A/N: I wrote this one-shot, which is based on an event in my long-term fan fic My Everlasting Love, last Summer when I was feeling bored. In the story this happening is being written from Mary's POV, but I realized it also needed to be told from Sirius's perspective.

Song is "To be with you" from Mr. Big.

Hope you enjoy!

To Be With You

Sirius Black was standing in front of the desk in Dumbledore's Office. The Headmaster was sitting in his arm chair at the other side of the desk, looking at him curiously, his hands folded with his elbows resting on the arms of the chair. He wasn't the only Professor in the Office. The Head of Gryffindor, McGonagall, was standing near the fireplace. And she did not look happy.

But unlike most times when Sirius was summoned to this (or McGonagall's) Office because he was involved in some sort of wrongdoing, pranking or disregarding the school rules in general, he had done nothing wrong today. He was here to explain what had happened to his classmate Mary Woods this morning. Or more specifically: what Jonathan McLaggen did to her. His stomach cringed with a fresh wave of anger when the image of Jonathan throwing Mary against the wall of the courtyard came back to him. His fingers that were holding the back of the chair in front of him dug a little deeper into the soft leather. Jonathan no longer had the right to touch Mary. Not anymore, not since they split up at the end of last year.

Hold on little girl
Show me what he's done to you
Stand up little girl
A broken heart can't be that bad
When it's through, it's through
Fate will twist the both of you
So come on baby come on over
Let me be the one to show you

Sirius wasn't even noticing that Dumbledore, McGonagall and the portraits on the wall were all watching him tentatively. "Sirius," Dumbledore calm voice suddenly said, calling him back to the present. "So you are absolutely sure Jonathan attacked Mary with no apparent reason?"

Sirius nodded. "Positive. I mean, I don't know what they were fighting about, but whatever the reason, it doesn't give McLaggen the right to hit Mary, right? Or any girl for that matter."

He looked over at Professor McGonagall and saw a slight smile was crossing her stern face. "Indeed. But Mr. Black, the question remains: what were you doing in that courtyard while you should have been near the greenhouses?"

"I forgot my book, Professor," Sirius explained.

"Just like Miss Woods, then?" she inquired, her eyebrows raised.

Sirius shot her an indignant look, annoyed she actually believed he was lying over something silly like that. "Coincidence," he replied. "And a lucky one at that, because from what I saw, McLaggen wasn't going to stop hitting Mary anytime soon."

"What exactly happened, Sirius?" Dumbledore asked kindly.

"Well..." Sirius said thoughtfully, more than ever aware of the portraits staring down at him. "I eh... had just gone back to the dormitory to get my Herbology book and was walking down towards the courtyard. I took my time, because... Eh well, I know Professor Sprout cuts me some slack when it comes to arriving at her classes on time..."

McGonagall looked appalled, but Dumbledore chuckled and he ushered Sirius to continue. "So I was crossing the courtyard when I suddenly heard Mary cry from a distant corner. She was begging McLaggen to stop. I hurried over there, just in time to see him hitting her. And then... I eh, I don't recall exactly what happened, because I was so angry it got a little dark in front of my eyes, you know. But I pulled him off her and eh... Well, I think I might have hit him."

"You think?" Dumbledore asked, looking at Sirius right hand, which was swollen and red.

Sirius smiled slightly. "Okay, I do remember I punched him in the face once. Although, after seeing Mary, I wish I could hit him again, but this time a little harder."

"Mr. Black!" McGonagall said reproachfully.

"Okay, maybe just jinx him with a Bat-Bogey Hex instead," Sirius muttered.

The corners of McGonagall's mouth twitched briefly, but this time it was Dumbledore who remained serious, shooting Sirius a close look, who felt like he was being x-rayed by those piercing blue eyes. "Why is it that you care so much for Mary's well-being?"

Sirius didn't answer that question immediately. If he was completely honest with himself, he didn't know why he cared so much for a girl who, until quite recently, looked at him with the utmost dislike.

And yes, of course, he would like to go out with her. He had wanted that for over two years. There might even be a part of him that was jealous at Jonathan, because he had dated her. But the longer he thought about it, the more he had to admit there was something else. Sirius suddenly realized he was slowly falling in love with a girl he hadn't even kissed yet.

I'm the one who wants to be with you
Deep inside I hope you feel it too
Waited on a line of greens and blues
Just to be the next to be with you

"Sirius?" Once again it was Dumbledore's voice that called him back to the present, although the Headmaster didn't sound angry or impatient, but merely interested.

After another short silence, Sirius sighed. "She's one of my Gryffindor's classmates, sir. I would have reacted in the same way if it happened to Lily or Brice."

Dumbledore shot him another close look and Sirius instantly knew the Headmaster had seen he was not being entirely truthful. Nevertheless, he did not press the matter any further, but nodded instead. "That will do, Sirius. Unless you have another question?"

He was looking at McGonagall, who shook her head. "Well then, you can go. Hopefully Mary is already waiting downstairs."

Sirius nodded and turned around to walk to the spiral stone staircase when he thought of something. "Sir…"

"Yes, Sirius?"

"Aren't you going to give me a detention?"

McGonagall's eyebrows were raised in surprise and Dumbledore shot him a curious look. "For what?"

"For…" Sirius hesitated, wondering if he was playing with fire here. "For hitting McLaggen. That's against the rules, isn't it?"

Dumbledore smiled. "Technically speaking yes, but considering the circumstances, one would argue you should receive an Award for Special Services to the School instead."

Sirius stared at him, open-mouthed and Dumbledore's smile became slightly bigger. "However, that would be slightly inappropriate, as I'm sure you'll agree. But perhaps you should consider Mary's possible gratitude to her rescuer as the grand prize instead?"

He shot Sirius a significant look, who could not prevent a blush from creeping up his cheeks. The thought of Dumbledore knowing exactly how he felt about Mary was more than awkward. "Yes, sir. Thank you, sir," he mumbled, looking embarrassed, before turning around and leaving the Office as quickly as his legs would carry him.

When the stairway was taking him down, Sirius tried to regain his composure slightly. If anything, he wasn't planning to show the others what had happened exactly in Dumbledore's office. The gargoyle came to a halt and he jumped out. James, Lily and Mary were standing right next to it. Sirius's heart jumped at the sight of Mary, who looked incredibly nervous. Her arms were crossed and she was fidgeting with a lock of her long brown hair, an act that seemed to have a hypnotizing effect on Sirius.

Build up your confidence
So you can be on top for once
Wake up who cares about
Little boys that talk too much
I've seen it all go down
Your game of love was all rained out
So come on baby, come on over
Let me be the one to hold you

Sirius's gaze shifted to James when his friend asked how it went. He grinned, his confidence already restored and said: "If that didn't get him expelled, I don't know what will."

James grinned back, nodding appreciatively, but Mary looked anxious. "What did you tell them?"

Sirius's eyes softened when he looked at her. Lily had put an arm around her shoulder and when he looked a little closer, he noticed that Mary was trembling on her legs. "The truth of course," he said reassuringly, although he left out the part where Dumbledore had guessed how he felt about her. He looked at Lily's hand on her waist. "How's your ribcage doing?"

"As good as new." For the first time in days, she smiled. And what's more, a smile directed at him.

I'm the one who wants to be with you
Deep inside I hope you feel it too
Waited on a line of greens and blues
Just to be the next to be with you

He smiled back and felt himself staring at her when the gargoyle came back down. McGonagall stepped out and looked at Mary. "Miss Woods, we are ready for you now." She looked around at the others and her eyes lingered on Sirius. "The rest of you, you can go back to the Common Room."

McGonagall beckoned Mary to follow her and Sirius noticed she wasn't looking nervous anymore, but downright afraid. She looked at him when she passed and Sirius couldn't think of anything better than mouthing "Go get them, girl". She smiled back weakly and stepped into the gargoyle.

Why be alone when we can be together baby
You can make my life worthwhile
I can make you start to smile

When McGonagall and Mary had disappeared from sight, Lily sighed. "I hope she'll be alright. But we're doing the right thing, right?"

She looked at James, who seemed to be thrilled that Lily was addressing him, rather than Sirius. "Of course," he said confidently. "Really Lily," he added when she looked doubtful. "McLaggen would get expelled if it was up to me."

"That's only because McLaggen is brilliant at Quidditch," Lily replied cleverly, although her emerald eyes were twinkling.

"Even so," James chuckled, as the three of them walked downstairs. "A guy who hits girls, ex-girlfriends or not, is a piece of scum. And Mary will be fine. I can't imagine Dumbledore forcing her to tell them what happened, right?"

Sirius shook his head. "No, he was very patient. And I think he eh… knew what happened and why before I even said a word."

Lily shot him a curious look, but James laughed. "Merlin, did he perform Legillimency?"

Sirius shrugged. "Could be. It sure felt like I was being x-rayed."

James patted him on the shoulder. "I know how it feels, Padfoot. It was the same thing after you pulled that eh… dangerous joke on Snivellus two years ago, remember?"

Sirius bit his lip, remembering all too well how Dumbledore had looked at him that night when his "prank" almost exposed Remus's secret and killed Snivellus and James. The piercing expression on the Headmaster's face had been anything but friendly then. "Yeah, I remember," he said shortly, thinking about how much had changed over the last year. He still hexed or pranked Snivellus when he could, but actually killing him… He could never do such a thing.

"Hmm," Lily said thoughtfully. "I'm wondering what Dumbledore saw in your mind."

Sirius put an arm around her shoulder and jokingly pinched her side. "Wouldn't you like to know that!"

Lily giggled, trying to get out of his grip. "You don't have to tell me, Sirius."

Sirius looked relieved. "Really?"

"No," she replied, grinning. "I'll hear it from Mary soon enough."

Sirius's grin faltered quickly and Lily laughed. "That's what I thought," she said. "I'm gonna find the others. See ya, Sirius. Bye James!"

She turned and walked upstairs in the direction of the Common Room. "Bye Lily," James said, shooting her a longing look.

Sirius stared at his friend, suddenly realizing the two of them were now in the same boat. James had loved Lily almost from the moment they had set foot at Hogwarts, yet she did not love – or even like – him back. On the contrary, she had loathed him. Despised him because of how he treated Snivellus and because he could be a bit conceited sometimes. And yet James continued to be in love with her, no matter how many times she turned him down. Sirius had never understood this. He always believed that if a girl didn't you like you back, you should move on. There was plenty of fish in the sea after all. But now, with a crush on Mary that was intensifying by the minute, Sirius began to understand why James never stopped liking Lily.

When it's through, it's through
Fate will twist the both of you
So come on baby come on over
Let me be the one to show you

"Merlin," Sirius stammered when he and James were making their way to the courtyard.

"What?" James said, eyeing him curiously.

"I've become you."

"Come again?"

"You! With your long-lasting and forgive me for saying this, completely ridiculous crush on a girl that doesn't want to be with you."

James frowned, looking insulted. "Thanks for clarifying that once again, Padfoot. Although you really needn't have bothered."

He turned away, but Sirius grabbed him by the arm. "Can't you see what is happening here? You and Lily? Me and Mary?"

"What?"

"I'm in love with a girl who doesn't love me back," Sirius confessed. "There, I admit it."

James leaned back against a pillar, looking astonished. "You're actually in love with her? I thought you were just trying to get in her pants."

Sirius couldn't help but grin. "Well yeah, that too. But seriously, I now know how you feel. And Merlin mate, it's sheer agony."

James snorted. "I'm glad you feel my pain. But honestly, I don't think you're in that much trouble."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning that I'm almost sure she has feelings for you too. I've seen her checking you out. And… Well, I think she's just getting used to the fact she might actually like a guy she despised for so long."

Sirius shivered in the cold damp air, but he could still raise his eyebrows at James. "And you're not referring to you and a certain Miss Evans here?"

James laughed. "No, but one can hope, right? Anyway, dinner's ready soon. Shall we go inside?"

Sirius nodded and they made their way over to the Great Hall to have dinner with the others who were already there. Everyone, except Mary. Sirius wondered what was keeping her so long. While they were eating, Sirius noticed his hand was hurting more than before. He hadn't noticed it throughout the day, but the hand was still swollen and throbbed badly. He kept shaking it, grimacing at the stinging pain. Remus suggested he should let Pomfrey have a look, but Sirius just shrugged moodily and loaded a second piece of treacle tart on his plate instead.

He didn't say much throughout dinner, too much absorbed in his own thoughts about Mary. When dinner was over and they were ascending the stairs to Gryffindor Tower together, Sirius shook his hand again. This seemed to be the last straw for James. "You're getting on my nerves. Stop being such a bore, or go to Pomfrey."

Sirius looked from James to his throbbing hand and sighed. "Fine. I'll go to the Hospital Wing."

He turned on the stairs and walked back down while the others continued to climb the stairs. When Sirius returned to the Common Room thirty minutes later, at first he thought that Mary still hadn't come back. He felt a worried pang in his stomach and wondered what was keeping her so long and if something had happened to her. But then, with a sigh of relief, he spotted her, sitting against the back of a distant couch in front of the fire. She had pulled her legs up and was holding her cat, Coco.

Sirius merely waved at the others who were sitting at the reading table and made his way over to Mary when Lily grabbed his arm. "Don't you think you should leave her alone for a moment?"

"I want to know how she's doing. Is that so bad?"

Lily smiled. "No, it's sweet, but… Mary is isolating herself for a reason and I think-"

"-And I think she might be happy to see me."

"Well, she was asking for you earlier," Lily admitted.

Sirius smiled. "There you go."

He gently released himself from her grip and walked over to Mary's spot in front of the fire. She had not seen him yet and was pressing her nose into Coco's neck. She looked sad and cute at the same time and Sirius wondered if he could cheer her up.

I'm the one who wants to be with you
Deep inside I hope you feel it too
Waited on a line of greens and blues
Just to be the next to be with you

Sirius, finally making up his mind, lowered himself next to her while he said: "Mind if I join you?"

Mary looked up in surprise and smiled. "No," she said. Her gaze dropped to his hand. "You got Madam Pomfrey to Heal your hand."

"Says who?"

"Peter."

"Oh," Sirius said, feeling a little awkward. He'd rather liked she didn't hear he had Pomfrey Heal his hand after he punched Jonathan only one time. That did not seem courageous at all. Mary was looking at him curiously and Sirius knew he had to say something else. "And here I was planning to come up with a great story about hooking up with a girl and spending the last two hours in a distant broom cupboard."

Not the most clever thing to say, but Mary didn't seem to mind. In fact, she chuckled slightly before she kissed the cat on its head. Sirius stared at Coco for a moment. "Mind if I borrow her for a sec?"

Mary looked doubtful. "Eh sure, but I should warn you: Coco is like an unicorn. She doesn't like strangers, least of all men."

Sirius shrugged and took Coco from Mary, inwardly pleading the cat would recognize him. He had been bribing her since last September with pieces of bacon and salted pork from the kitchens. Now was the time for the cat to show her loyalty. And thank Merlin, it seemed to work. Coco was purring loudly as she crawled onto his lap, allowing him to stroke her and Sirius grinned. He knew having that cat on his side would come in handy one day.

Mary couldn't have been more surprised. "This is so not like Coco. Last time my dad tried to stroke her, she attacked his hand."

Sirius smirked. "Don't worry, it's me. I happen to have a mesmerizing effect on female cats."

"Not just cats."

She clapped her hand to her mouth, apparently shocked at what she just said, and Sirius couldn't help but smile. His heart had lurched in hope at those words and for a moment, he wondered if he would be pushing his luck if he asked her out. Determined to not screw it up this time, he decided to wait a little longer. Instead, he smirked again and joked: "Why Miss Woods! Do I dare to think you just gave me a compliment?"

Mary was blushing intently and seemed to be lost at words. It looked incredibly cute to Sirius, who had to restrain himself from touching one of her glowing cheeks. After another moment of regaining her composure, she finally looked at him and slightly narrowed her eyes. "Well yes, I guess so. Now don't get too high-handed over this."

Sirius smiled and focused on stroking Coco - who was just turning on her back to lay stretched out - for a moment. He wanted to take her out on a date so badly, to show her he wasn't just fooling around this time, that it would mean so more... He realized it wouldn't even matter that much if she said no, he just had to know. "Say, you know Hogsmeade weekend is due next week?"

"Hmmm?"

Sirius looked up and met her gaze. She was looking straight at him. Merlin, he had never felt nervous about asking a girl out. Then again, he'd never been turned down before. He took a deep breath. "D'you wanna come with me?"

Mary blinked and stared at him for a moment. Sirius was no Legillimens, but he could tell she was completely torn on the inside. She frowned, clearly unsure if she would say yes or no, and Sirius briefly wondered whether this was a good or a bad sign. At least she hadn't turned him down at once... But she remained silent and continued to frown at him.

When Mary finally opened her mouth, she looked troubled and Sirius's stomach made an unpleasant flip. But right when he expected those loveable lips to form the word "no", she smiled at him. A dazzling smile that made his heart skip a beat and when he heard her answer, it skipped a few more.

"I'd really like that."

Sirius smiled back at her. He really would be the next to be with her and at this moment, there was nothing in the world that would make him happier than that.

The End

A/N: Like it? Hated it? Let me know! Reviews (positive or negative) are always well appreciated Mara