A/N Sorry this took me so long to upload guys. It really is a good ch, not much, but just enough to hold you over. Enjoy!!
Dedication: This ch is soooo dedicated to Britz who beta read it for me! *Cheers* Yay! I'm feelin' the love. *smooch* Thank you so much, girlie!
For the Love of the Land
~I pledge my loyalty to Honor, Justice, and Hogwarts~
Part Ten
"Stupefy! Impedimenta! Grossio!" Minerva McGonagall shot curses at Black at
lightning speed as soon as she got over her shock. Black, as well as
Potter, Weasley, and Granger, didn't even notice, and none of her three
spells hit their mark. She was about to shoot some more when she felt a hand
on her wand arm. She looked up to see the Headmaster.
"Don't, Minerva," he said, not turning his gaze from the display. She was
shocked to see that there was a smile on his face, and he seemed relieved at
the sight.
"Whatever do you...Albus?" Minerva said, becoming even more confused as
Dumbledore swept over to the four dancing on the bank. The three students
immediately stepped aside, allowing him passage to the convicted murderer.
Luna continued to stare in shock and a strange pang for that time long ago
when she had danced on the bank of the lake with a much younger Sirius
Black, as a very wet Lily Evans threatened to pull a very dry and amused
James Potter into the Lake with her.
"Sirius!" Dumbledore said, smiling at Harry's godfather and the most
mischievous student Hogwarts had ever seen, pulling Luna out of her daze. "I
assume you're bringing good tidings, to be dancing on my front lawn with
three students when you're supposed to be on the run from the law?" he asked
in the same tone as one would say 'Lovely weather today, don't you agree?'
"Yes indeed, Professor," Sirius replied, bowing as he used to when he would
receive a detention. "I have captured the rat."
"That is good news indeed," Dumbledore replied, not sounding at all
surprised. It had not taken him long to discover the situation. "Where is
he?"
"In a cage I fashioned, a little bit into the forest," Sirius replied, gesturing to the trees.
"Indeed." Dumbledore replied. "Mr. Weasley, you know the edge of the forest
rather well. It shouldn't be to hard for you to find it." In a flash of
black robes and flying red hair, Ron ran toward the forest. "And, Miss
Granger, would you be so kind as to owl the Minister? Tell him to bring...a
jury so to speak. I'm sure you'll find a way to put it into writing."
Hermione nodded and ran through the growing crowd and into the castle as
fast as she could. 'Sirius is going to be free' She realized. His name will
be cleared! He can talk to Harry in public, for a change! She didn't slow
her pace until she reached the owlery. Quickly she went to the small, waist
high pedestal in the corner of the room. On it was, as always, a pad of
parchment with the Hogwarts crest in the right-hand corner, an inkbottle and
a peacock feather quill. Almost shaking, Hermione dipped the quill into the
ink, wondering how to best phrase the situation. She didn't want to come out
and bluntly tell him that they had custody of Sirius Black, because then he
would show up with a jury of dementors. Frowning with concentration, she
began to write.
Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic:
We here at Hogwarts have in our custody someone for whom you have long been
searching. It is of urgent business, and requires your presence here at the
castle immediately.
Please escort a host of witnesses as well, to serve as a jury if the need
arises, as well it might. You need not bring anything more.
We are anxiously awaiting your arrival. Come today, November 16, if
possible.
Sincerely,
Professor Luna Starlight
Hermione slipped the letter into an envelope, praying that Luna would
forgive her. It had taken her a long time to decide whom to sign, as she
couldn't very well sign her own name. She finally chose Luna in hopes that
the Minister wouldn't recognize her handwriting, and because she thought
that Luna would probably forgive her, if Hermione didn't try to hide what
she had done. Luna hated liars.
She tied the letter to the swiftest owl in the owlery, usually reserved for
the Professors. Then she turned and jogged from the owlery downstairs to
find Ron, Harry, Sirius and Dumbledore. She ran into Ron in the Charms
corridor and they both fell to the ground.
"There you are!" Ron said, laughing as they recovered themselves from the
fall. "I've been looking for you. C'mon, let's go back upstairs to the
common room." He extended a hand and helped Hermione up. They walked slowly
up the stairs, still hand in hand.
"Where are Harry and Sirius?" she asked. Ron made a face.
"They went off to talk to Dumbledore. It was like, thanks Ron, buh-bye."
Hermione laughed at Ron's thoughts, but they were probably true. It wouldn't
be the first time he was turned away from the inside workings of Harry's
hero life. But he said nothing else on the subject as the ascended to the portrait hole.
Ron fell into one of the more comfortable armchairs, and, without even
thinking, Hermione sat on his lap. She leaned her head against his shoulder,
and fought to stay awake. The excitement of the last two days had exhausted
her.
She was not at all surprised to see Ginny still writing in her diary and
Neville still staring out the window, oblivious to the dramas on the front
lawn because they were lost in their own world.
* * *
Hermione was amazed at how quick the Minister could be when he wanted to.
She and Ron had only been sitting for twenty minutes when Harry came into
the room, looking rather annoyed.
"I wanted him to be fast, but not THAT fast!" Harry muttered, not even
noticing that Ron and Hermione were sitting in the armchair across from the
one into which he had plopped.
"What are you talking about?" Ron asked. Harry started, and looked up at
them, noticing them for the first time. Then he made a face.
"Fudge! He's here already!"
"What?!" Hermione exclaimed in surprise, leaping forward, much to Ron's
surprise, who half fell off of his chair. "That's impossible! I JUST sent
the professor's owl right before you left!"
"Why do the teachers get such fast owls?" Ron asked. Harry and Hermione
turned and gave him a Look. Ron just shrugged. Hermione turned back to
Harry.
"But...but..." She spluttered, looking confused. Ron stood up and put an arm
around her waist to calm her. She took the hint and took in a deep breath.
"What are they going to do?" Ron asked, turning serious.
"They're going to question Wormtail under Veritaserum, and store the whole
thing into the memory of Dumbledore's wand."
"The Wand Remembrance Charm," Hermione said, nodding. Ron and Harry rolled
their eyes over her head.
"Anyway, they get all these guys Fudge brought, along with Fudge and
Dumbledore himself, to sign something that verifies that everything in the
memory of the wand actually happened, and that it's not set up or anything.
Then they release it to the press, both wizarding and Muggle, and...Sirius
is cleared."
"All righty then," Ron said, "Who wants to play chess?"
And so they passed away the hours losing against Ron at chess
until they heard news from Dumbledore.
* * *
Harry was frowning as he studied the chessboard. There really was no way he
could win at this point. He only had his king, one rook, one pawn, and a
bishop left, and the bishop was trapped. Ron still had almost all his
pieces. Looking up at Ron, who's face showed nothing, he moved the rook.
Not until after Harry's rook had moved did Ron grin, directing his knight
and declaring check mate. Harry's pieces shouted up at him, and Harry
sighed.
"You're turn, 'Mione," he said, sounding very bored, which he was.
Hermione was just beginning to move the pieces back when Professor
McGonagall came in through the portrait hole. The three stood immediately,
and everyone else in the room quieted.
"As most of you know, we have apprehended Sirius Black," she said. Ginny's
eyes widened. She hadn't even heard the gossip, and when she hissed it to
her friend, Gabbie rolled her eyes, whispering that she had been trying to
tell Ginny that for the last hour. McGonagall continued.
"Most of you do not know, however, that we have also apprehended Peter
Pettigrew," McGonagall's words sent a shock wave through the room. But Peter Pettigrew was dead, Black had killed him, right?
"It has been proven, through interrogation of Mr. Pettigrew under the
influence of Veritaserum, that Black is innocent. The murders of which you
are so familiar with as Black being the culprit were committed by
Pettigrew."
Murmurs of doubt and disagreement sprang up from all corners of the common
Room, except for where Harry, Ron, and Hermione were standing.
"If you don't believe me," McGonagall said, pointedly raising her voice over
the noise of the room, "They will show everything tonight, just before
dinner, at 4:30 in the Great Hall. Good afternoon." And with that, she
turned and left. Harry and Ron sat down and began talking immediately.
Hermione would've joined the conversation, but at that moment, Ginny came
over to her. Hermione pulled her a bit aside from the boys.
"I can't believe it...Black's innocent?" Ginny said. When Hermione didn't
respond, she continued, "I really can't believe it. Maybe I'll go to the
showing thingy, or whatever it's supposed to be. Will you come with me?"
"I don't think so, Ginny. I've got to study," Hermione replied, trying hard
not to laugh.
"What!?" Ginny replied, shocked. "Study? At a time like this? Hermione,
you're crazy!"
"Ginny, I hate to bust you're bubble, but I already knew Sirius was
innocent," Hermione said simply. There was no reason to keep it from her any
longer. Ginny's eyes widened with surprise.
"But...how...?" She spluttered. Hermione tried not to laugh, but a smile was
still very obviously playing at the corner of her lips.
"It's a long story, Ginny. Too long for right now. But I've known since
third year. Sirius is Harry's godfather. Oh yes, Harry knows too, and Ron.
We helped him escape, don't you remember? Yes, of course that was us. Sirius is
always helping Harry with the whole 'saving the world' stuff. He always writes
with advice and...all kinds of things. He would hide in a little cave in the
face of the mountain in Hogsmeade, and we'd go visit and bring him food."
"You are so kidding me," Ginny said, trying to digest all of this.
"Of course I'm not. Did I look surprised? Didn't you hear that I was dancing
with Sirius out on the bank of the lake? Great dancer, Sirius," She said,
adding the last part thoughtfully.
"I heard, but...but," Ginny looked absolutely shocked at her friend's
behavior. "I just didn't believe it. I thought 'Hermione, and a convict?
Dancing? There's no way!'" Hermione laughed, realizing that Ginny was serious.
"Go to the showing, Ginny. I guarantee it will all make sense." She smiled
down at the younger girl. "I'm going to go talk with the boys, as if they're
not already talking about Quidditch. See you later, Ginny!"
"Bye," Ginny responded automatically, watching her sit down in a chair that
was a bit closer than usual to Ron. Ginny felt her eyes travel,
automatically, to Harry. She sometimes wondered if that old crush still
lingered. Quickly she stood in effort to find something else to occupy her
eyes.
* * *
That night Luna skipped dinner. She sat at her desk, staring off into space.
This had been an unbelievable day.
Sirius was innocent. All the teachers had gone to see what Dumbledore showed
everyone was hidden in the memory of his wand. Peter was the guilty one, the
murderer, the traitor. Somehow, it didn't surprise her. Or maybe she was
just willing to believe it anyone but Sirius.
Sirius. Luna closed her eyes. He was free, and here at Hogwarts. She was
momentarily transported back in time to when she was a seventh year
Ravenclaw, working hard to balance Defending with studies. That's when she
had met Sirius. She had known who he was, of course, everyone knew who
Sirius Black was. But she really...met him. And he really met her. He may
have been the only person in Luna's life to really know her.
Suddenly she was jolted from her random thoughts and memories by a loud
knock on the door.
"It's open!" she shouted. It swung forward, and Sirius Black stepped inside.
Luna quickly stood up. What was he doing in here?
"Hi," he said.
"Hey," she said, giggling a bit. Oh dear, she had almost forgotten what it
felt like to be in his presence. He had a knack for making girls giggle like
that.
"So...long time no see, eh?" he said, chuckling slightly.
"Yeah," Luna replied. There was an awkward silence.
"So....you're a teacher now," he said, stating the obvious as he looked
around the office.
"Yeah...and you're an ex con."
That's when it happened. They began to laugh. Not chuckle or giggle nervously,
but really laugh, like they had as teenagers.
"It's a life," he said. He looked around the office once more. "A prof, eh?
Yeah, you'd be the type, typical brainy Ravenclaw." He rolled his eyes.
"You say that like it's a bad thing," Luna said in mock sadness.
"It is," Sirius replied. Luna stuck out her tongue, knowing she was being
immature and not really caring. When she was with Sirius she could
just...relax.
"So, you married?" he asked her.
"What?!" she asked, shocked at his question.
"You heard me," he said, looking her square in the eye. "Are you married?"
"Don't be ridiculous, Black! Me, married, honestly. I haven't even been on a
date in forever. There are no men in my life," she rolled her eyes. Sirius
grinned.
"Good, then you're single."
"I suppose..."
"Saturday night, Three Broomsticks," he said, winking. Luna stared at him.
"Sirius!" she said. "You just got cleared of murder and you're already
asking me out on a date!" He nodded, and she just shook her head smiling.
"All right. Good bye, Sirius," she said, turning to sit back down at her
desk. She realized he hadn't left, and turned around to find him pouting at
her. "What?"
"Don't I get a kiss goodbye?" he asked. She rolled her eyes.
"Some things never change," she said. She walked over to him and, standing
on tiptoes, went to peck him on the cheek. Sirius being Sirius, he waited
until the very last moment and turned his head so that her lips hit his.
"Goodnight, Luna," he said, smiling and leaving. As soon as he was gone she
giggled, feeling seventeen and giddy all over again.
There was nothing quite like kissing Sirius Black.
* * *
It was evening, and Ginny was sitting alone in the library, reading her
novel. Or so she thought.
"Guess who," Someone asked, as he covered her eyes, which she rolled.
"Draco," she said. He let her head go, and she turned to face him.
"No, it's Prince Charming," he said smugly. Ginny laughed, then suddenly
caught herself.
"Draco!" she hissed. "We're going to get caught! This isn't exactly a
private library, you know." She turned to her book and pretended to
read...but there was the slight detail that the book was upside down.
Laughing softly, Draco took it from her and laid it on the table.
"Okay, I'll leave," he said. "On one condition."
"Which would be...?" Ginny replied.
"A kiss," he said simply. Ginny giggled.
"Of course," she said. He leaned over and kissed her softly, and they didn't
let go of each other until they heard a loud gasp. They quickly broke apart,
but saw nothing. Draco cursed softly.
"Do you think someone saw us?" Ginny asked nervously.
"I don't know," Draco said. He sighed. "Well, I promised I'd leave.
Farewell, Lady Ginny!" He took her hand and kissed it. Ginny blushed and
looked away. She would've never expected a Malfoy to be so romantic.
Ginny jogged up to the Gryffindor common room. She was going to sneak
upstairs and into the shower. Or so she thought.
"GINNY!" The scream stopped Ginny's blood. She turned slowly to see Ron,
looking livid. Hermione was behind him, trying to calm him, but neither Ron
nor Ginny could understand her words of attempted peace. Ginny waited for Ron to speak, and
when he did, the words trembled with rage and frustration.
"Why were you kissing Malfoy in the Library?"
Dedication: This ch is soooo dedicated to Britz who beta read it for me! *Cheers* Yay! I'm feelin' the love. *smooch* Thank you so much, girlie!
For the Love of the Land
~I pledge my loyalty to Honor, Justice, and Hogwarts~
Part Ten
"Stupefy! Impedimenta! Grossio!" Minerva McGonagall shot curses at Black at
lightning speed as soon as she got over her shock. Black, as well as
Potter, Weasley, and Granger, didn't even notice, and none of her three
spells hit their mark. She was about to shoot some more when she felt a hand
on her wand arm. She looked up to see the Headmaster.
"Don't, Minerva," he said, not turning his gaze from the display. She was
shocked to see that there was a smile on his face, and he seemed relieved at
the sight.
"Whatever do you...Albus?" Minerva said, becoming even more confused as
Dumbledore swept over to the four dancing on the bank. The three students
immediately stepped aside, allowing him passage to the convicted murderer.
Luna continued to stare in shock and a strange pang for that time long ago
when she had danced on the bank of the lake with a much younger Sirius
Black, as a very wet Lily Evans threatened to pull a very dry and amused
James Potter into the Lake with her.
"Sirius!" Dumbledore said, smiling at Harry's godfather and the most
mischievous student Hogwarts had ever seen, pulling Luna out of her daze. "I
assume you're bringing good tidings, to be dancing on my front lawn with
three students when you're supposed to be on the run from the law?" he asked
in the same tone as one would say 'Lovely weather today, don't you agree?'
"Yes indeed, Professor," Sirius replied, bowing as he used to when he would
receive a detention. "I have captured the rat."
"That is good news indeed," Dumbledore replied, not sounding at all
surprised. It had not taken him long to discover the situation. "Where is
he?"
"In a cage I fashioned, a little bit into the forest," Sirius replied, gesturing to the trees.
"Indeed." Dumbledore replied. "Mr. Weasley, you know the edge of the forest
rather well. It shouldn't be to hard for you to find it." In a flash of
black robes and flying red hair, Ron ran toward the forest. "And, Miss
Granger, would you be so kind as to owl the Minister? Tell him to bring...a
jury so to speak. I'm sure you'll find a way to put it into writing."
Hermione nodded and ran through the growing crowd and into the castle as
fast as she could. 'Sirius is going to be free' She realized. His name will
be cleared! He can talk to Harry in public, for a change! She didn't slow
her pace until she reached the owlery. Quickly she went to the small, waist
high pedestal in the corner of the room. On it was, as always, a pad of
parchment with the Hogwarts crest in the right-hand corner, an inkbottle and
a peacock feather quill. Almost shaking, Hermione dipped the quill into the
ink, wondering how to best phrase the situation. She didn't want to come out
and bluntly tell him that they had custody of Sirius Black, because then he
would show up with a jury of dementors. Frowning with concentration, she
began to write.
Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic:
We here at Hogwarts have in our custody someone for whom you have long been
searching. It is of urgent business, and requires your presence here at the
castle immediately.
Please escort a host of witnesses as well, to serve as a jury if the need
arises, as well it might. You need not bring anything more.
We are anxiously awaiting your arrival. Come today, November 16, if
possible.
Sincerely,
Professor Luna Starlight
Hermione slipped the letter into an envelope, praying that Luna would
forgive her. It had taken her a long time to decide whom to sign, as she
couldn't very well sign her own name. She finally chose Luna in hopes that
the Minister wouldn't recognize her handwriting, and because she thought
that Luna would probably forgive her, if Hermione didn't try to hide what
she had done. Luna hated liars.
She tied the letter to the swiftest owl in the owlery, usually reserved for
the Professors. Then she turned and jogged from the owlery downstairs to
find Ron, Harry, Sirius and Dumbledore. She ran into Ron in the Charms
corridor and they both fell to the ground.
"There you are!" Ron said, laughing as they recovered themselves from the
fall. "I've been looking for you. C'mon, let's go back upstairs to the
common room." He extended a hand and helped Hermione up. They walked slowly
up the stairs, still hand in hand.
"Where are Harry and Sirius?" she asked. Ron made a face.
"They went off to talk to Dumbledore. It was like, thanks Ron, buh-bye."
Hermione laughed at Ron's thoughts, but they were probably true. It wouldn't
be the first time he was turned away from the inside workings of Harry's
hero life. But he said nothing else on the subject as the ascended to the portrait hole.
Ron fell into one of the more comfortable armchairs, and, without even
thinking, Hermione sat on his lap. She leaned her head against his shoulder,
and fought to stay awake. The excitement of the last two days had exhausted
her.
She was not at all surprised to see Ginny still writing in her diary and
Neville still staring out the window, oblivious to the dramas on the front
lawn because they were lost in their own world.
* * *
Hermione was amazed at how quick the Minister could be when he wanted to.
She and Ron had only been sitting for twenty minutes when Harry came into
the room, looking rather annoyed.
"I wanted him to be fast, but not THAT fast!" Harry muttered, not even
noticing that Ron and Hermione were sitting in the armchair across from the
one into which he had plopped.
"What are you talking about?" Ron asked. Harry started, and looked up at
them, noticing them for the first time. Then he made a face.
"Fudge! He's here already!"
"What?!" Hermione exclaimed in surprise, leaping forward, much to Ron's
surprise, who half fell off of his chair. "That's impossible! I JUST sent
the professor's owl right before you left!"
"Why do the teachers get such fast owls?" Ron asked. Harry and Hermione
turned and gave him a Look. Ron just shrugged. Hermione turned back to
Harry.
"But...but..." She spluttered, looking confused. Ron stood up and put an arm
around her waist to calm her. She took the hint and took in a deep breath.
"What are they going to do?" Ron asked, turning serious.
"They're going to question Wormtail under Veritaserum, and store the whole
thing into the memory of Dumbledore's wand."
"The Wand Remembrance Charm," Hermione said, nodding. Ron and Harry rolled
their eyes over her head.
"Anyway, they get all these guys Fudge brought, along with Fudge and
Dumbledore himself, to sign something that verifies that everything in the
memory of the wand actually happened, and that it's not set up or anything.
Then they release it to the press, both wizarding and Muggle, and...Sirius
is cleared."
"All righty then," Ron said, "Who wants to play chess?"
And so they passed away the hours losing against Ron at chess
until they heard news from Dumbledore.
* * *
Harry was frowning as he studied the chessboard. There really was no way he
could win at this point. He only had his king, one rook, one pawn, and a
bishop left, and the bishop was trapped. Ron still had almost all his
pieces. Looking up at Ron, who's face showed nothing, he moved the rook.
Not until after Harry's rook had moved did Ron grin, directing his knight
and declaring check mate. Harry's pieces shouted up at him, and Harry
sighed.
"You're turn, 'Mione," he said, sounding very bored, which he was.
Hermione was just beginning to move the pieces back when Professor
McGonagall came in through the portrait hole. The three stood immediately,
and everyone else in the room quieted.
"As most of you know, we have apprehended Sirius Black," she said. Ginny's
eyes widened. She hadn't even heard the gossip, and when she hissed it to
her friend, Gabbie rolled her eyes, whispering that she had been trying to
tell Ginny that for the last hour. McGonagall continued.
"Most of you do not know, however, that we have also apprehended Peter
Pettigrew," McGonagall's words sent a shock wave through the room. But Peter Pettigrew was dead, Black had killed him, right?
"It has been proven, through interrogation of Mr. Pettigrew under the
influence of Veritaserum, that Black is innocent. The murders of which you
are so familiar with as Black being the culprit were committed by
Pettigrew."
Murmurs of doubt and disagreement sprang up from all corners of the common
Room, except for where Harry, Ron, and Hermione were standing.
"If you don't believe me," McGonagall said, pointedly raising her voice over
the noise of the room, "They will show everything tonight, just before
dinner, at 4:30 in the Great Hall. Good afternoon." And with that, she
turned and left. Harry and Ron sat down and began talking immediately.
Hermione would've joined the conversation, but at that moment, Ginny came
over to her. Hermione pulled her a bit aside from the boys.
"I can't believe it...Black's innocent?" Ginny said. When Hermione didn't
respond, she continued, "I really can't believe it. Maybe I'll go to the
showing thingy, or whatever it's supposed to be. Will you come with me?"
"I don't think so, Ginny. I've got to study," Hermione replied, trying hard
not to laugh.
"What!?" Ginny replied, shocked. "Study? At a time like this? Hermione,
you're crazy!"
"Ginny, I hate to bust you're bubble, but I already knew Sirius was
innocent," Hermione said simply. There was no reason to keep it from her any
longer. Ginny's eyes widened with surprise.
"But...how...?" She spluttered. Hermione tried not to laugh, but a smile was
still very obviously playing at the corner of her lips.
"It's a long story, Ginny. Too long for right now. But I've known since
third year. Sirius is Harry's godfather. Oh yes, Harry knows too, and Ron.
We helped him escape, don't you remember? Yes, of course that was us. Sirius is
always helping Harry with the whole 'saving the world' stuff. He always writes
with advice and...all kinds of things. He would hide in a little cave in the
face of the mountain in Hogsmeade, and we'd go visit and bring him food."
"You are so kidding me," Ginny said, trying to digest all of this.
"Of course I'm not. Did I look surprised? Didn't you hear that I was dancing
with Sirius out on the bank of the lake? Great dancer, Sirius," She said,
adding the last part thoughtfully.
"I heard, but...but," Ginny looked absolutely shocked at her friend's
behavior. "I just didn't believe it. I thought 'Hermione, and a convict?
Dancing? There's no way!'" Hermione laughed, realizing that Ginny was serious.
"Go to the showing, Ginny. I guarantee it will all make sense." She smiled
down at the younger girl. "I'm going to go talk with the boys, as if they're
not already talking about Quidditch. See you later, Ginny!"
"Bye," Ginny responded automatically, watching her sit down in a chair that
was a bit closer than usual to Ron. Ginny felt her eyes travel,
automatically, to Harry. She sometimes wondered if that old crush still
lingered. Quickly she stood in effort to find something else to occupy her
eyes.
* * *
That night Luna skipped dinner. She sat at her desk, staring off into space.
This had been an unbelievable day.
Sirius was innocent. All the teachers had gone to see what Dumbledore showed
everyone was hidden in the memory of his wand. Peter was the guilty one, the
murderer, the traitor. Somehow, it didn't surprise her. Or maybe she was
just willing to believe it anyone but Sirius.
Sirius. Luna closed her eyes. He was free, and here at Hogwarts. She was
momentarily transported back in time to when she was a seventh year
Ravenclaw, working hard to balance Defending with studies. That's when she
had met Sirius. She had known who he was, of course, everyone knew who
Sirius Black was. But she really...met him. And he really met her. He may
have been the only person in Luna's life to really know her.
Suddenly she was jolted from her random thoughts and memories by a loud
knock on the door.
"It's open!" she shouted. It swung forward, and Sirius Black stepped inside.
Luna quickly stood up. What was he doing in here?
"Hi," he said.
"Hey," she said, giggling a bit. Oh dear, she had almost forgotten what it
felt like to be in his presence. He had a knack for making girls giggle like
that.
"So...long time no see, eh?" he said, chuckling slightly.
"Yeah," Luna replied. There was an awkward silence.
"So....you're a teacher now," he said, stating the obvious as he looked
around the office.
"Yeah...and you're an ex con."
That's when it happened. They began to laugh. Not chuckle or giggle nervously,
but really laugh, like they had as teenagers.
"It's a life," he said. He looked around the office once more. "A prof, eh?
Yeah, you'd be the type, typical brainy Ravenclaw." He rolled his eyes.
"You say that like it's a bad thing," Luna said in mock sadness.
"It is," Sirius replied. Luna stuck out her tongue, knowing she was being
immature and not really caring. When she was with Sirius she could
just...relax.
"So, you married?" he asked her.
"What?!" she asked, shocked at his question.
"You heard me," he said, looking her square in the eye. "Are you married?"
"Don't be ridiculous, Black! Me, married, honestly. I haven't even been on a
date in forever. There are no men in my life," she rolled her eyes. Sirius
grinned.
"Good, then you're single."
"I suppose..."
"Saturday night, Three Broomsticks," he said, winking. Luna stared at him.
"Sirius!" she said. "You just got cleared of murder and you're already
asking me out on a date!" He nodded, and she just shook her head smiling.
"All right. Good bye, Sirius," she said, turning to sit back down at her
desk. She realized he hadn't left, and turned around to find him pouting at
her. "What?"
"Don't I get a kiss goodbye?" he asked. She rolled her eyes.
"Some things never change," she said. She walked over to him and, standing
on tiptoes, went to peck him on the cheek. Sirius being Sirius, he waited
until the very last moment and turned his head so that her lips hit his.
"Goodnight, Luna," he said, smiling and leaving. As soon as he was gone she
giggled, feeling seventeen and giddy all over again.
There was nothing quite like kissing Sirius Black.
* * *
It was evening, and Ginny was sitting alone in the library, reading her
novel. Or so she thought.
"Guess who," Someone asked, as he covered her eyes, which she rolled.
"Draco," she said. He let her head go, and she turned to face him.
"No, it's Prince Charming," he said smugly. Ginny laughed, then suddenly
caught herself.
"Draco!" she hissed. "We're going to get caught! This isn't exactly a
private library, you know." She turned to her book and pretended to
read...but there was the slight detail that the book was upside down.
Laughing softly, Draco took it from her and laid it on the table.
"Okay, I'll leave," he said. "On one condition."
"Which would be...?" Ginny replied.
"A kiss," he said simply. Ginny giggled.
"Of course," she said. He leaned over and kissed her softly, and they didn't
let go of each other until they heard a loud gasp. They quickly broke apart,
but saw nothing. Draco cursed softly.
"Do you think someone saw us?" Ginny asked nervously.
"I don't know," Draco said. He sighed. "Well, I promised I'd leave.
Farewell, Lady Ginny!" He took her hand and kissed it. Ginny blushed and
looked away. She would've never expected a Malfoy to be so romantic.
Ginny jogged up to the Gryffindor common room. She was going to sneak
upstairs and into the shower. Or so she thought.
"GINNY!" The scream stopped Ginny's blood. She turned slowly to see Ron,
looking livid. Hermione was behind him, trying to calm him, but neither Ron
nor Ginny could understand her words of attempted peace. Ginny waited for Ron to speak, and
when he did, the words trembled with rage and frustration.
"Why were you kissing Malfoy in the Library?"