"I heard about you and Avery."

I looked up from my book to see Gabrielle, waltzing into our empty classroom meeting area. Smiling at my friend, I stood up, placing the book down, and walked over to her. "What exactly did you hear?"

"He was saying that you were being hardheaded and you overreacted to something he said. He looks horrible, by the way, a right mess." Gabrielle informed me lazily. "You missed his dramatics at breakfast, smart of you to sneak down to the kitchens instead."

"Well, he's a liar." I said. "He wanted me to meet him, and when I did, he then proceeded to tell me that I couldn't go to Evan's over the holiday."

"What's happening at Evan's? And by Evan you mean Rosier, right?" Gabrielle asked curiously.

"Right, I forgot to tell you. Bob will be there, he's recruiting." Bob was our codename for the Dark Lord. While it seemed stupid, at least if someone overheard us, they would be thrown off a little.

"Cascade Elise!" Gabrielle barked, reminding me of Professor McGonagall. "You cannot be serious, he could read your mind, he could find out that you're a spy! We're what, a week away from break?"

"Belle, I'll be fine. I'm going, and you can't change my mind. Look, there are things far more important than me, such as the information I plan to obtain. You have no need to worry-"

"Of course I need to worry!" Gabrielle shrieked. "You're my best friend, it's part of my job description!"

"Oh right, forgot about that, let me just go and read the pamphlet again." I said sarcastically. "But seriously, I'll be fine."

"So you're joining him, aren't you?" Gabrielle's voice was a fearful whisper, her dark eyes wide with worry. "Cas-"

"Yes, yes I am." I informed her emotionlessly. "And you can't change my mind about that either. I've gotten next to nothing here, I need to make it to his inner circle. I'm a pure blood, i was sorted into Slytherin, I've been slowly but surely building myself a reputation, he'll believe me. I'm getting the mark, Belle."

"Cas-" Gabrielle began again, but stopped, sighing. I found myself soon wrapped in a tight hug, Gabrielle's head buried in my shoulder. "Cas, what if something happens to you?" She was crying. "It was fine for you to be spy here at school, you weren't necessarily in any danger. But if you go according to what your planning, you're putting your life on the line!"

"So what?" I demanded, angry. I'd just finished having the same argument with Avery, I didn't want to go through it again. "I'm doing something useful in this world, that's what I want to do, Belle. I'm the only one who can do this, think about it, I'm right. No one else would be trusted, all the other Slytherins are actual supporters. I know what I'm doing, I'll be fine."

"I-you're right." Gabrielle forced a watery smile. "J-just be careful, okay? Now, set those matters aside, I've got a far more important question for you."

"What could it possibly be?" I asked curiously, my anger evaporating.

"Since you and Avery broke up, you're available for the Yule Ball. Who are you going with?" Gabrielle questioned excitedly. "I hear Siri-Poo is still free."

"Siri-Poo?"

"Oh right, you wouldn't know. Sirius." Gabrielle laughed. "He's a blubbering idiot, but he is rather good looking, if you think about it."

"Absolutely not." I crossed my arms. "What's wrong with you, Belle? Why on Earth would I ever go to the ball with that bully? He's awful, and I can't stand the sight of him."

"You're a horrid liar, you know you love him. Go with him the ball to get back at Avery." Gabrielle suggested innocently. "To make him jealous. And you'd have an excuse too. If anyone asked you, your excuse would be to make Avery mad since he broke up with you. You could just say you chose the person who would piss him off the most!"

"That's a-wait a second." I paused, and laughed. "That's actually not that bad of an idea, Belle. You're just forgetting one fact."

"And what is that?"

"I'd never, ever, ever, go to anything with Sirius Black."

---

"Sirius!"

His name was what I found myself calling as I ran after him after a particularly bad potions explosion. He'd stalked away ahead of me, grumbling angrily under his breath. We hadn't spoken really since he'd asked me to the Yule Ball, but there was always room for change.

"Yes, Eli-wait did you call me by my first name?" Sirius turned around, his expression one of utter shock. I found myself blushing, and I quickly denied his claim.

"Of course not." I lied smoothly, although my flaming cheeks gave it away. "Slip of the tongue, I suppose."

"Right." Sirius didn't sound convinced. "What do you want, soap dope?"

"I'll go to the ball with you." I blurted out, before blushing even harder.

"What?" Sirius asked confusedly. "I beg your pardon."

"That's what you want, right? I'll go with you to the Yule Ball, if you'll still have me." My voice was laced with confidence I lacked, and I desperately hoped that he wouldn't turn me down. I wouldn't be able to take the embarrassment.

"But you said-"

"I told you that I never really liked Avery, Black. Well, I finally broke up with him, control freak that he was. And I'd much rather go to the ball with you than him." I said exasperatedly. Did the boy not want to go with me anymore?

"Oh!" Sirius exclaimed. "Oh, uh, I-"

"You have a date already, don't you?" I didn't need him to explain, although I felt heavily embarrassed. Stupid Gabrielle and her stupidly-good idea. "Right, well, nice chat. I should've figured that the best looking guy in our year was already taken."

"What did you just say?" Sirius questioned. "Are you feeling alright? Elise? You just asked me out and called me hot, and for the record I'd love to go with you to the ball-"

"But you already have a date, I know, I know. Who's the lucky girl?" Silently cursing myself for having no filter, I debated making a run for it. I'd called him hot and asked him out, he probably thought I fancied him. Despite the fact that I did not fancy him, it didn't help the slight swell of jealousy as I thought of Sirius going to the ball with someone else. But it was probably just my pride, since he'd asked me out first, and left me so quickly. I hated him, I was just tying to get back at Avery, following Gabrielle's suggestion.

"Uh, no one." Sirius replied, and I raised an eyebrow.

"So it's a secret? She-wait is it a he? Merlin, it's a he isn't it? That's why you won't tell me! I'll find out who it is, just you wait, Sirius Black!" My mind was racing in a thousand directions, and I ran away from him, completely disregarding all sense of direction as I crashed into the wall painfully. I picked myself up, dusted off my clothes, and hurried along, blushing furiously. Me and my stupid filter that had decided to vanish into thin air. Why did the stupid boy even have any effect on me, he was irritating and a complete idiot, and I'd admitted multiple times to him and myself that I hated him. I hated him. I had to. There was no way that I couldn't hate him. No way. Probably no way. Most likely no way. Maybe no way. Maybe a way.

As much as I hated to admit it, the boy was growing on me, his pranks, marauder charm, stupidity and all.

Sirius Black watched Cascade Elise run off, a funny expression on his face. "What the hell?" He asked himself silently. The usually more quiet or angry girl had lost all sense of dignity and respect for herself apparently. She'd accused him of multiple things, called him the most attractive guy in the school, asked him out, and she'd just run into a wall.

She was definitely sick or something. Still, Sirius smiled to himself, he'd enjoyed seeing her flustered and obviously out of it. It was quite adorable.

Yes, Cascade Elise was definitely something else.

And Sirius loved that.

Sighing, Sirius continued on his way back to the Gryffindor common room, not bothering to head up to the Hospital Wing like he was supposed to. It was only when he was halfway up the stairs that he realized what had truly just occurred.

Cascade Elise had just asked him out. Just the thought of it made him feel giddy inside. It was strange to Sirius how he'd gone so quickly from hating her to fancying her. It was her lovely Slytherin charm, he supposed.

Then another thought crossed Sirius's mind, and he officially knew he was the worlds greatest idiot.

She'd asked him out on a date.

And he hadn't said yes.

A/N: For those of you who have read this story before the update somewhere around 3/21/17, I've changed Andromeda to Gabrielle Flint for timeline purposes. She's still a distant cousin to Sirius, however, although her family was blasted off of the tree.