Chapter 25

Olivia vaguely remembered wrapping her legs around Sirius as he carried her up the stairs, and she almost recalled the light bounce of his mattress as she was hauled, unceremoniously, onto its soft sheets, but her mind was blurred again as the two kneeled before each other, still caressing every inch of flesh they could touch.

Sirius grinned wickedly. "I love it when you're angry with me." He whispered in her ear. Olivia could feel the heat in her face as she got angrier.

"I hate you." She snapped. Sirius grabbed her wrists again with one hand, gently guiding her back onto his pillow. With his other hand, he teased her relentlessly, smiling as she squirmed under him.

"Oh really now?" He breathed. Sirius pressed his lips against her hot flesh, running his tongue along the lacy edge of her bra.

"You're a bastard." She gasped, her hips moving underneath him in sync as he nipped at her, feeling her body tremble all over.

Trying to regain control of her senses, Olivia pushed herself back into a seated position. Gaining the upper hand, she slid her hand into Sirius's robe, unbuttoning his shirt so gently, he closed his eyes as if every moment he'd die a little of the pleasure. When she found what her fingers had been looking for, Sirius shuddered, pushing his head into the hollow of her neck as he stifled a moan. She caressed his taught nipple as he had hers, gently tugging and kneading sending him into a fresh wave of ecstasy. Something deep in his soul cracked as Sirius felt a fresh wave of guilt come rushing into his chest. He grabbed her again, gently this time and pulled away breathing raggedly.

"Olivia," He managed to breath. "I can't."

Olivia looked like she'd been struck. The breath in her throat caught and she stared at him as if he had grown an extra eye. She looked into his face and saw grief written in every line, and the hurt she felt was overpowering.

Tears burned in her eyes but she refused to shed them in front of him. She bit her lip, drew back her hand and slapped him with all the anger she could manage.

As if he didn't even feel it, Sirius dropped his gaze to the floor as he listened to Olivia straighten her shirt and rush out of the room.

Sirius sat there, like a broken toy, an angry welted handprint on his face, his shirt un-tucked and wide opened. He ran a hand through his hair and fell face first into his bed and made an animal-like yell into the forgiving mattress.

What in bloody HELL just happened? Olivia slammed her door and leaned into it, refusing to give into her need to cry. Everything was going just fine, she thought angrily as her need ached deep within her. She ran a longing hand over her body and felt incredibly used, and hurt.

He'd been with so many girls, had made a bet to bed her and she finally relents and he shoved her away like it wasn't worth it anymore. The sob that escaped her rocked her whole body to the core as she slid down the door, crying uncontrollably.

As the snow came down heavier in the gloomy mid afternoon, James shook his head and took in a deep breath as he entered his room.

He knew it had been bad, but this… James let out a low whistle.

Remus had told him it had been that way since after Christmas. The room was dark, musty and smelled of socks. Sirius lay on his bed, despondently looking up into his hangings like a man gone mad.

"Has he said anything?" James asked as he noticed Remus walking toward him. The two of them stood over the bed, looking as if Sirius had been dying.

Remus shook his head. "Not a word. I found him lying on his bed the day after Christmas and I haven't seen him move since."

James sighed heavily again and nudged his friend with a booted foot.

There was a grunt, but no other sign of life.

"Have you seen Olivia?" James asked suspiciously.

Remus glanced at Sirius a moment and then lowered his voice. "She looks just as bad, but at least she came out of her room."

"Well we're going to have to get the story out of one of them, or this is going to go on forever." James said rationally, nudging his friend again.

"We could beat it out of him." Remus suggested, trying to get a rise out of Sirius.

There was no motion of protest.

"The only one who is going to get him out of that bed is the one who put him in it." James said with a smile. With that, he turned around and walked back into the corridor.

Lily stared at her friend for a moment after catching her breath. She had been talking nonstop since she sat down with Olivia to tell her all about her holiday with James, but now that she noticed, Olivia was not listening to her at all.

"And then I ran off with a gorilla and decided to join the circus." Lily said with a sigh.

"Oh that sounds lovely." Olivia responded automatically, staring off into space.

"What happened, Olivia?" Lily demanded. "You look like you want to cry."

Olivia snapped out of her reverie and looked daggers at her friend. "Of course I don't want to cry." She said loudly.

Lily folded her arms across her chest and looked pointedly into Olivia's eyes.

Olivia sighed and shook her head. "Nothing happened."

Lily frowned. "Something had to have happened, you look awful."

Olivia put her chin in her hand and shrugged. "Nothing happened." She said with a sigh.

Lily's perceptive mind grasped onto the hidden meaning and leaned back.

"Nothing?" She asked.

Olivia shook her head. "Not a thing. And he's been avoiding me ever since."

Lily narrowed her stare. "Avoiding you since what?"

Olivia shrugged and stood up. "Since nothing happened!"

As her friend walked away, she couldn't help but feel a little cheated. She had been hoping Olivia would be here to listen to her amazing time with James and fawn over her, but now there was a deep hole in the pit of her stomach and she knew that it would have to wait. There was something going on and the air around her sizzled with an ominous gloom. Lily looked at the elegant band on her left hand, fitted with sparkling emeralds that envied the color of her eyes. She'd just have to tell Olivia about James' promise later.

James caught up to her before she descended the stairs into the common room. Olivia looked acidly at the hand gently grasping her arm as if it would melt if she willed it to.

"There's a problem." James said gently. "I was hoping you could help me solve it."

Olivia pulled back and leaned against the banister at the top of the stairs.

"Pray tell, what problem would that be?" She asked in a bored lilt.

James shrugged. "There seems to be something wrong with Sirius."

Olivia couldn't help but laugh. "You're just noticing? There's always been a little something not right up there." She said, angrily gesturing to her own head to make a point.

James rolled his eyes. "Remus said he hasn't been out of his room since Christmas. What happened?"

Olivia's eyes went blank and she retreated into the back of her mind. James shook her slightly and her eyes snapped to his.

"NOTHING HAPPENED!" She screamed frantically.

James watched in shocked amazement as she fled down the stairs and out of sight.