Prologue.

Sirius Black stood at the roof of the astronomy tower alone. It was a chilly night in mid March but one of the most beautiful nights this far. The moon was full and the dark ebony night sky was lit by hundreds of bright stars. Tonight had the amazing potential of what could have been a fun filled night with one his many "admirers" and yet he was here alone... pining. He was disgusted with himself. Sirius Black didn't pine; he didn't get heartbroken especially when there was nothing to get heartbroken about. He sighed again as he tightened his fists in anger. He wanted to scream out his frustrations to the world. He hated this. Hated how he couldn't stand the sight of his best friend anymore and how he might actually be... in love. He screamed inside his head at the thought. He couldn't be, he wasn't... Sirius Black didn't fall in love.

He looked down and saw nothing. It was late at night and looking down at the ground was like looking down at a black hole with no end in sight. He felt like he was looking down the pit of despair. He didn't move his eyes, for the pit of despair was where he felt he lived in lately. He didn't think he would ever leave; he thought escape wasn't even possible actually. Now that he had felt this intense misery he couldn't escape it, and as sick as it was he wasn't sure he even wanted to.

"Hey."

His heart jumped. Sirius turned quickly and managed a weak smile at the girl in front of him. "What are you doing here?" He asked.

"I came to think... but I see someone already stole my spot."

"Actually it's mine," Sirius said as he looked at her from head to toe. The fact that her image made him warm inside made him loath himself even more. He turned away from her then and glanced down at the dark nothingness once more.

"Can't we share?" She asked and Sirius sensed the humor in her tone. She walked over beside him and smiled. Sirius looked up at her and as much as he didn't want to and even though his brain muttered that his strength might fail him he knew he had to act like himself now. He didn't have much of a choice.

"So where are you going tonight?" He painted a smirk on his face rather quickly. "You didn't dress like that to come here and think. Unless you knew I'd be here of course." He concluded with a wink and then turned his back to her. It all felt so forced, trying to act normal when it was so clear to him that he wasn't, he hadn't been himself for a while now.

She moved closer to him and rested her hands against the cold hard stone as she said, "No," she laughed and concluded with her coquettish little giggle, "James and I were supposed to go somewhere but he's late... again... for Lily... again!" Her sigh made Sirius smile and as much as he hated himself her worry made him breathe again and her sad little pout was like a breath of fresh air. As he turned and gazed at her, he smirked, his signature smirk that would knock any girl off her feet, which she missed of course. Her distress caused him pleasure, and just like that he was back to normal.

He grabbed her chin and was high of the mere pleasure of touching her, even though it meant nothing to her. He looked in her eyes, those eyes that had been haunting him for months now, "You're worried," he said.

She looked away from him and said nothing.

"Leave him," Sirius said.

She looked at him puzzled. He shouldn't have said that but he couldn't stop himself. She was so close to him; wearing this dress that showed just the right amount of skin. He'd never met a girl like her. She was so elegant, poised, classy, and it killed him that she belonged to James, just because he had been too stupid do something before his best friend had. Her perfume was tantalizing him, and her lips... those full pouty pillow lips were calling him. From her chin he moved his hand to her waist and pulled her slowly close to his body, as their bodies touched, even though cloth stood in between true ecstasy his body writhed in pleasure. "Be mine," he whispered slowly in her ear as he closed his eyes. She was like poison, slowly spreading through his entire body and this was it. This was the moment when he was about to reach death, and as scary as it was, each cell in his body, every brain cell, called for her to say something, anything, for there was only two answers and either one would kill him. And yet as moments passed she said nothing. She wrapped her arms around him and rested her head on his chest.

How could she do this to him? How could she choose neither heaven nor hell, but make him stay in limbo, floating somewhere between the two. It was irritating, how he hated her and yet ...loved her at the same time.He didn't love her! Sirius Black doesn't fall in love, not with her!

He wanted to push her away from him but he couldn't. Just the thought of it made every brain cell send shock waves of hatred for himself down his spine. He did what he would be expected to do then and swallowed every emotion that told him he shouldn't. But his mind was an organism of his own right now, and the longer he held on to her the more of a monster his brain became. A monster with a devious plan formulated in a mere second yet brilliant none the less. Slowly some part of him whispered those words in her ear, words that he wasn't sure he wanted to utter but he did. And as he did, the Sirius that everyone knew and loved came alive. He felt no pity for himself now because he had just taken a step towards what he wanted.

"No way!" she said as she let go of him in a hurry and walked away.

He smirked as his gray eyes followed her and when she stopped at the edge of the balcony he walked to her and still smirking said, "If it's a sure thing then you have nothing to lose do you?" He paused for a moment for dramatic effect then said, "Unless you doubt that he..."

"He'll show!" she said, "I know he will, I know he loves me."

"Then what do you say?" he asked.

She looked in his eyes they sparkled, and the smirk on his face did not dissipate. She looked at her fingers and said, "I don't know Sirius."

The smirk grew on Sirius's face and he lifted her chin so her big brown eyes were looking in his gray ones and said, "You do doubt your prince charming then and that's good enough for me."

"I don't doubt him!" she protested, "I just don't feel comfortable making a bet like this."

"But if you're so sure that he'll show up then it's not even a bet. I promise I give you my word that if James shows up tonight then I'll never mention this again. I'll leave you alone... unless you don't want that of course."

She looked at his smiling eyes once more. How strange, those eyes always held laughter and joy and a certain triumphant sparkle, did they never show fear or sadness? She guessed they didn't. "Fine," she said, "You have a deal, when he shows up tonight even though a little late, then you'll leave us alone."

Sirius smirked and came in closer, he stooped a little so that their eyes were level and his lips were almost touching hers. "And when he doesn't show up tonight, you're spending the night with me."

She could smell his cologne; it was mesmerizing her, putting her in a state of euphoria. His lips she noticed were tantalizing. Then for a second the feelings she had suppressed for so long were coming back, all because he was this close, and the scary thing was that if he went in to kiss her now, she'd let him.

"And you'll be mine," he said smirking, seeing the lust in her eyes.

Quickly every feeling fleeted, "For the night," she said, "And that's only if he doesn't show up, which he will."

His smirk grew still and he leaned in closer and whispered in her ear, "Don't worry princess I'll make it a birthday you'll never forget."

Sirius then winked at her and left the tower and made his way slowly in the Gryffindor Common Room. He walked in the common room with the same strut he had walked with when he had won a thousand galleons betting on the Quidditch World Cup.

She however shivered and her stomach dropped as she looked at the clock and saw that it was almost ten. James had only a few hours left to show up, and she didn't know why but she was afraid he wouldn't. She bit her lip and closed her eyes hoping that she had not made a serious mistake, hoping that James would show up soon

She then opened her eyes and smiled, she was being foolish, of course James would show up. He wouldn't miss her birthday. He was her boyfriend and more importantly he was in love with her.

"So what are you doing tonight?" Lily Evans asked as she twirled her flaming red hair with her index finger.

He smiled and said, "Celebrating Maria's birthday."

"I thought we celebrated her birthday last Saturday."

"Yes, Lily," he said, "We all did, but Maria and I are celebrating her birthday alone together." When he saw the look in her sparkling green eyes he added. "It was my idea."

She smiled and put her hand on his leg, "Aww you're such a good boyfriend."

His brown eyes glinted and he messed up his jet-black hair. Lily laughed and asked, "Why do you always do that?"

"What?" he asked.

"You know what," she said, "the thing with your hair."

"Because I know you love it," he answered smirking.

"So you do it just for me huh?" she asked, moving her hand further up his leg.

"No," he answered smirking, "I do it for all you girls, you all love it."

"Oh," Lily said as she drew her hand away from his leg.

James looked at her for a moment and drew back. Was Lily flirting with him? Did Lily want him? And worst of all was he flirting with her? Did he like her? No, he had a girlfriend, the most beautiful girl in the entire school; he was in love with her, not Lily.

"So what are you guys doing?" Lily asked.

"Well," James said, "We're having a picnic tonight on the roof... which I'm going to be late for!" He looked at the clock and immediately got up.

"Where are you going?" Lily asked angered.

"I'm going to be late," James said, "I have to go."

"But we're not done!" Lily said, "Don't leave yet. This project only needs a few more minutes, and I really need your help! Please don't leave me now!"

James looked at her emerald eyes and sat back down, "Allright Lily, but only a few minutes, I don't want to be late tonight."

"And you won't be," Lily said, "You can leave as soon as the clock strikes nine. I promise, I'll remind you!" She smiled and lightly grazed her wand and tapped her watched with it. "There," she said as she was done, "My watch will actually remind us now."

James smiled, "All right!"

"Here," she said, "Have one more drink of this hot chocolate and let me add some more marshmallows, I know they're your favorite!"

James smiled, "All right... but Lily I'm still only staying until 9. At 9:30 I have to be up on that astronomy tower."

"Of course," Lily said smiling as she tapped his cup twice and marshmallows appeared instantaneously.