The secret garden that Sirius Black entered that night was oddly greener then usual. But as he took no notice, it seemed it did not affect him at the time. The garden was filled with magical flowers, full of properties only Remus Lupin would have figured out.

The garden was quiet, only with the sounds of a stream gently falling down. Sirius sat on a bench surrounded by yellow flowers. He knew that James would come looking for him later, but right now he let out a sigh of relief, finally glad to be alone. A shadow lingered for a moment, but since he took no notice, he was not affected by the other figure by the stream at the time.

Sirius sat for a long time, before the figure realized he wasn't planning to leave any time soon. So the figure moved closer, and tripped upon a stone.

Sirius quickly jumped, pulling out his wand, "who's there?" he called out. No one else was supposed to know about this place.

"Ugh," the person muttered.

"Who is it?"

The figure on the ground turned out to be Lily Evans, a red-headed green-eyed girl of 16. She looked up to see Sirius Black holding his wand on her. Just great she thought, right when I wanted to be alone, I have to deal with HIM.

Sirius could still not identify the figure in the shadows, but he kept his wand arm steady, "what's your name?"

The figure brushed itself off, and came into the light.

"Evans?" he asked.

"Black," she nodded in agreement.

"What are you doing out here?" he asked, putting down his wand.

"I could ask you the same question, but any answer you'd give me wouldn't be surprising."

"We'll I'm certainly surprised to see you, how'd you know about this?" Sirius asked.

Sirius' eyes held hers, he held his breath, and his heart started to beat faster. Stop it! He told himself, James likes Lily. And she doesn't even like me. He still held his breath; she doesn't really like him either, not till recently. He then cursed inwardly again, no, stop it!

"I found it," Lily said distrustfully.

"Clearly," Sirius said. "Well, don't let me stop you from whatever you were doing."

"Well, you kind of are," Lily insisted.

"Why?"

"I was being alone, but now that you are here, I can't exactly do that."

"Well, I came to be alone too, so it's a loose-loose for all," Sirius said.

"Right. And why would you want to be alone?" Lily asked suspiciously. "Isn't there that Quidditch celebration going on with James, shouldn't you be with him?"

"Shouldn't you?"

"No," Lily said shortly.

"I didn't feel much like celebrating," Sirius shrugged. "I wanted to think."

"You, think?" Lily asked with a laugh. "Now, I'm certainly surprised by that."

"Yeah, well, I'm quite surprising that way."

"Well then, one of is going to have to leave," Lily said.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, if we both want to be alone, then one of is going to have to leave."

"Go ahead," Sirius said with a smile.

"You first," Lily said.

Sirius laughed, "this isn't going to get us any where."

"Right," she stared to move towards him, but a pain seized her forearm.

"You alright?" he asked seemingly concerned.

"Fine," she said, examining her arm. Is that actual concern? Or feigned for the reason I might have to leave and go to the hospital wing? She asked herself looking back at Sirius who was still examining her arm. Does Sirius Black actually have a serious side?

"You sure?" he asked again.

"Positive," she said. "Just a little cut."

"Right," Sirius shrugged. "So, you're not going to run along and go get yourself cured up then?" Please don't leave, he thought desperately.

"Typical, Sirius, you just want me to leave so you can be alone," Lily said disgruntled.

"You don't have to go," Sirius shrugged. Then he smiled, "in fact, I insist you don't."

"You're a bad liar," Lily said.

"What's that mean?"

"You want me to go."

No I really don't. "No, it's fine, really. Company while grieving is fine too."

"Grieving?" Lily asked. It's like he's actually human outside the company of his friends.

"Don't worry about it, Lily," Sirius said.

"Okay, I won't," she shrugged.

"So, why don't you feel like celebrating upstairs?" Sirius asked.

"I just, I dunno, I felt like I needed to think about something," Lily said.

"Like?" Sirius inquired.

"Like," Lily started. Am I really going to tell him? "Thinking about your friend."

"My friend? Got a thing for Remus aye?"

"Don't be stupid," Lily rolled her eyes.

"Apparently that's impossible for me to do," Sirius said.

"Says who?"

"Says my friend."

"James?"

"Yeah."

"Are you fighting with him?"

"A bit."

"Why?"

"He's being an ass, that's all," Sirius muttered, sitting on the bench.

"He seems to be nicer to me," Lily said.

"Yeah well, isn't that the way?" Sirius huffed.

"What's he doing?"

"Don't worry about it," Sirius said.

"Alright," Lily nodded. "So, is that all that's, err, grieving you."

"No," Sirius answered.

"What else?" Lily asked.

"Why do you care?"

"I, I uh…"Lily started. I don't really, do I? "I don't know."

"Right, well, tell me what you're thinking about James, and I'll tell you something else."

"What kind of game is this?" Lily asked.

"We're playing a game?" Sirius questioned.

"Apparently. You've already set down rules," Lily said.

"Right," Sirius nodded.

"Can I sit?" she asked.

"Go right ahead."

Lily sat next to him on the bench.

"Well, I guess I'm just thinking about if I really want to date him, he asked me out, and I told him I had to think about it."

"He's a good guy," Sirius said. But I could be better for you.

"That's the thing," Lily sighed. "I mean, is he really?"

"Generally speaking, yes," Sirius assured.

"I don't know if that means much coming from you," Lily said.

"You don't have to believe me," Sirius shrugged. "I was just stating my opinion."

"Well, thank you, I guess," Lily said. "Well, what else is bothering you?"

"Well, if your throw out the fact that I'm being disowned by my family, loosing relatives in meaningless battles, and being told I'm useless and going to loose everything I love, then there's still the more relevant fact that I'm falling for a girl I can never have, and would never have me."

"More relevant fact!" Lily asked astonished, and quite bewildered by everything he had just thrown at her.

"More relevant because it's currently on my mind," Sirius said.

"Well," Lily said, unsure of what to say. "I'm really really sorry, about…-"

"-Not your fault, so don't be," Sirius shrugged.

"That's really awful though," Lily said sadly.

Sirius shrugged, "well, the only thing I can really fix right now is the girl issue, so that's what I'm really trying to work out."

"Who?" Lily asked.

Sirius stared at her.

"Fine, sorry, I didn't mean to pry more," Lily said, looking away.

"No, it's fine," Sirius muttered. I'm just wondering if I should act on impulse or morals.

"Well, do I know her?" Lily asked. "You can tell me that at least, right?"

"Yeah, you know her," Sirius nodded with a slight smile.

"Okay…Well, why can't you have her?" She asked.

"Are you really trying to help me solve my dilemma?" Sirius asked surprised. Because this might end badly for someone.

"Sure, I guess," Lily nodded.

"Right then," Sirius said. "Well, I can't have her, because one of my friends likes her."

"Remus?"

Sirius paused for a moment. If he said no, then that would leave only Peter and James, and that would lead on some more awkward questions, but if he lied...could he do that?

"Err, I'm not at liberty to say," Sirius said, satisfied with his answer.

"And she won't have you, because?" Lily asked.

"Because she thinks I'm a bastard," Sirius said. "And she's probably right."

"No, she's not," Lily said, and she meant it. She looked at Sirius' rough face, and realized that he wasn't bad looking at all, it was the first time she really looked at him, and she realized that she was starting to feel flutters in her stomach from just being around him.

Sirius watched her look at him, and he realized she was surveying, I wonder what she sees. He thought. "Thanks, I guess."

"Yeah, well, erm," she said standing up. Don't be near him. Damn he smells good.

"So, about you and James," Sirius asked, glutton for punishment.

"Yeah, me and James...I don't think he and I are really going to happen," she said. Did I really just say that?

"Really?" Sirius asked intrigued. "And why not?"

I wonder who he likes...She's probably some tramp. God, why is he looking at me like that? Lily stared. "I err, I dunno." That was a dumb answer. God, why do I feel like this? This is Sirius! He's a jerk worse then James! She thought trying to shake off her feelings. But you were almost ready to give James a chance, a small voice whispered inside her head. Oh God.

"Well, James really likes you, you know, it's a shame," Sirius said.

"Yeah, he'll just keep asking me out anyway," Lily said. "So it doesn't much matter."

"Lily…"Sirius said.

"Yeah?" Lily asked in a low voice.

"What do you think of me?" he finally asked. Please don't say you hate me.

What a question at a time like this! "I umm, think you're erm, God! I dunno!"

"What's that mean?" Sirius asked.

"Exactly what I said, I don't know!"

"Okay…" Sirius trailed off. What's that about? Has this talk changed her image of me?

"What do you think of me?" she asked.

The air held still for a moment and she looked him straight in the eyes. God, he looks wonderful.

He held her eyes, and stood up, "You're a really, really, great person."

How great? Lily thought, Wait what? "Oh?"

Sirius was getting closer to her, and she didn't seem to notice.

"Yeah, and brilliant too," he said.

"Hmm," Lily said in a low breath, she was focused only on his presence, and her heart beating like crazy.

"And really, beautiful," Sirius finally said, wrapping his arms around her waist.

Lily didn't seem to notice that he was touching her, and was only turning her head up to look at his face, "beautiful?"

"Gorgeous," Sirius muttered, and lifted her head, and kissed her.

Lily went limp for a moment, not comprehending what was going on. Then she wrapped her hands around his neck and pulled him closer, deepening the kiss.

Oh God! Lily thought. I'm kissing him! I'm kissing Sirius Black. She knew many of the girls in their grade would kill to be where she was right now.

For however long the kiss lasted, Sirius didn't know, he only knew that when she pulled apart from him, he wanted her back in his arms.

"Oh my," Lily said under her breath.

"Yeah," Sirius said with a smile.

"We…" Lily muttered.

"Yeah," Sirius said again. "I've always wanted to do that."

"You have?" Lily asked. "Could have fooled me."

Sirius gave her a sly grin, "What can I say, I'm a good liar."

"Indeed," Lily said smiling back at him.

"I always knew you'd come around my way."

"No you didn't."

"I know, but I hoped."

"I can't believe we just…"

"Kissed?" He said breathlessly, and took a hold of her once again, and pulled her into another kiss.

And this time, she didn't push him away, and they stood there, lost in oblivion, until a noise came from the other side of the garden, and when they pulled away, they saw the horrified face of James Potter, glaring at the two of them.

Oh shit! "James…" Sirius tried to explain.

"What's going on here?" James asked.

"We were…we were just..." Sirius stuttered.

"We were just kissing! My God, James! It's not the end of the world!" Lily said. Why did I just say that? God, the poor guy.

"Fuck you," James spat at her.

"Watch it!" Sirius muttered.

"Fuck you both," he said, and James turned around and left the way he came.

"Shit," Sirius said.

"This isn't good," Lily said, staring after James.

"No, it's not," Sirius said. "I shouldn't have kissed you."

"Why not?" Lily asked, suddenly taken aback. "Because of him? Because he'd be angry?"

"Well, yeah," Sirius said.

"You'd have kissed me sooner or later, Sirius, it was just a matter of time," Lily said.

"How do you know that?"

"You act on impulse, you always have," Lily said.

"Right." Sirius nodded, she was quite right. "What's going to happen now?"

"You tell me," Lily said.

"I better go talk to James."

"Then what?"

"Well, then if you'd like, we could date,"

Lily giggled, "alright."

"What's so funny?"

"Sirius Black said date."

Sirius rolled his eyes, "for you, I'd say anything."

Lily stopped laughing, and stared at him, "you're sweet."

"I thought I was a jerk?"

"You're not too bad," Lily said smiling.

"Oh really?" Sirius said coyly.

"Really, now go make things right with your friend," Lily insisted.

"Right," Sirius said. "I don't think he's ever going to forgive me."

"You'll make him come around." Lily said. "You tend to have that effect on people."

Sirius smiled, "thanks."

"Good luck," she said giving him a smile.

"That's not a lot of luck," Sirius growled, and kissed her one more time. "Now that's better," he said as they pulled apart.

"You're coming back here?" Lily asked. "When you're done?"

"I'll always come back to you, love," Sirius said. "No matter what."

Sirius left the garden, and Lily watched him leave in silence. She was left alone, which was now something she did not care for, and ironically, she was glad that she had not been alone when she had wanted to earlier.

Now sitting by herself, she knew he would return, and she felt safe, and knew that she would be able to help him through anything that came their way. Her thoughts even turned to the girls that were wild for Sirius Black, and how upset they would be once they realized that she had finally won his heart all to herself, and that fire had tamed the night.