Snapshots

Asking Her Out On A Date? Fail!

I'm NOT JK Rowling and I don't own Harry Potter! Anything you don't recognise belongs to me! This is written for xakemii's Declining A Date Challenge and Schermionie's Fail Better Challenge.

Attempt 1:

Charms class first thing on a Monday morning was always a boring affair. Half the class looked like death warmed up while the other half were asleep. Sirius gave a large yawn; he had stayed up all night wondering how he would ask Samantha Clearwater out on a date. After much puzzling he decided to do it the old fashioned way, with a note. When Flitwick wasn't looking he quickly scribbled down:

Hey Sam, will you go out with me next Saturday?

With a quick glance at Flitwick who still wasn't looking, he prayed that his chaser skills wouldn't fail him and threw the scrunched up paper ball at the golden haired girl sitting on the other side of the classroom. His aim was true as it hit her arm causing her to look up from the textbook she was reading. Sirius watched with bated breath as she scanned his note and then took her quill and scribbled on the page. Flitwick turned around and she shot her hand in the air to ask a question.

When Flitwick had turned his back yet again Samantha threw the note back at Sirius before returning her attention to her textbook. The ball of paper bounced off Sirius's head and landed in his lap. He smoothed out the paper and read the note.

I'm sorry to have to tell you this but I just found out we're related. I'm sorry but I don't date family.

Attempt 1: FAIL!

Attempt 2:

"Why did I let you drag me into this?" Remus whispered as they peaked around a shelf in the library.

"Simple. You were careless and I had a camera." Sirius replied in a hushed tone. There was a 'Ssh' from Madame Pince and both teenagers flinched.

"Where is she?" Remus asked straining to see if he could spot their quarry.

"There!" Sirius declared pointing to a small desk near the back where Samantha was sitting with her back to them.

"SSHH!"

"Sorry." Sirius whispered. Sirius then turned and looked a Remus and Remus looked alarmed.

"No!" he hissed

"Oh C'mon!"

"No! If you want her to go out with you, you have to ask her!"

"Fine then Mooney you leave me with no choice." Sirius withdrew from his pocket a picture. "This picture will be copied and owled to every Gryffindor student and posted around the school."

"Give me that!" Remus hissed his eyes wide as he made a grab for the picture. Sirius expertly dodged him

"All it takes to stop that happening is eight little words."

"Fine." Remus whispered in defeat. Sirius watched his friend approach Samantha's table. Samantha looked up from her work and smiled at Remus. The two began having a conversation but Sirius couldn't hear what they were saying. Remus laughed, bade Samantha farewell and returned to Sirius.

"She says she can't go out with you." Remus whispered.

"What! Why?"

"She never goes out in days that end in "Y"" Remus said with a shrug and grabbed the picture from Sirius's hand.

"DAMN IT!"

"SSSHHH!"

Attempt 2: FAIL!

Attempt 3:

Alright Sirius thought to himself as he walked down to the Common Room. It's now or never! If I screw this up there is no hope! I'll probably try again anyway.

Sirius saw her sitting with Lily in two armchairs near the fire. He could practically hear James sniggering as he approached the two girls. Lily was the first to notice him coming and instantly glanced around to see if James was nearby.

"Don't worry, he's in the dormitory." Sirius said "I was actually coming to talk to Samantha."

"What is it now Sirius?" Samantha asked sounding somewhere between bored and annoyed.

"Will you go to Hogsmead with me tomorrow?" Sirius asked. Samantha glanced at Lily and then turned back to Sirius.

"I'm sorry but I can't." Samantha said.

"Why? Has Amos already asked you?" Sirius asked.

"No."

"Does Philip need to be watched?" Sirius asked, that one would most likely be true.

"No."

Has Thadeus banned you from seeing me?" Sirius asked envisioning Samantha's older brother.

"No."

"Then why the hell not?"

"There's a disturbance in the Force." Samantha answered and Lily clamped a hand over her mouth to prevent herself from laughing.

Attempt 3: FAIL!

Attempt 4 (starting to lose hope):

Potions class! The one time that Sirius and Samantha had no choice but be together! Sirius and Samantha were brewing a potion at their desk near the back of the classroom. Perfect for having private conversations.

"Hand me the Wolfs bane." Samantha said. Sirius handed her the substance almost robotically, he had been reduced to handing Samantha the ingredients while she did everything else.

Sirius was getting bored fast, the worse part was it was a double period. Sirius gave Samantha a sideways glance, maybe now wouldn't be a bad time?

"Pass me the Fennel." Samantha said. Sirius didn't really look at the table but wordlessly handed her the jar. Samantha tipped some of the contents into the potion which turned it canary yellow.

"Sam, I was wondering if you would-" Sirius didn't get to finish what he was about to say as the potion made a hissing sound and promptly exploded. Samantha turned to him with a glare

"I said FENNEL! Not EUCALIPTUS LEAVES!" She yelled.

"Will you go out with me now?" Sirius asked.

"No I will not because thanks to you we have to start ALL OVER AGAIN! Besides I'm shaving my dog tonight."

Attempt 4: EPIC FAIL!

Attempt 5 (getting desperate):

Bloody rain! Sirius thought as he stood on the pitch in the pouring rain. James stood looking miserable on one side and Marlene McKinnon stood solemnly on his other.

"What's wrong? Do you rust?" was her reply to his complaints. The Quidditch captain Benjamin Wood was drilling them hard today.

"Just suck it in." James hissed.

"Maybe we can ask one of the beaters to 'accidentally' hit him with a bludger." Sirius said.

"You two are going to get kicked off the team!" Marlene warned.

"Only if we get caught." James replied with a smirk.

"Just shut up Potter and get on your broom." Marlene said while mounting her own.

After nearly an hour in the pouring rain passing the quaffle to James and Marlene, Sirius was ready to kill Benjamin Wood. When practice was finally over and the sodden Quidditch players trooped into the changing room it took all Sirius's self restraint not to strangle Wood when he began preaching about their strategy.

"Well done team! Benjamin said before he left "I'll see you next Monday for the match against Ravenclaw!"

Sirius, James and Marlene walked slowly back to the Common Room, questioning Benjamin's sanity all the way. The Sirius saw Samantha standing outside the Entrance Hall.

"I'll see you later guys." Sirius said to James and Marlene as they walked through the door.

"Hi Sam!" Sirius said faking cheerfulness.

"Samantha!" Samantha snapped.

"So Samantha…"

"What?"

"Will you go out with me?"

"I think you want the OTHER Samantha Clearwater." She said before turning and walking through the door to the Entrance Hall.

Attempt 5: FAIL!

Attempt 6 (the end is nearing):

"Please!"

"No!"

"Please!"

"No!"

"Pretty please?"

"Still no!"

"Why now?"

"The President said he might drop in."

Attempt 6: FAIL!

Sirius approached Samantha; she was crying uncontrollably clutching a letter for dear life. She had been pulled out of Transfiguration and told her brother Thadeus had been killed during a Ministry raid.

Sirius sat beside her on the grass near the lake, Samantha didn't even acknowledge his presence.

"W-W-Why h-him? H-He was j-just twenty!" Samantha sobbed. Sirius said nothing but pulled her into a hug so her head was resting on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry."

"H-He p-p-promised he'd come h-h-home!" Samantha cried, Sirius's shoulder was getting very damp.

"He was a good man."

"S-Sirius?" Samantha said drying her tears slightly.

"Yeah?"

"I can't go out with you…not now… my mother would never let me hear the end of it."

"I know…you just lost your brother Sam."

"B-But one day…when it's alright again."

Attempt 7: One Day.