Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own any of the Harry Potter characters. Everything belongs to JK Rowling, and I'm merely allowed to play around with them. No copyright infringement is intended.
Chapter 2
-o-O-o-
The next day, the four Marauders got up at a reasonable time, by which I mean they were there for lunch, which was very unlike them, considering that it was the weekend. Nevertheless, they were all seated at the Great Hall table with the rest of their friends by midday.
"Well, that's a first." James said as the four buys sat down.
"What is, James?" Peter asked, already stuffing his plate with food.
"We're here before Evans is." he acknowledged.
Remus smiled from behind his Daily Prophet. "Of course you would notice that." he teased gently.
James frowned, looking for a retort, and Sirius piped in: "Well that's a first!"
The three boys looked at him, confused. "What is, Padfoot?" James asked, his retort forgotten.
"Well," he replied. "It's a first for a lot of things." He took a gulp of Pumpkin Juice and continued: "First of all, Marlene's not here, demanding to sit on my lap."
"You're a pig, Pads." Remus said, going bag to his paper.
James snickered. "I think the word you're looking for is dog, my dear Moony." he said, and Peter broke into a fit of girlish giggles.
Sirius rolled his eyes. "Second of all, we're here before the new girl is." he added, stuffing a piece of toast down his mouth.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa." James went, waving his arms around his head and shaking it disbelievingly. "Whoa. Padfoot, we've been over this, mate. You're not in love with her." he reminded him carefully, as if he were some sort of fragile child that took time to understand things.
Sirius snorted. "I got that far." he said. "I just thought I ought to mention it."
Remus smiled. "You may not be in love with her, mate," he told his best friend. "But you've got some serious obsession there."
"You wouldn't happen to mean," Sirius said, a look of pure mischief on his face. "A Sirius obsession, would you?"
"Oh, God, Pads." James said. "We've been through thus a million times! This joke is not funny anymore!" he told his friend, frowning at his, as if somehow disappointed. "Sirius, serious… We don't care that there's barely any pronunciation difference!"
"You know what stroke me the most?" Remus asked. When his friends shook their head, he added:"The fact that he didn't turn it into a sex joke."
"Good idea, Moony!" Sirius said, excited. "Obsession?" he asked mockingly. "I've got no obsession with that girl! Just her arse is all!"
"Who's arse are you obsessed about, Sirius?" a teasing girl's voice said from behind him. "It isn't mine, is it?"
He turned around. It was Marlene. "Hey, Marlene!" he said, smiling radiantly at her. "You're looking very beautiful today!"
And it was true. Then again, Marlene McKinnon was a beautiful girl. She had long golden locks that fell to the middle of her back and that bounced with every movement she made. Her hazel eyes shone whenever she smiled, and, when one looked too closely, one could see the dark brown specs in the middle of the chocolate brown. She had full red lips, an hourglass figure, was a C cup and filled the top of her skinny jeans rather nicely.
Those skinny jeans were black and she wore deep purple flats with them, to match the little purple blouse she wore. She was free of any make up and jewellery, save a little silver anklet near her left foot that jingled with every step.
She was, in one word, stunning. And hopelessly in love with Sirius. "Why, thank you, Sirius." she said, blushing prettily. "Mind if I sit on your lap?"
Sirius glanced at the other Marauders, as if to say: 'What did I tell you?' before turning back to Marlene and going: "Yes, sure, no problem." as he patted his left hip.
Marlene loved sitting on Sirius' lap, mostly because she loved feeling his hard muscles and that sitting on him was a very discreet and complete way to do it. She could move her bum and fell his hips, lean onto him and feel his abs, reach for something and brush against his biceps… The list was endless.
And Sirius Black most appreciated the attention. However, he was starving, and she was getting in the way of every reach for food he ever made. Every time, she was just there.
James saw that and smiled. "Trouble in paradise?" he asked tauntingly.
Sirius glared at him. "Fuck you." he swore at his friend, annoyed.
Marlene, who was not as stupid as anyone made her out to be, sighed and plopped down on the seat next to Sirius. "It's okay," she told him, not even looking at him. "I couldn't either anyway.
She served herself a large bowl of soup and started gulping it down avidly.
They stayed like that, eating in silence, while a couple of people sat down at the table, including Alice Spencer and Frank Longbottom. They came in holding hands and Sirius winked at Frank as a 'good job' sign. Suddenly, James suddenly looked up. "Quick!" he said hurriedly. "Remus, how do I look?"
Remus didn't even look up to him. "Muss up your hair a bit more, it's too tidy." he advised his friend, knowing what he wanted to hear.
James took his fellow Marauder's advice and ran his hands through his hair a few more times, so that when Lily sat down at the table, he grinned cheekily at him. "Hey, Evans." he said.
"Potter." she replied, merely acknowledging his presence.
"Had a nice night?" he asked, smiling. "Beautiful dreams."
She looked up at him surprised. "Actually, yes, thank you for asking." She sounded suspicious, as if she knew he was going to make a joke about this, but couldn't quite see where it could be going.
She needn't have wondered. "Well," he said cockily, leaning back in his chair, that smile of his still plastered on his face. "You must have dreamt about me heaps, then, right?"
She rolled her eyes. "You wish." she said. "Actually, I think I'd rather dream about Mr. Filch than have dreams about you."
James looked positively shocked. "You don't mean that, do you?" he asked, sounding worried. "Please tell me you don't mean that, Evans."
She smiled. "Oh, but I am, Potter." she told him. "I am very serious."
"Did someone call me?" Sirius asked, his mouth full of toast.
James didn't even bother answering.
And, in any case, Sirius didn't expect an answer.
She had arrived.
He'd wanted to meet her ever since he heard her laugh the previous night. And here she was, with Mary McDonald. Her hair was bushy and she was rather short, but Sirius found her attractive nonetheless. Besides, he thought, his smile broadening, she was wearing a skirt, so he had a nice view of half her legs.
'Not bad.' he told himself. 'Not bad at all.'
She sat down between Mary and Alice, and the chatter resumed as quickly as it had stopped. The girl on her left nudged her side. "Hey," she said, smiling. "My name's Alice."
Hermione looked up and shook Alice's hand. "I'm Hermione. Hermione Granger." she answered. Sirius smiled. He liked her name too. It sounded very… Shakespearian, but he liked it.
Alice's smile widened. "Yes, I heard all about you." she admitted, before turning to the rest of the table. "In fact, we've all heard all about you, haven't we people?"
The Marauders rolled their eyes and went "Yes!" all of them staring at Sirius.
She gave a nervous laugh and started helping herself to chicken breast. Alice poked her in the side and started pointing.
"That, on my left, is Lily Evans." Lily waved.
"I know her." Hermione said. Lily beamed. "She introduced me yesterday."
"You remember!" Lily gushed.
Hermione gave a cheeky grin. "Obviously, I'm not daft!" A girl on Lily's left snorted.
Alice rolled her eyes. "The girl who just practically inhaled her soup is Marlene McKinnon." Hermione got another small wave. "On Marlene's left is Frank Longbottom." Hermione gave a shy smile towards the boy, who promptly blushed and looked back down. "In front of her is Peter Pettigrew."
Her smile sort of faded when his name was mentioned, and Sirius wondered why. However, he promptly forgot about that when Alice continued her introduction.
"In front of Lily is-"
"No!" James yelled. "Let me do the rest of the introduction!" he said.
Hermione turned and to him and looked momentarily startled.
"I," he said, gesturing towards his chest in a royal manner. "Am James Charlus Potter," he winked. "The second." he added pompously.
Hermione rolled her eyes and Sirius almost snickered at that.
"To serve you, miss Hermione." he said and shot out to grab her hand and kiss her knuckles, while she smiled strangely and blushed , probably in embarrassment and at the mere stupidity of it all. Sirius thought it was a brilliant idea.
He let go of her hand and gestured to Sirius.
"This is my not-so-noble squire-"
"Squire?" Sirius shouted, although on a joking tone. "You're the squire! In fact no, you'll be my horse!"
James snorted and Sirius turned to her, their eyes meeting for the first time. There it was again, that feeling that ignited in his body, like it had yesterday, when he heard her laugh. He was honesty considering love again, before mentally shaking his head. He didn't love her. Instead, he quickly regained his composure.
"I'm Sirius Orion Black the Third, of the Most Noble and Ancient House of Black, at your service milady." He kissed her knuckles too. If James, who was infatuated with Evans, could do it, then so could he.
"Whatever." James huffed. "Don't listen to him, Hermione, he's totally lame."
Sirius slapped him behind the head for that, and his glasses nearly fell into his pudding. They both started chortling and bickering like twelve year olds.
"This," James pointed to a tall boy on Sirius' other side. "Is Remus Lupin, the first, I think…?"
Remus shook his head and gave her a half smile. "Is it alright if I just shake hands with you?" he asked her.
Sirius temporarily hated him for being so clean and proper and gooey and ugh! So perfect. He, Sirius Orion Black, was the only one who was allowed to be perfect. Especially around her.
"I personally think all this kissing knuckles things as impersonal and improper." he finished softly. Gooey werewolf.
Hermione took a while to answer. "Erm… Yeah sure." she stammered.
She held out her hand, and he shook it softly, his eyes never leaving hers. Sirius was staring at her, and her eyes met his again, for the briefest of milliseconds.
"Do you know if their over-inflated heads will fit in their silver helmets or not?" she joked.
Remus chuckled at this, but Sirius was quick to retort. "I don't know, but I can tell you about something else that is over-inflated around you." Hermione blushed crimson, and Sirius' laughter echoed around the room.
Suddenly a cold voice sounded from behind her. "It's not that I don't enjoy watching other people torture Mudbloods, Sirius, but I need to talk to you." Hermione turned to look at the one person Sirius hated more than Snivellus. Since when? Just then, when he called her the M-word.
"Regulus." Sirius said coldly, all traces of jokes gone from his voice. She looked slightly freaked out but he didn't notice. "What do you want?" he barked.
Regulus rolled his eyes. They were a shade of grey lighter than Sirius', sparkling with malice and taunt.
Oh, how he hated those eyes. And all that they represented, too.
"No need to sound so impatient, dear brother." he said, his voice sickly sweet.
"You are no brother of mine." Sirius warned coldly. "I left and that bitch you call your mother blasted me off the family tree, may I remind you."
Regulus arched a delicate eyebrow at him. "I recall introducing yourself to the Mudblood as belonging to the Most Famous and Most Ancient House Of Black, did you not?" he sneered.
"Don't call her that!" Sirius stormed. He would have stood up and hexed the little bugger's backside if James and Remus hadn't been holding him.
"It's okay, Sirius." Hermione whispered. She stood up and faced Regulus. She stared into his eyes defiantly, even though he was well over a head taller than her. "He's not worth it." she added, before shoving him away.
He looked disgusted beyond words. He was wiping the front of his robes, as if trying to get rid of germs. He looked back up at her, his face twisted in pure hatred. "You'll pay for this Mudblood!" he hissed, before storming away.
Wow. Well, that display of courage was certainly very unusual. Then again, she had been sorted in Gryffindor, so… Maybe he shouldn't be surprised.
Hermione sat back down and proceeded with eating her lunch. "Hermione?" She looked up at Sirius eyeing her carefully. "Are you alright?"
She smiled. "Of course I am. You'd see if I wasn't. I've been called worse."
"Oh…" he mumbled, before his cheerful grin went back into place. "That," he gushed, "Was bloody awesome." He held up his hand and she gave him a high-five. "I mean," he continued, "No-one's ever stood up to Regulus; especially not a girl. You should see how they all fawn over him!" he chortled. "It's ridiculous."
Hermione swallowed. "You mean, as ridiculous as all the girls who fawn over you?"
Touché. Little kitten knows how to scratch, apparently.. A big "Oooooh!" went around the table and people clutched their mouths and shook their hands, trying to hold their laughter in.
Sirius ignored them. "No, because I give them what they want, and Regulus ignores them. He's as stupid as he is an arse. Mind you, Slytherin girls aren't exactly lookers, but he can't do better."
Hermione chuckle at this. They continued lunch uninterrupted, at least until desert, when a shy third year came up to Hermione and tapped her shoulder. "Miss Hermione?" the girl asked.
Hermione wiped her mouth on her napkin and turned. "Yes?" she asked sweetly.
The girl blushed. "Professor Dumbledore would like you to come to his office. He said that you would know the password and wishes to see you as soon as you finished eating, if possible."
Hermione nodded. "Thank you." she told the girl, who scampered off without anything else. She ate the rest of her cherry pudding and stood up. "Well, I better be off now." she said. "I don't want to keep Professor Dumbledore waiting."
Sirius stood up too. "I'll come with you. You never know when my brother might want to corner you." He was actually concerned for her. That was new. And strange. Not bad, but new… and strange.
She smiled. "I appreciate your offer, Sirius, but I think I can hold my own against him and don't need your help or protection. Besides, don't you have to 'give a group of girls what they want'?"
And as another round of "Oooooh" went around the table, Hermione smoothed her skirt and walked out the Great Hall, numerous pairs of eyes trailing her every move.
When she was gone, Sirius turned back to his friends. "Well," he said. "Wish me luck."
"Goodness knows you'll need it." Remus mumbled, before leaving the table and walking back to the Gryffindor Common Room.
-o-O-o-
Here you go! Chapter 2! :) If you didn't know, my updates aren't really all that regular, but I'll do my best to give you a new chapter at least every week. :) As always, please review, and special thanks to the people who have reviewed (i.e: ptl4ever419, thank you so much!), read, favorited or followed this story so far. :D Have a nice day!