COLORS ϟ SIRIUS BLACK [1]

XIX. LOOSE ENDS

COLORS ϟ SIRIUS BLACK

XIX. LOOSE ENDS

TWO MONTHS INTO TERM CLARA GREEN WOKE UP CRYING. She didn't even notice until Lily pointed out the tears streaming down her face as she got out of bed. This was an odd occurrence, not the fact that she woke up crying, but the eerie fact that she couldn't remember the contents of her dream. Normally when this happened Clara could recall every detail of her nightmare. The pain of the cuts on her face, the laboring breaths, the running, her screaming. It was all a symphony of pain that Clara was struggling to keep up with, the tempo was too fast. Every time she got accustomed to a nightmare every time she overcame a new fear, another would take its place. This was why she was shaken that morning, she couldn't remember a thing. Well, perhaps one thing.

Clara swears that she heard someone say her name.

If Sirius noticed her change in attitude he didn't mention it, he simply was chatting to James as the three of them walked to their Defense Against the Dark Arts class, while always keeping a steady hold on her hand, "Can't we just skip Defense today?" Every single day they had Defense, he asked this question, Clara suspects that he never has any real intent of skipping. He hated missing out on things whether it was a silly secret between Lily and Clara or a minuscule inside joke that he wasn't there for, he hated not knowing.

"I wish we could, that guy honestly creeps me out." James turned to Sirius, "Last week he asked what I planned to do that weekend. As if we were just buds." James shivered and Clara couldn't tell if he was actually creeped out or just being overdramatic.

"He does too many in-class assignments to skip," Sirius said and glanced at Clara.

Catching his eye, Clara asked, "What?" When he didn't turn away she continued, "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Am I not allowed to do that?" A smile spread over his face as he kissed the tip of her nose.

It took a lot of effort to try to stop a cheesy smile from being plastered on her face and Clara failed, "Stop it. I have a reputation to uphold."

"Disgusting. Can't you guys go back to the pining and being oblivious?"

Clara snorted at the bluntness of James' joke as Sirius shoved James to the side, "I didn't pine that much." Sirius said and opened the door for his friends.

"Please," James waved his hands as they walked into the classroom, "You could've started a Christmas tree business with all of that pine!"