Disclaimer: I've just got to say that it's not mine real fast so I can move on to bigger cod (or something like that…). It's not mine.
::AN:: Ah, not much to say about this chappy... except that I don't plan on reviewing to everyone's reviews like I have been... (sorry) Except I will say a special shout-out to Padfoots-Luvr who seems to have been the only one besides my sister (who, again, doesn't count) to get my Lorrainna Bobbitt madness. (teeheehee)
This one goes out to Tonks's Umbrella Stand, who has two wicked cute fanfics on here that you should check out. (Please! Please! Please!) lol
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"Mrfrglfnk." Faylinn stated wisely as she shuffled clumsily into the dining room.
"Nicely put, Faylinn." James agreed, nodding vigorously. "I'll have to remember that one, eh Padfoot?"
Sirius grinned. "Oh yes. That'll be a famous quote that will. I can see it in Witch Weekly now! 'Mrfrglfnk,' the wonderful words of Faylinn."
Faylinn rubbed her eyes and glared at them. "What is your problem? Do you people get off on torturing poor, defenseless little animals?"
"Little animals?" James asked her as she sat down and he handed her a plate of pancakes.
She nodded groggily. "Yeah. Fairies are furry lil' aminals. I mean, animals, animals. And no, not furry. Furry is bad word. Furry means fuzzy. There be no fuzz."
James grinned. "Well, Faylinn, I think I've finally witnessed the funniest thing in the world, and that would be you – half asleep. You can eat those pancakes, you know. They're not going to hurt you."
Faylinn stared down at the plate of pancakes in front of her. "I'm… not… hungry…"
Sirius and James exchanged a look before turning back to Faylinn. "Are you sick?" Sirius asked, leaning forward to put his hand out and touch her forehead.
Faylinn flicked his hand away and scowled. "I don't get – ACHOO – thick! I mean, sick."
"Aw, she's so cute!" James said in a baby-like voice. Then he sighed and patted Faylinn's arm. "I think you might be sick, Faylinn. Or at least you have a cold or something."
She shook her head and then paused. She turned to Sirius, glaring at him as though she wanted to kill him. "It's all your fault!"
He smirked. "What are you talking about, you delirious thing, you?"
She scowled. "YOU! You're a horrible, horrible person! You took away my bankie, I mean BLANKET in the dead of winter! I was so COLD! And now I'm so SNIFFLY and what's the world? I mean, word. CONGESTED!"
James shook his head at Sirius solemnly. "Padfoot, you horrible, horrible person. You made her sniffly and congested."
"I can't breathe through my dose! Nose! Nose!" Faylinn piped up pitifully, glad that James seemed to be on her side.
But not for long.
"Come on Faylinn." James said, standing up and grabbing her elbow, pulling her off of her chair. "You're going right back up to bed to sleep this thing off. I can't give you any potions, though. My Mom would kill me. Besides, I don't really know what's what, so I'd probably kill you, too." He shrugged when she sneezed on his shoulder. "What can I say? I guess I have a knack for this whole sick people thing! They just sneeze all over me!"
Faylinn rubbed her nose. "I'm sorry. I can't control it. It's like, it's like…" She stared off in wonder, seeming to be looking for a word.
"Right." James said, leading her out of the room.
Faylinn followed him reluctantly, gazing up at the ceiling. "It's like, it's like…"
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"I'm bored."
"Understandable."
"No, I'm really bored. Like, I don't think I've ever been this bored in my entire life."
"It's nice to know you're having so much fun here at my house."
Faylinn smiled lazily at James and blew her nose loudly, tossing the used tissue in the wastebasket that James had moved next to the bed. "I've been in this room for, like, a million years." She said through sniffles.
"Four days." James corrected her. "But at least you're getting better! You don't have a fever anymore! And no more vomiting, right?"
Faylinn shook her head. "No. All clear on the vomit front."
James grinned. "And you're quite possibly the cleanest person I know, what with all those baths you keep taking."
Faylinn scowled. "Don't make fun of me. One of those house-elf people said that it helps you get better faster."
"Okay." James said, shrugging and standing up. "You should probably go to sleep, though. Back to Hogwarts tomorrow, you know."
Faylinn layed down and pulled the covers tighter around her. "'Kay. Night-night Jamesy. You'll make a good Daddy."
He laughed and turned around at the door. "The evil person who made you sick is in the hallway. Do you want to see him?"
Faylinn waved her hand carelessly and she turned her head towards the door when she heard mumbling and then the sound of the door closing. She looked up to see Sirius standing next to the bed. He knelt down and smiled at her sheepishly.
"Where've you been?" She asked. "I thought you died. I thought someone let loose a crazy buffalo and trampled you to a sick, bloody pulp! I thought –"
"I've been sleeping on one of the couches in the parlor room." Sirius interrupted her. "I figured it probably wasn't the greatest idea to sleep in here. I don't wanna catch what you've got."
Faylinn scowled. "That's caring."
He smiled and patted her hand. "You're feeling better, right? You're not gonna suddenly keel over on me or anything?"
"I'm not planning on it, no." Faylinn said, rolling her eyes. She smirked at him. "Why? You worried I might?"
He flushed and shook his head. "Nah, I was just…" He trailed off.
She nodded. "Obviously."
He sighed and looked away from her, down at his hands. "Listen, Faylinn… I…"
There was a long pause.
"Is that all, or was there another part of that sentence?" Faylinn teased.
He chuckled. "Um… I was…thinking…"
"Continue." Faylinn said, sitting up halfway. "Pass me some tissues while you bask in the awkwardness of your long silent moments. I might have a sudden 'I-need-to-blow-my-nose' attack." She smiled at him.
He rolled his eyes and handed her the box of tissues. "So, anyway." He paused, then looked her in the eye. "Faylinn… what are we?"
She looked startled. "Er… what?" She said, fumbling with the tissues.
Sirius shrugged. "I don't know. I'm usually really okay with these kinds of things. You know, girls. But with you… I'm so confused. I can't be the suave guy around you. You don't even notice it, so what's the point, right?"
Faylinn frowned. "I notice your suaveyness."
He brightened. "Really?"
"No." She said, shaking her head slowly. "But, I mean… That's just 'cause… Okay, I don't know why, but whatever. Suaveyness isn't everything, you know." She smiled. "You're much cooler without the debonairosity of it all, I'm sure."
He smiled. "Well… What do you think we are? Where do we stand?"
Faylinn frowned again. "Somehow I get the feeling that you're asking me this in the hopes that my answer will suddenly solve all your problems." When he didn't reply, she sighed. "Sirius…"
"Just answer the question." He pleaded.
She shook her head. "No… I can't, Sirius! Come on, I'd probably be asking you the same thing if I wasn't so scared!"
He frowned. "You're scared? What the heck are you talking about?"
She shook her head. "Never mind it." She shrugged. "Shouldn't you just ask yourself… what we are…? I mean, it's up to you, right?"
He frowned and shook his head slowly. "No. It's up to you, Faylinn. I… I'm not going to do anything you don't want me to."
She closed her eyes and shook her head. "This is… confusing. This conversation. This whole thing, whatever it is." She opened her eyes and shrugged. "We'll be having this conversation forever if neither of us says anything."
There was a long pause.
Faylinn sighed heavily. "Okay, listen Sirius." She cleared her throat. "I haven't actually known you that long, but… I've heard things, right? Lots of things."
He sighed. "Yeah, I know, but –"
"No." She interrupted. "I'm already talking, if you interrupt me I might get all spazoid and quiet again, so… shhhh." She nodded. "So… okay. I totally don't even care about that stuff, you know. Which is really, really stupid of me probably, but oh well, right?" She shrugged. "All I know is… Well, I liked hanging out with you, you know? Before, I mean. When you used to let me talk in full sentences before you kind of cut me off with your mouth. Do you remember that? It was such a long time ago, you know?"
"Faylinn…"
"Okay, okay, to the point, right. And, well, okay. I missed being around you, later. After I stopped hanging around you guys so much, you know. I – I just… You're actually really cool, did you know that? Don't look at me like that, Sirius, you so obviously knew that, you conceited little… I mean, yeah, okay, whatever. But… You're funny. And you're actually kind of nice, once you stop using your humor as some sort of freaky defense mechanism or something like that. And, I don't know… I got along with you. I've never had any friends that were boys before I met you and the other guys, did you know that? Well, I've never really had any friends that were human before, but that's another matter entirely that I won't get into."
"Faylinn…"
"Talking here, Sirius. Okay, as I was saying… Well, I don't know… After that, the only time I actually talked to you other than a passing 'hi' was at Remus's house… When you… kissed me." She sighed. "That's the… really confusing part. And everything after that, really. It's… confusing. Mad fun, but… confusing."
Sirius smirked. "So…"
"So I like you, yeah. I like being around you. And I like kissing you. Geez, you'd think you'd get that already but nooo! You have to be all thick and boyish and unable to comprehend a single thing after I've just been really brave and risked total rejection and –" She decided then and there that she was going to slap him. As soon as she got her hands out of his hair and his mouth off of hers, and as soon as he stopped holding her real close and stroking her cheek all soft-like and
"Muh." She proclaimed quietly when he pulled away from her slowly.
"Faylinn, you're a really great person." Sirius whispered to her lips. "But… I… I don't think this can work. You know, you and me."
Faylinn opened her eyes slowly and she stared at him. She didn't say anything. Her mouth suddenly tasted like sawdust and she couldn't breathe. She wanted to hit him in the face, but she wanted to hug him tight and beg him to take it back.
"I'm really…" His voce cracked and broke off. "I'm really sorry, Faylinn." He gave her a quick peck on her cheek and she felt something cold and damp, but then he pulled away suddenly and stood. "Goodnight." He whispered on his way out the door, without even turning around to look at her.
Faylinn sat there, staring straight ahead of her until she let out a long groan and screamed into her pillow. She wanted to run after him and tell him to forget everything he had just said, but she also wanted to bury her face into her pillow and drown out everything around her, crying herself to sleep. After awhile, she finally settled on the second option, kind of wishing she had slapped him when she'd had the opportunity.
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"I shouldn't be standing here." James whispered to himself as he stood outside the door to the guestroom. "I shouldn't be standing here and I shouldn't be hearing this." He pressed his ear closer to the door.
"I'm really… I'm really sorry, Faylinn." He heard Sirius say. Was it just James or had there been a distinct break in Sirius's voice? Was he actually choked up about this?
James shook his head. He had overheard Sirius dump more girls than he cared to count, and he had said the same exact thing. "Name, you're a really great person. But I don't think this can work. You know, you and me. I'm really sorry, Name."
So what was with the hesitating voice-breaking thing?
"Goodnight." He heard Sirius's voice again; this time barely even audible and James realized that the only reason he had heard it was because the door was opening slightly.
James jumped back and gaped at what he saw next. Sirius was walking out of the guestroom, quickly shutting the door behind him, and holding a hand to his cheek.
He turned to James and managed a pathetic scowl. "I hope you're happy." He grumbled before walking down the hall.
James frowned. "Did she slap you?"
Sirius didn't turn back to face his friend, but James saw him shake his head and continue on down the stairs. "Leave me alone James." He muttered. "I'm kind of tired."
James remained at the top of the stairs and watched his friend walk into the parlor room and out of sight. His brow furrowed in thought and he turned back to the hallway, heading to his room.
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"Do you see Remus or Peter anywhere?" James asked Sirius and Faylinn as they glanced around the platform, waiting for more students to board the Hogwarts Express.
Faylinn shook her head and studied the crowd some more, squinting her eyes, while Sirius continued to study the floor. It seemed as though he hadn't even heard James speak.
"I see Lily." Faylinn said brightly and gave James a quick hug and a peck on the cheek. "Catch ya later!" She called as she raced off to catch up with the auburn-haired girl as she stepped onto the train.
"Lily!" Faylinn chirped in her friend's ear once she stepped up to her.
"Faylinn!" Lily exclaimed, giving her a hug immediately. "Come on, let's grab a compartment before they're all full!"
Once the two girls were settled in a compartment alone, Lily started bombarding her with questions. "Where'd you go? Anywhere exciting? What did you do? Why didn't you owl me after you got to James's house? I got your owl you sent me while you were at Remus's, and well, talk about short! All you said was that you couldn't wait to get to Hogwarts and see me! And then you didn't even write once you –"
Faylinn threw her red scarf at Lily, scowling. "Well, at least I wrote you, you ungrateful doofus! I didn't get a single owl from you!"
Lily shrugged and wrapped the scarf around her neck, pursuing her lips and looking around slowly as if she was a model. "So what? I was busy, what with Petunia's friends and my mom's wanting me to help out at that museum she works at…"
"Sure, sure, sure…" Faylinn rolled her eyes and pulled her scarf back from Lily. "Anyway, Lils, there's like, tons of stuff I have to tell you –" She was cut off by their compartment door opening.
In walked James, Peter, Remus, and Sirius. James sat down next to Lily, with Sirius on his other side. Remus sat next to Faylinn, with Peter on his other side.
"Well, hello my dear ladies!" James exclaimed cheerfully, wrapping his arm over Lily's shoulders. "It looks like you damsels need some male companionship! And, oh? What ho? Is that I? James Potter, coming to your rescue?" He grinned at Lily. "I'm your savior, darling!"
Lily rolled her eyes and pulled James's arm off of her. She turned to Faylinn and managed a weak smile. "Just ignore them, I suppose. You were saying something?"
Faylinn shrugged and looked down at her lap. "I – I forgot." She lied, when suddenly a thought struck her. She hugged Remus next to her and grinned like a madwoman. "Did you have fun at you grandparents? Was it nice? Did you get lots more presents?"
Remus nodded. "It was awesome, Faylinn, I wish you could have gone! My grandfather was doing this –"
"Yeah, why couldn't you go?" James interrupted, staring at her somewhat coldly.
"Um," Faylinn stared back dumbly. "Illegal roaming… I don't have permission from the ministry and what have you…"
Remus nodded at James and then turned back to Faylinn. "Anyway! There was this baby squirrel, right? And he was just sitting there…"
Faylinn leaned her head against the window as she listened to Remus's tale of the baby squirrel that had managed to find his way into his grandfather's house during dinner. She didn't really want to hear about how they ran after the squirrel for three hours, but she didn't want to be rude, so she just sat there, nodding occasionally, when suddenly a sneeze overtook her. "ACHOO!"
"Are you sick?" Lily asked suddenly, grabbing at an excuse to shove James away from her and shuffle close to Faylinn, touching her forehead. "Oh, Fay, you're burning up! How can you be sick? No, Fay, I need you!" She shook Faylinn by the shoulders. "What's happened?!"
James laughed. "She's got some cold. She's had it for a few days."
"You!" Lily glared menacingly at James and he backed into Sirius next to him, who didn't seem to be paying attention. "You got Faylinn sick! What kind of person would do that to a guest in their home – EW! FAYLINN!" She jumped away from Faylinn, after the other girl had let out another sneeze into Lily's arm.
"Sorry." Faylinn mumbled.
Remus rubbed Faylinn's back and handed her a piece of chocolate. "Here, eat this." He suggested. "It'll make you feel better, it will."
Faylinn rolled her eyes and thought, 'Oh, I'm sure,' but she accepted the chocolate from Remus all the same. "Thanks." She mumbled, sniffing. She turned to Lily. "And I'm not sick anymore. Really, I'm fine! I just… sneeze… sometimes…"
Lily rolled her eyes. "I knew I shouldn't have let you leave my house! How am I supposed to trust that these boys can take care of you properly?"
"She's fine!" James argued.
"I'm fine!" Faylinn supported. "There's no problem, Lils, calm down okay?"
Lily shrugged her shoulders, both in exasperation and in a desperate attempt to get James's arm away from her again. She glanced at Faylinn. "You wanna leave? There seems to be this incessant annoyance next to me and keeps insisting on – For Merlin's sake, Potter! Get your arm off of me! NOW!"
Faylinn smiled meekly at the Head Boy and Head Girl in front of her. Her eyes flickered slightly in Sirius's direction and their eyes met. Her smile faded quickly and she turned back to Lily. "Sure, Lils, let's go."
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::AN:: Ah, I know, I'm so meant to leave it at that, but it's already seven pages, and THIS WAY, I'll update soon, since I was gonna keep writing and blah blah blah who reads these things anyway?
Also, anyone interested in IADOHYFB and/or my "upcoming" fics, then go ahead and check out my profile, which I updated yesterday and tried my best "clarify" a few lil' things. lol Hoped you liked the chap! Love y'all! The next update should be within a week so wish me luck!
