I think I might be late in this. Sorry y'all, I've been sick for the past two weeks. Anyways, I hope y'all's 2019 is going great! And a big thank you to the guest who left a comment! Please let me know if you have any feedback or would like to see anything specific!

Around 11:30, Sage found herself growing bored and annoyed. She had stopped drinking as heavily long before then, knowing her limits well after living a lifetime with the Marauders. Sipping a glass of water, she surveyed the dancefloor disinterestedly. She had already danced her fill with Lily and Kylie before allowing them to spend some time with their respective boyfriends. But as even Peter was having some luck (with a fifth year Hufflepuff who seemed excited to have the attention of one of the Marauders), she was alone. Notably absent was Sirius; however, Sage knew that he often disappeared into a deserted room with a girl towards the middle of any party, as she found out during their party over the summer. Knowing this did not dull the pain in her chest at the thought.

Sage had just turned towards the exit when she spotted none other than Gideon Prewett making his way to her. She felt the air whoosh out of her diaphragm as he stopped close to her.

"You look...different," He observed, eyes lingering too long on the bit of cleavage exposed by a well-placed slash in the fabric.

"You've only seen me at school, so it makes sense," Sage said evenly. Gideon sneered, bringing a cup to his mouth and taking a drink.

"Hmm, seems like you're trying too hard," He said faux-casually after swallowing.

"To impress you?" Sage said before laughing derisively. "Fat chance."

"Not me," He said quickly. "I'm not into that," He motioned to her outfit with the hand still holding the cup. "But it definitely seems Black's type."

"You're an idiot if you truly believe those rumors," Sage said dismissively.

"Is that why you were moaning his name in your sleep?" Gideon said with a nasty smirk. Sage felt the humiliation rising in her throat and her hands started to shake.

"How dare you come into my house and be this insulting?" She ground out, then thought better of it. "You know what? You're a bloody idiot and I'm so glad I had the presence of mind to only waste an afternoon on you. Enjoy the party. Maybe you'll find some idiot girl to waste a little more time on you." She pushed past him, hitting his shoulder roughly enough that he spilled some of his drink down his front. Ignoring his cries of protest, Sage bounded up the stairs, pausing only briefly to admire the golden words spelling out "VIP ONLY" hovering over the landing, surely cast by one of the boys.

Sage went into her room and shut the door, leaning against the door for a moment. She took a few deep breaths to calm herself and noticed a few things at once: her record player, which was playing the most recent Queen album, had been moved closer to the sliding glass door that led out to the porch; said sliding door was opened a crack, the winter air making the room colder than normal; and the light on the balcony was on. She walked towards the door and saw Sirius sitting there with a bottle of firewhiskey on his lap, staring at the snow-covered grounds absently. Sage grabbed a fleece-covered blanket and wandered onto the patio, gaining Sirius' attention.

"What are you doing out here?" He asked, eying Sage as she wrapped the blanket around her shoulders.

"I was about to ask you the same thing," She said, shutting the door just enough that Millionaire Waltz still played clearly.

"Thinking," Sirius replied, shrugging.

"About the fight you and James had?" Sage asked softly. He grunted in assent and took a swig from the bottle. "You'll catch your death out here," Sage said, eying the charcoal thermal Sirius was wearing, which was by no means thick enough for the freezing air but brought out the stormy color of his eyes. She plopped down beside him and offered the side of her cover. He smiled softly and took it, wrapping it around his shoulders and throwing his arm around her to pull her closer, as the blanket wasn't that large. Sage laid her head on his shoulder, letting herself bask in his warmth without putting too much thought into it. "Tell me about it," she demanded.

Sirius sighed heavily and offered her the bottle, which Sage took and drank from. "He reckons that I'm getting too...reckless." He said, watching as Sage handed the bottle back to him. He took another large swig and continued, looking forward once more. "Last year...I went too far with a prank."

"Too far?" Sage prompted when Sirius paused for too long.

"Snivellus was poking around too much. He wanted to know why Remus disappeared each month. So I told him," Sirius stopped and cleared his throat. "I told him how to get past the Whomping Willow during a full moon. If he would have made it to the Shrieking Shack, that's where Remus goes for his transformation, he would have been attacked." Sage let out a small gasp at this. "James found out and stopped him."

"Sirius, why?" Sage asked, voice soft. She was staring at him, head still on his shoulder, arm still pressed to his side. Sirius refused to look at her as he answered.

"I was angry," he stated, voice getting deeper with hostility. "He was trying to get us expelled. He was trying to out Moony." Sage continued to stare at him for a few moments of silence.

"And you don't think that Remus would have been outed if he killed Snape?" Sage asked, still speaking softly. "Hell, outed, he would have been consumed by guilt."

"Yes," Sirius hissed angrily. "I wasn't thinking that far ahead. I was stupid and impulsive. I could have done a lot of damage." Sirius took another drink before continuing. "James was reminding me of that."

Sage pulled away slightly and put a hand on Sirius' jaw, turning his face towards hers. His eyes flickered over her nose, lips, cheekbones, everywhere but her eyes. "Sirius," she began, keeping her hand on his jawline. "You made a mistake."

"A mistake that could have gotten someone killed," He muttered, still not meeting her eyes. "A mistake that could have ruined my best friends life." Sirius took a shuddering breath, eyes focused on the bottle resting in his hand. "I'm just like my parents. As much as I fight it, I can't. What can I say? I'm a Black," he continued with a bitter laugh.

"Sirius Orion, look at me," Sage demanded. Sirius' eyes flickered to hers before returning to the bottle. "Look at me." She waited until his eyes flickered up to hers and stayed. "Everyone has light and dark in them. Everyone. What's important is what we act on. That's what defines us." Sirius' gray eyes burned into her blue ones. "You make mistakes but you own it. You're more Potter than Black."

"So you admit you make mistakes too?" Sirius said as a feeble attempt at a joke.

"All the time," Sage said softly, running the pad of her thumb over his jawline once. She dropped her hand and looked away. "One of them is currently downstairs," she muttered.

"Prewett?"

"Yep," she said, prying the bottle from his hand. Sirius let the subject drop as she took a swig and laid her head back on his shoulder.

"I can't believe your mum wants to do a Courting," he muttered bitterly, studying Sage's face. "I thought your parents were smarter than that."

"Me too," Sage agreed, oblivious to Sirius' stare as she watched the snow fall. "But Mum always made sure that we knew how to act in proper society. I guess this is just an extension of that."

"Oh?" Sirius said with a smirk. "You had etiquette lessons too?"

"Of course," Sage snorted, glancing up at Sirius' face. "Heaven forbid we use the wrong fork during the first course."

"Ballroom lessons as well?" Sirius challenged.

"Of course," Sage repeated.

"We'll see about that," Sirius said suddenly, grabbing the bottle from Sage's hand and placing it on the ground next to the wicker loveseat. He stood, holding his hand out to her in a flourish. Sage giggled and slipped her hand into his, letting him pull her up. He pulled her into his arms, one arm around her waist and the other at nearly a 90-degree angle with her hand clasped loosely in his. Sage's heart flew into her throat at his proximity and when he stepped forward, she stumbled. He gave her a smug grin. "Thought so!" He exclaimed.

"I wasn't ready, " Sage laughed. "I demand a do-over!"

"Whatever the lady wishes," Sirius stated in between chuckles. "Ready, and, go!" Sage was ready when Sirius moved this time and he danced her around the balcony as they laughed. Finally, he twirled her and caught her in his arms as the next song ended and Somebody to Love began. Breathless, both from the exertion of the ridiculous dance moves and their laughing, Sirius let go of Sage's hand and wrapped both his arms around her middle. Sage's free hand fell to his bicep, the other still looped around his neck and she leaned into his shoulder, still laughing. Dimly, they could hear the crowd below start chanting.

Ten.

Sage brought her head up to see Sirius' face, still laughing, eyes glittering.

Nine.

Sirius' smile dimmed softly as he gazed down on her.

Eight.

"You always make me feel like a good person," Sirius murmured. "You know that?"

Seven.

"You are a good person," Sage whispered.

Six.

"The best person," she continued.

Five.

"I'm not," he said definitively.

Four.

"But, I think," he continued, "I could be."

Three.

"For you."

Two.

Sirius leaned his forehead on hers, closing his eyes.

One.

Sage's eyes were still open as his lips descended on hers. She let out a small gasp, closing her eyes automatically, hands jumping to entangle in his hair. Cheers erupted from below as she sucked his lower lip into her mouth, causing a groan to escape Sirius' throat. Sage really had no idea what she was doing; this was the first real kiss she had ever experienced. But when Sirius' arms tightened around her, she opened her mouth to let his tongue in. His tongue slid smoothly against hers, probing and teasing. She let out her own moan, hands clenching around strands of his hair, and matched his movements with her own tongue. They stayed like that, arms around each other, mouths working feverishly against each other, until a loud crash sounded from the lower level, bringing them to their senses.

Sirius pushed away from her, eyes bright and chest heaving. "Shit," he groaned. "Shit."

"Sirius," Sage said, hands outstretched beseechingly towards him, though she had no idea what she was about to say. Sirius opened his mouth, closed it, and shook his head.

"I-I'm sorry," he stuttered. "We-I gotta go." And with that, he exited through the sliding glass doors that led to James' room. Sage put her hands to her swollen lips, watching as he shut the door and stomped through the darkened room, leaving her behind. The sob that came from her lips was inevitable, as were the tears that filled her eyes. Blindly, she made her way through her own door and flung it shut, making the glass shake warningly.

Sage threw herself onto her bed and sobbed into her pillows. Sirius didn't want her. He was lonely, he was hurt, and she was there. He doesn't want me.

He'll never want me.