One Step Ahead Part II | Sirius Black

Chapter 204

"He's not in trouble. The opposite really. He's engaged."

Gwen doesn't look up despite the sudden silence in the tiny house. She's far too focused on the article she's reading. A witch is asking for advice on a rather intimate subject, pertaining to positions best for—

"Engaged?!"

Gwen sighs at the sudden exclamation, losing her place in the column. She hums, takes another sip of her tea and replies, "Yes, that is what I said isn't it?"

Dorcas is staring at her, jaw practically touching the floor. Lily looks just as surprised, Marlene fairing more on the amused side. The boys however, are speechless.

Remus looks suspicious, perhaps used to the endless jokes and pranks of the marauders. Peter, emotional to the point of stuffing his face to hide his watering eyes.

James...pissed. Fuming mad.

"What do you mean you're engaged?!" He shouts, hazel eyes wide behind his glasses. He whirls around, shoving Sirius as he squawks, "You didn't think to tell me you were going to ask her to marry you?! I could have helped you plan!"

Sirius has the decency to look embarrassed at the multiple sets of eyes on him, even a little exasperated by his fiancés declaration. He sheepishly grins and insists, "James, I swear I didn't—

"He didn't ask to be fair," Gwen says plainly, flipping the page of her magazine. "It was more of a demand."

Sirius suddenly looks pale, Gwen too busy reading to notice the warning in his tone as he says, "Inferi—"

"As for planning it," Gwen drawls eyebrows raising as she slowly lifts her eyes to look at James. "He asked me right in the middle of shagging. I hardly doubt he needed your help with that, love."

James' mouth circles into a stricken 'o.' He blinks at the Veela, glances sideways at Sirius grimacing face, and then promptly bursts into laughter.

James is practically weeping, giddy over Sirius reaction to the Veela's nonchalant statement. Dorcas muffles a laugh behind her hand, Marlene joining James with loud snorts of laughter that get Lily going as well. Pretty soon they're all laughing. Everyone except for Sirius and Gwen.

Her brows furrow in confusion, eyes finding Sirius as she wonders, "Was it something I said?"

He slides a hand over his face, shaking his head to himself as she waits patiently. When he finally looks at her, he looks so happily exhausted that it tugs at her heart and makes her hands shake.

"Inferi," Sirius says with a gusty sigh, "I thought we agreed to wait to say anything."

"You said you wanted to tell James first," Gwen replies evenly. "By telling everyone at the same time, they all technically heard first."

Sirius blinks at her, brows furrowing as if both confused and impressed by her argument. James still has tears streaking his cheeks when Regulus walks in. His nose wrinkles in disdain at the display of emotion, his voice unimpressed as he asks Remus, "Did he stub his toe again?"

Remus snorts, quickly covering it up with a cough when James glares in his direction. The spectacled marauder turns to Regulus and says eagerly, "You're just in time, Little. Gwen is telling us how Sirius proposed!"

Regulus' mouth opens, then shuts. Then opens again. He pinches the bridge of his nose, asking confusedly, "When did this—"

"Just the other day," Gwen muses airily, humming thoughtfully when a new column in her magazine catches her eye. Sirius' moves to race over to her, to clamp a hand over her mouth so that she not reveal any more intimate details. James already has a hold of one arm, yanking his friend backwards and tackling him while encouraging loudly, "Do go on, Ninnie!"

Remus grins when the Veela nods without looking up and reveals, "Yes, well we were getting right to the good part and then he just stopped—"

"GWENYTH!" Lily shrieks, clamping her hands over her ears. Marlene is cackling loudly, Dorcas looking properly embarrassed and amused while the Marauders all struggle to restrain Sirius. He finally elbows James hard in the temple, smacking Peter with his knee and nearly knocking over a laughing Regulus as he springs free.

He sprints across the room to Gwen, plucking the magazine from her hands and ignoring her disappointed, "Hey!"

She bites back a smile, chewing on the inside of her cheek as he stares down at her with wide eyes the color of the winter sky. She can't help it. She can't help herself. She absolutely loved embarrassing him.

Her lips twitch and then she's grinning, blinking up at him innocently. Sirius just huffs and plops down into her lap. She groans from the weight of him, her nose crinkling as she tries desperately to shove him off. He doesn't budge, just crossed his arms over his chest and stares down at her broodingly.

Her smile doesn't fade. If anything it only gets bigger, her cheeks aching and heart warming at the sound of her friend's laughter. Engaged. They were engaged, and everyone she loved knew it. The prospect of marriage seemed foolhardy, juvenile even before she truly knew Sirius. Before he knew her. And she liked the proposal. It was real, it was them. No time to over think or plan or consider the consequences.

Gwen winds her arms as best she can around Sirius' waist, leaning over to peer at James sprawled out on the floor. He smirks at his Veela friend, teasing, "Sounds like quite the odd proposal, Ninnie. Nice one, Padfoot."

Sirius' cheeks are pink, and as adorable she thinks embarrassment looks on the gruff boy, she can't help but say nonchalantly, "I was actually quite satisfied."

Marlene pipes up despite Dorcas' eye roll, asking Gwen suggestively, "With the shag? Or with the proposal?"

Gwen quirks a brow, settling back into the comfy armchair. It wasn't as comfortable as the one in the Gryffindor common room. It would do.

"Both," The Veela finally says, her smile growing excited when Sirius suddenly climbs off her. He lifts her up out of the chair before sitting down and situating her in his lap. She knows he's satisfied by her response to Marlene's question when her magazine is suddenly returned to her hands, his own fingers holding open the pages so she can read while their friends watch on in amusement.

Sure, the chair wasn't as comfy.

Her fiancé's lap certainly was.

{{my heart. Some fluff to get you all through exams! Thanks for hanging in there—I love you all!!!}}