Disclaimer: Harry Potter © J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros.

You crawl in bed, it's 3am

You smell of wine and cigarettes

A butterfly under the glass

You are beautiful

But you're not going anywhere

(Incubus - Beware! Criminal)

Sirius is an useless waste of Black blood.

Or so Bellatrix Black thought while locking herself in her room after punching him straight in his jaw. His only purpose in life was to cause trouble to every family member that stood in a mile radius from him. She was not a woman of emotional explosions, but this time he pushed her over the edge.

Bellatrix was not looking forward to spending the entire summer on Grimmauld Place. She leaned against the wall that once divided her room and Andromeda's. It caused her pain beyond she would admit. She was gone. Andromeda, her little baby sister that she sang to sleep every other night. The oh so curious child that would annoy her with a million questions. The impossible teenager that did not look up to her older sister anymore. She tried to shake the thought. There was no place for weakness in the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. And there was definitely no place for mudblood-lovers or blood-traitors.

She looked at her reflection on the mirror of her dressing table. Her face was impassive but her eyes were filled with rage from the earlier fight with that incorrigible cousin. What went wrong with his upbringing, she wonder for the millionth time. His words resonated in her mind once again as she recollected the day.

She arrived late on the afternoon with her mother and Cissy. Walburga greeted them politely and apologized for Orion's absence, he was away on business. Regulus was there to, and he almost tripped on his own foot while walking to welcome them. Bellatrix caught herself thinking that he looked like an younger Sirius, although there was something missing in his eyes. That spark.

It was no surprise that the older cousin was not in the room to meet them. Sirius would not spend a single second with his family members unless he was forced to - and since making him do something he did not want to do was a great deal of trouble, his parents saved it for important occasions, otherwise avoided dealing with their disappointing son.

Their rooms were on the same corridor and she met him when she went upstairs to leave her bag. He looked at her with disdain.

"If it isn't the pride of the House of Black." - he always had to pick a fight. "Should I bow?"

"A simple curtsy will do."

Sirius and Bellatrix had a complicated relationship since they were young. They fought like cat and dog but couldn't seem to stay away from each other.

"Come on, let's get wasted in the attic like the old times." - he smiled and Sirius Black could make almost anyone do whatever he wanted.

Bellatrix made all sorts of bad decisions while in his presence. They sat on the dusty floor together, with their backs leaned against the sofa and facing the window. He passed her a flask of firewhisky while lighting a cigarette.

"I've been in this house for two days and already I'm dying of boredom."

He took the cigarette to his mouth and Bellatrix observed him. Sirius had an unique way of turning mundane things like smoking into a disturbing act. He probably tastes like mint again, she thought.

"I hate the sunset." - she said, looking through the window.

"No sane person hates the sunset, Bella."

She drank another sip of firewhisky and the warmth spread to her body. Bellatrix wondered if it was only the alcohol or maybe Sirius' gaze had something to do with that as well. She realized he was sweating and wondered if she had something to do with that.

"How is Andromeda?" - she asked, trying to distract herself from the tension in the air.

"If you want to know how your sister is doing, you should write her yourself." - he spoke roughly, but seemed to regret it a moment later. "Andie's fine. On her last letter she said her apartment is as big as her old room, but she has never been happier."

They fell silent as they watch the sun die. The side of their arms were touching. She could hear his breathing and realized hers was really uneven.

He turned his face to hers and they were inches apart. Bellatrix could see galaxies in his grey deep eyes. His long black hair fell to his face and she couldn't stop herself from placing one lock of it behind his ears. There was hunger in his eyes.

"The night is as dark as your eyes now."

He whispered and a second later his mouth was on hers. Sirius always kissed urgently and demanding her to surrender. He got both of them up and laid her on the sofa, with his body on top of hers, his hands where everywhere and his tongue was doing unspeakable things to her neck. She let out a small moan and he was kissing her again. Mint indeed, she though.

Bellatrix tried to remove his shirt and he suddenly got up. He was standing ten feet away and looking very pleased with himself. His eyes were wild and she cursed that hot and cold game he played. Sirius Black was a tease and Bellatrix bloody hated him.

"You know I am not sleeping with you."

"As if I would let you."

"I find you despicable."

"Part of you begs to disagree."

She lowered her eyes to his pants. He leaned his back against the wall and crossed his arms over his chest. He looked disturbing with that white shirt and those grey sweatpants.

"So, who is the unlucky man?"

"How does anyone keep up with that delusional mind of yours?"

He grinned and she recognized that look, it always meant he was up to no good.

"My my, no one has told you. And here I thought this summer was going to be dull."

She wanted to wipe that smile of his face so badly.

"Pardon me, I was under the impression that you were somehow important to the adults. But I realize now you are just a little pawn in their power games, too."

She breathed and looked straight in his eyes in defiance. The whole room smelled like cigarettes, dust and decadence. Her hands were crutching at the sofa cushions. There was only the moonlight to illuminate the place and Sirius had an angelic glow. He is nothing like an angel though, she was certain.

"No one in this house commands me, Sirius. And I would love to see them try."

Bellatrix's voice were like steel but in her mind she felt unease.

"Fine, I'll tell you, but only out of pity." - he paused only to torment her. "They are arranging your marriage, you silly woman."

She looked at him and wished him dead. Bellatrix's put on her impassive mask back and spoke slowly.

"Are you finished?"

"Not a chance."

He was laughing now and it reminded her of a dog's bark. She could see that something he considered very amusing was dancing in his mind. She got up and threatened to leave.

"No, no, I'm sorry." - he spoke while trying to stop his laugh. "It's just that I can't contain myself picturing you spending your life having to fuck a rich old pureblood man."

Sirius didn't saw her coming. She turned with inexplicable speed and her right fist were on his jaw. He spat blood on the floor but had a devious smile on his lips.

"Go to hell!" - she said before walking away.

"I'm already in it, Bella!"

"Then go take a cold shower!" - she yelled back from the corridor.

She felt trapped in that wretched room. She saw his eyes in her mind again and the rage that passed through her made the mirror break with unintentional magic. No sane person should back a wild animal into a corner.

Sirius Black was insane and Bellatrix thought she might murder him one day.

Author's note:

This will be a series of short chapters inspired on the song Beware! Criminal, from Incubus.