19
Charlotte blinked into the warm morning light, snuggling deeper into the thick blankets surrounding her, her eyes shutting again. She couldn't remember ever being this comfortable.
She jumped, a sharp breath leaving her mouth as Sirius's fingers brushed the skin at the base of her spine, dragging them slowly upwards beneath the material of her t-shirt which had ridden up in the night. She laid still, forcing her breathing back to normal as best she could, waiting to feel his skin against hers again.
"I know you're awake." Sirius mumbled, his voice clearer than it had been last night, though there was still an evident hitch near the middle of his words.
She rolled over, fixing her shirt behind her and ignoring the flush she could feel rising to her cheeks as she met his eyes, brighter than the dimly lit bedroom.
"How you feeling?"
"I'm fine." He said with a single nod, "I don't want to talk about it."
"Sirius,"
"It's Christmas." He pressed on, "I don't have to talk about it."
"Alright... that's fair." She spoke softly, glancing towards the curtain covered windows. "What time is it?"
He rolled over her and she felt her eyes go wide, lying still for a second before he returned with the small clock from his bedside table, squinting at it in the low light.
"Nearly ten."
"Shit," She muttered, throwing the blankets to the edge of the bed and swinging her legs off, much to Sirius's dismay.
"Hey!" He whined, snatching the covers back over himself in protest. "Bloody freezing. Where are you going?"
"I'm..." She paused, glancing between him and the door. "I'm going to get ready. I've got to get home, and you know James, he's probably been up for hours."
"Or he's sleeping like the dead." Sirius argued, wincing as he sat up and moved to the edge of the bed beside her. "You're not going home. Why can't you stay?"
"It's Christmas, and I feel guilty enough spending the night un-invited. Why did you send me here anyways?"
"It was the only address I could think of. Pardon me for not memorizing yours as you shoved us out the door last night."
She pressed her lips together and looked nervously towards the door.
"Please don't leave just yet." His voice was softer now, both of their eyes growing accustomed to the low lighting. "Stay for breakfast. Then I can take you home."
"You're not taking me anywhere, you..." She trailed off, remembering his demand to not speak of last night. "I'll stay until you're up and then I've got to go home. Before my parents report me missing."
"Deal." Charlotte watched as he climbed to his feet, pushing up on the night stand and swallowing a groan, though the pain was clear on his face. "And Charlotte?"
"Yes?" Her voice was soft now, her hand resting on the door handle.
"I'm going to have to tell Effie you forced your way into my bed last night." His lips curled into a smirk as he watched her jaw drop, twisting the door handle and pulling it open to slip into the hallway. "I mean, it's completely indecent!"
Twenty minutes later she was starting down the steps again, her dress from last night tucked beneath one arm and her shoes hanging off two fingers. She could hear laughter from the kitchen before she peaked her head around the corner, Mrs. Potter grinning over to her at once.
"There you are, Charlotte!" She hurried over to the girl, grabbing the things from her grasp and dropping them on the crowded countertops. "Can I get you something for breakfast? I thought James was going to die of boredom, you and Sirius nearly slept the morning away."
Charlotte's eyes flashed to the dark haired boy beside James, an iced cinnamon roll paused halfway to his mouth as he shot the blonde a lazy wink.
"I'm sorry James, I didn't mean to sleep so late." She offered her friend a smile and turned back towards Mrs. Potter. "Thank you so much for letting me stay over, I'm sorry for just barging in."
"Charlotte, honestly, it's nothing! I'm glad you're here for presents!"
"Oh, I can't stay..." Her eyes flickered between the boys, wishing she had thought to bring at least Sirius's present with her last night, although she thought they would have ended the night back at her house.
"We'll send you back home in a bit, Char. Your parents owled these over..." James's grin was spread nearly eye to eye as he handed her a small bundle wrapped in string.
"Oh, and I expect you think one is for you, do you?" Charlotte teased as James shrugged, Euphemia bursting into laughter.
"James, who raised you to be this spoiled?" She swatted him gently with a napkin.
"It's Christmas!" James protested, leaning out of her path and reaching back for another pastry. "Come on, Charlotte, eat something. You're taking forever!"
She sputtered out a laugh and took the seat beside the messy haired boy, pulling a cinnamon roll to her plate as Effie poured her a glass of juice.
"James, if you weren't already in boarding school, I'd be looking over pamphlets." Effie scolded.
No sooner than Charlotte had put her fork back to her plate, James was yanking them into the family room, the oversized Christmas tree glittering in the corner even in the bright morning light. Mr. Potter took a seat beside his wife, working his way through his third cup of black coffee as Euphemia flicked her wand near the tree, presents flying through the room at once. A few landed at James's feet while Sirius caught his before it dropped to his lap.
Charlotte tore into the package her mother had sent, spotting the perfectly wrapped presents that had been stowed away on her desk for days.
"Here, Charlotte. I'm sorry, it's not much, it was so last minute-"
Charlotte's eyes went wide as she looked to the glittering present Euphemia was handing over.
"When did you even have time... Honestly, Mrs. Potter, you're too kind."
"You can call me Euphemia if you'd like dear."
"Effie, actually." Sirius added from his spot in the corner where he was tearing into a large, golden phonograph, eyes shooting back to the Potters. "You're joking!"
"James said you really liked Remus's." Her lips pulled into a smile, "Open the next ones."
Charlotte smiled as Sirius leaned forward to catch the next packages, which were all identically shaped, and even Charlotte knew they held records.
"Here, James. I'd hate for you to run out of gifts." She teased, tossing him her gift and watching his eyes light up.
"I knew it! Here, wait..." He leaned towards the tree, scanning over the remaining gifts for only a second before tossing a lumpy package to Charlotte with a grin. He tore the paper off his own gift, pulling the box inside open and peering down into the box of candy, sifting through before he landed on the dungbombs in the corner.
"Those are to be used strictly on the Slytherin." She teased, earning a laugh from James as Euphemia slapped a hand over her ears.
"I'm not hearing any of this. Whatever you do, I'll discover for the first time from Minerva's letters."
"Mum, what doubt you have in our abilities." James shook his head, looking back to Charlotte. "Well, go on and open yours!" Charlotte bit back a smile, picking at the edge of the package and ripping the paper down, a beautiful dark brown scarf rolling into her lap.
"James, this is beautiful!" She looked to the bright hazel eyes. "I got you dungbombs!"
"Yeah, well... I owed you a new scarf." He shrugged, his eyes flicking between Charlotte and his mother before there was a light tapping on the window behind them, a small brown owl hovering patiently as James jumped to let it in. He pulled the small package from the owl's leg and pet it's head gently, turning the paper over in his hand before his eyes flew to Charlotte's.
"It's from Lily." He practically gasped, the owl taking flight again as Sirius shut the windows with the wave of his wand, sending James a cross look and pulling the blanket behind him around his shoulders.
"That little liar! I asked her if she got you something!" Charlotte craned her neck to watch as James tore the package open, a small golden ball zipping just out of his reach. He jumped up at once, leaping into the air to drag it back down and grinning ear to ear.
"It's an alarm clock." He laughed, turning it over a few times in his hands as Effie hurried over to admire the gift.
Charlotte grabbed the golden envelope she had stashed at her side and hurried to Sirius's side, his eyes on her at once as he shifted over to give her room to sit beside him in the oversized chair.
"Alright, now remember, I already warned you your gift was going to put mine to shame." She smiled, nervously, passing him the envelope.
"And I already told you you shouldn't have gotten me anything." He mumbled, his eyes not leaving hers until he tore into the top of the package, pulling out two flimsy pieces of paper and turning them over, his jaw dropping in place.
"They're coming to London this summer... It was too good of a coincidence, I thought-"
"You got me Fleetwood Mac tickets?" His voice was nearly a whisper, though none of the Potters were even looking their way.
"Yeah." A smile rose to her face at his reaction. Maybe it had been a good gift idea after all. "I remember you and Remus said... I thought you could take him, or James or Peter, I don't know, whoever-"
"James wouldn't know good music if it hit him in the face-"
"Pardon me?" James perked up, glancing to the two of them, eyebrows furrowed as he shot Charlotte a knowing glance.
"No, you're stuck with me blondie. We're going."
"Whatever you want! It's your gift!" She smiled, plucking at the string at the end of her pajama pants watching as Sirius's eyes flicked over the tickets in his hand before standing up. "Alright, I really should get home. Thank you all so much for everything, it was so nice to meet you both."
"Here, I'll take you." Sirius mumbled, dropping the tickets carefully onto his pile of presents and moving to stand before Effie shot him a glare.
"Absolutely not, Sirius! I'm sorry, dear, but you're not to be apparating anytime soon. You need to rest-"
"Mum," James shot his mother a warning glance which she ignored, though Sirius wore half a smile.
"Alright, yes ma'um." He chuckled, looking quickly between Charlotte and the fireplace. "I'll come help you grab your things?"
Charlotte nodded, although she didn't see how she would have any trouble carrying a few things through the fireplace.
The two of them stepped into the quiet kitchen, heading towards the counter where Effie had dropped her things earlier. She slung the shoes over two fingers, draped the dress over her arm and turned into Sirius's chest, looking up into the familiar gray eyes.
"I'm..." His voice was quiet, though Charlotte was sure no one would have been able to hear them had he been shouting, not with James's conversation carrying through the house at top volume. "I'm so sorry about last night. I should have known... I mean, I shouldn't have brought you into-"
"Don't be sorry." She stopped him, "I'm not sorry. I had fun."
"Did you?"
"Yes." She nodded, slowly, eyes not leaving his before her lips pulled into a small smile. "Until you shoved me head first into the fireplace-"
"Yeah? I'd do it again. You'd deserve it."
"Are you really feeling alright?" She asked, leaning back against the counter if only to give her some breathing space away from him, the smell of his cologne surrounding her was beginning to make her brain fuzzy. "You can tell me the truth. I won't tell Mrs. Potter. Or James."
He nodded at once, "I'll be fine. You don't have to worry about me, love."
"Oh, is that what I was doing?" She muttered, watching as the smirk grew along his lips.
"Will you come visit? If I write you? I'll... I'll probably be here the rest of break..."
"If it's okay with James... I think his parents are going to start thinking I'm a freeloader."
Sirius scoffed, his eyes rolling towards the ceiling briefly. "I don't want to wait until we're back to school to see you again."
Charlotte desperately wished they were back upstairs in the dark bedroom, where it wouldn't matter what Sirius said to her or how warm her cheeks grew in response.
"I'll be here whenever you want, Sirius." She promised, watching as he nodded twice before gesturing for her to follow him back to the fireplace where she muttered her address and stepped through the warm green flames.
☾
The sky was already growing darker, though it wasn't even dinner yet. James's parents had left a while ago, on the pretense of dinner, though James had informed Sirius and Charlotte that they would most definitely return with sparkling new decor and supplies for the Potter's upcoming New Years Eve party.
Sirius had owled Charlotte early that morning, much earlier than she would have expected him to be up, although living with James Potter, even for a few days, was bound to affect his sleep schedule. She had informed him that she would be over shortly after lunch, and had spent the rest of the morning putting together an outfit that would be warm enough for the blistery winter, yet still acceptable to meet the two Gryffindor boys.
They had sat in the now familiar living room for hours, talking and laughing, the tree still sparkling, even with the sunlight pouring in from the windows all around them. Charlotte had made a concentrated effort to not let her eyes stick to Sirius, even when he nearly doubled over in laughter and his smile spread practically eye to eye.
He looked better today, the gash was almost entirely faded now, and you couldn't see it behind his bangs anyway. Charlotte was also pleased to note the haunted look and dark circles beneath his eyes had dramatically disappeared, likely with a few nights of good sleep and days full of laughter with his best friend.
So when the Potters had announced their plans for the evening, starting towards the front door where they could apparate together, James and Sirius had made a dramatic show of following them out, waving and calling goodbyes as Charlotte crossed her arms over her chest to keep out the chill, not noticing as James crouched to the ground to scoop up a ball of snow, launching it her way.
This had prompted nearly an hour long snowball fight, in which Sirius had somehow managed to scrape together a very makeshift fortress which James trampled over in no time. The three had finally called it quits when they were soaked through with melted snow and their hands nearly frozen.
James had announced he was going up for a quick shower, Sirius following suit, both of them offering Charlotte the guest bathroom as well, though she turned them down, settling for Sirius to dry her hair and clothes before settling down to wait for the boys to return.
She glanced around the cozy room, the sun hanging low in the tree line in the distance, the Christmas tree near the fireplace looking impossibly brighter now as it lit the dim room around her. She stood from the couch, crossing to the fireplace she had arrived through only a few nights ago, running a finger along the impeccably clean mantle. It was lined with evergreen garlands and strands of deep colored berries, unlit candles staked out every few inches.
There were several pictures, not only on the mantle here, but throughout the house, of the Potters, James at varying stages of youth, his hair always equally unruly. There was one of him when he was far too young, Charlotte was sure, to be riding a broom that high in the air, though she doubted anyone could have stopped him if they had wanted to.
She wandered along the mantle until she paused at the large, meticulously polished black piano which looked brand new, though Charlotte was sure it must be quite old. She wondered if the Potters could play, if James could play, or if it was an old family heirloom of some sort that they were unwilling to part ways with.
She dropped carefully to the wooden bench, tracing over the pearl colored keys with two fingers before pressing lightly, the note echoing through the silent room.
"Can you play?" She jumped at Sirius's voice, practically forgetting she had been waiting for their return. He had changed into knit red sweater with a zipper running along the neck, and though she had seen Sirius in scarlet plenty of times before, she knew at once that this wasn't his. Of course not, if most of his clothing was still at his family's house...
"No," She let out a light laugh, moving to slide off the bench when Sirius dropped down beside her, shoving her over easily. "Can you?"
Sirius shrugged, his fingers sliding over hers above the keys and pressing down gently, until a half-decent string of notes had erupted from the piano before them.
"Of course you can." She smiled, pulling her hand away before he could feel the goosebumps erupting along her arms.
"Had to take lessons. When I was younger though, haven't played in ages."
"Yeah, it shows. You're a bit rusty." Charlotte teased, watching as his lips curled into a smirk, his eyes rolling slightly before reaching for her hands again.
"I can teach you, if you're done being rude."
"I highly doubt you could teach me-" She trailed off as he moved her hands to the keys again, one warm hand over each of her own, his chest leaning into her, familiar cologne enveloping the two of them at once.
He pressed against each finger in turn, pulling beautiful notes from the keys as if he had been practicing every day for years. A small smile pulled at Charlotte lips as she watched him play, or rather, them play. His face was so close to hers now, the room darkening with every minute, the piano fading into the dim light, only the keys and their fingers were truly visible anymore. She was sure if she turned her head, even slightly, his lips would press into her skin, though she wouldn't let her mind linger on that thought, blinking twice and focusing on the music again.
Sirius let his hands still over hers, the notes fading out into the now silent room for a few moments. "Charlotte..."
She looked to him, careful to only move her eyes, locking onto his gray ones at once. She wet her lips, which felt very dry all of the sudden, though she realized at once that her whole mouth felt the same.
"Yeah?" She breathed out, waiting for him to finish his thought.
"Can I-"
"Where are you two?" James voice rang through the house, Charlotte jumping away from Sirius's grip. She had forgotten where they were, that there was anyone else in the house. Anyone else in the world. "You want hot chocolate?"
"Yeah..." Sirius answered, his voice still soft as he stood from the bench, his eyes still stuck to Charlotte's blue ones. "I'll help."
"Oh, I'm sure you'll be a great help." James retorted, the grin evident in his words even from around the corner. "Send me Charlotte or don't come at all!"