SPLITAPARTS: lessons in love ✔️

Dream a Little Dream of Me

Cassie rolled over and moved Sirius' damp hair from his face, trying gently to wake him. Whatever he was dreaming of, commanded his full attention and so she let him sleep...

~~~~~~~~~~

Remus had arrived first with a forced smile and a small, but elaborately wrapped gift in his hands. Sirius welcomed him with a firm handshake and an identical forced smile. Both young men were aware that she would sense the hostility between them and both agreed to keep their thoughts amicable, of only for her, each believing that there was a traitor among them and each believing that it was the other.

"Occulmency then, Padfoot," Remus asked, his voice strained. "She'll pick up on this in her sleep you know."

"Yes Moony," Sirius said flatly. "Of course she will."

"Shame you brought Prince over. He'll have to go back now."

"I know," he sighed. Then, he smiled. "I can't wait to see her face when she sees him though."

Remus smiled warmly and nodded. "I know. That's me as well."

"So, what's in the box?"

"A ring," Remus said.

"Ah, Moony--you're too late," Sirius said as he held up his left hand. "They're spelled as well."

"Ah lovely," Remus said. "It's a black pearl--she can wear it on her right hand, then." He smiled.

Sirius cut his eyes to him and folded his arms across his chest and sighed loudly, a signal to Remus that he disapproved; Remus was all too aware of Sirius' feelings, but seemed to no longer cared what Sirius thought or felt.

Albus arrived minutes afterward and immediately he felt the tensions between the two friends. He assumed that it was because his granddaughter was once again pregnant and this time, she could carry to full term. He looked around the house and saw the many balloons, streamers and fairy lights. "How festive," he said smiling at Sirius, and then looked the two young men over carefully. "I suggest you both employ the highest level of occulmency you can today, gentlemen. Theo suggested that you monitor your body language as well."

"On it," they said simultaneously as they eyed each other.

"Mmhmm. Sirius, why don't you see if you can wake her?"

Remus had poured and placed a large mug of hot coffee on the kitchen table and motioned to Sirius that he should take it up with him. Sirius sneered and rolled his eyes, as he was well aware that Remus knew that it would be the perfect lure to actually getting her out of bed. Remus grinned...his mere presence was getting to the handsome animagus and something inside him took great pleasure in it.

_____

Sirius opened the bedroom door and he walked over to the window and pulled back the heavy curtains just the tiniest bit to allow natural sunlight to enter the room; he was glad that only the afternoon sun shined directly into the room. He placed the cup of coffee on his nightstand and lay on the bed next to her and watched her dream for a moment; he hated the thought of waking her; it meant that it was the beginning of the end for them.

Sirius smiled as he leaned on his elbow as he watched Cassie sleep. He thought of the previous evening, of presenting her with the promise ring before his family and the Dark Lord...returning home and making love on their hill. She was dreaming, of what, he had no idea; he had hoped that it was him, but whatever it was, it was for her alone. Still, it was her birthday and to celebrate, he had decorated the entire house in her favorite colors of purple and red. He hated that his only gift to her was a one-way ticket back to her father and Albus and Remus were already downstairs.