Black as Night (Sirius Black)

The Past Is Gone But Something Might Be Found...

Song video "Hey Jealousy" by Gin Blossoms

The market was in walking distance, so Sirius and Colleen were able to enjoy the perfect summer morning along the way. She lived on a charming street with cafes and shops, lined with planter boxes filled with summer blooms. Sirius assumed her job in the legal profession must pay decently, but her late husband must have been successful as well for them to live in a neighborhood like this one. He clearly recalled the list of names he'd seen in the paper yesterday. Robert Gilmore. Hours ago he'd felt sympathy for the family Robert Gilmore would have left behind, and now he was walking the man's wife to the supermarket. It was surreal. And Sirius felt like a real wanker.

But he wasn't dissuaded— only delayed. Amortentia didn't lie, plus Sirius had already latched onto little things like her nervous laugh, the way she anxiously twirled her hair, and how each time she spoke to him she quickly averted her eyes. The woman had everything in the world to be confident about— she was a knockout— she had a child to love, a career, and a cheery flat in a perfect neighborhood. But her body language on the dance floor last night and her interactions with him today betrayed a shyness that Sirius couldn't wait to tease then erase.

"I made a list," he told her proudly as he followed her inside. He had even remembered sugar this time. "I found three recipes to try this week, then maybe I can get takeaway? You can tell me your favorite places..."

"Sirius," she interrupted. She had whirled around quickly and bumped into his chest. His arms instinctively rose to catch her but she backed away. "This is too fast."

"But we said..."

"You said. You have to realize this is nuts, right? You can't bring breakfast to a complete stranger then book them for dinner for the next four nights."

"Why not?"

Colleen's blue eyes just stared at him blankly. They were the purest blue he'd ever seen, angelic, delicate, but currently a bit frosty.

"Because it doesn't make sense."

"It doesn't have to." This was always the rub when someone from the magical world dated a Muggle— unexplainable things like the smell of a potion completely simplifying your life and telling you the deepest desire of your heart. It was so clear to Sirius, and he had no reservations; he had basically imprinted on her the minute he smelled her and was ready to play house. She obviously needed a slower pace, but Sirius had never been a patient person. At all. In his mind he had already waited twelve years in Azkaban and another three since; there was no more time to waste.

Robert Gilmore, he reminded himself again. Colleen had been visibly upset last night, but today he didn't necessarily feel sadness from her— just natural concern about Ben and about the overall bizarre nature of her day so far. He was curious of course about her husband; something didn't seem quite right, now that Sirius knew the man's death was so recent.

Colleen had already turned away from him and was silently moving down the aisles, throwing the week's basic essentials mindlessly in the shopping trolley as if her mind had decided to ignore him and hope he gave up. She was going to be disappointed.

"Tell you what," Sirius continued. "Give me the four dinners. As your friend. If you still want me to back off after that, I will. No questions asked. Deal?"

Colleen rolled her eyes. "As my friend," she repeated. "We have to be clear about that with Ben."

They had wandered into the spice aisle and Sirius reached around her to grab the items for the first dinner he had planned. "I will be a complete gentleman," he promised her. "Around Ben," he added in a lower voice, giving her a grin. It was a risk, but luckily it didn't go sour. She responded with a blush and a flustered sigh. There it was. He knew she had some fire within her— it just needed to be stoked.