Winter In The Shade | Sirius Black x Female Ravenclaw Reader

VI

The distant chatter in the common room was nothing but a melody that accompanied your soft humming, moving around the room as you got ready. You found yourself alone in your dorm, your roommates long gone by then. You danced around your bed, your feet softly moving to the rhythm or the song stuck in your head as you laid your outfit for the night over the bed, a smile appearing on your face with an approving look. It wasn't nothing that would make you stand out, but by no means it was something you would wear on a normal day around the Castle. You put it on gently, walking to the mirror as your smile brightened, you looked beautiful. Something you felt confident in, comfortable to wear for the night. You fell to the chair in front of the mirror, getting the silver necklace that would finish off the look for the night.

One more look at your reflection and you stood, standing straight "You'll have fun." you said to yourself through the reflection "You'll have fun and make memories." Your smile fell, the knot in your stomach tightening as you said. "You'll find Sirius, dance and forget all this ever happened." But did you truly want to forget?

You couldn't deny that Sirius' request had filled you with excitement when you forced yourself to stop pretending you were upset. You weren't upset in the slightest, quite the opposite, actually. You were angry at yourself for feeling the way you did, for liking the interactions with Sirius even after you had asked him to stop. You had rolled your eyes when he flashed you with smiles from across the hall, glared at him when he sent dangerous winks in your direction while standing next to Regulus, you had turned on him and walked away when he crossed your path and even yanked your hand from your side as he brushed his hand against yours while walking through the halls. But there was no denying the butterflies waking up in your stomach when he smiled at you, the skip in your heart beat when you found him looking at you or the way your hand wanted to reach for the warmth of his. You were a confusing mess filled with guilt, what kind of friend will that make you?

You shook the thought from your head, looking at you one last time in the mirror before you left for the stairs of your common room. This is exactly why you're doing this, you reminded yourself, you're being a good friend. You repeated in your head as you descended to the common room, stopping in your steps "Reg?" you asked with a laugh, your voice high as he turned at the sound of your voice "What are you doing here?" you asked, hoping he didn't see your mind crashing inside your head.

"I thought I'll come here and walk you to the party like a proper date." he said, standing from the chair "Memories, remember?" he said, his features completely relaxed.

He wasn't supposed to be there.

You smiled at him "You didn't have to." you said, awkwardly placing your hands over his shoulders "You had something to do, didn't you?" you reminded him "A class or something."

He shook his head, the corner of his mouth lifting ever so slightly " I'll have time for that later, I only have today with you."

You tilted your head, looking up at him with a soft smile "Oh, Regulus." you whispered, lowering your hands as you wrapped your arms around his waist, his arms instantly holding you against him "You really didn't have to." you muttered.

"I think my best friend is more important than my tasks." he said.

You frowned "Tasks?" you asked, moving to look back at him.

"Nothing important," he told you "Shall we?" he moved to offer you his arm, one you gladly took as he led you outside. Walking in silence for a couple of minutes before you turned to him "Who let you inside my common room?" you asked, squinting at him.

He raised his eyebrows with a shrug "Myself," he said simply "Answering a riddle, really? No wonder everyone is in and out of that common room."

"Regulus!" you said with a squeal "Not everyone can answer those. It takes skill."