The Marauders: Year Three | #Wattys2016

Sniff Me, Mate

Sniff Me, Mate

"What did you do with her?" James asked, eyeing Sirius suspiciously as he put his books down on his trunk. Sirius was on his bed, looking at the wolf book while laying on his stomach and James had just run back from Transfiguration. He'd left Peter to help Remus up the stairs, he'd been so distracted by what was going on with Sirius and Evans that he hadn't even waited up for them, he'd just bolted off quick as he could.

Sirius sat up, "We just talked about Regulus and her sister, Petunia, is all," he said.

James narrowed his eyes.

"Really, James, that's it," Sirius said. He paused, "Well... no, no it's not it. But - listen, I swear it didn't mean anything - so don't overreact, but --"

"YOU SNOGGED HER DIDN'T YOU?" James shouted, flaring up immediately.

"NO!" Sirius yelled, and he waved his arms at James to calm down, "I didn't snog her - Merlin's beard that would be gross. I'm not gonna snog Evans. Calm yourself."

James took a deep breath, "Alright - if you didn't snog her, then what is it that didn't mean anything?"

"She hugged me."

James looked a little pained, though nowhere near as pained as he had when he'd gone off thinking Sirius had snogged her.

"Three times," Sirius added, in the name of being fully transparent.

James hesitated. "What was it like?"

"Squashy mostly," Sirius replied, "And tight. Think I might have bruises on my ribs." He paused. "She smells like strawberries."

"Oh I know she does!" James lamented and he dropped onto his bed, "And vanilla and flowers and sunshine and happiness and everything good in the world, like Christmas and my birthday all rolled up into one pretty, green eyed package with nice hips."

Sirius raised his eyebrow.

James looked up, "You aren't agreeing with me."

Sirius shrugged, "Sorry, mate, I just don't see her in the same light as you. She's alright for a girl, but I mean... she's just Evans."

"JUST EVANS!" James fell back again onto the bed. "Just Evans! Blimey! That's like saying it's just chocolate, or it's just Dumbledore, or it's just magic!"

Sirius snickered.

James moaned and laid there wallowing in his self-inflicted agony for a moment, then he sat up and looked at Sirius. "So I was right? There was something bothering her the other day, wasn't there?"

Sirius nodded, "There was. Her sister's been writing her nasty letters and she's really upset about it. She's had nightmares about it."

James frowned, "That must be the stuff she's omitting from her dream journal."

"Must be," Sirius said.

James sighed and fell back onto the mattress again, his hair puffing up in a ridiculous mess. "Ohhh man, Sirius, I want to be there for her so badly! DId you tell her I'd be there for her? She could hug me if she needed a hug! I'd hug her for all eternity if she wanted me to!"

"I actually did tell her," Sirius said, "But --"

James sighed. "She said no. She hates me. Blimey why does she gotta hate me?"

Sirius shrugged. "You do come off rather strong around her."

"She likes stupid Snivellus Snape," James pointed out.