Pragma // s.b.

31

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My feet pounded against the hard floor as I flew through the hall. I needed to talk to Sirius. I needed to let him know I finally knew the truth, and I didn't hate him. People stared as I whizzed past, my hair whipping out behind me. Elation, anticipation, and nerves flooded my body. I hadn't really thought about what I was doing when I leapt up and ran away from Remus in the library, I just knew I had find Sirius. What Remus said about him had stirred something inside of me. I didn't even know what I was going to say or what I was going to do when I saw him, I just knew I needed too.

I tore through the entrance hall, barely even remembering to breath. I looked around frantically for Sirius' face. The face that I couldn't deny I had missed more than anything. The face I had tried to hate and forget, but simply couldn't. Students filtered in from the Great Hall, obscuring my vision. I stood on the tips of my toes, frantically scanning the crowd. I let out an exasperated sigh, when I saw the doors to the castle swing open.

Sunlight flooded in from behind him, framing his face in a breathtaking warm glow. My breath hitched. I began to move, slowly at first then, not being able to stop myself, I broke into a run. I pushed past students with reckless abandon. Sirius was walking along with a girl in Gryffindor robes, he let out a light laugh. The girl reached up, twirling a lock of her long blonde hair around her finger. I didn't have time to register the slight twinge in my chest, I focused on trying to make myself visible to him through the thick crowd. I was almost to them when he finally looked up.

His lips parted slightly and his eyebrows drew together, but I didn't give him a chance to say anything. Without thinking, I leap up, flinging my arms around his neck. "I am so sorry", my voice was muffled in his shirt. His hair ticked my face, and I realized that this was where the peppermint smell came from. Sirius let out a small sputter, and his shoulders tensed slightly. I didn't let go, however, I just pulled myself further into him. I couldn't help but think of of the night he punched Quinton and me cleaning him up, and the way I felt when Sirius' brother called him a disappointment, and the many hours we spent at our table in Potions with him laughing and thinking of every excuse to make me brew the potions alone, but me not really minding because as long as I was talking to him, I was happy.

After a tentative moment, Sirius' arms wrapped around my waist. His hands were light, barely even touching me. They seemed to hover there, wanting to pull me in closer, but being held back for some reason. The sound of someone clearing their throat rang out from beside us and I released my arms from Sirius' neck, daring to glance up into his eyes. They were trained on me. "I'll talk to you later, Lydia", he said, forcing his eyes away from mine. I looked awkwardly at the girl next to us.

She was very pretty, very tall, and very clearly annoyed. She looked me up and down, her grey eyes narrowing as she folded her arms over her very large chest. "Yeah, see you later", she said, turning on her heel and strutting away, the smell of very artificial vanilla left lingering in the air.

My heart was beating fast and I tilted my head back up so I was once again looking directly into the eyes of Sirius. "Remus told me everything", I blurted out. Sirius sharply inhaled, then glanced around. Grabbing my hand, he dragged me down the hall and into an abandoned classroom. Shutting the door swiftly he turned to me. "What do you mean by everything?", he said, taking a step forward. I couldn't read the expression on his face.

"He told me about his...wolf situation", I began, "And the real story about Snape". Sirius opened his mouth, then shut it again. He moved slowly towards a desk, then hoisted himself up so he was sitting on it. The toes of his warn boots brushed the ground. He looked at me, really looked at me. Like he was searching my soul, like he was taking in every inch of me.

"So", he said slowly, "What does this mean?". I moved so I was positioned in front of him. We were face to face for this first time in a little over a month. For the first time since our fight. Sirius' face was blank, and I could tell he was withholding whatever he was feeling. "It means", I said moving slightly closer, "Is that I didn't know the whole truth. And I understand why you couldn't explain yourself". I could see the beginnings of a smile forming on his face, so I continued.

"In fact, I respect the hell out of you for standing strong when I came at you with all those accusations for Remus' sake", I laughed lightly, but my expression remained serious. "You would have done the same thing for your friends", he said, shaking his head and looking down, trying to hide the wide grin that was now fully formed. "Stop it", I let out, reaching up and softly placing my hand on his cheek, moving his face up so he was looking at me. His jaw tensed and I could feel him trying to slow his breathing.

"Stop what?", he said as I dropped my hand. "Stop ignoring everything good about yourself", I let out as I hopped up next to him on the desk, my legs dangling far from the ground. His head turned so he could keep looking at me, but he seemed lost for words. "You underestimate yourself so much, Sirius. I wish you could see yourself the way I do", I couldn't believe I was saying this. Finally trying to put what I was feeling to words. "Briony, you don't really understand...", he began.

"No, Sirius, you don't understand. You are incredible. I missed you so much, despite everything I tried. I thought you tried to kill someone, and I still wanted to talk to you, to see you. You have this...effect on people. Everyone is so drawn to you, you just don't see it because all you've heard all your life is how much of a disappointment you are. Well I hate to break it to you, but that is simply not true". 

When I finished my speech, he just sat there, stunned. My hands were shaking slightly and I was a little out of breath. The silence stretched on, and I looked at him. He was staring at a stain on the ground. Was he going to say anything? Did he think I was a fool? Or just not believe me?

"Thank you, but I'm just not sure you're right about this one", he finally let out. "I don't say things that aren't true just to make people feel better", I raised my eyebrows, my tone matter of fact. He let out a shaky laugh and ran his hands through his hair and he finally met my gaze again. His eyes were shining, a glint visible in the golden streaks I was so fond of.

"Can you promise me something, Briony?", Sirius let out. I wasn't quite sure what his eyes were full of, but I liked it."Anything", I smiled back and for once, I didn't fight what I wanted to do. I didn't give myself a million excuses not to, I just did it. I leaned my head so it rested on his strong shoulder and grabbed his hand in mine. I glanced at my small hand wrapped in his strong one, noticing a tattoo on his wrist I had never seen before.

He looked down at me, the familiar smirk firmly planted in its usual spot. "Promise me that you'll always be here", he reached up with his other hand and brushed a stray piece of hair out of my face. It was such a small gesture, but the effect it had on me was undeniable. My stomach did somersaults, my heart exploding in a million fireworks. I ripped my gaze away from our intertwined fingers and back to Sirius' beaming face, "You couldn't get rid of me even if you tried".

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Authors Note:

Hey y'all! I just wanted to take a quick moment to say thank you so much for the reads and the votes! I hope y'all have enjoyed reading Briony's story as much as I have enjoyed writing it. Keep reading, because there is definitely more excitement to come.

Thanks again,

CCC