"So, last night went well?" Remus asked a visibly cheerful Sirius as they got up the next morning. While Sirius was already up, dressed and reading on his bed, Lupin had just pulled back the hangings around the four-poster bed.
"It sure did," Sirius grinned from his bed across from Lupin's.
"Well, that's good," he replied uneasily. "I'm sure Myra will be happy about that."
"Yeah, about Myra...," Sirius said, looking up from 'Dungeons, Dens and Deserts: The Homes of the Most Dangerous Dragons' by Gerald Shubacker.
"What about her?" Remus asked as he pulled on some pants.
"I want to see her again," Sirius said in a low voice.
"Come again?" Remus looked up from the shirt he was buttoning.
"I want to see her again, Moony," Sirius said sheepishly.
"Of all the girls in Hogwarts, you want to see Myra again?" Remus looked annoyed.
"She's different!" Sirius insisted. "She's not like those other girls full of giggling and rubbish."
"I know she's different Padfoot," Lupin said in almost a growl. "That's why I like her."
"Well, it's not like I planned this!" Sirius exclaimed defensively, sitting up and tossing the book aside.
"Maybe not, but I do find it a bit... odd... that the one girl I'm interested is the one that you just happen to fancy as well."
"Oh, come on Moony!" Sirius threw up his hands in exasperation.
"You know what I think?" Remus said slowly, trying very hard to control the anger that was uncharacteristically threatening to boil over.
"What's that?" Sirius sneered.
"I think that you just want what you can't have. And since you can have any other bloody girl in this bloody school, you want the one that I want!" He stormed out of the room, not controlling his anger any longer, leaving Sirius gaping at his usually passive best friend.
"Well, that didn't go very well," James muttered sleepily from the bed across the room.
"You're bloody right that didn't go very well!" Sirius shouted at him. "Thanks for jumping in to support me though, Prongs!"
A hand appeared between James' hangings and pulled them to one side.
"I might have jumped in if I had been sure either one of you had been right. Truth is, mate, you both have good points. I mean, would it have killed you to leave Myra to Remus? He's right, you can get any other girl."
Sirius felt his face flush uncharacteristically at James' offhand compliment.
"On the other hand," James continued, "She did seem to want to go with you, not Moony."
"So, what's your advice, mate?"
James stifled a yawn as he rolled onto his stomach. "I don't know. I just know that you shouldn't be fighting like this. You're supposed to be best friends."
"He started this," Sirius said quickly and then realising he sounded like he was twelve, relapsed back into silence.
"Come on, Padfoot," James said with a half smile. "You can't admit that maybe you're just a little bit spoiled and that you were trying to impress Moony by getting the girl he wanted?"
Sirius didn't say anything. He didn't want to admit that maybe James had hit the nail right on the head.
Was he trying to impress Lupin? he asked himself.
'Of course you weren't, you genuinely like Myra,' a voice replied.
'But you only genuinely liked her after you set off to win her,' the contradicting voice shot back.
In an effort to shut up these voices inside his head he turned back to his chapter on Desert Dragons and Where to Find Them.
Myra was enduring questioning from her room mates at the exact same moment. She had waken to find them all asleep, but somehow between showering and getting dressed they had all woken up and were staring at her expectantly.
"Everyone have fun last night?" she asked, more then a little self conscious at how they were all looking at her.
"I had a wonderful time," Leah answered, a grin on her face. "And what about you?"
"It was nice," Myra replied and started to pull her hair back.
"Nice?" Anna, her fourth roommate asked.
Myra nodded. "It was nice."
"So, did he kiss you?" Leah asked, cutting to the chase.
"That's really none of your business."
"Oh, come on My!" Anna whined, "Did he?"
"Why is it so important?" Myra asked, avoiding the subject.
"You know, everyone saw you two kissing," Emily said with a sly smile.
"What? How did everyone see us? We were –"She paused when she saw what Emily had done, made her admit that Sirius had kissed her. She sighed in aggravation.
"So, he's good isn't he?" Emily grinned.
"Yes, he is quite good," Myra conceded. "A little too good..."
"Well, he's had practice My, you know that as well as I do," Emily said with a knowing glance.
"Well, there's no need to worry girls. I'm sure he'll get bored with me quickly and be back to his usual self."
"I don't think he'd do that," Leah said quietly.
"Me neither," Anna agreed. Emily studied Myra in silence, her blue eyes pensive.
"Well, it doesn't matter. I'm not going to get my hopes up. Emily, how was your night?" she asked, abruptly changing the subject.
"Oh, it was fun. Remus is... Well, he's just how I thought he might be."
"Nothing short of wonderful, then?" Leah smiled.
"Yup."
As Emily went on about her night, Myra remembered the rest of hers. Sirius had been nothing short of charming, really. After the last dance, he had asked her if she wanted to go back to Ravenclaw, or if she'd rather do something else. Naturally, she had chosen the something else which had turned out to be a walk among the snow-covered gardens. They had talked about everything, it seemed. Instead of being shy around him, Myra had found it easy to talk to him. She was surprised by his eagerness to talk about anything except himself. She replayed the conversation over in her head, still fresh in her mind. . .
"Are you going home for the holidays, then?" Sirius asked.
She nodded. "You?"
"Yeah, I'm staying with James," Sirius replied.
"With your family?"
"No." Sirius' tone had suddenly darkened and his eyes turned downwards.
"Don't get along, then?" Myra ventured.
"Not exactly."
"My parents are divorced," Myra offered, trying to lead Sirius into disclosing his own family situation. He didn't take the bait, and instead turned the conversation towards Myra.
"I'm sorry, that must be hard on you," he sympathized.
"It's nearly always been that way, so it's not so bad. My dad lives in America now, but we still write sometimes."
"Muggles, right?"
She felt her muscles tense by habit. 'Muggle' had come to have a negative connotation for her from past experience. She answered, although hesitantly. "Yes, they're both muggles."
"I'm envious."
"'Scuse me?" Myra asked, puzzled. "You're from a pure-blood family. Why would you want to be muggle born?"
"I want to be muggle born because I'm from a pure-blood family, much like you wish you were from a wizarding family." He gave her a half smile. "We always want what we don't have, don't we?"
"Yes, I suppose so."
They walked in silence while Myra pondered over Sirius' previous statement. Finally Myra, feeling strangely brave, asked a question which had been plaguing her mind.
"Do your parents... Do they buy into the pure-blood superiority thing then?"
Sirius nodded. "Very much so. They think Voldemort has the right idea." He scoffed, showing his disgust.
"You don't though," she said, more of a statement than a question.
Sirius laughed. "Do you think I'd be here with you if I did? Do you think I'd be friends with Remus or Lily if I did?"
"I- I guess not," Myra stammered, feeling suddenly ridiculed.
"I'm sorry. I get defensive. Get tired of everyone thinking I buy into that pure-blood bullshit. They think I'm just like my stupid brother Regulus. They wish I were like him," Sirius sneered.
"Why is that?" Myra asked softly, feeling him opening up to her.
"He buys into their pureblood bullshit too. They wish I did, but I won't. I refuse." He suddenly gave a bit of a laugh. Myra looked over, startled by this sudden change in tone. "If my parents knew I was walking alone with a mudblood..." He said the last word in contempt, but not at Myra as she was used to hearing. He said it in contempt of those who would have her ridiculed, those who would kill her for who her parents are. "If they knew I wanted to kiss a muggle born right now, they would hex me into next Tuesday."
Sirius smiled at her as he said the last part and Myra felt her stomach flip-flop.
"Well, I hope you're not just using me to rebel," Myra said, half playfully but with a serious undertone.
"No, no," Sirius shook his head. "I don't care anymore. I'm sick of caring what they think. I'm sick of playing their game. I've been playing it too long now. Too bloody long."
"I'm sorry," Myra said sincerely. "I didn't realize..."
"It's not exactly something I broadcast. Besides, the Black name does have its purpose."
"Oh?" Myra asked with a raised eyebrow.
Sirius laughed quietly to himself. "Never mind."
"No, what?" Myra insisted.
"It makes it easier to get girls. They think I'm loaded. Think I'm a pureblood and all that bullshit." He grinned at her as if they were sharing a secret.
"I don't think you'd have trouble getting girls if your last name was anything else," Myra divulged. "The way they get over you, it's funny." Myra forgot momentarily that she was one of those girls that got funny over Sirius Black. As they were walking in the quiet garden she felt as though they were just two teenagers, not shy Myra with the sex god, Sirius Black.
"I think so too. My charms seem to be having no effect on you though, I notice." He studied her quietly beside him.
"What effect should they be having?"
"Oh, you know. Girls normally just start taking their clothes off at the sight of me. I'm quite surprised you've managed to keep your clothes on for this long."
She laughed and he joined in. They continued their walk around the snow covered roses towards the castle.
"I should probably get you back," Sirius said finally.
"Probably," Myra agreed.
"I had a good time tonight," Sirius told her.
"Likewise."
"Myra?"
"Umhmm?"
"If my parents knew the thoughts I was having, I would definitely be hexed beyond all reason."
He smirked while she laughed, her face turning red.
"Well, Mr. Sirius Black. I shall give them no reason to hex you beyond all reason."
"How about into next Tuesday?" He asked, raising his eyebrow towards her.
She didn't answer but let him lean towards her, his dark hair brushing softly against her face momentarily before he tucked it behind his ear. She closed her eyes as she felt him come closer. His lips pressed against hers for one delicious moment. When he pulled away she could still taste his lips on hers. Her eyes fluttered open and met his grey ones. He hesitated only for a moment before kissing her again, this time wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her towards him gently. Her mouth opened slightly, allowing his tongue to find hers. His hand was in her hair, wrapping her curls around his fingers, feeling the silky touch against his fingers. Myra didn't want the sensation to end, but pulled away when she felt him do the same.
"Consider yourself hexed," she said softly. He smiled down at her, a smile filled with mischief and delight. "Now, I should really get back to Ravenclaw. If Flitwick finds me out of the dormitory, he really will hex me into next Tuesday."
"Alright, alright," Sirius agreed. He took her hand and walked her the remainder of the distance to Ravenclaw. At the door, they paused. Myra felt a tingling sensation in her stomach as she realized what was to come. Sure enough, Sirius kissed her again. It was a long smouldering kiss that made her long velvet dress feel suddenly quite warm. Her skin flushed as they pulled away.
"Myra? Hello?" Leah was asking her. Myra was pulled back into the present.
"Sorry, what?"
Leah sighed noisily. "Nothing. I can see that you have other things on your mind."
They smiled at each other, each knowing exactly what Myra was thinking about.
"I was just saying that it's just you and me going back on the Hogwarts Express today. We should go early to get a compartment together."
Myra nodded, realising with a sinking feeling that she hadn't even started packing yet. She had been too preoccupied with her thoughts of last night. No time like the present, she thought and sighed inwardly. She grabbed her trunk from under her bed distractedly, her mind still on a certain Gryffindor who was thinking about her at the exact same moment.