{33} You bring out my rare smile : A Marauder Story

Sirius' breath heaved as he stared down at the wreckage that had once been a portrait. Everything had gone black, just for a few seconds, and when he came to he was in the exact position he was in now.

He had heard of people having fits of fury so bad they blacked out. He never thought it would happen to him. Was that what happened at all? He didn't remember walking over to the portrait and smashing it to bits.

Well, the portrait had deserved it anyway, he thought. He called Harley a whore.

He looked up. Harley's face swirled with questions he knew she would never ask him. Riley looked stunned. Dumbledore looked understanding and frustrated at the same time.

While looking at Dumbledore, he pointed to the broken portrait on the floor. "I did that didn't I?"

"Yes, Mr. Black, you did," he said, obviously displeased. "Please sit down, all of you."

Sirius tried to catch Harley's eye, but she had already sat down and was staring straight at Dumbledore. It was obvious she was avoiding his gaze.

He sat down in the only chair available and ran his fingers through his hair. Then he started to talk.

---

Harley paced in the Slytherin Common Room. It was in the middle of the night. She had just gotten back from Dumbledore's office. She and Riley had sworn to never tell anybody about Remus' little monthly habit. All the while, Sirius Black had been staring at her.

Her flurry of emotions ran high, pulsing through every vein, coursing through her heart, only to have it pump them out again.

She was angry.

At herself. At Riley. At Remus. At Sirius Black. She had let Riley get in the way of danger. Remus had almost killed both of them. Riley forgave Remus and still wanted to be with him. Sirius Black was messing with her.

She was confused.

With herself. With Riley. With Sirius Black. Harley had absolutely no idea what to do with the emotions screaming through her. She had no idea why Riley would forgive Remus. There was no way someone could like someone else that much. Was there? And why was Sirius Black messing with her?

She was frustrated.

With herself. With Sirius Black. Being out of control of her emotions was driving her wild. She had tried to shut down, draw back into her shell, but her feelings wouldn't let her. How could Sirius Black possibly be messing with her?

Harley wasn't stupid. She knew that it Sirius was that was causing most of her distress. How, though, she didn't know. She knew he hadn't hit her with any spells, so that couldn't be the cause of her mind alteration. All the clues that she had were unbelievable.

Her heart raced whenever he was near. Her mouth went dry whenever he looked at her. She couldn't think straight when he touched her. Her mind seemed to belong to someone else when he held her.

It could only mean one thing. And the fact that that one thing was even taking place in her options was making her nuts. But she knew it was true. It was the horrible truth.

She actually liked Sirius Black.

And not just in the friend way either. She knew enough to know that friends don't turn other friends on by just holding them. She really liked him. She didn't know why-

Yes you do.

Harley groaned.

No! No I don't. He's stubborn, hard headed, conceited, cocky, and arrogant!

Remind you and anyone you know?

It took a moment for Harley to clue in.

I am not cocky!

The little voice didn't answer. Her claim was half-hearted and she knew it.

She was cocky. She knew that she could take on anyone of the students, and even half the teachers at Hogwarts. She also knew she was beautiful, beautiful enough to flaunt it if needed. If that wasn't cocky, she didn't know what was.

And Sirius. Sirius was gorgeous. She could deny it all she wanted, but it was true, and now she knew it. His wavy brown hair, sexy auburn eyes and knock-you-off-your-feet smile. All of it was around as gorgeous as anyone could get.

But she couldn't be with him. She wouldn't allow herself. First of all, it would add to the ring of people that Harley would have to protect. It would put him in danger. If Voldemort found out about her and him, first he'd go after Sirius and try to get him to join. Once Sirius turned him down, he might get mad and go after Valarie and Riley. And her mother would not approve.

Harley groaned again.

She hated everything. She liked Sirius but she couldn't have him.

Her jaw set and her eyes narrowed at her predicament.

"I've gotta destroy something."

---

The next morning, when Valarie heard of the whole fiasco the night before, she could have cried. She had missed one of the biggest events of the year! Who cares if it was dangerous, it would have been exciting! Once Riley got past the whole part of Remus being a werewolf, which Valarie swore never to tell anyone, and she wouldn't, she started to tell Valarie something quite interesting.

"As I was hiding behind that big tree, I looked around to find Harley. I was scared and I didn't want her to try to take on the werewolf by herself. Because that's exactly something that Harley would do." Riley crossed her legs on the bed and Valarie nodded, encouraging her to go on. "Well all I saw was Black lying on something. He wasn't moving, just staring at the thing he was lying on. Get this, he was laying on Harley!" Riley looked completely baffled. Valarie smiled.

"Yea, so?"

Riley jumped up off the bed. "Valarie, he was on top of her and she wasn't pushing him off! She was just staring right back at him! Has the world gone nuts, Val? Have you gone nuts?" She threw her hands up in the air. She quieted her voice and leaned closer to Valarie. "They like each other, Val. I saw it was own eyes. Sirius Black likes Harley! And she likes him back!"

She collapsed back down onto the bed, at a complete loss of words. Valarie patted her on the back and Riley shot her a confused glare. "Why aren't you freaking out?" She asked. Valarie smirked at her.

"I knew he liked her about a month ago."

Riley jumped up again. "WHAT?!" Valarie broke out into a smile. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because he made me promise that I wouldn't tell anybody," she leaned, leaned back on the bed. "Besides, I figured it out before he told me."

Riley ran her hands down her face dramatically. "I can't believe this," she muttered. She took a deep breath. "Well, tell me everything."

Valarie leaned forward. "Harley doesn't know yet. She's completely oblivious to his feelings, and oblivious to her own as well. They-"

"Wait a second," Riley interrupted. "Harley likes him back, but doesn't know it?" She sounded thoroughly confused. Valarie nodded.

"Yes. She's being stubborn, which we should expect from her." Riley snorted in approval. Valarie sighed. "You know, it's almost romantic. Two worst enemies falling in love."

---

Harley shook herself, trying to rid the dust off her shoulders. She walked out of the newly destroyed room, much more relaxed than she had been. But then she thought of where she was heading. She was going to find Sirius Black.

Her heart gave a thump as his face ran across her minds eye. She ran her hand through her hair and bit her lip. Sometimes she wished things would be easier. Like it could be black or white. A yes or no question. But it never was. It was always a question that involved a big serious answer that made Harley delve deep into her self to find it.

It was frustrating. Harley hated having to deal with her feelings. It just led to more questions which she couldn't answer which, in turn, made her feel dumb. So she shut them down.

"Oi! Peeves! Stop that!"

Harley immediately recognized the voice. Her heart soared and, unknowingly, she broke out into a smile.

She quickly caught herself. Her smile disappeared, but a mischievous twinkle remained in her eyes. She started to run down the hallway but realized that that would make her seem desperate, so she remained at a fast walk.

"Peeves! Bloody Hell!" The voice was in the hallway perpendicular to the one Harley was walking down. Harley picked up her pace as much as she could without starting to jog. Then he came into view.

Harley stopped immediately. Her sudden movement caught his eye and he turned his head. He gave her a quick glance, not seeming to really see her, and looked back down the hallway. Then he whipped around to face her, as if he just registered it was her.

Peeves cackled and dumped a bucket of water onto Sirius' head. Sirius didn't notice. He was too busy staring at Harley.