"Happy Birthday, Harmony!" Harmony's mates all shouted in an ear-spittingly loud unison from the common room.
Harmony laughed and continued her journey down the girl's dormitory staircase. She slept in and had to scramble to get ready (pee, brush teeth, throw a random combination of her uniform on).
"Thank you!" Harmony giggled, hugging the first person she met at the bottom. It was Alice.
"You may be the birthday girl, but you look like hell this morning." Liven said, taking in the sight of Harmony. Well, mainly Harmony's crazy, unbrushed hair.
"Thanks, Liven! I love you, too." Harmony said sarcastically.
Liven flipped her dark, gorgeous hair and hugged her friend anyway. "You know that hot Ravenclaw seventh year?" she whispered in Harmony's ear.
"Uh, the one you've been obsessing over for the past…actually this one you've had your eye on for a long time?"
"Yes. Well," Liven pulled back and grinned triumphantly. "Guess who's got a snogging date in the charms corridor broom closet?"
Harmony wasn't surprised. "You always get them." she said, grinning widely.
"That I do," Liven agreed, blowing a kiss goodbye as she left the common room. A couple younger girl students followed close behind her, no doubt going down to the dining hall for some last minute breakfast.
Lily shook her head, stepping in to hug Harmony. "You look so pretty, Lils." Harmony complimented Lily's plaited hair and light makeup. "What's the occasion?"
"Er," Lily blushed, her eyes going anywhere but at the group of marauders waiting patiently for their turn to give birthday wishes.
"Oh." Harmony grinned widely. "I see!"
"No-"
"Harmony!" Becca cried suddenly, launching forward. They chatted for a minute, then James cut in.
"Ladies! Let's get a move on, yeah? I'm starving." he complained, rubbing his flat dress-shirt clad stomach.
"Shut up, Prongs." Sirius said playfully. "We all know you can afford to miss a meal or two."
"You're one to talk-" James started to retort, messing up his black hair self-consciously.
"You're both beautiful butterflies." Harmony cut in, to stop another wrestling match. "Just shut up."
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HARMFUL!" James shouted, throwing an arm around her, messing up her hair even more.
"I think that's in pretty bad condition without you messing it about." Harmony laughed, and James moved so Remus could give her a quick hug.
"Happy Birthday, Harmony." Remus said, the smile on his lips reaching his golden brown eyes. Harmony was suddenly reminded of the time when she got really drunk on the first weekend of school and snuck up to the marauders' dorm, forcing Remus to do the tango with her. She suppressed a smile.
"Thanks, Remus!" Harmony smiled back. "How is it that you always smell good?" she asked, because he did. She got a whiff of chocolate and spices and something else that made him smell really good.
Remus blushed lightly then chuckled. "Thanks-"
Peter gave her the shortest hug in history, blushing madly. "HappybirthdayHarmony." he said quietly and quickly.
She laughed, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. "Thanks!"
"Oh Harmful." Sirius said, stalking up and looking all hot in his rolled up sleeves and dress pants slung perfectly on his narrow hips. "Happy Birthday," he smiled, yanking Harmony to him and swooping in for a kiss that left her heart pounding and wanting more.
"Thanks," she smiled, looking into his silver-grey eyes. "I would have liked a lie-in but stars don't shine during the day."
"What?" he laughed, bringing his fingers up to fix the lopsided buttons on her own dress shirt.
"OI! I'm wasting away!" James complained loudly, his voice cracking like a twelve-year old boy fresh in puberty.
"Voice crack much? Want me to help you buy deodorant next time we go to Hogsmeade?" Harmony shot over her shoulder, as Sirius grinned widely at her quick wit.
"Nice." Sirius quietly high-fived her discreetly as James shut up and lead the way out of the portrait hole.
Down in the Great Hall, Sirius made her every cup of coffee she downed (three), and James promised he would give her some of his secret stash of fireworks. The bell rang and everyone scrambled off to their first class, where they didn't pay attention to a single word the professors said, instead gaining immense satisfaction in drawing hilarious and out of proportion pictures of each other.
Already, Harmony could feel the excitement of a good birthday simmering away.
"Okay, Harmony, sit. Now." Liven said bossily, gesturing for Lily to hand something over.
The girls were all crowded around Harmony's bed, gossiping and laughing and generally spending good quality time with each other on Harmony's birthday. "We all pitched in and got you a couple things together." Lily explained, handing over the huge box.
"Guys, I told you no gifts! Seriously, you shouldn't have. I'd be happy if you all got hammered with me and left it at that." Harmony told them sincerely.
"Shut up and open it." Becca laughed, tightening her dirty-blonde ponytail and crossing her arms.
Harmony leaned down and pulled the badly wrapped wrapping paper off of it. "Ever heard of magic?" she joked.
Lily burst out laughing. "I told you so!" she looked over at Becca and she joined in.
"What?" Harmony smiled.
"It's a long story. Just open it." Liven sighed, gesturing to the box.
Harmony lifted the flaps of the card board box. She pulled out the newest book from the series she was reading, which she was planning to get next trip to Diagon Alley ("Becca, if you tell me a single thing about what happens while I'm reading I swear I'll turn all your clothing see-through."), a necklace with a beautiful locket shaped like a book ("Lily, I don't tell you I love you enough. So, I love you."), a matching bra and knicker set decorated with sparkly fireworks which somehow looked so seductive Harmony turned pink ("Liven, you need to go to church."), and finally a ton of small fireworks and a pack of sherbet lemons, Harmony's all-time favourite ("You're the sweetest thing, Alice, and I love you.").
"I really, really, really love you guys." Harmony told her friends. "I don't say it excessively, but I seriously do. Thank you." Harmony then screamed like a thirteen year old girl, "Group hug!"
They all piled in on Harmony's bed, limbs flying everywhere and hair in each other's mouths. Harmony could hear a good combination of groaning and laughing as they laid there in a messy ball of love for quite some time, occasionally moving. Eventually, Lily squirmed one too many times, resulting in a tumbling show of dominos as they all fell off the bed, each dragging another down with them.
"Shit!" Liven yelped as she checked the time, out of breath from laughing so hard. "We need to get you ready."
"Come again?" Harmony asked. "Ready for what?"
"Shut up." Liven said, "This will only be temporary." she cast a silencing charm on Harmony so quickly that Harmony didn't know what happened. "I know you. You wouldn't cooperate if I didn't, so I have no choice." she said in reply to Harmony's outraged look. Liven reached under the bed and grabbed ahold of the girls' enormous makeup bag.
"Don't make her glue you to the bed." Lily warned, as Harmony attempted to grab her wand.
It went from happy-cuddling to forced-makeover mode in an instant, and Harmony knew that they had organized something for her birthday. She was sort of frightened, knowing this lot of mates.
Lily worked fast and furiously on Harmony's hair, while Liven did her makeup and Alice and Becca chose clothing and shoes. "Okay, step three of five completed. Stick to the plan, ladies." Liven called, sounding like she was on a mission as she finished Harmony's makeup. Becca snorted loudly.
"Four of five completed!" Lily yelled, leaning back to inspect her work on Harmony's crazy mane of hair.
"We need to dress her!" Alice called, grabbing a dress and denim jacket off the hangers in the small closet they all shared.
Lily took the clothes and lifted her wand. A warm sensation tickled Harmony and she looked down to find her jeans an t-shirt materializing into the dress and jacket Alice was holding seconds before. Becca threw Harmony's converse at her and said, "Put those on!"
Harmony glared at Liven. "Fine!" Liven shouted, undoing the silencing spell.
"What the hell?" Harmony burst, as soon as she could talk again. "What-why is this happening? You do realize I'm capable of getting myself ready, right?"
"You'll see!" Liven cried, ripping her clothes off and slipping into a sexy red dress that showed off her thin curvy figure, the others hurriedly getting dressed, too.
"Five minutes ago we were laughing and now everybody's getting all dolled up for shit-" Harmony started, completely confused.
"Guys I can't believe we almost forgot! We need to go, now, or we'll be late!" Lily yelled, looking gorgeous in a simple green dress.
"WHAT IS GOING ON?" Harmony screamed as Liven grabbed her and clipped Harmony's new bra on around her eyes.
"I seemed to have misplaced the blindfold." she said to Lily, as Becca snorted again.
"You're all bloody insane-" Harmony was shoved down the stairs, someone spraying perfume on her neck. "When I regain my vision I'll set off so many fireworks that you'll be seeing them behind you eyelids for the rest of your bloody lives-"
"SURPRISE!"
The bra was removed from Harmony's head and she was astonished to see the majority of Gryffindor house, along with some Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws crowded in the common room, smiling widely at her. The only thing that went through Harmony's mind at that moment was, this many people recognize my existence?
Harmony started laughing. She turned to her friends and threw her arms around as many of them as she could at once. "Thank you!"
"Let's party, yeah?" James cried, cranking the music up a couple minutes later, after Harmony's initial reaction had faded away. People came up to Harmony and wished her a happy birthday, people that had never talked to Harmony before, people that were older, younger, in a different house, pretty, popular. Secretly, she still strongly suspected most of the people didn't know the cause of celebration or at least didn't until the word 'surprise' was yelled at her. Harmony didn't really care if they knew or not, she just wanted to party.
"People know who I am?" she laughed again, tucking her hair behind her ear.
"Of course!" Lily smiled, leading her through the thick crowd of dancing, talking, laughing bodies.
Lips were on her cheek and she turned to see Sirius' grinning face, two shots of firewhiskey in his hands. "A drink for the beautiful birthday girl?"
She blushed at the word 'beautiful' but flashed him a smile, revealing her teeth. She took a little glass. "Did you organize this?"
He nodded his head slightly, leaning closer to hear her over the loud music. Harmony could smell his unique cologne. "Thank you so much." she pecked him on the lips, a short but lingering kiss.
He held up his small glass filled to the rim with clear, innocent looking liquid and Harmony clinked hers against his in a sign of cheers. She tilted her head back and swallowed the firewhiskey, loving the burning feeling it left in her throat. She could feel the liquid leaving a trail of fire in her body.
Sirius slipped his hands around her waist, muttering in her ear, "You look so hot taking shots."
Harmony snorted, choked and burst out laughing. She whispered back in his ear, making sure her lips brushed his skin, "As do you, Black. As do you."
"Wanna dance?" Sirius suggested, pulling her into the thick of students without a reply.
"Why would you even bother asking?" Harmony grinned, wrapping her arms around his neck and swaying her hips to the beat.
"I was being a gentleman!" Sirius smiled, and his breath tickled her ear.
Harmony laughed and Sirius spun her. "Well, look at you go!" she exclaimed, surprised.
"Want to know a secret?"
"You have a secret?"
"Yeah, I have a secret. Do you have a secret?"
"I do."
"Secret for secret?" Sirius asked.
"Sure. You first."
"I took dancing lessons. I was forced to when I was younger. Reg and I." Sirius said, a faraway smile gracing his lips.
"Little Sirius took dancing lessons?" Harmony grinned, as a girl accidentally bumped into her.
"Yeah. I hated it at first, but then I started to like it." Sirius drew Harmony out and spun her back in expertly.
Harmony laughed and leaned up to kiss his shoulder. "Want to hear my secret?"
"Shoot."
"When I was twelve, I got really angry at my parents for who knows what, and smashed a window." Harmony laughed as Sirius looked shocked. "I told my parents I had tripped and fallen through, and that's why I had glass all over me and bloody knuckles."
"Did they buy it?"
"It took some convincing, but they eventually did. They took me to the muggle hospital and I was there for like four hours getting glass out of my body."
"You little shit." Sirius chuckled proudly.
"I was a bad child." Harmony told him, but the rest of the conversation was stopped because the music was turned up too loud to think, and a wave of hormonal-driven teens started moving couches and dancing in the newfound area.
Sirius took a hand off Harmony's hip to point at something. Harmony turned and discovered that James had convinced Lily to dance with him. She was blushing furiously as his hands slid down to her waist.
Harmony and Sirius danced and shoved their way through the mob until they were within talking (shouting) range. "Nice catch, Jamsie!" Harmony smacked his bum.
"OI!" James yelled, turning his head the side, "Sod off you two!"
"You heard the man." Sirius glided her to the drink table and they both downed a couple shots each, watching the crowd and laughing.
Tianna was desperately grabbing a sixth-year Hufflepuff's hands and placing them on her bum. He looked slightly revolted. Lily and James were shouting to each other while still moving to the music. Liven was pinned against the wall by some bloke who was tall and brunette. His back was the them, and of course they were snogging. Alice and Frank were awkwardly dancing on the brink of the crowd, smiling and blushing with pure happiness.
Harmony kept looking around, her legs crossed and leaning on the table. Her line of sight caught a couple a little farther in the mob. It was Remus and Becca.
"Sirius!" she whacked him on the arm in excitement.
"Ow, what?" he whined, turning away from the tray of grapes.
"Look!" she pointed the pair out and Sirius' eyebrows went up.
"YEAH MOONY!" he shouted, cupping his hands over his mouth to make his voice carry over the noise. It was so loud that they didn't hear him.
Remus slid his hands farther down Becca's back to settle on her waist, and she tightened her arms around his neck. "That is so cute I want to puke on them and watch them jump and hold onto each other in fright."
Sirius looked at her sideways. "You're one odd duck, Harmony Sea."
"Well spotted. Now take me in the crowd and dance with me while I can still see straight."
So they danced. And danced. And everyone danced. And the alcohol started to run low. And couples sauntered off to snog in dorms and broom closets. And people drunkenly stumbled up to Harmony and wished her Happy Birthday and a Merry Christmas. And Remus leaned down, down, down, down, and kissed Becca on the lips. And she was so happy and drunk and in need of his lips that she forgot that everyone was watching. And even little Peter got a snog in.
At some point Sirius started launching fireworks off in the common room, and Harmony joined in as everybody cheered. There was even one that shone in bright green capital letters 'Happy Birthday Harmful!'
Harmony grabbed Sirius and kissed him, lips grinning against his. She was so touched, even if it launched off upside down. In fact, she preferred it upside down. "Thank you."
"You're very welcome!" he slurred, rapidly emptying his pockets of fireworks and tossing them at random, his eyes not leaving Harmony's.
He gripped her hand and pulled her out of the common room.
"Sirius," Harmony said seriously as she ungracefully knocked over an entire suit of armour. "Oh shit. Do you think my mum will make me pay for that?"
"Nah, not if you tell her it was an accident." Sirius moved his head side to side as he looked down two hallways as they hit a little intersection.
"But was it an accident?" Harmony asked.
"I don't know. Was it?"
"Don't remember. I have no idea." Harmony slurred.
"What?" Sirius asked as Harmony vaguely registered her legs climbing the steps.
"Did I ever tell you that you look hot in white? Cuz ya do." Harmony huffed, reaching the top.
"I don't like white."
"Well, you should."
"Why?"
"Cuz you look hot. You also look really hot in plaid button downs."
"I know you're drunk when you describe me as 'hot' to my face." Sirius laughed.
"Know what they say?" Harmony asked, and she almost face-planted as she tripped up the next flight of stairs. "Who even invented these little shits? Like how are you supposed to walk safely back to your dorm with these little blocks of death here?"
"That's what they say?" Sirius asked.
"Nah. They say, 'sober thoughts, drunk words.'".
"So you think I'm hot in white but hotter in plaid? And you decided to tell me while you were drunk?"
"Did I?"
"Yeah, you did." Sirius was badly concealing a grin at Harmony's state.
"Why aren't you as drunk as I am?" Harmony whined, almost knocking Sirius over as she stumbled yet again.
"Oh I am. I'm just good at hiding it. Also you're too hammered to notice much." Sirius led her out onto the Astronomy Tower.
"Aren't the stars pretty?" Harmony asked, leaning against the wall, looking up and breathing in a huge gulp of crisp April air.
"Yeah, they are." Sirius agreed. He looked down and gazed at Harmony, marvelling at her beauty which only seemed to magnify under the stars and with alcohol buzzing through his veins.
"Hey," Harmony started, uncrossing her arms and slowly stumbling towards Sirius. He grinned, knowing that drunk Harmony was going to ask for something insane. "I want to fly, Sirius."
"Do you now?"
"Yeah, I wanna go up, up, up..." she vaguely pointed in a random direction that he guessed was supposed to be up. "Can we do that?"
"We're both drunk, unstable, irresponsible, insane...yeah, I think we can." Sirius smiled, grabbing Harmony's hand.
"How will we do it?" she whispered excitedly.
"Broom?" He suggested.
Harmony turned her green-brown eyes on him thoughtfully. "I reckon that'll work. Can I do fireworks, too?"
"You have more?"
"I always have more." Harmony told him, her voice dropping to a deviously low tone.
Sirius turned and attempted to walk back down the stairs, but instead tripped and went face first into the wall beside the door.
"Graceful." Harmony commented, holding back a grin as her view swayed.
"Oh hush," Sirius muttered, regaining his balance.
"Don't you think we'll get caught?" Harmony whispered.
"Nah, we can't."
"Why's that?"
"Because it's your birthday."
"I almost forgot!"
"Oh!" Sirius exclaimed suddenly, his fingers fumbling for his pockets. "I have something for you."
"Sirius-"
"Don't bother. I already got it." Sirius said, and he used the moonlight to peer into his hand for a moment before gently grabbing Harmony's wrist. His fingers brushed her skin and then he held her wrist up proudly so she could see what he put on it.
She looked closer, and saw that it was a leather bracelet almost like Sirius' own, except the bracelet was woven together in a braid with three strips of dark brown leather. The pattern stopped briefly to make room for a little metal charm. Harmony ran her finger over it to discover that it was all smooth and flat, with the exception of a small engraving. She looked closer and saw that it appeared to be a firework launching off, exploding into a brilliant pattern.
"I wanted to get you something that would remind you of me and show your rebellious side all in one. I sort of stole your gift idea." he said sheepishly, regarding Harmony with hopefulness.
"Fuck, Sirius. It's perfect, okay?" Harmony grabbed him and pulled his body towards hers. She leaned up and kissed his jaw and neck and shoulder and anything she could reach. "Thank you."
He chuckled, the sound vibrating his chest. She kissed him drunkenly on the lips, and then pulled away. "Gotta go to the dorm and get the fireworks."
"All right, then we'd better leave quick before the teachers start to prowwwwllllll around." Sirius told her, and they made their way back through the castle.
Harmony and Sirius entered the common room to find that the fires were still roaring, but the majority of students were no longer there. Few couples snogged in the shadows, a couple groups of girls and boys respectively sat in the armchairs or on the couch chit chatting. Harmony suspected everyone had either passed out or went off to shag (probably the latter). She dashed back up to her dormitory to retrieve the fireworks.
Soft snores could be heard from the other side of the door before she opened it. Sure enough, Lily, Becca and Alice were all sound asleep peacefully. Harmony didn't remember being gone for that long. Apparently the stretches of comfortable silence that filled in the gaps between conversation had taken up more time than she was aware of. Liven was no where to be found, unsurprisingly. She was always the last to come back from parties.
Harmony tried to make as little noise as possible when she stumbled over to her bed and dug around in the big birthday box for the fireworks she received from Alice prior to the party. She finally managed to grab a handful and was about to turn back towards the doorway when a small box on her pillow caught her eye. She dropped the fireworks and curiously approached the top of her bed.
On the small navy blue box was a note written in a familiar hand writing. She picked it up and immediately recognized it upon closer inspection; the lopsided scrawl was her brother Ryan's.
Almost like a switch was hit inside her, the very thought of Ryan sharpened her senses, made her thoughts and vision clearer, sobered her up a little bit. The note shook in her unsteady hand as she read using the light from the bathroom:
Harmony,
Happy Birthday, first of all. Secondly, I know you know. You can't even look at me, I get it. But I, unlike so few apparently, have my views straight. I don't know what you plan to do after the Dark Lord wins this war, so I want to be on the right side. It's really a shame you have to be so bloody 'noble'. But, He found me specifically, chose me, to join him. It was, and still is, nice to have someone in my life who actually wants/needs me for something. He offers great rewards to those who please him, and I could do with some of those.
When I found out about the prophecy, we had a Hogsmeade trip right after, if you remember. A highly respected Death Eater found me there upon the Dark Lord's request, and at first I was terrified but after he explained things to me, my perspective on almost everything had been changed. Life isn't about doing what's right, Harmony, it's about surviving. We're all going to end up dead one day, right? So why bother wasting efforts on helping out people who don't contribute for what they use in society? You might call me a hypocrite, but just because our parents are muggles doesn't mean that I can't help out the other side.
My time here at Hogwarts is done. The Dark Lord has told me that my skills in getting information for him are excellent, and he wants me to do more tasks for him. I'll be turning fifteen in a month, and always exceeded in my classes, so I'll be just fine. Do me a favour and don't tell our parents, will you? I don't want the unnecessary concern, worry, etc.
Juts keep in mind, and I'm only saying this because I do care about you and I want you to do what's right: you might not come out alive. The Dark Lord wants you, and wants you bad. If I were you I'd give up the petty life and start working for what's best, regardless of our blood.
Your brother, Ryan Sea
Harmony dropped the paper and he knees started to shake. She couldn't take it in. Started in Hogsmeade? Leaving Hogwarts? Not make it out alive? Tasks?
Harmony pushed herself up and stumbled to the bathroom. She retched every ounce of content in her stomach out into the toilet; partly from the drinking and partly from her very own brother.
She flushed the toilet, rinsed her mouth out and sunk to the floor. Five minutes ago she was feeling so happy; it goes to show that everything can change in a blink of an eye. She took deep breaths as another wave of nausea passed though her, but her stomach had nothing left to vomit up.
"Harmony?" A concerned voice asked from the doorway. She lifted her eyes to see Sirius there, broomstick in hand. He dropped it. "What's wrong?" he asked urgently.
"Just...just help me get up and undressed please." Harmony mumbled, and Sirius pulled her up, guiding her to her trunk after the bathroom light went out. In the darkness he gently removed her jacket and unzipped her dress from the back, pulling it off.
Harmony wasn't concerned with much, as it was too dark to make out anything except outlines. She shivered as Sirius blindly plunged his hand into her mountain of clothing and pulled out a plain, white t-shirt. He slipped it on her.
Harmony moved over to the desk and rummaged around in the drawer for the little vial of dreamless sleep potion that was there from so long ago, and in one swig she had consumed the entire thing.
"Thank you." she muttered, kicking off her converse and falling into bed.
Sirius was too confused with the sudden change in attitude to say anything back. He just leaned over and kissed her forehead as her eyes shut almost immediately. He stayed stroking her cheek for a couple minutes before getting up and preparing to leave.
Suddenly, a something crinkled underneath the sole of Sirius' black trainer. It was a letter. He picked it up, heart dropping as he glimpsed the name after the sign off. Ryan.
After reading the letter, Sirius stumbled to the bathroom and slashed water on his face, willing his cloudy mind to sober up. After he felt somewhat in-tune, he headed through the dimly-lit corridors of Hogwarts, his destination the office of Headmaster Dumbledore.
"Are you all right?" Lily's head peeped in through the doorway of the dormitory.
"Peachy." Harmony replied, barely looking up from the book she was reading.
"Don't lie." Lily scolded, moving into the room and taking a seat on the end of Harmony's bed. "I'm just worried about you."
Harmony looked up. "Look, I'm not all right, but I will be. I'm just in shock and a little bit pissed off. And nursing a hangover."
"You let me know if you need anything or anyone, you hear?" Lily told Harmony, her beautiful green eyes widening with concern and sincerity.
"Of course, Lils. Thank you."
"Harms. Sirius is really worried about you, too." Lily said, getting up.
Harmony didn't know what to say. "I just want to lose myself in a book for a while. I'm trying not to think about the fact that my fourteen year old muggleborn little brother just quit his education to go work with the man who is trying to start a war and kill everyone."
Lily frowned. "Harmony-"
"It's okay. Some part of me was kinda prepared for this." Harmony leaned back just enough for the Sunday afternoon sunlight streaming through the window to kiss her cold skin.
"Sirius went and talked to Dumbledore last night, by the way."
"Good." Harmony nodded. "I assume he told my parents?"
"Yeah. They didn't take it very well. Char doesn't quite know what happened but your parents will be alright with time." Lily rubbed Harmony's knee. It made her feel a little bit better that she had disobeyed Ryan's wishes to keep this on the down low. Did he actually believe they weren't going to find out?
"I really, really hope so. If only-"
"Don't 'if-only' me, woman. I know you. You can twist everything around and somehow convince yourself it's your fault. Because this one's not." Lily sighed and said softer, "Should I send him up in a little while? Sirius?"
Harmony thought then closed her book after dog-earing a page. "I'll just read in the common room."
Lily led her down the stairs and into the warm common room. Students were milling about, doing school work and socializing. Harmony's group of friends were seated in the corner, lounging in various positions in various armchairs and couches.
"Hey, you lot." Harmony greeted.
They all said their versions of hello and Sirius scooted over on the couch to make room for Harmony. "How are you?"
Harmony smiled, flashing her teeth. "I'm doing okay, really."
Sirius looked at her long and hard for a moment then raised a corner of his lips in that half-smile that she loved. "Let me know if you're not."
"I always do." Harmony opened her novel again as Sirius rested his chin on her shoulder and read alongside Harmony. Two people thinking about the same person reading about people to forget the person.