8 October 1977
Roseberry was never the same after the attack. The rumors flew. Slytherins laughed and made rude insinuations as she walked past. Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws looked at her pityingly. It was the pity that Sirius suspected she hated the most. Her friends were loyal, accompanying her whenever she left the Gryffindor dormitories. Remus was a fast friend, never letting her out of his sight. Not unless she was with Sirius.
Safely within the walls of the Gryffindor common room, however, she often sat alone. She would stare into the fire for hours on end, impervious to any attempts to draw her into conversation. Alice had told Remus that Roseberry often awoke screaming and drenched in sweat before crying herself back to sleep. The nights she didn't wake her dorm mates, they suspected that she'd placed a silencing charm around her bed.
Sirius was at a loss as to what to do. Neither James nor Remus could get her to talk either. Sirius wished she would share the pain with him. He wanted her to talk to him. To confide in him her deepest fears as she used to when he held her in his arms.
This particular night, Roseberry was sitting by the fire, lost in thought with a haunted look on her face. It was late and the only other Gryffindors in the common room were Sirius and Remus. Remus nodded goodnight to Sirius and squeezed Roseberry's shoulder on his way to the boys' dormitories. Sirius placed an arm across Roseberry's shoulders and nuzzled her ear. She smiled weakly, not taking her eyes from the fire.
"Don't you think you ought to get some sleep? It's getting late."
"I'm fine, Sirius," she replied, not looking up. "Why don't you go get some sleep? I'll go to bed in a bit."
"Are you certain?"
"Yes. I'll be fine here."
Sirius kissed her lightly on the cheek and made his way to his room. The other boys were asleep by the time he crawled into bed. He pulled the hangings shut around him and lay on his back. He shut his eyes, picturing his beautiful Rose as she was before. Smiling up at him. Jesting. Throwing her arms around him. Kissing him. Gently, first. Then more passionately. He felt his pulse quicken just thinking about it. Sighing, he shook his head and rolled over, burying his face into his pillow. No sense in thinking about that right now. He was about to fall asleep when he heard soft footsteps approaching his bed. He whirled around as he heard his hangings being pulled aside. There, illuminated by the silvery cast of moonlight, stood Roseberry. She slipped onto his bed and pulled the hangings closed again.
"What's wrong?" asked Sirius, alarmed.
"Shhhh…" hushed Roseberry, putting a finger to his lips. She pushed him back down on the bed and kissed him. Softly, then more insistently. She lowered herself down on top of him, her soft breasts pressing down on his bare chest. She straddled one of his legs and rubbed herself against his thigh. Sirius couldn't stop from moaning into her mouth as longing and excitement pulsed through his veins.
It took every ounce of self control, but Sirius managed to cradle her face in his hand and push her head back slightly.
"What's gotten into you? Talk to me."
"Take me, Sirius," whispered Roseberry, breathlessly. "Deflower me."
"I—what?" Sirius asked in shock. The wicked part of him wanted to take her before she could change her mind. But the other part of him, the good part, reminded him that she had always been quick to gently restrain him when he got carried away.
"Please, Sirius. Take me now."
"Tell me what this is about."
Roseberry rolled off of him and burst into tears. Sirius pulled her closer to him.
Roseberry took a shaky breath, "I'm sorry, Sirius. I'm such a fool. It's just—when they…when it happened…had you not gotten there when you did, it would have been Snape or Avery or Mulciber robbing me of my—my innocence."
Tears streamed down her face, "I'm afraid, Sirius, I'm constantly afraid. I hate feeling this way. I want to be deflowered on my own terms, Sirius. I don't want to take a chance at someone else getting to me first."
"You know I want you. I've always wanted you and I always will. If this is what you really want, we'll do it, but think about it first. I don't want you to do anything you'll regret."
"This is all I've thought about since it happened. I am certain that this is what I want. That you are what I want." Roseberry kissed him passionately.
Sirius kissed her back for several moments, then he gasped, "We'll do it, then, but we'll do it properly. I don't want your first time to be in my dorm room surrounded by other boys who might wake at any moment. Tomorrow night. We'll do it tomorrow night in the Shrieking Shack. Remember, you can change your mind at any time. We'll only do it if you still want it. Now let's get some rest." Sirius kissed her softly and stroked her hair. He waited until she was asleep with her head on his chest before he let himself drift off as well.
.~*~.~*~.~*~.~*~.~*~.
Roseberry had slipped out of his room just before dawn. That morning, at breakfast, she was much more herself. James and Remus commented on her renewed cheerfulness. Roseberry chatted with Lily about new robes they'd seen in the latest issue of Witch Couture and, Sirius was pleased to note, kept sneaking shy glances at him, turning pink when he caught her looking.
Sirius excused himself rather mysteriously soon after breakfast and snuck into Hogsmeade through a passageway leading to Honeydukes. He had a few items to purchase. He wanted to make the night memorable. Sirius spent the rest of the day in the Shrieking Shack, cleaning and preparing the bedroom.
Sirius made his way back to the castle just in time for dinner.
"Where've you been?" asked James.
"Here and there," replied Sirius, smiling at Roseberry. Roseberry, who had been talking to Remus, stopped mid-sentence to smile back at him.
As the Gryffindors headed back to the common room, Sirius slipped an arm around Roseberry's waist and whispered in her ear, "Are you still sure this is what you want to do?"
"Yes," she whispered back.
"Then meet me in the common room in two hours…once everyone has gone to bed."
Sirius took a long hot bath in the meanwhile. He carefully washed his hair and checked his face for blemishes. He crawled into bed, closed the curtains, and changed into his favorite pair of trousers and the black shirt that Roseberry always thought made him look debonair. He waited until he heard the hangings shut around the last bed before creeping out of the dorm and down to the common room.
Sirius sat nervously by the fire. Had she changed her mind? How long had he been waiting? It felt like hours, but he was certain that no more than five minutes had passed when he heard footsteps on the stairs. He turned and was rendered speechless. Roseberry was wearing a dress he hadn't seen before. The dress was burgundy, a color he was partial to her wearing, and had an off-the-shoulder neckline. It fit snugly over every curve of her body.
"You—you look incredible," he said, breathlessly.
She smiled, "So do you."
Sirius took her hand and led her out into the main part of the castle. They snuck out the front door and quickly made their way toward the Whomping Willow and then down the passageway to the Shrieking Shack. Just before they reached the shack, Sirius blindfolded her and led her in and up the stairs to the bedroom. He quickly lit candles and made last minute touches before removing the blindfold.
Roseberry opened her eyes and gasped. The room was flooded with the soft golden light of a hundred enchanted candles. Rose petals were strewn about the floor and over the silken sheets of a large bed. A chilled bottle of Muggle champagne sat in a bucket of ice next to two crystal flutes and a plate of chocolate-dipped strawberries.
"Oh, Sirius," she whispered, turning to him. "It's beautiful."
Sirius smiled and moved to pour them a drink. He handed her a flute and kissed her gently on the lips. He watched her sip her champagne and picked up a strawberry to feed her. She smiled and took a bite. She put down her flute and took his hand, leading him to the bed. She turned to him and kissed him gently on the lips. Sirius let his hands graze over the curves of her body. He heard the sharp intake of breath as he reached behind her and unzipped her dress, letting it fall to the floor.
"Are you sure?" he whispered, his eyes taking her in.
"Yes," she whispered back. She ran her hands down his chest and tugged at his shirt. Sirius let her pull his shirt off of him. Roseberry tentatively placed her hands on his muscular arms and felt the bare skin of his arms, his chest, his stomach. Sirius savored the soft touch of her fingers over his skin. A low unbidden moan was emitted from his throat as her fingers slipped beneath his waistband and she unfastened his trousers.
Sirius caressed her neck and nibbled at her ear. Emboldened by her ragged breathing, Sirius unfastened her brassiere and pulled it off.
"Oh," he gasped. "Good gods." He felt himself move under his small clothes. Sirius leaned down to kiss her quivering bottom lip. He let his hands travel over her heavy breasts. Roseberry whimpered softly and Sirius's mouth ran dry. Sirius pushed her onto the bed. She lay back as he removed the rest of her clothing as well as his own. Sirius kissed the hollow of her neck and let his tongue travel up to her ear. "Are you sure this is what you want? We can stop. It's your decision."
"I want it, Sirius. I want you." Roseberry's voice was throaty and desperate.
It was all he needed to hear. He lowered himself on top of her. "Are you ready?"
She nodded, her chest heaving and her lips parted. She gasped and grasped his shoulders as he pressed himself into her. Every whimper, every moan that escaped her moist lips encouraged him and he let his inhibitions slide. Roseberry's cries grew louder and reached a frenzied pitch before she shuddered violently. For Sirius, two years of desire erupted in one intense moment of passion. He lowered his head, resting his forehead on hers as he caught his breath. He grinned down at her, his long black hair tumbling down to brush her cheek.
Sirius rolled himself onto his side and propped himself up on one arm. He caressed her cheek and whispered in her ear, "I love you, Roseberry Abbott."
"I love you, Sirius Black," she murmured back. Roseberry nestled her head on his shoulder.
"Sleep, my love," said Sirius gently, stroking her hair. He grinned mischievously, "We'll both need rest if we're going to do that again."