A/N: Yay thanks to all of my reviewers, 7 this time! I'm so thrilled that you guys are liking this story as much as you are. Things get a little more dramatic in this one, and It's also the longest one yet! So I hope you guys enjoy it and PLEASE REVIEW!
I don't own anything in this story except Billee Malone, Mendara Chang and Gidget Pennyworth (Yay I finally got Gidget a surname), the song Momentary Thing is by Something Happens.
Shook me up I guess, I guess, I guess..
Stirring me up yes, yes, yes..
It's at the point of breaking down,
Cause there's nothing left to say.
I think you waste your sweetness.
I think the whole thing blew away.
After all, well isn't this just a momentary thing?
It's not like I expected it,
Or any heavy thing
Chapter 4:
"Why can't the other prefects help you with this?" I asked, grabbing a fistful of candy and shoving it in the small red drawstring bag and then performing the charm, with a flick of my wand. It had been Lily's bright idea to make up little goody bags for all the kids in Gryffindor. As she explained it, it made the muggle kids less homesick for a traditional Halloween but there was still wizarding candy and a little charm of a lion roaring when your first open the bag, so it would appeal to the purebloods as well.
This was a cute idea, I admit it. I would have loved my own little goody bag, if I hadn't been the one stuffing it, the night before Halloween when I just wanted to be in bed more than anything else.
"Remus is, and I quote 'Sick'" she said, making another bag and tossing it by the pile of other completed ones. "If this doesn't get me Head Girl next year…" she muttered under her breath. "I knew you weren't doing this out of the kindness of your heart" Mendara accused, darkly.
I glanced over at the growing pile of the drawstring sacs. "Are we nearly done?" I asked, hopefully. "Nearly" Lily permitted and I made some kind of grumpy noise, shoving some more candy into the bag.
"So, what's the new gossip?" Mendara asked expectantly. "Oh!" I cried. "I saw the cutest thing yesterday" I began and I instantly saw Lily's cheeks color. "Billee Malone, shut your trap right now!" she ordered sternly. "Never" I said defiantly, tucking my hair behind my ears and then continuing on with my story. "So the other day when I was coming back from potions, I saw Miss. Evans here, and her bag had split in the dungeon corridor, and James Potter was on his knees picking up all her things off the dirty, grimy floor, getting the knees of his pants all filthy and then he repaired her bag for her, and then went on about how she shouldn't be carrying something so heavy. Then he carried it to her next class for her" I finished smugly.
Mendara looked like she'd turn into a puddle of goop if someone poked her with a stick. "Oh Lily" she breathed, her hands pressed against her heart dramatically. "If someone did something like that for me, I'd…" she trailed off. And Lily looked alarmed "Okay we don't really need to know the details!" she said quickly. Dara gets carried away sometimes.
"Why aren't you guys together yet?" Dara asked, furrowing her slender eyebrows. "She's scared" I said, reaching to open a licorice wand but Lily snatched it out of my hand, her cheeks were tinged with a soft pink color. She always managed to blush prettily, something I envied. Gidget told me, after she walked in on me and Quinn in the girls bathroom making out that I looked like a 'total constipated lobster'. She also mentioned that she was surprised I was with Quinn. She thought that he was 'like way out of your league'. Bitch.
"I am not" Lily said sternly. I raised an eyebrow and she ignored me, swiftly changing the subject "So what are you guys dressing up as for the party?" she enquired, barely pausing before adding "Please let it not be one of your skanky variations again"
Dara snorted "That's half the fun, my dear". It was a tradition of sorts for me and Dara to get up in some slutty get up, but somewhere along fourth year we kind of ran out of ideas, so they were usually pretty unusual. Last year Mendara had gone as a slapper owl (Rocking the feathers), and I had been a slutty Pumpkin Pasty (Quite a feat).
"You'll just have to wait" I taunted Lily with a rueful smile, which she just rolled her eyes at. "Oh I'll be waiting on the edge of my seat" seeing she was already peeved off at me, I decided not to point out that she was lounging on the floor, and this so called seat was no where in sight.
"Okay Lils" Mendara said sounding weary "I give. We have to be done now" she said and giving the pile of goody bags an incredulous glance. "Yeah I think your right" she said, tossing the one she had just finished.
"Well I'm beat" I said, crawling up on my bed, where surprisingly Lily joined me and unsurprisingly Mendara did too. Lily was very picky about mattresses, apparently mine was too squishy and Dara's was too firm. But Mendara on the other hand could sleep on a bed of nails. She often crawled in bed with me and we'd talk and giggle until one of us fell asleep.
This wasn't the most comfortable situation, I had some how ended up in the middle and they were squishing me, Lily's arms were thrown up over her head and Dara kept on falling asleep and then jerking herself awake, her hair was strewn across my pillow and was tickling my ear. I wasn't comfy, but I felt safe.
That was until Gidget stormed into the room, kicking off her shoes and socks, angrily muttering something indecipherable in soft tones. "Sirius troubles?" Lily asked tentatively. Gidget promptly shrieked, wailing like a banshee, I was actually grateful for her drama-queen behavior. Seeing as soon as Sirius' name was mentioned in context to Gidget I had subconsciously sucked in my breath. Thanks to Gidget though, no one had heard. Except for Dara, who tenderly touched my elbow in response.
"That boy is the most, rude and inconsiderate person I've ever met" Gidget exclaimed before stomping off into the bathroom. "Sorry I asked" Lily mumbled and Dara snorted, "Yeah, Lils. She sounded like you". To which she got my stuffed Frog, Edmund thrown at her. "Hey!" I proclaimed, scooping Edmund off Dara's face and hugging him protectively to my chest.
It wasn't her fault, but we could never talk as freely when Gidget was around, so a blanket of silence fell over us and Lily reached over and flicked off the lamp on my nightstand. "Happy Halloween girls" she said softly. Dara and I echoed the sentiment, not quite in unison.
I was on the brink of sleep, when your thoughts are jumbled and near dream-quality when the bathroom door swung open, light pouring into the dark room. Gidget, make-up free walked out a sour expression on her face. It was a rare sight to see her without at least a tiny smattering of base, and she looked older and surprisingly had bags under her eyes. I know it was immature of me and that this should have made me feel sorry for her, maybe it was my jealousy rearing its head, or just some old resentment stored up. But I whispered "Boo" and Lily and Dara dissolved into giggles.
It was harder to get to sleep this time around, but I managed.
--
Unfortunately I didn't stay asleep long, it was so crowded and hot, I thought that was what woke me but then I heard quiet muffled sobs. I looked from Dara, who looked peaceful to Lily, who wasn't moving a muscle. For a moment I was very confused, but that I glanced over at the far side of the room and saw Gidget, with her head buried in her pillow and her shoulders shaking.
I don't know how I did it, but I managed to disentangle myself from my position between them, without waking them up. I stumbled blindly over to Gidget's bed, and sat down carefully on the corner of it. "Gidge" I said softly, reaching over to touch her shoulder "Alright?" I asked cautiously.
Her sobbing miraculously stopped and the room was dead quiet, once again. But then I heard a quiet little broken voice say "No I'm not" before her crying started once again. This pretty much broke my heart, and I found myself scooting closer to her on her bed. "What's wrong?" I enquired, rubbing what I hoped to be comforting circles on her shoulder.
She sniffled and managed to get out in a shuddery gasp "I'm like, so sick of everyone just using me all the time" I bit my lip, worriedly. Mendara or Lily should be doing this, not me. Everyone knew I was rubbish at the whole comforting thing. I usually just rubbed people's backs and stayed silent. And just how in the bloody hell was I supposed to make Gidget of all people feel better?
"Do you mean boys?" I asked tentatively. Gidget promptly let out a howl, sounding like a heartbroken whale. "Shh shh shh" I said frantically, glancing worriedly at the pair of sleepers in my bed. Lily made a noise but they both made no movements. "Its okay" I added, just so I didn't sound like a total wench.
"Like, I know I'm so beautiful" she sniffled and I fought off the urge to snicker or roll my eyes or something! Even though I realized I had somewhat misjudged Gidget Pennyworth, she still had that special Gidget self-involved charm. "But it would just be nice if I could find one boy, who just isn't looking to get in my pants."
"Gidget, I hate to ask, but what spurred this on?" I asked, my own curiosity getting the best of me.
She let out a loud sigh "Sirius broke up with me" she said, her voice cracked on the last word, as big fat tears tumbled down her sculptured cheekbones and down onto her hollow cheeks that she didn't bother to wipe away. "And I don't know why I'm like freaking 'cause we break up like every two weeks"
"Well… that's true" I said, I had no clue on how to go about this comforting thing, so I decided the best way was just to agree with everything she said. And this was true, usually they'd get in some stupid fight, when one of them flirted with someone else, and then later on that evening we'd have to watch as they nauseatingly made up in the common room.
"I think I'm just sick of it. I'm giving up boys" she said astutely and this time I did laugh. I couldn't help it; it was the most preposterous thing I had ever heard. I let out, a big, old unattractive snort. But I deftly covered it up with a fake sneeze and excused myself, which she replied "Bless you" obliviously.
"Wouldn't it be easier, you know, just to find a nice boy?" I asked hesitantly.
"Nice?" she asked, wrinkling up her nose.
And this was true, Gidget picked boys on their hair, abs and Quidditch skills. (Is it any wonder about her and Sirius then?). I usually chose boys on their hands, eyes and how they treated their mum (Unless their mum was a total cow) or little kids and oh okay, abs did sweeten the pot as well.
"I don't want to go out with a dork!" Gidget protested, as I got up off her bed and went into the bathroom, and got a wad of toilet tissue, passing it off to her as I climbed back up on her mattress. "Hey!" I protested "If you want a boy to treat you nice, than there is nothing wrong with dating a guy who is a little more academically oriented". Gidget heartily blew her nose and than gave me an incredulous look. "Besides 'dorky' is totally in right now, I read it in Modern Witch" I informed her, lying through my teeth. I never read those rags, but you never know it could have said that.
"Which issue?" Gidget asked suspiciously, her clear blue eyes narrowed as she dabbed at her nose. "Uh, I- I think it was the latest one" I stuttered lamely. Gidget seemed to accept this "I haven't gotten that one yet" she explained. "Ah, well it's great" I lied again. "So geeks are in?" Gidget asked again, still not sounding quite sure. "Oh definitely!" I said sounding more sure than I felt. "You know glasses, and jumpers and being lanky" I added unconvincingly.
I saw Gidget's eyes light up and I saw where this was going. "No, James Potter does not count as a dork" I said cutting her train of thought off. "Oh bugger" she said and then she did something I couldn't believe. She laughed, and her smile changed her whole face; her cheeks flushed and her eyes got bright and her lips looked light and pink and not weighed down by the awful lip gloss she was constantly spreading on. And she looked absolutely stunning.
"You know Gidget" I said as I climbed off hers and went to lie down in Dara's bed. "You should wear less make up" I told her, I meant it as a compliment, and I'm pretty sure that's how she took it. She grinned and said "Thanks, Billee", climbing under her covers again.
I couldn't believe it, I had an actual friendly moment with Gidget Pennyworth, we talked and she listened to what I said, and she didn't even really insult me once. This had to be a world record. I was positively over the moon; I couldn't wait to tell Lily and Dara in the morning.
But than the div had to ruin it by saying "You should wear more". Stupid cow.
No, that's not right. Gidget's still a little materialistic, but after this encounter. Now that I know she has a conscience, maybe we can make her a little more empathetic. It's not impossible you know, I still have two whole years left here to do some good.
--
"Mendara Elizabeth Chang and Lily Marigold Evans" I said crossly to which Lily screeched "Shut it!" Oops I forgot she didn't want anyone to know her middle name. Too late, since I had started this little lecture in the common room where the Marauders were looking on with interest, and James looked positively gleeful. I saw him mouth "Marigold" to himself. "Anyways I'm telling you it happened. I'm not a liar!" I stated, fervently.
"What happened?" James asked with an interested waggle of his eyebrows. "Was it a naughty truth or dare game?" Sirius asked and I fixed him with a glare. "An underclothes only pillow fight?" James guessed and Lily threw her astronomy book at his head. He dodged it however, quick reflexes. Both James and Sirius turned to look expectantly at Remus who was reading a book; he didn't even bother to look but simply muttered "I'm not saying anything". Peter, perhaps trying to compensate for Remus went "A three-way?"
Dara, Lily and I just all chorused "Ew!" My nose was crunched up and Mendara and Lily were glaring at Peter murderously. "Where's my Ancient Runes book?" Lily questioned, looking for ammo. "Too far, Pete" Sirius said with a shake of his head. "Besides" James said as Lily was crouched over looking for her book, while he was staring at her arse (I'm rather surprised he didn't start to drool) "It would have been a four-way, Gidget lives there too, and you know she would want to be in on some of the action".
"Found it!" Lily said cheerily, pulling her book out from under an armchair and promptly biffed it at James. This time he wasn't quick enough however, and the book sailed through the air and gracefully beamed off James' shoulder. "Bloody hell!" he griped, grasping at his broad shoulder, in pain.
"Lily, my dear have you ever considered trying out for beater?" Sirius asked, quirking an eyebrow "incredible aim" he said conversationally to Remus who was still ignoring the lot of them. "No thanks" she said coolly "I'm rather stay away from activities where James can make innuendos constantly about 'brooms' and 'goal hoops'" She added, only looking mildly put-off.
"That can be arranged, my little Marigold" James said, licking his bottom lip in something he had probably hoped would be a seductive matter.
"Oh that bloody well does it" Lily said about to charge at him, but me and Dara managed to get her by the arms, to which she struggled against us for a while until Dara was able to sedate her with the promise of a detention if she were to pulverize him now.
I eased Lily down into an armchair, where she was panting and still shooting James murderous glares, while he was going off on the name Marigold and if they had a daughter he'd quite like to carry on the tradition of flower names, and how did she feel about Chrysanthemum perhaps? This quickly led into James daring Peter to say Chrysanthemum five times fast.
My gaze shifted to Sirius who was currently laughing at Peter, seeing how he could barely make it past the first syllable.
I cleared my throat, which attracted Sirius' attention. "Can I talk to you for a moment?" I asked politely. He smiled, "Sure" and stood followed me outside of the portrait hole. "Do you want to go for a walk outside?" he enquired and I nodded "That'd be nice" I said lamely.
This was how it was between us now. We were polite but distant. Civil not near the point were we would joke around like we used to. Things had gotten awkward, and fast. He opened doors for me, rolled his eyes in divination when James and Lily started at it again, we worked on the dream diary and he laughed at my jokes but there wasn't a single flirtatious undertone in any of our conversations anymore. I didn't think I'd miss it, but I did.
I shook this thought out of my head, it didn't belong there. I had a Boyfriend now. This was something I still wasn't used to. Quinn really was a sweetheart, and a very good kisser and we could joke around, but sometimes he didn't get some of my jokes and when we kissed, his hands usually went automatically to my arse, which got kind of irritating. But that wasn't really fair, I liked eyes and Quinn liked arses, to each their own, I suppose.
The only thing to be heard was our footsteps echoing through the empty hall and the deafening silence that fell between us. I didn't know how to break it amicably. Small talk was never my thing. So I decided just to get to the point. "The thing we were arguing about was Gidget" I saw him raise an eyebrow "Gidget" he repeated, and I heard a bit of incredulity in his voice. He held open the door for me, and we made our way out onto the dewy lawn. The air was cold and when through my thin yellow cardigan almost immediately. I brought up both of my hands and started rubbing my arms subconsciously. "Here" he said and I watched, embarrassed as he whipped off his jumper, he was only wearing a navy blue t-shirt underneath, and my eyes were immediately attracted to his broad shoulders. He gently pulled the warm sweater over my head, and I started giggling as my head got stuck in the neck hole but then he gave another tug and it was fine. The knitted sweater was huge on me, but it was warm and smelled like him.
I'm sorry is that creepy? Well, it did!
"So anyways, Gidget had a bit of a breakdown last night" I said, walking and looking down at my feet. "Oh right" he responded, sounding taken a back. When I stole a glance at him, I saw he was scratching the back of his head and looking straight ahead. "I know I didn't know it was possible either" I teased, and lightly bumped him with my shoulder. He laughed "So you're here to tell me to stay away from her. Uh-oh." He said biting his lip and I furrowed my eyebrows, "Explain" I ordered.
"Well I'm kind of used to this, you know. Heroic best friends of girls I've been fooling around with, come up and tell me to stay away from their friends" He shot a sheepish smile at me. "But I guess it's pretty bad when the girl who comes up to me doesn't even like the girl I've been fooling around with"
"It's not that I don't like Gidg-"I started, a little defensive but he interrupted me right away. "Your not perfect Billee, you're allowed to not like someone. And Gidget told me what it was like being dormies with you lot" he said waggling his eyebrows. "And it's not the soft-core lesbian slumber party James and I would like it to be"
I went to whack him on the arm, but then I lost some momentum and it was like I was just playfully touching his bicep. Awkward. "Oh, I wasn't aware you and Gidget talked" I said jokingly, and he laughed, putting a hand on my shoulder and shoving me lightly.
"But seriously" I said, catching up to his long strides. "I think that when something like this happens" I paused dramatically, the corners of my lips twitching "Then you're legitimately considered a bad-boy" I said, allowing my grin to break out full-force on my lips. He held up his hand for a high-five and I gladly smacked my hand against his.
"I missed this" I said shyly. I wasn't sure if I should be telling him this or not, but it was true so I said it anyways. He smiled, and draped his arm around my shoulders. "Me too, little one" he replied, a teasing edge present in his voice. He opened his mouth to say something else, but a voice that I recognized interrupted him by calling out my name.
I saw Quinn bounding up to us, and Sirius removed his arm from my shoulder, looking apprehensive. "Sweetie, Lily was looking for you" he said, and I blushed at the sentimental pet name. "Hey Sirius" Quinn said with a grin. "Hey man" Sirius responded with a nod. "Okay I guess, I should see what she wants" I said heaving a sigh "I don't know when I became one of Lily's minions though" I muttered and Sirius laughed. Quinn on the other hand went "Billee, come on, Lily's one of your best friends" he chastised.
"Quinn, I was fooling around" I said, sounding irritated. I waved good-bye to Sirius who winked at me in return, and I got the familiar whoosh in the pit of my stomach.
I turned on my heel and started to retrace my steps back up to the castle, and Quinn quickly caught up to me. "What's going on with you two?" he asked suspiciously. "We're just friends, Quinn" I said realizing I said this with a level of disappointment, grabbing his hand, hoping to reassure him and myself. "Ok" he said still sounding hesitant. "Are you coming to the Gryffindor party tonight?" I asked him. "Why can't we go to the Ravenclaw one?" he questioned, seeming still a little put-off. "Because I don't know anyone in Ravenclaw and you know tons of Gryffindors" I lied through my teeth, I knew plenty of Ravenclaws, but I also knew their party would be more like a book club meeting than anything.
"Fine but if it's a bust, can we go to the Ravenclaw one?" he asked and I nodded with a smile "Sure thing, Quinton." But I knew for a fact that in no way would the Gryffindor party be a flop.
--
We were now having an impromptu Halloween fashion show. Lily had gotten ready first and Dara and I weren't the least bit surprised when she came out in a simple knee length black dress with the hem ripped and the bottom of the sleeves we're tattered as well. She was wearing simple black flats, and had a pointy wire brimmed hat sitting on her head. She was a muggle witch. Again. We begged her to at least be a slapper witch but she shook her head adamantly and Dara grabbed a garment bag from her closet and went in the bathroom.
Ten minutes later she came out in a long, silky black robe that fell to her feet, there was a giant slit up the side, and you could see up to her thigh, the front of the robe was very low cut as well and she was wearing the hood up. She had circled her eyes in dark eyeliner, and done her lips in bright red. She giggled twirling around gracefully. "Any guesses?" she prompted gleefully.
"Uhm" Lily said "A zombie skank?" she guessed, wearily and Dara just shook her head grinning. I pondered this for a second and then I got it. "A slutty Dementor!" I cried and Dara shouted "yes!" excitedly.
"Well played, Miss. Chang" I said in awe, rising and grabbing my costume out of my closet. When I was in the bathroom. I slipped on the costume, and stepped into my ankle breaker shoes. I pointed my wand to my hair and muttered a few spells before scooping it up into a bun. I did my make-up quickly, spreading on some mascara and some lip gloss, before conjuring the best part.
When I stepped out of the bathroom, Mendara was waiting excitedly and Lily was reading a novel, but when she looked up she even gasped and said "oh fuck" which was very unusual for her to do so. "Miss. Evans would you like a detention?" I asked primly and Dara was killing herself laughing.
I admit I had a stroke of genius this year. I was wearing a tartan mini-dress, a navy blue cardigan over it, I had changed my hair to brown (eyebrows too) just for the evening and put a spell on it so they were springy corkscrew curls, then I had pulled them back into a messy bun, a few tendrils falling in my eyes. Finally I had managed to pinch Annie's reading glasses from home this summer (She never wore them anyways) and I had perched them on the bridge of my nose.
Yes you guessed it; I was a slutty Professor McGonagall.
"Oh god" Mendara said, clutching her side. "You win, you win the whole bloody thing!" she shrieked in delight and I smiled pleased with myself.
--
The party was in full swing; Quinn was busy talking Quidditch tactics with James, Dara and coaxed Lily out onto the dance floor, which left me to sit with Remus and Sirius. Peter went to the Hufflepuff party to be with his girlfriend.
"Your guys' costumes never fail to disappoint me" I said shaking my head, Remus was nursing a bottle of fire whiskey all to himself and was currently fighting off a case of the hiccups. Sirius laughed, he was wearing the same clothes he was earlier today and he said he was a "muggle" the same goes for Remus and James except James claimed he was an "extremely attractive muggle" to each his own.
"What about your boyfriend" Remus slurred and I rolled my eyes. Quinn had come in his Quidditch uniform. That was almost as bad as Lily's costume. "No comment" I said darkly, sipping from my cup of punch. I was tapping my foot to the music, my heels making a thumping sound on the rug.
"Want to dance Minerva?" Sirius asked and I grinned "Sure". Remus giggled, "I bet you thought you'd never say that sentence, Padfoot". I laughed, Remus was a fun drunk to be around. "I'm coming back for you Remus" I warned him, ruffling his hair as I walked by.
Sirius and I danced for a couple of fast songs, and he was respectful and kept his distance which could have been attributed to Quinn staring at us. "I should go check on Remus" Sirius said after a song ended, "I'll be back soon" I nodded, Quinn stumbled over and I could smell the fire whiskey on his breath which was actually kind of nauseating. We were dancing when Sirius came over, Quinn's hands once again situated on my arse. He must have seen the look of pure frustration on my face because he very innocently asked "Hey guys, everything okay?" Quinn just shot him an annoyed look and gave my arse a little pinch. "Yeah we're fine" he slurred his words.
Sirius was obviously having none of it "Are you sure?" he asked, staring at me and then down to my bottom with raised eyebrows. "Yes!" Quinn exclaimed. "Actually" I broke in "Why don't we go sit down?" I suggested to him but he promptly ignored me. "Hey man" Sirius said catching his arm, "why don't you listen to what she has to say" he said calmly.
It was like a horrible, cliché teen novel and I saw it happen in slow motion. Quinn balled up a fist and aimed it at Sirius, the first time he missed out of his pure drunkenness but when Sirius angrily shoved him away he tried again and this time he connected his face.
"Quinn!" I shouted, the common room had got very silent, and I grabbed him by the ear, as he went to throw another punch and practically dragged him from the common room, feeling very much like the actual Professor McGonagall.
--
On the way back from the Ravenclaw common room, where I had deposited a very inebriated Quinn, who had turned the color of a sheet of paper and was apologizing profusely, I heard heels clacking down the corridor. There was no way I could hide. I would just have to explain to whatever teacher it was the circumstances as to why I was out after curfew.
Oh bugger! Oh stupid sodding Quinn. It was McGonagall, staring straight at me with a look of horror on her face. She was wearing the same outfit that I had decided to imitate, except her dress was floor length and her cardigan was buttoned up primly. "Miss. Malone?" she asked incredulously "What on earth are you doing?"
"I erm, I-I had to drop of a friend. They were sick" I said lamely, chewing anxiously on my lower lip.
"Detention" she barked, "But it's barely past curfew!" I stammered "Detention, meet me in my office at 6:30 tomorrow night" and then she had to drop the D bomb. "I'm very disappointed in you Miss. Malone" before turning on her heel and retracing her steps, angrily.
I didn't think the evening could get any worse but then when I re-entered the Common Room, I saw Sirius sitting glumly on an armchair, and Gidget dressed as a mouse, tenderly pressing an icepack to his cheek were a bruise was blooming.
I tried to enjoy the rest of the party, but It was impossible so I dragged myself up to my dorm, and tried to fall asleep.
--
I had put it off as much as possible. But it simply had to be done. I gathered up the sweater off my trunk which I had neatly folded up and walked up a flight of stairs until I was standing in front of the sixth year boy's dormitory. I rapped on the door with my knuckles and it swung open.
I was very relieved that my jaw didn't actually fall to the floor, which was quite a feat. Considering, a shirtless Sirius was standing before me, only dressed in a pair of jeans and was towel drying his hair. I had marveled at Sirius' shoulders and biceps before, but god. That boy should never wear clothing. "Hi Billee" he said, surprisingly pleasantly for someone who got punched in the face because of me. "Good morning" I said trying to copy his pleasantness, but now I felt bad about ogling him and my attention was firmly on his bruised cheek.
"I brought you your sweater" I said, holding it out in front of me. "Oh thanks, Malone" he said, taking it and brushing his fingers against mine. "James' mum knitted it for me" he said with a roughish grin.
"Can I come in for a second?" I asked, politely. "Yeah sure thing" he said opening the door wider, and it was a pigsty, as I had expected. The walls were littered with Quidditch posters and near one bed pictures of beautiful witches were tacked up. "That your bed?" I pointed. A grin played on his lips as he ran his hand through his hair "Actually that's Peter's" I scrunched up my nose "Oh ew" and he laughed, walking into the bathroom, and grabbing a white t-shirt and pulling it over his head, which saddened me significantly.
"I just came to apologize about last night" I called, since he was in a different room now. "You don't need to apologize for him, you know" he said, furrowing his eyebrows. "Yes I do" I said, chewing on my lower lip nervously (A bad habit).
"I quite like it, it makes me look even more bad ass, as you say" he teased, and I smiled shyly. "Okay now that you've said your peace, I'd like my turn" he said and crossed his arms over his enormous chest.
"I want you to know that I'm not giving up" he said suddenly serious.
"Excuse me?" I asked, confused.
"On you, to clarify" he said taking a few steps closer to me and the butterflies in my stomach started to do step aerobics. "I thought I was doing you this big favor and being all noble and all that crap" he said, staring at me intently. "Because I thought you were happy. But I know now that you're miserable and for good reason, Quinn is a total wanker by the way"
I thought I had dislocated my jaw; it was hanging so far down. "What are you talking about?" I asked, touching my hand to my forehead.
"I'm not giving up on you" he repeated. And then he closed the remaining space between us by pulling me into a hug. I was still in a total state of shock and just stood there, he was holding me, one hand around my waist, the other playing with a few of the left over curls that had come loose from my ponytail. And he wasn't touching my arse, that by it's self was enough for me to almost burst into tears.