"You know you don't have to do this." Peter was sitting on Evelyn's floor as she sorted through her wardrobe for a suitable outfit.
"Yes I do. You just don't understand." She held up a pair of bellbottom jeans she must have received as a gift nearly ten years ago and sighed, collapsing on her bed.
"Then explain it to me. Why is this party all of a sudden so important to you? When I asked you to go, you were entirely uninterested." He stared at the floor, trying not to sound too angry with her.
"I have to prove a point."
"To Sirius?" He bitterly retorted.
"To everyone. My mom, dad, James. I have to prove to myself that I am not weak. You know that everyone at school thinks I don't belong in Gryffindor. Admit it, even you think I am a coward." When Peter didn't respond right away, Evelyn stood up in a huff and began sorting through her clothes again.
A red faced Peter picked up a velvety blue dress with shoulder pads, "How about this one?"
Evelyn toppled backwards onto her bed and sighed, accepting the topic change, "I don't know Petey. I hear that wearing all black is fashionable these days. I'd rather just go in a track suit or leg warmers."
"Well if you're going for all black, why not just wear these?" Peter held up a pair of black denim jeans and Evelyn smiled.
"Perfect. Thanks, Petey!"
After finally deciding to pair her black jeans with a black v-neck shirt and a white belt, Evelyn was ready to face the world, but not quite emotionally prepared to ride on a flying motorcycle with Sirius Black. She was quite certain that she would never be fully prepared for that. She had no idea what would happen for Sirius was the least predictable person she knew.
As she plopped onto the couch in her living room she couldn't help but think that it didn't help her nerves that she had unintelligently decided to wear makeup on this night. She felt as if she were a different person with mascara and eyeliner on. Not to mention the hair that she normally pulled into a long ponytail was now a voluminous mass of curls held back with a white flower-studded headband. She was afraid that maybe she had overdone it and that Sirius would think she was trying too hard.
But oh for the love of feminism she wanted so badly to not care a lick what he thought of her. She wanted to do anything that she desired and to do it in a way that would make Sacajawea, Margaret Thatcher, and mamma Potter proud. Well, maybe not mamma Potter, who had decided that an evening on the town with papa Potter was more important than an evening listening to her only daughter's sorrows.
So, this would be the night where Evelyn Potter makes history. She would ride on the motorcycle and she will not be moved by Sirius Black's gorgeous grey eyes and tantalizing muscles. She blushed as she though of how she would likely place her arms on those muscles tonight as she rode on the motorcycle. Oh, who was she kidding. Sirius Black had her completely and entirely wrapped around his finger. As if he knew she were thinking of him, Sirius entered the room.
"Hey, Vee." Sirius said as he stationed himself on the couch next to her, "Why's your face all red, are you feeling alright?"
"Yeah," She quickly replied, shifting herself further away from his heat generating body.
"So," Sirius began as he sifted through a magazine from the Potter's coffee table, "You prepared to have the best night ever?"
"Never been more ready in my life," She crossed her arms defiantly.
"I suppose you're as ready as you'll ever be," He muttered, looking from his magazine in order to closely examine the pictures of the Potters scattered around the room. "Though you know my bike does fly higher than brooms do."
"I'm not scared if that's what you're implying." She quickly replied in a defensive manner.
Sirius picked the magazine back up and stated, "I know you are afraid of heights that's all I was saying. Besides, you have no reason to be scared."
Evie crossed her arms in front of her, "And why's that."
Sirius finally set down the magazine and after a moments hesitation, met Evelyn's eyes for the first time that night, "Because, you won't be alone. I'll be right by you the whole time. We've known each other long enough that you trust me right?" When she nodded yes Sirius leaned in towards her speaking quietly, "You know, you are one of the bravest people I know. Honestly, agreeing to come on my motorcycle…not just anybody does that, Vee. It's even-dare I say it- a little crazy. "
She instinctively moved to close the space between them as he spoke, but Sirius turned from her, running a hand through his hair and picking up the magazine again. "I'm going to go grab the floo powder for James and them," Evelyn muttered awkwardly, her face red and her palms sweaty.
"Sounds good," He nonchalantly replied, picking up the magazine again. Sirius kept his casual appearance until Evelyn left the room and he let out an tense breath.
"You two kids have fun now!" James patted Evelyn and Sirius on their shoulders as they walked towards the garage where Sirius kept his motorbike. "See you soon!"
"They grow up so fast!" Remus wiped away a few fake tears as they trotted away.
"Well, if everything goes to plan, by the end of the night I should be an orphan." James joked, making sure that Evelyn could hear him as she and Sirius turned out of their sight, "I swear to Merlin if Sirius tries to pull anything on her he's dead."
"You don't think he will, will he?" Peter interjected shrilly.
"I don't know," James thoughtfully remarked, "He says he doesn't like her at all. Before you guys came over here we were actually hanging out a lot with her quite a bit. You know how I have a 6th sense about people secretly liking others (Yes, Lily Evans likes me and one day you will all know the truth as I do), anyway, I may have mentioned to Sirius that it seemed as if there was some sexual tension between the two of them. But, he completely denied it and said that he was annoyed with her and you know didn't want her hanging around. That's when I owled you guys. Now tell me if it's all in my head or is there something between those two?"
"Oh, there is definitely something." Remus replied, putting his hand on his chin thoughtfully. "I just can't decide if it is simple camaraderie or something more serious."
James looked off to where Sirius and Evelyn were likely putting on their helmets and said, "Then I suppose it is just a matter of making sure that nothing comes from this something. It is the best for both of them, right? They would make each other miserable wouldn't they?"
"We have to do whatever it takes to make our friends happy, even if it means keeping those two apart." Remus stated firmly.
Peter nodded his head in agreement.
"Sirius," Evelyn grabbed his arm after they turned the corner, "You aren't actually going to throw me off the motorcycle are you?"
Sirius barked out a laugh, "Only if there is a giant pool of pudding below you."
"I'd be alright with jello too," Evelyn smiled up at Sirius, who was looking at his bike with adoring eyes.
"Hello, sweets, how have you been?" He stoked the bike lovingly and then grabbed two helmets, placing one in Evelyn's outstretched hand. When he saw the look of terror on her face, he smiled kindly at her, "You'll be fine. You know what, don't bring the helmet."
"What!" She shrieked, hugging the protective gear closer towards her.
Sirius outstretched his hands and explained, "It makes the view that much better and besides it would be no help if you fell out of the motorcycle anyway."
"Gee, you sure do now how to calm the nerves."
"Ah, get over here," He pulled her into a comforting hug which only increased the beating of Evelyn's heart. He pulled her back, keeping his hands on her shoulders and looking into her eyes saying, "Look, usually I would have a person wear a helmet the first time just so they have that security blanket. But I think you of all people can handle it. And just between you and me, I was scared my first time flying, too," A look of surprise crossed her face, Sirius had never mentioned being scared of anything, "But once you're up there you will never want to travel any other way. Trust me."
As he let go of her shoulders and turned towards the bike Evelyn said, "I do trust you, Sirius."
In response he straddled the bike and patted the seat behind him, winking at her, "Then saddle up,"
She awkwardly step up onto the motorcycle with one leg while throwing the other around the side of the bike. Once situated she suddenly became aware of how close she was to Sirius. She was sitting back on the seat so that she her legs and chest wouldn't be rubbing against him, however he looked back at her and laughed, "You are going to fall off if you don't sit closer to me. I guess you can decide which would be worse." She immediately moved closer to him, nearly her entire body was against his. She had kept her arms at her side but as Sirius turned on the bike he reached back and put her hands on his upper obliques, "Sorry," He shouted over the roar of the motor, "James would kill me if you fell off, I'm not trying to take advantage of you or anything."
She blushed, Sirius obviously not realizing that she would greatly enjoy being taken advantage of by him. She tried to respond to him, but at that moment the bike began to lift into the air. She wrapped her arms tightly around his abdomen and squeezed her legs against his. Her fear of heights caused her to close her eyes and burry her head against his shoulder. However, it was the warmth and soft scent of cinnamon that kept her tightly gripping him.
"Hey," Sirius softly nudged her, "Look around you, you're missing out on life!"
She realized that the motor was barely audible because the bike was simply floating in air. Sirius had stopped so she could see the city from above.
"It's beautiful," She whispered, looking up at the stars above, not entirely interested with the city lights below, "I can't believe you haven't taken me up here sooner!" She elbowed his side.
"Ouchie. I feel as if you are making this an unsafe environment now." Sirius pouted in a way that Evelyn found very annoying.
"We are floating on a hunk of metal 200 meters in the air and you think my elbow is the unsafe part of it?" She reasoned, gesturing wildly with her elbow as if to prove its innocence.
"Actually it is more like 300 meters in the air." Sirius replied calmly, watching with regret as Evelyn's face paled and she tensed up again.
"Merlin's left ball sack that is very high up," She held onto Sirius tightly again, her body shaking slightly, "I'm sorry if it seems like I am raping you right now."
"It's ok, you wouldn't be the first woman to try to pull that on me. Maybe the first one to try it midair, so kudos to you." He nodded his head in a congratulatory way.
She bowed her head slightly, as if accepting the house trophy from Professor Dumbledore himself, "Why thank you, sir. I would like to thank the people who helped me accomplish this task. First, my mom and dad who first gave me 'the talk' and to-"
"Your parents talked to you about the birds and the bees?" Sirius asked in a shocked tone.
"Yes, Sirius, I learned about sexual intercourse from my mother and father. They looked me in the eyes and told me that they did it and more-"
"STOP! Parents don't have sex. That is just gross. I can't listen to you anymore!" Sirius covered his ears and hummed a tune so as to block out Evelyn's further explanation of all that parents do when their children aren't home.
Finally Evelyn laughed at him, pulling his hands of his ears and saying, "You're right," She chuckled as he nodded his head, "A firm handshake and a legal binding document is how babies are born."
"For some reason I feel like I'm sensing a little sarcasm from this general direction." He pointed over his shoulder at her.
"Me?" She yelped, "I'm outraged, incensed, enraged, infuriated-"
"You seem pretty relaxed to me." He looked over his shoulder at her in a meaningful way. "In fact, you look like a pro."
She hadn't even realized that she had released her viper grip on Sirius and was completely calm and comfortable in the air. She smiled up at him with delight and leaned forward to hug him tightly. "Thank you, Sirius, this means a lot to me."
"You're welcome," He smiled stunningly down at her and she swore she could look at him like that for the rest of her life, "Now it's your turn to drive." Or she could slap that silly grin right off his harebrained face.