A/N Thanks to Eira aka phoenix_anamagus for her beta and help on this!
Chapter title is once again from Shinedown's song Sin with a Grin. I own only my OFC - the rest belongs to JK Rowling.
~*~
“I hear you’re coming to Hogsmeade with us Saturday,” Lily said to Alexia, coming up from behind her.
“Yes…well I guess so,” Alexia stammered.
“Brilliant!” Lily smiled. In a whisper, she added, “He’s really not that bad.”
Alexia tried to look blank as she asked, “Who?”
Stopping in the hall, Lily pulled ALexia by her sleeve to an alcove. “Sirius isn’t that bad. Not at all the prat you think he is. He’s a good mate. Maybe you should give it a go.”
Blushing furiously, Alexia wished it was possible to Apparate out of Hogwarts. “I’m just helping him study. That’s all. I don’t know what he told you, but I don’t fancy him if that’s what you’re playing at.”
“But I’m pretty sure he fancies you,” Lily replied.
“He thinks I’m just some twit who will fall for him,” Alexia retorted. “But if I ever did, he’d lose interest immediately. Besides I’m not even the same class as one of the ‘Black’ sons.”
“I’ve known Sirius for seven years and he was a complete git for a year or so because of his family, but he’s changed. He’s been disowned because he’s friends with people like me and James rather than being more like Regulus and their cousins Bellatrix and Narcissa. Both Sirius and Andromeda were disowned for their friendships with muggles. If you hold his family against him, how are you any different from them?” Lily asked with a wise look.
Alexia knew Lily was right. She had to admit that Sirius wasn’t as bad as she had decided he was even though it made her stubborn pride throw a tantrum in her head. Luckily for her she was saved by James as he came up behind Lily and made her squeal by surprising her.
“Are you two talking about me? My ears are burning.” He laughed as he tapped Lily on the nose.
“Most likely because they stick out so far from your head the sun is broiling down on them.” Lily snorted but Alexia could tell it was a playful jab not a real insult.
Feeling a bit of jealousy at the relationship the pair had, Alexia could not help but wonder if some day she would have the same. She had no experience with boys which, compared to most of her classmates, was unheard of. No brothers or male cousins to explain to her how blokes think. She found herself often quite unsure of them so she just avoided them as anything other than Quidditch and school mates.
“Right Alexia?”
“Hmm?” she stared blankly at James. “I’m sorry I was think about something else.”
“Something or someone?” he winked. “I asked if you were going to give Sirius a second chance.”
“I never gave him a first chance!” Alexia argued, then blushed realizing what he meant. “Oh…I mean, well…look, I need to go to class. I will see you two later.”
Rushing off before they could say more, she went to her Defense Against the Dark Arts class. She was frustrated for the rest of the day, because she found herself thinking about Sirius much more than she wanted to. Everytime he looked at her in Transfiguration class, she blushed and looked away, positive he somehow knew he was on her mind.
~*~
On Saturday Alexia found herself spending extra time getting ready to go to Hogsmeade. Usually the students wore regular clothes rather than their school robes which made it much more difficult for her to pick the perfect attire. Her roommates giggled as they watched her change her sweater for the second time.
“Is it true then? You’re going to Hogsmeade with Sirius Black?” one of them asked.
“I’m just tutoring him,” Alexia was quick to correct them. “Besides, how did you find out?”
“Apparently Sirius told Remus who told James and I overheard James telling Lily.” Heather, her least liked roommate, shrugged. “It’s no big deal. I’m sure Sirius doesn’t think of you that way.”
Never one to keep up on the gossip about her classmates, Alexia still heard the tinge of animosity in Heather’s voice and suspected it was due to jealousy. “I never said he thought of me in any way. What’s the matter, Heather? Can’t you get him to notice you despite the fact you throw yourself at him – oh and every other boy at Hogwarts as well? Perhaps its because they realize that you’re just a skanky bint and even Slytherin boys aren’t that hard up for snogging.”
Her other two roommates, Alice and Elizabeth, silently looked between the two of them waiting to see which would be the first to draw wands. Just as Heather went to reach in her pocket, Alexia reared back and coldcocked her in the nose. Before too long the two girls were rolling on the floor with Heather screaming like a banshee and pulling Alexia’s hair and Alexia punching and kicking the bigger girl.
“Enough!” The two girls heard Lily Evans snap as two other girls grabbed Alexia and pulled her off Heather. “If Professor McGonagall finds out about this, we will all be forbidden to go to Hogsmeade today!”
“She started it. We were talking about Sirius and all of the sudden she had gone mad,” Heather replied, wiping her bloody lip on her sleeve. “Its not my fault she…” When Alexia raised her foot to kick the girl, she jumped away. “See?!? She’s mental!”
“Take Heather to the loo to get cleaned up,” Lily said to Alice and Elizabeth.
After her three roommates left, the girls holding Alexia let go of her. One of them smiled at her and said, “That was brilliant! She deserved it.”
“You’re not helping things Patty,” Lily muttered. The two seventh-years laughed as they left Alexia’s room.
“Is it true you were fighting over Sirius?” Lily asked.
“No! Well…not exactly.” Alexia sat down on her bed and tried to comb her hair back into place. “Heather got mad that I was going to Hogsmeade with you guys and made some comment about me and when I replied she started to pull her wand…oh, nevermind it doesn’t matter.” When she saw the smirk on Lily’s face, she exclaimed, “We were not fighting over him!”
“I didn’t say anything. So don’t hit me!” Lily held up her hands in mock surrender as she smiled. “Come on, let’s go before word gets out that you beat up Heather, and Sirius comes down with a sudden case of Dragon Pox.”
~*~
“By the time I arrived, Heather had already been mostly done over by Alexia.” Lily nudged Alexia’s arm with a laugh.
“Well I guess we better try not to wind you up,” James snicked. “Right, Sirius?”
Looking over his butterbeer at her, Sirius winked. “It might be a wise idea. I don’t believe you said why you two fought?”
Alexia gave him a sarcastic smile. “I was forced to defend your honor. She said you were a complete git and I said not completely.”
Everyone laughed, and Sirius was surprised at how much she seemed to be warming up to his friends. They had been sitting at the Three Broomsticks for a couple of hours and despite not knowing most of them, other than James, for long, Alexia seemed to get along well with everyone, including Sirius today. She was even nice to Peter, who most girls thought was a bit dodgy. To be honest, he was a bit dodgy.
“Let’s go walk around. I want to go by Scrivenshaft's to pick up some new quills. And I know you won’t be happy if we don’t go by Zonko's,” Lily said to James, standing and grabbing her sweater. “Come on Lupin, you and Peter come with us so Alexia and Sirius can study.”
Sirius saw Alexia tense up as they left. So far they had all been having a great time and now apparently she dreaded being alone with him, fearing perhaps that things would be uncomfortable if it was just the two of them. Draining the rest of his drink, he rose.
“Come on. I find studying is much easier with some Honeyduke’s fudge.” Sirius held out his hand to her. She stared at it for a moment and he added. “If you’re good, I’ll buy you a Sugar Quill.”
“If you’re good, I might let you.” Alexia said as she stood up and walked towards the door.
The two of them went to Honeydukes and purchased their treats and Sirius was thrilled to see her smile quite frequently. It was not a forced or nervous smile and he found himself seeking out ways to make her smile again.
“Well, well, if it isn’t my brother and his newest conquest.” Alexia turned to see Regulus Black, Sirius’ younger brother, and a few of his friends standing there. She knew that like their parents, Regulus had cut Sirius off from the family. Normally, she would have put him in his place for what he said but considering the circumstances, she didn’t want to make things worse between the brothers.
“Regulus, this isn’t the time or place…” Sirius began.
“Do you have to humilate us further by parading this mudblood in public?” Regulus shot back.
“Sod off, you wanker.” Alexia snapped at Regulus.. Before he could respond, she felt a wand shoved into her chin.
“How dare you speak that way to a Black?” A cold voice said in her ear. Alexia wanted to step away but couldn’t. She felt something dark and sinister creeping up her spine.
“Bellatrix, let her go.” Sirius said and realizing whose wand was at her throat, Alexia swallowed hard but tried not to show her fear.
“Apologize to my cousin, Mudblood.” Bellatrix demanded.
“I’m sorry, Regulus,” Alexia said sweetly but couldn’t resist adding. “I’m very sorry you’re such a prat and your family are a bunch of nutters.” Her sarcasm earned her a harder jab with the wand.
“Expelliarmus!” Sirius snapped, and Bellatrix’s wand flew away. Jerking Alexia away from Bellatrix’s grasp, he pointed his wand at his cousin and said, “Leave us alone.”
With a laugh that was more of an evil cackle, Bellatrix smiled at him and her eyes promised him that this wasn’t over.
Walking backwards so he could watch his cousin carefully, Sirius steered Alexia down a side street towards Madam Puddifoot's teashop. He finally turned to her and checking her for any damages, he asked, “Are you all right? I’m sorry, my cousin is mental.”
Alexia nodded. She was shook up by the whole incident, but she also felt bad because Sirius was both furious and hurt by the whole incident. When he realized she was okay, he paced back and forth for a moment.
“I loathe them - the whole lot of them!” he seethed. “They shouldn’t have dragged you into this. Two fights in one day because of me – I’m surprised you haven’t punched me in the face.”
Watching him pace, she suddenly felt very sorry for him. She couldn’t imagine having a family like his, and she could see how difficult it was for him. It was a startling realization that Sirius had ‘feelings’. Then she realized he had done something really heroic protecting her and her stomach filled with butterflies.
“Sirius, I’m fine. It wasn’t as bad as…I mean you don’t need to feel bad for it…you can’t help who your family is…” she stammered trying to find the right words to say but everything seemed off. In a fit of desperation, she did the only thing she could think of to possibly make him forget what had just happened.
She kissed him.
Chapter Two
You Lit the Fuse Inside My Head
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