What the Heart Wants (Sirius Black Love Story)

Chapter 18

Sadie glanced at the time and took a deep breath as she gave herself one last anxious look in the mirror. She was due to floo to Gideon's house in a couple of minutes and had elected to wear dark, fitted jeans with a nice red sweater and black boots. She'd straightened her hair again and hoped that she looked mature enough to make a good impression on Gideon's family.

Sirius came around the corner then, still wearing a pair of flannel pajama bottoms and a band tee even though it was nearly four in the afternoon, and froze when he saw her. She bit her lip nervously and turned to face him fully.

"Do you think it's too casual?" She asked him worriedly. He bit back a smile and made a show of walking around her and looking her up and down appraisingly. She giggled, some of her tension melting away at his obvious attempt at making her smile. Satisfied with his efforts, he came to a stop in front of her and tucked her hair behind her ear, giving her a soft look.

"You look perfect," he told her sincerely, and Sadie felt her heart skip a beat as her eyes met his. "The Prewetts will fall in love with you before you even say hello."

For a moment, they simply gazed at one another. Then, Euphemia came bustling into the room carrying a large platter filled with an assortment of pies, and the spell was broken.

"Take these with you, dear. You should never arrive as a guest empty-handed!"

Sadie cleared her throat and stepped away from Sirius to take the tray from her mother. Sirius gave her a quick nod of encouragement, a bit of a sad smile on his face, and quietly backed out of the room. Sadie didn't have time to process the look on his face as her mother fussed over her and ushered her into the fireplace, and, before she knew it, she was stumbling into a small sitting room where Gideon was waiting for her.

His face broke into a huge smile the moment he saw her. He stepped forward and took the platter from her hands, setting it down carefully on a small end table before enveloping her in his arms. Sadie sighed happily. They simply stood there for a moment until Gideon pulled away.

"Everyone is in the kitchen," he told her, picking the tray of pies back up. "They're dying to meet you."

Sadie took a deep breath and allowed him to lead her into a cozy little kitchen. Fabian was chasing two redheaded little boys around the floor, and three adults were standing at the counter, conversing merrily. They looked up and offered friendly smiles as Sadie and Gideon entered the room.

"Oh, you must be Sadie!" Mrs. Prewett was a tiny woman. Her chestnut brown hair was just beginning to show a few steaks of grey, and her eyes were warm and inviting. She grabbed Sadie's hands and beamed at her. "We're so happy to finally meet you and that you could join us! I'm Gideon's mother of course."

"It's lovely to meet you, Mrs. Prewett." Sadie felt as though a huge weight had been lifted off her chest as she took in the kind faces around her. Mrs. Prewett waved a hand.

"Please, call me Caroline." She turned and gestured toward the other two adults, a short, redheaded woman with a sweet face and a tall, thin man with equally red hair and glasses. "This is my daughter, Molly, and her husband, Arthur, and these are their boys." She smiled fondly at the squealing children. "Bill is five, and Charlie just turned three a couple of weeks ago. And, of course, you know Fabian."

At the sound of his name, Fabian walked over and grinned, ruffling Sadie's hair. "You have no idea how good it is to see you, Sade. Gideon's been moping about something awful without you." He ducked as Gideon took a swing at his head, and everyone else laughed.

Little Charlie ran up to them then. He grinned when he saw Sadie and puffed his chest out.

"I have a dragon shirt," he told her proudly. And indeed, he wore a grey t-shirt with a large red dragon emblazoned in the front. Sadie laughed lightly and crouched down to his level.