Author's Note:

Sorry about the language. When someone is mad they tend to be a bit loose with their language. And boy, is someone mad.

Disclaimer: Not mine.

Ch. 10 Must Be Contagious

"Where are you?" Filch wheezed. "I know you're around here somewhere." Remus quieted his breathing behind a tapestry. "Trapping my cat in a suit of armor, evil, evil people," the new caretaker hadn't had a very friendly reception at the school. Remus chuckled to his self. He'd lost Sirius, James and Peter at some point when they were running away but he'd find them later. He chuckled as he snuck through the door behind the tapestry and headed off to another part of the school. There was no way he could be linked to Mrs. Norris's unfortunate situation.

He swept back another tapestry and strolled down the corridor, thinking about the upcoming transformation in a few nights.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU!"

He knew that voice. He was outside the room where the yell had come from.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Serena was no longer yelling but her voice was perhaps even more frightening low and quiet. "You asshole! Did you think I wouldn't find out?"

Remus rather wished he wasn't listening to this conversation. "No! Well, I mean," whoever this guy was, he was a complete idiot.

"Ahg!" Serena let out a scream of frustration. "You're impossible. You are fucking impossible! How could you? And with her?"

"I'm sorry, Serena," he was pleading with her. Remus told his self to step back. He crept towards the passage he had just exited. "This didn't work out. You're just going to move on." The door opened and a Ravenclaw boy Remus recognized came forth.

"You're a coward, Huck!" Serena screamed from inside the room. "A bloody coward." Her voice broke and it was clear she was crying. The boy, Huck, hesitated but then he shook his head and continued away, not even noticing Remus standing right there.

Remus stared at the open doorway. He considered leaving Serena to cope by herself but he changed his mind and approached the door cautiously. "Serena?" he asked quietly.

She was sitting on the floor by the window, her knees pulled up to her face, her robes absorbing her tears. "Just go away," she told him without looking up.

"He was never good enough for you," Remus told her, taking a step into the room. "You're better off without him."

"I said, go away," Serena looked up at him, her gray eyes bright with tears, asking him to leave but begging him to stay.

"No." He took another step forward.

"What?" she raised her head a bit further, her old, proud defiance starting to show through.

"I said, no." He watched her, half expecting her to scream at him and half expecting her to hug him.

She did neither. "Fine, stay. I don't care," she turned her face away from him. Her hair— which was, for once, her natural color— blocking her face from him.

"I think you do care," Remus walked over and sat on the floor next to her. She didn't look at him. "I think you care so much that it scares you."

Serena didn't reply; she was scared. "He's my third boyfriend who's cheated on me," she told him. "I've never had a relationship that lasted longer then two months, and that was only once." Remus tucked a piece of hair behind her ear so that he could see her face. The tears were flowing freer now; he gently wiped one away. "I always pick the bad guys. I'm so stupid."

"You're not stupid," Remus protested. "You just have bad taste."

Serena chuckled at the understatement. "Really bad taste," she amended. She took the handkerchief he offered and wiped her eyes with it, a bit of her eyeliner coming off as black smudges on the white linen. She laughed again, shakily as the tears dispersed. "I must be a spectacle."

"You're beautiful." Remus told her truthfully.

She laughed at him. "You're just being nice," she told him but still she smiled at the complement.

"No," he smiled at her loving gray blue eyes. "I'm just being honest."

"You're too good." She leaned her head against his shoulder. "You're far too good to me."

"That's what I'm here for," Remus joked. He paused, unsure of her reaction. "Serena," he began quietly.

"Yes?" she lifted her head to look at him.

"You know I'd never hurt you," he told her softly.

She smiled. "I know," she answered. "But now I have a question for you."

"Yes?"

"When are you going to just kiss me already?" she asked him with a grin. Remus didn't answer. He just leaned towards her and kissed her softly.

That night at dinner Remus held Serena's hand under the table. Across from them Lily and James were sitting happily together although they were no longer acting sickeningly sweet to each other. Delia and Sirius were talking with them about NEWTS and Peter was listening in without anything worthwhile to add.

Remus looked at Serena who nodded slightly. "Uh, guys?" he asked.

"Hmm?" Lily looked up. As soon as she was paying attention to someone else, James's attention was also drawn. Delia was smirking slightly and Sirius looked expectant.

"Um, well," Remus wasn't sure exactly what he had intended to say. "Me and Serena,"

"Serena and I," Sirius corrected.

"Since when do you know anything about proper English?" James asked him. But Delia shushed them.

"Yes," Remus continued, "Serena and I," he paused again.

"We're dating," Serena finished for him. He smiled in thanks.

"About time," Lily commented.

"Of all people Lily," Sirius laughed, "I don't think you should be the one saying anything." She glared at him.

"Aren't you surprised?" Remus was incredulous.

"No, why would we be?" Delia asked. "You two have been giving each other looks for weeks."

James laughed. "You were almost as obvious as I was with Lily."

Remus snorted. "Yes but I didn't pour pumpkin juice all over Serena the first time I met her cause I thought she was cute."

Lily laughed, "I forgot about that. I'll have to come up with proper punishment."

James glared at Remus but he wasn't even looking. "Lily dear," he took both her hands, "You wouldn't still be bitter over an offence from seven years ago, would you?"

"Oh yes I would." Lily grinned. "You have seven years of payback coming for you, James." He looked thrilled at the idea.

"Look at them," Delia chuckled. She and Sirius looked at the two couples. Serena and Remus just sitting in happy silence and James pleading with Lily. "They're a hoot."

"They'll be married the day we leave Hogwarts," Sirius agreed. He turned back to his food but glanced up at Delia and was caught, staring at her expression.

She was clearly glad to see her friends happy but there was something else on her face. There was a longing, a desire to be loved, to be in a relationship. But he saw something else, regret, painful sorrowful regret. Remembrance of a love lost, a love that she blamed herself for the loss of.

"Must be contagious," he commented, pulling her out of her reverie. She smiled. "Next thing you know we'll catch it and be hitched before we know it, just like the rest of them."

Delia laughed at him. "And what's that supposed to mean?"

"I believe that means I'm asking you to go to that ball Dumbledore asked Lily and James to plan all those months ago," he told her.

"Sirius," Delia looked down, unable to hold his gaze. "The ball's not for another month."

"Yeah but I wanted to make sure I got you before somebody else," he grinned.

"Then I'm happy to accept," she smiled right back.

A/N: Hooray for a happy chapter! I had so much fun writing about happy people. Sorry it was so short. Unfortunately, it's all down hill from here and I can't promise any happiness in the next few chapters.