Champagne Coasts - Regulus Black x O.C

Events and HoneyDukes.

Days had passed, and the initial shock of the news had worn off. Most people at Hogwarts had adjusted to the idea. Lily Evans had been surprisingly supportive, and even Marie and Carrie had taken to calling me "Black" with teasing smirks. James and the others had eventually come around too, joking in that usual Marauder way that always felt like home.

All except for one.

Sirius Black.

Sirius had never stayed angry with me for this long before. Our fights usually blew over in a day, but this... this was dragging on far longer than I'd expected. He avoided me like the plague, and when our eyes did meet, his gaze was colder than the winter winds. The tension was unbearable, and no matter how much I tried to keep it together, the frustration was building.

I couldn't take it anymore. If he wanted to stay mad, fine. But he owed me a conversation, at least.

I caught up to him in the library, cornering him just as he was about to slip inside. His back was to me at first, arms crossed tightly over his chest like a protective shield. I could feel the weight of his anger, even before he turned to face me. His expression was closed off, distant, and I hated it.

I took a breath, steeling myself for whatever explosion might come next. "Look," I started, my voice more tense than I'd intended. "I'm not here to change your mind or make excuses—"

"I'm sorry."

The words hit me like a hex, freezing me mid-sentence. I blinked, staring at him, waiting for some kind of punchline. But there was none. Just Sirius, looking at me with regret softening the hard edges of his features.

"You're... apologising?" I asked, still stunned. "Why?"

Before he could answer, I heard footsteps behind me, followed by a familiar drawl. "Because we told him to," James quipped, leaning casually against the wall with Remus beside him, both of them clearly amused by the scene.

Sirius shot them a glare, his jaw tightening. "I would've apologised either way," he muttered.

"Sure you would've, mate," Remus said, running a hand through his hair with a smirk. "Eventually."

I rolled my eyes, exasperated but slightly relieved. Leave it to James and Remus to barge in on a tense moment with their usual teasing.

Sirius, however, didn't join in the banter. His eyes flicked back to mine, the sincerity in them cutting through the lingering tension. "I'm serious, though. I regret what I said. And... I didn't mean to take it out on you."

For a second, I couldn't find the words. Seeing Sirius—stubborn, impulsive Sirius—actually trying to mend things was unexpected. And maybe a little overdue. But still, I appreciated it.

I let out a slow breath, feeling the weight on my shoulders ease just a little. "I didn't mean to push you away either," I admitted quietly. "I just... I don't know how to explain it all."

Sirius nodded, his expression softening. "You don't have to. I get it."

James and Remus were still there, leaning in like they were watching a particularly interesting Quidditch match. I gave them a pointed look, and James raised his hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright, we'll leave you two to it," he said with a grin, nudging Remus toward the door. "Just... don't kill each other, yeah?"

Remus chuckled, but as they left, Sirius and I were left in a silence that felt heavier than before. The apology had been given, but there was still so much unsaid.

"I missed this, you know," I blurted out, surprising myself. "Us. Being friends."

Sirius's eyes softened even more, the coldness from before now completely gone. "Me too," he said quietly. "I hate how things turned out."