Chapter 9

The next day at breakfast, there was new hot gossip on everyone's lips. The Hogwarts rumour mill was positively exploding. It wasn't until I was halfway into my buttered blueberry bagel that I caught a snippet of the news.

A nosy Ravenclaw, too loud to ignore, was heralding the news to half her table as if Celestina Warbeck had announced wedding plans.

"Sirius Black is single!" She exclaimed.

My bagel hovered gracefully halfway between my plate and my open mouth.

I looked up at Lily with a What? expression clearly etched on my face. She returned it.

"He broke up with Abigail last night in the Prefects bathroom! She's hysterical right now! Been crying for the whole night!" The student continued.

"Actually, it was the common room love, but nice try." Sirius said sarcastically as he strode over with his hands in his pockets. He and James plonked themselves next to us, the latter ecstatic at being able to share space with Lily.

I stared at Sirius, digesting the news. He glanced at me and swiftly stole my bagel and took a massive chomp out of it, snapping me out of my reverie.

Normally I would have been more than indignant at this scandalous thievery, but I was still reeling in shock from what I had just heard, and the nosy Ravenclaw girls cooing at Sirius did not help my concentration.

Sirius was now looking at me with concern.

"Are you okay?" Lily asked him from across the table, breaking our staring match.

"Yeah I'm fine Lils" he answered casually.

Lily gave me a meaningful look, which I returned with one filled with equal meaning.

I meant what I thought yesterday. I wasn't about to chase after Sirius once I found out he's available. Friends. I thought firmly in my head as I walked to Potions.

As the day progressed, I felt myself realising the absurdity of last night's events. Honestly, what was I thinking? I am SO glad I didn't get the chance to talk to Sirius yesterday.

"Bella, hi" I turned around to see Rodger standing behind me. "What are you doing out here in the corridors? It's past curfew." He said, not in a chiding tone but in a worried one.

I opened my mouth and shut it quickly. not able to disclose that I had been for a delicious venture in the Hogwarts kitchens (I am going to gain so much weight this year), so all I could come up with was "I was just taking a walk to collect my thoughts." Lame, I know. "I was just heading back actually. What about you? What are you doing out this late?"

"Same as you I suppose," he smiled, "let's walk back together?" I was glad he didn't take my arm or anything, so I politely agreed.

"You seem very thoughtful today Bella, I mean not that you're blank usually or anything, you're brighter than half of this school! More than half probably.. I'm rambling aren't I?"

"A little bit" I stifled a chuckle.

He rubbed the back of his neck and gave a nervous laugh, "I'm not very good at this."

"Good at what?"

"Well, talking to lovely girls like you I guess."

I blushed and tried to think of something to say.

"I'm sorry I made it awkward, but you are genuinely one of the kindest people I've ever met, Bella, and I must confess to you that studying Potions was mostly an excuse to spend time with you. Merlin, I can't even believe I'm saying this to you." He was blushing deeply and had his head down.

"Rodger" I said emphatically, "stop apologising for nothing! You're possibly the nicest boy in this school! And you didn't need an excuse, you're my friend and I love spending time with you!"

"Really?" He looked up at me with such genuine surprise that I felt a rush of subtle emotions that I didn't know what to make of.

"Of course, and that means you must start calling me Bells" I smiled.

"Bells" he smiled back.

We reached the common room and he gave the password and let me enter first. We walked in and surveyed the empty common room.

"Well, goodnight Rodg" I said, heading up to the girls dormitory.

"Goodnight Bells" He pulled me into a quick hug and sped away to the boys dorms.

I stood there for a moment, caught in a lovely haze, I smiled to myself with genuine warmth. I thought this day was going to be the worst but I was feeling so happy that I didn't notice how long I had been standing at the bottom of the stairwell.

"Bella?"

I looked up to see the figure of Sirius Black slowly trudging his way down to me.

"Hi Sirius" I said, now realising that I had subconsciously avoided conversation with him for the whole day.

"It's late, why aren't you in bed?" He said, "I mean, is something wrong?" He added mildly.

"No, I'm fine I was just taking a walk." I said, stifling a yawn. The tiredness was setting in.

We stood there awkwardly for a moment, and I knew we were thinking the same thing.

"I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to talk to you today, I had a lot on my mind actually, anyway how are you holding up? I'm sorry for your breakup." I said genuinely.

"I only regret that I didn't do it sooner." He said, rubbing his hand over his face. "It's been in the air for a while, she didn't understand me like how..." I do? I finished in my head. As quickly as the thought came into my head, I shook it off.

I was still staring off into the fire, wondering where that thought had come from, when I felt Sirius gently tuck a lock of my hair behind my ear. I looked up at him. I hadn't looked at him properly all day. I stared at the way the shadows of the flames danced over his face. Giving his stormy grey eyes a beautiful haunting expression.

When did he get so close to my face? Why is he leaning down?

I couldn't hear anything except my suddenly embarrassingly quick breaths. I was too scared to look into his eyes. Confusion. I looked down. Bad idea, I had clear view of his lips. Lips that were inches from mine.

I snapped my head back.

BANG.

"Ugh" I groaned and doubled over, clutching the back of my head which had just been smashed with shocking force against the wall.

"Merlin Bells, are you alright?!"

"..."

Sirius grabbed my shoulders and brought me upright, he then pulled my left arm over his head and around his shoulders, and walked me to the nearest chair, forcing me to sit.

I gladly complied.

I didn't know how he got me water and I didn't care. I gulped it down, half of it spilling down my chin.

"Sorry" I said, after I regained perspective.

He looked at me like I had grown two heads.

"What for?" He asked.

For not kissing you? For ruining the moment like an idiot?

"I don't know."

"That was a pretty hard hit, I think you need to visit the hospital wing." He reached an arm under my knees and the other around my shoulders. Alarmed at what he was about to do, I sprang up with surprising speed and ran half way to the stairs. Realising I looked like a fool again, I turned and said "thank you Sirius, but I think I'm fine now, I just need to sleep it off-"

"No Bella, we're going to Pomfrey right now" I saw he had the determined look in his eye, and he was grinding his teeth in frustration.

I flashed him an unconvincing smile and bounded up the stairs yelling behind me "I'm fine, trust me, thanks again!"

"But - " He called. But I had already shut the door.