I slowly opened my eyes and flinched at the blinding white light surrounding me. As my eyes adjusted after blinking twice or thrice, I realized I was in the Hospital Wing.

As expected.

Well of course, after winding up in a massive fight including a werewolf, an animagus and a stinky good for nothing Dark Wizard, I was bound to end up here all bandaged and blanketed for goodness knows how long bed rest.

My back ached still but the terrible gash on it was cured thanks to Madam Pomfrey. She might be brilliant but I hate it when I wake up to find myself in these starched white sheets. I rather prefer my own four poster in the Gryffindor dorms, thank you very much.

"Hey," I heard a voice and sat up cautiously to see the one person I wasn't expecting in the least. Draco Malfoy was sitting lazily in one of the visitor's chairs.

"What are you doing here?" I asked him or rather reprimanded him, to be honest. He looked as if caught off guard. "I mean you didn't just come here to pay me a visit, right?" I elaborated and then muttered under my breath, "thickhead."

He straightened, "yes... Yes, of course, why would I come to visit you? I just... I just came for a check up. Madam Pomfrey called me."

Oh... Check up? Malfoy's pretty little arm is still hurting him? How convenient.

"Oh good. But by the looks of it, you must have had your check up. I suppose you should be heading back to class by now," I retorted. Yeah I know this is a very Percy Weasley statement. Who cares, by the way?

I raised an eyebrow at him as if waiting for him to get up. He didn't make any attempt to leave though which was quite surprising.

He spoke, "I heard about last night."

Oh really? I didn't. Of course the whole school must have heard of it by now.

"Did you? Quite marvelous, wasn't it?" I know my sarcasm has gotten full hold of me by now, "I'm sure a great celebration would have been held."

He was gaping at me as if I had lost my mind, "celebration? What do you mean?"

Oh dear, poor Malfoy is knocked out of it by none other than me in my characteristic insanity fits, "well, it was the national holiday of Sweden. I doubt that you've ever read any newspaper other than the Daily Prophet. That must be the reason you would get a zero in general knowledge if you ever attended Muggle schools."

At that statement, his eyes looked as if they would pop out, "I mean about the Whomping Willow incident in which you got hurt."

I rolled my eyes, "oh that! Well yeah, I got hurt. Any problem?"

His eyes shifted uncomfortably. Those eyes... Gray with a bluish tinge. Why the hell were his eyes sort of familiar? Leave it, Katerina, you probably hit your head harder than you thought.

"How are you feeling now?" he asked in a really low voice.

I wonder what's up with Malfoy. Why is he asking about me? "Absolutely fantastic," I replied sarcasm dripping from each word but now I was watching him keenly for any sign of the sudden improvement in behavior.

"You must have been hurt pretty bad," he mumbled again.

"Yeah very," I answered, "but certainly being a victim of the Dark Arts is absolutely nothing as compared to getting almost killed by Hagrid's bloody chicken, isn't it?"

His usually pale face turned crimson red (like tomatoes freshly ripe and picked), "oh... I... You're making fun of me!"

I laughed at his reaction. "No, I'm being honest, Malfoy. It must have been such a life threatening experience for you. Buckbeak's talons might have hurt like hell. I suppose you nearly escaped the menacing jaws of death, didn't you? And that poor little arm! It's a wonder you can still move it about. A miracle, indeed!"

He was staring at the ground as if there was something very interesting down there, "no, it wasn't that bad."

I imitated him, "I'm dying, I'm dying. Look at me! It's killed me!" And then I burst into another fit of laughter.

Don't get me wrong, I know I'm being awfully mean to little Drakiepie over here but I think it serves him right. After all, he faked up his injury for almost three months.

"You always had a habit of making me appear as a rude insolent brat."

Oh yes, I do enjoy it very much. One can not imagine the pleasure... Wait.

Did he just say always? Since when has he known me that long to say always? All our encounters hardly account up to or possibly under 15 minutes. And that makes it a total of approximately 120 minutes if I sum up the time limit of all our previous encounters.

"Did you just say always?" I asked observing him keenly.

He stuttered, "I... No... I didn't. I meant all the times that we've talked accidentally or purposefully you always make a point of degrading me."

Nice save Malfoy, but I still think there's something more than just fishy going on.

"And precisely that's the fact that makes me wonder why you're still here? You've got to attend Potions with Professor Snape, right? Such a brilliant Professor..."

I watched him get up and walk off rather annoyed. Well, no one suggested him to come here in the first place.

"Oh and Malfoy," I called so he stopped and turned to face me, "I would suggest an extra sling and complete bed rest for your precious arm."

He grumbled something inaudible and walked out the Hospital Wing. Oh dear, poor little arm indeed!

***

A while had passed since Malfoy left and frankly speaking I was quite bored sitting all by myself. Madam Pomfrey had been in here twice to check up on me but of course what could she do to lessen my boredom?

The one news she did give me was bad enough, I guess. According to her, wounds received from Dark Magic can't be healed completely and the scars are permanent. Thanks to Peter Pettigrew, my back was going to look like a network of deep scars for the rest of my life.

But I was shaken out of my thoughts when I heard a familiar hoarse voice, "of course, Madam Pomfrey. Only if you allow. No, obviously not, I shan't bother her. Yes, just five minutes."

Moony. That's his voice, I'm completely sure of it. Soon enough, he entered. He looked weaker than ever as his shabby robes appeared much loose on him and his face was scratched worse than I had ever seen. Even his eyes were rimmed by dark shadows.

His state was... Pitiful.

I felt a strong urge to hug him and comfort him as he was the one who used to do it so often; comfort others, help them in need, be their support in trouble but now he needed someone and without his friends there was no other person for him to hold on to.

"Moony," I straightened immediately but then corrected myself knowing Madam Pomfrey could have been listening, "I mean... Professor Lupin."

He looked around to make sure Madam Pomfrey was out of earshot, "no, you can call me Moony. It... It feels good. After this long, you know. Reminds me of the good old days."

He sat down on the visitor's chair as if exhausted.

"You okay?" I couldn't help but notice those cuts and scars as well as the evident worn out expression on his face. Though there was something else other than just exhaustion in his mild eyes. At first I thought I had been mistaken but this time the guilt in his eyes was more clear than anything.

"I'm so so sorry, Kat," his voice was breaking with each word, "I always dreaded this. I... I wish I had done something to stop myself. You... You're in here because of me!"

Wait what?

I don't remember being attacked or even going up close to him in his wolf state. Then what the hell is he talking about?

Maybe someone found me in the forest and concocted the false story of Moony being the reason for my injuries. But Madam Pomfrey herself said it was Dark Magic... Whatever.

"I'm not here because of you but because I had tried to take down that rat in a duel all by myself overlooking the fact that he's a Dark Wizard while I'm not even of age yet."

He was still adamant on thinking that I was hurt due to him, "but you were hurt. I tried to hurt you... I'm... I'm such a worthless monster."

Oh God, this is it. "Shut it, Moony. It's not your fault. End of story."

He gave a low defeated nod, "things got so screwed up. If only I had taken the wolfsbane..."

I cut him short by flinging my arms around his neck and hugged him. It did hurt me to move though, but who cares?

He stiffened as always but then he awkwardly patted the top of my head, "you sure you should be doing this?"

I laughed a little, "you were my best friend, remember? And it's not my fault that you turned up here as a Professor. But that still won't make me stop treating you the way I did earlier."

However, he looked a lot crestfallen, "not anymore. I turned in my resignation early this morning."

What?

It had me shocked utterly, "you resigned? But why? You're like the best Defense teacher Hogwarts has ever had in years!"

He shook his head, "that's very generous of you to say so. But after what happened last night, I don't think parents would want me, a werewolf, teaching their children. I'm a constant threat to their safety."

I spoke up immediately, "you're not a Dementor, Moony, and if they let those ghastly creatures guard the school and surround their children as well then they shouldn't have any problem with you teaching here as well. Besides no one at the school except Dumbledore, Harry, Hermione and Ron know what exactly happened last night and they won't ever tell on you. I know obviously but you can trust us."

He let out a weary sigh, "you're forgetting someone."

Um... Oh... Bighead Snivellus. I did see him that night and I guess he was the one who made Moons believe that I got hurt due to him in his werewolf state.

"Snape had been there the whole time under Harry's cloak. He turned all of us in and if it hadn't been for Dumbledore, I would be locked up in Azkaban at the moment for assisting Sirius Black. Dumbledore covered it all up and thus Snape was refused the Order of Merlin and he..." I would have let him continue but of course it was pretty obvious what he would say next.

"So the Humongous Greasehead accidentally let the secret slip about you to everyone present. He does deserve an award. Order of Merlin first class, for being a total jerk."

His eyes widened a little at my statement. Did he think I was going to refrain from using such a golden insult at this time just due to the stupid reason that Professor Snape was my teacher? Oh, hell no.

However after the words settled in, he nodded, "yes he did. So I resigned before they would have to sack me out."

This was unbelievable. Downright cruelty.

"You can't just leave like this," I tried to... Well who am I kidding, exactly? I actually pleaded him to stay.

"All that matters is that Sirius is safe from Dementors and alive. Buckbeak also escaped but I guess you'll get the rest of the details from Ron," he spoke, "I have to go and pack, Katerina. I'll see you on my way to the gates when the carriage comes."

These are not tears threatening to spill from my eyes, absolutely not. No, I won't cry. I'm not going to... I...

He gently squeezed my hands, "I'll send owls as frequently as I can, okay?"

I managed a watery nod.

He rummaged inside his pocket and took out a bar of my favorite chocolate, "I'm sorry, Kat. I know you won't hear of it but still...I hope this makes up to you."

Even after all these years, he's still the Moony I had known from long ago.

"We'll meet soon someday," he tried to assure me, "take care of yourself, okay?"

"Why don't you come to the Burrow for Summer Break? Mom would love to have some company and you could definitely do with extra helpings of properly nourishing meals."

He smiled briefly, "I appreciate it but I can't make any promises. I have work."

Oh, of course. He has a habit of being painstakingly civil.

"Tell me if you get any word from... Him, y'know," I had to clench my fist in order to keep myself restrained.

It was so hard; whenever I thought of Sirius and all he had been through it sent chills down my spine. And also a heart wrenching ache that troubled me worse than ever. A terrible longing to see those eyes again, to hear that laughter, to hear him crack jokes here and there and most of all to be with him, to comfort him and tell him that I knew he was innocent.

"I will, I promise," he answered, "but you have to promise me one thing too. Never talk of any teacher, like how you did of Snape today, in front of anyone."

"Sure. And thanks Moony," I mumbled.

I watched him get up and leave. This was probably the last conversation we would have in years perhaps. Glancing down at the bar of chocolate in my hands, there was only one thought that crossed my mind:

Remus Lupin had not changed in the slightest.

***