Roses All The Way Down【Sirius Black】

ⅩⅩⅩ. 𝐒𝐨 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐃𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐧'𝐭 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐑𝐡𝐲𝐦𝐞

Virginia had never been more nervous in her life. Her date with Cliff had freaked her out but she didn't really like him for one. And for two, she didn't have the knowledge of her rejection hanging over her head. Marlene descended upon Virginia with a wave of hair care and make up tips. Dorcas, who was pretty much the same size as Virginia, was rooting through her trunk with Alice to find an outfit. Meanwhile Lily and Mary were studying in the corner, more accurately Lily was studying and Mary was trying to balance a quill on her nose.

"Got it!" Dorcas shouted, "I pulled from my muggle clothes of course since you said you didn't want robes. And..." She flourished a gray sweater and a black dress. The dress was simple and would probably go down to her knees, it had wide straps and thick material. "Or," Dorcas snickered, pulling out a shirt that looked like it would be under sized even on Lily's small frame and a pair of bell bottoms. She wiggled her eyebrows at Virginia, to which she chuckled.

"So," Alice said lightly, floating across the room and laying the first outfit across Virginia's bed, "did you ever open that letter?"

Mary scowled from her corner of the room. She almost jumped up but Lily gave her such a look that she thought better of it.

Virginia's stomach dropped out. The letter. She remembered with painful accuracy the contents of the letter. It had been from her mother - which wouldn't be immediately obvious to any reader of it due to the strict formality. She had to come home for Christmas since they were going to visit their grandmother. Virginia's nose twitched. She didn't want to tell them about her dying grandmother and she didn't want to tell them that if she didn't kiss Alaric in the next thirteen days before break - she wouldn't be coming back.

Virginia walked into the bathroom. Her hair was pulled back in a bun however it hung lower and messier than usual on her head. Some strands hung in front and framed her face nicely. Her face itself was covered in a layer of foundation, probably a bit too much rouge and something called bronzer. Her eyelashes were thicker and curlier, her lips somehow seemed more plump. She stared at herself, gulping slowly.

She pulled on her outfit and continued to stare herself down. She had a distinct feeling that her boggart now would portray Alaric. She could feel the fear rising in her stomach. If he didn't kiss her... well she didn't really want to think about it. When she left the bathroom, she saw that Lily had finally let Mary go. Marlene was wheedling Alice, Dorcas, Lily to come with her to hogsmeade and definitely not spy. Only Dorcas agreed which for some reason made Marlene turn a bit pink.

"We'll not-spy on Ginny," Alice said, beaming up at Marlene. Marlene nodded and cleared her throat awkwardly.

Marlene, Dorcas, Mary and Virginia all left together. Mary met with Peter - who looked a bit odd without the usual detail of the Marauders - in the common room.

"Where's your posse?" Dorcas asked with a smirk.

"Remus is making them finish their homework," Peter said with a little snicker. Mary took Peter's arm and they left the common room. A few minutes after the other three left together, chatting amicably but they had to break apart a couple hallways later. Dorcas and Marlene went right towards the exit and the carriages while Virginia went left towards the library.

The nerves thrumming in her chest stopped immediately when she saw him. He looked like normal with his hair perhaps a bit more styled. He was wearing muggle clothes, per their details discussion after the letter commotion, and was doing a pretty decent job at it. More decent than she would have expected.

"Woah," she grinned, sitting down, "you are rocking the muggle look." No sooner had the words left her mouth than she wanted to snatch them back. Her tone had come out far more surprised than what could be considered to be polite.

Alaric smirked, "my brother is obsessed with all things muggle, he says he might stop by later and for that I am sorry." He grimaced and shook his head. He was wearing a thin sweatshirt that was gray with burnt yellow stripes paired with light blue jeans.

"Ah well, I've heard nothing but terrible things about him," Virginia said, immediately cursing herself again. He looked sideways at her with a mixture of confusion and amusement. "From Fabian and Gideon, they do not like him dating their sister."

Alaric chortled, "you don't have any younger siblings to absolutely murder me, do you?"

Virginia felt her face grow bright red, "uh no. Just one older sister. Her name's Ophelia but she's a muggle."

"Do you guys get on?" Alaric asked, opening his potions book and pulling out a quill.

"Yeah, I love her more than anyone else. She's so amazing. I mean she's very different from me. She swears and gets in trouble and doesn't give a flying frick."

Alaric chortled, "that's very different to you?"

Virginia's brows furrowed as she pulled out pens and let them fall onto the table. She picked up one and began to write her Transfiguration essay. "Of course it is. I'm.... very plain Jane. And she's ... Pamela Wild. So wild it doesn't even rhyme."

Alaric let out a bark of laughter, "have you seen yourself? I think the more time you spend with those twins and that posse of four boys - the more they rub off on you. Or more accurately, I think they rub off all the years of being perfect to reach yourself. Y'know?"

"I do have to be perfect but I can let my hair down here... well." She fiddled with the strands coming out of her bun awkwardly. Alaric leaned across the table, letting his quill fall onto the paper gently. She felt her heart beat in her chest, a million times a minute. "Can I?" He asked gently. She nodded slowly.

He grabbed the elastic out of her hair and her hair fell around her shoulders. "You're beautiful," he murmured, "and wild," he winked. She felt her cheeks grow redder which she didn't know was possible. For a moment she thought he would lean in again. For one beautiful moment she thought that he would kiss her in the middle of the library. But then Arthur Weasley plopped down next to Alaric.