One Step Ahead part I | Sirius Black

Chapter 62

Sirius stares aimlessly at the ceiling, the summer breeze making the curtains dance across his vision.

He rolls over for the millionth time, grumpily adjusting his pillow. Gwen had gone to bed, giving him ample time and space after his embarrassing outburst. Just thinking about it made him blush. He never got nervous around girls. Not until her. She and her stupid smile and her damn eyes that could see right through him. She flustered him more than any person he'd ever met.

He closes his eyes, picturing her smiling up at him by the shore. He feels a prick of guilt. He'd nearly called her his girlfriend. Without asking. Without having taken her out on a single date. He's getting up before he realizes what he's doing, padding over to the door and quietly opening it.

He peers down the hall and smiles slightly when he spies glowing light from under her door. She's awake. He slowly shuts the door behind him before he tiptoes over. He hesitates briefly before he knocks gently on the white wood.

"Come in," Her voice is muffled through the door, but she still sounds like she isn't sleepy. He pokes his head in and smiles at her room. He hadn't been in there before, his trip too short for that last time. The room is white, like most of the house. But there's pictures and trinkets and paintings all across the walls, even up to the wooden slats of the ceiling in some parts.

His eyes find Gwen easily, heart beating faster at the view. She's propped up on her pillows, leaning back against her bed frame. She has a magazine in her lap again, a different one from this afternoon. She quirks a brow, skin soft from the golden glow of the lamp. Her lips twitch into a smile and she teases,

"There's my..." she trails off pointedly, tone just mocking enough to make him roll his eyes and flush. He grumbles, "Shut up." But instead of leaving, he slips into her room and shuts the door behind him with a gentle 'click.'

Sirius hovers by the exit, unsure under her appraising eyes. But then Gwen let's go of her magazine with one hand, reaching over and peeling back the corner of her light green duvet. His heart melts at the action, especially when she nonchalantly turns her eyes back to her reading.

Sirius hurries over, like the Veela will change her mind. Gwen smiles but doesn't say anything when he slides into the bed next to her, pulling the covers up to his waist. She averts her gaze from his muscles flexing, blinking away the schoolgirl embarrassment that builds up in her stomach.

It's tense for a brief moment, but then he breaks the silence, grunting reluctantly, "I did ask you to go out with me."

Gwen hums in acknowledgement, merely flipping to the next page. She continues to read and Sirius bristles, continuing haughtily, "And you said you'd think about it."

He turns on his side so he can see her face completely, spying the dimple in her cheek when she says simply, "Yes, I did."

Sirius groans, slapping a hand to his face. Impossible. She was impossible. Gwen feels a twinge of sympathy so she leans over and sets her magazine down on her side table, sitting back into her pillows before she grasps his hand and pulls it away from his face. He scowls at her when she reveals his grey eyes shining with embarrassment. She smiles slightly and cajoles, "Aren't you going to ask what my answer is?"

"I didn't realize we were finished talking in riddles," Sirius says pointedly, the skin of his wrist tingling beneath her palm. She grins and says cheekily, "I've not been talking in riddles. Though I can if you'd rather."

Gwen scoots down on the bed to settle in, her head resting comfortably next to his as he mutters, "You exist to test my patience, Whitlock."

"I know," She quips, reaching out and gently running her fingers through some of his dark hair. It was shorter. He must've gotten it cut over the weeks she hadn't seen him. Butterflies erupt in her stomach as she says hesitantly, "My answer is yes, just so you know. But considering you're new to the area, I'll plan the date."

Sirius stares at her blankly for a few minutes and she swears her breathing stops. Maybe he'd been kidding, maybe he'd only asked her so he wouldn't feel guilty about shagging her. Her worries fade when a brilliant smile works it's way onto his face. She lets out a shriek of surprise when he lunges for her, practically flopping down on top of her as he peppers kisses across her jaw.

"Sirius," She groans, the air pushed out of her lungs by him. Though she wasn't sure if it was the weight of him smothering her, or the brilliance of his grin causing her brain to short circuit.

"Bloody Inferi," Sirius mumbles against her skin, earning a laugh from her that's so sweet it makes him dizzy. He raises his head so he can peck her smiling lips, teasing,

"So you'll go on a date with me, but you're going to plan it?"

Gwen shrugs and replies cheekily, "If it goes well then you can plan the next one."

Sirius smirks and replies smugly, "It'll go well, Ninnie. You are going on a date with Sirius Black after all."

She sighs at the ego of the boy and closes her eyes, shaking her head as she wonders out loud, "What have I done?"

She jumps, eyes flying open when fingers suddenly tickle her side, more bouts of laughter fleeing her mouth before she can stop it. She swats at his hands, pleading,

"Stop! You bloody dog!"

Sirius grins and captures her lips in a heart wrenching kiss, his hands seizing the tickling and instead grabbing her hip and giving it a gentle squeeze. She melts into her mattress, pulling him closer by his shoulders and smiling against his gentle lips. It's chaste, full of adoration and excitement and even a little shyness.

They'd done this backwards, snogging and shagging before they truly gone on a date. But Gwen didn't mind. Being with him was easy, natural. She didn't think about it, because every moment she spent with him felt like a date. But she could see how it would bother him. He wanted to prove she wasn't just some shag, and that meant more than anything. Sirius reluctantly pulls back, flopping back into his pillows and pulling her on top of him instead.

Gwen hides her smile in the crook of his neck, embarrassed to find that Sirius Black made a very good pillow.