Sirius strode into the common room that night with that look on his face. I sighed out loud, eliciting a small chuckle from him, but inside I was feeling very excited and very nervous at the same time.
"Come with me," he said, quietly, so the pair sitting near us wouldn't hear. I looked up at him, his dark hair falling into his eyes as he bent down to whisper to me. Those eyes were practically flashing with... I didn't know what exactly. Anticipation of the carrying out of his plans? Simple desire? Truth be told, I didn't care. To him I appeared as I always did, slightly reluctant, reproving. I had so far been able to keep from him the fact that I couldn't say no to him if it would cost me the world. The thought of what he could do with that knowledge was enough in itself to keep my act going.
"Where?" I said, just as quietly, glancing nervously over at the pair sitting only feet from us. Our glorious secret, mine and Sirius's. Somehow, it was that secret that kept us as an 'us'. Thankfully, they were engaged in conversation, oblivious that there was another was taking place.
"If I told you it would ruin all my fun," he said, his grin growing impossibly wider. He grabbed my hand and pulled me up out of the armchair I was sitting in. The pair near us finally took notice and looked over at us.
"What're you two doing?" one of them asked suspiciously, "Not leaving us out of any fun, are you?"
"Nah, mate," Sirius said easily, "We'll be right back."
He had dropped my hand when the other two took notice, but as soon as we were out of the portrait hole and in the long corridor he grabbed it again and started off, nearly running.
"What in the world are you doing?" I asked him, striding faster to keep up with him. His hand was large and cool. I never wanted to let it go.
"We have to hurry or we'll miss it. I think," Sirius said, "Now be quiet. No more questions." I complied, following him to one of our secret passages.
"Sirius, this leads to the grounds. You've already gotten me detention twice this month. Do you really want to do it again?" I said, groaning. He grinned at me again, and pulled out our map.
"Look," he proclaimed triumphantly, shoving it in front of my face, "All clear. I won't get you in trouble tonight, I promise. I have this all planned out." He shoved me lightly, and I entered the passageway. Within minutes we were standing on the dewy lawn of Hogwarts. A cutting wind blew, causing me to shiver.
"It's freezing," I complained, "This had better be good."
"Oh, don't worry about that," Sirius said, grabbing my hand yet again and pulling me on. He stopped abruptly outside greenhouse three. My nerves were mounting. Sirius didn't go to this much trouble unless he was planning something humungous.
"And how do you plan to get in here, Padfoot my friend?" I asked, raising an eyebrow in his direction. Sirius put on a look of feigned offense.
"How dare you underestimate me so? I took care of the door hours ago, while it was still light out and I didn't have to go sneaking around. Be quiet. I don't want anything to interrupt this," he said, and now there was plain excitement on his face.
The greenhouse was a starkly different place at night. I would have expected it to be silent, but it was full of the noises of the plants, carrying on their various actions even in the dead of night. Sirius led me to a stunted tree in one of the front corners of the greenhouse. I stared at him expectantly.
"Look at the tree, you prat," he said, and I immediately shifted my gaze. Within seconds, the stubby buds I had stared at nearly every day during herbology started blooming into large, slightly shimmering purple flowers.
"I asked about it the other day," Sirius said, "They only bloom at night."
I was about to utter a sarcastic quip about Sirius being curious about a school subject, but he was kissing me before I could start speaking. Suddenly I knew the exact meaning of ecstasy. The space around us was glowing, and I knew that it was not wholly on account of the shimmering flowers.
"Bloody hell!" came a booming voice from the open greenhouse doorway, "Moony, Padfoot, what are you doing?"
"Damn," Sirius muttered, pulling away from me slightly. However, even as we shuffled over to James and Peter, I saw that he was still grinning, and the tree was still in full bloom.