"This is going to count towards 70% of your grade. You will be partnered with them for other studies also until the end of this curricular year. The professors and I have also paired you up with someone you wouldn't necessarily choose! You will not be able to change partners and that's final! Try to work together outside of classes too and learn to get along with them if you didn't before." Professor Slughorn announced to the class of shocked and angry students. Uproar broke out, yelling from many students including Lily and many Slytherins were mixed amongst the protests.

"This is the end of my life! I'd rather be trampled by a hippogriff and have it chew my arm off than work with Potter for the rest of the year! My grades are going to plummet!" Lily cried on Nora's shoulder, a lot of her protesting muffled as her face was smushed in her friends robes. Nora patted her head, chuckling a little as she looked at James Potter and his friends, whom were naturally grinning at the girls. Nora shrugged and gave an apologetic smirk to a very happy James.

Marlene was paired with Remus, Peter paired with Severus Snape, Alice with Frank Longbottom, Lily with James and lastly Nora with Sirius. Her stomach dropped and she felt sick at the mere idea of being paired with someone who took joy in aggravating her and teasing consistently. Just when Nora thought things were starting to improve, it was one step forward and two steps back. Lily had finished dramatically sobbing on Nora's arm as the professor demanded for the pairings to start that lesson.

Setting up her cauldron, Nora felt the presence of her sadly new partner sit down beside her. Stealing a glance at him, she frowned at the cigarette tucked beside his ear, his school tie draped around his neck like a scarf and a toothpick hanging loosely from his mischievous lips.

"Sooooo...Lysander"

"It's Nora... just Nora." her voice was quiet but held authority. It was a common thing for two people who don't know each other well enough to address each other by last names. Nora, however, did not like it; especially as she was one of four Lysander's and because of the chat she had with Lily earlier that week. She was trying to learn to trust others until they gave reason not too. In this case, Sirius Black was as harmless as a little puppy dog.

Sirius was also quite taken back by her request in how to be addressed. Despite it, he found himself rather pleased that he was paired with her. As the weeks were passing, his curiosity of her developed in a small tiny piece of genuine interest for her as a person. So far all he had gathered was that she was quick witted, easily clumsy, actually funny and had incredible taste in music (in which he discovered her singing Golden Years by Bowie on their way to class earlier that morning. He danced behind her the whole time which naturally gave the boys some amusement) - along with the fact that he found her obviously attractive, He was worried that he was going to get into his own filthy head a little too much.

" ... well, Just Nora - fancy a study date tonight?" He bumped his shoulder against hers, his flashy grin blurring her vision. Considering she found Sirius to be somewhat a prat, she couldn't deny that he was insanely attractive and there was a tiny charm to him but it didn't change how she felt towards him, at least not currently.

"In what world..!" She scoffed, copying down the notes that had appeared on the black board. A shiver ran down her whole body at his next response...

"My one. You'll eventually be my wife, we'll have a dragon called Gus and 4 kids, all boys of course." he wiggled in his seat, surprisingly taking notes as well. Her breath hitched and the famous barking laughs from Sirius' friends echoed around the classroom, thankfully masked by the increase of chatter by the students discussing the notes with their new partners.

A blush erupted on her cheeks and had she clenched her jaw any tighter, her teeth would have shattered.

Nora struggled to focus during the remainder of the lesson, her mouth pursed shut in fear that if she spoke any further, it would be an open firing ground for Sirius to tease her more. By the end of the lesson, Nora zoomed to Lily to not only rescue her from the ogre that was James Potter but to leave quickly.

The four girls walked together to the next class, trying to avoid their partners, apart from Alice, as much as possible.

"What a spaz! Why did this happen? Are we cursed? NO! Did Merlin curse us?" Nora started to panic ramble, thankfully she had the girls to hold her hands and keep it from getting worse.

"At least you get a good looking one to work with!" Marlene twirled the ends of her hair, pulling a face like she had eaten a sour grape

"What's wrong with Remus? He's cool?! Not exactly build like a brick house but he's still a babe!" Nora pouted. Although he was involved with the madness and chaos, Nora always found Remus to be the most level headed in his group. Yes he could be a cheeky shit at times but at least he knew when to behave, which was saying something

"He's great but he's too kosher! I wouldn't see him as boyfriend material for me..." she drifted into her boy crazed daydreams

"Mar! It's classes not speed dating! Take a chill pill!" Lily's sighed as the others giggled.

Meanwhile whilst the girls ahead of them were giggling in the distant, The boys trailed behind them, laughing at how amusing they were, how interesting the classes were going to get and Sirius' stomach twisting like a whirl pool suddenly as he glanced at Nora. Yes he was joking in the class about her being his wife and enjoyed the teasing but the sudden nausea in the pit of his stomach caught him off guard. Nonetheless, he turned back to his unwell, pale and grumpy best friend. It was the first full moon back at school that night and none of them were in the mood for it.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The morning foggy haze hovered above the ground, the slightly browning grass leaving a satisfying crisp crunching as feet flattened marks into them, leaving a trail to their destination . Besides being part of a gardening club, Nora would volunteer to tend to any of the creatures for Care of Magical Creature classes. Professor Kettleburn was teaching 3rd year students Hippogriffs that first term and they needed feeding in the early hours. Being the warm hearted and eager student she was, she reassured the professor that she would be fine, given that she did well when she first learnt about them.

Wrapped as tight as a burrito in her mother's old coat, Nora happily swung a bucket of dead ferrets as she danced through the forest, the clearing in front of her blazing with light hues of warm orange tones from the slow sunrise. She reached the Hippogriff pen gate and caught the attention of one Hippogriff, bowing lowly and waited for approval. With success, she opened the gate and slowly approached with a smile.

Meanwhile, behind the trees, the group of tired, beaten and exasperated boys slowly trudged through the low fog to head back to their beds before breakfast was due. It was 5 in the morning so they had a few hours to catch. Sirius' ears pricked up to the sound of another person. They weren't alone. Shushing the boys, minus one as he was still barely conscious, he ordered them to follow through the clearing slowly and very quietly as he volunteered to investigate. With his friends out of sight, he slowly weaved around the trees before retreating to the opening of the care of magical creatures class area. His tense shoulders, defence stance and tight jaw loosened as he was met with a sight he wasn't expecting to see at all, let alone that early in the morning.

He hovered by the trees, leaning casually against the bark with his arms folded, head rested and a small smile as he watched Nora gently tend to the majestic creatures. 

"Shhh, there's no need to fuss!" Her soothing and relaxing voice cooed the creature as it whined impatiently for food. Sirius swore she must be part veela because of how light, gentle and blinding her beauty was. He admitted to himself that her looks had him in a slight trance but he wasn't one to tell anyone and would deny it should someone ask or accuse.

As he got lost in his day dream, a sharp squawk pierced his ears and snatched his attention. His defence stance was present again as he watched Nora, hoping that she was strong enough to handle it herself so she wouldn't know he was watching her the entire time. She jumped back slightly as one of the other hippogriffs spotted her before she had a chance to bow to him. Now running at her like a bull, she jumped back once more. Another loud squawk echoed through the trees, Nora was backed up against the locked gate and Sirius could see what was coming next.

"Nora!" He blurted as his legs carried him into the clearing. Nora looked backwards, her wand drawn and flicker of fear twinkled in her eyes for a moment. He jumped onto the gate, wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her up high just as the Hippogriff was about to collide with the fence panel. Sirius kept her high in the air as he moved backwards and put her back down on the other side of the gate, with him in the clearing. Now panting from the adrenaline and excitement of almost becoming as dead as the ferrets flopped in the bucket, Nora looked up at him through her lashes, her hands pressed shakily against her knees.

"Are you alright?" Sirius crouched down to look up at her this time, catching her glossy dark, soul sucking eyes and felt another drop in his stomach. Nodding quickly, she finally stood straight. "What were you thinking!! Why were you in there alone? Where's Kettleburn?!" He blurted, looking around with a disapproved frown.

"I volunteer to prep the creatures and herbology classes before lessons are due every week. It's okay, I forget that Ironknut is the most hot headed of the three Hippogriffs. Happens every year.... Wait, your bleeding." He was caught off guard by her hand resting suddenly on his cheek and her thumb gently tracing the corner of his mouth. Now snapping back to reality herself, she jumped back quickly as she realised what she did, cursing internally, cringing and stared at him with a look of shock. He too mirrored her expression but out of flirtatious habit, it turned into a grin and flashed a wink.

"Can Princess Lysander kiss my boo boo better? After all I did save you..." He stepped closer to her, his eyes fixed upon her annoyed expression. Oh how he loved to see her like this.

She growled at the name, shoving his chest away from her and stropped over to the log to sit down away from him, the sunrise nearly in the sky. Sirius guffawed, stumbling towards her to sit down also.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry " His laughter subsided as he looked at the side of her cheek, a light pink colour glowing faintly. "On the plus side, we're doing better than the others in our 'partner' work! We did good in classes yesterday and we're hanging out now..." His voice went suddenly quiet as he could predict Nora's response. He guessed right...

"Hang out?! I was alone then you suddenly came from no-where! What were you doing here anyway?" She looked at him and suddenly realised there was more cuts on him than just his lip. Was he fighting? Did he get attacked? So many questions popped in her head and she was positive he wasn't going to tell her. Like him also, she guessed right

"It's nothing for you to worry about. Now, if you don't mind, can I go to bed before breakfast starts or do you need me to chaperone you a little longer?" He stood up, hovering his hand by hers for her to take. She glared at him but nonetheless took it to stand.

"Off you go... but don't think you can hide anything from me Black. As annoying as it is that you're my partner... thank you for helping." She gave a deep sigh, rubbing her hip slightly from the rough pull he gave her, no doubt a bruise would form, and walked back towards the pen.

"You're welcome princess." He muttered, turning away himself and walked slowly back through the forest, turning his back once or twice to check on her as he left. She never once looked back at him but as she tended to the Hippogriffs once more, she could feel a very small curl in the corner of her lips and was unable to make it go away.