Another Marauder - Sirius Black

The Feeling's Mutual

*1979 (over a year later)*

"You look absolutely stunning," I whisper in awe as Lily shyly steps into view. Her beautiful white gown is one of simple detail that flows elegantly to the floor in drapes of silk. Her hair is covered yet not hidden under a thin veil and her emerald eyes gleam with excitement and nerves.

"Is it too much? I think it is, maybe I'll go change." Lily mutters, fidgeting nervously with her veil.

"Hey, it took me like half an hour to get that thing on, cut it out." I laugh as I step forward, tapping her hands away from her hair.

"Merlin's beard I'm nervous, I think I might faint," Lily whispers.

"Relax Lil, everything's going to be fine. But don't faint or James'll cry," I smirk at her and hand her the elegant arrangement of roses. The poetic suggestion of a lily bouquet was shunned due to Lily's ironic yet severe allergies towards the flower.
Lily manages a feeble laugh and some of her nervous body language fades slightly.

"Trust me, Lily, he loves you so much and I'm sure that feeling is sickeningly mutual." I wink at her and she rolls her eyes but can't hide her smile as the music in the hall begins to play.

"Don't be nervous Lil, James loves you, more than anything, and besides I'll be right there with you, how much better could it be?" I hug her quickly and she laughs before I dash out the back and into the line outside where the groomsmen and bridesmaids waited. There weren't many of us, considering the wedding was only a small affair, so I spot Sirius and Remus quickly.

"Hey, you," I whisper to Sirius as I loop my arm through his, smiling at Remus.

"Finally you show, what took you so long? Get cold feet?" Sirius grins looking annoyingly pleased with his shitty joke.

"No, dumbass, I was with Lily."

"Well you look surprisingly good, some might even say drop-dead stunning," Sirius winks.

"Well if by 'some' you mean you, then thanks, you too." I roll my eyes, smirking slightly.

"Gotta go that's my cue," Remus says, squeezing my shoulder before passing us and holding out his arm to Marlene who shoots me an enthusiastic wave before turning back to Remus.

They walk through the hall together, parting ways at the altar to stand at either side.

"Alright, we're up," Sirius whispers as he plants a quick kiss against my temple, leading me steadily down the aisle.

James looms into view, grinning annoyingly at us as he had since sixth year and I just roll my eyes, unable to keep from smiling. He looks nervous, but his eyes are gleaming and his elated smile doesn't falter, handsome and excited with hair that's slightly more tamed than usual. He wears a similar set of dress robes to Sirius, Remus and Peter and my dress is one of pale gold that mimics the other girls' dresses as I was proudly Lily's Maid of Honour.

Sirius and I part ways as he stands behind James as his best man, looking the happiest he had in a long time. Besides James, no one had been more elated by Lily and James' relationship than Sirius himself. He and James were practically brothers, and nothing in the world could ever change that. I can't help but give him another smile before our attention is drawn back to the aisle.

With a flourish of the music, we see her. Lily glides down the aisle with her arm wrapped around her smiling father's as her own smile radiates through the room, brightening all the faces of the now standing admirers. As all eyes trail on Lily, I turn back to James. He's beaming as he stares at Lily as though blind to all else in the world.

It had only been about a year, but in that time something had changed between them. He was no longer the guy who made her roll her eyes and grumble about arrogant boys. He was the guy who had spent seventh-year growing up, the guy that Lily saw was selfless, caring and loyal to a fault.  They had completely and utterly fallen in love, willfully trapped in a moment where they were blind to all else, unable and unwilling to ever look past one another again. And, after all, she'd never hated him, not really.

The ceremony passed breezily and by the end of it, I doubt there was a dry eye in the crowd. As James kisses Lily, an admirable round of applause echoed through the room, soon followed with a round of laughter as he sweeps her up and carries her bridal style back down the aisle outside to the 'piss and party area' (as Sirius had so charmingly named the marque).

The music and happiness were a pleasing and much-needed change from the recent darkness of late and seeing James and Lily dance together distracted everyone from anything at all. I don't think I've ever felt as purely happy as I do at this moment, watching Lily and James hold each other, perfectly safe in such a dangerous world.

"Up for a dance?" Sirius asks, appearing suddenly at my side. I set down my drink and happily take his hand as he leads me across the room.

"I'm so happy for them," I say as we sink into the rhythm of the slow melody, the twinkling lights around us hazing into a golden glow.

"Me too, I've never seen two people so crazy about each other." Sirius laughs.

"I have." Remus chirps in quickly before continuing past us -drinks in hand- before either of us can hit him.

"Sadly he has a point." Sirius sighs before looking back at me. I laugh, nodding my head.

"I know things are getting harder as time passes, Av, but in all the confusion I know I can see one thing crystal clear," Sirius says quietly, his beautiful eyes never leaving my own. "We've been together over a year now and I don't want that to end, I really don't." He continues.

"I know, neither do I," I say, not afraid of my words, not afraid of anything in this moment.

"I love you, Avianna Willow." Sirius smiles, his voice low enough for only us to hear his first confession, my first to ever be directed at me.

It's with that blazing feeling in my stomach that I look up at him, wanting nothing more than to stay this way forever.

"I wanted to say that first." I say, smiling before reaching up to kiss him for what definitely wasn't the first time and certainly wasn't the last. His hand presses into the small of my back as he pulls me closer. The music and voices around us blend lazily into the summer afternoon's fading glow and it's only Sirius' lips that I'm aware of now; soft and warm against my own. Reassuring me of what I had known for a long time, and nothing that would happen could change what I feel now. It's a long moment before I pull away, my eyes trailing up to meet his own. Like the grey calm before the storm ahead.

"I love you, Sirius Black."