A/N: Once again, this was written pretty much in a rush, so if it sucks, well, that's life. Entirely inspired/based off of a private rp I have going on with one of my best friends. Anyway, enjoy!

5. Second choices

"I don't see why you two just haven't gotten together yet," Doe said, still looking down at her trainers.
"I've told you –"
She sighed and rolled her eyes, cutting him off. "Yeah, yeah, you're too fucked up and don't want to be tied down. I get that, Sirius. But… those excuses are going to dry up faster than you think."

They were sitting on the steps leading to one of the courtyards. Doe's skirt was pulled over her knees and she was crouching over them, her hands clasped around her ankles as she stared downwards.

"It's my life," he replied tersely.
"Yeah, and you're doing an excellent job of making sure it stays miserable."
"I don't see you making any great progress."
Doe looked at her friend, sending him a hard glare. "It's not the same, and you know it, Black."
Sirius sighed and shook his hair out of his eyes. "Your persistence is endearing, Cass, it is. But… don't you ever think of giving up? There are plenty of blokes out there who'd give anything to have you notice them."
"I'd be lying if I said I never thought about it." She was looking out over the grounds, squinting into the afternoon brightness as she stared at the Black Lake. "But… I dunno." She dropped her gaze again and began playing with one of the laces of her trainers. "It feels wrong to lead someone on in that way. To be with them when I can't give them all of me even when I'm taking all of them."
"What if they weren't giving you all of them?"
Doe turned and made a face at him. "That sounds like a delicious recipe for disaster."

Sirius laughed and shook his head. Doe looked back at her trainers and gave a sigh. Maybe she should just give up.

"Take us for example," Sirius said, pulling her from her moping. "We both can't have the ones we want for one reason or another."
She shrugged. "So?"
"We're also really good friends, I might remind you, and have already snogged a time or two."
"Because we were both too drunk to fully comprehend what was going on or who we were with."
"Well, yes. But that's not my point."
Doe sighed and shook her head. "What, we get together because you're too scared to be with the one you want and the one I want doesn't want me? That's a load of crap, Sirius."
"Just think about it, Cass."
"No," she said, getting to her feet. "Conversation over."
"Cass…"

But she was already walking towards the castle. Her arms were crossed stiffly over her front and Sirius could tell that she was still looking down, still feeling thoroughly dejected from her latest rejection from Remus. Sirius scrambled to his feet, quickly running after her.

"Cass!"

She finally came to a stop and turned to face him. From the looks of it, she was trying her hardest to hold back tears. His face fell at once and in a few quick strides, he had closed their distance and had wrapped her in his arms. He heard a muffled sniff or two, but nothing extreme. Maybe she was just waiting until she was alone to finally let go. But the thought of her alone somewhere in the castle, crying to herself made his heart ache. He pulled her closer and pressed his lips to her forehead. Neither moved for several minutes and he simply stood there, feeling the way her body molded so well against his, smelling the strawberry-lemon of her shampoo, and trying not to show any emotion himself.

Doe's face was buried in his jumper and she was trying so hard not to ruin it with her tears or running nose. His arms were wrapped protectively and comfortingly around her, pulling her ever closer to his body. She could feel warmth radiating from him and thought she could feel every lean muscle that was in him.

But what she really noticed was the pressure of his lips against her forehead. They were soft, but unyielding. They were warm and pleasant against her outdoor-chilled skin. And so, even though she was sure that he would get the wrong idea from this, she wrapped her arms around him, rather than pushing away. She let him hold her and she used him for support. She let him kiss her on the forehead and on each of her cheeks. She let him brush the tears from her face, but when he took her face in his hands and leaned down to brush his lips with hers, she forcefully looked down, making him kiss her forehead again. It couldn't go any further, least of all today.