After my birthday life at Hogwarts seemed to speed up at an alarming rate. Despite it only being February the teachers had started our revision in lessons. At least once a week we were reminded that our NEWTs were coming up. We spent most nights working hard in the library. But things had changed and instead of being split into Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors we all mixed across two tables. We also went to the duelling club every Saturday evening as a large group. The club was fun and I could see everyone improving though more often than not it was those of us who studied AMT who survived to the end of the free for all. Every now and again McGonagall would come to watch the training and give out pointers where necessary.
With all of this going on Sirius and I found it difficult to find much time for the two of us but we would try to make an effort every Sunday evening. As the months progressed I noticed him getting more affectionate in public too. He would hold my hand between classes, or tuck my hair behind my ear, or hug me as we walked. I felt like he was making the most of our time left at school together and I couldn't help but melt into it. I knew people still stared but I just didn't care anymore.
I was truly tested on that statement in early April when Sirius had been called up to play on the Gryffindor team once again. Their new beater Daniella Fentiman was called out of school after an attack on her family. The attack had shaken all of the Gryffindors and it wasn't until a week before the match that the team captain, Quill, actually asked Sirius if he could play again. Sirius stepped up to the plate and started nightly practices with the team. When the game came around I was watching it from the Hufflepuff stands for once as Andy and Kate had come with me. Ravenclaw scored five times in quick succession before the Gryffindor team could get their act together and they were on the back foot from the start. I looked up into the sky to see Sirius hitting his leg in frustration. "Come on" I heard him shout. Erica seemed to be having a really bad day. When the Ravenclaw chasers started down towards the Gryffindor posts again, however, I noticed the determined glint in Sirius' eye. He knew this would be his last school match and this wasn't how it was going to go. He streaked off in the same direction, his eyes scanning the pitch as he went. I watched as he looped around the goal hoop then reached up and whacked the bludger towards the incoming chasers. They scattered. Lawson dropped the quaffle and it was picked up by Quill who turned and raced back up the pitch. I cheered with the rest of the Gryffindors. Poor Erica was looking shamefaced but no one seemed to blame her, they were just happy that Sirius was on the case. Gryffindor scored. The match carried on in much the same way. Gryffindor would score a few times, catch up, then Ravenclaw would have a bash at it and get a few goes at goal. Sirius would bring the bludgers into play and the match would shift again. When the scores were 240 to 220 Sirius evidently got bored of this tactic. Once he had cleared the Ravenclaws from the Gryffindor end again, he followed the quaffle down the pitch. Flinglemyer, Cribbins and Quill were performing some handy manoeuvres, weaving around each other, but the Ravenclaw chasers got in amongst them and Quill evidently missed his next mark. Cribbins dropped the ball, but suddenly Sirius was there, his beaters bat tucked under his arm so that he could catch the quaffle and pass it to an open Flinglemyer.
"I didn't realise beaters were allowed to do that" Andy mumbled from beside me.
"Me neither".
But Sirius seemed to be having a blast. He trailed the chasers, beating away bludgers whenever they got to close, but also keeping a close eye on the quaffle and guiding it back to its rightful handlers whenever it strayed too far away. With the nominal fourth chaser the Gryffindors became unbeatable. The Ravenclaws couldn't get a word in edgeways and when their own beater tried to get involved he dropped his bat into the stands and had to swoop to look for it, missing the collision between the Ravenclaw keeper and one of the bludgers. Sirius seemed to be here there and everywhere, orchestrating every pass, every bludger attack. At one point he raced down the pitch to catch a quaffle dropped by Everest, the Ravenclaw chaser, but instead of scooping the quaffle up, he hit it with his bat and sent it flying straight and true through the central goal hoop. The collective cheers of the watching crowds was unanimous. Even the Ravenclaws and Slytherins seemed to appreciate it. That was until the cheers turned to screams when everyone noticed James and Parker racing neck and neck, heading towards the ground at breakneck speed. Parker was just pulling ahead when a well placed bludger courtesy of Killogan hit the end of his broom and sent him spiralling off course, just in time for James to catch the snitch and tuck up into a roll to hit the ground. He came to a stop flat on his back, limbs akimbo. The stadium was silent... Until he stuck his fist in the air in triumph and the crowd roared. 310 to 450. Gryffindor had won.
The scarlet portion of the stands moved in unison and flooded the pitch, and several yellow members swirled among them. Everyone agreed that it had been a spectacular match, it didn't matter what house you were in. I followed Andy and Kate down onto the pitch, searching carefully for Sirius, the man of the hour. I found him in the centre of the pitch, surrounded by the his team mates. When I caught his eye I gave him a quick nod, a thumbs up and a mouthed "well done", but I knew I would have to really fight to reach him so figured I would just catch him later. Kate tugged on my arm "we're going to the library Trudy, are you coming with or are you meeting lover boy?"
"I'll come with, I'll see him later" I responded, so I let her lead as we followed the crowd towards the castle.
The crowd swirled around us as we walked. I ducked my head down and tried to make my way through but when I got half way up the marble staircase I was stopped by a voice ringing through the entrance hall. "Trudy Carole Greenwood" it called, louder than all the hubbub. The volume didn't distort the voice I knew so well though. The whole crowd stopped talking and turned to look as Sirius crossed the floor of the entrance hall, still in his scarlet quidditch robes. A cocky smirk played across his face. He didn't seem to be in any rush, but the entire crowd seemed mesmerized by him. They moved out of his way as he approached, his eyes locked on me.
"What?" I called back, a smile tugging at my own lips.
"That's all I get?" He teased. "I play the best game of quidditch I've ever played. I practically win the house cup for Gryffindor. And all I get is a what?" He had reached the marble staircase now and started to climb.
"How about a well done?" I asked with fake innocence.
Sirius stopped on the step below me, our eyes perfectly in line.
"You know that won't do."
"So what will?" I whispered, feeling his intensity.
He kissed me. Passionately. Deeply. I felt his arms wrap around my waist and he lifted me off my feet and spun me round. My arms wrapped around his neck just in case he felt like dropping me (it wouldn't be the first time. He found the look on my face funny when he did that). We were caught up in the oohs and awws from the surrounding crowd but I couldn't help the blush running up my cheeks and the immediate want to hide. But I stuck my ground. My man had just won at quidditch and I was going to celebrate with him.
He kept his arm around me when he put me back down again, then he firmly led me up the stairs.
"You two coming?" He called to Andy and Kate over his shoulder. "Party in the Gryffindor common room. Now."
****
The next morning I woke up in an unfamiliar bed, to the sound of unfamiliar snoring. My head was throbbing painfully and I felt nauseous beyond belief.
"Morning beautiful" Sirius whispered, then gave me a kiss on the forehead. "How are you feeling?"
I groaned so he passed me a small bottle and I downed the whole thing. The hangover cure took only a moment to take effect.
"What happened last night? Is this your dormatory?" I glanced around at the inside curtains of the four poster bed. They were red so I could only assume we were in Gryffindor tower.
"Yep. And the others are still asleep so please keep it down" he whispered. "As for last night. You had a great time at the party. Was incoherently drunk by 9, so I brought you up here to sleep it off. You looked so peaceful by the time I got to bed that I didn't want to disturb you".
I blushed, but that just caused Sirius to chuckle and pull me closer into his chest. I relaxed there. This wasn't so bad.
Though as soon as Peter stopped snoring and Remus started making noises of wakefulness they started teasing me for being there. When Sirius pushed back the curtains I took a good look around their dorm. It was messy, but cosy. James was noticeably absent.
When I asked about it, they informed me that he had buggered off with Lily around the time that I had headed for bed and hadn't been seen since.
Apparently that was how Gryffindors had to deal with sleeping together. Poor people. But it certainly would have been better to have that anonymity than the looks I got when I made my way down to breakfast with the boys a few minutes later. The Gryffindors did not seem pleased that I was there, like I was invading their space. Other than Paige Cleverly who bounded up to me across the common room and started talking my ear off, telling me all about the night before and all the things I had drunkenly said. Apparently she had offered for me to share her room but she wasn't sure she would have been able to get me up the stairs. So Sirius had smiled and scooped me up like a princess which 'honestly was the most romantic thing ever. Even if you weren't with it enough to notice'. She made me feel more comfortable about the whole situation though and it really helped me get over the whole gossip thing.
"I really appreciate how little you care about that now" Sirius commented as we made our way across the great hall, pointedly ignoring any stares. "You're more confident. I like it".
I snorted. If he knew what was going on in my head... But I shrugged. "Fake it till you make it, right?"