"Hey Liv," Harmony walked over to the bathroom and leaned against the door frame. "Want to go to Hogsmeade this weekend with me?"
Liven turned, her hand still guiding a hair brush through her long, dark hair. "Why? Just fancy a trip?"
"No, Sirius asked me to go to the ball-thing," Harmony blushed furiously, "and I guess I sort of need a dress and I also sort of need your opinion."
Liven laughed. "Sure. I need a dress too. I'm still waiting on a date, though."
"Oh, I'm sure you won't have to wait long considering you have boys kissing your feet." Harmony rolled her eyes playfully.
"Yeah, right." Liven scoffed. "Plus I'd like a chance to spy on Becca's date."
"That too." Harmony laughed.
"How are you? Like, are you still thinking about Ryan?" Liven asked.
"It's only been a couple of days, but I'm getting better." Harmony replied, tightening her ponytail.
"Good. The best way to cope is to either be constantly distracted or think of nothing but for a short period of time so your mind can get over it. You know?" Liven patted Harmony's shoulder.
"Yeah." Harmony agreed. "Sirius helps me with the distraction method."
"I bet he does." Liven wiggled her perfect eyebrows. "How far have you two gone?"
Harmony instantly felt uncomfortable. "Uh, certainly not where your dirty mind is heading."
"Nothing?"
"No Liven." Harmony tightened her ponytail again, just for something to do with her hands.
"Oh come on!" Liven exclaimed.
"Liven!" Harmony scolded. "We've been going out for only months, and I've got some promises to myself, and I don't have as much raging hormones as you do, you little shit."
Liven laughed. "True. But want to know something? I've kept myself in check - the last time I let it get far was like three months ago."
"Yeah, I remember when you came back at two in the morning, a giggling mess of hair and - well, giggles." Harmony sighed. "Be careful, Liv."
"Always am!" Liven sung. "I can't get diseases, I'm half-a-virgin." She declared bluntly.
"Please, Liven." Harmony was blushing now. "This makes me uncomfortable. I'm leaving and I'm going to go find Sirius because he doesn't speak this bluntly about these matters. Usually."
Liven laughed, leaving the bathroom alongside Harmony. "But Harms, before you go, can I talk to you about something else? Actually, it's more like a someone. A red-headed prefect who wears only white socks."
"Lily," Harmony smiled. "Go on, then."
"Well." Liven started, pulling out some clothes from her trunk. "She's been talking in her sleep. And I also got a glimpse of her journal the other day."
"Liven!" Harmony scolded. "What a friend."
"She'll thank me later." Liven shrugged, and pulled off her shirt. "Anyway, there's been a lot of James on her mind lately."
Harmony's eyes widened, excitedly. "What?"
"I think it's the right time. I think he should ask her to the ball." Liven declared, buttoning another shirt on.
"Seriously?" Harmony grinned. They'd been waiting for this. The whole dorm room was in on this little plan; with Harmony's help they'd managed to stop James from acting like a dick/asking Lily out repeatedly/being a big-headed pig-head around Lily all year. Liven was the head of this plan, so what she said went.
"Yeah." Liven nodded. "James' chances are good, and I think Lily is starting to get lonely again. Korey's been invading her thoughts."
"Well, I'll talk to James today, I reckon." Harmony suppressed her joy.
"Alright. Make sure you tell him to keep it on the down-low."
"Will do!" Harmony yelled, and proceeded to stomp down the staircase as fast as possible and up the boys'.
Sirius whipped open the door before she even got to the top. "Why must you notify the entire castle with your feet when you're going up the stairs?"
"Because it irks you." Harmony tapped his nose affectionately and pushed past him. "James." She called, to the tall, messy haired boy with spectacles sitting on his bed. "Me and you. Let's go for a chat."
"What've I done now?" James groaned, sliding off his bed and landing on the floor like a child on the brink of a tantrum.
"Nothing. This is about what you're going to do." Harmony sang, feeling Sirius' arms slip around her from the back.
"Lily?" He muttered. Harmony nodded.
"Fine." James huffed, getting up.
"Come on, I'll make you a coffee."
"I don't like coffee."
"Sure you do." Harmony replied.
"No, I don't like it." James countered.
"Well, you do now you great baby."
James took his sweet old time coming across the room.
Harmony lost her temper. "James Potter you better hurry that furry little arse of yours over here right now because I have a very good book that needs finishing in my dorm. Also, this is about Lily."
Needless to say, the two were soon on their way to the kitchens. "So what's up?"
"Well, James. There's this ball, and I assume you know about it?"
"Yeah..." He stuffed his hands in his pockets.
"Well," Harmony decided to be blunt. "As Lily's best friend, I think you should ask her to it."
James didn't blink. "She's going to say no."
"Now there's where you're wrong, little grasshopper."
A little excitement shone in his hazel eyes. "Continue."
Harmony looked ahead again and continued indeed. "Lily's been thinking a lot about you lately. Don't tell her that. She's also been thinking about Korey. Don't tell her that, either. And we also reckon she's getting a bit lonely. I don't think you should tell her that either."
"Alright," James grinned. "So you think she'll say yes?"
"I think she will, yeah." Harmony said. James started to squeal like a twelve year old girl. "But, you have to do some things first."
"Go on," James was smiling widely.
"Keep it on the down-low. Don't scream it out to the world."
"I can do that," James said.
"Plan. Think it out and plan it. Don't just run up to her randomly and ask her. But also don't do anything too big and extravagant."
"Alright," he said, tickling the pear on the painting which held the entrance to the kitchens behind it.
"Don't act sure of yourself, or arrogant, because if you start doing that then you're going to get rejected."
"Done."
Just then, they were interrupted by a house elf. "Hi's, Miss Sea and Mister Potter. Can I get you's anything?"
"If you don't mind, could you please make us two coffees?"
"Right away!" The small, shrivelled house elf squeaked. And indeed, they had coffees right away. Harmony sat down at the little table on the other side of the vast room. James followed her suit.
"Harmony..." James said suddenly. "I'm worried. I'm nervous." He looked shocked.
"That's good. Nerves are good, because one - it's shows you're human to her. And two - you'll seem more vulnerable and that's a good thing when asking girls out. Trust me." Harmony told him.
"I don't think I could even take anyone else if she says no." James sipped his coffee, forgetting all about his dislike for it.
"Don't you dare take anyone else if she says no." Harmony slammed down her coffee. "That's like saying, 'You were first choice but second is good, too.' And she will never date you after that!"
"Okay!" James laughed. "Alright!"
"You'll do fine, I think." Harmony concluded. "Just-just make sure she knows that you aren't a dick, okay?"
"Was that a compliment?" James asked, smiling.
"Yeah, I think it was!" Harmony took another sip, laughing.
"Awhe," James snorted. "Well thanks!"
"Okay, let's go." Harmony replied, finishing her cup.
"What the fuck?" James asked. "How did you finish so fast?"
"I'm a professional. Besides, you don't like coffee." Harmony teased, getting to her feet.
James stuck out his tongue at her, as they left the kitchens. "When should I do it?"
"Maybe tomorrow." Harmony replied.
"Okay," said James nodding, mulling it around in his head.
They got back to the common room and spotted their friends occupying the best armchairs. Harmony noticed that Remus and Becca were sitting rather close together. Harmony grinned.
"Will you come up with me to read?" She asked Sirius, who was sprawled in the middle of the floor for some reason.
"If you help me up."
"Fine," Harmony grumbled, uncrossing her arms and pulling him up, albeit his assistance.
"Lemme get my broom." He told her.
A minute later he came down the staircase, broom in hand. "Let's race."
"Alright," Harmony grinned. They always did stupid shit like this.
"Ready, set-" Sirius glanced at her. They were both standing equal at the bottom of the girls' staircase. "-GO!"
Harmony sprinted up the stairs, knowing full well that she wouldn't win against a racing broom. So, she started waving her arms about, flailing them in the air so maybe she could hit his broom.
"OI!" He yelled, swerving to avoid her right arm. "CHEATER!"
"You asked for it!" Harmony sang, diving into the room head first. "Ow." She said, remaining on the ground. Her head was dizzy. Fucking Snape. Fucking books.
Sirius helped her up. "Congratulations on forever disobeying the matron's orders."
"Like you've never done it before." Harmony said, eyes on Sirius' pink lips.
"I never said I'd didn't." Sirius replied, crossing his arms and giving her a legendary half-smile.
Harmony shook her head and grinned a little, as Sirius turned and flopped down on her bed, looking up at the ceiling. He laid there for a minute, Harmony's scent unfurling around him, lost in thought.
"Penny for your thoughts," Harmony said while laying down beside him on her stomach.
"I'm stressed." Sirius sighed, eyes still transfixed on the ceiling.
"Any specific reason?" Harmony asked, studying his handsome face.
"School, I reckon." Sirius replied, he stretched his arms, then laid them under his head.
"I'll help you," Harmony said immediately.
"But your workload is just as bad!" Sirius laughed.
"Yeah, but I'm coping better." Harmony told him. "Besides, I want to."
Sirius leaned over and have her a lingering kiss on the nose, making her laugh. He sat up. "I've got a bright one."
"What?" Harmony turned on her back, looking up at him.
"Let's pull a prank." Sirius grinned and started to nod, willing her to say yes.
"Go on," Harmony sat up, too.
"I was thinking that we can like make the Great Hall bright red and gold, or decorate the dungeons really colourfully." Sirius said. "Or something along those lines."
"We haven't pranked in a long time," Harmony said. A slow smile was spreading across her face. "Can there be fire?"
Sirius raised his eyebrows. "How about fireworks? That's probably more safe."
Harmony laughed. "True. Now when will we do this?"
"Erm," Sirius thought. "Well I don't know. How about Saturday night?"
"Alright," Harmony agreed, adjusting herself to sit cross-legged. "I'm sneaking out to Hogsmeade to buy a dress earlier on."
Sirius raised a dark eyebrow. "Really? I'm assuming it's for the ball thing?"
"Yup." Harmony said, scratching an itch on her cheek.
"Keep those requests in mind." Sirius bit his lip and poked the base of her neck with his forefinger.
Harmony laughed. "If you behave."
"Well, I don't behave, so..." Sirius said.
"Let me rephrase that." Harmony shook her head. "If you behave by my standards."
"Deal," Sirius grinned widely.
Harmony reached out and grabbed his cheeks, squishing them together. "Wha huh fug?" Sirius questioned.
"They're so squishable." Harmony replied, scrunching up her nose.
Sirius reached out and started to squish her cheeks, too.
"-YOU KIDS BETTER PUT YOUR CLOTHES BACK ON I'M COMI-" Liven froze in the doorway, taking in the sight in front of her. "What the fuck, guys? When I thought that you two couldn't get any weirder together-" she muttered to herself, eyebrows furrowed. She walked over to the desk, eyes still on Sirius and Harmony who were frozen on the bed, mashing each other's cheeks together.
Harmony and Sirius didn't move while Liven left the room, quill in hand. They looked at one another for a full ten seconds before Sirius let out a long, drawn out snort of laughter from between his squished lips.
Harmony burst out laughing, Sirius doing the same thing. They were positively in hysterics, rolling around, large tears streaming down their faces. Harmony wasn't sure what was more funny - the face-squishing, Liven's reaction, or Sirius' laughing. All of that combined made Harmony fall off the bed, still laughing.
And (wow, shocker) this only made Sirius laugh harder.
"I'M GOING TO PEE!" Harmony screeched, still gasping for breath. She wiggle-ran to the washroom as fast as she could considering her lungs weren't getting any proper breathing done at the moment.
After relieving herself, almost missing the toilet, Harmony washed her hands and stumbled back into the room. Sirius was panting loudly while still chuckling, half on the bed. "I haven't laughed that hard in *months."
"I feel like I just went for a run." Harmony complained, clutching her ribs.
"It makes you feel lighter." Sirius' breathing had returned close to normal now. He stood up, getting that weak feeling you get when one laughs too hard.
"Can I have a hug?" Harmony asked childishly, feeling happy but drained.
"Of course." Sirius smiled goofily and wrapped his strong arms around Harmony. He was the perfect height for her - quite a few inches taller but just the right amount for a hug. He smelled like his cologne with a little but of wood scent mixed in and underneath that there was that boy-smell: kind of husky and sweet. Harmony loved it. It always calmed her immediately.
Harmony ran her fingers up and down Sirius' back lightly, and she felt his cheek relax and press against the side of her head. "You're so sweet."
"Only for you." She chuckled at the cheesiness, loving every second of it.
"THEY WERE SNOGGING LIVEN THEY WERE SNOGGING!" Harmony screamed excitedly into the empty streets of Hogsmeade, which was unusual because being a Saturday, it was usually swamped.
"I know! Oh my gosh Harmony! Becca and Remus!" Liven was jumping up and down, her Honeydukes bag hitting her jean-clad leg. "I SAW SOME TONGUE!"
"YOU SAW SOME TONGUE?"
"I SAW SOME FUCKING TONGUE."
"YOU SAW SOME FUCKING TONGUE!"
"I DID SEE SOME FUCKING TONGUE!" Liven yelled back. They arrived outside of the little dress boutique that was usually forgotten about. It was painted a soft baby blue with pretty white lettering over the door, reading Clara's Drawer.
Harmony couldn't stop smiling as they entered the little shop. The two girls had just peeked inside the Three Broomsticks to see Becca and Remus in the middle of a heated snog, butterbeers standing totally forgotten on the mahogany table.
"Good afternoon, ladies." A frail old lady greeted them from her spot behind the counter. She was wearing a set of lavender robes and seemed to be sitting on a floating chair.
"Hullo," Liven said politely. "We've come to find some dresses for a ball coming up at the school."
"Ah, I've already seen a couple girls about it. My granddaughter Eliza will help you, she should be just in the back."
"Thanks," Harmony smiled, placing her bags on one of the comfy pink chairs beside the fitting rooms. She turned to Liven, "Shall we look around, then?"
"Sure," she replied, placing her bags next to Harmony's.
The two browsed the many racks of beautiful dresses as they waited for Eliza to make her appearance. Harmony pulled out a long, rather fitted red dress. "Liven, you have to try this on." Liven came over, inspected it briefly and agreed.
Harmony kept looking, finding just a few that peaked her interest; there was a one-shouldered green one, a Gryffindor-red strapless dress, and a white, kind of flowy one. Harmony spotted a black one she liked, too, but thought that it was a little too daring.
"Hi, I'm Eliza." A red-haired witch smiled prettily and stuck her hand out to Harmony. They shook hands briefly, and Harmony replied with her own name.
"Harmony."
Harmony looked at Eliza while she greeted Liven. The girl seemed to be around their age, maybe just a few years older. The witch was petite, and seemed to be drowning in a set of green robes. She had her hair pinned up in a bun, and wore small diamond studs in her ears that complimented her face very well.
"Have you chosen some dresses to try, then?" Eliza asked Harmony with a smile, gesturing to the three hangers floating beside her.
"Yeah," Harmony said. "I'd like to try them, if you don't mind."
"Of course." Eliza led both Liven and Harmony to the small change rooms at the back of the shop.
"Alright, I'm coming out. You ready, Liven?" Harmony called from inside the room, now wearing the red strapless dress.
"Sure," Liven replied.
Harmony stepped out and looked at Liven. She was wearing a dark, navy blue dress with thin straps. It seemed that every time Liven moved in the slightest, the dress shimmered seductively. "That looks gorgeous, Liven. Oh my gosh that's so you."
"You like it?" Liven turned from Harmony and looked in the mirror. "I guess I do, too."
"What do you think?" Harmony asked, turning towards the mirror and looking at her dress.
"I like it. But it screams 'house pride' and I'm not sure if you're going for that, you know?" Liven said.
"Yeah, you're right." Harmony agreed. She didn't like it very much either; it was too flashy.
Harmony went back into the change room and tried on the two other dresses, without luck. Liven, of course, looked fabulous in all of them, but thought she looked horrid.
"Liven, your bum does not look massive." Harmony sighed, while Liven proceeded to check out her own bottom in the mirror. "Seriously, you have the best butt I've ever seen."
Liven smiled, "I'll take that as a compliment. But I think I like the navy one."
"Good. Because that's my favourite too." Harmony said, smiling in relief.
"What about you?" Liven asked. "I saw you eying up that sexy black one over there. Go on, go get it." Liven smiled encouragingly.
"I don't know," Harmony was torn. It was a gorgeous dress.
"Fuck," Liven sighed, hoisting up her skirts and stomping over to get the dress herself. Eliza looked scandalized at how unladylike Liven briefly was. "Put this on now."
Harmony smiled, caving. "Pass it here." She went into the change room, and slipped it on. She also fell in love with it.
It was long, black and definitely really stunning. It was fitted at the top, and the long skirt slowly started to flare out just after the natural waist line. The top had straps that were about as thick as the average tank top, leading down to an open back. The sweetheart/off-shoulder neckline was quite deep, giving off enough chest to make Harmony blush a little at the prospect of Sirius' comments. Then she realized something that made her accidentally exclaim:
"LIVEN, I HAVE BOOBS!"
Harmony slapped her hands over her mouth, suppressing a lot of laughter.
Liven burst out laughing and called, "Come out!"
Harmony walked out of the change room and Liven gasped. "YOU HAVE TO GET THAT WHOLY SHIT!"
Harmony laughed. "But what if it's too much?"
"But the dress is so simple!" Liven said. "Oh - you mean too much boob."
"I mean, by your standards it's not that much, but by mine it's more than I usually show."
"Oh, Harms, could you imagine Sirius' reaction? It'll be like an early Christmas present."
"Liven!" Harmony screeched. "Shut it!" She was blushing a lot.
"It does look fantastic, if I do say so." Eliza chipped in. She'd been watching quietly from the sidelines.
"Thank you." Harmony said. She turned an looked at the back of her dress, inspecting the upper half of her back which was exposed by the swooping opening in the dress. "I mean I like it, I do, but..."
"But what? Harmony Sea, you are a girl and you look amazing in this dress and you deserve to feel sexy and beautiful and wanted. The fucking end."
Harmony bit her lip, and got a wave of mental adrenaline. "Fine! I'll take it. Just...let me pay now before I back out."
Harmony followed Eliza to the counter, still in the dress, where she fished out the gold to pay for the devil she was wearing. It was a lot of gold, for the record, and Harmony new that her book addiction would have to quiet down for a bit while she recovered from this splurge.
Harmony went back in the change room and looked at herself in the mirror, feeling truthfully really good in the dress.
The two left the shop after Liven had paid for the shimmery and seductive navy blue dress.
Thunder rumbled overhead and a light rain started to mist down, as the girls fast-walked for cover. "Should we risk the Three Broomsticks?" Liven asked.
"I reckon they've probably gone. Your lips would get sore snogging for an hour and a half." Harmony said.
"Alright, yeah." Liven led the way into the pub. The coast was clear; the table that Remus and Becca had previously occupied was now empty.
"Two butterbeers, please." Harmony asked the pretty bar tender.
Liven and Harmony sat together in a little booth, chit-chatting and laughing until the rain let up enough for the two to run down the empty Hogsmeade street to Honeydukes.
"Hi, Mr John," Harmony smiled at Mr John, the middle-aged man behind the counter.
"Girls ready to go back up to the school?" He asked kindly.
"Yes, please!" Liven replied, and John opened the door behind him down to the cellar, gesturing them down.
"Thanks."
The two friends made the journey back to the castle, careful to not let their plastic-bag-clad dresses drag on the dusty ground. Finally, after sneaking back through the school with their bags concealed under their jackets, they made it into Gryffindor Tower.
"Hey!" Liven greeted happily when they found their friends, minus Becca and Remus, gathered around a table which had a mess of all their homework sprawled on top of it.
"Hi, guys." Lily smiled. "How'd it go?"
"Really well." Liven smiled back, then turned to Sirius who was leaning back on the two back legs of his chair. "And Sirius, if I was a boy on the night of this ball, I'd want to be you."
"Really," Sirius grinned, looking at Harmony.
"Make sure you bring and extra pair of pants." Liven advised like a smart ass, and she was off, skipping up the stairs of the girls' dorms.
Harmony watched Sirius slowly raise an eyebrow at her, a little grin gracing his lips.
She walked over to him and he stood up so they could talk at eye level.
"I'm one lucky bastard." He sighed, trailing a finger down Harmony's cheek.
She blushed even more and leaned in, kissing him on his lips.
Harmony was suddenly aware of a heavy panting in her ear. She pulled away from Sirius and turned her head, coming face to face with James.
"What the fuck do you want?" Harmony said, annoyed.
"Oh nothing. I'm just ruining your moment." James grinned, and sat back down.
"I know where you sleep, Prongs." Sirius warned, slipping an arm around Harmony's waist. "And I'm not afraid to abuse you."
The boys continued to bicker childishly, but Harmony got distracted at the sight of Tianna furiously scribbling on some parchment in the corner. She jumped and hastily covered her writing as her friend came over and asked her something. Tianna nodded, and turned back to her secret-bearing parchment. Harmony had never seen Tianna hold a quill, never mind write with as much determination as that.
"Sirius," Harmony interrupted him, mid-threat.
"Yeah?" He turned to her.
"Look at Tianna. Isn't something odd about that to you?"
Sirius tilted his head, eyebrows furrowing, "She knows how to write? She knows how to read?"
"I know, I know." Harmony said. "Something doesn't seem right about that scene."
Sirius shrugged. "I guess we'll know sooner or later if she's planning to make the school explode." He turned back around, still talking to James.
Harmony wasn't satisfied, but she turned away, too. "Look, I'd better get this dress up to my room."
Alright," Sirius smiled. He leaned in and kissed her briefly. "Remember, meet me here at two." He whispered, referring to their plans conceived the night before.
"I will," Harmony cast him a grin.
Harmony creeped silently down the dark and erie staircase to the empty common room, ensuring that her trainers didn't make a sound as she went.
She got down to the vast red-and-gold decorated room, and squinted through the darkness for Sirius. It was empty and quite frankly, creepy. No matter how many times she had been in the common room at 2am before, it never ceased to make her shiver.
"Sirius?" She whisper-yelled.
Smooth, she thought. Brilliant. Let's just call out his name so everyone can wake up and catch them.
"Over here," Sirius' voice whispered from somewhere to her right. He grabbed her hand.
"Hi," she greeted, looking up at him.
"Ready?" He asked. "Do you have the firecrackers?"
"Yeah," Harmony replied, lifting up her shirt to show a deadly looking row of fireworks being held against her bare hip with the waistband of her pants.
"Damn, Harmful. You've earned your nickname." Sirius bit his lip while smiling, impressed.
"Did you remember your wand?" Harmony asked, jokingly.
"Yes," he replied, smiling. "Let's go, before we get caught."
"Alright," she said. "Let's go." She moved her arm in a sweeping gesture, signalling him to take the lead.
The pair crept through the castle, their minds jumping to drastic conclusions at every noise. Twice, Harmony had been yanked behind a suit of armour by Sirius. "Jumpy tonight, aren't we?" she commented after the third time this happened.
"Well you can hardly blame me," he said. "You of all people should know the kind of people that lurk out here at this hour."
She nodded, a wave of guilt flushing over her because they were directly disobeying Dumbledore's wishes, breaking out of the common room after curfew. Harmony shook it off, concluding that the less she thought about the dark cloud surrounding Ryan, the better.
"You okay?" he asked, giving her a sideways glance.
Harmony tucked a curl behind her ear, smiled and nodded.
A light, cool breeze drifted through the dark castle, ruffling Harmony's hair. She felt the ends of her curls tickling her lower back. She shivered, and pulled her jumper tighter around her.
"Do you want to do this?" Sirius asked, stopping.
"Yeah, I do." Harmony said. He didn't look convinced. "Look, I really do. We're not backing out now."
"Okay," His stormy grey eyes shone in the dark.
Harmony placed a cool hand on his cheek, leaned up and gave him a chaste kiss.
They broke apart, suddenly aware of a loud thumping noise from the corridor over. Harmony pulled away from Sirius, eyes wide.
His hand slipped down her arm to grip hers. "Maybe we should-" he whispered.
She cut him off by yanking him forward, towards the sound. Harmony peered around the corner, while leaning against the stone walls. She shivered again, feeling the cold from the rock penetrating what was left of her body heat. She strained her ears for any signs of conversation, all the while holding Sirius' hand in a death grip.
"Harmony," Sirius hissed somewhere by her ear. "Let's go. Now."
"Shh! Listen!" Harmony peeked around the corner, and she felt Sirius' body press into hers as he tried to get a better view.
"Is that-is that moaning?" Sirius looked at Harmony. She pressed her lips together to keep from bursting into laughter.
The noises got louder, and Harmony stuffed her fist into her mouth to keep herself from collapsing in hysterics. Sirius was biting his lip so hard that she was sure it was going to bleed. Their eyes met, signifying a silent agreement.
They slowly crept around the corner, trying to be quiet, despite the loud sniggers coming from Sirius. Sirius pointed to the broom cupboard towards the end of the corridor, where the noises seemed to be originating from. Harmony almost lost it when, in the midst of the moaning, a male voice yelled, "YOUR LEGS ARE SO FUCKING HAIRY!"
Sirius sunk down the wall, stifling his laughter with the sleeve of his black jumper. "I can't-I can't get up-" His whole frame was shaking.
"Sirius-" Harmony's eyes were tearing up in the effort of trying not to collapse in laughter. "Shut up oh my gosh-"
The noises were reaching top volume and Harmony new that it was now or never. Carefully, she opened the cupboard just a crack, enough to fit her fingers through. Sirius jumped up, wiping tears of laughter from his cheeks. He took his wand, and pointed it at the wall across from the cupboard where the thumping continued steadily, and bright red colour burst out of the end of it. Harmony watched as he spelt out the words "SHAVE YOUR LEGS" in massive capital letters.
He winked at Harmony, and she pulled out a firework from her waistband. She threw it in the cupboard, followed by a huge blast of water from her wand, which set it off immediately.
The thumping faltered and stopped completely, followed by a a loud scream, string of curse words, and of course, the loud hearty banging of the firecracker exploding inside the cupboard.
Harmony and Sirius didn't stick around to see the rest of their prank pan out, and amidst their hysterical laughter, they sprinted as far away as they could, keeping their final destination in mind.
Harmony arrived at the top of the grand staircase first. Sirius ran into her, panting and cackling madly. "Sirius, shut up oh my gosh we're going to be fucking caught because of you."
Harmony was still grinning from ear to ear and they tiptoed quickly down the stairs, remembering to skip the trick steps. They entered the vast Great Hall, and turned to look at each other. Harmony pulled her hood up, and looked at Sirius with the pure mischief in her eyes.
Together, they proceeded to plaster the entire Great Hall with all the Gryffindor pride they possibly could. The benches, goblets, chairs for the teachers, and candles were turned a shimmering gold. All of the long house-themed drapes hanging from the high ceiling were changed into a blinding scarlet, with massive lions standing proudly in the middle. Sirius turned an entire wall of the hall red, a feat that took 20 whole minutes. While he did that, Harmony carefully planted firecrackers in several of the goblets scattered though out the Slytherin table. She purposely put a healthy amount of the explosives in the area that the nastier Slytherins sat. Harmony went back down the table, lips whispering the spell to turn the fireworks invisible. She gleefully imagined the look on the ugly brutes' faces when their pumpkin juice blew up.
The hall was completely dark except for the light from the few twinkling stars and the half of moon that wasn't covered in clouds.
"Sirius?" she called.
"Yeah?" he called back in the dark.
"Ready to go?" Harmony asked, silently making her way over to him. "It's four."
"Alright. Just let me finish really quickly." He was standing outside the large (now bright red) doors to the Great Hall, wand raised. He slashed his arm through the air in front of him, and Harmony watched another massive lion appear, except this feline paced and roared loudly every time it sensed movement. "Now, we should probably go before this thing wakes up the school."
Harmony grinned widely for a moment, admiring their work from what she could see of it through the darkness. Sirius grabbed her hand again, and together they made their way as silently as possible back to Gryffindor tower. As soon as the portrait hole closed behind the pair of them, Harmony turned to Sirius and they high-fived. "How about a kiss to celebrate a successful prank?" she smiled slightly and bit her lip, knowing exactly what Sirius thought of lip-biting.
He grinned, if possible, even wider than Harmony, as he grabbed her face and pulled her in for a kiss. Drunk on their success and teenage freedom, they kissed their way over to the couch. Harmony, always the graceful, tripped over the side of the armchair and sent them both backwards onto the couch. Sirius snorted loudly and muttered, "Remind me never to dance with you."
"It's too late," Harmony said, reaching up to tangle her hands in his hair. "You already gave me a rose, and I got a sufficiently exposing dress."
Sirius closed his eyes and smiled widely, leaning in so their lips brushed when he spoke. "It's only a couple broken toes, right?"
"Right," Harmony murmured, breathless. Her eyes flickered shut, and he shifted on top of her. She pressed their lips together again. Suddenly, she was being flipped around, and Sirius was under her on the couch.
The dim fire cackled, and their combined shadows danced along the wall. Sirius's warm hands slipped under her jumper, passing over the back of her bra and trailing down her spine. She shivered, kissing the side of his mouth, then his jaw.
Harmony tried to catch her breath. "We should go to bed, considering how early we have to get up."
"In a minute," Sirius replied, his beautiful eyes staring into hers.
Harmony looked at him. His prominent cheekbones and hard jawline were even more defined in the shadows of the fire. His hair was the perfect amount of curly and his soft pink lips were parted slightly, revealing his straight teeth. Harmony was losing her breath all over again at the sudden wave of emotion that came over her. It terrified her, at how much she cared for this boy. It absolutely terrified her. She was all too familiar at feeling for someone more than they felt for her. How on earth did she ever get so lucky? No matter how many times she asked herself this, she couldn't find an answer. All Harmony knew is that she never thought she could feel this way about a another human being as she felt about Sirius. This harmonious mixture of feelings and emotions could only be evoked by Sirius, because they were perfectly engineered for him.
She leaned down, and kissed him slowly again. Their body heat combined made the fire seem completely unnecessary. Harmony let her hair shower around their faces, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck as his arms encircling her waist again as she felt his tongue trail along her lower lip. Sirius' long eyelashes brushed her cheek and Harmony smiled, loving every second she was with him.
Finally, they broke apart with extreme reluctance. It was almost five, and the pair needed sleep no matter how much they convinced their bodies that they needed each other more. Harmony rolled off of him, her lips numb and mind clouded. He put his arms under his head, and looked up at her with a small smile on his lips. "C'mon." she said, grabbing his hands and trying to pull him up.
He used his strength to his advantage and pulled her back down. She laughed, and got up for the second time. He followed suit this time. "I'll walk you over."
They crossed the empty room to the girls' staircase. Harmony turned and hugged Sirius tightly, only letting go when she emitted a massive yawn. "Goodnight, Sirius." she said.
"Goodnight, love." He kissed her forehead, then watched her with a smile on his face as she made her way up to the girls' dorms.
Fuck, was she happy.
Fuck, was he happy.
Fuck, they were happy.
A/N I've truthfully had this written for 2 months. Good news - I have the next two chapters written and fully edited: ready for your eyes to read. Until next time (which will be really soon because I don't like to keep you guys waiting)!