Sorry I haven't updated in a while… but here is the next chapter!

A SAVING PEOPLE THING.

I waited up for Lupin. He didn't come back until around one in the morning, looking quite deranged. His eyes were cold and hard, not like the usual soft, kind eyes I always saw. His body was tense and his face was pale and set. I stood up, walking over to him. I wrapped my arms around his waist and he pressed his lips to my forehead gently, as if I was breakable.

"You should be sleeping," he whispered.

I buried my face in his chest. "I was waiting for you to come back."

"You've got classes tomorrow."

"I didn't want to sleep alone."

Lupin smiled weakly. "I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I really am. I didn't mean to – I yelled at you – I didn't mean to touch you like that… To hurt you…"

"You didn't hurt me," I said honestly, taking him by the hands and pulling him to the bedroom. "I was just shocked that there was a side like that to the quiet, shy, kind Remus Lupin." I grinned.

"You should be getting to bed, c'mon," he said sternly. "You can't oversleep for your first day of lessons."

But I couldn't sleep because I was wide awake. As Lupin folded back the blankets on the left side of the bed, I walked over to my trunk, opening it and beginning to unpack all my clothes, putting them into a dresser. Lupin took his shirt off and got into bed, looking at me. "I'll be there in a minute," I muttered.

As I put away my last shirt, Lupin groaned again and I didn't realize how much time I had passed unpacking. "C'mon, Darcy. Bed."

"In a minute," I stalled, sitting on the floor with my legs tucked underneath me. I slowly closed my trunk and locked it, fiddling with the handle.

"You've been saying that for an hour," Lupin replied. His eyes were shut, the blankets pulled up to his chin. He sighed. "Come on, I'm cold." I smiled. He sounded like a teenager when he complained, but it never failed to make me smile. I heard him pat the bed and I stood up, stripping down and then changing into pajamas.

I climbed in bed beside him and he wrapped his arm around me, kissing my bare shoulder blade. I felt my face get hot. I pulled the blanket up to my neck and giggled.

"I really am sorry about earlier," he whispered. His hot breath against my neck gave me chills and I closed my eyes. "I really didn't mean to hurt you in any way possible. You know that's the last thing I ever want to do."

"I know," I replied. "You're lucky Snape showed up. You know what happens when I get angry." I smiled weakly. I rolled over to see a frown on his face.

"He thinks you're mental."

"Why would he think that?" I asked.

"Because you're with me. A thirty six year old werewolf."

"Hey," I chuckled. "You never know. Snape's girlfriend could be a thirty six year old werewolf." When he didn't even smile, I kissed him. "Does it bother you what people think about us?"

"Not really," he answered. "Does it bother you at all?"

"Why are you so insecure about this?" I frowned. "I mean, there's nothing wrong with us. There are plenty of couples with big age differences, but what does that matter? Love is love, isn't it?"

"Well, yes, but I just feel like I'm – I'm robbing you of your life. Your youth. It's not fair to you to have stealing you away from all the younger, more attractive men in the world."

I laughed. "You think there is someone out there better than you? You think there's someone more attractive than you?" He shrugged and I shook my head and touched his cheek. "Well, you're the only one I want."

Lupin smiled big at me. "I'm happy."

"That's good." I rolled over again and shut my eyes. He kissed my shoulder again. "Now, we need to sleep. I've got class tomorrow."

"Excited?"

"Very. But I'm going to be very tired in the morning if you won't let me sleep."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

When I woke up, the sun was beating down on my face, nearly blinding me. Lupin's arm was securely wrapped around my waist. I sat up and jumped out of bed, pushing Lupin over. He groaned and I hopped in the shower, got dressed, and looked in the mirror. "Do you think I look… presentable?" I asked him.

"Yes," he replied, but his eyes were still closed.

"Are you coming to the feast?" I asked.

Lupin groaned again and I laughed. It was only seven in the morning and the first class started at 8:30. I smiled and walked over to Lupin, leaving a lingering kiss on his lips and then pulled away, walking out the door.

I reached the staff table in the Great Hall, taking my seat between Snape and Slughorn. I caught Harry's eye and grinned. He returned my grin with a warm smile as he dug into some fried eggs. "So, Miss Potter!"

I jumped and looked to my left to see Slughorn smiling widely at me. "Yes, Professor?" I asked, shoving my mouth full of eggs, trying to avoid conversation with him.

"I was thinking you could teach the first lesson today!"

I looked at him and swallowed loudly and painfully. "Are you sure?" He nodded. "We – well, I never really intended to be a Potions Master... You'll stop me if I do horribly, won't you?" I was only half joking.

"I'm sure you'll do fine, Miss Potter."

"We'll see, won't we?"

"You know," Slughorn began. "I was talking to Dumbledore about you. He raved about you – very fond of you, you know. Well anyway, he kept going on about your bravery and confidence and all the things that you've accomplished during your school years. To be honest, I expected you to be quite the troublemaker! But I suppose I was wrong."

"I'm only twenty-one, you know," I chuckled nervously. "I should be more mature than my sixteen year old brother. Besides, if I am going to become a Potions Master, I've got to set an example for the students, yeah?"

Slughorn nodded. "I thought that a certain male would be having an impression on you."

I started choking on my sausage and I coughed. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Snape smirk and I aimed a kick at his leg. My toe connected with his shin and his jaw locked. My eyes started watering and my toe throbbed. I calmed myself down and looked at Slughorn. "I'm sorry, sir?"

"You surely know who I'm talking about!"

"Um, I don't, actually," I said innocently. "Harry?"

"No, no, no, that Remus boy," he told me. "He was good friends with your father and mother – he's you and Harry's guardian, yes?"

"My guardian?" I hissed quietly. "My – my – you think Remus looks after me? Like a parent? I'm sorry, but you're mad, sir!"

Snape smirked bigger and I shot an angry glare at him. "Mad?" Slughorn replied. "You think I'm mad? Well, what is he to you, then?"

"He's not my guardian!" I said, quite offended. "He's my – my – Remus is my boyfriend!"

"Your boyfriend? As in – you two are together? Like a couple?" Slughorn raised his eyebrows and looked back towards his full plate. His face flushed a deep red and I licked my lips, fuming. "How old is he again? Forty something?"

"He is – he is not! He's thirty six, thank you very much, sir," I shot back and Slughorn flushed again. "And I hardly think he looks it! He's young at heart and a – he's a gentleman and we love each other very much." I nodded matter-of-factly.

"I never doubted your relationship!" Slughorn said in an apologetic tone. I refused to look at him. I poked at my eggs. "I think – I think I'll be headed to the classroom… finish up the notes… make sure the potions are okay…"

He stood up and hurried down a row towards the giant doors, exiting the Great Hall. I scoffed and angrily stabbed my last sausage with my fork. I looked up at Snape who was actually smiling – cruelly – but he was smiling.

"Oh, shut up!" I sneered as he began to chuckle darkly. "Like you would know anything about love."

"Sometimes – actually, all of the time – I wish that Dumbledore would have stopped you two in your seventh year."

I blinked and frowned. I lowered my voice and stared straight ahead at Harry, who was laughing at something Hermione had said. "Don't I deserve to be happy?" I said aloud, not really to Snape in particular, but more to myself. "In dark times like these?"

"There's been speculation that soon – quite soon – a war is going to happen. And you're worried about love?" Snape was speaking so quietly so only I could hear him. "That's what's wrong with you. In the middle of all this, you get upset over something as small as a professor mistaking your boyfriend for your guardian. Don't you have better things to be worried about?"

Snape had offended me, but I didn't let him know. "Without love, we would have no chance against Voldemort. It's the one thing we've got that he doesn't!" I hissed in Snape's ear. "It's the reason Harry and I are –"

"Don't speak his name!" Snape snapped and I raised an eyebrow.

"Well it's the reason we're alive. If it hadn't been for my mother's love, we would have been dead long ago."

"That may be the case, but this is different. Completely different," Snape replied. "Keeping Lupin close to you will only hurt him. The Dark Lord will know that to get to you, he'd either have to take your brother or Lupin."

I was silent. I stared at him and his black eyes met mine for a split second.

"He knows you two have a saving people thing."

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

"It means that you two would do anything to save your friends and the people you love. It's just like when He put that image of Sirius in your brother's head – he knew you two would come running." Snape paused. "You've got to be careful."

"I'm always careful. I know what I'm doing and I don't need you to protect me or watch over me or whatever Dumbledore tells you to do," I whispered, glancing at the Headmaster, who was happily drinking his pumpkin juice. "I'm a grown woman. I can take care of my own problems, thank you."

"But if anything were to happen to you –"

I stood up and scoffed. "I hate you."

Snape watched me as I clenched my fists and turned. "Great," he called after me. "For a moment, I was worried you loved me."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Slughorn went over with me the notes he had made for the first day of classes. I was to explain the four potions he put out and then instruct them to create a Draught of Living Death. I was a bit nervous – the first class were all sixth years, closer to my age.

As the small class waltzed through the dungeon door, I smiled brightly as Hermione sat beside a Hufflepuff. Draco Malfoy sat with a group of Slytherins and before I could speak, two people bustled through the door. I spun around, raising an eyebrow.

"Harry? Ron? What are you two doing here?" I asked. "I thought you weren't taking potions."

"Well, er – I can go –" Ron took a step backwards, but Harry grabbed his arm and forced him to stay put.

"Professor McGonagall said we could take it with Exceeds Expectations. Is that okay, sir?" Harry looked towards Slughorn and he nodded eagerly at my brother. "But we haven't got books or ingredients."

"Just take some from the store cabinet," Slughorn indicated to a cabinet right to the right of Harry and Ron. "Those will make do until you can write to Flourish and Blotts." Harry nodded and I turned back to the classroom. Malfoy was eyeing Harry with a sneer.

"As you can see, there are three concoctions at each of tables," I pointed to all of them, feeling a bit nervous. I kept looking at Hermione, who would nod and smile, encouraging me and settling my jangling nerves. "Can anyone tell me what these potions are?"

Harry and Ron took a seat with Hermione and the Hufflepuff. Hermione's hand shot into the air and I was thankful I didn't have to call on anyone else. I grinned.

"Er – Hermione?"

She stood up and looked into the first cauldron. Her eyes met mine. "This one is Polyjuice Potion." She stepped to the left. "And this - this is Veritaserum," she said slowly. "It's a truth telling serum." She moved to the next cauldron. "And this one is terribly tricky to make. It's Amortentia, the most powerful love potion in the world. It's rumored to smell differently to each person according to what attracts them. For example, I smell freshly mown grass and new parchment and spearmint toothpaste…"

I nodded at Hermione and spoke again. "Er – Amortentia doesn't actually create real love - that would be impossible. But it does create obsession. It causes powerful infatuation –"

"That's probably what the werewolf used on her," Malfoy muttered to his friend. Slughorn shot him a somewhat nasty glare, but it was nothing compared to the look I gave him. Everybody in the class turned to face the back to look at Malfoy and his friends snickering. My blood boiled. "No one could ever actually love that pathetic excuse for a man."

"I'm sorry, Draco," I replied shortly. "But even if that were a little bit true, I'd still have a better relationship than you would with Pansy Parkinson – that's her name, isn't it? The one that looks like a pug?"

Hermione, Harry, and Ron snickered and Slughorn raised an eyebrow, not entirely sure if he should have stopped me or not.

"What about that one?" asked a Ravenclaw boy. "What's in that bottle?"

I looked nervously back at Slughorn, who sat quietly at his desk in the front of the room. I picked up the small vial full of clear liquid and held it up in front of the class. "This little potion is called Felix Felicis. But it is also known as –"

"Liquid Luck," finished Hermione and I nodded.

"Right, Hermione," I nodded. "One sip and all of your endeavors will succeed – well, until the potion wears off. And this – Liquid Luck – is what I offer all of you today. Whoever brews an acceptable draft of Living Death with receive this tiny bottle as a prize. The recipe can be found on page ten of yours books. You may begin!"