A/N:

Disclaimer: I am not JRK and do not own the world of Harry Potter

Chapter 8: Hospital Beds and Dance Talk

"Hey stop shoving,"

"Ow that was my foot you stepped on."

"Sorry."

"Shhhhh don't talk so loudly!"

"I can't see."

"You don't have to see"

"Don't make me hit you Potter"

"Guys look, I think he hears us."

Sirius could hear voices around him though they seemed distant and removed. He had just been dreaming but was woken up by talking. He slowly tried to open his eyes but winced as the light was so bright. He tried again and could make out dark shadows above him.

"Hey Padfoot, are you awake?" Sirius could make out James' voice.

"Uhhhhh," he groaned. His jaw still killed and his lip was soar.

"I'll take that as a yes," James said.

Sirius could see more clearly now as his eyes adjusted to the lighting. James, Remus, Peter, Lily, Blake, and Rose were crowded around his bed. They all leaned over him to get a better look at his injuries.

"You look like crap mate," James commented, "No offence or anything."

"Haha, very funny. You'd look like crap too if you had been hit in the face with a bloody bludger," Sirius replied. He could tell his jaw was bruised badly and his lip was the size of Europe.

"I think it makes you look brave," Lily said sweetly trying to make him feel better.

"I think it make you look braaaavveeeee!" James mimicked her under his breath. He did not like that Lily was paying so much attention to his friend rather than him.

"Oh shush, Potter." Lily gave him a warning glare and James looked up innocently.

"Hey, hey no quarrelling near the injured," Sirius instructed. "Now move so I can get out of this bed. I'm starving. Let's go to breakfast!" He started getting out of the bed.

"Oh I don't think so, Mr. Black," Madam Pomfrey said walking over. "You need to rest all day so your bone can mend."

"But I'm fine," Sirius protested. "I'll be bored here all day longggggg. Don't make me stay hereeeeee!" he begged.

"Nothing will change my mind Mr. Black. Now stop acting like a two year old and get a grip," she added forcefully.

Sirius flopped back in bed sighing. He had waited out plenty of days in the hospital wing and knew it was no fun what so ever.

"Well I suggest you ask your friends to take turns keeping you company," Madam Pomfrey suggested, "instead of sulking around."

"I'll go first," Lily said. James frowned, he knew Sirius didn't like Lily and would never do anything to jeopardize his chances with her, but he still felt a twinge of jealousy. "I want to make sure I have free time later for homework and patrols." James felt a little more comfortable.

After saying goodbye everyone else left to go eat breakfast and Lily took a seat a chair next to the bed.

"Soooooo Lilyflower, what's up?" Sirius said grinning.

"Well first of all, my name is not 'Lilyflower' thank you very much," she replied, "And second of all I wanted to talk to you about Rose."

"What about Rose?" he asked innocently.

"Well she is one of my best friends and I do not want her getting hurt. Despite this, I think you two would be great together as long as you are mature about the relationship. If you are just going to use her as you have to the other girls in this school, then you will have to answer to me."

"Ooooh, threatening me are you?" Sirius laughed.

"Hey, I'm serious—"

"No I am!" he cut her off.

"Ha ha funny. But really, think about it," Lily enforced.

"I know, I know. I have been thinking about it."

"Annnddd?" Lily prompted.

"I don't know. I'll figure it out," he replied evasively.

Lily gave him a stern look."You know she was really worried about you after you fell. She couldn't stop pacing."

"I know, I know. Well I didn't know that but," he stumbled. "Oh Lilyflower, let's stop talking about me. What about you, huh? When are you going to admit your feelings for James and get on with it?" he asked.

"You know darn well James and I are only friends. Just because we share the Head's Dorm does not mean I like him like that all of a sudden," Lily replied in a huff.

"I don't think your feelings are suddenly springing up. I think you have always fancied him but never knew it." Sirius stated wisely.

"You know what, I think your right," Lily replied, "we shouldn't talk about relationships now." She pulled out her DADA homework, "Why don't we start this instead?" she asked to Sirius' dismay.

"But I don't wannaaaa!" he whined.

"Oh stop being such a baby. You'll be happy later when you're out of bed and can have some free time."

The two of them sat there for the next hour working hard on their homework. It seemed as though being in their seventh year meant the teachers could double the load. Soon they heard footsteps approaching the door to the hospital wing. James appeared carrying a large tray full of toast, eggs, muffins, juice, and strawberries.

"Hey guys, I thought you might be hungry," he said setting down the tray. Lily smiled happily, her stomach had started to grumble because she hadn't eaten breakfast yet.

"Thanks James," she said as she reached for a blueberry muffin. Did he know they were her favorite?

"You're like our own personal house elf," Sirius laughed as he chomped on a piece of toast.

"Don't get used to it Padfoot. I wasn't really planning to bring you anything, but I thought you may get jealous of Lily's food," James stated making Lily blush.

The three of them sat talking as Lily and Sirius ate breakfast. It wasn't until Rose showed up to take her shift keeping Sirius company did Lily realize she had spent James' entire shift with him. They both stood up, happy to be free of the hospital wing, said hi to Rose, and walked out down the hall to join the rest of their friends outside by the lake.

"Sooooo, I heard you were pretty worried about me, Rose," Sirius said breaking the silence that had formed after Lily and James left.

"Well ya, everyone was," Rose replied. "Aren't you going to thank me for catching you? I mean you could have been really hurt, or worse."

"Thank you," Sirius said, well, seriously, "and for the record, I would be totally worked up and worried too if it were you in the hospital wing." Rose blushed and looked at her hands as Sirius tried to search her dark eyes.

"What are teammates for right?" she asked weakly.

"Ya, teammates, right," Sirius said frustrated she did not understand what he was trying to say.

"So have you thought about what you want to be for Halloween yet?" Rose said quickly.

"Um…not really. I was so worried about the match, and it seems like rightfully so, I totally forgot about Halloween. Why? What were you planning on being?" he asked curiously.

"I'm not sure either. I was thinking maybe an evil queen or something so I could still wear a dress, you know? Or an Arabian princess. I have heard Malinda's Costume Shop carries a wide selection," she said.

"Speaking of the dance, I was wondering if, you know, after I am back to my most handsome state and out of this dumb bed, you would care to go with me." Sirius asked quite suavely for a guy with a newly fixed jaw.

"Asking me to the dance? I thought you liked Katie Diamond," she replied trying to sound like she didn't care that much.

"Her? No. I mean she nice and all but, no. She's too…girly and stuff for me," he said. "So do you want to go with me?"

"Ya I'll go with you Black," Rose stated smiling. "I'll try to make sure I'm not too girly." Sirius laughed. He felt relieved he had asked her and of course that she said yes.

"So, Remus," Blake said turning to him, "have you thought about the Halloween dance much? Asked anyone to go?" Both of them were sitting under the tree next to the lake. A cool breeze whisped through the trees and they both were wrapped in heavy knit sweaters. James and Lily were still in the hospital wing and Rose had just left to take her shift.

"Um, no," he blushed and Blake smiled. He is so shy she thought. Blake loved the way his cheeks dimpled as he blushed. She just wanted to kiss his face right then and there.

"Would you go to the dance with me?" she asked nervously. She had decided to take her friends' advice and ask Remus herself. Blake twisted her gloved hands quickly waiting for his response.

"I would love to go with you," he replied smiling at her. Blake let out a sigh of relief. Remus felt guilty that he had not asked her himself. Wasn't it his job as the guy to do that? Oh well, he thought. At least we are going together.

The light breeze blew Blake's blonde hair making it tickle Remus' face. He brushed it away and tucked it back behind her ear. Again his face flushed pink. Was that uncomfortable for her? Should I not have done that? Is it ok to touch her hair? Remus thought nervously, but Blake smiled at the contact and he felt reassured.

They both looked up as they heard Lily and James approaching from the castle.

"No Potter I will not be going as a skanky nurse or bunny or police woman to the Halloween dance!" Lily said sternly.

"But why not? Those are great costumes," James said and Remus rolled his eyes at his friend. How could James be so clueless, he thought.

"I have seen plenty of women wear them in muggle magazines," James continued.

"Well James why don't you go find yourself a nice muggle bimbo and get her to wear it then!" she said loudly. Lily knew James was only teasing her but she still felt frustrated with his immature attitude.

"But I don't want any bimbo, I want youuuuu!" he whined. James could see a delicious crease forming in between Lily's eyebrows as she turned to lecture him some more.

"Are you calling me a bimbo?" Lily asked incredulously.

"What, um, no, that's not, um, what?" James stumbled.

"Ya that's what I thought," Lily said sitting down next to Remus. James frowned and sat down too. "So Remus, think of anyone to take to the dance?" She wanted him to get the hint to ask Blake.

"Actually," Remus said quietly, "Blake just asked me and I said yes." Again Remus felt stupid for not having the confidence to ask her himself.

"Oh that's great," Lily said. She was happy that Blake had taken Rose's and her advice. Lily knew how much Blake liked him and could tell how happy she was. Remus too looked like it was Christmas morning. His face was all lit up and his smile nearly reached his ears.

.

"You look great Blake, now come on lets go," Rose said getting frustrated.

The three girls were up in the girls' dormitory. Blake had tried on at least four outfits claiming each was not appropriate. It was a week after the Gryffindor vs. Slytherin quidditch match and Sirius was feeling a lot better. They planned to go Halloween costume shopping in Hogsmeade and then meet the boys at The Three Broomsticks for butterbeers. Blake was nervous eating with Remus although Rose and Lily told reminded her she had done it a thousand times throughout the year. But of course, Blake insisted eating out was different and even though her friends would be there too, she needed to be perfect. It felt to her different since she had asked Remus to the dance.

"But, do you think I'll get hot in this indoors? What if I sweat?" Blake asked worriedly pulling at her black turtleneck. She had paired it with dark blue skinny jeans and a thick, brown scarf. On her feet she wore worn in light brown leather boots.

"Blake you look amazing. Anyways Remus wouldn't care if you looked at a hobo. He would still blush like a tomato," Lily commented and Rose laughed agreeing.

"Ok are we good? Can we go? Everyone else is going to get the good costumes," Rose whined impatiently. She herself had thrown on her favorite pair of black skinny jeans and a long sleeved pink lacey top.

"Calm down Rose she is just nervous about Remus," Lily said. She was wearing brown, skinny corduroys with a blue blouse and black, suede high boots.

"You don't see me getting all worked up do you?" Rose asked.

"Well I didn't think you had a reason to get worked up," Lily replied, "or are you admitting feelings for Black?"

"Your right, I don't have anything to get worked up over. Sorry Blake. Now let's go," Rose said quickly eating her words.

"Ok, ok, let's go," Blake said at last, grabbing her bag.

The three friends walked downstairs to join the boys. They were going to walk to Hogsmeade together, separate to shop, and then meet up for warm drinks.

Remus smiled when he saw Blake and she felt warmth in her stomach.

"Finally, gosh what took you guys so long?" James asked teasing.

"We were just getting ready Potter," Lily said sticking out her tongue.

"Well come on then let's go," James said pushing them out the porthole.

"Someone's a bit impatient today," Rose stated.

"Hey missy I wouldn't talk," Lily said looking at Rose, "you were practically dying when we took too long to get dressed.

"Ya ya whatever you say," Rose said.

The group of six (Peter had decided to stay back and do homework) walked happily to Hogsmeade excited to finally be able to pick out their Halloween costumes. Little did they know Hogsmeade had something much bigger than Halloween costumes in store for them.

A/N: Hey I'm back after about a year. I am really going to try and write more frequently but it is really hard to be consistent with school. I definitely want to finish this story eventually though. Thanks to anyone still reading.

-nevertickleasleepingdragongg