The world went cold. With numb fingers she gripped his coat tightly under her palms as she kept herself pressed firmly to his back. She felt the slow, sad beating of his heart from inside his chest. And with tears streaming down her pale face she whispered to the air smothered in farewell,

"Don't leave me. Please…Don't go" Her head spun around quickly, her stomach churning dangerously and the cold feeling slipping up her spine was uncomfortable and paining her. The tears kept spilling out from her gray eyes. If he left, if he took a step out that door, she could almost guarantee she would never see him again. And if that happened, her entire world, her entire being would collapse and shatter, waiting on the wind to blow it far away. She sobbed loudly, the pleading in her voice growing panicky. Her voice barely audible as it cracked said shakily, "Remus, don't go. Please. Don't leave me here!"

He let out a quivering sigh and pried her away from him, finger by finger. His stomach clenched and he bit his lip, tears gathering in his blue eyes. The lines on his drawn face seemed even more define. And like hers, his world was turning into a grey storm that felt as if it would never pass.

"Take care of yourself." Remus whispered through grit teeth, afraid to let her hear the break in his voice. With that, he took a large step forward to avoid her catching him. He swiftly reached for the doorknob and as if it was a million years later, he turned it and walked out the door, leaving Danica in the middle of the floor, alone and afraid. Danica could only watch, only see from behind unbreakable glass as he left. And just like that, her world crashed and burned.

********

Danica awoke with a start. She sat upright, the breath leaving her lips in sharp, quick gasps. The shirt on her back stuck to her with sweat and the tears rolled down her cheeks. Clutching the sheets to her tightly, she listened. The dark did not stir. Nor did any of her classmates. There wasn't a sound. Only the filling and emptying of her lungs made the slightest noise. No one heard her whimper. No one heard her cry. And with much luck, no one heard her whisper his name, pleading with him to not leave her alone. Not a soul heard Danica remember the most painful memory of her life.

The next morning, the great hall was filled with sleepy students ready to eat and start their day. Ron slumped some eggs and toast on his plate while Hermione's eyes scanned over an incredibly thick book. The twins spoke quietly amongst themselves, their gazes lingering towards the door every few seconds. Down the table, Seamus asked if anyone had seen Danica. Harry did. Harry saw Danica in his dreams. He saw her with tears slithering down her cheeks, leaving a trail of black mascara down her pale cheeks.

"Oi, where is sleeping beauty?" asked Ron, a mouthful of toast. Hermione shrugged, not taking her eyes off her book.

"I tried to wake her. She didn't even stir. I heard her tossing and turning. Nightmares, I suppose."

Harry didn't have pleasant dreams either. His "guardian" was crying in his dreams. The girl who he knew to be strong and courageous cried consistently, with a look in her eyes that made even him want to cry a tear or two.

"You alright, mate?" Ron raised an eyebrow at Harry who seemed to turn a little green.

"Fine. Didn't sleep much either." He mumbled, moving some potatoes around his plate with the silver fork.

Just then Danica arrived. The tips of her hair were sporting a lime green color. Dark circles could be seen under her gray eyes that drooped sleepily. Her feet dragged across the floor as she held the strap of her backpack on one shoulder.

"Good morning, sunshine," the twins said together. She gave them a weak smile and slumped down between them, tossing her back under the bench. Ron scooted the plate with some bacon to her but she waved her hand and shook her head.

"Not hungry," she whispered quietly and rested her head against Fred's shoulder. George tossed a jealous look to his twin who winked over Danica's head. "Just tired."

"Bad dreams?" Harry asked, the curiosity in him burning. Danica looked up at him, a little surprised. The tired look, for only a second, retreated from her eyes and they displayed disbelief. But that soon disappeared and was replaced once again by the fatigue. She nodded her head.

The great hall gave her a headache. The clanking of silverware against plates, the gulping of pumpkin juice, the loud morning chatter filled her ears and put pressure in her forehead. She made a face and buried her head deeper in Fred's shoulder.

The table went on with its routine. They talked and giggled, bickered and ate. Hermione looked at Ron in disgust at how much food he was shoving in his mouth at one time. The slytherins kept peeping over their shoulders to get a glimpse of Harry. Fred and Danica spoke softly amongst themselves, the grin never leaving his face. Typical morning.

But not for Harry. He watched. He watched Danica. He saw her eyes drift up to meet Fred's every few seconds, a smile playing on her lips as their gazes met. From what he could see of Fred's leg, he knew that his and Danica's hand were intertwined, resting on his thigh. His gut clenched. Harry witnessed her eyes dart up every few moments, her other fingers tapping to their own rhythm on the table like she did when she was flushed with nervousness. His eyes drifted to the ends of her hair which were the color of fresh limes. The lip ring on the left side of her mouth pushed outwards as she bit her lip, giving her the pouting look everyone adored. The dark circles under her eyes looked full and scarring, as if they would never fade. But the happiness in her gray eyes as Fred kissed her cheek and left made his heart warm and drop into his stomach. Jealousy. He was overcome by it.

The fluttering of wings filled the great hall. All grew silent so the flapping of feathers could be heard. Smiles appeared on people's happy faces. Others had frowns tugging at the corner of their mouths. The screeching of owls filled their ears and the talking started up again as the swish and clunk of letters and packages echoed off the walls. Harry looked up, hope in his heart. Owls were swarming the morning lit ceiling. But his owl, Hedwig, was nowhere in sight.

He looked back down on his plate, not a single morsel of food touched, and sighed. Today was just not his day. George yelped slightly as a letter with something obviously in it hit him in the head. Danica giggled and Ron pointed his fork at George and laughed. Harry gave a small smile. But it vanished as Harry saw the slanted handwriting on the front.

"That's for me," said Harry. He stood and held his hand out for it. George looked at it and shrugged, handing it over. Danica's eyes never left the white envelope. Harry tore it open, the hope he once had burning again as he recognized the messy handwriting. Sirius finally sent him a letter. For awhile, Harry began to think he forgot. He loved his godfather. More than any other person in the world. Well, besides Ron and Hermione. But Sirius Black, the wanted man, was the closest person to family he has.

Scanning the letter, the smile on his lips quickly vanished. The sick and queasy feeling in his stomach returned. He shook his head, unable to believe what his brain just registered as a letter from Sirius.

"Harry, what is it? What's wrong?" Hermione asked, the worry in her voice clearly heard. Danica rose to her feet, reaching for the letter. He handed it over.

Everything happened in a flash of motion. Danica bolted from the bench, pushing off with her arms, slinging the pack over her shoulders. Shaking the hair out of her eyes, she took off running down the aisle, making her way towards the door. Determination and something he had never seen before settled into her eyes. Fear. George called after her but she did not turn. She did not even seem to hear him. All that mattered was the crumbled letter in her hand. And if anyone looked hard enough, they could see scribbled red letters carved into her skin. The color on the back of her hand looked raw and hurt, almost as if she ran a knife over it. For unlike Harry, Danica wrote her line 10 times in Umbridge's detention. She wasn't told to write it that many times.

"What happened? What is it? Harry, will you speak to us!" Hermione whispered in a fierce voice. He looked at her and as if his lips were numb, he said with a voice drained of any emotion,

"The Ministry of Magic has issued a warrant for Professor Lupin's arrest,"

Hermione burst into the girl's dormitory. Danica leaned over her suitcase, shoving clothes and shoes inside it. The vicious look in her eyes returned as she grabbed her wand and shoved it in the pocket of her jeans. Her robes were gone.

"You can't leave the castle! You'll get expelled!" Hermione's mouth gaped open as Danica shut her case and dropped it onto the floor.

"I don't even belong here, Granger. What does it matter?" Danica said in a low voice, zipping up the front of her zebra striped hoodie, her eyes staring out the window.

"You're here to protect, Harry. You can't just run off like this." Hermione took a few steps forward, grabbing Danica's wrist. Spinning her around, Hermione almost flinched as she watched the angry expression seep into her face.

"I can. Remus needs me."

"Harry needs you, too" Hermione yanked Danica's wrist back as she tried to pull away.

"Oh, really? Half the time he won't even speak me to me. He'll be happy once I go. Besides, Remus needs me."

"He's a grown man. He can take of himself," Hermione said, irritation building up in her voice.

"I have always taken care of Remus!" Danica shouted, successfully pulling herself out of Hermione's grip. She grabbed the handle of her trunk and started towards the door, her black hair whipping around her face angrily.

Hermione blurted out. And the second she said it, she wished she didn't. Her lips felt on fire as if the words just burnt their way through her throat.

"What are you to Remus? I heard you…I heard you last night, calling out his name."

Danica stopped dead in her tracks. Her knuckles turned ghastly white as the grip on her handle tightened. Why? Why did she have to hear? So much for luck. She turned, her gray eyes piercing through Hermione. Taking a step, her bottom lip quivered. And for once, for the first time, Hermione saw Danica falter. The tough look was wiped clean off her face and replaced by a look of hopelessness. Her eyes looked pleading, as if begging Hermione to wake her up from this nightmare.

"Hermione…Lupin raised me."