What shouldn't have been

3.9

A few weeks after Christmas, me and Tonks sat at the table in the dining room. We both ate breakfast.

"I'm in a bit of a pickle", Tonks said.

"Me too", I said. "How bad is your situation".

"Bad".

"Same here. What's your situation?" I asked.

"I don't know if I should go first. It's really bad", Tonks said.

"So's mine. Come on. I'll go if you go", I said.

"Okay". Tonks took a deep breath. She spoke again. "I think I'm in love with my cousin's best friend".

"Okay. Mine is sort of the same, but it's a switch. I'm in love with my best friend's cousin", I said.

"Who's your..." Tonks' eyes widened when she had realized who I was speaking about.

"Sirius?" Tonks asked.

"Remus?" I asked.

"Yes?"

We both jumped. Sirius and Remus were standing by the doorway. "Hey. Uh, Sirius, can I talk to you?" I asked.

"Are we ready to have this talk?" Sirius asked. He knew what our conversation was going to be about.

I nodded. "You promised we'd talk about it", I said.

"That, I did", Sirius said.

I stood up. I joined Sirius in the hallway while Remus took my seat at the table.

"That dream you had, you said wanted it to be real", Sirius said.

"And it happened. We kissed. I wanted to tell you about my dream, but I didn't know how. I didn't want to tell you while I was poisoned", I said.

"Haylie, this...we can't happen", Sirius said.

"And yet, you kissed me during the holidays", I said.

"Well, I've had time to think about it then. What would your father say?"

"Since when you care about what my father says?"

"I don't".

"Well, neither do I", I said, getting angry. "Sirius, I don't care what he says".

"Haylie, a life with me is not going be a happy life", Sirius argued.

"Then, we can make it work", I assured him.

"I'm too old for you".

"I don't care".

"I'm a wanted man. Do you really want to be trapped here with me? Is that the kind of life you want?"

"Okay, now you're just making me angry. How could you spend the whole holiday, giving me hope only to tell me we can't be together", I argued. "As long as I'm with you, I don't care".

"You should should care, Haylie!" Sirius shouted.

"Well, I don't!" I shouted back.

"Why not?!"

"Because I'm in love with you!"

"Well, I'm in love with you too!"

"Then, why won't you admit?!"

"Because I'm not the right person for you!"

I pulled out my wand. Despite how angry I was, I thought of a happy memory.

"Expecto Patronum", I said.

A dog, which looked almost similar to Sirius's Animagus, flew around us.

"My patronus used to be a fox. Now, it's a dog. The only way it could've changed is if I fell in love with someone. And I've fallen in love with you, Sirius Black", I said.

"I need you to listen to me, Hayles".

"No!" I snapped.

"Hayles. I'm too old for you, I'm wanted by the Ministry and we both know your father wouldn't want this for you", Sirius said.

"That's not something my father can decide", I said. "So that's it? You're going to leave me? Like Cedric did?"

"Do not make me feel guilty".

"Oh, you're feeling guilty? Good", I snapped. "We're in love with each other. We were both happy here. What are you so afraid of?"

"I want you to live out your life with someone who deserves you more than I", Sirius said.

I heard the front door open. "Haylie. We have a mission. Where's Remus and Tonks?" Mad-eye asked.

I looked at Remus and Tonks. They got up and walked out of the kitchen. "We're here, Mad-eye", Remus said.

"We've got to get going", Mad-eye said. "Am I interrupting something? Haylie? Sirius?"

"No. We were just finishing up", I said. I turned away from Sirius and headed to the front door.