A/N: so this is the last chapter! I couldn't play it out any longer, so I hope you enjoy it. It's kind of short, but I think it works for this. If not, I don't know. I'm already writing a sequel, and I might even put up the first chapter for it today. It has a completely different plot, centered more on James and Lily than Sirius and Cammie, although we'll have some cute parts with them in it too. Hopefully, you liked this story enough to read the next one.

Sirius's P.O.V.

Stupid idea. Tell her to think about why I was saying all those things, and then walk away? What was I thinking? Some stupid way to give a hint.

"Come on, Sirius," James was saying. We were making our way to the Whomping Willow. It was a full moon. "Lighten up."

I didn't say anything. He put a hand on my shoulder, but I shook it off.

"Come on," he said. I could tell he was getting angry with me. I didn't care anymore. "This isn't going to be fun unless you lighten up."

"I still can't believe you guys think this is fun," Remus muttered. He was moody and sour right now, and at this moment we were getting along better than ever. I finally realized why he hated to be bothered during this time of month.

"You should lighten up too, Moony," said James, just as Peter transformed into a rat to go and stand on the knot on the tree trunk, paralyzing it. "Let's go."

Remus broke into a full sprint towards the Whomping Willow and made it through the secret passageway before all of us. By the time me, James, and Peter made it to the Shrieking Shack, we could hear the pained cries from above telling us that Remus was undergoing serious pain, the only kind of pain you go through from transforming from human into wolf.

I was still sullen. I sat down on the ripped up, raggedy couch, and let my elbow rest on the arm rest, my cheek resting on my knuckle. I was tense. I was sad. I was mad. I was every other emotion I could think of except for happy. Any happy feelings had disappeared.

If she had even liked me back, I would have known by now. I shouldn't have done that. I just ruined our friendship. I'll never have Cammie as a friend again.

I felt like crying. Crying. What a girl's emotion. I don't cry. Men don't cry, not even the very effeminate ones. Well, maybe them, but not me. I am not an effeminate man. I am a regular, hard, never-show-emotions man. But even in my moments of silence just sitting on the couch, I could feel my eyes growing puffy as I tried to hold back every emotion begging me to shed a tear.

"For Merlin's sake!" James shouted, looking at me. "Get it together! So she doesn't like you, big deal. That's one girl out of, what, the hundreds that go to Hogwarts? Find another one."

I snapped. "Shut up, Prongs!" I yelled, getting to my feet in an instant. "You don't even understand."

"Yeah, you're right, I don't!" said James. "Look at you! You're ready to start bawling at how Cammie doesn't return your feelings, and here I am, trying to win Lily over for the past two years where she hates me with a passion! You don't see me crying."

"That's different!" I shouted, getting closer to him so we were only an inch apart. "Like you said, Lily hates you. At least when you try, there's nothing to lose, only to gain. When I tried, I could either win or lose, and I lost. I effin' lost!"

"So?" said James. "We'd all known you were incapable of keeping a girl best friend, anyways. Now you don't have to keep one at all."

I shoved him hard, and he fell down to the floor, those Quidditch muscles of his being no help. Just as he was getting up, ready to punch me, there was a long, ear-splitting howl coming from upstairs. I heard a whimper, and both James and I turned to see Peter, who was sitting on the couch. "Come on," he whispered. "Forget it for now. Let's go help Moony."

James and I both sighed as we transformed, and Peter was a rat before I was standing on all fours. Another loud howl, and Remus came bounding down the stairs, werewolf and all.

Honestly, I liked helping out Remus like this, being there for him when he needed me most, but for the first five minutes of helping him, I'm scared. Mostly because I know he's not Remus anymore in that vicious, wolf body, and that he doesn't know who I am and can't control what he does to me.

James started prancing up the stairs, and Remus followed, howling at him, or barking or whatever wolfs do. I followed, barking, my tongue hanging out of my mouth for most of it, until Remus turned on me and started chasing me. We mostly kept him busy these nights by switching off and playing tag or some stupid little kid game like that. Hide and seek or something. Remus gets all intense with it, because he's lost his mind for it, but James, Peter, and I just laugh throughout it.

The entire night was okay, and by the end of it, even though I was dead tired without any caffeine to keep me awake, I found myself in a better mood than when I had arrived.

The sun was going to come up soon, we could all feel it. After such an eventful night like this, all I ever wanted to do was go back to the common room and sleep, which I couldn't do because I had classes.

I was too tired to run right now. James and Peter were having fun with all of their little games, and I was lying down on the couch, sleepy out of my mind. Maybe if I got a couple of minutes of sleep, I would be okay for class.

I noticed a shadow over me. Thinking it might just be James, I lifted me head up and was faced with the snout of Remus. I barked loudly and ran off of the couch in record timing, with Remus right on my tail. Just as I reached the top landing, he bit my tail, dragging me back down a couple of steps. I howled in pain, and James was at the top of the landing, watching in his stag form. Peter was on his head.

James hit Remus with his antlers, putting Remus back a couple of steps and freeing me, so I was able to reach the top landing again, and another game of tag had broken out. Remus wasn't on any of them, though. He was only chasing me.

I was cornered in a room before I knew it, and Remus scratched down on me, making me bloody everywhere. One huge scratch across my chest, and another across my face, and another across my back. I was howling, and James was there again, ready to do whatever it took to calm Remus down.

All of a sudden, Remus didn't need calming down. He was coming back, howling silently with pain as he galloped into another room. James and Peter transformed back, and I was whimpering silently.

"Come on, Padfoot," said Peter. "You've got to transform you back. We've got to get you to the hospital wing."

It was a painful transformation, and I could tell that, by the looks of horror on their faces, that my wounds looked even worse in human form than in dog.

They both gave me their shoulders, and I put my arms around their necks as they helped me get downstairs and through the tunnel back to Hogwarts. Peter had to transform back into a rat to press down upon the knot, and James was having a trouble dragging me away, but once we were out of harms way, Peter came crawling back to us and transformed, ready to help me once again.

I passed out before we even reached the castle doors.

Cammie's P.O.V.

I had given Sirius's statement too much thought. Those simple words, "Just think about it," could simply mean that he didn't want me turning into a slut. Maybe he was just trying to be like my big brother and protect me.

But he wasn't like my big brother. James and Remus were like my big brothers. Sirius was my best friend. That was it. He would never reach big brother potential because I would never love him as I would a big brother. I would love him as something else, something I didn't even want to admit to myself.

I felt that Sirius was avoiding me the next day, because he wasn't waiting for me in the common room, and he wasn't at breakfast, either. None of the Marauders were. Then I remembered that it had been a full moon the night before.

I couldn't help worrying.

"Relax, Cammie," said Lily. "You've just got to relax."

I couldn't relax. I never knew if he was alright on these nights, and it scared me to wake up in the morning and not know where he is at all.

I was starting to calm down some more by the time I reached Defense Against the Dark Arts. Usually, no matter how tired Sirius is, he manages to get some caffeine in his body to make it to classes that day. Even if he was avoiding me, knowing that he was at least still here, still alive was the biggest comfort I could ever have.

But he wasn't there, not even when the bell rang. None of the Marauders were.

I was scared. Lily and Alice couldn't think of anything to cheer me up. No one was coming over to talk to me, and I couldn't figure out if I liked it better this way or not. Sulk in silence or try to act normal with people talking to me.

In the middle of the class, Professor McGonagall walked in, interrupting the lesson. Not that I could even listen to the lesson with all of this worry on my mind. She whispered something into the teachers ear and, with a nod, proceeded to walk over in my direction. Directly to me, actually.

"Ms. Legront?" said McGonagall. "Could I speak to you in the hallway please?"

As if in a trance, I nodded and followed her outside. She stopped a couple of yards away from the door, with it closed, and I halted in my tracks. "What's going on, Professor?" I asked. My voice sounded a little dead, mostly because I was frightened with what was going on. First no Sirius, now McGonagall's talking to me in the hallway?

"There's been an accident," she said, and I could tell that even she was sad.

"What sort of accident?"

"A hippogriff accident," she told me. "I'm so sorry, dear, but Mr. Black is up in the hospital wing right now being treated for the attack."

Immediately, my heart started beating heavily, and I found it hard to contain the tears welling up in my eyes. "What?"

"A hippogriff accident. Mr. Potter said it was completely his fault, he walked up to the hippogriff without bowing first, so no charges will be held against the professor."

"Is Sirius okay?" I asked, my voice thick trying to hold back my sobs.

"Don't worry," said McGonagall. "He's alive. No permanent damage, except a scar or two might be left."

Even knowing he was okay and would be okay scared me. I blinked hard, and tears started running out of my eyes. I was taking quick, uneven breaths, but my sobs were probably heard from back in the classroom.

"You can visit him now, if you like," said McGonagall. "He's not awake, though. Tell Madame Pomfrey that I gave you the okay."

I nodded and made my way for the hospital wing. My eyes were red and puffy, probably streaming eyeliner down my cheeks, and I couldn't stop crying, couldn't stop the everlasting sobs that made their way out of my mouths and into the dead empty, echoing hallway.

I made it up to the hospital wing to find James, Remus, and Peter surrounding a bed, Sirius's bed. I walked up to it, and James heard me. He got up and enveloped me in a hug, and I was crying onto his shoulder, leaving it tear stained.

"He's okay, Cammie," he whispered to me. "He's fine. He's just sleeping."

I couldn't stop. All these pent up sobs were escaping, I was in hysterics, I could barely even open my eyes. I heard someone else get up, and could then feel James passing me on to Remus.

"I'm so sorry," he said. "It's my fault, I'm so sorry."

"It-it's not y-your fault," I stuttered. "Don't be stupid."

"It is my fault," said Remus. "I was the one who attacked him, not some hippogriff."

"It's n-not y-your fault," I repeated. I sniffed and Remus hugged me even tighter.

I finally sat down in another empty chair by the bed, staring at Sirius, watching him breath, in, out, in out.

Just the sight of that made me calm down. He was okay. He was truly okay.

But there was this one scratch on his face that still had me worrying. Remus assured me that it was the least bad scratch he had, that it wouldn't leave a scar, but it was still scary. My best friend, in a bed, all scratched up.

Remus kept telling me he was sorry. I kept telling him to shut up.

I don't even know how long I sat there in silence, just watching Sirius, but I never grew tired of it. Just his chest rising up and falling down, his tiny twitches, his subtle moans. I couldn't figure out why I was so content with just being here.

Hours passed, and an entire day could have gone by and I wouldn't have noticed. My stomach growled, and I didn't want to go to lunch, even though I was invited to head down with James and Remus and Peter. I wanted to stay up here.

I sat right next to his face, his head twitching there right before me. I reached out to hold it. His fingers curled around my own, making my heart skip a beat. It was only when he started to move a little more, twitch a little more, that he spoke out my name in a mumbled manner. "Cammie?"

"Yeah?" I said softly but hurriedly, hoping this moment wouldn't pass.

His eyes fluttered and he was awake. "Cammie," he said, sighing with relief.

"Hi," I said, almost feeling overwhelmed with emotion, wanting to cry again. I had no more tears to give away, though. My body must be dehydrated by now.

He didn't say anything, he was just staring into my eyes, and I couldn't break the sight. I was staring right back into his. "I'm really glad you're here," he said.

"I'm just glad you're alright," I said, a sob breaking through my voice.

"No, Cammie, don't cry," he said softly. "I'm fine. I can leave here tomorrow, probably. Don't worry. I'm not dead."

"But you could be," I said. "James told me you passed out before making it to the front doors of Hogwarts."

"That was then, though," said Sirius. "Let's not focus on the past. The good news is, I'm not dead, I'm fine. You have nothing to worry about."

I nodded, and then hugged him the most I could while he was under the sheets. He hugged me back. "Don't worry," he whispered in my ear. "I'm fine."

I sat back down in my chair, but Madam Pomfrey came bustling about and told me to leave, telling me that she had to check up on Sirius. I nodded and left, not being able to say anything.

I couldn't even tell him I had thought about what he had said to me.

Sirius's P.O.V.

So we're still friends. Whatever I said hadn't changed a thing at all.

I couldn't even tell if I was happy or not. So many thoughts roamed through my head that I couldn't keep track of what I was thinking anymore. Would I want her to know how I felt about her if she didn't feel the same way about me? I didn't know what to do.

Cammie came back to visit that night, and we talked, but it was stupid, casual conversation. She left at nine, after only an hour. I couldn't help but miss her, even though our conversation had been boring as hell. I just wanted her, even if we weren't talking. All I wanted was her.

I had it so bad right now.

All I can think about or dream about is her. I can imagine her everywhere I go, I can imagine her touch on my hand, her hugs around my neck, I can even imagine what a kiss with her would be like.

I'm hallucinating, going crazy. This has never, ever happened with me before. Do I even want it to happen with me? This is insane! If it's not love, then I should probably check into a mental institute. It's pure torture, every minute of it.

And yet, I don't think I'd trade it for the world.

Cammie didn't come in to visit the next day and, just as I had predicted, I was let out. James, Remus, and Peter were all in class, and I was told that I just needed a day of rest in my dormitory.

Please. A day of rest? Boring. It wouldn't even be peaceful with the loud thoughts in my head.

Instead, I walked down to the lake. Who cared if the day was dreary and cold and cloudy, maybe even a little drizzly? I was fine with the weather. The lake's always beautiful, with the mystery of what lies in it. I can't even describe what I like so much about it.

I saw someone sitting by the lake, though, their knees curled up to their chest and their toes trying to dig into the grass and failing.

What was Cammie doing, skipping class? She had only ever skipped class once, and that was with me.

I walked over and placed the ever-so-present smirk on my face. "Skipping class, Ms. Legront? Who would've thought?"

She just peered up at me, not even surprised. "I just didn't feel like going today," she said softly.

It was that voice that had me right there. I didn't care anymore, about whether she knew or not. Why should I care? I don't need to care! And even if she doesn't like or love me back, at least it'll be out in the open and it won't be a secret anymore.

I sat down right next to her. "Cammie, I need to tell you something."

She looked at me. Just one look that made my heart falter. Her blue eyes. I'd never before noticed how deep they were. She looked truly sad at that moment, a sadness that I didn't know I'd ever be able to fix. But I wanted to fix them. I wanted to be there for her.

I took a deep breath. "Look, Cammie…I'm in love with you, okay?"

I screwed it up. It wasn't even romantic. Being by a lake is too cliché. Maybe I should have taken her up to the common room and told her in front of a warm fire, like I'd had the chance to do so long ago, so many times before. No, that's too cliché too. Maybe I should have told her over the summer? No. When would she be in England for the summer? She hates the cloudy weather, and this was something I would never be able to tell someone over a letter or even a Muggle telephone.

There was a moment of silence. "I can't stop thinking about you," I whispered. "And I know it's all wrong, me saying it now, when we've never even dated or kissed at all, but I can't help it. I'm in love with you. And I want you to give me a chance."

I caught sight of her eyes again, and I could see that the sadness had been replaced by surprise. "You love me?" she said quietly. I nodded. I was about to walk away when she hugged me tightly. "I love you too."

Again, my heart skipped a beat. "You do?" I said, my voice completely surprised. She nodded and smiled. I couldn't help but smile too. Our hug broke apart, and I looked her in the eyes. "We don't have to do anything if you don't want to. We'll go slow. I promise. I won't make you do anything."

She just smiled. "Going slow is a little boring though," she said, giggling. Merlin, I loved her laugh. She stood up, and I stood up with her. She just started hugging me tightly, burying her head in my shirt. I put my head right by her head, and kissed her softly on the cheek, right by her lips. She took her head out of my shirt, smiled with a faint laugh on her lips, and leaned in on tiptoe to kiss me on the lips.