So sorry for the lack of updating! My life has been a real mess lately... I hope some of you will enjoy this chapter (don't hate me for how it unfolds, and keep in mind the pairing of this story...). I know it's a bit short, but i PROMISE to update more frequently.

Love all the support you're giving me, you're the best!

Remember to let me know what you think after reading this, just press the review button! :)

"We should talk."

Sirius Black was grinning at me. He was deadly gorgeous and I had to control myself to keep breathing normally. I could feel every single nerve in my body vibrate as I kept staring in to his hypnotizing eyes.

What was he doing to me? Could he possibly have me under the Imperius curse? I mean, he was a Black after all, and the reputation of the Black's hadn't eluded me.

I most definitely refused to believe that I was one of those girls, who after one night of snogging fell deeply in love and started doodling 'Mrs Sirius Black' all over their notebooks.

After a few moments of explosive silence, he carefully touched one of my cheeks, still looking at me with a smirk. "I keep forgetting what to say, because all I want to do is kiss you," he whispered.

Actually, 'Mrs Sirius Black' sounded like music to my ears now.

Damn it! I was one of those girls.

My heart started to beat faster as he leaned in closer towards me, still grinning and with his eyes fixed at mine. I couldn't look away because he felt almost magnetic, like an invisible force pulled us closer. When his lips carefully touched mine I could feel myself smiling. I could feel my whole body get warmer.

When he pulled away slowly, I tried not to grin like Cheshire cat. But on the inside, I was screaming of joy.

"Good talk." I mumbled.

Sirius chuckled warmly. He shifted his weight to the other leg, seemingly looking a bit nervous. He had said that he wanted to talk, and it seemed that what he wanted to talk about wasn't just sweet nothings. The more time passed, the more awkward he seemed.

"So…" He finally said and started playing with my hair for a bit, before letting his arm fall to his side.

I tilted my head slightly and looked him in his eyes. "So?" I asked.

"You never told anyone about what happened the other night, did you?" He asked me eventually.

I tried to read his expression in vain. What answer was he searching for?

"Why?" I asked, instead of telling him that I had in fact shared the dirty deed with Marlene McKinnon.

"Well, it's… Like you said before, we should keep it to ourselves for now," Sirius suggested. He looked different. Usually he displayed a kind of casual elegance, but now he just looked nervous and uncomfortable.

That warm feeling in my body had vanished. I couldn't even begin to describe all the things I was feeling now, but a sudden sensation of embarrassment was certainly at the top of the list. And I most definitely knew why.

Sirius Black had realized that he was embarrassed about kissing me.

"Why?" I probed again. My tone was suddenly harsher. The fact that I had suggested that we kept our little rendezvous at the boathouse a secret at first felt irrelevant now. Something had shifted, because he hadn't seemed the slightest concerned if someone found out about it then.

Sirius looked at me, he seemed stressed. "I just don't want things to get weird. Us being friends and all!"

I swallowed hard, and tried to keep my posture straight.

"You're the one who's making it weird now, Sirius," I told him rather annoyed.

Sirius cleared his throat nervously and scratched the back of his head. "Oh you know what I mean, if Moony or Prongs found out, they might not-"

"James? You don't want James to find out?" I interrupted him. I started to feel more and more humiliated.

Sirius started objecting wildly, still trying to find the right words to say, but I wouldn't have it anymore.

"Are you embarrassed about kissing me, Sirius?" I asked him outright.

"Of course not!" He exclaimed.

"Then what's the problem?" I demanded.

He opened his mouth as to say something.

"It's... Forget I ever said anything. It's nothing," he said.

He touched my cheek and smiled brightly, just the way that usually made my knees turn to jelly and my heart flutter wildly. But at this instance, I felt nothing. I knew that he hadn't said everything that he wanted to say. There was still more to this conversation.

"You're not going to charm your way out of this, Black." I remarked and took his hand off my cheek.

He sighed and we stared at each other in silence.

"Brilliant. Let's be friends then. I wouldn't want James or Remus to get uncomfortable," I sneered before turning on my heels and headed towards the Gryffindor tower.

Before I turned around, I caught a glance of Sirius expression. He looked upset, like he genuinely cared about me.

"Raina!" He called after me, but I was too frustrated with him to stick around longer.

When I reached the common room I saw a few handful of students sitting around. Some were socializing whilst drinking butterbeer, some were curled up reading a book and some were sitting by the tables playing a violent round of wizard's chess.

I let my eyes scan the room, searching for a familiar face. Since I had been a loner for the greater part of my life, finding a friendly face in the large room wasn't the easiest of tasks. I was just about to give up and retreat to my bedroom when a head full of brown, tussled hair popped up from one of the couches in front of the fireplace. A goofy smile was sent my way.

"Raina!" The girl shouted while waving and I immediately decided to make my way towards her.

"So tell me Marlene, how come I always find you slouching around here?" I asked playfully when I sat down next to her.

"Have you ever sat in one of these couches? They're as soft as a cloud!" Marlene giggled and gently stroke the leather seat.

I laughed at her.

She smiled at me, and leaned back in her seat. "Do I dare to ask if you had something to do with the wrath of Peeves tonight?"

"You can ask, but I might not answer," I teased her.

"Oh, on second thought, I don't think I need to hear your answer!" She laughed.

When the clinging sound of her mellow laughter filled my ears, I felt a crushing urge in my chest to tell her about Sirius. But I was still hesitant towards her, even though I felt genuinely comfortable in her company, I still didn't know if she qualified as my friend or not.

I decided to stay quiet for now. Figure it out on my own. Like I had always been forced to do for the past sixteen years.

Marlene suddenly cleared her throat and gave me a peculiar look. "I kissed Leon again, and I expect it wasn't for the last time," she confessed.

I was silent for a few seconds.

"I kissed Sirius again, and I expect it was for the last time," I told her.

I can't explain it. It was like word-vomit. Whatever happened to figuring it out on my own, huh Raina?

"Good for you!" She quickly exclaimed, which made me stare at her puzzled. "Wait, what?" She was quick to add, when I realized that she hadn't really understood the last bit of my confession until now.

And suddenly it was like I had lost all my inhibitions, because I found myself divulging like a fool.

"Actually, I didn't kiss him again. He kissed me. Just like he kissed me last time. And then he said we should keep it to ourselves, I mean I suggested it first but still, he kissed me. And now what am I supposed to do? Be friends with him? Act like I don't care?" I felt like someone had opened Pandora's box, and the content was an explosion of all my feelings.

A comforting hand squeezing my arm seemed to stop me though.

"You're rambling. I didn't really peg you for a rambler," Marlene said and smiled at me.

I took a deep breath and looked at her, feeling my face starting to heat up. Oh Merlin, I acted like a complete nutter.

"Neither did I," I told her truthfully and sighed loudly.

Marlene kept smiling at me. "Boys… Wouldn't our lives be much easier without them?"

I felt how my chest suddenly felt a lot lighter, and my head wasn't spinning as much either. When I turned and caught a glimpse of Marlene's expression, I realized why. She was my friend. And friendship can evidently make a painful evening feel a little less complicated.