A/N: Well, let's just update the posting schedule, shall we? Expect updates every other Sunday. That should definitely work out for me. I'm sorry that I've had so many problems trying to get into the groove of my life this school year!

Thanks for your patience, and thanks for reading and reviewing! I'll update on or by 12 November. Enjoy this chapter!

I don't own Harry Potter.

Something

"Hi."

Laura smiled tolerantly as Pierre came up beside her in the crowded corridor. He took her hand, lacing his fingers through hers. She smiled again, but did not cling to his hand as he clung to hers. He frowned.

"Is something wrong?"

"Why do you always have to hold my hand?" she asked.

"What are you talking about?" he asked blankly. "Why wouldn't I want to hold your hand? You're my girlfriend, aren't you?"

"Yes, but … I don't know, Pierre. It just seems like we could walk down the hall together without holding hands every once in awhile."

His frown deepened. "Laura, what are you on about?"

She sighed in frustration. "I don't know, Pierre. It's just …"

"Just what?"

"Do you feel like holding my hand proves something?"

"Do you want to prove something by not holding my hand?" he countered.

"Pierre," she sighed.

"Laura, this is serious," he frowned. "We need to talk about this."

"Not now. I have to get to class," Laura said, indicating the open door to her Charms classroom. She had never been so pleased to go to class before in her life. "We'll talk later, all right?"

"Sure," he said, leaning down to kiss her.

She turned her face at the last minute, forcing his lips to connect with her cheek. He looked at her in confusion, then walked down the hallway alone.

Laura knew that he made a sad figure, but she couldn't muster up the energy to feel sorry for him. She truly was just glad to be on her own as she took her usual seat in the middle of the room.

"What's going on with you and Pierre?"

Laura looked up to see her friend Chloé sitting down next to her. "What are you talking about?"

"Laura, I saw what just happened there," Chloé said. "Pierre tried to kiss you and you turned away. Why?"

Laura sighed. "I don't know."

"Well, that makes sense."

Laura made a face at her. "Just because you and Henri are perfect doesn't mean you get to meddle with my love life."

"We're far from perfect," Chloé said. "But, we work through things –"

"Chloé, can we not do this now?"

"You need to –"

Whatever advice Chloé was about to give was cut off by their teacher, who stepped to the front of the room and instructed them to take out their wands. Laura had never been happier to comply.

Remus took a deep breath and pulled back the curtains. He looked out the window at the bustling settlement, watching as his new neighbors walked past his house without stopping or even turning their heads to look into his windows. He sighed. He knew that he should have grown accustomed to the feeling of being ignored. Nothing had changed during the two weeks he had been living among his fellow werewolves.

He wanted them to trust him. He needed them to trust him. If they wouldn't even talk to him, how would he ever convince them that Voldemort's vision for the future was not all that they hoped it would be? He knew what he needed from them. He just didn't know how to get it. They wouldn't even talk to him long enough to get more than his name. They all knew what he had done with his life. They believed that he had turned his back on them by living among the "normal" population. How could he convince them that he had changed – when, in reality, he had not?

"Maybe it is time to change," he sighed. "Maybe I do need to become one of them. Maybe I should stop thinking of the next time I can leave the colony, and start trying to think of this as home."

He shuddered at the very idea. How could he remain here, living so close to the man who had destroyed his life before it had had a chance to start?

"He didn't destroy you," he muttered to himself, thinking of words his father and Dumbledore had said before. "He tried, but he failed. Think of all you've done in your life, despite what he did to you."

He moved away from the window and sat down at the table. He waved his wand to summon all the notes he had spent months compiling about the colony, hoping they would give him some insight into how to better interact with the werewolves.

After spending an hour flipping through pages and taking further notes, Remus put down his quill. He ran his hands over his face.

"I can't do this," he sighed. "There is no way I'm going to be able to get through to them. I need …"

He trailed off, knowing that he had no idea what he needed. He closed his eyes, willing inspiration to strike him.

The only thing that came to mind was Tonks's face.

His eyes flew open. He could feel his cheeks flushing red, even though no one was there to know what he was thinking.

"I need to stop thinking about her," he muttered.

But, he couldn't. Ever since the day he had arrived, she had been in his thoughts. He was sure it was due to their last meeting. The feeling of her arms around his neck, her tears falling on his cheeks, her lips against his … it was too hard to put it from his mind. But the one image that truly haunted him was of the look in her eyes when he had ended their kiss. He knew that he had broken her heart yet again. He would give anything to be able to put it back together for her.

Or would he? He had ended their friendship to save her from heartbreak, yet clearly it had not worked. He had done what he had thought was right, but it had clearly been wrong. Was there another way, a way that would mend her fractured heart?

"Can I …?" He got up and started pacing around the room. Maybe, maybe, maybe …

He shook his head violently. "I just need to get back to work."

"Okay, Laura" Carine said as she walked into the dormitory where Laura and Adèle were getting ready for bed, "tell me what's going on with you and Pierre."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Laura said, her reddening cheeks belying her words.

"Yes, you do," Carine challenged. "Tell me."

Adèle looked from one to the other in complete confusion. "What are you two talking about? Laura, is something wrong between you and Pierre?"

Laura sighed. "How did you find out?" she asked Carine.

"I've heard that you were rude to him before Charms," she said. "Tell me what's going on, Laura."

"You talked to Chloé, didn't you?"

"And what if I did?" Carine asked defiantly. "At least one of our friends is trying to make sure we all know what's going on."

"Why am I completely out of the loop on this one?" Adèle asked, sitting down next to Carine. "Laura, you haven't said anything to me!"

"Well, I'll fill you in," Carine said. "Apparently, Pierre walked Laura to Charms today, but she was quite rude to him – she turned away when he tried to kiss her."

"Laura, did you really?" Adèle asked in shock.

"Yes!" Laura yelled. "Yes, I did! Pierre tried to kiss me, but I wouldn't let him do that in the middle of the corridor! Does that make me a terrible person?"

"No," Carine said. "It just makes you a secretive friend. But, make up for it now. Tell us why you wouldn't kiss him."

"I don't know," Laura sighed. "It's just that lately –"

"Lately?" Carine repeated. "Is this something that's been going on for awhile?"

Laura nodded silently.

"Why didn't you tell us, Laura?" Adèle asked softly.

"I haven't said anything to anyone because I'm not sure how I feel," Laura said, sitting down on her own bed. "I just … I think I'm bored with Pierre."

"Bored with him?" Adèle repeated in surprise. "But, Laura, you and Pierre are perfect for one another!"

"I thought so, too," she said. "But … I don't know. I feel like all we do is snog. I really just want us to talk. I want us to have more than a physical relationship."

Carine nodded sagely. "That makes sense. Girls are ready for that before guys."

"Who are you, the advice columnist?" Adèle asked, looking at her incredulously.

"I'm just an observer," Carine replied. "And, here's what I've observed. Laura has been dating Pierre for a while, right? Well, Chloé has been dating Henri for just as long. But, they have a very different relationship. Laura and Pierre are always holding hands in the corridors. When they sit down, Pierre always put his arm around her. Chloé and Henri aren't like that. You wouldn't know they're dating just to look at them."

"That's how I want Pierre and I to be," Laura said desperately. "Maybe I should talk to Chloé. Maybe she'd have some advice for me."

"I think it has a lot to do with the fact that Henri is a seventh year," Carine said. "And, more than that, he's Head Boy. He has a lot of confidence, and he doesn't feel like he needs to prove anything by holding her hand all the time."

"Yes!" Laura exclaimed. "That's exactly what I said to Pierre today! I asked him what he wanted to prove by holding my hand!"

"What did he say?" Adèle asked cautiously.

Laura sighed. "He asked what I wanted to prove by not holding his hand."

Carine shook her head. "It may be time to cut him loose."

"What?" Laura cried, her face stricken. "I can't break up with him! I love him! Do you realize what I've gone through with my mother for him?" She paused and shook her head. "No way. I can't break up with him now."

Carine grinned. "All right, if that's how you feel. But, you should know that Véronique is counting the days until you do break up with him. She's had her eye on him ever since your first day as his girlfriend."

Laura laughed. "Well, that's just one more reason to stay with him, isn't it?"

The dormitory door opened and Véronique, their fourth roommate, walked in. She looked at her three roommates with thinly veiled contempt.

"Still awake?"

"Is that all right with you, Mummy?" Carine asked rudely. "I didn't realize we had a bedtime."

Véronique scowled at her. "If I were your mother, there are quite a few things you'd do differently."

"Well, it's a good thing you're not, then," Carine said, falling back on the bed and stretching out.

Adèle shook her head, looking from Carine to Laura. "Are we done here?"

"For now," Carine said. She jumped off the bed and picked up her towel. "I think I'll go wash my face. Have to get ready for bed, you know."

Véronique gave her an evil look, then pulled the curtains closed around her bed. Laura and Adèle looked at one another, both biting their lips to keep from laughing.

Remus returned to the flat he shared with Olivia during the days leading up to and immediately following the full moon. He planned to barricade himself in Grimmauld Place for the actual event, not wanting to unintentionally harm her. He knew that the full moon was one of the few times he could be away without raising suspicions; everyone would assume that he, like so many of them, preferred to be alone to transform.

Olivia's face lit up with a smile when he Apparated into their flat. She jumped up from her position reclining on the couch, and threw her arms around him.

"I am so glad to have you back," she said, hugging him tightly. "Tell me you'll be able to stay for awhile."

"Only for a week at best," he said. "I can't be gone longer than that without appearing to have abandoned my new home."

She made a face. "Well, I'll have to take what I can get." She took his hand and led him to the couch. "How are things going for you? You have to tell me all about it."

He sighed. "It's miserable, Liv. Utterly miserable."

She nodded sympathetically. "I can't imagine it would be the nicest place to live."

"It's not just that," he said. "It's more the fact that I can't even get them to talk to me." He laughed hollowly. "I'm supposed to be there to convince them to join our side. How can I do that if I can't even make them trust me enough to say hello?"

Olivia exhaled and ran her hands through her hair, pulling it back from her face. "Is it really so bad as that?"

"Worse," he sighed. "I feel like I'm beating my head against a brick wall. I might as well be, for as much as I'm accomplishing." He sighed. "I'm a failure."

"No, you're not," she said firmly. "So you can't convince them to join us. So be it. Just move on. Find a new focus."

"What new focus can I find in this?"

She rolled her eyes. "Perhaps spying, Sherlock? You could report back any action they're taking against the larger society."

"I could have done that without moving in."

"Not as well. You have a far more intimate knowledge of the colony now, don't you?"

"I suppose," he grudgingly acknowledged.

"There you go, then," she smiled. "See, it's not as dire as you make it sound."

He smiled and touched her cheek. "Thank you."

She turned her face to kiss his palm. "Aren't you going to ask about my mission?"

He laughed. "God forbid we don't focus on you."

"Exactly," she grinned. "Things are going swimmingly at Hogwarts. But, let me tell you, it's not easy tracking teenagers."

"Really?" he asked sarcastically, rolling his eyes. "Try doing it for a year."

"I believe that's what I'm doing," she said. "It's hard enough to keep track of them in the castle – I'm terrified of the first Hogsmeade visit."

"Is it coming up?"

She nodded. "It's been the main focus of our meetings recently. Tonks really wants to make sure we're prepared for it."

Remus swallowed. "How is she?" he asked thickly.

Olivia's eyes softened. "About the same."

Remus looked down, then up again. "Liv, I – "

His words were cut off by a sharp crack. They both looked up to see Dana standing in the middle of their living room.

"Remus!" she exclaimed. "I didn't expect to see you here!"

"Hi, Dana," he grinned, standing up to hug her. "I was hoping we could invite you over for dinner. I didn't think I'd get to see you so soon."

"I didn't know you'd be home today," she said. "I just wanted to talk to Olivia."

"What's up, Dana?" Olivia asked.

"Nothing, really," she said dismissively. "I just thought a chat would be nice."

Olivia nodded. "Well, have a seat. Remus was just about to make some huge proclamation."

"Really?" Dana said, choosing her favorite over-stuffed chair. "What's that, Remus?"

He sighed. "Well, I might as well tell you both at once. I've been thinking a lot – since no one is willing to talk to me, I've had a lot of time alone with my thoughts."

Olivia rolled her eyes. "We both feel an appropriate, if not over the top, amount of pity for you, Remus. Get to the point."

He smiled. "I just … I miss Tonks."

"Of course you do," Dana said. "You care about her very much. Not being her friend isn't going to change that."

"And, I might add, not being her friend is just stupid," Olivia said. "All you're doing is hurting both of you. Believe me, she'd be doing a lot better if she knew that she could write to you without it being misinterpreted."

"Yeah, that's sort of the point I'm at," Remus said. "I'm thinking of asking her to consider trying friendship again. Just friendship," he clarified. "I still think that anything more would be a mistake."

"We wouldn't want that," Olivia said, rolling her eyes again. "Heaven forbid you actually act on your feelings."

"Liv, please," Remus said. "This is pretty big for me."

"I think it's a great idea, Remus," Dana said supportively. "Men and women can certainly be friends without dating. The three of us are proof of that. Liv and I are both your friends, and we've never wanted to date you. "

"Actually, the idea is a bit stomach-turning," Olivia said.

"Thanks, girls," Remus said dryly. "You really know how to make me feel good about myself."

"Oh, Remus, dating you would be incestuous!" Olivia laughed. "I couldn't date you any more than I could date John."

"She's right on that one," Dana smiled.

Remus shook his head. "I'm actually looking for some advice here."

"You want advice? Fine. Go for it," Olivia said at once.

Remus looked at her closely. "You know her, Liv," he said. "You work with her every day. Do you honestly think it would be better for her if we were friends?" He swallowed. "Don't you think it would hurt her to have that and know that we can't be anything more?"

She touched his hand. "Remus, at this point, I don't think anything could make her hurt more than she already does."

Pain filled his eyes. "I was afraid of that."

"Go talk to her, Remus. I know it will help."

"Can we talk now?"

Laura looked up from her breakfast to see Pierre standing next to her. She sighed. She had to admit that she had been putting him off for quite awhile. She had the ready excuses of class, homework and study sessions, but she had known all along that she couldn't delay this conversation forever. Now that he had cornered her on a Saturday morning, she knew that she had no choice.

"Yes, of course," she said. "Shall we go somewhere more private?"

"Yes," he agreed.

She stood up. "I'll see you girls later, all right?"

Carine and Adèle nodded. As Laura and Pierre walked away, they immediately put their heads together to discuss the situation.

Pierre led her to an empty classroom. He opened the door, ushering her in ahead of him.

"Right," he said, closing the door behind him. "Can you please tell me what has happened between us? Things have been so awkward recently, and I know I haven't changed, so …"

"You're right, Pierre," she said, sitting down on the teacher's desk. "You haven't changed."

He frowned in confusion, taking a seat at the student desk that sat squarely across from the teacher's desk. "Then, why are we in such a mess?"

"Because I've changed," she said simply.

"What do you mean? You're still the same person you always were."

"No, I'm not," she sighed. "Pierre, I can't expect you to understand what I'm trying to say. I don't even understand it myself. I just know that things aren't … I'm not happy with things going as they always have between us."

"Are you saying you want to break up?" he asked with obvious effort.

"No!" she exclaimed. "I still want to be with you. I just want us to do things a bit differently, that's all."

"What do you mean?"

"I guess … Pierre, I love you. You know that."

He nodded. "And I love you."

"Exactly! So, if we know that we love one another, why do we need to put on a show for the rest of the school?"

"This is back to that whole hand-holding thing, isn't it?"

"Yes, I suppose. I just … Pierre, I want us to talk. That's the most important part of our relationship, right?"

He smiled. "More important than snogging?"

"That's what I'm getting at."

His smile faded. "Are you saying you don't want to snog me anymore? Because, to be honest, Laura, I think that is an important part of our relationship."

"I'm not saying I never want to snog you again," she said. "I'm just saying that we need to talk at least as much as we snog."

"I can do that," he said.

"Good," she said. She hopped down from the desk. "I want us to work, Pierre," she said, stepping closer to where he sat. She put her hands down on the top of his desk. "I really do love you."

"I love you, too," he said, watching as though mesmerized as she leaned closer to him.

"Good," she whispered. She leaned down to seal her words with a kiss.

Tonks ate another spoonful of ice cream and flipped the page of her Muggle magazine. Kingsley had gotten her addicted to the Muggle celebrity magazines. She would have hated him for it if she didn't love reading them so much. The royals had become her favorite source of celebrity gossip, and she was quite engrossed in a story speculating that the prince of Spain was gay. She personally wasn't convinced, but the article presented some interesting evidence.

A knock sounded on her door, taking her by surprise. She jumped in her chair, sending her ice cream spoon flying and her magazine skidding across the table.

"Bugger," she sighed. Without stopping to right the damage, she made her way across to the door, pulling her wand out of her pocket as she walked. "Who's there?"

"Remus Lupin."

"Remus?" Tonks asked incredulously as she opened her door. "Aren't you …?" The realization of where he had been and that he was still alive and whole hit her, and she threw her arms around his neck. "Oh, thank God, you're all right!"

He hugged her tightly. "I'm fine," he whispered against her hair. "Just like I promised."

"Oh, God, I'm so glad," she said, pulling him inside. "I've been so worried about you."

"I know," he said. "I've been worried about you, too."

"Me?" she asked. "I don't think that I'm in nearly as much danger as you."

He smiled. "It's tough to stop worrying once you start."

"True, I suppose." She sat down, indicating that he should as well. "Can I get you a drink?"

"No, I'm fine."

"All right, then."

"Listen, Tonks," he said, sitting down next to her on the couch, "I'd like to talk to you."

"Sure."

He sighed. "I think I've made a terrible mistake."

Her eyes widened in surprise. "What happened? What did you do?"

He drew a deep breath. "I asked you to end our friendship."

Her eyes grew even wider.

"Tonks, when I told you that we couldn't be friends anymore, I thought it was for the best. I knew – and I still know – that we can't be more than friends. But, I also know that we're both attracted to one another. So, I thought that by distancing ourselves, we'd be able to save ourselves a lot of heartache.

"It turns out that I was wrong."

"Damn right you were," she said with a shaky laugh. "Remus, do you have any idea how miserable I've been since that day?"

"Yeah, I do," he said. "I've been just as miserable."

"So, what are you saying, then?"

"I'm saying that I'd like us to be friends again – if you're willing to give us another chance."

A beaming smile broke out across her face for the first time since the day Remus had ended their friendship. "I'd really like that."

"We have to be on the same page, though," he said earnestly. "I want your friendship, but that's all the further this can go. We can't – I don't think it's a good idea for us to be romantically involved."

She nodded. "You've made that abundantly clear," she said wearily.

"And …"

"And what?"

"I won't really be able to be in touch with you while I'm with the werewolves," he said. "I can't communicate with the outside world if I'm going to convince them that I've truly moved in with them."

She nodded. "I understand."

"But you'd like to be friends again? Even with all these restrictions?"

She gave him another beaming smile. "More than anything."

"Good," Remus said. "Me, too."

And, as he watched her eyes sparkle with happiness for the first time in months, he was sure he could see her broken heart begin to mend.