One Step Ahead part I | Sirius Black

Chapter 145

{IM SORRY!!! It's taken forever for me to update :// I'm working on research and work and school so I'm trying I swear! I didn't edit BUT I think you guys will like this one. It makes me smile :)}

Gwen jumps when a rough palm slides against her own, fingers intertwining as Sirius tugs her up the hill and away from where they'd left their bikes.

Just like they had the first time they'd come to town.

The Veela can't help but smile at his excitement, his eyes sparkling with happiness and an easy grin tugging at his lips. She quickly looks away when he begins to turn his head, his chuckle a sure sign that he'd noticed her looking.

"What are we buying today, love?"

His question earns her attention once more, her pale eyes causing him to freeze for a second. He'd never grow used to the perception of her gaze. Nor the way her half smile made his heart flutter. The Veela shrugs, replying honestly, "Whatever we want."

Sirius laughs, squeezing her hand before pulling her deeper into the village. They pass the alley way where he'd snogged her over the summer, the fountain where they'd sat and ate the treats filled with lemon and dusted with sugar. Gwen bites back a laugh at the pleased look on his face when they happen across the lines of stalls filled with fresh fruits and baked goods, fresh fish and vegetables grown up on the hills where the sheep that Gwen liked to sometimes visit lived.

Sirius smiles and stands quietly while she begins shopping, her eyes sparkling with life as she purchases plums and melons and vegetables that he would've balked at two years ago. He rather liked them now, but only when she made them.

While the Veela converses happily with a man selling tiny cookies that look like clouds, Sirius' attention drifts elsewhere. His lips twitch into a grin when he spies the flower cart, his heart clenching at a particular one with deep blue petals that look almost purple.

He glances back at Gwen before walking over, rather sure that he could get the Veela blushing and flustered from the gift. He's nearly there when he stops short, a ball rolling into his leg and almost tripping him.

His brows furrow and he looks over to the left, eyes narrowing at the group of young kids as he grunts, "Oi, watch it!"

The kids, boys and girls alike just giggle and Sirius can't help but scowl, wondering what it is that's so funny. A boy with sandy blonde hair and brown eyes laughs,

"Il parle bizarrement!"
[He talks weird!]

Sirius can't help his juevnile retort, his foot claiming the ball when another boy tries to run over and kick it as Sirius says, "tu as l'air bizzare!" [you look weird!]

The kids all erupt with giggles and peals of laughter and Sirius mutters a curse under his breath before kicking the ball back to them gently. This time a little girl speaks, beckoning him over with a waving hand and wide eyes while she says, "Viens jouer!" [Come play!]

Sirius shifts uncomfortably, his eyes glancing back briefly where his girlfriend was still chatting with the man selling cookies. He huffs out a sigh, reckoning he can kick the stupid ball a few times and then go buy the flowers that remind him of the Ravenclaw blue she loves so much.

He nearly flinches when the little kids run over to him, the girl grabbing his hand and pulling him towards the open patch of dirt where they were kicking the ball around. He expects to have to only kick it once, to pretend to play. But the children have other plans. They all shout over each other, laughing and screeching and asking him hundreds of questions.

Sirius had never been around kids much. That much had to be apparent by the way he was trying to brush them off. He grunts when one of the kids pulls him down to crouch, the smallest of the children going to tug at his hair.

"Hey!" He says irritably, brushing their hands away. Another little girl screeches with laughter, this one still wobbly on her feet and so short she could be a house elf. He scowls when her chubby hands grab his hair again and pull, his eyes nearly crossing from the sharp pain. He's tempted to shout, and the words he wants to say are not appropriate for children.

Fortunately, a certain someone had noticed his plight.

"What are you doing?"

Sirius quickly looks up at the familiar voice, relief and embarrassment flooding him at the sight of Gwen's curious face.

"Help," He begs, groaning when a kid kicks his shin on accident while walking all over him. Gwen merely blinks before saying calmly,

"Votre attention, s'il vous plait."
[If I could have your attention, please]

Sirius feels like his eyes may bug out of his head when the children suddenly grow quiet, turning to face Gwen instead of harassing him. A few of them seem nervous, hiding behind Sirius' shoulder.

But then Gwen smiles faintly, her pale eyes crinkling at the corners. The scared kids relax and peer at her curiously and Sirius watches with something that resembles awe when the Veela reaches down and simply scoops up the youngest girl, balancing her on her hip and appraising the children with her blank stare.

She gestures for them to come closer and they do, the whole group of them shuffling to circle round the veela's legs while Sirius has to bite back a disbelieving laugh. Gwenyth Whitlock, good with children.

An oddity he hadn't been expecting.

He watches with a warm feeling growing in his chest when Gwen looks around before holding out her hand with a flat palm. The children watch with amazement as a pretty white flower grows out of thin air, the petals small and delicate. The little girl in her arms reaches for it, gasps and excited whispers erupting amongst the children.

Gwen sets the little girl down, tucking the flower behind her ear before whispering something that Sirius can't quite hear to one of the older boys, the same one that said he talked funny. The boy's eyes grow wide and a smile lights up his face. He nods quickly before leading the group of kids away, all still whispering and laughing in awe of the flower behind the youngest girl's ear.

Sirius turns to face his girlfriend, his brows furrowed in confusion as he wonders, "What did you tell them?"

Gwen looks away from the children she's staring after, a faint smile on her face. She laughs and shrugs, replying simply, "The truth."

"What truth?" Sirius asks with a sigh, wondering if he'll ever grow used to her riddles. Somehow, he doubted it. When he sees that he won't be getting the Veela's secret out of her, he asks something else, a question he hadn't considered before,

"You like kids?"

The Veela quirks a brow at him and Sirius feels his cheeks flush red. For as passive as she was, he was getting good at reading her. She had seen him fumbling with the children, how uncomfortable it made him to be around them. He could tell by the look on her face. What he can't tell is what she thinks about it. Him. Kids.

Her smile deepens, the corners of her eyes crinkling as she says calmly, "Children see magic when no one else does. I quite like that about them."

Sirius doesn't know why the lump in his throat tightens until he can't speak, until his mouth runs dry. All he knows is that everything is a little less scary when Gwen is around.

Even kids.