The Fallen Angels

Term was close to being over and Professor Lupin had been absent for a long while now. And things in Slytherin house were still strained.

Pansy is, well, Pansy. Nothing remotely nice ever comes from her. Crabbe and Goyle, still dumber than a bag of hammers, can't even create a conversation. And Draco...that's still complicated...
I sat outside, breathing in the fresh air of spring while I read through my Divination book. Most of it was things I already knew but there were still a few things I had yet to learn.

"Abigail." I looked up and saw Draco jogging over to me. Debating whether or not I should talk to him, I closed my book and stood up. "Wait up!" he said jumping into step with me as I began to walk away. I gave him a side glare, still not over the fact he was using Buckbeak's almost execution as entertainment. "Still not talking to me?" he asked. I ignored him. "Right," he frowned. "Abby, look, I...I just...I'm sorry, okay?" I continued to ignore him, quickening my pace. "Abby!" Draco groaned. "Stop!" I continued to walk. "Abby!" he said jumping in front of me. "Just let me explain."

"There's nothing to explain!" I snapped. "You were going to put Buckbeak's head in the Gryffindor common room for Merlin's sake! You're a sick bastard, Draco! That's all!"

"Abby. I-"

"Don't try to make excuses, Draco! You know what you did! I bet you didn't even try and stop your father! And to think I defended you against my friends!" I shout as angry tears slipped down my cheeks. "Just leave me alone!"

I turned and ran into the castle. Running blindly I went to the third floor and found myself in the Defense Against the Dark Arts room. I dropped my book on the desk and wiped away the tears before I went up to Lupin's room. I went to knock on the open door, disappointed in the packed things.

"Come in, Abigail." Lupin said, his back still to me. "Confrontations with Malfoy again?" he asked, spinning around. I looked at his desk and nodded knowing he saw with the Marauders Map. "Same thing?" I nodded again. "You wont be able to hide from him forever, Abby. And he seems persistent on you forgiving him. Maybe you should."

"I thought you hated the Malfoy's?"

Lupin chuckled, "A great dislike yes, the Malfoy's aren't my favorite people in the world, but Draco seems to fancy you."
I shook my head, "He wants to be on my good side only because of my father."

Lupin shook his head, turning around again. "You don't know that. Give him a chance. I want to see you happy again." There was a small pause, only the creaking floorboards could be heard. "Hello, Harry," Lupin spoke and I looked to the doorway to see Harry standing there, looking confused. "I saw you coming," Lupin spoke, pointing to the Map. "I've looked worse, believe me." He said as Harry inspected Lupin's poor color.

"You've been sacked," Harry said looking around the room.

"No, no. I resigned, actually." Lupin grunted ripping up a paper and tossing it into the fire.

"What? Why?" I asked.

Lupin chuckled half-heartedly, "Well, it seems that somebody let slip the nature of my condition. This time tomorrow, the owls will start arriving and parents will not want a, um...well, someone like me teaching their children."

"But Dumbledore-" Harry began to argue but Lupin cut him off.

"Dumbledore has already risked enough on my behalf. Besides, people like me are...Well, let's just say that I'm use to it by now." Harry looked down at the floor sadly. "Why do you look so miserable, Harry?" Lupin inquired.

Harry huffed, "None of it made any difference. Pettigrew escaped."

"Didn't make any difference?" I asked.

"Harry, it made all the difference in the world," Lupin added. "You helped uncover the truth. You saved an innocent man from a terrible fate. It made a great deal of difference." Lupin smiled at the both of us. "If I am proud of anything, it is of how much you two have learned this year. Now, since I am no longer you teacher, I feel no guilt whatsoever about giving this back to you. So now, I'll say goodbye. I feel sure we'll all meet again sometime. Until then," Lupin looked at the map, "Mischief Managed."

I quickly hugged Lupin, "Thank you, for everything."

Lupin chuckled, patting my back and then left without another word. Harry folded up the Map and stuck it in his pocket before sticking his arm out for me to take. I smiled at him and looped my arm through his as the two of us made our way to the Great Hall.

"Do you think we'll ever see him again?" Harry asked.

I nodded, "Defiantly."

Harry smiled as we neared the entrance. There we could hear Ron shouting.

"Stand back, I said! Or I'll take it upstairs if you don't settle."

"Harry," Neville shouted as we stepped into the room. He ran up to us, Seamus just behind him. "Wherever did you get it?"

"Can I have a go, Harry? After you, of course," Seamus asked.

"What are you talking about?" asked Harry.

"Quiet. Let the man through," snapped Ron before he addressed Harry. "I didn't mean to open it, Harry. It was badly wrapped. They made me do it," he whimpered pointing to Fred and George.

"Did not," they said together as Harry unwrapped the package on the table.

"It's a Firebolt," Fred smiled at the broom.

"It's the fastest broom in the world," agreed George.

"For me?" Breathed Harry. "But who sent it?"

Ron shrugged, "No one knows."

"This came with it," Hermione smiled holding up a grey blue feather that looked oddly similar to Buckbeaks.

She and I giggled as Harry scooped up and ran outside with the Gryffindor's gathered around and with a small push off from the ground he flew up into the sky.

I laughed as they cheered for Harry.

"Abby." I turned around and gave Draco a soft glare. "Please."

I took his bag and pulled out a quill and a bit of parchment. I scribbled down the Weasley's address and handed it to him. "Write to me this summer. Then we'll see."

I then turned and walked over to Hermione and Ron, watching for Harry in the sky.

"You good?" Ron asked in a brotherly voice.

I smiled, "Great. My best year yet."