On Saturday, the Slytherin Quidditch team had gathered in the field early in the morning to practice for their upcoming match against Gryffindor which was to be held in a month. They had the Quidditch pitch to themselves for three hours before having to empty the place for the Gryffindors' practice session.

     After three tiring hours of practice, Diana left the field with Regulus. Unlike their teammates who took showers in the locker rooms and changed there, Diana and Regulus rather do it in their own dorms, seeing as it was cleaner, less crowded, and more quiet.

     There was also another reason as to why Diana wanted to head back to her dorm; she had recently borrowed a book from the library about magical creatures and wanted to read it peacefully in the silence of her own room.

     Ever since she had talked to Remus, Diana had decided to do a bit of reading regarding werewolves, in hopes of understanding him and his condition.

      It wasn't easy forgetting all that she'd been taught by her parents for sixteen years, and in order to relearn it all, she had to start over. The books in her father's library which she had read years ago only told about the horrors that these dark creatures had brought people throughout centuries.

     But in the new book she was reading, Diana learnt about the pain that each transformation brought the werewolf, and that they had to break each bone in their bodies on every full moon. She also learnt that a person had to be bitten by another werewolf only during full moon in order to become a werewolf as well, which made Diana wonder how and when Remus had been bitten.

      "Today's practice was terrible," Regulus started crankily as the two of them made their way out of the Quidditch pitch with their brooms in hand and their green robes still on. "I was horrible. Didn't even manage to catch the Snitch once during practice."

       "I suppose you've been a bit distracted lately," said Diana, looking at him sideways.

       "No, I haven't," Regulus retorted, frowning stubbornly .

       "Look, it's completely normal to not feel okay. I know it must be tough at home, ever since —"

      "Ever since my stupid brother ran off?" Regulus cut her off with a bitter scoff.

      Diana was quiet for a while, walking alongside him in silence as she observed the troubled look across his face. She then said softly, "You know you can talk to me, right?"

     Regulus let out a sigh, his frown deepening as he muttered, "I had a fight with him the other day."

     "You did?"

     "Yeah... I was on my way to class when I saw him. I — I might have said some things that I didn't mean..."

     "Like what?"

     "I might've told him that... that he abandoned me and that he was no longer a brother of mine," Regulus mumbled.

     "Oh..." Diana bit her lower lip. "I'm really sorry to hear that. Maybe... maybe things will work out in the future between the two of you."

     "That's it? You're not going to crack a joke and make fun of me?" Regulus grinned at her teasingly.

      "Of course not. Why would you think I'd do something like that?"

     "Dunno... you've just changed, that's all." He shrugged.

      "Changed? How so?"

     "I know I've only known you for a year, but — I don't know — you've got nicer, I suppose."

      "Oi! Take that back! I take pride in being the heartless and mean bitch of Slytherin!" Diana punched him across the arm playfully.

     "Ouch!" He winced in pain, though he then chuckled. "Is that what people call you?"

      "I'm surprised you're not familiar with my nickname. Everyone used to call me that."

     "Guess you're not so heartless after all." Regulus grinned, nudging her lightly with her elbows.

     "Thanks." Diana smirked.

     "Speaking of which," Regulus cleared his throat, going on in a more teasing tone, "Layla and I had a little chat the other day. She told you and Lupin have been spending quite a lot of time together lately."

     "What!? No I haven't! It was only once, a few days ago! And we only talked for a few minutes before getting to Charms class!"

      "Not to mention you spent last year's Valentine's day with him."

      "I told you, I lost a bet to him! It wasn't an actual date!"

      "If you say so." Regulus smirked knowingly. Diana then bumped herself into him sideways, causing him to almost hurtle over as she laughed.

      "What's the matter with you!?" Regulus retorted angrily, glaring at her. "Do you know anything about behaving decently?"

     "Blargh. Decently my arse." Diana rolled her eyes.

      Regulus sighed mockingly. "Where did your parents go wrong in raising you?"

     "They went wrong in everything, to be honest, but I'm still proud of the results." She pointed at herself smugly, grinning.

      "Proud of behaving like a resident of Knockturn Alley?"

      "Well, I'm sorry if not everyone has the decency to act as lady-like as you, your highness," she said sarcastically, making him laugh.

      "It's not called being lady-like. It's called having manners, which you lack, by the way. Have you even seen the way you eat your chicken thighs? It's disgusting."

      "You're the one who eats it all wrong! Be a man, eat your chicken with hand! That's my motto in life."

     "You have a lot of weird mottos." Regulus chuckled. "Anyways, don't change the subject. What's up with you and Lupin?"

     "There's nothing up with me and him!"

     "Oh, come on, Diana. He's the only guy you can talk about for more than a minute without insulting him."

      "That's because — well — he doesn't really leave room for me to insult him," Diana mumbled, throwing her gaze away. "He's... he's kind. And he's... really sweet. For one, he's never called me heartless or mean. I guess he always sees the best in everyone. And he also has this obsession with chocolate, which makes him always smell like chocolate, and he's so down to earth with his head stuck in a book, which makes him look even more adorable, specially when he wears his dorky and baggy sweaters."

     Diana giggled to herself, but when she caught Regulus giving her a look and realized that she had been rambling on, she cleared her throat and immediately fell quiet.

     "Oh, shut up," she grumbled, waiting for the great amount of teasing to be unleashed on her.

     But Regulus smiled. "There's nothing wrong with feelings this way about someone."

      "I don't feel anything about anyone," Diana said stubbornly, even though she was unable to ignore her heart which had started fluttering when she was talking about Remus.

     "But what if he likes you back?" Regulus mused.

     "He doesn't."

     "Why wouldn't he?"

      "Why would he?" Diana stopped walking, turning to face Regulus. "They don't call me heartless and mean without a reason. I've been punching boys since my first year here, and I kicked the first boy who ever tried to kiss me in the nuts. I mean, look at me. I have a short temper, a sharp tongue, and I don't know the first thing about romance and love. I've been running away from it my whole life."

Regulus only smiled, looking into the distance. "I suppose there's always a first for everything."

He then gestured his head over at something and when Diana turned around and followed his gaze, she saw Remus sitting in the stands back in the Quidditch field which they had just left, a book in his hands as he read through.

"He likes you, too," said Regulus.

"That doesn't prove anything." Diana shook her head, even though every part of her wished that he could be right. "The Gryffindors have practice right now. He's come here to cheer on his friends."

"You were too focused on practicing today to realize it, but he was actually sitting there in the stands all morning. He was there because of you."

Diana said nothing, gazing into the distance with her stomach lurching.

"I'll see you back in the common room," Regulus whispered before leaving Diana standing there lost in her own thoughts, smiling knowingly to himself.