Chapter 2

Hazel

6. What is the wand movement for Engorgio and Reducio?

This was simple. I remembered practicing those spells with Sirius on that quill in the common room. The wand movement for both of them was a double flick.

Half an hour later I was finished, and I was confident that I was going to get an Outstanding as I placed my test on Professor Flitwick's desk. A few minutes later I noticed Sirius finish and start playing tic-tac-toe with James on a scrap of parchment.

There's something different about Sirius Black. I can't seem to stop myself from watching him all the time. His looks seem somehow aristocratic, but casual. He has longish, dark hair which he's grown longer this year. Sometimes it falls over his fathomless gray eyes.

You could say I obsess over Sirius. I've liked him since third year, and sometimes it seems like he likes me, too. The problem is, he doesn't date. Ever. So I was pretty surprised this morning when he said he'd go to Hogsmeade with me if he got an Outstanding on this test.

True, I've acted a little more bold with him lately. I offered to study with him last night, and I've held his hand twice now—last night and this morning. I've hugged him twice, too. He didn't seem to mind at all—and now he's taking me to Hogsmeade next weekend. Professor Flitwick stood up.

"Do I have all of your tests?" He squeaked. No one said anything. "Then you can talk while I grade your tests. I'll hand them out to you at the end of class. Homework tonight is a six inch essay on why wand movements are important." He sat down as I wrote down the assignment in the homework planner Lily got me for Christmas.

"How do you think you did?" I asked my friend, Sarah, who was sitting next to me.

"I'm not sure. I didn't really study." She admitted, her wide blue eyes looking a little nervous as she tugged on a piece of light blonde hair.

"Oh, how come?" Poor Sarah. She always had a hard time with Charms, even when she did study. Care of Magical Creatures was easily her best subject because she was so good with animals.

"Well, I was actually with Alec…"She blushed a little.

"Ah." I didn't want to hear any more. Sarah had been dating Alec Berkeley, a Ravenclaw, for most of the year. I didn't really need to hear all the romantic, gushy details.

"What about you? How do you think you did?" She asked me. I shrugged. I wasn't going to say I was almost positive I got an Outstanding. I hated making other people feel bad.

"Well I studied for a few hours with Sirius last night, so I think I did okay." I explained. Her jaw popped open.

"Really? You did? Does he know you like him?" It was my turn to blush as I glanced at Sirius, who was talking to his friends. His deep voice stood out from the rest.

"I think so. I tried to make it as obvious as I could."

"What did you do?" She looked excited. You could always count on Sarah to be happy for you.

"Well, we held hands a little. When we were done studying he took me to the kitchens and we got some butterbeer."

"That sounds fun! Oh my gosh, he's looking at you!"

"Don't look at him!" I felt myself blushing furiously as I glanced quickly at Sirius. Our eyes locked briefly before we hastily looked away. Sarah was giggling, and after a moment I joined in. Her laugh was contagious.

"What's so funny?" Alice turned to face us from the front. Alice had short brown hair and chocolate brown eyes. Lily, sitting next to her, also turned around. Lily had beautiful red hair which was always easy to find in a crowd. It matched her temper perfectly, especially when she was around James Potter. Her eyes were bright green and almond shaped.

"I think Sirius likes Hazel!" Sarah whispered to them.

"Of course he does." Said Lily confidently. "Anyone would. She's beautiful, smart, and nice. Has he asked you out yet?" She seemed almost businesslike as she asked. I shrugged. I was doing that a lot today.

"He said if he gets an Outstanding on this test then he'll take me to Hogsmeade next weekend."

"Oh, do you think he will?" Alice asked skeptically.

"Well we studied together for a few hours last night, and I think so." He'd better, I added to myself. My friends were all squealing excitedly, and I was getting excited along with them.

"Well," said Sarah impatiently, "What are you going to wear?" I hadn't really gotten that far yet. I was still amazed that he'd asked me out!

"Um, I'm not sure." I said hesitantly. "What do you think I should wear?"

"Wear blue!" Advised Lily. "It really brings out your eyes. Like when I wear green."

"Hmm… Okay, I think I know what I'll wear. I'll show you guys. Are you going with Alec, Sarah?" Sarah's face lit up.

"Yep! Of course! It will be so much fun!" She gushed. I looked at Lily and Alice.

"What about you guys?"

"We'll probably just go down together." Said Alice. "But I'm so excited for you, Hazel! You've liked him forever!" I sighed.

"Yeah, pretty much." I admitted. Professor Flitwick stood up again.

"Alright, I have all your test scores! Come and get them as I call out your name! Miss Ackerman!" I walked up to him and took my test. There was a big black O on it. I grinned. "Mr. Black!" Sirius came and grabbed his.

"How did you do?" He asked me, smiling slightly.

"I got an O. What about you?" I crossed my fingers behind my back. His smile grew into a wide grin as he held up his test for me to see.

"I think we have a date next weekend." He said as I bounced forward to give him a hug. He laughed his loud bark.

"I can't wait!" I said. I couldn't. Next weekend? That was a week away! I noticed Sarah and Lily comparing tests while Alice sat next to them, looking nervous. Her name was closer to the end of the alphabet than ours. "Well I'll talk to you later, alright?" I said to him.

"Sure, want to take a walk after dinner?" Wow, twice in a day? Things were definitely looking up for me.

"Sounds great! See you!" I walked over to my friends just as Professor Flitwick called Alice's name.

"Well, how did you and Sirius do?" Lily asked eagerly. I felt myself grin.

"We both got Outstandings! And we're taking a walk after dinner tonight!"

"That's great, Hazel!" Squealed Sarah.

"Ooh, good luck!" Lily said before giving me a hug.

"How did you two do?" I asked them. I wanted to steer the conversation away from me. I didn't like being the center of attention.

"I got an Acceptable." Sarah grimaced. "I guess it could have been worse."

"I got an O." Lily announced cheerfully. "I really wasn't sure about question 18, so I just guessed, but I ended up getting it right!" They started discussing the questions more as Alice came over holding her essay, an E. I gazed at the wall, thinking.

Sirius had asked me out twice in one day. Sirius, who never dated, ever, had asked me. I knew there were prettier girls than me who liked him. Evelyn Jones, a Hufflepuff, had spent most of fifth year trying to get him to go out with her, but it was like he didn't even notice. I'd felt a little sorry for her, and also guilty for being secretly glad about it. Soon the bell rang, and I headed to Arithmancy with Lily while Alice and Sarah went to Care of Magical Creatures.

Lily had to keep nudging me during class, reminding me to work on my translations. I couldn't seem to focus—my mind just wasn't there. I noticed Professor Hurst giving me a stern look, so I quickly looked back down at my translations and managed to finish a sentence. After what felt like hours, the bell finally rang for lunch.

The rest of the day flew by until we had about half an hour until dinner. I hurried back to my dormitory to make sure I still looked okay. My hair was still up in the knot Lily had twisted it in that morning. A few strands of hair were down around my face, but I liked it better that way. After putting away my bag I started towards the Great Hall.

Sirius and I sat together under a beech tree. It was April, so things were a little warmer. He sat pretty close—our arms were touching.

"So you've suddenly decided to start dating?" I asked curiously. I was dying to know why he'd finally started asking me out.

"Well," he started slowly, "I figure if it's someone you really like, and you're not dating just to have a date, than it's alright."

"So I'm someone you really like, then?" I was going to make him say it. His gray eyes looked intently into mine.

"Yes, you are." He said seriously. I smiled. I'd been waiting for him to say that for years. "What about you? Do you like me?" He asked.

"Sirius, you are definitely someone I really like." I said cheerfully. I couldn't help being happy around him. He put his arm around my shoulders, and I leaned into him. It was comfortable.

"You know, I've always loved your hair." He said playing with a loose strand. "It's so long, and smooth."

"Speaking of hair," I started, "Why did you grow yours longer this year?" I always wanted to know the reasons behind people's decisions, no matter how small they were. It helped you understand that person better. Sirius hesitated.

"This probably sounds kind of weird, but when things aren't going well, I grow out my hair. When I'm happy, I cut it." I thought about that.

"Why have you been upset, then?" A sad look came into his eyes as he looked out at the black lake.

"I ran away from home last summer." I waited for him to continue. With Sirius, if you just listened then eventually he'd keep talking.

"My parents are, well, you've seen my cousins, Bellatrix and Narcissa. My parents are even worse. Pure-blood maniacs. When I got sorted into Gryffindor, things got even worse between us. One night last summer, they both just kept screaming at me, asking me why I couldn't be more like my brother, Regulus. I was fed up with it, so I left and went to James' house. Even though I don't like them much, it's still hard turning your back on your family."

"I'm sorry, Sirius." I murmured.

"Oh, I'm fine, Hazel. I am glad to be out of that stupid house." He conceded. "It's horrible. House-elf heads on the walls, dark stuff everywhere, our creepy house-elf—mostly I'm glad to be done with it. What about your family? What are they like?" He asked me.

"My dad and I live in a house in London. I'm an only child."

"What about your mum?" I felt tears threatening to fall when he mentioned that, but I held them back.

"She, um, died when I was nine. She was a curse breaker for Gringotts in Egypt, and one of the curses killed her." I felt Sirius' arm tighten around me."

"I'm so sorry, Hazel." He said softly.

"I'm fine. It's just hard seeing my dad. Seven years later he still hasn't moved on."

"What does he do?" Sirius asked.

"He's an Auror. He's been really busy lately with all the death eater attacks." An evil wizard, Voldemort, or You-Know-Who, as people called him, had started attacking wizard and Muggle families with his supporters, the death eaters.

"Yeah my parents are huge supporters of Voldemort. He's their hero, come to rid the world of muggleborns, Muggles, and blood traitors." He laughed bitterly.

"It's hard to understand why people would do those horrible things." I said. "You know Tracy Grant? Her little brother was bitten by a werewolf, and he was only seven!" I'd felt so sorry for her. She'd been crying for weeks. Sirius nodded.

"I heard about that. Let's talk about something else. Are you doing anything this summer?"

"I don't think so. My dad will probably be fairly busy with work." We hadn't gone on a vacation since second year.

"Well then we should hang out sometime this summer."

"Yeah, we definitely should." Hanging out with Sirius? Much better than a vacation.

"Well we should get inside. Moony, Wormtail, and Prongs wanted me to meet them so we can plan a pra—I mean, so we can work on something." I smiled. They always came up with the funniest pranks.

"Okay. I need to write some essays." He stood up and held out his hand to help me up. We held hands all the way to the Common Room, when he said he had to go. He leaned in and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek before leaving to find his friends.

Was it legal to be this happy?

Thank you so much for everyone who reviewed Chapter 1! Sofiya96, PrincessDripDrop, Sudowoodo, and PurplePumpkin12, I was so happy to read all your reviews! Thanks for telling me what you liked about the story:) I had fun writing this chapter because they both finally came out with their feelings about each other. Next chapter will either be the Hogsmeade visit, or summer holiday with flashbacks about it. If you like one of those ideas better, than let me know in a review!

-Amanda