Sooo sorry if this chapter seems rather fast paced, but it's all in the plan. (; not really. Half the time I have literally no plan for my stories. Anyway! Enjoy, review if you'd like, follow & favorite, all that jazz.

I walk up toward the Room of Requirement, yawning loudly. I walk up the corridor, seeing Adrienne standing a few yards up. Her back is to me as she's pacing past the wall the third time, the large door appearing. She takes her bag off her shoulder and walks inside. I raise an eyebrow and walk up to the door, opening it and heading inside. The room is mostly white, with a fluffy carpet, a fireplace, couches, armchairs, tables, and a cupboard. It's not very big, but it's not too small either.

Adrienne looks up, grey eyes shining with some emotion that I can't read. God, I hate that. Usually, I can see right through girls and know exactly what they're thinking or feeling. Usually some sappy lovey crap. With Adrienne, I'm never sure. It drives me crazy. "You came," she says quietly, surprise evident in her voice.

"Yeah," I say, shoving my hands in my pockets. "I uh . . . had nothing better to do." She looks at me for a moment, biting her lip, before sitting down in an armchair. I walk over and sit down in the one across from her, leaning back. "What did you want?"

"You didn't say a word to me on the train," she says, confused. "I thought we were friends."

"So did I," I respond darkly, moving my gaze to the wall behind her and setting my jaw.

Her brows furrow in confusion. "What did I do?"

I grit my teeth, balling my fists. Why the hell am I so upset? When I look back to her, she looks visibly scared at my reaction. Her hands are on the arms of her armchair as if she's ready to push off from it and run away. "I-I sent you letters," I say finally. "You never answered them. They were inviting you to Christmas at the Potters and asking how you were and everything."

"You did?" she asks, bewildered. Her eyes widen then narrow. "Damn it."

"What?"

She sighs heavily, pulling the sleeves of her fluffy white sweater down. "Nothing."

My eyes linger on her bruises. She'd taken off the makeup, revealing a few more up toward her temple. "Adrienne, what the hell happened to you?"

"I fell," she says quickly, as if it's been rehearsed a thousand times.

"Don't lie to me."

It seems as if a million walls break down at once. Her slender shoulders slump in defeat and tears flood her cloudy eyes. She puts her head down into her cloth-covered hands as the small drops roll down her cheeks. A small, broken sob escapes her, finally registering to me that I should comfort her. I stand and walk over, kneeling in front of her and taking her hands. I pull them away from her face, hesitantly pushing her sleeves up. Bruises and cuts litter her forearms, and I have no doubts that they travel higher. "Adrienne," I whisper confused beyond belief.

She chokes out another sob, pulling one arm away to wipe at her face as she shakes her head. "S-Sirius, I'm s-so sorry. H-he never showed me your l-letters."

"Who?" I prod, staring up at her.

"My u-uncle," she says, inhaling shakily and sniffling. "He and my cousin, they- . . ." She looks at me, as if just now understanding who she's talking to – the guy who was angry at her and ignoring her not even three hours ago. "N-nevermind." She moves to stand up, but I maintain my grip on her hand.

"Please tell me," I say quietly. "I'm not mad anymore."

"I-I know," she says. "I just. . ."

"Don't trust me?"

She looks at me, compressing her lips together. ". . I just don't want it getting out."

"I won't let it."

She sighs quietly. "T-they hurt me." When I remain silent, she continues. "E-every summer when I'd visit here, they'd always hit me. Some nights it would be perfectly n-normal, but then once or twice a week I'd find myself being thrown against a wall o-or hit with a h-hot pan." Her voice wavers, but she forces her words out at a rather fast pace.

"They burn you too?" I ask softly. She nods, pulling up her sweater and tank top, revealing her flat – but not unhealthy – stomach, riddled with burns, scars, and a few bruises. I frown, staring at them. "You need to go to Pomfrey."

"I will tonight," she says. "Some of them are magically bound, though, so I can't get rid of them until they heal the muggle way."

"That's sick," I mumble as she pulls her sweater back down. "So . . . when you say I'm 'just like him' . . ."

Her eyes widen. "N-no, that's not about t-them. That was about s-someone else."

I nod, deciding not to push my luck. "I won't tell anyone, Adrienne, I promise."

She smiles for the first time since she's gotten back, as far as I know. "Thank you."

"It's getting late," I say, glancing at a clock on the wall. Nearly midnight; well past curfew. "Let's go to Pomfrey."

"Will you wait?" she asks nervously. I nod, so she stands up. The two of us head out of the Room and down to the Hospital Wing.

"What on earth are you kids doing here!?" Madame Pomfrey asks, frazzled. "Do you have any idea how late it is!?"

Adrienne shrinks back, so I step up. "She's hurt." I'm immediately ushered out of the Hospital Wing, so I sit outside the door, yawning widely. Suddenly it's half an hour later and Adrienne is shaking me lightly.

"Wake up, Sirius," I hear her say, sounding just as sleepy as I. I rub my eyes and stand up. We walk back toward Gryffindor Tower, consumed by comfortable silence. Once we're outside the portrait, she turns to me. "Thank you."

I shrug, grinning happily. Frankly, I'm rather pleased with myself. She's not mad at me half the time anymore, and I'd broken past her walls. "Any time." She steps forward, hugging me. Hesitantly, I return the warm embrace, arms wrapped around her.

"Err . . . Sirius?"

I look up, meeting the bright green eyes of Lily Evans. Adrienne flushes, pulling away from me, though still smiling. "Hey, Lily," I say.

"Uh, hey. It's a bit late, you know."

"Sorry. We were just heading in."

She grins knowingly and nods. "Alright. I'll leave the dorm unlocked, Adrienne." With that, she says the password to the Fat Lady and heads inside.

I look back to Adrienne, chuckling. She laughs as well, adjusting the Gryffindor colored beanie on her head. I smile. "See you tomorrow, I guess," I say.

"Today," she corrects, grinning wryly.

"Whatever."

She giggles. "See you, Sirius." She heads inside after Lily. I smile a bit wider, heading up to my own dorm.

: x : x : x : x :

"Sirius, wake up," James says for the third time during their Charms lesson.

"Sorry," I say, yawning.

"Geez, where were you last night?"

"Kitchens," I say. "I got hungry."

"Well you missed the best part. Moony has a date."

"What?" I yell in surprise. "With who!?" I turn to look at Remus, shocked.

"Gee, mate, thanks," he says.

"You know what I mean."

He chuckles. "Adrienne. She agreed to go with me to Hogsmeade next week."

My stomach drops. "What?"

"Well you said the bet's still on, right? I want to win one of these bets one day. This is the day."

"Right on, mate," James says, high-fiving Remus.

"How'd you ask her?" I ask, throat dry. Why is this bothering me?

"I told her I've liked her since I met her. She thought I was sweet and agreed to go."

I subtly glance over my shoulder to look over at the table where Adrienne and Lily sit. Adrienne looks pleasantly happy, though I notice her hands occasionally pull at her robe sleeves.

"Alright, Padfoot?" James asks, concerned.

"Yeah," I say, turning back towards them. "Yeah, just feeling a bit sick."

And now, some things in the next chapter!

- Preparations for Hogsmeade!
- A new teacher.
- A dangerous prank (already done in the books, so won't be too interesting.)
- A new, extremely surprising couple.