-Stella Hart-
As we walked up to the front door, Lily slipped her hand into mine, jiggling with excitement. It was infectious. I barely paid attention to Scarelett when she opened up the door in an outfit skankier than mine. The only words I picked up on was "The booze is out back."
Half of our year group was here plus some Beauxbatons girls and some Durumstrang boys. The house was alive with music and laughter, and I let it crash into me.
We moved out onto the back porch that was decorated with floating fairy lights and swimming in alcohol. The boys went for beer out of the keg but Lily and I were after a different game and located the stronger stuff. I barely mixed mine, just dumped a whole lot in a red solo cup and splashed in a chaser of sorts.
I took a long swig before dragging Lily into the cavernous lounge to dance. She didn't put up a fight. The boys had been swept up in a game of beer pong against some girls but I didn't notice their absence, unless you count the cold that settled me after Sirius broke his heated gaze.
I took another long swig. I don't count Sirius.
Lily laced our fingers as we danced, laughing idiotically. She was the biggest lightweight you'll ever meet, unless you've me Peter, and not many people have, They should. He's the best of us.
We were all fuck ups, but Pete wasn't.
"Don't look now, but Mathieu's here." Lily yelled in my ear over the music as we danced. My chest tightened.
"Is he watching?" I asked her. She nodded.
"Good." I replied and slipped my jacket off and threw it on one of the couches.
Lily screamed in my ear and I laughed, shaking my hair and my ass a little more than I was before. A couple of Gryffindor girls joined us, smelling like beer and I blessed Merlin's asshole that I had found the tequila.
Lily yelled something about needing to pee before disappearing into the sea of people, so I took the opportunity to catch up with the boys. I walked over to the dining room table that was posing as the beer pong tabel for the night. Th boys were cleaning up the girls and I grinned.
"What's up fuckers?" I yelled over the music and the boys hooted and hollared as I walked over.
"Stella!" Remus yelled, dragging out the 'a' and slinging an arm over my shoulder.
"You're looking far too sexy tonight Hart." Sirius spoke up and I let the compliment warm me all through out my body, but on the surface I rolled my eyeds.
"We're winning." Peter told me, eyes shining.
"Oh that reminds me." I cried and pulled Peter closer to me.
His eyes went wide as I reached under his jacket and started to pull out his shirt. I then unbuttoned his top button while he freaked out.
"What are you doing?" Peter asked.
"You'll thank me later Pete." I told him, patting his chest.
"Dorcas Meadows, get her a drink, not beer, there's tequila behind the keg. Go." I told him and after he took he deep breath he shot off, out the door.
"Well Stella, we jus lost a player, are you subbing in?" James asked, holding out the sticky ping pong ball.
I grinned and took the ball. James crowed as I stepped up to the table and squared off with some girl from Gryffindor with ashy blonde hair.
I didn't say anything, just smirked and threw the ball perfectly into one of their cups. The boys went nuts and blondie's jaw clenched but she threw the cup back anyway. She took her turn and missed and Remus and I stifled laughter. James took his turn and got his in, barely, the beer making him messy.
Blondie wasn't really paying attention at this point, she had set her sights on something else.
"Sirius?" She drawled, batting her eyelashes. My chest tightened.
"Charlotte?" Sirius mimicked, his voice dripping with amusement.
"Help me out?' She asked sweetly and James and Remus shared a look.
"Can't. You're the enemy." Sirius replied and she pouted.
"Please?" She sighed.
Sirius let out a puff of air before speaking up.
"Fine. It's no fine if you're not in the least, competition." He relented, moving so that he was on their side of the table.
"It's all about stance." Sirius began. "You have to stand like this." He continued showing her.
"Like this?" She said mimicking him badly. If this was her flirting, she was terrible.
"More like, okay- here" Sirius thenput his hands on her waist and moved her body into place and then guided her arm to throw the ball. It sailed through the aie and landed in the cup closest to me.
I just about flipped the table when she squealed and threw her arms around him. While Sirius untangled himself James pointed to the cup.
"It's yours, Stella." He told me and I smiled sweetly.
"I don't drink beer." I stated.
"Don't or can't?" Blondie's voice called to me from across the table. My blood ran hot.
Instead of responding I stepped up the table and in one smooth move, plucked the ball out of the cup, tossed it to remus and downed the beer in two deep gulps.
I took the cup from my lips and flipped it over, placing it back on the table. I raised my eye to hers and could see the clear disdain in them. I flickered my gaze to Sirius' and almost flushed under the intensity of his gaze on me.
He quickly crossed back to our side as Remus took his shot and I smirked at him.
"Help me out?" I mimicked her. "Please?" I said drawing it out and fluttering my lashes dramatically at him.
"Jealousy looks hot on you Hart." He stated and I laughed loudly.
"Please. Black, I have heals higher than your standards." I told him, my lips lifting in a side smile. "In fact, I'm wearing some right now." I pointed out and spun around to go, kicking up my foot so that he got a clear look at my heals.
I waltzed off, heals clicking, grinning and intercepted Lily who had a fresh drink waiting for me. She was freaking out over Peter and Dorcas who were getting awfully close on the back porch while I tipped my drink back.
That's when Mathieu swooped in (like a vulcher) (an annoyingly hot vulcher).
"Hey baby." He grinned, moving so that he was very close to me.
"Read the top dude." I said, taking a step back and glaring at him.
He just laughed.
"You're cute Stella." He stated and I rolled my eyes.
"And?" I asked, arching a brow.
"And hot when you're mad. But mostly cute." He continued.
"We get it, I'm fucking adorable. What's your point?" I growled. Lily stifled a laugh beside me.
"Why don't we find somewhere quiet to talk?" He asked and I genuinely laughed.
"Why don't you find that cute brunette you were with at the ball? I'm sure she's like to go somewhere quiet to talk. I am not interested." I said sweetly before turning to go.
I got maybe two steps away, heading for the back porch for another drink, when Mathieu grabbed my arm, whipped me around like he did that day when he asked me to go the ball and pulled me into his chest.
Before I could blink, swear or even think he kissed me.
His lips were hard and demanding and he tasted like beer. It felt wrong. I wrenched myself away, pushing hard on his chest to get away. When we broke apart he was laughing.
"Get off me!" I yelled. People around us had started to stop what they were doing to watch us. Someone turned the music all the way down.
"C'mon sweetheart, we're just having fun." Mathieu said lazily and I clenched my jaw.
"Stella?" It was Sirius.
Him, James and Remus were at my side in a flash, Sirius' eyes were wild. I held me arm out, showing them I could handle this. I fixed my deadly gaze back on Mathieu.
"I am not your sweetheart, not your baby, not your anything. I am Stella fucking Hart and if you lay a hand on me again, I'll make you wish you hadn't." I said darkly.
"I'm so scared." Mathieu said sarcastically.
"You should be." I replied before wipping out my wand out of my pocket- kept there by an undetectable extension charm- and pressed it against his chin.
He was still smirking but there was a hesitancy in his eyes that fuled me.
"You can't do magic outisde of school. You'll be expelled." Mathieu said but the confidence had left his voice.
"Try me." I whispered, my voice deadly quiet.
There was a moment where everyone held their breath. Mathieu's eyes grew dark but I didn't back down. Finally, he let out a breath through his lips and moved back a step. He nodded to a couple of Durumstrang boys.
"Let's get out of here. This party sucks." He said through gritted teeth before storming out, meatheads in tow.
Someone whooped and someone else clapped and then the music was turned back on.
I wasn't cold, but I was shivering. I felt a hand skim over my arm and looked up to see Sirius' watchful eyes on me.
"Stella..." Sirius began to speak but I stuffed my wand back into my pocket and flashed a grand smile.
"I'm fine." I waved him off before he could continue.
"Lil, let's get a drink, I'm empty." I announced, linking my arm through hers and pulling her out and onto the back porch.
"Stell, that was.." Lily trailed off, trying to find the right word as I mixed us up another drink. I looked up at her.
"...Intense." She finished.
I handed her a drink and held mine up.
"I'm Stella Hart. I can handle Mathieu Clement." I told her, giving her a dazzling smile.
"No, you're Stella fucking Hart." She replied tapping her cup to mine. We took a long swig at the same time, before jumping up and heading back inside to go dancing.
Mary Macdonald grabbed my hand and screamed in my ear. "You fucking badass!" I just laughed and twirled around, my hands above my head as Lily skulled her drink.
James had pulled Remus up on the beer pong table and was dancing like an idiot while Mary shook her hips and gave Remus the eye. Remus was pretending not to be bothered but I knew him better than that. Peter and Dorcas had come back in from outside, grinning like idiots and Sirius was leaning against the wall smirking while Blondies tried to superglue herself to his side.
Not that I cared.
We were still in that moment. Feeling that feeling. Of being young and tipsy and having somewhere to go on New Years Eve. Only we were more drunk than tipsy now and it was minutes away from being New Years Day.
As we danced to a Pink Floyd song that I didn't know the name of, someone started the countdown.
10.
I downed the rest of my drink in three quick gulps.
9.
Someone started to hand out shots of firewhiskey.
8.
A cup was passed into my hands and the amber liquid sloshed around in the bottom of the cup.
7.
It was more than a shot, more than a double shot. I didn't mind.
6.
Peter had his arms around Dorcas which made me grin.
5.
James' eyes were only on Lily.
4.
Remus pulled Mary up onto the table.
3.
Lily was screaming in my ear.
2.
I could feel my heart thrumming through out my entire body.
1.
My eyes met Sirius' across the room.
0.
The house errupted in noise and laughter as 1976 began. People rushed into the room, blocking my sight on Sirius so I raised my cup to my lips and tipped it back.
Remus and Mary were making out ontop of the table and Lily pressed a sloppy kiss to my cheek. James had gotton down from the table and was yelling something I couldn't hear when Lily threw her arms around him.
"Happy New Year Stell!" It was Remus who came up behind me, Mary by his side. I grinned and Grabbed his face planting a kiss on his cheek.
"Happy New Year Moony!" I yelled in his ear.
When I pulled back Mary's eyes were laughing. I grabbed her face and Kissed her cheek too, while Remus snorted. When I pulled back Mary's mouth was hanging open.
"I don't discriminate!" I yelled, winking at both of them.
I turned and scanned the room for Sirius, but I couldn't find him. I found Lily though, who grabbed my hand and pulled me outside, where everyone was going.
People were chugging drinks and the music was somehow even louder outside. Someone was doing a kegstand and someone else was taking a picture of it. I still couldn't see Sirius though.
We all danced close, everyone drunk enough that no one gave a fuck about personal space or common sense or anything excpect the boom of the music, the burn of the alcohol and the feel of skin on skin.
It wasn't until we had ten minutes to go before we were meant to be meeting Mrs potter down the drive that James came up to me.
"Have you seen Padfoot?" He slurred and I shook my head.
"Shit, we have to find him before 1am or Mum will kill me." He said, he didn't look too scared though, just drunk.
"I'll find him." I told him and grabbed a bottle of water off the table. "Stay here and drink this." I pressed the bottle into his hands and turned and marched back into the house, scanning the mass of people.
I couldn't find Sirius.
I headed for the downstairs bathroom, and kicked the door open. I didn't find Sirius, I found something better.
Blondie, vomiting her guts out into the toilet while her friend held her hair back. She looked up at me and groaned. I smiled sweetly.
"Don't worry hun, not everyone can hold their drink." I told her before disappearing out the door and up the stairs.
I opened the first door I came across. It was a bedroom, a boys bedroom I think, and it had a huge bay window, that was wide open. Something in the back of my head made me cross the room and lean out the window. My instincts have never failed me before and they didn't now.
Sitting on the roof, feet dangling off the edge was Sirius Black.
"Sirius?" I called out to him.
He turned to look at me, his mouth stretching into a lopsided smile.
"Stella." He sighed my name and I smiled. "You found me." He said simply.
"I found you." I repeated and he closed his eyes. "What are you doing up here?" I asked and his eyes opened again and he tipped his head up to the sky.
"Trying to reach the stars, get them to tell me their secrets." he said, completely seriously.
"You're drunk." I stated and he waved his hand.
"Irrelevant." He replied and I shook my head. "Actually it's completely relevant since you're sitting on the edge of the roof." I pointed out.
"I'm not going to fall, Stell." He told me. He then held out his hand. "C'mon."
"Sirius, we have to go, it's almost 1." I told him but he just cocked his head.
"Please? Just for a minute." He implored. I took a deep breath.
"Fine. Just for a minute." I murmured and climbed out the window and onto the slanted roof. Sirius' hand was still outstretched so I took it, allowing the sparks to run up my arm, sparks that only Sirius gave off. He steadied me as I sat down next to him, my feet hanging off the edge.
I took the time to look out over the throngs of people and the lights in the distance of other houses and, finally, the lights twinkling at us from above.
"It's really something, isn't it." He whispered.
I looked over at him, really looked. His hair was messy, brushing along his sharp jaw line. His eyes were dark and moody in the half light and his cheeks were flushed from the cold.
"Yeah. It is." I agreed.
I let myself look at him for longer than I should have.
"You're staring." He said, without taking his eyes off the view.
"Shut up." I mumbled, turning my eyes back to the sky.
"So, what are the stars saying?" I asked after a moment of silence.
"Can't tell you. It's a secret." He said solemnly and I laughed.
"Is it?" I asked and he nodded, amusement twinkling in his silver eyes.
"I thought you weren't good at following the rules?" I teased and he turned his silver eyes to me.
"I'm trying Stella." He said, and I knew he wasn't just talking about the stars.
"Your girlfriend's throwing up in the downstairs toilet by the way." I said, turning my face back to the sky.
"Charlotte? She's not my girlfriend." He laughed.
"Doe she know that?" I asked, arching a brow.
He laughed again and the sound warmed me.
"Like I said, jealousy looks hot on you." He stated and I rolled my eyes.
"I am not jealous." I replied and he laughed again, lying back down on the roof and looking up at the sky.
"Okay." He said simply but the laughter was still in his voice.
"C'mon, the others are waiting for us." I said moving to get up but Sirius' hand closed around my arm, just like Mathieu's had earlier in the night but so much more gentle.
"You really want to know what the stars are saying?" He whispered. Pulling me so that we were very close.
"Yes." I whispered back.
His silver eyes were locked on mine.
"They're saying that you should kiss me."
My lips parted in suprise and I felt this warmth in the space between my ribs.
"Sirius..." I trailed off and the corners of his mouth lifted. Maybe he could see how much I wanted to.
I really wanted to.
"...We can't." I sighed.
"Why not?" He cocked his head, giving me one of those lopsided smile I loved so much.
"Please. Don't make this harder than it already is." I said softly and the smile slipped from his face, making way for something else entirely.
"Stella..." He said after a moment. "I don't know what you mother said to you but, it doesn't have to be the end." My head snapped up on 'mother'. Of course Sirius had figured out. He knew me. Damn it.
"Yes, it does." I replied quietly, giving him a sad smile.
"The stars call bullshit on that." He stated, and despite everything I laughed.
A thought crossed my mind. A selfish thought.
"How drunk are you?" I asked him.
He grinned at me.
"Slightly..." He trailed off and I arched a brow.
He let out a breathy laugh.
"Okay I'm kind of shit faced." He relented and it was my turn to laugh.
"Good." I breathed and he looked at me with the question on his lips.
"Because I'm about to be incredibly selfish and I don't want you to remember this tomorrow." I whispered and before he could blink or ask me what the hell I was talking about, I leaned forward and pressed my lips to his.
It was barely a kiss, more like a whisper, or a sigh. Yeah, that's what it was, a long, deep sigh that tasted like fire whiskey. His fingers fluttered along my hair line, ghosted across my cheek, but I pulled away before it deepened into seomthing I wouldn't be able to stop.
"I don't think it's possible for me to forget that." Sirius said huskily. I smiled.
"C'mon, let's go home." I told him, before turning and climbing back through the bay window, without looking back.
I was afraid if I looked back I wouldn't ever be able to look forward again.
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AUTHORS NOTE
Hey friends, Don't you just love double updates? I really enjoyed qriting this chpater and it's a long one so I hope you enjoy it!
Don't forget to vote and comment because it means the world to me!!
*loves*
-J xx