The Taming of Padfoot

Pairing: Sirius Black/ Alice Cullen

Rated: M

Two – Hook, Line and Sinker?

((start))

Tuesday started off as any other day. The sun was high on the horizon, bewitched magical objects were floating around in the sky and students were hexing each other over petty squabbles. At 4:00 pm sharp however, the world stopped. The sun was surely sinking, the magical objects surely exploded and the quibbling students surely all died of some virulent disease.

For Sirius Black had stepped inside the library.

Alice phased out of her daydream as she perceived that Black was actually heading in her general direction. She was just going to pack her things and bolt out of disgust and shame due to last night's fiasco when she remembered Rosalie's plan. Why, this was a perfect setting to hook Black and reel him in. And if the plan worked Alice would have had struck the most debilitating punch to his ego, and hopefully bring him down a few levels on the popularity list.

Alice couldn't quite place why she hated, no, disliked Sirius so much. It was his ridiculous hair of course… but James had the same make. It was his annoying laugh of course… but she enjoyed it so much on her favorite comedian. It was his womanizing tactics of course… but what had that to do with Alice? None of her circle of friends (which actually only consisted of four people, herself, Rosalie, Bella and maybe even Esme depending on the circumstances) had been one of his victims.

She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but there was something that irked her terribly about Sirius. Although she would never admit it, she was drawn to him and repulsed by him all in one go. Alice shook her head, she didn't understand her enmity towards Sirius and she didn't want to. It was just one of those things.

And while these thoughts were circling in her head, Sirius approached, flashed his infamous playboy smile and ran a hand through his perpetually messy locks.

"Hey Alice."

"Err…hi!" Alice tried her best to look bright and squeezed out a high pitched girlish laugh. That's what guys like right?

The two stood facing each other nervously for a few seconds. Alice tried to remember what Rosalie had told her about flipping her hair (only Alice's locks were too short) and blinking prettily (only Alice's eyelashes were not engineered for the job).

Before Alice had time to object or run away however, Sirius had closed the space between them, leaning in. Alice stepped back startled, mouth slightly open, eyes wide. Her back bumped against one of the many antique bookcases lining the establishment. Sirius placed his hands on either side of her head, looking straight at her. Their noses were almost touching.

Alice's heart beat erratically, irrationally. They were so close that she could hear Sirius' heartbeat and feel his warm breath fanning across her face. The static atmosphere between them was thick enough to cut. Her body felt weak and wanting, for some unnamable reason she wanted to close the distance between them… press herself against him.

Alice mentally slapped herself. That's exactly why she harbored a dislike for the guy. He always managed to catch her in her worst moments and make her feel foolish. She looked up in defiance.

And all resolve crumbled.

His ruffled hair was slanting down between his eyes giving him a sexy morning look. His chiseled face was perfect, and his eyes burned with a scorching intensity, jolting her hear pleasurably. Alice averted her eyes quickly, her face was burning and her knees felt weak.

Unbeknown to Alice, Sirius smirked, triumphant. Works every time. He silently congratulated himself on the excellent display of masculinity. Looking down at Alice, he decided that he rather liked the pale blush spreading across her delicate features. She was really quite cute when she wasn't busy insulting him.

"Are you free this weekend?" Sirius asked.

Before Alice knew what she was saying she blurted out, "Are you asking me to be your girlfriend?"

Sirius looked startled. Well this one liked to get to the point. Then he smirked. "Yes."

"No." Alice squeaked before escaping from under his arms and making a quick getaway through one of the library's side doors, leaving a very confused Sirius behind.

It was not until she reached the edge of the lake that she remembered Rosalie's plan. Sirius had caught her by surprise, making her nervous and flustered. She was supposed to be seducing him, not the other way round! And why had Sirius asked her out? She wasn't really his type… no ample breasts, no revealing dresses and not the type for one night stands. The more she thought about it the more frustrated she became. If there was one thing Alice took pride in, it was her intelligence. She hated not being able to figure things out.

Urgh.

All through lunch Alice shot secret furtive looks at Sirius. She had discussed the recent turn of events with the girls, but none of them could make much sense of it. In the end they had decided to stick to the plan. And since Alice had blundered the perfectly good opportunity earlier that day, she would just have to swallow her pride and ask him out.

Alice put down her hardly touched food and sashayed (well, at least she hoped that was what she was doing) over to Sirius' table. She dropped a crumpled piece of paper in Sirius' soup and hurried away. Oops… bad aim…

Sirius, James, Lily and Remus all stared at Sirius' soup. Then there was silence.

"Well? Are you going to open it Padfoot?" James asked, at length.

"He's scared it's a rejection." Lily jeered.

Sirius rolled his eyes, but inside he was dreading opening the soggy tomato flavored ball in front of the others. Alice had made it quite clear earlier that she wanted nothing to do with him, so what's this? There's just no figuring out that girl.

Slowly Sirius opened up the scrawled message, while his friends and one annoying girlfriend-of-best friend peered over his shoulders. It read in neat bottle green ink:

Sorry about today.

This weekend at Hogsmeade?

Meet me at the gate, 5:00.

Sirius grinned at his friends. "See? The charm always always works." He ran a hand through his raven black hair, flashed his trademark smile and muttered, "Sucker" in Lily's general direction. Lily just looked flabbergasted. James on the other hand had an expression of pure wonder and adoration on his face.

Alice twirled her sugar quill absentmindedly while Professor Slughorn droned on and on about love potions. It had already been three hours since she slipped Sirius the note, but there was still no sign of a reply. Maybe he regretted asking her out after that fiasco. Maybe he didn't read the note?

"Ms. Cullen, I see you're getting bored in my class. Well then, please tell me the ten ingredients used to make a love potion."

"Huh?" Alice was caught off guard for a second, thank God for Bella though, who whispered "love potion ingredients" into her ear. "Umm, well, there's rosemary, sage, pepperknick claw, oak's essence, toad rot, root of Hem, crabeyes, peppermint, crushed figsar leaf and a single hair from the brewer's head."

Slughorn raised his eyebrows slightly and looked at Bella suspiciously. "Very well Ms. Cullen, top student as always…"

A merry tinkling of bells was to be heard, although their physical shape was not seen. Slughorn sighed. "Alright, you may go." Hardly was the last word out of his mouth than everyone rushed out of the dungeons to fairer lands. The professor sighed, grumbling something about "kids nowadays."

Alice's mind was in the clouds when Bella steered her to the hallway. Then Bella stopped suddenly, and it seemed that everyone was looking in their direction.

"What?" Alice looked at Bella expectantly, "Have I grown a zit or something?"

"Not that I know of my dear." came Sirius' suave voice.

Alice blinked, her eyes widening as she saw Sirius a few feet in front of her. He was looking as perfect as ever, books in one hand and a blood red rose in the other.

"Um…" Alice said intelligently. She noticed a crowd had gathered around them, giggling and whispering. Sirius didn't seem to notice… but then again, he was probably used to this kind of attention.

Sirius handed Alice the rose, who was too dazed to reject it. He put an arm around Alice's waist and pulled her close. Suddenly Alice was all too aware of the delicious heat radiating from his body. His firm arm and large hand made her feel tingly all over… in a nice way.

"Come on then, I'm having Quidditch practice in ten. Don't want you to miss me on a broom, I'm especially heartbreaking on those."

Alice made a face. Ugh. What a conceited idiot! If it wasn't for the plan…

But all coherent thought flew out of her mind that second, for Sirius Black had just leant in, and chastely kissed her on the cheek.

((end))