Shooting Star

Chapter Nine

We sat in my room, the door closed, listening to music. I made him listen to Handel's Hallelujah Chorus from the Messiah twice.
"What is it?" He asked.
"Beauty."
"So you've said."
"Speaking of God." I said. "We're going to church tomorrow morning."
"What's that?"
"Shh, this is my favorite part." I held up my hand and listened to the voices sing "For the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth". When that part finished, I started talking again. "Well, there's a God. You know, omnipotent, omniscient, omni--"
"I don't know what any of that means."
"There's an all powerful, all knowing God ruling the universe. And we just go and listen to a fancy-dressed man tell us what he knows about Him. Or what he thinks he knows."
"Oh. Okay. Who is he?"
"God or the Archbishop?"
"Both, I guess."
"The Bishop is just a priest. He's just a man. God is..." What is God?
"God is...?" He prompted.
"Love." I finally said.
"Love?"
"Love."
"Meaning?" He raised his eyebrows.
"That He's the epitome of love. But not just love, love. Unconditional. You know?"
"Sure." He said.
He didn't, though. He'd see eventually.
"And again. We can't say anything about the wizard world or anything. It's kind of... Uh, sacrilegious."
"Oh." He said awkwardly. "Okay."
"Yeah. Oh well. I figure that if God created us, we can't be that sinful."
"You believe all that?"
"Of course."
"Does your sister?"
"No." I took the needle off. "Okay, your turn."
"This is Def Leppard." He said.
"This is sinful." I laughed after a verse.
"I have more."
"I'm sure."
I played Beethoven's 5th Symphony next. I figured it was more his thing.
"This isn't half bad. You rebellious girl, you." He grinned.
"Ha." I rolled my eyes.
"Now, this is my favorite song." He said as he was about to play a song.
"Oh, God." I said. I'm gonna go to Hell if we keep listening to this stuff.
"It's by a band called AC/DC. They're amazing. You'll hate them."
"Why?" I asked naively.
"What is this?" I stared at him with wide eyes.
"You Shook Me All Night Long." He winked.
"This is terrible." I tried not to smile. I think I like this song. His voice is nice, if nothing else.
"Don't deny that you love it."
"It isn't bad." I admitted.
"Ha! You love it!"
Someone knocked on the door as I was playing Ode to Joy. "Come in." I called, unbelievably thankful that they hadn't come on one of Sirius' songs.
"Time to go." Dad said.
"Where's Natalie?" I asked as we got in the car.
"At her friend's." Mum said casually.
We all knew that she had just not wanted to be with me and Sirius.
It was a nice dinner, it really was. This sounds bad, but it's because Natalie wasn't there.
"What are your grades?" My father asked Sirius.
"Mostly A's." He said.
It was true. He did have mostly A's. My parents just didn't know that A stood for acceptable. Or that they were only that good because I made him 'try.' He really could do better if he actually tried. He isn't stupid. He just refuses to try. My parents don't need to know any of that, though. I had always just told them I had A's, not wanting to have to explain it all.
Dad nodded.
It was nice having a good dinner with my family. We honestly hadn't had one in the longest time. Sirius seemed to actually enjoy it as well.
We got ice cream after, then we went home and watched The Rocky Horror Picture show (on my request, just to mess with Sirius).
"Oh my God." He said, a phrase he'd picked up from me. His eyes were wide, and he looked at me like I was crazy.
I stifled a laugh. "It's no worse than your music." I bit back a smile.
Dad left in the middle of it. He hated that movie. Mum secretly loved it, I was sure. I think Sirius enjoyed it a little bit, once he got over the shock of me showing it to him.
Then it got to the actual sex part: the part where Doctor Frankenfurter went to Brad's and Janet's rooms. Both times, Sirius jerked his head to look at me like I was crazy. "You watch this with your mum?" He mouthed, eyes wide.
I nodded and shrugged. Why not? She'd started it.
After the movie was over, Mum told us goodnight and kissed us both on the cheek. I think she felt bad for Sirius. She must really have liked him, though. She'd hardly even spoken to any of Natalie's boyfriends. But then again, Natalie hadn't really brought them around much.
"Oh, Merlin." Sirius said when she left. "You watch that with your mother?"
"Yeah. She had me watch it for the first time."
"Your parents watch that?"
"Yeah." I nodded.
And guess who was drunk this time? Natalie.
Yes. Natalie came home drunk.
And guess who it was that got her up to her room quietly and helped her shower and change, so mum and dad wouldn't find out? Who put aspirin and water beside her bed? The freak.
Sirius watched from the doorway. Not the shower and changing and stuff. He hadn't even joked around about watching, picking up on my irritation.
"No. Get in the bed." I snapped.
"I don't wanna." She fought me. "Get your hands off me, freak."
"Then get in the damn bed."
Glaring at me, she got in her bed.
I'd never been in her bedroom. Not since I was eight or so, at least. It was beige. It was pink last time I was in it. Hot pink.
"Your boyfriend's hot." She told me.
"I'm aware." I said shortly.
"Thanks." Sirius grinned. I shot him a glare, but he just shrugged.
"You're welcome." She said haughtily.
"Goodnight." I said.
"Don't talk to me."
I resisted the urge to slam the door on my way out.
"Who's my little saint?" Sirius smiled and pinched my cheek.
"If by saint you mean someone on the verge of murder, that would be me."
He smiled and kissed me. "Goodnight.
"Goodnight."