A/N: You guys... the highlight of my week has been getting a bag of spinach for 99 cents. Yeah it's been one of those weeks. And I've also found out that I don't get Monday off (it's a holiday here in the US) which was the one thing that had been tiding me over for the last two months as I've been looking forward to a day off for ages and had planned on spending it writing and reading all day. Yeah. This week has been just stellar so far. Anyway I'm done with my mini rant. I'd really appreciate if you could review afterwards. Enjoy!

James whistled as Rowan descended down the last steps and Remus eyed her appreciatively. Peter nudged Sirius and Sirius' eyes dropped out of his head.

He couldn't speak. He had lost the ability to speak.

She looked lovely, he thought. She looked so outrageously nice that he didn't know what to do with himself.

Sirius would be the first to admit that Rowan was a fine looking girl. When she wasn't in her school uniform she was in ripped jeans, fishnets and worn out t shirts or tank tops with huge jumpers pulled over to them. In fact, dressing in her school uniform was as nice as she usually got. Why she dressed like she had just emerged from a punk show mystified him and her roommates to no end.

She didn't like fuss and feathers, he knew that but he thought make up suited her very well.

"Sirius what the hell have you done with your tie?"

"I tried to tie it, but it didn't really work out."

"I can see that." Rowan's nimble fingers untied the disastrous knot and retied it again. Sirius caught a whiff of her perfume and he inwardly sighed.

"You guys match!" Marlene grinned snapping a picture of them. Rowan threw a hand over her face and shrieked. She hated being photographed.

"We do don't we?" Sirius agreed handing her a delicate bloom. Rowan smiled in sheer pleasure and pinned it in her hair. She waved her wand and conjured up the same blossom and tucked it in Sirius' breast pocket.

"We might as well go all out since it's our last Winter Formal as Lily and Marlene reminded have me, a hundred thousand times."

Sirius eyed her again. She was wearing a slim fitting silvery smooth grey dress that did indeed match his eyes. It was one shoulder and on the top part there was a bright slash of red fabric that accentuated the slope of the neckline of the dress dress. A single necklace shone on her neck and her hair was let down from its usual bun and the curls cascaded down her back.

She glittered, Sirius mused. There was glitter on her eyes and her skin. She looked like a Christmas bauble, all glowy and glittery.

He had to snap out of him. "Well to state the obvious, you look stunning," Sirius said normally.

"Thank you," Rowan said feeling a sheer delight run through her at his compliment.

Marlene eyed the pair of them with keenly. She then held the camera up again. "One proper picture, please! It's not everyday that Rowan is all dressed up nicely."

"But now you guys know that I am fully capable of it!" Rowan said proudly.

"You should do it more often," Sirius told her running a finger down her arm tracing her muscles. It always amazed him that she was so toned for such a delicate girl. He had never seen her do any kind of sport or so. Goosbumps appeared and Rowan swatted his hand away.

"One picture, stand still, look pretty and don't do anything stupid, please!" Marlene insisted.

"Fiiiiinnnnne," Rowan sighed theatrically. She stepped closer to Sirius and he slid an arm around her waist and she put a hand on his chest, turning slightly in towards him.

She smiled and suddenly felt the ridiculous urge to laugh. This all seemed so…couple-ly. Which was a joke since it was her of all people.

Sirius however felt that having his arm around her waist was as natural as breathing. He liked being close to her, he realised.

"Smile!" Marlene held up the camera and focused.

Rowan felt the smile on her face grow wider if possible and Sirius felt himself grin. However instead of looking at the camera he was too distracted by Rowan's big, big smile and was instead looking at her when the flash went off.

"Padfoot you weren't even looking at the camera!" Peter exclaimed.

"No but the picture looked great. I'm sure it'll come out lovely," Marlene said happily.

"Okay, is picture time over yet? Let's get vamoosing!" Rowan said impatiently.

"No! We need documentation. Somebody take a picture of us with our hair all nice before it goes kaput!"

"Argh!"

After a good number of pictures later, the group finally made their way to the staircase that led to the Great Hall. It was a traditional custom for the Seventh Years to enter last along with their dates with the entire school already being there.

The winter formal, Rowan mused, was just too formal. But she had to admit, the castle and the Great Hall looked absolutely lovely. It looked like Christmas in a box or a winter wonderland.

"Man, I almost feel grown up. Almost." Sirius said. She chuckled.

"I feel like Cinderella. This is so weird." Rowan replied.

"What's weird?"

"Sirius, you're the best looking bloke in the school, a prince charming, except you're really not that charming, you're more bigheaded," she teased. "And well, you're coming with me. It's just…funny. That's all."

"Hey! I've deflated my head. And what's so funny about me coming with you? Have you seen you tonight? Gorgeous." Sirius waved a hand over her.

Rowan rolled her hands. "But I don't feel like me. You, you look totally natural in a suit. You should seriously consider modelling if you don't want to be an auror."

"I'll keep that in mind." Sirius offered her his hand as they prepared to take their turn down the staircase.

"Well," she exhaled. "Let's do this," she slid her hand into his and Sirius felt another smile break out onto his face.

To say there were a lot of whispers and looks that were elicited by the site of the pair would be an understatement. Girls gaped and whispered furiously amongst themselves. A good number of boys shot Sirius resentful looks and gave Rowan wistful looks.

Sirius was acutely aware of how much attention Rowan was receiving from both genders. And she was so ignorant, or, really, he suspected, she knew the kind of reactions she elicited from people, which is why she chose to ignore it, or play it down. That was a shame because there was an innate kind sexuality that radiated off her in waves and he had always been semi aware of it, even when they were younger.

Sirius didn't try to be sexy. He just was. He didn't understand how that worked either. He wasn't sure what exactly made the girls chase after him like shoes going on sale. But Rowan was a different case. She just…drew people to her in a different kind of way.

Dumbledore and McGonagall looked interestedly over at the pair of them and Dumbledore's eyes twinkled.

"That's a new development," McGonagall commented.

"I don't think it's quite developed yet Minerva. Miss Forlani looks as ethereal and independent as ever," Dumbledore remarked mildly.

The headmaster was right on the money. Rowan was blissfully unaware of the rampant thoughts that were running through Sirius' head. If she did know, she probably would have run in the opposite direction as fast as she could.

To her relief the Formal wasn't as terrible as she had envisioned it to be. Sirius was his usual self and kept his hands in places she deemed respectable and not once did she have to warn him about his hands. Dinner was good and the dessert was excellent.

Sirius fielded off a lot of requests for dances with the other girls and kept Rowan close to him for the majority of the dance, only sharing her with James, Remus and Peter.

This didn't bother her; she didn't register Sirius' feeling of possessiveness that he was currently undergoing. In fact, she was having the most fun she had in a long time at a dance just being with her mates.

"Sirius be a doll and let me steal your partner for a dance would ya?" Lily grinned at him her fingers clasping Rowan's wrist.

"Fiinnnneee, but no funny business!" Sirius pouted but his eyes were laughing. He joined Peter and Remus at the table and watched Lily whisk Rowan off to the dance floor.

"So how long have you fancied her?" Remus asked bluntly. Sirius looked at him shocked.

"Pardon?" Sirius stammered.

"How long have you had a thing for our favourite magic maniac?"

"I don't—"

"Padfoot please, you should have seen the dopey looks on your face!" Peter rolled his eyes.

"I don't look dopey!" he protested.

"No, you look like someone who's half in love with one of their best mates," Remus shot him a look.

Sirius mumbled something. "What's the big deal if I like her?"

"Ha! So you do fancy her!" Peter said triumphant.

"I said IF."

"It's a big deal because…you're you and Rowan is Rowan and you're friends."

"Oh god here we go AGAIN!" Sirius moaned slumping down in his seat.

"Yes again. Padfoot. Ugh. I don't know. I feel very apprehensive about the whole thing."

"You like Marlene! You're friends with her!" Sirius said heatedly.

"But not like you and Rowan. I've liked Marlene since our fifth year. But we've only really become friends this year. You and Rowan are…too good of mates." Remus said thoughtfully.

"And that's a bad thing?"

"It could be in your case. You know Rowan…she's just…she likes to be on her own. She's a very…independent person. For her, love is something that would just impede from doing the things she wants to do." Peter chimed in seriously.

"Yeah she does have a very bizarre sense of love. Gideon used to tell me that half the time she liked to be on her own and do things…but she seems so happy at Lily and James and seems to be rooting for your and Marlene pretty strongly. I don't understand why she doesn't believe in love for herself."

"Oh she does. She believes in all kinds of love Padfoot, she just doesn't believe that right now is the time for love, at least, a love for a person." Remus told him.

Sirius sat back and digested this. "How do you know all of this?"

"We talk."

"Rowan and I talk!" Sirius huffed.

"Well we mostly went over this during the summer holidays when we were with you and James…she was up at 7 am for some ungodly reason and hadn't slept, she was up on the roof watching the sun. And somehow we just got to talking about this kind of mumbo jumbo."

Sirius muttered something. "And what about you Remus? Thoughts on love?"

"I think there's someone for everyone, and I'd like to believe that no matter how cruel we can be to each other, we can still want to take care of each other." Remus said in his quiet way.

"Bless you Mooney. At least one of us still believes in the power of love," Sirius clapped a hand on his back.

"It is a powerful thing," Remus replied.

"Yeah, yeah." Sirius waved a hand.

Rowan came up to them, face flushed and skin warm. She stretched out her hands towards Sirius and said, "Dance with me,"

"'Course," Sirius clasped her hands and she led him to the dance floor.

The lights dimmed as a slower number came on and Sirius drew her close and felt her head against his chest.

"Are you having a good time?" he asked her.

"Yes I am! This is by far the best dance I've gone too. I like it when it's just us." Rowan said tilting her head up at him.

He smiled and spun her out and then in towards him again. "I do too. I hope everyone else is enjoying themselves."

"Well Lily and James look pretty content. And I saw Marlene drag Remus out for a couple of numbers before Caradoc whisked her off again."

"I wish things were easier for him," Sirius sighed feeling sympathetic towards Remus.

"Me too love. But hopefully something good will happen. Remus deserves a nice girl like her." Rowan said wistfully.

"You deserve a boy too," Sirius said before stopping himself.

Rowan smiled faintly and slipped her arms around his neck. "When the time is right, he'll be there,"

Sirius half-heartedly wished the time was right, now. For him. His grey eyes studied her scars on her face and he lifted a hand to lightly trace over the ones that Remus had accidentally given her.

She felt the ridiculous urge to shiver. She had never been this close to him before and he had never touched her like that before. It made her feel vaguely apprehensive. She did not like feeling apprehensive.

"These won't fade will they?" Sirius said half regretfully.

"No. But I don't mind. I like my scars. They're important to me."

"I like them too, I think they make you look even more lovely. I like how they seem to illustrate the contours of your face. Like a drawing almost." Sirius said.

There was something in his tone that scared Rowan and she felt something shift between them, she hurriedly cast those thoughts aside.

Sirius looked at her in the dim lighting and fleetingly wished that things were different right now. She was so close to him, he could probably count how many eyelashes she head. The music was all tinkly and romantic and the lights were low and if she was any other girl, any other girl at all, he would have kissed her right there and then.

But she wasn't. She was Rowan and he couldn't, he just couldn't.

At that moment Sirius wished he could have jumped into the Lake or take a trip into the Forbidden Forest. Anything really to distract him from the sudden and sharp feeling of helplessness he was feeling now.

She looked beautiful.

That was his first thought when Regulus first spotted her descending the staircase at the start of the dance.

And her arm, was tucked through his brother's.

That was this second thought and Regulus felt the immediate need to punch someone lights out.

His date, Tanya Forbes was lovely and she was nice and Regulus for the most part enjoyed her company. But he was still distracted by the fact that Rowan looked like an exquisite flower, all pale and fragile looking. His thoughts embarrassed him.

What embarrassed him more was the hot stab of jealousy he felt whenever he saw her with his brother.

Regulus wanted to talk to her, he wanted to dance with her. He wanted to be closer to her like his brother was.

Christ almighty, Regulus suddenly realised utterly horrified. He might actually like her.

He mentally slapped himself. This was absolutely terrible.

"Shall we dance?" Tanya asked him.

He really didn't want to. He didn't, but she was good company this entire time so he agreed.

As they danced he sneaked furtive glances around trying to spot where Rowan was. He saw her once with Lily and Marlene and another time with Remus. Then he had the displeasure of seeing him dance with his brother again. That was it. He couldn't stand to be here any more.

At the same time, Rowan was thinking nearly the exact same thing. All of a sudden, it was just all too much. She was too dressed up, too made up, too close to Sirius. Too everything.

She needed some air. She needed some space. She needed to be able to think.

Plus her feet were beginning to ache. Whoever invented high heels really hated women, she thought to herself as she flexed her toes inside her shoe. A faster number was on and she was sitting at the table, watching James whirl Lily about the ballroom.

"Marlene do me a great big favour, and grant me the pleasure of occupying my darling partner for a dance or two? I have to go to the loo," Rowan turned to her roommate.

Marlene grinned at her. "Are you sure you don't want to take him with you?" She teased. Kind of.

Rowan glared at her. "No."

Marlene tittered in response but stood up anyway. "Let's go pretty boy. Let's see if you're nearly as good as a dancer as Caradoc," she tugged at Sirius' hand.

"Hey!" Sirius said indignantly already feeling competitive. "I assure love, I am a way better dancer than your boyfriend,"

"Well you better prove it then,"

"Believe me I will. I am an excellent dancer thanks to all those lessons—"

"Wait, you took dance lessons?" Marlene stared at him.

Bugger. No one was supposed to know about that. Sirius mentally face palmed himself.

"Well it's not as if I wanted to take them…I was forced to. Being a Black and a pureblood and all that shit. All the old wizarding pureblood families force their kids to learn ballroom dancing!"

She began laughing. "Oh my lord this is prolli one of the greatest things I've ever heard, the infamous Sirius Black is trained in ballroom dancing…he had to take dance lessons…"

"Hey…" Sirius protested.

"Did you have to wear leotard or spandex?" Marlene teased.

"Shaddup," Sirius grumbled. "Keep talking like that and you won't get the chance of a life time, apparently I speak for all the majority of the nutty girls in this place, to dance with me."

"Ok ok ok I'm done, let's go," Marlene tucked her tongue in her cheek and pushed him towards the dance floor.

Rowan watched the pair and then sighed in relief. Finally. She didn't really have to go the loo but at least she could hear herself think for a little bit.

Regulus had been keeping a sharp eye on her for the entire night, well as sharp as he could without making it obvious and the moment he saw her slip out of the ballroom, he knew this was his chance.

"I'm going to the loo, are you all right?" he asked his date.

"Yeah," she smiled. Regulus barely registered this as he was already standing up. It took him every ounce of willpower he had not to dash like a madman out of the ballroom after her.

He did however, dash around the hall like a madman once he had left the ballroom. He rounded a corner, slipping a little on the marble floors and caught the flash of her dress as she walked ahead.

Where the hell was she heading he had not the faintest clue. Regulus sped up and then feeling desperate sprinted a little faster, he was nearly right behind her, he stretched out a hand and…

A/N: Want to make my less than stellar week a wee bit better? I'd love if you could review please! xoxoxo