claret, sirius black

31

chapter 31

"YOU LOOK BETTER," Sirius smiled as he stretched his arms out to squeeze Lenora's cold cheeks between his thumb and index finger. She flushed, bowing slightly to curtsey.

Sirius laughed and slung his arm around her shoulders and behind her neck. It was the end of January so it was still cold but not as cold as it had been over the past few weeks. Lenora was wearing a pair of beige flared jeans, her mother had brought them for her at Christmas and had embroidered pink flowers into the denim. The only shoes she could find in her or Dorcas' wardrobes had a tiny wedge, they were brown and opened toed and Lenora thought that they were hideous so she was relieved that her jeans were long enough to cover them (because they were ugly and because she decided to wear socks with them and she didn't want Dorcas to have a mare because she broke the number one rule of fashion).

"I feel better," she smiled as they began walking towards the village. "Where are your friends?" She asked as she scanned the crowd of students, none of the other three Marauders were to be seen.

Sirius pulled his jacket around himself, almost strangling Lenora slightly and his arm was still around her neck. "They'll be around somewhere, probably planning to spy on us. Especially James."

"Why would they want to spy on us?"

"Watching me on a date is the closest any of them will get to being near a girl romantically." He told her, a smile on his face. "And he's practically dying to catch us together."

"A date?" Lenora questioned, "I thought us going to Hogsmead together was a compromise."

"It's a date, Len." Sirius said adamantly.

"Didn't Remus have a date that time we went to Hogsmead together before Halloween?" Lenora asked, changing the subject and hiding the unsubtle smile on her face. "You wanted to spy on him?"

Sirius glanced at her and shrugged. "I said a girl," he tapped his ear.

As they continued to walk the short journey to the village a pair of third years in front of them began talking about the infamous Shrieking Shack and how they were excited to go and see it. Sirius chuckled to himself.

"They wouldn't go near it," he whispered to Lenora as the two third years continued to speak about how they were going to go inside the shack.

"You shouldn't listen to people's conversations."

"You were as well," he raised an eyebrow. "As soon as they get near the fence they'll come up with an excuse to leave."

"What makes you so sure?" Lenora asked, the smell of butterbeer and Honeydukes sweets raised their noses, the village now in the close distance.

Sirius looked at her, "Everyone's scared of the Shrieking Shack, I did the same when I was in my third year."

"I didn't think you were scared of anything."

"Everyone is scared of something Len," Sirius told her as he moved his arm from around her shoulders, they were walking across the stone bridge which goes over the tiny stream. He let his hand fall to his side for a few seconds before holding Lenora's, she smiled at him. "What are you scared of?" He asked.

"I don't think I'm in the position to be scared of much," she trailed, "But I really, really don't like spiders."

"Spiders are harmless," Sirius chuckled, "And they're more likely to be scared of you than you are of them."

"You sound like my mother," Lenora frowned, "Spiders are a rational fear."

"Well I'm scared of vampires," he grinned, letting go of Lenora's arm and letting it snake around her waist so he could tickle her sides. She giggled until he stopped, just outside of the Three Broomsticks.

-

After they had a drink of Butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks to warm themselves up they decided to go to Honeydukes - but only after Sirius watched his friends leave the shop and head into Zonkos all with big brown bags full of sweets. The pair walked in and looked around the shop until they came across the blood lollipops, Sirius picked one up and held it out to Lenora, who gave him a stern look.

"Do these have actual blood in?" He asked, he remembered when Remus told him that they didn't but he wanted to ask Lenora, seeing as she could be classed as a blood expert.

She shook her head, "They smell like it, do you remember when you decided to try one when we were trick or treating?" Sirius nodded. "The smell makes my fangs go," she whispered quiet enough so no one else heard her.

"Sorry about that," he frowned as his cheeks flushed. "Have you ever tried one?"

Lenora shook her head again.

"Remus said they taste like blood."

Lenora raised an eyebrow.

"He's weird," Sirius said quickly. "Do you want to try one?"

"I can't imagine it being very nice," she said but at the same time she nodded, so Sirius held the lollipop in his hand and picked up some more sweets before heading towards the till. Half of the sweets were for Lenora, mostly the sugar quills.

Once Sirius had paid, Lenora offered but he refused to let her, they went outside of the shop and stood in the alley. Sirius was, for some reason, eager to see if the lollipops actually tasted like blood. They stepped into the darkness of the alley slightly so no one (especially James) saw them.

Sirius took the plastic off and put the rubbish into the pocket of his jacket. The smell immediately went to Lenora's head and her top tip bulged slightly so she held her hand in front of her face.

"You don't have to if you don't want to," Sirius said as he inspected the red lollipop, he raised it up to his nose to smell it. "It smells like wet metal."

"It probably tastes like it as well," Lenora said, a slight lisp in the way she spoke. She held her hand out to take it, once it was in her grip she held it to her mouth, screwing her face up before placing it in her mouth. She didn't like that Sirius was watching her. She kept the sweet in her mouth for a few seconds before pulling it back out. "It does taste like metal." She confirmed.

"Is that what blood tastes like?" Sirius asked.

"Try it and find out," Lenora suggested, holding the lollipop out for Sirius to try.

"I've already tried it before and I thought it tasted like metal," he said, standing back from it. "I didn't like it."

Lenora nodded, it didn't look as if she wanted to put the lollipop anywhere near her mouth again.

"Does it actually taste like blood?"

"To an extent," Lenora said, "Blood tastes nicer when it's warm."

Sirius screwed his face up, he didn't mean to so he softened it almost immediately.

"Does that freak you out?" Lenora cringed.

"No!" Sirius exclaimed, far too quickly. He reached out for the lollipop and took it from Lenora's hand.

"You don't actually have to try it, Sirius, it tastes like blood but it isn't actually- "

Sirius put the lollipop in his own mouth, holding it between his teeth as he spoke. "See it doesn't freak me out."

Lenora smiled and took the lollipop from out of his mouth. She looked down at it and debated trying it again but she decided not to. Sirius returned the smile and leant forward towards her but Lenora put her hands against his chest to stop him from kissing her.

"That's not a good idea," she said, her fangs showed from underneath her top lip. "I'd probably bite you."

Sirius grinned.