By the Riverside
-I'm too loveable to even think about hating-
She let out a soft, girly squeal as her brightly-pink painted toes touched the water, goose bumps instantly rising on her burned skin. Withdrawing her left foot from the river, she giggled softly, pushing against the chest behind her. "I hate you," she told the man, pouting slightly.
"For what?" he questioned, grinning happily as he darted to the water, a sigh escaping his mouth as the cold water lapped up to his feet. "Making you stick one toe, one toe, into the water? How could you hate me for that? In fact, how could you hate me at all? No one ever hates me, I'm too loveable to even think about hating."
With a huff, she sat down on the slightly damp grass, drawing her knees up under her chest. "Well, there has to be a first. It might as well be me," she told him, resting her head on her knees, her wide green eyes watching the man in front of her. Sirius shot her a small grin, the smile playing in the corners of his mouth, wild, stray strands of almost-black hair covering his eyes, making it impossible to know what he was thinking. She sat, watching him in silence, as he paddled in the river, his pants rolled up to the knees but still somehow damp from the water. Emmeline liked watching him.
She didn't know when, and she didn't know how, but over the months and the courses of working together, she had somehow come to like Sirius Black. Even though he was a loudmouth, and he almost certainly said the wrong thing, she had grown to see him for what he really was; a kind, loving, playful man that loved to make her smile and bring out the dimples in her cheeks. Her hair fell down from the ponytail she had scraped it up into as she continued watching him, but she barely noticed the blonde strands falling around her shoulders, a crooked little smile on her face.
She just hoped that he felt the same way about her.
He leaped up onto the muddy bank of the river, chuckling as she shook her head at him. With a playful smile on his lips, he watched towards her slowly, his too-long black bangs dripping wet with river water. "No, no, please no!" she yelled out, backing away, barely able to breath through her laughter. He came ever closer, and with a sharp tug on his dripping-wet bangs, sent all the water down onto her, pelting her chest and soaking the ends of her hair. With a groan, she pulled him down, before her head met his chest with a sharp thump, Sirius letting out a groan.
"I hate you," she mumbled.
He laughed, but to her surprise, pulled her closer, wrapping his right arm around her waist. She let out no complaints, and couldn't keep the smile on her face. "How ever could you hate me?" he asked.
There was no answer. Lulled by the gentle lapping of the river water, and being so close to the man that she had come to think of more than a friend, she had fallen asleep, the smile still on her face, her dimples visible for all to see.
"Emmy?" he questioned, prodding her softly. No answer. He sighed, before laying back down, his arms still wrapped around her waist. Strands of her blonde hair fell onto his chest, as he pulled her closer, but he didn't care to move them. They looked good where they were.
Neither of the pair cared to notice the flock of swans making their way down the river against the backdrop of twilight. All she knew was, when she woke up in the morning in the arms of Sirius Black, she took one look at him, and snuggled closer, falling asleep once again.
She liked it there.
Naaaaaaw! This was written for the Animal Challenge over at HPPFC, which I seem to be addicted to. I wonder if there's some sort of AA club for that sort of addiction. Anyways, reviews are love!