proposal."

"I don't think he's planning on asking anytime soon," she said. Ali gave her friend a look.

"I think it'll be sooner than you think," she said.

"You know something I don't?" Gris asked.

"No, just a wild guess," she said. Gris surveyed the crowd and something caught her eye. Snape was coming out of the owl post office. She thought it odd. Who would he need to write to that required a non-school owl? She shrugged it off. It wasn't any of her business anyway.

"I'm gonna go talk to someone. I'll be right back," Gris said.

"Okay," Ali replied. Gris got up and started walking. About halfway across the street someone slammed into her.

"Watch it," she snapped.

"Watch yourself," Draco retorted. Gris glared at him.

"I'd take my own advice if I were you," she said, placing a hand on her leather clad hip.

"You don't scare me anymore," he said.

"Oh I don't? The last person who wasn't scared of me is missing a vital organ or two," she said. "And that was without magic." Draco gulped.

"I'll tell my father what you said," he snapped.

"And I'm absolutely terrified. Can't you see? I'm shaking in my shoes," she replied. "Dear ol' Daddy can't save you forever. Not from me."

"You wouldn't do anything around this many people and teachers," he said.

"I could kill you before anyone realized you weren't breathing," she hissed. "All the wizard gold in the world can't buy you total safety from me. When's the last time you heard a of a Death Eater winning against an Auror?" She stepped behind him and clapped her hands on his shoulder. She put her mouth to his ear.

"Sleep with one eye open, Malfoy. The Angel of Death knows no boundary," she whispered. She could feel him begin to shake under her hands. She him go and continued on her way. Draco stood there shaking as Gris walked away.

Hermione looked up and saw Gris sauntering over, cackling. She looked very dramatic in her leather pants and corset top.

"You look like the cat that at the canary," Hermione said.

"I just scared Malfoy shitless," she said. Hermione gave an amused smile. Gris took a great deal of pleasure in tormenting him. Hermione had slapped him during third year and that had been enough for her.

"Where are the boys?" Gris asked.

"In Zonko's," Hermione replied. Somehow, Gris wasn't surprised. Harry was beginning to take after his father in his later years. She made a mental note to visit Lily when she got back to the castle.

Back in the castle, Lupin and Dumbledore were having a conversation as they walked down the halls.

"I feel like I need to do this, Albus," Lupin said.

"You'll change a lot of lives, Remus. My only concern is what will happen five or ten years from now. I want you to be totally sure," Dumbledore said.

"I never thought I'd be in this position," Lupin said.

"It is a highly unusual situation. Have you told Severus of your intentions?" Dumbledore questioned.

"Not yet. I wanted to speak to you first, for your permission mostly," Lupin replied.

"You should speak with him. He won't be happy, but he has a right to know," Dumbledore said.

"I'll wait until after it's done," Lupin decided.

"That could be too late. He has to give you his blessing," Dumbledore said.

"Has to?" Lupin repeated. Dumbledore stopped and looked out the window at the students tromping up the hill to the castle.

"That is my stipulation," Dumbledore said. Lupin sighed.

"Okay," he said. "I'll meet him now."

"Very well," Dumbledore said. "Best of luck, Remus."

"Thank you," Lupin swept up his robes and walked down to the entrance.

Snape was herding his Slytherins back to their house Lupin caught up with him.

"A word in my office once you put your students up," he said.

"Very well," Snape replied. Lupin disappeared back to his office.

Back in Gryffindor, all the students were on sugar rushes. Gris had dragged out her Muggle stereo and CD's. She and Ali were up on a table dancing and singing along to "Cold Sweat" by the boyband Five. Some of the braver girls joined them, but most of the house just watched in amazement. Ali pulled her fellow seventh year, Marcus Starbourne up with her and they began dancing. Gris wrangled Harry and began dancing with him. At first, he was a little embarrassed but started to get into it as the song changed.

While they were having quite the party, on the second floor Snape and Lupin were having a far more serious discussion.

"I want to marry her, but I can't do it without your approval," Lupin said.

"You don't need to marry a seventeen year old," Snape said.

"You would have," Lupin said.

"I was also seventeen," he said. "You're not the last time I checked."

"You've been in love, you know what it feels like to let something like this pass you by. I don't want to let her go," Lupin said.

"My history has nothing to do with this," Snape said.

"It has everything to do with it. Your old girlfriend is living in her daughter's mind. You let Grissa slip through your fingers. I don't want Gris to slip through mine," Lupin said.

"I can't let you do this," Snape said. "It's condoning an inappropriate relationship and until she's eighteen, she's my responsibility. I'm telling you no."

"God, Severus, you haven't changed a bit since school," Lupin said.

"Think of it as payback," Snape sneered.

"I never did anything to you. It was Sirius and James," Lupin said. "If she doesn't marry me, she'll marry Harry. Then she'll be a Potter and her children will be half his. Do you want that?" Before Snape could answer, Lupin heard something.

"Do you hear music?" he asked.

"It's coming from upstairs," Snape said. They went out into the hall and listened.

"Gryffindor," Lupin said. He walked up to the tower, followed by Snape.

"Why are they playing music at this hour of the night?" he questioned as they got closer. It was almost deafening when they got the portrait.

"Pixies," Lupin said. The Fat Lady swing open and Snape and Lupin stepped into the common room.

Most of the older students were dancing and horsing around. Gris and Harry were on the table with Ali and Marcus. Harry had his hand on Gris's hip as they danced. Their bodies were dangerously close and they grinded in time with the music. Ali and Marcus were moving in similar fashion. Snape turned off the music and they all stopped and turned.

Snape had his arms crossed across his chest and Lupin's face was fixed in a stony glare.

"Grissa Skylark Granger and Alison Mikayla LeClerq, in my office now!" Lupin barked. They jumped. "Everyone else, get to bed now or I'll send Dumbledore in here!" They scattered like frightened bunnies. No one had ever heard Remus Lupin raise his voice in anger before. Gris and Ali hopped off the table and scurried out silently.

"Fifty, no, one hundred points from Gryffindor. What you two did was not only against the rules, but absolutely disgraceful," Lupin ranted as they sat in his office. "I might expect it from younger students, but you two are seventh years. You're supposed to be setting the example for the younger students. What in the name of all that is holy possessed you to do something like that? Speak up because I can't wait to hear this."

"No excuse, Professor," Gris said softly, not looking up from the floor.

"Ali?" he asked.

"I'm with Gris, Professor," she said.

"You have no idea why you started a raucous party in your house after quiet hours tonight?" he asked.

"No, Professor," Gris answered.

"Were you drunk? Were you under a spell? Please, tell me it wasn't just because you're irresponsible," he said.

"We were sober and perfectly sane. The spirit of the holiday just took over," Ali said meekly.

"Do you agree, Gris?"

"Yes, Professor," she said.

"Go back to your house. Get to bed," he said. They got up and left. Snape slunk in from outside.

"That is precisely why you shouldn't marry her. You just disciplined the girl that you want to become your wife," he said. Lupin was sitting at his desk with his head in his hands.

"I can't believe I just did that," he said.

"It was the appropriate action. You can't let them get out of control," Snape said.

"She hates me now," he said.

"No matter what that fantasy land in your head tell you, she will be your student first and foremost as long as she is here," Snape said. "How she feels about you is secondary."

"I don't live in a fantasy land," Lupin snapped.

"You believed a relationship between a thirty five year old teacher and a seventeen year old student had a chance in hell of working. I would not call that living in reality," Snape said.

"It was working," said Lupin.

"You just took one hundred points away from her house and did you hear what she called you? She called you 'Professor'. She knows her place. It's time you learned yours," Snape said. "You are her teacher and nothing more."

"No wonder the whole school hates you," Lupin said. Snape didn't reply. He turned on his heel and left the office.

Back in her room, Gris buried her head in her pillow and started sobbing. No one really knew how to comfort her. Only Hermione knew the whole story.

"I'm sure he didn't mean it," Hermione said.

"Of course he meant it. He took one hundred points," she sobbed.

"You know he'd never willingly upset you," Hermione tried to reason.

"Snape didn't put him up to it. He was outside the whole time," Gris said.

"I bet he regrets it. I bet he'll say he's sorry tomorrow," Hermione said.

"But how long will that last? All tonight proved was that he'll always be my teacher," she said. Gris wiped her eyes and balled her pillow up under her head.

"I don't know what else to tell you," Hermione said. She got up and left the room. Gris cried herself to sleep. She didn't even notice when the other girls came in to go to bed.