Chapter Six: First date
Thankfully I needn't have worried that Sirius might stop contact with me again. For the rest of that week and the next, I did not spend a Free Lesson alone at all. If Sirius didn't see me right after class, he seemed to turn up out of nowhere and drag me off to the Kitchens or the empty Astronomy tower or somewhere around the Hogwarts Grounds. He never did any homework although occasionally, he'd sit quietly reading a book while I did mine. He even helped me with Transfiguration as that was a subject he obviously excelled at. He forced me to come to the Quidditch Pitch with him to bother James although Potter hid his Quidditch notes as soon as he saw me, saying that he'd duff me up if Benjy heard about any of the plays. Sirius would then tell me one of the plays and I'd watch, laughing as the two boys wrestled and yelled at each other.
And then, one Thursday, I was sitting in the Library with Nicola and Arron quite sure that I wouldn't see Sirius until Charms, when he showed up with James behind him.
"Alright O'Reilly, Hobbs?" Sirius said in a normal volume, ignoring Madam Pince's shushing. "Bridget, can I have a word?"
Nicola pinched my wrist as I got up, but I simply rolled my eyes at her. Despite telling her repeatedly that I just considered him a very good, new friend, she seemed to be obsessed with the possibility of the two of us together. It didn't matter how many times I told her that he fancied Emmeline, she was sure that he was secretly harboring a crush on me.
Sirius and James led me out of the Library and the three of us sat down on one of the staircases that thankfully, wasn't moving at the time.
"What's up? Couldn't wait to see me until Charms?" I teased, making James laugh.
Sirius scowled. "Take this seriously Bridget, I have a problem!"
James laughed again but covered his mouth when Sirius shot a glare at him. As soon as his friend had turned his back however, James winked at me and moved his finger in circles beside his head. I stifled a chuckle of my own but managed to look at Sirius with a straight face.
"Well, how can I help?"
"It's Emmeline," he said, a tinge of redness appearing on his face.
"What now? Is she still afraid you're a player?" I said, rolling my eyes.
"Nah, worse," James put in. "She's said yes."
"Well that's great, Sirius!" I said, patting him on the back. "So, what exactly is the problem?"
"He's got cold feet. Has no idea how he's supposed to impress the girl," James said, with a very self-satisfied smirk.
"Shut up Prongs!" Sirius said, elbowing him in the ribs.
"Well, what is it really?" I asked him.
"How the hell am I supposed to impress her? She's Head Girl, a Ravenclaw for Merlin's sake and she's a Seventh Year!" Sirius said, suddenly sounding more like a child than the cool and collected guy I'd come to know.
I laughed and James joined in. "Sirius, you've done the hard bit – she's going out with you. You just have to be yourself!" I said in an encouraging voice.
Sirius exhaled in frustration. "You're worse than he is – I need a bit of advice, I've never done this before!"
"Well Sirius, to be honest I haven't either so I don't see how I'd be much help!" I replied, exasperated with his behavior.
"I on the other hand, have, but he seems to think my advice isn't good enough for him anymore. Not now that he's gone and found himself a girl to be mates with!" James said, exaggerating the word girl and waggling his eyebrows.
"Oh, why don't you piss off and blow your broomstick?" Sirius said, gesturing vulgarly at James.
I giggled. "I didn't think blokes got nervous about dates the way we do," I said, leaning against the banister, smiling at Sirius.
He frowned. "I'm not nervous. I just don't want to look like a proper idiot."
"You'll look like an idiot either way, Padfoot. Just relax and let it happen," James said, leaning back too.
Sirius scowled and I began to feel a bit sorry for him. Regardless of how cool he may seem to the rest of us, his first date was bothering him just the way it would bother anyone.
"It's easy for you to say. Just wait until you get to go out with Evans! You'll be ten times worse than I am," he argued.
James rolled his eyes. "Like your feelings for Emmeline could even compare to the way I feel about Lily."
My eyes were darting between the two of them, never having truly seen them bantering like this before. They really were quite amusing and not for the first time I wondered why I'd been so intimidated by them for all these years.
"Mate, have you ever seen me even consider asking a girl out before? I mean maybe I'm not freakishly obsessed like you are, but that's only 'cause I'm normal," Sirius said.
James shrugged. "I just thought you were a late bloomer. And, maybe a poof."
Sirius made a noise that resembled a dog growling and a grin spread on to James' face.
"Don't worry mate, I wouldn't have treated you any differently," he said with reassurance, patting Sirius on the back.
"Bridget, please say something so that I don't hex this idiot in to next week," Sirius said, a scowl on his handsome face as he turned back to me.
I tapped my cheek thoughtfully and asked. "Well, where are you taking her?"
Sirius shrugged. "Don't know...I thought we'd just walk around the village a bit and then have lunch and a drink at The Three Broomsticks."
I nodded. "Well that sounds nice."
Sirius looked surprised. "Really? James thought I ought to take her to Madam Puddifoot's."
I looked at James in alarm and he raised his hands in defense.
"Look, I know the place is disgusting but Mary always liked it. And Jen, now that I think of it."
I chuckled. "Well, I think Broomsticks is better for a first date, it's much more casual and you can get to know her a bit. If she seems like she might like Madam Puddifoot's though, suck it up and take her there the next time."
"Do I have to? I've seen through that window – the decorations are a bit alarming," Sirius said, scratching his head.
I shrugged. "Well, if she likes it and you think she's worth the trouble, why not? You can always drag her off to a Quidditch shop after."
Sirius smiled. "Okay...but what am I meant to talk about?"
James scoffed. "Talk? Just snog her, that's what you really want anyway."
Sirius shook his head. "No, it's different this time, mate," he said quietly and to my surprise, James didn't mock him and simply nodded in acceptance.
"Sirius, just talk about yourself, ask her about herself. It's just like having a mate except you'll want to flirt a bit," I said, feeling a bit uncomfortable for the first time. "Um, you do know how to flirt, don't you?"
Sirius scoffed and James howled with laughter. "Course I do, Bridget!" Sirius said, defiantly.
"Okay, so you'll be fine then! Just be yourself! You're lovely," I said, patting him on the knee comfortingly. I chose to ignore the fact that James was waggling his eyebrows again at this comment.
"What have you done to him, Bridget? I mean he becomes friends with you and suddenly he thinks girls are worth his time," James said, shaking his head.
"It's nothing to do with her, Prongs," Sirius said rolling his eyes.
Inwardly I felt a bit put out at this response. I mean it wasn't as if I fancied him but he didn't need to make me seem utterly pointless.
"You never would've even noticed the Head Girl if you and Bridget hadn't been causing trouble together though," James said.
"Suppose you're right. I probably would've thought Emmeline was annoying if she'd caught me getting up to my usual mischief. I guess it's because she let us off," Sirius said thoughtfully. "But blimey, she's hot isn't she?"
James chuckled. "That she is, Padfoot. That she is."
"Well, I think that's my cue to leave. I don't really want to stick around to hear how much you both like her 'knockers' or something," I said, awkwardly, getting up.
"She does have excellent knockers, doesn't she?" Sirius said to James who nodded enthusiastically.
"Smashing. And brilliantly shaped..."
"Okay, okay!" I said raising my hands. "I'll see you two in Charms."
"Aw, come on Bridge, come and have a layabout in the sun with us," Sirius said as he and James also stood up.
"Nah, I see you enough. I'm going to spend some time with Nicola and Arron."
"Bring them along," Sirius invited.
"But I want to stay in the Library," I said, beginning to feel annoyed.
"Bloody Ravenclaws," Sirius said rolling his eyes. "Come on James, race you to the Lake!"
And with that, the two of them took off sprinting, leaving me shaking my head with a mixture of exasperation and fondness.
Although I spent a lot of time with Arron because he was dating Nicola and a decent amount of time with the other boys in my House, I'd never been close enough with any of them to know what they were like when they had crushes and I found it interesting and comforting that some boys were just as mad as we were when it came to love.
On Saturday, Nicola was up early, bustling like a lunatic around the dormitory, throwing clothes and shoes everywhere as she rummaged through her drawers. When a stiletto heel, hit me on the head, I decided it was going to be impossible to sleep through her nonsense and sat up in bed.
"Why are you running around like a loon, Nic?" I said, my voice throaty from sleep as I looked at the shocking hour on the clock.
"It's Hogsmeade today!" She said, as if I was insane for still being in bed.
"But it's only half eight and you're not meeting Arron until eleven!" I groaned, collapsing back on my bed and squeezing my eyes shut.
"It's our anniversary, Bridget. One year! He asked me out on last year's first Hogsmeade visit!"
"How could I forget?" I said, dully, pulling the covers over my head to block out the sun.
"What's that supposed to mean?" she said, the racket stopping as she stomped over to me and pulled the blanket off my head.
I smiled at her cheekily. "I just mean, you spent that entire first month or so going on and on about him – I could probably never forget your face when he asked you. You looked like a tomato."
She smiled, despite herself and sighed happily, joining me on the bed and putting her head beside mine. "Can you believe we've been together a year already?" she said, her voice breathless.
"Actually, yes I can. You two are attached at the hip. I've forgotten what it was like when he spent all his time with Ollie and not you."
"Not all his time...remember he used to go to Gryffindor parties," she said, sitting up.
"Yeah, I remember the lads used to tease him about it all the time saying that he was proving to be more brawn than brains and should probably transfer over there."
"And he said, he might have, if there wasn't someone in Ravenclaw Tower that kept him coming back." Nicola said, a grin spreading largely on her face. "Oh Bridget, I really love the git you know?"
I laughed and sat up too. "I know you do. And I love him for you too."
She beamed and gave me a big hug before bounding off to her cupboard once more. As I got out of bed slowly and inched my way to the bathroom, I heard her humming a song and I couldn't help but smile to myself. My mind floated idly to Sirius and I wondered if he was acting like a nutcase about his date too. When I finally emerged from the bathroom, Nicola was still comparing dresses and she hadn't even taken a shower yet. I suppose it was a good thing she'd gotten up so early if she was going to take a bloody age to get ready.
"Oh Bridget, I almost forgot to ask – what will you be doing in Hogsmeade today? I mean Arron and I will meet up with you later of course, but who will you spend the morning with?"
I shrugged. "I don't know. I'll probably just have a wander around the village. I used to go alone all the time when you and Arron first started going out, remember?"
"Oh I know," Nicola said, as she compared lipsticks, painting her mouth half red and half pink and studying herself critically in the mirror. "But now it's usually the three of us. You don't mind, do you?" she asked, looking at me with concern.
"Of course not Nic! You need some alone time with your boyfriend! I'll just see what Benjy, Matt and Ollie are up to," I said, breezily.
"And Sirius? Will you be seeing him?" she said, arching an eyebrow at me.
"I doubt it considering today's his big date with Lover Girl."
"Are you okay with that?" Nicola asked, looking at me carefully.
"Of course I am! He's just my mate Nicola. I like him, I do, but he's completely wrapped up in her and honestly, I don't think my head is quite ready for romance just yet."
Nicola nodded, looking a little unsure but shrugged. "Well, I'm sure you'll bump in to him anyway. I do sometimes think it would be nice if we had other girls in our dorm. I think I'd be quite lost if our roles were reversed," she said thoughtfully.
I chuckled. "That's because you constantly need attention and I'm okay with spending time alone."
She stuck her tongue out at me and I smiled.
"I'm going to head to breakfast. Coming?" I asked, opening the dormitory door.
She shook her head. "I want to wait until I see Arron later. It's more romantic."
I rolled my eyes. "You're a nutcase Nicola. Want me to snag you some toast?"
"Ooh with jam, please!"
I nodded and headed downstairs to get some food.
"Arron, your nutcase girlfriend is tearing up our dorm trying to find the perfect outfit and you're sitting here in your pajamas!" I said, as I joined him and the other boys at breakfast, ten minutes later. They all laughed at my comment and Arron grinned with a mouthful of scrambled eggs.
"Ah, girls take much longer than boys do. I'll only be ten minutes and I expect I'll be waiting for Nicola ages," he said rolling his eyes, although he seemed to have a similar smile playing on his lips that Nicola had.
"What are you three up to then?" I asked the other boys.
"I've got a date with Dorcas Meadowes actually," Benjy said waving over at the Gryffindor table where Dorcas sat blushing next to Lily Evans and Alice Smith.
"Get in there, son!" Matt said, patting him on the back.
Ignoring his crudeness, I pressed on. "Ollie, Matt?"
"We're going Stag, I heard there's a really good band playing at that music shop, Dominic Maestro's in the afternoon," Matt said excitedly.
Ollie shrugged. "Seems like it'll be cool, they're turning it in to a proper concert venue. Fancy coming along Bridget?"
"Yes, actually that sounds brilliant. I thought I'd do a bit of shopping in the morning, but I can meet you there. When does it start?"
"Around two. Are you sure you'll be okay by yourself? The village isn't as safe as it used to be," Ollie said, his bright eyes full of concern. I pish-poshed his comment but suddenly had a great idea. After packing up some toast and jam for Nicola, I picked up three strips of crispy bacon, downed my juice and grinned at everyone.
"Sorry lads, I've got to be off, I've have to speak to someone. I'll see you later!" I said, standing up and turning away.
"Maybe Nic and I will come too, it sounds like fun. Who did you say was playing?" Arron asked. Unfortunately, I didn't hear Matt's answer because I was making a beeline to the Gryffindor House table. I saw Sirius almost immediately, sitting with James, Remus and Peter stuffing their faces full of breakfast. Like Arron, Sirius didn't seem nervous in the least, though I'd noticed that Emmeline was missing from breakfast - probably busy getting ready for their date. Unlike Arron, however, Sirius looked like he was already dressed, donning muggle jeans and a plain white t-shirt with a brown leather jacket over it. The collar on the jacket was popped up and I wasn't really surprised that I noticed how gorgeous he looked. Even with his mouth full of scrambled eggs, laughing at James trying to stuff three rolls in his mouth, Sirius looked roguishly handsome and just, plain cool.
I approached the table a little slowly, suddenly realizing that I'd never talked to him while he was with his entire gang but when he saw me, Sirius grinned and raised his head in greeting.
"Hey you," he said with a smile.
I smiled and stood behind James, waiting for an invitation to sit, looking a little awkwardly at the others. I suddenly remembered why I used to think the Gryffindor boys were intimidating. With the four of them sitting together, laughing at a bunch of inside jokes – they weren't very approachable at all. Especially since three of the four were among the best-looking boys in our year.
"Oh hello Bridget," James said, stressing my name in a little bit of a weird way. "Going in to Hogsmeade today?"
"Yeah, actually I was going to invite Sirius to something," I said, suddenly feeling a little strange as Remus and Peter surveyed me with more than polite interest.
"Well, take a seat," James sat patting the space next to him, facing Sirius. I did so, gladly and smiled politely at Remus and Peter.
"Oh, you guys know Bridget, right?" Sirius said, an eyebrow going up.
"Yeah, we've been hearing a lot about you lately," Remus said with a little wave.
"Morning Bridget," Peter said with a mysterious smile as he continued eating his breakfast. He stressed my name similarly to the way James had and I focused on Sirius to try to ease my discomfort.
"Anyway Bridge, um, thanks for the offer, but you know I've got plans today," Sirius said a little awkwardly.
I raised an eyebrow but shook my head. "Actually, this is sort of for your benefit." I noticed that James, Remus and Peter exchanged a look and they seemed to be hiding laughter.
"Oh, really?" Sirius said, rubbing the back of his neck. A sign of nervousness, I think.
"Yes, well Matt and Ollie were just telling me that there's this band playing at Dominic Maestro's today and I'm going to go, so I thought it might be a nice place to bring your date," I said.
I heard James whisper something that sounded a bit like "I bet you did" to Remus and Peter and the three boys stifled chuckles. I felt my ears grow warm but simply waited for Sirius' response.
"Um, I don't know..." Sirius said hesitantly, looking at his plate instead of me.
I saw Sirius' eyes flicker up to James' face and I turned to see Potter covering his mouth trying to hide his laughter. There was something a little too awkward and a little too familiar about this, so I said in a rather short voice, "Um, can I have a private word, Sirius? Over there?"
James burst in to full blown chuckles now and he was miming kissing noises to Remus and Peter who were looking at their plates, trying but failing not to join in with his laughter.
"Shut up, Prongs," Sirius muttered in a rough voice before he wiped his mouth with a napkin, smacked his friend over the head and followed me over to the middle of the Hall.
"Do your mates think I fancy you or something?" I said harshly, imitating what he'd said to me a month or so before. Sirius looked uncomfortable and stuck his hands in his pockets with a shrug.
"Because, I don't. You asked for my advice and I just thought it would be a nice place for you to take Emmeline, that's all. Anyway, tell your ridiculous mates that it should be fun and if they want to come, that would be okay too. Although, after that display I'm not sure I'll be too keen on seeing them," I said, coldly, turning to leave the Hall. Sirius however, caught my sleeve and pulled me back.
"Come on Bridget, don't be mad. They're just doing what your mates were doing when I first started talking to you. They're just being childish."
I narrowed my eyes at him. "But you didn't discourage them. Are you sure you don't think I fancy you?"
Sirius swallowed uncomfortably. "Um, you don't do you?"
"What?" I almost yelled. "You're the one who kept hounding me during Frees!"
"I know, I know...but James got all in my head after the last time we hung out. You know...because you said I was lovely and you got all pissy about us saying Emmeline was hot."
"I wasn't getting pissy!" I snapped. "I just didn't want to be included in your vulgar boy talk. And I said you were lovely because you were so nervous and I was just trying to make you feel better. Right now, I feel like I ought to retract that statement."
Sirius looked thoroughly embarrassed now. "I'm sorry. This is all a bit strange for me. I mean, I've never been mates with a girl before and I've never had a girlfriend before and now it's all kind of happening at the same time. So it's all a bit...different."
I rolled my eyes. "Oh whatever, Sirius. Have a good time with Emmeline."
"But I'll see you in Hogsmeade, won't I?" he called, as I began to walk away.
"Right now...I doubt it," I grumbled, not answering loud enough for him to hear.
"Stupid, bloody, arrogant, disgusting, childish, idiotic Gryffindors!" I spat out when I returned to the dormitory. I threw the stack of toast at Nicola, and jumped on to my bed, folding my arms childishly. Nicola, who was in a towel, but had her hair done, joined me on my bed and began unwrapping the toast. After taking a bite, she poked my shoulder.
"Want to talk about it?"
"They think I fancy him!" I raged, throwing one of Nicola's stray shoes off my bed and laying down in a huff. She peered over me and ate more toast.
"Who?"
"His mates. Sirius' stupid, childish mates have decided that I fancy him."
"Well..."
"I DON'T NICOLA!"
"Okay, okay," she said soothingly, helping herself to more jam. "Go over it with me."
"It's all that stupid Potter's fault. And I was just beginning to think he was all right too!"
"What did he say?" Nicola said, interestedly.
"Last time I spoke to Sirius properly was that day where the two of them pulled me out of the Library. He was nervous about his date and wanted advice so I told him he was lovely and to just be himself. And then he and James started talking about Emmeline's breasts, so I decided to leave."
"Ugh, of course." Nicola agreed, making a face.
"And then today, Matt and Ollie were saying they were going to see a band play and Arron even said you two might join us, so I thought, 'oh, wouldn't it be nice if Sirius took Emmeline to do something different from the usual Hogsmeade visit?' So I went to tell him and I don't know, I think James has got it in everyone's heads that I fancy Sirius and am jealous of Emmeline!"
Nicola sighed. "Oh dear. But why would you ask him to bring his date to something you were going to be at?"
"I didn't mean it like that! I just thought I'd tell some nice people about it because it sounded like a laugh!"
Nicola patted my arm comfortingly. "It could have sounded like you just wanted to see him, you know?"
I groaned. "But I see him enough! He bloody follows me everywhere! In lessons, during frees, at meals."
Nicola nodded sympathetically. "Try not to let it get to you. They're sixteen year old boys, still immature as they were three years ago."
"Hmmph," I mumbled. "No wonder Lily Evans isn't interested in James Potter. He's an idiot."
Nicola laughed at this. "Yes, but you don't think Sirius is, do you?"
"I think he pays too much attention to what his idiot friend thinks!" I said, shaking my head and trying to let go of my irritation. "I really thought we were getting quite close, Nic."
"Well, you are. Friends have fights all the time. Remember in Third Year? We couldn't go a week without yelling at each other."
I chuckled at that. "But this is just because it's a girl and a boy being friends – everyone expects there to be feelings, but there just isn't! I'm not interested in getting in his pants and he's obsessing over someone else!"
"Well, it's just going to take time for people to get used to it...it'll all work out eventually," Nicola said, rubbing my back.
I sighed but smiled at her. "Thanks Nic, you're the best."
She grinned back. "It feels nice to have you need me to vent to again. It's been ages." She then hugged me tightly and set off to take care of her make-up and finish dressing.
I wasn't very hungry around lunchtime at Hogsmeade, so I opted not to go in to any of the pubs that I knew would be full of students. Instead, I munched on a slab of Honeyduke's chocolate and proceeded to window shop some more. I was standing in front of Gladrag's looking at the new dress robes in the display, when I saw some shadows appear behind me. Feeling a little on edge, with the streets being quiet during lunchtime, I felt the need to act assertively. Quickly, I reached for my wand and turned, holding it up.
Three boys held their hands up, with expressions ranging from amusement, puzzlement and shock before I lowered my wand and pouted a little.
"You aren't going to hex us, are you?" Potter said, the corners of his mouth, twitching.
"Oh, it's you,' I said to James, Remus and Peter before walking away towards Dervish and Banges. The boys hurried behind me. Soon, James fell in to step with me with Remus and Peter only a few paces behind us.
"What do you want, Potter?" I asked with as little emotion as I could.
"Well, I would've thought it was obvious that we wanted to talk to you. Reckon you could slow down a bit? Peter's trailing," James said, a little smirk in his voice, though I wasn't looking to make sure. I threw a look behind me to see Remus still there but a much shorter and rather chubbier, Peter Pettigrew was panting, several steps behind us. I stopped and turned to them with my arms crossed.
"Have you come to tease me about fancying your friend some more?" I said, stonily and at least Remus Lupin had the decency to look guilty.
"We're sorry about this morning. It was just a bit of an inside joke – I think we got carried away," Remus said in a nice, soothing voice.
"You don't even know me," I said, looking between him and Peter who'd caught up with us now.
Remus shrugged. "Not as well as Sirius, but we know you aren't exactly part of his fan club."
"Oh, he doesn't have a fan club," I said, waving my hand at him dismissively.
Peter chuckled. "No, it's just what we call them. The girls who throw themselves at Sirius."
"I do not throw myself at him!" I said, indignantly, getting ready to walk away. James put a hand on my shoulder but let go immediately when I threw him a death glare.
"We know Bridget. Sirius had a massive go at us when you stormed out of Breakfast. He's really worried you won't talk to him again," James said.
I scoffed. "Why would he worry? Obviously I'm so obsessed with him that I couldn't tear myself away!"
James looked like he might start laughing at this but shut his mouth at a stern look from Remus.
"We feel really bad. It's just strange for us because it's only been the four of us for so long and out of nowhere Sirius is off asking for your advice because the rest of us are apparently useless. And...well, you're a girl," Remus tried to explain.
"Yes, I am," I said, stuffing my hands in my pockets. "So what?"
"It's just not that ordinary for Sirius to be spending so much time with a girl," Peter put in.
"Not to mention, usually if they're tracking him down at Breakfast to invite him somewhere in Hogsmeade, it's because they're trying to get a snog out of it," James added.
I rolled my eyes. "I helped him with Emmeline, why would I do that if I wanted to snog him?"
"Well, that's what he said," Remus said uncomfortably.
"So, that's it. We had the wrong end of the stick. Obviously you two are just friends and we're sorry we thought otherwise," James said, a look of boredom crossing his face, something I'd often seen on Sirius'.
"So, accept our apology?" Remus said, more politely.
"Please?" Peter added, hopefully.
I looked at the three of them, looking distinctly awkward and couldn't help but feel like they were genuinely sorry.
"Yeah, it's okay. I've just been getting that a lot lately – people wondering about the two of us," I sighed.
James laughed. "Well, you can probably expect a lot more of that."
"Even if he's snogging Emmeline Vance outside the dress shop?" I said, my eyes suddenly fixing on the couple standing outside of Gladrags. My face twisted into a smile at the kiss and the boys turned and whooped. They started wolf whistling and Sirius and Emmeline broke apart to look our way. Emmeline quickly hid her face behind her hair and Sirius covered his eyes with a grin on his own face. He whispered something to her and she smiled as they walked towards us, holding hands.
"All right Love birds?" James said embarrassingly and Emmeline laughed.
"Watch it James, she's Head girl, she could give you a detention, you know?" Sirius joked, raising an eyebrow and laughing with his friend.
"Okay Bridget?" he said, shifting his gaze to me. His voice cautious as he surveyed my expression. I nodded discreetly and smiled.
"Yeah, not bad. Hi Emmeline!"
"Hi Bridget! We were just headed to Dominic Maestro's to meet up with these guys and watch a band. Are you coming too?" She said, excitedly.
I glanced at James who purposely looked up and whistled nonchalantly and I couldn't help but smile. "Yeah, I was just headed over there now."
"All right, so let's go," Sirius said, cheerily. He and Emmeline walked ahead, his arm around her shoulders and I raised my eyebrow at James, expectantly.
He shrugged. "Well, we all agreed that it was a rather good idea for a first date. They spent the whole morning alone, so it's a bit more casual now, with the rest of us around," he whispered.
"Not to mention, Sirius has already got the snog out of the way," Peter snickered, ducking as Remus shoved him playfully.
I smiled. "Well, I'm glad I didn't end up seeming like a complete ponce."
Remus shook his head. "No, it was us who were the ponces."
I laughed and waved him off. "It's okay. I guess, it's actually sort of funny now that I look back on it."
When we arrived at Dominic's, I waved goodbye to the boys and the happy couple and headed over to where Nicola and Arron were sitting closely together at a cluster of tables near the back of the room. The music store had been converted in to a concert venue with a small stage covered in conjured flashing lights and smoke and there was a bar set up next to the front door. The instruments and display cases were either pushed out of the way or hung up on the very tall walls and a small dance floor was already filled with people trying to get a good view of the stage. A few tall, pretty waitresses were taking drink orders and a man with a black beard and tattoos was tending bar and talking to the owner, Dominic. I took the seat beside Ollie and laughed with him at Matt, who was close to the stage trying desperately to see over the heads of much taller people. I was looking around for a drink menu when suddenly, a waitress put a glass of butterbeer in front of me and I looked up in confusion.
"That good-looking bloke with the dark hair sent it," she said, pointing to the other side of the room where Sirius was leaned up against the bar, his arm around Emmeline's waist. She was busy talking to James, Remus and Peter who were making her laugh and so, didn't notice Sirius tilt his glass of firewhisky towards me and mouth the word, 'Sorry'. I smiled back and raised my own glass before taking a deep sip and turning to Ollie to ask what bands were playing.
A/N: Thanks as always for reading and to the few of you who have reviewed so far. Please review and let me know what you think!