Chapter Deux! Have fun!

Ariane ran up the stairs nimbly two at a time as though being hotly pursued by demons from hell. She ran into her dormitory and breathed a sigh of relief as she closed the door softly, but hurriedly, to her dormitory. She had been accosted all the way from the train station to Hogwarts, and even at the opening feast people were ogling at her and she could feel pointed fingers from every which way. Honestly, she thought, what IS there to look at? She shivered with disgust. A few boys had even had the nerve to let their eyes roam over her body. She rolled her eyes.

*Flashback*

"...and we have a new student joining us this year. Please welcome Ariane Johnson!"Dumbledore clapped his pale withered hands as the rest of the school enthusiastically followed his lead.

Overwhelming cheers erupted from all the tables alike, something Hogwarts had rarely heard before as Slytherins were usual the odd ones out. But as Ariane was quite popular among the pureblooded parents of the Slytherins, it had transfered down to their children, although they were clapping with a stiff aristocratic air, while the Gryffindors pumped their hands together heartily. She saw at the Gryffindor table the handsome lad whom she had teasingly winked at, and she giggled. She found it quite adorable that he had been blushing.

Ariane returned her attention to the black tattered hat in front of her and she smiled happily. She walked up to the menacing stool from where she stood with the shaking first years, who were awed at the height of Ariane more than of her celebrity status. The ancient black hat, with a few patches here and there, sat on the wooden stool in a slouchy manner. She looked at it, hesitated for a brief moment, and then proceeded to plop the hat on top of her head. Her view of the school was entirely blacked out as the large hat slipped over her eyes and onto the bridge of her nose.

"Ahh, Ariane Johnson. I foresaw your coming you know."

Really now? thought Ariane sarcastically. How extremely impressive of you. Must've been hard to tell when Dumbledore discussed it in his office, what with all the portraits.

The hat hissed in annoyance. "Slight me no more, Ariane Johnson, or I will place you where you least desire to be."

Ariane snorted. I have no desire to be or not be in any house. Put me where you will; I don't care the slightest. As soon as she said these words, she wondered if she had spoken, or thought, too soon.

The sorting hat fell silent as it debated where to put her. And then, finally, it opened its mouth and shouted:

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Ariane squealed with glee; however, even if anyone were only a foot away from her, they would not have been able to hear her at all, since the roars from the Gryffindor table were extremely ear-deafening. She tore off the Sorting Hat, ignoring its many complaints ("You should be thankful that I didn't put you in Slytherin....ungrateful wretch..."), and bounced over to the Gryffindor table where she seated herself next a redheaded girl, who smiled warmly at her. Sirius, sitting a few feet away, stiffened noticeably at her presence and glanced at her. She looked back at him, intending to do some more good-nature teasing, but was startled by the stormy grey color of his eyes. She lost herself in them for a few seconds, in which the Great Hall seemed to be void of people except for her and Sirius. Then Sirius looked away, a faint pink tinge in his cheeks and Ariane was surprised to feel a sudden warm rush in her cheeks. She'd never had that feeling before, and as Dumbledore continued his speech, she pondered. What was it? That strange tingling feeling...

*End Flashback*

Ariane leaned against the mahogany door, touching her cheek tenderly as though she's never felt it before. Then she shook her head suddenly. Snap out of it, Ariane!

A moment later, she felt a slight pressure against her back as someone attempted to open the door. Surprised, Ariane quickly stepped away from the door, and it opened to reveal the redheaded girl whom she had sat next to before.

"Ah, sorry--"

"Hello --"

They both stopped awkwardly, and then laughed.

"You go first." gestured Ariane.

The girl laughed. "Alrighty then. Hi, my name is Lily Evans, and I am one of your dorm mates!"

They shook hands, in a comically solemn manner, which was betrayed by their laughing eyes.

"Well hello Lily Evans," Ariane replied just as solemnly. "My name is Ariane Johnson."

Lily chuckled. "That's news to me."

They both giggled. Ariane took an immense liking to this girl, and was also envious of her gorgeous red mane and emerald eyes.

Ariane was brought out of her thoughts by a Ahem from the girl facing her. She looked at Lily questioningly, who grinned at her mischievously.

"What?" Ariane asked warily.

"I saw that you and Sirius had a rather...er....'intimate' connection at the feast." Lily winked at her.

Ariane immediately felt that warm sensation in her cheeks again, and she drew back defensively while blabbering in an abnormally high-pitched voice, "What? What? Sirius? Who? I have no idea what you're talking about. Oh well would you look at the time! It's Ariane's sleepy time. Nice meeting you, bye!"

Then she attempted to make her escape. Attempted being the key word. Lily, with an evil gleam with her eyes, reeled her back in.

"Oh no you don't!"

Ariane took one look at Lily's manic face, and screamed. "HELP MEEE!"

Sirius yawned. He was stuffed to the brim with the delicious food the feast had graciously bestowed on his belly. Roasted potatoes, glistening turkeys, lamb chops with a cherry glaze, golden corn accompanied by a perfect melting of butter, and an impressive array of pies. Cherry pies, apple pies, berry pies, pumpkin and pecan pies, chocolate pies, and many more. Sirius sighed contentedly. It felt good to be back...

His mind drifted away from visions of stuffed olives and came to a rest on a certain brown-eyed girl. He groaned. Sirius wanted to smack himself for thinking about Ariane Johnson so much. The eye contact had went on for too long. He had only intended to give her a taste of exactly what Sirius Black was made of, but he had lost himself in her deep chocolate eyes. He shook his head violently. No, it will not do to think about her like that!

He marched resolutely into the red and gold common room, and was immediately embraced by the warmth of the fire. His tensed muscles relaxed upon meeting the crackling fire's warmth, but then tensed up again upon hearing a shrill scream from the girls' dormitory. He rushed over to the bottom of the stair case and yelled, "What's the matter up there?"

The screams abruptly stopped, and Sirius' heart quickened as the sight of Ariane Johnson came into view. Her cheeks were crimson, her eyes bright and her breathing came out fast and uneven.

"Oh uhh, sorry, I saw a....." Ariane searched her mind furiously, thinking of what to say. "...a...a...SPIDER!" She finished triumphantly, then wilted pathetically when she realized exactly what she had said.

Sirius stood motionless, with an eyebrow cocked disbelievingly, which wasn't helped by the muffled giggles coming from beyond Ariane.

"A spider? Really?"

Ariane nodded her head estatically. "Yes, yes, a spider! A huge hairy spider!"

Sirius smirked, regaining his composure. "Would you like me to rescue you, damsel in distress, from this Big Scary Spider?"

Ariane turned even more red and she scowled. "Oh shush, you bigot. And I suppose you think you're my knight in shining armor?"

Sirius smiled suggestively. "Only if you want me to be. I expect a gracious reward though." He swept his eyes over her body, and looked up, only to be smacked by a rather large book.

"Oi!"

He rubbed his head angrily, and looked up, only to see Ariane's robe swish around the corner, her head held up haughtily. He scowled. Wait a second. Since when did she have a book with her?

Lily's grinning face came from around the corner, and she stuck her tongue out at him. "Serves you right for being a horny git." With that, she disappeared once more around corner. Sirius swore that he heard a high five from up there.

Bloody Ariane Johnson.

There! A marvelous love/hate relationship, ain't it? XD Review s'il vous plaît!