I'm a Fiend for You

by freyja-luna

In her final year at Hogwarts, Muggleborn Seer and Ravenclaw Kersti Ridgelow, aka Grindylow, attracts the attention of Lily Evans and the infamous Marauders. How? With a pumpkin-juice revenge prank on a Slytherin, of course! And who knew pumpkin juice would lead Kersti to casually sleeping with Sirius Black, and then accidentally falling in love with him. Updates once a week.

34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34: Drinking Contest

In your eyes by The Weeknd

AN: I'm super excited that I've gotten to this part of the story, because we're almost at the Christmas holidays and shit hits the fan (in a good way) when everyone comes back from the break. Only a few more chapters and then we get to the juicy stuff.

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Another taxing and tense week passed. It brought me ever closer to obliviating my family, with the train back to King's Cross Station set to leave on Saturday, exactly one week from now. To make matters worse, Tess wasn't talking to me and was incensed at me for tolerating Sirius being an arsehole to her, and for sticking with him after she had walked away. I didn't blame her, because I'd acted so callously. I'd apologized the day of, but I understood that she needed some space from me for her anger to fizzle out, and the least I could do was grant her that when I'd already behaved so poorly. Even though there was another quidditch match today- between Slytherin and Gryffindor no less- I opted to stay in the library, frantically cramming any information that I could find onto a piece of parchment with a Muggle pen. Like everyone except the Slytherins, I was confident that Gryffindor would be victorious under the leadership of James, and I was planning to attend the celebration in the Common Room after their inevitable win. What better way to distract myself than to get trollied with Sirius?

As predicted, Gryffindor won the match and Emily came to collect me from our dormitory so that we could arrive together, and she teased me the whole way up about me running off to shag Sirius in the middle of the party like at the last one we had attended. We went through the portrait hole to the sound of raucous cheering and a chanting victory song about James's quidditch prowess. I laughed at the sight of James being clobbered by his teammates and fans, the only thing visible being his mop of unruly dark hair because he was so tall. I saw Lily milling about with Marlene and Dorcas, and Sirius goofing around with Remus and Peter, but I split up from Emily and went to get a drink instead. I wanted to have a decent time at this party and not be moping in the corner, and for that I need some alcohol to wash away my stress.

I'd just poured myself a drink and was watching the celebration unfold from the edge of the room when Sirius appeared next to me.

"Jesus, you scared me," I said and flashed him a grin.

"Sorry, kitten. Didn't mean to." His eyes flicked from the cup to my face. "Hitting the drinks already, huh?"

"Mmm."

He watched my face with what looked like concern for a laboured moment, before he grinned and ran a hand through his hair "Fancy a shag before we both get monged?"

I smiled. "That sounds lovely, old man. Who doesn't like a celebratory shag?"

He laughed his bark-like laugh and led the way through the crowd, both of us ignoring the stares and whispering that followed us to the boys' dormitory staircase. We took the steps two at a time and then bolted through the door, swinging it closed with a firm thud. I immediately noticed a blank, worn bit of parchment sitting on Sirius's bedside table and had to bite my tongue to stop myself from telling him that I knew that it was the Marauders' Map, and that he had supposedly developed a habit of checking it every morning. I didn't want to scare Sirius away by telling him that I'd overheard them in the forest.

"Shit," Sirius said under his breath as he walked towards his four-poster bed, kicking off his shoes on the way. He raised his shirt to his nose. "I think I smell from the match."

I slipped my own shoes off and started on my jumper. "I'm sure it's not that bad."

He turned around to give me an incredulous look. "No, it really is bad. I positively reek."

"It's worse than you think because of your dog nose."

"So tigers are nose-blind?"

"No, but my sense of smell isn't nearly as good as yours, so I doubt I'll even notice anything. I think you're blowing it out of proportion."

Sirius sighed but smiled at me. "Lucky you, not being bothered by smells, kitten."

I shrugged and pulled my jumper off. "Sometimes I hate being able to hear all the conversations going on around me in class, especially if someone's saying something rude about me. Just part and parcel of being an animagus."

He pulled his shirt off and I was momentarily distracted by the sight of his pale, lean torso. Fuck, he was hot. His eyes drank me in from head to toe. "Do you regret it, then? Becoming an animagus and all that?"

I shook my head. "No, never. It's been far too helpful for me to ever regret it. And ultimately, it's amazing," I said, walking closer, unable to tear my eyes from his, "being able to see the world through a different perspective, to have a refuge when… things get too painful to, er… cope with," I finished suddenly. I hadn't meant to tell him that much, but it was too late now, and I didn't mind with Sirius. There was no one better to tell about my personal struggles than him, despite the fact that I hadn't shared the full story.

He stared back at me and tucked a stray curl behind my ear. "That bad, huh?" he said, his expression suddenly solemn.

I shrugged. "Sometimes. Not always. Depends." Maybe that was what made my friendship with Sirius so different; I couldn't lie to or hide from him, though I did have to resort to half-truths and avoidance.

His thumb moved absentmindedly over the skin of my neck, his hand still resting there after tucking the hair away. He opened his mouth to say something but decided against it and drew away from me. I watched him, suddenly afraid that things would take a turn for the worse, until he offered me a lop-sided grin as he started on his belt buckle and zip. "I'm going to be done before you at this rate, kitten."

"No need to be impatient," I said, wiggling out of my trousers.

"I'm always impatient when it comes to shagging you," he said with a devious smirk.

I chuckled in response and sat down on the edge of his bed to unclip my bra. Even though Sirius was watching my every movement as he sat down next to me, I wasn't nervous. We'd fucked too many times for us to be edgy about being naked around each other, not that Sirius had ever been. In fact, his unwavering gaze emboldened me, made me more aroused because I could see how much I affected him.

"We drive each other barmy, don't we?" I said as I slipped my knickers down my legs.

His beautiful lips quirked up. "Yeah, we do, kitten."

I stretched out on my back on his bed, finding a comfortable spot for my head on his pillow. I didn't have to wait long before he joined me, a hand braced beside me while the other ran down my waist, drawing the flat of his palm over my stomach, down my hip to my thigh, and then shifting my legs so that they were wrapped around his hips, his erection hard against my inner thigh. I sighed and he grinned, slowly lowering his weight on top of me before I pulled him down to close the distance between us. And then his perfect lips were pressing against mine and my tongue quickly wiggled in between his closed lips to explore the inside of his mouth. He sighed into my mouth and ran a hand over my leg from thigh to calf while I sank a hand into his dark hair. I couldn't see myself ever getting tired of this, not when every moment with him fed my addiction for him.

I broke away from him after a while. "Thanks for suggesting we shag first."

His face was so close that the tip of his nose was nearly brushing mine. "Of course, kitten. Reckon this might be one of the last times before we leave for the holidays and I wanted to enjoy it."

I smiled. "Hard to enjoy the sex if we're both monged, yeah?"

"Mmm, yeah," he said, smiling and watching my face. I wished that there was some more light in the room, so that I could admire the lovely grey of his eyes since his face was so close to mine. Before he resumed our snogging, Sirius paused to tuck a fly-away hair behind my ear and wipe the gathering sweat from my forehead. I flushed. Perhaps it was only him thinking of his own desire not to shag a sweat-covered girl, but the gesture felt oddly tender to me, especially when he was still fixated on my face.

I swept a sweaty strand of hair that stuck to his cheek behind his ear and we both laughed. "Look how sweaty we are," I said.

He smiled. "It's not bad, we're equally sweaty."

"Merlin forbid I'm grimy alone."

Sirius laughed before he kissed me again, this time the chemistry that plagued our interactions bleeding through until we were both gasping and panting with need. This shag had already started to feel different, more intimate, than the last time, which had been a hasty quickie in the broom cupboard. Perhaps savouring the sex was how we should opt to go from now on, because this was turning out to be better than the previous times.

I pulled my mouth from his. "D'you think our sex has gotten better?" I asked, suddenly nervous about his answer.

He smiled and stirred on top of me, his bare skin shifting against mine so deliciously. "Yeah, I think it has. Do you?"

"Yeah, it's loads better. Not that it wasn't bad at all before," I added hastily, "I just feel like we have a better feel for what the other wants now? If that makes sense."

"Yeah, makes sense," he mumbled, eyes on mine.

I had an intense urge to unsay my question if I could've, because I didn't want to remind him that he'd shagged me so many more times than he ordinarily did with a single girl. But why was I worrying about such silly things? I pushed my anxious thoughts away and drew him back down to my waiting lips with the hand in his hair, the other seeking purchase on his upper arm. Was I falling down into my need for Sirius, or was he drawing me up into him until my whole field of sensation was him, here, in his bed, and under his body? I didn't know anything at this moment, except that I needed all of him.

I groaned and broke away. "What position do you want to do?"

He shifted the hand on the bed next to my shoulder. "Like this."

"But we've never had sex with you on top before," I whispered.

"I know. But I want to see you," he whispered back, eyes glued to mine.

"O-okay." I swallowed, suddenly self-conscious under the weight of his gaze.

He smiled gently. "Only if you want to, kitten."

I nodded in affirmation. He kissed me softly before shifting so that he could be in a position to slide inside me.

"Do you need me to finger you?" he asked, fingers running along my stomach towards my cunt.

I shook my head. "No, I'll be fine. I'm wet enough."

He grinned in answer and positioned himself at my entrance before slowly sliding inside.

"Oh, fuck," I breathed.

It never failed to amaze me how good he felt inside me everytime, and judging from his low groan, he felt the same way about me. He stilled for a moment before making a slow, measured thrust. I gripped his arm with one hand, the other still buried in his hair as he picked a slow pace to begin. I would've looked away with a sudden shyness from his gaze, which had never left my face, if I hadn't been so equally transfixed. As he thrust faster into me, my breasts bouncing with the movement, everything but him and our sex vanished into the background.

I gasped and writhed. I would've felt less scorched if Sirius had been fucking me in an actual fire. Flames seemed to lick up my limbs, starting from my toes and going up my legs, and scorching my torso on the way up to my neck. My vision blurred and I could hear my harsh breaths and the furious thumping of my heart. My lungs couldn't draw breath fast enough to cool the fire that burnt me from the inside-out. Flames doused me, my cheeks burning hot as if branded by iron from a forge. I tipped my head back and moaned as my legs shook around his hips.

"Merlin, are you alright?" he said, stilling inside me. "You look possessed."

I tilted my head back down to look at him and couldn't help but smile at his concerned expression. "I'm not possessed. It's just… very intense this time round. Dunno what's gotten into me."

His lips quirked into a smile and he shifted a hand, which was braced on the bed next to my shoulder. "What does it feel like?"

I couldn't tear my eyes away. "Like I'm on fire."

"Because of me?" he whispered.

"Because of you. I've never felt like this before," I breathed.

He shifted his weight on his hands, unable to break my gaze. "Good," he whispered and rolled his hips. I groaned long and low. He grinned and resumed his pace from before, but this time he watched my face as I writhed and twisted and moaned underneath him, in between the pillars of his arms and underneath his body weight. It was as if Sirius had become the star that he was named after, and I was being pulled into his burning self. I wouldn't make it out of this unscorched, unburnt by his touch, but I didn't care. I didn't care if his touch burnt brands forever into my skin where he caressed me, if his star-fire so consumed me that I was never the same again. I wanted this, I wanted him, and I didn't care what happened. If I could never come back from this, from him, unscathed, then so be it. This sex, this joining together, was worth it.

When he reached a hand between our bodies to rub my clit, I moaned his name. I wouldn't last much longer from this intense sex, and I told him as much as he rubbed his thumb faster. All my writhing underneath him and moaning his name must've gotten to him, because he came first, cursing and thrusting deep inside me. Then, he resumed rubbing my clit with renewed vigour and made me climax soon after, his name falling from my mouth in between my cries.

I let out a shaky breath. "Merlin, that was quite the shag."

Sirius barked out a laugh. "Yeah, it was." He untangled himself from me and turned to lie down on his bed next to me, his hands behind his head and his legs crossed at the ankle.

I stretched before staring up at the ceiling like him. "It really did feel like I was on fire, you know."

Sirius grinned. "I believe you." We drifted into a comfortable silence for a minute before Sirius turned his head on the pillow to watch me. "What're you doing during the holidays?"

"Spending time with my family," I said, trying not to let on how morose I was at the prospect of the Christmas holidays. I shifted so that we were face to face. "What about you?"

He gave me an easy smile. "I'm staying with Prongs and his family the whole time."

"Really?"

"Yeah," he said, scanning my face. "I did that last year too."

I stared back at him, our heads so close on the pillow that I could feel his warm breath on my cheek. The unsaid statement was that he'd chosen to no longer spend time with his own family since he was not welcome there after being disowned, which gave me an idea of when he'd been labelled a blood traitor. In the vaguest way, I asked, "Is it better with his family?"

Sirius smiled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Yes. Much better."

"No comparison?"

"No comparison." His smile was pinched.

I sat up and poked him playfully where he was lying down. "Enough of that, old man. Fancy getting drunk now?"

He sat up, pushing some hair away from his face. "Now that we've had a wicked shag, yeah?"

I chuckled and got up to gather my clothes. Once we were both presentable and had smoothed our ruffled hair, we headed out of the dormitory together. I cast a last glance over at the Map, itching to pick it up and fiddle around with it to discover how it worked, and ask Sirius how they'd made it, but I forced myself to lead the way out and down the stairs. The party had gotten even more rowdy because the Common Room was significantly fuller. Sirius and I reached the bottom of the stairs and descended into the roiling mass of party attendees. I followed his lead until we stopped at a quieter corner of the room next to a drinks table.

We'd just gotten our drinks poured when we were joined by Emily and Riley, who had come over to get their own beverages.

"Ridgelow, Black," Riley nodded to us while I smiled at Em in greeting.

Emily gave Sirius a look of pure loathing. "Nice fucking job being a total arsehole to Tess, Black." She turned to me. "And nice of you to abandon her, Kersti."

I sighed and swirled the Butterbeer in my cup. "I know, I was a right bugger about it," I said before Sirius could get a word in edgewise.

"Yeah, you were. That took the biscuit." Emily glared at Sirius but her expression was soft when she looked at me. "At least you can acknowledge it."

"Will she forgive me? You know how she can hold a grudge like no other."

"Yeah, she will. Thanks for giving her space to cool off though. I know that she appreciates it."

I gave her a small smile before taking a sip of my Butterbeer. Riley cleared his throat. "Congratulations on today's win, Black."

Sirius grinned beside me. "Thanks, Rafferty."

"I reckon you and Potter are set to win the Cup this year if you keep this up." I rolled my eyes at Riley's comment, as if Sirius and James were solely responsible for the Gryffindor team's success.

"Yeah, he thinks so too," Sirius said, casting a glance over to where his friend could be seen talking with some other seventh-years. "And I should bloody well hope we do. He's been training us to a pulp."

I smiled and looked at James. "He does take quidditch very seriously. And so do you," I added to Sirius.

He grinned and pushed some hair away from his face. "The finest sport there is."

Emily rolled her eyes. "Come on, Riles. I want to talk to Vance since she's here." She smiled at me before she set off for the other side of the room with her boyfriend in tow.

"You really were being an arsehole last Saturday," I said mildly.

Sirius hummed noncommittally before downing the rest of his Butterbeer and wiping the foam from his mouth with the back of his hand. "Fancy some shots of firewhiskey, kitten?"

I finished mine as well. "Why not, I wanted to get trollied anyway."

He flashed me a mischievous grin. "Knew you'd agree."

"Knew? What are you, a legilimens?" I joked as he accio-ed the nearest bottle of firewhiskey and pair of shot glasses.

"I would never invade your mind without permission," he said.

"I know. And likewise."

Sirius used magic to pour out the two shots before pocketing his wand and handing me one. He quickly tossed it back without so much as a cough.

I laughed. "You didn't have to do it so quickly. I wasn't aware we were having a competition."

He looked at me, a dangerous glint to his eyes. "A competition, huh? Fancy a drinking competition, kitten?"

I threw back my shot and coughed at the burning. "Oh, why not, old man."

Sirius flashed me a shit-eating grin before refilling our glasses and handing me mine. We tossed the second and third ones back without a hitch, both of us feeling overconfident because the alcohol hadn't hit our systems yet. However, it was bound to soon, given we were drinking on empty stomachs. Sirius drank the fourth shot and once he'd swallowed, he shook his head like a dog trying to rid himself of moisture that clung to his coat. I snorted and nearly retched up my fourth shot because I was laughing so hard. He was so like his animagus form.

"What're you laughing about, kitten?"

"You're such a manky dog," I said in between giggles.

He made a silly face at me. "Hairballs."

The next shot went down fine, but I stuck my tongue out after in disgust at the awful burning sensation in my mouth. Now it was Sirius's turn to laugh at me being silly.

"Hi, you two," someone said, their figure swimming into view.

"Evans, Prongs," Sirius said with the beginnings of a drunk lilt to his voice.

"Hiya," I said as Lily got a mug of Butterbeer for herself and James.

"We're having a drinking contest," Sirius announced to James, gesturing with a thumb between me and himself.

He snorted with laughter. "Oh, shit. That's a bad idea, Padfoot. Why am I not surprised?"

"We'll be just fine, Rotter," I garbled.

"If by fine you mean passed out on a couch together for the whole world to see, then yes, I'm sure you will be," Lily teased.

James laughed. "Carpe diem, Lily." He finished his mug of Butterbeer and I refilled it for him, despite my swimming vision and lessening control over my motor skills. Sirius got us another shot each and we guzzled those too.

"It's too bad you're not in Slug Club, Kersti," Lily said.

"Slug Club?"

"Slughorn hosts a Christmas party for all the members of his Slug Club every year. It's a rather formal affair where everyone wears dresses and suits and brings a date to it," Lily explained.

"S'dumb. I hate it," Sirius muttered.

"You've never been, how could you hate it?" Lily asked curiously.

"Don't need to go to know it's fucking stupid," Sirius replied petulantly.

"Well, anyway, Lily is taking me as her date this year of course," James jumped in, saving his best mate from getting carried away with his hatred for the gatherings.

"No, really? You don't say!" I joked.

"Ha, ha, very funny," James said.

"Whaddya mean you're taking Prongs? I thought you were taking me, Evans," Sirius joked.

I snorted with laughter. "Don't you dare take him, Lily. I won't have it," I slurred.

Lily wiggled her eyebrows at me. "Oh, I know you'd be livid."

James straightened up. "Uh, excuse me? What about me? You think I fancy my girlfriend going with my best mate to a party? I'm in the same boat as you, Stripes."

Sirius and I descended into a fit of drunken giggles. "We should show up and crash their stupid party, kitten," Sirius said, draping an arm around my shoulders and grinning down at me.

"Sounds like a plan, Stan."

"Why're you calling me Stan? That's not my name."

Lily and James were laughing at us being drunken hooligans. "You two are a mess."

"A hot mess," Sirius slurred.

"Howdy, howdy, let's get rowdy," I mumbled and Sirius started wheezing from laughter.

"S'what're your plans for the holidays?" I said to James and Lily, leaning against Sirius so that I didn't sway in place.

"Well, you already know about the wedding and meeting my family, but besides that, I'm not sure," Lily said.

"Oh, I know. You should stay at my place for the last half and then go directly to King's Cross with us on the second," James said, ruffling his hair.

"Sounds like a bloody good time," Sirius added with a lopsided grin.

"Have enough room at your house, Rotter?"

"More than enough. Way too much, in fact. Mum'll be so happy to fill some of the empty guest rooms for once. Besides yours, Padfoot."

"Still the same, Prongs."

"If you're coming over, Lily-flower, we might as well invite Moony and Wormtail too."

"Like last year," Sirius added, his thumb rubbing over my shoulder absentmindedly.

"Does sound like a good time," I muttered, the party noise muting under the effects of the alcohol.

"You could come too, Stripes," James offered. "If you're not doing anything during the break, that is."

I blinked slowly, trying to reorganize my thoughts into a coherent train, with little success. "Gotta do important thingies over the break. Dunno if I'll be 'round for it."

"You going on vacation or what?" Sirius asked.

"Nope, not vacation. Important stuff. With the family. Stuff." Sirius stared at me as soon as I'd mentioned my family. Of course he would, seeing as his family was so messed up from what I'd heard. He was probably wondering if he wasn't the only one with some serious familial baggage. "S'not that bad. My family's fine," I reassured him.

He grinned, his eyes looking unfocused and glazed over from the shots. "Good thing we shagged before the drinks. I couldn't do it now."

James and Lily laughed. "Merlin, too much information."

"So you don't mind if we occupy the dormitory, Padfoot?"

Sirius shook his head vigorously. "Only if Moony and Wormtail aren't there."

"I'm not that blind! I wouldn't start shagging in there if they'd gotten there first. What kind of lech do you think I am?"

"Ew, James, no!" Lily said, laughing at her boyfriend's antics.

"Moony isn't even there, he's over there with the other boys. And Wormtail is being a lightweight as usual."

I raised a hand to rub my forehead and eyes. I wanted to go lie down somewhere, but I didn't think that I would be able to walk in a straight line or not tip over if I wasn't leaning so heavily on Sirius. At least I wasn't stressed out anymore.

"I'm still worried about meeting your family, Lily," James said.

"It's not like you'd be going alone, you'll have me there. And my parents are nice, you know that. I'm not sure about Petunia, but… I think it'll be okay."

"What about her fiancé?"

"Vernon? Oh, er… I dunno."

"Good luck, sounds like a disaster," Sirius said. "I don't envy you."

James raised an eyebrow at his friend. "It's not like they're Hungarian Horntails, Padfoot. We'll come out in one piece."

I stood, leaning against Sirius with his arm still around my shoulders, slipping in and out of awareness. I registered James and Lily leaving us alone after some time, with James holding her hand as he led her through the crowd. I raised a hand to my throbbing temples. God, why did I always think it was a good idea to drink? Why hadn't I smoked some buds instead?

Sirius was amazingly less drunk than I was and had even helped himself to another mug of Butterbeer, his other hand gripping my shoulder gently. He was probably worried that I would fall over if he weren't there to prop me up.

"You were being a git in Hogsmeade," I mumbled.

"Yeah, I was." I looked up at him in surprise. He raised an eyebrow. "What? I'm not oblivious. Fancy a sip?" he said, holding up the Butterbeer. I shook my head, and he finished the rest and put down his mug. "Not one of my finer moments."

"Surprised you'd admit to it."

Sirius scoffed. "You know I'm not heartless, and I am mostly self-aware."

"Acting like an arsehole 'cause you don't want people to see the real you isn't an excuse."

He was silent for a beat as he watched me. "I know," he said quietly.

"Why'd you do it, then?"

He shrugged. "Force of habit. S'easier to be an arsehole, I've had practice. Prongs and Moony help me see sense, thank Merlin."

"Good friends call you out on your bullshit."

"Like you?"

"Yeah, like me I reckon."

Sirius hummed in response, his lips curving into a smile.

I closed my eyes to stop the room from tilting and couldn't help blurting out my thoughts. "Y'know, I really can't get enough of you, that's no exaggeration. I'll miss spending time with you over the break, even if you don't miss me. Something happy to think about since my life'll go to shit."

I felt him shift to face me, his arm falling from my shoulders. "What?"

"Just… stuff I gotta deal with, I'll be oookkkkaaaayyyyyy." I opened my eyes. "I'm talking nonsense, aren't I?"

"A bit, yeah. S'funny though. You're funny."

"You're funny too. You make me laugh. I like that about you," I said, having no control over the stream of brain-to-mouth thoughts.

Sirius reached out to place his hands on my shoulders to steady me, and to steady himself since he looked wobbly on his feet as well. "You make me laugh too, I like that about you," he slurred, but the twinkle in his grey eyes was serious.

"At least it's mutual," I said, holding up a finger.

"Gonna miss you making me laugh over the break, kitten," he said, shaking my shoulders gently for effect and pouting.

I stepped closer to pinch his cheeks. "Aw, so sweet."

"You don't think I'm an arsehole after Hogsmeade?" he said in a worried tone.

"Nope, not at all. Just behave badly sometimes, you goof." I tilted my head in confusion, taking my hands away from his face. "Is my opinion important to you?"

He smiled ruefully and cocked an eyebrow. "What d'you think? Very important. Dunno how or when that happened, I usually don't give a shit 'bout what people think."

I shrugged. "We're friends, you'll survive," I said and patted him on the shoulder in mock-concern.

"And I know you're not the backstabbing type, so…"

"Stop, you're gonna make me cry from all the happy feelings," I said and pretended to wipe my eyes.

"Aw, kitten, don't cry," he said and squashed me in a bear hug (or was it a dog hug?).

"Not crying," I said, but it was so muffled by his chest that he didn't hear.

"Usually I'd spend parties with Prongs, maybe Moony if he wasn't too tired," Sirius said wistfully.

I stepped out of his arms to look at him quizzically. "D'you miss it? Since now he's occupied with Lils."

He shrugged and looked at the gyrating crowd around us. "He's happy so I'm happy. Was bound to happen sometime. And I still have Moony and Wormtail."

"You'll always be number one in his heart, old man."

He grinned widely at me. "I know, kitten."

"He's not what I expected either, when I met him," I said with a loopy grin.

"He can make bad impressions on new people."

"A loveable idiot."

Sirius laughed. "Yep."

"Thanks for spending the party with me," I said.

He looked at me and grinned. "Thanks for spending it with me. You don't have to thank me."

"You don't have to thank me," I parroted.

Sirius let out a bark of laughter and let me lean into his side so that I wouldn't fall over and make a bigger arse of myself than I already had. That was how Emily found me some time later when she came to collect me for our return journey to the Ravenclaw Tower, where I could pass out in the safety of our dormitory. I heard her muttering something about "bloody Black" as she steered me away. I managed to stop briefly to turn back to Sirius, who was watching me leave with a silly grin on his face. I waved and blew him a kiss, my smile mirroring his. He returned my air-kiss and I could hear his barks of laughter from here. God, he made me so bloody happy and I knew that I would sorely miss him over the Christmas holidays.