When with Rome {Sirius Black}

הַפסָקָה .51

The brief, blissful moment of time when Barbara witnessed her brother marry the woman he loved made her forget about all the problems she and her fiancé were about to face. As they returned to their shared house for the night, the couple tucked away together on the couch, making sure the blinds were closed. The hammering of the loud music ensured they would be up for most of the night and return to family; but Barbara knew Sirius enough to know that they needed to talk about his earlier news.

"Love, the party was just getting started! I didn't know your old man could dance like that--"

"Trust me," she interrupted with a shiver, "I didn't know either... and I wish I could un-witness him and mom."

"Hey, think about it like this: we'll be doing that someday for our kids at their weddings!"

Sirius clearly didn't want to say what he just voiced, judging by the face he made at his fiancée after it was too late; but Barbara just sighed. "I know now's not the best time, Sirius, but we can't keep avoiding this conversation, not in this war climate."

She looked into his grey eyes, feeling their intensity that shook her to the core. The one problem she couldn't bear about Sirius was that his eyes always held an intense stare in a serious conversation. They were pools of molten lava that appeared to be cool on the outside, but one wrong move could result in the fire surrounding the attacker.

As time slowly ticked, she watched Sirius search for the right words, but all he could say was, "What do you think?"

The problem was, Barbara didn't know what to think. She never thought about having children in her early twenties. Life was supposed to give her marriage in a few more years, children within the next ten, and a stable job as soon as she left Hogwarts. Instead, she would be a younger bride marrying the man she loved before one of them perished in a war; she had to make a quick decision with Sirius about kids: if they were worth having during a war for comfort or if they were worth waiting for to take care of after the war; she then committed herself to the cause and became a jobless Royal with the fate of two world depending on her.

Before she knew it, Barbara felt Sirius pulling her onto his lap, his head resting on her shoulder and his lips on her neck. "I know it's a lot of pressure, Love. If we could grow up before making all of these decisions, I wouldn't have planned pranks on James on his big night."

Barbara pulled Sirius's head away from hers and cupped his face so he could see her shocked eyes.

She squinted at his smirking face. "You did what now?"

"A few things," Sirius saw the look on her face and quickly added, "nothing dangerous! Just funny things like giving him broken dancing shoes right before we left."

"When you don't torment my brother on a special day is when he's conceiving a child."

"No promises," Sirius smirked, "maybe I'll add some itching potion to his drink."

Barbara smiled and shook her head at him, trying not to laugh at his antics. He grinned widely, "See what I did there, Love? I made you laugh. If I can make you smile any time during the war going on, every day is worth living to see this through."

A comfortable silence fell over the couple for a few minutes as they enjoyed each other's presence. The Royal knew they still had to let a few more things off their chest before they could return to the party, but soaked in the quiet atmosphere. "You know, it's harder finding a quiet, beautiful day with one or both of us gone nowadays."

"It is," Sirius hummed, "which is getting a bit rough. I know you're more qualified than I am in the field, but you scare me every time you leave."

It was weird for Barbara to hear Sirius talk about his emotions, as neither of them did it too often. The only emotions they usually expressed involved frustration with the Order's miscommunications and the deaths they could've prevented if Voldemort never rose to power.

"You know I don't like leaving you," Barbara replied after a few moments, "and I don't like seeing any of my loved ones fighting; but it's the right thing to do. The powerless cannot fight against their oppressor without help from the common-ground people."

"You sound like Dumbledore," Sirius responded, "and I don't know whether to call you 'Professor' or kiss you."

"Maybe a little bit of both later, Sirius," Barbara winked at him, "but I want to know how you're doing with the news form this morning."

His eyes darkened slightly, but the glint in his eyes didn't disappear. "Honestly, I'm okay, Barbara," the unbelieving look she gave him said otherwise, "I'm--"

"Sirius? Yes, I know who I'm marrying," Barbara pecked his lips, "but I don't believe you for a second."

"It was a bit shocking at first, Barb, but I'm honestly over it. They both had it coming to them, considering who they're for and against. Regulus was brainwashed, but a good kid. My dad was a coward; they're usually goners anyway."

"Do you want to try to go to the funeral--"

"Absolutely not," he interrupted her, "we'd both die there at my family's hands. It's better to be safe than sorry with them, Barbara."

"I'm surprised you of all people just said that," Barbara replied, chuckling. She felt herself being brought into another kiss, this one more passionate than the last.

She wanted to pull him closer, forget about the still hours-long dancing they had ahead of them for the afterparty; but she couldn't help but find her bond to James strengthen as she thought about him and Lily.

They were married after years of hatred, friendship, and love. She and Sirius had gone through a similar process towards where they were; and Barbara couldn't be happier. The couple guys she dated in Hogwarts never stood out to her as Sirius had. Once an arrogant, ladies man with nothing but pranks on his mind, he grew into a loyal, compassionate, prank-enthusiast.

Just Barbara's type.

"Let's get back to the party, Love," Sirius whispered, "or we'll miss the entire show of hexed dancing shoes."

First one to guess what the title means gets all my love and respect (or at least what's left of it after this awful year).

Xoxo

Also-- it feels so good to be writing again. Hopefully I'm able to finish this "book" before senior year ends (I'm a junior as of right now).