After a night of a dreamless sleep, I awoke early to frost covered windows and a chill everywhere except my toasty cocoon of a bed. As I pulled my red covers tighter, I rolled over and sacrificed a few fingers to the cold to push back the curtains near my head. Lily was already up and dressed. She was brushing her red hair back into a ponytail when she caught my movements.
"Morning, sleepyhead."
I grumbled in response.
"You're going to be late if you stay in bed much longer," Lily raised her eyebrows at me and placed her hairbrush down.
"But it's cooooold," I whined, sticking my bottom lip out.
She rolled her eyes before picking up her bedside mirror and peering into it.
"Come on. It's so beautiful outside. The whole grounds are covered in snow. Hogsmede is going to look like a Christmas card!"
"Snoooow!" I moaned quietly. "That means even more cold."
"It also means that Sirius can keep you warm," Lily replied coolly, with a twinkle in her eye.
My face grew hot and I snuggled my face into my covers.
"Shut up."
"Well stay here if you want, just don't come moaning to me when you've made that lovesick puppy upset because you'd rather stay in bed than go meet him."
"That's not fair Lils!" I threw my covers off, much to my pain, and sat up properly. I crossed my legs and our eyes met. Something clicked in her face as she understood.
"You're really nervous."
I said nothing, but rubbed my sleepy eyes, trying to avoid her now very sharp gaze.
"Erin! Why didn't you say sooner! I thought you were really excited!"
"I am!" I cried, groaning and running my hands through my hair, "I just- I don't know! It's just all different now. What if I say something really unfunny? What if he decides we're better off as friends?"
Lily sighed, almost impatiently, "You are the worst. Have you seen the way Sirius looks at you?"
A tight knot appeared in my stomach and I realised I was dreading this date more than I originally thought.
Quiet and thoughtful, I bit my lip before saying, "That's just it Lily... The thought of him actually liking me is terrifying! I have no idea how relationship-y stuff works! He's so much more experienced than me. And if things get serious, what if I freak out because I'm nervous and end up making a really big mistake? You know what happens when I can't deal – I act like a complete jerk…"
Lily stood and without saying a word, started rooting in one of her drawers. She pulled out an black jumper with tiny studs on the shoulders and held it up to me.
"That's why, Erin, you're going to look ridiculously hot. You're going to own this date, okay? You and Sirius get along like a house on fire. Nothing is going to go wrong." I opened my mouth to speak but she held up a finger, "Nope. No protests. No pity parties. Erin, you are confident and funny and quite frankly, he is lucky to have someone like you. Now put on this jumper and those grey jeans you have, and get yourself ready. I'm going to Hogsmede anyway with Alice in a few minutes, so if worst comes to worst, you can always come and find us. But right now, you have half an hour before you are officially late so if I were you, I'd get out of bed and go and meet the boy I've been crushing on for god knows how long."
Why is she always right?
On Lily's orders, I shuffled into the bathroom for a quick shower. Once I had dressed, straightened the life out of my hair and put on my usual make up, I tugged on my coat and boots with only minutes to spare.
My stomach had decided that it wasn't going to let go of this tight clenched feeling. I checked my reflection again. And again. Then tugged the bottom of my coat. Then checked my hair. Oh god, I hate this.
My heart was in my throat when I finally left the dorm behind and made my way down the stairs. A thousand worries were running through my mind at once. What if he's forgotten? What if all the boys are going to be there too? What if he's still mad at? What if it was just a joke? This is Sirius Black we're talking about...
No. Erin. He asked you under Veriterserum, stop panicking.
And then I took the final few steps in to the common room. My eyes fell immediately on the familiar dark curls that belonged to my favourite Marauder. He was alone, much to my delight. I don't think my nerves could take any amount of James Potter's jokes today. Leaning against the wall near the portrait opening, he kept one foot on the wall and one hand twirling his wand in circles as he waited.
When his gaze met mine, his mouth opened in a grin. He pushed off the wall and sauntered over to meet me halfway.
"Hey," Sirius smiled, oozing with confidence.
"Hi," I squeaked, hugging my arms around my waist.
"How are you?"
"Cold. You?"
"I thought you'd say that," Sirius dug into his coat pocket and brought out a black beanie hat. He shoved it onto my head without warning and tugged it down to cover my ears. A part of me regretted spending so much time on my hair this morning. Staying close to my face, he whispered, "There. Perfect." And kissed my nose lightly.
Inside, I freaked out at how adorable he was. My hearts did flips and I felt like crying out with joy. Instead, I smirked at him and moved my head so I was an inch away from his lips.
"Showering me with gifts will get you nowhere, Sirius Black."
I started towards the portrait hole, turning my head as I did to look back at him, standing with a grin on his face at me.
"Are you coming or what?"
...
Lily was right, again. Hogsmede did look like something out of a Christmas card. The sloped rooftops were piled high with snow, as were the trees, and huge piles of the stuff lay alongside the streets. There were fairy lights strung up everywhere – in windows and in bushes and above shop doors. All around us, red faced Hogwarts students were bustling in and out of the shops and chatting on corners, all donned with their house scarves and gloves.
"Woah," Sirius nodded in approval.
"I know right…"
But then my eyes fell on a particular coffee shop and I almost retched.
"Except that monstrosity," I wrinkled my nose and waved my hand in the direction of Madame Puddifoots Tea Room.
It would only look worse on Valentine's Day, surely. In the large café window, there was a display covered in dancing gnomes with elf outfits on. Some were smooching and others were sprinkling fake pink snow onto the windowsill. There were big pink hearts dangling by the doorway and a whole cluster of mistletoe waiting just inside the door frame. Through the glass, I could make out a hundred and one shiny pink baubles floating around and hovering around couples.
"It makes me want to throw up," I told Sirius, who was taking in the scene of the café with a perplexed expression on his face.
After he didn't reply straight away with a witty comment, I cocked my head to one side in thought.
"You've most definitely been in there before haven't you?"
Sirius tilted his head downwards to narrow his eyes at me playfully.
"Never."
"Oh really?"
"Yes!"
"Awfully defensive."
"I- I may have gone a few times."
"On a date?"
"… If it's any consolation, they were the worst dates I've ever been on."
"Did you have to wear a suit and tie?"
"No, I did not. Shut up!"
"Bet you did. Did the gnome cupids serenade you as you proposed to follow your date around sprinkling snow romantically on her shoulders for the rest of her life?" I laughed loudly, watching Sirius's flustered expression.
"Erin, don't make me take you there." He said suddenly locking eyes with me.
I caught my breath. "Don't you dare."
Sirius raised his eyebrows challengingly. I almost didn't crack. But then I saw one of the festive gnomes burst out of a present on the windowsill of the café and I burst out laughing again, keeling over to clutch my stomach.
"That's it!" Sirius joked, grabbing my around my waist from behind and lifting me in the air. I squealed, but couldn't stop the laughter coming. He started to shuffle us over towards Madame Puddifoot's.
"NO! No!" I cried through giggles. "Anything but that!"
"Too late," Sirius said into my ear, his breath warming my cheek. He started to tickle his fingers where they were gripping around my waist and I started shrieking louder. I wondered how many odd looks we were getting, but I didn't care. I was far too gone. My jaw was aching as if I'd taken too much of that laughing potion again.
Sirius must have slipped on some wet snow, because all of a sudden we both tipped backwards. I landed flat on my back in shock. A jolt ran down my spine, but fortunately, Sirius's body saved me from hitting the hard street cobbles. He however, didn't have any cushioning. As soon as I heard him groan out in pain, I rolled off him and twisted around to kneel at his side.
"Oh my god! Are you okay?" I cried out, worried. I placed my hands gently on his arm.
Sirius had his eyes closed and a pinched look on his face. Even so, he raised one hand and drew his thumb and forefinger into a circle, signalling he was okay.
"Can you sit up? Oh god. Sirius?"
His silence made me uneasy…
I watched as he slowly drew in a deep breath and squinted open one eye.
Quicker than I could have anticipated, Sirius suddenly whipped up and in a second had brought my face to his. His lips were a warm comfort against the bite of the cold weather. I didn't even care that we were in the middle of a pretty busy street. When he kissed me deeply, I forgot everything.
A minute later, Sirius pulled away, his cheeks slightly pink.
"Were you worried about me? You were definitely worried, weren't you?" He winked.
"Shut up."
We clambered to our feet, brushing the melting snow off our clothes. When Sirius was done wiping his back, he weaved his arms around my waist and pulled me close.
I looked up at his silver eyes and felt my heart pounding against my ribs. How is this so easy for us to go from friends to this?
As if he read my mind, Sirius head butted me gently.
"You're fun, Erin. I always have so much fun with you."
Butterflies swarmed in my stomach.
"I guess you're okay too," I replied, smirking.
"Just okay?" Sirius tried to pretend to be offended, but couldn't stop that handsome grin cracking out on his face. "I just saved you from a dramatic injury!"
"Hm."
I decided I wanted to kiss him again. So I did. I worked my gloved hands round the back of his neck, just as I felt snow started to fall around us.
"I'm glad we did this," Sirius breathlessly murmured to me.
"Same. I'm glad we're over that weird argument thing…"
He kissed me again lightly, making it last.
"Want to go get a drink at The Three Broomsticks?" He asked, leaning back. He brought up both hands and fixed my hat.
I was about to reply that yes, I was freezing and would love a drink, when a noise made me turn my head.
The bark of a dog.
I turned my head in the direction of the sound. Then my whole body ran cold.
No. It couldn't be.
Further down the street, a black dog was trotting behind some students towards the edge of town. It was so similar to the one that helped rescue me from the werewolf. No… It was smaller than I remembered. Definitely smaller. And perhaps with shorter hair. Maybe my memories have altered things. Maybe it's not the same dog. It was hard to tell from so far away. It surely can't be.
But what if it is?
I decided that I needed to know.
"That dog," was all I managed to stutter out. Then I pulled away from Sirius, my eyes fixed on the black animal.
I took off running at full speed down the street, snow falling heavier and heavier by the second.