Walls - All Time Low
It was two years after graduation when Sirius saw her. The four boys sat around a table at the Leaky Cauldron, drinking and laughing, having a small moment to forget about the seriousness of what they were facing.
But all the jokes couldn't pull his eyes away from the bartender. She was familiar, but he couldn't quite place from where. She was breathtaking, he couldn't imagine why he didn't remember her.
"Hey, guys. Look at the girl there." He pointed in her direction as she was wiping down the counters. "Where was she from?"
Remus shook his head while James laughed.
"You're kidding right?" James managed to spit out.
"No, what's so funny?"
"Go talk to her, figure it out yourself."
"Maybe I will." James busted out laughing again as Sirius started walking toward the bar.
"You're going to get him smacked, James." Remus rolled his eyes. "I feel bad, she was a sweet girl."
Sirius took a seat at the bar, and smiled brightly at the girl in front of him.
"So what brings a beautiful girl like you to work in a place like this?" She rolled her eyes and shook her head.
"Not now, Sirius."
"Oh no? Well if you know my name, you at least owe me yours."
"You're kidding." She frowned.
"No, I'm Sirius." He grinned, pleased at his own joke.
"Well I'm Astrid. I would have thought you'd remember, considering we 'dated' for two years." She frowned and turned away from him to start putting the glasses away. "Bar closes in twenty minutes."
Sirius's eyes widened. He faltered, trying to think of a response but ended in a loss.
"Well, uh, hey there. It's good to see you again." Now that he knew, he could definitely place her, but she had grown so much. She matured into such a beautiful young woman.
"Just, please go sit down with your friends. And tell Remus I said hi." He felt like as ass, he couldn't remember the first thing about their relationship. But he obliged by her request.
———
A few weeks later, Sirius went back to the leaky cauldron on his own. He sat at the bar, hoping to see Astrid again. And she was there, but wouldn't give him the time of day.
When he ordered a drink, she would pour it without a response, pass it, and leave to the opposite end of the bar.
A few hours of their game of cat and mouse later, she was beginning to put glasses away, and Sirius knew he was wasted. No one else was at the bar, and he saw his chance.
"You know, Astrid, it never felt right calling us 'just friends' in school." She rolled her eyes at his slurred words.
"And so you asked me out just to cheat on me over and over for two years, and then completely forget about me?" He winched.
"Are you happy now?" He hiccuped at the end.
"What kind of question is that? Sirius you're drunk, go home."
"Are you happy with yourself? Doing well? Do you like working here? I'm happy if you're happy." He smiled and rested his head in the counter, closing his eyes. She frowned and turned away to go put more glasses under the bar.
"Can you help me?" He spoke up a few minutes later.
"With what?"
"I drove here."
