Disclaimer: I do NOT own the Harry Potter series and any of the characters. All credit goes to my hero, the wonderful J.K. Rowling! :D
Hpov
The rest of break went by in a happy blur. The concert had been amazing, my brothers were startlingly ok with Sirius becoming my boyfriend, and somehow without my notice, Sirius, Sampson, and Kohl had enchanted my Dad's old motorbike to fly. It had been amusing until they'd crashed it into a pine tree. I didn't know what they were going to say if anyone saw it, let alone how they thought they were going to get it down.
I was so caught up in my perfect little relationship bubble, I hadn't thought about what it would be like to go back to Hogwarts, and return to the real world.
"Hallie?" Sirius asked confused. We'd said good bye to my family and were now on the platform, holding hands as we walked towards the train.
"Yeah." I asked feeling my stomach knotting in nerves.
"Are you alright?"
"Not really," I admitted. "Why?"
"Because you look like you're staring down a troll that's about to charge."
"That's basically what's about to happen." I said distractedly. I'd just seen Alice with her family and Frank.
"What are you talking about?"
"See for yourself." I said wincing as Alice spotted us. Her eyes darted towards me, then down at Sirius's and my hands and her face split into a massive grin.
"I KNEW IT!" she shouted so loudly that half the platform turned to look at her. She disentangled herself from Frank's arms and sprinted towards Sirius and I still shouting. "I KNEW THIS WOULD HAPPEN!"
"Blimey Alice." I said as she tackled me into a hug and Sirius looked entertained.
"When did this happen? Tell me everything! Why didn't you send me a letter?" she asked sound half angry half exhilarated.
But before I could respond another voice asked.
"Alice, why are you crushing Hallie?" It was Lily. She too had spotted Sirius and I and was walking towards us from the barrier she'd just walked through, followed closely by James.
"Because she's in love!" Alice exclaimed jubilantly.
"What?" I spluttered indignantly. Sirius might have been my boyfriend, but there was no reason to jump into saying the 'L word.'
"Yeah what?" Lily asked clearly confused.
"Her, and Sirius!" She said happily then suddenly let me go her eyes wide. "Stay. Right. Here." She said sternly then tore off back to her family.
"As usual I don't follow." Lily muttered watching Alice push through the crowd.
"I think she's saying that a certain two people might have gotten together over the break." James said slyly clearly noticing the fact that Sirius had taken my hand again.
"Really?" she asked her eyes going wide.
I nodded feeling my face burn.
Her reaction was very similar to Alice's. "Oh my god you have to tell me everything." She said quickly linking her arm through mine and dragging me away from the boys who were now laughing at us.
"But-"
"No buts." Lily said as Alice popped out of the crowd and also linked her arm around mine.
"Alright I just said good bye, now you." She said and they both gave me an almost aggressively optimistic smile. "Spill. Now."
I realized I was trapped, locked between both their arms as they dragged me towards the train.
"But can't I-?" I started but they cut me off.
"No!"
"You're coming with us." Lily said happily.
"Your boyfriend can see you later." Alice agreed.
"This is ridiculous."
"This is girl time." Alice said happily. "And we're not letting you go until we know EVERYTHING."
Spov
"Congratulations mate." James said clapping a hand on my shoulder as we watched the girls drag an overwhelmed looking Hallie down the platform, giggling excitedly and interrogating her as they stepped onto the train. "You finally got her to go out without you."
"It only took three years." I said and he laughed.
"Mate." He said as we followed the girls off the platform and on to the Hogwarts express. "If there's one thing I've learned from dating Lily, is that if you're after a girl for that long, she's worth the wait."
We found an empty compartment near the back of the train and sat down.
"So you know how my holiday went." I said grinning and he chuckled. "How was yours?"
"Brilliant." He said with a wide smile and went into a long story about all the romantic sunsets, lovey-dovey activities, and evenings spent alone together. He'd clearly enjoyed himself but as my thoughts drifted towards my time spent doing crazy things with Hallie's family, I privately thought I would have chosen my holiday over James's any time.
"So you're still convinced you're going to marry her then?" I asked as a joke.
"Padfoot mate, I'd have the ring today if I thought she'd say yes."
I was saved the task of thinking a response to this because the door had slid open and Remus walked into the compartment.
"Moony!" James said happily. "How are you?"
"Good, what's up?" he asked grinning and taking the seat next to me.
"Well if you want the condensed version, James considers himself engaged, and my girlfriend is currently being held hostage by his potential bride to be for details about our relationship."
"I thought Alice would be the one to abduct Hallie." Said Remus apparently unsurprised by anything in the sentence.
"Oh she's helping." I assured him.
"So then you and Hallie are official then?" he asked curiously.
I nodded.
"Well it's about time." He said shaking his head. "I was starting to think I was going to have to lock both of you into a room for a few days until you guys admitted to how you feel."
"Yeah I don't think that would have worked." I said frowning. Pre Christmas Hallie was probably more likely just to jinx me and find away out of the room. I had a feeling she'd worked that out in her head to be less complicated than feelings.
James brought up our plans for the next full moon. Apparently both of them had been satisfied with simply knowing the fact that Hallie and I were dating, and didn't ask any more questions. I had to admit, that was a nice thing about being a guy. I knew that wherever she was, Hallie was being subjected to a lengthy and most likely very personal interrogation as Lily and Alice analyzed every moment we'd spent together over the break. It's just what girls did. I had to bite back a grin as I pictured her expression as she was forced to examine her 'feelings'.
"How long do you think it would take us to get to Hogsmead and back?" James asked curiously. He was half convinced he'd discovered a new pathway to the village and wanted to test his theory during Remus's next transformation.
"It shouldn't take too long." I said frowning.
"Even if we leave from the castle?" James asked.
"Where is this statue anyways?" Remus asked curiously.
Suddenly, the compartment door slammed open and Peter came toppling through the door.
"Is it true?" he asked quickly.
"Is what true?" James asked alarmed looking at Peter's frantic expression as he turned towards me.
"Him!" Peter insisted pointing at me. "And Hallie!"
"How do you always know everything?" James muttered incredulously while I nodded.
"Everyone's talking about it, people saw you holding hands. It's all over the train."
"Why does anyone care who I go out with?" I asked annoyed. It was strange to think that at the beginning of last term, I would have loved for everyone to know I was going out with her. While now I didn't particularly care if they were talking about it, I knew it would bother her, something told me this would make my life much more difficult than it needed to be in the near future.
"Because no one can believe it." He said also looking shocked. "I thought it was just a stupid rumor that someone had made up. I didn't actually think-"
"Why is it so hard to believe that Hallie is my girlfriend?" I snapped feeling suddenly very angry.
"Well she has been turning you down since forth year mate." James pointed out.
"That and you don't exactly have the best track record." Remus said almost apologetically.
"So?"
"So what did you expect?" James asked raising an eyebrow. "For everyone to just accept that you changed over break and that suddenly you're a one girl kind of person?"
"This is different." I muttered. "Hallie has always been different, she's not some random girl. I would never cheat on her."
"We know that but no one else does." Remus said shrugging. "For all they know Hallie's just another girl on the list.
"This is ridiculous." I said angrily. "I don't care what anyone is saying, it doesn't matter."
"It might to Hallie." Remus said quietly.
"You don't think she'd actually believe them?" I asked frowning.
"I'm not sure." He said shrugging. "It's hard to tell with her sometimes. Usually things like this wouldn't bother her…" his voice faded and it made me anxious.
"But?" I asked quickly.
"I dunno, I just get the feeling with you they might."
"I'm going to go talk to her." I said standing up.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you mate." James said.
"Why not?"
"See for yourself." He said gesturing towards the door where at least six girls were waiting outside, glancing curiously into the compartment every now and again, clearly trying to see if the rumors were true and if I was with Hallie.
"This is insane." I said annoyed.
"This is karma." Remus said shrugging.
"What do you mean?"
"Padfoot, did you really think you could get away with dating so many girls at once without it blowing up in your face?" James asked.
I didn't answer. I knew that living down my reputation would difficult but never had I imagined it would be like this.
"Oh you've got to be kidding me." James muttered as a girl very noticeably hiked up her skirt and then went for the compartment door.
"Hey boys." She said giving each of us a sexy smile as she stepped into the compartment. "We're having a little get together tonight. My friends and I thought you might want to come."
"Thanks for the invitation." James said frowning. "but we'll pass."
"Are you sure?" she asked looking disappointed. "There will be firewhiskey and who knows. Maybe a little seven minutes in heaven." She glanced at me. "We all know how much you like that game Sirius."
I resisted the urge to smile, I was surprised how naturally it came to me, like a bad habit I needed to force myself to break. Every instinct I possessed was telling me to accept but suddenly, I pictured Hallie and what her expression would be like if she'd seen this. It quickly suppressed any and all desire I had to flirt with this girl.
"I have plans tonight." I said pointedly. "With my girlfriend."
"So it's true then." She said looking not looking discouraged in the slightest. "You and Benson are finally going out?"
I nodded.
"Well that's never stopped you before." She said grinning wickedly. "What she doesn't know won't hurt her right?"
"I said no." I said firmly and she looked annoyed.
"Well, maybe some other time then." She said looking disappointed.
"I don't think so."
"Fine." She said sharply. "Let me know when go back to being fun."
She walked away and I did my best not to notice the way she swayed her hips as she stormed off.
"Wow." Peter said in amazement.
"That's just sad." Remus muttered.
"Well mates it's official." James said shaking his head. "We have just proven that men are in fact more attractive when they have a girlfriend."
"Why won't they leave me alone?" I asked in frustration as a few more girls made their way towards the door, but they suddenly stopped. As if repelled by some sort of powerful force they scattered back down the train and the compartment door opened again, but this time, I was pleased to see the girls that were walking in.
"You boys seem popular today." Alice said amused taking the seat next to Remus while Lily sat next to James. Hallie hesitated and it was obvious she'd known exactly why those girls had been here.
I grinned, took her hand and sat, pulling her onto my lap.
"Did you see how short that girl's skirt was?" Lily asked Alice who laughed.
"That wasn't a skirt, that was a belt."
"You have no idea how glad I am you are here." I whispered quietly into Hallie's ear as the others continued talking and she blushed.
"Why's that?" she asked and I kissed her cheek.
"Because you're the only girl I want to see."