Circe never dumped Seamus, much to Sirius's dismay. The more he saw her and him together, the more it felt like a hand was reaching into his chest and twisting his heart painfully. She confused him so much! He didn't know what to make of their 'relationship'. They were definitely not boyfriend and girlfriend, but they most definitely weren't 'just friends' anymore. Sirius and Circe continued their Quidditch practices and after everyone they went up the Room of Requirement where they did things that people who were 'just friends' didn't do. But even without the physical side of their relationship, they became more emotionally involved too. They talked all the time, joking and laughing and becoming better friends with every passing day.

Sirius, for the first time in his life, didn't let his friends in on the status of his love life. They knew nothing about him and Circe knew nothing about how much he loved her. Until Circe made a decision about him he wasn't going to let anyone know. Besides, everyone knew that he was 'dating' Fiona.

But even though he was seeing Fiona, he just couldn't handle the idea that Seamus got to have Circe. It drove him nuts that he didn't know how far they were in their relationship. Every time they parted after their time in the Room of Requirement, all he could think of was what if Circe had taken Seamus in there? It hurt him so much that she wasn't his, and he knew he couldn't take much more of their 'friends with benefits' relationship. His heart was breaking a little more every time he was with her, knowing that they weren't really together.

One Saturday night, when Circe came back to Gryffindor Tower after a date with Seamus, she came over and sat next to Sirius on the couch, chatting comfortably with the Marauders. Adriana, who knew nothing about Sirius's feeling for Circe, asked how the date had gone. Circe briefed a glance at Sirius and then smiled at her best friend, "Fabulous."

The word rung in Sirius's head and he fought off a scowl. The group talked more until Sirius decided he couldn't stand it. He excused himself politely, earning questioning looks from both Circe and James, and then dragged himself up to his dorm room.

Sirius flopped down on his bed, crossing his arms behind his head and thinking things over in his mind. He wished that he could just get over her and continue on with his life as he had always done before. Dating a new girl every few weeks and having fun with life. Before this year he had never lost sleep over a girl. He had never spent countless hours dreaming of one, wishing that he could have her. He cursed Circe for entrapping him so, and knew that he really couldn't take much more of the way things were.

It was that night that Sirius decided to end whatever it was he had with Circe. He couldn't take the heartache anymore. He wasn't going to be some fool who went to her every time she wanted him. He wasn't going to be one of those guys who were whipped by a girl that didn't even care about him. All Circe wanted from him was some fun, and he was no longer going to give it to her.

He worked it all out in his mind. The next day, before breakfast he would tell her that if she wanted to continue being with him she was going to have to break up with Seamus. If she didn't, he was no longer going to be with her.

He went to bed that night with this new resolve ringing through his mind. He couldn't say he was exactly happy with this decision, but he knew it was for the best. He fell asleep that night before any of his friends even left the common room, and he dreamed of her.

A sixth sense woke Sirius from his sleep that night and he lay groggily and half-asleep in his bed when he heard the dorm room door open and then shut quietly. His first thought was that it was James coming back in after sneaking down to the kitchen, but when he failed to hear the stumbling that usually followed (James was not as graceful on land as he was in Quidditch) he instantly became apprehensive. He began to quietly sit up, hidden from the intruder by the curtains that hung around his bed. He stopped suddenly in complete and utter shock when his curtains began to slowly draw back. The intruder slowly stepped into his space and quickly closed the curtains behind her.

"Circe?" Sirius whispered, his heart instantly beginning to beat faster than a speeding car.

His bed dipped slightly under her weight as she sat down next to him. It was too dark to see her face but he could tell she was nervous as she kept crossing and uncrossing her arms. "What are you doing in here?" His voice trembled a bit with nerves. This was the first time she had come up to his room without him suggesting it. And this was the first time she had come into his room at night.

She shrugged and it was moment before she spoke. "I couldn't sleep anymore ..." Sirius knew that she wanted to say more, but when a long moment of silence ensued without her saying anything he shifted towards her and put his arm around her shoulder in an act of comfort. His resolve of only a few hours before had completely vanished from his mind.

Then she did something he had not been expecting at all. Circe burst into tears and placed her head on his shoulder. He didn't know what to do; he had never seen a girl cry before. Sirius swallowed hard and wrapped his other hand around her, not knowing what to do but knowing he needed to comfort her at the same time.

And even with her crying, his heart beat didn't slow down and he began to sweat lightly.

"It's alright," he murmured, praying that nobody would hear them and wake up. "Shh ... everything's OK."

Circe looked up at him and he could only see her eyes, her face hidden by the darkness. They were shining from the tears and resembled the deep blue of an ocean. He loved her beautiful eyes ...

"I had a nightmare," she said, and he could hear the embarrassment in her voice. He smiled slightly and brought his hands up to wipe the tears from her face, caressing her lightly with his thumbs.

"Wanna talk about it?" he whispered soothingly. Sirius could see the outline of her head as she nodded. He leaned back on his pillows, pulling her so that she lay against his side on his bed, her head resting on his shoulder and his arm still around her. He worried belatedly that she could hear his heart as it slammed loudly against his chest.

Another silence. The only sound was the breathing of everyone in the room; Sirius felt that his own breath was coming out too fast. She started to speak and he knew that it was taking a huge effort. "It was terrible. Everybody I cared about was being murdered by men in dark black cloaks." Circe's voice faltered slightly as she relieved her terrifying dream. "There were tattoos on their wrists. Hideous looking skulls. I could see them as they raised there wands. Everyone was screaming and ..." she stopped speaking and drew in a shaky breath. "They were all screaming and two men walked into the room. Flashes of green went off everywhere and everybody fell down. There were bodies ... so many bodies. Their eyes were all still open and it was horrible. I woke up though ... right as one of them turned to me, the man who had walked into the room. I had this feeling though. This feeling that I knew him ... I knew who he was and a terrible shock went through me. He had pointed his wand and somebody yelled my name but it was too late ..." Circe looked up at him. "It was you," she said, shy at having told him her dream. "You tried to save me."

Sirius was at a loss for words. His heart ached for her and he vowed that he would always be there for her. He couldn't imagine himself loving anybody as much as he loved her. He wrapped his other arm around her and because he couldn't think of anything to say he kissed her forehead in a gesture of comfort.

When he pulled back she looked up at him and he knew there was something that she wanted to ask. He waited patiently. "Can I ... I mean ... Would it be OK if I slept in here tonight? I'm afraid to be alone ..."

And even though he knew that he would get no sleep lying there next to her, his heart beating so fast and his body hot with need, he said yes. She snuggled under the covers and curled up against him.

They lay there in silence until, her voice sleepy, Circe whispered "Thank you." Sirius ran his hand through her hair slowly and kissed her forehead.

Contrary to what he had thought, Sirius did manage to sleep very lightly for a little while that night. And when he opened his eyes, glancing at his clock and seeing that it was 6:00 AM, he gently shook Circe awake. Her eyes fluttered as she started to wake up and the lashes brushed her cheeks. When she finally opened her eyes and looked at him Sirius almost forgot what he was going to say as he stared into their blue depths. She smiled slightly at him, obviously still embarrassed about sharing her nightmare with him.

"You better get to your own dorm," Sirius whispered quietly into her ear, wishing that she didn't have to leave. "People will talk," he teased.

Circe sat up slowly and he wished for her to lay back into his arms because he missed having her there. She smiled shyly at him and brushed her bangs from her eyes. "We wouldn't want that. Just think of the rumors."

She started to slide off his bed when she seemed to remember something. She turned her face around and looked at him, leaning forward and kissing him quickly on the cheek. Sirius didn't have anytime to react before she scooted out of his bed and quietly left his dorm.

He sighed loudly when he heard the door close and lay his head back onto his pillow. He wasn't smiling now that she had left. He was far to confused to smile. Since he had stayed up most of the night he was exhausted and as he began to fall asleep his last thoughts, as always, were of Circe. What was he going to do about her now?

A/N: Hope you liked this chapter ... :)