Sirius started worrying when he didn't see Gwen for almost three days straight, at least not outside of class. In class she was always there: studiously taking notes, perfecting her spell casting and other skills. But as soon as the class was over she would disappear out the door and if he was lucky he might see a quick flash of her as she dashed past him in the halls or walked from the great hall after snacking on a hurried lunch in between homework assignments.
And even when she wasn't working she seemed to be busy ignoring or just plain going out of her way to avoid him. Not that she acted any differently anyway. She still smiled and said hello when she saw him or waved if she couldn't talk or smile. But she never stayed long enough to talk. Or long enough for him to apologize.
And Raven and Lily weren't helping him any. If asked where she was they would make noncommittal noises or just shrug. If you were lucky you got a vague wave in a certain direction. But they would never give up her exact location. Even Remus with his slow and patient ways couldn't drag the answer out of Raven. And it was driving Sirius crazy. This time he was going to get his answer.
Stopping Raven as she walked from their last class Defense against the Dark Arts he gave her a pointedly stubborn look. "Raven, where is Gwen?"
Raven watched him for a moment as if thinking. "Why should I tell you Sirius? The last you talked to her you made her cry. I won't hurt my friend because you have illusions of grandeur that you can make her like you."
"Raven, right now, all I want to do is say I'm sorry. I really had no idea that I would make her cry. Please tell me where she is."
"She's in the library. She's near the back close to the incantation section. Just apologize and be quick about it. If you hurt her... well, you know me." then she walked away and Sirius strode off to the library with a determined air.
Raven watched him go not even surprised when Remus came up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders. "You sure that was a wise thing to do, Raven?"
"Wise? Maybe not. But they already love each other. You can see it. And I'm not about to let my friends' stubbornness keep them apart. As shy as she is and as stubborn and prideful as he is... They're perfect for each other." Raven turned in his arms and hugged him tight around the middle. "Just like you and me."
"Glad you think so, on both counts, because James has a plan. But to pull it off we're going to need yours and Lily's help."
"James has a plan. Why am I not surprised? All right, I'll go get Lily. But she's not going to be happy about spending any time in the presence of one James Potter."
"Just tell her it's for Gwen and Sirius. She will come." He said then hugged her to him one last time before they split planning to meet in the common room.
Gwen studied the piles of homework in front of her and then sighed. Her back ached from sitting still too long, her fingers ached from writing too much and her head ached from all the information she was trying to cram into it. Leaning back in her chair she dropped her quill as she stretched. A yawn made it out and she closed her eyes for a moment relaxing all the tense muscles in her body.
She knew she had been working too hard but what other way was she going to avoid Sirius? It was bad enough she saw him in class everyday without having to see him out of it. It seemed ever since that first day he'd gotten more and more charming and with each day Gwen felt more and more flustered. She never knew what to say to him when he spoke so flirtingly his silver eyes gleaming devilishly.
It made her feel like a tongue-tied schoolgirl. A blushing tongue-tied schoolgirl. Who was so inexperienced it was foolish to even talk to a boy. Which she was, of course, a simple schoolgirl who blushed. The only experienced she'd ever had with males had to have been when a stray dog or two came along. But that was it. Boys of the homo sapien variety were of a very different nature. Especially boys named Sirius Black with hair of midnight and eyes of molten silver.
Leaning all the way back she looked up at the ceiling for a moment and daydreamed of a time and place where she wasn't so naïve and she knew exactly what she would say to Sirius. She smiled and then she sat up again. As if that would ever happen...
Looking back at the table she noticed the boy leaning against the bookshelves watching her for the first time and nearly jumped. Then she saw the familiar silver eyes and put a hand over her heart to stop it's pounding. "Sirius... Oh my god, what are you trying to do? Give me a heart atta... Wait a minute what are you doing here?"
He pushed away from the shelf and pulled a chair up spinning it around so he sat upon it facing the opposite way. Folding his arms he leaned on them he watched her for a moment his eyes narrowed. Then instead of answering her he asked a question of his own. "How come you're avoiding me?"
"I'm not avoiding you. I've just been trying to catch up with the work from all my classes. And you haven't answered my question." She said feeling a headache starting to pound in her head almost as fast as her heart when he only raised an eyebrow as if wondering what the question was. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm looking for you."
"Why?"
"I came to..." suddenly the words seem to fail him and he looked to the ground and then it landed on her fairy stone which hung out of her shirt. "What's this?" he put his hand out lifting it up gently.
Gwen looked down and saw the stone in his hand. "Huh? Oh it's..." the stone turned a warm red color and then it went back to its normal color. "Nothing..." she murmured as she covered it with her own hand.
She felt the stone spark beneath her hand and the looked up at Sirius. He'd felt it too. His silver eyes narrowed and Gwen pulled back pulling the stone with her. After slipping the stone inside her shirt she put her hands into her lap curling the one that had been over the stone closed tight as if to keep the warmth encased in her hand.
"So what did you come looking for me for?"
Sirius looked up at her then as if remembering his errand then looked down at his hand. "I came to apologize. I didn't mean to make you cry. I'm sorry, Gwen."
"You didn't... do it on purpose... You... you really don't have to apologize. There's nothing to say sorry for..."she blushed lightly wishing she hadn't been such a sentimental fool earlier and cried.
"But I want to apologize. I... I didn't mean to say anything that would hurt you. Sometimes I just... well actually... I never trip up when I'm talking to girls. Ask Raven. But with you... It's different."
He was doing it again. Being charming and sweet and he wasn't even trying too. That was when Gwen liked him the most, when he was relaxed and himself. When he was trying hard to be all charming and sexy she just felt out of her league but this Sirius was all the more devastating. This Sirius she could relax with and talk to.
"I do stupid things. Things that probably make you feel embarrassed. So...I'm sorry. You don't have to accept my apology. I just had to say it, for myself."
He pushed away from the chair and started to walk away and just as he was about to turn the corner Gwen felt herself feeling hurt and disappointed he didn't want to stay. So she said something. Anything that came to her mind. "Apology accepted. I don't have to. But I need and want to. Thank you, Sirius. I know... it wasn't easy. So thank you."
He smiled and nodded and then walked around the bookshelf. And as soon as he disappeared from sight Gwen frowned at herself and leaned her head against the cold tabletop. Apology accepted? What the heck is wrong with you Gwendolyn Farr? Was that the best you could come up with?
"Gwen?"
Snapping her head up, she saw that Sirius had poked his head back around the bookshelf. His hair looked shaggier than usual as if he had run all the way back. "Huh?"
"This weekend is a Hogsmeade weekend and I'm going and you're going and... Well, I was wondering if you wanted... to go together?"
Gwen stared into his eyes and saw something she had never seen there before. Hope and...uncertainty. If there was one thing that Gwen had never seen Sirius as hat was uncertain. But here he was looking so nervous waiting for her answer. Her answer to a question...
"Sirius, are you... that is... are you asking me on a date?"
"Well, only... if you want it to be."
For a moment neither of them spoke. At least not in words and finally Gwen managed to nod. "I... I'd... I'd like that very much."
Sirius grinned and then he looked serious again. "Okay, I'll meet you in the common room?"
"Yeah, okay. I'll... I'll see you then."
"Yes, you will. Good luck with the homework, Gwendolyn." He looked uncertain for a minute then the cocky grin came back to his face and he walked away. This time Gwen listened until his footsteps had completely faded before she dared to move.
"Oh my god... Sirius Black just asked me out... Did I just...? "The full import of what she'd done sunk in and a chill went down her back. "Did I actually say yes? Oh my god... what am I going to do?"
She asked herself that same question over and over again over the next few days and as Saturday drew closer and closer her attention to homework and class work faded. Finally after another five points lost for Gryffindor she decided to talk to Raven. The only problem was Raven was sitting with Remus, James and Sirius.
Mustering her courage she walked up to the table trying very hard to ignore the butterflies in her stomach. "Hi guys. Raven, I need to talk to you."
"Sure, have a seat."
"No..." Four pairs of eyes looked up at her and she tried to continue nervously. "That is... Raven you promised to help me with... that project. You know the one in... Magic History?"
"Sirius can help you. He's much better than me at that sort of thing."
"No! That is... Raven, you promised." She picked up Raven's arm and pulled her up. "Come on."
Raven finally seemed to get it and went without complaint until they came to the girls' bathroom. "Well, what is it?"
"Sirius asked me out. On a date. A real date."
"He did? That's wonderful..." she smiled until she noticed the look on Gwen's face. "Isn't it?"
"Well, yes, but... Oh Raven I'm so nervous. I can't go through with this. What if I make a mistake?"
"But you like him right?"
"Yes."
"And weren't you telling me how much you wished he'd ask you out?"
"Well, yes... But Raven you don't understand. I've never been on a date in my life. I've never had a boyfriend in my life... I'm so nervous and scared. What if I make a big mistake and it makes him not like me. I can't go through with this. I just can't..."
"And what if you do something right and he likes you even more? What if you end up having a good time? And if you don't go, you'll never know... Relationships are about taking risks. You can go through with this. You're going to go through with this, right?"
Gwen looked Raven in the eyes and what she saw made her smile. The look Raven gave her reminded her of the stern look that Gwen's mother sometimes pulled out when Gwen was being stubborn. The "this look means no talk back" look had always worked then and it worked again now.
"Okay... but Raven..." she stopped short when Raven gave her another look.
"What?" Raven asked almost impatiently.
"I don't have anything to wear." Raven smiled then and the smile turned into a chuckle, which ended in a full-blown laugh. And then Gwen found herself laughing right along.
"I sound like one of those teenage muggles on TV who has too many clothes to choose from." She finally managed to wheeze out as her sides began to hurt from laughter.
When the laughter had finally subsided both girls looked up as the doors opened and Lily walked in. "Is everything okay?"
Raven and Gwen looked at one another and managed to stifle their laughter this time. "No, we have a fashion emergency." Raven told her almost seriously as if she was reporting a heart attack. Then the laughter started all over again. And this time it didn't stop for a very, very long while.