Limited Edition (Sirius/OC)

Introducing Satisfaction

2: Introducing Satisfaction

One year earlier...

"I really don't think I can do this, Marlene." I was hyperventilating.

Okay, maybe I was overreacting just a little. I wasn't hyperventilating, but my heartrate had upped its pace, and I felt pearls forming on my forehead. I was itching to wipe them off, but my hands were too sweaty themselves. It'd be like trying to put out a fire with a match.

It's not going to work.

"Yes, you can. There's no need to stress out so much. He'll say yes, you know."

But why would he? Bass Olmen may not be the hottest Quidditch player in the game—that title went begrudgingly to Sirius Black—but he was the lad I'd been crushing on for seven months and eight days now.

Not that I was counting.

Marlene used to argue that it'd been far longer than that. You realised you were crushing on him seven months and eight days ago, she'd say. You've been a goner for longer than that.

Like any wise, self-respecting girl I rejected her statement every time.

I wasn't the right girl for Bass. I was the weird one on the team. Oddly competitive—rivalling James' own fight lust—and a bizarre compilation of facial expressions and clumsiness that somehow resulted in the great Chaser I was.

Not to mention that there was no filter to be found between my mouth and brain. I vomited thoughts at the most inappropriate times, and Bass was... Well, he was well-collected, he was regal almost. Not that odd of an adjective to put to his name when you know his family is one of the richest in Europe. I didn't care about the money though. What I cared about was how we could talk about book characters all night long.

Imagining worlds far more fantastical than our own.

Heh. Who would have thought I'd ever say that when I came as a tiny Muggleborn to this castle five years ago?

"Are you going to keep avoiding this for the rest of the year?" Marlene whispered as the space between us and him grew smaller by every step we took.

"I can try," I hissed back, swiping at my forehead. I'm sure I made a charming picture. Why wouldn't Bass date me indeed.

"You've talked to him so often before," Marlene pointed out unreasonably. "Why would it be any different now?"

Because he'd know I liked him.

Because he'd be able to crush me with just a slight change in his facial expression.

Because him laughing away my feelings would kill me.

I decided that her question was better left unanswered. Especially since the victim of my admiration had just come into hearing distance.

"Juliet," he greeted me with a grin that others might have found 'cute', but I found charming. There was a difference. Cute made me think of puppies and sunshine, charming however... My heart was aflutter. "How's McGonagall doing? Did you leave her in a good mood for me?" he joked, knowing that I'd just had Transfig. We had a short break between classes now before McGonagall was to teach the seventh years.

"My wit warmed her up for you," I told him easily, pushing thoughts of kissing him and messing his short blond hair up out of my mind. "Try to keep it that way. She promised to correct our essays tonight, so we need her happy."

Bass winked. "I'm nothing if not satisfactory."

Marlene snorted. "That's what they all say."

Bass' grin widened, and I laughed.