(Chapter 6/ Petals Mistake)

I walked down to my classroom in a hurry, this being right after Snape had left and hour ago and I remembered I had given detention to Ron, ugh…

I came to my class room door which appeared out of the wall like magic and made my way inside seeing it looked like a candy store before It tuned into a huge library with a desk in the center of it and a huge window behind it showing a view of the black lake.

I looked for Ron and giggled seeing he had been buried in candy which were now books as his head popped out of the pile of books to spit out one they got stuck in his mouth only to see me. Ron blushed.

I smiled before waving my wand to lift him out of the pile of books, setting him down on a chair in front of my desk softly before taking my seat in my surprisingly comfy chair but what was I expecting from the room of requirement? I put on my glasses that I had taken off before going to dinner to looked at the paper work I had to set straight so I knew what to teach my class tomorrow.

"Um, listen lady I- "It's ma'am or Mrs. Petal to you, Ron Wesley" I cut him off in a scolding manner and dame it was awesome but also hilarious to see the look on his face before I sighed in a teacher sort of way, setting my papers down to give him the McGonagall-look. I was so loving this; it was not every day that you get the chance to boss Ron around. I continued. "You do know what you did wrong to be here do you not?"

"But lad-ma'am, I did not do anything it was Malfoy's fault!" Ron yelled at me and I frowned in displeasure before I moved the things on my desk to suit me style trying to detract myself from yelling back.

"Oh! It was Malfoy's fault now was it? Then I guess you were not the boy I saw, picking a fight with Draco in the hallway before dinner tonight?" I said in mock innocence as I got up out of my desk chair towards a bookshelf where I saw a book I had loved to read so I grabbed it before hearing Ron grown out "but, you should see how he acts towards me and I think he did something to harry potter!"

"Ronald Wesley that's enough yelling in my classroom!" I exclaimed sternly shutting him up as I sat back down calmly before an idea struck me when I looked down at the book in my hand, grinning I held out the book to Ron who looked at before he grabbed it which confusion written all over his face. "It's called Pride and prejudice by Jane Austen. I think you could learn a thing or two from miss and Mr. Darcy"

I grinned knowingly at him before I told him to go back to his dorm but to also make sure to read the book before next week. He asked me about his detention and I smiled brightly at him. "oh, don't worry tomorrow I'm sure I can put you throw some labor during class!"

I let go a big breath of air I had been holding as Ron left the room and I sighed, closing my eyes as I leaned back in my chair before feeling something tickle my nose. I tried to brush thing away but it came back every time my hand was gone so I sighed in defeat opening my eyes to see a yellow rose floating in front of my face before I took it in surprise and delight but I never really liked roses. They were too cliché for me.

"a rose by any other name will still smell as sweet as thee on a summers day~" A voice whispered in my ear from behind me and gasping, I jumped out of my chair tuning around to see lupin. I had to hand it to him he was persistent. He was smiling down at me before I blushed remembering what he had said and looked down at the rose in my hand as lupin chuckled.

I felt his finger and thump grabbed my jaw softly turning it upwards towards his face making me having to meet his eyes that stared hauntingly at me. I smirked back with fire in my eyes as I stared back at him.

"but, dose thy use thy name or shall thy leave it for thee and use thy name no more?" I asked back grinning with a raised eyebrow and he chuckled as he brought his face closer to mine moving his body to slightly touch mine before he breathed out hastily in my ear. "I take thee at thy word: Call me but love, and I'll be new baptized; Henceforth I never will be lupin~"

I knew not of why he was speaking Shakespearean but god it made me feel overwhelmed and I did not know what to think before Lupin's breath touched the skin of my ear and I blushed shying away from his touch as I looked away from hi, struggling to get out of the hold he somehow had on my waist.

"no… I can't…'

"You can't what petal" lupin whispered annoyance in his tone but also concern as he pulled his head away from my neck to look at me in the eyes where I saw real concern which made my hart race so I could hear it pump the blood to my face and ears before I looked at my feet mumbling. "I can't do this… whit you, lupin… It's not right"

"why?" Lupin demanded pulling me closer to his body as I tried to keep my mind in check and looked at him in pain before saying. "It's forbidden for me to be with you…"

I ripped myself away from him as he tried again and looked out my classroom window sadly rapping my arms around my form to show I was no comfortable with what he did and heard him come near me but stop. I heard him apologize as he laid a hand on my shoulder which I flinched at hoping he would get what I was trying to show him and by the breath he sucked in and the way he let go so fast proved he had figured it out.

"you… I did not know… forgive me"

"lupin… I just need sometime alone, right now" I replied to lupin not turning around and heard his footsteps go towards the door to the classroom, but only when I heard the door open did I turn around to meet his gaze as he looked back at the same time did I smile at him before saying. "But, maybe tomorrow morning I'll meet you for breakfast?"

Lupin's face was priceless as he blushed bright red, but grinned nodding as he left closing the door, leaving. I sighed stressfully to myself mentally wondering what the hell was I doing this for but I Had to push that thought to the side as I had a class to plan for. But…

I looked back on today's events and figured out something. It had been too easy in becoming a teacher here and I knew Aldus was up to something but what?

'oh well, I guess I'll just have to wait and see. Don't I' I chuckled to myself before a I remembered Snape's almost confession in my room and Lupin's breath on my ear. I shivered felling sick. "Yep, this year's going to be interacting…" I mumbled sarcastically in disdain before thinking what everyone's reactions will be when I and Hermione tell everyone the truth but that was going to wait until my final year. I wonder, could I make it that long?

The next morning, I made it to class early wearing just a simple purple summer dress with doves on it that looked to be flying as I walked around my classroom to get everything in order before my first class started and I was nervous. Would they like me? Will they enjoy the lesson? I wondered if this is what teachers felt like on their first day.

I waited standing in front of my desk patiently for my class that arrived right on time. I had a half class with Slitheren's and Gryffindor's who sat apart from one another like a sore thump, if the glares and threats they shot one another in my presence was not another to say it I did not know what was. I mentally wondered if I could do this before I saw Hermione give me a thumps up secretly with no one noticing it. I smiled at thankful for her support.

"Aham!" I coughed getting everyone's attention for a split second before they were back to talking again and I sighed hopelessly. This was going to be harder than I thought but I straightened my posture and positioned my nails on the chalkboard behind me that I conjured up as the girls in the class looked at me in fear but before they could yell at me to not do it.

(Screeeeeeeeeeeech!)

I calmly walked till I was on the other side of the bored scratching my nails in to the chalkboard making the most horrible, death-defying sound anyone would ever hear.

"Now, unless anyone would like to hear that again I would like your attention please…" I stated calmly smiling down at the pained expressions of the students and held in a laugh when I they nodded their head in fear before I continued. "I'm sure you all have seen me before at dinner with Ron and Draco's bountiful performance" there were snickers heard around the classroom as Ron ducked his head blushing and Draco looked away also blushing.

"I am Mrs. Petal or professor petal, but I don't mind you all calling me Mrs. P instead." I grinned losing my teacher tone and confusing them. I was not going to be any normal teacher that much I was sure of. "I teach art or in other words the arts! Here I will show you how you express your self's in painting, drawing, music, dance anything you can create is art."

I saw Draco lift his hand up and I pointed to him. "yes, Draco?"

"what if some of us are too stupid for the arts?" Draco mockingly exclaimed smirking at Ron who glared at him before I nodded think about it and smiled sweetly down at him before answering him wisely. "Draco, you make a valid point, what if some are too stupid to do the arts? Well, I'm Happy to say that its impossible to fail art or even be bad at it in general" the class looked up at me in confusion as I smiled walking in front of the chalkboard where I waved my wand to make the Mona Lisa appear on it.

"who can tell me who drew this painting?" I asked knowing Hermione could not resist before I saw her hand shot up and point to her. "It is known as the Mona Lisa, Mrs. Petal and It was made by Leonardo Da Vinci, who was also known as an inventor and was the first man to fly!"

"thank you Hermione! Now tell my class do you think He is smart?" I asked seeing mostly all the student in my class node in yes even Hermione for my surprise before I grinned shacking my head in no shocking them. "No. well, at least not in his time. You see Leonardo was known to have crazy ideas so everyone assumed that he as nuts an idiot to be precise but he did that affect his work? No!"

"Draco, I want you to know. No, I want all of you to know that art does not come from here!" I exclaimed bitterly pointing to my head. "It comes from in here" I ended pointing to my chest smiling at the awed faces of my students before I tuned towards Draco whop looked to be hanging on my every word like the other students around him.

"Draco, art is the one thing that sole depends on your hart and motivation to express it, to show others who you truly are, that is what it is to be an artist and Leonardo Da Vinci had it!" I stated proudly smiling at Draco knowingly as he looked down but in his eyes I could see he was excited. I grinned thinking it's time to move on so I spin my wand to make their desks change into easels with canvases and paint supplies surprising them. He-he…

"Okay, so just like Leonardo Da Vinci I want you all to paint something anything with your own imagination and use anything from the table to inspire you!" I yelled out enjoying being a teacher before Ron looked up confused yelling out. "what table?"

"this one…" I said sarcastically stepping to the side to show the huge table I had made appear with different little knickknacks on it. "you all can get up and pick one thing from the table to use as inspiration before painting, now start!"

I watched them pick out their own thing and sit down at their panting stations before I started to walk around the room to see their progress. I first went up to Ron's station, seeing that he had grabbed the golden bucket I had put on the table. It was an odd choice but I nodded pleased at his creativity and he blushed grinning up at me before I moved on to Hermione next to him.

She had taken the magnify glass and broken it by hitting it on the floor in front of me before I gasped in shock of the sudden noisy, Hermione sent me a sheepish look. "Sorry Mrs. Petal" she then turned back to her work starting to sketch.

I just roll my eyes and go to some other students until I finally came to Draco's. The one I was looking forward to, but What he picked shocked me. He had taken a bird cage and put an hourglass in side it but left the door the cage halfway open. I laid a hand down on Draco's shoulder as I looked at his sketch which looked exactly the same but his back round was in well with the outside worlds light reflecting from above onto the cage an hourglass making Me hold my breath from the emotion it showed.

I felt Draco flinch from my touch before seeing it was me and calmed down a bit before nervously asking "what you think?" I smiled down at him knowingly before I hummed to my self-striding back towards my desk not answering him, but I had something in store for him.

I let the students continue their art projects during their free time until next tomorrows class which they seemed to be okay with before scurrying out of the room, but I felt someone staring at me and looked up from the work for my next class to see Draco in front of me not happy as he glared holding out his sketch to me which I took seeing it still looked the same but with more detail. I felt like there was just something missing to it though…

"I don't know what to do, Mrs. p I try to figure out new things to put in it but it just feels like the-!" there's something that's missing from it?" I cut him off smiling at his shocked expression before he huffed chuckling in disdain that reminded me of Snape in a way as he said. "is it that obvious?"

I sighed nodding at him as I handed him his sketch back wondering on how to help him before I got an idea and pushed myself up out of my chair in a hurry before motioning from Draco to follow me, to which he follows utterly confused. I just hopped that Hagrid would be willing to help us.

"Mrs. p, where are we going?" Draco demanded beside me as I walked towards the direction of Hagrid's hut but we still had to get across Hogwarts. Why did my class need to be on the other side of the school? I chuckled before replying happily "we are going to Hogwarts gamekeeper, Keeper of Keys and Grounds of Hogwarts, Rubeus Hagrid!" Draco frowned in disgust proving not promising things in the future for me.

"why do we need that old wart?" Draco whined annoyingly at me before I stopped turning to glare at him coldly shocking him as I spoke sternly. "You will show him respect as he shows you! Treat others the way you want to be treated Draco…"

I went back to walking and could hear Draco trying to catch up with me as he was stunned. I smiled as I saw his guilty face before we came across the defense against the dark arts class which I could hear really noisy student so me and Draco who were curious popped are heads in and saw Lupin giving the class the chance to fight… Snape in a dress?

"What in god's name did you do to get Snape in a dress!" I exclaimed loud enough that the whole class calmed down and stared at me and Draco before lupin cried out laughing to me happily. "Petal! It's not really Snape though I wish it was, but sadly this is only a Bogat that I'm letting them use to fight their fears" I grinned devilishly at him when hearing that.

"I suppose you wouldn't mind if I gave it a shot?" I asked hopefully grinning as Lupin surprisingly nodded happily lading me in front of the Bogat who looked intimidatingly at me before turning into something else that looked like the grim reaper. It felt cold and I flinched with fear as lupin glanced at me in confusion and then understanding that I was petrified by it stepped in. I could feel the room go dizzy before I felt gravity take control hearing lupin and Draco call out to me.

"Mrs. P!"

"Petal, hold on!" I heard lupin say over Draco's panicked one before all went black as lupin held me. I wondered why I was hearing a woman screaming before seeing a woman with red hair smile down at me brightly shining white light before blurring out so I was in the dark again as I reached out to grab her or make her come back. It was cold and dark I felt alone again before I heard a soft tempting voice bring me back to the living. "Petal… wake up… I'm sorry…"

I slowly opened my eyes to meet calm deep golden, soft, warm ones. Lupin smiled warmly with relief as I flicked his nose to get him to shut up and let me sleep before he out right hugged me making me stiffen. "Ahem! Lupin may I remind you that is highly inappropriate…"

I breathed out a sigh of relief as lupin let go to glare at Snape who was standing on the left side of the hospital bed I was on looking very jelly might I add. I mentally smirked from his scowl, he was sending lupin and Lupin's cold glare he was sending back before seeing a potion bottle in Snape's hands which held it tightly. It probably was obvious that I was staring or what I was thinking when Snape sighed giving it to me.

"It's to help calm your nerves…" Snape mumbled so only I could hear and I smiled lightly purposely accidentally touching his fingers as I took the bottle of blue liquid from his hands causing him to stiffen before retracting his hands into the folds of his elbows as he folded his arms across his chest staring at me skeptically but I just played innocent drinking the position and thanking him. "thank you"

Snape nodded before extended his hand to caressed my cheek with his knuckles making me flinch, Snape clinched his hand as I could see Snape's patience about to Snap so I looked away from both of them frowning sadly raping my arms around myself.

"I would like it Snape if did not touch me, please…" I said in a panicked voice causing Lupin to snap his cold gaze to Snape who looked away in guilt before he nodded covering his emotions, leaving the wing as lupin silently seethed in silence. I looked up at him with a stressed expression on my face speaking softly. "lupin, please don't…"

"what. Did. He. Do…" lupin asked out through clenched teeth as I sighed looking away remembering what happened last night before saying in a quiet voice. "what does it matter…"

"Petal, it does matter! If he touched, you then-!" I snapped a cold glare to him cutting him off. "then what, lupin? He was no better then you were!" I looked away once I was done my small outburst.

I felt the bed sink as I could feel Lupin's body leaned close to mine but not touching as he whispered in my ear "I could have done a number of things to you last night but I had restraint, did he?"

"…I" I could not come up with a response as he was right. Lupin growled in my ear lightly touching my arm before I moved away. "why will you not let me touch you?"

"Because… It's wrong and… I feel strange" I whispered nervously but prayed that he would leave me alone before someone walked in. I felt lupin sniff into my hair before going to my neck but stopped probably noticing me shivering and surprisingly stepped off the bed. "W-what?" I stared up at his sad face looking away from me.

"I'm not like him…" lupin whispered sadly getting me to feel guilty for thinking he was anything like Snape. Lupin had backed off when he found I was uncomfortable and had acted nothing but a gentle man to me while Snape did the exact opposite to him. I knew I had to apologize but how?

I looked at his eyes that were avoiding mine as I grabbed his sleeve which got his attention fast as his gaze snapped to mine, confusion against ashamed. "I'm sorry for assuming that you… I know that you'd never do that, lupin" I looked down sadly as his confusion turned to understanding.

"I've just not been used to men's touch or others touching me in general… forgive me" I apologized honestly as I looked up at him noticing his frown tuned in to a soft smile before he spoke lovingly taking a holed of my hand gently which I appropriately turned my gaze to uncomfortably. "I forgive you petal, but just know that I would rather die than hurt you…"

Lupins gaze was so strong I could not look away and felt like I was sinking into the gold in his eyes before I smiled back squeezing his hand in return. Lupin stayed with me in the hospital wing as the nurses told me I had to stay the night for incase I had fainted of something else and we talked about anything. He spoke about his childhood a bit and I was surprised to find he was friends with my father before I felt a bit sleepy.

I had let him sit on my bed in front of me as we both sat cross-legged. I noticed a piece of fluff in his hair and without thinking much I brushed it out of his hair which I had found to be soft, but as I started to feel his hair I realized what I was doing.

I blushed taking my hand away quickly, but Lupin swiftly grabbed my hand stopping me from taking it away and sifted closer to me on the bed. "It's okay…" He whispered bringing my hand to his face.

I noticed his sharp but yet still soft fetchers of his face as I let my hands grabbed it and trace his eyes and cheeks before going lower to his jaw when I noticed how close he was to me. I met Lupin's gaze that seemed hooded by the emotion I saw in Snape's eyes before. I felt hot for some reason.

lupin touched my face with his hand, it felt rough but I realized as he leaned in towards me I knew what he was about to do and blocked his lips with my hands, but his gaze turned from that emotion to playful before I felt him lick my hands, nibbling them a little.

"ugh!" I squawked letting go of his mouth to blush hard at his actions as he chuckled. I was to dizzy trying to whipped my hand on the bed that I did not get enough time to escape as lupin went in to kiss me on the cheek lightly. I went to slap him but he bounced off the bed for me to miss him and he laughed. I scowled at him still blushing. "lupin learn some manners why don't you!" I whined pouting as I looked away.

"Oh, come on petal It's just a peck and anyway…" Lupin said good naturally before whispering in my ear all of a sudden. "I know you liked it…" I blushed harder ready to yell at him again but he was already out of the room when I turned around. I sighed stressfully wondering What was I to doing to him?

"well, that was appetizing…"

"Hermione!" I gasped as she walked in looking at me like she had seen everything and it was very likely she had. I sheepishly smiled at her but she just gave me the tell-me-everything-look and I knew I was doomed…

A/n- ah oh! what is harry going to do? did Hermione hear everything? what will she say? stay tuned for the next chapter!