Lily (calling Sirius, Remus, and James over): Come have a drink with us!
Sirius (sniffing the glass Dorcas handed to him): Do you have any whiskey?
Marlene (laughing): Whiskey? What’re you, 40? The only person I know that likes whiskey is my father
Sirius: It’s the only alcohol I can tolerate. Wine makes me cry and over share my trauma, vodka makes me wild and deranged, beer makes me want to break something, and tequila makes me horny.
Everyone (stares at him in astonishment)
Sirius: So what do you guys prefer?
Remus (muttering): I think tequila would be great-
James (scowling): He’ll have a juice. Preferably apple.
Request: hey there love! i’d like to request a Hufflepuff! reader x regulus story where Regulus and the reader are dating but Reg keeps it as a secret because he doesn’t want it “ruining his reputation” The rest is up to you.
You thought miserably as you plopped down in front of James and Sirius. Both boys looked up at you curiously. Over the past few months, both boys had noticed a change in your usually sunny disposition. You had gone from happy-go-lucky to moody and grumpy with little to no explanation of what was going on.
James gave Sirius a shrug. He was half considering bringing the subject up to Remus whenever he got out of the hospital. As your older brother, Remus probably had an idea about what was bothering you.
Sirius gave James a grin before speaking.
“Don’t you look like a ray of absolute sunshine this morning?”
You barely looked up when Sirius made a sarcastic comment. In fact, you didn’t comment at all. Neither James nor Sirius would understand what you were dealing with anyway. Why would they? Neither of your brother’s friends had to hide their relationship or feel like some dirty secret. No, that was all you. You were the one that was being treated as if you weren’t good enough.
Glancing across the grass, your eyes locked on Regulus who was quietly talking to Evan Rosier and Barty Crouch Jr. It took all you had not to march up to your boyfriend of a year and end it all…but you wouldn’t. You loved Regulus and that was what led to your current position.
A year ago you agreed to be Regulus’ girlfriend. You had been crushing on Regulus for ages and now that he wanted to be your boyfriend you were over the moon. The only thing was it came with a catch. Regulus wanted to keep it secret. He didn’t want word getting out that he had a girlfriend. He had his “precious reputation” to protect and somehow you would ruin that.
If I had any kind of spine I would have told him to shove off but no…I was so desperate for love and attention I made this stupid agreement.
You grumbled in your mind. It didn’t matter how much you loved Regulus…at the moment you were ready to end things and go about your business.
“Hello…earth to sunshine…come in sunshine.”
Sirius’ obnoxious voice pulled you from your mind.
“Would you hush already?”
You snapped. Sirius and James both blinked awkwardly as they stared at you. It wasn’t often when you kicked off but here lately you were doing it a lot.
“Um…sorry? What has your knickers in such a twist? You are acting just like my grumpy brother over there.”
Sirius commented. You sighed and turned back to Sirius.
“I’m just not in the mood, okay?”
James decided to come in. He gave Sirius a look that said “my turn.”
“Want to tell us what is bothering you so bad? It’s not often that you see Hufflepuffs so grumpy and snapping. Is it because Remus is in the hospital? He’ll be out in a day or two.”
“It isn’t about Remus.”
You replied, coldly. James scratches his head as Lily sits down. She automatically realizes that you are in a hell of a mood. Lily had noticed, just like James and Sirius, that you were awfully moody lately.
“Y/n, are you okay? We are all really worried about you.”
“Just forget it.”
You grumbled before standing up and walking off. At the moment, you wanted to be somewhere by yourself. In your haste, you didn’t notice Regulus, Evan, and Barty all watching with curious expressions on their faces.
“Would you look at that? The little ball of happy sunshine is in a mood again.”
Evan commented with a chuckle. Barty quickly came in.
“She snapped on Flitwick the other day.”
“Too bad she is suddenly so moody. I was about to ask her on a date. Now I don’t think I even want to. I’m moody enough without help.”
Evan said as he moved to lie backward in the grass. Regulus, meanwhile, was staying silent. He knew exactly why you were moody. You were pissed at him…not that he blamed you. On the last date, you had mentioned actually going public with the relationship and Regulus said no.
“At least you know yourself. I’ll see you lot later.”
Regulus commented before getting up and going in the opposite direction of you. He had an idea where you were headed but didn’t want to raise anyone’s suspicions.
Walking into the forest, Regulus only had to walk a few feet before seeing you sitting with a book open on your lap.
“I owe you for yelling at my brother. He looked totally stunned.”
You looked up from your book. Regulus stood a few feet away. You decided to take a few moments to respond. Instead, you only looked at your boyfriend.
Damn him and his perfect jaw line.
You thought before deciding to speak.
“Why are you here Regulus?”
Regulus let his bag fall to the ground before crossing his arms in that annoying way that made him look superior to all.
“I saw your little nasty scene back there and as your boyfriend, I wanted to make sure that you were okay.”
You snorted. “Your boyfriend” funny way to put what the two of you were. At the moment, you couldn’t help but think about how much you “gave” to this relationship. In one year, you kept a massive secret from your brother and all of your friends. You respected all of Regulus’ boundaries. To you, Regulus was just some guy that you got to meet in secret to spend time with, snog, and sometimes hold hands with. He hated being touched and everything was on his terms. That you were totally fine with. If Regulus was uncomfortable with sex, holding hands, and kissing then you could respect his boundaries until he was comfortable. The key phrase was you did everything.
Regulus never initiated dates. It was always you setting up everything and slipping him the notes. He didn’t notice when you were upset. In fact, he didn’t seem to care at all. You had to tell him how upset you were before he would acknowledge any pain you were feeling about whatever the subject of misery was. Regulus would then dismiss whatever you were upset about with an “I’m sure it isn’t as bad as it seems.”
Maybe I need to talk to him?
You thought. The relationship seemed to be you giving and Regulus just taking. Something needed to be “given” in your favor.
“Boyfriend…right.”
You commented before getting up and starting to walk away. Regulus reached out and grabbed your arm to stop you then promptly let you go.
“What’s with you? Are you still mad about our relationship?”
Regulus asked, his voice becoming colder by the second. You sighed. It was now or never. You needed to let him know how you felt because he clearly wasn’t going to figure it out on his own.
“I don’t think that we really have one.”
Regulus looked a bit confused. To him, the relationship was perfect. He had you all to himself for periods each day. Regulus didn’t have to worry about his neurotic mother getting involved and throwing a fit over your half-blood status. Regulus could keep his reputation for the purebloods but have a safe place with you.
“Yes, we do. We don’t shove it in other people’s faces and be obnoxious about it.”
“I’m not allowed to tell anyone about it.”
You replied. Regulus again looked confused.
“I don’t understand why you want everyone to know so badly. One person finds out and it will be like wildfire. People will be expecting things that neither of us wants…why deal with all of that?”
You stood silently a moment making Regulus question if you heard him.
“You don’t want anyone to know because my blood status is an embarrassment to you. Just like me having a brother that is a werewolf would be an embarrassment for you. The great Regulus Black dating some filthy half-blood with a werewolf brother…how scandalous would that be? Let’s face it, Regulus we are both just wasting our time with all of this. Nothing will come of it anyway. We will graduate and you will marry some pureblood girl…and to hell with whatever happens to me.”
Regulus’ face was livid.
“You know nothing of what will happen in the future.”
“It’s kind of obvious, Regulus. Look at your family. Do you think your mother will ever be accepting of me? No. You won’t do anything to displease her.”
“That’s not true.”
Regulus said in a soft voice. You snorted, laughing bitterly for a moment.
“Yes, it is! That is all you do! You do nothing but please her. If it wasn’t true then you wouldn’t have kept me as some dirty secret for a year. We wouldn’t have to be acting like your brother and snogging in the hallways. I would have respected your boundaries until you were comfortable approaching them. We could have been just like we are now but no. You won’t do it because your family won’t approve. I’ll never be good enough for you or them. I’ll see you around.”
You moved to walk past Regulus again and again he reached for your hand.
“Y/n, please… it’s not what you think.”
“Stop lying to me and yourself, Regulus. We both deserve better than that. Now as I said…I’ll see you around. Good luck with whatever pureblood princess you end up with.”
This time Regulus didn’t stop you. He stood looking like the lost puppy that had been kicked too many times and now did not know how to reciprocate love watching as your form grew smaller and smaller in the thick woods.
You knew that you would probably regret your decision when you cooled off but at the same time, you also deserved better. No one deserved to be someone’s dirty secret because they didn’t know how to tell their family about them. You deserved better and for once you needed to think about yourself.
Taking a breath you stopped and leaned against a heavy tree. You partially were listening to see if Regulus was trying to catch up with you. As expected, you heard silence. No birds, no trees moving in the wind…just complete and utter bone-chilling silence.
Remus takes Sirius’ scars away from him. The ones you could see, anyway. [slight AU]
cw: scars, past injuries, implied child abuse
Sirius ran away from home at age thirteen, midsummer. The first time Remus saw him after was in a corner of the Potters’ garden.
James told him about how Sirius stumbled from the Knight Bus to their front door, clothes soaked through with rain. And blood. The only thing he had on him was his wand. He’d all but collapsed once they got him inside, sending Euphemia into a frenzy trying to heal the gashes that were all over his skin.
Remus found him in the garden, and sat down next to Sirius on the grass, just on the edge of the shade Sirius was hunched under. He must have spied Remus coming, but made no indication to acknowledge him besides burrowing his head further into his knees. Remus had never, never seen him so beaten down, so small. He tried to place a hand on his shoulder, Sirius flinched away.
“You never wore long sleeves in the summer.” Remus said.
“Mrs. Potter did say the sun wouldn’t help the scars healing.”
From his hand white knuckled around his knees, Remus could see the pink lines of recent scars reaching into the sleeves of the sweater.
“You could show me.” Remus said.
Sirius shook his head without lifting it, somehow drawing even more into himself. There was a strange ache in Remus’ chest, and he reached for Sirius’ hand with his, prying loose a thumb and curling his fingers around it. The two of them sat there silent in the long summer grass, until Sirius’ fingers loosened, and started to brush across the thin raised lines of scars on the back of Remus’ own hand.
“You could show me.” Remus said again.
And then, slowly, wordlessly, Sirius lifted his head while peering at Remus like a scared small animal.
His eyes were red, his hair a mess clinging to the frame of his forehead. And there were one, two angry-looking gashes across his face and down his cheek. It was the sort of scars Remus knew by looking would stay long after it fully healed. Sirius didn’t let go of Remus’ hand, still clutched against his knee, as he watched Remus watching him. Until eventually, he let out a watery chuckle.
“Thanks for not crying on me.” Sirius said, sniffling and forcing a smile.
Remus tugged at his arm, for Sirius to turn and face him. Remus took both Sirius’ hands in his, as he finally let his knees fall from his chest.
“May I?” Remus asked, thumbing at the loose sleeves of the sweater.
Sirius nodded, letting Remus push the sleeves up his arm, revealing the criss-cross that jarred against Sirius’ smooth pale skin. He knew Sirius was staring between his and Remus’ own exposed arms, weighing up each of their marks of torn flesh, from claws and curses.
Look at us, Remus wanted to say, what a matched set we are. But it’s not the same. An unnamed horror was growing behind his throat and he tried not to imagine a mother who’d do this to her thirteen year old son.
“Your scars don’t change who you are.” Remus said.
Sirius looked away.
“Your scars don’t change who you are. It’s what you said to me, remember?”
“But they do.” Sirius said, barely a breath, “They made me like this, my, my family—”
“They are not your family,” Remus said fiercely.
Sirius gave him one short, grateful side glance, before it broke with a breathless sob choked into a cough. “How dare they— They want me to never forget, never ever really get away from them— And I can’t. I can’t let them mark me like this—”
Remus didn’t think he’d said this to anyone else. James had grabbed him aside, eyes full terrified and full with worry, asking him to please, try and talk to him, he wouldn’t tell me anything.
“Moony, it hurt so much. And I— how could I be saying this to you when you have to go through this every month—”
“No, Sirius, stop, it’s not the same.”
“And I can’t even sleep, I keep having dreams. And I can’t tell James about it with the way he looks at me. He told me how in the end they’re family, and that meant they must still care—”
“Sirius, James got it wrong, he didn’t understand—”
Sirius shook his head. A bunch of thirteen year-olds, what did any of them understand?
“I still don’t— Remus, even Reg—”
Remus pulled him forward, held him tight.
“What if,” Sirius said against his shoulder, as if confessing a worst fear, “what if they’d really broken me, made me a monster just like them?”
Remus felt his eyes sting. He clutched Sirius even tighter by way of answer. He wished the caress of sun and soft winds could take all the scars and hurt away, but they didn’t make him feel any less helpless. It was such a bright day, with only plums of clouds crowding the edge of the open, too-bright sky. Somewhere, the pale arc of a moon hung drowned out by all the light. Remus could feel Sirius’ shoulders shaking in his arms, hurting. Let me, he thought, let me carry it instead, but there was nothing, nothing Remus could do to ease any of his pain.
Though perhaps. There was perhaps something.
Remus softly drew back, hands sliding down Sirius’ arm, drawing his attention with the deliberate motion. He could feel the swirling in his chest, a burning urge to heal, to ease, to take away the hurt— and felt it focus in the magic between his fingers. Quietly he reached out, traced with a thumb over a still-healing mark that began on the inside of Sirius’ wrist. And following the warm trail of his finger, the scar sizzled, dissolved away.
Sirius’ eyes widened, “how did you— even Effie couldn’t—”
Then it reappeared, tracing its way up along Remus’ arm. His brows tightened a little at the prickle of pain that accompanied the scar, now looking silvery and aged, etching into his skin.
“No— no!” Sirius gasped, “What are you doing?”
“They can’t mark you. They don’t get to, Sirius. I could carry this for you”, he said. Because they were young, young enough to care for each other with a kind of bottomless, unabashed sincerity. But old enough to see that their friendship with each other was the purest thing they had in their life, to really mean it when they said ‘I’d do anything for you’. To Remus at thirteen, this all made perfect sense.
“It doesn’t matter. The scars don’t matter at all.” Remus said, bolder now. He traced another scar, relocating it from Sirius to him. His own arm barely looked any different, there were already so many lines on his skin.
“Remus,stop.”
“You said my scars don’t change me, or how you see me.”
“No, of course not, but—”
“But it changes how you see yourself.”
Sirius fell silent. He looked at Remus pleadingly without quite knowing what he was pleading for.
“I— Remus, that doesn’t mean you should take my scars—”
“Shh. I need to concentrate for this one. Don’t move.” Remus said, as his hands moved up to cup Sirius’ chin.
Tears started gathering again in Sirius’ eyes, though he didn’t move to stop Remus, “Why are you doing this? Why?”
Because they were thirteen, and didn’t know that lines on the body didn’t matter. Or they didn’t know how much they mattered.
“Sirius, listen,” With a thumb, Remus wiped away the tear just slipping out, and started tracing the scar that began just under the eye, “When you met a boy covered with scars, you tried to help him though everyone else would have thought him a monster. You gave him friendship and kindness and love and it’s so much more than he deserved—”
“—No, Remus you—”
“Shh. It’s fine. You don’t have to say all that.” He moved his thumb to the second scar, just across the cheek. A trail of tingles was making its way across his face too.
“The way you stand up for your friends, stand up to your cousins, your parents— You are the bravest boy I know.” He finished, hands falling to his sides.
And Sirius didn’t say anything for a long while, his gaze barely daring to waver from his eyes, flickering with a thousand emotions. He looked scared and all kinds of overwhelmed all at once. Then, slowly, he lifted a hand to Remus’ cheek, tracing where the new scar appeared.
Remus had almost surprised himself with how much he said, he was never the one with words. But it’d always been Sirius who brought it out of him. When Remus moved his arm to hold Sirius’ hands, they snapped to catch his.
There was no point denying what he’d done. No point second guessing why he did or if he should have done. Clearly, Sirius wasn’t going to let him do it anymore as well.
So with a sad little smile, Remus squeezed his hands before quietly standing and slipping away.
-
When Euphemia caught him, brows creasing from seeing Sirius’ scar on his face, Remus pursed his lips and shrugged a little.
“Please don’t be mad at Sirius, Mrs. Potter. It was me who wanted to do it.”
-
It was near sundown when Sirius came inside and found him.
“Remus!” he called out, rushed over, and caught him in the tightest embrace. And years from then Remus might look in the mirror and wonder— wonder. The marks they left the promises they etched deep into the mind and the tiny ways they carried and broke each other. But now, with his nose buried in Sirius’ hair, Remus could just see the brilliant sunset beyond the window, and the slip of moon that was starting to glow.
For@goodboylupin ‘s Candy Hearts Challenge! My prompt was 2,000 kisses.
–
If anyone had asked Remus how he planned to spend his time on that sunny Monday morning in Spring, he would’ve smiled and gladly told them all about the book he was reading, and how he hoped to finish it after classes when he and his friends would eventually go outside to sit by the lake together and soak up the sunshine. There was always homework to do as well, but that was a boring answer, and besides, nobody really did ask Remus what his plans were for the day. It was a hypothetical scenario, conjured up and played out inside Remus’ head as he ate his breakfast and stared out the windows in the Great Hall, completely zoned out from the conversation happening around him.
Sirius and Peter were talking about muggle music while James was too wrapped up in a conversation with Lily to notice that Remus was off in his own world.
Daydreams full of warm rays of sun and laughter by the water remained in Remus’ head during most of breakfast. It wasn’t until he heard a hiss of pain coming from beside him that Remus finally snapped out of it. He turned his head towards the sound to see that Sirius had sliced open his finger while trying to cut his food. But the even more pressing matter - one Remus did not even realize existed until he’d zoned back in - was the fact that his and Sirius’ thighs were pressed together under the table, and Remus had trouble focusing on anything else besides the warm heat coming from his friend’s body, even though his finger kept bleeding.
“Remus! Do something!”
James’ panicked voice broke through the haze that had filled Remus’ brain, just enough for Remus to notice that Sirius had cut himself deep, and the blood was not stopping. Thinking quickly, Remus grabbed Sirius’ hand and brought it close to his face.
“Episkey.” Remus said, barely focused enough to get the wand movement right. And then, because Remus was still partially thinking about the warmth coming from Sirius’ thigh against his, and his big, stupid, terrible crush he’d been harboring, Remus bent down low and placed a soft kiss on the freshly sealed wound.
“All better now.” Remus muttered absentmindedly before turning to face the windows once again.
Then he froze, and his face turned white.
Remus did not have to look at his friends to know that they were all staring at him, looking as shocked as he felt. Peter’s eyes were wide with disbelief and his mouth was gaping. And although James looked smug, he too looked like he couldn’t find the words to describe the odd scene he just witnessed.
Sirius, on the other hand, was positively glowing.
“What was that for?” He asked Remus with a bright smile that lit up the area around him. It was like kryptonite to Remus, though he knew his friends would never get that reference.
To be honest, Remus was wondering the same thing for himself. What had he done that for? Was he really so pathetic that a single point of contact could throw all his sensibility and self preservation out the window? Just to kiss Sirius on the hand?
Merlin, he was an idiot.
Besides the embarrassment Remus felt, he cleared his throat and tried his best to speak in a clear, steady voice. “Er, have you never heard of kissing it better?”
He hoped that Peter, another half-blood, would come to his rescue and explain everything away for him. But Peter remained silent.
“Ok, well uh… it’s like muggle magic, you see. Usually performed by parents when their children get hurt, but the idea is that a kiss can make any injury feel better immediately.” Remus explained while the others listened carefully. “My mum used to do it for me and I guess it must have just… slipped out? Sorry, Pads.”
But Sirius didn’t appear to be listening anymore. He seemed to be engaged in a silent conversation with James, the two of them going back and forth for some time. The waggling of James’ eyebrows and Sirius’ sneer were the only outward signs that they were communicating.
Finally, Sirius looked away from James with a scowl and focused his attention back on Remus.
“It’s okay, Moons. I mean, it was an accident, right? I really don’t mind.” Sirius said with a shrug before he reached for a piece of toast - one that wasn’t covered in spots of red.
Remus could do nothing but nod. It was an accident, but not entirely. Remus hadn’t meant to kiss Sirius, but that didn’t mean he didn’t want to. In fact, it was practically the only thing he thought about, when he wasn’t daydreaming about books and basking in warm weather, that is.
But he couldn’t tell Sirius any of that. An accident was all it was and all it ever would be. It hadn’t meant anything, and Remus was thankful for the olive branch Sirius extended, an offer to just let it all slide. To let it be forgotten.
Eventually, Remus went back to his own food, trying his best to ignore his embarrassment and the feeling of Sirius’ leg still pressed firmly against his own.
Y/N is crouched over the toilet in the back of the local dive bar. She’s doing her best to keep her balance but between the high heels, the alcohol she consumed and the small surface of the toilet seat, she knows it’s only a matter of time before her foot lands in something she doesn’t want to think about. She’s staring at the screen of her phone, an unknown number glaringly white against the black drop of her dial page. The girl who had been in the bathroom when she rushed in had taken one look at her face and understood the situation and offered this number, stating that it’s a group of guys from uni that are happy to offer their protection to anyone who feels unsafe after the sun goes down.
I don’t need anyone to save me,she thinks but then, her traitorous mind supplies her with images of the man who’s probably waiting for her outside the women’s bathroom. Her thumb quickly presses the green icon.
——-
“James, mate, wake up.”
With a groan, the man in questions stirs, trying to ignore his best friend. He opens one eye, attempting to focus on his surroundings but failing because of the dark and lack of glasses. “What do you want, Remus?”
The other man rolls his eyes, pulling the covers away from James’ body and ignoring the boy’s protests. “Our services are needed.”
Those words make all protests and bad mood evaporate. James sits up immediately, reaching for his glasses and slipping them on. “How long ago?”
Remus smiles at the protective tone his friend’s voice takes whenever this happens. He’s proud of how much James has grown since he’s met him at the tender age of eleven. “Not long, maybe five minutes. I’d go myself but Sirius is pretty sick and you know how he gets…” they share a knowing smirk, pictures of a sick and pouty Sirius filling their minds. “I’d ask Pete but he’s out on a date so that leaves you.”
James is out of bed before Remus finishes speaking, gathering the cleanest clothes he can find littered around his floor. “Where are they?”
“She’s at the Three Broomsticks. Her name is Y/N and she’s locked in one of the stalls of the women’s washroom.” Remus presses on their communal phone’s screen and turns it towards James, “Y/N is the one with the y/c/h and black top. The guy might still be right outside the door of the bathroom. You can either text or call her, hers is the last number that called.”
James nods, pocketing the phone and heading towards the door, “I’ll text you when I’m on my way home.”
“Be careful, Prongs.”
James grins and shoots a wink over his shoulder, “Always am, Moony!”
——-
It doesn’t take long for James to reach the dive bar. It’s nearly three thirty am but being a Friday night, he isn’t surprised to see the area in front of the entrance full of students loitering around sharing fags and laughs. He quickly enters the pub, a cloud of smoke following him and stops for a moment to shoot Y/N a text, letting her know that he’s just arrived and making his way to towards the restrooms.
Thank you so much for coming! The man I’m trying to avoid is tall and bulky and has gray hair and is plain creepy.The response comes in within seconds and James smiles despite the situation at hand. Even though he’s been doing this since his first year, he still can’t comprehend how some people are incapable of respecting someone else’s decision, making them feel so unsafe that they have to call in some stranger to rescue them. Now more than ever, James is glad that he has his act together and that his reputation as a mischievous yet good person precedes him.
It doesn’t take him long to spot the man Y/N was describing and it takes all his self control to not confront him. Ignoring the other man, James slips into the women’s washroom, making sure to lean against the door with all his weight. He hears shuffling from one of the stalls, and trying to be as reassuring as possible, he calls out for Y/N.
A few seconds later, a face pops out from one of the cubicles and James tries to smile reassuringly. Y/N eyes him wearily, “James?”
James nods, “Pleasure to meet you, Y/N. I’m here to escort you home.” He knows that at the best of times, he’s an oblivious wanker but only a blind mind wouldn’t be able to see the palpable relief on the girl’s face when she notices him there.
“Thank you so much for doing this,” Y/N says as she tries to find her footing again, having spent the last twenty-three minutes squatting while in heels makes her unsteady. James offers his hand, letting her grip it tightly as she rises to her full height. “When that girl said that there was a group of guys that always come when you call, I thought she was setting me up.”
James raises his eyebrows, eyes glancing down at their conjoined hands. Girls in these situations tend to stand a few feet away from him, at least in the beginning, still afraid that he was going to hand them over to whomever was harassing them. “Then why’d you call?”
Y/N looks in to his eyes, and James finds himself a bit breathless for some reason. “Because not all men are bad and I need to have a bit of faith in the world.”
James grins, squeezing her hand before letting go. “I’m glad you called. I promise I won’t let anything happen to you.”
Y/N tilts her head to the side, studying him for a moment before smiling back. “I believe you.”
James’ grin grows brighter. He pushes himself off the door, “I don’t know if he’s still out there but my plan is to play the part of your boyfriend so that, even if he is still here, he’s less likely to try anything.” Y/N makes a face, one that James has seen many times before. He shrugs, grimacing. “I know. It’s bloody ridiculous that men only back off when a girl is taken. However, tonight we are going to use this to our advantage.”
Y/N nods, wringing her hands nervously in front of her, “How?”
“If you’re comfortable with it, I’m going to wrap my arm around your waist until we’re a few blocks away.”
Once again, the girl nods. She wobbles a bit as she moves towards him, and James gently grips her forearms to prevent her from falling. She gives him a sheepish smile, “I’m normally really good on heels, but between the drinks, the squatting and the adrenaline finally wearing off, these things are death traps.”
James shakes his head, smiling softly at her. “I get it, really. I’ve been so drunk I could barely stand, and I was just wearing flats.”
Y/N laughs, letting James wrap his arm around her waist and tucking her into his side. He lets her lean heavily against his body as they start walking and he gives her hip a gentle squeeze. A reminder that he’s there for her and will keep her safe. With a sigh, she reaches one hand out to open the door and wraps the other one around his waist.
The creep is still there, leaning against the wall across from the door as the two exit and Y/N feels a cold sweat break across her skin. James holds grows tighter as he drops his head so that he can whisper in her ear. “It’s going to be fine. I’ve got you.” She can feel his lips graze her ear even through her hair and the shiver that now runs down her spine is for an entirely different reason.
The man pushes himself from the wall, taking a menacing step forward but James doesn’t let it phase him. He knows what he looks like and he knows how to make himself look menacing. He stares the man down, arm still securely around Y/N but he knows that if he has to, it will take less than a second to push Y/N behind him.
“Can we help you?” James keeps his tone cheery, a fake smile on his lips but his posture and eyes let the whole room know that he is not to be messed with.
“No” is the reply and Y/N finds herself holding on tighter to James.
James’ fake smile only gets bigger, “Grand. Then if you don’t mind, my girl and I would love to be on our way.”
Without waiting for a reply, he quickly escorts the girl out of the hallway, “Keep looking ahead.” He instructs as they push through the crowded pub to get to the exit.
Y/N does as he says and when the cool night air hits her warm skin, she sighs in relief. She’s quick to steer them in the direction of the flat she shares with her friends and James, true to his words, drops the arm from her waist when they make it three blocks from the pub and there is no sign that they are being followed.
They walk in silence, each lost in their own thoughts and it feels as if only a few seconds have passed when they stop before the door of her building.
“Thank you, James,” she turns to look at him, hands wrapping around her stomach as the feelings of the evening start hitting her full force, “I don’t know what would have happened if you hadn’t shown up.”
He grins at her, ruffling his hair before shoving his hands into the back pockets of his jeans. It makes his chest appear larger and he doesn’t miss the way Y/N’s eyes rank his form. He feels blood rushing to his cheeks, “All in a night’s work. Save the number, although I really hope you never need it again.”
A part of him hopes that she does need, if just to see her again.
Y/N nods, placing a hand on his shoulder as she swiftly lets her lips graze his cheek. “Thank you. Have a good night, James.”
“You too, Y/N.”
James watches her enter the building before he turns around and starts the trek back towards his own flat.
——
Y/N really thought that she would never need to use James’ number again, even though she really wanted an excuse to see him again. There’s something about his reassuring presence and his smile that ties her stomach into knots. She’d love to see him again and get to know him.
Y/N tries not to dwell on the fact that it’s been well over a month and James has most likely forgotten all about her, him being a knight in shining armour and whatnot but a girl can dream. And she does. A lot. Every day. And night.
Y/N really does think she’ll never see him again when, at the end of a closing shift at the small coffee shop on campus, through the glass windows, she can see the same man from the pub hanging around. She almost regrets telling Gideon he could leave early but she knows how much studying he still needs to get done and as freaked as she is, her heart misses a beat at the thought of seeing James again.
Turning off the backroom lights and working on getting the last of the machines cleaned, she ignores the creep as best she can but when she realizes that he doesn’t seem to have any intention of leaving without confronting her, she pulls her phone from her apron and quickly dials James’ number. It only rings a few times before his voice reaches her ears, “‘Lo?”
“James? It’s Y/N.” She sighs in relief at the sound of his voice.
“Oh! Hi!” Y/N fools herself into thinking he’s equally excited to hear from her as she is to call him. “You ok?”
She hesitates only a second but he picks up on it, “Where are you?”
Her shoulders loosen and she feels tears fill her eyes, “I work at the small cafe on campus, right next to the library.”
“Lucky for you, I just got kicked out of the library because it’s closing time.” James chuckles at himself, hitching his bag higher on his shoulder as he quickens his pace. “Are there any customers or coworkers with you?”
Y/N shakes her head, “No, we closed about thirty minutes ago and I let Gid go home early.”
James speeds up, willing his legs to carry him faster, “It’s okay. I can stay on the phone with you.”
Y/N finally lets the tears fall along her cheeks, “It’s the same man as last time.”
James’ steps falter at her admission, the revelation only making him want to get there quicker, “Do you know him?”
“I’ve seen him around a few times.” She admits, moving behind the counter so she has a better view of the door. “He came to the cafe before and flirted with me and other girls but I don’t even know his name. I don’t understand why -”
“There’s nothing to understand.” James cuts her off, having to stop at a red light. He taps his foot impatiently and checks both sides before dashing across the street. “You did nothing wrong and he’s just a creep. I’m only a block or so away. Are you ready to leave?”
Y/N puts the phone on speaker and rests it on the clean surface. “Basically, yeah. I cleaned everything and I’m grabbing my stuff as we speak. All I need to do is turn off the lights and lock up.”
James smiles when he sees the coffee shop, “Grand! I can see the sign so you can go ahead and start turning everything off. I’ll be at the door when you reach it.”
“Do you mind staying on the line until I’m actually with you?” James hates how afraid she sounds. He doesn’t know her and has helped so many students throughout the years, yet something about Y/N makes him feel more protective than ever before.
“Of course not.” He’s quick to reassure her, “I’m here and I see the wanker. Come out whenever you’re ready, love.”
Y/N feels her face heat up at the pet name, and enjoys it much more than she should. Turning off the lights, she rushes towards the door, unlocking it before closing it behind her. She smiles in relief when James comes to stand right next to her, eyes narrowed at the retreating form of the man. Her hands shake as she tries to get the key into the lock and she jumps when a pair of warm hands cover hers. “Let me,” James whispers, taking the keys from her hand. He doesn’t move away from her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders as he locks the door. Y/N’s shaking and she lets herself be comforted by his warmth. James turns slightly, bringing her in for a hug and Y/N grabs a fistful of his jacket as she starts crying.
“I’m sorry,” she says between sobs, “I’m not usually like this.”
James smiles sadly, rubbing her back and squeezing her tightly, “You have nothing to apologize for.”
They stand like that for a good amount of time: James with his arms around her and soothing words, Y/N with her face crushed against his shoulder as she tries to stop crying. With an arm still keeping her close to his chest, James pulls out his phone and makes a call.
Y/N can feel his chest vibrate with the words he’s speaking but she isn’t really aware of what’s being said. She trusts James. He will make sure she makes it home safely. Both his arms are around her again and she’s finally starting to relax when a car’s horn makes her jump and cling to James even harder.
James doesn’t laugh as she expects him to. He just holds on to her. “It’s just my mate Remus. He’s going to give us a lift. He’s actually the one you spoke to on the phone last time.”
Y/N keeps her face hidden against his shoulder as she mumbles “He is?”
James nods, trying to get her to walk towards the car, “Yeah. Gentle giant really.”
Y/N finally looks up and James smiles sadly at her tear-stained cheeks and puffy eyes, “Don’t let him know that I’m finally admitting this, but he’s taller than I am.”
James is rewarded with her laughter. She takes a step back, wiping her cheeks to rid any evidence of tears, “You keep saving me, I think I can keep this secret for you.”
James grins, gently taking her hand in his as he leads her towards the car idling by the curb. He opens the door for her, letting her settle before sitting beside her. He nods towards his friends in the front seats.
Remus turns around to give her a gentle smile, and if he sees the signs of her breakdown, he doesn’t acknowledge it. “Where to?”
Y/N rattles off her address, relaxing against the seat as the boys introduce themselves. None of them comment on what happened, doing their best to make her laugh and in no time at all, they’re pulling up in front of her building. Just like the previous time, James follows her to the door, patiently waiting as her shaky hands look for her keys in her bag. As she unlocks the door, James places a hand on her arm, making her turn to face him. He just smiles, reaching for his own bag.
Fuck it, he thinks as he reaches for a notepad and pen. Scribbling something on the bottom corner of the first page he opens it to, he rips it and passes it to her. She gives him a questioning look and James blushes. “It’s my personal phone number.” He explains, rubbing the back of his head, “The number you call is an old one and me and the lads take turns with it.”
Y/N smiles, pocketing his number, secretly thrilled. “And why are you giving me your personal number?”
James’ blush seems to intensify but he keeps looking her in the eyes, a lopsided smile tugging his lips upwards, “You seem to have a knack for getting yourself in trouble and well, I figured you felt comfortable enough 'round me.”
Just like last time, Y/N kisses his cheek gently, “Thank you, James.”
He nods, smiling and starts backing away, eyes still on her as she goes to enter her building. She stops when he calls out her name. She turns and sees him grinning at her, hands deep in his back pockets, “If you wanted to text or call even when you’re not in need of saving, I’d be more than happy to hear from you.”
Y/N laughs, returning his grin, “I’ll keep that in mind!”
——-
As much as they’ve been texting and speaking on the phone, Y/N and James have yet to have time for an actual date though both know that’s what they want. Even if they don’t hang out alone one-on-one, James and his friends had started coming to the cafe regularly. They’re friends now, hanging out together, studying as a group. She just wishes she could get some alone time with the guy she’s pining after. They had even taken to walking her home, as well as having her over for dinner and drinks. Y/N had never had a group of friends, always preferring to hang out with one or two friends max, but James and the lads made being around them so easy and natural.
The coffee shop is scheduled to close in an hour and most of the patrons are taking their leave as Gideon starts closing off the machinery, cleaning them in the process and Y/N starts wiping down the empty tables and taking the garbage out.
There are only four tables occupied at the moment: one with James and his friends, one with Gideon’s brother and their friends, and the other two had students finishing up a study group. As Y/N makes her rounds, warning everyone present that they’d be closing shortly, James couldn’t help but stare at her.
“Isn’t she just gorgeous?” He asks dreamily, ignoring his friends’ eye rolls.
“Just ask her out. Put us out of our misery.” Begs Sirius.
This had been the only topic of conversation for the past month and all the boys are fed up with his pining.
“It’s complicated.”
“It’s really not. You like her, she likes you. Go snog her so we can end this endless pining. ” Remus shrugs, earning himself a glare.
“You think I don’t want to?” James runs a hand through his hair, finally glancing away from Y/N. “What if you’re wrong?”
The boys burst out laughing and when James yells that it’s not that funny, tears spring from their eyes as they hunch over the table. Y/N glances their way, a confused expression on her face and James wishes that the ground would swallow him whole. He slides lower in his seat, arms crossed over his chest and cheeks in flames. He was going to get back at them.
Y/N comes by, hugging him from behind and letting her chin rest on top of his messy hair, “What’s so funny?”
James glares at his friends, kicking Sirius in the shin when he saw him open his mouth, “Nothing, love. We were just taking the piss out of James.”
Y/N’s eyes light up, “Can I join?”
James huffs, shaking his head so she’s forced to let go to not get hit, “Fuck all of you.” When he notices the look on Remus’ face, he points one finger menacingly at him, “Not a fucking word, Lupin.”
Y/N giggles, shaking her head, “As amusing as this could be, you lads have to leave. It’s closing time.”
They gather their things between laughter and shoves and as they exit the shop, Y/N hot on their heels to lock up, James turns around to kiss her cheek, “Meet you out front in thirty?”
She blushes, nodding her head, “Yeah, thanks.”
He winks at her, “My pleasure.”
——-
Y/N hates parties. She almost hates them as much as she hates her best friend that had dragged her to said party. That same friend who had promised to stick by her side yet disappeared about thirty minutes after they arrived to get dicked down.
Not that Y/N’s jealous. She isn’t. She just hates parties and she hates standing alone in a corner, sipping her non-alcoholic beverage because she promised to be designated driver. She’s almost tempted to text James, but things have been a bit weird ever since the boys had mocked him at the café the other day.
With a sigh, Y/N looks for a spot where she can sit and scroll mindlessly through her phone until her friend decides she’s ready to leave. I need new friends.She locates an empty spot on the couch when someone throws an arm around her shoulder.
A familiar voice reaches her ears and she turns to stare at James, wide-eyed and confused, “What?”
James smiles at her, though his eyes look a bit panicked, “Just pretend to be my date.”
Y/N laughs but shuffles closer to him, sliding an arm around his waist, “Can I ask why?”
James chuckles, smiling softly at her. “Because my friends are wankers and some bird won’t leave me the fuck alone.” He kisses her temple and relishes in the fact that he can act as he always wants too around her.
Y/N melts into his side, squeezing his side. “Guess it’s finally time to return the favor huh?”
James grins down at her, and he finds himself thanking his younger self for this brilliantly stupid idea of walking drunk students home. He’s about to say as much, ready to shoot his shot when the same girl he was trying to get away from suddenly appears in his line of sight.
Y/N laughs at his pout, making him glare at her, “It isn’t funny!”
Y/N kisses his cheek, enjoying the feeling of it heating up beneath her lips, “You’ve got to admit, it kind of is.”
“All of my friends are assholes.” He mutters and the girl stands in front of them, glaring at Y/N. On her part, Y/N just smiles, snuggling closer to James.
“Can we help you?” It reminds him of the first time they met: James speaking those words to the man that caused their meeting.
The girl smiles fakely, “Am I to believe that you two are together?”
Y/N makes a face, “Am I to care about what you believe?”
The girl says nothing, just eyes them both and glares at Y/N. With a roll of her eyes, she turns under James’ arm and gently places a hand on the side of his neck. James gives her a confused look but before he can ask anything, she’s raising on the tips of her toes and pressing her lips gently against his.
The moment seems to last for an eternity and when she pulls back, James feels his mouth fall open as his cheeks feel as if they’re on fire. “D-did you just k-kiss me?”
Y/N’s cheeks are not fairing much better and she bites her bottom lip, hand still on the side of his neck where she can feel his pulse racing. She nods shyly, looking into his eyes as she smiles gently, “I’ve wanted to for a long time.”
James finally snaps out of his stupor, grinning as he wraps both arms around her and spinning her around, sending her drink flying. They both laugh, and when he finally sets her down, he gently cups her face and kisses her again. And again. And again.
“I’m so glad you did,” he says a bit breathlessly.
Y/N grins, arms wrapping around his shoulders as she starts playing with hair at the nape of his neck, “Are we finally going to have our date now?”
“Name a time and place, love.” James grins and kisses her again.
James is sure that nothing will ever feel top this moment. Well, maybe their wedding day might, but that’s still awhile away.
It is my personal headcanon that while James could be kind of an asshole, he’d be the best friend anyone could have because he cares so much.
Hair Ties
Sirius started breathing harder and fanning his face. The common room was stifling and the open windows didn’t help. His shirt was already unbuttoned to the point of being obscene and his hair was making the heat worse.
Sirius looked up startled as James sighed in annoyance and got up. He yanked Sirius’ hair back from his face and started tying it in a knot at the back of his head with the hair tie from his wrist
“What’re you doing? And why do you have a hair tie?”
James scowled at him. “You don’t have enough sense to carry one and you’re dying right now with your hair in your face”
Sirius let out a yelp as James pulled his hair again.
“Sorry. I’m still learning. Lily’s been teaching me.”
Sirius turned slightly in his chair and grinned at James.
“You’re learning how to tie hair just for me? Careful Potter, I might get the wrong impression-“
Sirius yelped mid sentence as James yanked his hair back once more.
“Sorry”, James said sweetly.
Medication
James slammed the little cup rattling with pills in front of Remus.
“I don’t have-“
“Here” James said as he slammed a bottle of water on the table in front of him.
Remus opened his mouth but James spoke up again.
“And before you say that you need to take your pills with food, you don’t. I checked beforehand and even if you did, I have a sandwich and a granola bar neatly wrapped in my bag”.
“Ok but”-
“The sandwhich is ham and cheese, no Mayo. The granola bar is chocolate chip and doesn’t have any nuts in it. Yes I remembered your food allergies and preferences. Now take the damn pill”.
Remus scowled but inwardly felt a flood of relief and love for James. He snatched the granola bar and ripped it open as James watched him with a small grin on his face.
Anxiety
James looked over in annoyance. Sirius was bouncing his knee and picking at this hands during history of magic. Walburga had written a letter this morning that had left Sirius red faced at breakfast. He didn’t know it was that bad until he saw some blood on Sirius’ nail beds from the constant picking.
James leaned down and grabbed a marker from his bag. He pulled his sleeve up and handed the marker to Sirius.
Sirius looked down in confusion.
“What is this?”
“Stop picking your skin. Just doodle on my arm. Lily says it helps with anxiety.”
Sirius averted his eyes.
“No James, that’s em-“
“Anxiety isn’t embarrassing and I don’t mind. Just stop picking at your skin and at least try to look like you’re paying attention”.
Sirius uncapped the marker and started drawing on James’ arm, occasionally looking up and pretending he was paying attention. He felt the panic and anxiety slowly flood away as he worked on designs from James’ wrist to his elbow.
“Oh and if you draw a penis on my arm, I’ll smack the shit out of you”
Sirius laughed quietly as he put the finishing touches on a life-like ball sack on James’ forearm.
“Too late”.
Sweater
Remus tried. He genuinely tried to hide his shivering. They had been at Hogsmeade for about an hour and Remus was freezing. James’ had told him various times to bring a jacket but he kept ignoring him and now he was shaking in his tee shirt. He tried to hide that he was cold because he hated proving James’ right. But he knew James noticed when he saw the scowl on his face.
“James, don’t say it-“
“I told you! I told you it was cold but you never listen to me”
Remus rolled his eyes. “I’ll survive-“
James had already taken his quidditch sweatshirt off and was pulling it on Remus.
Remus struggled against him and turned slightly red as Sirius and Lily laughed at them. “James stop. You’re going to be cold”.
James shrugged as he finally pulled it over Remus’’ head, messing his hair up in the process. “I have more muscle mass and I don’t get cold. Scrawny ass motherfucker”.
Remus grinned and crossed his arms over his chest. The sweater was oversized, warm, and smelled nice. It smelled safe and secure. It smelled like James.
pairing: remus x reader (james and sirius x reader platonic)
summary: you get high with the marauders
word count:790
warnings: drug use (obviously), swearing
♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~
You would have to be naive to expect a bunch of teenagers to stay sober till they turned 18. You had to know they wouldn’t ignore the sweetness of highs and colorful pills. Sure, you were all constantly told not to indulge in these delights but is there anything better than doing what you were told not to?
You would have to argue there wasn’t.
You giggled as James hacked beside you. His eyes watered as he gasped for air, still coughing painfully.
“What, you’re not even gonna clear it?” You joked gesturing to the bong in his hands.
He flipped you off sliding it across the granite floor as you passed him a chilled bottle.
You only laughed harder and took in the remaining smoke of the glass before taking a lighter from your pocket and taking a hit. You held it in for a moment before pushing your tongue to the roof of your mouth and forcing the smoke out your nose.
You then passed it off to Sirius who gestured for your lighter, you shook your head.
“Come on, give me a light.” He whined.
You shook your head again, “No way, you always steal my shit.”
He gasped, “No I do not!”
“You’re a bad liar.” You murmured but passed him the bright pink Bic anyway.
You looked back over at James who had managed to stop his coughing fit and was now messaging his throat.
“Shit burns.” He choked out.
“I thought you said you did this all the time.” You smirked, “Aren’t preppy assholes like you supposed to be like experts when it comes to drugs?”
“Nah.” Remus spoke next to you, “You’re thinking of the wrong thing, rich kids don’t indulge in pot like us low-class degenerates. They do classy shit, like cocaine.”
Sirius exhaled, blowing smoke into the cooling air, “That’s true, I think I saw my mum do a line in our bathroom once.”
You snorted, “You’re fucking with us.”
“No ma’am.” He grinned, “I always wondered why she was itching at her nose all the time.”
“Just so you know,” James interrupted, “I have smoked before, I just always used a bowl.”
“Oooohhhh,” You jeered, “I’m sorry, I should have known you weren’t smart enough to use the complicated mechanics of a bong.”
“Fuck off man.” James laughed, a water bottle hitting your forehead.
It was Remus who was now nursing your glass. You watched him carefully as he inhaled deeply, his shoulders rising slightly as he did. Feeling your stare his eyes flitted up to you.
Your heart raced as he looked at you through his thick eyelashes. You held in a groan as he straightened up, lips parting when he wiped them clean of spit, smoke filtering from them slowly in smooth whisps. He winked at you before he leaned down to clear it out.
You swallowed a giggle and shook your head. Nothing like Remus with a bit of grass in his blood.
He went to pass you the bong but you shook your head leaning in closer to him, “Keep it,” you whispered, “I wanna shotgun.”
His eyes widened a bit in surprise but he complied, allowing you to scoot towards him until your knees were knocking together. You heard the click of the lighter over and over again looking down to see Remus struggling to get a flame with shaky hands.
“Didn’t realize I made you that nervous Re.” You murmured and he scoffed
“It’s not-” it was too late for him to explain now, you had already taken the lighter from his hands.
“Alright pretty boy,” You mumbled, “You just do the easy part and suck.”
He rolled his eyes but bent his head to do as he was told. You struck the lighter and held the flame to what you had ground not but 10 minutes before. You held it there a bit longer than you normally would have, thumb growing hot.
When you finally pulled out the plug Remus gave one last deep breath before turning to you. You leaned in cupping his cheek to pull him close, he opened his mouth and exhaled. You inhaled as he did, only growing closer, lips brushing lightly before you retreated holding the smoke in for a moment to stare at him. He stared right back watching as you eventually looked up and blew at the stars.
“Christ y/n, I think you gave him a boner.” Sirius chuckled and Remus flushed.
“Shut up dumbass.”
“I mean was that hot or what?” Padfoot continued.
James nodded, “Sure was, you guys give quite the show.”
You only laughed enjoying the faint fog which clouded your head and the warmth of Remus pushing against you.
pulled apart seires ~ everyone is lost in the world as the man soon to be called the dark lord rises to power. your parents are already ready to give their life along with your own for this man. you spend your seventh year in gogwarts being pulled apart by the expectations for you and the hope placed in you by your childhood friend sirius and his closest companions. (regulus, sirius, james and remus x reader) ~ incomplete
james potter:
strawberries*~ being a waitress at a high-end restaurant was exhausting, the new line cook seems to make things just a little better though. fluff
best not to cry over spilled milk* ~ being the black house’s heir means you brother hates you. at least his best friend doesn’t. angst
minnie’s daughter* ~ when james finds out his favorite proffesser has a daughter he can’t seem to keep her form his head. fluff
then kiss me again ~ james is just about the worst project partner especially when hes staring at lily all the time, something that makes you want to throw up. fluff
your dog ~ you were sure that sirius had never really liked you, even with all the flirting he did. But when he gets stuck as a dog and ends up in your bed, things might change ~ fluff
magnolia*- royal AU sirius is a prince and your a baker girl who sneaks into his garden part 1-fluff w/ angst ending part 2-angstyishpart 3-final part
i wish- you’re sirius’ girlfriend, but james is pretty sure hes in love with you. angst
heartbeat* (completed) ~ sirius plays a game with a few others to see who can sleep with you first: part 1-angstpart 2-angst w/ feelgoodending
three fatal words ~ sirius sucks at relationships and he lashes out at you when he realizes he loves you. angst w/ fluff ending
never forget ~ you finally your fiance again after 12 years of imprisonment for a crime he didnt commit. fluff
i don’t love ~ you don’t belive in love, you belive in lust and attraction. you’re a heartbreaker through and through, Sirius understands. angst w/ fluff ending
painted books ~ sirius ruins something important to you in a prank, and when he realizes it he tries to apologize. fluff
not so perfect sister* (completed) ~ being a potter is easy until your sorted into slytherin and treated like an outsider by your entire family, even when your brothers asshole friend is excepted: part 1part 2 angst w/ fluffy ending
remus lupin:
stupid dance, stupid teenagers ~ remus watches you form afar and his friends try to convince him to ask you to a dance he doesn’t even want to go to. fluff
deal ~ uou make a deal with lily and when she follows through your left having to confess. fluff
regulus black:
better~ being a muggleborn dating regulus meant you had to keep it a secret. When your older sister finds out she raises fear of heartbreak in both of you. angst
lily evans:
sweater ~ Girls aren’t supposed to have crushes on other girls. so why they hell did you fall in love with your best friend? angst
summary: being a muggleborn dating Regulus meant you had to keep it a secret. When your older sister finds out she raises fear of heartbreak in both of you
♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~
You and your sisters had been born jealous. Petunia turned to envy first as the attention that had been solely given to her was split between two other daughters. She had always been bitter towards you and Lily, never forgiving you for interpreting her perfect young life. She had taken your things, broken your toys and ripped your clothes trying to punish you for being born and turning her from an only child to the eldest.
Lily was next when she realised she wasn’t the only one who could sprout fire from her fingertips. She had accused you of faking your magic for years, doing everything she could to best you even if she never fully understood her powers herself. Luckily she outgrew this jealous fit and by the time you shared a cabin on your way to Hogwarts she was beaming ear to ear.
It was you who was last to realise what the burn in your chest really meant. The feeling came heavy like thick rain drops as you watched your sister fall so effortlessly in love. Each time she gave James a quick hug or leaned onto his shoulder your eyes narrowed, fury irrationally rising in your throat.
This wasn’t because you wished James was yours instead. In fact you had considered him an idiot since you met him and would have rather drown yourself than date the loud mouth fool. You were instead jealous of the simplicity of their relationship. Envious of how they could be carefree, how they could dream of picket fences and happy futures. You hated that they could still be stupid kids. How they were given the freedom to make out in hallways and sneak into eachothers dorms with their worst consequence being a slap on the wrist and week of detention. Nothing hurt more than watching your sister live a simple life you knew you never could.
You stared across the room locking eyes with Regulus for only a brief moment before his darted away. Charms was dreadfully boring, the lecture practically putting you to sleep, you knew you should have been paying attention, but watching the younger Black perform the spell with ease was far more interesting. The flick of his wrist was an addicting, dull look in his eyes far more attractive than it should have been. He had woken up late that morning, his hair messier than usual. You thought it looked adorable, the way a few strands drooped in front of his lashes. He only got cuter as he blew them from his face with a pout.
“You have a staring problem.” Levi muttered from beside you.
You rolled your eyes, “Do you ever mind your own business?”
“Please, you make your thing for Black everyone’s business.” He muttered and you kicked him under the desk.
Cussing at you he glared, leaning down to massage his bruising shin.
You wondered briefly how he would have reacted to the reveal of your relationship with your “hopeless crush” as he liked to call it. The surprise on his face would have been sweet as honey.
Regulus was watching you now as you continued to talk to your desk mate, he had never liked the boy, call it jealousy or anger, something bitter always rose in his throat when he saw you with him. Maybe it was because he knew your life would be so much easier if you had loved him instead.
“I don’t get what you see in him anyway.” Levi said, looking across at Regulus whose eyes had quickly retreated back to his parchment.
You grew brittle at the statement.
“I mean I know he’s attractive but if it’s really about looks why not go for his brother?” He grumbled.
You scoffed, “Please, Sirius is a piece of work.”
“And he isn’t? I’m surprised he hasn’t called you a slur yet.”
Rage bubbled in your stomach, your chest feeling hot, “Shut up.”
Levi was either oblivious to the anger set in your tone or unbothered by it “I mean really y/n, you have a crush on a purist? It’s sickening.”
You screwed your eyes shut in an attempt to stop the hot tears building behind them. You wanted to scream at him, slap him across the face and shout how Regulus would never do such a thing. You wanted to tell him how wrong he was, make him regret ever speaking such cold words. But instead you looked away, wiping your tears as they came while your boyfriend sat across the room pretending you didn’t exist.
You were used to it, you knew as a muggleborn dating a pureblood from a family like his would never be easy but the words still stung. That night you sobbed into Regulus’s chest as he held you in your usual hidden courtyard.
As your tears soaked through his sweater he felt nothing but the cold grip of guilt. He had never meant to fall in love. He had known it was a mistake the second it had happened. Even now he knew he had been wrong and stupid and naive to let himself feel so deeply for someone he could never truly be with. He would never forgive himself for forcing you into the hellish life he lived with a simple confession. He hated himself every day for it, he didn’t deserve to indulge in his emotions knowing it would cause you nothing but pain. He didn’t deserve you and he had known that from the start.
Yet every night you met, kissing under the pale moon until your lips grew numb. Everynight he found himself falling deeper and deeper into you until you filled his dreams and nightmares alike. So he forced you closer to him, knowing he would cause nothing but hurt. And you were so childishly in love you let him.
Later as you lay asleep on his chest, legs tangled beneath a blanket he let his own tears go, silent apologies dripping down his cheek as he tightened his grip on your waist.
Lily watched you from where she sat at her table, green eyes narrowed as she tried to read your mind across the dining hall.
“Something is definitely off.” She mumbled turning to James who stared at her with a dopey grin. “You haven’t been listening to a word I said have you?”
“How can I when you’re so beautiful?” He murmured back and she scoffed, face darkening.
Sirius gagged, “You guys are disgusting.”
“Christ Black, how old are you?” Lily spoke with the roll of her eyes.
He scrunched his nose and pretended to mock her silently only earning a sigh from Remus who sat beside him.
“Something is wrong with y/n, I can just feel it.” Lily continued content on ignoring Sirius.
“Maybe she’s dating that Callahan kid.” James offered. “There’s been tons of rumors.”
Lily scoffed, “Please, she has told me multiple times she has absolutely no interest in him.”
“A few months ago you were telling her you had absolutely no interest in James.” Remus offered not to look up from his book.
Lily sputtered blushing heavily again, “That is completely different.”
“Sure it is.” Remus drawled, eyes peering over the cover at her.
Lily furrowed her brow, “But why wouldn’t she tell me? I mean I thought we’ve always been close.”
“Maybe it’s not that serious.” Sirius shrugged, “Maybe they’re just fuck buddies or something.”
Lily pulled back in disgust, “Don’t talk about my little sister like that!” she hissed as Remus kicked him under the table.
“What? She’s almost 17! It’s not like she’s 12 or something, Godric.” Sirius complained and James threw a spoon at him.
“You know if you’re really that curious we could always just check the map.” James said looking over at Lily who was trying to set Sirius on fire with her glare.
She considered it for a moment, “Isn’t that kind of..” she paused “intrusive?”
He shrugged, “She’s your little sister.”
The sky was dark that night as you met with Regulus. The moon was new leaving only the blinking stars to light the ground beneath you.
You grinned when you saw Regulus leaning against the small statue in the middle of the courtyard. You quickened your pace pulling him into a brief kiss as you met.
“Hi.” You whispered against his lips and you felt him smile.
“Hi.” He responded, hands on your waist pulling you closer once again.
You tasted sweet like the nectar of the gods, soft and tender in his arms. Your hair smelt of pomegranate, your flowery perfume engulfing him. There was nothing more addicting on this world than your lips.
You both pulled away breathless and grinning stupidly, “Your hair looks so cute like this.” You mumbled running your hands through it and tugging lightly on a curly lock that had fallen down his forehead.
Regulus practically purred, melting into your touch. He dipped his head low to hide his blush, lips skimming the skin of your neck.
You giggled as he mumbled a bashful thank you before nipping slightly below your ear. He was always careful to never leave marks that could be seen the following day. You wished he wasn’t.
You felt his hands on the back of your thighs lifting you off the ground. You wrapped your arms around his neck and buried your nose in his hair as he walked until your back hit the wall of the castle. You scratched your nails lightly against his scalp and Regulus groaned. You gasped at the feeling of his tongue on your jaw as he pressed you further into the stone. Your legs now wrapped around his waist as he left sloppy kisses on your collar bone.
It was then you heard the shuffle of footsteps.
“Regulus.” You whispered and he broke away to look up at you, his lips red and glossy , “I heard someone.”
He slowly lowered you to your feet, “You sure?”
You nodded and you both stood silently, ears craning for another sign of life among you. After a minute you sighed, “Sorry, I must have been hearing things.”
Regulus just shook his head grinning lightly, “ ‘s fine babe.” words slurring, intoxicated by your taste.
Your lips reconnected, his teeth grazing your bottom lip as you began to work on the buttons of his shirt, tugging on his tie to loosen its knot. But there it was again the soft sound of feet, closer this time.
You both paused Regulus pulling away leaving your skin feeling cold in his absence.
“Who’s there?” He demanded into the darkness, wand lit.
There was no response and you grabbed his hand to pull him back to you. Regulus stood his ground so you leaned into him, lips ghosting against his ear.
“It’s probably just a mouse or somethin’.” You murmured hands coming back to undo the remaining buttons of his shirt.
Regulus glanced around once more before looking down at you, “You’re probably right.” he said before he began to untuck your blouse, hands sliding slowly under it.
It was that which finally broke Lily, her vision going red. She stepped from beneath the invisibility cloak ignoring James’ protests.
You let out a small yelp as your sister appeared from thin air, Regulus who had his back turned to her immediately drew his wand pushing you lightly behind him. His eyes went wide as he found himself inches from your older sister. It was your turn to pull Regulus behind you.
“Lily, What in bloody hell are you doing here?”
When James sheepishly appeared as well you gasped, “What is wrong with you both, are you stalking me?”
Lily looked stern, her arms crossed, “Why are you with him?” she seethed.
Your eyes narrowed, “None of your fucking buissnes. Now take your dog and leave.”
Regulus almost didn’t believe it was you that was talking. He wasn’t accustomed to the harsh tone you used, your anger hardly ever directed at him.
“This is most certainly my business!” She spoke shrilly.
“It is most certainly not. Now get out.” You shouted.
“How can you expect me to leave when you’re getting all touchy feely with a purist?” She hissed, grabbing at your wrist to pull you away from the boy behind you. You slapped her away so hard the sound echoed off the walls, “Call him that again around me and you’ll fucking regret it.” You growled.
Lily stepped back surprised by your sudden aggression but not backing down, “Please y/n, I’m just calling it as it. The sooner you realise that the better.”
Regulus felt his throat tighten as he listened, teeth biting into his lip as he had nowhere to look but his feet.
You stepped closer to your sister inches from her face, “Leave.” your voice struck heavy.
Lily responded just as harshly, “No.”
James shifted behind his girlfriend feeling like he was intruding on the fight which was taking place. Sensing his awkwardness you looked back at him with a searing gaze.
“Get out Potter, you have no place here.” You spat.
He was planning on shuffling away when Lily turned back to him angrily, “No James stay.”
You scoffed as he did as he was told, “Fucking pet.”
“Don’t speak to him like that.” Lily scolded.
“You’re the one who’s calling my boyfriend a purist.” You growled your mouth bitter at the taste of hypocrisy.
“Because he is one!” She bit back. “You really think he actually loves you after being raised how he was? With a mother like his?”
Regulus felt like he had been slapped, his cheek stinging as the older girl spoke.
“Don’t you dare bring up his mother.” You were shaking with rage by now, your face streaked with angry tears, “And how dare you speak ill of Regulus simply because of his upbringing as if his brother isn’t one of your closest friends. How do you think Sirius would feel hearing what you just said?”
This took Lily back a step, her rage cooling a bit as she realised her mistake, “It’s different,” She tried to recover, “He isn’t with his family anymore. Sirius has already broken away from them. He made the choice any good person would.”
Regulus felt her eyes on him as she spoke. She was no longer interested in her sister and instead focused on him. He felt like he was choking under the pressure of her stare. When he glanced up to meet her gaze he inhaled sharply. He hadn’t seen such hatred in a long time.
Your lashes were thick with tears by now, disgust and fury morphing your face, “Go fuck yourself Lily.” You spat.
She ignored you, gaze locked on Regulus, she had no intention of speaking to you anymore, “You stay away from her.” she demanded, “If you truly love her you stay away from her.”
You shouted lunging forwards and shoving your sister backwards. She stumbled back catching herself.
It was you who fell, your feet tangling, forcing you to the ground. You hit hard, hands and knees scraping against stones and moss which made up the floor. You couldn’t find it in you to stand up simply letting exhaustion and misery take you where you lay. You shook with sobs, voice cracked and raw. Lily immediately dropped beside you, hands circling your neck as she drew you into a hug. You fought her as you always did but she held on, letting you beat her chest with your fists until you stilled.
Regulus took a step forward but was stopped by your sister whose glare told him everything he needed to know. Tears pricking his own eyes he stumbled past the two of you and disappeared into the darkness of the dungeons. He didn’t hear James shout for him over the sound of the ring in his ears. He wasn’t sure where he ended up, somewhere deep in the depths of the sprawling castle, dust coated the staircase he collapsed onto. Only there did he let himself cry, choking sobs rubbing his throat raw as he looked for someone to blame. His mother for forcing him into the terrifying world of dark magic? His brother for abandoning him in his abusive home? Or your sister for pointing out the truth he prayed you would never see? Regulus wished he could pass the blame off to anyone but he wasn’t stupid, he knew he had no one to hate but himself.
Regulus disappeared entirely for three days. Three days you spent desperately avoiding your sister who seemed just as adamant to talk to you again. You skipped meals opting for hunger instead risking meeting her in the hall. She would show up outside your classes forcing you to scramble out the back way or sprint away like a child running from punishment.
On the fourth day of your boyfriend’s absence you felt yourself beginning to panic. Fear of him never returning, filling your head with irrational thoughts. It wasn’t like you could ask around for him, your relationship needed to remain secret despite the difficulties you were facing. It was then Lily cornered you.
You stared at the redhead as she blocked your only exit. “Lily, move.” You sighed exhausted by the past few days, sleepless nights not improving your condition.
She didn’t listen, “Y/n we need to talk.”
“About what?” You scoffed, “I have nothing to say to you.”
“I just want you to understand why I,” She paused, “Why I said what I did.”
“I don’t care why you said it Lily.” You said, “I don’t care if you think you were protecting me or saving me from some hopeless relationship. I honestly don’t care.”
Her eyes swelled, “How can you say that? How can you not care? I love you y/n I just want you to be safe.”
You stared at her, “I just don’t understand why you couldn’t just let me be happy.”
“He’s dangerous.”
You shook your head, “No, his family is dangerous. His situation is dangerous. He’s not.”
“Y/n please.” She begged, for what you did not know.
“Just stay out of my shit Lily.” you mumbled pushing past her and back into the hallway.
You spent the night where you always had, the small courtyard hidden between two towers of the castle, a statue of a woman draped in vines and flowers at its center. The moon was a small sliver, a dusting of clouds blocking the stars from your view. The shuffle of footsteps brought your eyes from the ground.
There stood Regulus, his face shining in the pale light. His hands were stuffed in his pockets, nose pointed at the floor as he refused to meet your gaze.
You stood quickly throwing your hands around his neck. He leaned into your touch burying his head into your shoulder as his hands found your waist.
You smelled delightful as always, your lips soft against his cheek and hands in his hair. Regulus hadn’t realized he was crying until you began to comfort him. Sweet words whispered into his ear as you only held him tighter.
“She’s right, you know.” He croaked, lifting his head to look at you. “You shouldn’t be around me.”
You shook your head feverishly, “You’re wrong Reggy.”
“I don’t deserve you y/n, I don’t deserve to be with you.” He sobbed, “I could never deserve you.”
“You’re right, love.” You mumbled, smiling through the tears that coated your cheeks, “You deserve so much better.”
summary: when Sirius astragalus to turn from a dog to human he finds himself drawn to you
a/n: yay! im writing! sorry for the delay i was on vacation the past week so here’s this
♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~
You have always loved animals. Since you were young your favorite place had been the zoo. You would sit in front of the glass and stare for hours at a tiger napping in the shade or a monkey swinging from branch to branch. When you were 11 and was shown an entire world of magical creatures to discover and investigate you had practically burst. Before your first year at Hogwarts you had read Newt Scramanders book of Magical Creatures and Where to Find Them from cover to cover 5 times over.
Despite the fact that there were millions of creatures which you could choose from, each with more interesting and fascinating abilities than the last, you had chosen a very simple favorite.
You had spent the months before your sixth birthday begging for a puppy. Your parents’ hearts could only take so much of your wide desperate eyes before they gave in. Your efforts had been rewarded by a large box, unwrapped with a bright red bow on top.
Inside rested a small mutt, her long fur a dark grey splotched with dusty brown. Her huge golden eyes inspired the name Sunshine although you had taken to calling her Sunny instead.
Each year when you left for school despite the excitement of a new year your heart would ache with the sorrow of leaving Sunny behind. Not once had you been able to leave your house without large tears sliding down your cheeks and soaking into her fur as you sobbed out goodbyes.
Your mother always jokes you missed your dog more than her while you were away and you always responded saying you did. Maybe it was the blaring innocence of the animal or its fierce loyalty or maybe it was just because she was your one and only pet but dogs would always remain your favorite.
“Merlin Padfoot, you’re like her dog.” Remus said with a roll of his eyes as Sirius sped past him to snatch your books from your arms.
You groaned a complaint explaining how you were perfectly capable of carrying a couple books but the blush of your cheeks only egged him to swing your bag off your shoulder as well.
You crossed your arms and glared at him, lacking any malice you had intended to fake.
Sirius took the way you were leaning just a bit closer to him as a victory and only grinned wider.
James grimaced, “This is hard to watch."
Remus bit back a laugh, "You’re one to talk."
"Oh come on, there is no way I’m that bad."
"Please Prongs, you’re far worse."
James stopped where he stood and gasped. Remus, who was picking up speed to catch up with Sirius, left him behind with a grin.
"Take that back!” James shouted, jogging down the hallway.
By the time the four of you reached the hall for lunch James and Remus were in a heated argument you chose to ignore. Despite your disinterest it was clear Remus was winning as he always seemed to be.
You took a seat next to Alice, your other side quickly occupied by Sirius who threw his arm around your shoulders, an arm you quickly swept away. After trying twice more he gave up, pouting as he snatched a roll and some chicken from the plates in front of him.
“Did you ever finish that Defense against the Dark Arts essay?” You asked Remus who now sat in front of you, James and Peter on either side.
“Yeah, I finished it last night.” He responded ignoring Peter who had snatched some chocolate from his bag.
“Awesome, I’ve been struggling to find similarities between the bat-boggie hex and the Avis charm. Do you mind helping after dinner tonight?"
"Not at all.” He hummed.
Sirius watched the exchange with mild jealousy, “You wouldn’t mind if I joined, would you Moons?"
"I would.” You started sharply before Remus could respond.
Sirius’s face crumpled, “What? Why?"
"You always end up being a distraction and no one ever gets anything done.” You explained coolly.
“Are you saying I’m distracting?” Sirius smirked, perked by your words.
“Yes.” you said only realizing your mistake after you spoke. You went red, “But not in the way you think Black."
Sirius whined, "I know you think I’m cute even if you won’t admit it."
"I think no such thing.” You spat turning away to hide your burning cheeks.
“Leave her alone, Sirius” Alice called, “Not everyone thinks you’re as great as you do."
James snickered as Sirius launched into a line of dramatic complaints.
You were far too used to Sirius’s remarks, they had become a common occurrence in the year before and even after a summer to prepare they still made your heart race in your chest. He was right after all, he was awfully cute.
You knew he was just messing with you so you ignored his joking advancements and taunting flirts. You wish he could see how cruel he was being but knew he never meant it in such a way. Sirius was just a flirt whether he meant to tease your heart or not. And you had learned to live with that.
You left dinner that night confused, pockets stuffed with food for James and Sirius who had been strangely missing from dinner. There was no reasonable explanation given by a nervous Remus who hastily canceled on you because of "some things that came up."
You had decided to try and push it from your mind, not wanting to stick your nose into someone else’s business.
As you neared the common room you perked up, catching the sound of a short bark. You blinked twice, sure you were imagining it but turning the next corner proved you wrong.
A young dog stood outside the common room. It turned at the sound of your footsteps, head cocked to the side in interest. Then as if to realise something its eyes widened and he broke into a clumsy run towards you.
You cooed, dropping to your knees and setting your books aside to stretch your arms to the puppy. He lept into your lap and immediately began to lick at your cheeks which were plump with a smile. "Hey buddy.” You laughed scratching his neck.
In his excitement he began to circle you in small leaps and bounds. You took the opportunity to observe him, his fur was a rich black uninterrupted by a blemish of another color. His ears were pointed, teeth sharp and brilliantly white. He looked well groomed around 6 or 7 months old. The possibility of him being a stray was low, yet he wore no collar.
You then realized the ruckus he had been making and immediately shushed him. Much to your surprise the dog fell silent standing alert in front of you, its tail wagging furiously.
“Ok sweetie,” You said to him, “I’m gonna bring you inside so we don’t get caught yeah?"
You could have sworn he nodded.
You recollected your things and began to walk once again surprised as he stuck to your heel obediently following you inside the common room.
In all your excitement you didn’t notice Remus until you ran directly into him.
“Oh hey Remus.” You smiled, backing up slightly and nearly tripping over your new friend.
“Hi,” He spoke quickly, glancing around nervously. “Weird question, you didn’t happen to see a dog around did you?"
"He’s yours?!” You gasped, turning to reveal the dog who had been hiding behind your legs.
“Oh thank god.” Remus muttered under his breath, “No he’s not really mine I’ve just been watching him for a, uh, friend.” He explained scratching the back of his neck.
“Oh he’s such a sweetheart,” you cooed, dropping to scratch his head, “Aren’t you buddy, aren’t you?"
While you were distracted you missed the glare exchanged between the two, "He sure is.” Remus growled, “But he doesn’t seem to like me very much, now does he."
"Well if he’s causing you trouble I’m sure I could watch him for the night.” you said, leaping back to your feet hoping you had hid your overwhelming excitement.
Immediately Remus paled, “Oh no no, that probably wouldn’t be a good idea."
Your face fell, "Oh, why not? I swear I’d take good care of him Remus, I’m very good with dogs, I’ll make sure no one finds out."
"It’s not you.” He quickly explained, “It’s just that he’s a real pain and I don’t want him to bother you."
"He’s been nothing but sweet around me, maybe he likes me."
"Y/n, this really isn’t a good idea.” Remus warned desperately but you were determined.
“Please, Remus? Look how much he likes me.” You said gesturing to the dog who was now nuzzling into your side.
He sighed, “I’m sorry y/n I just don’t think that my friend would be comfortable with it."
"Alright.” you mumbled, pouting.
Remus tried not to feel bad about the frown on your face as he called to Sirius, “Come on,” he coaxed beginning up the stairs. “Let’s go."
He was given no response as Padfoot simply shuffled closer to you.
Remus glared, unable to fathom how stupid he was being, maybe turning into a dog had erased his few remaining brain cells.
"Come. Now.” Remus’s voice was shaking lightly with rage, the deer upstairs was already causing enough stress this was just headache inducing.
“Oh Remus, please let me take him.” You begged, sweeping the dog into your arms. Although he was not full grown he was getting close and you struggled to hold him up. “Just for the night?"
A shatter of glass from the boys dormitory made him cringe and he gave a defeated sigh, "Fine."
You squealed, dropping Sirius to give Remus a hug and a sloppy kiss on the cheek, "You’re the best"
He didn’t miss the way the dog bared its teeth, grey eyes brilliantly green with envy.
"Watch him for just a sec so I can check if it’s clear in my dorm.” You said turning to jog up your stairs.
Remus listened to make sure you were gone before he slapped Sirius on the head, “You are the stupidest mother fucked I have ever met.” He hissed, “I can’t believe you are doing this right now.”
The newly turned dog just gave an excited bark and a dopey grin back. He wagged his tail at the sound of your footsteps returning.
Sirius didn’t realize he was in way over his head until he reached your dorm. I mean he had known it was a stupid idea the second he had greeted you in this form. But as he was enveloped in your sweet scent and covered in your praise he forgot to care. Your hands were so soft on his fur, your breath in his ears as you carried him making him happy he couldn’t blush.
You spent the night behind closed curtains, pretending you were asleep as you cuddled close to him and read, just as he had always dreamed about. Except in his fantasies he’s not a dog and instead of scratching behind his ears you’re putting hickeys on his neck. But he would take what he could get.
As it got later he heard other girls come into the room, when they saw your curtains closed their voices dropped to a whisper. He began to fade in and out of consciousness, the soft rhythm of your hand on his back paired with the warmth of your blankets and sweetness of the shampoo stuck on your pillow lolling him to sleep.
He only awoke as you shifted to set down your book. The last girl had gone to bed killing the lights and you were yawning, head resting beside him.
“God, you make me miss Sunny.” You whispered, patting his head. Tears pricked in your eyes as you spoke and Sirius nuzzled his head into your chest.
It was there that you both slipped into sleep.
Sirius woke slowly and blinked at the murky light which filtered through the curtains that surrounded him. He was about to move to stretch but a glance down stopped him abruptly.
Your head rested lightly on his bicep, hands curled around the dress shirt he wore. He smiled softly, realizing he had never woken at all and carefully raised his arm to run through your hair before he slipped it beneath the covers to rest in your waist.
These dreams weren’t uncommon but rarely were they so vivid. He could smell your hair and feel the brush of your lips against the skin of his arm. He sighed, his head foggy with admiration and exhaustion. Shifting closer to you he intertwined your legs and held you closer. Kissing your cheek he closed his eyes and prayed he would never wake up.
You blinked awake slowly, your room golden with late sunlight. You had never felt so comfortable in your life. A musk of smoke and cinnamon soothing you to sink deeper into the warmth that held you. You grasped the shirt in your hand tighter pulling yourself closer t-
Your eyes snapped open and you shrieked, shoving Sirius away from you as hard as you could.
He woke with a start, just in time to feel himself hit the ground.
You scrambled out of bed getting caught in your curtains and stumbling to the floor. You quickly stood stomping to the other side of your bed to beat the living daylights out of the boy who lay there.
You ran straight into Marlene whose eyes were wide.
“So that’s what you were doing with your curtains closed last night.” She giggled looking down at Sirius who was rubbing his shoulder.
You flushed impossibly deeper stuttering for an answer that would make any sense. Of course you knew about as much as she did and was left looking a fool as Marlene nodded and winked.
“Don’t worry, I won’t tell.” She said, smirking.
Before you could respond she had darted back downstairs.
By now Sirius was standing, finally understanding what had happened and realizing Remus was probably right. He was a stupid mother fucker.
“Black!” You shrieked, “What the hell is wrong with you!?"
He opened his mouth to answer but you clearly had no intention of letting him.
"You are a sick fuck.” You hissed.
“Y/n, I-"
"Shut up.” Your voice was low with anger, “This is a sick fucking prank. Sneaking into my room like this."
You felt your eyes pricked with tears, embarrassment hot behind your eyes.
Sirius didn’t know what to say. There was really no good explanation that didn’t reveal what had really happened. It would be an embarrassing truth with implications you were too bright to miss. He supposed he could play it off as a joke, a funny prank he and James managed to pull off but the anger and hurt on your face made his chest sting at the idea.
"Just leave.” You spoke quietly pointing at the door.
“Listen, I didn’t mean to-” he started
You glared up at him, “I said leave."
Sirius sighed and opened the door to do as you said.
The second both his feet were on the staircase, it disappeared from beneath him.
With a yelp of shock he fell straight to the floor, legs crumbling, breath knocked from his lungs.
You gasped and ran to the door, the stairs appearing at your feet.
When you got to the bottom you found him under the steps holding his left hand with his right.
"Oh my god, are you alright?” you asked worryingly, dropping to your knees next to him.
He nodded, “I think I broke my wrist though."
"Then you definitely aren’t okay alright.” you scolded him. You asked a few questions he expected; can you move your hand? can you walk? did you hit your head ect. Then you helped him to his feet and began to escort him towards Madame Pomphreys.
On your way out you walked past a group of students who were returning from breakfast. Three broke from the small crowd and sped towards you.
“Godric Sirius, what happened?” Remus asked scanning the two of you.
“Is this from the transformation?” James butted in, reaching towards Sirius’s limp hand.
You swatted him away at the same moment Remus hit him over the head with a book.
“What transformation?” You asked, “What do you mean?"
The question was followed by silence as the others glared at James.
"Is that how you got up the girl’s steps or somet-” It hit you all at once, Sirius’ absence at dinner, Remus’s odd behavior, the dog that appeared out of nowhere, it’s familiar grey eyes and human-like grin.
“Oh god.” you said and Remus stared at his shoes. “You’re the dog."
It was quiet for a moment. You laughed in disbelief, "You’re an Animagus? How? I mean even some of the more powerful wizards struggle to complete this task and you.. I mean you’re an idiot.”
“Hey!” Sirius exclaimed.
You were both shushed at once, your voices echoing off of a luckily empty hallway.
“I’ll explain later y/n.” Remus said, “But we should be somewhere a bit more secure.” He spoke in a whisper.
You nodded, mouth still ajar as you tried to understand what was going on.
Sirius’s wrist was an easy fix and your group was in and out of the hospital wing in minutes. It was then you were led to an empty classroom where Remus quietly explained how the four of them were Animagus. When asked why he simply shrugged before James spoke explaining how it was, “bloody awesome.” It would be years before you were told the true reason for their efforts and how only three of the group turned by choice.
It was late that night when you finally asked the questions that had been on your mind all day. The common room was empty except for you and Sirius. Remus had retreated to bed hours before, James following in his footsteps not long after. The golden light of the small fire was all that kept the room lit.
You sat cross legged on the carpet Sirius across from you, a chessboard between you.
“Checkmate.” You said and your opponent groaned.
You laughed as he tried to convince you he had let you win the last three matches. You watched him as he continued to complain despite the grin slowly taking his face. It wasn’t until his eyes met yours that you realised you had been staring.
Blinking a few times you looked away. “Hey Sirius?” you asked and he hummed, “I’ve been meaning to ask; why did you come with me last night anyways?”
“What do you mean?” He wrinkled his brows.
“I mean, why not go with Remus, why did you want to come with me so bad?” You continued, “It is what exposed you after all.”
You finally met his eyes again to see he was smiling softly
“And you call me an idiot.” he mumbled.
You scowled, “What does that mean dickhead?”
“All this time I thought you were just trying to let me down easy.” He was grinning like a mad man now only infuriating you further.
You sighed impatiently, “What are you talking about?”
He beckoned you closer with two fingers, leaning forward. You rolled your eyes but obliged, leaning towards him. He only stopped when his lips were practically brushing your ear.
You hoped the orangey light of the fire hid the red of your cheeks.
“I like you.” He mumbled breath light on your neck, “Like a lot. Why wouldn’t I follow you upstairs to fall asleep in your arms?”
You had stopped breathing, air hitched in your throat. Your heart dropped to your stomach where butterflies swarmed it with beating wings.
“Are you serious?” You asked pulling back to look him in the eyes.
“I’m always sirius.” He beamed wolfishly and you buried your head in your hands, cheeks aching as you smiled.
Sirius just stared at you with that same dopey grin he had the night before, only now you could see the blush of his cheeks clearly when you looked back up.
“You’re lucky you’re cute.” You murmured leaning onto your knees to hold his cheek in your hand, your other palm resting on his thigh to hold you above the game you had been playing.
Your kiss was hesitant, lips brushing softly as you tried to mask your obvious inexperience. Sirius didn’t seem to mind as he only tugged you closer. You could feel him smile against you before he broke away.
Fire glittered in his eyes as he reached for you, pulling you into his chest and falling backwards. The action caused you to knock over the chess pieces between you, scattering them around you both.
You laughed, head falling to the crook of his neck where the two of you stayed, his hands cupping your waist as you slowly slipped into sleep.
