Guilty Pleasure

Guilty Pleasure

Chapter 2- Uncomfortable Situations

What do you do when you're in love with your best friend, but you're also attracted to his girlfriend?!

The cool breeze flitted through his dark hair as Sirius set off at leisurely place after the retreating Severus Snape. He chuckled darkly to himself as he thought of the many ways to torture the slimy Slytherin. He was at a bit of a disadvantage seeing as he didn't have the other Marauders to back him up, in particular one raven haired bespectacled Marauder, which made him frown. He wasn't supposed to be thinking about James...

Sirius soon found that he just wasn't in the mood for terrorising Snape when he somehow managed to be seated on a low wall. He couldn't recall stopping, which was particularly annoying as it supported Lily's argument that men couldn't multitask, which was complete bull... Damn it! No thinking about Lily! Or James for that matter!

"Stupid Snape. Stupid redhead. Stupid Prongs."

A gentle laugh made him almost fall over backwards. Almost. Sirius Black was not one to be taken by surprise. He was Hogwarts teen heart-throb after all and you can't be a teen heart-throb without knowing how to deal with girls sneaking up on you. Or boys, in some cases. Sirius shook his head and tired to concentrate on breathing evenly.

"Talking to yourself is the first side of madness you know, Black!"

"Lily flower," he said, with a smart little bow. "How many times do I have to tell you? It's Sirius now, m'dear, seeing as we're pretty much related now!"

He was rewarded with a dazzling smile and another thrilling laugh that sent a shiver down his spine. "Is that so? And how did you come to that conclusion, Mr Black?"

"Well, my darling, you see me and prongs are like brothers and with you two dating that makes you like, my sister or summit?"

"Hmm.. well, I'm not too sure I like the idea of being related to a dog!"

Sirius stiffened. "Excuse me?"

"Oh, Sirius! I'm so sorry... I guess James didn't tell you?!"

He glared at her. "Apparently not!"

Lily's cheeks were flushed as she continued: "Look here, Sirius. You use those silly nicknames around me all the time... I was bound to ask wasn't I?"

His face was almost as red as hers by this time. "SILLY?! I CAME UP WITH THOSE!" He shouted, gesturing with his hands which had curled into fists. He had a sudden urge to hit the girl, so let his arms drop, feeling guilty.

She stared at him with wide eyes that sparkled with tears. "How dare you. How dare you shout at me like that!"

It came to a surprise to him that Lily had spoken so calmly after he had screamed in her face. He had expected her to blow up like the typical redhead she was. Not that all redheads had terrible tempers of course. That sixth year Hufflepuff Julie, or whatever he name was, certainly didn't. In fact she...

"BLACK! YOU THINK YOU CAN TALK TO ME LIKE THAT AND THEN GO OFF INTO DREAM WORLD WITHOUT APOLOGISING?!"

For a second he just stood and stared at her.

"Me? What do I have to apologise for? You're the one snooping in OTHER PEOPLE'S BUSINESS!"

She slapped him hard across the face. "Shove off, you nasty piece of work. You, you... You DOG!"

That was it. He burst into laughter.

"IT'S NOT FUNNY!" she screamed, stamping her foot.

"OI! YOU, SIRIUS BLACK!"

Sirius immediately ceased laughing and turned to watch his best mate, his brother from another mother, stalk up to him with a murderous look on his face.

"What are you shouting at Lily for?"

Sirius gulped. James' nose was mere centimetres from his own. He could see every fleck of gold in his amber eyes. He could feel him breathing. Don't inhale. Don't inhale. Don't inhale.

He needn't have worried. A fist came into contact with his stomach as the air was knocked from his lungs. He twisted his face up to look at James, shocked.

"James!" Lily gasped.

"I didn't want to do that, Sirius. Really I didn't. But you insult Lily, you insult me."

Sirius opened his mouth in protest, but James stopped him with a simple look. "I love her."

No! No, you don't Prongs! You don't love Lily Evans!

"Prongs, please just let me explain!"

"DO NOT call me that, Sirius Black! You want me to choose between you and Lily? Is that what you want? Well, is it?"

He made to shake his head, really he did, but when you get an ultimatum like that, you have to follow your heart not your head.

"Yes," he whispered. "Your best mate for nearly seven years, or your girlfriend?"

James recoiled as if Sirius had hit him. "Are you serious?"

"Why, yes I am."

He couldn't help it. He cracked up. Who wouldn't? It was a life long joke.

"I can't listen to this!" Lily said, loudly. Sirius jumped. He had forgotten her for a while. He watched silently as she briskly walked away.

"Lily? LILY?!"

"Let her go, Prongs!"

James spun round and pointed a finger into Sirius' chest. "You can shut up, you berk! I choose Lily."

"W-what?"

"LILY! I EFFIN CHOOSE LILY!"

He turned and set off in a jog. It was all Sirius could do not to call after him or follow. Instead he waited until James was out of sight and sank to the grass, great racking sobs echoing through his chest.