Second Glance

Okay, so James Potter had eventually changed from the biggest twit in the world to a maybe not-so-big twit. Well, so actually he could be quite nice, intelligent, and he had a certain clumsy charm, if he decided so. He had already put a bit of arrogance and stupidity down within the last year. He actually, nearly, acted his age. I have to admit that I found him quite nice (not to mention he looked really cute, and sometimes even handsome). But there was one thing that made me refrain from ever going out with him: Sirius Black.

Because the pure idea of hanging around with Black made me want to puke and that James hang around with him that often didn't make him look good in my eyes.

Sirius Black was a prat: he was immature, arrogant, and stunningly handsome - and worst of all, he knew it. He'd never grown up. He never acted as if he cared about anything other than teasing innocent people or playing horrible pranks on him. He was awfully moody - there were days when you should never go near him. He had top grades, and he didn't move a single finger for it, which made him even more disgusting. Nobody and nothing could have ever convinced me that he was a person worth a second glance.

Until one night, the night that will always stay in my mind as "The Night when I Stopped Hating Black".

It was pretty late at night when I decided to go down to the Common Room to finish my Potions essay, because Mildred, my roommate, snored horribly. I packed my book as silently as I could and whispered, "Nox". I slid the door open and slid out of it, closing it behind myself. But when I wanted to climb down the stairs and around the corner where the fire was, I heard the door of the boys' dorm open.

"Moony?" I heard Black's voice and rolled my eyes. The prat didn't even bother to whisper. But when I listened closer, I heard a book shut around the corner and the rustle of a blanket.

"Moony you idiot - what are you doing here so late at night -" Black lowered his voice a bit now and seemed to walk towards the fire. I peeked around the corner. Remus Lupin (whose stupid nickname "Moony" I'll never understand boys) was sitting on the sofa, his head turned towards the fire. I'd also never understood what exactly made Remus hang around with those guys. He was a somewhat sensible and calm guy, he was intelligent and he had humour - he was exactly what Black and his little gang weren't.

Now Sirius crawled onto the sofa. He grinned.

"Moony, still learning?! Want a payback from Snape, don't you?" I would've nearly hissed. Men could be so - disgustingly - insensible. Remus twitched. There had been an incident in Potions today, I remembered. Snape, who hadn't exactly gotten nicer either, must've said something really disturbing to Remus, who had totally screwed up his potion and got a horrible lecture from their teacher. He'd looked wrecked - but it was incredibly stupid from Black to joke about it. Stupid, stupid twit.

"You shouldn't let that nasty little bugger come on to you."

Oh Black, may your wisdom never cease, I thought sarcastically. I was nearly going to stomp into the common room to teach him some manners when suddenly something really uncharacteristic happened: Sirius suddenly closed up to Remus and wrapped his arms around him, burying Remus' head in the crook of his neck and his own nose in Remus' hair. Remus seemed to struggle and he murmured:

"Snape isn't even fit to lick your shoes." And Remus wrapped his arms around Sirius nearly desperately.

"He's a stupid arse, and you know that. He doesn't know, Remus. He doesn't know." Sirius' voice had gone deeper, calmer, and incredibly sincere. He held onto Remus as if for dear life.

"You didn't - didn't say anything," Remus murmured, his voice cracking. There was a hint of disappointment in it.

"I know. I'm sorry, Remus, I really am. But I couldn't have said anything without dropping the cover - without proving him right, and you know it." I wrinkled my forehead. I had no idea what Black was going on about.

"You're choking me," Remus suddenly said pretty dryly. Sirius let go of him reluctantly. He climbed unto Remus' lap - that was what it looked like - and pressed his forehead to Remus'.

"Don't let him bother you, right?" Remus' eyes darted to the side, and then he looked down. Sirius turned his face towards himself again.

"He doesn't know about anything - this - us - what this is like," he whispered fervently. And Remus - from what I could see - actually seemed to smile.

"Show me," he whispered and his voice sounded sweet. "Show me what this is like."

The next thing I saw was how their profiles melded into each other, their lips slowly seemed to become one and I couldn't have looked away if my life depended on it. Sirius kissed slowly, softly, and as sincere as he'd spoken. His hands held Remus as if he was still afraid Remus would back away. For me, it was quite obvious that Remus wouldn't.

"I love you, Moony, I'm sorry I love you so much," Sirius gasped once their lips parted. Remus cocked his head aside.

"You're sorry for loving me?" he inquired and seemed a little hurt.

"I'm sorry I can't do anything when Snape bothers you because I'm afraid they'd find out about us and that would mean we'd have to quit, and I love you too much, I could never have that..." Remus broke into a smile and silenced Sirius with a small peck on his lips.

"It's okay, Sirius, really. It's just Snivellus - it's alright once you come to cheer me up." Sirius' head slid down, into Remus' lap and the next thing I saw were Sirius' feet on the armrests of the sofa. Remus looked down and smiled when Sirius' voice sounded again:

"Don't be angry with me, Moony, promise me. I'm sorry I'm such a prat, I must be insufferable... I can't understand how you can stand me one minute. If I were you, I would've left me long ago and -"

"Hush." Remus looked strict and then smiled again. "I don't want to hear anything about leaving anyone. Sirius Black, I'm never going to let you go, because you're mine. I thought we made that quite clear."

When I heard Sirius' voice for the next time, it was a pleasant growl, reminding me very much of a dog who's just got an excellent treat.

"Very clear. 'M yours. Completely and utterly." Then I heard him yawn and he straightened up again. "..You coming to bed, Moony, or are you going to read until you drop dead from exhaustion?" Remus smirked and shook his head.

"Just a few more pages, wait for me." Sirius snorted as he crossed the room.

"You know I'm going to be asleep once I touch the mattress." I could hear something deep vibrating in Remus' voice (that sent quite a shiver over my back) when he responded:

"Then I'm going to have to wake you again." Sirius seemed to shudder a little and grinned.

"Hmm, do as you please. Good night." Remus mumbled something and returned to his book.

And for a moment, I saw Sirius Black still stand there, and watch Remus with such an utter adoration, with care and protectiveness, and a certain proudness, it all mingled to a glow of happiness on his face; then he slipped through the door to the dorm and was gone.

But that, I believe, was the exact moment when I stopped hating Sirius Black.

I decided to take my chance the next day and actually ask James Potter out. The rest is history, isn't it?