I Need Her

Chapter 19

1976

6th Year

//Tickles and Late Christmas Presents//

Ice crystals formed on the stain glass window in the Gryffindor common room on New Years Eve morning. Evangeline sat on the the pillow-bench that was underneath the window with her back against the wall. She wore a thick Gryffindor jumper with bootleg dark blue jeans and her hair pulled into a braid that hung over her shoulder. On her lap was a packet of 'Jonny's Jelly Junkies' on her lap - the beans changed into whatever flavor you desire. Her dark brown eyes stared outside the window at the winter scene that lay before Hogwarts. Even through the frost covered glass, Evangeline could confidently say that it was beautiful. She lifted a bean into her mouth and tasted a burst of mince-pie that send a warming feeling through her body. A small smile made its way onto her face and she rested her head against the glass.

"Hi." she looked over to see Remus making his way over to her. He wore a baggy dark beige coloured jumpers and loose grey jeans joined by a pair of fluffy Gryffindor socks.

"Hay." she greeted as he sat opposite her with one leg on the bench and the other hanging off with his foot on the floor "I assume the others are still in bed?"

"Yep. They're snoring their heads off." Remus let out a small laugh and rested his head against the wall behind him "With James muttering Lily's name every for minutes. I can't wait until they get together. I wont have to deal with him dreaming with Lily." Evangeline nodded in agreement,

"They will get together at some point." she commented "They're meant for each other. No matter how many times Lily denies it, she likes him."

"True. True. I would say that for James but...." Remus trailed off as their was no need for an explanation earning a laugh to bubble from Evangeline's lips. Remus's hand reached over and placed it on her foot and stroked it soothingly and a quiet moan came from Evangeline lips followed by her cheeks flushing bright red. A smirk slid onto his face and he lifted her foot up onto his lap and rubbed his thumbs into the heal of her foot. A long breath/moan came from Evangeline and she relaxed against the wall and Remus grinned, "Nice?"

"Don't stop." Evangeline whined, pressing his thumbs into the soul of her foot. Evangeline closed her eyes and relaxed, allowing her shoulders to slump. Unbeknownst to Evangeline, a sly smirk had slid onto Remus's face and he pulled his thumbs away and replaced them with his fingers. He began to wiggle them slowly on the soul of her foot. Evangeline's eyes snapped open and she looked at Remus with narrowed eyes as she whispered "Don't you dare." Remus grinned then started to tickle Evangeline's foot and a loud squeal came from Evangeline, "Remus, no!" She squirmed and laughed as she tried to pull her foot from Remus's grasp. Tears of laughter began to form in her eyes, "Remus! No!"

"Evie! Yes!" Remus joked as he tickled her. Laughter and squeals filled the Gryffindor common, the sound made its way up to the dormitories where a blacked boy lay awake listening to the sounds with his expression sour.

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Sirius stood on the astronomy tower with the wind brushing his black hair from his face. He had a thick Gryffindor scarf wrapped around his neck and a long back trench coat over a thick green jumper and plain black trousers. He had his arms resting on the railing with his hands clasps out in front of him. Everyone else was setting up for midnight when it would turn 1977. He had slipped out without anyone noticing with ease. He had to leave. All the couples - Lily and James were basically together - and he felt very left out. He'd never experienced that, he was normally the one who had a girl with him and made James and Remus fell lonely but now...he hated the feeling now he'd experienced his own medicine. A small sigh escaped from his lips. He wished he was at the Potters. They treated him like a second son. Their house was always full of songs and bright colours and cheerful smiles. Sirius missed Mrs. Potter's Christmas dinner - which was to die for - and the new years was full of nibbles and James mother always made him his favorite sandwich and cherry pie, especially for him. He felt himself starting to drool just at the thought of the pie. Lucky for him, Mrs. Potter had sent him a cherry pie for Chistmas along with a set of jumpers and socks.

"Sirius?" he blinked slowly. He had been so deep in his thoughts, that he hadn't noticed that someone had joined him on the top of the tower. Sirius looked over his shoulder and saw Evangeline Jenner standing at the top of the steps dressed in a knee-length dark-beige coat that was buttoned up and with knee-length grey socks, a maroon red scarf was wrapped around her neck.

"Jenner, what are you doing here?" Sirius asked, turning his body toward her and his eyebrows furrowing "Shouldn't you be downstairs helping with the celebrations?"

"I could ask you the same." Evangeline responded simply and Sirius snorted under his breath then pulled out a cigarette from his inside pocket along with his wand and tapped the end of it, igniting the end of it. He lifted it to his lips and breathed in deeply and felt his eyes flutter close as he relaxed. Once he opened his eyes again, he saw Evangeline staring at him with a small scowl. He pulled the cigarette from his lips and tapped it, setting rid of the ash, as he said,

"Not a fan, Evangeline?" Her expression was enough of an answer but Evangeline still responded with a blunt,

"No." That, earned a barking laugh to come from him before he lifted the cigarette to his lips and breathed then removed it from his lips again to ask,

"So, why are you here?" he lifted up to his lips again "Knowing what happens to us when we're alone, I'm surprised you even want to come within fifty feet of me."

"Shut up." Evangeline hissed with her narrowed eyes "Put that thing out or I wont give it to you."

"Give me what?" Sirius questioned and Evangeline motioned to to the cigarette in his hand and a low groan of annoyance came from the boy but he complied and pulled the cigarette from his lips and looked at her with an expecting expression. Evangeline blinked at him and Sirius sighed and dropped the cigarette on the floor and crushed it underfoot, "Happy?"

"Very." she said, walking over to him with her hands tucked into the pockets of her coat. Evangeline stopped beside him and her bottom lip slipped between her teeth.

"So, what is it you want to give me?" he asked, resting his arm on the railing "I doubt it just to tell me to stop smoking." Evangeline rolled her eyes,

"No, its not." she responded then breathed and reached into her pocket and pulled out a small box that was wrapped in brown paper. Clasping it with both hands, she held it out to Sirius with a small blush on her face,

"Merry late Christmas, Sirius." She whispered with the edges of her lips curling into a small smile. Sirius furrowed his brows as he took the present carefully,

"You already gave me a present." he muttered looking down at the present then back at her,

"A box of chocolate frogs?" Evangeline giggled "That's no present. Especially seeing as you gave me such a beautiful necklace."

"Oh." Sirius murmured "A box of chocolates was perfect anyway." she smiled and wrapped her arms around herself,

"Open it." Evangeline told him and Sirius smiled and unwrapped the brown wrapping paper to reveal a white box. An eyebrow raised on Sirius face and he glanced at Evangeline, who nodded with her head to the box with a grin on her face. Sirius opened the box slowly and his eyes widened when he saw what was inside. He reached inside the box and lifted out a small camera [X]. Evangeline tapped her her arms nervously with her fingers as she said "Its a muggle camera but I put a few enchantments on it will produce moving pictures. I'm sorry, I couldn't afford to by a wizarding cam - "

"I love it." She looked up at him quickly and saw he was smiling at the camera fondly then up at her with a smile, "Thank you, Evie. Its brilliant." Sirius lifted up the camera and flicked it on then snapped a picture of Evangeline quickly. Evangeline quickly looked away and down as Sirius took a picture and she looked back at him. Sirius looked at the picture that shown in the small screen [X]. This was Sirius favorite present by far and he grinned at Evangeline, "Thank you."

"Its ok." she smiled, a light blush on her cheeks. Sirius bit his lip then held his hand out and Evangeline hesitated before she reached her hand out and grasped his hand. A small shock was experienced by both of them as their hands touched but they ignored it and shook hands. Evangeline pulled her hand back, "We should probably head down before they start worrying." and Sirius nodded in agreement and the pair walked downstairs with Evangeline in front of him. Sirius smile gently and placed the camera in his pocket and they both headed down to the Gryffindor common room, both supporting small smiles.