𝐏𝐄𝐀𝐂𝐄 𝐈𝐍 𝐏𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐈𝐔𝐌 [𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐞𝐫𝐚]

act one, scene five

A/N: We've been very strict with ourselves, not wanting to post unless we were already an act ahead... but it's been years, neither of us have the time nor motivation to keep on writing, and I feel like we should at least post what we already have so... here's something for you, if you still want it :)

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As the days went by, Preethi found herself getting more confident in spending time with Sirius, who was welcome to the change. The more she got to know him, the more she liked him. But, she was also confused. Preethi's only experience with males in her age group was limited to her twin and her sole male cousin, of whom she never spent time with purely because he had four sisters and was sick of girls.

Was it really a crush, if she felt happy to be around Sirius? Was it a crush to like someone's company more than she'd like a stranger's? But in that case, why did it have to be different with someone of the opposite sex? She honestly didn't know.

She did know that Sirius was a perfectly decent human being, one that was kind and good, if a bit brash, which could be blamed on being a Gryffindor surrounded by other enabling Gryffindors. Most Gryffindors were not the best role-models, but in Preethi's opinion, that just made life at Hogwarts that much more fun.

Another thing she knew? That being this glad to have been paired up with him for a Transfiguration project shouldn't make sense. She had to have a crush, if this is how she felt. Usually, she would've been upset that she wasn't paired with Netra.

Unless you're just glad you don't need to deal with her drama for once, thought a nasty voice in Preethi's head.

Preethi quickly shook her head. Her conscience didn't like such thoughts. And it wasn't true, she knew that. She loved Netra with all her heart.

"Alright, Preethi?" Sirius asked her, looking at her concernedly and waving a hand in front of her face.

Preethi blinked. "Yeah, yeah, sorry. What'd you say?"

"Nothing," he smirked, leaning back with crossed arms so that his chair was resting on its back legs. "Just pelted you in the head with scrunched up pieces of parchment for the better part of five minutes."

Preethi sighed. She should have known.

"So, have you got any ideas for the project?"

Sirius raised an eyebrow, and when that got no response, he pouted. "Do we really have to work?"

"We're in class!"

"Exactly! Who works in class?"

Preethi stared at him in stunned silence.

"Oh dear Merlin, why did it have to be me, Professor McGonagall?"

Sirius just grinned. "So we don't need to work?" he asked, a hopeful tint to his tone.

And for some unconceivable reason, she found this behaviour funny. Endearing, even.

Preethi facepalmed, "No, we are going to work, idiot. I was thinking we could do a project on why the Summoning Charm is a Charm when the Banishing Spell is Transfiguration," she offered. "Since it's supposed to be on either Banishing or Conjuring Spells."

"Sure, whatever, do what you want," Sirius said, waving his hand dismissively.

Preethi frowned, her mood doing a complete one-eighty as she realized this was what she was going to have to deal with for the next week. She liked being the one listening, not the one commanding. Sirius Black in Muggle Studies and Sirius Black in Transfiguration were truly two completely different things.