"Sirius! Sirius Sirius Sirius!" Rhia jumped up and down in front of the
taxicab waiting outside Rhia's own house.
"Just a second, Rhia! I'm paying the man!" Sirius handed the driver a handful of Muggle bills and turned back to his friend as the cab took off. "Now, what are you so excited about?"
Rhia stopped jumping and picked up her bag. "I'm not sure, exactly...its not like I'll be welcome in there or anything...but it's the summer before our last year. Remus is coming to stay this time, as well as everyone else...I just think we should all be happy!" Rhia started jumping again.
"Rhiannon, stop jumping! You're making me dizzy!" Rhia stopped jumping again, and started to drag her trunk up to the front door as Sirius pushed his next door. Looking back at her, he sighed. "Really, not everyone has to be happy..." he muttered.
* * *
The doorbell rang quite suddenly a week later. It was ten in the morning, and Rhia was still asleep. Sirius, who had spent the night in anticipation of today, rolled over on the cot next to Rhia's bed. He groaned. "Aww, Rhia, someone's at the door!" Rhia snorted in slumber. Sirius groaned again and got up groggily.
By the time he had made it downstairs (almost fifteen minutes later), four familiar faces greeted his half-open eyes.
"Sirius, are you two still in bed?" James laughed. Remus smiled at Sirius, waved hello, and ran up the stairs two at a time.
"He couldn't wait to see Rhia. It's so cute how those two are inseparable now!" Lily stated, leaning against James. Sirius smiled, and chanced a glance at Annie. She was standing next to the door, staring out the window at the street. He looked away, sighing a little at his stupidity and cowardice.
"Hello all!" Rhia called cheerfully as she descended the stairs. Sirius stared at her.
"Not twenty minutes ago, you were grunting in your sleep!" Rhia laughed as Remus followed her down the stairs. He stood behind her and wrapped her up in his arms. "Oh, I see now...."
"Wait - where's Peter?" Rhia looked around.
"Said he couldn't come, that his parents wouldn't let him." James said.
"That's too bad...but we'll have fun without him, that we will!"
* * *
The Marauders spent their weeks flying, playing tricks on each other, and just generally having fun. Most of them agreed with Rhia, that they should be having fun the last summer before they graduated and became full-fledged wizards. Sirius didn't feel like celebrating though; he wished more and more that Annie had never found out about that dratted bet. Of course, it had been so long ago that Annie had forgiven him a bit, but she was still a bit cold towards him, and uncomfortably formal.
Annie was no better. She sat in the corner mostly, writing in a small book. Annie, though always knowing her friends loved her, knew there was that age drift between them. In a year, they would be gone and she still stuck at school. And on top of it all, she missed Sirius with all her heart. Sure, she led everyone to believe that she wasn't in love with him anymore, but she couldn't fool herself. She still loved him.
One day, James and Lily convinced Annie to go into town with them to shop for Sirius' birthday on July 31st. Remus and Rhia were curled up on her bed, completely dissolved in some book, while Sirius sat staring out the window.
"Oh, Sirius...cheer up, doll!" Rhia called, looking up.
"Why?" he pouted.
"Because she's single, at least!" Remus chimed in. Sirius stood up and clutched the windowpane.
"Are they back, love?" Rhia asked sweetly. He turned to look at her. Well, glare at her was more like it.
"What do you know about anything?" he snapped.
"I should think I know about love," she responded, giving Remus' hand a squeeze. "I know you still think about her, Sirius. Why don't you just tell her?"
Sirius sighed. "I can't. She still hates me."
"No, she doesn't." Remus sat up a bit. "I've read that little journal she keeps. Ouch," he cried out as Rhia elbowed him. "I'm sorry, but I am her brother! But you should see what she writes. It's all about you, Padfoot! She loves you still, I'm sure of it. Now, go tell her!"
Sirius thought for a second. What did he really have to lose, anyway? He started for the door, but yelled in before running out again, "You just want me out so you can snog!"
Remus laughed and turned to Rhia. "Not a bad idea, actually..."
* * *
"Annie? Annie!" Sirius called, running into the front hall. Annie turned, her heart beating wildly. Why was she suddenly so nervous?
"Yes?"
"Annie..." he repeated, panting. Rhia's room was far up. "Annie, I have to talk to you. Will you sit?" Annie nodded once and followed Sirius into a nearby sitting room. They sat on a couch, and he turned to face her.
"Listen Annie...I want to say again, I am so sorry about-"
"Sirius, I told you I accept your apology! Why do you continue to upset both of us by bringing it up?"
"Because, if you'd just listen to me.... Before, when I'd apologize, it would just be because I hated having you mad at me. But I realized something today...I realized why I hate you being mad at me. Annie, when we were together, I was happier than I can ever remember being." Sirius moved closer to Annie, and grasped her hand. Her breathing quickened. "I mean, you brought so much to my life, more than I could have believed was possible...Annie...I miss you. I want you back in my life. I...I love you, Annie."
Annie stared at him, her eyes wide, then fainted dead away.
"Damn it!" he muttered, lying her down on the sofa. She always does react like this! He scolded himself, slapping her face gently. "Annie! Annie, wake up."
"What's going on?" Lily asked, walking into the room with James at her heels.
"She, um, fainted." He replied.
"Why?" James knelt next to her, putting a cushion under her head.
"Well, I...I kind of told her that I...that I love her." Sirius stared at the ground, exceedingly embarrassed. Lily froze in the middle of taking Annie's pulse and James looked up quickly.
"What?" He stood, his eyes wide behind his spectacles.
"Sirius, that's wonderful!" Lily cried, smiling widely.
"Good job, Padfoot." James grinned.
"Yes, it's all fine and dandy, but can we please try and wake her up?" Sirius pleaded. James nodded and reached for his wand.
"No magic outside of school, James." Lily held back his hand.
"Then what are we going to do?" asked James.
"Well.he could kiss her!" Lily exclaimed.
"What good will that do? She's asleep!" Sirius cried.
"Didn't your mum ever read you fairy stories?" Lily said exasperatedly. "When the prince kissed Sleeping Beauty she woke up!"
Sirius shot James a what-is-she-talking-about look.
"It's worth a try, Padfoot." James admitted.
"Well, I...er..." Sirius blushed and James was appalled. Sirius? Blushing?
"Nothing to be scared of, Sirius." Lily said with a sly smile. Sirius rolled his eyes and leaned down, kissing Annie gently and, just as Lily had said, she woke, her eyes widening in surprise.
"That's enough, Sir." James pulled his friend back.
"Good old Sirius, finally settling down." Lily kissed his cheek before pulling James from the room, leaving Sirius and Annie alone.
"Did you say what I thought you said?" Annie asked. He nodded silently, praying she would accept his confession. Annie didn't say a word. In fact, she didn't know what to say. She had loved Sirius for so long...but how to put that into words?
"Well?" Sirius broke the silence anxiously. Annie's mind whirled. What to say?
"I'm sorry," she whispered simply, throwing her arms around his neck, tears pricking at her eyes.
"Sorry?" Sirius repeated, worrying for one horrible moment that she was 'sorry' because she couldn't love him back.
"I wanted to tell you how I felt, and I'm sorry I didn't." she explained and Sirius's heart broke to hear the tears in her voice. "I was just so angry with you and-"
"You had right to be." He smiled a bit. "Just promise me you won't be ever again."
"I promise. And...I love you too." She swore, then kissed him fervently, unaware that Rhia, Lily, Remus, and James were watching at the door with heightened interest.
"Just a second, Rhia! I'm paying the man!" Sirius handed the driver a handful of Muggle bills and turned back to his friend as the cab took off. "Now, what are you so excited about?"
Rhia stopped jumping and picked up her bag. "I'm not sure, exactly...its not like I'll be welcome in there or anything...but it's the summer before our last year. Remus is coming to stay this time, as well as everyone else...I just think we should all be happy!" Rhia started jumping again.
"Rhiannon, stop jumping! You're making me dizzy!" Rhia stopped jumping again, and started to drag her trunk up to the front door as Sirius pushed his next door. Looking back at her, he sighed. "Really, not everyone has to be happy..." he muttered.
* * *
The doorbell rang quite suddenly a week later. It was ten in the morning, and Rhia was still asleep. Sirius, who had spent the night in anticipation of today, rolled over on the cot next to Rhia's bed. He groaned. "Aww, Rhia, someone's at the door!" Rhia snorted in slumber. Sirius groaned again and got up groggily.
By the time he had made it downstairs (almost fifteen minutes later), four familiar faces greeted his half-open eyes.
"Sirius, are you two still in bed?" James laughed. Remus smiled at Sirius, waved hello, and ran up the stairs two at a time.
"He couldn't wait to see Rhia. It's so cute how those two are inseparable now!" Lily stated, leaning against James. Sirius smiled, and chanced a glance at Annie. She was standing next to the door, staring out the window at the street. He looked away, sighing a little at his stupidity and cowardice.
"Hello all!" Rhia called cheerfully as she descended the stairs. Sirius stared at her.
"Not twenty minutes ago, you were grunting in your sleep!" Rhia laughed as Remus followed her down the stairs. He stood behind her and wrapped her up in his arms. "Oh, I see now...."
"Wait - where's Peter?" Rhia looked around.
"Said he couldn't come, that his parents wouldn't let him." James said.
"That's too bad...but we'll have fun without him, that we will!"
* * *
The Marauders spent their weeks flying, playing tricks on each other, and just generally having fun. Most of them agreed with Rhia, that they should be having fun the last summer before they graduated and became full-fledged wizards. Sirius didn't feel like celebrating though; he wished more and more that Annie had never found out about that dratted bet. Of course, it had been so long ago that Annie had forgiven him a bit, but she was still a bit cold towards him, and uncomfortably formal.
Annie was no better. She sat in the corner mostly, writing in a small book. Annie, though always knowing her friends loved her, knew there was that age drift between them. In a year, they would be gone and she still stuck at school. And on top of it all, she missed Sirius with all her heart. Sure, she led everyone to believe that she wasn't in love with him anymore, but she couldn't fool herself. She still loved him.
One day, James and Lily convinced Annie to go into town with them to shop for Sirius' birthday on July 31st. Remus and Rhia were curled up on her bed, completely dissolved in some book, while Sirius sat staring out the window.
"Oh, Sirius...cheer up, doll!" Rhia called, looking up.
"Why?" he pouted.
"Because she's single, at least!" Remus chimed in. Sirius stood up and clutched the windowpane.
"Are they back, love?" Rhia asked sweetly. He turned to look at her. Well, glare at her was more like it.
"What do you know about anything?" he snapped.
"I should think I know about love," she responded, giving Remus' hand a squeeze. "I know you still think about her, Sirius. Why don't you just tell her?"
Sirius sighed. "I can't. She still hates me."
"No, she doesn't." Remus sat up a bit. "I've read that little journal she keeps. Ouch," he cried out as Rhia elbowed him. "I'm sorry, but I am her brother! But you should see what she writes. It's all about you, Padfoot! She loves you still, I'm sure of it. Now, go tell her!"
Sirius thought for a second. What did he really have to lose, anyway? He started for the door, but yelled in before running out again, "You just want me out so you can snog!"
Remus laughed and turned to Rhia. "Not a bad idea, actually..."
* * *
"Annie? Annie!" Sirius called, running into the front hall. Annie turned, her heart beating wildly. Why was she suddenly so nervous?
"Yes?"
"Annie..." he repeated, panting. Rhia's room was far up. "Annie, I have to talk to you. Will you sit?" Annie nodded once and followed Sirius into a nearby sitting room. They sat on a couch, and he turned to face her.
"Listen Annie...I want to say again, I am so sorry about-"
"Sirius, I told you I accept your apology! Why do you continue to upset both of us by bringing it up?"
"Because, if you'd just listen to me.... Before, when I'd apologize, it would just be because I hated having you mad at me. But I realized something today...I realized why I hate you being mad at me. Annie, when we were together, I was happier than I can ever remember being." Sirius moved closer to Annie, and grasped her hand. Her breathing quickened. "I mean, you brought so much to my life, more than I could have believed was possible...Annie...I miss you. I want you back in my life. I...I love you, Annie."
Annie stared at him, her eyes wide, then fainted dead away.
"Damn it!" he muttered, lying her down on the sofa. She always does react like this! He scolded himself, slapping her face gently. "Annie! Annie, wake up."
"What's going on?" Lily asked, walking into the room with James at her heels.
"She, um, fainted." He replied.
"Why?" James knelt next to her, putting a cushion under her head.
"Well, I...I kind of told her that I...that I love her." Sirius stared at the ground, exceedingly embarrassed. Lily froze in the middle of taking Annie's pulse and James looked up quickly.
"What?" He stood, his eyes wide behind his spectacles.
"Sirius, that's wonderful!" Lily cried, smiling widely.
"Good job, Padfoot." James grinned.
"Yes, it's all fine and dandy, but can we please try and wake her up?" Sirius pleaded. James nodded and reached for his wand.
"No magic outside of school, James." Lily held back his hand.
"Then what are we going to do?" asked James.
"Well.he could kiss her!" Lily exclaimed.
"What good will that do? She's asleep!" Sirius cried.
"Didn't your mum ever read you fairy stories?" Lily said exasperatedly. "When the prince kissed Sleeping Beauty she woke up!"
Sirius shot James a what-is-she-talking-about look.
"It's worth a try, Padfoot." James admitted.
"Well, I...er..." Sirius blushed and James was appalled. Sirius? Blushing?
"Nothing to be scared of, Sirius." Lily said with a sly smile. Sirius rolled his eyes and leaned down, kissing Annie gently and, just as Lily had said, she woke, her eyes widening in surprise.
"That's enough, Sir." James pulled his friend back.
"Good old Sirius, finally settling down." Lily kissed his cheek before pulling James from the room, leaving Sirius and Annie alone.
"Did you say what I thought you said?" Annie asked. He nodded silently, praying she would accept his confession. Annie didn't say a word. In fact, she didn't know what to say. She had loved Sirius for so long...but how to put that into words?
"Well?" Sirius broke the silence anxiously. Annie's mind whirled. What to say?
"I'm sorry," she whispered simply, throwing her arms around his neck, tears pricking at her eyes.
"Sorry?" Sirius repeated, worrying for one horrible moment that she was 'sorry' because she couldn't love him back.
"I wanted to tell you how I felt, and I'm sorry I didn't." she explained and Sirius's heart broke to hear the tears in her voice. "I was just so angry with you and-"
"You had right to be." He smiled a bit. "Just promise me you won't be ever again."
"I promise. And...I love you too." She swore, then kissed him fervently, unaware that Rhia, Lily, Remus, and James were watching at the door with heightened interest.