Barking Mad (Sirius/OC)

You're gonna hear me roar

He sniggered. "Relax, Nika. Breathe. You're a Gryffindor. If you don't start acting up a little, people are going to look at you funny."

"They are already looking at me funny," I said exasperated, but I turned back to the fireplace anyway. I shook my head and tried to come up with something. In the end I decided to paint it a horrible yellow that clashed terribly with the pink Sirius was throwing around. I hung all sorts of kitten pictures around the room and turned to Sirius, who was giving me a smile of approval.

"There's only one thing missing," he muttered, before going through McGonagall's drawers.

"Sirius," I warned softly, thinking that was taking things a bit too far.

"Ah hush. I'm not going to steal anything," he murmured, before whooping. Yes, whooping. He even did a little jump where his heels touched in midair. The boy was crazy, I'm telling you. "I knew she had one of these."

He was holding a small black box as he walked towards me.

"What are you going to photograph?" I asked him with a little frown, before I got blinded by a flash. I pursed my lips as I tried to blink the black and purple spots away. Damn.

"Ah good, it works," Sirius stated happily, ignoring me completely. He took the photo when it came out of the antique looking camera and put it in one of his pockets.

"Hey!" I said, trying to grab it, but stopped short when he gave me a wolfish grin.

"Come here, sweetheart," he said, before grabbing me around the waist and pulling me to his side. His hand seemed to burn through my robes where he touched my hip. I looked up at him and smiled faintly. I laid my head on his shoulder, feeling a little brave after all, and smiled at the camera. I barely heard him counting under his breath, before another flash blinded me.

Sirius let go of me and I found that I was missing his touch already. Honestly, Nika, I admonished myself sternly. I was turning into one of those sappy fangirls, wasn't I?

I grabbed the picture from the camera before he could and studied it. Sirius was smiling broadly at the camera and I looked perfectly at ease. I duplicated the magical picture and put it in my robe. That was one to show the grandkids. "Look who grandma was friends with, children. Oh yes, he was quite handsome, was he not? Good kisser too." Well, I was pretty sure he was anyway. Not that I was ever going to find out.

To my surprise Sirius duplicated a copy for himself as well, before he turned to the fireplace. "Engorgio," I heard him whisper and the original picture enlarged. He used his wand to stick it against the chimney and gave me a brilliant smile.

"Is that wise?" I asked him a bit worried. That was even worse than leaving our signatures behind. What was it that Muggles said? A picture says a thousand words?

"Probably not," Sirius laughed, "but it sure as hell is fun."

As horrible as it was, I couldn't even deny it. For I did have a little fun.

~**~

After I lifted the alarm spell, Sirius took me to our next class. We waited outside of the classroom and Sirius gave me an excited grin. "I wonder how long it will take for her to find our little present."

I laughed at how much like a little boy he sounded. "We'll know soon enough," I assured him which earned me another quick smile from him.

"This was the first time you pulled off a thing like that, wasn't it?" Sirius asked me, suddenly a lot more intense and serious than he had been before.

I shrugged. "What gave me away?" I asked as I made my lips form a sweet little smile. It was surprisingly easy to behave in such a friendly manner with Sirius Black and I actually quite enjoyed coming out of my shell for him. Was this how it started? The growing up bit?