The pair raced toward the origin of the sound. "Did he transform...?" asked Sirius, breathless.
"No really! He's supposed to get to the Shrieking Shack every full moon. There's no way he forgot, it's his worst fear. He thinks about it every day. Hey, wait-" Charlotte stopped midstride. She cupped her hands around her mouth and howled as loud as she could. "Transform," she hissed. She howled again. "Transform and get out of here. I'll handle it!"
"No way! Your mind's going if you think I'm leaving you here," Sirius roared.
"Shut up, Sirius, don't talk crazy. For once in your fifteen-year-old life, do as I say! Don't object, trust me and my judgment! I know what I'm doing, I have a plan! Now run!" screamed Charlotte.
Sirius hesitated, then nodded determinedly. He transformed and began running... the wrong way. "Sirius!" screeched Charlotte. "Be careful," she whispered.
Playing the hero- that was what he was doing. He was getting closer to Remus now; he had no plan. Ad lib it, he told himself. And if saving your own arse isn't enough motivation, do it for Charlotte.
It all happened so fast after that, a tangle of snarls and teeth and paws and claws. Sirius ran right smack into Remus in a flurry of sweat, fear, and bite. One swipe from the transformed other smashed Sirius into the ground.
Impact- then darkness.
Hospital wings scared her. "He's been here less time than she has, and she hasn't even a scratch. She's sat there by his side even before he got here. Now that's dedicated friendship."
He stirred and his eyes fluttered open. There was a sharp intake of breath, a breathed name. "Sirius!" The hand held in both of hers pressed to her cheek. "Sirius, are you all right?"
"Charlotte? I'm fine," said Sirius, sitting up in the cot. Flowers, get-well cards, and candy decorated the table next to him.
She sighed in relief. Then her face hardened. "You- you- ugh, I told you not to go out there!" she whisper-yelled, so as not to get Madam Pomfrey angry. Her light-blond, almost-white hair turned copper. Charlotte snorted.
"Lottie, I nearly died, give a guy a break because of his pain and suffering-"
"His pain and suffering? What about mine, Sirius? As soon as you took off into the wild yonder I came here cos I knew you would end up getting hurt. Madam Pomfrey obviously now thinks I have Seer blood in me or something, cos and hour and a half later- lo and behold. You showed up, unconscious and scraped up like God-knows-what. I told you to let me handle it, Pads. Is it because I'm a girl? Cos even though I'm a girl-"
Sirius held up his hand, the one not clutched in both of Charlotte's. "I would've died anyway- if anything had happened to you, Lottie."
He eyes filled with tears as she threw her arms around him. "Any special reason your hair is pink, Lottie?" Sirius murmured into her shoulder, his voice muffled by her rib-breaking hug.
"No," she spat, pulling back from their embrace. "No, I just- oh!" She threw her arms around him again, her chest shuddering with sobs. "Even though you're a vain, pompous, stupid, great prat and a bloody git, I'm just so glad you're okay. I would've done the same thing."
"Thanks...? And you know, Charlotte, I'm glad you're a girl," Sirius mentioned, a devious look crossing his face.
Charlotte scrunched up her face, crinkling her nose. "And may I ask you why you why you prefer my femininity?"
He leaned over, whispering in her ear, "I prefer you a girl because if you were a boy, this would be inappropriate." Sirius turned his head sharply, his lips meeting hers.
They kissed, his arms around her waist protectively. Charlotte ran her hands through his hair to rest them around his neck again. Footsteps were heard behind them, adult footsteps, but they continued on after a brief pause. After a while the pair pulled apart, faces flushed and out of breath.
"How long have you been waiting for that?" Charlotte asked, sitting in front of Sirius on the cot.
"Longer than I thought. Blimey, girl, where'd you learn to do that? Cos it sure wasn't from McGonagall," Sirius said incredulously.
Charlotte winked. "I could say the same for you, mister. And for your information you were my first."
Shaking his head, Sirius laughed. "Little Miss Cocky. You don't kiss like that your first time, for your information."
She laid a quick kiss on his lips when his eyes were closed. "It's called slumber parties and all your friends' issues of Witch Weekly, got it?"
"I think I've got it now. Actually, you know I don't know. I'll just pretend like I do and wait and see just how far it gets me with you. All right?" said Sirius with a hopeful expression on his face.
Charlotte leaned forward... and gave him an Eskimo kiss.
"No fair," he whined.
"All's fair in love," she trilled.
"And war," Sirius added.
She nodded. "Yes but I thought you'd prefer this being love. But I guess not, eh? Otempora," she sighed dramatically.
"Indeed- oh, what an age we live in!" Sirius announced mockingly. "Where one prefers war over love." He laughed again.
Slyly glancing at him as he closed his eyes, Charlotte pinned him to the wall. "OI!" he whisper-shouted.
"We already had war. This is love..." she teased, kissing him again- this time like the first.
"Wow, an all-out snogfest. This is so much better than the stylings of Slughorn," a voice chuckled.
Sirius pried loose, his arm resting around Charlotte's waist. James, Lily, and Remus were standing nearby, Cheshire cat grins on their young faces. "I told you!" Lily chirped happily.
Charlotte giggled, winking at their three friends and snuggling closer to Sirius.
"Wow- mushy much," Remus teased.
"Leave the lovebirds," mocked James, much to Lily's amusement.
Sirius raised an eyebrow. "I hope you mean us, and not you and Evans, Prongs, mate. Or maybe-"
"Maybe you mean both," finished Charlotte.
Lily blushed. "Let's take that as a yes. How did it happen?"
"That's a story for another time, now, Pads," said James.
"Two Marauder romances? It's more than I can handle- I suppose I'm destined to be alone forever and always," Remus deplored.
"Right, and I'm a unicorn," Lily teased with a smile.
"Pretty as one," James announced gallantly.
Sirius shook his head. "Check the mirror, things aren't always as they seem."
But sometimes they are.
