Chapter 36: Back To School

Sirius POV

That night, after I'd kissed her, I'd gone back to my room in a daze. My thoughts were jumping around. If I put them in a Pensieve, I'm sure that they'd be turning cartwheels and dancing.

Even now, a week later, I don't know how I had the guts to do that. Every time I looked at Sky, she'd blush and look away.

I felt like I'd messed things up even more now.

Moony and Prongs kept asking what was going on. Neither Sky nor I would tell them. I couldn't tell them. I knew exactly what they'd say and do- smirk, then give me some useless bits of advice.

And Peter, as usual, was completely out of the loop.

Finally, the night before we left to go back to Hogwarts, James and Remus cornered me.

"Okay. What happened?" James demanded.

I sighed, and told them what happened.

For once, they were speechless.

"Wow, I didn't know you had it in you, mate." James said after about five minutes of silence.

"Doesn't matter, does it?" I said sadly. "She obviously doesn't feel the same way."

Remus frowned. "How do you know that?"

"I just do, Moony. I mean, she hasn't said anything about it. It's as if it never happened. Let me get some sleep now." I didn't want to talk to them anymore.

The next day, on the Hogwarts Express, it was even more awkward. I entered our compartment first, and took the window seat so I could pretend to look out the window and not be disturbed. Sky came in next, and to my surprise, she took the seat next to mine. Remus, James and Peter came in next. Remus and James took the seats opposite to me so that they could observe us, I guess. Peter sat next to them.

I turned to look at her and caught her looking back at me. She blushed, and looked away when she saw me looking. I didn't know what to make of this. So, I decided to just look outside and let her make the first move, if she wanted.

At times, I felt her arm or leg brush against mine. I would almost go crazy, wondering what she was thinking. Had I ruined our friendship? Or had I just made it something more?

Lost in these thoughts, I soon drifted off to sleep.

Skylar POV

After Sirius had kissed me, I had stood, frozen, in the sitting room for a few minutes. Then I'd made my way to my room, still in shock. I had no idea of what I should do.

It obviously meant that he cared for me more than just friends. I knew that I cared for him too. But I didn't know how- whether it was platonic, or something more.

So, the last few weeks had been full of confusion for me. Every time he'd looked at me, or someone had mentioned his name, I'd blushed. Remus and James had noticed that something was going on, so they'd try to get it out of me. But no matter how much they'd pleaded, begged or teased, I hadn't told them. It was something I felt too shy about saying.

The day when we'd left for Hogwarts, Remus had come to me when Sirius was still sleeping.

"I know that he kissed you." he said. Wow, that was subtle.

"How?"

He shrugged. "James and I extracted it from him."

"Right. So...?"

"Now he thinks that you don't feel the same way, or worse, that you hate him," he said.

I laughed. "Remus, you know just as well as I do that I could never hate him."

He nodded. "Continue."

I rolled my eyes. "BUT, I don't know what's going on and I wished I did."

"You like him and he likes you. It's as simple as that."

"No, it isn't because I don't know in what way I do...I just... need time to work it out."

"I understand." he said. "But, at least show him that you're not mad at him or something?"

I nodded. "I don't want to hurt him, Remus. He deserves that much."

Remus smiled. "Thank you for noticing."

I rolled my eyes. "You're really too nice to be friends with those boys, you know that, right?"

He laughed. "No, Sky, I'm way too nice not to be."

I thought about what he'd said, after he'd gone. I didn't want Sirius to think that I hated him. I remembered how bad I'd felt when I'd thought the same.

So, on the Hogwarts Express, I went in after him, and sat down in the next seat. I looked at him. He looked back at me, surprised. I blushed and looked away.

Ugh. Awk-ward.

To make it worse, Remus and James kept sneaking looks at the both of us. Finally, after about half an hour of this, Sirius fell asleep and they finally looked away - from him, at least.

"Why, Sky?" James said quietly.

"Can we not do this right now, Jimmy? Please?" I begged.

They both frowned, but nodded.

"Later, then," James said decisively.

I sighed.

Suddenly, I felt Sirius' head on my shoulder. I looked at it. He was still asleep, and his head had fallen.

I smiled slightly. Even if I didn't know how I felt, I still thought he was completely adorable.

Remus rolled his eyes at me. "See that?"

I stuck my tongue out at him childishly. "What?

"He laughed. "You think Sirius is completely adorable."

I gaped. "That's exactly what I thought. Word for word."

Remus grinned. "See? I'm just that good."

I smiled. "Jokes aside... you're right, Remy. I think he's the most adorable person I've ever known."

James had left with Peter to prank the Slytherins - thank god.

Remus studied me for a few seconds, before nodding. "Okay. I'll leave you alone, and I'll get James to as well."

I raised my eyebrows. "What's this about?"

He grinned. "You need to figure out that you're in love with him all on your own, Sky."

I rolled my eyes, but didn't say anything. Instead, I watched Sirius sleeping on my shoulder (As/N: NO! NOT LIKE A CREEPY STALKER!) peacefully.

A few hours later, James and Peter were back, Sirius had woken up, and we had reached Hogwarts.

Upon arriving at Gryffindor tower, I ran up the stairs, shouting out my goodbyes to my favourite guys.

I opened the door to find Lillers and Di talking happily.

"HEY! I'M BACK!" I shouted. "I DON'T KNOW WHY I'M SHOUTING!"

Lily hugged me calmly. "You're just happy to see us again."

I frowned. "Or, I'm just happy to finally be away from Sirius."

Diana coughed.

"Oh, hey Di," I said happily.

"Well?" she demanded. "What's this about Sirius?"

Sighing, I told them everything, at the end of which they were both just staring at me.

I blushed self-consciously. "What?"

"You haven't spoken to him at all?" Lily demanded.

"I...errr... no?"

"HE likes YOU and YOU like HIM!" Diana said.

I blushed, then smirked. "Funny, Di, that's just what Remus said to me a few hours ago."

She turned pink.

"Whoa, wait." Lily said. "Why don't you guys just accept it and get on with it?"

"Well, why don't you? Come on, everyone knows about you and James." Diana said. Then Lily was also pink. That made the three of us.

"We're all messed up, aren't we," Lily stated.

Diana and I nodded in agreement.