Coherent thoughts were not normally easy to form when first waking up. But when Salene woke up The Morning After, she was immediately alert and awake, looking around in the room she hadn't had time to admire the night before. She slipped out of bed, reluctant though she was to leave the warm comfort of Sirius' arms and pulled on a hospitality bathroom robe, tying it tightly around her waist and folding her arms over her chest to ward off the cold. After all, it was snowing outside and the fire had died - apparently the hotel was as old fashioned as Hogwarts and didn't have central heating. With that in mind, Salene made the fire as best she could before standing and surveying the bedroom.
The carpet was wall to wall, thick - at least thick enough for her to bury her toes in - and a deep red color. The bedroom curtains were silk red, a bit lighter than that of the carpets, with a shade of cream coloring the drapes, red lace lining. The walls were wallpapered a pale red color with cream designs on it, the only light coming from the small lamps on the two nightstands. In the corner was a vanity dresser, complimentary make up, deoderant, toothbrushes, and other toiletry lined up neatly. A large painting hung opposite the bed, a woman in a low cut red dress looking to the side, a similar looking woman in a periwinkle dress stretched out on the ground at the red-clad woman's feet. A cream-painted door was slightly ajar to the bathroom and she hesitated a moment before stepping forward to push the door open fully and peer into the bathroom. It was actually rather plain, considering the luxurious decorations of the bedroom. The floor was tiled with red and white, the walls white, the bathtub white, the counters white...it was much too white for her tastes. She did like the mirror, however, as it was a ten by four full length mirror, framed in carved mahogany.
She turned and shut the door, intending to explore the other two rooms, but found herself running into Sirius. "You got up too early," he pouted. "Go back to sleep."
With a smile, she said in response, "What, were you planning on making me breakfast in bed? Or, perhaps, filling up the tub and sprinkling rose petals in it?" He shook his head and reached out to untie her robe.
"I wanted to kiss you awake," he said as the robe fell off her shoulders and then to the ground, pooling around her ankles. Salene had never been once to prance around barely covered, nonetheless not covered at all, but it didn't feel awkward to her at all. The coldness was hard at first, and her body responded in obvious ways, but then Sirius wrapped her up in his arms to kiss her deeply and she warmed, from the inside out.
"I can't argue with that," she told him and pulled away. She slipped back under the covers, closing her eyes and exaggerating the puckering of her lips. She heard laughter and was reminded, with a rather emotionally painful jolt, of when she couldn't see. After all, she'd only been 'cured' less than twenty four hours ago.
Then he was under the comforter and lying on top of her kissing, her gently and with immeasurable passion, and she stopped thinking, never mind remembering, at all.
Salene yawned and stretched luxuriously, curling up into a ball, lazily watching as Sirius pulled on his boxers. "You have to get dressed too," he told her. She noticed with interest his cheeks were still, however slightly, flushed from their recent activities. It was amazing how non-physical it was, at least for her. If Sirius had been clumsy and awkward and sloppy it still would have been the best thing she'd ever done, because such a feeling of inner ecstasy swelled in her. "Salene?"
She drew back to the present and smiled, finally sitting up Her arms stretched over her head as the blanket fell to her waist, and she smiled, faintly shy, when Sirius' eyes trailed over her fingertips, moved to her elbows, her shoulders, and continued downward. Then he shook his head, smiled sheepishly, and tossed her the pile of clothes that were hers. She frowned at the wrinkles in the material and (after removing her badge) transformed them into a pressed Hogwarts uniform. She repinned her badge, adjusted her skirt, and turned to Sirius.
"Do you know what I did with my hair tie?" she asked, spelling her hair smooth and making it into a ponytail as she spoke. He shook his head and dropped to his knees, lifting up the overhanging edge of the comforter. A couple of minutes passed and she went to his side of the bed. "Sirius, what are you doing?" Her voice was amused and her lips twitched up, but she made herself not crack a wide grin. It was, after all, very unbecoming of a Snape. With that thought, she snorted and let her rather unfounded joy show.
"I'm looking under the bed for your hair-uppy-thing and got distracted. There are is absolutely no dust or dirt in this place," he explained, letting go of the comforter and standing.
"There better not be, for what you paid for this room. One night is almost six hundred euro," she said and added at his raised eyebrows, "What?"
"Since when did you know the equivalent of a galleon in Muggle money?" he asked, crossing the room and peering into the mirror mounted on the dresser. He reached into his robe pocket and pulled out a comb and ran it quickly through his hair.
"Since I spent three months out on the streets of Muggle London," she said quietly. This was something they'd never talked about it, and she didn't want to do it that day. It would ruin the light atmosphere. He seemed to understand this, for he smiled in response and wrapped her in a hug when she walked over to him, resting his head on the top of hers.
"It's kind of weird I never ran into you," he commented and she met his eyes in their reflection, curving her mouth into a smile.
"Really? What were you doing running around Muggle London? Your family is as magically prestigious as mine is, and you had a home." Despite her light tone and teasing smile, the words pained Salene more than she was willing to admit. She knew his family was as bad, if not worse, than her own. But he could have placed wards over a section of the house and lived there. Then again, Sirius wasn't the kind to stay cooped up. He was free, or as free as a barely legal wizard still in school could be. Then again, she didn't even know if he was legal.
"When is your birthday?" she asked, interrupting him in his response to her earlier words. She hadn't even realized he was speaking. She blushed at her own rudeness and looked away.
"Well, Impatient Cow, it's April sixth." She filed the date away, but snatched the chance to change the subject before he could ask questions.
"Impatient cow?" she repeated, incredulous. "Did you just called me an impatient cow?"
"It's a Muggle joke," he explained, and added. "Knock knock." Salene, unfamiliar with knock knock jokes, didn't say anything and he sighed. "Say who's there."
"Who's there?"
"Impatient cow...and you say impatient cow who."
"Impatient c-"
"MOOO!" he...mooed, and then fell to the ground laughing. "Isn't that funny?"
"A riot," she agreed dryly. "Especially considering you called me a cow. That's the second time in less than twenty-four hours you've called me fat. I detect a pattern and-" Gentle lips cut her off, laying kisses on her jawline and then lingering on her mouth.
"You're beautiful," he whispered, eyes meeting hers. She pulled away and smirked, grabbing her coat off the chair and opening the door. As her hand rested on the knob, she turned around and flashed him a knee-weakening smirk - at least it was for him.
"I didn't know you were funny." He stood there, puzzling until he realized she had called herself ugly. This didn't help fade his puzzlement - did she truly not see what he did? Well then, he would just have to show her! He smiled as his resolve strengthened and he slipped out of the room after her.
"Can I ask you something and have you promise to answer it?" Salene asked as they stepped into the blustering winds of the January morning. There was a light snow and Salene wished they could go to Three Broomsticks and have a Butterbeer, or perhaps soemthing stronger, but there was too much risk in going to such a popular place. It was suspicious enough, the two of them being together and outside when it wasn't a Hogsmeade weekend, but neither had wanted to stay shut up in the hotel all day. After all, Sirius had reasoned, who in Madame Maulkin's Robes for All Occasions would care about them, other than cooing? He did have a point, being that only first year students and middle aged woman went in that particular robe shop. As there were no first years scurrying around Hogsmeade, they were safe.
"Okay," he said, looking sideways at her before adjusting one of his gloves. "What's the problem?" She nudged him with her shoulder, too cold to stop and do...something. Maybe kiss him, maybe reprimand him. She wasn't entirely sure.
"There's no problem," she assured him. "Everything is perfect in the world. Except Voldemort, but who cares about him?" He forced a smile onto his pale face and she felt her concern grow. Sirius was always optimistic - what could have made him so down and insecure? "At least," she said, watching him carefully, "there's nothing wrong with me. You have something to confess?" This time he cracked an honest smile and shook his head, subsequently shaking the snow onto her shoulders. She didn't mention it to him, but silently brushed it off, waiting for him to explain.
"I'm suffering from post-sex depression, I suppose," he said, hunching over his shoulders and avoiding her eyes although he tried to make it seem like he was joking. "I feel really crappy. I don't know why though." When her only response was a smile and the crunch of her boots on the snow, he sighed. "I'm being unreasonable, aren't I?" He pulled her into a one armed hug and she relaxed into him briefly before pulling away and looking around her to make sure no one had noticed.
"No," she said, keeping her tone light. "Maybe...it's more like post-compilation depression." Her heart raced as he shot her a questioning and she looked down at the snow. "I mean, maybe it was just my imagination. People do compare it to death, after all. That's what I wanted to ask you. From what I read, I rather thought-"
"I think so too," he interrupted, ceasing her babbling. "I'm just...not sure. And I hadn't thought you felt it too."
"Salazar, did I," she said, shaking her head in wonderment. "Too bad it won't ever feel like that again." Conscious of the blush coloring her cheeks at her words, she shot him a somewhat shy smile as he held the door to Madame Maulkin's open for her.
"So," he said, "what are we doing in a robe shop?" She smiled at him and, now insured their relationship would not be revealed, kissed him lightly.
"You know the Valentine's Ball next month?" she asked and he rolled his eyes, though he was smiling.
"I've been attending Hogwarts for seven years and you've only been here less than one, and you're asking me if I know things about it?" He pointed his nose in the air and sniffed. "How rude!" She laughed and went over to the closest rack of male dress-up robes. She searched through them for a few seconds and then pulled out one at random. It was crushed velvet and a blue that was nearly black, the only means of closing it a clasp at the neck. She frowned and held it out in front of her against him, eyes narrowed as she considered.
"I don't think so," she said after several minutes of consideration.
"Wait! You're picking me out robes? What about you?"
"I thought of that," she said with a smile, turning briefly from the rack to meet his eyes before continuing to sift through the robes. "I'll pick out robes for you, and you'll pick out the dress and outer robe for me. Since dresses are more expensive, you pay for the dress and I pay for your robes and my outer robe." There was silence and she selected a silk crimson one, though immediately replaced it with a look of disgust.
"How long have you been planning this?" he sighed, though his eyes were smiling.
"It's January tenth, right?" she asked, shooting him a look for confirmation. "About a month. I'd just had the idea the day after you'd invited me to go to your house for Chri-" She cut off herself abruptly, tears welling in her eyes, recalling what had happened when she'd gone to Potter's house. "Yes, well."
"Salene," he breathed, cradling her to him. "It's okay. You're never going back there, not even if I have to hex a bunch of Aurors and Dementors to break you out."
"Then you'd be wanted too," she pointed out, wiping her eyes on the back of her hand.
"We could be on the run together," he said in prompt response. "It'd be exciting." She laughed and wiped her eyes once more before breathing in through her nose, and then making a face at the noise air rushing through her snot-filled nose had made. It was extremely disgusting. "So...do I have to wait here or can I start looking?" He nodded over at the dress rack and she shrugged.
"Doesn't matter to me. But be prepared to have to try things on at any moment," she said in all serioussness, but he only smiled.
"Yes mum," he teased, slipping away before she could respond.
An hour later, Salene dragged an exasperated Sirius out of the changing room for the final time, beaming. "That's perfect," she said softly and his eyes studied her face for a moment before he softened.
"You think so?" he asked, spinning around for her. She smiled and slipped her arms into the robes, which were hanging open at the moment and exposing his bare chest, and hugged him, rather unwilling to let go.
"Flashy," she murmured to him, eyes closing as his arms went around her. "Just like you."
"I think I'm offended." A pause. "You think candy cane robes are flashy?"
"Candy cane robes?" she asked, pulling away slightly so her eyes could study the robes. "Just because they're pale red and white they're candy cane? They're not striped. It's not even in a pattern. Just the hemming is white." He shrugged, a movement that lifted her off the floor a few inches, distracting her. "Sirius! You could've warned me!" She frowned and pulled away, though with a sigh of regret because he'd been incredibly warm and she was, well, incredibly cold.
"I didn't know even my muscles were that strong." He smirked and flexed his arms and her eyes went wide at the way his muscles popped. She'd never been a fan of muscles, for some reason - probably from growing up around pale, lanky males like Uncle Sev and Severus - but considering there wasn't a gym in Hogwarts and most of his classes were no higher than the fourth floor, his muscle amount was surprising. Especially considering she'd seen him shirtless before (as in last night) and he hadn't seemed so built. When she asked about it, he shrugged again, a gesture he seemed to be favoring. "I have to keep in shape for Quidditch. James and I work out together sometimes. But I'm just blessed."
"I half-expected you to say well-endowed," she muttered and he smiled mock innocently in reply.
"I am. Just not with my muscles, if you-"
"Stop." She rolled her eyes and then her eyes went back to his robes. "You have to button those up so I can get the full effect. As lovely as you look in your boxers, we're shopping for a ball." He shrugged, leaned down to press his lips briefly to hers, and then reached down to do the buttons, taking his time and looking around him interestedly. Suddenly, his face paled and his eyes narrowed.
"Isn't that Blaise Zabini?" Her hands automatically clenched as she suddenly remembered their...conversations on Christmas Eve. Swearing mentally, she grabbed Sirius' hand and shoved him into the stall before stepping in with him and locking the door behind them. "I'm sorry but I don't do quickies." She sighed and pressed her hand over his mouth, shaking her head.
"Zabini...he knows about us," she told him in a whisper. "He's trying to black mail me into donating an egg for a cauldron baby because he's gay but needs to produce a heir and wants to keep the bloodlines pure." Sirius was laughing against her hand and she sighed. "He's going to tell Severus if I don't." At this he stopped laughing and frowned.
"Smfdhgldaagasd?" he asked and her eyebrows rose before she lowered her hand. He cleared his throat and said, "You're not going to do it, are you?"
"Of course not! Creating a baby for Zabini is worse than anything Severus could ever do to me," she said confidently. His face scrunched up and she sighed. "What?"
"I don't want to make you mad but...what if he used Imperius? Every time he sees Remus he gets this really constipated - what? It is - look of fury and slams something, or someone, into the castle walls," he explained. Salene looked away, eyes filling with tears.
"He's hurt and angry and confused about Lupin...though maybe not so confused anymore. He might do stupid things sometimes, but he'd never do that to me," she said with quiet conviction, meeting Sirius' eyes. "He's really very nice...he just built up an alter-ego to keep people away. And why would Lupin have been going out with him if there wasn't quite a bit of decency in him? I've come to learn that Lupin has a high sense of morals and wouldn't lower them just for reassurance being a werewolf isn't what makes him repulsive." He sent her a hard look, eyes narrowing fractionally.
"Why are you so cruel to Remus, and James? It's not like they've ever been anything but nice to you...well, at the Welcoming Feast James was a jerk, but he apologized and-"
"Sirius...please don't. Being civil, however slightly, to them is the best you can ask for from me. Lupin broke Severus' heart, and I can't forgive that, and Potter...he's Potter. That's not a very good explanation, but it's the truth."
"I'm worse to Sni...Snape than any of them have ever been," he pointed out. "But you don't hate me."
"Most of the time," she muttered. His eyes flashed and his teeth clenched as he looked away. There was several seconds of awkward silence and she cleared her throat. "I'm sorry," she apologized, folding her arms over her chest and looking away as his head swung to look into her eyes.
"I forgive you." The words were stiff and formal and her heart clenched at the note of finalty in his tone. But she refused to give in and befriend Lupin and Potter, more than she already had at least.
"No you don't," she said, pushing escaping strands back behind her ears. "I'll see you later, okay?"
"You're leaving?" he asked, eyebrows arching.
"I've got homework," she said with a shrug.
"But - er - I haven't picked out your dress. And you haven't paid for my robes." Salene reached into her robes and pulled out her coin pouch. She reached in and pulled out the ten galleon, five sickle fee for the robes with an extra fifteen galleons.
"If you decide you don't like them, you can get a different set," she offered before reaching out and unbolting the lock. "I'll see you." Just as she was swinging open the door, Sirius reached out and grabbed her hand.
"Don't leave angry. Please," he murmured, drawing her into a tight hug. She resisted the sudden impulse to stiffen and pull away and tilted her head up to meet his lips in the expected kiss.
"I'm not," she lied, voice empty. Then she did pull away, offered him a smile that was sickeningly fake, and slipped out. She pretended she didn't hear his loud string of swear words and the cracking sound of his fist slamming into the wall of the store.
