A/N: Thanks for all of your support, the reviews, those of you who have favourited or it put it on their story alert. I really appreciate it. And now here's the next chapter! Enjoy, read and please review! :) Happy Holidays everyone!
"I have three kinds of friends: those who love me, those who pay no attention to me, and those who detest me"
-Nicolas De Chamfort
After practice had ended for the night the group wearily made their way up the numerous staircases back to the Fat Lady. Lily and James were deep in some conversation and every now and then they could hear her laughing. Remus was shyly talking with Marlene as Peter trailed behind them which left Lea in the back with no other than the spout flavour Bertie Bott bean of her existence.
Sirius has noticed this too and slid a sideways glance at her. He wasn't quite sure what to say to her. Outside of lessons and their dance classes he realized he had never properly talked to her. Most of their conversations included insults, lewd suggestions on his part or something equally charming. For Merlin's sake, no wonder she didn't like him!
Lea however seemed perfectly content walking back in silence, her mind busy thinking about the numerous things she had to do tonight. Truth be told she was so tired she was zoning out and didn't even hear Sirius talking to her until he grabbed her elbow.
"You really just touch me whenever you feel like it, don't you?" She commented. He dropped his hand.
"No, I touch you a fraction of whenever I want to actually," he replied without commenting and then mentally slapped himself. Way to get her to soften up, smooth move idiot.
Lea chose not to comment on this. "What were you saying earlier? I was kind of zoning out."
"I don't know. Nevermind." He said wanting to keep his mouth shut. His brain wasn't right and his mouth was shooting off all kinds of stupid things. The last thing he wanted to do was look stupid in front of her.
Lea felt a little bit bad about not listening to him. Truth be told, while Sirius Black might be an egotistical jack ass most of the time, he was also pretty amusing every now and then, a thing she was beginning to find out. And she didn't hate him, she just wasn't fond of him.
Sometimes though, she honestly tried to figure out why she didn't like him so much. She liked Remus and James fine, she even tolerated Peter, but Sirius was just someone who pissed her off for no good apparent reason. But why?
Great. Now she would be psychoanalyzing herself.
They found themselves clambering through the portrait hole and made their way across the Common Room. Lily and Marlene immediately disappeared up the stairs to their dorm and James and Remus followed in suit up their own respective staircase. Everyone was wiped out.
Lea however collapsed on her favourite squishy armchair near the fire and closed her eyes. Sirius stretched himself on the couch next to her chair and gazed thoughtfully into the fire. He wasn't quite sure what he was doing or why he was here, but all he knew that he was desperate just to be within her orbit.
"Hey, Lea," he broke the silence. She mumbled a response but kept her eyes closed. He decided to dig himself a hole and went on, "Do you still…hate me?"
At this question she opened her eyes. For a moment she was quiet. "I never hated you to begin with Sirius,"
"You just don't like me," he observed. "No. like I told you, I don't not not like you, I don't know exactly what you are in my world to be honest," she replied.
"I thought I didn't mean anything to you?" Sirius heard the faint note of vulnerability in his voice and hated himself for it.
"I'm sorry for that, I realize just how utterly tactless I was," she apologized sincerely. "And for the record….I don't think you're nothing to me anymore. You're…okay." She grudgingly admitted.
Sirius felt his entire being lighten at that admission. Hooray! She didn't hate him and he didn't mean nothing to her! Progress!
"But that doesn't mean I'm going to join your scary fan club or fall at your feet or unbutton my blouse to get your attention!" she firmly said.
Believe me, you already have all of my attention just the way you are, he grimly thought to himself.
"I'm not asking you too," he retorted. "Believe me, I don't really like the fan club. To be honest they scare the crap out of me,"
This surprised her. She would have thought all that extra attention would have buoyed him even more. Boys loved girl's attention, which is probably why she never gave him hers.
"And I prefer to go after the girl myself rather than have her chase me, it's more fun for me," he added.
"Good to know," she answered sarcastically. She thought for a moment before plowing ahead with her next question.
"Why does it bother you so much that I…." she trailed off not quite sure how to phrase it.
"Don't like me very much? Think as me as the most annoying thing on earth? Won't even spare me a second glance in the hall?" Sirius finished.
Lea bit her lip and struggled to come up with a reply, but to her relief Sirius broke out in a good-natured grin.
"Relax, I know I went a little crazy yelling at you a couple of weeks ago, but then again I wasn't really thinking straight and I kind of lost my cool but it's ok, I can understand why you might not like me," he replied.
"Oh really?" she asked sardonically.
"Yeah I am a huge egotistical jack ass most of the time," he said pensively. Lea let out a laugh and Sirius chuckled too.
"No really, I am sorry Sirius for saying those things. Merlin knows that I am far from perfect and most of the time I lack a sense of propriety but yeah, I'm so sorry if I hurt you," Lea said scooting towards the edge of her seat, as if trying to convey her sincerity by getting closer.
"Thank you, I appreciate it, don't worry about it,"
"And again, I don't hate you Sirius. In fact, in times like this…you're pretty…okay." She said wrinkling her nose.
Sirius almost laughed at her expression. It was cute. "Would it kill you to say "fine" or "nice," or "cool" or "awesome,"?
Lea just looked at him and Sirius mentally slapped himself. "So close!" he lamented.
"Yet so far Black. For a moment, you really were close to being "fine"," she replied.
"But nowhere near to being "awesome" right?"
"Not even close,"
A/N: Review? Our hero Sirius would love you if you did, as it gives him encouragement when it comes to pursuing our favourite (if not a little silly at some points) heroine. :D
