Chapter 10 - Simple
The next morning, Renee was feeling well-rested and ready for whatever break-up after math there might be to deal with. Saying a quick good morning to her dormmates, she went down to the Common Room. She was ready for this spat with Sirius to be over so she could keep him from going postal over Tarin.
She heard footsteps coming down the boys stairs, and looked eargerly towards the stairwell, but it was just some third year kid. Sighing, she reclined again, waiting. Finally, the Marauders came down. Jumping up from the sofa, she snagged Sirius. "Hey guys, you don't mind if I borrow him for a bit, do you? Thanks!"
They gave her knowing looks and continued ot the portrait hole. Renee and Sirius went over to some empty chairs.
"Look, Sirius, about our, er, conversation yesterday," she started.
He cut her off with a wave of his hand. "It's fine, Renee. I wasn't exactly thinking clearly at the moment. I know you wouldn't do that to me. No worries. Friends?"
She grinned up at him. He struggled to return the grin. "Friends."
As they walked down to join the others, Renee snuck glances at Sirius. He didn't look so hot. There were dark circles under his bloodshot eyes and his hair was as closed to mussed as she had ever seen it.
"Sirius, are you all right? You look a little tired."
He shrugged noncommitally. "Eh. I didn't get much sleep last night."
She nodded, guessing as much. "And was your late night productive?"
He rubbed a hand over his tired eyes. "Not really. But it wasn't exactly on purpose. I couldn't sleep. Kept thinking about it."
Renee put an arm around his waist in a little half hug. "I don't blame you, mate, I don't blame you... But hey, do me a favour? Don't dwell on it. I know that what she did was wrong and all, but stressing about it won't help. No worries, right?"
He smiled and hugged her back, then joked weakly, "Hey, I'm Sirius Black, I don't stress."
It wasn't great, but it was an attempt at least. Seeing him try to act normal again made her heart squeeze in sympathy for him.
Life carried on like that for awhile. His friends made every effort to distract him and he feigned enthusiasm. Occasionally, though, when he thought nobody was looking, his eyes darkened and Renee knew he was thinking about Tarin.
Time went on, though, and he healed. His reserve shrank, until by the time exams were drawing close, he was almost normal, with one exception: he hadn't been with a girl since Tarin. Not a date, snog, or even a mindless shag in a broom closet. Girls still threw themselves at him, but he always turned them down.
They all steered clear of Tarin, who by all appearances wasn't affected by the break-up at all. She was dating more guys, was inseparable from Sydney Powell, and occasionally just flat-out nasty. In the classes she had with all the Gryffindors she put up a humble facade, but in Care of Magical Creatures, when it was just Renee, Tarin, and some Slytherins, she was just short of vicious. There was no end to the snide remarks and mean looks. Not once did either girl make an attempt at reconciliation. They both acted like they had forgotten their whole past.
Soon, exams were over. After the annual party to celebrate the end of exams, the Marauders plus Renee were relaxing in the Common Room.
Renee looked around the Common Room. "Wow guys, can you believe it's been six years? One more and we'll be leaving for good..."
The others started looking around nostalgically, too.
"Well, don't you know how to cheer a room up?" Sirius teased.
She kicked his shin lightly. "Oh, shut up. I was just passing the time."
They all stared into the fire, lost in their own thoughts. Finally, James stood up and said, with a stretch, "All right, well, I'm for bed. Nice party."
Remus stood up, too, with a jaw-cracking yawn. "Me too; I'm exhausted. Good night, guys."
They heard their footsteps retreat up the stairs. Nobody said anything. Soon they heard Peter's light snores. Renee was just about to nod off when she heard Sirius say quietly, "Renee?"
"Mmm?" She replied sleepily.
"Are you awake?" He asked, sounding way too awake for the time of night.
Groaning, she sat up. "Not really. What's up?"
"Not much..." He said slowly, "I just don't feel like sleeping yet. Want to do something?"
She groaned again. "Now, Sirius? It's probably like 3 in the morning!"
"That's the fun part! Come on, let's go outside. The lake's awesome by moonlight!"
She sighed, recognizing the stubborness in his eyes. "Fine. Let's go."
Sirius jumped up, entirely too agile for 3 A.M. Renee followed more slowly and they snuck out to the lake. The almost-summer air was perfect. They relaxed by the normal Marauder tree. They were just talking about random topics when Renee asked, "So, Sirius, how are you? Really?"
He knew instantly what she was getting at. "Well... I'm actually okay. It still sucks to see her, but I think it will for quite awhile, so that's all right."
She smiled at him. "I'm glad. The group just wasn't right when you were out of sorts."
He smiled back at her, then they were talking about Quidditch. The conversation faded then, and they were sitting in a comfortable silence.
"Sirius," Renee said suddenly.
"Hmm?" He said, deep in thought.
"Why the bloody hell did you drag me out here in the middle of the night to stare at the lake?" She demanded.
He laughed his loud, bark-like laugh. "You're right. I'm being a horrible host. What would you like to do?"
She shrugged. "I don't really know, but if we don't do something soon, then I will fall asleep. And then you'd either have to carry me back to the castle or let the Giant Squid eat me. And I'm so not cool with being fish food."
He laughed again then got a mischevious glint in his eyes. "Are you sure about that?"
Then he pounced. He dragged her, kicking and screaming, into the lake. While she sputtered in the chilly water, he tore off his robes and jumped in after her. As he tried to come back up for air, she jumped on his back. Laughing, she let him up a few seconds later.
When he shook the water out of his eyes, she was still laughing. He noticed the moon glinting off her wet hair. The way her wet robes clung to her body. And she was still laughing, head thrown back.
Then, he didn't know what came over him, but he kissed her. At first she was too surprised to do anything and they were just kissing. Then her mind recovered and she pushed him away. "What the hell, Sirius?"
Now that the moment was gone, Sirius was just as confused. "I don't know... I wasn't thinking and it just happened."
She looked at him and couldn't help but laugh at his bewildered expression. "Right, er, well no offense or anything, but next time you decide to randomly snog me, could you give some warning?"
He laughed and they quickly dried off and headed back to the castle. On the way, he had some time to think and before they went their separate ways, he said, "Hey, Ray, I'm sorry. I really don't know what came over me. I wasn't thinking. I mean, I didn't mean anything by it. So let's just forget about it, yeah?"
She smiled. "'Course, Sirius. Think what a damper it'd put on our friendship if you were always trying to get me in a broom closet, eh?"
He laughed. "Yeah, that'd be rather odd, not going to lie."
Laughing, they went to their dormitories. But while they had both agreed to forget about it, both of them of them were kept awake for awhile thinking about their kiss. And neither one of them forgot it, that's for sure.
AN:/ Wow. I wrote 3 chapters in one day. Then didn't look at this again for another year. It gives you an odd sense to look at it that much later... Anyway. Review. Tell me if you can tell that the creative part of my brain was totally exhausted by this point.
Also, tell me if their little odd kissing scene at the end is just so completely unrealistic and OOC. I felt like it might be, but I don't feel like fixing it haha. Oh, and I haven't typed up the rest of this story yet. Like it's written, just not typed. So if y'all don't review then I'll forget and it'll never be done. And we're almost done! Almost there!