Star-Cross'd Lovers

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. J. K Rowling owns all, except this plot.

Rated R, as always, for mature themes, sexual situations, violence and language.

Chapter Three – Setting Sun, New Horizons

The sun had now begun to sink into the hills beyond the castle and dusk was fast approaching. All was so still around the castle, leaving a silence to descend upon the grounds as everyone got ready to go to sleep. Everyone that is, except Harry, who had worked for three hours straight cleaning Sirius' motorbike. The work had not tired him and sleep was the last thing he wanted. The glistening paint of the bike shone and the leather looked so warm and the light shinning on it seemed to make it wink at him, inviting him to take it for a ride.

Entertaining his friends all evening was not quite what he'd had in mind. What he really wanted was to see if he could make the bike speed through the air, skimming it over the trees. He wanted to feel the thrill he felt while on a broomstick, taking it to higher altitudes, letting the air flow over him and slide through his hair. . .

"Harry?"

Hearing a voice behind him he turned around, expecting someone to tell him to come inside. It was getting late. Instead it was Susan. She stood in front of him smiling shyly, her hands behind her back and her head down slightly; she looked so cute when she was nervous.

"Hello Susan", Harry said, smiling warmly. "I was just . . ." he turned and gestured towards his bike – his godfather's bike. Her eyes moved towards the old motorbike and suddenly lit up in wonder.

"Oh yes!" she said, her voice low and lyrical, "Rumours were going round that you had a motorbike. I mean I saw you with one earlier but I didn't know if it really was yours. It is yours isn't it?" Susan walked towards him and placed a hand delicately on the soft leather seat, sliding her fingers over it gently.

"Well, no it's not mine", Harry told her, feeling the guilt come flooding back. "It was my godfather's." Susan's hand came to a halt and a look of uneasiness spread across her face.

"I'm sorry!" she said quickly. "I didn't know it belonged to your godfather. I see you've been cleaning it. The last thing you want is for my grubby hands on it."

"Not at all!" Harry protested, his cheeks burning in the dreaded embarrassment of the openness of his confession. Susan looked sideways at him, a few strands of hair fell into her eyes. "I mean", he went on quickly, looking away, "all my friends have been having a go at riding it today. Sirius would have wanted us to have fun with it." Lupin's words felt strange echoing from his own mouth (Hagrid had told him Lupin said this). It still didn't feel quite right to be having fun on the bike while Sirius should be enjoying it himself.

"That's true." Susan said quietly. Harry looked at her again.

"I suppose. But don't you think Sirius would go crazy if he could see loads of people taking rides on his motorbike when some of them hardly know how to ride a broom?"

"I don't know", said Susan truthfully, "only you knew Sirius well enough to know that, Harry. But from what you told me today in the owlery about him it is obvious that Sirius loved you and wanted you to be happy. It's a simple wish for anyone – their happiness – but it shows how much he truly cared for you. Am I right in saying that?"

"Yes", Harry answered. Yes she was; Sirius always wanted Harry to have a good time but to be safe too. It was part of growing up. Although he didn't feel he had much growing up left to do.

He looked at Susan directly now. Her voice had possessed a definite truth and now he could see the understanding in her eyes. He found he didn't mind talking to her like this – about Sirius. They had shared their personal feelings with each other and now that she knew Harry in a way other people didn't he felt comfortable to talk to her in this way. She laughed softly at the way he looked at her, his bright green eyes understanding the empathy in hers.

"Well then, it wouldn't be a disappointment to him to find that your friends are telling anyone in the school who will listen that they had a 'bloody brilliant' time on your new motorbike. You're the main topic of conversation, Harry. That is until some new scandal comes up and takes all the attention. Probably Snape washing his hair or something . . ."

Harry laughed in unison with Susan. She even shared his sense of humour.

She's comforting and funny, Harry thought. How much more amazing can this girl get?

"I guess you're right", Harry said after the laughter had subsided. Afraid that an awkward silence would creep up on them Harry hurried on, "So what are you doing down here anyway?"

"I was just out walking", Susan said looking at the sunset. "I always like to take a walk before I go to sleep. It's very relaxing."

"That's nice", Harry said. "I was going to take a ride on Sirius' motorbike." He paused to study her face; the way she made him feel so pleasant when he was least expecting it, the way the descending sun was casting a long shadow of her slender figure behind her, the way she was making him feel right now. He never thought anyone could make him feel this way; so happy just to be in her company.

Right now he just wanted to get away from the school, but he wanted her to come with him. Dare he ask her to come along? "Umm, Susan?" Too late to back out now. She looked at him expectantly. "Do you want a ride?"

Oh you stupid wanker! Now she's going to think you're a right pervert! "I mean . . ."Harry could see Susan's cheeks turn crimson, "that came out completely the wrong way didn't it?"

Susan nodded, trying not to giggle as Harry's face began to turn red. "I'll just put you out of your misery: I don't know. My auntie wouldn't really approve", she said, looking at the motorbike.

"We are still talking about the bike aren't we?" Harry asked in a mock- cautious voice.

Susan just burst into fits of raucous laughter. "Of course we are! Listen, why don't you go on the motorbike and I'll just sit here on the ground where I can watch you and won't jinx your bike."

"You won't jinx it!" Harry protested. "Besides, I want to go somewhere on the bike. Why don't you come with me?" she stood eyeing the bike warily for a while so Harry urged her on. "Come on Susan. I promise you'll be safe and your aunt won't have to come and throttle me cause I'll have you back in one piece."

The temptation was too great and eventually Susan agreed. It was such a beautiful night and she so desperately wanted to see what Hogwarts looked like below the night sky. She moved closer to the bike.

"Are you sure?" she asked one last time.

Well, let me think, Harry thought. Alone in the sky, away from the troubles of Hogwarts, with a beautiful girl clinging on to me? Yeah I think I could live with that.

"Of course I'm sure!" Harry said climbing onto the bike. Susan carefully got on behind him, smiling nervously all the while. When she was seated comfortably Harry looked around at her and smiled, then turned the keys and kicked the engine into life.

Immediately the motorbike jerked forwards as if it had a life of its own and Susan jumped in surprise. She gave a little whimper and wrapped her arms tightly around Harry's waist. He jumped too, but more because of the shock of Susan's sudden closeness to his body. The side of her head was pressed against his back and he could see her hands trembling at his stomach as the motorbike gained speed.

"Nervous?" Harry asked, trying to look around as he had to concentrate on dodging the trees in front of him.

"Not at all", she replied but the quiver in her voice said otherwise.

The bike soon gained enough speed to rise from the ground. For some reason Harry knew exactly how to steer it. It was just like a broom. Pulling the handles upwards made it rise higher and higher until they were way above the ground.

Now Susan had calmed down a little but hadn't loosened her grip on Harry. Within minutes the bike was above the level of the small trees around the Forbidden Forest. Harry brought it up and up to rise above even higher trees and looked behind to see Hogwarts growing smaller in the distance.

"Wow! Look at that!" he told Susan, shouting above the noise of the thundering engine.

"I can't!" she said laughing. "I'm too scared to open my eyes." It was true; her eyes were tightly shut and he took this opportunity to study how beautiful she looked when her hair blew out wildly behind her in the wind and how the sinking sun made shadows under her eyelashes. Harry then did something he'd never thought himself brave enough to do; he let go of one of the handles of the bike and brought it down to hold one of Susan's shaking hands. He grasped it tightly and felt how warm she was. Harry felt a profound feeling of warmth accumulating in the region of his loins. And it wasn't the friction of his jeans rubbing against the leather seat. . .

Slowly she looked up from behind Harry and he met her gaze long enough to let her know she was going to be just fine. He then looked forward to guide the bike.

In that space of time that he had looked at her she'd felt butterflies fluttering inside her. There was something about his warm eyes that made her melt on the spot. He'd made her feel safe and passed on some bravery to her so that she could look behind her to see what Harry had seen.

It was breathtaking. Far behind them the doll-house sized Hogwarts was sharply outlined against the wash of colours in the sky. The exotic oranges and midnight pinks the sun was throwing out as it set was simply breathtaking. Below the blanket of green trees sped past her as the motorbike flew onwards. Every now and then Harry would bring it down to skim over the tips of the trees, making birds fly out in surprise.

Susan smiled as she held on to Harry and pushed closer to say something to him, her breath felt warm against his neck, sending a pleasant shiver down his spine. "You never know how beautiful something is until you see it in a different light."

It now occurred to Harry as the bike soared further and further from Hogwarts that she was right. She was absolutely right . . .

Harry and Susan had lost all track of time now and had landed in the empty village of Hogsmede to give the bike's engine a rest. It was completely dark now and the night air was beginning to grow chill. They walked the deserted streets together, just talking and getting to know each other much better.

Susan was studying Astronomy, Ancient Runes, History of Magic and Transfiguration with no idea what she wanted to do when she left Hogwarts. They shared their memories of their first day and talked about the people they knew (Harry had much more interesting adventures to share of course and was pleased to find that Susan thought Zacharias Smith was a bit of a wart too).

Harry found she was terrified of Quidditch and wasn't really interested in it because her house team didn't do so well. But this didn't bother Harry as he found she had much more to talk about than Quidditch.

As the night went on Harry was quickly beginning to realise that he liked her. In fact he liked her very much; not just because she was stunningly pretty but because she could make him feel at the greatest of ease and she wasn't at all like any other girl he'd ever met.

"How come I've never met you before?" Harry asked as they walked down a street with many alleys running off it.

"We're in different houses", Susan said.

"I know but I mean how come I've never gotten to know you before now? We used to be in the DA together, oh yes and Herbology."

Susan smiled sweetly. "Yes but I'm really quiet in classes Professor Potter." Harry laughed and gazed at her again. He hadn't been able to take his eyes off her all night. "I just don't want to draw too much attention to myself. Hufflepuffs are known to mess up and have absolutely no talent at all", she added bitterly, "plus I think that Ravenclaw girl would have clouted anyone who took your attention away from her in the DA."

Harry's smile disappeared quickly. "Cho?"

"Is that her name?" Susan asked avoiding his gaze, she looked slightly hurt. "I don't know her all that well. But I think she liked you." She looked up carefully. "Do you like her?"

"I did", he said flatly. "But believe me, just because your house has a bad reputation for having no talent doesn't mean you have to accept that. I bet you have loads of talent . . . way more than Ravenclaw put together."

Even in the dark night he could see her blushing and he felt his neck heat up slightly too.

Their conversation was soon cut short by a flash of lightning followed by thunder. Both of them looked up to see a huge shower of rain emptying from the sky above them.

"Bloody hell! Just brilliant!" Harry cried, pulling his jumper up over his head just enough to shelter his hair. Susan laughed as the cool rain trickled down her neck. She hopelessly put her hands on top of her head.

"It had been such a nice day too!" She didn't just mean the weather. Harry had changed her opinion of him in ways she'd never thought possible. He wasn't just The Boy Who Lived anymore – he was much more and she could tell deep down he was becoming more and more special to her. If she had known just how special he was going to become to her this fateful night she would have been a little frightened. Never before or again would she feel so close to someone as she felt to Harry.

Inevitably, they were both drenched from head to foot in the rain. All they could do was run around looking for shelter but could find none. Both were laughing at each other and at their own vain attempts to find somewhere. They realised they may has well have jumped into the lake they were that wet. Just for a little while Harry was forgetting Sirius was dead. . .

"Hey Harry!" Susan called from inside an alleyway, "I think we can wait in here until the rain stops." Harry followed her inside and sure enough the top of the alley was covered by a tin roof which made clattering noises when the raindrops struck it. An even bigger crashing sound filled the narrow alley when Harry came inside.

"Ouch! What the fu-?" He rubbed his leg gingerly, lifting the leg of his jeans to survey the damage. Susan couldn't help but laugh at his sudden outburst and soon discovered what had happened.

"You banged into a huge tin can", she told him. She held on to him as he winced in pain. "We must be outside an ingredients shop. This can's full of spices. This roof must be here to keep them dry when the shopkeeper's selling them."

Harry grunted in response, listening to the thuds of the rain on the roof. Apart from that there was silence. Susan could feel Harry's eyes burning into her. He'd been doing it quite a lot tonight. Not that she minded at all; it made her feel warm and excited to know he was thinking of her.

Slowly she looked back at him, to stare in to the soft glow of his oval, green eyes. In them she saw a burning desire. She couldn't tell exactly what it was he wanted. Nevertheless the desire was there, plain as day in his eyes. He looked as if he were about to say something.

The rain had pasted her clothes to her thin body, defining each curve . . . how could he think like this? He'd barely just met her. And yet he felt a strong certainty about this girl.

She stood innocently watching him and if she knew about all the things he wanted to do to her right now she might run a mile. He wanted to get even more close to her than he already was.

His heart was nearly palpitating right out of his chest. He wanted her. What if she didn't want him? She was too wonderful to risk losing over this. But she was too good to let go.

When your heart rules your head you might do something hasty you might later regret . . . then again it might end up being the best decision you've ever made.

Too much silence had passed since the last words had been spoken. All they could do was stare at each other. Leaning forward and catching her face in his hands, Harry took enough time to see in her eyes if she wanted him too.

Her blonde hair was soaked through and strands of it fell around her face, making her tragic beauty even more attractive to him. She had taken him under a spell and he didn't want to get out of it at all. Her pouting lips were slightly parted. She was looking shyly at him with those dazzlingly blue eyes. Ever so slightly, she nodded. She wanted this just as much as he did.

Her mind told her to pull away – this could be wrong – but her heart was melting in the embrace of this new feeling Harry was giving her.

Suddenly he tilted up her chin and bringing his mouth to hers he kissed her. Ever so gently at first but it held so much meaning. Harry's heart leapt with excitement and he moved his hands down to rest on her waist to pull her closer. She was glad he'd done so; she didn't think she could trust her own legs anymore. So she leaned with her two hands braced against his chest, feeling his ribs rise and fall with each breath becoming more ragged.

Harry savoured the warmth of her full lips, sliding his hands down the curve of her backside. She pulled back just enough from his mouth to feel the sensation of his soft breath against the wetness of her rain- dampened skin.

His very touch was making her skin burn up. Not even the now icy bite of the night air could chill the hot molten fire that seemed to have invaded her blood. It spread through every vein, igniting each cell, enveloping her heart so that her breath came in pants. To steady herself she clutched the front of his shirt, although Harry felt like she was clutching his very heart. Now she had truly bewitched him. There was no going back whether this was right or wrong.

Once again he crushed her against his quivering body to kiss her, sliding his tongue in and out of her mouth and to move along her pouted lips; swollen from the intensity of their kisses. Susan didn't need the teasing from his tongue to push her own tongue in to mingle with his. With each forceful thrust of his tongue she became even more breathless. She clung to his shirt as if holding on for dear life.

Sensing her desperation for some air, Harry pulled away. His wet shirt was now dreadfully uncomfortable and hot against his skin. He watched how her breasts rose and fell underneath her blouse. She seemed to be thinking along the same lines he was for the next minute she boldly set her hands to his waist. Her eyes never once left his as she peeled the soaking shirt up over his head.

Harry's mind raced.

What were they doing?

The innocence that was once in her eyes had disappeared. Now they showed the unmistakable crave for lust. The pale blue colour in her eyes was almost eclipsed by the darkness of her pupils. Surely she wanted this too. After all, it was she who had removed his shirt.

His lips brushed up and down the side of her neck bringing low guttural moans to erupt from the bottom of her throat, travelling up to escape her perfect lips.

In turn, she made him gasp by exploring his chest with her warm hands. Up and down and round to his back they travelled and in his sheer excitement he bit softly at the pale flesh of her neck. Soon he was planting light kisses over her whole face; her eyelids, the tip of her nose, her forehead . . . everywhere.

Just as she felt she couldn't take any more she took his hands and placed them on the damp cotton of her blouse. He knew what she wanted – her eyes told him that. One by one, he slid the small buttons from the holes of her blouse. When he would accidentally touch her skin she shut her eyes, giving in to this new feeling he was awakening within her.

The blouse had opened and it was tossed to join the shirt on the alley floor. With one segment of his mind (the one that hadn't been taken completely under her spell) Harry wondered what he'd done so right to deserve to have this beautiful girl with him this night. In the light of a crescent moon her petite form emitted an ethereal light from her tragic beauty he'd been so greatly attracted to.

Her smile reached every part of his heart – even the part he'd thought he'd lost when Sirius died. He was going to make her feel the same as he moved his hands slowly over the lacy fabric covering her breasts.

She was breathless from his caresses. Her small fingers began to tug at the belt of his trousers, feeling his need for her pushing fiercely against them. His touch on her was harder now as his desperation to touch her bare skin grew stronger. He opened her bra surprisingly quickly.

Maybe he's done this before, she thought, smiling slyly at him.

He just raised an eyebrow in response. As he slid his trousers and underwear down his hips she could barely wait for his mouth to touch her breasts. Harry massaged one breast while the other flicked her nipple until she was gasping in ecstasy. He then lowered his mouth and took the raised nipple in his mouth and sucked her sweet skin.

They should stop, he realised this now. They were going too fast. But the power of her touch was seeping into his consciousness, blinding him from all reason so now to still the doubts in his mind he kissed her with greater force . . . intoxicating her.

At one point Susan felt a lifting sensation and forcing her eyes open she found it was Harry's hands raising her lithe body up, her legs instinctively wrapped around his waist.

His fingers were clenching the muscles in her backside. This was going way too fast. But now he simply didn't care. He was too far gone to care. His fingers peeled down her panties . . .

Suddenly Harry pushed himself into Susan's body. All this happened with such great force her back hit against the wall she was leaning against. Harry found it easy to hold up her light body.

She felt so good, so right and so he began moving slowly inside her, the pace quickening with each thrust.

This new feeling of having a boy make love to her was so new and yet so wonderful. At first she was frightened and nervous but once the slight pain which had accompanied his entrance had subsided the feeling of pleasure built up.

Harry's body was now covered in sweat, the rain water was insignificant. Their eyes met as she watched his face change as his groin tightened. When he couldn't take the pleasure any longer he erupted inside her, moving harder and faster until she reached a peak.

Never before had Susan felt anything like this. And Harry had made her feel this way. All she could do was smile lovingly at him and he smiled back.

They sat under a blanket of stars, leaning against each other in the alley. The aftermath of their love making was calm and a sense of peace washed over them. But the night was growing steadily colder and Harry was noticing this.

"Maybe we should head back to the castle . . ." he suggested idly.

"Mmmm", was all Susan could murmur. She shut her eyes and cuddled in close to Harry. He laughed and nudged her.

"Oi! Get up", he said playfully.

"I will if you will."

Harry stood up and wrapped his shirt closely around him. Now it was freezing and they would definitely have to go, no matter how hot their love making had made them.

"Pull me up", she said lazily. They both laughed but stopped quickly as they realised they could see their breaths issuing from their mouths. "Merlin! It's gotten really cold hasn't it?"

Harry viewed the night sky. There were still some clouds but yet the cold air surrounded them. Something was wrong. He could feel it in his blood, although it was slowly freezing in his veins.

"Too cold." He said helping her up. "Will you be warm enough until we get back to the castle?"

She would have said, "As long as I have you to hold on to", but the atmosphere had become so eerie and there was a deathly stillness hanging in the air. Now she felt the danger too. She nodded, as long as they got away from this place quickly.

The black alleyways looked threatening as they made their way to the motorbike. Harry held her hand as they walked. The crescent moon cast unfriendly shadows around them. Susan stopped in her tacks. The blackness was moving.

"H-H-Harry!" she stuttered, pointing to an alley. He swirled around, facing the shadows which were making her shake so much. The moving shapes were Dementors. He froze too.

"Susan, when I say 'run', you run, ok?" She was too frightened to move. "Susan!" He shook her gently to make her understand that he'd get rid of them while she ran. Slowly, she nodded. The black shapes were advancing threateningly. "RUN!" Both of the frightened students made a break for it but close behind the Dementors followed; figures of fiends, their skeletal- like forms behind their vacant black hoods.

It was no use. The Dementors caught up, drawing happiness from Harry's mind. A flash of green light blinded his mental vision and the voice of his mother screamed in terror.

Quickly he turned to face them, and raising his wand he roared, "EXPECTO PATRONUM!" A wisp of silver smoke came out of the wand but nothing more.

Why isn't this working? Harry thought desperately. "EXPECTO PATRONUM!" Again, nothing happened. Harry searched his mind for a happy memory . . . anything would do, Susan was in danger. Immediately he found the reason why this wasn't working. Usually, when conjuring the spell he thought of Sirius and the hopes he had of one day living with him. That was no use to him anymore. The memories of Sirius only created unhappiness for the Dementors to feed on.

His hand flailing with the wand, he could only watch in helplessness as the disfigured and grotesque Dementors fell upon him. Susan was screaming but her screams were drowned out by the screams of his mother. Darkness overtook him and he shut his eyes to concentrate on a happy memory. He shook in desperation, the Dementors were closing in; they had him now.

"SIRIUS!" Harry cried, his pain coming back to him. Why did you leave me? How could he possibly protect himself and Susan now? He had lost his only memory powerful enough to drive away the Dementors . . .

Author's note: Ohhhh, my first cliffhanger of the story! Thanks for the reviews, keep on reviewing! Bye xxx