A/N - Time for chapter 9! Thanks again to those who have reviewed! Feel free to let me know what you think, even if it's just a few words. I love feedback! Enjoy!

Chapter 9

Fights and Forgiveness

29 October 1977

I can't believe I'm doing this, Catherine thought to herself while she pinned her hair up on her head. Her dress robes were deep burgundy accented with black. She smiled as she thought of the irony of the colors she had chosen. At least I'll see Sirius there, even if I can't be his date, she thought.

Myra had ambushed her on Hogsmeade weekend, two weeks before the dance. When they had gotten to the Great Hall to let Filch check their names off the list, Ian and David had been standing there waiting for them. Myra played innocent as if she had no idea the two boys were going to meet them, but Catherine knew better. Still, she decided to grin and bear it for her friend, smiling politely at David and making small talk with him as they made their way into the village. They had wandered through the shops until they grew tired, then went into the Three Broomsticks for butterbeer and lunch.

When they came inside, Catherine saw Sirius, Remus and Peter sitting at a table in the back, James presumably with Lily somewhere. Sirius had looked up when they entered and she gave him a small smile. His eyes had narrowed when she and Myra had sat down with the two Hufflepuffs and Catherine noticed that he kept very close watch on their table. His hand flinched once or twice and Catherine wondered if he were planning to draw his wand. She tried to ignore him, but her eyes seemed to have a will of their own and were constantly drawn to him.

After a few minutes, Catherine could no longer stand it and excused herself to go to the loo. David stood and helped her with her chair and Catherine smiled and then walked quickly toward the back of the pub. When she passed Sirius' table her eyes darted to the side for one second, but Sirius wasn't looking at her. She took a breath and entered the hall that led to the bathrooms. Before she could enter the loo, however, she felt hot breath on the back of her neck and a hand grasped her wrist. She gasped and turned around and then Sirius was kissing her. He pulled her across the hall into a small storeroom, never taking his lips from hers until they were safely hidden in the room.

"What are you doing?" she hissed as he released her.

"Who is that at your table?" he asked, his eyes smoldering.

"Ian and Myra," she said, crossing her arms in front of her defiantly.

"And," he growled.

"Why does it matter?" she asked, getting angry now.

"Because I've been watching him looking at you and I don't like it," Sirius replied.

"Jealous?" she asked, stepping closer to him.

"Is that what this is about, you're trying to make me jealous?" he asked, watching her closely.

"I wasn't planning it, but it seems to be working," she said, taking another step toward him. She wanted to put her arms around his neck, but she hesitated, crossing them in front of her instead.

"Fine, yes I'm jealous. I'm jealous that he can sit there and smile at you and talk to you and I can't," Sirius ground out. "Happy?"

"No, I'm not happy," Catherine insisted. "I want the same things as you do, but you won't let me have them."

"That's not what this is about and you know it," Sirius retorted. Catherine sighed and leaned against him, his arms going around her.

"I know, I'm sorry," she said. "I hate this."

"So do I," he said, kissing the top of her head. "Now who is he?"

"His name's David, he's a friend of Ian's," Catherine said. "Myra is trying to set me up with him." Sirius growled and Catherine laughed. "She wants me to go to the ball with him." Sirius pulled back from her, his eyes hardening, his mouth in a thin line.

"Don't," he said. Catherine looked at him incredulously.

"Are you giving me an order Sirius Black?" she demanded, putting her hands on her hips. Sirius looked at her defiantly, then his shoulders slumped.

"Please, don't go," he said quietly. She sighed and hugged him again.

"You know Myra, she won't give up," Catherine said. "Unless she knew the reason why." She looked up at him, but he shook his head slightly. "Besides, it's not like I'm going to date him, it's just a dance." Sirius looked at her for a moment then pulled away.

"Fine, do what you want," he said, walking toward the door.

"Sirius, don't be like that," Catherine said, but Sirius ignored her and walked out the door. Catherine sighed and followed him after a few seconds. When she got back into the pub, Sirius and his friends were on their way out of the pub. Catherine watched him, waiting for him to turn around and when he didn't, she squared her shoulders and went back to her table. David stood and pulled her chair out for her and she gave him a smile and went back to her conversation.

Catherine had tried to get Sirius' attention at dinner the day after Hogsmeade, but he wouldn't meet her eye. She continued to go to her study room after dinner each night, hoping that Sirius would show up, but after a few days of sitting there alone, she went from being sad to being angry. She had nothing to apologize for, if she went to the ball it was only because her friend wanted her to and truth be told, Catherine did want to go. The next day Catherine told Myra that she would go to the ball with David if he still needed a date. Myra had immediately relayed the news to Ian and David had found Catherine after dinner that night and asked her.

And now, here she was in her dorm, putting her hair up and getting ready to go to a dance with a boy she had no feelings for and wishing that the one she really did want to go with would just look at her again.


Catherine and Myra made their way down the entrance hall to meet up with their dates. As they walked down the marble staircase, Catherine glanced around and saw James Potter and Lily Evans standing in a corner near the doors to the Great Hall. Catherine's gaze roved over the two of them and saw Remus standing a foot or so away, Mary McDonald standing next to him. The two were smiling and talking quietly. Peter was standing next to Remus, nervously worrying his collar and casting glances at a girl to his right, who Catherine recognized as a fifth year Hufflepuff. She wondered who had gotten the date for him. And then her gaze lit on Sirius. He stood, looking somewhat sullen, on the other side of Mary McDonald, a 7th year girl from Catherine's own house clinging to his arm, Charlotte Halloway. Catherine's mouth dropped open when she saw who Sirius was with. Catherine couldn't even count the number of boys Charlotte had been with. She had the worst reputation in the whole school.

"What are you looking at?" Myra asked, glancing toward where Catherine was staring. "Oh my, Sirius is going to the ball with her? Wow that's a step down, even for him."

"What do you mean, even for him?" Catherine snapped.

"Relax," Myra said, holding her hands up in front of her. "I just meant, he dates a lot, but at least most of the girls he dates aren't so, well, you know."

"Sorry," Catherine muttered. Myra looked at her strangely for a minute, then saw Ian and David standing off to the side of the stairs.

"Look, there they are," Myra said, pointing the two boys out. "Come on." She pulled Catherine down the rest of the stairs towards them. Catherine followed and nodded to David as he smiled at her. They stood and talked for a few minutes, before the doors opened and the boys led them inside. The four claimed a table near the middle of the hall and were joined by Elena and Sean and Sharon and her date, Matthew, a Slytherin boy that Catherine didn't know very well. She was a bit surprised at first, but as the four couples talked, realized that he wasn't like most of the others in his house.

Catherine felt eyes on her at one point during dinner and looked up and saw Sirius staring at her. He was sitting about four tables away with the rest of the Marauders and their dates, an unreadable expression on his face. Catherine looked away and back at David who was asking her a question.

Shortly after the pudding disappeared from the tables, Professor Dumbledore stood and asked everyone to get up from their tables and gather in the front of the hall. With a wave of his wand, the tables moved back against the back and sides of the hall, some disappearing all together and where the students stood, a dance floor shimmered into existence. Many people drifted back towards the tables, but some remained on the dance floor as the music began. David looked at Catherine, a question on his face as Ian and Myra began to sway to the music.

"I think I should rest for a little bit longer," Catherine said in response to his unspoken question. "Too much dinner." She made a face and David laughed, leading her to a table off to the side. They sat down and talked for a while before Catherine looked back to the dance floor. She searched through the couples and spotted Sirius and his date. Charlotte was clinging to him just as tightly as she had been in the hall. Sirius looked a bit bored, but then Charlotte leaned up and whispered something in his ear and he smiled.

Catherine felt sick and not from all the food she had just eaten. She wanted nothing more than to curl up in her bed and forget this night had ever happened. She didn't want to hurt the feelings of the boy that sat next to her, who had been nothing but sweet to her. But most of all, she wanted Sirius to come over to her table and sweep her up into his arms, kiss her and tell her he didn't care who knew about them. Knowing she was not going to get any of her wishes, she turned to David and smiled at him, asking if he wanted to dance.

He led her out onto the dance floor and took her in his arms, but Catherine couldn't help comparing them to Sirius' arms. Every time David looked at her, Catherine couldn't help but compare his brown eyes with Sirius' gray and every time he smiled, Catherine kept looking for the dimple that Sirius had in his left cheek. She glanced around from time to time, sometimes getting a glance of Sirius and Charlotte, sometimes unable to see them. After a few dances, David asked her if she wanted something to drink and she agreed, heading back towards their table while David went to the banquet table in the back of the room which held punch and sweets.

Catherine sighed and looked around the room. She saw Myra smiling up at Ian and Elena and Sean once again attached at the lips, as Sharon had said. Sharon seemed to be enjoying herself as well. Catherine saw James and Lily out of the corner of her eye and was surprised to see them dancing so closely together. When she looked past them, she was even more surprised to see Mary's head resting on Remus' shoulder. Peter and his date were nowhere to be seen, about the only thing that didn't surprise Catherine. But as she looked past Remus, she saw Sirius and Charlotte standing against the wall and as she watched, Charlotte leaned in and wrapped her arms around Sirius' neck and kissed him.

Before she could react, David was back at the table. Catherine continued to stare at Sirius and Charlotte and as if he sensed her gaze, Sirius' eyes shifted toward her. Catherine took advantage of the fact that he was watching her, leaned over and kissed David full on the lips. Out of the corner of her eye, Catherine saw Sirius push Charlotte away from him and start towards her. She recovered herself and pulled back from David. Heat immediately flooded to her face.

"I, I'm sorry," she managed to stutter out, then stood from the table and fled. She heard David call after her, but she ignored him, tears running down her face as she ran out of the Great Hall and down the corridor past the kitchens. She ducked into an empty classroom and tried to seal the door, but her concentration failed as the tears began to fall more quickly. Mere seconds later, she heard the door open and she looked up, expecting to see David. Instead, it was Sirius.

Catherine wanted to go to him, she wanted him to take her in his arms and tell her everything was going to be all right. But she held back, wrapping her arms around herself and looking away from him instead. He took a step toward her then stopped and Catherine looked up. Fury was plain on his face, but underneath it was something else, something like pain.

"What the hell are you doing?" he finally asked. She looked up sharply at him, the anger returning as quickly as it had died.

"What am I doing, what are you doing?" she retorted.

"I went to the dance, same as you," he ground out.

"With the biggest slag in the school," Catherine snapped. "At least my date wasn't trying to climb down my throat."

"Didn't stop you from doing it to him though, did it?" he bit back. Catherine gasped at this and turned away from him, clutching her middle as if he had punched her. And then her anger flared again.

"How dare you," she said through gritted teeth, as she spun back around. "How dare you get angry with me for the exact same thing that you did."

"Me?" he said, his voice getting louder. "She kissed me! I was trying to get her off of me."

"It really looked like you were resisting when I saw you," Catherine yelled back.

"I don't care what you think you saw," Sirius shouted. "I wasn't kissing her back. I wouldn't do that to you. Seems you don't feel the same." He stopped and turned from her, making for the door.

"Wait, please," Catherine called. Sirius stopped with his hand on the door knob, but he didn't turn around. "I'm sorry." When he didn't move, she began to walk towards him. She stopped a foot away and reached out, then dropped her hand back to her side. "Please," she whispered.

He turned around slowly and looked at her. Tears streamed down her cheeks and the pain in his eyes was nothing Catherine ever wanted to see again.

"Why?" he asked quietly. "Why did you?" He stopped, unable to finish the sentence. Catherine shook her head and took a breath.

"I, I don't know. I was thinking about you the whole night, comparing David to you and wishing you would come and ask me to dance. I was miserable and then I saw Charlotte kissing you and something inside me snapped. I was hurt and I wanted to hurt you back." She looked up at him and he met her gaze for a moment, then looked away. "It was stupid and I shouldn't have and I know," she was unable to finish the rest of her sentence as Sirius stepped forward and grabbed her arms, pressing his lips to hers.

It wasn't like their other kisses had been, it was fierce and hard and almost punishing, with a possessive edge to it. Catherine pushed hard against his chest and he instantly broke off the kiss, stepping away from her. She rubbed her fingers across her lips, her eyes on the floor. She heard him take in a breath and let it out slowly and she glanced up. He looked at her shamefully and turned his head away and she took a small step forward. She reached out to him again and this time, put her hand on his arm. He looked at it and then at her and then pulled her to him. Catherine wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his shoulder, tears returning.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

"Me too," she replied.

"How did we get into this mess?" he asked and Catherine shrugged.

"Because we're both too stubborn for our own good?" she replied and he snorted.

"I suppose that's true," he agreed.

"I only wanted to go to the ball with David to make Myra happy, but I knew it would make you unhappy and I shouldn't have ignored that," Catherine said.

"And I shouldn't have asked you to choose between me and your best friend," Sirius replied.

"You know that I don't have any feelings for him right?" Catherine asked, looking up at Sirius.

"As long as you know I only went with Charlotte to try and make you jealous," he said.

"Well, that worked," she acknowledged. "But her Sirius, really?" Catherine shuddered and Sirius chuckled.

"I'm sorry I've been such an arse and ignoring you for the past two weeks," he said, putting a hand to her cheek. She leaned into his hand and closed her eyes, feeling the tears gathering behind them again. Sirius looked at her in concern as she opened her eyes and the tears began to leak from them. "What is it?" he asked, holding her face between both hands now.

"It's so hard," she said. "I didn't think it was going to be this hard." He pulled her back against him and kissed the top of her head.

"I know," he said quietly. "I know." They stood in silence for a few moments, his hand rubbing up and down her back.

"It's just, I don't think Myra is going to give up," Catherine finally said. "She's so happy with Ian, she is determined to find me a boyfriend too. If I just told her, then maybe it would be better." She looked up at him expectantly.

"I don't know Catherine," he said. "It's not that I don't trust her, I do. It's just, she's probably going to want to tell Ian and then maybe he'll want to tell David, to explain why you don't want to see him again and then pretty soon too many people know."

"I know," Catherine sighed.

"Merlin, I wish this damn war was over and we didn't have to worry about all of this anymore," Sirius said, kissing her forehead and then her cheek and then her lips, gently and softly. Catherine sighed in contentment as he kissed her, feeling like nothing else mattered as long as everything was all right between them. Her arms moved up and wrapped around his neck as the kiss continued and deepened. So involved were they in each other, that neither heard the door behind them open until they heard a quiet "Oh".

Catherine jumped back as if she had been scalded and Sirius whipped around, his wand already drawn, shielding her with his body. Remus stood in the doorway.

"Moony," Sirius said in surprise, lowering his wand.

"Padfoot, Catherine," Remus replied, nodding to both of them. "I can't say that I'm completely surprised." He smirked at the two and Sirius ran a hand through his hair. "How long has this been going on?" Catherine moved back to Sirius' side and took his hand in hers.

"Since the end of last term," she said and smiled up at Sirius. He let go of her hand and put his arm around her waist, pulling her into his side.

"Any particular reason you're keeping it a secret?" Remus asked.

"Plenty of reasons, particular and otherwise," Sirius returned, tightening his hold on Catherine. "I'll tell you all about them later." Remus nodded. "Why are you here anyway?"

"Prefect patrol," Remus replied. "Making sure no one has snuck away and is up to something they shouldn't be." Catherine saw the amusement in his eyes and she blushed, turning her head towards Sirius' side.

"What happened after we, er, left?" Sirius asked.

"Well, Charlotte moved on to greener pastures, shall we say." Sirius snorted at this and Remus chuckled. "David looked bewildered, but I believe he's gone back to his dorm."

"What about Myra?" Catherine asked, feeling incredibly guilty.

"She and Ian were still there when I left," Remus answered. "I'm not sure exactly what happened. I think that they were going to leave with David, but he convinced them to stay. Wormtail was oblivious, as usual, and Prongs was confused about why you ran out Sirius, but when I told him I'd look for you while I did patrol, he smiled and then went back to snogging Lily."

"Thanks Moony, I really needed that image in my head," Sirius groaned.

"Payback, mate, simple payback," Remus replied, gesturing between he and Catherine.

"So no one was suspicious then?" Sirius asked. "That we ran out at the same time?"

"No one close to either of you, if that's what you mean," Remus said. "I couldn't say about the rest of the school." Sirius just nodded, but Catherine could see the worry lines on his forehead.

"Look Moony, can you pretend you never found us and give me another few minutes," Sirius said. "There are a few things we still need to work out."

"Is that what they're calling it now?" Remus asked, then ducked as Sirius swung at him. Catherine giggled as the two scuffled for a few moments.

"All right," Remus agreed. "I never saw you."

"Thanks Moony," Sirius said. "And don't say anything, not even to Prongs. I promise I'll explain later." Remus nodded and left the room and Sirius turned back to Catherine.

"You're worried," she stated, looking up at him with concern.

"I just hope no one suspects anything, with me running out right after you like that," Sirius said sighing. "I should have waited a few minutes or something."

"I'm glad you didn't," Catherine said quietly and hugged him. He kissed the top of her head and then pulled back and looked down at her.

"Look, if you want to tell Myra, it's all right," Sirius said. "I know that she would never do anything to hurt you and if you trust her, I do too."

"Let's just wait and see," Catherine replied. "Now I believe we had a few more things to work out Mr. Black." She moved back into the circle of his arms.

"I believe you're right Miss Powell," Sirius murmured as he brought his head down to hers once again.


July 1993

Catherine sighed as she pulled herself back to the present. In the end, she hadn't told Myra, although her friend did everything she could to try and get Catherine to admit it. She told Myra that she just didn't feel anything for David in 'that way' and she had been trying to pursuade herself to with the kiss. Myra had just nodded and said nothing else, although Catherine hadn't been completely convinced that Myra didn't realize what was actually going on, especially once she asked Myra to stop trying to set her up with boys.

Life had continued on somewhat normally, Catherine and Sirius still meeting in secret. It was somewhat of a relief to Catherine that Remus now knew, at least there was one other person she didn't have to hide things from. And Remus was immediately accepting of her, almost as if he had known for quite some time that she and Sirius would end up together. Although, if Catherine thought about it, she was sure that he had known, maybe even before Sirius and Catherine themselves had.

She missed Remus almost as much as she missed Sirius and Myra. He had been another confidante for her during her 5th year. A different kind of confidante than Myra to be sure, but she could at least talk about Sirius with him. Catherine wondered where Remus was, if he had married, although she thought that unlikely after their conversation in the library that evening in December. Remus was often in the library studying, something which Catherine joined him in quite often. It was rather helpful to have the perspective of a 7th year on many of her 5th year assignments.


2 December 1977

"I still wonder why you didn't end up in Ravenclaw," Catherine had said to him one evening when they were discussing something from Charms.

"The Hat debated for a while," Remus admitted. "But I guess given my 'alter ego' it decided bravery was rather high on the list as well." Catherine smiled.

"So, I've seen you and Mary together quite often," Catherine remarked, smirking at Remus' unsettled expression.

"We're just friends," he muttered, looking back at the essay he was writing for Transfiguration.

"That sounds familiar," Catherine mused, tapping her quill against her cheek. "Oh right, because I said that for almost all of last year whenever someone brought up Sirius' name." Remus glared at her and continued writing his essay. Catherine shrugged and went back to her own work.

A few seconds later, there was a small thunk and then a low uttered, 'damn' from across the table. She looked up and saw that Remus had spilled his ink which was now seeping across his essay. Catherine righted the ink bottle, now empty, as Remus uttered a spell and waved his wand, siphoning the spilled ink from the parchment. When he was finished, he rummaged in his bag and sighed.

"I guess I'll have to finish in the common room," he said. "That was the last bottle I had with me."

"Don't be ridiculous," Catherine said, pulling another bottle from her bag. "Here, use mine."

"Thanks," Remus said, giving her a small smile. "And sorry about, you know, before."

"Nothing to be sorry for," Catherine replied. "It's none of my business anyway."

"Well, you were right, in any case," he said, his cheeks reddening.

"Really?" Catherine said, smiling widely. "That's wonderful Remus."

"No, really, it's not," he said, looking down at the table.

"But, why not?" Catherine asked, completely bewildered.

"Because I can't get involved with anyone," he insisted, looking up at Catherine incredulously.

"Is there some secret girlfriend or marriage contract or something that I don't know about?" Catherine replied her brow furrowed in confusion.

"Of course not," Remus said, shaking his head. "You know why." Catherine stared at him for a few more moments, then realization dawned.

"We're not talking about your 'furry little problem' here are we?" she asked, but almost certain that they were.

"Of course we are," he said exasperated.

"That's ridiculous," Catherine said snorting. Remus' eyes narrowed.

"I'm glad you're so cavalier about it all," he sniffed. "I, unfortunately, cannot afford to be."

"Remus, that's not what I meant," Catherine replied. "I know that you have to be careful and take precautions, but you do those things. You're only dangerous one night a month. The rest of the time you're fine. As long as you stay away from her on the full moon, I don't see the problem."

"Don't see the problem?" Remus asked, his eyes hard and his voice pitched dangerously low. "You don't see it as an issue that I turn into a monster once a month? You don't see that being a blockade to having a normal relationship? You don't see someone I care about running away screaming when they find out what I am?"

"That's what this is all about isn't it?" Catherine asked, grasping onto his last question. "You're afraid if you tell her, she'll run away screaming and maybe out you to everyone else." Remus said nothing, but Catherine could tell by the slump of his shoulders that she was right.

"Sirius and James and Peter didn't do that once they found out," she pointed out. "Neither did I."

"That's different," he mumbled.

"How so?" Catherine challenged.

"They were my friends and you didn't even know me," Remus replied.

"All the more reason, then," Catherine shot back. "I didn't really know you, I certainly had no feelings towards you at that time, you were only Sirius' friend to me. There was nothing tying me to you, not friendship like you had with Sirius and James and Peter and certainly not affection or love. But yet I accepted you and never treated you any differently, nor did I ever have any desire to tell anyone else about you. Why do you think that someone who actually has feelings for you would reject you?"

"She doesn't have feelings for me," Remus said quietly.

"Trust me Remus, she does," Catherine replied, smiling smugly. "I saw the two of you at the ball and I've seen you together since. The way she looks at you, she fancies you at the very least. And she's a Gryffindor. What makes you think she'll run away screaming? Aren't you lot supposed to be brave and true?" Remus snickered a bit at this and Catherine smiled, then reached a hand out and placed it on his arm. "If you really want to be with her, just give her a chance." Catherine dropped her voice to a whisper and leaned towards him. "Being a werewolf is a part of you, but it's not who you are. You're just Remus, with an extra little something thrown in every four weeks." She sat back and smiled at him and Remus returned it, although rather feebly.

"I'll think about it," he said and Catherine nodded, going back to her Charms essay. After a few minutes she looked up again and Remus was looking unseeingly across the library, deep in thought. Catherine smirked and went back to her studying.


Two weeks later, Catherine and Sirius sat in the study room.

"I've been meaning to ask you what you said to Moony," Sirius said, as Catherine cuddled into his side. "About Mary I mean."

"Why?" she asked, looking up at him in interest.

"Well, he asked her to Hogsmeade this weekend," Sirius replied. "Prongs and I were shocked, but when I asked Moony about it he just smiled and said 'Catherine'. Something going on I should know about?" He looked at her in mock annoyance, one eyebrow raised and she giggled.

"I just told him to give it a chance," Catherine shrugged.

"Translation – you told him to pull his head out of his arse and quit being so down on himself because of his monthly problem," Sirius said.

"Well, not in such eloquent words," Catherine said dryly and Sirius snorted. "But yes, basically that's what I said. So did he tell her?"

"I don't think so," Sirius replied. "Not yet anyway, but if things continue on with them, I know he will. Moony is just like that, hates lying to people."

"And yet, he is forced to keep a huge secret from everyone all the time," Catherine muttered. "Two actually."

"He understands and accepts why he has to though," Sirius replied. "To both." He looked at Catherine pointedly and she glanced away sighing.

"Are you going into Hogsmeade this weekend?" she asked. Sirius shrugged.

"Wormtail is forcing me to," he said. "Whined about being all by himself with James taking Lily and Remus taking Mary. Said I couldn't take anyone and leave him by himself." Sirius imitated Peter's high pitched voice and Catherine laughed.

"I don't understand why you three are friends with him," she said, when she had recovered from her laughter. "He's just so," she waved a hand as if hoping what she wanted to say would appear from thin air, "not you." Sirius looked at her oddly.

"And thank you for that fine explanation," he said wryly. Catherine lightly slapped his arm and rolled her eyes.

"I just mean, he's so whiny and shivery all the time. He follows you and James around like a puppy and I don't think I've ever heard an original thought from him," Catherine continued. "I don't even know how he got sorted into Gryffindor."

"Come on, Pete's not that bad. He's just nervous around girls," Sirius replied. "He has lots of original thoughts when it's just the four of us."

"I don't know, there's just something about him that gives me the creeps," Catherine said shuddering.

"Why are we talking about Wormtail?" Sirius asked shaking his head. "Are you going into Hogsmeade?"

"Yes, Myra is dragging me along with her and Ian," Catherine replied, rolling her eyes. "Sharon's going too though and Elena and Sean are still wrapped around each other most of the time so maybe the two of us can hang out together."

"Or maybe you can ditch all of them and come and find me," Sirius said, waggling his eyebrows at her.

"Oh really," Catherine replied, moving towards him to whisper in his ear. "And just what did you have in mind, Mr. Black?" She grinned as Sirius shuddered, then growled before he kissed her.

"Maybe something like that," he said, grinning at her breathlessness.

"Going to snog me in the middle of the street in Hogsmeade are you?" Catherine asked when she had recovered. "Not sure how that fits into the whole 'secret relationship' thing, but all right." She grinned and Sirius rolled his eyes at her.

"Just meet me behind Honeyduke's at 1:00, all right?" he requested.

"All right," Catherine agreed, then leaned toward him to blow in his ear again. Neither one of them felt like talking for quite some time.


A/N2 - I always thought that Sirius would have a jealousy streak a mile wide, so this chapter was fun for me to write, especially since things turned out all right in the end. :)