Chapter Eight - Seeing

Raine had to admit, even if it was only to herself, that there were certain perks to having your hair tied back in a ponytail. First there was the expression of total shock on your best friend's face when she saw you in the morning, and secondly it was extremely nice not to have to worry about singeing your hair in Potions. All in all it had been a good day, though she wasn't going to give Black the credit for it.

However, exposing her face had allowed everyone to notice her, and that made Raine uncomfortable. She knew that her skin was quite pale, and it didn't make it any better to have that Lucius Malfoy boy staring at her every time he was around.

Now at dinner, Raine stabbed her potatoes with a fork, using a bit more venom than she usually did. If only Sara was here to take my mind off things! thought Raine unhappily. Raine hadn't seen her friend since that morning's conversation, which had been very short and to the point, with Sara constantly questioning her about the 'new hairstyle'. Raine had been clever enough to forego mentioning Sirius's name, knowing it would hurt Sara.

Raine couldn't spot Sara anywhere at the Gryffindor table, which was mystifying in itself. However her thoughts were soon broken with the sensation that eyes were boring into the back of her head. Raine turned and was met with Malfoy's possessive stare yet again. It had been the sixth time she'd caught him watching, and now Raine was really feeling feed up. Reaching up to the back of her head, she began to pull on the band that held her hair away from her face. She was just beginning to tug it downwards when another hand pulled hers away.

"You promised me you wouldn't hide, and that includes under your hair," Sirius said teasingly.

He grinned at the surprised look on Raine's face and took the opportunity to collapse his lean frame on the bench next to her. He propped his face up on his fist, giving himself a full view of Raine's face.

"How do you always manage to sneak up on people without them knowing?" asked Raine, allowing her hair to fall around her shoulders but pushing it away her face before Black could comment.

"A Marauder never reveals his secrets," he told her loftily with a distinct glow in his eyes. He reached out abruptly and pushed a few fly-away stands of hair behind Raine's ear.

"Except when you're hungry and dragging a poor innocent with you to the kitchens," Raine corrected.

Sirius placed his hand over his heart dramatically and gave Raine a soulful stare. "You wound me."

She smiled slightly at Sirius's antics - they were addictive. Then, glancing over his shoulder, she saw a malicious look on Malfoy's and paled. Past that thing she was aware of Snape's eyebrows raised in a speculative stare, but his indifferent mask reappeared before Raine could be certain.

"What's wrong?" asked Sirius sincerely, then he glanced behind himself and his features darkened. "Malfoy." He growled lowly like a dog about to pounce on his prey.

Sirius's tones of dislike for Malfoy brought Raine's attention back to reality. "Don't you do anything stupid, Black," Raine ordered in her strictest tone.

"Of course not, mother dearest." Sirius grinned as Raine's face flashed with annoyance at his not taking her seriously.

"I mean it." She pocked him in the chest. "If I hear about anything strange happened to Malfoy in the next couple of days I will go straight up to McGongall and tell her…"

"And tell her?" Sirius prompted, appearing unperturbed.

"And tell her that you never turned up to any of our tutoring lessons."

"You wouldn't."

"I would."

Raine had crossed her arms and did look a bit menacing, causing Sirius to look at her closely to make sure this was the Raine Jenkins, who was very shy, giving him a lecture. However, before answering, he noted the real concern in her eyes. Her face became flushed at his continual staring and went bright red when he leaned down to peck her on the cheek. "I'm not going to do anything unless he does something first. But you can still tell McGongall I haven't been tutoring you, 'cause I wouldn't mind spending all year teaching you some new things." His smirk gave away his idea of "new things", to which Raine replied with a hard punch to his shoulder.

"Dream on, Black," she informed him, laughing quietly and trying her best to break the tension.

"Oh, but I have, and I will dream on," muttered Sirius ever so quietly. He got up and before disappearing to go to his friends who were already packing, he added softly, "Merry Christmas, Raine."

"Merry Christmas, Sirius."

He went off with a smile on his face. Raine had called him by his first name! Merlin's beard, he was getting better at this than Prongs!

Meanwhile Snape watched Sirius leave the Great Hall before he commented to Malfoy.

"Leave Lorraine Jenkins alone, Malfoy," he said simply. "Unless you want to die mysteriously and never be heard of again."

"And are you the fellow that's going to make me, Snape?" sneered Malfoy. His cold blue eyes watched Snape as if he were a wild animal to break.

"Unfortunately I believe her brother would take care of it first," Snape bite back.

"What? Her mudblood of a brother challenge a great wizarding family?" Malfoy scoffed. "I think I can handle it," he informed Snape sarcastically.

"So you're willing to take on the Avenging Angel?"

Malfoy sputtered over his juice and paled considerably. "She's of no relation to him."

"I disagree."

Glaring at Snape, Malfoy struggled with an inner turmoil. He was never one to back down once he'd set his mind to something, but then no one could be so foolish as to annoy the second in command of Voldemort's Death Eaters.

Snape hid his smirk as he watched with delight the contorting of Malfoy's face. It had been fun to rile him up, but the mention of Raine's brother only served to remind Snape of the predicament of Raine's association with Sirius Black. Her brother would not be happy about it, yet from what he could gather from Lorraine during their short chats, her brother Theo had not been in touch with her since their mother's remarriage. Raine most likely didn't know of her brother's association with Voldemort. Raine's mother had also deserted the highly rich pureblood club after her marriage to a muggle. But Snape had sometimes missed pretending to have a small sister called Raine.

"She's not my type," Malfoy announced. "I just thought it would be fun for awhile."

"And here I thought you had true feelings for her," muttered Snape.

Raine's head was still spinning from the events that had just occurred in the Great Hall. Sirius had kissed her! Kissed her on the cheek, but nonetheless kissed her and it was strange. Extremely strange! But he was just being nice, I'm sure. I wish I could tell someone! Could you image Sara's face!? She'd probably blow up! Raine chuckled to herself as she walked down the empty corridor and moved towards the staircase, intending to go to her common room.

"A word, Jenkins," said a familiar voice.

"When did we become so formal, Snape?" she inquired as she turned around and greeted him with a half smile.

Snape shrugged, which was very uncharacteristic of him.

"Are you ok?" Raine asked with concern.

"Have you heard from your brother?" asked Snape, turning the conversation to where he wanted it to go.

"One or two letters that talked about his extreme disappointment in Mum, and how she's letting Dad down by marrying a muggle. I knew that he was upset, but I just thought it was because he was still hurting from…from Dad being tortured by …by He Who Must Not Be Named." This was the first time Raine had ever discussed her father's death, but then this was Snape - a loyal friend who was more of a brother to her than Theo ever had been. "Why do you ask?"

"I think you should contact him and find out what he's been up to," Snape replied nonchalantly "It is Christmas after all."

With his attempt to warn Raine, Snape swept away down the hallway heading to Slytherin's common room. From what Raine could tell, Snape was concerned about her and Theo's relationship, which was awfully sweet of him, but she did detect a sense of fear as well.

What have you done now, Theo? Her mind circled around that thought constantly as she headed to bed.

When she arrived in her room she was struck with a sudden sense of loneliness. Everyone else in her dorm was leaving for Christmas holidays tomorrow. She began to wonder if anyone else in Gryffindor besides her was staying at Hogwarts. Snuggling into her bed, Raine dreamed on happier thoughts, mostly replaying a certain kiss on the cheek.

I must admit that these chapters wouldn't be half as interesting if it wasn't for my lovely Beta Reader (passing her the Oscar for Writing which she deserves). I hope this will fulfil you 'til after Christmas! I have to warn you that I have exams in January and therefore might be so constant in updating. Enjoy your Christmas….and play with the snow!