What Is and What Should Never Be | Sirius Black

21. Out The Window

I HAVE A temper. If it isn't noticeable, I implore that one takes a minute to recall all the times I snap and shut away from people in anger. It flares up usually when people say something about my friends, who, as Janie reminds me, I'm very protective over. Now, while I have a temper, I also cool off rather quickly, unless it consumes my entire being - like last year, when Remus stupidly thought I'd hate him if I found out he's a werewolf, and his solution was to drop me.

I also cool off rather quickly when Sirius is around, despite my mind telling me to punish myself for being mad, I can't help but relent at his attempts to cheer me up.

And I come out of the bathroom after a shower to find it's just Debbie in the room, doing her work. Nothing with her has miraculously changed over the summer, and I still feel like I'm walking on egg shells, but I try and ignore it.

I brought my clothes with me, but my shirt ended up getting wet, and I left my wand on my bed, so when I come out, it's just my bra on with my shorts, the soaked upper body garment in my hand. And I'm digging around my unmade sheets for my wand in order to dry it, when a short, urgent, whistle sounds - one used to catch someones attention. Debbie didn't make the noise, so I'm confused.

"Pst! Des."

I turn to see my Gryffindor friend crouching in the grass outside my open window. He's looking around frantically, as if he's expecting someone to pop up and catch him in the act of something.

"Sirius?" I ask, then remember I need to put a shirt on and Debbie's also in the room.

"Come here." He motions, then finally looks at me, and is seemingly unbothered by my lack of clothing.

My hand pulls out the first thing it finds from my trunk and I throw it on, which happens to be one of Remus' jumpers that I'm supposed to return. Oh well. I cast a quick glance to my roommate, who's pretending like nothing's happening, and walk over to my nightstand. Throwing a couple letters from it on to my bed, and moving over a replacement photo of Tina, Remus and I (replacement because Tina thought it was funny to draw a bushy moustache on me in the original), I hop on top so my face is level with the window. I rest my hands on the circular sill by my chin.

"Come outside."

"What the Helga are you doing here?" I speak in a low voice.

"Had to book it." He answers with a grin on his face.

"From who?" I'm utterly confused.

"Couple of professors." He shrugs it off. "Come outside."

"Let me get dressed." I shake my head and he pouts.

"You look bangin', come on." He whines and I give him a look. "Please?"

"Sirius." I say sternly and he huffs.

"Fine." He backs down. "Be quick - use the window - they're looking for me."

And he disappears. I sigh at his antics and get off my nightstand, going back to my trunk to find a top that matches my outfit and doesn't swallow my body whole. Not that Remus' jumpers aren't comfy - I wouldn't take them if they weren't - it's just I'll never get around to returning it to him if I keep wearing it.

"Just shag him in front of me, why dontcha?" Debbie mutters bitterly.

I freeze, hand over my trunk.

"Sorry?" I ask, my eyebrows raising.

"You heard me. We made a deal."

"Hey, Debbie." I say and she doesn't look at me. "Piss off."

No words come out of her mouth, but I go on.

"He's my friend, he's going to be in my life."

But she doesn't answer me again so I go on, pent up aggression at the way she's treating me finally coming out.