ONCE AGAIN

Disclaimer: Nothing here belongs to me. I don't intend to make money or anything like that. Don't sue me!

05_X-mas' Spirit.

"You did what?" Dianna faced her friend in disbelief. "How could you?"

"I already told you, Dy. He betrayed me, and that I shall not have." They both were sat at Melissa's four poster bed. Well, Dianna was. Since she stood up and begun to pace the room to and fro.

"It's not big deal..." Melissa said in a small voice.

"It's not big deal!" Dianna all but yelled. "Lemme tell ya something, you pigheaded! There's nothing between Helena and Sirius, not anymore. They had an affair at early last year but she left." She was struggling to keep control of herself. "He visited her once. A couple months later I heard that she had another guy. Do you want to know what Sirius felt when I told him? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. That was three days after YOU came to Hogwarts!" by the end, she was in a fume.

"I don't want to be just a comfort to your brother." Melissa shook her head stubbornly."

"Have you heard anything of what I said?" Dianna sat, then stood up again. "You know what? I give up."

She was about to leave when Melissa called her. "Dy, we still are friends, right?"

Dianna had to smile at the look in her face. She went back and enveloped Melissa into a big hug. "Of course we are, you ninny!"



THE DAY AFTER, GREAT HALL.

Peter was chewing his bacon eagerly and didn't even look up to ask: "So it's truth? Padfoot and Melissa broke up?"

James turned his head to both sides to make sure neither Sirius nor Melissa were near enough to hear. "Yeah, that explains Padfoot's terrible mood last night."

"I can't understand why Mel would do that. She obviously like him a lot..." Lily said. "Oh, they're so stubborn! We really should do something about it."

Remus, who decided for be impartial, spoke for the first time. "Don't give Dianna ideas. She already have plenty of them."


QUIDDITCH PITCH, DURING POTION CLASSES FOR SIXTH YEARS AND HERBOLOGY FOR SEVENTH YEARS.

Sirius once more hit the bludger with all is strenght.

"Wow!" Dianna stopped by his side and grabbed the remaining stick. "I truly hope that that wasn't Mel's head you were pretending to smash. You see, she's helping me with potions and after this class that I lost, Professor Moran won't have pity of me."

"Then maybe you should be studying now." He didn't even bother to look at her. Just when the bludger was beaten back by Dianna moments before it hit him, he turned his head her way. "I'm not in the mood, sis."

Dianna chuckled. "You're not in the mood since a week from now!"

Sirius caught the struggling bludger and put it back inside its box. "What's your big plan this time?"

She gave him a wide grin. "Why don't we go to Hogsmeade to chat a little? Christmas is enclosing, people get different by this time of the year. With all that thing of Christmas' spirit..."

He smiled.



It was more than a month ago and counting since Melissa shared the same room with Sirius for more than five minutes during breakfast, lunch or supper. Both them did their best to avoid each other – which is a very difficult task, once they were in the same house and had the same friends.

Melissa spent all her spare time at the library, or having extra classes, or reading at her dorms. By now, she was coming back from library, headed to her Common Room when crashed into someone.

All her books and parchments and quills fell to the ground. Melissa glared at the boy, but her anger dissipated when he smiled and helped her to collect her stuff. She recognized him, of course. Phillipe Delacroix, the headboy of Ravenclaw.

"So, Mademoiselle, may I know to where you are going in such an obliviousness to the world?"

She smiled. He had this funny french accent that was really charming and paired perfectly fine with his baby blue eyes and curly blonde hair.

"To my Common Room."

"Let me escort you and I'll carry your books!"

"Ok. But you will lament when you realize how heavy they are."

"Everything for you, ma chérie."


MINUTES LATER

"Mondieu! What are these books made of? Iron?" Phillipe grimaced.

"Some of them, yes." Melissa laughed at the disgusted expression in his face.

"What's so funny? My backs are a mess!" he pretended to be angry. "You'll have to make it up to me."

She laughed again. "And what will be my punishment?"

"Not a punishment, actually. Come to Hogsmeade with me." He smiled brightly.


"I can't wait!" she told the Fat Lady the password and vanished through the portrait hole.



At the Common Room, Lily and Dianna eavesdropped the conversation.

"Oh, crap!"

"We'll have to hurry now, Dy."

The other girl nodded. "I'll talk to Rosmerta."




FRIDAY NIGHT, AFTER SUPPER

Lily wandered towards the desk where Melissa was sat. "So, Mel, what are you going to do tomorrow?"

Melissa eyed her friend suspiciously. Lately, they all started to act weirdly, but she couldn't tell why. "I'm obviously going to Hogsmeade," she paused, carefully watching Lily's reaction. "With a friend."

Lily beamed. "Oh, that's great!" Melissa rose an eyebrow. "So we can all go together: James and I, Remus and Dianna, you and your... friend." She smirked.

"What about Peter and Sirius?" Melissa asked.

If Lily was expecting to hear something different in Melissa's voice, she wasn't disappointed. "They have detention tomorrow."

That was half-truth. Little Peter Pettigrew wasn't very happy to have to stay at Hogwarts, but Dianna told him – in no uncertain terms – that the best for him was to stay at the castle. He wasn't so stupid to don't notice her menacing look – they had to write an alibi, hadn't they? And Sirius... Well, he did have detention for a thing or two he did to some Slytherins, but then, he was a Marauder. No detention would keep him at school that Saturday.

Melissa was lost in thought for a while. Wasn't this the same red-haired girl who never ceased to bug her about he no more existent relationship with Sirius? Odd... But she had given up understanding her friends long ago. "If you say so."

"Is it a go?"

Melissa nodded.


HOGSMEADE, SATURDAY EVENING

Phillipe kindly pulled out a chair for Melissa to sit and ordered a butterbeer for him and a lemonade for her. Sure it was winter, but inside the Three Broomsticks was warm and comfortable. Melissa didn't felt cold, so she took off her wool cloak, exposing the Cambridge blue dress she was wearing. The other two couples were already there and so they spent some good timing chatting.

The Three Broomsticks was packed and noisy with all the Hogwarts' students and tourists relaxing a bit from their Christmas shopping. Melissa relaxed on her chair and watched the people at the pub. It was one of her favorites pastimes. It's easy to find a lot of weirdoes and the most curious things...

But nothing could prepare her to the vision of Sirius Black entering the pub.

Their eyes instantaneously met. It was like a beam of pure energy flowed through her body. Sirius was wearing Black from top to bottom, his cheeks were a bit flushed from the cold outside and he had snowflakes on his hair and on his shoulders.

Melissa moved uneasily, but never let go of his gaze. It was like she was spellbound. She shuddered as he stared at her from head to toe. She expected him to come anytime now – actually, she wanted him to come.

Sirius held her eyes all the time that took him to walk towards her. She was so beautiful and he wanted her so bad... But then, Dianna's frantic movements caught his attention. At the table, Moony and Prongs were doing their best – and failing – to hold the laugh, Lily was looking from Melissa to him with a silly expression on her face, that bloke from Ravenclaw – the newest addition on Sirius' 'I hate' list – suddenly seemed very interested on his mug... And Dianna was making not-so-imperceptive sign with her hands and eyes.

Melissa's heart sank when Sirius walked past her table without a single word to her. She couldn't help but follow him with the eyes. Sirius was headed to a... a stage? What he planned to do with a microphone?

A tune started to play and realization hit Melissa. Sirius smiled at her stunned face and winked at her before he started sing.

This romeo is bleeding
But you can't see his blood
It's nothing but some feelings
That this old dog kicked up

It's been raining since you left me
Now I'm drowning in the flood
You see I've always been a fighter
But without you I give up

Now I can't sing a love song
Like the way it's meant to be
Well, I guess I'm not that good anymore
But baby, that's just me

And I will love you, baby - Always
And I'll be there forever and a day - Always
I'll be there till the stars don't shine
Till the heavens burst and
The words don't rhyme
And I know when I die, you'll be on my mind
And I'll love you - Always

Now your pictures that you left behind
Are just memories of a different life
Some that made us laugh, some that made us cry
One that made you have to say goodbye
What I'd give to run my fingers through your hair
To touch your lips, to hold you near
When you say your prayers try to understand
I've made mistakes, I'm just a man

When he holds you close, when he pulls you near
When he says the words you've been needing to hear
I'll wish I was him 'cause those words are mine
To say to you till the end of time

Yeah, I will love you baby - Always
And I'll be there forever and a day - Always

If you told me to cry for you
I could
If you told me to die for you
I would
Take a look at my face
There's no price I won't pay
To say these words to you

Well, there ain't no luck
In these loaded dice
But baby if you give me just one more try
We can pack up our old dreams
And our old lives
We'll find a place where the sun still shines

And I will love you, baby - Always
And I'll be there forever and a day - Always
I'll be there till the stars don't shine
Till the heavens burst and
The words don't rhyme
And I know when I die, you'll be on my mind
And I'll love you – Always

Melissa felt her cheeks burning. Her breathe fastened and she could formulate no reaction as Sirius approached her. It was more than she could bear. Melissa quickly stood up and vanished through the door to the women's restroom. Lily and Dianna changed a look before follow their friend.



WOMEN'S RESTROOM – THREE BROOMSTICKS

Melissa slammed the door open, then, glaring at the three witches there in, she said "Sod off!"

The poor girls were so scared with that maniac that invaded the loo that left without questions. Dianna hurried to the door and locked it, then, she turned to her two friends with a smirk.

"Oh, that was soooo sweet and romantic!" as she stopped to muse about the situation, the fool-in-love expression she had gradually desappeared. "Melissa! What are you doing here instead of running to my brother's arms?"

Melissa took in a deep breath and sat on the floor, her legs crossed. "What did you want me to do? It was quite a shock. Lily had assured me he would be at Hogwarts and... You girls planned everything!"

Dianna smiled slyly. "Well, someone had to do something..."

"But it's my life!"

Lily snorted. "Yeah, right. I remember, not long ago, being locked into a room with the boy I hated most. It was my life too, but no one asked for my permission."

"Like you would have given it... Plus, you don't seem to regret."

"Hey!" Dianna interfered. "Let's get back to Melissa & Sirius. You want to know what to do? Easy, go and talk to him!"

"I don't know..."

Lily smiled sympathetically. "Is it about that whole Helena thing?"

"Yes and no." Melissa sighed. "I still don't think that what he did was right..."

"I explained you everything!" Dianna interfered.

"But he should have told me!"

"Okay, okay." Lily reasoned. "He was wrong not to tell you, but James told me Sirius told him he thought it didn't matter. Mel, he is sorry, that much I can tell. I know Sirius since we were eleven and he never ever felt for a girl what he feels for you. It's plain to see that when he's around you, or simply when he looks at you. Don't throw his love away."

"What if he do that again? What if he'll do the same thing when he leave Hogwarts?"

"That you will never know, if you don't give him a chance."

Melissa blinked the tears away. "He's wonderful, isn't he?"

Dianna smiled and reached out a hand to Melissa. "Com'on, Stand up."

The next minute, Melissa was being thrown out of the restroom by Dianna and Lily. She smoothed her clothes to get some time to think about what she would tell to Sirius.

She was lookin' down, that's why she didn't saw someone approaching. Only when a shadow blocked the light, Melissa did look up... Just to find herself being enchanted towards Sirius' blue eyes.

"Hey." He took a step ahead.

"Hey." She stepped back.

"So..."

"So what?"

"You're not going to make it easy on me, right?" a shadow of a smile crossed his face.

"Not even a bit."

"What's your answer?" He took another step in her direction.

"A-Answer?" Melissa leaned against the door just because there was no more space to walk back.

Sirius leaned closer to her. So close that Melissa thought he would kiss her, but he just went on to whisper on her ear.

"If you give me just one more try..."

She placed a hand on his chest and gently pushed him away. "Sirius, I..."

"You don't forgive me, is it?"

"No! I already forgave you. I don't know how or when but I forgave you."

"Then what's the problem?"


"Phillipe. I'll have to make things clear with him." Melissa regreted her choice of words when she saw the hurt look on Sirius' face. "I'm not punishing you. But I think we had enough of misunderstandings." She lifted a hand to gingerly caress his cheek.


Sirius held her hand before she could withdraw it. "I will wait." Never letting go of her eyes, he kissed her hand.


Some muffled giggles coming from behind Melissa made Sirius frown. He rose a brow quizzically at his former-but-soon-to-be-girlfriend.


Melissa shook her head. "Don't ask."


Sirius smiled, and was about to say something, but the sound of someone clearing their throat behind him interrupted him.


McGonnagal was staring disapprovingly at then, her arms akimbo and her mouth forming a thin line.


"I believe you were not allowed to come, Mr. Black."


Sirius rolled his eyes. "Oh, my..."


Melissa had to laugh at his mock-regretful face.


"Get back to the castle now. You'll have ANOTHER detention. And Miss Walker? Free the restroom, please." The Deputy Headmistress crossed her arms in front of her chest, making it plain to see that she just would leave with Sirius.


He gave Melissa a boyish smile and said: "Good bye." As sadly as he could at the moment. Then he kissed her forehead gently before following Minerva back to the school.


Melissa followed them with her eyes. When they weren't on her sight anymore, she opened the door behind her.

Lily poked her head around the door, followed by Dianna. "Sooo..." they talked in unison.

"Things turned out the way they should have." Melissa said misteriously, but she couldn't hide a smile.

Dianna rolled her eyes. "I guess I'll have to ask Sirius, then."

"Let's get back to the table." Lily interfered. "Poor James might be thinking that I dumped him for Snape."

"Phillipe, may I talk to you for while? Alone." Melissa glared at the two Marauders and their respective girlfriends, all of them hanging on every word she said.


"Oui, ma chérie." Phillipe smiled brightly.


Melissa wore her cloak and, together with Phillipe, left the pub.


When they were out, Melissa opened her mouth to speak, but Philllipe stopped her.


"You don't have to explain anything for me. I understand you have feelings for Black. Even before the show he provided, I knew it."


"I'm sorry..."


"Shh." He silenced her. "It's okay. I didn't invite you as a date, just as a friend."


Melissa nodded. "Thank you."


He smiled. "Let's go back in? It's freezing here."


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Secundary Disclaimer: The music "Always" doesn't belong to me. I'm sure I don't bear any resemblance with Jon Bon Jovi or any of his bandmates, so I have reasons to believe that no one will ever think I'm trying to win some money of this.


A long chapter for my standards! Unfortunately I don't think that will be more of them. I'll settle for five pages. That's all for this week, now do what you have to do and review!


P.S. – I'm sorry for the grammar mistakes *blushes*. I'll try to correct them.


P.S.P.S – Somebody wants to beta-read for me?