Chapter 26

As the party went into full swing around them, Noelle and Olivier finally began to socialize. Sometime during their conversation, Antoine and his new girlfriend Lisette had joined their table. As Antoine made the introductions, Noelle swung curious eyes to Olivier, silently asking what had happened to Antoine's old girlfriend, Caroline. He shrugged slightly and she turned her attention to the petite brunette in front of her. Lisette had sparkling green eyes, not unlike Lily's, and a vivacious personality. Noelle liked her immediately. After dinner, a small orchestra began setting up in the corner of the massive ballroom. The older guests quickly took to the floor.

After awhile, Noelle had become rather sick of watching Lisette and Antoine making eyes at each other. Apparently, so had Olivier.

"Noelle? Dance?" he asked her, holding out his hand.

Gratefully she jumped to her feet and allowed him to lead her onto the dance floor.

The first dance was a sedate waltz, and Noelle had no problem keeping up with him. They had often danced in their relationship, and the memories were rushing back. At least it's not a tango, Noelle thought wryly. She spoke too soon.

The next song was spicy and sensuous. Olivier pulled her closer and she soon lost herself in the music. He twirled her around, leading her through intricate patterns and steps. Within minutes, the other couples on the dance floor had pulled away, aware that they were seeing passion on display. With their eyes locked on each other, they owned the dance floor. Noelle tantalizingly pressed her body against Olivier's, gazing up at him through her lashes. He responded by twisting her away, and then pulling her unbearably close. As the song ended, he dropped her into a low dip, bringing his head to her décolletage. Slowly she picked her head up and he slid her into a more comfortable position. Their lips were inches apart, and the distance was closing rapidly. Thunderous applause finally broke their trance-like state, and they both blushed. Noelle's eyes quickly scanned the crowd for her father, certain that he would be furious with her. Instead, he was smiling and his eyes were glowing with pride. She gave a small bow and allowed Olivier to lead her out of the ballroom to the terrace outside. Neither saw the cameras clicking away.

"Oh, that was fun! I haven't danced like that in ages!" she said, fanning herself with her hand. Instantly the memory of dancing with James last year at the Potter's Christmas party flew into her head. She slammed the door on it and focused again on Olivier.

"Oui, we always did know our way around a dance floor," he agreed, conjuring two glasses of champagne.

She took it and sipped it slowly. She had already had a few glasses and it was starting to make her giddy. Suddenly, the silence between them was awkward. She shifted slightly on the marble bench.

"Can I ask you a question, Noelle?"

Taken slightly aback, she nodded.

"Why do you love Sirius?"

Such a simple question should have been so easy to answer, but she found herself hesitating.

"It's not a difficult question, chérie," he said softly.

She shot him a withering look.

"I love him because…because…he's funny, and he's outgoing. He's handsome and he's loyal," she finally answered.

Olivier raised an eyebrow.

"Is that all?"

She tilted her head.

"Isn't that enough?"

He laughed softly.

"Do you want to know why I love you?" he asked.

She shook her head, knowing where this was going. She started to rise off the bench, but he stopped her.

"Please Noelle, I've already lost you. Just give me a moment. I think you owe me that," he said firmly. Slowly she sank back onto the bench and gazed at him directly.

"I love your laugh. I think that's what I love most of all about you. I love your eyes, how they change with your mood. I love the way you lie in the sun, soaking it into you as if you were receiving a life force from it. I love how you tug on your hair when you're nervous, just like you're doing right now," he said with a twinkle in his eyes.

Quickly she took her hand away from her hair, scowling at him.

"But what I really love about you can't even be described. It's the way you make me feel. I see you, and I'm complete. When I touch you, I feel like I'm touching a piece of heaven."

Noelle's eyes were swollen with tears by now, but she wouldn't let them fall. He sank to his knees in front of her and grasped her hand.

"We're different people now, Noelle. We're adults, and things have changed. You've become the most amazing woman I've ever known, and I don't think that Black even knows how lucky he is to have you," he said.

"Lucky to have me? I'm lucky to have him. Olivier, I'm not perfect. Far from it in fact. I've betrayed him, and he took me back. He's saved me, Olivier!"

"Saved you? From what? And just because he took you back doesn't mean you owe your life to him, if he doesn't make you happy!"

"But he does make me happy," Noelle managed to say through her tears.

Olivier held her hand tighter.

"If you can tell me that you are blissfully, sublimely happy with Sirius Black, then I will walk away from you and out of your life forever," he said fiercely.

She stared at him, slowly drinking in the lines of his face and the pure velvet brown of his eyes.

"I am happy Olivier," she whispered tightly.

With a devastated look in his eyes, Olivier rose to his feet. He let go of her hands and turned away from her. Despite the agony she could clearly read in his face, his posture was firm and erect; his shoulders as broad as ever. He began to walk away from her. Her heart began to throb and pound like it never had. The thought of him leaving her life tore at her soul. Even though her brain was telling her to let him go, her heart was actively disagreeing with it.

"Olivier, wait! Please, don't go!" she sobbed.

He stopped, but didn't turn around to face her. With his head down, he spoke softly.

"I love you Noelle. But there is only so much torture a man can take," he said.

She stood, squaring her own shoulders.

"Tell me again," she said in a low voice.

He slowly turned to face her.

"Tell you what?"

"Tell me again why you love me," she said, gazing directly at him.

Instead of speaking, he was in front of her in seconds. Taking her into his arms, he crushed his lips down on hers.

She returned to Hogwarts after the holidays, feeling slightly jaded. As she entered Gryffindor tower, she realized that the others hadn't returned from James' yet. Giving thanks for small favors, she began to unpack.

She wasn't alone for long. Lily's long red hair preceded her into the room. She dropped her trunk and shrieked as she saw Noelle. As she flung herself at her friend, Noelle caught sight of the large emerald cut diamond on Lily's left hand. Catching her hand before Lily reached her, she raised both eyebrows.

"Wow! That is quite the ring!"

"I know, right? Did you know about this? How come you didn't tell me? Lily's excitement about being newly engaged was bubbling over.

"I knew he was going to give you a ring, but I didn't know he was going to give you the Hope Diamond!" Noelle teased.

"It's amazing, isn't it? Well, we set a date for next year. As in a year after we graduate. I want to have plenty of time to plan the wedding, and I'm totally going to need your help, with everything."

Noelle nodded, slightly bemused by this version of Lily.

"Oh, I know, you think I'm turning into a total bride-zilla, right? Well, I promise you I won't. Scout's honor," she teased.

"It's perfectly fine to be excited, Lily. I would be," she said, pushing the memory of the preliminary wedding plans that she and her mother had done while she was dating Olivier out of her head.

"Okay, but I won't gush too much. I'm going to get a snack. Oh, and Dumbledore saw us coming in. There's a meeting of the Order tonight, in his office," she informed her.

Slowly Noelle nodded.

"Are James and Sirius back as well?" she asked, trying to sound casual.

"Of course. I think they're downstairs. Go say hi," Lily ordered as she headed out the door.

Noelle swallowed nervously and checked her reflection in the mirror. She looked fine on the outside, but her insides were churning. Straightening her shoulders, she left the room.

James and Sirius were indeed in the common room. James was stretched out on the sofa, playing with a Snitch. Sirius was sprawled out in front of the fire, flipping through a notebook. Both boys looked up as she descended the stairs. James jumped up and planted a kiss on her cheek.

"Hey Noelle. Good Christmas?" he asked.

"Yes, very, thank you. And congratulations," she said smiling and hugging him.

"Hey, can I say hello to my girlfriend that I haven't seen in over a week?" Sirius joked.

He wrapped his arms tightly around her and pressed his face into her soft hair. He reached under her chin and tilted her face up to his. He kissed her gently, and she could feel her soul warming. She opened her eyes and gazed into his face. There it was. All the love and desire that had always been a constant was finally there again.

"Missed you baby. I missed you so much," he murmured into her ear, his breath causing her knees to weaken.

"I missed you too," she responded, pushing Olivier's kiss out of her head.

"Can we go somewhere? Somewhere we can be alone?" he whispered.

Smiling, she nodded. This was the Sirius that she loved.

He quickly reached over and plucked the map out of James' bag. Taking her by the hand, he whisked her out of the room.

Quickly they rushed through the halls. Finally, Sirius stopped.

"Follow me," he said with a kiss.

She wordlessly followed him through a tunnel, and around a few corners. At the end of the fourth corridor, he pressed on the wall, which pushed in to reveal a comfortable sitting room. He pointed his wand at the fireplace and a roaring fire sprung up. Turning to face her, he smiled bashfully.

"I feel like this is all brand new again," he confessed.

"Me too. Like I've never been with you before," she whispered.

"I missed you so much Noelle. You can't imagine how much I did," he said softly.

"I missed you too," she said, biting her lip.

He made his way to her slowly, hesitantly. He carefully peeled the robes from her shoulders, letting them fall to the floor at her feet. Kissing her gently, he began to unbutton her blouse. Once it was fully unfastened, he pulled that off of her body too. He reached down and unfastened her skirt. It too, fell to the floor. Taking her hands, he helped her step out of the pile of clothing at her feet. He leaned down and removed her shoes. Swinging her into his arms, he carried her to the sofa. He lay her down and pulled his own robes off of his body.

"Aren't you going to help?" he whispered.

She nodded and reached for him. She pulled the t-shirt over his head, taking note of the purple bruises that had sprung up all over his chest. When she raised questioning eyes, he silenced her with a look that told her later. She fumbled slightly at his waist until she had his belt undone. Pushing his khakis down his legs, she watched him kick his legs free. Now both of them were clad only in underwear. Their chests heaved collectively as they studied each other. Finally, Sirius kissed her.

His lips traveled down her neck and over her collarbone. He trailed his tongue to the valley between her breasts. She moaned loudly as he flicked his tongue over her nipples.

"Scream all you want, there's no one around to hear you," he said softly.

He kept kissing her body, slowly making his way to her stomach and waist. When he reached the top of her panties, her head came up sharply. She had a feeling of what he was going to do next, and it made her nervous. No one had ever done that to her before, and before she could stop him, her panties were off and tossed somewhere on the floor. She opened her mouth to protest, but forgot almost every word as his tongue caressed her gently. She was moaning even louder now, crying out at some points. She couldn't keep still and it was making him crazy. Reluctantly he pulled away from her and slid his body along hers. She opened her huge navy eyes, and he saw vulnerability in them for the first time. Holding her tightly, he began to enter her. During this exquisite process, she clutched him to her, dragging her nails down his back. She threw her head back and moaned, tossing her blonde hair out of the way. With his lips firmly pressed to her neck, he thrust harder, causing her to scream out in pleasure. With every movement, he was trying to convey all the love he had for her. Just as she reached her climax, he tilted her face so she was looking at him.

"God Noelle, I love you so fucking much," he gasped, losing control of himself as she shuddered in his arms.

Once her body had stopped convulsing, she slowly began to return to herself. Reality came crashing around her and it made her feel exposed. She rose off of the couch and began to search for her clothes.

"Noelle, what on earth are you doing?" he asked her lazily.

"Trying to find my stuff. We should go; we have a meeting tonight," she said quickly.

"Yeah, tonight. And imagine that, it's only 3:00," he said with his eyebrows raised.

She stopped, feeling foolish.

"Will you come back over here?" he asked her impatiently.

She nodded and returned to the couch. He wrapped a blanket around them and kissed her temple.

"Why are you in such a hurry to leave? Usually you want to lounge around for hours after we make love," he said, a hint of sadness in his voice.

"I just thought it was later than it was. I'm sorry," she said, kissing him quickly.

Slowly she began to relax. Her body molded itself around his, feeling the coarseness of the hair on his legs and the warmth of his muscles against her arm. Their breathing slowed until it was in perfect sync. He pressed his forehead against her head and sighed.

"I can't believe my best friend is engaged. It's unreal," he said.

"Mine is too," she teased. "Do you think they know each other?"

"Ha ha, very funny. Well, I'm the best man, and you're the maid of honor, so I guess we have to go together, eh?"

"You better be taking me to that wedding, Sirius Black," she said warningly.

"I can't think of anyone I'd rather walk down the aisle with," he said with a smile. "Hey, that makes me think of something. We need to start looking for an apartment. We graduate in six months."

Six months. Her life, as she knew it, was going to change in six months. She knew this battle with Tom Riddle was only going to get worse. She didn't need her mother's gift to tell her that. She knew that there would be losses, and pain, and heartache. She also knew that she would not come out of it unscathed. The only thing she could wish for was that her friends would. Trying desperately to squash those fears, she snuggled deeper into the sanctuary of Sirius' arms and tried to fall asleep.