25 June 1976
Roseberry and Remus sat across from each other in a compartment on the Hogwarts Express, watching Sirius and James duel and trying to ignore the squeaks that Peter made when a hex flew too close to him. The duelists were drenched with sweat, but grinning.
"Agh, I suppose that's enough practice, eh, Prongs?" said Sirius, collapsing next to Rose and throwing an arm around her.
James sat down across from him and grinned, "I can't wait for us to turn seventeen. We'll be unstoppable!"
"You're unstoppable now," said Roseberry, rolling her eyes. "Since when have little things like rules ever stopped the two of you?"
Sirius laughed and planted a sloppy kiss on her cheek, "Ah, that's why you love us!"
Roseberry tried to act dismissive, but the corners of her mouth betrayed her mirth. "I suppose," she admitted. "It certainly will be an entertaining summer, at least."
9 July 1976
Sirius pulled Roseberry onto his broomstick just as the afternoon shadows began to lengthen. The couple soared above the buildings and the trees, Sirius's broom gaining speed. Rose nuzzled at Sirius's neck and he pulled her arms tighter around him with a free hand.
Several hours later, after watching the last blush of day sink into the ocean from a rugged west-facing cliff, Sirius pulled Roseberry closer to him, "This is my favorite spot. I used to come here when I was younger. When things got bad at home, I'd hop on my broom and come out here to be alone and think."
Roseberry lay back on the soft grass to gaze up at the stars. "It's beautiful here, Sirius. Far away from the lights of town, the stars seem so much brighter. It—it reminds me of h—home," the girl choked. She took a deep breath and shivered as a chilly night wind nipped at her shoulders. Sirius nudged her jaw line with his nose. He stroked her cheek with the backs of his fingers and brushed a tear away with his thumb.
Roseberry smiled up at him and Sirius kissed his girlfriend full on the mouth. Rose's soft hands entwined themselves into his long dark locks, pulling him to her. Sirius's tongue brushed past her lips and met with hers.
Sirius's hand roamed away from Roseberry's face and travelled down her neck and over her bare shoulders. Sirius moaned into her mouth as Roseberry shuddered under his touch. Sirius tugged at Roseberry's peasant top, the light fabric slipping down easily to expose her bare chest. Sirius pulled away from her mouth and nipped lightly at her neck as his hands explored the unknown territory of her full breasts. Rose gasped as his slightly trembling fingers tweaked her nipples gently. His mouth came down to taste her breasts as his hand snaked up her supple thighs under her long cotton skirt. Rose whimpered as his fingers came in contact with her smooth, slick warmth. Sirius groaned as he ground himself into her hip.
"Sirius," gasped Roseberry, breathlessly.
"Rose," murmured Sirius, closing his eyes and inhaling a mixture of her flowery perfume and the musk of their mutual arousals. His finger slipped into her and she arched her back, her hip rubbing against his erection.
A guttural moan escaped her moist red lips before she gripped his wrist and pushed his hand away. "Sirius, I—I can't. I—I'm just not ready," she said, sitting up and straightening her clothing. She sat, chewing her lower lip, looking off into the distance.
Sirius rolled over on his back and groaned. He looked over at Roseberry and saw that she was trembling. He sat up and put an arm around her shoulders, "Hey, what's wrong?"
Roseberry looked up at him, her eyes welling with unshed tears, "I'm sorry, Sirius. I know you want to but—" Roseberry looked down at her clasped hands.
"It's okay," Sirius said softly, cupping her face with his hand and pulling her gaze upward, "It's okay, Roseberry. I don't want you to do anything that you're not ready for. I love you and I'm willing to wait." He kissed her lightly on the top of the head.
"I love you too, Sirius Black."
24 July 1976
Roseberry sipped on a peppermint milkshake in front of Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor, catching up with Remus, who had spent his summer in Rome. Remus described the sites he'd visited and the books he'd read during his trip in between bites of his chocolate fudge sundae.
"Still talking about Rome, Moony?" asked Sirius, walking up behind him and ruffling his hair. He collapsed in a chair between Rose and Remus and stole a drink of Roseberry's milkshake. "Ugh! Peppermint! Gross!" He reached over and stole Remus's spoon out of his hand and took a big bite out of his sundae, "Much better."
James and Peter took seats opposite Sirius. James took the spoon out of Sirius's hand and shoveled some of Remus's sundae into his mouth.
"HEY!" exclaimed Remus, reclaiming his spoon. "Get your own ice cream!"
"That's why I like flavors no one else likes," Roseberry explained to Remus, leaning back in her chair. She smiled at Sirius, "Y'all took long enough in the quidditch supply store. There couldn't have been that much to see."
"But there was, dear cousin," said James. "Now that I'm quidditch captain, my best beater and I must be well-equipped to win the quidditch cup for Gryffindor!"
"Of course," said Roseberry, rolling her eyes.
Sirius scooted his chair closer to hers and kissed her cheek, "The quidditch cup is a big deal for the Marauders, darling. Gryffindor will never win the House Cup while we're students. Not with all the detentions that James and I get. We've probably gotten a thousand points a piece deducted from Gryffindor since we arrived. The quidditch cup is our one chance to bring glory to our house."
"Or you could, hm, I don't know, start following the rules."
"Rules? What are those? Prongs, do you know what she's talking about?"
"Not a clue, Padfoot," responded James, shaking his head. "She's acting like her brain's been addled. Perhaps we should swing by St. Mungo's on our way home."
"I don't know how you stand them, Remus," Roseberry said, disregarding Sirius and James. "You must be a saint to put up with them."
"I try…when they're not stealing my ice cream, that is," responded Remus, jealously guarding his sundae.
"I promised mother that I'd bring the both of you to dinner," said James. "We'd better head home. Hurry and finish your sundae, Moony, or Padfoot and I will help you."