𝙥𝙖𝙡𝙚 𝙖𝙦𝙪𝙖 ➪ 𝗆𝖺𝗋𝖺𝗎𝖽𝖾𝗋𝗌

𝐶𝐻𝐴𝑃𝑇𝐸𝑅 𝑇𝐸𝑁

➪ 𝗥𝗔𝗪 𝗦𝗜𝗘𝗡𝗡𝗔 ➪

"YOU LOOK NICE."

Loki jumped at two sudden hands placing themselves on her shoulder. Nicolas laughed loudly as she spun around. Sirius cracked an amused grin at her. Loki flushed, tightly gripping the strap of her messenger bag.

"Thank–thank you," Loki mumbled. She looked him up and down. "You look nice, too."

Sirius looked down at his outfit with a smile. He wore a white shirt with some sort of graphic on it underneath a leather jacket. He also wore a pair of well-worn jeans. On his unruly hair, he had put on a beanie.

"Good enough for another drawing?" He smirked, peering back up at her through his lashes.

"That's not going to go away, Loki," Nicolas laughed.

"I know," she groaned, burying her face in her scarf.

"Oh, and here's the other one!" Nicolas spoke. Loki looked back up, drinking in the taller male's appearance.

He wore a simple tattered brown jacket, a light yellow and white pattern shirt underneath. His pale blue jeans complemented the rest of his ensemble perfectly. Remus smiled at her, giving the group a wave.

"Morning," he said. "Peter and James should be here soon, I had to wake them up right before I left."

Loki nodded. She smiled back at him and turned her green eyes to anywhere else in the courtyard. Sirius and Remus couldn't help but frown at her action

"Nicolas!" Loki squealed and jumped back when a blonde girl suddenly rushed up to the boy she called out for. "Hi!"

Loki stared wide-eyed as the blonde embraced her best friend. When they pulled away, Loki had to take a step towards Sirius to avoid getting hit with her long hair. The strange girl pecked the brunette's cheek and gave him a dashing grin. That's when Loki realised it was the same Gryffindor that was in her Potions class she helped.

"Oh!" The blonde girl suddenly perked up at the sight of Loki. "You're, um... uh..." She frowned as she tried to remember Loki's name.

"I'm Loki Hawthorne," she introduced. The blonde clicked at her and nodded.

"That's right! I'm Lydia. Lydia Morice." Lydia held out her hand toward the raven-haired girl. Loki paused before accepting, giving it a soft shake. "I bet you're wondering how I know Nic."

"Yeah. Just a little," Loki replied quietly.

"Oh, well, I uh kind of always had a little tiny crush on him," Lydia admitted, her cheeks donning a slight pink. "And we just met in the library a little while ago."

"We immediately hit it off," Nicolas continued, a half-smile on his face as he spoke to Loki. Loki smiled widely at the couple.

"That sounds wonderful," she said, "I'm really glad for you."

Lydia thanked the girl and grabbed Nicolas's hand. At the sight, Loki couldn't help but feel her heart deflate a little. She looked at her own hands, interlacing them.

"Gah!" There was the sound of loud footfalls as James and Peter appeared panting beside Remus. "We... Wooh! We ma–made... It." James huffed. "Merlin, that was a workout."

"You're on the Quidditch team, mate," Nicolas pointed out with a cocky grin, "you should be fitter than that."

"I'm fitter than you, anyway," James retorted with a smirk. Loki swallowed the lump in her throat at the competitiveness in the two boys' eyes. "But that's beside the point," he grinned suddenly. "Man, I can't wait to get to Hogsmeade."

From beside Sirius, Loki could hear Remus chuckle. She looked over just as he rolled his hazel eyes. Her heart fluttered at the sight of the grin on his face.

"All students going to Hogsmeade, please follow me," McGonagall called out to everyone.

Slowly, each student made their way to the carriages. They'd already broken off into groups of five or six. Loki frowned, unsure is whether she should go with Nicolas and Lydia or the self-proclaimed 'Marauders'. Sirius quickly helped the girl decide as he swung his arm over her shoulder and kept her next to him.

Loki was sure her face was bright red, but if Sirius noticed, he didn't say anything. The girl's heart was practically bouncing out of her chest. Her entire body felt tense under his touch. She couldn't help but glance up at him.

He seemed completely unfazed as if it were normal. Which, to him, it probably was. He had many friends and admirers, while Loki only had Nicolas to hang out with until Sirius and Remus found her drawing.

Loki blushed harder at the memory.

"You good, Princess?" Loki snapped out of her daze to see the dark-haired boy frowning at her. "You're as red as a tomato."

"I–I–I'm good," she stuttered with a faint smile before turning away from him. She could feel his gaze on her for a few moments more, causing her palms to slightly sweat, but he quickly looked away.

Thank Merlin.

The four boys and only girl climbed up on the carriage. Loki happily sat beside Peter, opposite Sirius. She sent the boy beside her a grin and gained one in return. Her hands moved to tightly grip the small bag that she'd placed on her lap as the carriage began to move.

"Hey, Lo–Loki?" The girl turned to Peter with a questioning eyebrow raised.

"Hmm?"

"What are you do–doing in Hogsmeade today?" He queried.

"Uhh," Loki bit her lip. "I–I had plans to hang out with Remus a–and Sirius," she stuttered. Peter's eyes widened.

"Li–like–like a date?" He questioned. Loki squeaked, opening and closing her mouth as she struggled to speak.

"Yeah, Peter," Sirius butt in, "it's a date." He sent Loki a wink. "But Loki's only third-wheeling Remus and I." Now it was Peter's turn to squeak. James and Sirius laughed at the boy.

"Don't tease Peter," Remus sighed. "And Peter, you really shouldn't ask people those kinds of questions." He sent Loki a smile.

"Thanks," she peeped.

It wasn't a date, she told herself, it wasn't a date.