Disclaimer: We are not JK Rowling, if we were we wouldn't be referring to ourselves as 'we' because as far as I know JK is perfectly sane. Anyway we don't own Harry Potter and we aren't making money of this so don't sue us! Enjoy!
Chapter Three
Casselle worked hard to avoid Sirius at all cost, but this method proved to be impossible during Potions the next day. After James and Sirius had caused a cauldron to explode the previous class period Slughorn was making them sit in alphabetical order for the rest of the year and Casselle had the indistinct displeasure of being the closest to Sirius in the alphabet. Casselle was already seated when Sirius entered the classroom and slid into the seat next to her. She kept her eyes trained on her open potions book in front of her.
"So you can read upside down can you?" Sirius sneered.
Casselle flushed and quickly turned the book around ignoring his comment.
Sirius smirked at her, pleased to get under her skin. He turned from their shared table, angling his chair so that he was facing James. The two boys began an animated conversation about Quidditch until Slughorn entered the room.
"Now class, I have a real treat for you today. You will all be working with your partners to brew a minor love potion! Now don't take this assignment to lightly even a minor love potion like this could last up to three days depending on the person that drinks it. Off to it now!"
Casselle had never heard Slughorn sound so giddy, and she couldn't help but snort.
"Something funny Dawson?"
"No" she snapped fixing her eyes on the front board, where Slughorn was writing out the instructions.
"You must be happy about learning this" he replied a wicked smile gracing his handsome face.
"Oh really Black? And why would that be?"
"Well I reckon it's the only way you'll ever get a date" Sirius sneered casting her a superior smile.
Casselle flushed with anger and embarrassment. "Well Black we can't all settle for slags. Some of us have these things called standards when it comes to dating."
Sirius opened his mouth to retort but Slughorn cut him off.
"Now Mr. Black Ms. Dawson you had better start if you want to finish by the end of class," Slughorn reprimanded.
Casselle and Sirius glared at each other, "I'll do one through six if you do seven through twelve."
Sirius shrugged and went to the store cupboard to gather the supplies. Casselle sighed and quickly lit a fire under their cauldron.
The pair worked in tense silence throughout the period, Casselle chopped and stirred on her side of the table and Sirius did the same on his.
"I think it's ready for your steps," Casselle announced wiping her forehead, glad to be done. For such a 'fun' potion, it had been a difficult process.
Sirius moved to take over and worked through his steps as Casselle watched.
"Done" he announced with a grin.
Casselle leaned over the cauldron to inspect his handiwork and resisted the urge to inhale. The potion was emitting a pleasant flowery aroma, just as the book said it should be. She wasn't sure whether to be pleased or irritated at how well he had done.
"Well?" he asked his voice expectant.
"It's adequate" she replied with a shrug, refusing to offer him any praise.
"Adequate!" He scoffed "It's bloody brilliant! Especially since I had to fix your half assed work"
"My work was not half assed!" she exclaimed glaring at him.
"Please you couldn't be any more mediocre if you tried."
Casselle lost her temper entirely and whipped her wand out pointing it at Black.
Sirius scrambled to do the same smirking at her, "as if you could hi-"
He was cut off as Casselle hit him in the stomach with a hex. Sirius stumbled back knocking into the table and spilling their cauldron.
Casselle screamed as she was hit with a face full of pink liquid.
Casselle furiously wiped at her face attempting to rid it of the warm liquid. I'm going to kill him she thought furiously. She opened her eyes ready to give Black an earful, however when her blue eyes meet his gray ones she forgot all about yelling.
She had never noticed how beautiful Sirius's eyes were, like the sky when there was a thunderstorm or how shiny his hair was. She smiled dreamily up at him.
Sirius stared wearily down at Casselle waiting for some sort of angry explosion. His apprehension quickly turned to confusion when Casselle smiled up at him.
"Erm are you okay Dawson?"
"Perfect" she practically purred fluttering her eye lashes at him.
Comprehension flooded Sirius's features and a slow grin spread across his features.
"Sirius Black what have you done to her!" Lilly exclaimed grabbing Casselle's arm and swinging her around, "Casselle, honey, are you alright?"
"Better then alright Lily, I'm in love," Casselle practically sang grinning from ear to ear.
Sirius barked out a laugh and Lily spun around to face him "You gave her THE POTION!" She screamed her face flaming with anger.
By this point everyone turned to stare at the three Gryffindors, most, like Sirius, appeared amused at the turn of events.
"Oh dear," Slughorn exclaimed coming to their table. "Has she taken some of the potion?"
"Yes Professor, Black gave her some" Lily replied glaring at Sirius. "You can give her the antidote though right?"
"I'm afraid I won't be able to have anything ready until tomorrow, my stocks are low and I don't have all the necessary ingredients…its possible it might wear off before then but they seem to have done an exceptional job…"
Lily groaned and Sirius smirked. "I think I'm going to enjoy this."
Casselle slid over to Sirius wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing herself against him.
Sirius flushed at the close proximity but grinned down at her. He relished the humiliation she would feel when she found out she had basically flung herself at him.
"Mhmm you smell good," she whispered before leaning up and capturing his lips with hers.
Sirius responded instinctually to her kiss, wrapping his arms around her small waist as his tongue lazily traced her lips. She sighed against his lips parting hers for him.
Catcalls pulled Sirius back to reality and he quickly pulled away from her disgusted at his response. Thankfully the bell sounded and Sirius was able to make a quick getaway. The whole incident had been unsettling for him.
Lily and Emma were exhausted from keeping Casselle away from Sirius by the time dinner rolled around. She was constantly trying to sneak away and when she wasn't making an escape attempt she was going on and on about Sirius, his hair, his eyes and how cute his butt looked and frankly it was making the other two girls nauseous.
"What do you think he sleeps in?" Casselle asked resting her chin on the pad of her hand and staring off into space. A posture she had repeated on more than one occasion throughout the day.
"Frankly I hope to never find out" Emma answered resisting the urge to hit Casselle over the head with her Herbology book.
The three girls were sitting in the common room and Casselle was firmly in her seat for now.
"Do you think he likes me?"
"Erm well…" Lily had just spotted the boy in question and it didn't seem like Casselle was even close to his mind.
Casselle turned to follow Lily's eyes and her jaw dropped when she saw Sirius snogging Maria, a Gryffindor fifth year who had a reputation for being loose.
"That little whore!" Casselle snarled springing from her seat before Lily could stop her.
"What the hell do you think you're doing!" Casselle demanded ripping Maria apart from Sirius.
"What's your problem Casselle?" Maria demanded in her high pitched voice.
"Don't you dare ever think about touching him ever again!"
Maria stared at Casselle stunned; she had never heard her speak like this to anyone.
"Did you hear me?" Casselle snarled.
"Sirius has the right to do as he pleases" Maria responded timidly.
Casselle pounced before Maria or Sirius could react, the two girls fell to the floor both screaming and wrestling around.
Sirius stood shocked but quickly snapped out of it and attempted to separate the two. "Mate give me a hand!" he called to James.
Together the two boys were able to separate Casselle and Maria. Both girls were panting, Maria's nose was bleeding and Casselle's shirt was torn and her lip was split but no serious damage seemed to be done.
Lily and Emma rushed over to help Sirius pull Casselle away from Maria and out the portrait hole and into the corridor.
Sirius dumped Casselle to the floor and glared down at her, this was entirely her fault.
She stood and brushed herself off before cuddling up to Sirius, "she didn't hurt you did she?"
"What the hell Casselle you can't just go around attacking people for no good reason!" Lily exclaimed exasperated.
"It wasn't for no reason!" Casselle hissed glaring at Lily. "She was throwing herself at Sirius."
"Casselle me and you aren't dating! We don't even like each other!" Sirius exclaimed, his earlier amusement about the situation had quickly transformed into dread.
Casselle turned to Sirius her face broken. "B-but I love you. Of course you don't mean it you're just irritated with Maria right?"
Sirius opened his mouth to reply but Emma kicked him. "Of course he's just upset that Maria tried to fling herself on him" Emma replied smoothly. "I think we should let Sirius sleep it off, things will be better in the morning."
"Yea I just need to sleep it off," Sirius agreed rubbing his shin. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight," Casselle replied smiling sweetly before leaning up and kissing Sirius on the check. "Sweet dreams."
Sirius hurried away from the three girls and retreated up to the boy's dormitory.
"Oi Padfoot did you let her down easy?" James teased grinning up at his friend from his Quidditch magazine. Remus and Peter chuckled but fell silent when Sirius shot them a glare.
"It isn't funny," he hissed storming towards the bathroom.
James, Remus and Peter all shared a look as the bathroom door slammed behind Sirius.
"It will all be over tomorrow." Sirius reminded to himself as he undressed. He quickly brushed his teeth and strode from the bathroom not sparing a glance at his roommates before slipping into bed in his boxers.
A few hours had passed Sirius was dreaming of a warm sunny beach with girls in bikinis surrounding him. As he was settling in to the sand with a few girls on each side, he felt a tug on his arm. He turned to see that one of the girls was Casselle and he jerked awake.
Looking around he saw Casselle standing before his bed in nothing but a pair of lacy black underwear and matching bra.
"Hello," She purred, running her hand down his arm.
"Merlin, Casselle!" He hissed. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to see you silly. Didn't you miss me?" She pouted.
"Sirius?" They heard James call. "What are you doing?"
"Nothing, Couldn't sleep. Go back to bed." Sirius said getting out of bed, while Casselle giggled.
"Who's there?" James asked sitting up and squinting.
"No one, go back to sleep." Sirius said agitated.
Casselle giggled again trying to get into Sirius's bed.
"Come on," he muttered, throwing his blanket over Casselle's shoulders.
"Is that Casselle?" James asked rubbing his eyes.
"No, just go to bed." Sirius said leading Casselle out of the room.
"Yes it is, what are you two doing?"
"Nothing, it is not my fault she came walking in here dressed in basically nothing, while I'm in the middle of a dream. Now go to bed, I'm sending her back to her own room now." Sirius said annoyed, only a few more hours he thought as he marched Casselle out of the room.
"Where are we going? Some place with more privacy? A broom closet perhaps?" Casselle asked leaning into him.
"No we are going to the common room, seeing as you probably won't stay in your room even if I get you there." He said leading her to a couch.
"Even better a couch is much more comfortable than a broom closet." She said snuggling into Sirius's lap laying kisses all up his neck.
"Casselle will you stop. This isn't you." Sirius said pushing her to the other side of couch.
Casselle's lip started to quiver as she looked up at him. "Why don't you like me?" She asked her voice shaking.
"Casselle, come on." Sirius pleaded. "Don't start this."
"Start what?" Casselle shrieked. "I just want to know. I love you, and you hate me. Why?" She asked tears streaming down her face.
"It's not-" Sirius didn't know what to say. This wasn't like Casselle at all; he didn't know how to handle this foreign emotional girly Casselle. He hated watching girls cry, this was why he didn't get involved in relationships.
"Just tell me! Why you don't like me. Am I ugly?" Casselle cried.
"Cass…" He stopped as he looked at her, tears streaking her face. He gave a resigned sigh, "Come here," He said opening his arms. She huddled next to him, burying her face in his blanket. After a while of crying she fell asleep in his arms. Sirius fell asleep shortly after.
"Should we wake them?" Lily whispered confused as she showed Remus, Sirius and Casselle asleep on the couch. She had woken up a panic when Casselle wasn't in her bed and was more than a little shocked to find her curled up with Sirius in the common room. She had been unsure of how to handle it so she grabbed the only sensible friend Sirius had.
"I guess we should," Remus replied shaking Sirius slightly. "Hey mate, wake up."
Sirius stirred slightly throwing his other arm around Casselle and mumbling.
"Sirius, wake up." Remus said shaking him harder.
Sirius opened his eyes, looking around confused. His eyes settled on Casselle and his arms around her and jumped up causing Casselle to fall farther onto the couch spreading out.
"What is going on?" Lily demanded of Sirius.
"Don't look at me, like this is my fault! She's the one that came into my room in the middle of the night dressed in nothing but underwear. What was I supposed to do?" Sirius said. "Now can you please go get her dressed so we can get this whole thing straightened out because I cannot deal with this anymore. Now if you don't mind I am going to get dressed." Sirius yelled. He was confused about the whole situation and didn't want to spend another minute with a love sick Casselle, it was doing weird things to him. He stalked towards his dorm, going to throw on some clothes before going to Slughorns office.
"Sirius!" Casselle called as he walked down the stairs. "I've been waiting forever! Wasn't last night great? Oh I love you so much!" She gushed as she hung on to his arm.
Sirius didn't say anything as he walked across the common room, avoiding the stares from his fellow Gryffindors.
"Where are we going?" She asked.
"To see professor Slughorn." He said shortly. "Come on."
They walked out of the common room and down towards the dungeons. Casselle babbled about how much she loved Sirius and what they should do during the upcoming weekend, while Sirius just stayed quiet. Once they reached the door to professor Slughorn's office Sirius knocked.
"Yes come in," Slughorn called from inside.
Sirius opened the door, and dragged Casselle along after him. "Professor, do you have the antidote ready yet?" Sirius asked in a pleading tone.
"Yes, yes it is almost ready." Slughorn said from behind his desk.
"Sirius what are we doing here? Can't we go somewhere private?" Casselle whined.
"Just sit down; this'll be over in a minute." He said walking over to the professor.
"It just needs to be stirred a few more times, and then it should be perfect." Slughorn said stirring the large bubbling cauldron sitting on his desk in a counterclockwise motion for a few more minutes. "There, now Casselle come here and drink this." Slughorn said holding out a goblet filled with the potion.
"What is it?" Casselle asked walking toward them.
"Just some juice, it'll make you feel better." Slughorn said.
"Come on Casselle, it tastes great." Sirius encouraged ready to force the potion down her throat if it came to that.
"Okay," She said cautiously taking the goblet. As she took a few sips the expression on her face seemed to harden. In contrast to the dreaming stare her eyes had a moment ago they changed to something of horror. "Oh Merlin," She said as she finished the glass.
"Casselle?" Sirius asked as he stared at her. "How are you feeling?"
Casselle turned to Sirius and her eyes widened in disgust. She stared dumbstruck, and then ran out of the room. She couldn't believe the fool she made of herself over the last day, fighting Maria, throwing herself at Sirius, and oh god showing up in the lingerie Emma had gotten her as a joke. This could not have happened. She ran down the corridors just wanting to hide in her dormitory for the rest of her life. She sure as hell never wanted to see the face of Sirius Black ever again.
As she reached the common room she just continued to run up the staircase and threw herself on to her bed pulling the covers high over her head.
"Cass?" She heard Lily call from the doorway. "Are you okay?"
"Lily," Casselle moaned. "What am I going to do? I can't show my face in the common room ever again."
"It'll be okay, everyone knows you were under the control of the potion. And all the girls love that you gave Maria a bloody nose, which was brilliant." Emma said sitting down on the side of Casselle's bed.
"Not helping," Casselle whined from under the covers.
"Come on, it's okay. Why don't we go get some lunch. You must be starving." Lily offered pulling the covers off of her.
"I can't even think of eating." Casselle said trying to pull the covers back up.
"Well I am hungry, and you are going to come with me." Lily said pulling the covers off the rest of the way.
Casselle groaned, as she stood up. "Fine, but if someone says anything about yesterday I'm leaving."
"Okay, let's go." Lily said walking to the door.
Casselle sat with her shoulders slumped at the Gryffindor table staring at her plate not able to eat anything. The minute she had entered the Great Hall everyone started whispering and she was contemplating which schools she could transfer to.
"Come on Cass, eat something." Emma pleaded with her.
"I'm not hungry."
"Hey Casselle how are you feeling?" The voice was all too familiar to her. Her stomach churned while her cheeks flushed as she looked up to see Sirius take the seat across from her. "You ran off so quickly I didn't get a chance to see how you were," he said sounding sincerely concerned.
"Yeah, you were pretty scary yesterday." James said. "If I didn't know better I'd say- Ow!" James yelled rubbing his leg, "What was that for Evans?"
But before either of them could say anything else, Casselle was halfway out of the dining hall. "God Potter could you be anymore inconsiderate!" Lily said getting up to follow Casselle. Emma followed suit offering the boys an apologetic smile as they abandoned their meal.
Casselle took off for the main doors and ran out onto the grounds. She needed to be alone. Casselle made her way to a willow tree on the farthest edge of the lake. Sitting at the base with her knees pressed to her chest she wiped a tear from her eye.
She desperately wished she didn't have to remember everything she did yesterday. Her face burned with shame as images of throwing herself at Sirius in her underwear rose to the forefront of her mind.
Casselle wasn't sure how long she sat there but eventually the tears stilled on her face and the chill in the autumn air made her shiver.
"Cold out."
Casselle closed her eyes willing the voice away, instead she felt someone sit next to her.
"What do you want Black?"
Sirius shrugged stuffing something in his pocket before sitting down next to her, not quite sure of the answer, "Evans and Thompson are going mad searching the castle for you so James offered our help."
Casselle nodded her gaze fixed on the lake.
"Look I know yesterday was well…an experience…but I mean it wasn't exactly your fault…I mean it was the potion right?"
Casselle closed her eyes; this was one conversation she never wanted to have.
"I mean it's not like you would have ever kissed me or picked that fight with Maria or erm showed up in the boys dorm dressed like that…"
"Thanks so much for reminding me Black," she hissed wishing she could disappear.
"That's not what I meant! I just meant that it wasn't you!"
"Look I don't need this right now you're the last person I want to talk to so can you just leave me alone. Please."
Sirius sighed but stood up anyway, "you can't run forever eventually you'll just have to face it"
"I don't have to do anything," She snapped her anger rising
"Fine just run away and avoid everything like a coward, honestly it makes no difference to me," He replied annoyed at the whole situation.
"Why do you have to be such an arse all the time!" She yelled.
"I'm not the one that acted like a bloody idiot yesterday it was your own damn fault that everything happened. Trust me I didn't enjoy any of it!" he replied his voice harsh.
"GET. AWAY. FROM. ME!" she screamed pulling her wand out and pointing it at him.
Sirius got to his feet glaring at her, "Fine be a bitch, I don't know why I even bothered."
Something in Casselle snapped and she began firing hexes as fast as she could. Sirius took off for the castle covering his face with his arms.
When Sirius disappeared from view, Casselle finally put her wand down and hid her face in her knees.
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