Fragments of Us
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Warning: This chapter is rated M.
Chapter 13 – A Christmas Celebration
In the days leading up to Christmas, Sirius was true to his word. He was less anxious, his mood swings were less frequent and, as Christmas Eve approached, his mood reminded both Remus and Kate of holidays spent together at Hogwarts. Kate being on holiday, as well, contributed enormously to Sirius' well being and he and Kate grew steadily closer, as a result. None of this progress was lost on Remus and he reveled in the chance to revisit the good times they had had together in the past.
On Christmas Eve morning, Molly burst into the kitchen and announced tearfully that Arthur was to be released on Christmas afternoon. Sirius immediately suggested that dinner be postponed until early evening, to give Arthur a chance to come back to headquarters, rest a bit from the travel and enjoy at least a part of Christmas with his family and friends. Molly pulled out her handkerchief and blew her nose loudly and then looked toward Sirius. Fred and George could hardly contain themselves at the look on Sirius' face.
Before Molly could say anything, Sirius began to back away, saying, "Glad to do it, Molly. Least I can do. Spirit of the season and all that. I think I'll go wrap something. I'll see you all later."
The moment he left the room and Molly, still sniffling, had gone into the pantry to check on supplies for dinner, Remus, Kate, Harry and the Weasley children burst into the laughter they could no longer contain.
"Did you see the look on his face?" Fred gasped. "Looked like he was asked to snog McGonagall…" he fell into his twin, who was having an equally difficult time controlling himself.
"McGonagall?," snorted George. "He looked like he was asked to snog Dumbledore!"
Kate looked over at Remus who, like her, had begun to shake off their mirth – at least to the point that they could breathe normally. "I'm going to check on him," she mouthed, pointing at the ceiling.
Remus looked at her knowingly. "Going to torture him, more like," he said quietly.
With a wink and a smile, Kate left the room.
As she approached Sirius door, she saw that it was half way open. Clearing her throat loudly, she was rewarded with the sound of rustling paper and what sounded like a trunk lid being slammed shut. "Ow! Shite!" came from within the room. Kate couldn't stand it any longer.
"Such language, Mr. Black! And on Christmas Eve! You'd better hope that Father Christmas has already made all his "naughty" and "nice" decisions," Kate leaned against the doorway and laughed.
"Ah doan fink yr fee awl," Sirius spoke around his thumb, which was wedged firmly in his mouth, an expression of pain on his face.
"Say again?" Kate folded her arms across her chest and gazed at him quizzically. "Is that some sort of Animagus dialect with which I am unfamiliar? Caninese, perhaps?"
Sirius removed his thumb with a small pop. "I said 'I don't think you're funny at all'. And your last comments have done nothing to change my mind!" He walked toward her shaking the offending digit. "Bugger! That hurt!"
"What did you do?" Kate asked, looking a little more closely at his thumb which was slightly red at the knuckle.
"Slammed it in my trunk," Sirius grumbled.
"You really should look before you slam," she smiled. Sirius stuck his hand in the pocket of his robes.
"Never mind," he said. "And just what were you doing skulking around outside my door, Katie girl? Trying to see your present, were you?"
Kate went over and sat down on the edge of his bed – the area closest to the now-closed trunk. "Absolutely not!" she told him. "I came up here because Molly was looking for you. Something about a "Christmas kiss", or some such nonsense. She was carrying quite the sprig of mistletoe with her…veritable branch it was!"
Sirius chuckled in spite of himself, although he had gone a bit pale when Kate first started to speak.
"Minx," he said affectionately.
"Git," she returned, warmly. "So, if I had been poking around in your hiding places, would there have been a present to inspect?"
"Perhaps," Sirius sat down next to her, enjoying their banter. Gods, this felt good! "Is there a little something hiding somewhere for me, then?"
"You'll just have to wait and see," Kate replied, leaning casually over toward the end of the bed and placing a hand on the top of the trunk. "Meanwhile, I suppose I could just look around on my own…"
Sirius moved more quickly than Kate had anticipated and leapt across the space between them, reaching for her hand as he went. Unfortunately, he misjudged the distance and wound up squarely on top of her, knocking the wind out of her as he fell, his hand landing on the bedspread beside her, having missed the trunk by a large margin. For a moment, neither of them moved: Kate because she couldn't catch her breath and Sirius because their close proximity had rendered him immobile.
Kate could only look up at him as she began to recover her breath. As she stared, Kate once again became mesmerized by Sirius' eyes. He showed every emotion in their blue depths; he always had. As she gazed at them now, Kate was stunned by the mosaic of emotion she saw: confusion, anxiety, surprise … love.
"Katie," he whispered, his lips sending soft puffs of warm air over hers. "Katie," he said again, lowering his head and covering her mouth with his. Her breathing was only slightly better, but somehow Kate didn't care very much as she brought her hands up to catch in his hair, holding him in place. She felt Sirius' tongue tentatively brush her lower lip and she opened her mouth to admit it. Immediately, Sirius slid his tongue against hers, stroking, probing, tasting. Kate moaned deep in her throat as she felt the familiar warmth begin to spread through her abdomen – and lower. Oh, Merlin, how I've missed this. How I've missed him, she corrected herself. She arched her hips up into Sirius and immediately felt the evidence of his own feelings. Rewarded by his deep groan, Kate did it again.
Sirius broke their kiss and inhaled shakily. He lifted one hand to brush a strand of hair away from her face. "Look at me," he whispered. Kate's eyes flew open at the sound. "You're so beautiful," he said softly, then his expression changed and his eyes widened. Looking over at the trunk, then back down at her, he said, "We've done this before."
Kate thought then nodded. "Mmhmm," she agreed. "Sixth year. I was packing to go home for the holidays. You wanted me to stay, but knew I couldn't. You said you'd settle for your present…"
Sirius' brow was furrowed from his effort to remember and then it cleared and filled with enormous joy. "I told you I'd search everywhere until I found it. I told you that I'd have no problem making you miss your train. Gods, Kate, I would have given anything to have had you stay with me."
Kate reached up and stroked his face gently. "What else do you remember?"
He closed his eyes and suddenly could picture everything. The Gryffindor common room, decorated in all manner of Christmas trimming. Kate's trunk next to the overstuffed couch. One hand was resting on the arm of the couch, not quite reaching the trunk. He had threatened to ruin her careful packing job, but landing on top of Kate had completely shifted his focus. "Role reversal," he finally told her. "Same position, but I was going to be the one searching your trunk. I didn't, though, did I?"
Kate smiled softly. "No, you didn't, luv," she confirmed. "This particular predicament has always caused you to lose your focus. I used to count on it."
Sirius leaned down and kissed her again once, then twice more. "And now? Do you count on it now?"
Kate smiled again. "I will from now on," she said.
Sirius laughed, and then leaned down to kiss her again. As Kate began to deepen the kiss again, there was a sound from the hallway. Kate pulled back and put a finger to his lips to still Sirius' speech. The footsteps paused outside his door then moved on down the hallway.
Kate sighed, then picked her head up, moved her finger from Sirius' lips and kissed him gently.
"You've gotten one good memory back," Kate smiled at him.
"And it was of us," Sirius returned her smile. "I don't think I could ask for a better Christmas present than that."
"Oh, good," Kate said, sitting up. "I'll just take yours back then. Good thing I haven't wrapped it yet."
"Not a chance," Sirius growled. "I want my present."
Kate giggled. "I promise. You shall have your present, Padfoot. Tomorrow!"
"Completely unfair, Miss Morgan," Sirius pulled a face. "Good will toward men and all that rot. Don't you think you should exercise a bit more good will?" His expression could best be described as "leering".
Kate leaned up and kissed him again. "Christmas hasn't even come yet. I think we'll have more chances to promote 'good will'." And with that, Kate put her hand on his chest and gently pushed upward.
"Oh, alright. I'll just have to hope, I suppose," Sirius sat up, then stood and offered Kate his hand. As she took his hand, Sirius pulled her gently up and against him. "Be warned, luv. I've had one breakthrough here and I've won back a memory of you and me. I want more of them. I want more."
Kate kissed his lips softly. "I told you that I would help you and I will," she promised him. "C'mon, Sirius. Let's go downstairs and have Christmas Eve with this ragtag little family we've got here."
Sirius hugged her tightly for a moment then let her go. As they walked through the door, Kate turned and said to him, "Hmm, wonder if Molly hung that mistletoe yet." At the sound of the low growl behind her, Kate made a mad dash for the stairs, Sirius hard on her heels, both of them breathless and laughing.
XXXXXXXX
That evening, after dinner, everyone gathered in the library. Sirius had built a roaring fire that crackled and filled the normally drafty room with cozy warmth. The garland boughs and sprigs of bayberry brought a wonderful, seasonal scent throughout the room. Molly had baked gingerbread and Sirius and Remus had mulled some wine and everyone was relaxing and enjoying the rare moment of normalcy. As the evening wore on, the raucous game of Exploding Snap between Sirius and Harry came to a screeching (smoking?) halt and Ron and Remus put away the Wizard's Chessboard – but only after Ron had proved quite a match for Remus' chess-playing skills. Molly put away her knitting, looked at the clock and shooed Hermione and Ginny upstairs. Even the twins seemed to know that it was time to call it a day. Soon, Sirius and Kate were left alone in front of the fire.
Sirius rose from the wingback chair and waved his wand at the fire to refresh its warmth. As he turned toward the sofa, his gaze fell on Kate. She sat with her feet curled beneath her, clad in beautiful, burgundy velvet robes. Her hair caught the firelight and her brown eyes were suffused with warmth and she smiled as she returned his frank gaze.
Kate shivered as Sirius sat next to her. He took her in his arms. "Cold?" he asked, his hands stroking her back.
Kate wove her hands through is hair. "Sirius," she said slyly. "'cold' is the last thing I'm feeling right now."
Sirius chuckled softly then moved so he could look into her eyes. "You are so beautiful," he said, his face reflecting his emotions. "I wonder what you must think when you see me now and remember how I used to look."
Kate kissed him gently. "Oh, Sirius," she breathed. "When I see you now, I see a beautiful man with more courage, more character than most people. I see your gorgeous eyes and your warm smile. You are still the most beautiful man I've ever known."
Sirius eyes filled as he listened to her words and his gaze remained fixed on hers. He dropped his head and captured her mouth with his. This kiss was passionate, exciting and filled with all the emotion he thought he'd never feel again. Sirius groaned when he felt her mouth open beneath his and her tongue come out to circle his lips. He deepened the kiss, pushing her tongue gently back into her mouth and using his own to stroke the inside of her cheeks, her sensitive palate before withdrawing and nibbling on her lower lip.
Sirius kissed his way along Kate's jaw and found her pulse point which was fluttering wildly against his lips. He licked, nipped and kissed the spot until Kate was quivering with feeling and arching her neck and back to give him easier access to her.
Sirius raised his head and looked into her eyes. "Katie, if we don't stop now, I won't be able to."
Kate reached up and stroked his face. "Do you want to stop?" she whispered.
"No," Sirius said, leaning back down to kiss her deeply.
"Then don't," Kate whispered, sliding around so that she was lying fully on the sofa and pulling him down on top of her. "Sirius," she breathed into his ear. "I've missed you so much. It's been so long. Please, make love to me."
Sirius gasped then moved so he was reclining against the back of the sofa. He reached into his pocket for his wand and, with a murmur, their clothing was gone and they both moaned at the realization that they were touching each other after years of being apart. His gaze swept down her body, followed by his fingers. He swept delicately over the creamy skin of her breasts, grazing the dusty pink nipples that pebbled under his touch. Kate shifted against him a bit and exhaled sharply. "Sirius, please," she murmured. "I need you. Gods, I need you so much!"
Sirius bent his head and kissed her once more. He took each breast in his mouth, running the tip of his tongue over the stiff peaks one at a time. Kate moaned at the sensation. Knowing what she wanted, Sirius brought his hand down between her thighs and slid his fingers through the moisture he found there. "Sirius!" Kate gasped. "Please, please touch me. Please." Sirius slipped his middle finger into her and found her clitoris with his thumb. He began moving in and out of her heat while putting pressure on her sensitive bud. He was so hard and he ached for her, but he wanted to hold off until he brought her to her own pleasure. Kate writhed beneath his attentions, her breath coming in small puffs and her eyes locked on his. "Yes, luv," he whispered to her. "Let go for me. Let me give this to you, Katie. Let it go; come for me."
Kate's eyes widened as her head lifted and her hands clutched his arms. She felt her orgasm wash over her and she called out Sirius' name as her body shook and pulsed.
As she began to come down, Sirius slid inside her and they both cried out at the feeling.
Sirius knew he would not – could not last. He felt the last of Kate's orgasm contract around his aching member as he thrust in and out of her quickly. His eyes were closed tightly and he was panting harshly. Kate opened her eyes and called his name. When he didn't respond, Kate brought her hands up to frame his face. "Sirius, look at me," she said softly. Finally, his eyes opened. "I love you," she said. That was all it took. Sirius thrust inside her one more time then stilled. He called her name and shuddered. Kate felt his warmth fill her, then Sirius full weight dropped down on top of her.
As they caught their breath, Kate stroked Sirius dark head, moving his hair from his brow and kissing the damp skin she revealed there. After a time, Kate felt Sirius place a small kiss on her neck and he rose, bracing himself on his elbows to look into her face. "I love you," he whispered. He leaned down and kissed her tenderly. "I never believed we would have this again; that you could ever want me again."
"Again?" Kate replied. "Sirius, I've always wanted you, I've always loved you. Even when I thought you had betrayed us, I loved you. The entire time I was in America, I loved you. When I moved in here, I still loved you – even when you made me so angry I couldn't see straight. Loving you isn't something I know how to stop doing," she said.
"Thank you," Sirius whispered.
They lay together for awhile longer before Sirius rose and "accio'd" their clothing from the corner of the library where they had landed. They put on their robes, Sirius brought down the fire and, together, they headed upstairs.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
I hope that all of you who hoped for some Christmas happiness are pleased with this chapter. It is my first attempt at writing a realistic sex scene that also – hopefully – embraces a little of the emotion these two characters are feeling about each other and their situation. I hope I've accomplished it. Thanks for continuing to read and leave comments. I appreciate your feedback!