Alright, everyone! This will be the last chapter in "The Man Behind The Mask"! Thank you to everyone who has reviewed or will review in the future...I'll be sure to respond as soon as I can! And thank you to all my readers...I appreciate it more than you know. I hope you liked the story...enjoy!

XxXxXxXxXxXxXx

I shivered as an icy draft blew through the dark corridor, causing the edges of my nightgown to flutter. But instead of turning back and jumping into my warm bed, I continued on my midnight walk to the Astronomy Tower. It had become a routine whenever I was unable to sleep - gazing up at the stars always made me feel better somehow. The moon was full that night, throwing strange shadows against the stone walls, but it provided enough light for me to find my way without a wand.

Unfortunately, I'd still need it. Just as I was about to head up another staircase, I heard a loud crash coming from down the hall. I held my wand in front of me as I crept towards the noise, which had turned into loud whispers between two unknown parties.

"Nice going, Padfoot - "

"Me? You're the one who can't walk in a straight line!"

"Keep your voice down! Someone might - "

"Hello?" I called out, my voice wavering a bit. It was dangerous to go wandering about the castle on your own, especially since the Slytherins were becoming more dangerous as the war raged on. I racked my brain for spells to fire at the very sign of an attack.

Despite how alert I seemed to be, I wasn't ready for the floating heads of James Potter and Sirius Black to materialize in front of me. I would have screamed if Sirius hadn't put his hand over my mouth. This only caused further panic - now he had a floating head and arm!

"Shh, Annie, it's me," he hissed, pulling off some kind of cloak. Their bodies were fully exposed now, although Potter's glasses were slightly askew.

"What is that?" I asked, a little breathless. I was trying to ignore the tingles racing down my spine, thanks to his touch.

Sirius and I hadn't spoken in three weeks - not since we broke off our fake relationship. I was trying not to think about him so much, but it was proving to be a lot harder than I thought. And now Paige was spending all of her time with Amos Diggory, who may or may not take her on a date to Hogsmeade, so I couldn't even distract myself with some girl time.

"An invisibility cloak," said James, shaking it out a bit. "Listen, I'd love to stay and chat, but we really need to be on our way."

"Where could you be going at this hour?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, we were in detention - " James began, but his friend cut him off.

"Ask us no questions and we'll tell you no lies," Sirius declared, grinning crookedly in my direction. I felt my heart stutter in my chest.

Before I could respond, there were footsteps behind us, causing the boys to quickly raise their wands. I suddenly felt nauseous, expecting it to be Filch, or one of the other professors. But I was surprised for a second time that night when the dark figure of a boy emerged from the shadows. He looked no older than fifteen, but there was no mistaking those aristocratic features.

This had to be Sirius's brother.

They were almost identical, right down to the ski-slope nose. Although Sirius was significantly taller, the only difference in their faces was eye color; where Sirius had clear blue ones, his brother had black, never-ending tunnels. It was like seeing an evil doppleganger, the other half of Sirius that chilled me to the bone.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't my valiant brother and his trusty side-kick," the boy drawled, smirking. My stomach lurched - how many times had I swooned over that same smile? How many times had I thought about kissing those lips?

But that's not Sirius, I reminded myself. It's his brother. For all I know, he could be a nice guy.

"Regulus. What are you doing here?" Sirius had subtly moved in front me, with James by his side. Together they formed a wall, as if protecting me from coming danger. I'd backed up a few feet, pressing my back against the cold stone.

"I could ask you the same question," Regulus replied. He carelessly twirled his wand in the air, emitting fiery red sparks that were dangerously close to Potter's face.

But I was focused on Sirius, who had gone pale in the moonlight. His mouth was twisted, as if he was in pain, and he'd shakily lowered his wand.

"It's tonight, isn't it?" he whispered. "Whatever you snakes have been planning - it's tonight."

Regulus began a slow round of applause. "Very good. I guess you Gryffindors aren't as dumb as you look."

Before anyone could react, he flicked his wand at Sirius, forcing him to his knees.

"But you're still pretty dumb."

James immediately sent a jinx at Regulus, forcing him to duck out of the way.

"Prongs, don't." Sirius struggled to get to his feet, but the curse held him down. "You don't have to do this," he said to the Slytherin. "Please, Reg - "

"Stop begging," the other boy spat, sending a kick to his brother's stomach. "It's disgraceful. You make me sick."

I watched Sirius as he coughed and clutched his sides, but still made no move to pick up his wand. Why won't he fight back?

"How could you turn your back on me?" Regulus continued, looking more deranged by the second. "I'm your family! I'm your brother!"

"I tried to take you with me when I left," Sirius breathed. When he left? I was more confused than ever, but his words only became more desperate. "They tricked you, Reg. And now you're just like them. I tried to stop it, I tried so hard. I - I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." His voice broke as he bowed his head.

I'd never seen someone look so defeated. I couldn't believe that this was Sirius, the boy who treated everything like one big joke. He always seemed so carefree, as if nothing bad would ever happen to him. I almost believed it, too - how could anything upset the boy who had everything? At least, that's what they called him.

But now I was realizing that he'd constructed a web full of lies. Sirius was not the man that everyone believed him to be. He was in pain. And until that moment, I'd never noticed just how much.

"It doesn't matter anymore," Regulus said sharply. "You'll come back to us, in the end. You're a Black."

"Not anymore," Sirius told him, finally able to get to his feet. Now he towered over his brother, looking more menacing than ever. But he still hadn't picked up his wand.

Regulus laughed. "You were born into a family that will do anything for power. We would kill for it, and not lose one minute of sleep. Whether you like it or not, you're one of us. It's in your blood, Sirius, and when the time comes...your instincts will take over. Trust me on that." He backed away from us, retreating into the shadows. No one spoke as his footsteps faded into the night.

For the first time ever, Sirius looked scared. I wanted to help him, to hold his face in my hands and tell him that he was a good man. That being a Black had nothing to do with his choices. We all had choices in life.

But James got to him first. He placed a hand on his best friend's shoulder, which Sirius immediately shook off. "Prongs, take Annie back to her dorm," he said gruffly, avoiding my eyes. "Make sure she gets inside the tower, alright? I have to find Dumbledore and tell him what's happening."

"Padfoot..."

"Remus will understand," Sirius continued.

"I'm not worried about him right now," James said pointedly.

My head was spinning with the bits of information I'd heard that night. Nothing made sense, and my brain throbbed when I tried to put the pieces together. I was suddenly very tired; it was all I could do not to collapse at their feet.

I swayed a bit, preparing to hit the floor, but Sirius reached out to steady me with gentle hands. He still hadn't looked at me. "Get her to bed," he murmured, passing me off to James. "We'll talk later."

He hesitated for a moment before finally letting go of my arm. I watched as James leaned forward and whispered reassuringly. I could hardly make out what he said, but it sounded like, "I'll keep her safe."

When we were halfway down the corridor, I glanced back at Sirius, who was racing in the opposite direction...away from me.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

The walk back to Ravenclaw Tower was a quiet one. James obviously didn't want to break the silence, and I didn't want to bother him with my questions. Besides, I knew he wouldn't talk to me about what happened. It was Sirius's business, and he'd tell me when he felt like it.

But that didn't stop me from opening my big mouth. "Is Regulus always such a downer?" I asked, trying to lighten the mood.

James laughed. "Pretty much."

"Poor Sirius," I commented. Unfortunately, that was the wrong thing to say.

"Don't pity him," he said firmly. "That's the last thing he wants."

"Then what does he want?" I couldn't keep the desperation out of my voice.

"Honestly?" James chuckled again. "You."

I felt myself blush. "Me?" I said, disbelieving. We'd reached another staircase, and I wearily climbed upward, trying to wrap my brain around this conversation.

"He really cares about you," James told me, frowning a bit. "I think it scares him. Sirius doesn't care about much, if you haven't noticed."

That's an understatement, I thought to myself. But I decided to voice a thought that had been nagging at me for weeks: "He doesn't act like he cares at all."

James sighed. "That's just how he is. You've got to understand, Sirius comes from a bad family. He's had their ideals literally beaten into him since the day he was born. Whether he believes in them or not, Sirius thinks he's contaminated. Like he was born to be evil." His voice had become unbearably sad.

"But he's not evil," I said quietly. "He's not."

"Sirius doesn't think that way," James explained. "He's convinced that he'll end up hurting you...just like he was trained to do. It's a psychological thing...his family really messed him up."

"Is that why he's so mean to everyone?" I asked.

James nodded. "If he doesn't let people in, they can't get hurt. And vice versa."

Vice versa. It was hard to imagine Sirius ever being hurt. He seemed so strong. Unbreakable. Of course, I'd seen the vulnerable side of him tonight. He was human, after all. A tormented, miserable young man. I remembered the first few weeks of our fake relationship; I thought it was strange that he was so happy all the time. Now, I saw that it was just an act.

"What about his family?" I wondered aloud. "Do they still try to..." My voice trailed off.

James looked a bit uncomfortable. "I've already said too much. But the Black's are an ancient pureblood family...they hold a lot of power in the wizarding world. I wouldn't be surprised if they got revenge on him by attacking the people he loves. It's just another reason for Sirius to isolate himself, no matter how hard we try to change his mind."

By this time, we'd reached the eagle knocker that led into the Ravenclaw common room. I rapped on the door, mind buzzing, and waited for a question.

A musical voice spoke softly from the eagle's beak. "What is the difference between telling a lie and keeping a secret?"

I thought for a moment. Finally I opened my mouth, and stared right at James as I answered with perfect clarity: "Lying to others will just push them away. But a secret is close to your heart...and keeping things inside will only hurt yourself."

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Sirius poked at the bacon on his plate, unable to eat due to the knot in his stomach. After rushing to Dumbledore's office last night, he'd been relieved to hear that the headmaster already knew about the Slytherin's plan. No harm had come to anyone thanks to their quick thinking. Some of the students had even been expelled.

But that didn't solve his problems with Annie. Sirius didn't know if he could ever face her again after the scene with his brother. In fact, he didn't want to face anyone at the moment. He'd successfully avoided James all morning, but it was only a matter of time before -

"We need to talk."

Sirius looked up as his best mate sat down next to him. "About what?" he asked innocently. The effect was ruined by his arrogant smirk.

"Don't play dumb with me." James hadn't been this serious since Remus told them about his lycanthropy. Even then, James had tried to lighten the mood. But not this time.

"Just let it go, Prongs," Sirius muttered. "It's not a big - "

"It is a big deal!" James exploded. "You owe Annie an explanation, and I'm gonna make sure she gets one. I - I think she likes you, Padfoot," he added quietly.

Sirius felt a sharp pain in his chest. "Is that so hard to believe?" he joked. But they both knew it was. Annie should hate him after everything he'd said and done to her, but somehow, she overlooked his bad attitude.

James sighed and ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "She deserves this, mate. And deep down, I know you care about what she thinks."

Sirius hesitated. "I wouldn't know what to say," he admitted. Annie wasn't supposed to overhear all of those details about his life. The only people he'd ever talked to about his family were James, Remus and Peter. Even then, he'd been eleven years old. Things were different now. How could he explain the fear and rage he'd felt for the past seven years to someone who hadn't witnessed it?

"I'll help you," James said confidently.

"Er, no offense, Prongs, but neither of us are the sensitive type."

"Lily's been working on that," he mumbled, turning a light shade of pink.

Sirius openly laughed at his friend. "Alright, you big pansy. What have you got?"

James thought for a minute. "Well, how do you feel about her? What goes through your mind when you think of Annie?"

Sirius stared at him blankly, allowing the sounds of the Great Hall to rush over him in a wave. How did he feel? There weren't any words to describe the way Annie affected him.

"Everything," was the only answer he could give. "She makes me feel everything at once."

James stayed quiet, mulling over this revelation. "I think Annie would understand that," he said finally. "She understands a lot about you."

Sirius knew she would, too. Annie had a way of calming him down without even realizing it. Being around her made him feel safe. Like they were in their own little bubble, and nothing else mattered - not his family, or the war, or his obnoxious behavior. When he was with Annie, Sirius could let his guard down a little. He could be himself.

But admitting that was harder than he thought it would be. Every time he opened his mouth, a sarcastic remark was waiting to escape and piss off everyone around him. It's a reflex that Sirius was proud of, but it wouldn't help him tell Annie how he felt. It might make her laugh, but he didn't want to be treated like a joke. He'd had enough of that for now.

He really wanted her to know.

"I'm sure she'll have a lot of questions about last night," James continued. "Just be honest, mate. If you want Annie in your life, you'll have to tell her eventually."

Honest. If you wanted someone to give an opinion, Sirius was your guy. He didn't sugar-coat anything. But being honest with himself? That's something he hadn't been in a long time.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Escaping the clutches of David Cook had always been a challenge, but somehow I'd succeeded in avoiding him since last year. Unfortunately, my good luck was about to run out.

David developed a little crush on me in fourth year, when I tutored him in Charms. He was three years younger, a first year at the time, so I assumed he would give up on me eventually and pursue girls his own age.

When that didn't happen, I started to feel guilty for rejecting him. Avoiding David seemed easier than looking at his sad little face every time I turned him down.

This year, however, David hadn't bothered me at all. I thought maybe he'd moved on, but apparently that wasn't the case. The whole situation with Sirius had just distracted me from my mission to avoid him. Now, I was walking through the corridor with David by my side, chattering away about the next Hogsmeade trip.

Wait a minute...

The warning bells went off in my head, but it was too late.

"So what do you say, Annie? Will you go to Hogsmeade with me?"

I looked into his smiling face and felt the word "no" dissolve on my tongue. I had to let him down gently, but more importantly, I needed to end this once and for all.

I glanced around the hallway, racking my brain for an idea, when I spotted Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew coming my way. The four Marauders were never seen without each other, which meant that James Potter would be following close behind, accompanied by none other than -

"Sirius!" I waved him over, forcing a grin onto my face. I was still confused and a bit anxious about what happened last night, but I had to put that aside for now.

Sirius strolled over with his usual bout of confidence. "What's up?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at David, who's smile had faltered.

I ignored him and turned to the fourth year. "David, this is my boyfriend, Sirius Black."

David glanced between us suspiciously. I heard Sirius chuckle, so I reached over and grabbed his hand, digging my nails into his skin as a warning.

"I thought you two broke up," said David.

"Uh, we did. But we got back together," I explained lamely. Then I softened my tone. "Look, David, you're a really great guy, and I'm so flattered that you want to ask me out, but...well, I have a boyfriend." I let go of Sirius's hand and reached out to touch David's shoulder. "Plus, I'm leaving Hogwarts this year. It just wouldn't work out. I'm...I'm really sorry."

My voice cracked towards the end, thanks to the guilt that was crushing my stone cold heart. How could I be so mean? I almost wanted to take it back and say yes. But I knew that a pity date wouldn't solve the problem.

David shrugged a little before giving me a small smile. "I understand. Thanks anyway, Annie." I watched him walk away, feeling like the worst person to ever exist.

Sirius cleared his throat. "He'll be fine." I glanced at him, surprised. He just smirked at me. "I know what you're thinking, Annie. You couldn't just lead him on."

"I know," I sighed. "But I still feel bad."

Sirius laughed. "He had to find out sooner or later...you are officially off the market." He winked at me, causing my face to heat up in a blush that only Sirius could create.

I rolled my eyes, and for a moment, it seemed like everything was back to normal. In fact, we'd come full circle - our relationship began with his need for a fake girlfriend, and now, after everything we'd been through, I needed him to pretend for me.

We were always pretending.

And just as I predicted, the awkwardness seeped back into our conversation, cutting off any chance of apology or explanation.

"Alright, well...thanks for your help," I said, biting my lip. "See you around."

"Annie." His hand on mine stopped me from turning away. "You know this isn't over." His brazen blue eyes scorched through me, almost taking my breath away. "Meet me somewhere tonight," he continued gruffly. "Eight o'clock."

I could have turned him down. I could have walked away and left that whole mess behind me. It wouldn't have been easy, but I could have done it.

He watched me carefully as I took a deep breath. "Name the place. I'll be there."

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

When Sirius told me to meet him on the seventh floor, I expected to find an empty classroom where we could talk. Instead, I found myself standing across from a tapestry of Barnabus the Barmy and his dancing trolls, waiting for Sirius to explain.

"Don't you want to go somewhere more...private?" I asked softly.

He shook his head. "Just trust me, okay?" And then he started pacing back and forth in front of the stone wall – once, twice, three times.

"Sirius – " I started to walk towards him when suddenly a door materialized before us.

It was a large entryway, existing as if it had been there all along. I blinked rapidly, trying to decide if my eyes were playing tricks on me.

"Annie, this is the Room of Requirement."

I stared at him. "The what?"

"The Room of Requirement. It's also known as the Come and Go room," he boasted. "James and I found it in third year. The room will transform into anything you need, whenever you need it."

To say I was impressed would be an understatement. "Wow. That's pretty amazing." Hogwarts was truly a place of continuous wonder.

Sirius nodded, but he didn't seem to be paying attention. "Annie, I have to show you something."

I tried to smile reassuringly - despite his careless attitude, I didn't want to make this harder than it needed to be. I knew what it must have cost him to bring me here and prepare this moment. His pride definitely suffered a fatal blow.

"Alright," I said, clapping my hands together. "Let's see it, then."

Sirius reached over and opened the door, allowing me to step over the threshold. The Room of Requirement had transformed itself into a dark, musty corridor that was certainly not a part of Hogwarts. As I tip-toed along, I noticed that the decorations were far from cheerful - there was a large skull sitting on one of the tables, and strange round shapes were protruding from the wall. I stepped closer, trying to get a better view, but leaped back once I realized what they were.

Someone had beheaded a family of house elves and mounted them on plaques for show.

I swallowed hard. What is this place? I thought wildly. "Sirius, where are we?" I said out loud, turning to face him. He was watching my every move, as if trying to gauge my reaction. As if waiting for me to run.

"This is a replica of number twelve, Grimmauld Place," he said finally. "This is where I grew up. The Black family manor."

There was an awful silence as I tried to collect my thoughts. "This was your home?" I said, quite insensitively. I blushed, hoping Sirius couldn't see my face in the dim lighting. Here he was, going out on a limb for me, and I was sticking my foot in my mouth. "I'm sorry. I just mean..."

"It's okay," he laughed. "I moved in with the Potter's last year. Their place has always felt more like home, anyway." He crossed his arms in front of him now as he gazed up at the old house elves. "But I couldn't get to Regulus before I left...I looked for him, but he was in training with my mother and I-I couldn't wait..." Sirius cleared his throat loudly. "I guess I should start explaining...but I wanted you to get the full experience."

"Whenever you're ready," I told him gently.

His blue eyes found mine. As always, I could see them perfectly, despite the dark shadows - the color shone brighter than humanly possible, but that was Sirius. A shining star. He never failed to do what others couldn't. Even now, he was trying so hard to help me understand his past. This wasn't some half-baked scheme; it was the real deal.

"I met James, Remus and Peter in first year," he began, "when I was sorted into Gryffindor. But before Hogwarts, I was just like the Slytherins; spoiled and condescending because I'm a pureblood. My parents were never warm and fuzzy, so to speak, but they made sure I was taught the 'proper values.' I understood them well enough, but obedience has never been my forte." Sirius grinned at me, allowing a semblance of normality to return to his face. "Anyway, my brother and I were very sheltered. When I started Hogwarts, my parents believed our training would keep me from 'choosing the wrong side.'"

The air quotes seemed verbatim - as if he remembered those exact words coming from his mother's mouth. I didn't doubt it, either.

"At first, I thought I was better than everyone else," Sirius continued. "Still do, as a matter of fact." I laughed with him until his smile faded into a grimace. "But then the sorting hat put me in Gryffindor. Everything changed after that."

He grabbed my hand abruptly, startling me a bit, before closing his eyes. I watched as the corridor shimmered, like I was looking through a sheet of light rain, and suddenly we were in a bedroom with a nameplate on the door: Sirius O. Black.

"This was where I slept," he said conversationally, taking on the persona of a tour guide in a museum.

I let go of his hand and walked around a bit, trying to adjust. At first glance, it looked like a normal place for a teenage boy to spend most of his time. There were posters of muggle girls and Gryffindor banners covering the walls, no doubt to annoy his parents. The bed was unmade, clearly untouched since he slept in it last, and there were extra quills and parchment strewn across the mahogany desk.

But upon closer inspection, I could see the signs of his abandonment. The drawers to the bureau had been pulled out feverishly and emptied. There were no clothes or books, no pictures of Sirius or any personal items whatsoever. The room felt cold, like it was harboring a dark secret.

And I was right.

I made my way to the door, where there were long, animalistic scratches in the paint. Someone had used their nails to claw at it from the inside, a desperate attempt to escape. Beside the door, the words "please help" and "save me" were carved into the wall.

I tried to control my breathing so it wouldn't give away the tears forming at the back of my throat. "Did you do this?" I asked faintly, pointing to the words scratched into the wood. I didn't want him to see how much this was affecting me, but I was losing my composure fast.

Sirius nodded slowly. "When I was thirteen. They used to lock me in here without food for days. One time, Bella gave me Igneus as a joke."

I almost gasped, but managed to close my mouth firmly just in time. Igneus was a Mermish drug used to torture people in the old days. Death Eaters had started acquiring it when Voldemort came to power. Of course a prominent family like the Blacks would have access to those kinds of resources.

I wanted to throw up.

"I was so hungry, I didn't stop to see what it was," Sirius explained. "It had been a week since I'd last eaten, and I went a little mad when the effects started to kick in, so..." He gestured toward the wall. "That's that."

"What about those?" I whispered, nodding at the scratches on the door.

He hesitated for a moment before swallowing hard. I watched his Adam's apple bob in his throat nervously. I don't think he'd ever talked about this with anyone, but eventually he found the courage to speak.

"My dad used to bring me up here for disciplinary beatings," he said in a low voice. "Those scratches...well, I was trying to get out." He was downplaying it. I could tell.

"Disciplinary beatings?" I repeated blankly. Before I knew it, I was sitting on the floor of his old room, the room where his parents tortured him. My legs had given out.

Sirius calmly sat beside me. "I know this is a lot to take in," he said, yanking on his tie with those long, beautiful fingers, and the nails that probably bled for days after he –

Stop it, I thought to myself sternly. Rational Annie was back, but for how long, nobody knew. You have to get a grip. Sirius is finally letting you in, and freaking out isn't going to help him get through this.

"Yeah," I said heavily. "It is."

"I know I must seem like damaged goods, but in all fairness, you did pretend to date a complete and total stranger for months at a time." He smirked at me, still infuriatingly arrogant, even in a moment like this. "You asked for it."

"I wouldn't change a thing," I said honestly. I could tell my face was flaming red, but it had to come out eventually. I liked Sirius Black as more than a friend and whether he was damaged goods or not, I would always stand by him.

He nodded thoughtfully. "I would."

I felt my stomach drop to my knees. So this was it. The moment of truth. Even after he let me in and explained his troubled past, Sirius still didn't want me. Rational Annie was trying to accept this – I couldn't force him to be with me, anyway – but the teenage girl inside of me just wanted to cry.

"Remember the day after you found me with Harper?" he asked suddenly. "The day that we broke off our fake relationship."

"Yeah," I said in a small voice.

"You asked me if I was okay with it." He looked at me then, his gaze steady and unwavering. "I should have said no." Sirius reached over and grabbed my hand, tracing the lines of my palm with the tip of his finger. I allowed myself to hope again. "I've been really scared for a long time, Annie. That's hard for me to admit, but it's true. I'm scared that I'm going to change, that I'm going to lose myself...I'm scared that my parents will hurt the people I love. It's made me bitter." His eyes held mine in silence for a moment, searching…perhaps for forgiveness. "But I don't want to be that way anymore."

"I know."

"And that's the thing," he continued. "I'm not bitter anymore...not when I'm with you. From the first time we talked, I knew you were different."

"How?" I challenged.

"Because I insulted you, and I made fun of you, and I made you shake my hand with spit all over it...but you never got angry with me." There was a new expression in his eyes, a light that hadn't been there before. "Annie, I'm always laughing at other people because I think it's fun to humiliate them. Obviously I don't make connections well. But instead of laughing at you, I was laughing with you. And that...that means more than you'll ever know."

"I always enjoy a good joke at my expense," I told him, rolling my eyes. "I'm glad we could find some common ground."

There was a lull in the conversation then, a peaceful silence where I could soak in everything he'd said to me. I was suddenly fighting the urge to kiss him, something I'd been wanting to do since...well, since he'd first stunned me with those beautiful blue eyes. But there was still one little problem...

"What about Harper?" I asked quietly.

"Ah. Harper." He shrugged after a minute, and waggled his eyebrows at me. "Would it help if I said that I thought about you the whole time?"

"It couldn't hurt," I laughed. I vaguely wondered if that was true.

But then his tone was somber. "Annie, she was just a distraction from you," he said, running a hand through his hair. "I figured that hooking up with Harper was safer than hurting you in the end." Sirius shook his head. "I still feel that way sometimes."

"You haven't hurt me yet," I murmured, reaching out to touch his cheek. We stared at each other urgently, with everything laid out before us. There was nothing left to hide.

And then he was there, leaning over me, with all the strength and beauty that captured my attention the day that I met him. His lips were centimeters from mine, prolonging the anticipation of the one thing we'd both waited on for so long. I held him there, enjoying the tension between us because there was nothing better than finally having him right where I wanted.

And that was the best part, really, knowing that it had all lead up to this, the home stretch, the final stage of pining and wishing and waiting and pretending. The moment that I knew how incredibly good it would feel to finally kiss the man behind the mask.

So I did.

There it is, the end of the story! Or is it? Haha, I plan on writing some companion pieces to The Man Behind The Mask...mostly just one-shots and snippets of the relationship between Annie and Sirius. So look out for more about these characters!