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Sixth Year - 1977
"HEY, DELIA!"
Cordelia stops and turns to see Sirius jogging toward her. Slipping her back off of her shoulder, he shrugged it onto his own. She instantly grew suspicious when Sirius did things like this, because they were usually used to butter her up.
"What do you want?" She narrowed her eyes.
Sirius clutched his chest and gave her his best offended look, "Why do you assume I want something? I can't be a gentlemen?"
Her eyes narrowed even more. It didn't take long for his facade to fall, and he gave her a sheepish smile.
"Okay, fine. You got me," he sighed. "I have a proposition for you."
Oh, she was definitely suspicious now.
"Go on," Cordelia trailed off.
She watched him fiddle with the strap of her bag. Anyone could see the boy was nervous, but Cordelia had never seen him this way so openly. Sirius was very private with his emotions, and it was very unusual for him to be so unsettled in public.
She stopped and grabbed him by the elbow, questioning softly, "What's wrong?"
He swallowed and painted a false grin on his face.
"Go on a date with me."
Cordelia was suddenly very glad that she'd stopped walking, or she might have tripped.
"What did you just say?" She asked loudly. A few straggling students turned their way.
"Go on a date with me," he smirked, finding his usual confidence again. "You know you want to."
Crossing her arms indignantly, Cordelia hissed, "I am not one of your floozies."
She turned on her heel and began to march away, disregarding the fact that Sirius held her bag. Her face warmed with embarrassment, and she couldn't ignore the eyes she felt on her as she walked quickly through the hall.
Cordelia heard sound of pounding footsteps behind her growing closer, and she walked even faster. She made it to an empty hallway before she was grabbed by the waist and spun around.
"I mean it, Delia. I want to take you out," Sirius insisted. She blinked at him owlishly.
"You don't do commitment, Sirius," she stated matter-of-factly.
Nodding, he chuckled lowly, "That's fair, but I want to try."
Cordelia's heart lurched in her chest, because fuck, if that wasn't what she's wanted to hear for the past six years. Searching his face for any sign of a trick, she took a deep breath.
"I want to try," he repeated, surely.
Her resolve crumbled.
"Okay," she agreed.
-
Word travels fast in the castle. By dinner, everyone was talking about the scene in the hallway. Sirius asking Cordelia out and her storming away. It didn't take long for people to put two and two together that she did agreed, mostly because James told the entire Gryffindor House.
Cordelia sat beside Sirius at the Gryffindor table when Regulus approached them. The mask of indifference on his face gave nothing away.
"Can I speak with you?"
Sirius gave him a confused look, beginning to stand, "Uh, what-?"
"Not you," Regulus interrupted shortly. Cordelia rose slowly and followed him out of the crowded hall, giving Sirius a reassuring smile over her shoulder.
They exited the Great Hall, and Regulus scanned the corridor for any ears. Cordelia opened her mouth to ask him what he needed, but she faltered at the coldness in his face.
"Tell me you're not actually going out with my blood traitor of a brother," he spat. Cordelia flinched back at the venom in his voice.
Frowning, she began, "Regulus, don't say that."
Apparently, that was all Regulus needed to hear. He laughed bitterly, sneering at her in a way he never had before.
She was finally meeting Regulus, of the Most Noble and Ancient House of Black.
"Don't tell me you're that daft. You can't think he actually likes you."
Cordelia clenched her jaw and took a few steadying breaths.
"Regulus," she warned. "You're being mean." Her friend eyed her distastefully, turning his nose up at her.
"I don't know why you're angry with me, but-"
He didn't let her finish. The ice in his eyes melted into fiery anger, and she would've sworn she could see desperation in them.
"He's going to break your heart. He's going to leave you behind, and when you're trying to pick up the pieces he left behind," Regulus laughed hollowly. "Don't come to me for help."
He's going to break your heart.
Alarm bells rang in her head as she listened to him. He was angry. He was being a right wanker to her, but he was sad. It was plain as day on his face now.
He's going to leave you behind.
She knew the Black boys didn't get along, but it hadn't always been that way. Cordelia remembered Sirius telling them how excited he was for his baby brother to come to Hogwarts. She remembered how much he cried when Regulus was sorted into Slytherin.
"I thought you were smarter than that," Regulus growled in anger and defeat. He stormed away from her, but he didn't go back to the Great Hall. She watched him head toward the dungeons, frozen in shock.
Regulus Black, her friend, was scared Sirius was going to abandon her.
And as much as she loved Sirius, part of her resented him for how much he hurt his brother when he left without him.
