deceit - sirius black

ten

By Friday, the 13th of February, Adeline's cough had gone away completely, and Sabrina's was still present, but better. Not great, but well enough to trudge down the corridor and go to Potions, where the whole line outside was staring at the coughing mess that she was.

When the Marauders, as they called themselves, arrived late with Marlene and Lily complaining behind them, the awkwardly quiet corridor was suddenly filled with noise. Tripping each other up and laughing until it happened to them in retaliation was something the Gryffindor boys did often.

And when Sirius was sent falling onto none other than the only person to ever give him butterflies, he found it harder than usual to play it off charismatically. The way he had fallen, he had held onto Sabrina's shoulders for support, almost pulling her down with him.

"Hey." he smiled, moving one hand to instead rest on the wall behind her, and running the other through his hair, "You're back!"

"I'm back!" she smiled, less excitably than he had.

"Does that mean you'll be coming to Hogsmeade with me tomorrow?" he tilted his head and grinned like a child.

"No." Natalia answered for her, without even looking away from where she supposedly mindlessly stared at the wall opposite her.

"Nat-"

"Your cold will never get better if you go out in the snow." she said sternly, glaring at the two.

"It's fine," Sirius said, "We'll just do something inside instead. I'll pick you up outside your Common Room at four."

"Do I get to know what we're doing?"

"Nope." he said, tapping her nose, "It's a surprise."

Smiling at his gesture, she glanced over at Adeline, who stood talking to and laughing with Remus a little way down the corridor. An idea popping into Sabrina's head and a subtle smirk onto her features, she made a note to speak to Adeline once the class was over.

Her and Sirius sat together once again, hardly a second passing without at least one of them making a joke so bad it was funny. Natalia, who would usually sit with Adeline or Sabrina, but couldn't considering they were sitting with Sirius and Remus, had taken the opportunity to sit by Marlene McKinnon, who she was now officially going to Hogsmeade with the following day.

"Remember your cauldrons tomorrow!" Professor Slughorn shouted after them as the class disbanded, "We're making love potions!"

Sabrina said a hasty goodbye to Sirius, who had accidentally kissed her forehead when she'd turned around and bumped into him, although she hadn't had time to think about it as she rushed towards Adeline, who was arranging where she'd meet Remus the following day.

"Ads," she said, slightly out of breath, "How are things with Remus?"

"Alright, why?"

"Well, I was thinking that you could maybe talk to him about me and Sirius and make sure I'm getting somewhere?" she blurted.

"Why would the topic of you and Sirius come up?"

"Just, if it does." Sabrina shrugged, "Please?"

"Alright." Adeline sighed.

"Thank you!" she exclaimed, not noticing that her friend seemed upset with her request, and changing the topic of conversation as if it were nothing.

***

Sabrina was awoken on Saturday the 14th by the sound of her two roommates moving about and getting ready for their days in Hogsmeade. Checking the time, she saw it was only eleven o'clock, and she had hours before she needed to get up, but sat up anyways, wrapping herself in her duvet.