One Step Ahead part I | Sirius Black

Chapter 165

"Can I tell you a secret?"

Gwen smiles, the sun warming her face. She knows exactly who the voice belongs to, though she can't resist teasing, "I'm sorry, did you have an appointment scheduled?"

A scoff sounds from above where she's sprawled out in the soft grass, her arms and legs pushed out to the sides like she's making a snow angel. Her grin only grows when she feels him settle in beside her, finally relenting and saying, "You can tell me anything, James."

She opens her eyes, blinking to adjust to the light as she turns her head to the left. James is laying on his stomach beside her, his chin propped up in one hand. She quirks a brow at his nervous face, musing, "I've grown awfully tired of the guessing game, love."

"Fine!" He says exasperatedly, his head flopping down to rest in the grass. He mumbles to the Veela, "I'm nervous to meet Lily's parents."

"And why is that?" Gwen wonders, her eyes closing as she settles back into her spot. The gentle breeze tickles her face, her nose crinkling to hold back a sneeze.

"Because if they don't like me, I reckon they won't give me their permission to marry her."

Gwen's eyes snap open and she immediately rolls onto her stomach, wriggling around so she can face the spectacled boy with flushed cheeks.

Gwen holds up two fingers saying calmly, "First, we don't ask for permission, we ask for their blessing."

James nods his head up and down quickly, eyes wide like he's committing her words to memory. Gwen puts a finger down, leaving up her index to point at him, voice suddenly loud with excitement, "Second, this is the best and worst secret I've ever had to keep, Jamsie!"

James laughs when the Veela launches herself at him, her arms hugging him so tightly he struggles to inhale. He hugs her back anyway, grinning when she flops back down next to him. He can't resist teasing, "I don't think I've ever seen you so excited, love."

Gwen quirks a brow, her laugh carried by the gentle wind. She shakes her head, replying cheekily, "You just haven't been looking."

James grins and shrugs, plucking some grass and tossing it in her direction. Gwen rolls her eyes when it lands in her hair, wondering, "How long have you been thinking about this?"

"I knew that she was it for me as soon as we finished our first date," James replies easily, his face growing distant as he relives the happy memory. He shakes his head, cheeks flush as he admits, "But I've really been thinking about it for a week or so. I love her, Ninnie. And I don't want to wait for this war to get worse. I want to be married to the love of my life if I'm going to die."

Gwen frowns slightly, her face turning back up to the clouds. She couldn't say she disagreed with James. But he'd always known he'd marry Lily one day. Gwen never considered marriage before Sirius, and she only hopes he's willing to wait while she adjusts herself to the idea. She didn't want to get married before the war got worse. She wanted to get married when it was over.

She quickly shifts her mind back to James, asking gently, "Did you have a ring picked out?"

James sighs, replying begrudgingly, "No. I was going to ask Marlene if she might know what Lily would want. I seem to remember hearing that you got kicked out when Lily was getting ready for our first date."

Gwen grins and shrugs, her bored tone back as she says, "I've never been the one to ask for fashion advice."

"You'd think reading all those magazines would help," James retorts, reaching over to flick her nose. Gwen laughs, replying, "Yes, they've yet to provide anything worthwhile. Though they are undeniably enjoyable."

James smiles at her, his face growing softer. Gwen can tell he wants to say something to her, maybe even something about her. For as close as they'd become, he still kept a respectful distance when it came to talking about personal things. Perhaps because he knew it was hard for her to share past a certain extent. Evidently he summons some courage, his voice soft when he wonders, "Why don't you like to think about the future, Ninnie?"

Gwen tilts her head to the side, her lips twitching slightly at the question. She adored him, truly. She'd always gotten along with Peter and Remus, even before she and Sirius were friendly. But James she'd always been uncertain of. Until Sirius stopped pranking her and the group of friends grew closer. James was a bonus that she hadn't seen coming.

"I do," She finally answers, her eyes crinkling at the corners. "Perhaps I just don't like to share what I think."

James stares at her for a few beats of silence before letting out a dramatic groan and whining, "Why must you answer us with riddles, you tiny being?!"

"Because it's the only way she knows how,"

Gwen looks up at the voice, her smile blooming into a content grin when she sees Sirius towering over her. She stretches her arms out, twining their fingers together and pulling on his hand until he sighs and slumps down into the grass next to her.

James smirks when Sirius wraps his arms around the girl, burying his face in her hair and mumbling loudly, "What are you two gossiping about?"

Gwen and James share a quick look before she answers plainly, "When we think the first Order meeting will be."

Sirius lets out a irritable grunt at the mention of the organization, still blind to the eye rolls and looks that James and his Veela are sharing. He finally grows suspicious at the silence, lifting his head and catching James making a face just in time.

"Prongs!" Sirius cries exasperatedly. "You're supposed to be on my side!"

James quickly fixes his face, a stern expression taking over as he says, "I am! I hate Dumbledore!"

He quickly winces after saying it, looking up at the sky like the wizard would have heard and whispering furiously, "I'm just kidding! I don't hate you!"

"Who does James not hate?" Remus interrupts, plopping down next to the worried looking boy. Regulus appears just behind them, sitting down and crossing his legs while quirking a brow at Gwen. She grins, answering Remus, "He doesn't hate Dumbledore."

"Why would he hate Dumbledore?" Remus questions, his brow furrowing when Regulus replies, "But he doesn't hate him."

James blinks at his friends, suddenly saying, "Wait, now I'm confused."

Sirius smirks, muttering lowly in Gwen's ear, "Like that's a surprise."

The Veela presses her lips together to keep from laughing, moving to elbow Sirius in the side. He grabs her upper arm and stops her from making contact, chiding, "That's not very nice, Inferi."

His eyes grow wide when she asks mockingly, "Going to punish me for it?"

James, Remus and Regulus all make noises of disgust, earning a rather loud laugh from the blonde girl. Her giggles are contagious and Sirius soon finds himself grinning, hiding his face in the crook of her neck as he mutters, "Evil. Pure evil."

"You love it," Gwen replies playfully, biting her lip to keep from laughing further when he pinches her side.

She moves to elbow him again, more laughter bubbling from her as Sirius finally sighs and flips her over to tickle her sides, a reluctant grin on his face. 

Remus just shakes his head at the pair, turning to find James and Regulus looking at them with soft eyes. The werewolf snorts, wondering when he had given up his title as the resident softy.

James and Regulus seemed to be tied for the name now, both looking rather amused and happy with the couple play fighting in the grass.

{{filler but I love it. I can't resist :) I hope you enjoyed!!}}