Severus Snape: The Half Blood Prince

*(66) Inn Trouble

"This is going to be a long three days," she teased back, trying to ignore the butterflies that had suddenly taken residence in her stomach at the thought of sharing such close quarters with Sirius.

"Might as well make it last then, right?" Sirius chuckled, the sound of his laughter filling the room like a warm, comforting embrace. He stood up and casually tossed his jacket onto the chair next to the bed he had claimed as his own. The room was slowly warming up as the day progressed, the sun casting a gentle glow through the window. With mid-afternoon approaching, there was no need to be bundled up any further, and Sophie followed suit, unbuttoning the topmost button of her blouse to allow some refreshing air to caress her skin.

Together, they unpacked their belongings, finding the perfect spots for everything. Sophie neatly arranged her night clothing on the bed, planning ahead for their return so she could change easily without searching through her belongings. However, a tinge of embarrassment washed over her as she realized what she had packed for her sleepwear. Now that she knew Sirius would be mere inches away, rather than a few meters, her choice seemed a bit revealing. Nevertheless, she couldn't help but acknowledge that they would compliment all her features.

Sitting down on the bed, Sophie patiently waited for Sirius to finish unpacking. To her surprise, she had managed to finish first for once in her life. As Sirius turned around and greeted her with that tender smile, her heart skipped a beat. He threw his hands to his sides and cocked an eyebrow playfully, "Ready for more fun, are we?" He asked playfully.

"Absolutely," she replied with a grin. "If we hit up Zonko's now, everything will be freshly stocked, and there won't be as many people."

"Lead the way," Sirius said, raising his arm with a gesture for her to take the lead. He knew the way well, but he enjoyed watching her take charge. The walk to Zonko's was filled with a sense of quiet intimacy compared to their lively chat at The Three Broomsticks. They exchanged stories and shared snippets of their lives, each revelation deepening the connection between them.

Every time Sirius glanced at her, his heart swelled with admiration and regret. All he could notice were the scars that adorned her body, remnants of their shared past. 'Those damn scars,' he thought, guilt weighing heavily on his heart. He felt like he had blemished the most beautiful rose in the garden, and he feared that her shine would never fully glow again. But deep down, he hoped that in time, he could help her heal those wounds and bring back the radiance she deserved.

She opened the door to Zonko's, and as they entered, their hands brushed gently, sending a subtle shiver down Sophie's spine. The shop was bustling with activity, the shelves being restocked and adorned with festive decorations for the fall season. A myriad of whimsical products filled the space, including pumpkin juice pellets that transformed into pumpkins upon contact with water and masks that took on a mischievous life of their own when worn.

Amidst the enchanting chaos, Sophie couldn't help but laugh at the sight of every magical confection. Her eyes sparkled with delight, but one product, in particular, caught her fancy—the sugar quills. She marveled at their unique quality, enchanted to take on the flavor most needed in the moment of consumption. Gathering as many as she could in her hands, she was ready to make her purchase. As Sophie paid for her selection, her generosity didn't go unnoticed, and the grateful shopkeeper thanked her warmly.

Meanwhile, Sirius strolled through the shop, reminiscing about the countless pranks he had pulled during his Hogwarts days. He mused on the idea of pranking Sophie, but his playful demeanor quickly shifted as he valued their time together too much to risk ruining their weekend.

"Thinking about pranking me, are you?" She asked as she nudged Sirius' shoulder as he stared at a few new scents of drink pellets that the owner was stocking the shelves with.