Liquid Luck [Sirius Black]/editing

chapter 61

I sigh sadly, pulling my pillow back over and hugging it tightly to my chest. "I'm a fool."

"Oh, Chiara." She wraps an arm around me. "How long have you fancied him?"

Welp, since the cat's out of the bag, "I don't know. But I only realized I do after he kissed me on his birthday."

She gasps, "He kissed you?!"

"On the cheek..." I blush even darker.

"Tell him." She states firmly, grabbing ahold of my hand and rubbing her thumb over the top of it soothingly. "It's completely obvious he's mad about you too."

"Is it?" I laugh humourlessly. "I'm not so sure. Sirius is just a naturally flirty person, Lils. He'll flirt with just about anyone – he even tried to flirt with Dumbledore once. I'm not special. I don't think he could ever see me as anything more than a friend. I'm just another guy to him."

"Shut up!" Lily laughs contagiously making me laugh too.

"I'm not kidding! And anyhow, I couldn't just tell him. I'm too much of a coward."

"You are many things, Chiara Holland. An idiot and a clown for starters. But a coward? Not a chance." She smiles at me warmly. "You know every other boy in Hogwarts has eyes for you. Why wouldn't he?"

"How Gryffindor of me." I say sarcastically. "I can't even tell my best friend what I feel."

*

If there's one thing you can always count on at Hogwarts then that's the gossip chain. Word travels quickly and effectively, and you never know where it all began unless you were the one to start it all yourself. Somehow the entire school's already received word about my double date with William, whom I haven't even met yet by the way.

Sirius won't stop staring at me with a wounded expression when he thinks I'm not looking. It's dinner time and Sirius and I are the only ones at the table yet. It's awkward and that's putting it lightly. I wish to Merlin he'd bring up the date just so I can set things straight for him. Luckily, Saint-James struts over in time to do just that. "What's this I hear about you dating that William Parkinson?"

"I'm not dating him. I don't even fancy him." I shrug nonchalantly whilst discreetly watching for Sirius' reaction from the corner of my eye. He's suddenly paying full attention to me and isn't even trying to hide his interest anymore.

James frowns and shakes his head, "Then, why is everyone lying and saying you are?"

I roll my eyes. "Because your precious Evans agreed to a double date without my consent. I've never even met the lad and I'm expected to go out with him? It's ludicrous!"

My gaze flicks back over to Sirius to find him smiling into his bowl of soup.

James shifts uncomfortably in his seat. "Evans has a date, huh?"

I immediately reach out to grab his forearm gently. He glances up through his crooked spectacles and my heart swells for him, he looks so hurt. "It'll be alright, James. This one won't last. Diggory may be perfect on paper but there's one very important thing that he isn't."

"What's that?" He asks hopefully.

"He isn't you."

*

The date was dreadful. William barely spoke two words to me, too nervous to do anything but stare. Now I know why he had his mate ask me out. On the brighter side of things, I got a lot of thinking done on that so-called "date" and I've come to the conclusion that I do not need a boyfriend in order to accept and love myself just the way I am.

I walk into Transfiguration class late, too tired to change out of my pyjamas. Professor McGonagall's baffled expression is enough to ensure me she isn't pleased with my attire. "Ms Holland! Is there something wrong with your uniform?" She asks, causing the entire class to turn their heads to face me.

Snorts and coughs are heard from the back and I don't have to look to know they're coming from James, Sirius, Remus and Peter. I shrug with a tired yawn. "My uniform is perfectly fine, Minnie."

"Oh is it? Then would you care to explain why you're wearing informal-wear?"

"Well see, I was already late and I decided changing would only make matters worse. Besides, don't you like my funny bottoms?" I gesture to my pants covered in the print of rubber ducks.

She remains unamused. "Detention with me tonight, bring your quill and some ink."

"Writing lines. Sounds positively riveting, doesn't it Sirius?" I give him the look and he nods in understanding.

He stands up on his chair and starts singing out a Muggle nursery rhyme that I taught him a couple nights ago. "Hickory, dickory, dock. The mouse ran up the clock. The clock struck one, the mouse ran down. Hickory, dickory, dock!"

"BLACK!"

"Minnie!" Sirius exclaims loudly, mirroring her passion.

"The both of you will see me in detention tonight." She states firmly, not finding any hilarity in our buffoonery unlike the other students in our class.

Sirius plops back down in his seat, grinning smugly, and sends me a charming wink.