𝙰 𝚂𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚛𝚢 𝚅𝚊𝚕𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚎

✩ Sirius ☽

[chapter cover credits to @lunopal]

As soon as he left the dorm, Sirius went with James down to breakfast where they gobbled up their food. James was going to Hogsmeade to try and win Lily over and Sirius said he'd stay back, not giving James a reason but he was too fixated on the redhead to notice.

Sirius then walked around the castle, avoiding any girls who seemed to be attracted to him like magnets, until Professor Flitwick passed him one too many times and asked him 'what exactly was Mr Black doing?'

At that point, he gave in and decided to go outside and see the light snowflakes fall.

Now he's wandering around the Black Lake, hands stuffed deep in his black jeans, not entirely sure what he's doing but he finds his mind drifting to his friend.

How he didn't even look him in the eye this morning. How he turned his back to him. How he must be alone right now-

Why doesn't he just go and find him and tell him?

But that's stupid, of course Remus doesn't like him.

But it's Valentine's Day. He can only say no.

But they are friends, what if things get awkward between them?

But he is Sirius Black!

But he is Sirius Back...

He sighs and looks up to the castle, following the windows up to the Gryffindor common room. What if Remus is watching him right now? His stomach flutters at the thought. He remembers those first feelings towards his friend: the small stomach flip when their eyes met; the action of putting his hair in front of his face every time he blushed; the way he stumbled over words even if they were trying to talk normally. Remus never seemed to notice and Sirius didn't know if he was happy or annoyed by that. Happy because Remus isn't noticing that he likes him, but annoyed because Remus isn't paying that much attention to him.

Sirius huffs and peels his eyes off the window and looks out at the freezing lake. He hasn't got many clothes on, just his leather jacket to fend the icy wind and soft snow off, and he shivers, trying to warm his muscles.

After some time his feet take him back to the castle in the hopes of finding warmth. He rubs his hands as he walks into the Entrance Hall. Hearing whispers from somewhere above him, he looks up to find a group of girls giggling and pointing, their faces rosy. He looks away, not wanting a girl to interrupt his thoughts.

"Hey, Sirius!" One of them calls in a high, flirty voice.

He ignores her and starts up the stairs, knowing he is going to have to pass them if he wants to get to the Gryffindor Tower.

They giggle as he moves closer but he keeps his eyes to the ground.

"Sirius Black," a different girl says, stepping towards him as he reaches the last steps. "Which one of us do you want?"

"You could have all of us." Another one says cheekily.

Sirius rolls his eyes and the girls close in around him as he steps onto the top step. Multiple hands come at him and he puts his own numb ones up and tries to push past them.

"Ooh, he's playing hard to get today." A high giggle almost bursts in his right ear.

Sirius bites the inside of his cheek, trying not to explode with anger at the pushy, flirty girls. They haven't done anything to make him this annoyed so why should he boil over like that? He remains calm on the outside.

"C'mon Sirius, just one kiss?" The final girl asks, pouting her lips and leaning toward him.

"No!" He snaps, not in the mood for that, not wanting to kiss a girl ever again.

"But you kissed her in September," she says, motioning to the first one, clearly a little jealous. "What's wrong with me?"

"Nothing- I'm just not in the mood." He says, taking a step away from her.

"Not in the mood on Valentine's Day?" The second girl says, crossing her arms.

"No. Not in the mood." Sirius grumbles and finally breaks away from the group, taking long strides and pretty much sprints to the stairs leading to Gryffindor Tower. He takes them two at a time and stops in front of the portrait hole, his teeth chattering from the cold and his head whirring from the bombardment of girls and giggling.

"In a rush Mr Black?" The Fat Lady asks as he catches his breath.

"Y-yes...? I- er..." his mind wanders again. What if Remus wants to be alone? What if he's not even there and he's actually found a girl? What if-

"Are you going to make me stand here or are you going to tell me the password?" The portrait asks angrily.

"Sorry- Cupid," he says the password, changed just for the weekend, and the door swings open.

✩ ☽