Elegantly Wasted: Sirius Black

25- Maybe

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22nd December 1976

Maybe Laurie had overreacted at Sirius's insinuation. Maybe Sirius was completely out of line with his words.

One thing that was for certain, Laurie hated the word maybe.

Because maybe, Sirius meant well. Then again maybe he didn't. For all she knew, this whole time, Sirius Black thought that Laurie Devereux was a joke and nobody would seriously want her for who she was.

Sirius, of course, knew that wasn't true. He didn't mean in the way it sounded to her. All he was ever trying to do was stop her from making a great mistake in befriending the Slytherin boy.

Sirius had been thinking over the entire situation, over and over again in his head. He was trying to assess everything that happened, what he could have done, what he should have done. He knew that he was in the wrong. To some degree.

Laurie on the other hand was positive that's she wasn't wrong at all. Sirius shouldn't be dictating who she could see or talk to in her own, private time, she thought.

But, they were leaving to go home for Christmas break the next day and Laurie couldn't stand the idea of Sirius going "home" for the holidays.

So even though she was angry at what he had done, she needed him to be safe. The thought of Sirius being hit by the cruciatus curse or something equally as evil on Christmas made all of the nerves in her body shiver.

She had been looking for the boy all morning but she had yet to find him. Laurie didn't want to talk it out with him or sit and have a laugh and act like nothing ever happened, she simply wanted to let Sirius know that there was still a room in her house for him.

As Laurie was walking past the cobblestone courtyard, she saw a big black dog sitting on the edge of the large water fountain that was in the middle of the yard.

The girl walked over and stood in front of the dog, blocking its line of vision. She didn't say anything, just waited until he was brave enough to transform back into his human form.

When Sirius saw her, he assumed that she was there to shout at him again for something he had probably done subconsciously so rightfully, he was slightly nervous to face her.

He had been there all morning, thinking about how he would have to go home for Christmas. Laurie hated him and it was too late to ask the potters, even though he knew James would insist, Sirius didnt want to feel like he was putting pressure on the whole thing.

Laurie stared into the dog's grey eyes and after a minute she finally spoke.

"Don't paint me for a fool, Sirius. I know it's you"

The calmness in her voice made Sirius decide it was safe to transfigure back to his usual self.

"Laurie" he greeted quietly.

"I'm not here to chat so I should get straight to the point," she said swiftly "You can still stay at my house for Christmas"

Sirius's eyes lit up "Really?"

"Yes," Laurie replied.

A thought then dawned on him. What if she didn't even want him there? What if it was an empty gesture that she expected him to say no to?

Laurie turned to walk away.

"Do you want me to stay?" he called to her.

She turned back to him "Sirius I said I wasn't here to talk"

He patted the spot beside him on the fountain "You can shout at me if I say something stupid. Please"

Sirius looked so hopeful that she might talk to him. He missed her greatly in the last few days. Laurie missed him too, she had tried to convince herself that she hated him but realized quickly that she could never even dislike him.

She strolled over and sat down beside him.

"Do you want me to stay?" Sirius asked again.

Laurie looked at him for a minute "Of course I do"

He breathed a breath of relief "honestly?"

"Yes," She nodded.

"Laurie, I'm sorry for what I did. I should have never said that you were a joke but just know that I don't think you are a joke to anyone and I know I've no right to tell you who to talk to. I was only trying to protect you. Mulciber is a death eater, Merlin knows what he's capable of" the raven-haired boy ranted.

Laurie giggled scantily.

She appreciated his apology and it was all she wanted from him in the last couple of days.

"I'm glad you apologised and I understand where you were coming from, but I don't forgive you fully just yet" she couldn't give in to his boyish charms yet.

Laurie figured that over the Christmas break she would make him grovel for her forgiveness. Up until now she only wanted an apology but why would she have that when she could have a little fun with it.

"Do you accept my apology though?"

"I do," she said with an amused smile.

"Then how can you not forgive me fully?" Sirius was confused at what the girl was up to.

"You have put me through quite a lot of emotional turmoil over the last few days and I think that if you want my forgiveness you must work for it. Not just stop talking to me until I miraculously just forgive you"

At least she was smiling, Sirius thought. She couldn't hate him that much if she was smiling at him now.

"Fine, I accept your challenge," he asserted determinedly.

"Shall we go back to the common room?"

"Yeah, come on" Sirius got up from the fountain.

"Oh but-"

"No," he said, immediately catching on to what she was doing.

"My legs are extremely sore after all the walking I did while looking for you"

Sirius sighed in defeat. He picked her up bridal style and she let out a small squeal, not expecting him to do it.

The whole way back to the common room was filled with laughs and Sirius pretending he was about to drop the girl.

***

A/N

Hope you enjoyed it!

I just want to say that all of my prayers are with anyone from Ukraine or who has family in Ukraine. My heart aches for you and I can't imagine what you are going through 🇺🇦

-leah <3