"I was thinking about leaving again
It all depends
Are we just friends?"
In which Madeline Potter
and Sirius Black aren't
allowed to fancy each other,
...
𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐄 chapter twenty-four; New Years Traditions " Just, thank you for being you. "
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MADELINE WAS SITTING on the ever-fading sofa beside her brother, the New Year's program on the television set that Fleamont had bought a few years ago, and appetizers were littered on the coffee table. Euphemia and Fleamont were sharing a love-seat, the four Potters chattering and laughing loudly.
Things had gone back to normal after Christmas. Madeline carried a ten-ton ball of guilt in the pit of her stomach until the day it was just the Potter family and Sirius.
It was much easier to do something Madeline knew wasn't only wrong, but plain old stupid when the knowing presence of Remus Lupin was around.
After Fleamont cracked a terrible joke, and James was in stitches, Madeline caught sight of Sirius loitering in the kitchen doorway. She furrowed her brows, gently patting the seat beside her.
Sirius shook his head and disappeared into the kitchen fully.
"I'm getting another soda," Madeline announced.
"Get me one too," James questioned hopefully, holding his cup up. Madeline rolled her eyes, but accepted his cup, "And tell Sirius to hurry up, he'll miss midnight."
"Anything else you want, while I'm at it?"
"Actually—"
Madeline thumped the back of his head, walking to the kitchen and leaving her brother in a state of shock.
Sirius was leaned up against a counter, rolling his own plastic cup in his hands. When he heard Madeline enter, he looked up and offered her a tight smile. The girl did the same, which made Sirius discard the cup on the counter.
"What's the matter?"
"Nothing."
Madeline sighed, walking right up to Sirius and trapping him against the counter. His eyebrows raised at this, and the way her hands rested in the small divots at his waist.
"Hello."
"Why are you hiding in my kitchen?"
"Because you guys are. . . a family," Sirius sighed, huffing out a laugh and rubbing his eyes, "I don't want to— disturb that."
"Sirius," Madeline said softly, pulling his hands away from his eyes, "You're family now, too."
Sirius made a face.
"I was trying to be nice, you arse."
The boy rolled his eyes, his lips curving into a smile as Madeline began to walk away. Sirius pulled her back easily, and before she could say anything else, Sirius' lips were on hers.
