Sugar & Spice

*Rosie's Point of View

Sunday morning I woke feeling more refreshed than I had in ages, though it was so early that our room was only just beginning to lighten.

I pushed back my covers and sat up as the sun crept across the room to my bed, staining my closed eyelids orange and red whenever I closed them.

It was the first warm day of the year, and I felt energised. I’d only been awake for a few moments, but already the itchiness in my legs told me it was time to go running, something I’d neglected to do when the weather had been colder. It had been too long since I'd had any real exercise, and I needed to clear my head properly – it would help me think straight.

I'd had my nose so close to the grindstone lately that I'd hardly even had a chance to breathe.

After a second of thought wherein I debated the chances of people seeing me or not, I threw on my tight, cropped fuchsia exercise bra, my baggy black cotton tracksuit bottoms and my black trainers and practically ran through the door, forgetting to catch the door as it swung closed and grinning sheepishly as moans and groans of ‘shut up’ floated down after me.

On my way out I threw a crumpled-up piece of paper for my cat to play with and chuckled lightly as she tore madly after it.

Walking down the deserted corridors of Hogwarts was so relaxing. The lack of pushing shoving students was so nice. It was true, I had seen the hallways without students, but that was when it was dark, and Hogwarts was different at night; calm and quiet, yes, but with secrets, mystery.

Now golden rays of light beamed down in on me. I felt tranquil.

When I stepped outside, the chill wind bit at my skin, and I realised it wasn't quite as warm as I'd thought.

Never mind, I thought. A bit of jogging will warm me up.

I set off around the right side of the castle, heading towards the quidditch pitch. A few laps around it and I knew I’d be exhausted, but I really would've worked up an appetite. Though of course I had no real reason to want to work up an appetite or even to exercise; I remained as thin and willowy as I had been the day I'd enrolled.

By the middle of my first lap, storm clouds were rolling in and the sun had mysteriously disappeared behind the dark grey blanket above. By the end of it, I was breathing harder and it was raining.

I set myself a target of ten laps – to really get myself in shape – and worked towards it. By the second lap I was absolutely drenched to the skin, but I was grinning from ear to ear. There was something about the rain that just washed all my troubles away – between that, the lack of people, and the open sky I felt free as a bird – exhilarated even.

"Tammie!" I didn't stop, instead turning and jogging backwards to see who had called my name. I ignored the automatic lift to my heart as I recognised the voice.

I couldn't see the person's face yet, but I couldn't mistake the sheer width of that grin or that height or even the mop of dark shaggy hair. I resolutely set a scowl on my face and turned back around, pushing myself harder and faster than before. I only had three more to go.

Water ran steadily down my face and in my eyes and my shoes squelched in the puddles on the stone track.

By the end of the track he’d caught me up, laughing. I glanced at him and my jaw quite literally dropped.

He was shirtless, wearing only jogging trousers similar to mine and a pair of pure black converse. Rain ran down his chest in fascinating little spirals, dripping off the end of his pecs and running down his stomach to soak into the sodden fabric of his trousers. His hair was sticking up in all different directions.

The effect – everything together - was shockingly sexy. I'll admit it: my brain scrambled.

I watched his eyes dart all over my body and I glanced down self-consciously. I was pleasantly surprised; I actually looked pretty good. I felt a moment of sick embarrassment as I realised my nipples had gone hard from the rain, but allowed myself a quick wild grin as I realised he was staring at them with unconcealed appreciation.

It comforted me to think that he might actually find me half as appealing as I found him.

"Thought you were smart enough to know you could never outrun me, Tammie." He remarked finally, after nearly stumbling on an upturned rock and nearly falling face first into a puddle; I stifled a smirk with much difficulty. He'd looked pretty deep in thought.

I huffed and averted my face. I tried to push myself faster and keep my breathing even at the same time, but he matched my pace.

I was gratified to see that it wasn't completely effortless for him. That would be too much.

"So. Fancy meeting you here. Why are you running in the rain?"

"Why are you running in the rain?" I retorted, pointing out the obvious as I dodged the lone bush that grew in the middle of the flagstone track.

"Because I like it. Nobody's here and it's peaceful. And the rain keeps my body temperature down. And it's refreshing." I looked at him oddly.

"Well that's why."

"What, for exactly the same reasons?"

"Yes." Short and simple. "Now please stop talking. I'm enjoying the quiet." I told him bluntly. He didn't say anything and we continued in silence.

Irritatingly comfortable silence.

"Why do you keep trying?" I blurted out after the eighth lap. I was panting by now and I was clutching a stitch in my side. Black wasn't clutching a stitch but he was breathing just as heavily as I was.

He looked at me, taken aback.

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean." He grinned then, and I watched the water drip down his teeth.

"No sweetheart, I'm afraid I don't." I didn't comment on the endearment; I knew it would only encourage him.

"Why do you keep trying to…uh…why are you so…persistent? I mean, when are you going to quit?" I asked awkwardly, wishing as soon as the words were out of my mouth that I could take them back, or put it more subtly.

Out of the corner of my eye I could him observing me steadily and after a stubborn hesitation I met his gaze. There was no hint of a joke in his eyes or expression as he told me exactly when.

"Never."

I hadn't made my target of ten laps, but it didn’t matter. I skidded in the rain and came to a stop, splashing water all over myself. Black swivelled round, walking slowly backwards but not quite stopping.

"I'm done." I told him abruptly and turned back towards the castle. My last glimpse of his face was open and raw and I hated myself for feeling bad about that.

He looked like he might follow me for a second but then he didn't; he turned around and sprinted in the opposite direction, not looking back once.

What are you doing? The little voice in the back of my mind asked me, as if some part of me thought I was crazy.

The sad part was that I wasn’t even sure anymore.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Breakfast was less awkward than it used to be. I'd started sitting with the Marauders again a couple days previously, and I felt at home once more. Lily, of course, came with me, claiming a permanent spot on Remus's other side, a fact which I rather thought annoyed Peter, though he never said anything or gave her evil looks from what I could tell.

Black didn't join us that morning for breakfast, and I couldn't help wondering where he was.

After my second mug of hot chocolate, and after having battled with myself for twenty minutes, I finally worked up the courage to ask James, deciding to endure whatever jokes and prods I received in response.

"Where's Black, James?" He glanced up shortly from his porridge and then immediately back down again. He shrugged.

"Dunno." My brow furrowed in confusion.

"James…what's wrong?" There was a long pause.

"You're fucking with his head, Tammie." I sat back, aghast at the no-nonsense statement. Our group had fallen silent and I felt like I was being watched...which I was.

"No I'm not!"

"You are."

"Don't you dare take that tone with me Potter. I've done nothing wrong." His eyes flashed as his head whipped up to fix me with a look I'd never seen in him before. I knew then who's side he was taking and I hated him for it. For a moment I genuinely hated James Potter.

"Yes you have. One minute you're hot, the next minute you're cold – I've seen you!" I leaned over the table so that we were nearly nose to nose.

"You've haven't seen shit, Potter. I haven’t been hot and cold – just cold, got that? What's your problem today anyways? I thought you were my friend!"

"Well maybe you were wrong! Sirius is my best mate and I don't like how you're messing with him! Just forgive him and give it up already!"

"Fuck you, Potter." I stood up suddenly.

"Rosie," Remus sighed. He pulled hard on my robe and forced me to sit down next to him.

I was relieved when he caught my eye and I saw he wouldn't be picking sides any time soon. And I still had Lily, who was glaring daggers over the table at James.

His attitude struck deep all the same. I knew he was wrong, but it upset me that he seemed to think so little of me.

"James…stop being a prick. Rosie, calm down, please. Now, there is no reason to accuse anybody of anything, and whatever's going on between Rosie and Sirius shouldn't affect anything between any of us – that's stupid. Say sorry James."

"Wha-?!" He spluttered, turning wildly to Remus and almost splattering Peter with brown sauce.

"Apologise James or so help me God -!"

"Alright alright! Sorry Tammie. Just got a little worked up I guess."

"Man period?" I wouldn't be forgetting about that little outburst anytime soon. He gave a half-hearted grin, suddenly looking quite contrite.

"Whatever. See you all later." I stood up again and grabbed my bag, taking off before anybody else could say anything. When I was outside of the Great Hall I put my glasses on, not because they helped me see long-distance better but because they made me feel more comfortable somehow.

I trudged upstairs to take a shower, ignoring how I left little puddles of water where my feet touched the ground. I knew if I didn't hurry Filch would be all over me, and probably give me detention.

I didn't want detention.

I passed the rest of the girls on my way up and bade them good morning and goodnight – I'd already made up my mind to have a hot bath and then go to bed.

The castle was much darker now than it had been when I'd first woken up, and bluish rain and wind rattled the windows in their frames. I could hardly believe that a mere two hours previously the sun had been shining and I’d felt full of energy.

Finally I made it to the common room and without looking around I trudged slowly up the stairs, my legs beginning to burn from lack of stretching. I'd have Charlie horses later, I just knew it.

I hardly stopped walking long enough to strip and then carried on into the bathroom, grabbing my towel from the rack next to the sinks.

I loved our bathtub – it was huge, and had lions' claws on the bottom. I borrowed some of Georgia's delicious-smelling strawberry bubble bath and turned the tap on full, then went back into my dorm for my book, the Hobbit. It took five minutes or so but eventually my bath was ready, and it was a good thing, too; I was starting to shiver, soaked through as I was. I climbed in without further ado and gave a long, contented sigh, sinking deeper underneath the foam as my muscles unwound. That’s more like it...

Sleep threatened to suck me under as I lay there, doing nothing and thinking of nothing…until I heard a noise. My eyes flashed open and I looked around in suspicion, thinking it might be Georgia's rat or – worse, a Hogwarts rat.

Then I heard it again, and realised what it was. It sounded precisely like a cloak dragging slightly on the floor. Blood rushed to my face.

"You have no shame, Black."

"Who, me? Most certainly not. Especially when you’re involved." Black materialised to the side of the bathroom about ten feet from me, customarily leaning against the rough stone tile as he looked down at me.

"How long have you been here?"

"I was here when you came in." He winked and gave me a characteristically lusty smile.

I covered my flaming face with my hands and sank down under the water in mortification. Oh. My. God.

Then I smirked. I'd be getting him back for this. Big time.

When I came up he was grinning so widely I thought his cheeks might split.

"You have a gorgeous body Tamms. Just so you know." I just stared at him in shock for a moment, and then with nothing else better to say, I stuck my tongue out at him like a five year old.

He didn't' hesitate to reciprocate.

"How'd you get in here anyways?" He shrugged.

"Not hard when you're a magical messiah." I snorted.

"My lord, not half full of yourself, are you?" He winked.

"Not by half."

"Look, much as I enjoy your company and everything, and much as I enjoyed sharing the bathroom space with a total perv and everything, but I'd kind of like to finish my bath – if that's alright with you."

"Oh! By all means – do continue!" He made no move to leave.

"Get out!" I laughed for the first time with him in weeks; that might possibly have been part of the reason I didn't need to say anything else to make him leave – it was such a change from my usual biting remarks, if I spoke to him at all. "No sneaking back either!" I called after him, unable to wipe the silly grin from my face.

His bark-like laughter filled my head like an echo long after he'd left.