CHAPTER 19
"Hey." Anthony said with a grin, flying over to Nora, with his spiky black hair brushed back from the wind. "See the Snitch anywhere?"
"If I did, you think I'd tell you?" Nora said with a smirk. It was the day of the Quidditch match against Ravenclaw, and the score was tied, leaving the game to be decided by Nora or Anthony once one of them caught the Snitch. They had been flying around for a while, but neither of them had seen any sign of it.
"So," Anthony started to say, hovering close to Nora, "are you still free on Saturday?"
"Um…" Nora said, peering across the pitch, still keeping an eye out for the Snitch, "Yeah, I think so."
"Really?" he asked hopefully. "So do you wanna maybe hang out with me at Hogsmeade?"
Nora looked at Anthony and saw how earnestly he was looking at her. After working with him for the past few days, Nora came to find that Anthony was a very intelligent, sensible, and caring person. He didn't hesitate to make it obvious that he liked her, and Nora didn't really seem to mind the attention, or the fact that she thought he was quite good-looking. She knew she would feel bad rejecting him so she said with a smile, "Yeah, sure. Why not?"
On the other side of the pitch, Sirius had just smacked a Bludger with his bat and looked across it. He saw Nora and Anthony both hovering together, talking amicably. What the hell is she doing fraternizing with the enemy? He hit another Bludger and moved a little closer to them. What the…? Why that floozy! She's actually flirting with him! In front of everyone! What's Remus going to think? Holy shit. Chang just checked her out! Is he getting sweet on her too? Sirius could feel himself get hot with jealousy and he didn't hesitate to aim a Bludger right at Anthony's head.
"Watch out!" Nora yelled to Anthony as she saw it coming straight at him. Anthony quickly ducked down and flew out of the way.
"Oi!" Sirius came flying over to Nora. "What do you think you're doing?"
"Nothing." Nora replied with a bit of attitude. Sirius still hadn't apologized to Nora, and she was, naturally, still upset with him. They had been so swamped with school work and Quidditch practices the whole week, that Sirius couldn't find a free moment to find Nora alone. He tried to talk to her whenever he could, but until he actually told her he was sorry, Nora decided she would only talk to him if necessary and avoid him as much as possible.
"Really. It didn't look like nothing from where I was." Sirius retorted.
"Oh shut up, Sirius." Nora snapped at him. "You're one to talk." Sirius looked like he was about to say something back to her, but at that moment Nora saw what she had been looking for the whole game, fluttering right behind his head. She quickly flew past Sirius, shoving him over to the side.
"Whoa!" Sirius exclaimed, almost falling off of his broomstick. He climbed back on it just in time to see Nora grab a firm hold of the Golden Snitch.
Anthony flew up next to her and Nora looked at him triumphantly, holding the fluttering ball in her hand and said, "Tough luck, Chang. Maybe next time."
Anthony smiled at her and said quietly, "As long as we're still on for Saturday, I really don't care."
When she walked into the common room later that night, Nora lazily laid herself down onto a comfortable couch near the fireplace. She had just finished her Prefect rounds with Remus, and was thoroughly pooped.
"Not going to sleep?" Remus asked her as he headed up the stairs to the boys' dormitory.
"I'm too tired to go up the stairs right now. I'll go in five minutes." Nora mumbled. She was tired from all the school work, Quidditch practices, and Prefect duties, but what made her tired the most, was Sirius. Nora felt like it was taking more energy than she'd like to argue with him all the time. She was really starting to get fed up. I just wish he'd apologize to me already. What is he waiting for? Nora thought as she stared at the flames in the fireplace until she felt her eyelids start to droop…
When Sirius had finally managed to get away from Dana, he headed towards Gryffindor Tower. He had borrowed an Invisibility Cloak from James so that he could sneak around the castle without her seeing him. Unfortunately for him though, he had taken it off for only five minutes to talk to someone when she spotted him down the hall. She led him to a deserted classroom and didn't let him leave her sight until he had finally had enough and made up some lie to get away from her.
Man, that girl is driving me insane. He thought as he climbed through the portrait hole, wearing the Cloak. I don't think I can take much more of her. She's a bloody leech! And a damn horny one too! I'm so tired. I think I'm just gonna head up to—wait a sec. Sirius stopped walking and looked at a curly head of hair spilling over the arm of the couch near the fireplace. Is that Four-eyes? Alone? He looked around the common room making sure nobody else was there. He took off the Cloak and walked towards her thinking, Finally! I can go and talk to her and apologi—oh crap. Sirius looked down disappointingly at a completely unconscious Nora. He waved his hand in front of her face to see if she was really sleeping, but when she didn't stir, he just stood there staring at her. Her hair was away from her face, revealing the smooth skin on her neck and jaw line. Her eyes fluttered every now and then, as if she was dreaming. She looks so peaceful. I wouldn't want to wake her up. I wonder how deep of a sleep she's in…
Sirius took a swift look around the room again and leaned in very close to Nora and whispered, "Are you asleep, Four-eyes?"
Nora's eyebrows furrowed a little, as if she heard something. He quickly moved back, thinking she would wake up. When she didn't, Sirius moved towards her slowly.
"Hey." he whispered to her again, taking another look around the room just to be sure. "Did you know that you look really pretty when you're asleep?" Her eyebrow twitched again but Sirius didn't move away this time. He didn't take his eyes off of her; Sirius didn't lie when he said she looked really pretty. He thought she looked beautiful. He looked at her with a slight frown and said, "You don't hate me, do you?"
"Hmm?" Nora suddenly said moving her face over to the side. Sirius stepped back cautiously, but her eyes were still closed. A couple of her curls fell down onto her sleeping face and Sirius had the urge to touch them. He very slowly reached his hand out and pushed the strands away from her face gently towards the rest of her hair. Sirius, with his heart hammering so hard he was sure Nora would be able to hear it, lightly ran his fingers over her hair. It was very soft and he could feel something stir inside him that made him want her so badly. Just touching her hair turned him on so much more than anything Dana would ever dream of doing to him.
Sirius wanted to kiss her. He didn't care if she woke up. He felt like he just had to do it or he'd go insane. Who's going to know anyways? She's asleep. And even if she wakes up, she won't know what happened. He leaned in close to her cheek and he could hear her breathe. All he had to do was move a couple of centimeters for his lips to touch her face…
But he didn't get a chance to. Sirius heard voices coming through the portrait hole so he swiftly threw the Invisibility Cloak over himself and stepped away from Nora. The voices were getting louder. Oh that sounds like—
"James!" Lily giggled. "Stop that!"
"What?" James said in what he probably thought was a very sultry voice. "There's nobody here…" Oh dear God. Sirius thought to himself as James and Lily came into view. I think I'm going to be scarred for life.
"I know but…oh!" Lily exclaimed. James's arm was around her waist and she quickly pushed it down and said softly, pointing to Nora, "See, there is someone there."
"Oh, it's just Nora." James said. "And she's asleep."
"Is she?" Lily asked in a whisper as they walked up to her very quietly. "Should I wake her up? Maybe she'd want to go upstairs." No! Don't wake her up! Sirius wanted to yell. You can go upstairs.
"I dunno…she looks pretty comfortable." James said. Yes she is. Sirius thought, nodding his head. Very comfy. Now leave her alone.
"But maybe she…she….ha…" Lily was trying to say, but her face kept shrivelling up for some reason. James gave her a questioning look and she said to him fanning her face, "I think I'm gonna sn….snee…snACHOO!"
"What!" Nora exclaimed, suddenly sitting up from the couch. She looked up to James and Lily and asked, "What was that?" Ah nuts. Sirius bent his head down in disappointment.
"Oh sorry!" Lily said sniffling a little. "I just sneezed. I didn't mean to wake you up."
"What time is it?" Nora asked, stretching her neck out and then leaning back into the couch.
"After one." James replied.
"Oh." Nora said and her eyelids started to droop down again and then asked in a sleepy voice, "Is Sirius here?" What? Sirius shot his head back up.
"Sirius?" James said looking around the room. "No…he's not."
"Hm." Nora mumbled with her eyes closed. "I thought he was here. Must've been dreaming." Oh, Sirius thought with a smile. She must've heard me…
"Well, maybe you should come upstairs and dream about him." Lily said and exchanged a smirk with James. No! Stay down here and dream about me. Sirius was really starting to get annoyed with Lily.
"Mhm." Nora said, completely oblivious to what Lily was implying. She reached her arm out and said, "Pull me up." And, to Sirius's great displeasure, he watched James pull Nora up from the couch and then Lily lead her up the stairs to the girls' dormitory. As soon as they were all gone, Sirius pulled of the Cloak and swore out loud.
"I'm going to get those two love-sick monkeys back for this someday." he grumbled to himself as he trudged his way up to bed.
"Okay students, settle down please." The Muggle Studies professor said loudly over their chattering voices. "Now, I have an announcement before we start our lesson." The talking died down and everyone paid attention to what she was about to say. Nora, who was doodling on her parchment, put her quill down and listened attentively. "I am nearly finished evaluating all of your egg babies. So, by next week, you should get the results. So far, they have been quite good. I'm very impressed." Some of the students looked at their former partners with a smile. "Now, a lot of you have come up to me asking if the eggs will be returned. I understand that some of you may have grown attached to them so I've decided that, if you would like, when I return the evaluations, you may keep your egg."
Nora felt a tinge of excitement and turned around to look back at Sirius, but then remembering that she was still upset with him, quickly faced the front again. Mentioning the egg babies made her remember how things used to be. Shoot. Nora thought sadly. Sirius was like a completely different person back then. Sometimes I wish I could just go back in time…
When Sirius saw Nora turn around, for a happy fleeting moment, he thought everything was back to normal. But then he saw her facial expression suddenly change as if she remembered something and quickly turned back around and his heart sank back down. Just thinking about Yolk made him realize how much he really missed even being Nora's friend. That's it. He thought resolutely. After class, I'm just going to apologize to her. I hate this. And I don't care if anyone else is around. I'm doing it.
When class was finally dismissed and the students started filing out of the classroom, Nora, who was sitting more to the front of the classroom, was already out the door before Sirius could even get out of his seat. By the time he got out, he looked down the corridor, trying to spot her, and saw her curly head bouncing up ahead.
"Hey, Four-eyes!" he called out to her. Nora stopped walking when she heard him. "Wait up a second."
She stood by the wall and waited for him to catch up to her. When he finally reached she looked at him uncertainly and asked, "Yeah?"
"I've been trying to get a chance to talk to you the whole week." said Sirius.
"Have you." Nora said a little dryly, but inside she was feeling a little hopeful. Ever since she woke up that morning, she had been feeling a little strange. It was almost as if she wasn't so mad at Sirius anymore. She was just waiting for him to apologize so that they could finally be friends again. She could have easily just pretended that everything was okay, but she had her dignity to think of. He has to apologize. Nora thought to herself. He can't just hurt people and think he can get away with it whenever he wants to.
"Yes, I have. Listen I just wanted…." Sirius was saying before he realized that there were too many students rushing through the corridor to get to the Great Hall for dinner. "Wait, come here." He motioned her to follow him until they got to a less crowded hallway.
"Okay." Sirius said to Nora. "I know why you hate me, and I—"
"I don't hate you, Sirius." Nora interrupted him quickly and Sirius felt a bit of relief spread through him. "I'm just upset at you." Definitely don't hate you. Shoot, I think I'm still in love with you, you stupid idiot.
"I know." he sighed. "And I'm sorry. I've been a real jerk."
"Yes, you have." Nora agreed with him and added, "And a big jackass." Finally! She said to herself. God, I feel like a load has been taken off my back.
"Yeah it's just…I dunno why I've been like this. I can't explain it." Sirius said hesitantly.
"Well, you can try…" Nora said looking at him expectantly.
"It's…complicated." Sirius said cautiously.
Nora looked at him a little curiously and was about to ask him what he meant by 'complicated' when she heard a voice from across the hall: a very annoying voice.
"There you are!" Dana exclaimed from afar and Nora saw Sirius's face cringe in irritation. "I've been looking everywhere for you!"
"Oh for God's sake." Sirius rolled his eyes to the ceiling in frustration and then muttered pleadingly to Nora, "She's going to drive me up the bloody wall! Four-eyes, you gotta help me out here."
Nora was a little surprised to realize that Sirius wasn't as serious about Dana as she thought he was, and would have gladly helped him get rid of her. But, thinking it better to let him suffer just a little bit longer said with an evil grin, "Ha! Too bad, Black. You dug your own grave on this one."
Sirius gave Nora a slight scowl and looked over in Dana's direction, who was bustling over towards him. He eyed Nora for a second, and then looked back at Dana, and a thought seemed to cross his mind. Should I? He asked himself. Nobody else is here...
Nora saw his expression turn a little mischievous and she looked at him gravely and said, "Sirius, what are you—", but before she could finish her sentence, Sirius suddenly grabbed Nora by the waist and pulled her into a kiss. Nora stood there, her body completely rigid, not knowing what to do, as she heard a gasp come out of Dana. Sirius heard it too and could have let go of Nora, but he didn't. He had been dying to kiss her for so long, and if this was the only chance he was going to get, he wanted to make it last as long as he could. He could feel the familiar shiver from her touch run through him again but this time it was so much more intense. He wondered, or hoped, that she was feeling it too. After the initial shock wore off, Nora became more conscious of the fact that his lips were being pressed against hers and it made her feel weak in the knees. And then she realized that they weren't alone. It wasn't until Sirius felt Nora's hands on his chest to push him back that he let go of her. She seemed completely stunned. Sirius looked up for a moment towards Dana and suddenly felt like sinking into the ground. Standing right next to her was Remus, who looked just as shocked as Dana.
"Oh shit." Sirius said hoarsely. He looked away from his friend, who also, unbeknownst to Sirius, quickly averted his attention to something else. Nora was still staring at him with wide eyes and he stuttered incoherently to the floor, "I'm sorry…I didn't mean to….bye." And he ran away.
A/N: hehehehe...nice ending to this chapter, eh? That's one thing I didn't change. haha! I did add a bit to it though...I think it makes a bit more sense now. Hope you guys liked it! Tell me what you thought of it!
