Black as Night (Sirius Black)

Don't You Forget About Me

MA/Explicit scene warning, later in chapter. ⚠️ That wasn't supposed to happen but I swear sometimes my books write themselves...
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"First round's on Remus!" Sirius sprang from the booth and enveloped the taller man in an exuberant hug, then similarly greeted the lady at his side. She was significantly younger than Colleen, with mousy brown hair and a half smile that seemed to suggest a lot was weighing on her mind when she arrived at the bar that evening.

"Look at you, back from the dead," the woman commented dryly. She glanced at Colleen quickly. "Err...I mean it's been awhile... good to see you. I'm Tonks," she added, reaching a hand in Colleen's direction. "First name is Nymphadora, but don't call me that. Ever."

"Is that a constellation too?" Colleen asked her.

She shook her head. "No. Our family's just weird as hell. My middle name is though— Vulpecula."

"Wow. You guys must have had a rough time in school," Colleen laughed.

"Remus Lupin," Sirius's friend introduced himself, also extending a hand.

"You're joking, right? All of your names..."

"It's like we're from a whole different world, huh?" Tonks helped herself to a seat and a pretzel roll, promptly summoning a waiter to bring her a pint.

"Yes," Colleen answered hesitantly. "I think Sirius mentioned he has some explaining to do about some things."

"In my defense there hasn't been much time." Sirius winked and resumed his seat, slipping an arm around the waist of Colleen's black dress. He smelled of fresh cologne and his newly washed brown shirt— her washing powder he'd borrowed, to be exact— and the result was delicious. She was like a teenage girl suddenly wanting to make out with her boyfriend in a restaurant booth.

His friend was very handsome as well, dressed much like Colleen's old philosophy professor she'd crushed on for so long. He seemed quiet and reserved in demeanor though, completely opposite of Sirius. They balanced out quite like she and Hannah did. Try as she might, the woman in the booth in front of her couldn't take her eyes off the man. Colleen found herself curious about the drama Sirius had mentioned, and she couldn't resist the urge to help Sirius accomplish his goal for the evening in whatever way she could. She didn't know Tonks of course, but it seemed like every woman deserved to feel incredible and alive as Colleen herself had the past couple of days.

"So how long have you two been together?" Colleen asked brightly, pretending to study her menu instead of glance at their nervous blushes. She felt Sirius squeeze her leg appreciatively under the table.

"We're not," they both answered simultaneously— Remus reluctantly, Tonks flatly and clearly annoyed.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Colleen feigned sheepishly. "You just had that natural 'couple' sort of look."

"I always tell them that too," Sirius spoke up thoughtfully.

Remus cast a glare in Sirius's direction, clearly onto their collusion.

The four of them enjoyed what seemed like half the menu, thanks to Sirius's generosity and over-excitement. His friends spent most of the dinner conversation inquiring about Colleen's life; she noticed anytime she asked anything about theirs they quickly steered back to her. When she asked Tonks what she did for a living, the woman's
response was "sort of like a police officer." Remus's was "a retired professor" —aka the youngest retired professor in history, by Colleen's assessment.

"Oh god, you're ALL in the mob, aren't you?" She was two beers in at this point and speaking rather frankly. It dawned on her that these probably weren't their real names at all, but some type of code they'd all developed for their underground lives.