101 Ways to ditch the Date | SIRIUS BLACK

No. 28

" - and then that's when she realised the real monsters weren't under the bed... they were in the ministry," Lily said, ending on a dramatic note to her story, "So, what do you think? Would you read it?"

"Huh, what?" Usually in their free, Sirius was very observant, probably to try and acquire as much knowledge for James but today, he seemed oddly distant, not paying attention to her pitch for a young adult novel, "Sorry, did you say something?"

"Yes, I was telling you what the tagline to my best selling book will be!"

Sirius's brow furrowed, "You have a best selling book? Since when?"

"No, it's just hypothetical!" exclaimed Lily, rolling her eyes at him, "Weren't you listening to a word I just said?"

"Huh, what?"

"SIRIUS!" She scolded, snapping her textbook shut, finally giving up the illusion of working, "What is going on with you? Does your leg still hurt because you've been out for a day now and Madam Pomfrey said you were all better!"

"It's not my leg..." Sirius said, not even adding a dramatic sigh at the end, "I don't want to talk about it."

"Because... you just want to be heard?" Lily guessed, assuming it was a trick question.

"No. I don't want to talk about it," He replied, "I barely want to think about it."

"What is it?" She asked.

"It."

"That's really not an answer," She replied and he gave an uncomfortable shrug, "You can tell me, I'm a better secret keeper than you are... telling James about our private conversation, how dare you!"

"I didn't tell him, I lied," He replied, "I just made you think I had."

"Why?" Normally she wouldn't believe him but there was something strangely earnest about his tone.

"No reason," He replied, his face blank, "James doesn't know about our conversation, Ora just reckoned it would speed things up between you two if you thought he did."

At the mention of Ora's name, it clicked in Lily's head what was wrong, it had been so obvious, who else would it be? She inched along the sofa, leaning off the edge so her head was in line with Sirius', who was lying down as per usual.

"Come on, Sirius, tell me," She said, flicking his nose which earnt her a glower, "I told you about my problems with James, I can be your shoulder to cry on."

At this, Sirius slowly sat himself up, "There will be no crying, guys don't cry."

"It was metaphorical," She replied, following suite and sitting up, kicking her legs over the edge of the sofa arm, "But it can be literal because yes they can, my Dad cries at football all the time. Come on, I do have work to do ... despite the fact I've been procrastinating for the last half an hour. Just tell me, I'll keep it to myself."

Although he clearly wanted to resist, the temptation of telling someone who might be able to offer a girl's perspective was too much and with a sigh, he gave in, "Only James knows so you can't tell anyone else, I mean it. Okay, so after we went to the hospital wing and I was lying down, on the spur of the moment she said she liked me. Her exact words were 'really fancied'."

Lily clapped, "Well, that's brilliant, you obviously like her too... right?"

Sirius lay back, his inner drama queen sparking back to the surface again, "I don't know, Lily, I really don't know anymore. I mean, she's fun to hang out with and I have a great time when I see her and I care about her and she's really hot and she's an even match in our battles and a good partner in  - "