The Girl Marauder(Book One)

Chapter 12

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Sirius didn't really get his wish in the end.

He wound up in the Gryffindor common room by himself, rather than with his friends, and instead of sugar quills he had Firewhisky, this time from a stash he kept under his bunk. 

Dinner had been a rather somber occasion. While he had sat with Remus, James and Petter, all three had remained unusually silent, and occasionally he would catch Remus giving him dirty looks. Remus was also apparently deaf now, as anytime Sirius tried to speak to him he'd turn away and start a new conversation with one of the others at the table.

Both Lily and Luna remained missing.

Sirius had known they left the Three Broomsticks together- Sirius had seen them, Luna's head on Lily's shoulder, as they had walked past. Both ignored him. The more he thought about it, he wondered though- How had his actions been perceived? Part of him feared they thought the opposite of what he had felt- That she would think he was angry at her. The idea made his insides tighten. That wasn't it at all. He was mad at the circumstances, the problems that seem to keep falling on his friends' shoulders. There were already enough problems in the world, and he couldn't do anything to fix it.

He listened but didn't look as Gryffindors began entering the common room, all heading up to their dormitories- He supposed it was rather late. He wasn't sure how late, though. 

Just late.

He did notice, however, when Lily and Luna returned, their cheeks flushed red and their arms linked together. They both fell quiet when they saw Sirius, and he pretended to not watch as Luna said something to Lily, too quiet to hear, before the redhead disappeared up the stairs. 

And then the two were alone.

Remaining as nonchalant as possible, Sirius sipped from his glass of Firewhisky.

Out of the corner of his eye though he could see her move closer, could feel the cushion next to him bend under her weight as she sat down. Even with the fire so close, the cold and dampness from the snow still clung to her. He found himself wanting to be near to her anyway.

Luna was staring at the fire, trying to ignore the buzzing in her skin. Part of her wanted to think it had nothing to do with the boy beside her, that it was simply from the cold she had stayed out in for so long. She and Lily had been in the Astronomy tower for quite some time, screaming and laughing at the silliness of it. It was only when Professor Flitwick appeared and urged them back into the warmth of the castle that they had left.

Her nerves only amplified as they sat there, neither saying anything. The only sound came from the noise of students upstairs and the crackling of the fire, warm and orange on Luna's face. She closed her eyes, letting out a deep breath as she subconsciously leaned towards it, letting it sting her cheeks back into feeling. Despite her extra senses, despite being able to hear things most people couldn't, she was completely surprised when she felt the heat suddenly draw nearer to her, and a warm hand slipped into hers. Attuned to it, she listened, and picked up the sound of a fluttering heartbeat, beating much quicker than the normal, steady thuds.

Her lips pulled up in a humorless smile. "I don't bite, you know."

The fingers laced with hers. 

"I didn't think you did." Sirius's voice was quiet, oddly tamed compared to his usual extravagant tone. Luna heard the clink as he set his glass down on the side table. "I'm sorry for being an ass."

"You can say that again." Luna scoffed. She didn't move her hand though, something urging her to keep it there. Perhaps it was the niceness of it, the way their hands fit together like pieces of a puzzle. She really tried not to let it affect the beating of her heart, but, against her will, it seemed to skip a beat when Sirius's other hand clasped on top of it, cool from the glass of his Firewhisky.