"Blue eyes," Sirius would say if someone asked him which eye color he preferred. He quite liked his own eyes, but that was before her.

It occurred to him that if he liked green eyes and red hair they might suspect her.

To Sirius, she was the forbidden apple, the girl he would always love but would never love him. The dream that would never come true.

His first day at Hogwarts, he fell in love with a pair of green eyes, and from that moment he was hers.

"Blue eyes, the color of the sky," he'd say as cheerfully as possible. But it was never blue eyes and it was never blonde hair. It had been and always would be emerald eyes, apple green eyes and fiery red hair the color of the sunset on the ocean. Every single eyelash, every shooting star was dedicated to her.

"I'm gonna marry her someday," his best friend vowed. But she was Sirius's, and James just couldn't swoop in and steal her.

But Sirius let him.

He regretted that moment for the rest of his life.

"Is everyone okay with Lily? 'Cause if any of you like her, I can back off." His expression was pained. Everyone shook their heads.

It was then that he realized he didn't deserve Lily. He wasn't good enough, not for her. But James was. So for seven years Sirius had to watch his best friend woo the love of his life.

Then there was the day she gave in.

James came leaping in, announcing that Lily had finally agreed to go out with him.

Sirius could feel his heart breaking, but he put on a happy face and congratulated his best friend.

Their wedding day was worse, though. The day she pledged her love to another. The day he wished so hard he knew it must come true. It didn't.

"Blue eyes, blond hair," he'd say. He lied.

For him, it was always emerald eyes and hair the color of the sunset on the ocean.