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THERE was an abrupt clatter as Liana fell into the sooty grate of number 12 Grimmauld place. She coughed as she sat up and brushed her pajama top down. Several faces turned towards her and Grey leapt to his feet from where he had been sitting with the rest of the Weasleys at the kitchen table.
"Are you alright?- What did Dumbledore say?" Pressed Grey as he helped lift her from the fireplace. Liana frowned darkly as she looked down at the ground.
"Nothing worth listening to, he just acted disappointed when I left and said he would speak to me when school started again," she shook her head as she crossed to the table.
Fred and George shifted their chairs to one side to allow Liana to squish in beside Hermione and Ron. Ron immediately shot Fred and George dirty looks and turned his face away from Liana. It was clear he still didn't want to speak to her. Liana just sighed.
"Molly will be here soon with news." Came a voice from the doorway and Liana looked up to see Sirius walked in, clutching a tray of hot chocolates. Sirius placed the tray down carefully on the table.
"Liana, you've arrived- Listen do you think I could have a word with you outside quickly?" Sirius gave her a warning look that clearly told her that she didn't have a choice. Liana rolled her eyes but climbed to her feet again. She didn't want to make a scene, not when Mr Weasley's life was hanging in the balance. She was determined to hold a poker face.
"Harry will probably turn up soon," Liana told Hermione, resting a hand on the bushy haired girls shoulder before she left. Hermione nodded and gave Liana a watery smile. Liana then followed Sirius back out of the kitchen door, he closed it softy behind him and led Liana into the living room where a fire was blazing merrily and there were holly wreaths hung around the mantlepiece.
"Why don't you have a seat?" Sirius offered as he settled himself on the sofa. Liana crossed her arms over her chest defensively.
"I'm fine standing," she protested and hovered in the doorway, making it obvious she just wanted to return to the kitchen and rejoin the others.
"Just sit down." It was Sirius' turn to roll his eyes now and Liana huffed under her breath, choosing the armchair furthest away from Sirius.
"Dumbledore sent a message ahead from the school. I am aware that I owe you a lot of explanations and I promise you I will tell you-"
Liana opened her mouth, her eyebrows knitted together, but Sirius interrupted her, knowing what she was going to say.
"-But not now. I'll tell you tomorrow morning when we've all had some sleep and know more news on Arthur," Sirius assured her gently. Liana glared at him, her icy blue eyes narrowed. For a minute she didn't say anything and there was a silent stare off between Sirius and Liana, both too stubborn to look away but eventually Sirius glanced down.
"Liana I know how much you dislike me- and not without reason either. But I still want to be here for you, I may not be your godparent but I am your uncle in a sense," Sirius ran a hand through his messy dark hair. "No matter what bullshit you're spewing out to McGonagall and the others that convinces them that you're fine, I know that's fake. I can help you and be here for you. But only if you let me," Sirius implored.
"Why do you want to help me? How can I trust you?" Liana frowned as she pulled her knees up to her chest, her voice unusually vulnerable in that moment as she stared up at Sirius with wide eyes.
"That's the thing about trust, you can't ever know for sure whether you can trust someone or not. You just have to believe that I would never want to do anything to hurt you," Sirius lowered his eyes at her and stood up from the sofa to walk over to Liana. Liana shrank back in her chair like a feral animal. She wasn't used to having adults act like this around her, she was used to Christina's brittle tone or Grey's awkward hugs, not protectiveness and trust.
"Only if you let me ride Buckbeak whenever I want?" Bargained Liana after a moments consideration. Maybe this was what she needed to do. If trusting Sirius meant she would get the answers she was looking for, then so be it. Sirius beamed, despite the seriousness of the situation. He wrapped Liana up in a light hug, careful not to overwhelm her by smothering her in too much love too soon.
"Of course you can. Meet me tomorrow morning down here at about eight and we can have a long chat about your father and mother," Sirius told her, patting her shoulder slightly awkwardly. Liana nodded into his chest, enjoying the happy feeling in her stomach. She felt safe- a strange feeling for her to have.
"Sirius?-" called Ron from the kitchen, interrupting them, "Harry's here."
Sirius gave Liana a smile as he released her the two of them trapsed back into the kitchen together. Harry was just climbing out of the grate with the help of Ginny who had grabbed his hand almost too quickly and hauled him up with all her might.
"Sirius," Harry didn't smile and simply threw his arms around Sirius in a hug. Sirius squeezed him tightly and clapped a hand on his back comfortingly before letting him go.
"How's Mr Weasley?" Asked Harry earnestly as he gently shook Ginny off and sat himself down in Liana's vacant chair.
"Mum's on her way to see dad in St Mungo's," Fred sighed rather tensely and Grey gave him and George a sympathetic look. Grey was just grateful that Liana was feeling better.
"Why don't you all go to bed? It's too late to be up. I'll wake you all when Molly arrives back here with more news-" suggested Sirius soothingly as he placed a hand on the back of Harry's chair. There were a few begrudging nods from around the table and Liana leant against the counter as she watched everyone file out, grim expressions on their faces as they realised next time they were down here they would know Arthur's fate.
Liana was so lost in thought that she barely even registered that only she, Harry and Sirius remained in the kitchen.
"I'll see you in the morning as promised, and no shagging on my kitchen counter please," Sirius clapped his hands together and had the ghost of a smirk as he nodded at Harry and Liana and then made his way towards the living room, where he sat to wait by the window for any signs of the Order arriving.
There were a few moments of silence that followed between Liana and Harry where they both stood, eyes averted from each other.
"I meant what I said earlier- I'm sorry Harry," Liana apologised again, lifting her eyes up and looking at him through her dark lashes. Harry met her eyes. Something in the way she was looking at him made him sure she was being honest. Liana really was sorry.
"I know you are. I meant what I said too," he told her as he leant back in his seat.
"What happens now?" Liana asked gently walked over to sit beside him on the edge of the table.
"What do you want to happen?" Harry asked as he stood up and bent his neck down slightly so their faces were even and he was looking directly into her deep ocean blue eyes. Liana's lips parted as her eyes searched Harry's.
"We could stay friends?-" she suggested so quietly it was only a whisper but that was cut off as Harry's lips landed on hers without much warning. Her hands tangled with his hair at once and his leapt to support her waist. Harry could feel the familiar heat burning in his stomach, scorching like fire.
Perhaps it was that they both knew they shouldn't be doing this. Tonight had been a mess and they both still hid too many secrets and feelings from each other, Arthur's remained undetermined and Liana still had not told Neville of any feelings she had for either of the boys. But it didn't matter to them. It was almost like Liana and Harry were fated for each other, but they simply couldn't last.
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LIANA climbed the stairs sleepily, her lips still tingling from where Harry's had been on hers only minutes before. Her mind swirling like a washing machine. She barely even noticed Kreacher who she walked into, feeling him knock rather painfully against her knee.
"A clumsy blood traitor just like her mother," Kreacher growled under his breath as he rubbed his nose angrily and moved away from Liana, clutching yet more of his old photographs that he had nicked from the drawing room.
"How am I a blood traitor?" Snapped Liana waspishly. Kreacher had just ruined what had been a perfect moment of happiness, which was rare these days for both Liana and Harry.
"Went off and had you with that filthy halfbreed didn't she- the halfbreed that comes here all the time," Kreacher muttered as he began to walk away. But Liana shot her hand out and yanked the house elf back by his tea towel rather violently. Her expression changing completely.
"I don't understand Kreacher." Liana shook her head, as she rubbed a hand across her forehead. This was too much in one evening.
She couldn't even comprehend it.
"Oh poor little miss Holly! Never wondered who your daddy was?" Giggled Kreacher happily, a nasty glint in his eyes as he realised that he knew something she didn't.
"Well obviously but I-" Liana protested, wracking her brains for a witty comeback. Where was Hermione when you needed her?
"Your mother was a bad woman Miss Holly, a very bad woman-" Smiled Kreacher as he came to wandered over to Liana again, his dark eyes boring into hers which sent a cold shiver down her spine.
"She's not a bad woman, my mother was good-" Liana tried to sound convincing. But after the evenings events, she couldn't give a certain answer anymore.
"And do you want to know why she's a bad woman?"
"Stop playing games Kreacher! I'm fed up of you" Liana hissed as she began to turn away, giving up on Kreacher's mind tricks.
"Because she had an affair! With the werewolf, he was the one she really loved-" Kreacher waited for Liana to interrupt, but the girl said nothing, her eyes glued wide open like saucers.
"Who's the werewolf?" Liana asked with a quaking voice, afraid to even hear the truth.
"Kreacher loves secrets but he supposes he can tell this little one," the house elf grinned evilly.
"The werewolf Remus Lupin!"
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[END OF ACT ONE!]
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AN
what is this rubbish I've written? I hate this chapter. Yuck. I don't even know what I'm doing anymore lol sorry everyone :(
Xoxo