A/N: This was a chapter from the initial draft I wrote that I couldn't fit in due to the story's format. Hence, you're getting it here! This takes place after the Christmas kiss.

"You what now?"

Lily widened her eyes. They were at the Astronomy tower, enjoying the view after a day of studying.

"I know," Eliza groaned and leaned against the railing. "It's stupid."

"It's more than just stupid, he's Sirius! From all the people you could have kissed…"

"You're saying it like anyone else would have made it better."

Lily shrugged. "I don't know, I don't know anyone else who is in the same situation as you. Unless it's the other pureblood Slytheirns. They seem content."

Eliza covered her eyes with her hands.

"Tell me I am a terrible person for enjoying it."

"You're a human with needs."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

Lily huffed, fanning her face. "Lizzie, he's messing with you, you know that right? He might just see it as a way to get back at his brother."
"Why would that get back at me?"

"It will annoy someone, that's for sure," Lily shook her head. "Oh, I'm so glad that I don't have boy trouble."
"Isn't Snape boy trouble?"

"He called me a slur. I don't think that falls under boy trouble but imposing on Human Rights."
"Noted."

Lily pulled Eliza's hands out of her face. "It's alright now, it was a one time thing. He didn't give you anymore trouble, did he?"

"I… I don't know?" Eliza shrugged. "I've been avoiding him, really."

"Oh, that is typical."
"What do you say to someone you just kissed?" Eliza squeaked. "Hi, uh, that was great but we can't do this."

"Exactly that. It's not that complicated."

Lily was being far too pragmatic about it. They walked down the stairs as it would soon be dinner time.

"Don't think too much about it, you have a game tomorrow," Lily reminded her. "And as much as I am a Gryffindor… I do want you to win."

"Thanks, Lily."

"Oh, did you get the History essay? I didn't know what dilemma they were talking about –"

A door slammed in her face and she stood there in shock, clutching her nose. She heard a giggle, and two people stumbling out of the broom closet.

"HEY!" Lily yelled.

Black dots floated in her vision, but it stabilised enough to see Sirius Black, with his top buttons undone, and pink bruises on his neck.

"Sorry!" a girl squeaked as she pulled Sirius away down the corridor.

"Wh-hat," Lily spluttered. "That's so – oh gosh, are you alright?"

Eliza pointed her wand at her nose, and she felt the blood clear up and her nose go back into shape.

Was she alright?

"Was that.."

"Yeah," Lily's face turned red. "Yeah, I saw what you saw."

Eliza tried to not take it to heart that Sirius was seen kissing a girl. It was up to him what he did in his free time, really, and certainly, she had better things to do than brood over Regulus' brother. There was a Quidditch game to be planned, and theorised, and –

"Coucou," Regulus waved his hands in front of Eilza's face. "Are you even there?"

She blinked a couple of times, the pen in her hand slipped.

"Sorry, uhm, if Gryffindor is behind, I want you to feint finding the snitch."

"You just said that before you zoned out."

Eliza sighed. "Cut me some slack?"

"You've been a bit out of it," Regulus pointed out. "Ever since Christmas. Are you quite alright? Did something happen?"

Eliza was not going to tell him that she had a full make-out session with his brother behind his back. Instead, she grappled for the second truth.

"It's my friendship with Lily, that is all."

"Forget her," Regulus took the clipboard from her.

"She's my friend."

"She won't be your friend for long. If she doesn't hate you now, she will when we leave Hogwarts."

She grimaced.

"I'll be following what Narcissa does. Someone has to hold the fort," it rolled off her tongue, the lie that she told herself. If it ever came to it, frankly, Eliza did not know what to do.

Their teammates started to file into the changing room, which allowed Eliza to change the subject. Their game against Gryffindor was an important one: if they win, they would be in the running for Quidditch champion for the first time in a decade. She took attendance of her teammates before explaining the plan for the game.

"Potter is arrogant, and will be blind. This year's team seems to be focused on the offensive, not on the defence. The moment we have the ball –" she looked at her chasers. "One person should be near the goal post. I've designated a person to do that, got it?"

Their keeper raised his hand.

"Yes, Vanity?"

"What about Black?"

She frowned. "Regulus?"

"No, there's been an update in the team line-up. Their beater has a concussion, so Sirius is jumping in."

Eliza's jaw dropped, and her eyes met Regulus'.

"We'll assume that Potter will do anything to have some fun with his friend on the field," Regulus added. "I've played with him before. He doesn't have the strongest hitting arm."

"That's right," she cleared her throat.

No, no, no, she cursed. She should have known that! Normally, she was on top of her game. There were people who told her what was going on in the different teams, whispers that reached her ear.

This?

"How recent is this?" she asked again.

"Been like that for two weeks, I bet," someone else answered.

"Ignore him, he's my problem," she grumbled.

They warmed up on the field. The game wouldn't be for another hour, but strings of ruby and emerald-clad people entered the stadium.

"Oi!"

Through the net, she observed Peter, Remus, and Sirius, who were holding onto the net. Anger shot through her, as she saw Sirius' arm around that girl – she didn't know her name. They had Potions class together, but couldn't for the life of her remember it. She was one of the quieter ones, a Hufflepuff.

She was ready to ignore it, but Peter was beckoning to her. She frowned. She never really talked to Peter much. They didn't have much in common, other than mutual friends.

"Focus on your warm-ups!" she shouted at her team and walked over.

"James wanted us to tell you that you should lose today," Peter said cheerfully. Eliza raised an eyebrow.

"And where is Potter now?"

"Trying to convince Lily to give him a good luck kiss."

"That's unwanted advancement," she held her hands behind her back, hoping it would make her look more egalitarian. "Anything else?"

Her eyes rested on Sirius, who at least looked away. "Shouldn't you be with your team?"

"Yes," Sirius cleared his throat. "But I'm also allowed to have fun, don't I?"

She looked between him and the girl.

"She's just fun, huh?"

The girl glared at Eliza. "I'll have you know, we've been dating for the past three weeks!"

They were already together when Sirius kissed Eliza at the Black Lake, she realised. Heat rushed to her cheeks. She was the fool in this situation. Or rather, he was the instigator and she was just part of it.

"He may have a reputation," the girl continued. "But I'll have you know he's mine."

"Sure," Eliza muttered. She looked at Remus, and nodded at him. "Anything else I need to know?"

"Good luck, Shafiq," Remus said kindly. "I'm sure you will do splendidly."

"Hey! She's playing the opposite team!" Peter complained.

"It's good sportsmanship," Eliza managed to get out. Her heart felt like it was constricting. Dumb, dumb, dumb.

But she wasn't any better, was she?

But she wasn't dating Regulus; they were friends who started out of convenience due to a piece of paper. She walked away, back to her team.

"What did my brother want?" Regulus was waiting for her when she walked back.

"Oh nothing, just showing off his new beau."

"You don't think people are tired of that by now?" Regulus shook out his hands and legs, before going into a hamstring stretch. "I mean, it's the girls that are left with a broken heart at the end of it all. I'd assume you'd all huddle together and tell each other that he isn't worth it."

"Now, where are you getting this idea of girlhood?"

"Please, I've been around my cousins long enough to know what girl talk consists of," he sounded scandalised. Eliza smirked.

"What did you overhear last?"

"It was an outrageous line that… oh what was her name, Kogawa? Something about being the cashier and the tip?"

Eliza snorted.

"It was awful, please never subject me to that."

Regulus laughed, but she noted that it was a smile that didn't reach his eyes. She suspected he knew something, or at least that something was up.

She met with the Quidditch captain and shook her hand firmly.

Madame Hooch nodded, "Now ladies, I want a clean game, not unlike last time. Got it?"

"Got it," the captain repeated it.

Eliza went to her starting position as Beater, and soon they were all whizzing about. She hovered in the air, twirling the club in her hand. One of the bludgers flew close to her ear, but she dodged it.

The Quidditch pitch was electric with anticipation as Slytherin and Gryffindor faced off under clear skies, each team giving their all in this heated showdown.

"Ladies and gentlemen, hold onto your hats, because today's match between Slytherin and Gryffindor promises to be one for the history books!" boomed Declan, the Ravenclaw commentator, his voice echoing across the stands. "And let's not forget we've got a family rivalry brewing today, with Regulus Black as Slytherin's Seeker facing off against none other than his brother, Sirius Black of Gryffindor!"

The Quaffle was released, and James darted forward, expertly weaving through the Slytherin Chasers, his movements fluid and quick. Eliza spotted her opening; with a fierce swing, she sent a Bludger hurtling straight toward him. James ducked just in time, swerving to avoid it as it whistled past his ear, narrowly missing its mark. Sirius, meanwhile, caught sight of the rogue Bludger and intercepted it, flashing Eliza a taunting grin as he sent it careening back her way.

"Nice work by Black!" Declan announced, laughing. "That's Sirius Black, the new Gryffindor beater, showing Slytherin's Eliza that he's not one to back down!"

Eliza, unfazed, deflected the Bludger with a quick flick of her bat, sending it toward the Gryffindor Keeper, forcing him to swerve out of position. Slytherin's Chasers saw their chance and scored, putting them in the lead at 50-40. The crowd erupted, the Slytherin stands waving green and silver banners in celebration.

High above the pitch, Regulus was scanning for the elusive Snitch, his eyes cold and calculating as he stayed low, avoiding attention. Below him, his brother was causing chaos, deflecting Bludgers and exchanging hits with Eliza, each swing accompanied by a competitive gleam in his eye.

It was like a boy trying to get attention; Eliza rolled her eyes. It wasn't going to work on her, not out here on the field.

"Look at this, folks! Those Bludgers are flying fast and furious between the Black brothers' teams," Declan's voice rose in excitement. "And James Potter is back in play, breaking through Slytherin's defenses with incredible speed—he shoots, he scores! That brings Gryffindor back in the lead, 60-50!"

Eliza gritted her teeth and signalled to her fellow Beater, setting up a coordinated hit to disrupt Gryffindor's formation.

He was not going to win. He didn't get to just show up and disrupt her life, no sir.

Together, they directed a Bludger toward Sirius, but he dodged with ease, giving her a cheeky salute. She couldn't help but smirk, impressed but undeterred, and set her focus back on the game.

Just then, Regulus shot upward, his sharp gaze catching a glint of gold across the pitch. But Gryffindor's Seeker noticed too, and in an instant, both Seekers were hurtling through the air, each pushing their brooms to their limit in a mad race for the Snitch.

"Ladies and gentlemen, Regulus Black is on the move!" Declan roared. "And it's a two-Black showdown, with Sirius trying to get ahead of Eliza down below. This is sibling rivalry at its finest!"

Eliza spotted the Bludger closest to her and swung hard, aiming it toward the Gryffindor Seeker, hoping to throw him off course. But Sirius intercepted her hit with a brilliant save, deflecting it with precision and sending it veering off course. She barely had time to react when he hit it back at her, and with a sly grin, she dodged it, sending it right back in his direction.

Up in the air, Regulus zoomed suddenly, and Gryffindor's Seeker dived toward the ground, thinking he'd seen the Snitch.

The Feint.

Realising too late that he'd been duped, the Gryffindor Seeker pulled out of the dive; his face flushed with frustration as he realised Regulus had already spotted the Snitch above him, far from where he'd initially flown.

With the path clear, Regulus shot upward and reached out, fingers closing around the Snitch just as Eliza swung her bat one last time, sending the Bludger Sirius's way in an attempt to delay Gryffindor's counterattack. But her timing was off, and the Bludger connected with Sirius's shoulder in a solid, resounding thud, and into the goal post.

She covered her mouth.

"Slytherin WINS!" Declan shouted, barely audible over the roar of the Slytherin stands. "A daring Wronski Feint from Regulus Black and a clean Snitch catch—and let's hope Black's shoulder survives Eliza's celebratory send-off!"

Sirius glanced at Eliza, a mixture of pain and admiration on his face. She landed on the ground, running over to him.

"I didn't mean to!"
"Sure you did. How else were you supposed to get mad?"

"Please wiggle your toes for me."

"I am wiggling."

She held up a finger. "Can you follow?"
"Go celebrate with your team, I'm fine!"

She celebrated alright, but at some point, she stole away from the celebrations – people had begun puking, and she didn't want to be around for that –and decided to visit the Hospital Wing with a batch of chocolate.

"I'm fine, Emily," Sirius fussed. "It was just a little hit, that's all. And I grew up with Eliza, she didn't mean harm."

"Eliza? An hour ago she was just Shafiq," so that was her name.

"Well… yeah, she's my brother's fiancée, so of course I know her name."

"Is she always this mean?"

"She's a Slytherin, she has her ambitions and annoying me is one of them."

Eliza wished she had drunk more so she wouldn't have to experience this. But she shook her head.

Just walk in, don't be shy.

She did, as painful as it was to do.

She dropped the bar of chocolate by his bedside table.

"Good game."

"A good evening to you, too," Sirius said cheerfully. "Uhm, Emily, would you mind?"

Emily got up, gave Eliza a dirty look, and left.

"She's something."

"Yeah… it won't last long, jealousy and all."

"Jealousy and all," Eliza repeated. "Tell me, do you care so little for other people's feelings?"

Sirius took a sip from his drink, "I… I don't know. Can you sit down with me?"

"With you?"

He patted the small space next to him. The curtain was drawn, so they had their privacy.

Before she could protest, Sirius told her just to do it.

She got in beside him, cringing at the fact that she was wearing shoes in bed.

"It wasn't a joke when I kissed you that night," he'd lowered his tone. "And… truth be told, it was the first time I actually felt something. But what am I to do? You're off limits, too. So it's a little hypocritical, if you ask me."

"Well, uhm," Eliza was at a loss for words. "The easiest thing would be to ignore it and each other."
"I don't want that," Sirius said.

"Have you hit your head too hard?"
"No, I mean it."

For the second time that day, she grimaced. "That's… going to be so hard."

"But fun, wouldn't it?"

Sirius scotched closer to her and rested his head on her shoulder. "Congratulations on winning, by the way."

"Thank you."

"You've gotten far better than the last time we played."

She felt her eyes slowly closing, and soon, she fell asleep. She'd do her best to sneak out before anyone would see her later. But for now, she'd enjoy his company.