Too Little Too Late

Chapter 8 | Edited

When one has astronomy, one can survive the next day (just barely). Layla decided on her way to breakfast one morning. However, when one has astronomy and then a certain red head talking your ear off about a certain marauder until 3am, one cannot survive the next day.

She trudged, rather annoyed, to breakfast. 3am. Who thinks that it is acceptable to keep their best friend awake until 3am, especially when you know that said friend likes sleep more than most people. Well, Layla thought, it's her that'll have to put up with me. She brought it upon herself really. It was unfair, really, that Lily could survive on 2 hours of sleep and she couldn't until at least 8 hours of sleep.

Without realising, Layla slowed her pace as she was walking towards her friends at the Gryffindor table. Her senses were assaulted by the most amazing smell she'd ever smelled, at least that she could remember.

"LAYLA." Yelled Marlene, successfully snapping the girl out of her trance like state. She jumped slightly before taking in her surroundings.

Seeing the marauders close by, she waved at Remus and smiled at James and Peter. She didn't think Sirius would have seen her even if she had smiled or waved, he was surrounded by an unusual amount of girls, even by his standards. She didn't spend too much time thinking about it though. Instead, she trudged tiredly over to her friends, her lack of sleep giving way only for her lack of food.

After she had filled herself with enough toast and coffee to begin paying attention to her friends, she noticed their laughter.

"What're you guys laughing about?" She inquired.

"Black." Was Lily's simple reply.

"What about the moron?"

"He's so grumpy." Alice giggled.

"He sent away all of the girls who were meant to make you jealous and keeps staring at you like you've just murdered his puppy. I think he wanted your attention." Marlene chimed in.

"What? No he's not." Layla said before looking over towards the marauders, only to see James, Peter and Remus trying to talk to Sirius, who's attention was fixed entirely upon Layla. "Okay, maybe he is." She conceded, "but that doesn't mean I have to give him my attention, now does it?"

Lily giggled some more, having seen James whack Sirius across his head to snap him out of his thoughts.

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"Come on now Sirius, you're not sulking are you?" James asked, having never seen his best friend acting this way before.

"So what if I am?"

"The girls are all laughing at you." Remus replied, hoping that the preservation of his reputation would change his behaviour.

"Let them laugh. At least she'd bloody notice me when she laughs at me."

"THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ABOUT." James yelled, drawing the attention of every student and professor in the hall.

"Shuttup Prongs, yes that's what this is about. Why won't she pay attention to me. I've been nothing but nice to her." He sulked some more.

"Maybe because you didn't notice her for six years." Peter suggested.

"Surely she can't blame me for that. I'm noticing her now."

"Maybe you need to go about it a different way. Get to know her, be her friend." Remus added, wanting Sirius to become who Layla had always wanted him to be, for reasons that he'd never tell anyone.

"Yeah. That's a good idea. I'll make her have to like me."

"That's not quite what I was saying..."

"I, Sirius Black, will woo Layla Reid."

Remus rolled his eyes.

"And you will help me."

"Great." Remus sighed.