This is just a cute little Sirius drabble I wrote. I intended to keep going with it but never got around to it. Maybe someday :)
Young love. You remember what that was like don't you? There was that seemingly unattainable girl or boy that you met that one summer, that fall, or whenever it was that changed the way you felt about your whole life and everything in it. Then again, maybe they weren't so unattainable. Perhaps, you did hold them for a time and called them your own and dare I say loved them for however fleeting a moment it was? Even now you can look on those days and though the heartache quickly threatens to overcome you with the regret of losing someone so rare, so precious, you can still smile on the remembrances. You remember them. You remember the feel of their skin under your lips. Can you still recall the ache in your very soul just to be near them? Well, maybe it wasn't the ache just in your soul.
The bright July sun shone down all too effectively on the Devonshire country side near the Potter's summer household in Exeter. A huge black shaggy dog, tail wagging as he ran, took off in a dead sprint for the forest. The bright rays of the sun broke through the trees projecting their beams of light into the forest. The air was thick with pollen, drifts of down and stray leaves here and there floating aimlessly on the breeze. Padfoot had explored the woods near James' summer home more times than he could remember. Today the sun seemed a little brighter, the air a little fresher, and somehow everything felt different than it ever had before. Padfoot leaped over dead branches and the thick overgrowths as he took off in the direction of the river bed. A nice dip in the cool waters was just what he needed. Not to mention the hours of fun that could be had by chasing minnows while the Potters were in town grocery shopping, a task far too dangerous for Sirius. If Mrs. Potter took him grocery shopping they were bound to come home with 20 pounds of bacon and nothing else. He took a sharp turn for the berry clearing and nearly skidded to a halt as he stopped yards away and transformed back to his human self before creeping quietly ahead to investigate what his keen canine senses had suddenly and expertly picked up.
The break in the forest lead to a small clearing thick with blackberry bushes that was almost taller than his shoulders. The bushes were heavy with lush, plump blackberries weighing down each bramble. They were begging to be picked or waiting patiently to fall back to the earth from whence they came. He took a few steps further into the clearing when he saw a pair of wellies kicking in the air. Trying his best not to disturb these boots he peered around the hedges with eager curiosity. The bright red rain boots belonged surprisingly to a pair of long, smooth tanned legs. Above the small hollow behind her knees it looked as if a full skirt of the softest baby blue and a pure white petticoat which was wet and dirty around the edges had been hiked up and tucked into her waistband. A white cotton chemise covered her back, the thin straps on her shoulders were peaking out behind golden blond locks that trailed down her back and swayed with the wind. A long sleeved shirt of the same baby blue color with pretty white rose buttons that trailed all the way up the front to the top of its high collar was blowing in the same breeze from its place where it rested carefully on a nearby tree limb. A large basket was in front of her, brimming with berries that she was happily eating with one hand. Her fingers tips were stained a purpled color and as she swiped at her hair some of the deep maroon juices transferred to her stray locks. Her smiling lips were also turning a faint purple shade as she lazily ate berry after berry slowly bringing each one to her lips. In her right hand she unmistakably held a dark wooded, almost black wand that was magically directing the berries into the large basket. She was humming a soft tune that those rain boot clad feet were kicking in time to. She was the most beautiful thing Sirius Black had ever seen. Sirius took an all too daring step forward and cleared his throat.
"You'll ruin your supper." All at once, she nearly choked on a berry and tossed her wand into the tall grass nearby. She rolled over onto her back and propped herself up with her elbows, giving Sirius the once over with her curious gaze. She looked completely taken aback at the sight of him and a look of almost disbelief crossed her face.
"Quoi?" She stared at him, and Sirius stared right back.
"Excuse me?" Sirius ran his hands through his hair nervously.
"Je n'ai pas entendu que vous avez dit. Vous m'avez surpris! Je n'ai pas su il y avait n'importe qui d'autre hors ici." She replied quickly, still staring at him with that curious look on her face. Sirius cursed under his breath and wished he remembered more French. Of course the gorgeous girl he just so happened to stumble upon in the middle of the woods like a fairytale, was French. He scrambled his brain for the little bit of French he knew and came up with a reply.
"Je ne vous comprends pas." She smiled brightly and sat up straight.
"Est-ce vrai?" Sirius shifted his weight in frustration and took a few steps closer.
"I don't speak French." He spoke very slowly and tried to use his hands to show him speaking and then her speaking and then shaking his head no.
"Why didn't you say so in the first place?" She collapsed backwards into the grass in a fit of laughter. When she finally recovered she sat up again and simply looked at him for what seemed like forever. Her bright green eyes were taking in every inch of him. "What was the first thing you said? I didn't hear you because you startled me." Sirius nodded and stuck his hands in the pockets of his loose jeans.
"Well, I was trying to be funny and clever but it doesn't really work now that the moment is over. I said you'll ruin your supper." He pointed at the berries behind her.
"You won't tell on me will you?" Her rich French accent was like gold to his ears. It was heavenly the way the words came out of her mouth.
"What if I do tell on you?" Before she could really think about it she burst out in defiance.
"Ha! I'll hex…" She covered her mouth with her hand. Sirius laughed.
"It's ok, I'm a wizard. I saw you toss your wand over there." He pointed in the general direction that her wand had been thrown.
"Really? Wonderful! I didn't think there were any other wizard families around here."
"I'm staying with one of my mates for the summer in his parent's summer house."
"I see. You come to these woods often? Help yourself," she pointed at the berries, "I have to go and find my wand. My mother will kill me if I lose another one." She stood up, the top of her head reaching just at Sirius' chin. She turned on her heels and headed towards the grass. Sirius sat down near the basket and took a handful of berries and ate them as he watched her fumbling around in the grass.
"Yeah, I'm out here almost every day," Sirius paused as he watched her bent over and searching in the grass for her wand, "Nice dress." She looked back at him over her shoulder, pushing her long locks out of her face.
"I'll tell my grandmother you want one." She came back to him with her wand in her hand and plopped down next to him grabbing another handful of berries for herself. She pointed at her boots and wiggled her feet. "These boots are mine though. She got tired of me ruining her satin slippers so she finally gave in and let me wear my boots."
"I like them." She nodded and opened her mouth, obviously inviting him to feed her a berry. Sirius picked out an especially large one from the basket and placed it in her mouth, his fingers barely grazing her lips and sending an undeniable bolt of electricity through his body. Unbelievable. She licked her lips slowly and lay down in the springy grass propped up on her elbow on her side.
"Do you go to Hogwarts?" Grateful, for a topic of conversation to distract him from her mouth Sirius lounged on his side as well, still eating an occasional berry.
"Yup, this is my last year."
"Me too! Well, at Beauxbatons. What House are you in?"
"I'm in Gryffindor." Sirius spoke with pride. Any chance he got to mention that he was in Gryffindor and not Slytherin made him happy to remember his defiance against his awful family.
"What does that mean? What is your House known for?"
"Gryffindors are known for courage, nerve, and chivalry." She laughed a little running her fingers through the grass in front her.
"Chivalry? Then you should have gone to get my wand for me instead of making me dig around in all that tall grass."
"I would have!" Sirius stammered. She merely grabbed a handful of grass and tossed it at him.
"It was a joke! Which of your Houses is known for being, how do you say, smart?"
"Ravenclaw."
"That would be me. The House I'm in at school is Rouerie. We're known for our intellect and such." She looked up at the sun in the sky and back to Sirius. "I should probably get home so I have time to get ready for dinner." She stood up and bent over to pick up the brimming berry basket. "I'm going to the beach in Sidmouth tomorrow with my nieces. You should come." She headed off in the opposite direction without another word.
"Wait! What's your name?" She stopped and turned to look back at him.
"Closer!" She called from a distance.
"Closer?!" Sirius shouted and to his surprise she took a few steps nearer to him and waited. Unbelievable. "Closer." Sirius repeated. Again, she took a few larger strides back to him. "Closer." This time he spoke much softer for with that final utterance she stopped right in front of him. The tips of her shiny rain boots were touching the tips of his jet black combat boots. Her face was turned up and Sirius admired the almost invisible freckles across the bridge of her nose as he looked down at her.
"You can call me anything." Sirius Black was speechless.
"You're beautiful."
"Thank you. You're handsome. My name is Elodie Cholmondeley. Ellie, Ell, Charlie…I'll answer to whatever you decide on."
"I'm Sirius Black."
"I'll see you tomorrow?"
"Absolutely." Sirius stood there in the clearing for at least ten minutes after she had gone. She was completely unreal, like a walking apparition. He had never seen anyone like her before. Tomorrow, for lack of a better word, was going to be magical.
If Sirius had a galleon for every day he was thankful that he'd passed his apparition test, he'd be a rich man. Sirius had barely slept a wink, he was far too excited about seeing Elodie, and when he finally did pass out he was out like a light. When he finally did wake up it was to the sound of James falling on his arse when he came into the room and tripped on his own two feet.
"Shit!" James cursed from the floor. Sirius bolted upright in bed and opened one eye cautiously. It took a few minutes for his mind to catch up with him as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes until it hit him like a bag full of garden gnomes.
"FUCK!" Sirius shouted as he flung his covers aside. James raised his hands in agreement as he went back to tying his shoes.
"I know man!"
"What time is it?"
"Quarter after."
"Quarter after what?!" Sirius practically screamed at him like a girl.
"1 man! Quarter after 1!"
"FUCK! I'm late!" Sirius grabbed his trunks out of his drawer, snatched his wallet and apparated on the spot.
"But, Remus and Pete are coming…" James called after Sirius before he realized that he had gone. James shrugged his shoulders and stood up to go back downstairs completely forgetting why he had come upstairs in the first place.
Sirius walked around the crowded beach, changed into his trunks and searched for Elodie. As he walked along he noticed a few sidelong glances from several bikini clad girls, but today he wasn't interested in smiles from just any girls. He was only interested in one girl. The one girl he was interested in and he couldn't find her anywhere. His growling stomach persuaded him towards a concession cart where he woofed down a chili dog and bought himself an ice cream cone. As it melted and dripped down his hand, Sirius was starting to worry that he was too late. He licked the sticky ice cream off his fingers and plopped down in the sand and glared out at the ocean. What if he had missed her? How would he find her again? Could he just wait around the berry patch until she showed up again? If that's what it was going to take, he would do it. Sirius smiled at the happy families around him and all of the tourists. He had almost resigned himself to going back home until he realized that someone or something was throwing sand at his back.
"Oi!" Sirius looked over his shoulder to find two little girls with shovels and sand pails, and standing behind them was Elodie. She had a huge pair of white sunglasses on, a big red beach bag over her shoulder, and a perfect off white one piece swimsuit that tied around the neck with gathering on the sides. She took off her sunglasses and peered down at him as she shielded away the sun with her hand over her eyes.
"We've been looking for you all morning. Where have you been?" Sirius smirked and stood up wiping the sand off his back and his shorts before he took a step into her and whispered so that the girls wouldn't hear him.
"Waiting for you all of my life." Elodie smiled and placed her warm hand on his chest.