AN: This chapter is filled with all the romantic cliches we saps love. I really am terribly sorry for the wait! But I swore I would do it, and did it I did! I am glad that I was able to salvage this chapter, and finally bring in some real romance! I hope you enjoy it. Toodley-oo! Review! (If you want). P.S. Next chapter she'll have flashbacks. I promise.

Sirius laughed at Rose as he watched her reaction to the enormous expanse of food preparation that he had brought her. Elves scurried about with large turkies in their arms, or copper stewpots with beef broth inside them. It only served to startle her more when they seemed to recognize the presence of their two visitors, and began to pour their ample and and zealous hospitality on them.

"Mr. Black, sir! It is good to see sir again! He has not come since classes began!" an elf squeaked, tripping over himself in his excitement. An eruption of joy was emitted from the mouthes of the others, as they rushed forth with trays abundantly topped with ham, cake, and tea.

"Sugar, this is Rose. We felt like skipping dinner in the Great Hall tonight," Sirius explained, hands jammed casually in his pockets.

"Sugar is pleased to meet Miss Rose! Sugar is wishing to do whatever Mr. Black and Miss Rose want!" Sugar offered enthusiastically.

"Whatever you've got," Sirius replied open-endedly. Rose was still in awe of the massive room full of busy and happy elves, all anxious to serve.

"Follow Sugar, sir!"

Sirius took her hand gently, leading her wherever Sugar took them. Rose's heart dropped through her stomach; her pulse twitched anxiously below her flushed cheeks. Is this what heaven feels like? she thought as she matched his stride. Her freezing hands seemed to melt with the slight grip he had around her palm, guiding her to a table as Sugar led the way.

Meanwhile... Sirius felt like he was soaring. He had never felt like that with a girl before, (and he had been with a lot of girls other than just Emmeline). She made him feel good- not the same way he felt around his friends. But it wasn't a passion; it was more than that. He didn't lust after her body... but he was growing increasingly interested in her heart.

Sirius pulled out her chair and with a flourishing, mock bow seated her. "Milady," he teased her with a roguish grin. She smiled goofily at him. I must look like some kind of love-sick fool, she thought, as her cheeks burned with embarrassment. Sugar returned from a brief scurry away to fetch something. She snapped her finders and instantly the red cloth she was carrying elegantly folded itself upon the table, and a vase of antique crystal appeared at the center, with a bunch of red, wild roses in it.

Sirius looked uncomfortable as he realized this was his usual date setup; the elves knew his regular theme, and seemed to have mistaken their visit as another one of his rendezevous. Rose tucked a curl behind her ear, her thoughts following Sirius' in a similar, but more worried, vein.

Does he consider this a date? What if he doesn't? What if this is just what the elves do for everyone? What if he likes me? Oh, what if he likes me? What should I do? Do I like him? Well, of course I do. I think that the butterflies that seem to suddenly exist in my stomach have confirmed that. But what if he doesn't like me?

Say, something, Sirius coached himself. Don't just sit here like a buffoon! You like her, so go!

"You feeling better?" he asked. He mentally slapped himself in the head.What a conversation starter. Why did he seem to lead them into miserable topics?

To his relief she smiled and blushed slightly, before speaking again.

"Yes. Much better. You seem to always know how to cheer me up." Her cheeks reddened more after she said this, but she laughed lightly.

"Glad I can help. A pretty girl like you shouldn't have to feel down." As he was speaking, food seemed to materialize on the table they were served so fast. They chatted away more comfortably whilst they were eating, and after bidding adieu to all the overzealous elves, they walked back to the Common Room together.

"Hey guys!" Lily said mischeviously. "Where've you been?" She winked. Sirius rolled his eyes at her.

"Rose didn't want to go to dinner tonight, so I took her to the kitchens and we ate there," Sirius explained.

"Okay," Lily said with a sly and disbelieving smile.

"Really! I- well, I had another one of my breakdowns, so Sirius helped me out. No big deal," Rose said earnestly, trying to get them off the hotseat

"It seems that Sirius is always helping you out," Peter remarked innocently, obviously not knowing what he was implying. James laughed loudly, while Sirius glared at him.

"Bugger off," he said moodily. "Good-night, Remus. Rose," he said stiffly. "It seems as though you're the only ones that can keep a civil tongue in your head."

"But Sirius! It's only 7:30!" Rose called out after him. Sirius halted two steps up the stairs. He turned his head to face her, evaluating all their faces. Lily's was slightly shell-shocked with a tinge of a smile; James looked amused, expectant for his verdict; Peter watched him blankly, not caring which way it went; Remus was absorbed in his book, not even facing him; Rose, however, was looking at him hopefully. Inwardly he cursed himself. I thought that I was the one who had mastered those eyes, he thought. How could she possibly pull them off like that? Defeated, he let out a long sigh and joined them again.

"Fine. But everyone be pleasant," he said warningly. It was Lily's turn to roll her eyes at him. "Whatever," she said. They all kind of collapsed into a dull silence. Then James started to tap his fingers. He was staring off into space blankly and didn't seem to relize the effect he was having on everyone else, until every single person in the Common Room seemed to lose it all at the same time.

"SHUT UP!" they all shouted, practically in unison. He stopped, looking from Lily, to Rose, to Sirius and then the Remus. "What'd I do?" Lily sighed and shook her head, only serving to confuse James more. They were silent for another half minute before Lily finally spoke up.

"That's it!" she stated loudly, slapping the arms of her chair. "It's too quiet in here! Let's do something!"

"What do you suggest?" Sirius asked dryly, in a mood quite out of character for him.

"A game! No, not Exploding Snap," she told them, eyeing the all to eager expressions on Peter and James' face.

"What sort of game?" Rose asked interestedly.

"Well, I haven't played a good old-fashioned, teenage hormones running wild, muggle game in a while," she noted.

"Do muggles even have games worth playing? Besides that Ponoply thing with that creepy old geezer," James asked. Lily rolled her eyes.

"Of course we do. And it's Monopoly. And Mr. Moneybags is not creepy!" she defended.

"What sort of games?" Rose asked hurriedly directing her attention away from James.

"I don't know- games like Truth-or-Dare, or Spin the Bottle!" she exclaimed.

"Dares, you say?" James asked wickedly.

"I would have thought you'd prefer Spin the Bottle," she said.

"Why?" he asked confusedly.

"Because it's a kissing game!" she said, giggling.

"Count me in!" Peter said quickly, ( not many girls would kiss him unless forced, and this was his golden shot).

"Well, I say we should vote after I explain the rules," Lily stated.

"In Truth-Or-Dare, everyone goes in a circle and asks the person of their choice to either answer a question truthfully,or carry out a dare," she explained.

"Well, kissing could still be involved then," James said slyly.

"Yes, Potter, it could, " she said exasperated yet amused.

"Anyway, in Spin the Bottle, we spin a bottle, and whoever the top side lands on you have to kiss on the lips, excluding those who are of the same gender, meaning you spin again until you land on someone you can kiss." Everyone considered both for a few moments, before Lily called for a show of hands. Spin the Bottle won, four to two. James looked at Sirius strangely.

"Why'd you vote for the Truth Game, Padfoot? I for sure thougtht you wouldn't turn down a chance to play this other one." Sirius shrugged non-commitedly. Lily and Rose rounded up a few more people from their year, and they all gathered round in a circle with an old butterbeer bottle.

"Who's first?" Lily asked, authority over the game. James raised his hand, Lily rolling her eyes and handing the bottle over. "No rigging it, guys," she warned. James' face fell, and he tucked his wand further up his sleeve, hoping Lily wouldn't notice. He twirled it around, and it landed on a girl named Hecate. She blushed as he pecked her quickly on the lips, and they both sat down. Now it was Hecate's turn to spin. She landed on Remus, and blushing more furiously than when she had kissed James, (Rose imagined that she fancied Remus) kissed him slightly lingeringly before sitting down quickly and avoiding eye contact with anyone. Remus spun and landed on Loki, so he spun again and landed on Rose this time. She looked stunned, but stood and gave him a chaste kiss, and sat down, taking the bottle for her own. She didn't see it, but Sirius was seething. This was exactly what he wanted to avoid; Rose kissing other guys. Sure, it was just Remus, but the game would last longer than that. He didn't see as the bottle spun, slowing down, until it landed dead on him. Rose's face turned hot. Sirius still hadn't noticed that he was up. Remus nudged him. "Sirius!" he whispered sharply. Sirius looked. His eyes widened.

Rose got to her feet slowly and nervously, Sirius meeting her in the middle of the room. They both looked at each other before moving in slightly, cautiously. When their lips finally met, it seemed that both of them experienced an electric jolt in their heartbeats. Neither realized it, but soon, their lips were more than just touching- they were locked in a tender kiss. Sirius subconsiously pulled her closer, and she didn't realize her hands softly grasping his neck. When they finally broke apart, they suddenly realized what they had done; Sirius' arms were wrapped around her waist, and her arms were looped around his neck. Rose looked at him and laughed, bravely kissing him again quickly on the lips, and flopping back down to the floor beside Lily. She had a wide, goofy grin on her face. Sirius, in a happy daze spun the bottle while James and the other guys clapped him on the back and wolf-whistled. To his surprise, it landed on Rose again. She looked surprised, even.

They both stood again, this time more confidently. Cupping her face in his hands, he kissed her again, while she responded with gentle enthusiasm, hands pressed against his chest. This time, he smiled at her and whispered softly to her, "Be my girlfriend?" She whispered back,

"Yeah."

That night, when Rose was brushing her hair, she was sitting cross-legged on her bed gossiping with Lily.

"So what were you guys really doing in "the kitchens"?" she teased. Rose laughed.

"We really didn't do anything but talk and eat."

"So?" Lily asked expectantly.

"So what?" Rose replied, confused.

"So are you going out now, or what?"

"Going out?"

"Are you his girlfriend?" Lily asked impatiently.

"Yes," Rose said happily, bursting into fits of giggles.

"Can you believe that the bottle landed on him? I was so shocked- the butterflies in my stomach were going mad! And then, when he got me next? That was just too- magical!" she said, collapsing onto her pillow. Lily grinned, stashing her wand under pillow. What could she say? It was obvious they needed a little push.