Disclaimer: Everything belongs to JK Rowling. The plot is mine. ^_^
Sitting in class on Monday morning, Melody wanted to scream. She was forced to sit between a smelly Slytherin–really, he needed a shower–and a window. The window usually wouldn’t be too bad, except today it was raining. And it was one of the more boring charm lessons today. Professor Flitwick squeaked his lecture on top of his pile of books. Melody lost what she was learning when the Professor started talking about the mental vigor it takes to perform a complicated non-verbal spell.
The word vigor? Yeah, Melody wasn’t exactly sure what it meant in the first place. So she just stared out at the window. But she couldn’t see out of it because it was pouring rain. Odd it was raining, she though, it was such a beautiful weekend. Not a cloud in the sky.
Melody spent Sunday in her dormitory with Lily and Lisa. The Marauders had gone about the school pulling pranks and making mischief and it was really no point to try and find them. Lily, honestly, didn’t want to for fear of ruining a perfectly fine weekend with a fight. She was beginning to see the nice side of James that she had overlooked. However, Lily refused to talk about James, as Lisa refused to talk about Remus. All the girls wanted to hear was what Melody had to say about Sirius.
Personally, Melody found this to be the perfect chance to build up her “relationship” with Sirius. It was like any girl that went out with Sirius to talk constantly about their date. And even if the number of girls Sirius dated could be count on one hand, Melody very willingly told Lily and Lisa about her “feelings” for Sirius and how much fun she had with him. Of course, the fun part Melody wasn’t lying about. She really did have a good time with him.
Marissa didn’t look at Melody at all Sunday. She actually stayed as far away from Melody, as if her ex-best friend had betrayed her in someway. Melody was pleased that Marissa was so angry and jealous. It was exactly what she wanted. Kyle, however, seemed as if he could careless about the whole thing in the few moments Melody saw him. And his acting skills were just as good as Sirius’ or he really honestly didn’t care. Melody was hoping for the first.
Now, Melody was wishing she could go back in time to breakfast this morning. She and Sirius shamelessly “flirted” with one another, though Sirius did not ask her to “go steady” yet. The anticipation of waiting for Sirius to ask was making Melody on edge and excited. She wondered if it would be as romantic as when Sirius asked her on their “date.” She sighed thinking of the lavender roses that had fallen to the ground. And their meaning. She wondered where Sirius learned the meaning of flowers. . .
Thunder clapped outside suddenly. Startled, Melody jumped, almost falling off her chair. Sirius, who sat behind her and off to the side, snickered. Melody looked over her shoulder and made a face at him before righting herself. She had worked hard on her appearance today, knowing that people were going to be staring at her. She didn’t do some of the old things she did when she knew people were looking at her–shortening her skirt, wearing sexy heels, etc.–but she made sure her hair was in a cute style, her make-up done, as well as her nails, and then she even put on some of her finest jewelry.
People were looking, both male and female. The girls, Melody knew, were more jealous of Melody now that she was “with” Sirius then before. The boys envied Sirius for getting Melody, even if they weren’t attracted to her in any way thanks to Marissa. It seemed many were just hiding their feelings, knowing that if they showed a sign of interest in Melody, they were be “uncool” and never spoken too. Same as the girls. If all of them thought she was a desperate bitch like Marissa said, they weren’t acting like it. And that seemed to anger Marissa more.
Picking up her quill, Melody doodled on her parchment she had out for notes. Now being about to understand what Flitwick was teaching, however, made it hard to take notes at all. So made a mental note to ask Remus for his notes to copy and maybe learn something from. He would be happy to help, she knew.
Melody watched a drop of water slide down the window. Half way down, it met another, joining together and pausing for a moment before it continued down, joining the rushing line of water pouring over the windowsill. Melody watched with fascination as another drop followed, this one never joining another. With a jolt, Melody wondered if she would be falling down the windowsill alone. Or if she would have another drop to hold on to.
“I never knew a window could be so interesting,” a voice said beside her. Melody jumped and turned around to see Sirius, grinning next to her. He had taken over the seat that the stinky Slytherin had be sitting it. The rest of the class was filing out of the classroom and Flitwick was climbing down from his stack of books.
“Class is over?” Melody asked dumbly.
“Over and done with, love,” Sirius nodded. Melody stood, gathering her books together and putting them in her bag. Sirius patiently waited.
“So, how was your pranks yesterday?” she asked conversationally.
“Very good, actually. Only got three detentions and one is with Slughorn. He always lets us off easy,” Sirius said proudly.
“And the other two?”
“With Mcgonagall and Filch. Filch isn’t too bad, he usually gives us a task like cleaning without magic or something the walks away. We just call the house elves up for that and they are happy to do it,” Sirius shrugged, “Mcgonagall watches us like a hawk. Her detentions are brutal.”
“Sounds fun,” Melody said. Sirius grinned.
“Is that sarcasm, Miss Atwood?” Sirius asked, feigning shock. Melody gave him a playful, somewhat flirty smack on the shoulder and laughed.
“I believe it was Mr. Black,” she said.
They walked in silence, heading towards their Herbology lesson. It was Melody’s worse subject for she had a fear of plants that can touch you and hated the dung that took forever to get from under her nails, which were long and shaped. When they entered the Entrance Hall and opened the doors, Melody paused.
She had curled her hair this morning, thinking and praying the rain would hold until after Herbology. Now, she could say good-bye to her curls.
“Come on,” Sirius said, turning around, Melody looked at him curiously.
“Sirius, we can’t skip class,” she said, knowing that if she missed one lesson, she would never catch up on her notes.
“We’re can, but we’re not,” Sirius said, coming back and taking her hand. He pulled her towards a large mirror, looked around and then muttered something inaudible to his reflection. The mirror melted, leaving only the frame and Sirius pulled Melody through.
As the mirror returned to it’s natural state, Sirius lit his wand. Melody realized they were in a tunnel. A dirty tunnel with damp walls. Sirius began to walk off and Melody followed close behind, hanging onto his arm, not liking the dark. Twice, she stepped on Sirius’ heels, but he just smiled at her closeness and said nothing.
The tunnel seemed to curve around and then it began to go downward. Melody stumbled, her low black heels not sticking well to the dirt path, Sirius caught her around the waist and half carried her until they were on straight ground again. Then he slipped his hand through hers and hurried down the tunnel. Melody saw a spider crawling up the wall as the light of Sirius’ wand passed. She shivered, not like small, creepy, crawling things much.
After a minute or two, the tunnel began to rise again. Sirius once again, had to help Melody, for her heels weren’t good for climbing in. However, when he pushed open a door, Melody saw that they were only about five yards from the assigned Green House and the heavy rain had settled down to a hazy drizzle. A smile broke out across Melody’s face as she looked at Sirius. She stood on her tiptoes and pulled Sirius’ shoulder so he leaned over so she could place a kiss on his cheek.
“How did you know I didn’t want to get wet?” Melody asked, as they hurried through the drizzle and into the Green House.
“Good guess?” Sirius said, a mysterious glint in his eye. Melody smiled again and then took her seat, waiting for the class to begin.
-*-*-*-*-
Sirius was sort of angry that Melody was talking with Lily and Lisa now. He stared at them laughing with the two girls in front of the fire, books in their laps. Specifically, he was watching Melody. He found that the way the fire reflected in her aqua eyes and gave her tanned skin an orange glow, made her look rather pretty, though she was stunning without the effects. He remembered the way the grey light shown on her in Charms earlier. It made her look smaller, more fragile. Yet gorgeous all the same. Nothing could make Melody look bad.
Not even a jerky boyfriend shagging her best friend.
She had curled her hair today and Sirius liked the way they waved down her back and framed her face. There was no way he was going to let the rain wash them away. Of course, Melody just thought he was helping her out, she didn’t have to know what he really thought.
“Sirius,” James said, nudging his friend. Sirius looked at James curiously.
“What?” he asked.
“Your mouth was hanging open,” James stated simply. Sirius flushed slightly and glared at Remus and James, who were now sharing an amused expression.
“Was not,” he said, though he knew he probably was.
“You okay, mate?” James asked, “You’ve been watching Melody all day.”
“No, I haven’t,” Sirius lied, “I’m just thinking of ways that I can ‘ask you out’ and when. It has to be convincing and up to my standards. And I can repeat what I’ve once done. That wouldn’t be right and would ruin what I have going.”
“What you have going?” Remus snorted.
“Yes, what I have going,” Sirius nodded, “To girls, I’m the romantic, perfect guy that knows exactly what a girl wants. I have to be sure to keep that reputation. Repeating things is not romantic.”
“So you can’t repeat ‘I love you’?” James asked, grinning cheekily.
“There’s more then one way to say it,” Sirius said, giving James a curt nod. James’ grin fell off his face and he returned to his essay he was working on.
“Sirius,” Peter said, fidgeting in his seat, “I need help.”
“With what?” Sirius asked, looking at Peter expectantly.
“With Veronica,” Peter muttered. Sirius allowed his grin to spread across his face. Saturday night, Sirius had trained Peter on romantic ways to ask Veronica to be his girlfriend. Saturday night, Peter had taken Veronica to the Room of Requirement for a quiet dinner for two with all of Veronica’s favorite things, all of which Peter surprisingly knew from watching her over the past few months.
“What about her?” Sirius asked, leaning back on his chair and looking at Peter curiously. Peter flushed a little.
“Her birthday is next week,” he said.
“Oh, the birthday present problem,” Sirius said, smirking.
“Yeah, what do I get her?” Peter squeaked.
“Has she mentioned any of her favorite scents?” Sirius asked.
“Perfume?” James asked, looking up, “That’s a bit serious.”
“She hasn’t said anything,” Peter said, looking disappointed.
“Okay,” Sirius said thoughtfully, “Okay, here’s what you do; greet her with flowers in the morning and give her a small present, such as a stuffed animal, girls like over sized fluffy things. Then, during lunch, take her for a walk around the grounds, unless it’s raining or snowing, and just hold her hand and make her laugh. Then, at night, take her to Hogsmeade. There’s this really nice restaurant there. And that it when you can give her the big present.”
“Which could be,” Peter said, looking at Sirius so intently and hanging on every word he said.
“Get her some kind of jewelry. But not a ring, you aren’t serious enough for that,” Sirius said, leaning back on his two legs.
Peter’s face glowed with excitement as he hurried towards his dormitory to do whatever it was he was planning on doing. James and Remus shared a look, but Sirius ignored them, knowing they were making fun him and his romantic side.
He looked back at Melody only to find she was staring at him, too. He almost looked away, but then held her gaze instead, knowing better then to look away. It would make him look valuable and somewhat nervous. Showing a sign of nervousness, even in a fake relationship, may keep the other person from making a move. Melody then smiled and nodded at him, before turning to Lisa and Lily, saying something and then putting her book down and standing up. Sirius looked back at his friends as she made her way over.
Remus and James were working on their essays again and didn’t even glance up as Melody took Peter’s chair and smiled at Sirius. He realized just how straight and white her teeth really were.
“Hey,” he said.
“Hey,” she replied. James and Remus looked up and greeted her enthusiastically.
“Oh, Remus, before I forget,” Melody began, “Do you think I can borrow your notes from Charms today? I didn’t exactly take my own and was completely lost.”
“Lost?” Remus said, pulling his notes out and handing them to her.
“Yeah, the word ‘vigor’ totally threw me off,” she explained, reading the notes. James and Remus snorted and Sirius smiled with amusement. She looked up, frowning, “Are you laughing at me?”
“Vigor means like energy, effort, or strength,” Remus said, composing himself and looking at Melody like she was a five year old. A look of dawning crossed Melody’s face and she mouthed “oh!” with a smile. Her lips glistened from her clear lip gloss Sirius noticed she was wearing.
“Thanks. Everything makes a lot more sense now!” Melody said, grinning.
“That one word made you not understand the entire lesson?” James asked, not sure to be amused or concerned. Melody looked at the notes.
“Don’t answer that, Melody,” Sirius said, though he was clearly amused, as well. A scowl crossed Melody’s attractive features. She pouted for a moment, making Sirius smile, and then pushed her bangs out of her face and tucking them behind her ear, though they slid right back out almost immediately since they were too short.
“So, Melody, I thought you and Lily hated each other,” James said, putting his quill down and sitting back, putting his hands behind his head. Melody rolled her eyes.
“We’ve decided to be nice to each other. It makes things a lot easier since I know she hasn’t stopped thinking about you and I am supposedly with Sirius,” Melody explained, “Trust me, we’re not going to get much friendlier.”
“She hasn’t stopped thinking of me?” James asked, eye bright.
“Nope. She refuses to talk about you though,” Melody laughed.
“Sirius,” James said, looking at his best mate seriously, “I need to ask Lily out. But for real this time.”
“Okay,” Sirius said, “What do you want me to do?”
“Advice! Give me advice! Help me like you just helped Peter!” James said almost a bit a loudly.
“Uh,” Sirius said, leaning back thoughtfully, then he smiled, “Roses.”
“That’s the best you got?” James asked.
“Get her 50 red and deep red roses,” Sirius went on.
“Sirius, I got her roses since fifth year and all she’s done was throw them at me!” James said. Remus watched, interested.
“That was only twelve roses, Prongs. Fifty roses represent unconditional love. Red roses so love, passion and respect and deep red roses imply unconscious beauty. And of course, any shade of red roses say ‘I love you’” Sirius explained calmly. Melody grinned and sighed.
“That’s so sweet. How do you know all this stuff, Sirius?” she asked. Sirius just shrugged. James sat thoughtfully and then nodded and smiled to himself. Remus shook his head and looked down at his essay.
“Now, Remus for you. . .” Sirius began.
“I don’t need advice, Padfoot,” Remus laughed, “I have no one to show that type of affection too.”
“What about Lisa?” Melody asked. Remus shrugged.
“She’s sweet and nice, but I’m not interested in a relationship. Not until after school,” he said and then stood and went to his dormitory. Sirius and Melody exchanged looks.
----
“Oh. My. God!” Lily screamed the next morning. Startled, Melody sat up and pulled her bed hangings aside. Roses were set up all around Lily’s bed, each one red and dark red. Lily was sitting in the middle of her bed, face glowing and a hand on her chest. James wasted no time.
“Shocked someone would take another look at your face, Evans,” Marissa said as she walked past and left the room. Melody could hear the jealousy in it, though it was well hidden.
Lily hadn’t even heard Marissa though. She was too much absorbed in a letter that had been tired to one rose. She smiled again and showed the letter to Lisa who squealed. Melody yawned and smiled, too, knowing exactly what the letter said. Then Lily did the weirdest thing.
She tore the letter in half.
“Lily!” Melody gasped, standing and moving towards the red head who was looking a bit sad.
“I can’t go out with him,” she said, putting her hands in her face, “Not after all those things I’ve said. And what if things don’t work out? Then I’ll end up hurt. Or he will.”
“Lily,” Melody said, putting a hand on her shoulder, “What would you do if you ran into James a year from now and he had another girl on his arm? What if you ran into him five years from now and he had a kid with him? How would you feel then?”
“Horrible,” Lily mumbled.
“Its best to give it a shot, Lily,” Lisa said, fingering a rose, “I mean, fifty roses!”
“It means unconditional love, Sirius says,” Melody added. Lily hesitated and bit her lip and then stood up and went into the bathroom without a word. Melody and Lisa exchanged glances and then sighed.
Once Melody was ready, she and Lisa followed Lily out of the dormitory and down into the common room. She stopped at the end of the staircase seeing a worried looking James waiting for her. And her answer. Sirius, Remus, and Peter were sitting on the couch in front of the fire, though they were turned around to see what Lily would say and her reaction. Melody thought Sirius looked at bit smug.
His eyes met her and he winked and Melody had to smile, willing the small blush that appeared in her cheeks to go away. Sirius looked back and Lily and James. Lily walked towards him, head down looking hesitant.
“Will you, Lily?” James asked after a long silence. Then Lily nodded. She nodded and looked up at James, smiling.
“Yes. I will go out with you,” she said in a sure voice. A large grin spread across James’ face as he hugged Lily tightly. Melody and Lisa smiled at one another.
“Hello, love, can I escort you to the Great Hall?” Sirius asked in a formal voice, suddenly appearing in front of Melody and bowing. Melody laughed as she took the arm Sirius offered to her.
“Only because you asked so nicely,” she said. James and Lily were already out of the dormitory and out of sight when they exited the common room and headed down towards the Great Hall.
“You look nice today,” Sirius muttered in a hushed tone. Melody looked at him. She missed getting compliments. She used to get many from her “friends” and Kyle. Rarely now did she get any.
“Thank you,” she said.
“Any time.”
They walked in silence, unsure of what to say to one another. Melody wanted to ask when Sirius was planning to ask her out, but she didn’t want to spoil anything. She and Sirius were getting along fine moving at a nice, smooth pace that was easy for the both of them.
As they entered the Great Hall, they found that Lily and James were not there. They sat down, chuckling. It was raining again and the ceiling above was a murky grey. Melody sighed. At least she didn’t have Herbology again. Her hair would be fine. She pulled a bowl of fruit over to her and Sirius pulled it right out of her hands, shaking his head at her.
“You need real food,” he said pushing the eggs, bacon, pancakes, and other breakfast foods over to her.
“I wasn’t aware that fruit wasn’t food,” she said, taking a piece of toast, she paused as she reached for the jam, “Is jam okay? I believe it’s made of strawberries.”
“Is that cheek?” Sirius asked as he put eggs and bacon on her plate as she smeared butter and jam on her toast.
“Oh, Sirius, do I look like a girl that would give anyone cheek?” Melody asked, making herself look innocent. Sirius just smiled.
“Eat,” he ordered. Melody pretended to pout as she shoveled some eggs into her mouth and chewed slowly.
“I’m curious,” Melody said, after she shallowed and watched Sirius pile three times as much food on his plate he did hers, “How did James get the flowers into the girl’s dormitory?”
“Marauder secret,” Sirius shrugged and took a gulp of pumpkin juice.
“Oh come on, Sirius,” Melody begged.
“Can’t. The others will kill me,” Sirius shrugged.
“You’re not going to tell your ‘girlfriend’?” Melody asked, making herself look hurt. Sirius snorted into his drink and choked as he laughed.
“It’s not official,” he said between laughs. Melody grinned and took a bite of her toast as Sirius coughed between laughs. Once Sirius was able to breath, he looked at Melody, “Do you want to go on a walk?” he asked. Melody looked at him curiously.
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“Exactly what I asked,” Sirius replied immediately.
“But it’s raining,” Melody said.
“So?” Sirius asked, “Let’s ditch potions and take a walk outside. It’s a double period and then we have break. We have plenty of time.” Sirius said. Melody stared at Sirius, just waiting for him to say just kidding and laugh. But he was looking at her expectantly, just waiting for her answer. Melody smiled, looking down at her plate and nodded.
“But it’s up to you to teach me what we miss in Potions. Else I fail the class,” Melody warned. Sirius grinned.
“Of course, love.”
A/N: Another chapter added. ^_^ How fun. This one wasn't nearly as fun to write as the previous chapter, but it didn't turn out too bad. I'm really getting into this. Haven't you all noticed how quickly I've been update? ^_^
I have a new one-shot up if anyone cares to read it. I would love to hear what you all think of it. Just as I would love to keep hearing what you all think of this chapter!
So please review!
Love you all!
xoxo
Carolyn.
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