Stone.

Disclaimer: Don't own. Don't sue.

Authors Note: If I didn't want your opinions and comments, I wouldn't be posting it. So read and REVEIW and (provided you have written something in a fandom I know a little about) I will read and review something of yours. Providing it doesn't get ridiculous and I have hundreds of reviews. Which is rather unlikely.

Remember, they've added that handy hit counter. So I already know you've been here (Mua ha ha) so please... review. Just put that you read it,and I will do the same for you.

Chapter 1

Our… what would you call it? Relationship I suppose, it was always different. It was never anything standard or ordinary. We weren't exactly friends. I suppose we were acquaintances, though that term implies we knew little about each other; that we hadn't known each other for long. Neither of which was the case.

Why I was pondering it at this exact moment I wasn't sure, and it irritated me. I did not want to be another girl whose pen had gradually slowed to a halt and whose fleeting glances had become all out staring in the name of Sirius Black.

I blinked, looked back to my half completed essay and reread my last sentence. It was the same as the one before. Dammit.

I sighed allowing myself another glace across the room. From what I've said already you have probably misinterpreted it as me liking him.

I don't like him. In fact a lot of things about him I downright dislike. The casual relationships with half of the female population, the smooth self confidence, the tight knit clique otherwise known as the Marauders, with their adoring fans. The fact he's clever and hides it like it's a negative thing, the fact he can so easily wind me up and make me feel ridiculous at any given moment.

He makes me feel like a child, and I hate that. I despise it, because my childhood is not something I want to relive. It aggravates me; it aggravates me that the 2 years between us often stretch out like an eternity. That suddenly I turned round one day, I don't recall exactly when, and despite the fact he still hadn't stopped pulling my hair, he was suddenly a man. And I'm still just a girl.

But despite all of that, there is something undeniably alluring about him. As any girl will tell you. He's not just attractive. He's a little bit dangerous; a little bit unpredictable. He has this air of mystery; a few rough edges; he's not clean cut and uniformed, I suppose he's just a little bit different. A little bit special.

A contradiction. He doesn't just play with fire he seems to create it at will, but there's another side to him which I can admit I have seen and I didn't like. He can be cold as ice. Frozen. Stone. His own counterpart. He brings new meaning to apathy when the mood takes him, just like he brings passion if he so desires.

I blinked, laughter causing me to land back in the here and now with a small jolt. I've known Sirius since I was 6 years old, when I followed him around in adoration because he showed me how to build a tunnel in the sand without it caving in. Sometimes I have to kick myself to remind me that 10 years later I do not do adoring, because it's all too easy to forget.

Sarah Clayton has clearly never felt the need to impose that as one of her own principles I realized when I looked up again and saw her draping herself over him.

Already irritable due to the fact that this evening, my attention span for anything productive seemed to be zero, this was not a scene I wanted to watch unfold for the thousandth time.

I piled up my books and headed over towards the stairs to my dorm, unfortunately having to walk right past the afore mentioned womanizer and todays blonde. Feigning nonchalance like the thought hadn't crossed my mind I caught him glance up out of the corner of my eye, smile slightly and raise a hand before looking back at James, laughing at something he'd just said. The ultimate in effortless cool.

See - we can do civilised sometimes, when he feels like it. Of course sometimes it's quite different. Like last Tuesday, when I was in the library, scowling at the pages of a potions text book and cranking out my homework for the next day. It was already after 11:00pm; I'd had a horrible day and had a headache, all I really wanted to do was go to bed…

The room had emptied but for me and a couple of 4th year boys sat a few tables away. I looked up mildly surprised when someone sat down opposite me, and my expression turned to disbelief when I found it was Sirius, lounging back in his chair and grinning.

"Having fun?"

"No"

"Didn't think so"

I raised an eyebrow and looked back down at the words that were crawling across my parchment; I was too tired to even read what I'd written, and apart from that he always has had this strange effect on me where my brain doesn't function quite as it should if he gets within about 3 feet.

He yawned, it was contagious and moments later I did the same

"Tired?" He asked

"Mmm hmm"

"What you doing?"

"Potions"

"Oh yeah?"

"Yes"

"Not too sociable today are we?" he said after a pause

"No. I'm not"

"What's the problem? Come on" He grinned again "Tell uncle Sirius"

I didn't look up. "I'm tired and I have to do this and you're distracting me"

He sighed dramatically "You're no fun today"

I shot him a glare then

"Fine, I know when I'm not wanted"

"Could've fooled me"

"I'm hurt; I won't bother coming to see you next time"

I snorted "Black" I only use his surname when he's winding me up, "We both know you didn't come to see me. Why exactly you are here, I don't know. You have yet to divulge that. I didn't even think you knew we had a library let alone where it was"

"Ouch. And seen as you ask, no actually I didn't come specially to see you. If it makes you feel better"

"Ecstatic"

"I was passing, and I thought I'd come say hi, I'm starting to think I should've just-"

"Not bothered and gone to find Jennifer so you can get on with it?"

"No" he said mildly "Actually, it was Christina but-"

"You're unbelievable" I muttered eyes not leaving the page as I added a sentence and looked back to my textbook

"Well, she seems to think so"

I looked up and scowled at him and he grinned "Oh come on"

"Come on what?"

"You know you love me really"

"No" I said flatly "I don't"

"Yeah you do… admit it… I've totally brightened up your evening!"

"Black, piss off so I can get this written and go to bed"

"Now that's not very nice"

"Very nice is your speciality now!"


"As always"

"In your dreams"

He shrugged "Actually, I don't know what my speciality is; I have quite a few…" He was deliberately winding me up now, I could tell. He isn't really quite that arrogant.

"I'm sure"

"Yeah" he grinned "You know it"

"Apparently so" I said sceptically

"Aw come on Allie don't be a bitch I'm not in the mood" he yawned putting his hands behind his head and tipping back, balancing his chair on 2 legs

"Don't call me that! And I couldn't care less what you're in the mood for! I hope you fall off your sodding chair!"

He replaced all 4 chair legs on the ground with a clunk and leant his forearms on the table so his face was uncomfortably close to mine; I'd stopped writing.

"What's wrong?"

Exasperated I sat back putting a more comfortable distance between us and exclaimed "Nothing's wrong! Just go away! Look, Sirius, I have to hand this in first lesson tomorrow and I have at least another 6 inches to write so will you please just go annoy someone else!"

He shook is head "You need a bit of rest and relaxation or something. Go get some sleep" He got up and shrugged "You probably won't even get detention"

"That's not the point!"

"Ok" He said "You sit here 'til you fall asleep, and I give you oh… 15 minutes tops, and then you'll wake up with a stiff neck and in an even worse mood then you are already and you still won't have done it"

I glared at him throwing down my quill, "You're such a smart arse!"

"No, Allie" He grinned again, "This is not about my arse"

I threw a screwed up piece of parchment at him then, and he caught it before it reached its target he caught it, crumpling it up further between his fingers,

"I said don't call me that"

"You're just pissed 'cause you know I'm right… go on. Admit it. You really want to go-"


"Ok, ok! I'm going to bed. You win"

He smiled looking satisfied, "Listen to the old and wise"

"More like the old and lazy"

"That too"

I shoved my things in my bag haphazardly and forced it shut, slinging it over my shoulder and pushing my chair under the desk, he stepped between 2 rows of books and started to saunter towards the door. He'd left his chair about 4 feet away from the table at a strange angle. I wasn't going to put it back for him.

He waited for me outside the door

"All the books started getting to you?" I asked sarcastically

"Yeah, I was worried, I might y'know…learn something if I stayed in there for much longer" he said looking deadpan

"Mmm risky"

"Yeah… you can never be too careful"

I snorted, "The only time you ever care about risks is when it's a risk you might learn something?"

"That's a little bit harsh"

"The truth hurts"

"Yeah… so does learning"

I rolled my eyes and gave up, he supplied the password and I climbed through the portrait hole after him,

"Get a good view then?"

"Huh?"

"My arse. You commented on it earlier"

"I did not"

"Yeah, 'fraid you did"

"You knew exactly what I meant"

"Yeah, and it wasn't what you want me to think you meant…" He smirked and I stopped at the bottom of the stairs leading to my dorm,

"I…" I sighed rubbing my forehead "Shut up. I'm going to bed. Just… shut up"

He grinned and I said "Anyway what're you doing here, I thought you were going to see …whoever she was"

"She'll probably be asleep, you held me up. I hope you feel guilty"

"No" I said flatly "I don't"

"Well, that's gratitude for you"

"That doesn't even make sense. We weren't talking about being grateful for anything"

"Yeah, I gave you valuable advice, and that took up my precious time and-"

Shaking my head I started up the stairs "Shut up"

Blinking and emerging from my reverie as I actually entered the circular room I sighed irritably, yes, he always controlled the tone of any conversation we had.

"That sounded encouraging… do I get a 20 minute monologue on the 'pond life that are taking up the common room'" Rachel asked, rolling over on her bed, quoting last weeks angry exclamation.

"No" I dropped my books on my own bed and sat down beside them

"Oh? Too bad. I was looking forward to it"

"I could if you really want me to…"

"Nah, y'all right" She smiled then said "You done that charms then?"

"I kept getting distracted, I'll do it tomorrow"

"So Mr. Black's on good form tonight then?"

"I don't fancy Sirius" I said blankly, we'd been going over this since first year.

"No. Course you don't. Silly me"

"I don't"

"No. Right"

"Rachel!"

"Alana!" She mimicked me and I screwed my face up at my full name,

"Whatever" I lay back looking up at the ceiling

"Oh come on" She sat up grinning at me "Yes, you do"

"No I don't"

"Right. And I'm dating James Potter"

"Well, you wish you were"

"So you wish you didn't fancy Sirius?"

"No!"

"Oh, digging a hole there Al" She grinned

Authors Note: Now hit the review button and I will pay you a visit on one of your fics to show my IMMENSE gratitude. I don't care if you have anything constructive to say, flame me if you like. Or just put "I read it." In fact, if you're really lazy just copy and paste that. Go on... you know you want to. /end begging