Serendipity (S. Black)

FOURTEEN

"if the whole world was watching, i'd still dance with you"

*

"Where do you want to go?" Sirius asked Eva as the two tromped through the snow on the trek down to Hogsmeade. The snow fell heavily around them like powdered sugar onto a cake. Between their scarves, jackets, and happy dispositions, the weather didn't bother either of them. "We have hours to ourselves, you know. We can do anything we want."

Eva grinned, her cheeks pink with cold. "We could just walk around. I want to go to Honeydukes to get some Christmas shopping done."

"Anything you say, Blondie." Sirius winked and shoved his hands in his pockets. He wore the fingerless gloves from Regulus even though they did little to combat the cold. He just liked knowing that his brother had given them to him.

"It's too bad the others aren't coming with us," she commented, glancing back at the castle wistfully.

Sirius nodded along but didn't agree. Yes, he felt bad for Remus, who was approaching a full moon and literally had no energy or desire to visit the village. Lily was helping Peter with a Charms essay, and Marlene decided to spend the day with her brother. Seeing a golden opportunity for his friend, James loudly declared to everyone in a fifty-foot radius that he would stay in the common room with Remus and play chess all afternoon. This left only Sirius to accompany Eva to Hogsmeade.

Even though he knew it wasn't, it felt like a date.

He glanced over at her when she wasn't paying attention. Her blonde curls tumbled out from underneath a white beanie, and her emerald eyes widened in excitement, eyes that saw the good in everything around her.

"Look!" She grabbed his hand and pointed to the village, where a group of carolers hung around the entrance to the Three Broomsticks singing an uptempo version of 'God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen' rose above the hustle-bustle of Hogsmeade. A few couples spun each other to the rhythm of the old hymn as it morphed into something more lively. "Dance with me?"

Sirius kept his face neutral as long as he possibly could, but a smile stretched across it. "Okay."

He took her in his arms and the two joined the joyful song. Their enthusiasm caused the dance to be less than perfect, but that made it even more perfect, and as Sirius dipped Eva, she laughed uncontrollably and found herself looking into his eyes. Really looking, not just a quick glance. The longer she stared, the longer she realized that more than anything, this was where she wanted to be. With him, in his arms, laughing and smiling, forever. The thought scared her as much as it excited her, and so she pushed it out of her mind.

"Do you want to maybe grab a butterbeer?" Sirius asked, pointing to the pub. Eva nodded and the two ducked inside, him holding the door for her. Once they hopped up onto bar stools, Madam Rosmerta, the pub's attractive owner, came over to serve them.

"What can I get you, m'dears?" She asked in a sweet voice, propping her elbows on the counter. "Something to warm you up?" The curvy woman winked at Sirius, who winked back. Then, when Eva wasn't looking, she gave Sirius a knowing smile and a suggestive wiggle of her thin eyebrows. His cheeks turned beet red in a matter of seconds as he quickly shook his head. She nodded in understanding.

"Two butterbeers, please," Sirius replied, running a hand through his hair to appear more at ease. Eva reached for her money, but he waved her off and dropped a few coins on the counter. "Don't. It's on me."