The dorm's door opened and closed with a bang. The Maraudeuses weren't known for their discretion. She heard light footsteps and the distinctive noise of bed's curtains moved aside.
"Louve." someone breathed near her mere seconds later.
"That's my name." the young werewolf said, not turning around.
She had stilled and her grip on her book had tightened. She felt the weight of a teenage girl sitting on her matress next to her.
Her heart shouldn't be in such a state each time she felt Siren Black was close. And thanks to Siren's complete obliviousness towards personal space, it was quite often.
"Can we talk ?" the dark haired teenager asked.
Louve didn't bother to look at her.
"Not now." Louve said between her teeth.
Sometimes she was in a Big Bad Wolf mood when Janie and Siren pissed her off. She would have like to complain to Piedra about their nosy roommates but the girl was being tutored by Professor Slughorn. Janie was Merlin know where - probably stalking Evans or making Slytherins look like idiots, she was rather predictable. Siren should be with her instead of pestering their roommate.
She felt a hand on her shoulder. Siren had startled her. She put her book down.
Don't look at her. You're upset, remember ?
"I find your diary in Janie's stuff."
Louve snatched it from her swiftly. Siren blinked. Werewolves could be really fast.
That was what all the fuss was about. Louve hadn't been able to find her personal diary this morning and had been so mad. She had made her mind up to not talk to any of the girls until she got it back.
"Did you read it ?" she asked, holding the small grey diary close to her chest.
Her anxiety was on the verge of choking her.
What if she knew ? Merlin. Why had she been stupid enough to write it down ?
Louve felt very much like crying but it was a feeling she was quite familiar with and no tears shown.
"No. And I don't think Janie had enough time to figure out how you open it. You're a fine witch." Siren smiled, not aware of her distress.
Louve was good at hiding emotions. She was used to it. However she couldn't help to look relieved.
"Thanks Merlin. This is private. If you don't have boundaries, great for you but I have some so do respect them."
Siren looked a bit embarrassed.
"I didn't read yours, but I read Janie's." she conceded.
Louve sighed. Well, Janie stole her diary in the first place. She won't feel sorry because Siren took advantage of it to have a glance at hers.
"She read yours in front of the class when you pissed her off in first year, didn't she ?" Louve said, shrugging.
Janie and Siren couldn't understand privacy if it hit them in the face.
"I've forgotten about that. But yes, she did. So it was only fair, I guess." Siren said, chewing her lower lip.
She didn't have a diary anymore. She had Janie. It was better.
Louve wasn't good at holding grudges, as much as she wanted to. Also, Siren Black squirming in unease was a sight only a few people had been granted with.
"What's wrong ? You're not Janie's favorite anymore ? Or is she into your boyfriend of the week ?" Louve joked.
"You know she only has eyes for Lys Evans. And I don't have a boyfriend this week. Not that I have boyfriends of the week, you cow !"
They giggled, falling on the mattress. Their arms brushed. Siren smiled at her and the werewolf smiled back. Louve was flustered and desperate to hide it.
"So, what's the matter ?" she said, distracting her friend.
Siren took a deep breath and looked at the canopy of Louve's bed like it held hidden treasures.
It does in a way. When Louve's touched it with the end of her wand, standing on the bed, it illuminates with constellations. She had first learnt the spell to help Siren to sleep better after the rought summers she spent at the Blacks' mansion. Now, unbeknownst of her friend, she used the spell for keeping the darkness away the days after the full moon.
"She talks about us." she said.
Louve wasn't sure what this conversation was about. Jane talked about them. So ? They were friends.
"Well, I do that too." she said prudently.
Especially about you stayed unsaid.
"There's that thing she said."
Siren paused. She got on her elbows to catch Louve's reaction to her words more accurately.
To be fair, Janie said a lot of things all the time. She was a talker, this one. Usually, Siren wasn't affected. However, Louve was certain there was something more to it this time.
The girl didn't move. She had no doubts the Pureblood was about to deliver the final punch. Her friend always had a knack for drama.
"About you." Siren added eventually.
Louve didn't say anything. She just turned around and embraced her shivering knees. Tears ran down her face silently. So that was it. The end of everything good that happened to her. She knew it was too good to be real. Fairytale-like. The Monster found friends and they stuck with it no matter what. What a childish dream.
"She knows, right ? She has to. Else you wouldn't -" she croaked, and her sentence ended in a sob.
Solid arms found their way around her waist. She wanted to fight them first, but Siren's body warmth was both familiar - you won't believe how many pranks end up with you pressed against your accomplice in a small cupboard- and comforting - Louve liked to be held on full moon days and Padfoot obliged her, in dog form more often than not.
This time the girl had chosen to remain human, it would seem.
"It's okay, it's okay sweatheart. I swear."
Siren's voice was softer than was usual. It seemed like a raft in the tempest in Moony's insides.
The Half-blood witch wiped her eyes while her friend stroked her hair tenderly.
"Just because you don't mind me being a freak it doesn't mean Janie and Piedra wouldn't !" she protested, nestled against her friend's body.
Siren pushed some strands away from Louve's face and kissed the top of her hair.
"Don't call yourself a freak. And don't call me that either. You should give the girls more credit. Janie don't give a shit about that, and Piedra would follow our lead. She always do."
Louve nodded. And then she caught on her friend's words.
"Calling you that ? What d-do you mean ?" she said.
If only… Maybe ?
Sirius bent over and whispered into her ear in her seductress' voice. Not that she needed it to make Louve melt.
"Sorry to break it to you, but you're not the only sexy dyke of this dorm."
Louve blushed and tried to assimilate what Siren was saying and not to overthink how cosy she felt snuggling up to her.
"You- you're into girls, too ?" she said, and her voice was breathier than she intented it to be.
Siren laughed. She sounded troubled.
"Er - yeah. Boys too. Janie had known for years and she's okay with it. As long as I don't hit on Evans. Piedra and you had been your charming oblivious selves as always. Wow ! You have sharp elbows." she complained, making a show of massaging her ribs.
Louve rolled on herself, finding herself very close to Siren who still had her arms around her and didn't seem desirious of letting go.
"What did Janie write in her goddamn diary?" the werewolf asked.
The Blacks' disowned child rubbed her neck. She was a good liar, but she had never lied in Louve's face. Not about things that mattered, anyway. She just saw the trust in her eyes and lost her ability to make things up.
"Er. Well -" Siren started, but she stopped right there.
Louve's beautiful eyes' narrowed. Siren gulped.
"Wait, what else more embarrassing could she write about ?" the girl with braided hair asked, suspicious.
A thick silence settled. Realisation hit the young werewolf.
So she knew. She knew, and she was still there. Thanks Merlin for Siren Black.
"She didn't - Bloody hell. Are we okay ?" Louve asked, moved that her friend wouldn't give up on her after realizing Louve was attracted to her.
Siren smiled at her.
"Me and you ? Of course!"
Louve laughed and shook her head with amusement.
"You and I."
"Sorry ?" Siren said, confused.
"It's you and I. Not me and you." Louve said, her head resting against her friend's shoulder
"Yes, grammar goddess."
Louve could heard her smirk. She Grabbed the nearest object available and made it collide with Siren's head.
"What did you hit me with ? Is it Bagshot's bloody Mushrooms' Encyclopedia ? Who read this - Okay, okay, just stop hitting me or there will be holes in my perfect skull." she shrieked, covering her head with her hands.
Louve missed Siren's arms and got closer instinctively, seeking her warmth.
"What did Janie said ?" she asked again.
Siren's eyes were fixed on the canopy again.
"Hmm ?" she mumbled.
Louve wasn't an idiot. She knew the young woman was avoiding the question. Siren had a doctorate in this subject.
"In her diary. What did she say about me ?" Louve insisted.
The other witch wouldn't meet her gaze.
"Moony, our star-eyed maiden of delicate grace -" she started.
"Siren." Louve interrupted her.
I am half agony, half hope, would have said one of those authors the werewolf liked so much. Sirius felt a lump in her throat.
"Not my fault Janie is such a poor poet." she said with a shrug, pushing the emotions away.
Louve took her hand in hers.
"Would you mind getting to the point ?" she said with impatience.
Okay, moment of truth, Pads. She could do it.
"I would happily throttle Pads myself if she's still mooning about her this summer. The worst thing about that is that the girl would be over the moon if Pads asked her out. IT'S REQUITED LOVE YOU IDIOTS" she recited compliantly.
Louve crossed her arms on her chest as a self-protective gesture.
"I am delighted for you but can we talk about the part Janie mentionned me in ?" she said, her voice quivering sightly.
"Oh. You- alright."
Siren sounded oddly deflated.
"Padfoot ?" Louve called after a few seconds.
"It's about you, Moony-bee." her friend sighted.
They were Gryffindor. She could handle it. She owed that to Louve.
"About me ?" the girl sayed, stunned.
Siren shrugged uncomfortably.
"You know how Janie is. Mooning about her. Over the moon. Sorry about that. I wouldn't have tell you if I thought she was wrong." she added as an afterthought.
"Oh."
It made sense.
"I better go, now. If you need to talk, tell me. And - I am really sorry about that. I won't bother you with it again." Siren promised.
She backed away, her back hunched.
Louve acted impulsively. That was the only way to explain how she landed on Siren's back and crushed her into the mattress.
"Don't go. Not yet. What if the girl was just surprised and wanted you to ask her out ?" she asked, wrapping her arms around Siren hesitantly.
"Was she ?"
Siren's tone was breathless -that tended to happen when someone jumped on your back unexpectantly and squished you between them and a soft matress - skeptical but anyone knowing her as well as Louve Lupin would have feel the hope in it.
"I like you very much." Louve said, backing away from her friend to let her breathe.
"I like you too." Siren said, turning around to face her.
Louve helped her to sit.
"Can I kiss you ?" she asked.
"Please do."
Two hours later, after walking on their dormmates snogging the hell out of each other, Janie had met Piedra in front of Slughorn's study.
"Mischief managed, Wormy !" she had proclaimed, beaming.
"When can we have our dorm back, do you think ?"
"I don't know, but this success deserves a little celebratory trip to the kitchens, don't you think ?"
Piedra could only agree.
Janie Potter would never let her diary lying around if it wasn't on purpose.