One Step Ahead part I | Sirius Black

Chapter 110

{{and another update because it's Friday (at least it is for me (;) and I love youuuu}}

Gwen's brow furrows when something gently brushes her nose.

She swats at the air, coming up empty. Her nose crinkles and she sinks deeper into her mattress, her interrupted dream slowly creeping back into her mind. She groans when the gentle touch is back, this time against her cheek.

Gwen smacks her lips together and mumbles, "Dorcas, I love you and all, but I'm not exactly sure how I feel about you crawling into my bed. What would Marlene say?"

A deep chuckle startles her, the gentle brushing becoming firmer. Lips quirked in a familiar smirk press against her jaw.

"Dorcas is gone, mon ange."

Gwen peeks a bleary eye open, blinking to focus on the broad body that hovers over her. She grunts tiredly when Sirius snakes his hands underneath her and scoots her over so he can crawl beneath the covers with her.

She settles back down against her pillows, a reluctant smile tugging at her lips when his masculine scent of pine and leather reaches her nose. Sirius snuggles up against her, sharing her warmth as the morning light peaks through the curtains he's drawn around her bed. Dorcas and Marlene had helped him up to the dorm, Gwen's quiet snores the only sign of life in the sea of blue.

She begins to fall back asleep, lulled into her dream. But then he says something in a sing-song voice that wakes her right up.

"Happy Birthday."

Gwen abruptly sits up, startling him and nearly sending him flying from her bed. She peers over her shoulder, eyes wide as she asks slowly, "What did you just say?"

Sirius smirks and stretches out against her blue sheets, feeling rather smug. Anytime he surprised her was a rare gift. A funny one at that. He chuckles and repeats, "Happy Birthday."

Her brow furrows, her mind running a mile a minute. No one knew her birthday. She frowns and demands flatly,

"How'd you know?"

Sirius snakes his hands up her back, slipping them under her shirt and playfully tapping his fingertips against her spine. He looks far to pleased with himself when he drawls, "What's that you always say?"

Her eyes narrow when he makes a triumphant noise in the back of his throat and continues smartly,

"Intuition."

Gwen rolls her eyes at his words, groaning when he pulls her back down to the bed. He laughs at her disgruntled face and coos, "Checkmate, Whitlock."

She blinks at him before saying blandly, "I don't play chess."

Sirius sighs exasperatedly, sounding like a child when he whines, "Can you just let me win? Once, that's all I'm asking."

Gwen's lips twitch and he grins at the sight, leaning in to peck her cheek, mumbling, "I never took you for a December birthday. You seem more like an April."

The Veela snorts and replies cheekily, "Don't tell me it's my warm and bubbly personality."

Sirius barks out a laugh, warming his hands on her bare skin before sliding them out from under the covers to play with her soft hair. He brushes back some of her unruly pieces and asks gently, "What do you want to do today, birthday girl?"

Gwen blinks before saying bluntly, "I'd like to have lunch with Regulus."

His smile fades slightly and he grunts, "No thank you."