Hello! Exams are finished so therefore I will try and complete this story soon. It's all in my head so it now about time that I write it down. I apologise for the slip up in the last chapter with calling peter wormtongue instead of wormtail! Doh! Again if Dom's Lover is reading this please contact me! I need you to beta read these lovely chapters! Thank you!

Chapter 18 Coming Together for the Better Good of Things

Sirius was very pale as he gazed down at the sleeping figure on the hospital bed, who was extremely cold to touch for his liking. The silence that penetrated the room echoed isolation and loneliness, and although the Marauders had just left Black after spending hours trying to cheer him up, the feeling of lost filtered into Sirius.

Raine! He cried inwards, I'm so, so sorry. I should have been there to protect you. I'm such a fool. I should have known that this would happen. Merlin, help me! Then a sudden surge of rage entered his thoughts as he thought about Sara. She is going to pay dearly. Wait until I get my hands round her neck.

To check for himself that she was still alive, Sirius laid his tired head lightly on her stomach to make sure that she was breathing properly. Raine was breathing. He sighed out loudly for relief and closed his haunted eyes, trying to gain something resemble a nap as it was so cosy laying here. However after two minutes, his eyes shot open to confirm that Raine was still there.

Unable to find any rest, Sirius picked up Raine's slender hand and started to play with the fingers. They were soft and long with a couple of nails being gnawed at and Sirius found some amusement at how they fell back into place when he flicked them. Giving into the urge, Black kissed her palm and held it up to cup his cheek. He took delight in smelling the vanilla scent that filled his nostrils.

For a moment Padfoot remembered the last time when he kissed Raine. It was outside the Pink Lady Portrait and Raine looked slightly annoyed as he grabbed her quickly from view of the entrance but her face soon became a sweet expression as he laid a trial of kisses and small bites down her neck. He especially loved it when Raine shortly whimpered as he pulled away and held onto his shirt if she was about to collapse. And because he enjoyed playing the devil, Sirius left Raine outside the common room hanging onto the wall trying to regain her composure, flashing a wolfish grin before joining his mates at the fire place. That was cruel but I loved every minute.

Padfoot came to the conclusion that he was fed up of running around, hiding his relationship with Raine, to everyone. He wanted to kiss her at breakfast, runs his hands down her back in public making her shiver closer to him and whisk her off down corridors to the nearest broom closet without having to have an excuse for it. Though Sirius knew that by admitting to the whole school that he was dating Raine, James and Remus would have fun at his expense at giving out knowing looks and winks. But he could deal with that if Raine was there so he could taste her sweet, honey lips.

I want to tell everyone…after I've asked Raine …when she wakes up.

Standing up to straighten his back and make sure that his legs were still working, Sirius made his way up the bed to Raine's head dropping a quick kiss on her forehead which happened to be notice by Mrs Pomprey.

"Young love…" sighed Pomprey, "Don't you go breaking her heart now Mr Black."

"Everyone knows that my heart is yours Mrs Pomprey," said Sirius with a wink that sent Pomprey blushing deeply as well as tsking at the outlandish manner of Sirius Black.

With his head still staring at the end bed, Sirius missed seeing Raine's eyes fluttering open and taking in her surroundings. The hospital wing? Why am I here? It took a few seconds for Raine to remember dredge up the horrors which had happened in the girls' bathroom. However the smell of Sirius' aftershave was addicted just like the man himself and soon her focus was back on him and his dishevelled appearance. How does he manage it? He looks good in every situation, probably be drop dead gorgeous when he is very old and wrinkly. She realised that he hadn't notices her awakening but was growing suspicious as his head was fixed on her covers.

"Sirius?" she said tentatively, "What are you staring at?"

"Raine" exclaimed a surprised Black who turned round and started to hug the sore Raine in a very tight embrace.

"Ouch…please Sirius it hurts still", voiced Raine.

"Sorry!" Sirius muttered a bit embarrassed that he forgot about her injures.

"That's ok", Raine smiled weakly as she reached for his hand, "what were you staring with so much vigor?"

Replying cheekily Sirius said, "I was staring at your very good form, particular the chest area through these flimsy sheets and nightgown. May I say…I can't wait to have a closer look."

As she settled her self onto the pillows so that she was now in the sitting position, Raine tried to slap him at the comment but failed miserably. She totally missed him which Sirius took the advantage of by dropping a kiss on her lips, softly biting her bottom lip, savouring Raine completely.

"Urrgg," said Raine, "you are annoying and I don't like you".

She pouted that brought another huge grin from Black who decided to perch on the bed near her. He placed his arms at each side, caging her from escape and leaned his face close to her that their noses were touching. He whispered huskily, "Really?...May I remind you why you like me so much?"

The heat which was rising from her stomach and the dryness in her throat, did not allow her to speak but she nodded her consent. Although she knew fair well that Sirius could ask her to do anything when he focus his dark eyes on her. They hypnotized her every time.

Ever so slowly and tenderly, Sirius moved his mouth to hers to capture her sweetness again which suddenly turned passionate as Raine had slipped her hands into his dark hair. This action always made Black go on alert as it drove him wild – he did not want to push her. However at the precise moment, all gentleman-like manners went out the window and he pushed Raine further into the pillows and deepened the kiss with intensity. One hand found its way between the bedcovers to her hip, drawing circles with his finger tips.

Raine's gasped as she realised the proximity of that hand reaching bare skin. Her undressed nature brought a stiffness to her body which Padfoot noticed and murmured, "Don't worry Raine, I'm behaving." and with that locked his attention to nibbling just below her ear.

"Behaving…. like what?" gasped Raine as he resumed kissing her mouth.

Then he stopped and pouted with a slight annoyance at her lack of trust in his restraint. "Don't you trust me?" Raine gave quirky smile and did not answer. "But I have tried my best to be on my good behaviour… I have truly… Even now when you look so adorable with your red cheeks and delicious lips I'm not snogging you senseless, which I want to do, but talking." Raine blushed and she reached for a lock of his hair which she began to play with which had its desired affect on Sirius. He groaned in frustration. "Raine, if you continue to do that I will be excused for my actions henceforth."

"Do what?" she said slyly as she twisted more hair through her fingers bringing their bodies closer.

"Right that's it", exclaim Sirius as he pressed her down on her bed and straddled her whole body by clambering onto the bed. "You are going to pay." And tickled her mercifully, shouts to stop was ignored by Black and Raine's strength was no matched against the strong muscled body of a Marauder.

Then it all suddenly stopped. Raine took the chance to gain in some oxygen to her lungs and refocus her eyes to Sirius' handsome face which now had a very serious expression. Raine was slightly surprised and wondered if he was going to break up with her. It had been over a week and that was long for Black in any relationship.

"Raine," said Sirius tentatively, "I want to go public about our status as a couple."

Sara was beaming, her walk was bouncy and she wore the largest triumphant smile on her face. It worked perfectly. Better than expected. Now that Raine is taken care of, Black is all mine!

Not looking where she was going, Sara bumped into another student. The force of the collision knocked her to the ground and slackened her out of her happy state. Sara glared at the blonde haired girl standing over her.

"Watch where you are going!" screeched Sara.

"You're the one that needs to be careful," said Zelda in her coldest voice.

"I know you!" Sara recognised the seventh year Ravenclaw who adopted the pathetic Raine. "You have no right to threaten me. Raine deserved it."

"Why?" enquired Zel bitterly, "Because she got something you'll never had…and you're a jealous cow for it who has the most twisted mind ever… and I include Voldemort in that category."

Sara stood up and whipped out her wand and started to rant. "Sirius can not love Raine like I do for him. She not even pretty for Merlin sake! And she always tried to take the attention away from me when he was talking to me. Black wanted me but that bitch, I considered a best friend, ruined it because she's the twisted one! I bet she slipped a love potion into his food! He would never go for someone like that!"

"Someone who happens to be a very sweet person", asked Zelda.

"She can't be nice. Her whole family is a bunch of death eaters. I bet her mother married a muggle so that she couldn't be accusing of being on the dark side! Her brother was always a freak, I should have seen it sooner and then her dad was the pathetic death eater of the lot! Voldemort killed him of being useless."

Zelda who has a lot of self-control found herself grabbing Sara's shirt and throwing the stupid witch against the nearest the wall which brought shock to both parties. Sara losing her balance dropped her wand and was at the mercy of a very angry Zel.

"Her father was a hero," whispered Zel deadly, "being a spy for the enemy is not easy! And what her brother is nothing to do with Raine. We all have bad apples in families, Sara. You must be the one in your family! Lets see how you manage being at the mercy of your peers."

With that, Zel started dragging Sara down the corridor which momentary silenced Sara until guessing the destination called The Lost Closet. Only then did Sara started shouting to attract anyone to stop Zelda throwing her into the closet that might take a day or a year to get out of again and you never knew where you turn up at. Sara remembered a young boy who was thrown in and came out naked in the middle of a charms lesson. This made Sara shout even louder and search the halls desperately.

"Stop your yelping" said Zel, "everyone will be in the Great Hall for dinner."

Although Sara knew there was probably nothing she could do, she still tried to struggle against Zelda's tight grip and then she noticed a Prefect behind them and called out. "Help! I'm being bullied." Zelda was very close at fulfilling her plan.

"Stop, MacGregor."

Zel stopped and started cursing under her breathes as she turned to face Snape.

"What are you doing?", Snape directed this at Zelda but Sara butted in explaining that she was just minding her own busy and that Zelda grabbed her and started accusing her of being the one behind Raine's trip to the hospital and that she was going to be thrown into the The Lost Closet.

All this time, Severus stared into Zelda's violet eyes for the answer and she was embarrassed enough to blush to confirm the truth of it all.

"Well," drawled out Severus, "let me open the door for you MacGregor. She must be quite heavy to move. May I recommend a spellfor the future?"

"You can't do this to me!" shrieked Sara. "It's not fair."

"What you did to Raine was not justified," snapped Severus. "Live with it."

With a final push, Sara was shoved into the closet and as an afterthought; Zelda threw her wand in as well. Seeing that everything was done, Snape turned away and started to head off but was stopped when Zelda called his name.

"Wait up!" She jogged to catch up with him. "Thank you for your help. For just there and earlier on in the girl's toilets."

Snape stood there waiting for anything else but Zelda continued to stare at him so he began to turn around again and head off to the Great hall.

"You know," started Zel, "even though you are on the other side," giving him a pointed look, "you are a good man…if you ever need help or decide the dark side is not for you… owl me and I'll gladly answer."

"That won't be necessary." And Snape again walked away, his black cloak billowing out behind him.

"Shame," muttered Zel, "I think you're quite sweet."

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