Sirius's P.O.V
The rising sun casts a rose-golden hue across my rumpled sheets and gorgeous girlfriend.
Chiara has one leg hooked over my waist and both arms curled into herself. Her brown hair in knots atop her head, lips sleep-swollen and flushed pink, eyelashes long and dark and fanned out across her cheeks.
When I look at her, I feel something shift in my chest. Like a lock clicking into place.
I appear to have hogged all the blankets in the night, leaving Chiara bare. Such a stellar sleep companion I am. A slow sweep down her body has my lips lifting in a shit-eating grin. These ridiculous pyjama sets she wears to bed amuse me with their patterns. The set she's wearing now is red and features a very happy candy cane.
I mindlessly dip my finger in one gap between two buttons at the front of her shirt, grazing the soft skin of her stomach. Winter break hangs over my head like a dark cloud. I am going to miss this. Waking up to her, falling asleep with her...it's routine, natural.
I have yet to tell Chiara—or ask if she even wants to be a part of it, rather—I have been on the lookout for a flat. For me, us. With more than enough money to support me and my girl, I figure the move is right. After graduation, that is.
I touch my lips to her forehead, just to convey my love to her subconscious mind.
She suddenly breaks into giggles, and the beautiful sound has me reeling back to take it in in full. She is laughing a full-belly laugh in her sleep and I am enraptured. All I can do is watch and wonder what kind of dream she could be living right now. I hope it includes me.
From the bed beside mine, Remus wakes with a start. Sitting up, he checks his wristwatch and then collapses right back with a groan. I keep my mouth shut, pretending to be asleep while the poor bloke tosses and turns trying to get comfortable. The full moon's tomorrow and it's been visible on his face all week he's been feeling unwell because of it.
I hear a groan and then a pillow is flung across the room.
I watch as said pillow makes a swift collision with Peter's face. Pete's raucous snores come to a sudden halt and he shoots awake. "What?! Okay, who did that?!" He demands, swivelling his accusing gaze from bed to bed.
I have to bite on my knuckles to keep from filling the room with my laughter.
"Me. You snore like a bear." Moony deadpans.
Off goes my last shred of self-control. I bark out a hysterical laugh, gaining both of their attention. "You know just the thing to say to a man to sweep him off his feet, don't you darling? Rosier is one lucky bastard."
Moony shoots me a violent glare to which I return a bright grin. "Piss off, Sirius."
"Not Padfoot today, eh." I tut-tut with a mock shake of my head. "Grumpy morning for Moony. Remind me not to sit next to you at breakfast lest you bite my head off, kay?" After tossing him a quick wink, I set my sights back on Chiara.
Fuck it. Three of us are awake, I'm waking her.
I lay my mouth on her, trailing a path of kisses along her neck. I close my eyes and breathe, only to be assaulted by her sweetness. "Dear God," I choke, a shiver zipping up my spine. She smells divine. Something like hot cocoa mix. Pretty fitting for a chocolate addict, I reckon.
My parted lips pressed to the base of her neck, I blow, making a big farting sound into her skin. She squirms in place, sleep-laughing some more. That's my ticklish girl. I blow again and her eyelids begin to flutter. I catch two flashes of gold before they're gone and she's smiling and threading her fingers through my hair.
"Good morning," I whisper in a chipper singsong voice, scooting a fair bit away to give her space to stretch her body.
Her eyes catch the light and a bigger smile fills her cheeks. "Hey. The sun is on me, Sirius. Do you see?"
"I see, love," I chuckle. I'm shamelessly staring and how could I not? Her eyes are pools of honey. She is a work of art. "You look like the best thing."
She holds my gaze, that familiar Chiara sparkle flickering in her eyes. She spreads herself into a starfish position and flashes me a silly grin. "You have the sun, too. Beautiful boy."
Her smile brightens the room by a million degrees. "I think you should have been named Soleil." I say suddenly.
"That's pretty. What does it mean?" she asks with the sweetest tilt of her head.
I ease more into her personal space, my lips at her ear. "It's French for Sun. Our world revolves around the sun. My world revolves around you."
She sighs dreamily, turning onto her side to face me. "What am I gonna do with you, Sirius Onion?"
That stupid childhood name makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. "Marry me. Have my babies. Love me for the rest of time. In that order."
"Done," she kisses my forehead, "done," my nose, "and done," my lips.
I bend my arm to use as a pillow for my head. "You know, love, you were laughing in your sleep. Good dream?"
She gives me a cheeky eyebrow wiggle. "Wouldn't you like to know, lover boy."
I growl at her, encircling my arms around Chiara's slim figure and rolling her on top of me. She giggles and burrows closer, nuzzling her nose and upturned lips into the crook of my neck. "Tell me," I urge earnestly in her ear.
She arches her back just enough to be able to meet my eyes. "In the dream I can remember, I was sitting on a sled while you pulled me to the top of this giant hill of snow. Then you sat on it with me and we went down together. I remember the feeling of you around me, the cold air whipping across my face. Strange. I've never been sledding before. It was really nice though."
I make a mental promise to myself to take her sledding. Soon. Today-soon. I'll have to skip my first couple classes to go out and buy her one but she's well worth the effort. "I've never been either." I admit and she smiles. It will be a small something for us both to check off our firsts lists.
"Do you think we could all go play outside later?" she asks. "It's so nice out." Big eyes, staring at me with so much hope.
My fingers trace hearts into the outsides of her thighs using pure muscle memory. I smile and nod. "Whatever you want, love." She's not a difficult person to please. All she's ever wanted in life is to have fun. I try to give her that everyday.
She settles back into my crook, her soft body fitting perfectly with my hard one, and rests on me like I'm her mattress. I hug her to me. It's a privilege to be her mattress.
I catch a fleeting glance of Moony making his bed before Chiara surprises me by slipping her hands inside my boxer-briefs and cupping my ass. "Love..."
"My hands are cold." She says, an innocent lilt to her voice though her actions are far from innocent.
"Ah." I teasingly clench one ass cheek and then the other. "As you were." I say and let her fondle me, even as my dick hardens, begging to be back inside her. Fuck. That's just another perk living together will provide. Morning sex. Anytime-we-want sex. I can finally make my long-time fantasy of fucking her on a kitchen counter a reality. I'd start by splitting her thighs and using my tongue on her—
A tapping sound on the window breaks me from my impure thoughts and turns both our heads.
Dope sits behind the glass, letter in beak, waiting to be let in. Chiara perks at the sight of her beloved pet owl. "Petey, would you mind getting it?" she asks, seeing as his bed is the one closest to the window.
We sit up, my back against the wooden headboard and Chiara in my lap, while Peter does as she asks.
Dope flies straight to me, ignoring the presence of his mother entirely. He lands on my outstretched arm. His claws are digging into my skin but I don't care so much. I love this bird as if he were my own. He sort of is. What's Chiara's is mine and vice versa. "Hiya, baby," I grin, scratching some of his feathers. "Have you got something there for Mummy?"
Dope drops the letter to our laps and leans greedily into my touch.
Snatching the letter up in one hand, Chiara reaches out to caress Dope with the other. He nips her and she squeaks, immediately retracting her hand. I feel bad for laughing at her expense, though evidently not enough to suppress it.
They've had this love-hate relationship since day one and I love it.
She glares daggers at the feathered piranha. "I feed and clothe and bathe this B word, and do you see how mean he is to me?" My mental girlfriend proceeds to lean forward and bite his beak right back. Dope screams dramatically and flies off in a flash. "Ha! He can dish it out but he can't take it."
"...you clothe him, do you?"
"Oh, you can...shut up." She mutters distractedly, her one-track mind busy at work.
I roll my lips inward. Watching her struggle to open the letter is the peak of amusement. "Need some help?"
"I can do it." She says. She flushes red the longer her fingers try to work the sticky part of the envelope open. She obviously can't do it, but I'm enjoying the show too much to intervene just yet. A loud tearing sound fills my ears and a big grin follows. "Oh no! Pads!!" Her eyes fill with panic. "Paste it!"
"Good God," I laugh. She's ripped the entire thing down the middle. Lucky it's an easy fix. I slip my wand from under my pillow and mend the rip for her.
She presses her smile to mine. "You keep me sane."
"This is you sane?" I mumble teasingly against her soft soft lips. Chiara shoves my chest. I smirk, not even budging.
"I can't stand you."
"I see that. You're sitting."
"You suck."
"As long as it's you I'm sucking."
"I...Shuttup."
A self-satisfied grin settles on my lips when her face and arms flush a splotchy red. All I have to do to turn her into a little blushing mess is talk dirty to her. Chiara looks away and pretends to be intent on reading her letter.
I watch her. Her eyes as they glide across the page, absorbing the words. Her lips as they widen into an excited smile.
I wait.
"Well? What is it?" I ask, growing impatient after probably two seconds. She says nothing so I pluck the forgotten envelope from her lap and turn it over. That's Molly Weasley's scrawl. I assume this is about Christmas Eve then. Thank Merlin. I was worried it would be from her mum. We aren't sure what mood she'll be in with Chiara since her grandfather passed. Whatever happens this time, James and I will be in her corner.
Our eyes meet, my silver to her gold, and off she babbles, "Molly and Arthur asked me to babysit! They must want to spend some alone time together before the twins are born, right? I believe she's due in April. Anyhow, it makes me happy that they trust me enough to look after those sweethearts. I'd get to stay through the night and everything. And..." she trails off, blushing.
"And..?" I raise an eyebrow.
"Molly mentioned I could bring someone along to help if I wanted. Would you? Want to? It'll be a lot of work, I'm sure, but I really think we can handle it together. If not, I can always—"
I shut her up with my thumb on her lips. "I want to," I say. She grins against my finger. "Serious talk now."
"Isn't all talk 'Sirius talk' for you?"
"Yes. Have you spoken to Violet?" I try to ask gently. Not gentle enough as it seems because she still goes rigid as a board. She knows how I feel about this. "Spit it out, love, whatever it is."
"You were right. She asked me if we could be friends again and Itoldheryes." She says all in one breath, squeezing her eyes closed.
Chiara has a habit of shutting her eyes when she has to tell me something she knows I won't want to hear. It's as adorable as it is heartbreaking. She's afraid of anger. My anger.
"Okay." I sigh, lifting her by her hips and positioning her so she's straddling my thighs. "Okay. Look at me, please."
She blinks. "If it wasn't for her we would still be broken up, Paddy."
"You owe her nothing. Telling the truth about a situation like that is the bare minimum. Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful she did...but what about everything that happened before? All the time you spent crying over her not speaking to you? I'm certainly not about to sweep that under the rug."
Her eyes move from left to right as she turns my words over in her head. "She apologized. She had a proper explanation. And I can't hold a grudge, Sirius, it's not in my nature. How can I possibly take a bad moment in someone's life and make that who they are? It's unfair."
I understand and I don't. It's not as easy for me to forgive and forget. Especially when it comes to her. But I have to accept that her heart is open to all, and she has to accept that mine is closed to most.
I sigh again and gather my angel to my chest. "I still don't like her but I respect the hell out of you." I kiss the side of her head. "And I'm not trying to change you, I hope you know that. I love how big your heart is. I just don't want you to get hurt again."
"I know you don't. But I'm strong enough to handle it if I do." She nudges her nose against mine. "I mean, have you seen my muscles?" She leans back and flexes both her arms to show me her muscles...or lack thereof.
"You mean these dinky things?" I snicker, flicking one measly bicep.
"These dinky things itch to push your stupid large body off a cliff!" She shoves me back onto the bed with a bounce and slinks away from me.
I let out a laugh, feeling about ready to drop down on one knee and propose.
Chiara wakes James first and then beelines for Remus. She catches him mid-dress, his shirt off, donning only his school trousers and socks. She wraps her arms around his narrow torso. He cups the back of her head and hugs her like he's trying to soak up her energy. Maybe he is. He has to bend at an awkward right angle to reach her, but I doubt he minds so much.
When they finally pull back, I notice Chiara slipping Remus two bars of chocolate. "For your soul," she winks, patting his pocket with a secret smile.
Angel.
Moony beams and gives her a forehead kiss.
They pad into the bathroom to brush their teeth together, as they do every morning and night, and I follow to take a piss.
I pull my dick out to relieve myself while Chiara and Remus perform their ritual.
Remus wets the toothbrushes and spreads toothpaste on both. He hands her her pink one and sticks his green one into his mouth. They don't talk while they brush, because I know Remus is counting down two minutes in his head. He's anal like that.
Instead of putting myself away, I shed my briefs and wait for the shower to heat.
Some toothpaste dribbles down Chiara's chin and Remus is quick to wipe it away with a hand towel. "Fanks!" She grins around her toothbrush.
This scene is not helping my morning erection. I turn the water to freezing and suffer through it.
*
I spend the morning I'm meant to be in classes train hopping to get Chiara her sled.
After three stops at three different shops, I finally find the perfect one. Big enough for two, and stable enough so I won't have to worry about her getting injured. The second shop didn't have a great selection of sleds, but it did offer a shit-ton of hats. I bought her one of those too.
It's just around lunch time when I arrive back. Dropping my coat and boots off at the dorm, I hurry to replace them with my robes and shoes. I miss my mates. Being alone is not my cup of tea.
Speaking of, I stashed the sled at Hagrid's and he kindly warmed me back to the land of the living with a steaming mug of tea. Gotta love Hagrid.
Halfway to the Great Hall, I remember. Amidst my rushing, I left my bag in the room. "Oh for the love of..." I mutter angrily to myself, turning around.
I stumble back when my eyes connect with a pair of icy blues.
Regulus.
It's just him and me in the deserted corridor.
"Sirius." His face reveals no emotion, nothing at all to attest to the fact that we were once brothers.
My lips curl into a sneer. I hate that my heart still holds a place for him. "I have nothing to say to you." I sound cruel, even to my own ears. I don't care.
I shove past him.
"You know," I hear him call after me, "the strangest thing happened to me that day. I was suddenly very lucky in all things I set out to do."
Please no.
My stomach drops. My blood runs cold. I turn my head, very slowly. "How's that?"
Regulus tilts his head, angular jawline clenched tight. Hands in his pockets, he takes slow steps closer to me. I straighten my spine so I'm taller, needing the edge. "I went over the timeline in my head a thousand times. I have to say, I was a skeptic at first. Now I'm sure."
I groan, loud and annoyed. "I hate it when you talk like that. I can't read your fucking mind, Regulus."
His jaw flexes again. "Fine. Chiara's tears hold the power of Felix Felicis, don't they?"
My fingers tremble so I ball them into fists. Having my fears confirmed feels like a punch to the throat. "No." I shake my head. "No." I stress harsher. "You're obviously delusional."
Those cold eyes narrow on me like I'm an idiot. "That was obviously rhetorical. In hindsight, I don't know how I didn't figure it out before. She outright told me once that she was supposed to have blue eyes. Her irises are the colour of the potion. And since I know what being on Felix Felicis feels like, I know when it started. It was easy to narrow down the source once I opened my mind to the possibility."
He's smarter than I thought. It never occurred to me that he might figure it out.
I grit my teeth. "What do you want?"
Regulus cringes in hurt. "Do you really think so lowly of me?"
Oh, he really wants to get into it? All right, we'll get fucking into it. "Yeah, you know what, Reg? I do. You kissed her! You stuck your fucking tongue down my best friend's throat! Were you trying to get back at me for leaving that house? Is that it? I begged you to leave with me. I. Begged. You. And you told me no."
"That wasn't why.." he whispers, his voice cracking. He looks so sad and torn. So much like he did when he was younger. When our mother would hit me and he'd be watching from the staircase, eyes wide with the loss of his innocence.
"Then what?!" I laugh humourlessly, my eyes glassing over. "Did you just see a sad, alone girl and think you could get away with taking advantage of her?"
"No!" He yells, eyebrows pinched in a grimace. "I will never tell a soul about her. You have my word."
"Don't make me an idiot for believing you." I warn. I believe him. Stupidly, maybe. But I do.
"Sirius..." His blue eyes implore mine with all the vulnerability that I've never seen. "I-I need Chiara to know how sorry I am."
I roll my eyes. "Brilliant. I'll be sure to tell her."
"Please, Sirius. Hurting her was the last of my intentions. You don't understand, I..."
Oh, bloody hell.
Bloody.
Fucking.
Hell.
I see it clear as day now. My little brother has gone and fallen for my girlfriend.
I storm off without another word, angry for a whole other reason.
The Great Hall is spilling with students when I enter. A group of giggling, ogling girls blocks my path and I am so not in the mood to pretend not to notice their interest, much less be nice. I'd just like to get back to the only people I like, thank you very much. "Kindly get out of my way." I give a bitter smile and a path quickly forms for me to walk through.
I slide into the space beside Chiara and drape my arm over her slender shoulders. She cuddles into me. All is right in the world again. "What are we talking about?" I ask.
Lily points her fork at me across the table. "You skipped class. You do know this is the year of N.E.W.T.s, right?"
"Aww! Noticed my absence, did you? I'm touched, Evans, truly." I hold my hand to my heart. "Worse luck, I'm afraid redheads just don't do it for me."
If looks could kill, plan my funeral. Lily's eyes flicker with menace. "Chiara noticed. She's cross with you."
"You are?" I look down worriedly.
Chiara twists to face me. The smile on her lips tells a different story. "Lil's only messing with you, silly. I'm not cross whatsoever." She kisses my cheek.
"Well, I am!" James exclaims from Chiara's other side. "What the hell, mate? I thought the rule was you skip I skip! I had to sit alone! Like a loser!"
"You could've sat with Evans."
"Nuh-uh! She and Keeks always sit together so she refused me. Sisters before misters, she said." James grumbles under his breath, "I can be a sister. It's so...sexist!"
"It's not sexist!" Lily crows. "I'm not about to ditch my friend for my boyfriend." She levels him with a challenging look. "Would you ditch Chiara for me?"
James shuts his big mouth. "All right, I see your point."
Lily nods and that's that.
"Wicked! The house-elves have made us chocolate ganache cake!" Chiara disappears under the table only to pop back up on the other side. She balances the entire plate of cake in her hands and crawls back to my side with the biggest smile in the world.
Find yourself a partner who looks at you the way Chiara looks at chocolate.
I scoop a generous bite of the creamy chocolate fudge on my spoon and nudge it to her lips.
She keeps eye contact with me as she licks the rim of the spoon and then sucks the cake off, letting out a long, happy moan.
My cock twitches behind my zipper at the sound, she is such a tease. Two can play at that game.
I dip two fingers into the gooey filling. Chiara's eyes flare, following them to my mouth as I suck the sweet stuff off. My eyes roll, faking a chocolate orgasm. "So fucking good."
"Oh my God!" Lily squeaks, horrified. "I always thought James was exaggerating about you two, but that was downright pornographic!"
I smirk, wiping my fingers on a napkin. "And you got to see it for free. You're welcome."
"I told you." James practically sings, scooping a spoonful of the cake for himself. "They're sickening."
"Half the school is staring at the two of you, you know?" Lily whispers.
"Oh, how embarrassing!" Chiara gasps, leaning in conspiratorially. "Why isn't the other half staring?"
I bark out a laugh.
"I give up." Lily snorts.
I turn my head, coming eye to twinkling eye with Chiara. Under the table, her shoe-clad foot finds mine so I trap both of mine around hers in a foot-hug.
"Anyhow, as I was saying. I always piss in the shower."
I choke on a laugh. This should be good.
"Oh, gross, James!" Lily grimaces, but I can tell she's at least a little bit amused. Her green eyes flit over to Chiara. "Lovely, would you please make sure I never take a shower in that dormitory bathroom?"
"Mhm."
"It's not as scandalous as you're making it out to be, Lil. If a man has to tinkle he has to tinkle. You're honestly telling me you've never done it?" James raises a disbelieving eyebrow at his girlfriend.
"Never!" She turns her nose up at him.
Chiara giggles behind her hands.
"Keeks?" James tugs on the sleeves of her robes, pulling her hands away from her face. "You pee in the shower too, eh? I already know Sirius does."
"Yeah, sometimes," she shrugs. "If I have to go."
"Chiara!" Lily's eyes bug.
Remus laughs, leaning his elbows on the table. He points two fingers in the air. "Full disclosure, I've done it."
Lily tucks her red hair behind her ears and proceeds to rub circles on her temples. Contemplating her decision to date James, and as a result all of us, probably. "Am I the only one who finds even the idea of that absolutely revolting? Your shower is covered in urine! Think of the filth!"
"We use soap after." Peter adds.
"Exactly!" James snaps his fingers at Pete. "See? It's not disgusting if we use soap! It's a normal thing. Try it, darling, you will thank me." He flashes a flirty grin while batting his lashes at her behind his spectacles.
"It's not a normal thing. Put that face away, I'm finding you gross now!" Lily laughs, leaning over the table to push his face.
James takes her hand and starts pressing sweet kisses to her fingers. Lily flushes red. James smirks at his obvious effect on her.
With those two distracted, I use the rare opportunity to dig my fingers into the back of Chiara's ponytail and turn her head. When my lips close over hers, there's a completeness in my soul that I only get to experience when she's this close to me.
We kiss deeply, and it feels like all of today's negative emotions are being soothed with every flick of her tongue against mine. She tastes like chocolate, only better.
Against those lips, I mumble, "Skip school with me."
She hums and I feel the vibrations all the way to my toes. "You're a bad influence on me, Sirius Onion."
"Don't act so innocent, love. You're just as bad as you are good. Do you know what? You're the goodest bad girl I've ever met."
"I love that. That's going on my tombstone." She smiles one so big and infectious I can't help matching it.
In all honesty there's no bad inside this beautiful person. She's all goodness. All love.
"Climb aboard." I grin, patting my thighs. She flings her arms around my neck, settling her ass on my lap, and I immediately lift her off the bench into a front-piggyback. "We're off to snog! Meet us after school in the dorm for snow playtime!" I call to our mates over my shoulder.
As I walk us out of the Great Hall, Chiara buries her face in my chest and stays like that until we're back in the dorms and I've set her on our bed.
We shed our robes and ties, and then I plop down beside her, releasing a pent-up groan when my head hits the pillow.
She peeks up at me, eyes full of questions. "Why the long face, Paddy-wads?"
I'm afraid to see her reaction. So instead of meeting her expectant gaze, I grip her hand and stare up at the ceiling, scowling in thought. "Regulus knows about you."
She's silent for a long moment before her voice comes out small. "What about me?"
"About your...lucky situation. Said he figured it out when he tasted your tears." I almost laugh at how silly it sounds out loud.
"Oh...Ohh, I am so stupid. I knew he got some in his mouth when he...a-and I didn't think." Chiara curls into a ball, hugging her legs to her chest and resting her chin on her knees.
Her biggest insecurity has always been her brain.
"My love," I say softly, scooting to gather my little ball of sunshine in my arms. "Don't say that. You're not stupid. You're very very smart."
"Can I tell you a secret?" she sniffles.
"Of course."
"One of my favourite things about James is he'll always call me a genius. He says it so naturally, he makes it feel true sometimes. I don't think he knows just how much it means to me."
Her words tug on my heartstrings. "He's not wrong. And listen, Regulus gave me his word. He won't tell anyone."
"How are you so sure?" she whispers.
It pains me to admit this out loud. "Because he loves you." She says nothing, so on I go. "Half of me wants to rip his face off for feeling this way, and the other half gets it. How could he not have fallen for you? You are a breath of fresh air when none of us can fucking breathe."
Her eyes fall closed. A single magic tear trickles down her rosy cheek. "Is that really how you feel?"
I wipe that tear away with my thumb. "You made Moony smile this morning when I'm pretty sure it was the last thing in the world he wanted to do. You do that to all of us, Chiara-angel."
Her long lashes flutter slowly, dreamily. "How did you get to be so wonderful?"
"My parents." I nod my head gravely. "They were saints."
She starts to laugh, but it never fully happens because my lips touch hers again. I kiss her so sweet and gentle that she sighs and melts into me.
We break the spell to stare at what's ours.
"Do you know, Sirius? How much I love looking at you?" she asks me.
My heart inflates with love inside, fluttering like the wings of a bird. "We're two very sexy people. How many spank banks do you reckon we're in?"
"Oh, all of them." She giggles. "I'm sure we're featured in loads of threesome fantasies."
"Naughty lot." I click my tongue in mock disapproval, absentmindedly threading my fingers through her hair. She should wear her hair down outside seeing as it's cold. I slip the the hairband out of her hair and onto my wrist. "I got you a present."
I spring off the bed, too eager to wait any longer, and crouch down to retrieve the box hidden underneath it.
Chiara follows, sliding to the edge of the bed. Ankles crossed, she curiously eyes the box. "What's this for?"
On my knees I'm eye-level to her. I set the box lightly in her lap. "Just because."
"Sugar daddies give 'just because' presents all the time, don't they? Are you my sugar daddy, Sirius?" She gives me the silliest smile.
This girl.
"Damn right I am. Now open it, would you?" I chuckle.
She lifts the lid to reveal the furry thing. As she picks it up, I dispose of the box on the floor. "Wicked! A hat!"
"Yeah, I know you bejewelled your old one and then decided you didn't like it afterwards so...I can take this one back if you hate it."
She puts the cream fur trapper hat with ear flaps on. It falls over her eyes a little but she smiles toothily anyway. "It's perfect."
"Bit big but," I laugh and lift it from her eyes. "Tu ressembles à un petit bonhomme."
She just blinks at me. "I have no idea what you just said to me."
"I suppose the direct translation is you look like a little man—" She bursts out laughing. My cheeks heat. "But bonhomme can be like a term of endearment...I basically called you a snowman."
"French is weird. How does little man also mean snowman?" She tilts her head in that adorable way she does.
"Well, actually, snowman is bonhomme de neige." I roll my eyes. "Bonhomme is just a cute word, okay? Forget the meaning. You look like what I imagine that word to represent. Got it?"
She frowns thoughtfully. "I think so...you're saying I look cute?"
"Yes."
"You should have just said that then instead of making things complicated. Honestly, Sirius."
"Now where's the fun in that?" I curve my arms around her waist, pulling her flush to me.
Her legs come around me, her hands in my hair. "Thank you for Warner." She says happily. "I love him."
"You've named and gendered your hat, did you?"
"Of course. He has fur." Chiara nudges her nose against mine. "Love me?"
"Forever." I peck her lips. "I love you."
"Do you wanna..." She grinds her hips on my abs suggestively.
Fuck yes. I like to wait for her to initiate sex because if it were up to me we'd never be dressed.
"Keep the hat on." I say lowly, spreading her legs apart.
"Okay," she whimpers when I start kissing a path up her thighs. My head is suddenly under her skirt, my lips grazing the soft material of her knickers so lightly she quivers. I feel it and it only encourages me.
We maintain eye contact the entire time I give her pulsing spot feather-light kisses and kitten licks, while simultaneously removing her shoes and knee-high socks.
She's a tad off-kilter when I stand, it's a good thing she's sitting. I eagerly kick off my own two shoes, and Chiara laughs, watching them fly across the room.
She looks back up to my eyes still on her, and then down at my fingers as they work over the buttons of my shirt. I smirk, making a show of shedding the fabric to show off my flexed muscles. I love the way she's looking at me. Like I'm chocolate.
"Come take my trousers off." I command, standing back with my hands behind my head.
She hops off the bed, prowling up to me with those perpetual bedroom eyes of hers. She unbuttons and unzips them, biting her lip as she stares down at my protruding semi-hard bulge.
"Off," I repeat darkly.
She yanks my trousers all the way down and palms me over my white boxer-briefs patterned with small Golden Snitches. Wait. Ah hell. I think I'm wearing James's underpants. He's probably not gonna want them back after this.
Chiara bends to press her lips to the spot below my navel where the tattooed bottle of LL sits, and I lose it. I lift her back into a straight-standing position and rip her shirt open.
"Sirius!" She gasps as some of the buttons clatter to the floor.
"I'll buy you a new one." I pant, sliding my hands up her ribs to cup her tits. "No bra? Jesus Christ."
I push the button-up off her shoulders and freeze when my eyes connect with dark purples and blues. Chiara follows my line of vision and when she immediately tries to hide it from me, I know something's really wrong.
"What the fuck is this?!" I demand, pushing her hands away from the bruises on her side. I'm not overreacting. These aren't nothing bruises. These are reason-to-be-concerned bruises.
"I-It's nothing!" She laughs nervously. "I bumped into a wall."
I grimace. She's lying to me. "Tell me who hurt you, angel, and I'll kill them. Was it Rosier?"
"No! It was no one. No one hurt me. I really did bump it." Her voice shakes. "Please, let's not stop. I'm fine. See? Smiling!" She smiles so sunny and convincing I almost believe her.
She takes off my (James's) boxer-briefs to distract me with pleasure. Why does she not want to tell me the truth? Who is she protecting? Now I'm even more impatient to get the rest of her clothes off. I need to see if any other part of her is hurt. I get her skirt off and, thankfully, she seems to be perfect everywhere else.
I slam her down on the bed, and I make her come three times. Once with my tongue, and twice with my cock.
Afterwards, when she's satiated and content and we've dressed in new clothes, I hold her and we talk and joke around until the others return.
I hear the voice of James Potter long before I see him. Am I as loud as he is? If yes...why has no one told me to fuck off?
James throws the door open and comes traipsing in with a shit-eating grin. "It's play-time, darlings! Get your gear on!"
Okay, so he may be a damn fool, but he'd set his soul on fire for Chiara. I think I should tell him about the bruises I saw on her. He'll know better how to approach this than I do.
"Hey!" James yells accusingly, attracting my attention. "What are my favourite boxer-briefs doing on the floor?" He picks them up and I shudder. Uh-oh.
Chiara bursts out laughing.
"Uh..." I rub the back of my neck. "Actually...you might not want to touch those, mate."
His hazel eyes widen to circles behind his glasses. He drops them in sheer horror. "Did you have sex while wearing them?! Ew!!! I have to go triple-wash my hands now!" James runs for the bathroom.
Lily ignores James's dramatics, instead focusing on Chiara. "Lovely, may I join you all outside?"
"You don't have to ask, silly!" Chiara beams. "You're always welcome!"
Ever since James and Lily got together, Lily's been more active in Chiara's and my life. I can tell she's happy about that and, as much as I enjoy ruffling Lily, I am too.
"Love, come here." I say, gathering all of her winter clothes into a pile. Chiara pads over. I hold out her coat for her while she slips her arms into the sleeves. I zip it up to her chin. "Scarf," I mutter to myself, wrapping the colourful knit one Mia made for her around her neck. "Mittens...one and two. And your hat, which you're already wearing. Good girl." I press a loving kiss to her lips.
"Thanks, Paddy. Your turn!" She helps me put on my winter clothing, and in no time at all we're ready to go out and face the snow.
The moment we get outside, Chiara dashes off and we all struggle to keep up. Gracious, she has energy. She comes to a dead stop at a long stretch of untouched snow and falls flat on her back into the fluffy white ice. She spreads her arms and legs, open and closed.
I pick her up so she'll have made the perfect imprint of a snow angel and then she simply drops back down to create another.
James steals the pink earmuffs off Lily's head and sets them on his own.
"James!" Lily protests.
"Lily!" James mocks.
"Those are mine."
"My ears are cold, and you have so much hair."
Lily blows out a hot breath, green eyes sharp as daggers on her boyfriend. She lowers to ground to gather snow between her palms before standing and throwing it at James. Uncoordinated as she is, she misses entirely and ends up hitting Remus square in his chest.
Remus's jaw drops, a look of deep-seated betrayal on his face, and he wastes no time in retaliating one right back at her. He's petty like that.
"Snowball fight!" Peter cheers, and thus begins a war.
"Wanna team?" I ask Chiara just as the chaos is beginning.
She refuses me! The nerve of this woman!
So I act quickly by pelting her with snowballs until she's at my mercy, begging me, drunk on giggles, to team up together.
"That's what I thought." I smirk, mentally patting myself on the back.
I protect her with my body while she creates the balls, and then I take her on my back and we attack. She tosses pre-made snowball after snowball at everyone while I run us around. Her arm strength is impressive, thanks to Quidditch.
Laughing so hard our ab muscles hurt, we hide behind a fat tree trunk to breathe.
Chiara is still laughing loudly, I have to shut her up with my gloved hand so we won't be found.
Our eyes lock. I drop my hand from her mouth. "Come with me." I whisper.
Her eyes positively gleam with interest. "Where?"
"To a secret place." I wink and tug her through the trees all the way up to Hagrid's Hut. When we arrive at his front step, I turn to her with a frivolous grin. "Wait here, love. Back in a shake."
Hagrid's not home so I get in, take what's mine, and get out.
"Is that Hagrid's? Ooh, is he letting us borrow it?" she asks, bouncing in place like an excited little bunny.
My heart isn't beating like it's supposed to. It's faster—no, slower. Both somehow? "Actually, this is yours. I went out and got it this morning. Thought you might want to experience it for real."
"Sirius..." Her mitten-hands fly to her heart.
"It's nothing."
"No, it's not. I can't believe you...you're just so..." She inhales sharply. "Sirius, I think my heart is too big for my chest. How can I thank you?"
I press my hand to her chest and, even with the many layers of fabric separating our skin, I can feel her heartbeat. "You can go for a ride with me."
"Absolutely! Let's take Mr. Huckleberry for a spin!"
Of course she's named it.
*
I can't sleep. My mind won't shut off.
The only upside to my misfortune is overhearing a private, late-night conversation between James and Chiara. One I have no business eavesdropping on but who's gonna know?
"Keeks!" James whispers, shaking her shoulder and, as a result, the entire bed. "Pst! Keeks!"
Chiara moans softly. "James? Are you okay?"
"There's a girl in my bed." He blurts.
"...it's Lily." She states.
"I know."
"You love Lily."
"I know that too."
"I don't understand the problem." She admits, yawning.
He hesitates. "I've never had a girl in my bed before."
"Well, gee, then what am I? A gnome?" she scoffs.
"You know what I mean! I've never had a girlfriend in my bed."
"Jamie," Chiara sighs, sitting up. "This isn't really about your sleep situation, is it?"
"No."
"You're having a freak-out." She says softly.
"I don't have room to make mistakes here. It's taken me years to get to this place, I don't have the freedom you and Sirius have. If I mess up, it's over. She's seen me at my worst and most awful, she knows I'm capable of being that way. What if—"
"James!" She whisper-shouts to put a stop to his panicked babble. "Lily is finally seeing you for who I have always known you to be. You've had your bad moments, sure, but who in the world hasn't? You aren't defined by your past mistakes. Lily's forgiven you. Forgive yourself. You've grown so much since then. You proved you have by being the bigger person and apologizing to both Severus and Lily. You're being much too hard on yourself now, JJ."
"She's asleep in my bed, Keeks. If I sleep with her tonight...I'm afraid I'll never be okay if she leaves. I just want to be enough for her to stay."
"You are." She tells him with certainty. "Being loved by you? There's nothing like it."