Wasting Time

40

A/N For some reason I can't link YouTube videos so I would highly recommend listening to Take on the World by You Me at Six while reading this chapter!

Sirius and James continued to act strangely after we arrived home for the holidays. At one point a few days into the break, I overheard a conversation that made me more nervous than I already was.

"Come on Pads, what's the worst that could happen? You've gotta do it, you've already done all this planning," I heard James ask Sirius. I was coming down the stairs into the sitting room, where they were. They must not have heard me on the stairs.

"I could die," Sirius responded. He sounded as nervous as I felt.

"Stop being dramatic," James scoffed. "You're not going to die."

"Have you met McKinnon? I could definitely die."

James hesitated before responding. "Ok so you might die, but you probably won't."

"Thanks mate. That's really reassuring."

I turned and snuck back up the stairs. I couldn't listen anymore. I needed to find out what he had done. But I wouldn't have to wait long.

***

The next day, Sirius came into our room, looking nervous. He was wearing khaki shorts and a light button up that clearly wasn't his.

"Are you wearing James's clothes?" I asked.

"Um...yes, I am."

"Why?"

"That's not important. Do you want to go for a walk with me?" He sounded nervous again. I hated when he sounded nervous.

"Are you finally going to tell me what you did? I won't be mad, I promise."

He rolled his eyes. "Why are you so sure that I did something?"

I raised an eyebrow at him. "You know why."

He just shook his head before reaching his hand out to me. I took it, intertwining my fingers with his.

"Just come with me, McKinnon."

I smiled and he pulled me into a standing position. Sirius draped an arm over my shoulder and I borrowed into his side as he steered me down the stairs and outside.

This December was unseasonably warm. It was almost Christmas and snow had yet to fallen. Autumn was my favorite season, so I wasn't complaining, but it was strange. My yellow dress dragged through the leaves and I stopped, tying it into a knot around my knees.

Sirius pulled me through the trees and towards the bridge over the small pond behind the house. We had spent hours here together, when we first lived at the Potters, over the summers, after Mr Potter had died. It was our place, our one quiet place in the world.

This day, however, it looked different. There were fairy lights strung across the railings and flower petals under our feet. I pulled away from Sirius, turning and looking in amazement. I hadn't thought this place, our place, could be more beautiful. When I turned back to face Sirius, I saw him in front of me, down on one knee. My hand immediately went to my mouth as he began speaking.

"McKinnon, I know very few things for certain in life. I know that the world is a fucked up, scary place, and I know that it's better when I'm with you. I know that we're in for the fight of our lives, and I know that you're the only person I want with we through it. There are a lot of things I'm not sure about. But I know that you hate the colour green, and that you eat ketchup on your eggs, no matter how disgusting the rest of us think it is. I know that you would kill for your friends, and that somehow I was lucky enough to find myself among them. I know you hate mornings and think all the best things in life happen after midnight. I know that you're scared and I know that you're brave and I know that you're kind, no matter how hard you try to hide it sometimes. I'm not really sure about the future, but the one thing I am sure of is that I need you in it. I know that together, we can take on the world. I know that I love you. So, what do you say, McKinnon? Do you want to take on the world with me?"