Author's note: OMG! I ACTUALLY wrote another chapter! Trust me, guys, I'm as shocked by it as you. Life's been hectic, what with college, SCA, church, and now downhill mountain bike races to attend. I'm sorry! I promise I'll get the next chappie out soon, I already have it planned out in my mind. You can all thank Parrisima for getting me off my ass and writing again. Cookie for you, P!
Warning: Contains sunlight, gardens, reminiscing (sdk) and some cheesiness. But at least I didn't include the white, sandy beach and the stupid music!
Wind blew softly in his hair, making it whip down into his face. Sirius didn't mind, however, and continued laying in the grass and soaking up sunlight. It had been ages since he'd felt this at ease with anything, and a bit of a breeze was not enough of a bother to rouse him from lethargic drowsing. A smile played across his lips, it would take Lynne a while longer to figure out where he'd gone to, and he could nap until then.
A shadow crossed the sunlight's path to his face, cooling the skin that had so recently warmed. Opening his eyes, he began to protest, stopped, and let a small chuckle escape him. "Luv, if you continue to stand in my light, I'm going to end up with half of my body pasty-white, and the other half a bronze god. Do you really want that?"
Lynne considered for a moment, looking much younger than he remembered, though it didn't occur to him to wonder why, and giggled. "Well, it would give me another funny story to tell once school starts up again. But then, who am I to prevent my bronze god of his sunlight?" She lay down next to him and smiled adoringly. "Did you have a good nap?"
Sirius stretched, groaned, and flopped his arms above his head. "Yeah. Say, did James get those candies I asked for?"
Lynne frowned and put a hand on his arm. "You aren't going to sneak them into your mother's house, are you? Putting them into her food again will only make it worse for the house-elves. She'll beat them like she did last time you put something into the food." She waited for his response, staring accusingly into his eyes, until he sighed and pulled her against him.
"No, luv, I won't do it to them. I'd like to, but I won't. Say, what about those Umbridge folk? Wasn't Delores only a grade higher than us? We'll call it a graduation present. And, they don't have any house elves, so no magical creatures will be harmed in the after-effects of this stunt!"
Lynne sat up, studied him for a moment, and shook her head. "Alright! I never could say no to you when you got that look on your face."
Sirius sat up, piqued. "What look, hmm? What look am I giving you? Is it cute? Is it worthy of my God-like stature? Does it make me look manly?" he asked, taking her hand and squeezing it.
She laughed, a full-throated whoop, full of merriment. It was a sound Sirius loved, and he could happily spend the rest of his life hearing, he realized. She shoved him away and sighed. "No, you great arrogant berk, it does not look manly or God-like. It is cute, but more like the kind of cute of a small child. Not really sexy, you know, to look like a little boy."
Sirius considered this for a moment, before casting her his roguish grin and winking. "Well, I can't be my normal sexy self every minute of the day, can I? If I were, your loins would explode with all of my virile, beefcake brawn taunting you, wouldn't it?"
There it is again, Sirius thought, that great laugh. Why do I feel like I haven't heard it in ages? Why do I miss it so bloody much? Further coherent thoughts were shoved aside, as her lips came to his, teasing, soft and warm. He responded, loosing all track of time or place, and trusted to his instincts to tell him what to do next.
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Lynne made her way through the garden, wondering if perhaps he'd gone out into the meadow. It was the only place in the compound she hadn't searched yet, and she was beginning to feel a bit panicked. If he had wandered off, got caught, and mentioned the Shadows, she would be in BIG trouble. It was taking time to get his name cleared of every charge; until then, he could no more step outside these protective walls than she could turn him in.
Sweet, cloying perfumes amassed in the garden; an over powering scent that she knew Sirius would hate. She didn't bother looking here, as she knew he'd have rather gone back to helping scrub dishes than sit in here for any length of time. The door to the meadow, on the other side of the garden from the door she entered, hung open and swaying in the wind, however. She smiled and glanced out of the opening. Ah, there he was. The ungrateful bloody twerp. Shirking his chores for the fourth time this week in order to sit outside and get his tan back.
Lynne smiled, remembering how egotistic he used to be about his tan. She bit her lip, deciding to do the one thing she'd never dared when she was younger. She was going to scare the crap out of him.
Skulking closer and closer, she sniggered when she realized he was asleep. Good, it'll make up for all of those times he'd wake me up in the middle of the night by dumping cold water on me.
Only a few feet away did she finally stop. He looked peaceful, lying in the grass like that. All of the lines of worry and pain had left his face, lines she'd studied these past few weeks with him and wondered if they would ever go away. She could see the handsome young man he once was; still was, when he let himself forget for a moment. For an instant she regretted waking him, but then she remembered being soaked night after night by ice cold water and his and James' laughter ringing out when she'd shrieked. No, waking him was payback. Besides, she reasoned with herself, it will be like I'm giving him some normalcy back in his life. Only now I know a locking spell strong enough to keep him out of my room at night.
She crouched, judging one last time that he truly was asleep, and leapt. Howling, she came crashing down on top of him, noting triumphantly how he'd convulsed awake, rather than peaceful restoration of his senses as he was wont to do. Panting, she grinned down at him, waiting for his reaction. He stared at her blankly, sleep-fogged and addled. She roughly patted his cheek, rousing him to full-wakefulness.
He suddenly groaned and flipped them, making her land on her back with a loud, "Oof!" Smiling down at her, he pinned her arms and sighed. "You know, you just woke me from the most wonderful dream. I should do to you what I would do to Snape, when he would knock me down. Do you remember what that was, luv?" Lynne shrieked and squirmed underneath him, laughter bubbling up from her throat. He nodded. "I can see that you do. What was it that I would call it? Oh yes, the infamous Duckarse Bomb!" He began preparing a nice wad of spit in his mouth and smiled when she began squirming again.
He stopped, holding the spit in his mouth, and mumbled, "promise to behave?" Lynne nodded frantically and he gave a visible swallow. "There. Now, I want to go back to my dream, if you don't mind."
Lynne grinned up at him and asked, "What was this dream all about hmm? You haven't been so eager to be out of my company in a week."
Sirius felt his face heat slightly and cleared his throat. "Ahh, nothing. Just remembering how things were in school. You know, Remus was more carefree, James was… erm, and how you always had that great laugh…"
She raised an eyebrow and smiled. So that's what he's wanting, huh? Deliberating for a moment, Lynne wondered what to do about this. Figuring it couldn't hurt, she grabbed his head and kissed him. It was a short kiss, but one she enjoyed. Letting go, she laid her head back down on the ground and looked at him.
He looked at a loss for words. She could see the thoughts swirling round in his eyes, and forced another smile, wondering what she had been thinking and who in Gods name had just decided it would be funny to put that thought into her head.
Sirius touched a finger to his lips and a quizzical look came over him. "Well," he said, clearing his throat. "That was different!"
Author's Notes: Thanks again, for persevering and reading my fic even though I kinda sorta forgot all about it for six months. Forgive me? Hate me? Think I should go back to the incestuous pile of poo that I came from? Review and tell me!
Illyria and Diablo, thanks for the reviews and for understanding! Yes, Diablo, you did make me feel guilty about quitting for a while, but now I'm back:D