Brain and Nerve and Bounding Heart

1- Firewhiskey and Starlight

Late Summer, 1979

The sun was low, casting orange and blue hues over the nearly clear skies. Only a few fluffy white clouds broke up the vast, sweeping colors of the setting sun. The air on this warm evening was lively and buzzing with excitement. Many finely dressed witches and wizards were dancing, drinking or laughing in the grass below, which was large, tidy and nicely decorated for the occasion.
A tall man with dark hair leaned back against the far corner of the garden fence, taking a much needed break from the festivities and excited guests. He had many things on his mind as he sipped his firewhiskey that had little to do with the wedding that had just taken place. While it had been a beautiful ceremony and he felt so honored to have stood beside his best friend on such an important day, the world around them was crumbling fast.
The days that passed now were weary and grim, full of fear and foreboding. War waited for them just beyond that breathtaking horizon, even if tonight allowed them a rare moment to stop and breathe. Tomorrow would bring reality back to them all, and he was thankful to have a night like this one to remind them what they were fighting for.
As he gazed at the wedding guests, a small, lone figure caught the corner of his eye. A young woman in dark blue dress robes was wandering aloof from the rest of the crowd, not too unlike himself. He smiled as he recognized the abundant pale blonde hair that she wore partially pinned up away from her face. Making his way to her, he used the cover of the increasing darkness to his advantage. He watched her closely as he approached. Her pretty face was lifted to the sky, eyes wide, and a wine glass was clutched loosely in her delicate fingers. The rising moon cast an ethereal glow on the skin that was exposed by a plunging, V shaped neck line on the front and back of her gown. She was a vision tonight, and he found it harder than usual to keep his eyes from wandering.
"Some wedding, huh?" He murmured close to her ear, a mischievous grin blooming over his handsome face when she jumped a mile.
"Ah shite!" The young woman gasped, turning to face him. "Sirius! I fuckin' hate it when you do that!"
However, her body relaxed and a smile hinted at her lips despite the annoyed sigh that escaped them. Her eyes gave him an unhurried once over, taking in his tailored garments and his styled hair. He had even shaven, which was strange to her. She had grown used to his rugged good looks, and the sight of him looking so clean cut was a bit of a shock.
"You look positively vile this evening, Áine." He lied.
"Funny, that coming from a bloke so ugly even the tide wouldn't take ya out." She shot back, sipping her wine as her blue eyes twinkled up at him.
He let out a barking laugh, shaking his head. He had missed her, though it had only been about two months since he had last seen her. Her sarcastic nature and her feisty Irish charm had always been something he'd been fond of, not that he would ever admit it to her.
"I hear you've been working hard." He stated in an attempt to start conversation.
"I have." She agreed, crossing an arm over her chest and looking down.
"You don't sound very happy. I thought you got the job you always wanted."
"I did." She insisted weakly. "It's just... everything that's going on... I'm just tired already. I'm tired of being afraid very time I turn around. One of my coworkers is awful and it's been... draining."
"Ah." He said, eyes softening. "Is he a hard ass?"
"It's not that. I... I think he might be in with Voldemort's lot. If not, he's surely a supporter at the least. The things I've overheard him say about muggles are..." she trailed off, squeezing her eyes shut.
"Hard to listen to?" He offered.
"Pure evil." She corrected, looking him in the eye.
  Her face was somber, all trace of her lightheartedness from a moment ago gone. As he looked into her eyes he got the sense of sadness or grief buried deep down inside, and his heart hurt for her.
"Who is is he?"
"Uh, Rookwood. Augustus Rookwood."
"I've not heard of him."
"That doesn't surprise me. Unspeakables lie fairly low, don't they?"
"I suppose you're right."
"I don't want to talk about any of that tonight though." She said abruptly, downing the remainder of her drink. "Not my job, not my coworkers, not even the Order. Not tonight... tonight is about James and Lily. Merlin knows we all need a little bit of good to fucking hold on to these days."
Turning back to the horizon, which was now almost completely devoid of color, she trained her eyes once again on the stars that were steadily starting to shine in the wake of the sunset. They seemed to be multiplying as the darkness thickened. He smiled, taking a few steps forward to stand by her side and following her gaze upward.
"There's so many of them out here, away from all the lights of the city." He murmured.
  She didn't answer, but he saw her nod a little as if she was deep in thought. He felt bad for dampening her spirits, so he tried again.
"None brighter than that one there." He smirked, pointing at the star that bore the same name as himself. "Brightest star in the sky. I'd say that naming me aptly is one of the only things my parents did right."
Áine scoffed, shaking her head.
"They should have named you after either one of those... Ass-ellus would suit you much better."
She turned a little and pointed at the pair of stars he recognized to represent the two donkeys in the constellation of Cancer.
"Oh, I get it," He smirked, entertained. "You think you're funny tonight."
"I was just making an observation." She batted her lashes, feigning innocence.
"You're always so mean to me. I've been nothing but a gentleman to you tonight."
"Tonight! Yet just earlier today I seem to recall someone bewitching my heels to tap dance as soon as I put them on! It's not funny Sirius, do you have any idea how uncomfortable it is to tap dance while wearing heels?!"
  Her question was drowned out by his laughter, and she stared at him indignantly. It was difficult to keep a smile off her face though, as his laughter was infectious even if it was at her expense.
"I'm sorry Áine, old habits die hard. I was just having a bit of fun."
"You're completely impossible. And you can't say I'm always mean to you. Don't forget third year when our houses had the same Transfiguration hour and McGonagall made you and James turn out your pockets because someone slipped belching powder into her teapot."
"Oh yes, I remember that. I was sure I was caught that day. I had to hide how surprised I was when there was nothing in my pockets but an old quill."
"Luckily for you I practiced wandless magic early, and accio Zonko's products seems to be an adequate enough spell. I was even nice enough to return your contraband to you after class."
"I suppose you were." He agreed, looking down at her.
She really looked beautiful tonight. He'd always thought her to be pretty, but something about her tonight seemed to pull him in. The feelings for her that had almost always presented as abstract thoughts throughout their years at Hogwarts now seemed more concrete than ever before. Other than one drunken night in the astronomy tower just before they left school for the last time, they had never given a serious thought to romance between them. Was it the robes that she wore that fit her slender curves like a glove? Was it the closeness they'd shared earlier as he accompanied her down the isle to witness their best friends join hands in marriage? Perhaps it was just the firewhiskey coursing through his veins that made him want to reach out and pull her close.
"I also remember in the sixth year when Wilkes tried to curse me behind my back." Sirius said.
"Oh yeah. You probably deserved it, but I never liked the little prat."
"You punched him square in the face without so much as a warning!"
"I remember. I got detention for a week."
"I always thought it was odd..." He mused, looking down into her starry eyes. "You didn't even try to go for your wand. You just sank your fist right into his nose."
"Suppose it's how I was raised."
He laughed again. Áine was muggle born, something that she and Lily had in common. They had attended Primary together before Hogwarts, and had been best friends ever since Áine had moved to England.
"Wilkes never got over that. I was always a target for him and all his stupid Death Eater friends."
"Probably ashamed that one of their own was beat to shit by a cute little blonde girl."
"Cute? Didn't you say not a moment ago that I look vile? Make up your mind." She said, her tone teasing but a small blush just barely visible in the moonlight.
Sirius downed the rest of his drink as well and looked her over again. He felt nervous, which he wasn't accustomed to. Charming girls was one of his specialties. Yet, Áine wasn't just some girl. She was his friend, someone who he had come to care for a bit over the last couple of years, and that made him feel strangely vulnerable.
"Fine. That dress wasn't a terrible choice. It fits you... nicely."
  Áine laughed, the melodious sound only making his sudden urge to embrace her even stronger.
"You don't clean up too bad yourself."
  He watched her eye him up and down again, only to look down and fiddle with her empty glass to hide the fact that she liked what she saw. He stepped closer to her, leaning in so that his lips were close to her ear.
"I've had a crazy idea." He said, his voice low and causing her heart to beat a little faster.
"Not for the first or the last time, I'm sure." She retorted, but he could have sworn she sounded breathless.
"I think you should dance with me."
  She gasped a little as he grabbed her hand, confusion and timidity plain as day on her face.
"You... you want to- to dance?" She confirmed. "With me?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Why not? Nobody would expect it from us."
"I... I don't know." She faltered, unable to think of one reason not to.
  On the contrary, the thought of him sweeping her up in to his arms and holding her close made her fluttering heart start to hammer with excitement. When had this happened? She'd always known he was attractive, as if anyone with eyes could deny that. Yet, he had always been Lily's boyfriend's friend. It wasn't until the last two years at Hogwarts that she and Lily had even started spending time with James and his friends. They were all in Gryffindor after all, while she was in Hufflepuff.
"Please? Just one dance, and if you don't have any fun I'll leave you be for the rest of the evening."
"Is that a promise?" She asked, masking her nervous excitement with sarcasm.
"You have my word."
  He offered her his arm, his smile lacking it's usual mischief and radiating warmth instead. She took it gingerly, and he led her back down the small hillside toward the guests. The music was louder here, the bright lights revealing the pink hue that colored her cheeks. They set their empty cups down on a table and before Áine knew it Sirius had swept her across the dance floor, their robes billowing after them.
  The next couple of hours passed in a whirlwind of laughter, music, drinking and dancing. For the first time in too long, everyone in attendance at the wedding felt nothing but happiness. The protective charms on the small little farm gave them all a sense of safety, a place where they could let their guards down for one evening.
  Áine danced with Remus at one point, who was a perfect sweetheart as usual. She also had a turn with James' father (who had been enjoying his mead more than usual this evening), and Peter. Peter seemed rather shy on the dance floor, making light conversation about the wedding and telling her what he'd been up to since Hogwarts before he accidentally trod on her foot. When it happened a second time a few minutes later, Sirius swooped in to gently rescue her and twirl her off onto the dance floor once more.
  The two of them drew lots of curious glances their way from their friends. They did not miss the way he held her body closer than necessary, or the way her eyes twinkled so fondly up at him. However, nobody said a word to them about it. Speeches were given, more drinks were poured, and the night wore on.
They twirled nearby Alice and Frank Longbottom, who both smiled knowingly at the pair of them. Marlene McKinnon, who was now dancing with Peter, gave a low whistle. Sirius only pulled her closer, sighing contently when she finally lay her head against his chest.
"You know, this reminds me of one very late night in the Astronomy tower at Hogwarts." He murmured.
"Oh..." Áine breathed, her heart thudding at the memory. "Those memories are quite fuzzy, thanks to the drinks you boys smuggled from the Three Broomsticks."
"Mine are as well... but I remember enough." He whispered, resting a cheek on her soft hair.
  The music had slowed and the few guests began to take their leave. Sirius still held Áine in his arms as they swayed over the dance floor a moment longer. It wasn't weird or awkward anymore; no, they had both found that they very much enjoyed each other's company. The alcohol surely helped, but maybe it could be something more.
"James and Lily had snuck off to fool around and then it was just the two of us, alone and intoxicated and wandering about the castle."
"I never would have agreed to go up there with ya if I was sober." She teased.
"Oh, maybe not. Maybe I wouldn't have asked you to go up there if I'd been sober. Yet, we both went. The thing I did not expect was how much I enjoyed those kisses in the dark."
  After a few moments of whispering sweetly in her ear, Sirius felt his pulse racing uncharacteristically as he and Áine also took their leave and bid their best friends goodbye.
"I can't even begin to tell you how perfect you looked today. I'm so happy for you, Lil." Áine told her friend. "You guys deserve all the happiness and love."
"Thank you!" Lily breathed, embracing the little blonde that had basically taken up the role of her sister. "Be safe tonight, I don't trust that motorbike."
   Áine had been more of a sister to her than Petunia had been in years. She was grateful to know her, and hesitantly hopeful that her sudden closeness with Sirius wasn't just a temporary coincidence. She could see the two of them being really great together, but it would take a lot of patience and hard work.
"I'll be just fine. Promise!"
"I promise as well, Lily." Sirius assured, turning to hug the bride now that he'd said his goodbies to James. "I'll get her home safely."
"Oh, alright. But we need to talk about this at some point, you two!"
"Talk about what?!" Sirius called behind him as he took Áine's hand and led her quickly away from the newlyweds.
  They heard the sounds of laughter from their friends before they found themselves alone once again under the cover of night. They walked quietly as Sirius led her to his motorbike. The air between them had changed significantly since the last time they were alone. There was a thrilling nervousness that buzzed between them now, and she did not overlook the way his hand lingered in hers as he turned to her.
"Do you want to go home?" He asked, his voice low and rich.
"Home?" Áine asked blankly, feeling as though her brain had gone completely haywire. "Where else would I go?"
  Her question was innocent, but even as she asked it she realized what he meant. Sirius did not answer right away. Instead, he stepped a little closer and cupped her face in his hands. He did not speak, but his desire was written plainly over his features. When his lips met hers, she did not shrink away. In fact, she kissed him back with a sincerity that dizzied them both.
  In the next moment they were wrapped intimately in each other's arms, their lips moving together with a fervent hunger. It wasn't until Hagrid's distant laugh that came from the direction of the reception interrupted their sudden passion that Sirius released her, mostly, still keeping a hand on her waist as if he didn't want to let go. The alcohol was coursing it's way through their bodies, and they both felt alive and reckless.
"Do you want to come home with me tonight?" He rephrased, his grey eyes looking into her blue ones.
"Yes." She said, without hesitation.
  In the next few moments they were off, the magical bike roaring loudly as they rose into the stars.