|| Black and White || (marauders era)

Black Hearts and Bad dates

"So what exactly is gonna happen?" I asked James as we sat together in The Three Broomsticks.

"In about ten minutes, Sirius will walk in here to see his date," James started, before instantly reading a pained expression that I tried to hide in my eyes. He smirked. "Don't worry, I haven't finished. His date will be sat at table twenty five," he quickly checked the number on the table we were sat at before continuing. "And he will buy her and himself a butterbeer before they wander around Hogsmeade. Their date will finish after they spend the last hour outside the shrieking shack. Sound good?"

I gave him a puzzled expression before he turned the table number to me. It was labeled '25'. I bit my lip nervously before nodding.

James smiled at me and wished me luck, patting me on the back before leaving. Only a few moments later a boy with long, dark hair walked in and scanned the room for table 25.

I put my head down, scared to look him in the eyes.

I felt him walking towards me and heard the chair opposite mine being pulled out from under the table. I looked up slightly and saw him sit down.

We sat in an awkward silence. I lifted my head up but still avoided his gaze, looking elsewhere.

It was crowded with Hogwarts student, merely a few vacant tables scattered around. I saw many familiar students and there was even the occasional hag that was so obviously a magical being, dressed in filthy and tattered robes.

"So, uh," spoke the voice from across me.

My eyes shot to his direction, and I stared at the face I hadn't dared to look at for the past couple of days.

He no longer had a twinkle in his now dull eyes. His hair didn't quite seem as silky as usual and his usual smile looked like it had been through Azkaban and back.

His skin was pale and he had bags under his eyes.

I never realised it, but now I yearned to see his mischievous smirk again.

"So, uh..." I mimicked.

"I guess this is another one of James' stupid plans, huh?" He said as his lips curved upwards ever so slightly.

I felt a smile tug at my mouth. "I would say so, yeah."

"So... You want a butterbeer?" He asked.

"Yeah..." It was awkward but obvious that we both wanted to be talking again.

He stood up, but I stopped him.

"Wait, I'll pay." I so badly wanted to make it up to him.

"No, no-"

"Yes. I want to."

He didn't argue against it. A few moments later I was back with two butterbeers.

The door opened, and a group of second year girls entered. They looked towards our tabled and scoffed, eyeing us.

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat.

"We can go if you want."

I smiled up at him and nodded. He led the way out the building and into the winter town. I followed a couple of metres behind him.

This is going so much better then I expected.

"How about we just go straight to the shrieking shack?" He asked.

"Sure."

We kept walking until we reached the little area that poorly attempted to fence off the so called 'Haunted' shrieking shack.