Chapter Five –

"Kay see ya," James snapped his phone shut with a snap, an amused look on his face, and turned to grin slyly at Arabella. "I told you so," he teased.

Bella rolled her eyes. She wasn't in the greatest of moods. First, the guy of her dreams blew off their study date for a stupid party, and now she learned, thanks to the help of James, that he liked her, even though he had just cancelled her plans.

Well, that makes sense.

Actually it didn't make sense at all. Sirius, who called himself the "love doctor", was obviously not as experienced with love life that he said he was. It was getting pretty annoying too. Maybe she should just move on to another guy. Oh wait…..she couldn't. Sirius was the guy for her.

"He's liked you forever," James said when he saw her distraught face. "So now you two can go out. No big deal,"

"But it is a big deal, James," she sighed tossing aside her straightened, silky bob away from her face. "I just wish he would be mature. If he really liked me, he wouldn't blow me off like that. If he really, really liked me, he would have asked me out a long time ago."

"It's not his fault," James frowned, his chocolate brown eyes pleading with her. "You just sort of make him go…crazy I guess,"

She shrugged, realizing that probably made sense. She was fabulous, after all.

"Well then what are we going to do?"

James smirked and crossed his muscular arms behind his back. "Just leave it to me," he winked at her.

"No," Arabella stood up from the Common Room couch, a very determined look on her face. "I'll handle this,"

***

Arabella sat down at her desk as gracefully as possible, not wanting to wrinkle her new pretty skirt. Charms Class was supposed to start in five minutes, and students were beginning to pile into the classroom. She was going to sit next to Lily, but her best friend had decided to sit next to that slime ball Severus Snape. How could she even think of that creep as a friend?

Whatever, she thought as she pulled out her books.

Suddenly there was a scream of giggles and girly voices as a horde of girls trampled into the classroom in their three-inch high heels and pink clothing. Bella rolled her eyes. These dumb blondes seriously needed some fashion sense. It was fall, for crying out loud. Not spring! And besides, wearing three-inch death traps were totally overrated.

To Arabella's dismay, she saw that these annoying dumb blondes were giggling and screaming for a good reason. In the middle of their little circle was Sirius Black.

What?! She blinked, to see if she was seeing things. Sirius was definitely not in this class before. He must have asked for a schedule change. As stupid as it might sound, Bella sort of hoped Sirius had switched into this class to be with her. But, of course, she immediately realized that was stupid.

As much as Sirius loved to get attention, Arabella could tell he was very uncomfortable. He was standing stiffly and wincing when they would flirtatiously run their hands through his hair or playfully slap his cheek. He actually grabbed one of their hands and put it down again from being stroked.

"OMG, Sirius," The main dumb blonde said, whom Arabella had come to know her name was Shartay. "I am SO glad you switched classes. Now you can be with me!"

Sirius' eyes widened fearfully and he cleared his throat. "Um, yeah," he said shakily, tugging at his tie.

Shartay giggled and propped her spiked foot up behind her. What a loser.

"OMG, Sirius," she said again, grabbing something from Sirius' cheek. "Look! It's an eyelash! Now you can make a wish," she fluttered her eyelashes and cocked her head.

"OMG," Dumb Blonde #2 said. "I totally know what you should wish for!" she cried, clapping her hands.

"OMG," Shartay gasped. "What?!"

"OMG," Dumb Blonde #2 left her mouth gaping for ten seconds less necessary. "He should totally wish for a new eyelash!!!!"

Everyone, that was watching, even including Sirius, rolled their eyes at that one. Some boys on the other side of the room snickered.

"OMG," Shartay said for what seemed like the one hundredth time. "You are sooo smart!"

The Dumb Blondes and Sirius finally made haste to find their seats when they saw Professor Flitwick walk into the classroom. The girls saw Arabella and ran to the other side of the room to sit, as if to be as far away as possible from her. "Sirius!" they cried. "Come over here!"

Sirius frowned and looked around the classroom for another place to sit, obviously not wanting to be surrounded by the giggling flock of girls any longer. His blue eyes swept across the classroom, lastly stalling on Arabella. She blushed and turned away. As did he.

"Hello class," Professor Flitwick squeaked. "Blah, blah, blah…."

Arabella sighed. She definitely did not feel like listening to Flitwick's annoying squeal for an hour, especially when Sirius was in the room. Even though she was slightly distraught about things between her and Sirius, he still got her distracted. From the corner of her eye she saw him scratching something down on a piece of parchment. What did it say?

The class ended sooner than Bella expected. She took longer than necessary to put her books back into her bag; stalling. Peeking at the other side of the room, she saw Sirius doing the same thing. Did he want to talk to her? Or were they going to ignore each other again? Should she walk out first? Or should he?

"Sirius," Shartay whined. "Come on! Walk with me to my dorm," she twisted her annoyingly blonde and shiny ponytail.

"Um, sorry," Sirius winced. "Can't,"

"Well," the Dumb Blonde pouted. "Fine then," and she stormed out of the room.

Arabella uncomfortably toyed with the strap of her book bag and then looked down at her shoes. Then she glanced up at Sirius and saw him glance up at her also at the same time. They started to walk out of the classroom, but it wasn't until Sirius started walking in the same pace that she realized he wanted to talk.

"Hey," Sirius said.

"Hey," Arabella replied softly.

"So,"

"So,"

Sirius sighed, looking flustered. "Look," he said. "I'm really, really sorry about what happened,"

She shrugged.

"I was actually kind of looking forward to studying with you…and I still don't know why I agreed to going to that dumb party. I guess I just had like a black out or something. It happens a lot. In fact, I'm actually pretty stupid," he confessed.

Arabella cracked a wry smile. "No you're not,"

Sirius swung open the door to the pathway to the Gryffindor Common Room, and laughed in spite of himself. "I have to be pretty stupid if I have weird black outs that make me lose my mind!"

He was quiet for a second and then smiled wryly. "But the real reason I know why I'm stupid is because when this amazing girl that I've been thinking about forever finally asked me out….I turned her down."

Arabella stopped walking, surprised. She didn't know what to say, or what to do. "I-I,"

"Arabella!"

Jessica suddenly appeared next to her, jumping up and down and clutching her arm, not realizing whatsoever that Arabella and Sirius were having a serious moment. "You WILL NOT believe what just happened! James plastered a giant banner on the Gryffindor Common Room hall that says 'I LOVE LILY EVANS!'! Lily's tried to take it off but he obviously put a permanent-sticking spell on the poster," she cackled. "Lily is soooo mad!"

Arabella blinked several times, realizing she had to respond. "Oh. Oh! I'll have to go check it out,"

"Yes," Jessica laughed, her eyes wide. "You will!" and she began to tug Bella along.

Looking behind her, Bella glanced back at Sirius one last time only to see he had already left.

***

Later on, Arabella was walking down the hall, a little in a daze. This is what she wanted right? Sirius to confess his undenying love to her? And he looked so cute….

"Hey, Arabella," an annoyingly perfect voice said to the right of her.

Bella winced and turned to see the infamous Erin Glenhall, her arch nemesis and competitor since first year. They were both civilized with each other, however ever since they fought against each other for the Hogwarts Hottest Babes List Ball, they had always secretly hated each other. Erin had many feats. She could charm everyone with her cute laugh and sparkly white smile, but really she was a little evil girl. Erin was maddeningly beautiful – with shiny brunette hair and unnatural blonde highlights (although she claimed she had never dyed her hair in her life), brown eyes coated with long thick lashes, and tan skin all year long (which Arabella highly suspected to be a fake, as well).

"Hello Erin," Bella forced a tight smile. "How are you?"

"I'm great," she giggled. "and you?"