"Are you sure this is going to work?" I sighed as Sirius lead me around the dark corridors, concealed under the invisibility cloak. My bag was filled with magical dyes for the prank we came up with. Sirius insisted on getting revenge the night before the Gryffindor versus Slytherin quidditch match. He also insisted on pranking everyone in Slytherin after some Slytherin girl he "dated" cheated on him with another Slytherin. Honestly, I don't think Sirius cared about the cheating, he was now just doing this for amusement.
"As sure as my name is Sirius Orion Black the third!" Sirius insisted and stopped next to a snoring portrait of a large, green snake. We were close to the Slytherin common room... I didn't know where it was exactly, but I heard it was somewhere near the dungeons. Obviously Sirius knew where he was going though.
"How do you know where the Slytherin common room is anyways?" I asked, trailing my hand across the frigid, darkening, stone walls... It was a creepy corridor... Pretty suitable for Slytherin if you asked me.
"My brother is in Slytherin... He tells me a few things. Plus, I made out with some chick down here the other day... Damn she was-"
"Too much information!" I cut him off quickly, not wanting to hear the details of his recent conquest.
"Alright... Anyways, stop right here, the water pipes should be directly behind this wall... Possibly a bit above us." Sirius explained and gently pulled the cloak from over our heads. He slapped his hand on the moist stone wall, the sharp crack echoing down the hall.
"How do you know that?" I questioned incredulously, dropping our bag of supplies on the cobbles. Sirius looked at me like I was stupid and stared for a second, allowing me to bask in the completely obvious fact that I could hear running water and creaking pipes in the wall just above our heads.
"Sorry I'm not a sleuth!" I expressed and fumbled for my wand in my pocket. "So how do we do this? Just bust a hole in the wall and repair it later?"
"Well, if you have a better plan..." Sirius shrugged, giving permission for me to destroy the stone wall. There were about a hundred things that could go wrong with me destroying an entire section of wall in the dungeons... But I wasn't thinking and did it anyways.
"Reducto!" I said, the red jet of light hitting the wall and crumbling the stone like it was made of sand with a loud boom that could probably be heard all across he castle.
"What are you trying to do?! Wake Dumbledore?!" Sirius groaned and pointed his lit wand at the gaping hole. Sure enough, copper pipes threaded across the wall just out of reach.
"Shut up, just figure out a way for us to reach those pipes!" I instructed.
"Maybe if you were taller..." Sirius poked, earning him a slap upside the head. "I'm kidding! Okay... You stand there and hold me up by my feet and I'll reach the pipes."
Once again, Sirius got another slap and he insisted he was kidding again. Pressing my lips together in annoyance, I grabbed two glass vials out of my bag and slipped them into my pocket.
"Just lift me up punk." I growled and pressed my foot into his laced hands, as he hoisted me up so I could reach the glistening copper pipes that were tinged blue from years of water condensation. I felt like one of those muggle cheerleaders up high in the air- even though I was only standing about nine feet tall. Sirius groaned as I shuffled around, stretching up to reach the pipe. He stared up at me, snickering as he did so.
"Enjoying the view?" I teased as I uncork the vials and started unscrewing some sort of knob on one of the pipes.
"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't..." Sirius confirmed without the usual edge of sarcasm.
"You're such a perv!" I laughed just as a jet of water from the knob I unscrewed sprayed me in the face, making Sirius burst into laughter and nearly drop me. After flailing around, I finally cupped my hand over the stream and got it under control, I hastily poured all of the dye in the waterline, hoping I did it right.
"Now let me down slowly Pads, I don't want to- OH MY GOD GET IT OFF OF ME!" I shrieked as a large spider that seemed to just appear out of the shadows landed on my hand. My feet flew out of Sirius' tight grip in midair as I squirmed around wildly, my head smacking into the wall as I started to fall.
With a yelp, I could've sworn my life was flashing before my eyes as my back slid down the wall. But just before my legs could crunch against the ground, I was pressed between Sirius and the wall, his arms holding me tight in place like he would never let me go.
Gently, Sirius let me fall ever so slightly so my feet were safely on the ground again. A gulp caught in my throat as I stared into his fascinating eyes. He wasn't backing away, keeping me pinned to the wall, his entire body pressed against mine, his hands trapping me beneath him. Like an alarm, Robert's face popped into my head, warning me to get away, but I was frozen, unsure what to do.
"Why do we always end up in awkward positions like this?" I swallowed shakily, my heart continuing to thunder away in my throat... Although, it wasn't from the falling and near death experience anymore.
"It's only awkward if you want it to be..." Sirius whispered, his warm breath tickling my face. He was still making jokes even though I almost died. But by being pressed against him, I could feel his heart racing just as fast as mine, like he was scared too. "It must be because I'm so irresistible!"
"You're absolutely resistible. I'd choose Snape over you!" I breathed, my mouth talking for my confused mind as the alarms in my brain screamed 'danger!'
"That's a lie and you know it... Hasn't anyone told you it's naughty to lie Vix?"
"Hasn't anyone ever told you modesty is an admirable trait Pads?"
"How can I be modest and look like this?!" Sirius whispered, and moved one of his hands off my tense, nearly shaking arm to my face so he could tuck a piece of hair behind my cheek. How can you be modest and look like that... "You just can't keep away from me! What would your fiancé think if he saw us like this?"
"M-My fiancé?" I stuttered, shuffling uncomfortably at his close contact and his hand now resting on my cheek. Robert, Robert, Robert... His name repeated over and over, swirling in my head... Someone call the police, I need to be arrested for allowing Sirius to mess with my head.
"Wood... I mean, you're soul mates, right?" Sirius chuckled sarcastically. Very subtly, Sirius started to lean in, nearly causing me to faint. At the last second, I turned my head away, thinking about nothing other than Robert.
"Yeah... We are..." I muttered and Sirius tensed up this time, looking at me with a mixture of surprise and confusion. He was expecting me to cave in, like every other girl... Well I'm not every other girl and he isn't Robert... Feeling more confident, I pressed on. "Yeah, he is. And he wouldn't like to see this, not that it means anything."
"And Robert will never hear about this." I finished as I slipped out from underneath Sirius, leaving him watching me in shock as I repaired the wall with a wave of my wand. He's probably never had a girl reject him before like that and it made me feel like the queen Lily insisted I was. Shaking off his shock but smirking nonetheless, Sirius followed me under James' cloak without another word.
<<>><<>><<>>
I thought my first kiss with Robert was amazing- absolutely perfect- but it was nothing compared to the one after our match against Slytherin.
I thought I was melting, physically melting away as my brain went fuzzy and the cheers for Gryffindor buzzed in my ear. If I could cast a Patronus, it would be the most powerful one ever just from the rush of happiness coursing through my veins. I could barely contain the biggest smile pulling on my lips as I kissed Robert, only pulling away when some teammates bumped into us through the excitement. Robert looked down at me, brown eyes shining with pride and exuberance. 230-200... Such a close match, but finally a Gryffindor win nonetheless. Wrapping my arms back around his broad shoulders, I glanced around at the exciting scene around me.
James was trying to corner Lily as she exited the stands. As usual, he was messing up his hair and puffing out his chest, basically ignoring the fact that Snape was right behind her. Also as usual, with a subtle flick of her wand, Lily cast a spell and had James flipped over, suspended in the air.
From the opposite side of the pitch, the Slytherin team stood defeated, glaring at us, all of them covered in bright, glittering, permanent red and gold paint. Yes, our devious prank on the Slytherins was a success! The dyes turned any Slytherin that took a shower that morning into shimmering, red and gold Gryffindor supporters. A smirk curled across my lips when I saw Spies staring fiercely at me in Robert's arms with absolute loathing. Not only was she sporting the sparkling Gryffindor colors, but she also had a nasty black eye from a bludger she was too stupid to duck under.
...And then there was Sirius, who barely acknowledged my presence while he walked off with two bimbos, one under each arm. He was probably too busy basking in all the attention he was getting. Even while he already had two girls, a pack of squealing girls followed him, whispering and giggling profusely as the stalked after him towards the castle.
Some things never change.
<<>><<>><<>>
"Lily! Just tell me which one you think Robert will like more!" I groaned, holding the tight, black dress up in the mirror before switching to the midnight blue one. Lily rolled her eyes and fell across her bed, her red hair flying out around her head like a halo.
"I don't know which one he will like! Pick the one you like." Lily reasoned, making me switch back to holding up the black dress. Robert would probably like the tight dress more... But I do love the way the blue one makes my eyes pop...
"Lily, what dress are you wearing?" I sighed, casting both dresses to the side. I'd probably end up picking the black one anyways... Four months of dating and I still tried to impress Robert...
"That green one. And for your information, I'm wearing it because I like it. Not because I think it will impress anyone."
Shaking my head in denial, I walked over to Lily's bed and admired the beautiful, sleek, bottle green dress hanging from the bedpost. Perhaps Lily was going to wear it to the Slug Club Christmas Party because she liked it, but I can guarantee she will be turning heads and impressing everyone.
"I'll wear the black one, Robert will like it more." I finally reasoned, leaving my favorite blue one in my trunk. Lily just sighed and shook her head. She's started telling me Robert is changing me and I shouldn't let guys control my life.
I just called her crazy.
<<>><<>><<>>
"Happy Birthday Vix!" Sirius and James pounced on me as I walked across the common room with Lily. All day long and now they decide to wish me a happy birthday?!
"Can't. Breathe!" I gagged.
"Fifteen eh?" Sirius asked after they released me from their suffocating hug.
"Yes..." I trailed off, taking in the fact that both James and Sirius were wearing fancy dress robes. James noticed me staring and winked.
"So Vixen, Evans... We have a business proposition!" James announced. Of course... There's probably some demented reasoning behind the fancy attire...
"I knew they weren't coming over here just to wish me a happy birthday..." I grumbled.
"As you both know, tonight is the famed Slug Club Christmas Party!" Sirius went on, waving his hands for effect.
"And, each Slug Club member gets to take a date." James continued for him.
"So, we have decided to help you out- I will be your date Vix, and Evans, your date shall be the dashing Prongs!" Sirius finished, taking my hand and kissing it. James blew a kiss at Lily, who looked like she stepped in something disgusting.
"Padfoot dearest," I began, batting my eyelashes. "Have you forgotten something? Where have you been the last four months? I am going to the party with my boyfriend."
"Ah, you see, I thought of that!" Sirius exclaimed, stopping me before I could drag Lily up to our dorms to get ready. "Robert can go with the lovely Emma Vanity! She's in the club and needs a date! Then, Robert, you, and I can all go to the party!"
"Why don't you just ask her yourself?" I mused, thinking about the sixth year Slytherin. Robert would never even think about going with her anyways, she's a rival quidditch captain. Plus, he has yours truly.
"Well... She caught me snogging her younger sister Stella Vanity... Didn't end well... I can't ask her! So what to you say?" Sirius asked, trying to use his famed puppy dog eyes on me.
"Let me think..." I deadpanned, tapping my chin. "No."
Grabbing Lily's hand, I started up the stairs, noticing the time was nearing six o'clock, only an hour to get ready before the party.
"Evans wait!" James called. Lily hesitated and whirled around to face James, the usual glare she got around James already on her face. "I'm still going with you, right?"
"In your dreams Potter." Lily snorted, starting to continue up the stairs. "I'm going with Sev anyways!"
"Snivellus?! Wait, Evans, don't go!" James shouted but we were already gone, cracking up until our sides hurt at his desperateness while we got ready.
<<>><<>><<>>
"I'm proud of you," Robert whispered as he twirled me around at the Christmas party. Since the Valentines Day ball, his dancing had become significantly better and he wasn't stepping on my feet anymore. "I'm proud of you because you aren't letting Spies get to you."
"It's because I know I look hotter than her." I replied and stood up on my tiptoes to give Robert a quick kiss, making Spies groan from somewhere behind me. She was probably trying to break us apart to ruin my day, but it obviously wasn't working.
"You're always hotter than her."
"Always? Where's the usual modest Robert? That's one of the things I love about you!" I laughed, setting my head on his shoulder.
"You... love me?" Robert faltered and accidentally stepped on my foot. His eyes grew wide with shock. Finally realizing what I just said, my head started spinning as I struggled to think of a response.
"I- I..." I stuttered, feeling like I was falling into a pit I could never get out of. 'Yes, I love you!' My heart was screaming, but my brain was fearing rejection. "I... Maybe?"
"Oh..." Robert said hesitantly. His hands were starting to feel forced on my waist. I felt the way Lily and Snape looked while dancing: awkward and unhappy. "Uh... Do you want to take a break and get something to drink?"
Happily, I nodded my head and took a seat. But in reality, I was feeling miserable. Maybe I should've just taken Sirius... Would've saved me a lot of embarrassment! Maybe I should've just told him I loved him... Maybe... Maybe...
As I sat there alone, watching Spies smirk triumphantly over the shoulder of her red headed date, I thought about how this might be the worst birthday ever.