Everything to Me

24.

Remus walked in to the Three Broomsticks with Amethyst and spotted Juli and Peter. Peter seemed to be enjoying himself but Juli didn't look very comfortable.

"Maybe we should help Juli." Amethyst whispered to Remus.

Remus observed them carefully, wondering if he should interrupt their date or not. He said after a moment, "Yeah, she looks miserable."

They both ordered butterbeers and walked towards Juli's and Peter's table. He was telling her about something but she had zoned out and kept nodding every once in a while.

"Mind if we join you? We ordered for everyone." Remus asked, subtly nudging Juli and bringing her back to them.

Peter's gaze fell on Amethyst and he made space for them to sit. Remus sat down beside Juli and gave her an apologetic look. She looked like she was not being herself.

"Remus has told us a lot about you." Peter said to Amethyst.

"All good things, I hope?" They blushed.

"Indeed."

"I hope to meet your other friends, too." Amethyst smiled.

Juli attempted to do the same but she wasn't sure if she could bear to see Sirius.

"Oh, yes.... You will love Sirius and James." Peter replied.

It was clear to Amethyst that he thought highly of James and Sirius.

Their butterbeers arrived and they sat in awkward silence, not knowing what to say.

"Did you happen to seem them?" Peter asked.

Remus shook his head, not wanting to talk about Sirius in front of Juli but Peter wanted to fill the silence by doing the opposite. "So... Sirius smoking and all, huh..." He didn't know where he was going with this.

"Yeah, it's bad." Remus replied.

Juli was so worried for him. How could he be smoking? Does he not know how harmful it is? "Why is he doing it?"

"He claims it helps him cope." This was the one thing about Sirius that Peter wasn't too happy about.

"Right," Juli said, getting up. "Do you mind if I go and take a walk? Clear my head?" She looked at Remus. She couldn't talk about Sirius anymore.

"Of course, Juli." Peter responded.

Juli saw James walking in without Sirius. She sighed in relief and thought that he might have gone back to the school.

She went to meet him before leaving. "How'd it go?" James asked her.

"Awkward and okay." James looked at Peter and saw him waving at him. "I need some fresh air. I'll see you back in the common room." She told him.

She waved everyone goodbye and left. She started walking towards the castle, thinking about Sirius.

She reached the castle walking and started towards the library. The entire castle was almost empty and the first and the second years were in their common rooms. "Can you at least watch where you are going?" Someone had bumped into her and she hadn't even realized. Looking at the person, she realized it was Sirius. Anger rose in her at his sight.

"You could have watched, too. Or were you too busy kissing girls?" She shot back.

Sirius was stunned at her words. "Looks like you finally got time from your date."

"Right, of course I did. At least I don't smoke and lie about the reason."

"I cannot believe you went there." He exclaimed.

"Well, I am not wrong, am I?" She asked.

His hands were balled in fists and knuckles almost white with the pressure. "I did not lie about anything to anyone."

"Then please tell me what are you coping up with. Exam and OWLs stress? No way. Maybe you are coping being with all those girls." She stopped abruptly, realizing what she had said. Her own words had hurt her.

Sirius had now had enough. He pushed her against a wall, tightly grasping her shoulders. "Don't you get it?" He said. He sounded hurt.

"Get off of me. You are hurting me."

He didn't let her go, "I am trying to cope with what you have done to me over the summer."

She tried to break free but he pushed her back. "What I did?" She tried to remove his hands from her shoulder. "You are the playboy. You kissed me and then have been running off and snogging girls."

Sirius' grip loosened at her words. She knew she had made a mistake when he lowered his gaze and backed away.

"I... I didn't mean it that way." She justified.

"Doesn't matter." His voice was gentle.

"It does. I am sorry. Our kiss... it was... I don't know."

Sirius looked up at her "Is that why you have been hanging with my brother? Because the kiss couldn't mean anything?"

"He is just a friend, Sirius. How could you?"

"How could I not, Juliette?" He had raised his voice again. "Why can't you see it?"

"See what? How happy you are with your girls?" She didn't realize she was crying until tears rolled down and her cheeks felt wet.

That seemed to soften Sirius. "Juliette, I have never felt about anyone the way I feel about you. I could not see you on date with Peter." He sighed sadly. "I have not kissed anyone since summer. I swear." Juli was now looking intently with him. "I cannot not be with you, Juliette. I just cannot sit there knowing that you are dating guys who hurt you."

He looked at her and she noticed that his eyes were filled, too. Without thinking twice, she brought her face closer to his. Tears were still flowing down her cheeks. She had been away from him for too long now. Cupping his face in her hands, she kissed him. A kiss which made everything right in the world. In their worlds.

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