Kicked Puppy (Sirius Black)

Chapter 3

Severus Snape snickered so slightly that Sirius may not have noticed if it weren't for his keen senses. "Boyfriend?"

Sirius let go of Joby to whirl around and turn the boy into a frog, but she gripped his arms too tightly to let him move. A growl hid behind his teeth as he cooly spoke to the bastard instead. "What's your problem, Snivellus? Having a little trouble processing that your Prefect has a life away from the cave?"

Joby frowned up at him. She raised her hand and signed, stop, against his chest. He shut his mouth and let her speak.

She stepped out from in front of Sirius to see Severus himself, in all his greasy-haired glory, smirking at them. Her right hand came up in front of her in a fist, and she made a sign that anyone would have understood perfectly fine, even if they didn't know sign language. She then waved him in the general direction down the stairs of Gryffindor Tower with both hands, signaling go. She crossed her arms over her chest when he didn't make any effort to move.

"Since when's this been happening, Bisset?" he hissed. "Didn't think you'd be the one to go for the 'gold hearted' Gryffindor." He sounded like he was accusing her of something. Snape knew it would make Sirius angry. He hissed as he said the name of his rival house.

Fists clenched behind his back so he could let Joby do the communicating, Sirius glared down at Snivellus. That was his girlfriend being bad-mouthed. That was his girlfriend, who had come up to see him after having been distant for nearly a month, being shamed by his least favorite person in the world for being a good girlfriend. For being a girlfriend at all. That was his girlfriend, being hissed at by a whiny bitch.

And she handled it amazingly.

Joby quickly signed, What do you want? Her colorful eyes held no sort of anger, nor did they convey any kindness. Her face remained motionless, as it sometimes did in classes when she wasn't interested.

"Why in Heaven's name do you even look at him? He's arrogant, selfish, and he's a Gryffindor. You could have at least gone for a Hufflepuff or something." Snape shoved his grimey fists into his pockets and huffed. His shoulders folded over and his slimey hair fell over them. He stood unsteadily on connected legs, as if he were completely unable to look confident.

Do you think I care that he's a G-R-Y-F-F-I-N-D-O-R? You never mattered to me; you are in my own house. I can love who I want, thanks. Did you follow me?

"Does that really matter? Why do you care if I followed you?" Severus's eyes darkened, and he took a step forward. His movement made Sirius tense and also step toward him.

"If you hadn't noticed, Slimeball, following someone is predatorial and selfish," Sirius growled. "No wonder Evans hates you even more than she hates James. Why do you care who Joby likes?" Sirius put a hand on her shoulder protectively and took another step.

Severus grimaced, and then grinned evily, as if he had some idea. "Why don't you let her speak for herself? Oh--er--wait--"

Sirius leapt at him with a yell and grabbed Snape's throat, and Snape's back crashed into the wall. The portrait hole opened to reveal James just as the two flew across the corridor, but he froze. He shot a look at Joby, who was readying herself to pull Sirius off the poor twerp.

Joby set her left hand on Sirius's right shoulder and gently pried his fingers from Snape's neck with the other. Sirius let his hands fall to his side and backed away. His eyes remained trained on Snape, though, however far she lead him away, and James stepped in between them.

"Mate."

Sirius blinked.

"Padfoot."

Sirius didn't blink.