- CHAPTER TWENTY -

Headache

Faint voices were approaching. They were far away and echoed strangely, bouncing off of the walls. It was almost as if I were laying in a tunnel listening to people inch towards me… a very dark, uncomfortable tunnel. My head was throbbing in pain, and I couldn't quite figure out where I was. I shifted and my legs hit a hard wall. I groaned, feeling discomfort seep into all parts of my body.

I opened my eyes and was met only by darkness.

Where am I?

I reached for my wand and squinted into my black surroundings.

"Lumos."

The small beam of light didn't do much to assist in my vision. It was still dreadfully dark.

I reached up and touched my aching head, straining to remember how I had gotten into such an uncomfortable space. Hadn't I been in my bed paging through a textbook?

And then it came back to me. The Whomping Willow had struck me as I was following Professor Lupin… but why had I been there? The pain in my head intensified as I tried to think. It came back in waves.

Sirius Black… Animagus… Peter Pettigrew… Ron… Hermione… Harry…

"Bloody hell," I grumbled.

It was then that I noticed the voices again. They weren't faint anymore, but sounded very close. I pointed my wand down the tunnel and squinted into the darkness, wondering whether or not I should call out.

Something brushed up against my legs as I moved to a crouched position, huddling in the darkness. I nearly screamed, but then realized it was only a cat—Hermione's cat Crookshanks, to be exact.

I listened carefully and made out what the voices were saying.

"Are you mad? Of course I want to leave the Dursleys! Have you got a house? When can I move in?"

That was Harry… but who was he talking to?

A man's voice I didn't recognize answered.

"You want to? You mean it?"

"Yeah, I mean it!"

I could see shadowy figures making their way towards me, illuminated by their own wand light. I stood up carefully and moved forward to meet them.

"Harry?" I called cautiously. His voice had been the only one I had recognized.

"Who's there?" came his answer.

"It's alright," Lupin said. I was heartened to hear his voice. "I'm glad you're awake. I was worried we'd have to carry you back to the castle too."

"Who is it?" Hermione spoke.

"It's me," I said as they finally came into view.

"Juliet!" Hermione said. "How did you get down here?"

"She followed me," Professor Lupin said. "She was keen on coming to rescue you, but didn't make it past the Whomping Willow."

I hadn't been paying attention. Instead I was staring at the frightening figures in front of me. Aside from Harry, Hermione and Professor Lupin, the group were also joined by Ron—who was tied up to a small rat-like man with horrible hygiene, Professor Snape—who was quite clearly unconscious and looked very spooky hanging upright in mid-air and… Sirius Black.

"Should I be panicking?" I asked, clutching my wand in sudden terror.

"I guess you've heard of me," Black said. I stared back at him lamely.

"Does someone want to tell me what's going on?" I asked guardedly. I had unconsciously lifted my wand so it was pointed towards Black.

"He's innocent," Harry said, gesturing for me to lower my arm. "It was Pettigrew who betrayed my parents. He's the one who's a Death Eater."

Ron gave the rat-faced man a prod as an introduction, and I realized Professor Lupin was chained to the man's other side. "Yeah, Juliet," Ron said with disdain dripping from his words. "You remember my rat, Scabbers, right? Well here he is."

"Excuse me?" I asked, my eyes widening. "Scabbers?"

"An Animagus," Lupin explained.

"How is he alive?" I asked.

"Staged his own death," Sirius said calmly. "But not before he had written the death sentences of Lily and James Potter. It was easy for him to disappear afterwards, seeing as he could change into a rat on a whim. Very fitting animal, if I do say so myself."

"So he's an Animagus," I repeated. "Like you."

He cast a surprise look at Lupin.

"Juliet is a very clever girl, Sirius," Professor Lupin said. "As I was on my way down here she reported that she had figured out how you were sneaking into the castle. I must admit even I found it difficult to believe that you were using self-transfiguration to escape Azkaban. But it makes perfect sense."

"Really now?" Black said, giving me an impressed look. "No one at the Ministry managed to figure it out. Good for you, Juliet. What's your last name?"

"Er—Christie," I said, feeling incredibly odd. None of them seemed to realize how bizarre the situation was. I felt almost as though I should have had a camera. No one would believe me when I tried to retell the story later. "I'm sorry, but I'm still having trouble wrapping my head around this. You're telling me everything you were pinned for was actually done by him?" I cast a doubtful look at the scrawny wizard next to Ron and Professor Lupin. He didn't look like he was capable of any sort of magic, dark or otherwise, and he certainly didn't look like he could have ever reported directly to You-Know-Who. I had never encountered a weaker-looking individual.

"That I am," Black replied. "I don't think we really have the time to tell the story again from the beginning, though."

"Perhaps it can wait until we're up at the castle," Lupin agreed. "Come on, Juliet. We're going to get this situation sorted out right now. Don't be worried, you can trust him just as well as you can any of us."

"Aside from this manky lunatic, of course," Ron said, indicating Pettigrew once more.

"Uh… alright," I said stupidly. The others started to move again, and I fell in with them. I was careful not to stand too close to the chained Peter Pettigrew or Sirius Black. I wasn't about to trust either of them until I knew the whole story.

"So you came to rescue us, did you?" Ron said, interrupting the silence that had fallen once more. "Well, it turns out we didn't need rescuing after all," he said good-naturedly. I realized suddenly that he was looking very pale and ill.

"Are you sure?" I asked. "You're not looking too well."

"That was my fault," Black said. "I was a little too rough when I dragged Ron underground… all in the name of catching the rat, of course."

Pettigrew gave an audible shudder. No one seemed willing to speak to him, but the whole group continually shot him disgusted and wary looks.

"Bent my leg—reckon it's broken," Ron said with a visible wince. "But I'll be fine." Despite his injuries he was rather chatty. I wondered if he was trying to keep his mind off of the pain.

I gave him a skeptical look but said nothing. It was incredible that he was still walking if he really had broken a bone. My head ached just from banging it, I couldn't imagine continuing on with a broken leg.

"Christie, you said?" Black spoke up again as we continued through the tunnel, recapturing my attention. "That sounds familiar. Did your parents go to Hogwarts?"

"They did," Lupin answered as I stared at Black dumbly. Was I honestly having such a casual conversation with a convicted mass-murderer? "Kirk Christie was three years ahead of us—a Gryffindor. He played Keeper on the Quidditch team, remember?"

"That's right!" Sirius said. "I never did talk to him much, but he seemed a nice bloke. A bit on the competitive side, if I remember."

"You know my dad?" I asked, feeling extremely strange.

"We knew your dad," Lupin confirmed. "And your mother—Margaret was a year behind us."

The conversation came to a halt as we reached the end of the tunnel. I could hear thrashing coming from above us. It drowned out the whimpers of Pettigrew.

"Why are we stopping?" I asked.

"We're under the Whomping Willow," Lupin explained. "By the looks of it, Hermione's cat seems to know how to get us out."

I could see the outline of Crookshanks at the front of our group as he climbed upwards toward where I assumed was the entrance.

"Very clever feline you've got there, Hermione," Black commented. I frowned into the darkness. The way he was speaking to everyone was almost as though they were all long-lost friends. Although, I suppose he hadn't had a real conversation with another human being in a long time.

The sound of scraping branches from the Whomping Willow stopped very suddenly. Professor Lupin went through first with Pettigrew and Ron. Black guided Snape's unconscious body up through the tunnel entrance and then stepped back for Hermione, Harry and I to clamber through. I was wary about having my back to Sirius Black, but the others seemed completely convinced of his innocence. I just needed to stick it out until we got back to the castle so I could hear the full story.

The grounds of Hogwarts were very dark when we finally made it out into the night air. It was quiet aside from Pettigrew's occasional whimpers. He was quite pathetic and I would almost pity him if it weren't for the claims that were being made against him. If he really did what Sirius Black claimed—and I was beginning to truly believe it was the case—then I would have no sympathy for him when justice was finally served.

"One wrong move, Peter," Professor Lupin threatened. I could see his wand pointed at him through the darkness.

The group of us moved silently through the Hogwarts grounds. I'm sure we were quite the scene. Snape's head was lolling to the side sickeningly as we walked. It was hard not to watch the way his corpse-like body was floating across the grounds. It was disturbing.

I stared up at the castle, looking at the lights trickling out from the windows. I longed to be in the common room with Fred and George… or maybe just Fred. My body ached from being knocked out and stuffed in an underground tunnel. It would feel delightful to cuddle up to Fred in front of the fire… to feel his calloused hands trace circles on my skin. My imagination was getting the best of me when Sirius suddenly threw out his hand and stopped Harry, Hermione and me.

"What?" I asked, looking down at his hand across us and then towards Ron and Professor Lupin. They had both come to an abrupt stop with Pettigrew between them and Snape running unconsciously into their backs. "What's happened?"

"Lupin," Hermione whispered, casting a frightened look up at the sky. I followed her gaze and saw the moon peeking out from behind clouds. "Oh my—he didn't take his Potion tonight! He's not safe!"

I cast a nervous glance at Professor Lupin and saw that he had begun to shake.

"What—"

"Run," Sirius whispered, cutting me off. "Run! Now!"

Harry leapt forward, trying to get at Ron who couldn't run while he was chained to Pettigrew and Lupin. Feeling completely flabbergasted I clutched my wand tightly and stared at Professor Lupin with a horrified expression etched on my face. Sirius was fighting with Harry, throwing him back towards Hermione and me. The three of us stopped and stared in terror as a horrible snarling sound ripped through Lupin's body. As we watched his head and body began to lengthen, stretching out to twisted proportions. He was sprouting hair everywhere and his hands, I noticed with a shock, were turning into paws.

Crookshanks was spitting and his hair was on end as he backed away from Lupin's gnarled form. I recognized the creature standing in front of me from the book I had been reading only hours earlier.

Remus Lupin was a werewolf.

I grabbed hold of Hermione's arm instinctively and thrust my wand out in front of me. In an instant Sirius had transformed into an enormous bear-sized black dog. He bounded forwards as the werewolf ripped itself from the chains holding him to Pettigrew and Ron. Sirius launched himself at Lupin, dragging him away from Ron. The display was petrifying. Sounds of snarls, jaws snapping and tearing flesh surrounded us.

Hermione screamed. I tore my gaze from the battle to see Pettigrew jumping for Lupin's dropped wand. Ron fell to his knees and let out a yell of pain. A loud bang and a burst of light followed, and Ron was suddenly motionless on the cold ground. Crookshanks was launched into the air with a second bang, before landing in a heap on the ground once more.

"Expelliarmus!" Harry yelled, disarming Pettigrew. "Stay where you are!"

He made a lunge for Pettigrew, but he was already too late. Pettigrew was Scabbers once more, and he was fleeing. It was so dark that I couldn't even see where the rat had run off to. I doubted we'd be able to follow him even if we could see him. He was far too quick.

A great howl re-captured our attention and we turned just in time to see the werewolf go speeding into the Forbidden Forest.

Feeling shell-shocked, I rushed forward to where Sirius was laying, a great wounded dog.

"Sirius, he's gone, Pettigrew transformed!" Harry yelled.

I had hardly reached him—intending somehow to help—when he had scrambled back upright and gone chasing after the wolf. Harry, Hermione and I were left standing alone with an unconscious Ron and a floating Professor Snape. We dashed quickly to where Ron lay.

"What did he do to him?" Hermione whispered.

Ron was surely alive. He looked almost as though he were sleeping with his eyes half-open.

"I don't know," Harry answered.

"Ron?" I asked, crouching over his lanky frame. It was hard to tell whether or not he was awake. In any case, he didn't seem to be in any condition to respond. "I'm not sure he can hear us."

"We'd better get them up to the castle and tell someone," Harry said as the three of us stared out into the darkness anxiously. I was straining to hear sounds of paws running along the ground. "Come—"

Just as I was beginning to hoist Ron up a loud yelping sounded from the darkness. It was Sirius—the sound of a dog in pain. It didn't sound as though it were coming from the forest.

"Sirius," Harry muttered.

It took only a moment's hesitation before Harry was taking off at a sprint towards the sound. Hermione followed closely behind him. I gazed at Ron's sleepy eyes a moment longer before I decided there was nothing I could do to help him. Placing him back on the ground next to Snape I hurried after Harry and Hermione. I couldn't let them face a fully transformed werewolf on their own.

We ran flat out towards the sound. It was hard to tell in the dark, but I was sure we were approaching the lake. As we ran, I felt the cold before I comprehended it. We were already upon the shore of the lake before I realized what was going on.

Sirius—in his true form once more—was crouching on his hands and knees, moaning out in pain. Above him swirled dozens of Dementors. There could have been a hundred of them or more… it was the most I had ever seen in one place. I stared, horror-struck as the black hooded figures moved towards us. They were coming for Sirius.

"Hermione, Juliet, think of something happy!" Harry yelled. I could barely hear him speaking. The cold was nearly unbearable.

Trying to focus, I lifted my wand just as Harry and Hermione did.

"Expecto patronum! Expecto patronum!" Harry was yelling. Nothing was happening and I could feel my knees starting to buckle. I was getting dizzy, and I could no longer make out Sirius or Harry or Hermione.

"Expecto patronum! Help me! Expecto patronum!"

Hermione was chanting now too, in a feeble, whispery voice. I tried to hold onto their voices. I pushed my wand arm to lift so I could help too. Sirius needed help. But the Dementors were closing in. It was too late…

As Harry's yells echoed in my fading mind I was once again lost to darkness.

I woke up for the second time that day feeling dizzy and disoriented. My head was throbbing where I had smacked it on the hard ground, and I was feeling weak and unstable. Scratching at my eyes I squinted out at my surroundings.

I realized almost at once that I was in the hospital wing, safely tucked away in the castle. I jerked my head around in search of the others (feeling a sharp shock of pain from the sudden movement). They had made it back… hadn't they?

I was relieved to see Ron lying in a cot on the far left side of the room. He was asleep and looked alright—or at least better than he had the last time I had laid eyes on him. Where the others were, however, I hadn't the foggiest idea. I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach as the memory of what had taken place came rushing back to me. Professor Lupin was a werewolf. Sirius was attacked by Dementors. What were the chances that everyone else had made it back unscathed?

"Where is everyone?" I asked, suddenly realizing Ron wasn't the only other person in the room with me. Madam Pomfrey was there, tending to the beds.

There was a sound of curtains being drawn and Harry and Hermione appeared from behind a panel of fabric that had been separating them from the rest of the room. They both looked healthy… and even pleased.

"It's a right good thing you woke up," Madam Pomfrey said. "When Professor Snape brought you in I was afraid the damage may be permanent."

"Professor Snape?" I asked incredulously. "He's okay then? And Harry and Hermione—you two are all right? What about Lupin—and Sirius…what's happened to him?"

"Yes, of course," she said calmly, although her eyes were wide. "Mr. Potter and Miss Granger, as you can see, are quite safe. The three of you were up against quite a number of Dementors. It is incredible that you all made it out alive."

"Or with our souls intact, rather," Harry said. He and Hermione had moved to get up from their own cots, but Madam Pomfrey shot them a look that warned them to stay put.

"Professor Lupin is… resting," she said, giving me a significant look. "He will be well again in time, but it is for the best that he is detained for now."

"And Sirius?" I asked abruptly. Madam Pomfrey stared at me with a mixture of fear and suspicion.

"He was sentenced to the Dementors kiss," she told me and my eyes widened in horror. I could feel my stomach turn over. "However, it didn't go as planned. He somehow managed another impossible escape—this time from the topmost tower of the castle."

My heart lightened immediately. The relief must have shown on my face, because she was staring at me in bewilderment.

"I daresay it seems he has access to dark powers the Ministry has never dreamed of," she said.

I let the relief wash over me. He had gotten away. The only mystery was how he had managed it. I cast a look at Harry and Hermione and sensed that they had more information. I would have to wait for Pomfrey to leave the room before I could hear it, however.

"So he's gone?" I asked, trying not to sound too pleased.

"To Merlin knows where," Pomfrey confirmed. I watched as she seemed to shake herself of worry. "Now that's quite enough. How are you feeling? Any dizziness?"

"None," I said truthfully. In fact, as soon as I had seen Hermione and Harry in the corner I was feeling anxious and excited. The memory of the Dementors had rushed back to me full-force. I had been sure we were all done for before I had blacked out. It was a miracle any of us had made it out.

"You're all to stay here for the night," she told me sternly. "I can't be certain you haven't sustained permanent damage until I've monitored all of you."

"How is Ron?" I asked, casting a glance over at him as Madam Pomfrey conjured a glass of water and handed it to me along with a bar of Honeydukes chocolate.

"I've given him a sleeping drought," she said, "but he's otherwise fine. It's you I'm most worried over."

"Why?" I asked. "I feel fine."

"Professor Snape said you'd sustained a head injury. Healing a brain is a difficult and dangerous matter. We ran the risk that you may not wake up," she explained as she pounded on my pillow and forced me back down against it.

"Well I feel perfect," I told her. It wasn't entirely true, but I didn't believe there was any reason for me to stay cooped up in the hospital wing. "Are you sure I've got to stay?"

"All four of you are to keep to these beds," she said, casting a glance around at Harry and Hermione. "It's best you get a good quiet night's sleep here to recover."

Sensing there was going to be no negotiation, I let Madam Pomfrey fuss over me for a few more minutes before she bustled out of the room. As soon as she had gone I had reached for my wand at the side of my bed.

"Muffliato," I said, pointing at the door Madam Pomfrey had disappeared into. I turned immediately to Harry and Hermione. "Okay, what the bloody hell happened? How did we survive those Dementors? And how on earth did Black escape?"

Harry and Hermione's eyes were alight with excitement. They stayed where they were, but leaned forward on their beds.

"Harry saved us back there with the Dementors," Hermione explained. "He cast an amazing Patronus and scared them all off."

"Blimey Harry!" I commended. "That's bloody brilliant!"

"It was nothing," Harry said, failing to sound modest.

"It was not," Hermione objected. "You saved our lives."

"So how did Black get caught?" I questioned. "How come he didn't run off when the Dementors fled?"

"He had already passed out," Harry explained. "He was brought back up to the castle. We tried to explain that he's innocent, but Snape went against us."

"Bloody bastard," I grumbled. Hermione looked disapproving. "He wasn't even awake. How would he know what went on?"

"He doesn't know," Hermione said. "But that doesn't matter. Snape has held a grudge against Sirius for years. Regardless of what really happened, Snape is the last person who would accept Black's innocence without any proof."

"And without Pettigrew, we have no proof," Harry said.

"So what happened then?" I asked. "How did he get away?"

Hermione and Harry cast a glance at each other.

"Dumbledore had an idea," Hermione said.

"So he believes Sirius?" I said, feeling relieved. Having Dumbledore on our side made everything seem less insane. More than anything else, it was the fact that he believed Sirius that managed to clear any doubt that may have been lingering in my mind. "What did he do?"

The two of them glanced at each other again.

"We don't know, exactly," Harry said hesitantly. "But we do know it worked."

I frowned.

"Really?" I said. "That's all you know?"

"It involved snatching Black from the tower," he said.

"The point is he's gone," Hermione said. "He got away, and Dumbledore is having the Dementors removed from school property immediately."

"Well that's a relief," I said. I had a feeling the two of them knew more than they were letting on, but I wasn't about to push the matter. In reality it didn't even matter how Black had escaped. It was just a relief that an innocent life had been spared. Black had defended the lot of us against Lupin. It would have been a devastating loss to hear that he had been recaptured. "And what about Lupin?"

"He's still in the forest," Hermione said with a frown. "He can't come up to the castle in the state he's in."

"I guess not," I said thoughtfully. "I can't believe he was able to hide the fact that he's a werewolf from everyone."

"It probably wasn't wise of him," Hermione said. "Snape has been trying to bring it out into the open all year. Remember that werewolf essay he had us write while Professor Lupin was out sick?"

"So Snape knew," I said. "I'll have to tell George. He didn't stop complaining about that essay for weeks. I wonder why it was kept so quiet, though."

"Werewolves are dangerous," Hermione said. "If the wizarding world knew one of them was teaching at Hogwarts—"

"Dumbledore trusts him," Harry interrupted. "And despite what happened tonight, so do I."

"Of course, Harry," Hermione said offhandedly. "We all trust Professor Lupin, I was merely explaining that—"

The conversation was interrupted as Madam Pomfrey re-entered the room.

"Lights out you three," she said. We had fallen quiet immediately. Although I knew the Muffliato charm had kept her from hearing us talking, I didn't think she'd approve of the three of us sitting up in our cots when we were supposed to be asleep.

She extinguished the lights and bade us goodnight. The room was dimly lit by the moonlight of the full moon streaming in through the windows. I heard the door click again as Madam Pomfrey left once more.

Harry and Hermione fell silent and I stared up at the ceiling. The day's events flitted in and out of my head as I listened to the slow breathing of the others in the room.

I wasn't sure how long it took for Harry and Hermione to fall asleep, but I was sure I was the only one awake when the main entrance door opened.

Sitting up with a start I stared into the darkness at a shadowy figure. Whoever it was came creeping forwards through the night. I felt for my wand and gripped it tightly in my right hand.

"Lumos," I said, and it was echoed by a voice by the door.

In an instant Fred Weasley's eyes met mine and I felt myself laughing in relief.

"Bloody hell, Fred," I whispered. "You scared me."

"Scared you?" he said incredulously. "How about me? I've been going barmy wondering where you've been!" he said harshly. He turned his wand towards Harry and Hermione and cast the same charm I had on Madam Pomfrey's room to keep them from waking up at the sound of our voices. He cast a glance over at Ron, but deciding he was out cold he turned his attention back to me.

"I'm sorry," I said. "I would have come to see you straight away, but I can't exactly just walk out of here."

"Pomfrey's got you on lock and key," Fred said with a nod.

"What are you doing here?" I asked as he took a seat at the end of my bed. I placed my illuminated wand on the nightstand, letting the light fall over the two of us.

"Didn't you just hear me? I was worried," he answered.

"How did you know I was here?" I asked, feeling a little flattered that he had snuck out in the middle of the night to check up on me.

"There are rumours flying all around the castle. After Black escaped your names were tossed around," he answered. "You can't imagine the stress I've been through worrying about what happened."

"Rumours?" I asked. "What rumours?"

"Well you wouldn't have heard them, would you? You've been stuck in here the whole time," he pointed out. "Professor Snape makes it sound like you lot had something to do with Black getting away. That's not true though, is it?"

"I have no idea how he got away," I said truthfully, watching Fred carefully. He really did look concerned. Clearly he had been worried enough to come as soon as the coast was clear rather than waiting until daylight like everyone else. I could feel myself smiling unconsciously at his effort.

"Then what happened?" he asked. "Where were you all night?"

"It's a long story," I said.

Fred stared at me expectantly.

"The short version is Black is innocent," I said. "He didn't kill those people. Peter Pettigrew did, and he's been hiding away ever since. He's been disguising himself as Ron's rat."

Fred's eyes widened in shock. "Scabbers? That's barmy. There were witnesses. People saw Black kill Pettigrew."

"It's true," I insisted, shaking my head. "Pettigrew's an Animagus. So is Black, actually. I was on my way to tell Professor Lupin about Black when the whole thing sort of unfolded. Pettigrew was here, but he got away. There wasn't any proof of Black's innocence, so he was supposed to be given up to the Dementors. I'm not sure how he managed to get away, but it's a right good thing he did."

"Innocent?" Fred asked doubtfully.

"Trust me. I saw it with my own eyes."

"Bloody hell," he whispered, still staring at me in surprise.

I nodded in response, but said nothing.

"So what are you still doing here?" Fred asked. "You seem fine to me."

"I am fine," I said. "Pomfrey wants us all to get a good night's sleep. She was worried I might have sustained permanent brain damage."

"I think that ship has sailed," Fred joked, glancing around at where Ron was still sleeping silently. "Do you realize this is the second time you've ended up in the hospital wing this year? You're a bloody hazard."

I laughed half-heartedly and gazed at Fred. It felt good to be talking to him after everything that had happened. It felt much longer than a mere day since I had begun avoiding him due to the tension between us. Sitting there with him felt easy.

"I've missed you," I blurted, feeling immediately stupid.

Fred laughed.

"It hasn't been long since we've seen each other," he said.

"It feels like it has," I said, screwing up my face in thought. "I've blacked out twice since then."

"You haven't told me exactly what happened to you," he pointed out. He reached over and pushed some of the tangled hair out of my face. I was suddenly aware of the fact that I probably looked like a right mess. "And what about Professor Lupin? People are saying he's a werewolf," he said, as if he had just remembered.

I frowned. "Also true," I said. "He transformed tonight. No one's hurt, though," I said quickly, catching the panic in Fred's eyes.

"Alright, you've got to tell me what happened," he urged.

"Can we save it for later?" I pleaded. "I don't think I'm up to reliving it just yet."

"Jules—"

"Please Fred?" I asked. "I'm exhausted and I'll have to tell George tomorrow anyhow."

Fred gave me a small smile.

"Alright, that's fair," he said. "Do you want me to leave so you can get some rest?"

"No," I said, rather too quickly. "No, stay. Let's just… talk."

Fred gave me a teasing look.

"Alright, I'll stay," he said. "I haven't got any place better to be anyway."

I felt myself blush for asking him to stay so vehemently. Trying to avoid his gaze, I stared down at the folds of my blanket and said nothing. It felt like ages before he broke the silence again.

"Do you remember that detention we got together this year?" Fred asked.

I looked up, surprised by the change of topic, but thankful for it nonetheless. "You'll have to be more specific," I said. "We've had plenty of detentions this year."

Fred laughed. "It was the one that ended in you falling down a few stairs, landing you in here."

I snickered, the embarrassing memory of my clumsiness flooding back. "Yeah, I remember. And that was almost a full flight of stairs, I'll have you know."

"Do you also remember making me a promise that night?" Fred said, ignoring my comment.

"A promise?" I asked, confused. "When was that?"

"I had suggested we sneak into Filch's office and do some snooping. You didn't have the nerve, so I told you that you owed me a favour to be called in at my desire," he explained.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," I said. "And of course I'd have the nerve. I probably just didn't feel like getting another week's worth of detentions, is all."

"Whether you remember it or not," he said, ignoring me and giving me a cheeky smirk, "it happened."

"Alright, fine. What's your point?" I asked, stifling a yawn.

"I'm calling in the favour," he said, looking at me meaningfully. I felt my heartbeat quicken at the look of seriousness in his eyes.

My attention was momentarily captured by movement across the room as Ron stirred.

"I think Ron's awake," I said quietly.

"Ignore him," Fred answered sternly. He caught my gaze again and held it. "Kiss me."

I gave a start and my eyes widened in shock. "What? Excuse me?"

I could hear Ron grumbling from his spot in the room. "Whoserre?" he mumbled, lifting his head and squinting in our direction.

"Shut it, Ron," Fred told him. "Go back to bed."

He reached over and took my hand in his, moving himself closer to me. Ron was sitting up in his bed, staring in confusion over at the two of us.

"Juliet," Fred said. "Kiss me."

"Whassat?" Ron said, sounding more alert. "Bloody hell, no, don't do that!"

Fred ignored his brother and reached out to touch my neck. His hand resting at the side of my face, he pulled me closer to him. I half wanted to pull away, but I felt petrified into place. I hadn't been so close to him since the Quidditch match when he had snogged me.

"Juliet," he repeated. He looked expectant.

"Yeah, Fred?" I asked. My voice was a whisper, and I was having trouble looking away from his mouth.

"If you don't do it I will," he joked, his lips breaking into a teasing smile.

Oh, to hell with it.

Throwing caution to the side and squashing the doubt I had in my mind I leaned forward and closed the gap between us. Ron's groans filled the background, but I was lost to Fred. It was entirely different from the first kiss we had shared. The last one had been rushed, whereas there in the hospital wing with no one around (aside from an unimpressed Ron—"Do you have to do that while I'm here?") it felt soft and… meaningful.

Fred's hands were both on my face, and mine were around his firm shoulders. I could feel myself pulling him towards me, yearning to deepen the kiss when Ron, fed up with the display, tossed his pillow at the two of us. With a grunt Fred separated from me looking flushed and slightly embarrassed.

"That'll teach you not to eavesdrop, Ron," Fred said, tossing the pillow back at his brother. When he turned back to me his eyes were glinting in the darkness. "You should get some rest," he said, leaning forward to press his lips to my forehead. "I'll see you in the morning."

"Er… okay, sure Fred," I said, stumbling over my words as he stood up and headed towards the door. "Goodnight."

He turned and grinned back at me, giving me a wink I just made out through the dim light.

"Goodnight Juliet."

I waited for him to shut the door behind him before I groaned up at the ceiling, falling back onto my mattress feeling flustered. That kiss was good and I certainly hadn't wanted it to end.

"What the bloody hell was that?" Ron asked irritably.

I sighed, throwing a dark look in his direction.

"Shut up, Ron."

A/N: Hello out there? I know this story is old news for a lot of people and therefore I haven't received many (or any) reviews for these new chapters. However, if you are reading and could drop me a line letting me know if you're enjoying the story I would greatly appreciate it!