While I wish I could go back and check on Sirius, Peter, and Remus, I know I can't leave James' side. When Madam Pomfrey comes in she doesn't ask what happened, only where he's hurt. Honestly, she looks more surprised at me being there than James.

"This is very good work, Miss Ackley. Perhaps I'll have you help out more often." She compliments and I perk up at the sound of my name.

"Thanks. Uh, may I ask how you know my name?" I didn't think I'd caused trouble enough to be well known yet. She answers as she continues looking at James' shoulder.

"Professor McGonagall was speaking about you the other day. She was impressed with your skill in Transfiguration. I believe she's hoping you'll join the Quidditch team, as well." My eyes widen a little and I feel intensely flattered that she's been talking about me with the other teachers. "Professor Slughorn was also impressed. And Professor Flitwick. If your work in all those classes is as good as this, then I understand." Madam Pomfrey eyes the pink scars happily before pulling me away from James.

"Wait..." I resist but stop when she pulls out her wand.

"You have a large gash on your shoulder blade, dear." She tells me and I crane my neck and just manage to see a smear of red all over it.

"Oh. I can't even feel that." I remark, surprised. Madam Pomfrey slices through the strap of my tank top and goes to work.

"That's most likely the adrenaline." She tells me and I nod, watching James as she heals me. "Oh..." She trails off and I stiffen when her cold hand skims over old scars on my back.

"Don't worry about those," I tell her without emotion and she doesn't say any more about them. When she's done, I tuck in the blood-soaked straps and sit with James again, clutching his hand tight. Madam Pomfrey walks away and leaves me alone with James once again. The sun is steadily on the rise, so I duck out and fill a plate with food from the kitchens. Peter told me the other day how to get in, although I got lost a couple of times trying to find the portrait. James is still asleep when I get back, so I set his breakfast aside until he wakes up. Fortunately, it doesn't take long.

"Mm, I smell bacon." Of course, his mouth would open before his eyes, but I'm relieved all the same.

"Fucking finally." I breathe as he sits up on his own, glancing at his shoulder. "Are you alright?"

"You couldn't have left me with some cooler scars, Mane?" James questions and I nearly throw his food at him. Instead, I lay it on his lap.

"Don't start. You're lucky I was bloody there, you moron." I scold, throwing a napkin at his face for good measure.

"Right, you know, about that..." He starts with worried eyes on me. I nod slowly and take a deep breath. I've had to do a lot of thinking while he was asleep.

"I think we can be trusted to keep each other's secrets, right? The others too." I tell him quietly, but sincerely, staring James in his nice hazel eyes. "Prongs," I add, smiling. After he considers me for a couple of moments, he nods.

"I'm actually still having a tough time believing it. You. An animagus." He whispers with a smile and starts eating. "And you couldn't have possibly gotten a cooler one." This is said with a little wistfulness and I almost laugh.

"Trust me, it was a big surprise when I changed into a bloody lioness. But I'm still surprised about all of you. And Remus..." Suddenly his sudden sickness lately makes sense.

"Don't pity him," James says after swallowing some of his biscuit. I meet his hazel eyes and am shocked by the seriousness in them. I don't think I've ever seen him so serious. "He's the same bloke, just with a fuzzy little problem that pops up every month. Not unlike a woman." And there's the joke. I smile and nod.

"I got it. I won't treat him any different." I promise and he nods thankfully. We both flinch however when the doors open to reveal our friends.

"Thank god," I whisper when I see Peter and Sirius behind him, but Remus is in Sirius' arms. I'm beside them in a second, taking Remus' feet and helping Sirius set him on the bed beside James. "He's alright, isn't he?" I question and Sirius nods with a sigh.

"He's fine. Just worn out." Sirius answers and I relax again. I hug Peter quick and fast, then throw my arms around Sirius. Our embrace lasts a little longer and my cheeks turn a little pink when we separate. His fingers dance across the pink lines Madam Pomfrey left on my back, but I shrug him off. "Prongs?" He asks and I turn around, showcasing James lying on the bed eating a piece of toast. We all head over and push another bed between Remus and James so we can see both at the same time, although Remus is still asleep. James' first move is to reassure the guys that I'm cool, although judging by their relaxed shoulders, they were already sure.

"A lioness, though? That's wicked." Peter tells me and I shrug.

"At the time I would've given anything to have been a rat," I tell him and he grins.

"Why did you become one anyway?" Prongs asks and I'm stuck for something to say, but I'm saved by Sirius.

"Oi, look who's waking up." He calls our attention to Remus whose eyes are just barely open, then Sirius winks at me. I'm grateful for the save. No doubt he knows the answer already after our talk in the common room only a few days ago.

"How're you feeling, Mr. Lupin?" Madam Pomfrey asks as she emerges from her office at the far end of the room. A disapproving look is all she gives us for pushing all the beds together, but a small smile on her face belies that. She has a tray of food that she levitates to the side before helping Remus sit up with at least four pillows.

"Peachy." He tells her weakly. We help guide the tray onto his lap and he nibbles at the food while worriedly glancing at the rest of us every once and a while. Especially on James' scars and my tattered tank.

"That was quite the rescue, Mane," Peter tells me and all eyes turn to mine. I shrug.

"You all would have done the same for me. Sorry about the headache, Remus." I apologize to him, wincing when I note the lump on his forehead. He does his best to smile and waves a hand in dismissal.

"Personally, I was struck with how nice an ass you have, Mane." Sirius comments and I hit him in his gut while the boys whistle in agreement. Peter blushes sweetly.

"Sure, and I'm sure when you're in a less stressful situation your dick is more impressive." I tease back and the guys ooo while I grin.

"Ouch, Mane. That hurts. That really hurts." He jokes, laying an arm across the back of the bed behind my shoulders and pecking my cheek. I lean into him comfortably as the five of us continue talking. It's eight-thirty when Sirius, Peter, James and I force ourselves up and out of bed.

"Alright, Moony, we'll leave you to convalesce. Behave yourself." James tells him with a wink. He and I have been released from the hospital with the condition that we rest the arm attached to the damaged shoulder. Sirius and Peter are well enough to go to class, although the thought of returning to something normal seems a bit off-putting.

"How did you know it was me back there, Sirius?" I ask him as we walk to the common room. He shrugs and lets his arm hang over my shoulders. Whether he's doing it to purposefully block my many scars on display or it's a coincidence, I'm grateful.

"Well, I knew your patronus so it seemed like a logical conclusion, then there was your smell." He leans over and playfully sniffs my hair. "." He chuckles as my head shakes, but then I realize I had the same problem. That certain something else I smell on him is dog.

"You can cast a patronus, Mane? Blimey, why are we not in the loop?" James acts offended. "Actually, if I hadn't seen you last night during the full moon, I'd think you had your own furry problem based on all your scars." He jokes, but there's a certain curious edge to his voice.

"Oi, mate," Sirius calls for his attention and shakes his head disapprovingly.

"No, it's okay. We've all seen each other naked so there's really no point in holding anything back, right?"

"You don't have to say anything, Mane. Sorry, I asked." James assures me with that serious tone back in his voice. Wow, twice in one day, I wonder if that's a record for him.

"I want to." We stop just outside the common room in case people are already inside after breakfast. My gold eyes meet his hazel and I'm glad Sirius doesn't step away from me. I like his support. "Uh, my dad used to beat me. With whatever was nearby, so a belt, a bottle, one time he used a hot frying pan because I didn't have dinner ready on time." I chuckle slightly to avoid the inevitable awkward silence. "I became an animagus because I thought if I were a rat or something small I could get away, but then I turned into a lioness." My head shakes at the memory of my disappointment, but I'm thankful now.

"Bloody hell, Mane," James whispers and rubs a long-fingered hand over the bottom half of his face. "Why didn't you say something?"

"It's the first bloody week of school. Didn't want to bare my soul just yet." I sass and he rolls his eyes.

"Well, obviously we're not going to think differently of you. We romp around with a werewolf once a month."

"I didn't know that until now, tosser!"

"Are we seriously going to fight over how much we like each other because I'd smoke all of you." Sirius jokes and James and I take a breath.

"Sorry. I'm just angry you had to go through that, Mane. Blimey." James shakes his head and I smile softly.

"Me too," Peter adds quietly. James steps forward and I suddenly find myself sandwiched in a hug between Sirius and him. Peter meekly joins and I chuckle a little wetly.

"Are you alright? Safe, I mean? You can come stay with me whenever you like, that's what Sirius does anyway-"

"No, no, I'm fine. My parents are both dead. Died years ago." I answer James despite the emotion rising in me. Still, they don't release me. "Guys you're going to make me cry." I accuse but their arms just tighten around me. For another few moments, I let the joy of having them flow through me before sniffling softly. "We have to go to class-"

"Christ, god forbid we love on you a little before heading to class." James pokes fun before we part and head into the common room. "Well, I hope you know that now you're stuck with us. We've all confessed our love for one another and I think we should all have a summer wedding." James goes on and I roll my eyes as we split and head up the stairs. I'm quick to change into my uniform despite the ache of my shoulder and the stiffness of the bandages, but I make it out and to class on time along with the boys. And with a new appreciation for them as well.

A/N

Alright, lots of big stuff in this chapter! Mane knows, they know about her, her family, why she's an animagus, all that good personal stuff. Anyone surprised about any of it? I also like how Sirius always is ready to defend her. He knows better than most about shit families, so there's a real connection there with that.

Keep reading and commenting lovelies!