A/N: Yup, I updated. ~hears gasps~ Well, don't look so shocked. Basically, I realized that I've been writing this since October of 2002 and I'm still not done. ~sighs~ So, basically, I'm going to see if I can get this done before October. On a different topic, I've gotten over 300 reviews. ~shakes head~ You guys are crazy. But I love feedback, so keep it coming.
"Mr. Potter," Professor McGonagall said as she walked into the Gryffindor common room. James looked up eagerly.
"Have you separated Sirius and Arabella yet?" he asked.
"No," McGonagall said firmly. "They are in detention and there they will stay. No, this is about the game against Ravenclaw." Her jaw tightened almost imperceptibly as everyone watched in confusion.
"What about it?" James asked. "If you're asking whether or not we're prepared, Professor, we've been practicing like mad--"
"No, that's not it. I'm sorry to tell you this, but you're not going to be playing Ravenclaw after all. The Slytherin team will be."
"WHAT?!"
The cry had not come just from James, but from the entire team and Frank Longbottom.
"But--we've been practicing!" Adam sputtered. "I've fallen behind in some of my classes with all the practicing I've been doing--it's not fair!"
"The match is in two days!" Rebecca yelled. "And you're telling us now?"
"I just found out fifteen minutes ago," McGonagall told them. "And, yes, it is extremely short notice--" at this point, Lily noticed a muscle twitching in her jaw, "--as I informed the Slytherin Head of House. However, he insists that since his team hasn't played a game all season--"
"Then why didn't they say something earlier?!" James howled. "The Quidditch schedule's been up for ages--"
"When I put that question to Professor Grafton, he became mysteriously deaf and didn't hear a thing I said," McGonagall said dryly. "The match between Slytherin and Ravenclaw will be in approximately a week. I trust there will be no attempts at retaliation?" she asked, with a significant look at James and Adam, both of whom looked ready to kill.
"Good," Professor McGonagall said after no one said anything.
"Er, Professor? When are Sirius and Arabella getting out of detention?" Lily asked.
Professor McGonagall checked her watch. "In about half an hour."
Lily breathed a sigh of relief.
~*~
"Figg," Sirius said, "we need to talk about what happened."
Arabella thought for a moment about playing dumb and asking what he was talking about, but that was ridiculous. She knew what he was talking about.
It had been at the end of fourth year. Arabella had been looking for something to help her with her Arithmancy final when Sirius Black walked by.
"How's it going, Figg?" he asked genially.
"Fine," Arabella replied. "Now if I could only find some books..."
"What are you looking for?" he asked.
"Some books to help with Arithmancy..." Arabella turned and trailed off as she saw that he had the very books he was looking for in his hand.
"Are these the ones--" Sirius grinned down at her. "Thought so. Here you go."
As Arabella hefted the books onto her hip, she asked curiously, "What're you reading?"
Sirius shrugged. "Just something for an independent study," he told her, deftly shifting the books so their titles were hidden away from her.
Arabella nodded, then as he was about to walk away, said, "Hey, you're rather good at Transfiguration, right?"
He turned back to her with a smile. "Rather good? Try very good."
Arabella rolled her eyes playfully. "Whatever. The--the thing is, I've been having some trouble and--"
"And you want some last-minute tutoring?" Sirius finished for her, raising an eyebrow.
"Well, yeah. Unless, of course, you're busy--"
"No," Sirius said quickly, then gave her a smile. "No, I think I can squeeze you in."
~*~
Arabella pulled herself out of the past and glared at Sirius. "I don't see what that has to do with anything."
Sirius raised an eyebrow. "Come on, Figg. That has everything to do with it. We were getting along really well--"
"--until you turned into a complete prick," Arabella finished.
Sirius cocked his head slightly and looked at her for a long moment. Arabella started to grow uncomfortable and she finally burst out, "What?"
"You don't want to talk about it, do you?" Sirius asked slowly.
"Do I look like I want to talk about it?" Arabella snapped. She glared at him, and then sighed. "Fine. Let's talk about it. You're right. We did get along really well. Until you ruined it all."
~*~
They had been studying in an empty classroom. At the end of their session, Sirius grinned at her. "I think you've got it."
Arabella smiled back at him, excited. "I do, don't I?" She laughed in glee and threw down her quill. "I'm going to ace this final."
Sirius laughed and leaned back in his chair, balancing it on two legs. "You better, what with all the studying we've done."
She smiled back, then quickly looked back down and started to pack up her things.
Sirius watched her in surprise. "Bella, where are you going?" Sirius was the only person, besides Lily, who ever referred to her as Bella.
"Oh," she said with a laugh that somehow didn't sound real, "I'd better go. It's getting late."
Sirius raised an eyebrow as he looked at her. "Bella, it's---" he checked his watch, "--about seven-thirty. You want me to believe that you go to bed this early?"
Arabella turned red and chanced a glance at him. "I have to leave." She kept shoving stuff into her bag. Parchment, quill, books...
Sirius's hand clasped over hers as she grabbed the inkwell. "Bella. Wait. Why d'you have to leave?"
"Because," she whispered softly, then glanced at him again. His blue eyes were wide with concern. She took a deep breath. "Can I be honest?"
"Yeah, of course."
"I...it's stupid, but...I've got this...crush on you. It's idiotic, I know, and I'm not asking you to feel the same way or anything but..." she chanced a glance at him, and turned even redder. "I'm an idiot," she muttered. "Forget it, forget I said anything--"
She heard the chair scraping against the floor. "Bella...what if I said...that maybe...I had a crush on you too?"
Her wide dark eyes met Sirius's bright blue ones. Blue eyes that seemed very close all of a sudden...
Arabella closed her eyes and--
~*~
"I don't think you minded that too much," Sirius commented. "I know I didn't." He grinned at her.
"That wasn't the problem," Arabella said shortly. "The problem was--"
"So, you liked it too then," Sirius said cockily.
"No, I did not," Arabella said through gritted teeth.
"Yes, you did."
~*~
Arabella pulled away after a moment and looked at him. "Wow."
"Wow," Sirius echoed, grinning. "I don't think we've quite got the hang of this yet."
"No," Arabella agreed, "I don't think so either..."
As they leaned in again, they were interrupted by someone knocking loudly on the door.
"WHO is in MY classroom?" Professor Grafton yelled, jiggling the doorknob. "Get out of there immediately!"
Sirius and Arabella looked at each other for a moment, then hurriedly grabbed their things and opened the door.
Professor Grafton looked at them with not a little suspicion. "What were you--"
"Tutoring, sir," Sirius said quickly, his books in one hand, Arabella's hand in his other. "Bye!" He rushed off, Arabella right behind him.
They stopped running after a while, laughing. "You--think--he--noticed?" Sirius gasped, out of breath from the running and the laughter.
"Definitely," Arabella said. "You've got lipstick on your mouth." She looked down at the ground. "Maybe we should get back to Gryffindor Tower before Grafton thinks to take off house points."
"I can't," Sirius said, looking regretful. "I promised I'd meet up with my friends after our session."
"Oh. Okay."
"But maybe we should meet up for breakfast tomorrow," Sirius suggested, smiling down at her nervously. She looked up at him, smiling widely. "Okay."
"Okay?"
"Yeah. Yeah, I'd--I'd like that."
"Good," Sirius said, still smiling. "So would I."
~*~
"Do you remember what happened?" Arabella asked.
"Yeah," Sirius said, glaring at her. "You never showed up. I waited, and waited, and you never came."
"Actually, I did come," Arabella said coolly. "Just in time to watch you flirting with Sheila Ashton."
"What?" Sirius asked, frowning.
Arabella snorted in derision. "Figures you wouldn't remember. I came down to the Great Hall...and I saw you flirting with her. Laughing at something she'd said...smiling at her...just the way you'd smiled at me the night before. And I knew..."
"Knew what?" Sirius asked quietly.
"Knew it was a bad idea," Arabella finished. "A really bad idea."
"Thanks a lot," Sirius said grimly.
"Well, what do you expect me to say?" Arabella asked, standing up and beginning to pace. "I mean, you charmed me into liking you--"
"Hey, you asked for my help!" Sirius objected, standing up as well.
Arabella continued pacing. "--and then I see you flirting with that girl like nothing happened!"
"I was fourteen! I was a prick!"
"You still are a prick!" Arabella yelled at him. "For God's sake, that was my first kiss and--" Arabella stopped mid-sentence and started at him in horror. "I did not just say that...I did NOT just say that..."
Sirius stared at her. "That was your first kiss?" he asked, and if Arabella had been paying attention, she would have noticed that his voice had grown softer, gentler. But she wasn't.
"Why did I say that?" she moaned, staring up at him. "I'm an idiot."
"You're not an idiot," Sirius told her.
"I am. Oh, definitely an idiot," Arabella muttered.
"For the last time, you're not an idiot!" Sirius yelled. He grabbed her shoulders. "I wouldn't like you so much if you were one."
Arabella just looked at him, her eyes wide. "You...what?"
"I like you," Sirius said softly. "I still like you, although you drive me insane and you've made your disgust for me pretty obvious and even though you're way too stubborn and never listen to anything I say...I still like you."
"Oh," Arabella said softly.
"Yeah," Sirius muttered, his face hot. He chanced a look at her. Her hair was mussed, her eyes wide, and her mouth was slightly open.
She looked adorable.
"Is it---is it okay if I--" Sirius fumbled over his words, suddenly tongue-tied.
Arabella nodded slightly. "Yes."
He tilted his head. Arabella closed her eyes…
And that was the exact moment when Professor McGonagall chose to knock on the door and then open it. Sirius and Arabella jumped apart, their faces both bright red.
Luckily, Professor McGonagall hadn't seen anything and assumed their flushed faces were the cause of anger, not embarrassment. "Well," she said, "I assume there will be no more interruptions when I'm teaching?"
Arabella nodded quickly. "Yes, Professor. If you don't mind, I'd really like to get back to Gryffindor Tower..."
"Of course--"
Arabella quickly left, refusing to meet Sirius's gaze.
"Well, Mr. Black, did you learn anything today?"
Sirius looked at the teacher. "Oh. Um, yes. It was very...enlightening."
That's one way to put it, he thought ruefully.
A/N: Now, you guys can't be mad at me now. I updated early and explained what happened between Sirius and Arabella. Not to mention I promised to have this story finished by October. ~swallows at the immense number of pitchforks thrust in my direction~ What is it going to take to make you people happy?
