A/N: I still own nothing. If you think I do, you need some professional help. Sorry this has been taking me so long. I've had some serious writer's block. I've also been moving.
Chapter Five
~ One year later ~
"So, you and Remus are coming next week, right?" Josephina said into the receiver.
"Of course we are! Do you think I'd ditch my best friend on Christmas?" Lizbeth moved in with Remus when he left Hogwarts. She hasn't been this happy since the day she found out she was a witch. It seemed her life was really falling into place. She's now engaged to Remus. They have a beautiful home near James and Lily. And, they are planning to start a family.
Unfortunately, Josephina wasn't finding it so easy to be happy. Sure, she had the most beautiful house in this half of Ireland, but there was something missing in her life. She couldn't help thinking that she left that missing part of her back at Hogwarts.
Yet, she scolded herself every time she went on a date and compared them to Sirius Black. 'I do not need him, and I certainly don't miss him.' She'd tell herself.
"No, Liz. I know you'd never ditch me. Just be on time for this one. Though, I did love your graceful entrance at my Thanksgiving party." Josephina laughed.
"That's not funny, Jo. Don't even go there." Lizbeth said, although she was laughing too. " I told you I was sorry about that."
"Okay, okay. Just promise me you won't have anything to drink before you get here."
"I promise. Oh, by the way, would it be alright if we bring someone with us?" Lizbeth asked.
"I don't care. Who is it? Oh, hey, You and Remus are staying until New Years, right?"
"Sure, if you've got room."
"Lizbeth, I have eleven rooms in this house. Plus, a finished basement with two bedrooms. Of course I have the room. You know that. I suggest you stay in the basement, though. You have a private shower, hot tub, den and kitchen down there. I've even decorated both bedrooms. So, you can take your pick on which bedroom you want."
"You have a lot of time on your hands, Jo. Maybe you should get a job."
"I would have less time on my hands if my best friend came to visit me more often. You're only a fireplace away, you know."
"Yeah, well, how long did it take you to get your fireplace registered?"
"I had a lot of remodeling to do, Liz. This place was rubbish when I moved in."
"Ain't that the truth. It's a shame you couldn't have the place you grew up in."
"Yeah, that would have been nice. But, I like it here."
Lizbeth laughed. "You liked it here too, Jo. I'm still sticking to what I said a year ago, You're insane."
"Don't start, Liz. I came back to forget about him. You're not helping. The least you could do is humor me, and tell me I did the right thing. Weather you disagree or not."
"I can't, Jo. I'm your best friend. I have a right to give you my opinion. And my opinion is, you're wrong, and you're insane."
"Thanks a lot." Josephina said sarcastically.
"Don't get sarcastic with me, Jo. I'm right, and you know it."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Well?" Remus asked excitedly when Lizbeth walked into the bedroom.
"Well…" Lizbeth sat down on the bed next to him. He could hardly hold his excitement. He looked like an eight-year-old on Christmas morning. Lizbeth couldn't resist the urge to mess with his mind. "What?"
"Don't play innocence with me, woman! Did you talk to Jo or not?"
"AH! Remus! Don't - tickle - me!" Lizbeth managed to choke out between her laughter. "I just got off the phone with her!"
"And?"
"And, what?"
"Oh, You're asking for it!" Remus laughed and began to tickle her again.
"NOOOO! Remus, stop! If - stop - I'll - tell - you!"
"Promise?"
"Yes!" Remus stopped and Lizbeth caught some breath. "We can bring him."
"Just like that? She didn't give you a problem about it?"
"Well…she doesn't exactly know who we're bringing…"
"I see. Well, okay. I'll go call him then. We're nearly finished packing, so we will leave in the morning."
"Oh, we're taking the car?"
"Sure, we are staying until New Years, right?" Lizbeth nodded. "Okay, why don't you finish packing your things while I go make that phone call."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Josephina had just put up some last minute decorations when she heard the doorbell ring. She looked at the clock. It's only three, the party starts at five, she thought. I wonder who could be here so early. She put the last of the wineglasses around the table and went to open the door.
"Liz! Remus! You're early!" Josephina said as she gave each of them a hug.
"I'm sorry. We should have called to let you know." Liz said.
"No, no. Don't be silly. Let's get your bags downstairs. I thought you were bringing someone. Did you change your mind?"
"No." Remus shook his head. "He's getting the rest of the stuff out of the car."
"Oh, okay. Well, Let me bring this stuff to your room. I'll be right back."
Josephina took their bags downstairs and put them into the walk-in closet. Then, she checked the whole basement to make sure everything was clean and in place. When she walked back up the stairs she saw the face she least expected to see.
"I put your things in - " She stopped dead in her tracks. Her heart jumped and her stomach did flip-flops. Her palms got sweaty and she wiped them across her dress. She swallowed the lump in her throat and tried to speak. "Sirius."
"Hello, Josephina." Sirius replied.
"Lizbeth…can I have a word with you? Privately?" Josephina said, not taking her eyes off of Sirius.
"Sure." Josephina pulled Lizbeth into the kitchen and closed the door. Lizbeth had a smile on her face as if she didn't know what was going on. "What's wrong, Jo?"
"What the hell were you thinking, Lizbeth?"
"Whatever do you mean…Josephina?" Lizbeth asked, still smiling and feigning innocence.
"You know what I mean. Why the hell did you bring him here?"
"Oh, come off of it, Jo. I, for one, got tired of him talking about you all the time. And this was not my idea. Talk to Remus about that one."
"He talks about me all the time?" Josephina asked, with a stupid smile on her face. Lizbeth cocked her head and smiled.
"I don't care." Josephina said, shaking the thought out of her head. "He's not staying."
"Damn it, Jo. He did nothing wrong. I'm not going to make him leave."
Josephina ran her fingers through her hair and leaned against the door, weighing her options. She couldn't kick him out, she decided. Whether she liked it or not, she'd have to face what she's been hiding from for the past year. "Fine. He stays. But, I'm warning you, If one thing goes wrong, he puts one toe out of line - "
Lizbeth waved an impatient hand. "Don't worry, Jo. I promise he will be a good boy. Okay?"
Josephina and Lizbeth emerged from the kitchen to find the boys helping themselves to a beer from the bar in the den. Josephina showed Lizbeth and Remus to the basement where they would be staying. Then took Sirius to the master bedroom on the second floor, where he would be staying.
She proceeded to show them the rest of the house, and the third floor, which had just finished the remodeling process two weeks after Thanksgiving. Josephina's bedroom resided on the west wing of the third floor. It held a private shower with a Jacuzzi, and a door that lead to a private library and study. The library was smaller than the one on the main level, but was still quite large.
The guests had arrived and for the duration of the party, Josephina tried to stay away from Sirius. And argued with him when she was near him. She was the one who usually initiated the argument. "Your hair is too long," or "your shoes are scuffed." Then, Sirius would throw his caustic comments at her, saying, "Your dress is too short," or something he knew would piss her off. She didn't know what was wrong with herself. She wouldn't admit she was in love with him, but when she looked at him or thought about him she felt like a schoolgirl with a mad crush. Admit it, already. Something inside her said. Admit it, you're in love with him. She always shook the thought out of her head.
After the guests had left and she was cleaning up, they argued even more. Sirius looked as if he was actually enjoying it. He actually laughed at some of her futile attempts to make him mad. Finally, she bid him goodnight and stormed up to her bedroom to take a shower and go to bed.
She lit a few candles and turned out the lights, A habit that she's had almost all of her life. When she emerged from the shower she wrapped a towel around her body and walked over to her dresser to brush her hair.
"You're not being a very good hostess, Josephina." She jumped at the sound of his voice.
"Sirius?! What are you doing?" She asked, turning on the light.
"You just left me out there… couldn't even see me to my room. Tsk, tsk." He said, ignoring her question.
"Sirius…"
He stood from his chair and took a step closer to her. She took a step backwards.
"You're not scared…are you, Josephina?" He asked, his eyes burning into hers. "Do I frighten you?"
"Sirius, I think you should get to bed."
"Wrong answer, Josephina." He now had her pinned against the wall with his hands above her shoulders. Before she knew what hit her, he had his lips pressed firmly against hers in a violent kiss. She moaned in protest and tried to push him away. He grabbed her wrists and held the to the wall just above her head.
His kiss was so brutal and violent she thought her lips would bruise if he didn't stop. He let go of her wrists and pulled her closer to him. Then pulled away as abruptly as he had started the kiss. "I ask you again, are you afraid of me, Josephina?"
His eyes were menacing as they stared down into hers, but that was the last thing she was going to admit to him. "No." She answered as if she were trying to convince herself, and not him.
He leaned forward and kissed her again. This time he didn't force himself. It was soft and passionate. He gently bit and sucked at her bottom lip before thrusting his tongue into her mouth. His arms circled around her waist, and his fingers played at the small of her back. Josephina did not resist. Instead, she let out a stifled moan and he pulled her closer to him, his hands groping at her rear. His hands explored her middle half as his mouth moved down and explored her neck.
"You've had enough." He said stepping away from her and turning towards the door. "Sleep well, Josephina."
She couldn't take it any longer. She couldn't hide. It was too strong. She needed him. In more ways than one. "Sirius…" She whispered before he reached the door. He turned to face her and she tugged on her towel and let it fall to the floor. She moved closer to him, where she practically had him pinned against the door and said, "You don't want to do that." She slid her hand down to lock the door and "accidentally" brushed his arm. Sirius lifted her up and around, and pressed her back to the door.
"I suppose you know what I want?" He asked.
"Oh, I have a pretty good idea." She smiled.
He smiled back at her and kissed her more passionately than he did before. Then he carried her to the bed and laid her down. Josephina watched him as he removed his clothes. He positioned himself on top of her and claimed her lips again, his hands moved down to her breasts. He rubbed his thumbs across her turgid nipples and a deep moan issued from her lips. The moan shot fire through his veins, and he replaced his hands with his mouth.
Josephina ran her hands along his back, igniting tiny flames wherever she touched. He moved his lips down to her stomach. He wanted to taste every inch of her, and feel her writhe against him in mindless passion.
"Sirius…" It wasn't a cry of protest, but rather of exquisite pleasure. He moved his mouth farther down, flicking his tongue out as he went. She wanted to weep with pleasure and scream at him to take her. His tongue found her warm moistness and her eyes fluttered open. Josephina's hands clutched at the sheets, her hips rising to meet his tongue.
A series of shudders swept over her, leaving her weak and gasping for breath. It was then, when he knew she had complete and total pleasure, that he entered her. She wrapped her legs around his hips, bringing him into her completely. He sent fire through her body with each thrust, and she wondered why she denied her love of him for so long.
"I've missed you, Josephina…" He whispered. "I've missed you so much."
A single tear slid down her face as he said those words. Sirius noticed it and kissed it away. "Oh, Sirius, I'm so sorry." He loved her so much, and the words begged to be released. He had the sense not to say it, for fear she might not feel the same.
As much as he wanted to take it slow, to make this last forever, he couldn't. She was too much for him, too hot, too beautiful, too overwhelming to fight the natural impulse of his body to race to completion. His movements became faster, and she met him for each thrust. Moans filled the room and he wasn't sure if they came from her or from him. All he knew was that he was lost, and he never wanted to be found again.
When they finished, Sirius lay next to her and Josephina put her head on his chest. Before she drifted off to sleep she said, "Stay, Sirius, please don't leave." She wanted him to stay forever, his arms holding her until they couldn't hold on any longer. She didn't want to deny that she loved him any longer. She ached to tell him. To tell him she made a mistake, and wanted to lay here in his arms forever. She only hoped he could see the hidden meaning behind her words.
Sirius pulled her closer and kissed her forehead. "Go to sleep, my love. I'm not going anywhere." He noticed that her breathing pattern had changed, telling him that she was asleep. He kissed her forehead again. Just as he started to fall asleep he whispered, "I never stopped loving you."
Chapter Five
~ One year later ~
"So, you and Remus are coming next week, right?" Josephina said into the receiver.
"Of course we are! Do you think I'd ditch my best friend on Christmas?" Lizbeth moved in with Remus when he left Hogwarts. She hasn't been this happy since the day she found out she was a witch. It seemed her life was really falling into place. She's now engaged to Remus. They have a beautiful home near James and Lily. And, they are planning to start a family.
Unfortunately, Josephina wasn't finding it so easy to be happy. Sure, she had the most beautiful house in this half of Ireland, but there was something missing in her life. She couldn't help thinking that she left that missing part of her back at Hogwarts.
Yet, she scolded herself every time she went on a date and compared them to Sirius Black. 'I do not need him, and I certainly don't miss him.' She'd tell herself.
"No, Liz. I know you'd never ditch me. Just be on time for this one. Though, I did love your graceful entrance at my Thanksgiving party." Josephina laughed.
"That's not funny, Jo. Don't even go there." Lizbeth said, although she was laughing too. " I told you I was sorry about that."
"Okay, okay. Just promise me you won't have anything to drink before you get here."
"I promise. Oh, by the way, would it be alright if we bring someone with us?" Lizbeth asked.
"I don't care. Who is it? Oh, hey, You and Remus are staying until New Years, right?"
"Sure, if you've got room."
"Lizbeth, I have eleven rooms in this house. Plus, a finished basement with two bedrooms. Of course I have the room. You know that. I suggest you stay in the basement, though. You have a private shower, hot tub, den and kitchen down there. I've even decorated both bedrooms. So, you can take your pick on which bedroom you want."
"You have a lot of time on your hands, Jo. Maybe you should get a job."
"I would have less time on my hands if my best friend came to visit me more often. You're only a fireplace away, you know."
"Yeah, well, how long did it take you to get your fireplace registered?"
"I had a lot of remodeling to do, Liz. This place was rubbish when I moved in."
"Ain't that the truth. It's a shame you couldn't have the place you grew up in."
"Yeah, that would have been nice. But, I like it here."
Lizbeth laughed. "You liked it here too, Jo. I'm still sticking to what I said a year ago, You're insane."
"Don't start, Liz. I came back to forget about him. You're not helping. The least you could do is humor me, and tell me I did the right thing. Weather you disagree or not."
"I can't, Jo. I'm your best friend. I have a right to give you my opinion. And my opinion is, you're wrong, and you're insane."
"Thanks a lot." Josephina said sarcastically.
"Don't get sarcastic with me, Jo. I'm right, and you know it."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Well?" Remus asked excitedly when Lizbeth walked into the bedroom.
"Well…" Lizbeth sat down on the bed next to him. He could hardly hold his excitement. He looked like an eight-year-old on Christmas morning. Lizbeth couldn't resist the urge to mess with his mind. "What?"
"Don't play innocence with me, woman! Did you talk to Jo or not?"
"AH! Remus! Don't - tickle - me!" Lizbeth managed to choke out between her laughter. "I just got off the phone with her!"
"And?"
"And, what?"
"Oh, You're asking for it!" Remus laughed and began to tickle her again.
"NOOOO! Remus, stop! If - stop - I'll - tell - you!"
"Promise?"
"Yes!" Remus stopped and Lizbeth caught some breath. "We can bring him."
"Just like that? She didn't give you a problem about it?"
"Well…she doesn't exactly know who we're bringing…"
"I see. Well, okay. I'll go call him then. We're nearly finished packing, so we will leave in the morning."
"Oh, we're taking the car?"
"Sure, we are staying until New Years, right?" Lizbeth nodded. "Okay, why don't you finish packing your things while I go make that phone call."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Josephina had just put up some last minute decorations when she heard the doorbell ring. She looked at the clock. It's only three, the party starts at five, she thought. I wonder who could be here so early. She put the last of the wineglasses around the table and went to open the door.
"Liz! Remus! You're early!" Josephina said as she gave each of them a hug.
"I'm sorry. We should have called to let you know." Liz said.
"No, no. Don't be silly. Let's get your bags downstairs. I thought you were bringing someone. Did you change your mind?"
"No." Remus shook his head. "He's getting the rest of the stuff out of the car."
"Oh, okay. Well, Let me bring this stuff to your room. I'll be right back."
Josephina took their bags downstairs and put them into the walk-in closet. Then, she checked the whole basement to make sure everything was clean and in place. When she walked back up the stairs she saw the face she least expected to see.
"I put your things in - " She stopped dead in her tracks. Her heart jumped and her stomach did flip-flops. Her palms got sweaty and she wiped them across her dress. She swallowed the lump in her throat and tried to speak. "Sirius."
"Hello, Josephina." Sirius replied.
"Lizbeth…can I have a word with you? Privately?" Josephina said, not taking her eyes off of Sirius.
"Sure." Josephina pulled Lizbeth into the kitchen and closed the door. Lizbeth had a smile on her face as if she didn't know what was going on. "What's wrong, Jo?"
"What the hell were you thinking, Lizbeth?"
"Whatever do you mean…Josephina?" Lizbeth asked, still smiling and feigning innocence.
"You know what I mean. Why the hell did you bring him here?"
"Oh, come off of it, Jo. I, for one, got tired of him talking about you all the time. And this was not my idea. Talk to Remus about that one."
"He talks about me all the time?" Josephina asked, with a stupid smile on her face. Lizbeth cocked her head and smiled.
"I don't care." Josephina said, shaking the thought out of her head. "He's not staying."
"Damn it, Jo. He did nothing wrong. I'm not going to make him leave."
Josephina ran her fingers through her hair and leaned against the door, weighing her options. She couldn't kick him out, she decided. Whether she liked it or not, she'd have to face what she's been hiding from for the past year. "Fine. He stays. But, I'm warning you, If one thing goes wrong, he puts one toe out of line - "
Lizbeth waved an impatient hand. "Don't worry, Jo. I promise he will be a good boy. Okay?"
Josephina and Lizbeth emerged from the kitchen to find the boys helping themselves to a beer from the bar in the den. Josephina showed Lizbeth and Remus to the basement where they would be staying. Then took Sirius to the master bedroom on the second floor, where he would be staying.
She proceeded to show them the rest of the house, and the third floor, which had just finished the remodeling process two weeks after Thanksgiving. Josephina's bedroom resided on the west wing of the third floor. It held a private shower with a Jacuzzi, and a door that lead to a private library and study. The library was smaller than the one on the main level, but was still quite large.
The guests had arrived and for the duration of the party, Josephina tried to stay away from Sirius. And argued with him when she was near him. She was the one who usually initiated the argument. "Your hair is too long," or "your shoes are scuffed." Then, Sirius would throw his caustic comments at her, saying, "Your dress is too short," or something he knew would piss her off. She didn't know what was wrong with herself. She wouldn't admit she was in love with him, but when she looked at him or thought about him she felt like a schoolgirl with a mad crush. Admit it, already. Something inside her said. Admit it, you're in love with him. She always shook the thought out of her head.
After the guests had left and she was cleaning up, they argued even more. Sirius looked as if he was actually enjoying it. He actually laughed at some of her futile attempts to make him mad. Finally, she bid him goodnight and stormed up to her bedroom to take a shower and go to bed.
She lit a few candles and turned out the lights, A habit that she's had almost all of her life. When she emerged from the shower she wrapped a towel around her body and walked over to her dresser to brush her hair.
"You're not being a very good hostess, Josephina." She jumped at the sound of his voice.
"Sirius?! What are you doing?" She asked, turning on the light.
"You just left me out there… couldn't even see me to my room. Tsk, tsk." He said, ignoring her question.
"Sirius…"
He stood from his chair and took a step closer to her. She took a step backwards.
"You're not scared…are you, Josephina?" He asked, his eyes burning into hers. "Do I frighten you?"
"Sirius, I think you should get to bed."
"Wrong answer, Josephina." He now had her pinned against the wall with his hands above her shoulders. Before she knew what hit her, he had his lips pressed firmly against hers in a violent kiss. She moaned in protest and tried to push him away. He grabbed her wrists and held the to the wall just above her head.
His kiss was so brutal and violent she thought her lips would bruise if he didn't stop. He let go of her wrists and pulled her closer to him. Then pulled away as abruptly as he had started the kiss. "I ask you again, are you afraid of me, Josephina?"
His eyes were menacing as they stared down into hers, but that was the last thing she was going to admit to him. "No." She answered as if she were trying to convince herself, and not him.
He leaned forward and kissed her again. This time he didn't force himself. It was soft and passionate. He gently bit and sucked at her bottom lip before thrusting his tongue into her mouth. His arms circled around her waist, and his fingers played at the small of her back. Josephina did not resist. Instead, she let out a stifled moan and he pulled her closer to him, his hands groping at her rear. His hands explored her middle half as his mouth moved down and explored her neck.
"You've had enough." He said stepping away from her and turning towards the door. "Sleep well, Josephina."
She couldn't take it any longer. She couldn't hide. It was too strong. She needed him. In more ways than one. "Sirius…" She whispered before he reached the door. He turned to face her and she tugged on her towel and let it fall to the floor. She moved closer to him, where she practically had him pinned against the door and said, "You don't want to do that." She slid her hand down to lock the door and "accidentally" brushed his arm. Sirius lifted her up and around, and pressed her back to the door.
"I suppose you know what I want?" He asked.
"Oh, I have a pretty good idea." She smiled.
He smiled back at her and kissed her more passionately than he did before. Then he carried her to the bed and laid her down. Josephina watched him as he removed his clothes. He positioned himself on top of her and claimed her lips again, his hands moved down to her breasts. He rubbed his thumbs across her turgid nipples and a deep moan issued from her lips. The moan shot fire through his veins, and he replaced his hands with his mouth.
Josephina ran her hands along his back, igniting tiny flames wherever she touched. He moved his lips down to her stomach. He wanted to taste every inch of her, and feel her writhe against him in mindless passion.
"Sirius…" It wasn't a cry of protest, but rather of exquisite pleasure. He moved his mouth farther down, flicking his tongue out as he went. She wanted to weep with pleasure and scream at him to take her. His tongue found her warm moistness and her eyes fluttered open. Josephina's hands clutched at the sheets, her hips rising to meet his tongue.
A series of shudders swept over her, leaving her weak and gasping for breath. It was then, when he knew she had complete and total pleasure, that he entered her. She wrapped her legs around his hips, bringing him into her completely. He sent fire through her body with each thrust, and she wondered why she denied her love of him for so long.
"I've missed you, Josephina…" He whispered. "I've missed you so much."
A single tear slid down her face as he said those words. Sirius noticed it and kissed it away. "Oh, Sirius, I'm so sorry." He loved her so much, and the words begged to be released. He had the sense not to say it, for fear she might not feel the same.
As much as he wanted to take it slow, to make this last forever, he couldn't. She was too much for him, too hot, too beautiful, too overwhelming to fight the natural impulse of his body to race to completion. His movements became faster, and she met him for each thrust. Moans filled the room and he wasn't sure if they came from her or from him. All he knew was that he was lost, and he never wanted to be found again.
When they finished, Sirius lay next to her and Josephina put her head on his chest. Before she drifted off to sleep she said, "Stay, Sirius, please don't leave." She wanted him to stay forever, his arms holding her until they couldn't hold on any longer. She didn't want to deny that she loved him any longer. She ached to tell him. To tell him she made a mistake, and wanted to lay here in his arms forever. She only hoped he could see the hidden meaning behind her words.
Sirius pulled her closer and kissed her forehead. "Go to sleep, my love. I'm not going anywhere." He noticed that her breathing pattern had changed, telling him that she was asleep. He kissed her forehead again. Just as he started to fall asleep he whispered, "I never stopped loving you."