A/N: Thanks for all the reviews! I'm sorry for the cliffhanger...okay, I'm not sorry or I wouldn't have done it (haha), but I AM sorry for making you wait for this chapter!
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter because that job is reserved for our beloved J.K. Rowling!
Tears on the Balcony
By ByeByeBirdie
Chapter 21: Of Fall-outs, Hot Dates, & Denial
Kay picked up the letter off the table in front of her ignoring the scrutinizing stare from Riley she was receiving at that moment (there was no doubt Riley knew what Lance's owl looked like). She took a deep breath in as she fed the owl a piece of her toast seeing as there was no way she was going to be able to eat it now.
James tried to find some encouraging words to say, but came up short. He offered a comforting pat on Kay's shoulder instead. Kay sighed and slowly opened the letter, ignoring every sound and movement around her. For all she cared, she was back in the North Tower sitting alone with just the peacefulness of total solitude to calm her.
Kay—
This is impossible to write. Because I'm trying not to be mad at you and I'm trying to be understanding, but I'm finding it a lot easier said than done. My sister has absolutely nothing to do with you and me. We both knew she would have had to find out eventually and we both knew that she wouldn't take it well. But how could you break it off with me because she doesn't understand? How is that fair to me? To us? I thought I was more important to you than that. Because you sure are more important to me than that.
I've been going out with you for three months and the last relationship I had lasted barely three days. You have to know how much you mean to me. I was starting to fall for you. How could I not when I wake up every morning and your face flashes through my mind? How could I not when every night I go to sleep, I have endless dreams about the kisses we shared and the moments we spent together? Those feelings meant something to me. And it hurts knowing they meant nothing to you.
Kay swallowed hard and ignored the tears welling up inside her, turning away from Remus, Sirius, and Peter as they took a seat beside James.
"Good morning, James!" Sirius said brightly.
James gave him a sideways glance and without uttering a word to him, went back to glancing sympathetically at Kay.
I miss you so much, Kay. I hate the thought of not being with you. It's already been two months without you but I've been counting down the days until Christmas Break. Now I have nothing to look forward to anymore. I want to say I'm disappointed. I want to say I'm upset. But I can't do that. Because I'm not just disappointed. And I'm not just upset. I'm mad. All I want is for us to be together and you're taking that away. You're letting Riley get in between us. I know this probably isn't what you want to do, but you're letting it happen. You're letting yourself sacrifice to sacrifice the best thing that has ever happened to both you and me just because you want to save your friendship with my sister. A friendship that clearly wasn't worth much to her if she ditched you. I think you're being a coward. You have no idea how hurt I was to read your last letter. Here I was thinking you were just checking in with me and it turned out to be a break-up letter! Do I not get a say? Do we not get to talk about this like mature adults?
"What's going on?" Sirius whispered to James.
James shook his head and continued to ignore Sirius.
Sirius exchanged looks with the other two. "Why do I get the feeling we've missed something?"
"Because we have," Remus murmured.
"Oh," Sirius said. He paused. "Okay, just making sure."
I am sorry Riley's giving you such a hard time. And I am sorry that I'm not there to ease the tension. And I am sorry that we can't go through all of this together. But most of all, I'm sorry that you felt as if you had no other choice but to break up with me.
I hope you realize what you're losing. I hope after reading this letter, you realize that you've just made the biggest mistake of your life. And after you do realize it and you think about crawling back to me, I hope you realize that I don't know if I'll be able to forgive you. It breaks my heart to know that we will never find out what could have been between us. I could have loved you.
Sincerely your former boyfriend,
Lance Gilmore
After reading it twice, and disregarding the confused stares she was getting from the Marauders, she quickly swiped the tears residing in her eyelids and finally faced the facts. She should have known that Lance would be angry with her. But she never would have expected him to be so cold and bitter to her. She was really hoping he would be a little understanding to the situation she was forced to be in and respect her decision. But of course that was too much to ask for.
Kay took a deep breath and finally looked up, forcing a faze smile on to her face as if her whole world hadn't come crashing down on a single letter. "Hey, guys. You ready for our exam this morning?"
Four blank stares gazed back at her.
"What?" she questioned innocently.
"Er…nothing," Remus murmured, elbowing Sirius in the stomach to stop staring at her.
"Wait...we have an exam this morning?" Sirius questioned. "Why didn't anyone tell me?"
"I told you about a million times last night," Remus sighed.
Sirius hesitated. "Oh...I chose to ignore that."
Remus rolled his eyes. "Big shock," he snorted, glancing over at James whose eyes were still fixated on Kay, a worried expression on his face.
Kay sighed, glancing in the direction of Riley who was clearly trying to lookk anywhere else but at Kay. "I…I-I got to go talk to someone," she murmured. She grabbed the letter, balled it up in her tight fist, and wandered down to where Riley was sitting.
"Riley, I need to talk to you."
She frowned, clearly trying to find the right words to say. "Kay, I don't think now's the right time," she muttered, shaking her head hesitantly. "I don't don't know if I can forgive you that easily. Give me time."
And that was when Kay finally blew up. She was tired of trying to please everyone and tired of having nothing go the way she had planned. She was tired of being the meek girl she had always been, tired of letting herself get walked over. It was time to stand her ground. "Of course you still won't talk to me," Kay responded through gritted teeth, glaring at her with a ferocity unforeseen. "Because I finally give in and break it off with your brother, something you've wanted the moment you found out about us, in order to save our friendship and yet that is still not good enough for you!"
"Whoa, why are you getting so-" Riley started.
"I sacrificed the one thing I could depend on in life nowadays for you and you still continue to be a huge bitch to me. Bloody Merlin, Riley, do you realize that I was actually happy with someone? That I was actually starting to fall in love with a guy? No offense to you, but I've watched enough of your failed relationships to think that maybe relationships weren't even worth it. And then your brother came along and changed my mind. He made me feel good about myself. He made me feel special. Something I doubt you know anything about," she snorted, rolling her eyes. "But because I believe that our friendship is more important than a guy, that it has to be more important than a guy, I dumped him! I let him go! I let the best thing that has happened to me in a long time go and all because of you. I was willing to make myself feel unhappy because I can't stand to watch you be so unhappy. And now I can't think of one good reason why. You obviously don't care enough to realize the situation I was put in and even if you did you probably wouldn't understand or even try to understand. God, I actually thought that by breaking it off with Lance that we could go back to the way things were. But obviously I was wrong. Well you know what? I'm done. I'm through. I…don't…care…anymore. It's all on you, Riley, because I'm tired of playing nice with you. I'm tired of pretending that we could be best friends again. And I'm tired of trying to think of a plan that would make you, Lance, and me all happy. Because if you couldn't tell: I'm not happy! I am miserable. And it is you that I have to blame for that."
Riley was speechless. No, the whole Great Hall was speechless. All eyes were on Kay Richards, eyes bulging out and mouths dropped in shock. Kay rarely ever got worked up. She never showed her anger and she didn't yell. She has always been categorized as a very calm person. She rarely let her emotions get the better of her.
"I have been blaming myself for our failed friendship but maybe it's time you start looking in the mirror, Riley," Kay snarled irritably, rage pouring out of her ears. "You're the one who is so determined to see us torn apart. And I'm tired of feeling guilty. I'm tired of feeling like the bitch. And I am definitely tired of groveling. I am done with you, Riley."
She threw the crumpled up letter at Riley and with one last final glare, she turned on her heels and stormed out of the Great Hall.
"She broke up with Lance?" Sirius hissed.
"For Riley?" Remus continued.
"And did she really just scream at Riley? I didn't realize Kay Richards knew how to scream," Peter spoke, confused.
"Stop," James immediately interrupted, shooting them all a glare. "Kay doesn't deserve us gossiping about her. The whole school will fulfill that role. We should just be her friends."
Sirius narrowed his eyes at him skeptically. "You know something."
"What?" James replied, trying to show disagreement.
"You know something!" Remus hissed.
"I know that it's obvious Kay is hurting right now and the last thing she needs is the four of us talking behind her back. She's been getting enough of that from Riley."
"You found her last night, didn't you?" Remus asked candidly.
He sighed. "Yeah."
Remus frowned. "Is she alright?"
James shot him a look. "Did she seem alright to you?" he asked, his tone probably a little harsher than intended.
He didn't respond.
"That's what I thought."
Silence fell over the table, though it looked like they were the only quiet ones in the entire Great Hall. Everywhere else, foreheads were pressed together, furious whispers were being spoken, frantic hand-gesturing. All at the expense of one Kay Richards.
"If people from Poland are called poles, are people from Holland called holes?" Sirius asked.
Remus could only groan. "Don't you ever shut up?"
Sirius paused and shrugged. "No, not really."
Riley spent the whole day trying to contemplate what to do. Miranda and Justine kept saying that Kay shouldn't have lied in the first place and that even if she did break up with Lance, the betrayal was still there. And Riley tried desperately to listen to them. To believe that she was still mad and hurt for what Kay and her brother had done. But she couldn't help but also realize how selfless Kay had been in breaking up with Lance for her. Because truth was, Riley probably didn't deserve it.
She read and reread the crumpled letter that Lance had sent Kay, feeling guilt and defeat weighing in the pit of her stomach. She wasn't surprised when Lance also sent Riley a scathing letter. It was much shorter than Kay's but pretty much had the same gist. He called her selfish. He called her a bitch. And he called her no sister of his. Which, to be fair, she hadn't been acting like one anyway.
But how cuold she just forgive and forget? How could she get past her emotions of hurt and betrayal so easily? How could she let them off the hook?
She sighed. How could she let herself off the hook? Honestly, she wasn't so sure she deserved Kay or Lance's friendship anymore.
She wandered down to the common room with a handful of books in her hand but when she saw Kay in the corner, she froze at the bottom of the stairs before quickly hiding behind the wall like a coward. She peeked out, her eyes focusing in on Kay's sheer determination at an essay in front of her.
After a few minutes of skeptical silence, she felt someone's hot breath on the back of her neck and whirled around.
Sirius gave her a cheeky grin. "Why don't you just go over there and talk to her?"
Riley groaned and leaned against the wall, hugging her books tighter to her chest. "What are you talking about, Black?"
"You've been staring at Kay for the past five minutes."
"How the hell would you know? What, keeping tabs on me?"
"You miss her."
"Don't tell me what I presume to miss," she snapped, glaring at him. The last thing she needed was some unsolicited advice from one Sirius Black.
"That's not a presumption, that's a fact."
Riley rolled her eyes and turned her back on him, glancing at Kay again. "Don't you have another girl that you slept with and then abandoned a week later by sleeping with some other bimbo to annoy?"
"Oh, but there are just too many to choose from," Sirius said with a grin.
Riley shot him a glare over her shoulder.
"Er...maybe the wrong person to joke about that with," he mumbled.
"Gee, you're finally thinking straight."
His typical boyish smirk spread across his face. Riley was beginning to wonder if the Marauders practiced that smirk in the mirror. They all seemed to have it down-pact. "Well, of cose I'm thinking straight," he said, winking playfully. "I'm not gay."
Riley let out a huge groan and rolled her eyes. "Oh my God, how is it that James, Remus, and Peter are able to put up with you?" she complained.
"How were you able to put up with me for four years?"
She stiffened, noting that the usual twinkle in his eye seemed to have faded. "I couldn't," she snapped. "Hence why I choose to despise you now."
He didn't respond, not sure what answer would get him into the least amount of trouble.
"Now, if you don't mind, I'd prefer to spend my time with...well, with anyone but you," Riley snapped, trying to shove past him.
"Fine, fine, I can take a hint," he spoke, rolling his eyes. He turned to walk away from her but stopped at the last minute, reaching for her arm before she could disappear, "Gilmore, you obviously want to talk to her, so why don't-"
"I thought you said you could take a hint," she interrupted angrily.
"I lied," he replied with a shrug. "Why don't you just go over there-"
"Just don't, Black," she growled. "You don't know the situation."
"I know that Kay just broke up with a guy she was really falling for in order to save the friendship between you two."
"Oh," she said, her eyebrow crinkling curiously. "Okay, maybe you do know the situation."
"Look, I know a little thing or two about being on the receiving end of a fall-out with a certain Riley Gilmore," he said hastily, shrugging. "Don't let that happen to you and Kay."
"Don't give me advice on my life, Black. You have no right to do that," she snarled.
Sirius rolled his eyes, trying not to let her indifference get to him. "It's not advice. It's wisdom," he corrected. "And here's some more. It's obvious why you befriended Miranda and Justine in the first place. You wanted to get back at Kay for what she did and honestly, no one can blame you for that. But now that she's broken up with Lance, don't you realize that you'd rather be with her and Lily than those two bitchateers? They'll drop you in a second when given the chance. They're just using you. They're not your true friends and you shouldn't-"
"Don't you dare talk to me about who I should be friends with, Black," Riley quickly interrupted, seething with explosive rage. "You were wrong before. What happened to us wasn't just a fall-out. A fall-out insinuates a slow descent or separation. What happened between you and I was a...a termination. A break-up even. There was nothing slow about it. You don't know anything about keeping a meaningful friendship. And you certainly don't know anything about me keeping a meaningful friendship. So don't you dare stand there and try to give me advice or wisdom on any of my friendships. You're crazy for thinking that that is even remotely alright."
Sirius stared at her, his eyes shining with disappointment and guilt. He hung his head shamefully and nodded slowly. "You're right," he murmured.
Riley was completely taken aback. Sirius Black hardly ever claimed defeat, especially in front of her. "Wh-what?"
"You're right," he repeated softly with a curt shrug. "I...I absolutely don't have any right to talk to you about who you should choose as your friends. I just...I guess I was just trying to help. Like I used to do. But I'm an idiot for doing so. I…I'm sorry." And with a final apologetic glance at her, he turned around and walked out of the common room.
How was it taht in one moment she could be so furious with him and in the next, she actually felt respect for the guy?
She shook the hought from her head and slowly sauntered over to where Miranda and Justine were lounging in the corner. She dropped down on to the loveseat next to them.
"Hey, Riley," Justine muttered, more interested in filing her nails.
"Where have you been?" Miranda added, not looking up from her magazine.
"Don't you guys ever do work?" Riley asked, ignoring the question.
Justine and Miranda immediately looked up in shock. "What kind of question is that?"
Riley shrugged, ignoring their looks of surprise. "I've maybe seen you once pick up a book and I haven't seen either one of you ever write an essay. So it was just a question of curiosity."
Justine and Miranda exchanged insulted looks. "We do work," Justine defended. "We just don't spend every waking hour stressing over it like you do. Hogwarts is more about having fun than it is doing work, don't you think?"
Riley snorted and rolled her eyes. "Tell that to Professor McGonagall. I have to finish two projects and a lab by the first of January and I have to do it in the company of Black," she growled in disgust.
"Oh, you know speaking of Sirius," Justine giggled. Riley rolled her eyes knowing she shouldn't have brought him up. "Miranda and I think we should all hang out sometime. You, us, the four of them."
Riley stared blankly at them.
"Well?"
"Please tell me you're kidding," Riley said dryly.
"Of course we're not joking," Justine argued. "You're friends with them. That doesn't seem like such a crazy question if you ask me."
"I'm not asking, I'm telling you it's a crazy question," she snorted.
"Oh, c'mon. It would be fun!" Miranda urged.
"That's not the word I would use to describe it."
"Well, it's the word I'm using," she said stubbornly. "Now are you going to help us or not?"
"Not!" Riley urged, shaking her head. "I, in no way, am going to willingly spend time in the company of Sirius Black. So just drop it."
"You won't even have to talk to the guy," Justine reassured with a suggestive smile. "I'll make sure I do all the talking around him."
"Right, because it's talking you want to do with him," Miranda teased.
Justine shot her a look. "One step at a time, Miranda."
Miranda couldn't help but laugh, but it was a shudder that ran down Riley's spine. She was not going to continue having this conversation. "You're going to have to find another way to get in with the Marauders because I'm still saying no," she muttered, slowly climbing off the loveseat. "I have to go meet Black in the library to start one of these projects. I'm beginning to think that agreeing to do this on a Friday night was a bad idea, but I'll just have to deal. I will see you guys-"
"Oh really?" Justine squealed again. "Maybe we'll come to the library and-"
Riley glared at her. "No," she protested. "I actually have to get work done with that bozo and having you two hanging around will not make it any easier. Go find some other boys to stalk," she snickered.
"But-"
"No," Riley fought again. "I'll see you guys later tonight."
And with one last piercing glance at them, she walked out and slowly headed to the library. She wasn't supposed to be meeting Sirius for another hour or so, but she was hoping to catch a certain redhead in the library beforehand.
Lily had been in the library for the past two hours trying to focus on work, but her mind was elsewhere. On James Potter to be exact. Sometimes she thought she was too hard on him. Other times she thought she wasn't hard enough. And at one point she even wondered how serious he was about Kristina, which completely threw her off-guard.
"I need to talk to you," a voice said firmly behind her.
Lily turned around and was shocked to see Riley slipping into the seat beside her looking quite helpless as she slammed her books on the table.
Lily leaned back in her chair, skepticism making its way into her expression. Her lips pursed before she returned to her essay. "No."
Riley was completely taken aback by that answer. "What?"
"Why do you need to talk to me?" Lily asked stubbornly. "You've made it clear in the past month that you didn't want anything to do with me."
"I know," she said guiltily. "But-"
"There's no but, Riley," she said, her eyes blazing with frustration. "You cast our friendship aside because you were so damn afraid of being close with anyone that mattered to you."
"What are you talking about?" she grunted.
"First, Sirius. Then, Kay and Lance. Next, me. And on top od that you befriended two people who mean absolutely nothing to you. And do you know why?"
"Convenience?" Riley said with a teasing grin.
"No," Lily snapped, unamused. "Because you were tired of feeling like you didn't matter to the people who you cared about most. So instead of trying to rectify any semblance of a friendship with any of us, you ran off to two people who would never be able to disappoint you or hurt you down the line. Because you could care less about them. But here's the thing, Riley. I haven't done a goddamned single thing to you. And I didn't deserve to be on the receiving end of Riley Gilmore's pity party."
Riley sat back in her chair, shame coursing through her veins. She knew that Lily was right. It was easier pushing away the people who she loved than admitting she was afraid of inevitably getting hurt by them. But she wasn't sure what to say or do to fix it. "Why did she break up with him?" she asked curiously, figuring a subject change was in need.
Lily frowned. "What the hell are you talking about?"
Riley gave her a look. "Kay and Lance. Who else?"
Lily froze. "Wait, what? Kay broke up with him?"
Riley's eyebrow peaked. "You...you didn't know?"
"Does this look like the face of someone who knows what's going on?" Lily shrieked, ignoring the curious stares she was getting from the surrounding tables.
"I guess not," Riley muttered.
Lily didn't say anything, too confused and shocked to formulate any coherent sentences. "Was that why she was gone the other day?"
Riley shrugged. "I wasn't exactly thinking about her going missing. Just the fact that she broke up with my brother."
"Right," Lily murmured, shrugging. "I can't believe she did that."
Riley sighed and twirled a strand of hair in her finger like she always did as a nervous habit.
"So exactly what does your brother have to say about this?" Lily asked.
Riley sighed and brushed her hair out of her face. "I'm pretty sure you already know the answer to that."
"Not happy, hm?"
"That would be an understatement."
"You're going to have to forgive them some day," Lily pointed out.
To Lily's surprise, Riley nodded. "I know.
Lily stared at her in shock, her mouth hung open. "Wow, I didn't think that would work," she snickered. "I say you owl your brother and try to get his perspective on all of this. You know Kay's side. She's told you and you've been around her to know. But I think it's time to hear your brother out."
Riley opened her mouth to reply but was interrupted. "Which brother?" drawled a nearby voice. "She has so many, they're like a pack of wolves."
Riley and Lily whirled around to find Sirius standing over them, who had snuck up unnoticed and unannounced. He slid into the seat beside Riley with a stoic expression on his face. Riley almost envied the casual grace of which he sat so relaxed and unaware of everything going on around him. he had such a casual charm behind his everyday presence, without a care for anything going on around him. It may sound selfish and self-centered but it was actually his way of remaining free and untouched by other people's lives. Only those who mattered most to him were able to weasel their way into Sirius' world. Riley ahd a tough time often realizing that somehow she had been one of those few.
Riley glanced offhandedly at Sirius and longed for the way he lounged so carefree on the chair, draping his arm over the back and gently dropping his textbooks on to the table. She envied the way his hair fell carelessly in front of his gorgeous blue eyes and the roguish smile that crept on to his face as he caught her staring and winked mischievously at her. Even though they weren't friends anymore, Sirius still amazed Riley sometimes. He always made it seem as if his life was so easy to live. And she was jealous of that based on the recent events in her life.
"I only have five brothers," was the only thing that came to Riley's mind, quickly turning away from him as a slight tint of pink charmed her cheeks.
Sirius' smile stretched further. "Ahh yes, only five," he responded dryly.
"And would you mind not calling my brothers wolves," she replied in irritation.
Sirius shrugged and leaned back in his chair. "Yes, I would mind, babes," he snickered, winking mysteriously at her.
"Don't call me that," she warned.
"Whatever you say," he said nonchalantly. "Babes," he added.
Riley quickly gave him an unamused look. "You are so exasperating, y'know that?"
Sirius gave her a teasing grin. "Yes, I have heard that before."
Riley ran her fingers through her long raven-colored hair, turning her head long enough to shoot him a glare before pulling out her schoolwork. "Can we just get this part of the lab assignment done now so we don't have to finish it tomorrow night?"
Sirius smirked, leaning in close to her. "Why?" he whispered, his eyebrows wiggling suggestively. "Got some hot date with a mystery man tomorrow?"
Riley stopped shuffling through her parchment and glanced up into Sirius' twinkling grey eyes. "Not that's it any of your business, and wasn't exactly what I was going for when I said we could have a free night tomorrow, but...yes. I do," she replied casually. "Did you finish taking notes on the Metamorphagus disguises last week?"
"Oh really?" Sirius asked, leaning once again back in his chair with a curious glint in his eye. "And what is this mystery man's name?"
"Now I know that isn't any of your business," Riley smirked, her smirk filled with unexpected amusement.
"Ah, hiding something, are we? What, is it a Slytherin?" he teased.
She snorted, shooting him a look. "Yes, you caught me. I'm dating Rodolphus Lestrange. Our eyes met across the room and we knew it was fate. We're going to elope as soon as we can and live happily ever after with all kinds of Death Eater babies."
Sirius grinned. "Has someone told my dear cousin Bella? Pretty sure she'd be horrified to hear she's been replaced by a blood traitor."
"Okay, this conversation has now turned disturbing," she argued, shuddering.
"Pretty sure it was disturbing the moment you used the words fate, elope, babies, and Lestrange in the same sentence."
"Well, with you around, the conversation is bound to turn disturbing," she scoffed.
"Seriously, who are you going out with tomorrow?"
"None of your business, Black!"
"You might as well tell me," Sirius argued. "Because I can always force it out of Miss Lily-bean over here."
Lily snorted. "I don't think so. Don't drag me into this," she replied, eyeing the two of them curiously. It seems that their usual distaste for each other had turned into some sort of mutual flirtation.
"Aw, c'mon, Lilykins! It's for the…the love of mankind!" Sirius said with a giddy look on his face.
Both Lily and Riley stared at him with blank expressions. "And how exactly is telling you the guy I'm going out with this weekend for the love of mankind?" Riley asked in amusement.
"Okay, maybe not so much mankind as it is the love of curiosity."
Riley rolled her eyes. "Do you even bother listening to yourself when you speak?" Riley questioned.
Sirius grinned, tilting his chair back on two legs. "Not usually, no."
Riley rolled her eyes and reached for his notes. "You irk me," Riley muttered.
"I irk you?" Sirius snorted.
Riley stifled a laugh. "Yes, irk me you do," she repeated.
Sirius hesitated and looked skeptically at Riley. "Is it sad that that sounds dirty to me?"
Lily couldn't help but laugh at the offhanded remark, joined in by Sirius when he noted the horrified look on Riley.
"You realize that I will now never be able to use that word again, right?" Riley pointed out, staring dumbfounded at Sirius.
"Good. No respectable seventeen-year-old woman should be using the word 'irk' anyway."
Riley rolled her eyes. "Respectable? When was the last time you thought I was respectable?"
"Never. Which I guess explains why you said the word 'irk.'"
Riley's eyes were going to pop out of her socket with all of the eye-rolling she was doing. She dipped into her bag and pulled out her textbook. "So, where's James? Earlier today he said he was planning on working on the project tonight also."
Lily made a face of obvious disgust. "He is. He and Kristina are in our common room."
Riley snickered. "Alone?"
Sirius snorted. "Meaning they're not doing the project but pretty much having sex on the couch."
Lily shuddered and slapped Sirius hard on the arm. "I use that couch, thank you very much, and I certainly do not need that mental image in my head!"
"Ohhh, so you like thinking about a hot, sweaty, naked James on-"
"Sirius!" Lily cried again in protest, placing her hands firmly over her ears. "Merlin of Agrippa, you irk me!"
Sirius threw his head back and laughed so carefreely, his laughter filling the library with amusement. Another ping of envy fluttered through Riley.
"Oh, was it something I said?" Sirius snickered, glancing at Riley for back-up. "Alright, fine. They're probably not having sex. Just...just other stuff."
Lily made a face. "I'm so throwing that couch out when I get back to the room."
"Where's Kay gonna sleep?" Sirius snickered, immediately regretting it as he stole a glance towards Riley expecting her to blow up at him.
But she didn't. She just shrugged. "I think it's best if you listen to Lily and shut up," Riley stepped in. "She is Head Girl. I wouldn't mess with her before she plots ways to get back at you by abusing her badge."
Sirius snickered and was about to retort, most likely to give a reason to Lily to abuse her badge, but Remus swooped into the library and fell into the last remainig empty chair at the round table. "Sorry I'm late. Issues with a certain Ravenclaw stalker. She pinned me to a wall and was freakishly strong making it hard for me to get away."
"Why was she pinning you to a wall?" Riley snorted.
He shrugged. "In her not so subtle words, she wanted me," he teased. "She flirted a little, I made it a point to tell her I wasn't interested, she didn't listen, I repeated, she stuck her tongue down my throat, and then I called security. Before realizing that this isn't an office building and I had to depend on myself."
They all laughed.
"I don't know what the problem is," Sirius snickered. "If some random girl stuck her tongue down my throat, I'd throw her into a nearby empty room and have my way with her."
"Black, if a girl didn't stick her tongue down your throat, you'd still throw her into a nearby empty room and have your way with her," Riley chimed in.
"Is that an offer?" Sirius said with an impish grin on his face.
"I wouldn't go there if I were you," Riley warned.
Sirius shrugged and leaned back in his chair. "Your loss."
Riley rolled her eyes and tried not to laugh.
"So what exactly did I miss?" Remus asked Lily, quickly pulling out a binder of information.
"Not much. Just these two flirting with each other," Lily snickered.
"What?" both Riley and Sirius cried in absolute disbelief.
"Oooh flirting, were they?" Remus teased, ducking from the book that Sirius chucked at his head. "I always knew they'd end up together."
"Oh, Merlin no!" Riley responded horrified.
"Well, then why were you flirting?" Lily laughed.
"We don't flirt! To flirt with someone means having intentions of getting together sometime and making out," Riley pointed out. Lily opened her mouth to argue but Riley quickly cut her off. "And I have no intentions of that!"
"And neither do I," Sirius added, giving Riley a dirty look.
"'Denial' isn't just a river in Egypt," Lily snickered, exchanging an all-knowing look with Remus.
Sirius thought about it and then stared curiously at her. "I-I don't get it."
Remus snorted. "You ask about a thousand stupid questions in a day and you can't get a simple joke?"
Sirius thought about it again. "That was a joke?" he eventually asked. "I missed the punchline, I think."
"I sometimes forget how much of a true imbecile you can be," Remus snickered, shaking his head.
"I don't," Riley quickly repudiated.
"Can I ask you a personal question, Gilmore?" Sirius asked, ignoring the other two across from him.
"I have a feeling no matter what I say, you will still ask," Riley pointed out, rubbing her eyes out of aggravation.
Sirius grinned. "You know me too well."
"Yeah, how unfortunate," she scowled, rolling her eyes and flipping over the pages of their report to the last page, ignoring the piercing glance from the rest of them.
Sirius shrugged and leaned his chair back so the front legs were lifted off the ground. "Why are you sitting over here with Lily-bean?" he eventually asked. "The last time I checked, you were ignoring her."
Riley slammed the papers hard against the table, making everyone around them jump. She whipped her head over to glare at Sirius so quickly that Sirius lost his balance and fell over backwards (causing an annoyed Madame Pinsky to shush everyone and to glare in Sirius and Riley's direction).
Out of fear of Riley, Sirius remained on the ground, hiding behind the chair for safety.
"What does that have anything to do with, Black?" Riley barked, wondering why he had to go and ruin everything between them.
"Er...I guess nothing but-"
"Then why'd you ask?" Riley barked, staring him down.
"I'd run if I were you," Lily muttered in Sirius' ears.
Riley rolled her eyes. "Nope. There's no need to run. I wouldn't kill you here anyway," Riley pointed out calmly.
Sirius sighed a deep breath of relief. "'Cause you're a nice person?" he suggested with a sheepish grin.
She shook her head. "Nope. Too many witnesses."
Sirius groaned. "Well, that's comforting."
"Now, let's get started before I feel the need to stab you in the eye with this quill," Riley declared, glaring heatedly at him.
Sirius sighed and sat back down in his seat with a fearful glance towards Riley, wondering why he had to go and ruin whatever was going on between them.
A/N: Well I hope you enjoyed it! I especially like that last scene between Riley and Sirius. SOMETHING is going on between them..Sorry no Lily/James interraction, but wouldn't you be avoiding the guy you supposedly hate? Please review!