Wasting Time

39

Christmas holidays were drawing closer and everyone was acting strange. Well, specifically, the boys and Lily were acting strange.

Like every year since we were 15, the boys hosted a Christmas party for all fifth years and up in the room of requirement. James and Sirius were running around doing god knows what, while Remus, Peter, and Lily avoided me. I was beginning to feel very anxious about the entire situation, but instead of dwelling, I started drinking and dancing with Mary.

"Do you know what's going on with everyone?" I asked her, shouting over the music.

"You've noticed too? I have no ideas!" She shouted back.

"James hasn't even looked at me in a week! I'm beginning to worry that Sirius has done something stupid."

Mary laughed at that. "I'm sure he did, but whatever it is, you'll find out about it eventually!"

"I know! That doesn't mean I'm not annoyed!" I laughed.

Mary looked at me and then back to herself before gasping dramatically. Mary was drunk.

"Mar, were opposite!"

I looked back and forth between us and realized she was right. I was wearing black pants and a white shirt and she was wearing the opposite. She ran over to Em, who had reintegrated herself into our group, and forced Emmeline to take a picture of us.

Emmeline and Dorcas joined us in dancing, at least until Mary snuck of with Edgar and it was just the three of us left. I saw Remus across the room with Peter, glaring as Mary left. I just hoped Emmeline hadn't noticed. Lily and James were off somewhere and I wasn't entirely sure where Sirius was.

I never had to wonder for long where Sirius was, even when he was avoiding me. He always found me, and would eventually, suggest we went somewhere private.

Sirius did find us eventually. He snuck up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist. I turned and wrapped mine around his neck.

"You done avoiding me?" I asked.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he replied.

"Mhm," I murmured, narrowing my eyes at him.

I smiled at him anyway and kissed him. Then, I twirled away from him and did a silly dance, earning a laugh. My smile widened. Sirius's laugh was my favorite sound in the world.

And when Sirius started tugging on my hand and say 'Mar lets get a room', I went with him happily.

***

When Sirius and I walked into the train compartment the next day, everyone was already there. We sat down across from James and Lily. James looked at me, smiled widely, opened his mouth, and then left the compartment. Sirius shook his head, clearly frustrated with James. I turned to him and stuck my finger in his face.

"What did you do?" I asked 

"What do you mean?" He was using his 'innocent' voice, the one he used on teachers to get out of trouble.

"I mean, in the past two week, we've had sex about half as much as we usually do. And James hasn't been able to look at me for a week, and sometimes he just leaves the room when I come. For the past week, Peter hasn't looked me in the eye, and Lily and Remus are both avoiding my questions. The only conclusion I've been able to come to is that you did something stupid, and I want you to remember that I'll find out about it eventually!"

Mary sat in the corner of the compartment absolutely killing herself laughing. Sirius didn't find the situation as humorous. He looked rather startled.

"I didn't do anything Marlene!" He protested weakly. I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Oh yes you did. And I'm gonna find out so you might as well just tell me."

Instead of telling me what it was he did, he kissed me before getting up to find James and, probably, yell at him.

After he left, I looked around at my friend. Peter and Remus were both avoiding my eyes while Lily made a concerted effort to actually look at me. Mary was still laughing but Dorcas and Emmeline looked a little lost.

"I'm not crazy, you guys have to have noticed how strange everyone's been acting! Mary did!" I said to Doe and Em.

"I don't know, I'm not as observant as you are," Dorcas replied.

"No, something's definitely off," Emmeline said. "It can't be anything too bad though."

"Honestly, with the way James is acting I'm beginning to wonder if he's gotten himself expelled," I said. "But no, it can't be that because James would be angry about quidditch if he had."

I realized then that this was perhaps the first time I had been suspicion of Sirius without being concerned for our relationship. It hadn't crossed my mind that he had cheated on me or that he was planning to break up with me or anything like that.

James and Sirius entered the compartment again about ten minutes later. Sirius sat down next to me and put his arm around me. I cuddled into his side, kissing his cheek.

"I'm still gonna find out what you did," I muttered. He just laughed.