Chapter 4 [Holy Badgers]
It was later that night and the two Gryffindor gingers were sitting together in the empty dorm room.
"Okay so let me get this straight... you're friends with Sirius now?"
"Yes."
"Sirius Black? The Sirius Black?"
"Yes. That's the one."
"And you may or may not be going on a date with him?"
"Affirmative."
"But only because Hot Billy tried to ask you out first?"
"Hot Billy?"
"Just answer the question Ails!"
"Fine. Yes."
"You do realize this is more drama than you had your whole fourth year and it's only the second day of classes?" Said Lily raising an eyebrow.
"Yes. I am quite aware."
"Well... I have to go."
"Wait! What?! No! Where are you going!" Whined Ailee.
"Prefect duties!"
"You can't just leave me here alone in the midst of all my teenage angst Lilith!"
"Ta-ta!" Lily said with a little wave as she bounced out the door.
Meanwhile in the boys dorm.
"So you and Ailee are going to Hogsmead together?" Asked Remus.
"Yes."
"And you asked her."
"Yes."
"But you only asked because you were worried that she would go with Hot Billy instead?"
"Hot Billy?"
"I'm the one asking the questions here Padfoot!"
"Geez Moony.. yes. I suppose so."
"And She told you that she would like to go.."
"Affirmative."
"And that she was glad you were her 'friend'?"
"Yes..."
"And now you don't know if it's an actual date or if your just going as friends?"
"Yes."
"Well that's quite the predicament you've got going there paddy." Remus said shaking his head slowly.
"Yes."
"Well... I'll see you later then!"
"WHAT? No! WHY?"
"Prefect duties." He said as he made his way toward the door.
"Moooooonnnyyy! You can't just leave me in the midst of my emotional turmoil!"
"toodles!"
"Hmmph" Ailee grumbled as she sunk into the common room sofa later that evening. It was late and everyone had already gone to bed. Ailee tried to sleep, she really did, but she couldn't stop the racing thoughts in her head. She was so confused.
"Can't sleep?" Said a familiar tired voice from the sofa next to her.
"Eep! Phew! It's just you! I thought you were Ho- uh Billy.."
"Nope not Hot Billy, just boring ol Padfoot."
"Are you kidding me? You are the furthest thing from boring!"
Sirius smirked. "Yes I suppose I do live quite the exciting life. Perks of being a rebel I suppose."
Ailee snorted. "So you can't sleep either?"
"No, but it's nothing new.."
"Nice to meet a fellow insomniac." She said reaching out to shake his hand.
"So what's keeping you up?
"Just... uh.. stuff."
"Very specific," he replied sarcastically.
"Well it's just... I'm confused I suppose."
"Oh? About what?" He asked.
Ailee tried to think of how to explain her boy troubles to the boy who had caused the troubles. She settled on an indirect approach.
"Well, I suppose I'm confused about the whole Billy and Stewart thing."
"Oh yeah.. wait? Stewart? I'm confused." He said before moving to join her on the other couch.
"Join the club," she murmured, "I didn't get a chance to tell anyone, but when I was at the library before dinner this Hufflepuff, Stewart Smith, spooked me and seemed like he was going to ask me something before he just sort of ran away..."
"Oh"
"Yeah... and then the whole Hot Billy thing happened and it's just got me confused. Why are all these random boys I've never spoken to just coming out of the woodwork all of a sudden?!"
Sirius barked a laugh.
"Don't laugh at my pain!" She exclaimed, having a hard time not smiling.
"You know for someone so smart, you can really be dense." Sirius shook his head, still smiling before continuing, "Ailee, I know this may come as a shock, but there are actually more guys who will be trying to talk to you."
"Wha-?"
"Oh Merlin. Do I have to spell it out for you? You are a gorgeous, and funny, and nice to literally everyone. At least half the guys here would be thrilled to date you."
"What?! No. No way. You're just pulling my leg."
"I'm as serious as my name, love."
"Holy badgers..."
"That's the exclamation you choose. 'Holy badgers'?" He was used to her unusual choice of exclamations, in fact he found them quite amusing, but this one seemed to come from nowhere.
"You know the name Helga, as in Helga Hufflepuff?" He nodded, confused on where she was going with this. "Well it actually means 'holy' or something. And well badgers... because Hufflepuff... and I dunno I just thought of it one day and thought it was funny."
"Oh It is. It's just bloody random." He replied with a smile glancing at the clock on the fireplace mantel. "You should probably go back up and get some sleep."
"I could say the same for you, you know?"
"Touché Miss Abbott."
"So why can't you sleep?"
"Um well..." he could either tell her the real reason he couldn't sleep tonight, which was because he confused on if they were going on an actual date or not, or the reason he couldn't sleep in general. He chose the former. "I get uh.. nightmares."
"Oh, I'm sorry. I get those too sometimes," she said comfortingly. "Tea helps you know."
"Tea? Really?"
"Well yeah! Too bad we can't go down to the kitchens.." she trailed off dolefully.
"Who says we can't?"
"Well it's really late.. and against the rules and we would get in so much trouble.."
"We would only get in trouble if they caught us." His he said with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.
"Yeah and how to you plan to waltz through the castle without being seen?"
"Oh that's not a problem." He said grinning.
"I'm confused." She said furrowing her brow.
"What's new about that? So are you going or..?"
"Going where?!" She asked in an annoyed tone.
"To the kitchens with me! How could you forget? It was your idea!"
She rolled her eyes."It was a rhetorical suggestion."
"Come onnnnn! It would help me sleep!" He said giving her an innocent smile and puppy dog eyes.
"Ughhhhhh. Fine."
Sirius grinned at her and then jumped up and ran up the stairs to the boys dorm.
"Oi! You're going the wrong direction you idiot!"