The Marauders: Year Six #Wattys2017

Take My Seconds

Take My Seconds

It was after nine o'clock in the evening when Sirius came upstairs to the chairs were Lily and James were asleep again and he knelt down before Lily and nudged her gently so that he woke her up without waking James. She blinked down at him in confusion for a moment then, "Sirius? Blimey. What time is it?"

"Late," Sirius murmured. "You'll be wantin' to go home so your mum doesn't worry 'bout you, I reckon?"

"Yeah. Oh goodness. I can't believe I've slept all day here..." she looked down at James's peacefully sleeping face and frowned, "I hate to disturb him..."

"That's what I'm here for," Sirius answered and he carefully lifted James's head up from her lap where it had fallen and motioned for her to scoot out across the seat. Once she was out, Sirius expertly slid himself in, resting James's head back against his knees. He smirked, "Tada," he murmured, quite pleased with himself.

Lily smiled and reached down to brush a bit of hair off his head. "He'll be okay?"

"I'll see to it, Evans," Sirius answered solemnly.

James was still hugging on the balled up jumper Lily had brought him - the only thing he really had left in the world, she thought sadly. She looked at Sirius, "I feel awful."

"I do too," Sirius agreed. Then, "Moony had a brilliant idea, though. We spent the day at the Lupin house and cleaned it all up nice so the Potters have a place to go when it's time for Mr. P to get out of here. Remus's said they can stay there s'long as they have need of it."

Lily's eyes softened, "He's so sweet."

"That's my Moonykins for you," Sirius replied dotingly. "I fucking love that wanker."

Lily shook her head, "You're filthy."

"And that's the way -- uh huh uh huh -- I like it," sang Sirius, "Uh huh uh huh..."

Lily laughed, "No no no! I'm going to have that bloody song playing about in my head all night now!"

Sirius smirked. "Glad to be of service."

"I'm so getting you back for that."

"Uh huh uh huh I like it, uh huh uh huh... That's the way --" Sirius sang, just to be an arsehole, his face aglow with the mischief of it.

"I hate you, Sirius Black," Lily said lovingly.

Sirius grinned. "Get out of here before your mum gets pissed, darling."

"Thanks Sirius," she said and she looked at James and sighed, wishing there was more she could do than what she'd already done. "I'll see you."

Sirius saluted her with his free hand - the other holding onto James's shoulder so he wouldn't roll off the benches somehow - and watched as Lily Evans walked off down the hallway. She paused before she took the corner and Sirius waved at her again and she waved back, swallowed, eyes lingering on James Potter, then disappeared.

Sirius shook his head, "Fuck me with a lighted Filibuster if she isn't coming 'round to you after all, Prongs... And all this time we thought you were rubbish at Divination!"

Later, when James woke up, it was nearly midnight and he was stiff from having slept so long on his side across plastic chairs in the corridor. He sat up, waking Sirius, and looked around. "Where's Evans?" he asked, confused.

"She went home," Sirius murmured, wiping his hand across his face.

James hugged the jumper closer to his chest. He never thought he'd be so jealous of someone being able to go home in all of his life. He stared at his trainers over the tiles of the floor.