Chapter Fifteen
Monday morning came too fast for Hermione. She was in the land of sleep, until one annoying, high-pitched voice screamed shrilly into her ear: This is just the beginning.
She bolted up, and the words 'The Marauders' faded from the air. A scowl appeared on her face as she changed into her robes.
She left her bed and went to Sandie. Sandie was already made up for breakfast; her hair in a bun, and she didn't look in a rush.
"Hey Sandie, shall we head down now?"
Sandie turned around, and gasped. "Oh Merlin! Pertida, have you seen…?"
"Seen what?" Hermione asked with a laugh, linking her arm with Sandie's.
"Honestly, nothing's the matter."
Sandie wriggled her arm away from Hermione's, still gaping at her with shock. "What is it?" Hermione burst out.
"Your...your hair."
"My hair?" repeated Hermione, astounded. Sandie went into her four-poster bed, and then came back out, holding her face-mirror so Hermione could see her hair.
She nearly fainted from shock. Her once brown cherished hair, was now a vivid mass of blue and black.
"That's…outrageous," Hermione stuttered, examining her hair with surprised interest. She looked like a punk; she looked the exact opposite of the girl she was.
"The hair's cool," admitted Sandie. "You should keep it."
"Keep it?" said Hermione, weakly.
"I take it that the Marauders did this?" fired Sandie, her eyes filled with a determination that Hermione hadn't seen since the letter that told Sandie about Clover's death.
"Yes," agreed Hermione, thinking back to the ghastly warning that the Marauders left her.
"Don't give them the satisfaction that they got to you," Sandie explained, making Hermione's eyebrows rise.
"You mean…I should keep the hair like it is, for a few weeks, to tell the Marauders that I won't give up?"
Sandie nodded, excitedly. "How furious they'll be!"
000
Sirius wondered how Pertida would react when she saw him at breakfast. He was smug about the marvellous prank he had pulled, without any help from his three friends. They didn't even know about it, and once they saw Pertida (it was all very predictable) screaming at him and them, they'd know what had happened.
"Honey," whispered Mauve, caressing Sirius' cheek, which brought him back to the present. "You were day-dreaming again."
Sirius noticed the jealousy and alarm in her voice. It was obvious and understandable why she should be worried, as Sirius was famous in Hogwarts for dating and dumping a girl in less than two weeks.
"Baby, don't be worried," he crooned, and James threw him a look of pure disgust. Sirius knew James was secretly envious of him being able to get any girl he wanted; unlike James who couldn't get Lily Evans, the one and only love of his life.
As Sirius took a bite of his sandwich, he wondered what the future would bring. He certainly wouldn't want to be in love; he thought love could only bring sadness and pain. He liked it how he was: loose and unobtainable long-term.
The boisterous noise in the Great Hall suddenly turned into silence. Everyone was looking at the entrance, and Sirius turned to look, too.
What he saw made his nails dig into his palms, his teeth clench with fury. There at the entrance stood Sandie and Lily, and in between them was a black and blue haired girl.
Hart wore a very haughty smile, a smile that made Sirius shiver. She gazed at him, a satisfied glint in her eyes.
You haven't won, she seemed to be telling him, and never will.
They walked to the Gryffindor table, the students' eyes on them. But Sirius was determined that his plan should not go unsatisfied.
He took out his wand and muttered a few good spells underneath his breath to the seat that Hart would sit on.
She sat down, and her eyes turned glassy. In a robotic way, she got up onto the Gryffindor table, and opened her arms wide, as if ready to embrace someone.
Hart opened her mouth, and sang:
"I know I'm not pretty,
I know I can't sing.
I know I don't have dress sense,
I've only got myself to bring.
I'm too haughty to care,
I'm too stupid to see,
That I'll always be self-centred,
I'm not as good as I should be.
I'm a hypocrite,
I'm two-faced.
I don't see what's right in front of me.
I'm manipulative,
I'll use you.
So you see –
I'm too haughty to care,
I'm too stupid to see,
That I'll always be self-centred,
I'm not as good as I should be.
This is the work of Sirius Black."
Students catcalled towards Hart as she came back to her normal self. She quickly lost her stubbornness and pride, as she stared at Sirius with her eyes filled with tears.
She jumped off the Gryffindor table, her hands over her eyes and ran out of the hall, crying.
Sirius got up. "Don't go, darling, please," begged Mauve throatily, grabbing Sirius' arm.
Sirius drew his arm away from Mauve's grasp. "I do what I have to do," he answered, in a flat voice.
Hart had better be prepared, Sirius thought, as he chased after her.
000
Hermione ran, and then flung herself to the wall. She sobbed as she slid down it; and she landed on the floor in a crouched position.
So much for not giving the Marauders any satisfaction, she thought. Hermione heard footsteps approaching her, and lifted her head.
"Go away," she croaked, as Sirius stopped in front of her.
He squatted down facing her. He held her gaze, and a familiar pit of butterflies arose in her stomach.
"I-"
Sirius put his finger on his lips to quieten her. Hermione was memorised by his grey pools, and Sirius smiled at her.
"I've never seen you so emotional," he whispered, and then…. he kissed her.
A/n: whoop whoop, whoop de whooooop! (goes into massive giggles) hahaa…I'll be evil, as I'm not even going to tell you what happens in the next chapter ;)
Feel free to give me any: tips/ideas/praise.
Thanks to:
Childoftheorient: does she? To be honest, I've never read the book, but now I might. Kates Master: lol, a female HARRY? Wherever did you get THAT idea from? Lol HannahCimsGwendolyn: lol, wicked awesome is fine – much better than 'spiffy'! The Gryffindor Drummer: cya, too. Thanks. (sry, I feel really hyper at the moment!) hogwartsgirl52: yeah, we should spank him! Well I do, anyway. Me love him ;) Skadesake: well, hopefully you were happy when this came up in your email ;) JTBJAB: will do BexyLou: is plan has been revealed! Rinnya: yah, I found it REAL fun ;) Sarah: lol Prettigurl7: thanks Padfootssidekick: told you in this chapter LunaLovegoss: yeah, he's pretty evil…StringBean458: lol, you change your mind a lot, don't you? Serendipity-England-1922: same as, but its always good when our dear Siri is evil ;0 CrystalShard: Yeah, I wouldn't like a mother like her.