Hestia walked with her boyfriend, Rufus Clearwater, as he talked about the growing tension between his parents. He was a half blood, his mother a muggle and his father, pureblood. The two had grown up together, fallen in love and had married. His father had been besides himself when his mother had agreed to marry him despite him being a wizard. But with the growing tensions in wizarding world, she has been asking her husband to leave his job and stay low. She was a surgeon, and argued that they'd still have enough to get by even if he leaves his job. But his father had been adamant on not leaving his job. Hestia listened, her head down. She always listened better when she had her head down, looking at something insignificant. When Rufus sighed out of frustration she took his and hand, looked up at him and smiled.

"They'll be okay, Rufus." she said, softly. Hestia has never been good with words. It frustrated the life out of her that she couldn't speak the words she'd have on the tip of her tongue. She was exceptionally an quiet witch. Although she did have a scathing tongue when it came down to it, but normally, she found it better to just keep it all in, sipping on her tea and having conversations in her head. Although for a while now, it's been difficult keeping things inside of her. Rufus and Hestia had been together for at least four months now. For Hestia it was a long time. She hadn't exactly been in a long relationship. She'd been asked out five times since their third year, had walked out of three dates, spilled tea over the fourth guy on their second date and had been in a relationship for four months with the fifth guy, Rufus. And while it felt good that she had someone outside of her friend circle with whom she can talk (not that she spoke much), it didn't feel right. But maybe that was because she had never been in a relationship before, she had reasoned. Sure kissing Rufus had been nice. But she never realised what the whole hype was about. She was never out of breath, or had her heart hammering or her body tingling when Rufus wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her against himself. She sure felt her neck getting warmer until that warmth reached her cheeks, ears and then her head and pricked at some spots on her scalp. But that too, soon withered away as she got familiar with rhythm with which Rufus moved. And this is what had happened with their relationship too. In the beginning she had found Rufus charming. He was always out of breath trying to tell her something funny and she had been more than happy to listen to him. This however was beginning to be a routine. And heaven knew Hestia hated routine. Her smiles had become forced, her nodding and shaking her head had found a pattern according to the tone of Rufus and at points she'd just nod mindlessly, her brain looking for something, anything new. And she had found something new. It wasn't new per se.

Remus Lupin had acquired quite a huge share of space in her brain even back in their fourth year. She had never exactly paid attention to him before until one day she was paired with him in Transfiguration and realised just how much funny he could be if only you'd listen to him muttering under his breath. Hestia, who was very selective at what she found humorous and was the most difficult to get a chuckle out of, had found herself unable to stop from bubbling up with laughter so much, that McGonagall had called her out for it. Lily and Marlene had given her curious looks for a whole week whenever she'd sit with Remus. For nearly a month she had found herself enjoying Remus's company, at lunch, dinner, in the class until he was absent for a couple of nights and when he did come back from home, he looked sick and exhausted. It wasn't until for the next few months that she realised he was a werewolf. She hadn't told anyone and neither had she confronted Remus about it. She enjoyed his company so much that she had wondered what it would be like to date him. The thoughts had impaled her mind when he'd be explaining to her something or would be just talking with his friends. They had been sort of friends with each other, and had exchanged letters over the summer. Hestia had never experienced being attracted towards a boy so much that she'd want to spend time with him. Normally she just existed around people, highly disinterested in what they talked about let alone engage in chatting or attentively listening. But her constant wish to seek out Remus's company had made her ask him out on the first Hogsmede weekend of their fifth year. He had refused making some excuse about not being in the head space for dating someone and insinuating that if anything, Hestia might end up getting hurt with his problems at keeping a relationship. Hestia hadn't pursued the matter, well aware that it was his lycanthropy that he was referring to. Hestia had found it incredibly difficult to keep her calm around him after that. Her heartbeat went haywire and her stomach lurched at the sight of him concentrating on cutting beans or stirring the potion, his brows knitted and his lips pursed, but this was also accompanied by her heart clenching. She had never wanted to hug anyone as much as she had wanted to hug Remus. She hated hugs. Marlene and Lily always used the threat of hugging her to death to make her do their bidding. But Remus, she wanted to hug, feel his warmth spread to her. She wasn't sure she wanted to kiss him, sure it'd be nice, she had reasoned, but she wanted to hug him and hold him close for eternity and the fact that he had refused to go out with her made the thought even more painful. She then had done the only reasonable, sensible thing anyone, who'd been rejected by their crush, would do. Hide. She'd spend her free time in her dormitory, studying, instead of in the library where she was sure to find Remus. She'd wolf down her meals with extraordinary speed, while still maintaining her calm and would rush back to some hiding spot before the marauders could get in the Great Hall. To her relief or maybe dismay, Remus hadn't tried to confront her for ignoring him. Maybe it didn't bother him at all, she had thought. Only when she had successfully cut him out of her routine, that she had returned to her normal self, lazy mannerism, disinterested in conversations and a bored expression playing on her face. Gradually the feeling in the pit of her stomach had dulled over the months. She didn't feel the desperate urge to hold Remus close. The dull pain in her chest was still there but had disappeared soon after she'd started dating Rufus. It had distracted her from her thoughts and had given her an environment away from her familiar company. Despite of what her bored eyes may convey, there was nothing Hestia loved more than change. Especially the change of her surroundings, sometimes a fresh company (even though she'd still look bored) and Rufus's company, his friends, had brought a much welcomed distraction for her. But now that she's found herself zoning out of Rufus's company she wondered if she'd started dating him only as a means of distraction or did she really enjoy his company. Something deep inside of her knew that she wasn't happy in her relationship but she was desperately trying to hold on, because she didn't know if she'd be able to face Remus and not go through all of those emotions all over again, once she broke up with Rufus.

"There you are. I think the class hasn't started yet. I'd better hurry up, else Slughorn will make me assist him in making some potion." said Rufus as they reached the Transfiguration classroom where Hestia had a class.

Rufus kissed Hestia quickly on the lips and rushed off to his class. Hestia sighed and entered the class, determined not to look in the direction of Remus.


"Just where do you think you're running off to, McKinnon?" asked a familiar voice, as Marlene jumped and was quickly pulled into a dark corridor. She found herself face to face with the one person she'd been avoiding. She rolled her eyes. The classes for the day had finally come to an end and she had told Lily and Hestia that she'll rest in the dormitory before dinner. Her dormitory however was already occupied with Mary and Janine her other two dorm mates along with some of their seniors. All she had wanted to do was avoid Sirius Black. She had been successful so far but stepping out of the Gryffindor tower, hoping he wouldn't find her, was her biggest mistake.

"The library." she replied.

"I don't see your bag, or any books or any parchment or any quill." said Sirius, raising his eyebrows.

"I just need to get a book issued so I could study in my dorm." she replied.

"Library is the other way."

"I just wanted to take a walk."

"Come on McKinnon, you're getting lame." he said, grinning.

"What do you want Black? Don't you have a skin care routine to follow?"

"Hair. I've a hair care routine and it's only for Saturdays and Wednesdays."

"Urghh, what do you want?!"

"I think you've a fair idea what I want."

"A shampoo with glittering charm?"

"That, and a nice, steamy snog."

"Well you're out of luck today."

"Really? I thought you were good with charms."

"Lily is good with charms. I'm great at self defence."

"What are you gonna defend yourself from? My cheekbones?"

"That and you standing this close to me." replied Hestia, her will to avoid Sirius slightly wavering, heat rising in her cheeks.

"I promise to step back, if you stop blushing like that." he said, smirking and occasionally glancing down on her lips.

Marlene sighed. This was what she had been avoiding. Not being able to resist Sirius was now getting on her nerves. The entire day Sirius had lurked around her, dropping lewd remarks, pulling on her hair, giving her unbridled attention. That had earned her the glare of a number of girls that he had previously snogged or who had wanted to snog him. She wondered if they knew about them. She had always scoffed at the girls who'd throw themselves at Sirius and had often voiced her thoughts to Lily and Hestia. She wouldn't be able to face them if they ever found out that Marlene had been snogging (and more) Sirius with zero intentions of being romantically involved.

"What're you thinking?" asked Sirius.

"If this corridor is dark enough to hide our dirty little secret." she replied, looking at Sirius straight in the eye.

"It's dark enough to hide a Slytherin's dark soul." replied Sirius, a mischievous smile playing on his lips.

A look at that face made Marlene want to punch Sirius's smug face but it also made her desperate to feel him pressed against her. So she wound her arms round his hip and pulled him towards herself locking her lips with his. All thoughts of being found snogging Sirius Black by anyone, let alone her friends, left her mind the moment Sirius groaned into her mouth, pushing her against the cold stone wall. The thought of possible shame of being discovered right now with Sirius sucking on her lower lip went away as Sirius brushed his fingers over her nipples peaking through her t-shirt. She shuddered. Her skin was burning against the cold stone wall behind her. Sirius tilted her head up and kissed her neck. Marlene moaned and opened her eyes. What she saw made her freeze. A girl not older than fifteen was peaking around the corner. She ran off the moment their eyes met. Marlene pushed Sirius away who looked confusedly at her.

"Some girl was standing right there." said Marlene.

"Do we know her?" asked Sirius.

"No but she definitely knows us, we're on the quidditch team and if not us, I'm pretty sure she knows you."

"Come on, what can she do really?"

"Tell the school about us?"

"Will it be that bad?" asked Sirius, a curious expression playing on his face.

"Sirius we agreed that if we'd do this, it'll always be under wraps. Besides I'm not one of those girls who take pride in having snogged Sirius Black and share lewd details with the Hogwarts rumour mill."

"You're ashamed that you're snogging me?" asked, Sirius, all traces of mischief gone.

"I'm not ashamed, Sirius. I'm just not those girls who pine after you and snog you and then wear it as a badge of achievement." replied Marlene, the look on Sirius's face making her uncomfortable. Was he hurt? Or was he angry?,

"I'm lost here. Yes, we agreed to do this under wraps. But I enjoy your company enough to not give a shit about what others think of us. Clearly you don't."

"Sirius, I enjoy it just as much! But you don't get it. No one's going to think any differently about you, but they will about me."

"Fuck them! They'll think shit about you anyway. People say shit about Evans all the time just because she keeps rejecting James. They'll say shit about her even when she'll agree to go out with him after years of rejecting him. She doesn't listen to them. Partly because one shouldn't and partly because James and I take care of the people that talk shit about her. And I'll take care of anyone who'd dare utter a word against you." said Sirius, his face straight.

"I need some time to myself Sirius." Marlene replied looking down.

"Fine. I'll walk you to the library." said Sirius, after a long pause, as he stepped back allowing Marlene to walk.

They walked in silence until they reached the library.

"Thanks for walking me here." said Marlene, breaking the silence.

"Not a problem." replied Sirius as he turned around and left almost immediately.


Sirius rushed back to his dormitory, not sure why he could feel his insides turning with anger. He was walking with deliberate steps as if punishing the floor under him for his own behaviour. They did agree to keep this a secret. And he knew that he was being unreasonable asking why Marlene was so scared of being discovered. He knew his own reputation of a womaniser and he knew that when girls agreed to go on a date with him they usually knew he didn't date girls in the generic sense of the word. They'd go on one date, they'd snog, end of date. Sirius gave heads up to every girl that would approach him or the ones he approached, that he didn't want a relationship. He didn't think he'd be capable enough of being attentive, responsive to someone like James was to Lily. James knew her favourite colour, flower, every bracelet she owned, every piece of clothing she'd worn for the past five years. James knew it all. And to Sirius it seemed effortless. As if James didn't have to put any extra work into paying attention to the quill or that muggle quill that she used. He did it out of pure and unabashed curiosity and love for her. Sirius tried. On the first date that he went to, he tried remembering what the girl ordered, what she liked, what she didn't. He went with the same girl for another date and then another date. On the third date remembering stuff about her seemed to have become like a piece of homework to him that he didn't want to touch. He was so frustrated by the end of the date that he, in the most polite way possible (because after all manners were the first thing taught to a Black) broke up with his date. She had cried. Sirius had tried comforting her. He had taken her back to the castle, walked her to her common room in the basement. Her friends had shot daggers from their eyes his way. He had realised two things. He couldn't pay attention to a girl even if he wanted to and he didn't need to if it was only a snog he was looking for given that he gave the girl a disclaimer before agreeing for a date. He never took a girl to Hogsmede after that. At least not anywhere public in Hogsmede.

But this was before Marlene. In their fifth year he seemed to have enjoyed her company more and more as they reached quidditch practices before the scheduled time and talked their head off. She had a boyfriend back then. And for once Sirius enjoyed the company of a girl who wasn't bashing her eyes at him. She'd look straight in his eyes and rap his head with a rolled up newspaper or her broomstick whenever he'd try being cocky with her. She was only a few inches shorter than he was and he enjoyed seeing straight in her eyes when they stood facing each other. They've had their share of ups and downs in friendship. Especially when her boyfriend had called her out for spending too much time with Sirius. He had been mad. He remembered having his ears assailed with one furious James after a match which they had almost lost because of the animosity between Sirius and Marlene.

Sirius was angry at Marlene. And her boyfriend. If your girlfriend is spending more time with someone else it's because you don't spend enough time with her, he had thought. And that was when the thought had sneaked its way into Sirius' head. The thought that he'd never want to leave the company of Marlene if she was his girlfriend. He remembered feeling giddy at the thought of Marlene being his girlfriend. His heart had raced and he had spilled his tea all over James having lost control of his hands. He had put his hands over his face and surreptitiously looked over at Marlene who was sitting a few seats down the table, pointedly ignoring him. If it was possible his heart had raced even more than before as he saw her rubbing her tired eyes and stifling a yawn. Soon after that she had broken up with that Dawlish guy and Sirius had refused to admit that he may fancy Marlene more than as a friend. His best chance at that came when they had kissed on the Astronomy tower. Later they had agreed to keep it a secret, to not be exclusive and definitely to not be anything more than friends, even if they snogged occasionally. Sirius had gladly accepted it in his euphoria of kissing Marlene (which he was sure was the best thing he knew other than quidditch and living with his best mate), him and Marlene finally being on speaking terms, and snogging Marlene without being in a relationship with her (which would finally prove that he didn't fancy her). He knew he was in trouble as he thought about not fancying Marlene because the moment he entered his dorm Peter looked up at him and asked, "What's eating you?".

If Peter could tell something was off, then it must be.


A/N: thank you 'Guest' for your review. Next update: Sunday. Stay home guys. And leave a review?