One Step Ahead part I | Sirius Black

Chapter 90

Sirius puffs on his cigarette anxiously, stomping his feet to keep warm.

He could cast a warming charm, but he's scared to see if his hands would shake while reaching for his wand. He's fucking nervous. Terrified. Sure, they were already technically together, but this would be the first date he had planned for them. The first date he'd planned for anyone.

"Despite what they say, I'm not an evil manipulative beast."

Sirius jumps, whirling around while cursing profusely at being scared yet again by the Veela. She grins and continues, "You looked nervous. I wanted to reassure you."

Sirius scowls, goes to tell her off. But then his mouth runs dry, his eyes widening at the sight of her.

He soaks in her jean clad legs, her brown mittens. The midnight blue turtleneck that acts as a second skin, showing off every perfect curve and line of her body. He bites down on his lip, studying her twisted back hair. Beautiful. She was beautiful.

Gwen flushes and stands silently, waiting awkwardly while he finishes staring at her face. She'd been hesitant to use makeup. But Marlene had helped, dusting her eyes with a light brown that made them softer, more approachable. Sirius blinks, dumbfounded. He finally says lowly, "Do you have to tempt me, Whitlock?"

Gwen laughs, her head falling back slightly and her eyes crinkling in the corners. Sirius melts, pathetically turned to mush over this girl. She finally grins at him and quips, "That's all part of the fun, isn't it?"

Sirius just chuckles, shaking his head at the Veela. He hesitates before grabbing her hand and flicking his cigarette into the mud and stamping it out.

"Ready?" He asks nervously. Gwen smiles reassuringly and stands on her toes, bringing her lips to his. Sirius instantly relaxes, his hands moving to grab at the back of her sweater. Her lips quirk upwards and he sighs softly before he can stop it, his teeth gliding over her lip teasingly. She slowly pulls back, settles back down on the balls of her feet and says simply, "Now I'm ready."

Sirius' lips twitch into a happy grin and he pecks her lips once more before grabbing her mitten covered hand in his. She was getting alarmingly good at reassuring him. Gwen laughs and walks in step with him, grinning every time he playfully bumps her hip with his.

"So," Sirius starts, glancing at her sideways. "Fire, huh?"

Gwen crinkles her nose and shrugs, her cheeks pinking a little as she responds, "I don't know that I would consider it fire."

"It burnt your leg, didn't it?" Sirius questions, quirking a brow in her direction. She hesitates before nodding and relenting, "I mean there were flames. It just wasn't what I expected...though Dumbledore thinks with time it will become rather easy."

Sirius smirks and wonders, "Are you going to throw fire at me every time you get mad?"

Gwen bites back a laugh and replies, "Yes, I do believe that's the point."

Sirius chuckles and lets go of her hand, instead throwing his arm around her shoulders. His heart awkwardly thumps against his chest when she wraps her arm around his torso, keeping them pressed together as she continues to talk. He reckons she has no idea what she was doing to him, how she made him feel.

He's content to leave it that way for now, rather okay with finally being aware of something that she isn't. Though she winks at him when he holds the door open and she ducks into the three broomsticks. Maybe she knew more that she let on. Sirius smiles to himself and watches her pick a private table at the back. He grins and goes to the bar, cheering,

"Hello, Rosmerta!"

The woman turns and smiles warmly, asking, "Sirius, four butter beers?"

He shakes his head, laughing when her eyes grow wide as he says, "Just two. I'm out with my girl today."