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

Spov

One thing I liked about Hallie was that she didn't complain much. I knew if I'd taken any other girl out of the warm castle and asked her to come crawling over slippery rocks and boulders in the freezing cold and snow on a date, they either would have refused to go or never let me hear the end of it. But not Hallie. She seemed to be having fun.

"Careful." I said quickly and catching her as her boot skidded on the slick ground and she slipped, almost toppling down the cliff.

We were in the mountains past Hogsmead and I was amazed again at how well she was keeping up. I'd been in these mountains more times than I could count and knew the trails like the back of my hand, but I didn't even have to slow down for her. She was just as capable as James or Remus, and certainly far more capable than Peter.

"Thanks." She said smiling up at me and I felt my heart skip a beat. Just getting out of the castle had already seemed to raise her spirits and I took her hand as we continued to walk.

"No problem. We wouldn't want a pretty girl like you to get hurt."

"I'd be more worried about what Lily would do to you if she found out you let something happen to me."

"Well you don't have to worry because I won't let anything happen to you." I promised.

"You sound pretty confident." She said with interest.

"I'm a confident person."

"Not everything is in your control."

"No, but most things are." I said looking down at her. "Besides. Wasn't it you who said women are attracted to confident men?"

"Are you really using my own words against me?" she asked amused.

"Yes actually I am." I let go of her hand. "Ok, this is the last part we have to go over." I said looking up at a stone ledge that was about fifteen feet above us. "If you want I can go first and help you up-"

"Hold these." She said rolling her eyes and shoving her gloves into my chest. She got to work finding bumps and grooves on the cliff face to latch onto and pull herself up. In less than ten minutes she'd pulled herself all the way to the top and was grinning down at me.

"Need help?" she asked smirking.

"How did you learn how to free climb?" I asked her impressed.

"I have four brothers Sirius." She reminded me. "We used to do stuff like this all the time. If I didn't teach myself how to keep up with them I was left behind. Chuck us the gloves."

I threw her the gloves she had handed me and tossed her mine as well. I climbed up after her, and tried not to feel a little humiliated when I realized she'd gotten up quicker than I had.

"Where to next?" she asked handing me my gloves.

"That way." I said gesturing towards a peak that jutted into the night sky and the thin gravel path that snaked around the far side of it. I smiled slightly when I realized how the moonlight looked in her hair then realized with a jolt that it was nearly full moon. It was no wonder why it was so easy to see tonight despite the fact neither of us had lit our wands. I had been so preoccupied by my relationship with Hallie, I hadn't been keeping track of that sort of thing. Not good.

"So, I've got a question." Hallie said her tone curious.

"Yeah?"

"Don't get me wrong, I don't mind hiking, but wouldn't it have been much easier if we were to fly here? I mean, you have a broom."

"Being airborne isn't the safest thing here."

"Why?" she asked interestedly as we turned the corner and her eyes went wide. "Sirius, why is the mountain on fire?"

"Look closer." I said grinning and I watched her mouth fall open as one of the flaming creatures spread it's fiery wings and took flight. She gasped.

"Are these…" she started in disbelief looking around the cliffs in wonder. All around us were giant burning birds casting the rocks into bright golden light as they flew from ledge to ledge.

"Phoenixes." I finished for her. "Wild ones. We were shocked too when we found it."

"How did you find it?" she asked in wonder, the flames reflecting in her wide blue eyes.

"It was an accident really." I said taking her hand. "We were exploring the mountains and we just sort of stumbled on it."

"I can't believe how many there are." She said quietly.

"I know, mad isn't it?" I asked and she nodded. "I think it's a nesting ground."

Suddenly, one of the large birds swooped down from above and landed a mere few feet in front of us. Hallie tried to move towards it but I held her back.

"What?" she asked.

"Hallie these are wild phoenixes, they're not tamed, who knows how they'd react."

"Oh calm down." She said and she pulled her hand from my grip and made her way towards the flaming bird. The fire on it's wings seemed to grow dimmer as she approached it, and by the time she reached out to stroke it's wings, the flames were completely out.

"Hey there little guy." She said smiling and it let out a soft musical hoot, that almost sounded as if he were enjoying her touch. Suddenly, the entire mountain side was filled with a strange but beautiful music. All around us the phoenixes were singing, and I felt my heart beating faster. As I looked down at Hallie as she laughed while the bird fluttered onto her shoulder, there were a million things I wanted to tell her, but had no idea how to say them. My stomach was tight, and I felt like I was speeding towards something, something I wasn't ready for but was going to happen anyways.

"Hallie I-" I started but was cut off in shock when the bird suddenly erupted into flame on her shoulder. "HALLIE!" I shouted terrified running towards her but before I could even reach her it was over. The beautiful scarlet and gold bird had vanished and was now replaced by a fuzzy red fledgling that was squeaking in high pitched cries. Around us the singing had stopped and the birds were now taking off. They rose into the night sky like fire works, burning as bright as the sun as they shot through the darkness taking the golden light with them. Suddenly, we were left alone in the moonlit cliffs, with the tiny phoenix that had now hopped happily into Hallie's hands, looking perfectly content to stay there forever.

"I think this might be the most adorable thing I've ever seen." Hallie said smiling as the bird closed it's wide black eyes and tucked it's head under it's fuzzy wing and went to sleep in her palms.

"I think he likes you." I said grinning and bushing ash off of her shoulder.

"Does this mean I get to keep him?" she asked hopefully, a child like excitement in her eyes.

"I've no idea what it means," I said frowning and looking at the little bird. "I've never seen anything like this happen before. But look Hallie there's something I want to tell you." I said having finally found the right words, and wanting to get them out before the courage the phoenix song had given me wore off. I could already feel it starting to fade.

"Yeah?" she asked curiously, clearly still ecstatic about the tiny bird.

"I know it can't be easy, trusting me and if I were in your position I don't know how I'd be able to do it. I mean I could tell you a million things you wanted to hear and you'd still never know how I really felt but just know that I am trying."

She looked shocked at my tone and I was surprised to hear myself sounding desperate for the first time in my memory.

"I care about you," I continued. "I really do, and I never want to hurt you. In fact I haven't wanted anything to work out more in my entire life so please." I put my hands on her shoulders. "Don't give up on me before you really give this a try."

"You make it sound like I have a choice." She said quietly.

"You always have a choice." I said frowning.

"Not with you I don't." she said blushing. "Not really."

I smiled and then kissed her.

"We should probably get back to the castle." I said as we broke apart and the phoenix gave another soft hoot. "What are you going to name sparky here?"

"Sparky?" she asked frowning in distaste. "You did not seriously just call my phoenix sparky?"

"He's yours now?"

"For the time being." She said happily. "He can't fly right now, and all the other phoenixes are gone. Someone has to take care of him."

"Only you could go out on a date, and come back with a dangerous fiery pet." I said rolling my eyes.

"Have you got a problem with that?" she asked raising an eyebrow at me.

"No," I admitted.

"Good because otherwise Kindle and I would have to kick your butt."

"Kindle?"

"Yes Kindle." She said smiling and holding up her new pet.

"You know I don't think we're allowed to have phoenixes." I pointed out.

"Dumbledore has one."

"Dumbledore is the head master."

"Are you seriously lecturing me on the rules?" she asked incredulously. "Who are you and what have you done with Sirius Black?"

"You know what the strange thing is." I said grinning. "If I had gone back in time and met my fourteen year old self, right before I'd met you. He might just ask the same question."