Twelve.

A/N: I know I've only just put chapter 11 up, but I started this off with no clue how to carry it on about an hour ago and here we are! This one just seemed to write itself!

The rest of my day gradually got slightly better. I tried my best to clear my thoughts like Nat had told me to, and it seemed to have a really good effect on my schoolwork. I kept myself busy by scribbling down as many notes as I possibly could during my lessons, even in History of Magic which was incredibly out of character. Nat and Kate kept shooting me funny looks, making me laugh. Kate knew about the chat Nat and I had this morning and we had all agreed not to talk about the matter any further for the day. Luckily for me, we didn't have DADA at all that day. Despite my improved focus, I still think that I wouldn't have been able to take sitting in one of Lupin's lessons after what a fuss I'd caused earlier. I realised how silly I was being over all of this, and that it was something that we could easily sort out together. I'd been told that his office was right near to the library and this seemed to come in handy, as I was planning to head down to get some books out for my Charms essay. I could take a small detour either on the way there or when I was going back to the common room afterwards.

I hadn't told Kate or Nat that I was planning to do this, as I figured that it'd be best just to see how it went, first. He might not even be in his office when I pass there for a start anyway. I still felt bad for acting like a complete bitch when he'd attempted to talk to me earlier on, but I knew that I had a justified reason for it. How could he have just expected me to want to talk when not even a day had passed since we'd kissed for the first time? I'd needed space to think and now that I'd had it, some of the confusion had melted away and everything made the tiniest bit more sense than it had before.

As soon as dinner was over, I hastily excused myself. I'd got as far as telling my two best mates that I needed to go to the library and neither of them were surprised in the slightest. I still had that slight studious, Ravenclaw quality in me that seemed to run in the family, despite being a Muggleborn, where I felt the need to at least start off any revision or essays I got the night they were set. I wandered the corridors with that same spring in my step that I got whenever I went to start studying. There was something that I loved about a sheet of fresh, clean parchment and my book and quill in front of me.

I had got so wrapped up in my thoughts about what I was going to write in my essay that I didn't notice I had almost reached the library until I heard a familiar voice softly calling out my name. Sure, I'd only known him for three weeks, but just the sound of my name on his lips set my pulse racing. I turned around to find Lupin's head poking out of one of the doors on my left with a tired grin plastered to his face. 'Hello,' I couldn't help smiling widely back at him. 'Can we talk?' He asked quietly, still grinning. 'Of course,' I quickly walked back down the corridor until I got to his office door. I noticed that he looked just as tired as he had right at the beginning of term, but I didn't want to comment on it. He was stood extremely close to me again, enough for me to realise exactly how tall he was. His sandy hair fell into his eyes and we exchanged a shy look. After quickly looking around outside, he grabbed my hand and pulled me inside. He laced his fingers through mine as he closed the door behind us. His hands were big and warm and they seemed to fit mine just perfectly. He'd taken my other hand now too and was looking intently at me. 'Wh-What were we gonna talk about again?' I stuttered, meeting his gaze. He chuckled, moving in even closer to me. 'What happened between us yesterday,' he said lightly. 'Oh right, yeah..' What was going on with me? I seemed to have lost every single ounce of my brainpower once he was around.

'Look, I don't know about you, but I.. I have feelings for you, Aurelia. Strong ones at that.' Lupin confessed, a trace of a smile tugging at his lips. I felt my heart hammering in my chest as soon as those words left his mouth and I took a deep breath, squeezing his hands. 'I, um.. I feel exactly the same way,' I whispered. We both looked at each other in shock and disbelief. 'But what're we gonna do about it?' I asked. He paused for a second, thinking. 'I know it's a massive risk, but how about we try seeing one another and seeing how that goes?' He replied. I smiled properly at him. 'Yeah, that sounds good to me.'

Lupin lowered his head and kissed me. It was exactly the kind of kiss that made my whole body break out in goosebumps and I smiled into it. His took his hands away from mine, carefully running them all over me. I shuddered, sliding my own into his hair. I felt a little buzz run through me every time he ran his fingers over the skin that my clothes weren't covering. Merlin, this was perfect. We started to kiss more furiously and I parted my lips, allowing him to bite and suck at them as much as he pleased. I shuddered yet again as he bit down particularly hard on my bottom lip, flicking my tongue out over his top one. He then opened his mouth fully and met my tongue with his. We kissed like that for a little while, until I felt the need for air burning in my lungs.

I reluctantly pulled away, both of us breathing heavily. 'Bloody hell!' I exclaimed breathlessly, grinning as I nuzzled his nose. 'You, sir, are a fantastic kisser.'