Apparently, everyone liked the improvised dance I put up. On that note, I've given you some fluff to feast upon.

Situations have arisen to force me into convincing you guys that I do not, in fact, own Harry Potter and I doubt I ever shall.

Hush, Hush

Saturday passed in a gloomy haze of nothingness, as everyone was far too sleepy to actually wake up and do stuff. June's eyes opened at ten in the morning, lying on the couch, to find the common room still empty and silent. She turned over and fell asleep again.

The students had settled like residue after a churning party. The first peeps of civilization emerged at eleven in the morning, as bleary eyed first years began to come up, rubbing their eyes and yawning. Slowly, by and by, people began to emerge in earnest.

By twelve there was a murmur of voices wanting to keep it down and stay awake at the same time. June finally pulled herself off the couch and dragged her body to the dormitory, where Lily was sleepily trying to yank Marlene and Dorcas out of bed. It appeared that Mary had already gotten up, but had promptly fallen asleep on Lily's shoulder.

June didn't bother getting dressed. She brushed her teeth and stumbled to the great hall, where the cheery first years and second years were talking amiably. The din was deafening. June grabbed as much from the table as she could without hurting her head and made her way back upstairs.

In the dormitory, everyone had finally woken up. June handed the food out and everyone ate gratefully.

"I'm never doing that again," sighed Lily.

"Amen," Mary said, raising her piece of toast to Lily's words.

June went outside again to get some water from downstairs. "You're still in your dress," pointed a voice out.

June turned to find James. "I wa-was too slee-sleepy to change," she said sheepishly.

"Where are you going?" he asked her.

"I wa-was going to ge-get some wa-water." she said.

"Stay here. I'll get it for you." James said and whisked away.

James returned with a jug of water and some glasses, carefully putting them on the floor as June sat crosslegged, leaning on the sofa for support. He sat down beside her and handed her a bag of saltines. "Have these," he instructed, "It'll dull the headache."

June took them gratefully and munched saltines while sipping water. She felt loads better.

"You know, I've been wondering what you've done to my mate," James said conversationally.

"Oh?" asked June, playing dumb.

"Yes," he said, "He was up late last night, and I'm sure it was because of you."

June blushed, "Yo-you mi-might be mist-mistaken."

James grinned at her. "I have a question for you."

"Mmmh?" asked June.

"Do you think Evans would date me?" he asked.

"De-depends," June said slowly, "She's be-become fo-fond of you, thou-though."

"So what's my next step? I have already made friends with her." James asked urgently.

June fingered a strand of her hair, and took another sip of the water. "If no-nothing com-comes after Christ-Christmas, st-start dat-dating other girls."

"Why?"

"Do it."

James grinned.

"I'll take your word for it."

June half smiled.

If anything, Saturday afternoon was even worse. This wasn't because of lethargy, this was because of the pains the lethargy made June go through.

In her tired state, she vowed not to leave the girls dormitory. Unfortunately, the other girls had the same light bulb idea, which resulted in all of them piling together in the girls dormitory.

As a rule (which she follows most religiously) June did not talk to people. However, when in a closed room with four other girls, some conversation is required, especially if Lily Evans forces you to talk. And one does not want to mess with Lily Evans.

"We saw you dancing with Sirius all night, June," said Lily, while they discussed the dance.

"So?" asked June.

"So... would you care to follow up on that reflection?" asked Marlene.

"Um..." June began, unsure of what to say, "He's a g-good da-dancer?"

Mary rolled her eyes. Dorcas banged her head on a footrest.

"W-what?" asked June.

"Must we spell everything?" asked Lily, exasperated.

"I d-don't s-see what y-you mean..." muttered June.

"We think he likes you," said Marlene flatly.

If the capacity to laugh had not been stripped away from June last night, she would have.

"S-sure," she said with a grimace.

"He didn't dance with anyone else." Lily pointed out.

June shrugged.

"And there was an odd moment during Halloween when he told me to notice your eyes," trailed Lily.

June colored deeply at that. "T-that w-was n-nothing!" she exclaimed, "He'd b-been sp-spending so-some time w-with me be-before Ha-Halloween, is all!"

"Wait – that's where he kept disappearing?" asked Lily.

June regretted everything she said after that. Everything that happened after that conversation was a mixture of people trying to convince her that Sirius had a thing for her, while she explained that people like Sirius Black did not have things for people like her.

Then there were some unfortunate circumstances which June revealed more about the two of them than she would have liked.

June was hoping Sunday was not going to go similarly – but Sunday was a day with a whole new definition for her. For one thing – she was woken up at seven in the morning.

"Oye! Leto! Wake up!" came the loud voice of Sirius Black.

"Wha – I did-didn't do it!" said June as she was jerked out of bed.

"I know you didn't, Leto, which is why I'm here!" Sirius said as he pulled her out of bed.

"Black!" said June and she pulled her blankets up to cover her tank top, "Wh-what are yo-you doin-doing here?"

"Obviously, I'm trying to wake you up and failing – badly. Now wake up!"

"Why?" she asked, flabbergasted.

"Because, I thought about it, and I realized that you really ought to have a day - just one day of fun. Come on! Let's go!" Sirius said solemnly.

"How di-did yo-you com-come here?" she asked, still in a muddle.

"You'd think I would know how to operate inside the girls dormitories, by now, wouldn't you? Now come!" Sirius asked, exasperated.

"Sh-shut your eye-eyes!" June said and promptly closed his eyes with her hands.

"Incredibly suggestive, Leto." Sirius purred, while blinded. June ignored him and used one hand to push him out, while struggling to keep him blinded by the other. In her discomfort of keeping Sirius away from seeing things otherwise unknown to the entire male gender, Sirius managed to take a peek at a bare leg in shorts pushing him out of the dormitory. A lump formed in his throat.

"I'll mee-meet you in the comm-common roo-room," June said as she shut the door on his back.

"Whassamatter?" asked Lily blearily.

"Black," June said, annoyed. "I nee-need a swea-sweater, Lily."

Lily gave her a red, loosely knitted sweater which June pulled over her white shirt. She pulled on a pair of jeans and some snow boots since those were the only things she could find. The sweater won't be enough, obviously, so she put a brown coat on, with an unbuttoned front. On a split decision she grabbed a woolly cap.

"Go ba-back to be-bed, Lily." June whispered.

But Lily had already slumped into her bed. June quickly made her way downstairs to find Sirius Black sitting on one of the sofas, waiting for her. "You look really pretty," he told her, and she blushed.

"Now come!" Sirius said and sauntered off to the portrait hole.

"Wait," declared June, "Why?"

"I'm afraid I don't understand," Sirius said politely, "Genius I may be, subtlety and crypticity escape the realms of my complex imagination, you see -"

"Why're yo-you being nice?" she asked, making an effort to not stammer.

Sirius looked her in the eye, and she felt her blush returning, but she held her gaze. "Because you deserve somebody to be nice to you June Leto," he said.

June really couldn't say anything to that, could she?

So she let him lead her to a statue of a witch with a hump. They went down through a suspiciously long tunnel. They entered Hogsmede.

Sirius dragged out her out into the cold day, and June shivered. She pulled her cap on and asked him, "Whe-where are w-we goi-going?"

"Well, that depends on when you ask, really Leto," said Sirius as he walked heavily through the snow, "Since you're asking now, I'll have to say I'm going to take you for breakfast at the three broomsticks."

"What af-after?" she asked, a bit bamboozled.

"Then you help me with my Christmas shopping," Sirius said, stopping for a second to look at the sky.

"And?" asked June, struggling with a scarf to pull around her neck with only one functioning hand since the other one was grasped by Sirius' hand.

Sirius broke into strides again and turned to smile, "Then we go for a walk."

"A-and?" she asked.

"Then, I take you for a firewhisky."

June stopped at that moment, and Sirius turned to face her. She looked like she was ready to cry.

"No time to blubber about, Leto." Sirius grinned, "Let's get going!"

"What would you like to eat?" asked Sirius.

June licked her chapped lips. "Pan-pancakes." she said.

"Pancakes?" Sirius questioned.

June blushed. She seemed to do a lot of that around him. "I ne-never had mon-money to b-buy them," she explained.

Sirius looked at her curiously, as if he was scrutinizing her. The new barmaid, Rosemerta got her a plate of strawberry pancakes with raspberry and chocolate sauce.

"How about this for Mrs Potter?" asked Sirius as he held up an ugly scarf. June shook her head with a look that clearly said, 'don't be stupid' and pulled out a nice, pretty hat.

"What's the difference?" asked Sirius.

June only smiled in her usual half smile.

"Aren't yo-you getting any-anything for you-your mother?" she asked.

Sirius' face clouded. "No." he said.

June turned away, not wanting to intrude.

"My mother disowned me," Sirius said simply, "I didn't like her ideals, you see."

June turned to face him, knowing instinctively that she should not say anything to stop him from talking.

"She believed in all the pure blood nonsense." Sirius explained.

"I see," June said quietly.

"But you already knew that," said Sirius.

June turned to face him. "I di-did," she muttered.

"I know its a bit pointless asking you – since you seem to know the affairs of everyone – but, how did you know?" asked Sirius.

"You dis-dislike wo-women." June said.

"No, I don't," Sirius clarified.

"You d-do," said June, "You d-dislike th-them and h-hold them in c-contempt. You th-think every g-girl is s-silly, like your m-mother."

"I don't dislike girls. I've had so many relationships, its hard to picture me without a girl," Sirius said cheekily.

"And w-which girl d-did you a-actually c-care for?" asked June, holding up some ribbons with a pattern of ducks on them. "Take t-these for M-Marlene."

Sirius and Marlene had exchanged slightly whimsical presents ever since their fourth year and only on Christmas day, for some reason. This was a sort of joke between them, a dirty sort of secret. They didn't send each other serious presents, only things that they both knew not to have any use for. Last year Sirius had gotten a squeaky toy and she had received a baby's teether.

"How do you know I give Marlene presents?" asked Sirius.

June smiled knowingly. She began to walk out of the shop before he grabbed her hand and pulled her back. "Seriously, how do you know?" he asked.

"Let go, S-Sirius," June said.

"Not until you tell me."

They were close, perhaps not in the way movies show it. Their noses were not inches away from each other, their lips were not burning with desire. Their faces were a respectable distance away from each other and there was no passionate kiss which happened suddenly.

But there was an electric shock, running from June due to the shock of being even this close to a boy, and that shock ran through Sirius, since he suddenly realised he was this close to June Leto, of all people.

"I just d-do," she said and snatched her hand away, walking out of the shop.

Sirius followed her quickly, and in an attempt to get her attention, threw a snow ball at her.

"T-that was n-not f-funny, B-black!" she blubbered, once their little snowball fight was over.

"It was too, and you know it!" declared Sirius.

She was practically soaked in snow, her hair had tinges of icy snow in it, and her cheeks had become a ruddy red. Her eyes were glimmering for the first time, and Sirius knew, just be intuition, that she was happy.

She took her brown coat off, and shivered in her loose red sweater. She looked rather drab, and admittedly, she didn't have the prettiest clothes in the school, nor did she know the best way to dress up, but Sirius knew that on that day she looked the prettiest she had ever been.

She took her woolly cap off as well, and shook her head to get the snow off. Sirius tramped towards her, knee deep in snow, and began picking the snow off her hair one by one.

"T-thanks," she muttered, and tucked the cap into a pocket of her coat and put the coat on again. Then they went traipsing across the Hogsmede, venturing into parts of the woods of Hogsmede, and once even stumbling into what looked like a paddock full of hippogriffs.

"I don't even want to know," Sirius had muttered as one of the hippogriffs had nibbled him rather harshly.

June had smiled again.

It was curious how much she seemed to do that on this day.

"Now, take your mug, and take one gulp. Be sure not to drink all of the mug at once, that'll just cause a headache. Just have one gulp, but swallow that one gulp whole, okay?" Sirius instructed, as he took up a mug of firewhisky in Hogshead.

June trembled. "M-maybe not s-such a g-good idea," she muttered.

"Don't back out now, Leto, you're way too deep in," Sirius warned.

June took a deep breath, "You're r-right." she said. "Can't be a-any d-different from drinking b-butterbeer, c-can it?"

And she hesitantly took a deep gulp.

"H-have y-you eve-ever bee-been drunk?" June asked Sirius. She was a bit loose on the tongue, since her inhibitions were lowered, but she wasn't drunk yet.

"No," Sirius said. June scoffed. "I'm serious!" he said.

"I'm a-aware of t-that," she said testily.

"That joke was old before they even named me, Leto." Sirius replied.

She smiled. Still the same half smile. Sirius was feeling frustrated. The objective of today was to get her to smile properly.

"Me and my friends have never been properly drunk. We have been saving that opportunity for when we are of age." Sirius told her. June raised her mug of firewhisky.

"Come on!" Sirius dragged her along the tunnel and back to the school.

"Wh-what's the h-hurry?" she asked, hurrying along.

"Some hurry, Leto, some hurry." Sirius said seriously.

They were standing in front of the frozen black lake.

"Put your skates on, Leto. Don't want to miss the fun!" came Sirius' voice, as he pulled up some skates.

"I've n-never s-skated b-before, Sirius," June said in a panicky voice.

"Relax. It'll be fine. You even managed to say my name without stammering. Think of the many things you could do, if you could accomplish that!"

June took a deep breath and decided to put the skates on. As soon as she placed one foot on the ice she went completely pale.

"Relax, Leto. No one is going to let you fall and die," Sirius said soothingly.

June gulped, and held his outstretched hands cautiously. They skated to a corner of the lake, and Sirius said, "Now copy my movement."

he showed her how you moved your legs, one after the other, as if you were walking, only more gracefully. June copied his moves, and got a bit of confidence. Some color returned to her face.

"There we go," said Sirius cheerfully, "Now leave one hand."

"What! N-no!" she exclaimed, panicking.

"Trust me," said Sirius.

June left his hand reluctantly, and they skated gently across the lake. That is, until June collapsed in a haphazard pile on the ice. Sirius laughed and helped her up. At that point, they entertained some intruders.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" came the genial voice of Lily Evans.

"It seems to be a couple of teenagers, skating on the icy lake, Detective Holmes," quipped James.

"And exactly what could have prompted that, Doctor Watson?" asked Lily thoughtfully.

"Knowing their characters and profiles, I'd say they were trying to kill each other on ice," James said.

"But their actions speak otherwise, don't they Doctor Watson?" asked Lily, enjoying herself.

"Exactly so, Mr Holmes. You could almost say they were driven by Pheromo-"

"That's enough!" interjected Sirius, "What are you two doing here?"

"We saw you skating, so we decided to join you," piped Lily brightly, holding up a pair of skates. June snorted.

"You evil fellow," said Sirius in mock accusation, pointing at James, "This is all your doing!"

"There, there, Padfoot," James said with a grin, "It's an open lake, is it not?"

Sirius made a rude sound that sounded a lot like 'Pah!'

"Brilliant!" said Lily and put her skates on. She floated on the ice while June and Sirius drifted into a corner. Lily practically vaporized beside June and engaged her in conversation as she gracefully skated.

"Nice," said James as he watched Lily skate, "But I think we can add a twirl to that."

And he twirled Lily. They ended up a bit closer than usual, with June watching awkwardly.

"AHHHHHHH - !"

Sirius had crashed almightily into the couple, resulting in a tangle of limbs and screams. June had giggled (surprising herself), and helped Sirius up.

The sun was finally setting – it had been a long day. June selfishly wished it had been longer.

After abandoning the other couple on the ice, Sirius and June had found themselves some hot chocolate in the kitchens. They drunk it in copious amounts, before the house elves told them that they really must leave, or they would be hit on the head with saucepans the size of cauldrons.

Carrying as much hot chocolate as they could manage, they arrived at June's terrace, sat down and sipped the chocolate silently.

"Thanks," June said, as she sipped some more chocolate.

"No problem," said Sirius.

"People m-might th-think we're f-friends," joked June, "and t-that would ta-tarnish your reputation."

"No, your reputation would be tarnished," said Sirius immediately, "Since you have a record of no friends.

"Well, w-what on e-earth do I do a-about my rep-reputation now?"

"For your sake," said Sirius solemnly, "I'm willing to keep this 'Hush-Hush.'"

And June smiled, a full complete, radiant smile. Sirius had wanted her to smile, but he had not prepared himself for how dazzling her smile could be. Her golden-yellow eyes glimmered along with the sunset, as if she had made the sun look beautiful. It was as if she was wearing the sky like a cloak, with the premature stars as diamonds.

"You smiled," said Sirius hoarsely.

Her smile faltered. "So?" she asked.

And then he kissed her.

June's sitting position was wildly disturbed as Sirius' lips pressed at hers. She was about to topple off and fall, had it not been for Sirius holding her wrists, as if letting her go would mean that she would fall, and if she fell, the whole world would fall with her.

He was gentle.

June waited to feel the customary fear, the usual worry, the general anxiety, but nothing came. The only thing that properly registered in her head (besides his lips) was how undeniably happy she was.

Sirius was the roaring winds, the screaming gales, and everything else that noise entailed. He was made of voices and voices and endless continuing sound. June felt like she could hear everything at that moment, from the blood rushing to her ears and face, to the birds, to the wind, to the gentle fall of a pin on a hard floor.

June, on the other hand was made of silence. She was quiet wind chimes, and tiny chirps, with soft sounds of spiders scuttling. And as he kissed her, she felt him feed on that silence, making him calmer, and quieter, as if everything depended on that.

And as his lips left her, her ears were ringing with noise. There was a moment in which they both looked at each other, and June left, abandoning him on the terrace. She felt absurd and disoriented, as if all that noise was making her drunk.

Somehow, in some magical way of Hogwarts, she found herself in the library, the refuge of the silent. She leaned against the wall, gasping, breathing, trying to register anything except the unusual amount of ringing noise in her ears.

It seemed Sirius Black had seeped the silence right out of her.

I'm sorry, but it HAD to be done. There was absolutely no way around that cliff hanger. Don't kill me.