One Step Ahead part I | Sirius Black

Chapter 43

Sirius smiles slightly, aimlessly moving his food around on his plate and pretending to listen to James.

Remus looks up from his book when he realizes he hasn't heard a single word from his friend, his brows furrowing in confusion when he sees Sirius staring into space. Or what he thought was space.

He looks over his shoulder, following the boys gaze until he realizes what it is he's looking at. Or rather, who. Gwen is chatting with Dorcas, but Remus watches in amazement when the Veela briefly glances away and looks at the Gryffindor table. She doesn't see him, but the tiny dusting of pink across her cheeks tells him exactly who she was just looking at.

Remus quickly turns back around, greeted with an even goofier smile on Sirius' face. He looks around helplessly, seeing that James is still animatedly talking to practically no one, and Peter is too busy shoving his face with food to notice.

"Hello?!" Remus cries, drawing James and Peter's attention. James frowns and says irritably, "Moony, I was just getting to the good part!"

Remus points at Sirius, an exasperated look on his face. James and Peter look at him confusedly before turning to Sirius, their brows furrowed.

"What's he looking at?" James wonders. Peter shrugs and says, "Dunno, but he looks awfully happy. Haven't seen him like this since before Christmas."

James suddenly gasps and elbows his friend, Sirius jumping slightly in his seat and grumbling, "Fucking hell, Prongs. What?!"

He eyes James' wicked grin and the knowing look on Remus' face. Peter looks perplexed, but is still more concerned with his dinner. Sirius quickly looks away from them and shoves some food of his own in his mouth, mumbling around it, "Quit staring at me."

"Only if you quit staring at Ninnie."

Sirius glances at Remus in shock, reaching for his water and gulping down some to hopefully fix his dry throat.

"You snogged Gwen? Again!?" James whispers, eyes wide in amazement.

"No," He says quickly in reply, unable to help the smile appears when he catches her passive gaze. He feels like he's floating, especially when he sees her lips twitch slightly. "We've just...we've made a truce of sorts."

Remus stares at him for a moment before quickly reaching over and pulling down the collar of his robes. Sirius grunts in surprise, trying to swat away his hands, but it's too late. James, Peter, and Remus gawk at the love bites on their friend's neck, Peter musing cheekily,

"Are we sure she's a Veela, not a vampire?"

"Shut up," Sirius says crossly, quickly straightening his collar while heat floods his face. James snickers and asks, "So this truce? Is it more of a sex pact?"

"I said shut up," Sirius mumbles, groaning when the lads all laugh.

"How was it?" Remus asks playfully, reaching over and ruffling the blushing boy's hair. It was refreshing to see him this way for a change. Usually it was Remus or Peter that was flushed, not Sirius.

"It would be rude of me to say," Sirius says hesitantly, his eyes flickering back to pale eyes and blonde hair. James laughs and shakes his head, "Yeah right. We all know that Gwen doesn't give a fuck. She told my parents all about how you two snogged before Christmas."

Sirius smiles slightly at the memory, hesitating for a moment longer before he mutters lowly, "Lads...shes fucking perfect."

James grins broadly as his friend continues, "She's so smart and funny. And I was so mad at her and then she just..."

He trails off, smiling to himself before saying honestly, "Best night of my life."

Across the hall Dorcas sighs, saying teasingly,

"Gwen, you keep looking at him."

"What?" The Veela asks, quickly looking back at her smiling friend. Dorcas laughs and asks, "That good huh?"

"Merlin, Dorcas," Gwen mumbles, cheeks warming slightly. "I don't think I've ever felt like that in my life."

"He seems to have enjoyed it. He can't keep his eyes off of you."

Gwen glances back up, catching Sirius' eyes already on her. She smiles before she can stop it, her heart warming at the crooked grin on his face. Then she sees the Marauders looking her way. James and Remus quickly look elsewhere, Sirius turning to say something to them that she can't hear.

"Excuse me for a moment yeah?" The Veela asks, Dorcas already chuckling at what she knows will be a funny scene.

"Could you be any more obvious?" Sirius grunts to Remus and James. "The only one with an ounce of discretion is Peter for fucks sake!"

Remus frowns and James squawks indignantly, "That's rich coming from you! Your eyes have been practically glued to her. Are you sure you haven't been charmed?"

"He hasn't, but I'm happy to do that if you'd like, James."

The Marauders jump in surprise, Sirius and James turning to look at the Veela that had suddenly appeared behind them. James flushes, stammering, "S-sorry Ninnie, I d-didn't mean anything by it!"

"I know, James. Don't worry," She smiles faintly, eyes looking as passive as ever. She glances at Sirius, her lips twitching lightly when he says quietly, a tiny grin on his face,

"Hi."

"Hi. Been talking about me?" She wonders simply, feeling a rush of butterflies in her stomach when he shrugs and smiles wryly, teasing, "Not much to talk about."

Gwen quirks a brow and says flatly, "Oh that's funny. I was just telling Dorcas the same thing."

James and Remus snicker at the burn, Peter wincing at her words.

"Ouch," Sirius replies, his eyes narrowed up at her. She smirks slightly and he wishes he could pull her down and snog the life out of her on this table. But then she's backing away, saying calmly,

"You better watch it, Black. I've got eyes and ears everywhere."

"I think you're the one that needs to watch it, Inferi," He responds, leaning forward to wrap his hand around the back of her knee and pull her back to him. She jumps back just in time, tutting disapprovingly before she chides,

"Don't worry. Remember, I don't have much to talk about."

He grins when he catches her playful smile before she disappears from sight, Dorcas by her side.

He turns his head, his friends already facing him with smiles as he confesses,

"I would've thought you were pulling my leg if you told me a year ago that I'd fancy Ninnie Whitlock."

James laughs, clapping him on the back before they turn back to their meals, all of them rather glad that things were falling into place.