[  so my last online college course I need to graduate starts today and the syllabus is insane. It's like 8 hours of work every day, and I suspect I won't have much time to write so please be patient with updates!  ]

☽︎

I'M SEEING SOMEONE.

DANICA WAS MISERABLE. Why? Because Professor Lupin was out sick, and it fell on a Friday. That meant Professor Snape was taking over all his classes.

Snape didn't care that there was Quidditch that weekend. He assigned the seventh years a huge essay on nonverbal offensive spells that would be most useful against dark creatures like werewolves, which Danica thought was preposterous, especially when he knew there was a young werewolf on campus.

And to make matters worse, instead of canceling her tutoring session, Snape took over that as well. He spent all afternoon berating her, calling her demeaning names for not knowing basic information and being unable to utilize nonverbal magic well. He told her if Sirius Black came across her again, he might as well kill her because of how useless she was.

After that lesson, she couldn't stomach going to the Great Hall, so she gathered some food in her bag and set out to find Sirius. She quickly learned that he hated Snape more than anyone, so he was happy to let the girl complain about him.

"Darling, he's a right fowl git," Sirius told her, wiping the tears from her eyes inside the Shrieking Shack. "And he doesn't know what he's talking about. You aren't useless."

"I just didn't think the lessons could get worse than they already are with Professor Lupin," she muttered, already missing her time with him. Sure, lessons with him were agonizing and embarrassing when she had to read out loud, but he never made her feel stupid.

It was the first time Danica had ever mentioned Remus around Sirius, who perked up, not that she noticed. "How could lessons with him be horrible?" he found himself asking. Remus was like sunshine in human form, he always thought

Danica looked down at her hands. "He's just... cold and distant, is all."

Sirius frowned, convinced that Remus' change in personality was due to his betrayal, not knowing about his ex-boyfriend's newfound feelings for the girl tucked into his side.

"But I'll get through them," she said, trying not to dwell on it. "I do hope Professor Lupin starts to feel better though. He's sick quite a lot, I've noticed. He may hate me, but it doesn't mean I don't care about him."

"Why on earth would he ever hate you?" Sirius asked, his eyebrows furrowed.

"I..." She hesitated, debating on if she should be honest with Sirius. But she supposed he deserved honesty given that he was all she had right now. "Before the term started, Professor Lupin and I... well, we met at a bar. And he took me home. Only to find out our current situation when we both got to school."

"Danica," Sirius said, his eyes wide. "Have you and Remus been fucking all term?"

She groaned and looked away from him, her cheeks heating up. "No," she insisted. "He hasn't touched me — well, there was one time after a party." Then Danica sighed heavily. "But he's made it very clear he doesn't have feelings for me. I was just some girl he hooked up with, and now I'm coming off as some obsessed schoolgirl because I can't stop thinking about him. I'm pathetic."

"You are not pathetic, love," Sirius told her, catching his finger under her chin to pull her gaze back to him. "You are radiant and perfect. And any man that cannot see you're worth risking everything for is a fool. Remus is a fool who will realize what he's losing one day."

"Well, I shouldn't have to wait for him to realize," she murmured. "It makes me sad. I don't want to be sad anymore. I want someone that wants me back. You know, Oliver or Flint or—"

"Me," he cut her off.

Danica froze, her eyes glued to his striking gray eyes. Her breath caught in her throat. "What?" she whispered.

"Maybe Remus doesn't know what he wants," Sirius said, his tone unwavering. "But I do."

She drew her eyebrows in, not really comprehending what he meant. So, she shook her head. "Just — you're just saying that because I'm the first person you've spoken to outside of Azkaban."

"I'm not," he told her. "When I'm not thinking about my plan, you're all that's on my mind. Your smile, your laugh, the way you always better my mood. Out of everyone in this castle that discovered me, I'm glad it was you. My life is so much better for knowing you."

"And maybe you feel something for Remus, but you do for me too. I've seen the way you look at me. The care in your eyes. Don't tell me I'm crazy for thinking it goes past friendship."

"You aren't concerned about my age?" she asked, knowing it bothered Remus. "That I'm a student still?"

"You're not my student," he said with a smirk. Then his eyes fell on her lips. "And I want nothing more than to kiss you right now and never stop."

"Well, I'd have to breathe," she said shyly, her cheeks heating. "But I don't suppose I'd stop you if you tried."

His smile was so captivating as she gave him permission. Then Sirius cupped her face and pulled her into a gentle first kiss.

Sirius' lips were rougher than Remus' but still so perfect as he kissed her, pulling her closer. Something akin to butterflies or pixies swirled in her stomach as she wrapped her arms around him. His tongue swiped at her bottom lip, deepening it.

Danica tugged on his long hair, and he groaned into her mouth. His warm, large hands slid down her sides until he reached her ass, loving the sound she let out as he squeezed it.

When they parted for air, she pressed her forehead to his and couldn't help but smile. "That was pretty okay for someone that hasn't been kissed in twelve years."

He scoffed playfully and rolled them over so that he was hovering above her. "Then I suppose I have some catching up to do."

Then he leaned down to kiss her again, and Danica was lost to the word, no thoughts but him and his lips that began exploring her skin.

☽︎

Not even the wretched weather could bring down Danica's mood. The entire night was spent in Sirius' arms, the two kissing in between stories while they danced around the Shrieking Shack to the small radio.

Nothing further transpired between them. Danica explained that she wanted to take things slow, and he respected that. Besides, things hadn't turned out well last time she slept with an older man.

Now, she was racing through the sky on her broom, hardly able to see through the downpour of rain. The original lineup had Slytherin and Gryffindor playing against each other, but Draco's arm was still 'injured,' so Hufflepuff was subbed in.

Even with Danica scoring multiple times, it was clear that Hufflepuff was behind. Only catching the Snitch would put them ahead enough to win. But she wasn't giving up.

Over the roar of the crowd and rain, Danica intercepted the Quaffle and zoomed past who she was pretty sure was Fred, her heading toward the goal posts.

Only to be hit suddenly by the bludger which crashed roughly into her side. She screamed as it knocked her off her broom, sending her plummeting to the ground. And because of the rain, no one on the team even noticed her fall except for those in the stands, who all stood and craned their heads to watch as she hit the ground hard, body digging into the mud.

The breath was knocked out of Danica, who couldn't move as she stared up at the raining sky, the droplets mixing with the mud on her face. And for a moment, she thought that she was on the verge of passing out as darkness encroached on her vision.

Only to realize that it was the Dementors surrounding Harry, who'd gone for the snitch.

She tried to call his name but found that she still couldn't talk. She was almost certain something was broken in her body — multiple somethings.

Her head fell to the side just as someone loaded her onto a stretcher to take her to the Hosital Wing. And over the pounding in her ear, she could hear everyone scream as Harry dropped from an impossible height. One that would kill him, not just break a few bones.

Thankfully, Dumbledore was in attendance and slowed him down before he could crash.

Knowing that Harry would be alright, Danica let her eyes fall shut, finally giving into the aching in her head that demanded rest.

☽︎

Harry woke first, as he hadn't been that hurt thanks to Dumbledore. He only passed out because of the Dementors. Danica, however, had two broken ribs, a fractured wrist, and was covered in bruises. She'd be in the hospital for several days.

Almost always, one of her siblings were with her. Ginny was happy to draw pretty pictures on her cast even though it'd be gone by Tuesday. Fred and George kept sneaking her food. Ron would just come and lie in the bed with her, complaining about his classes. And Percy, of course, brought her all her missed homework from Monday.

Guilt was eating away at Danica, knowing that Sirius relied on her for food and likely hadn't eaten all weekend. But she certainly didn't feel like sneaking out of the Hospital Wing.

She was currently the only patient in as of Monday night, but Madame Pomfrey promised to release her the next day and remove her cast. Her bones were nearly healed, though the bruises on her body were still quite prominent.

Danica was on the verge of sleep when a visitor came to her. She almost didn't believe it when she saw Remus, not thinking he'd have cared enough to visit her.

"What are you doing here?" Danica asked softly, trying to sit up. Only to wince at her still sore body.

Remus rushed to her side and led her back down with a hand at her shoulder. "Just missed you in class is all. Wanted to bring you the work you missed."

It was a poor excuse, they both knew, as Percy had already done so hours ago. But Danica decided to be nice and not call his bullshit.

"That's very nice of you," she noted as he took a seat in the empty chair next to her bed.

"I wasn't at the match. I was still under the weather. But when Professor Sprout told me what happened, I - I..." He stumbled over his words, not sure how to articulate what he really felt.

Seeing that he was upset, she reached for his hand with her free one. "I'm alright," she reassured him. "I'll be back in class Wednesday."

"You don't understand. Y - you could've died," he said, shaking his head. "And I wasn't there."

"It was just a Quidditch accident—"

"Not then," he told her. "I've been... in agony since Black broke into the castle. Your safety is all I've been able to think about. Only for you to get hurt playing some game. I cannot bear the thought of you getting hurt."

She peered at him, always so confused by his emotions. He was starting to give her whiplash.

"I thought you didn't care about me? That I was some - some meaningless one night stand," she murmured, looking down.

"Well, maybe I do," he said softly. "Maybe I lied."

"Why would you do that?" she asked, her heart picking up the pace.

"Because this cannot happen between us," he said, nearly sounding in pain. "I'm your teacher. It's wrong."

Gathering a bit of course, she leaned up off the mattress and cupped his cheek. "This feels wrong?"

Remus closed his eyes and leaned into her touch. "No. No, it doesn't. When you touch me, everything falls into place."

Remus leaned down, his lips hovering over hers as he stared into her eyes. Their noses brushed, and she could feel his breath wash over her face.

"Remus," Danica whispered, feeling like she was suffocating with how close he was. She could feel his hand on her waist, smell his cologne.

"Yes, Sweetheart?" he asked, lips grazing hers for half a second.

Her next words were like an ice cold bucket being poured over his heart.

"I'm seeing someone."

Remus pulled away like she'd burned him, a hurt expression on his face. He could see the regret shining in her eyes, though he wasn't sure what it was that she regretted exactly. Did she regret moving on just before he admitted he wanted more with her? Or did she regret him?

"Oh," was all he could muster. "I see."

Danica's eyes were still glued to his lips, wishing more than anything that she hadn't stopped him from kissing her. Wasn't that what she had wanted for the last two and a half months? For him to kiss her?

But it certainly wasn't fair to Sirius, who was waiting for her in the Shrieking Shack.

☽︎

When Danica did see Sirius again, it was Tuesday night. Upon seeing her still bruised up, he began doting on her, asking all about her recovery. He revealed he'd been watching the game from his Animagus form and had been worried sick about her and Harry.

"Sirius," Danica said once he was finally done checking her for injuries. She led him to the bed in the Shack and held his hand. "Something happened."

"What more could've possibly happened other than you falling to your near death?" he asked the girl.

"I - I almost let Remus kiss me. Last night in the Hospital Wing," she admitted, avoiding his gaze.

Sirius' jaw tightened for a moment before relaxing, and he quickly realized he wasn't jealous as he thought he'd be. Sure, if it was that Oliver Wood that had done it, he'd be furious. But this was Remus — the Remus he loved. Remus with Danica, who his feelings for grew stronger each day.

He found he didn't mind the thought of them together all that much.

"Darling," he said softly, cupping her cheek and making her look back at him. "It's okay."

"It's not," she said, swallowing thickly. "I... part of me wanted him to kiss me. You don't deserve that."

"Oh, Danica. That's a perfectly okay thing for you to want," he told her. "Moony is... he's perfect."

"Moony?" she asked, scrunching her eyebrows up at the familiar nickname. The same Moony that Sirius had dated right up until the night he was arrested.  "Like from your stories? Best sex you've ever had Moony is my Defense Professor?"

"Well," Sirius said with a wolfish smirk. "Is he not the best sex you ever had?"

Danica snorted and shoved his shoulder, only for him to shove her back. "Now I'm even more confused," she admitted. "I like you, Sirius. But I feel for him too. I don't want to choose."

"And I'm not asking you to," he said softly. "Darling, you can kiss Remus all you want so long as I get to have a bit of you to myself too at the end of the day."

"Both of you? That's something I can want?" she asked, more confused that ever.

"I'm certainly fine with it," Sirius said before wrapping his arms around her. He leaned down, his lips grazing her ear. "And maybe when this is all over and my name is cleared, Remus would want both of us too."

Danica's cheeks heated up as sinful thoughts encroached on her mind. Ones of her tangled up with Remus yet again, this time Sirius joining her. And Sirius could see in her eyes that she quite liked the idea just as he did.

"But for now," he said, tracing her lips with his thumb, "I've got you all to myself. At least until Rem stops being an idiot."

She smiled and turned her head, lips brushing his. "I don't mind just us two for a while."

Sirius smiled before kissing her gently, tucking some of her hair behind her ear as he did so. She sighed happily into his mouth before letting out a yelp when he nipped at her bottom lip.

Then he nudged her back so that she was lying down on the bed. Sirius began peppering kisses all along her neck, making her giggle, and the sound was music to Sirius' ears.

"Yeah," Sirius said, biting her neck playfully. "Rem doesn't know what he's missing."