Another chapter guys! And yes, to answer a question: Sirius and Gemma WILL be together before they leave Hogwarts. Don't worry, I won't draw it out THAT long XD Also, if all goes well and you would enjoy it, I wouldn't mind writing the gang out of school and during the war as a sequel, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it!

Thanks again for all your lovely reviews and kind words, they always make me smile and happy to keep writing for y'all! Hope you keep enjoying :)

-Ally

"I hate Halloween," Gemma commented, watching Lily flip through a wizarding magazine as she sat on her bed and wrote her Potions essay, "I'm out of costume ideas."

"What's Sirius going as?" Her best mate asked, not looking up from whatever baubles were distracting her on the glossy pages and Gemma just rolled her eyes.

"How the hell am I supposed to know?"

"You're with him every waking moment," Lily cocked a smirk, "I'm surprised you don't know everything there is to know about Sirius Black."

Her cheeks flushed, shaking her head and tossing a rubber over at Lily, "Stuff it, I do not. Do you see him in here right now?" she gestured around the room, arms open wide, "No, I don't think so."

"Maybe he's invisible!"

"Maybe you need to stop being an arse and tell me you're dating Potter!"

Green eyes went wide and Gemma slapped a hand over her mouth – this really wasn't the way this conversation was supposed to go. Lily was simply just going to tell her what costume to wear and then all the hellish planning would be over, but no, she went and blabbed her big fat mouth and now her mate was staring at her like she just screamed she loved Voldemort.

"What…you…how did you know?" She stood, shaking her finger at her as if she were a mother scolding her child.

Shaking her head, she sat down her quill and shrugged, "I saw you snogging James in the hall almost a month ago now, you harlot. Why the hell haven't you said anything?"

"You'd take the piss out of me, that's why!" She shouted, red faced as she paced in front of her bed.

"Maybe for a day, but honestly Lily, I've wanted you to shag James for three years practically, I'm over the MOON for you." She stood, happiness written across her face as she stopped her friend and hugged her, "You make a great couple, you know?"

Her friend's arms embraced her back, chin resting on her shoulder. "He is really sweet, when he wants to be."

"And he's got that whole being fit thing down pretty well," Gemma laughed with her, pulling back as they continued just smiling at each other, "I'm maid of honor at the wedding, yeah?"

"Getting a bit ahead of yourself there Gems, we've only been dating for a little while."

She pulled her into a tight hug again, smiling ear to ear, "You'll be together forever, mark my words Lily. And we'll grow old and I'll spoil your children like the awesome godmother I will someday be."

"You're nutters." She could hear the hope in her friend's laughter, both of them giddy on the aspect of the future.

"Nope, just honest."

"So…I'm guessing you're going to force me to tell Mar and Mary too, right?" She pulled back, looking like she'd rather jump out the window than do such a thing, "Marlene is going to be the worst."

"Yes, well, who cares? You'll live. Now, back to my dilemma."

"Tinkerbell?" Lily offered casually.

"No fairies, and I did Peter Pan last year."

"A cat?"

"Done and," she snorted, thinking about Sirius, "not happening."

"Vampire?"

"Stupid."

"Belly dancer?" Lily laughed at the suggestion, Gemma giving her the stink eye.

"No."

"I don't know Gems…pirate?"

"Arrrgh," she made her hand into a hook with her index finger and they both shook their heads.

"Dumb."

"Really stupid."

"No pirates."

"I hate Halloween."

Later that afternoon, Gemma and Lily were heading down to Defense Against the Dark Arts talking about random things when she stopped and noticed Sirius on the level below talking to Florence of all people. She looked down at him with one eyebrow raised wondering what they could be talking about as she waited for the steps and noticed Lily was looking down upon them too.

"Why is he talking to her?"

"I don't know," Lily sounded slightly disgusted, but being near Florence was gross all in itself, "maybe he's attempting to give her tips on how not to be such a bitch."

Gemma snorted, "Lily…"

"What? We've lived together seven years and she still is a major pain in my arse, as well as yours and the rest of this school's! The only people that like her are desperate boys," she huffed, both of them watching as Florence touched Sirius's arm, "and Sirius isn't that desperate."

She felt an uncomfortable churn in her stomach as Florence laughed and her hand moved higher to land on his chest, Sirius just standing there letting it happen.

"What are we staring at?" Mary startled her, a small squeak falling from her lips as she pulled back over the banister incase Sirius happened to look up at the sound, "What the fuck is he doing with her?"

"Catching diseases?" Marlene added, joining the group as they all slowly looked back down to see Sirius laughing now.

"I could introduce her to the easier and faster way of taking the stairs." Mary suggested nonchalantly.

"What?" Lily asked.

"There's an easier way to go do the stairs?" Gemma wondered, heart clenching as she watched Florence flip her hair and Sirius barked out another laugh.

"Yeah, it's called pushing her down all of them." Mary snickered, the other three looking at her like she was mad, "Oh come on, I'm not actually going to, it's just…I really want to."

"I want to, too." She admitted, walking onto the steps as they connected and then slowly descending them as Sirius looked up at her finally and she saw Florence glaring with bright red cheeks.

"Hey O'Malley!" Sirius smirked but she just shook her head and kept walking, daggers still being stared into her back from the slag at his right. "Wait!"

"Ugh, can I not talk to him right now? I don't want any contact disease he got from her," Gemma sped up, her mates keeping up with her as she turned back just for a second to see him still standing next to Florence.

"When are you going to finally fess up, Gems?" Marlene sprung on her, stopping her outside the classroom as the other three stared at her intently even though Mary and Lily knew full well that she did fancy him. "You've been parading around holding this torch for him for almost a year – just man up and snog his face off."

"I'm not you Marlene, I don't randomly just snog boys I fancy," she said bitterly, watching as other classmates walked past and prayed to God that no one overheard anything too embarrassing, "and fine, yes, I fancy his bloody socks off okay, but he seemed campy with Florence."

"He hates Florence as much as the rest of us, he was probably just being nice." Lily said supportively.

"It's not like I care."

"Yeah, not at all," Mary snorted, grabbing her arm and pulling her into class finally as soon as Sirius started walking down the hall with Florence still trailing after him like a lost puppy.

Sitting down at her desk, she got out her things and took a deep, soothing breath before a balled up piece of parchment landed on her desk. Grabbing it and looking around, she unfolded it and saw familiar messy scrawl and tried to fight the smile on her face.

Do you love me? Nod Yes or No – Sirius

Laughing she shook her head no and went back to trying to pay attention before another balled up paper landed on her desk. Rolling her eyes, she flattened it out and chuckled to herself.

I am crying, don't look back at me or you'll see my tears. Why O'Malley…why won't you love me? – Sad and Lonely Boy

Looking over her shoulder, she spotted him and he fake sobbed until everyone around him was staring at him like he was going mental. Lightfoot yelled out at him to either calm down or go to the infirmary for psychological evaluation and Gemma turned back in her chair laughing to herself with a dopey smile.

Shit, I really do fancy the hell out of him. She thought to herself, the smile so big it hurt her cheeks and she wondered sometimes if she wasn't falling in love with the stupid boy.

But surely, she wasn't.

No.

Never.

"Miss O'Malley, Mr. Lupin, please come to the front," Professor Lightfoot announced, startling her as she tried to remember what the heck they'd been talking about and then realized they were just revising blocking attacks.

This had been the first time since her parent's murder that she'd be forced to stand on the other end of a wand, her heart racing as she stood at one side and the professor gave out instructions on how Remus would send an attack and she'd counter it and then knock him back with a defensive spell.

She hadn't realized how bad she was shaking until her wand fell from her hands, looking nervously around at the room as they all looked back up at her. Bending and hiding her embarrassed face with her long veil of hair, she tried to take deep, soothing, calm breaths but she could feel panic settling in. She didn't realize she was still this affected by everything – standing up to look back at Remus as she bit her lip and tried to concentrate.

"Are you okay Gemma?" He asked quietly, Professor Lightfoot still announcing instructions to everyone.

"I'm fine," she bit out, trying not to show that she was suddenly a lot weaker than anyone, even here, had thought.

"Are we ready?" Lightfoot asked, looking at Remus and then to her and she realized he must've noticed her shaky hands. "Oh, Miss O'Malley…I didn't even think – I shouldn't have—"

She cut him off, "I'm fine."

"Miss O'Malley, you should sit this one out." He pressed on, Gemma biting back frustrated tears.

"I can do this! I promise!" She yelled, the rest of the room quiet. "I have to do this, they killed my parents!"

Then she lost it - she couldn't believe it'd been two months and all the flood gates opened so dramatically again but she couldn't take it. Lightfoot moved to put a hand on her shoulder but instead she just ran for it.

Sprinting through the desks, she hastily escaped all the staring and the pitiful looks and the judging. She couldn't stand letting herself or her parents down and she only continued to do it constantly – and now she couldn't even fight? What was the point of her surviving that attack if she was going to end up this horrible shell of a girl?

Hiding in an empty corridor and pulling at her tie so she could breathe, she dropped to the floor and put her face in her hands to keep from sobbing too loudly. All it took was a wand being pointed at her and flashbacks just ran rampant – her mother dead on the floor, father trying to save her with no chance to make it out himself, watching him be murdered right in front of her face…she couldn't take it hurting like this.

When strong arms wrapped around her a few minutes later, she turned into them and her hands pulled at his shirt as if to find some comfort there. His voice was all calming whispers, kind words, secret promises that he always gave to her when she fell apart like this. It wasn't fair to keep using him as a crutch but sometimes she honestly didn't know if anyone could handle her as well as he could when she was like this.

"You wanna punch something?" He asked as her crying slowed and she just sat there between his legs and rested on his chest to keep herself hidden from the world. "I could go find Snape or my brother."

"That's sweet," she said quietly, just trying to breathe in the smell of him and leave everything else behind. It tickled her nose as something familiar – the cigarette smoke clinging just slightly to the fabric as she tried to forget that home was now him and that she had no real home to return to.

"We could go to Hogsmeade for lunch, get you some beans on toast?" He offered, still trying to cheer her up as she pulled back and looked up at him with slightly puffy eyes and sniffled pathetically.

"I'm just ashamed of myself right now, so can I just weep in the dark for a while longer?" She laughed a little, Sirius bringing his hands up to her face and using his thumbs to wipe away more tears. "I hate how nice you are to me sometimes."

Sirius laughed, holding her face delicately as if she were glass beneath his palms. "I can be mean, if you prefer."

She blinked a few times as they stared at one another, his grey eyes threaded with light silver today as he looked back at her intently as if asking her something with that glance. She wasn't sure what he wanted but all she knew was that whatever it was – she'd always say yes.

"I just – I saw the wand pointing at me and I couldn't breathe…it was like it was happening all over again," she said sadly, "I couldn't think, or move, all I saw was my father being killed over and over and I could feel blood on my hands and I just –"

"Gemma, shh," Sirius pulled her safely back to his chest again, kissing the top of her head as she tried not to read too much into his actions, "you need to try and let it go. I know it's hard love, but if you keep thinking about it so much you'll never be able to move on."

She nodded, her arms wrapping back around him now as she curled up to him more. "I know."

"I don't like seeing you so upset, you know, I rather you smiling and being an arse," she laughed a little, looking up at him from under her eyelashes.

"Tosser."

He smirked. "That's the Gemma I like."

"I'm such a disaster, honestly, and I'm stealing you away from class like a prat."

"Oh yeah, because that is really horrible and I can't even believe you – all my precious studies, down the drain! There goes my perfect grade," he laughed, both still sitting on the floor as classes resumed without them, "I'd rather be here."

She flushed at the comment, knowing in her mind he meant not in class but the way he said it…

"With you." He added with a smirk.

And she was pretty sure her heart stopped.

"Because I'm fantastic company." She snorted, looking away from him as his hand dropped to her hips and held her gently there.

"Better than you think."

"Whatever you say Sirius."

After she got a hold of herself and the bell rang out in the hallway, he walked back with her to get her things and she awkwardly apologized to Professor Lightfoot who didn't seem to care at all, though he did suggest she go talk to Madam Pomfrey or her Head of House.

The suggestion that she might have post-traumatic stress syndrome was brought up as well but she just waved him off and left again with Sirius trailing after her and back upstairs. It was one thing to be upset over it but to put such a dramatic label on what had happened to her seem preposterous and strange and she didn't like thinking that she'd be plagued like this every time someone rose a wand in her direction.

"Gemma!" Lily shouted the second she stepped in the common room, Sirius gripping her shoulder before leaving her with her other mates, "are you okay?"

"I'm fine, really, I'm better," she smiled, Lily pulling her into a tight rib crushing hug as Mary and Marlene stood there looking relieved, "nothing to worry about."

"Did Sirius shag you until you cheered up?" Mary teased, Gemma rolling her eyes and sticking out her tongue.

"Very mature Gemma," Marlene laughed.

"Stuff it, I just need a nap anyway and I'll be fine. Crying makes me exhausted," she admitted, noticing that Florence had once again gone over to talk to Sirius who hadn't seemed to be pushing her away.

Again.

"I just want to be his girlfriend."

The words dropped out of her mouth so quickly she was sure there was no taking it back. Her blue eyes flitted to all her friends faces; Mary had a big smile, Marlene rolled her eyes like it was the most obvious statement, and Lily squealed with a jump.

"You already knew that," she said slightly irritated, wondering if she couldn't catch Florence's hair on fire from this range with her wand without burning anyone else.

"Yes, but Merlin Gemma, you're ready!" Lily jumped up and down again as if she had just won the jackpot or some nonsense.

"Ready for what? Heartbreak and pain?" She joked, looking over at Sirius again as he smiled and threw something at Remus.

"Ready to tell him that you want to snog him all day and night, now go!" Lily shoved her in his direction and she tripped and practically fell over the edge of the sofa before she stopped herself.

"What do you want?" Florence asked, Gemma looking at Sirius who was staring back at her before she looked over at the other girl.

"Nothing, sorry, Lily shoved me." She stood back up straight, cherry as a tomato and getting ready to turn when Sirius reached out and grabbed her hand.

"You free on Thursday O'Malley?"

She looked from him, to James, to Remus, to Florence, to Peter, and then back to him wondering if she heard him right. Shaking her head yes, she felt her heart soar before it quickly plummeted back down to earth when he mentioned he needed help with studies or some nonsense and asked to meet in the library.

"Sure," she smiled, dropping his hand after he thanked her and she turned to see Florence smiling like she knew that was going to happen and Gemma felt the intense urge to punch her in the face.

Going upstairs and falling down on her bed, she fell asleep thinking about what would have happened if Sirius actually asked her out on a date instead of just a study meeting. Would she have said yes? Most definitely. Would she have had any idea what to wear? None. But just the thought of being with him and being able to end the night with a kiss…

It made her giddy and giggly before she rolled over and zonked completely out.

Walking around late a few nights later, she left Sirius behind for once and just took sometime alone to think. Wandering down their usual paths that led her clear of any prefects or professors, she ventured through a few tapestries as she thought about actually telling him how she felt.

Would he laugh? Was she thinking that just because he almost kissed her again a few months ago – without death involved at least – that he really wanted to do it again? Was Sirius Black even the dating type?

All of these questions gave her a constant headache, her mind reeling at all the endless possibilities that could inevitably leave her heartbroken in the end. Not that she thought he'd ever hurt her on purpose, but if he didn't fancy her in the same way that she fancied him…well, there was no way that wouldn't hurt.

Deciding that if nothing happened by the end of the year, she'd go after him herself, she started the trek back up to the common room after realizing walking by yourself wasn't nearly as exciting as walking with someone else. Whispering the password to a napping Fat Lady, she opened up with a weak wave of her hand and Gemma walked into a scene she really didn't want to see.

"I don't understand why you won't go on a single date with me," Florence was complaining as Sirius sat in a chair, staring at the fire and not at her, "I thought we were close."

"On what planet?" He asked, not sounding particularly mean spirited about it but just generally curious at the ridiculousness of her believing that.

"We've been talking more lately—"

"You've been following me around, it's kinda hard not to talk to you," Gemma bit her lip to keep from laughing, almost feeling bad for Florence, "I just don't fancy you Florence, okay? I'm sorry if I led you on somehow but we're never going to happen."

"Is there someone else?" Gemma took deep breath as Sirius smirked, "Do you fancy Gemma?"

"Whether or not I fancy the cute little leprechaun is not your business, Dubois, I just don't want to date you. Okay?" He looked up at her finally, Gemma noticing wetness in her eyes and realized that maybe Florence actually had a soul in there somewhere.

"If you fancy her, why aren't you dating her? She's obviously stupidly in love with you."

"Is that so?" Sirius laughed, Gemma looking around her for something heavy and sharp to toss at her head. "That's news to me."

"She's always around you, how can you not tell?" Florence was red with anger and Gemma felt about the same way – how dare she try and spill secrets that weren't completely true!

"Well, I usually seek her out, so that's my fault. Do you think I'm stupidly in love with her? Because by your logic, I must be drowning with how in love I am with Gemma."

There was an awkward silence, Gemma tired of listening to it all and decided to just make herself known. "Drowning, are you? Perhaps I should throw you a floatation device," she said, trying to not act like she was a nervous wreck about the conversation they were having, "poor thing."

"Going to fish me out then, are you? Nice of you," Sirius smirked, Florence looking at her angrily again – a look she was getting used to by now.

"Goodnight, Florence." She said simply, flopping down next to Sirius who instantly threw an arm around her shoulders and she gave a little wave.

"Stupid cow," Florence said under her breath, turning on her heel finally and leaving them both in peace.

There was a slightly uncomfortable silence for a few minutes, Sirius never dropping his arm as she stared at the wood burning low in the fireplace and picked at the skin around her fingernails. She thought he might've fallen asleep but when she turned and looked at him again, he was just sitting there looking at her with a small smile and she flushed.

"So you're drowning in your love for me?" She laughed, Sirius shaking his head and pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Yeah, that's right, practically dead at this point."

He winked, both of them sliding down together and getting comfortable. "Florence is such a piece of work, I swear."

"She's jealous, it makes even the nicest girls bitchy…or the bitchy girls even more bitchy I guess," he laughed, leaning his head on top of hers.

"What is there even to be jealous of? She can have you if she wants you so bad," she teased.

"You'd die without me, O'Malley. Admit it."

Smiling to herself, she pinched his thigh. "Maybe."

"Didn't want my company tonight then?" He asked, rubbing her shoulder idly as they got even more comfortable.

"Just needed to think about some things, alone that is," she said honestly, closing her eyes as she felt the comfortable calmness of his presence lulling her to sleep slowly, "I don't need you ever waking hour Sirius."

"I know," he laughed, "but I was sitting down here waiting for you and got attacked by grabby hands Magee. You could have warned me better."

Snickering, she nodded as she turned against him and felt herself dozing off easily. "I'll do better next time."

"You better, or I'll punish you."

"Mm, how so?" She yawned, his arm pulling her closer.

"A good spanking should suffice."

"Pervert."

"Go to sleep O'Malley, I'll be here when you wake up."

She smiled knowing that before he even said it but she sighed happily anyway. "Thanks."

"Shhh, sleep."

Over the weekend, Gemma – as well as the other girls and the Marauders – were called down to a 'meeting' from the Heady Boy and Girl. Of course, she and Sirius already knew what it was all about but they kept their lips sealed as they took a seat with the rest of them and waited.

Lily looked nervously at all of them and James look about on cloud nine, smiling like a dork as he ruffled his hair and winked at Gemma. She laughed to herself, poking Mary in the side idly as they waited for someone to finally speak up.

"So, I guess…we thought we might as well tell you as a group," Lily started, blushing furiously as Gemma goaded her on silently with her eyes, "Just so we could get it out of the way all at one time."

"Right." James added.

"Okay then, ready?" Lily smiled.

"You're pregnant?" Mary asked, ruining the moment as James burst out laughing and Sirius barked out his own laugh and Gemma punched her in the shoulder. "Ow, God! It's a legitimate question!"

"Just shut up Mary," Gemma snorted, giving Lily back the floor.

"No, I'm not pregnant—"

"At least not yet." James winked, Lily reaching over and smacking him hard in the chest.

"I'm sure it'll be any day now," Sirius joked, Gemma leaning over Mary to smack him too, "So abusive, O'Malley.

"Shut your trap." She scolded with a grin, Sirius snorting.

"This is why I don't want to say anything," Lily said, sighing as she rubbed her temples as if a headache was already growing, "Our friends all act like three year olds."

Remus raised his hand as if in class. "I take great offense to that."

"Oh shut it, Remus," Lily huffed.

"Touchy bird," Sirius received a smack on the back of the head from Marlene this time.

"Just tell us Lily, are you dying? Did you make a pact to give up being Head Girl and Boy? What the hell is so important that you called a meeting?" Marlene asked, James snickering again as Lily glared.

"I'm not dying, or pregnant, or on drugs, I'm just dating this dumb arse over here," she pointed her thumb at James and waited for the ridicule she thought was coming, but Gemma knew better.

"Fucking finally," Mary started.

"Thank Merlin." Remus said with a sigh.

"Only took forever." Marlene laughed.

"I'm hungry, is that all you wanted to say?" Peter asked, all of them laughing as Lily stood there still expecting the bomb to go off that wasn't coming. "I'm going to the kitchens."

"I need tea, I'll go with." Remus stood with him and left, Mary and Marlene saying they were going to the library to meet up with other people and that left the last four to themselves.

Lily flopped down next to Gemma, resting her head on her shoulder as if she just endured some great ordeal and it had exhausted her. James and Sirius were pulling out a game of exploding snap just as Gemma cracked open a book from some pleasure reading.

"I told you it wasn't going to be so bad," she commented, kissing the top of her friend's head, "you worry wart."

"I expected at least a little more ribbing or something."

"We're not that horrible."

Lily chuckled, "Right, I'll remember that for the future."

"You best."

"But you know," Lily sat up, looking over at the boys and then back at her, "when you bag Sirius, just tell me, okay? Don't make me find out like you did."

"You mean snog in all the halls until you catch us and then wait another month to tell you? I'll do my best."

"You are going to tell him, aren't you?"

She looked over at Sirius and James again, Sirius looking back at her as if he knew she was thinking about him and he smiled goofily and tossed one of his fallen pieces at her. Gemma caught it easily and then chucked it back and laughed when it bounced off the side of his head and fell on the floor.

"You could have scarred my beautiful face, Leprechaun!" He shouted, pointing to the red mark on the side of his forehead. "My beautiful FACE!"

"Oh, boo-hoo, you'll live."

She screamed when he ran at her and grabbed her off the couch, hoisting her up into the air as he tickled her sides and made her squirm and shout. Dropping her back down and catching her safely in her arms as she slid down his body, he tweaked the end of her nose as she stuck her tongue out at him.

"Don't hurt my best feature, O'Malley."

"So sorry I almost ruined your modeling career forever," she joked, walking back over to fall into the couch again as he made his way back to his chess game, "that would be ever so tragic."

"My face is my living!" He yelled overdramatically, striking lots of silly poses that had her and Lily in hysterics before he finally gave up and went back to his game with an annoyed James.

"He is kind of wonderful," Lily laughed, Gemma just rolling her eyes as she grabbed for her book again and fought the silly smile on her face, "you could certainly do worse."

"I've done worse; I don't need to do it again. That's for sure."

Lily nodded. "Then tell him, just say how badly you want to snog his face off and see him naked and I'm sure he'll come around."

"You're as bad as Mary – I thought you were supposed to be my sane friend?"

"Who wants sane friends?"

Gemma snorted, glancing once more over at Sirius as she settled in. "If he hasn't made another move by New Years, I'll jump him. Deal?"

Lily nodded. "Deal."