It's been so long. Sorry! Hopefully an extra long chapter will make up for taking so long? Anyway, enjoy and I will try to finish this up soon :)

"It's finally Saturday! Are you excited?" Jenna asks Corinne for the hundredth time.

"A little," she admits. Her heart is thumping in her chest and her body feels nauseated. Nervousness does not suit her.

"Don't worry, Damien is a nice guy and he'll take your mind off your fight with Sirius."

"Sirius is the last person on my mind."

"Come on, you haven't talked to him for almost a week straight. I know you'll never admit it, but you miss him, even if it's just a little."

"No I-"

"I'll drop it, but just give him a break. Anyway, you're wearing that?" she asks rudely, seeing Corinne's outfit.

"Yes."

"Oh."

Corinne sighs. "Fine Jenna, what did you have in mind?"

She lights up. "Okay, well I was thinking of your light jeans with this top-" she holds up a gray blouse, "and this jacket with this scarf- it'll add color- and these matching gloves and tam."

Corinne can't help but grin at her friend's enthusiasm. "How long have you had this picked out?"

"Since Chad first wrote to me," she smiles impishly.

"Well, at least you're always prepared," Corinne answers, taking the outfit and changing.

"It was easy to choose your outfit, but what should I wear?"

"It's Steven, Jen, he won't care what you wear. He's known you since first year and he's seen you when you first roll out of bed."

"It's our first date! I have to look great!"

Corinne plops down on her bed, preparing herself for frustration. One hour and thirteen outfits later, Corinne and Jenna leave their dorm to meet Steven. The three of them and Damien are going to go on a double date while Chad spends the day with Jeremy and Benjamin. Apparently Alicia was too busy studying to go to Hogsmeade.

"Morning ladies, I'm glad you're here because now Steven can shut up about how nervous he is."

Steven kicks Jeremy before smiling shyly at Jenna. Jenna, having suddenly grown bold, takes his hand and walks off, calling to the others behind her shoulder, "well, aren't you coming?"

Jeremy and Ben exchange indifferent looks while Corinne glares at the couple in front of her. It's stupid, she thinks, that Steven is acting like a love sick puppy with Jenna when less than a month ago he was with her and he acted normal. Did he not fancy her then? Was what they had just a way to pass time? He said he'd loved her for years, so then why did he move on so bleeding fast? It doesn't make sense. She trudges along angrily. She's still scowling when they reach Hogsmeade, but it turns into a smile when she sees Damien.

"Well, well, look who's done pouting," Ben teases.

"I wasn't pouting," she protests.

"Whatever you say, princess," Jeremy mutters under his breath.

Corinne glares at him before walking over to meet Damien and Chad. "Hi Chad," she says without a problem, but when she turns to Damien, she suddenly feels shy. "Hi Damien." She got along perfectly fine with Damien over the summer, but now that they're on a date, it's different.

"Hi Corinne," Damien says, "you look gorgeous," he tells her when he pulls her in for a hug.

Corinne can't help the smile on her face. "Thank you."

"Alright, we'll meet up here at, say, five?" Chad is saying to everyone else.

"Yeah, sounds good," Steven says.

"Have fun!" Ben says before we split up.

"So I was thinking that we could go for some coffee at Madame Puddifoot's?" Jenna suggests once the other three leave. The thing with Jenna's suggestions though is that they're pretty much solid plans.

"Sure," Damien shrugs.

"Okay," Corinne shrugs, even though the very thought of the place makes her tense and even more awkward. It's where every couple goes, but she and Damien aren't a couple yet.

"Yay! And after that, we can go down to Honeydukes. I've been dying to try their new hot-icy chocolate pops!"

"Why don't you two go there after? I wanted to go to Dervish and Banges, if you don't mind," he asks Corinne.

"That's fine with me," she says, trying to smile but too nervous to do so. Spending time alone with him? What will she do? What will she say? What if he doesn't actually like her? What if she says something dumb? What if she's too immature for him? What if-

"Earth to Corinne!" Jenna says, waving a hand in front of her face.

"Huh?"

"We're leaving," Damien chuckles, "but you seemed to be in your own little world."

"Oh, right, sorry," she says distractedly. She follows them over, unsure of what to expect.

OoOoO

"Why would I want to go in there?" Sirius scoffs at James.

"Come on, I'm supposed to meet Lily here and I don't want to look stupid sitting in there by myself waiting for her," James says.

"So you'd rather look like a poof sitting with me?" Sirius asks, looking at Madam Puddifoot's with disdain.

"No you prat, I want you to wait with me outside while she gets here. There's no way I'd walk in there with you."

"Fine, but I'm only waiting five minutes and then I'm going back to find Worm and Moony. I don't fancy freezing my arse off," he mutters. He had been so warm and comfortable sitting in the Three Broomsticks chugging down his butterbeer before James dragged him out here.

He rambles quietly to himself but stops at the sight of Corinne walking out of the tea shop alone. They haven't talked for nearly a week. Maybe she's over it by now.

"Hey Corinne, I thought you were on a date," Sirius says as she approaches the rail he and James are leaning against.

"Hi Sirius, James," she says, wrapping her coat tighter around herself. She's supposed to be angry at him, but after that fun lunch, she's in the forgiving mood. "I am, he's inside paying. I just needed to get some fresh air."

Now that Sirius thinks about it, he realizes that he forgot to ask her who her date is. After that comment he made, he was trying so hard to keep her calm that he forgot to ask.

"Is it that bad in there?" James asks. He isn't fond of the place, but Lily wants to go there so he obliged.

"Well, no. It's warm, but there are too many couples showing too much affection, if you know what I mean," she giggles lightly.

Sirius can't help but smile at the sound, but he can't figure out why. He forces his smile away.

"Well I'm off, I see Lily coming," James says, hurrying away before either of them get to say bye.

"I guess he's excited," Corinne comments.

"He's whipped," Sirius shrugs. "So where are you going next?"

"I don't know, we had lunch with Jenna and Steven but I think we're splitting up now."

Sirius gives her a look at the mention of the other couple. "Lunch with the new happy couple? How was that?"

"Yeah, it wasn't a big deal. I never loved him, as you so kindly pointed out to him," she says with a tight smile.

"I did you a favor," he repeats his previous argument, refusing to apologize. "Hey, is that your date?" he asks, motioning to a figure approaching them.

Corinne turns and sees Damien coming closer. "Yeah," she says, unable to contain her smile.

"Hey," he says to Corinne upon reaching them. He either hasn't noticed Sirius or hasn't chosen to acknowledge him just yet. "Steve and Jen are going to stay there after all."

Sirius is busy staring at the newcomer. It's none other than Damien McLaggen, the old Gryffindor Keeper.

"She would," Corinne mutters. "Damien, this is Sirius, Sirius, Damien," she introduces quickly.

"Sirius Black?" Damien asks, looking at him. "Good to see you mate, are you still tearing up the Quidditch pitch?"

"Yeah," Sirius says, forcing a smile. "How about you McLaggen? D'you still play?"

"Nah, I'm working with the Ministry now."

"You two know each other?" Corinne cuts in.

"Yeah," Sirius answers darkly. He knows Damien well, and he suddenly doesn't like him anymore. They were on friendly terms when he was at school, but Sirius knows how he treats girls. He feels an urge to protect Corinne at all costs.

"We were on the Quidditch team together," Damien says. "Sirius was a rookie back then."

"Yeah, well I have to get going. Maybe I'll see you around McLaggen, and Johnson," he hesitates, wanting to tell her to be careful but knowing that he can't do that in front of Damien, "I'll see you later."

"Bye Sirius," Damien tells him.

Corinne stares after him, curious as to what that was. Sirius' entire demeanor changed when he saw Damien, and she can't help but wonder why.

Sirius walks off back to the Three Broomsticks to find Remus and Peter. He doesn't know what to do, and worse, he doesn't know why he cares so much.

"Padfoot, you made it back," Remus greets him.

"Yeah, Prongs is an idiot. Anyway, guess who Corinne's mysterious date is."

"Who cares?" Peter asks rudely.

In an instant, Sirius has his wand out and mutters something under his breath, causing Peter's drink to burst in his face.

"Fine, I'm sorry! Let's hear it," he mutters, wiping his face with a napkin. Sirius didn't have to be so touchy about it.

"Remember Damien McLaggen? Gryffindor's old Keeper? It's him."

Remus knows exactly where this is going, and he doesn't know how to tell Sirius to stay out of it. "You're worried about Corinne then?"

"No I'm not worried. It's just, I mean, you remember what he used to do, don't you?"

"He was a sick player," Peter says. "He had so many girls-"

"That isn't a good thing Peter. I'm sure you remember what he used to do with all of these girls?"

"He would, well, sleep with them and then leave them."

"You don't have a problem with that?"

Peter's honest answer would be no, but he wouldn't dare say that right now knowing how angry Sirius would get. "I guess that isn't very nice," he answers instead.

"Padfoot, I know you want to save Corinne from this, but I think you should stay out of this one."

"What are you talking about Moony? I have to at least warn her!"

"You know her better than I do, and you know how stubborn she is. She won't listen to you. All you're going to end up doing is pushing her away."

Remus is right, of course. He always seems to be right, but Sirius can't leave it at that. He can't not warn her. He can't just let her walk blindly into this. He has to say something, even if she gets angry.

Which he'll bet his broomstick that she most certainly will.

OoOoO

"So, you and McLaggen huh?" Sirius asks casually, or as casually as he can.

"Yeah." Corinne doesn't know what else to say. She isn't sure she wants to discuss her love life with Sirius.

"How did you two meet?"

"He's Jenna's sister's husband's brother's friend," she answers, offering little information.

"Okay, I'm going to pretend that made sense. I take it that you don't know him very well, that you haven't known him for a while?"

"No, I barely know him at all."

"You really don't want to talk about this with me do you?" Sirius asks, picking up on her vibe. She usually gives longer answers and volunteers more information. He isn't used to having to drag things out of her.

"Not really, no."

"Why not?"

"I don't know, it's strange. I mean, I know we're friends, but . . . we're not . . . that close?"

"We hang out all the time! How are we not close?"

"We do not hang out all the time, and, I don't know. I mean, I guess we are kind of close, in a way, but we're not. I know I'm not making sense but I can't explain it okay?"

"No need to get your knickers in a bunch-"

"See! That's exactly what I mean! We start getting along just fine and then you do something to make me angry!"

"No, you're just overly sensitive and you let yourself get angry at whatever I say."

"Ugh, you're impossible!" Corinne gets up and means to make a dramatic exit, but Sirius holds her back.

"Hold on, I'm sorry alright? Look, I wanted to talk to you about McLaggen."

She looks at him warily. "What about him."

"I'm just not sure that . . ." Sirius hesitates. How does someone tell someone else that the person they're seeing is a prick? Especially when that someone has a short temper, is hardheaded, and would be least likely to listen to him of all people? "I'm not sure that he's the best person for you."

He expected an outburst, but instead she sits and turns her steely gaze on him. "Why not?"

Her calm reaction surprises him. "I don't know how to tell you this, but I wouldn't feel like a good friend if I stood by and watched without saying anything. I know what he's like and let's just say that he isn't the one-woman type."

"So you're telling me that he might be cheating on me." It's more a statement than anything.

"Not might, it's a 'more likely than not'."

"Do you have any proof?"

"No, but-"

"Then thanks for the warning, but I'll take my chances," she says, getting up and leaving.

Sirius stands up too, intending to go after her. "Corinne-"

"I appreciate it Sirius, I do, but Damien isn't like that."

"What makes you so sure?"

"I don't know, I just know. I'll see you around."

She takes off before Sirius has a chance to say anything else. He considers following her but changes his mind. She'd only get annoyed and yell at him. He warned her, now it's up to her to decide if she wants her heart broken or not. He makes his way up to the common room to look for James, Remus, and Peter.

OoOoO

He knows that it's her decision now, but he can't help but try to change her mind. He isn't sure why he cares so much. He just hates seeing people get hurt. Yeah, that must be it.

"What makes you so sure that he's trustworthy?" he asks her for the tenth time.

"I don't feel comfortable talking about this with you," she admits. "We're not that close."

"I'm not going to laugh at you or think you're dumb Corinne, I just want to understand your thought process," and then dismantle this image you have of him he adds in his head.

"Okay, fine, but if you so much as smile then I'm done."

She waits for some kind of agreement and Sirius nods.

"Okay," she goes on. "It's kind of hard to explain, but I'll try. He's just . . . so nice, you know? He's so sweet, he says the sweetest things and does the nicest things. He treats me like I'm the only person who exists when I'm with him, he looks at me like I'm beautiful, he goes out of his way to do things for me, he spends so much money on me . . . I . . . I just find it hard to believe that he would go out of his way to do so much for someone he's cheating on."

She's in far worse than Sirius thought. Her entire demeanor changed when she talked about McLaggen. Her eyes were shining, her voice softened, her face flushed . . . convincing her that McLaggen is scum will be much harder than he thought. "Cheaters are some of the 'sweetest' blokes out there because they have to be in order to get the girl," Sirius tells her.

"But why would he go out of his way to be so nice? And the look he gets in his eyes when he looks at me isn't something you can fake."

"He wants to hook you in, so of course he's going to be nice at first. As for the look, it's easy Corinne. Especially for someone as experienced as he is in cheating."

"How would you know?"

"Partly because I know him and partly because that's how I used to be. Who do you think taught me some of what I know?"

"Maybe he used to be that way, but he's changed."

Sirius resists the urge to roll his eyes. "No, he hasn't. Anyone can fake it. Look, I'll prove it."

He rises to his feet and helps her up. When he takes a step closer to her, she takes a step back. "What are you doing?"

"Proving that it's not hard to fake it. Just let me do this, please?"

"Fine, but I draw the line at you trying to kiss me."

He laughs inwardly. As if. He takes a step forward this time and gazes into her eyes until he can sense her discomfort.

"Sirius- what-"

"I'm sorry, never mind what I said," he tells her, looking away. "It was a dumb idea. If you want to believe him, then go ahead."

"Wait, what? You're not going to try to prove me wrong?"

"No, I'm just . . ." he returns his gaze to meet hers. "It's just . . . you're beautiful," he says quietly, running a hand down her cheek. He hears her breath catch and he knows it's working. Just a little further. "I hate seeing you with McLaggen because I want to be with you. I know we always fight, but I don't know how else to be close to you. You're the most amazing person I've met, and the more time I spend with you, the more I fall for you."

He keeps up the eye contact for a few more seconds after that. He knows it worked; she's vulnerable now, running through everything in her mind. Trying to figure it out even though he told her before that he was just trying to prove something to her. If she's like that with him, of course McLaggen will get to her with his genuine act.

He steps away and she blinks, the effect of his proximity wearing off. "See? You're open now, running through everything in your head, analyzing my words, the look in my eyes, the feel of my hand on your skin. No, I know, you won't admit it, but in that moment, you almost believed everything I said."

"Well, it sounded so true," she says quietly, "I mean, the part about us always fighting-"

"That's the secret to all of this, you use parts of the truth."

"And the part about hating seeing me with Damien because you want to be with me? Are you making all of this stuff up about Damien just so-"

He can't help but smirk a little. "Believe me, that was part of the act too. But do you see how easy it is to lie to you Corinne? You're so gullible, you'll believe anything."

She's lost in her own thoughts, too busy going over everything to answer.

"I know it's hard to believe, but it's true. I know the game, and like I said, I learned a lot of it from McLaggen. He taught me how to get into a girl's head, how to read the emotions there. He gave me pointers on how to say the right words, how to get a girl in the mood-"

"Eeew Sirius, that's-"

"Not like that, I learned that on my own," he smirks. "No, seriously though, if you take a girl out to a romantic dinner, do nice things for her, and give her all of your attention, then she's putty in your hands. Trust me, I know how he works. Hell, he even taught me how to know which ones would fall for it and which wouldn't. There are very few who won't fall for it, by the way, so don't feel too bad."

"Maybe he changed Sirius. Look, you're not going to convince me and I won't convince you, but I like him and I'm going to give him a chance. He isn't playing me, and it's not fair that I break it off just because of how he used to be, so until I get proof, I'm going to keep seeing him."

"You won't get proof. Chances are that you'll start getting suspicious and put pieces together, but you won't ever get solid proof. The most you'll get is someone telling you they saw him with someone else, but McLaggen knows how to play this game well, he's been at it for years. He won't slip up."

"Sirius, come on-"

"Why won't you listen to me?"

"Why do you care so much?"

Bugger, why did he care so much? "I don't know," he shrugs. "That's what friends do for each other isn't it? I'd do the same for my other friends, unless it was James cheating on Lily, because James is my best mate, but I'd pummel him and make him tell her, but James would never do that anyway," he rambles at the end.

"You're so random," Corinne laughs. "Thanks for the concern Sirius, but I'm a big girl now. I can take care of myself."

OoOoO

"You're still going out with that tosser?"

"Stop calling him that, Sirius, and yes I'm going out with him. I don't know what it is you have against him."

"You know exactly what I have against him."

"Can we not start this now? Hey, why did Mary go off on Helen this morning in the Grand Hall?"

"Oh, that. Mary and I are a lot alike, we're both very protective of our friends. The idiot girl led Remus on. She always laughed at his jokes and looked for him around the castle, she would giggle and flirt, and the second the poor bugger asks her out, she shoots him down."

"Oh no, that's awful! Some girls are so stupid."

Sirius raises an eyebrow. "Being a little tough on your own sex, aren't you?"

"It's true. We're taught not to be mean, so we become too nice to say anything directly to each other. Instead we say it behind each other's backs, which is actually more mean than saying it directly to the person. When it comes to guys, we think it's too mean to reject a guy so we lead him on until we've let it go too far."

"You did that to Steven."

"I know. I included myself in that. I'm only barely starting to realize that I do it. My new motto will be: 'I'm polite because I say what I think to your face and not behind your back like every other girl in this school'."

"That's perfect . . . if you're trying to write a book."

"Shut up!" I laugh. "I'll have to think of some way to shorten it. As for guys, well I'm going to be honest with them too. That's a little harder though."

"You know, we like it when girls are straightforward with us. Even if it hurts at first, it's better than you leading us on because at least we won't get any more attached at that point."

"The thing with girls is that sometimes we want that attention and even if it's mean to lead the bloke on, stroking our ego is more important to us. It isn't true with everyone, but I've seen it done before."

"With who?"

"Er, well Jenna's sister is like that. Don't ever repeat that to anyone though."

"I won't, I won't. Girls are so much more complicated than I thought! It's a good thing girls chase me."

"Ugh, you're so full of yourself."

"Hey, girls play their games so we have to come up with some games of our own."

"You're atrocious."

"Thanks," he laughs. "Hey, a group of us are getting together after classes today. Do you want to join us?"

"Um, what for?"

"Because friends like to spend time together," he says slowly, as if explaining it to a five year old.

"I know that," she says, shoving him lightly, "I meant, why are you inviting me? I'm not really part of your group."

"Only because you've never tried. Look, I know you don't particularly like Lily, but she's a nice girl. Give her and the others a chance."

"Oh alright. As long as I get to see your gorgeous face," she teases.

"Hmm, I am rather good looking aren't I?"

"Oh sod off!"

He just laughs. "Come on, lunch is almost over and if we're late for Defense, Grant will Avada us."

OoOoO

"Join us for the match today," Sirius tells Corinne.

"Thanks but I'm going with Jenna and the boys- and their girlfriends."

"Oh, with the happy couples? How fun," he grins.

"I know right? Being the seventh wheel is always such a thrill," she laughs. "It's just that they've been complaining that I never spend time with them anymore."

"What? You're always with them!"

"I know! They just don't notice because they're too busy snogging."

"So what, you just sit there and watch them?" he snickers.

"No! I've been spending quite a bit of time studying, and when I'm tired of that, I'm either with you or with the other Ravenclaw girls."

"Oh."

"Oh what?"

"I went out with Kelly last year. I think she rather hates me now."

"Yes, she rather does," Corinne confirms. "You weren't the nicest person back then. She doesn't understand how I can be your friend. It makes for some tense conversations."

"That's rubbish, being my friend shouldn't be a problem."

"Eh, it's a girl thing. Anyway, I should get going. I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Unless I ditch Transfiguration, which I won't because McGonagall isn't exactly known for leniency is she?"

Corinne laughs. "No, she isn't. Bye Sirius."

"Bye," he says, pleased that this didn't end in fighting.