LOVE, ROSIE ━━ sirius black

𝘅𝘃𝗶𝗶𝗶. chapter eighteen.

"Yet for some reason you won't admit it," she continued, the smile on her face growing wider as she took in his expression. "Why? Is it because I'm a pureblood?"

Sirius stared at her for a few seconds, before the two of them started laughing. Their laughter echoed in the empty corridor, and they both stopped rather quickly. Sirius found himself unable to drop the smile.

"I'm proud of you Briar," he said, as she grinned back at him. "It seems that you're learning rather well. What brought on the sudden change?"

Briar shrugged lightly. She opened her mouth to speak, but her eyes fixed on something behind his back and she let out a small yelp instead. Surprised, Sirius turned around to see Peter scuttle across the corridor in his animagus form.

"Was that a rat?" Briar asked, her voice laced with disgust and a tinge of worry. Sirius found the look on her face amusing.

"Why? You're not scared, are you?"

"What? No!" Briar insisted, sounding rather defensive. "I just don't like them. Who does? Disgusting, diseased little- Merlin, there it is again!"

Sirius couldn't resist a laugh this time. She'd actually jumped and grabbed his arm. Briar's nails were neatly cut, or the action could have been quite painful for him. "Who knew? The Slytherin ice princess is afraid of rats."

Briar released his arm, giving him a dark look. "Don't call me that. And I'm not afraid of rats, I just dislike them. My brother had one in his first year, and the disgusting creature got into my closet and nibbled holes in all my clothes. I've never seen one in Hogwarts before, or I'd have complained about it."

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "Well, perhaps you'd be better off in Beauxbatons, then. I doubt that they have rats running around."

"No, that school has a different sort of vermin entirely."

"Nothing satisfies you, does it?"

Briar rolled her eyes lightly, before turning to look at him. He'd tilted his head to the side, and she suddenly noticed a long red mark near the side of his neck. It looked like a scratch, and Briar grabbed hold of his chin, tilting it so she could see it better.

"You're not going to kiss me, are you?" Sirius joked, surprised at her sudden proximity.

"Shut up. You're bleeding, there's a cut on your neck. Haven't you even noticed?"

Sirius frowned, reaching up to touch his neck and then making a face when his fingers came away with a little bit of blood. "Oh this? It's nothing, it um... happened earlier. I fell."

Briar raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "I'm not an idiot, Black. That doesn't look like you fell, it looks like something scratched you. I'd say it was a claw mark."

"You didn't let me finish. I fell in the dormitory and erm, I landed on James' owl. It freaked out a little and started clawing at my face. It's a little temperamental, doesn't like anybody, much. I don't think James feeds it enough."

Sirius watched as the disbelief left her face, and almost breathed a sigh of relief. She didn't look entirely convinced, but she wasn't going to question him. He frowned, however, when she removed her hand from his chin. "Come on, then. We'll go down to the Hospital Wing."

Sirius's face turned white. He couldn't let her drag him to the Hospital Wing, Remus was there with James! Eyes widening, he tried to think quickly. "What? Why would I need the Hospital Wing? It's just a scratch, it'll be fine."