Chapter Ten

The first day of classes came with low light and heavy clouds, matching their dreary summer.

Sirius stood up from the Gryffindor table stretching, after eating himself near to bursting.

"Don't forget," James nagged, "first quidditch practice tonight! It took me ages to get the pitch reserved and I don't want you being late. Sets a bad example for the try outs." Sirius blinked at his best friend. Quidditch was the one thing that managed to work James into quite a neurotic state. Especially at the prospect of having to replace not only their Keeper but their Seeker as well, for their upcoming season.

"Yeah, yeah keep your hair on. I know, 5 o'clock sharp."

James eyes bulged and Sirius also swore he saw James' hair get bigger with frustration, "4:30, Sirius!"

Remus shook his head at their antics as he packed up his things to prepare for class, Sirius smiled at James, "Yeah, I know, only joking."

"Quidditch isn't something to be joked about." James said solemnly.

"First for everything," Remus mumbled under his breath.

"Do you all have your chosen elective first class?" Peter asked the three of them.

"Naw Wormtail, McGonagall is sending us all to charms and you off on your own." Sirius said, watching the other students begin to leave the hall.

Peter's eyes went about as big as dinner plates and he looked at Remus forlornly.

Remus took a deep breath and shook his head, "He's teasing you, of course. We have electives as well." Remus put his book bag over his shoulder. "Honestly, I don't know why you listen to him in the first place."

"Well, just so long as I know. Over the summer I kept having this recurring nightmare I always ended up in the wrong classroom, could never manage to find you lot... It was dreadful!" The youngest of the boys shivered dramatically.

James shook his head, "You need to relax Wormtail, you'll be giving yourself a coronary before we get to sit out NEWTS at this rate." Peter chuckled good heartedly, but blushing all the same.

"We have Arithmancy first, right Padfoot?" Remus asked looking up at his friend across the long table.

Sirius did a double take looking at his friend, "Yeah, uh. I'll meet you up there?" he asked shrugging, lifting his bag onto his shoulder, scarf loosely around his neck.

Remus looked across at his friend, "Well, why don't we just walk up together?"

Sirius shrugged, "I'll catch up with you."

James looked up at Sirius, brow furrowed, "But your both still here."

Sirius nodded, "Yeah, right." He patted James on the shoulder and took off through the crowd of students.

James looked across the table at a baffled looking Remus and a confused Peter. "What just happened?"

"Did he just ditch me?!" Remus cried looking between James and Peter.

Sirius darted up the stairs two at a time until he saw her. She was walking by herself which was a bit unusual as Delphi was almost always in the presence of Andromeda, especially since Andromeda was in Arithmancy with them all anyway.

"Dell!" She jumped as he suddenly said her name, however Sirius didn't give her time to respond. He took her by the arm and lead her into a classroom he knew to be empty. "Give us a minute would you,"

Delphi struggled to keep from tripping over her own feet as she followed his direction. He stopped, closed the door and turned to look at her. And all very suddenly Sirius realised they were quite alone. First time since... She stood a few feet away from him, her hands clenched in fists at her sides as she glared across at him.

"Sirius," All at once as she said his name, she looked away from him and closed her eyes, and before she could finish her statement he closed the gap between them. "I don't see-oh," She sounded breathless as she looked up into his eyes.

And just like that, same as usual, everything else simply melted away and once again they were simply just Sirius and Delphi. No complications, no drama, just them, in the world together. He couldn't help himself, Sirius reached up gently brushing the curls from her face, his fingertips running across her cheek. He saw the breath catch in her throat, he felt the goosebumps on her arm under his other hand and it was all the invitation he needed.

Sirius took the half step that remained between them and kissed Delphi. For a second she tensed, as if she knew exactly what was going to happen, as if she couldn't prepare for it, because after that infinitesimal moment her hands were on his chest working their way up and around his neck, holding on to him like she could never let him go. Sirius held on to her, but knew they couldn't go on like this.

Slowly he pulled back and looked down at her. Her eyes were still closed. Gently he kissed her forehead, and watched her eyes open, they were trained on the base of his neck, instead of his eyes. Her expression was unreadable, and the joy in Sirius' chest wavered.

He brushed her cheek with his thumb, "Dell," She closed her eyes at his pet name for her, "We just need to talk."

She shook her head, "Sirius, I have to go. I am gonna be late." But she didn't step out of his arms.

"We are two doors away, I think we will make it." He said shaking his head.

Suddenly her eyes went big and she looked him right in the eye. She looked more conflicted then she had yet. Sirius felt something sinking further in his chest. "I... I don't have Arithmancy this year." She stuttered.

Sirius blinked, "Sorry?" He asked brow furrowing.

"I'm not taking-" He let her go and took a step back, her voice caught when he stopped touching her, as if a cold gust of air hit her. "Arithmancy any more." Her voice got quieter as she finished the sentence.

"No, you love Arithmancy, it's the only reason I took the bloody course." Sirius felt anger bubbling in his chest.

Delphi looked at him, her eyes looked pained but Sirius could only care so much as he put the pieces together in his mind.

This time it was Delphi who took a step towards him, "No, I know what it looks like but it isn't like that-"

Sirius was the one to step back this time, he chuckled in a cold disbelieving sort of way, "Did you drop that course because you have it with me?" He looked at her.

Delphi looked totally caught off guard, "What? No-"

"Really? Than why drop it?" He snapped, unsure of how they had gotten so off tract in such a short time. Was this what it was always going to be like for them now? Always falling into anger? Or mistrust?

"Because-" She stopped dead as if choked on her words. "I- I just had too."

"Right!" Sirius felt rage rip through his chest and he turned to storm from the room but by the time his hand was on the door nob, Delphi had caught up with him.

"Sirius! Don't be ridiculous, we have Charms as well as Potions with Gryffindors, regardless." She said stepping in front of the door.

"I'm sorry that I am so unavoidable," He glared down at her, "Well, I will do my best to sit as far away from you as I can manage." He forced the door open, making Delphi stumble forward.

"You know not everything is about you Sirius." Delphi said looking at the ground, and her words made him hesitate. Sirius looked over his shoulder at her. She walked over and picked up her book bag which she had dropped when he kissed her.

She walked back to the doorway and Sirius found himself caught in indecision. Why would she drop one of her favourite classes if not to get away from him? There wasn't anything else she wanted to take...

Delphi hesitated in the doorway when Sirius didn't storm out. She looked up at him but then glanced out the door to see a group of seventh year Slytherins walk past the doorway, notably Evan Rosier, taking in the sight of them in the doorway.

"I have to go Sirius, Rabastan can't know we are talking." She went to take off down the hallway. But he grabbed her arm to stop.

"I don't care if he finds out. I'm not scared of him Dell, I'm not scared of any of them." She looked up at him her expression looked... Hurt? Confused? "I want to talk to you, and I think you want to talk to me too. Say you'll meet me."

Delphi looked around the hallway and all the students eyes catching on their odd looking interaction.

"Please Dell." He asked quietly, and she looked at him, it wasn't normal for Sirius to beg for anything. For the first time Sirius noticed the slight dark circles under her eyes and he felt worry pound in time with his heartbeat. Why did he feel like he was losing control? When in every other aspect of his life he felt like he had never had so much control.

"It can only ever be once." She said and at first he wanted to get angry but he instead he felt...fear? Concern? Whatever it was, her eyes looked troubled, and that troubled him.

"I won't promise that." He said roughly hoping his voice translated his concern.

"Sirius..." Delphi shook her head.

He decided to take the initiative, "Meet me in our usual spot, tonight, after dinner." He pulled her closer and kissed her gently on her temple before letting her go and walking down the hall to Arithmancy. He ran a hand through his hair, as he strode towards the class room, hoping he wouldn't be standing all night, waiting forever for something he had already lost.

As their professor droned on and on, SIrius stretched backwards, leaning back onto the back legs of his chair. He glanced to his left and saw Remus scribbling, taking notes like mad. He was still sulking since Sirius left him behind this morning at breakfast. Without his best friend to distract him from the boring class, his mind was doing circles around itself. Sirius' eyes fell forward to see his cousin Annie leaning over her desk as well. A thought crossed his mind and he tore off the bottom piece of his parchment.

He scribbled the message on the bottom of the paper and folded it up nicely, he glanced up to make sure the professor wasn't looking and flicked his wand and levitated the note over to Andromeda. She glanced over her shoulder at Sirius as it landed on her desk. He smiled in an over enthusiastic sort of way and she rolled her eyes but opened the note regardless.

-So where is Dell?

Andromeda looked over her shoulder at him. She glared at him, raising one single eyebrow at him. Sirius raised his eyebrows innocently, another roll of the eyes but she turned back to the note before sending it back to him.

-If you don't already know, I am certainly not about to tell you.

-Oh go on Annie. You know I am gonna find out sooner or later.

-Then let it be later. I am not getting in the middle of you two.

-You know I know Ted Tonks right?

-Don't be an idiot.

-I could fix you up. Properly.

-I don't need your help thank you very much.

Sirius ripped off another piece of parchment to start a new note. "Everything all right back there Mr. Black?" Sirius didn't even bother to look up from the parchment.

"Fine, Professor. Sorry, needed a new quill, got my notes all blotty." He looked up and smiled innocently, "Didn't mean to disturb."

The professor narrowed his eyes but turned back to the black board and the self writing notes on it. He could never get mad at Sirius because Sirius' grades were impeccable, just because he found it boring, didn't mean he found it hard. A personality trait that bothered so many of his teachers for some reason. Remus was looking at Sirius with an authoritative stare but Sirius ignored him, already sending the note back to Andromeda.

-Never said you did, but I could make it easier.

-Sirius, if you don't know, she didn't tell you. Figure it out yourself.

-I am trying but my dear, sweet cousin isn't being very helpful.

-Boo Hoo

-Look, she loved this stupid, boring class. I've taken it for three, nearly four bloody years because of her and now she all of a sudden has some secret class which is more important?! Tell me what it is!

-This is your plan to get me to tell you? Really? I thought people said you were charming?

-Damn it Annie!

Look...just tell me, is she in the hospital wing?

-What? Why?

-Is she sick... like her mum?

Andromeda looked up and over her shoulder at him. She looked surprised and sad. Sirius glared across at her, he shrugged, sitting back in his chair. What was he supposed to think?

Andromeda turned back around and soon the note hovered back over to him. He slowly opened it.

-She isn't sick... she's in Divination.

Sirius' head snapped up and looked at Andromeda. She shrugged back at him. He looked back at the note at the last line.

That is ALL I can tell you Sirius. Sorry.

Sirius crumpled up the note and leaned forward on his desk.