So I decided to post this one a little early, mostly because I got some new reviews on my last few chapters! The usual disclaimer, I don't own anything except for my OCs. This chapter takes place during 6th year!
"Come on Roo! You just need to get that parchment out of Mary's bag. It's Pete's, he didn't mean to leave it lying around." Sirius pleaded as Ruby stood in the middle of the stairs leading up to the girl's dorms. Her hands rested on her hips as she fixed him with a disbelieving look. Her unnaturally red hair was sitting high on her head. Her legs and arms were covered in mud, and her mud coated robes hung over her shoulder. They had just made it out of Quidditch practice when Peter told them that Mary had stuffed a piece of his parchment into her bag.
It wasn't so much that they were worried about a random blank piece of parchment, but what was really on that piece was important. At least Peter had enough sense to wipe it clean before carelessly setting it on the table in the library. They had spent the better half of fifth year and this year working on the Map. It wasn't an easy feat, creating a map of the whole castle that kept track of where everyone else. James and Remus mostly worked on it, being the bests at Charms. Although it had been Peter's idea for the Map to insult anyone who tried to open it.
The problem was that everyone knew who Moony, Wormtail, Prongs and Padfoot were. The boys made no effort in concealing their clever little nicknames for each other. So if Mary tried to use that parchment, it'd be easy to see that the Marauders had been behind it.
Ruby was their only choice.
Lily would have flat out refused or tried to turn it into McGonagall just assuming they were up to something. Mary would have been just as suspicious, and well, Willow. She was too weird to function.
"Don't one of you have a spare bit that he can borrow?" Ruby was exasperated. It was a piece of parchment for Merlin's sake. She just wanted to get into the shower.
"Look, I didn't wanna say anything but," Sirius paused trying to think of some plausible excuse. They needed the Map, it was a full moon and if they had any chance of getting to Remus, they needed it. "Pete was writing on it with invisible ink, Mary's name and stuff. He really fancies her Roo! He'd die if she found it."
It wasn't really a lie, Wormtail had been harboring a crush on Mary Macdonald for ages. He probably just wouldn't appreciate him telling anyone about it. However Wormtail would just have to suck it up, this was for the greater good.
As if no one noticed how he stared at her in lessons.
"Peter owes me." Ruby heaved a loud sigh and trudged up the rest of the stairs. Luckily the other girls were still down at dinner, and they wouldn't see her rooting through Mary's bag like some common criminal. Peter was lucky that she felt for him or else she wouldn't be rifling through her friends stuff.
Except there were multiple blanket parchment pieces all through Mary's bag, and Ruby groaned loudly again. She just took them all and would let Sirius figure out which one held Peter's dirty little secret.
"Here, there were a bunch in there." Roo thrust a mud crusted hand at him. By this point, Peter and James had assembled around him, Peter looking particularly sheepish.
If she didn't want to shower so badly, Ruby might have thought it was sweet.
Sirius and James turned over every single parchment piece, examining each thoroughly until Sirius held one up in the air triumphantly. "Got it!"
She rolled her eyes before gathering up the other bits to put back in Mary's bag before regarding them with a suspicious look. They were up to something. James and Sirius looked too excited, and the former had a bag slung over his shoulder. "What are you three up too?" She raised an eyebrow at them.
"Nothing. We're just gonna see Remus off before he goes and visits his mum." James said way too quickly, feigning innocence.
Ruby nearly snorted out loud. Yeah, Remus going to visit his mother, as if that old tired excuse was still holding up. They called him Moony and didn't expect anyone to pick up on it. Although it hadn't been Ruby who figured it out (all credit went to Lily, and she swore Ruby to secrecy) it made perfect sense that Remus Lupin was a werewolf once the puzzle pieces fit together. They didn't know the part that the other boys played in his transformation, but she knew they involved.
She could understand his reluctance to tell other people, but after spending so many years together, she would think Remus was smart enough to realize that they wouldn't just drop him because of something out of his control. Stupid boy.
"Right." Ruby did roll her eyes that time. "If that piece of parchment implicates me in whatever trouble you lot get into, I'll send Filch after you. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm headed to the showers. I stink after a certain Captain," Roo paused to give James a hard look which he just smirked proudly at. "Made us run laps in the rain. So thanks. Stay out of trouble, yeah?" Ruby turned away from them and started making her way back up to the girl's dorm.
"Good job almost exposing us Wormtail." James snorted after bringing up the Map with a simple "I solemnly swear I'm up to no good."
"It wasn't on purpose!" Peter mumbled something else but Sirius wasn't paying attention. His eyes were still focusing on watching the last bit of Ruby disappear up the stairs. Something about the way her shirt and shorts clung to her muddy body was doing things to him, and he wasn't sure if he was really all that objected to it.
Maybe it was the gentle sway of her slender hips that had been calling his name, telling him to ditch his friends and try to make it up the stairs to join her. Sirius shook his head almost violently as if he could physically shake it out of his head, still unable to tear his eyes away from the stair case.
Ruby Zeller was certainly not the type of girl that Sirius went after. Namely because she was his only genuine girl friend, and you didn't ruin that over a chance to snog. And mostly because there were girls like Dorcas Meadowes running around, sleek dark hair and all long legs. Ruby was cute, but not in a typical way, with the little gap between her front teeth, and that unnatural hair of hers. Sirius could remember when she was just a mousy blonde full of pointy elbows. She definitely looked a bit more mature nowadays, still with a fit boyish figure.
Contrary to popular belief, Sirius didn't chase after girls too often. Mostly because they came after him, and second, he'd much rather run around with his friends and girlfriends usually interfered with that.
There was just something about Roo that struck him in that moment, even though her hair was a mess and she was dirty and sweaty. He knew how sweaty too, because they ran their laps side by side. Hell, she was so filthy because Sirius thought it was funny to push her into the biggest mud puddle he saw.
"Padfoot, you okay mate?" James' voice brought him out of his day dreaming which was a good thing because it started with following his dorm mate's twin sister up to her room, and ended getting sweatier.
"Yeah, fine. Sorry." He shook his head again, thinking maybe he needed to start talking to Dorcas again. He was getting girl crazy, obviously. Roo was like everyone's little sister, not that they'd ever tell her that.
Although Sirius would never admit it, there had always been something about Ruby. Maybe it was because she punched him in the forehead upon meeting and that scrambled his brains a bit.
"Well once you're out of your trance then, let's go. Remus just went down to the hospital wing, so we have time to for a quick dinner and planning."
Sirius just nodded his head, gave the girl's staircase one more glance, just to be sure and followed his friends through the portrait hole.
They left Remus in the hospital wing that night. Sometimes they tried to stay and if Pomfrey was feeling kind, she let them. They always made sure to come 'visit' a good twenty plus minutes after she fetched him from the Whomping Willow which gave them some time to clean up after running around all night.
James and Peter went directly up to the dorms, luckily this full moon fell on a Friday so they were able to sleep in on their weekend. The nights were they had class the next day were always rough. Remus got to recuperate in the hospital wing while they tried to catch an hour or so of sleep before going throughout the day.
Sirius, still feeling a bit wired after a night of tromping through the woods opted to stay down in the common room for a bit, and give him some time to mellow out. He always found it hard to sleep after a full moon, his adrenaline was still running high by the time the sun rose, so he mostly stayed up for the rest of the morning and crashed during afternoon lessons. Skipping out on potions was the best, anyways.
About to plop down on the nearest couch, Sirius luckily caught himself before landing on another body. It wasn't too unusual to find someone passed out in the common room but most people were decent about waking them up and sending them to their dorms. He was surprised to see Ruby, bright red hair spread out underneath her head, curled up against the couch with a blanket tucked around her.
"Roo, wake up." He gave her a gentle shake, brushing her overgrown bangs from her eyes. She made a noise that reminded him a bit of a cat before turning over, trying to pull the blanket over her head. He laughed to himself, Amery always complained that she was impossible to wake up. "C'mon. Time to get back to bed." Sirius nudged her again.
This time Ruby sat up, rubbing her eyes, the blanket still tucked around her body. "No, too cold up there." She mumbled, her head falling back on the couch. Sirius scooted in next to her, only slightly surprised when Roo fell against him. She flailed around a bit, offering him a bit of her covers before closing her eyes against his shoulder. "How's Remus?"
Her voice was still husky from sleep and Sirius found himself having to swallow to speak again. "He's fine." His voice was the one strained now as Roo took the chance to snuggle in deeper to his side. Sirius didn't even question why she was asking about Remus and not his mother.
"S'hats good." Her breathing was starting to even out again and he knew that she was falling back asleep.
"Roo, you should really get back to bed." With more self restraint than he thought possible of himself, Sirius Black made a move to stand and to pull Ruby up with him. She let out a pathetic whine and tugged him back down to the couch.
"Cold." She said simply, curling back into him. "Stay here." Ruby had yet to really open her eyes, still stuck somewhere between sleeping and consciousness. Sirius let his arm fall down her back, hugging her around the hip and just pulled her close.
When in Rome, right?
Though the fire had dimmed but he could see the appeal in sleeping in front of it. It was warm, and his head was starting to feel heavy. He glanced down to Ruby, memorized by the way her dark lashes looked against the paleness of her cheeks. Since spring had finally arrived, light freckles broke out across her nose and dusted over her cheeks.
Feeling much more tired than he did when he came back, Sirius slid down into the couch more, pulling Ruby with him. Did Amery ever make a comment about her talking in her sleep? She was making a lot of noises, but this was a satisfied one from the back of her throat. Without a second thought, Sirius pressed his lips against her forehead, inhaling the clean smell of her shampoo.
That's how they were found the next morning, Ruby half sprawled out in Sirius' lap with one his arms draped around her waist. A few giggling first years skirted past them, laughing behind their hands but left them untouched. No need to endure the wrath of a sixth year.
It was when Lily Evans came bounding down the stairs late in the morning, wondering where Ruby was off too so early that the rest of their year was alerted to the precarious position Ruby and Sirius were in. Before she could stop herself, a loud shriek came out of her mouth, causing Mary and Willow to run down after her. James, who always woke up early regardless of his night time activities was already on his way to the common room as well.
"Oh, so this is where Sirius ended up last night." He mused, mostly to himself but did not miss the glare Lily shot in his direction. Apparently she did not find the compromising sleeping arrangement amusing.
Roused by Lily, Ruby opened one sleepy eye and glared at her friend. "Bugger off, it's Saturday." She made a move to roll over, still thinking she was in bed. Roo was surprised when she was hit with the solidness of Sirius Black's chest. She peeked through her eyelashes, up at the waking face of her friend remembering coming down to sleep in front of the fire last night. "Huh," She thought for sure Sirius would have sent her back up to bed. Whatever, everyone always complained that she was a heavy sleeper. Instead of standing around gaping like a fish out of water like Lily, Ruby just turned over and buried her face into his shoulder.
"Hey Roo." Sirius was grinning, mostly at the stupid look on Evans's face, but this wasn't a poor way to wake up. She merely mumbled at him, her words being obscured by his shoulder. "What's wrong Evans?"
"You seducing my friend, that's what!" Lily started, her hands flying to her hips. She saw Sirius and Dorcas parading around the halls sometimes, always trying to find a broom closet to slip into. Ruby was better than that, better than being out on full display in the common room.
At this point, all the commotion drove Amery from his bed, stumbling down the steps to see what the noise was all about. Like his twin sister, he preferred to sleep in and didn't like to be interrupted on the weekends. Everyone's head snapped up to him, standing in the middle of the stairway, expecting some sort of display of brotherly protectiveness.
Amery took one look at the sleeping pair and shook his head. "Couldn't get her to move huh?"
"No, it's like waking the dead."
"Told you." With that, Amery Zeller turned heel and stalked back up to his bed to sleep.
With a grin in Lily's direction (who wore a shocked expression) Sirius patted Ruby's side. "Come on, before Big Red has a coronary." She groaned but pushed herself into a sitting position, her hair sticking out every which way. If it wasn't for the fire engine red, she could have imitated James' look easily.
"Still tired," Roo muttered, her duvet draped around her shoulders like a cape. Still peering out of one eye, she glanced at her cluster of friends. "I was not seduced or anything of the nature. Just go to breakfast." She rolled her eyes, pushing herself up on her feet.
Lily huffed loudly, but strode across the common room and out, no doubt to gossip on their way down to breakfast.
"Ruckus on a Saturday morning, good job Padfoot." James grinned, clapping Sirius on the back and ruffling Ruby's already messed up hair.
Once everyone was gone, Roo collapsed back on the couch, curling up under her blanket. "You're impossible." Sirius laughed, stooping down to brush his lips across her forehead. Roo merely grinned, closing her eyes sleepily.
"Thanks." Her hand darted out from her blanket, grabbing Sirius by the collar. She pulled him down, pressing her mouth against his. "Go to bed Sirius."
Thanks again to everyone who has reviewed. It seriously makes my day that people are enjoying this story. I usually get discouraged and abandon ship so thank you for the motivation to keep going. Hopefully I'll have the next chapter out on time next week, it's turning out to be a huuge chapter though. Don't get too hopeful at the state of Roo and Sirius's relationship yet, they still have a LOONG way to go. I just couldn't resist some good natured fluff. It may be a step forward, but there are always some steps back, so I hope you're in for the long haul!