Disclaimer: I don't own anything from the Potterverse, I just like to play with the babies.

A/N: This was written in about twenty minutes. The idea lodged itself in my brain and demanded to be written. So I wrote it. It's a really weird style from my other stuff, and I know this. I don't really know where it came from. If you don't like first person, well... I'm with you on that, actually. But try reading. It might be better than you expected?

Premise: Takes place in PoA, after the whole time-turner incident and everything.

It took everything in me not to throw myself at him. Whether I wanted to embrace him or strangle him, I didn't know, and from the look on his face, he didn't know either. When he pleaded though… I knew he was telling the truth. Call it what you will: A friend's knowledge, lover's intuition… I just knew. I did embrace him, but there were more important things to attend to. The traitor. I didn't know why I hadn't seen it sooner, probably because I hadn't seen him transform as many times as Sirius had. I'd always not been… Myself. I couldn't believe when he got away, when suddenly Sirius, my Sirius, whom I now knew was innocent, was once again being locked away, this time to be subjected to the Kiss. The wolf in me took over. I couldn't stop it, because I felt the same way. I ripped everything apart. It didn't matter, Dumbledore had already told me I couldn't stay for long if anyone found out about my… Furry little problem. I finally collapsed at my desk. There were no tears, no sobs. I'd cried over him once before, when he'd left, when I'd thought he'd killed Lily and James. And then suddenly, he was there. I heard him, felt him behind me.

"You'd better get out of here." The first words I'd spoken. I regretted them.
"Not until I know." I'd stood, turned to him.

"Know what?" I couldn't get over the changes in him. There was a hollow look in his eyes. His skin was sallow, he was pale. I could see his ribs through his shirt.

"I lied when I said Pettigrew was the only thing that kept me sane," he'd said. I noted the use of Peter's last name. As much as he'd hurt me, I couldn't deal with the changes. He was still Peter.

"I would be lying if I said I haven't missed you." My voice cracked on the words. But it was all the invitation he seemed to need. He walked forward and embraced me, and I wrapped my arms around him. It had amazed me, how small he seemed. I'd always been thinner, shorter. Now I was holding him, comforting him as he'd always done for me.

"Moony," he'd murmured, and looked at me. I remember the indecision in his eyes, the fear. I'd leaned up and kissed him softly. I was scared, too. But he held me and I held him and for a moment, the world disappeared and it was just the two of us again. And then he broke it roughly. There were tears on his cheeks, and I'd wiped them away.

"I love you, you know. I never stopped." The words hit me in a way that I'd never known I could be hit.

"I love you too." And then, he kissed me roughly, pulling away only when he needed air. I was crying this time.

"You have to go," I'd choked out, and he'd nodded.

"This isn't goodbye," he'd hugged me tightly once more, and then went to the window.

"I love you," he'd whispered, and jumped out. I'd gasped and rushed over, only to see him waving from the back of a hippogriff. Despite myself, I'd laughed. He would be alright. After all, it wasn't goodbye. Not really.

A/N: Reviews are lovely, and thank you for reading!