Chapter 14: Lily acceptance
"I don't want to leave," Sirius said.
"We can't stay in here forever."
"We could! I've got it all mapped out, up here," Sirius tapped his forehead.
"We can take turns in getting food from the kitchens and just leave when we have class!"
Excitement shone brightly in his grey eyes and Devery felt bad for being the one to snuff it out.
"Sirius… if we stayed in here any longer, our friends will get worried."
It was late Sunday afternoon and Devery was itching to leave so she could eat dinner in the great hall. It wasn't that Sirius wasn't a good provider with food from the kitchens; she was starting to get cabin fever from staying in the room of requirement. The beach around them was just a dream. It wasn't real. Just like her being able to speak to Sirius, all of the time.
"We'll make something up," Sirius brushed her concern aside.
"This isn't real, Sirius," she sighed. "This beach is just an illusion."
"We can change it!" He persisted and his face fell when she reached for her necklace.
"But we can talk here," he sulked and Devery gave him a sad smile.
"I know that and we will come back, I promise, cookie."
"Cookie?" Sirius raised his eyebrows at the nickname.
"What's wrong with it?" Devery looked worried. Sirius had many lovey-dovey nicknames for her by now. She wanted to give him one, too.
"Nothing… it's just… can you please explain the inspiration behind it?" He asked and Devery hummed in reply. She thought of calling him, 'cookie,' because he reminded her of something dark and sweet to nimble on.
Sirius hummed right back. "That's not an answer, love."
"Kissing you is like munching on a chocolate chip cookie. So dark and so sweet."
Devery smirked and put her necklace back on with quick hands. A frown quickly flashed across Sirius's face despite her sudden compliments on his kissing skills. He knew why she wore the necklaces now.
They were magically charmed to stop his love from talking just in case she slipped up. He hated the damn things now and no longer thought they were cute with the way they wrapped around his girlfriend's delicate neck.
His face said it all and Devery stepped up on her tippy toes to deliver a sweet kiss to his lips. The brush of her lips as always send fire to his blood but they were now absent of the breathily moans, he could entice from her throat.
"We have to talk to each other at least once a day," his eyes pleaded and Devery squeezed his hands. She agreed to his request with a nod and a genuine smile grew across his features.
"Good and you can call me, cookie. Just not around the guys… I have a reputation to uphold." Sirius buffed out his chest on purpose and Devery turned to leave the room of requirement with an exaggerated eye roll.
His chest deflated when she reached for the door and the beach magically disappeared with the door opening.
A part of Sirius knew they couldn't stay in the room of requirement forever, he would get cabin fever too from being surrounded by illusions. But he could talk to Devery freely in this room unless he bared his dorm-mates from the dormitory, which wouldn't work at all. Remus was great at breaking intricate charms.
They needed another spot where he wouldn't fear someone walking in on them chatting and literally falling under Devery's Siren thrall.
That was when it clicked.
"I've got it!"
Devery nearly jumped out of her skin at Sirius sudden shout of glee and she didn't have time to question him on it either.
In his excitement, Sirius grabbed her hand and started to drag her Merlin knew where.
"Sirius!" She tried to get his attention telepathically but her words didn't get through.
"Keep up, love!" Sirius sped up his stride and Devery had to jog to keep step with his much longer legs. She felt like whacking him for the unexpected workout he was putting her through on a near-empty stomach.
Sirius remained oblivious to all of this and kept encouraging her to hurry up.
"Come on, love!" He started to jog through the castle and Devery concentrated on not falling over. His jogging pace was a flat out run for her much shorter legs. She was so going to whack him for this.
"Hurry up!"
She could just feel the irritation creeping up her spine. He was making her run a flipping marathon through the castle. Sirius dragged her down endless corridors and up steps until she finally recognized their destination.
Head Tower.
Sirius murmured the latest password to get in and the portrait swung open to let them in.
Devery tumbled up the steps when Sirius decided to take them three at a time and her face would've made friends with the stone steps if Sirius didn't feel her lag behind.
He stopped her fall with a wicked grin and heaved her over his shoulder. Devery silently squealed in surprise at the quick maneuver but a scowl quickly grew when she felt a familiar hand getting friendly with her behind.
"Blimey, I should've done this sooner," Sirius patted her behind while he kept his fast pace.
"No offence, love but you are a slow-po."
"Ow-!" Sirius shouted in surprise.
Devery quickly took the opportunity and bit him hard on his delectable behind. It was mere inches away from her face.
Revenge was hers at last. She was now a sweating and panting mess thanks to him from all that unnecessary running.
To her further surprise, Sirius didn't bother to rub his sore behind instead he whacked her hard on her behind.
"That's for biting me," he scolded and he suddenly cried out in pain again when Devery quickly got him back with some pinches.
"Feisty witch," Sirius scolded her once more while he carried her further into the Head Tower's common room and Devery kept on whacking his back.
She wanted to get down and now. Sirius just kept on grumbling about her feistiness until he deposited her on the couch.
Devery glared up at him through her messy black curls and he grinned at the disheveled picture his girlfriend made. She still looked incredibly beautiful when she was annoyed with him.
"Absolutely gorgeous," he tried to make her warm towards him with a nice compliment but all he got was a kick in the shin.
"Ow – okay! Okay! I am sorry for making my cute-
He got another kick.
"Okay, not cute, I am sorry for making my incredibly beautiful girlfriend run?" He tried instead and he smirked when he noticed Devery's lips twitch like she was trying to fight back a smile. He knew he was being an ass for making his girl run.
"Am I forgiven now?" He leaned over her on the couch closely and Devery fought hard against his web of seduction. Sirius knew how quickly she turned into pudding whenever he closed in. His stormy grey eyes sill twinkled with glee but there was something else there now and that something always made her heartbeat speed up.
"I'm sorry, baby," his tone turned soft. "But I wasn't only the naughty one here… you bit my ass, Dev," he whispered the last part like it was some dirty little secret and his eyes grew playfully darker on her mouth.
Devery tried to stay focused on why Sirius dragged her there but it was no use. Sirius was too sexy for his own good. Her body nuzzled into him when he kissed the corner of her mouth and she waited with sweet anticipation for his kiss when a cushion suddenly smacked Sirius on the back of the head and they broke apart.
"Hey! No making out on my favourite couch!" James grumbled on the other side of the common room with Lily at his flank. The redhead looked amused at the whole situation.
"I think your couch is safe, Potter."
But James didn't see it that way; he grabbed another cushion just in case. Sirius quickly held up his hands like he was unarmed and took a seat next to Devery. James looked at his best friend, suspiciously.
"Now that we've got that rule sorted out. Where the bloody hell have you two been?" He demanded.
"The beach," Sirius quickly answered.
"The beach?" Lily looked confused.
"Sirius took me to the Room of Requirement," Devery quickly eased her confusion telepathically and Lily made a face of realization.
"That's cool," she spoke out loud.
"What's cool?" James asked curiously.
"They were in the Room of Requirement. You know, I haven't been there in years besides that one time I accidentally found it in fourth year when I needed a place to hide from Potter."
"Yeah… but that's ancient history," James looked a little embarrassed. He knew why Lily hid from him all of those times. They talked about it so they could get on with having a harmonious headship. Lily hid to escape his romantic advances.
"Anyway," James cleared his throat and got down to business. "What did you want, Padfoot? Since it can't wait until dinner."
Sirius didn't drag Devery to places for no reason.
"We need to talk," Sirius quickly answered and James shared an odd look with Lily.
"With Evans… alone."
"Huh?" James's gaze flew back to Sirius but at the same time, he felt a little miffed at the surprise secrecy.
"It's about Dev's necklace, Prongs. Girlish things you wouldn't be interested in talking about."
"Oh," James immediately felt better.
"Dev is being stubborn and won't tell me where she gets them because I want to buy her more. Apparently, they are hellava expensive and she doesn't want me to spend all my money on her."
"Yeah, that's right," Lily quickly backed him up on the lie. She knew intuitively Sirius was trying to get James to leave them alone.
"I know where Devery gets her favorite jewelry," she added and Sirius smiled when she played along.
"Right." James put his hands in his pockets. "I'll see you guys at dinner then."
All three Gryffindors nodded and James left after indicating to Sirius that he needed to train more for Quidditch since he was thinking about shopping. Sirius told him to get lost and with a smirk, James left.
As soon as James disappeared, Lily Evans put her detective hat on and sized up Black. Sirius and Devery immediately sensed the change in her demeanor and they looked at each other.
"What is this about, Sirius?" Devery signed and Sirius's answer was to reach for her necklace. Lily's emerald eyes immediately widened and she whipped out her wand as a precaution but Devery's relaxed features stopped her. She planned to tell Lily that she told Sirius about her true nature anyway.
"It's okay," she reassured her telepathically and she tried to help Sirius take her necklace off but he was having none of it.
"Knock anyone out who enters Evans. You're faster than me at casting," Sirius continued to fumble with Devery's necklace clasp and Lily strangely felt flattered at his compliment.
"I don't want my girl to feel guilty for being who she really is," he added and Devery felt her cheeks warm at his thoughtfulness. Lily didn't see it that way, her brain kicked into gear and she quickly put one and two together.
"Merlin," she breathed and Sirius made a sound of delight when he finally unclasped the necklace and he quickly backed off with it after delivering a loving kiss to her neck… directly over her voice box.
"Are you seriously going to make out with my neck every time I speak?" Devery laughed a little and Sirius gave her that special happy look he had been giving her all weekend. That look that simply said: I adore you and will appreciate every minute with you.
"Your voice is a gift, I never knew I wanted but needed," he remarked smoothly and Devery ruffled his hair playfully.
"Is this seriously happening?" Lily implored her with wide eyes still and Devery approached her side with a nod.
"If he blabs, you have my blessing to knock him out again," she remarked playfully and Lily laughed at her attempt to joke. She wrapped an arm around her best friend's shoulders and looked at her closely.
Devery just smiled under her green eyes and Lily felt like she was seeing her best friend in a whole brand new light. Sirius Black too. This was beyond huge.
"You love him," Lily commented telepathically and it wasn't a question. She just knew it. Devery wouldn't have told him otherwise.
"He really is the greatest person I know Lils… look what he did earlier with James? He is keeping this secret even from his best friend in the whole wide world for me… how could I not?"
Lily felt her eyes glisten at the pure happiness she saw shine in Devery's eyes. She knew her deepest wants and desires for years. More than anything, Devery wanted someone to love her despite what she was and build a life with. And now, it seemed she had that priceless thing with Sirius.
"I'm happy for you." Lily pulled her into a hug and Devery squeezed her back tightly. She glanced at Sirius over Lily's red hair and gave him a thumb's up.
Sirius smiled with a sigh of relief. For a minute there, he was worried and Lily looked his way when they broke their hug.
"The bet is off by the way," she announced and Sirius let out a bark of laughter. He never forgot the bet they made when Lily caught wind that he was learning telepathy.
"Does that mean you're going to be nice to me now, Evans? Have I finally past your tests of suitability?" Sirius wiggled his dark eyebrows and Lily laughed at his questions.
"Yeah… but that doesn't mean I won't ease up on you when it comes to telepathy. As soon as I heard Devery's voice for the first time, I had to keep some form of verbal communication open. Signing afterwards felt really strange," she confessed. "With my input… you'll learn telepathy in no time, Black."
Sirius looked visibly floored by the generous offer and Lily laughed again at the shocked look on his face. Devery just grinned at them both finally getting along… somewhat. They were the two most important people in her life at Hogwarts.
"Blimey," Sirius breathed and Devery agreed.
"Yeah… blimey, huh? Babe," She gushed and Sirius relaxed into the couch with his hands behind his head.
He made that old couch look enticing with his long limbs and Devery itched to join him on it but she didn't want to break her connection with Lily just yet. She wrapped an arm around Lily's shoulders.
"So…," she drawled to her boyfriend. "Why did you want to speak to Lily so urgently besides letting her know that you know too?"
Sirius flashed a wicked grin at them both.
"I wanted to ask Hogwart's prestigious Head Girl if we could borrow the common room in her tower on occasion to hangout and talk in."
"Yeah sure!" Lily agreed without a second thought. "I'll handle Potter… give him extra patrols or something."
A/N: Thanks for reading and all of your wonderful reviews! Let me know your thoughts x
