𝐋𝐈𝐐𝐔𝐈𝐃 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 | 𝐇𝐏 𝐈𝐌𝐀𝐆𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐒

Under the Autumn Sun - 🕸️𖥔 ݁

🍊‧₊˚⟡🖇️ ₊˚

The warm, golden glow of the autumn sun filtered through the leaves of the towering trees that bordered the edge of the Forbidden Forest. The cool breeze ruffled the pages of Y/N's book as they sat beneath one of the large oaks, soaking in the last bits of afternoon light. Hogwarts was peaceful in these late afternoons, especially with most students tucked away in their common rooms, busy with homework or mischief.

Y/N wasn't alone for long, though. They never were, not when Sirius Black was around.

From the distance, they heard the familiar sound of laughter—light, carefree, and mischievous. Y/N smiled to themselves, already knowing who it was before they even looked up. Sure enough, a few seconds later, Sirius emerged from behind one of the trees, his usual easygoing grin plastered across his face, his dark hair slightly windswept from his run.

"There you are," Sirius said with a dramatic sigh of relief, flopping down onto the grass beside Y/N as if he'd just completed a grand journey. "I've been looking everywhere for you."

Y/N raised an eyebrow, not bothering to hide their smirk. "Everywhere, huh? You mean this one tree you always find me under?"

Sirius let out a bark of laughter, nudging their shoulder playfully. "Okay, okay, maybe I didn't have to look that hard. But I was bored, and I knew you'd be out here with your nose stuck in a book. What are you reading anyway?"

Y/N held up the book, not really expecting Sirius to care much about the title. It wasn't that he didn't like reading—he just preferred more exciting things, like Quidditch, pranks, and breaking curfew. But to their surprise, Sirius tilted his head, squinting at the cover.

"Huh, never heard of it," he said, though he didn't sound particularly interested. He flopped onto his back, staring up at the leaves above them, the sunlight casting soft shadows over his face. "Why don't you ever get tired of reading?"

Y/N chuckled, closing the book and setting it aside. "Why don't you ever get tired of causing trouble?"

Sirius turned his head to look at them, a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. "Trouble is my middle name, Y/N. You should know that by now."

They rolled their eyes, nudging him with their foot. "Right. Sirius Trouble Black."

He laughed again, the sound bright and infectious. After a moment, though, his laughter quieted, and the air between them shifted. Sirius was always full of jokes and mischief, but when they were alone like this, there was something else—something softer, more real.

"Seriously though," Sirius said, his voice quieter now. "Why do you always come out here by yourself? You could hang out with me, James, Remus, and Peter. We're loads of fun, you know."

Y/N smiled, their heart warming at the sincerity in his voice. "I know. I just...I like the quiet sometimes. It helps me think."

Sirius nodded, as if he understood. Maybe he did, in his own way. There was more to Sirius Black than the wild, carefree exterior he showed to the world. Y/N had seen glimpses of it before—the boy who sometimes just needed to escape the weight of his family name, the expectations, and the complicated feelings that came with it all.

"Well," Sirius said after a pause, "if you ever get bored of all that thinking, I'm always around to disrupt the peace."

Y/N chuckled softly, leaning back against the tree and letting their eyes close for a moment. They didn't mind the disruption, not when it was Sirius. His presence, chaotic as it could be, always made things feel...brighter.

They opened their eyes again when they felt Sirius shift beside them. He was sitting up now, facing them with a thoughtful look in his grey eyes.

"You know," he began, his voice unusually serious, "I've been thinking."

Y/N raised an eyebrow, teasing. "That's dangerous."

Sirius gave them a mock glare but then smiled. "No, really. I've been thinking about...us."

At that, Y/N's heart skipped a beat, and they sat up a little straighter. "Us?"

Sirius ran a hand through his hair, looking slightly nervous—a rare sight for someone as confident as him. He hesitated for a moment, then met their gaze. "Yeah. I mean...we're always hanging out, right? And you...well, you're one of the few people who really gets me. You don't care about all the family stuff, and you're not afraid to tell me off when I'm being an idiot."

Y/N smiled softly, watching him as he spoke.

"And I've been thinking," Sirius continued, his voice a little softer now, "that maybe it's more than just us being friends. At least, I feel like it is."

There it was—the confession hanging in the air between them, delicate and uncertain. Y/N's heart raced in their chest, warmth blooming in their cheeks. They had always felt a connection with Sirius, something deeper than friendship, but they hadn't been sure if he felt the same.

"I like you, Y/N," Sirius said, his voice barely above a whisper now. "Not just as a friend. I think I've liked you for a while, actually."

Y/N's breath caught in their throat, a rush of emotions flooding through them. They opened their mouth to respond, but for a moment, the words wouldn't come. Instead, they reached out, taking Sirius's hand in theirs. His hand was warm, his fingers rough from years of Quidditch, but the touch felt right—natural.

"I like you too, Sirius," they said softly, their voice steady despite the fluttering in their chest. "More than just as a friend."

Sirius's eyes lit up at their words, his usual grin returning, but this time, it was softer—filled with something more than his usual mischief. Without another word, he leaned in, closing the small distance between them, and pressed his forehead gently against theirs.

For a moment, the world seemed to still around them. The only thing Y/N could hear was the sound of their own heartbeat and the quiet rustle of the leaves in the breeze. They closed their eyes, feeling the warmth of Sirius's presence so close to them.

When Sirius finally pulled back, his smile was still there, but his eyes were filled with something deeper, something that made Y/N's heart feel full.

"Well, this makes things a lot easier," he said with a playful glint in his eye. "Now I don't have to keep pretending I'm not completely smitten with you."

Y/N laughed, feeling a warmth spread through their entire body. "Smitten, huh?"

"Absolutely," Sirius said with a dramatic flair. "You've bewitched me, body and soul."

They both burst into laughter, the sound echoing through the quiet clearing. But underneath the teasing words, there was a truth—a shared feeling that neither of them could deny.

As the sun dipped lower on the horizon, casting the world in shades of gold and orange, Y/N and Sirius sat together, their hands still intertwined, the world around them fading into the background. And for the first time in a long while, everything felt right.