Shooting Star

Chapter Seven

I wasn't entirely sure how it started, but I was absolutely certain that it was Sirius Black that started it.
We had gone out into the woods behind my house, to a clearing beside a stream that I used to go to all the time. If we were going to drink, I didn't want my parents walking in on it. And yes, he did bring the firewhiskey. The bottle was sitting on a rock nearby, nearly untouched.
We were laying on the ground, snogging. It was cold, but it wasn't snowing. I unbuttoned his shirt.
I guess it took a minute to register. He jerked off of me, gasping, and pulling his shirt closed. "I told you, Taylor. You fuck me up."
"What's wrong?" I sat up. "Sirius, take off your shirt." I saw a stripe of red through the gap where his shirt came together.
"Nope. You've missed your chances for that." Notice how he said chances.
"Sirius." I said quietly.
"I don't want to show you."
"Show me." I said gently.
He let his shirt come apart.
"Sirius. Orion. Black."
He started buttoning his shirt back up.
"What are you doing?" I asked.
"What does it look like I'm doing, Taylor?"
"Why are you buttoning it up if it's just going to come off?"
"You don't want to have a long talk about emotions?" He gave me a weird look.
"Not until you want to."
"I. Love. You."
"You go from not saying it for years to saying it twice in one day." I smiled.
"As I said." He said, coming over to kiss me again. "You seriously fuck me up."
This was just too good to pass up. "Seriously, Sirius?"
He bowed his head, chuckling. "I set myself up for that one."
"Yeah, you did."
"I'm not having sex." I said as he pulled my shirt over my head.
"Okay." He kept kissing me, easing me back to lie down.
When he started kissing my neck, I forced myself to push him away. "I think that's enough." I whispered. I didn't mean to whisper, but that's how it came out.
"Oh, baby, I was just getting started." He grinned, but pecked my lips before sitting up. He looked me over. "Looking good, Taylor."
"Ha ha." I rolled my eyes again.
"Don't get too pissed." I warned as he grabbed the bottle. "My parents hate drinking." Mum did, at least...
"Me? Drunk? Never." He took a swig and passed it to me.
I laughed. I debated for a while if I should drink it or not.
But what the hell?
I took a swig too.
"Hey, careful." He said. "You don't drink much."
"I do too." I said. "Just not with you guys."
"We've spent all these years thinking you a prune! Why don't you drink with us? Do you know the fun we could have?"
"Exactly. Someone has to be responsible for your behavior."
"It doesn't kill to have some fun once in a while."
"You can have fun sober. I have fun when you guys drink."
"Does Lily know about this?"
"Yeah. She and I sneak out to the Three Broomsticks a lot."
"What. The. Hell. Does Remus know?"
"Yeah. He comes with us sometimes."
"He comes with you?"
"We're responsible. All of us find it more enjoyable than what you guys do."
"Moony drinks?"
"Of course."
"Why don't any of you drink with us?"
"As I said, we have to be responsible. We don't enjoy waking up with hangovers and not remembering anything."
"Oh, but it's the best." He laughed, taking a swig.
"Sirius Orion Black." I said again.
"What this time?"
"Your arm."
He looked down to his lacerated wrist. "Damn." He said, reaching for his shirt.
I will not cry, I repeated to myself as I grabbed his arm. "Sirius." I whispered.
"Can you please release me so I can put my shirt back on?" He said flatly, not looking at me.
"If you put yours back on, I'm putting mine back on too." I tried to act normal. I will not cry.
He paused, as if that was really a thing to consider in the matter.
I touched his cheek, leaned forward and kissed him. "I love you, Sirius." I said quietly.
He grabbed the bottle and took a swig. "No you don't."
"Yes I do, Sirius."
"Everybody says differently."
"That they don't love you or that I don't love you?"
"Both."
"Who says that?"
"My parents."
"They know about me?" I raised my eyebrows.
"I didn't tell them who you were, just that you were there."
"Where?"
"In my life."
"Well, they don't know me. I know me. And I love you."
"I love you too." He kissed me.
"Fair warning." I said. "My family's coming over for supper tonight."
"Oh, Merlin."
I laughed. "Don't worry, they aren't too bad. Just don't say anything about magic or anything. And my uncle will bring booze and offer it to us, but my parents will flip if we touch it."
"Damn." He smiled.
My mom was back when we came back inside. I transfigured the bottle into a water bottle. "Hello." She smiled when we came in. "What are you guys up to?"
"We went out to the creek." I said. "Where are Dad and Natalie?"
"She still has him shopping. I had to come home to start dinner."
"Do you need help?"
"Oh, no. You two run along. Have fun."
"I've got to answer letters." I told Sirius.
"Me too." He said.
So we went into our separate rooms.
Hey, Potter. Hope you're having a lovely Christmas. Thanks so much for the necklace, I love it.
Just one question, though. Is Black an alcoholic? Just wondering.
Love,
Eliza
"Can you take this to James Potter?" I told the owl still in my room as I tied it to his leg.
He flew off with a hoot.
I stared at Snape's letter. I wish he would leave me alone.
I heard you're dating Black. You should be careful. When he hurts you, what are you going to do? You know his family sides with the Dark Lord, correct? I always thought you'd end up with the werewolf.
Anyway. Happy Christmas. I hope your sister isn't too unbearable.
-Severus
All right. Well, that could have gone worse. I didn't know if he was being sarcastic with that last thing or not, but I decided to write him back. Mostly to defend Sirius and Remus, but also to say that I hoped his family wasn't too bad. I did feel bad for him.
Severus,
I am dating Black, and yes, I'm aware his family sides with Voldemort. I'm also aware that you do, too. At least Sirius isn't a Death Eater. Just because your family are Death Eaters doesn't mean you have to be, Sev. You had the choice, just as he did. He just proved himself to be better than you. And back off of Lupin. He's not a bloody werewolf. He's just sick. If you don't lay off him, I'll hex you into next week.
Happy Christmas. I hope your family isn't too terrible.
-Eliza
That wasn't too hard.