Hey!
As last year, I’ve written a Christmas short story of three chapters. Contrary last year where I wrote a Lily/James story (you can find it here), it’s a Sirius/OC this year. I’ve named each chapter after a Christmas song I like and find fitting, and please, for the Christmas spirit, listen to the song while reading, just for fun The updates will be today (as if you hadn’t realized that), the 11st and the 22nd, so you know when to look.
Thanks to Anita for being a great beta and helping me with a name for it. Also, I own nothing beside the plot and Amber. Song titles and characters aren’t mine. And I think that was it! Have fun reading!

Last Christmas
The darkness was lowering on the street while snow was falling from the sky. A lone figure was dragging his feet through the snow on the ground, leaving a long deep trace behind him. His hands were deeply buried in the pockets of his coat, his shoulders up to his ears and he wore a dark scarf around his neck.
It was clearly one of the wealthy parts of the town he was walking in. He stopped in front of a big three storey house in whitewashed stone with a black roof that wasn’t shown because it was covered in snow. The bushes on the large flat lawn that was the front garden were also covered in snow and the light from the room on the second floor and the hall on the ground floor lit it up delightfully, making it look like a scene from a fairytale. He looked up to the second floor. There was a little balcony, barely two meters long and one wide. It was surrounded by a beautifully formed black balustrade and had a door to a room. He looked through the big door and saw a young seventeen year old girl in a long soft pink gown.
He only looked at her for a few seconds before he entered the garden. He picked up a little handful of snow and squeezed it into a little hard ball. Then he threw it at the door on the balcony. The girl gave a jump of fright and looked around. He picked some more snow and threw it at the door again. This time, she seemed to know where the sound came from and she walked over to the door. She opened it and stepped out to the balcony. She looked down, supporting on the balustrade and spotted him in the middle of the garden. He grinned widely. Her blond slightly waved hair was thrown over one of her shoulders and hung almost down to her elbows. Her brown eyes eyed him with indifference but at the same time they were so full of feelings.
“What are you doing here, Sirius?” she asked.
Sirius grinned widely and flicked his hair out of his eyes. “I came to see you,” he said. “Aren’t you inviting me up?”
“Do I really have to answer that?” she sighed. “I’d rather have a giant slug up here.”
“Come on, Amber!” he begged. “It’s cold out here and Voldemort could jump out from the bushes any second, trying to kill me.”
“Then he would at least have done the world one favor,” she mumbled.
“Oh, c’mon!” he whimpered. “Be fair! How can you still be mad about that? It was almost a year ago!”
“Sirius Black, you broke my heart and humiliated me in front of the whole school. And you’re wondering how I can still be mad about it?!”
“It was last year! And I’ve grown since then!”
“Good night, Sirius!” she called and turned.
Sirius watched as she closed the door behind her and drew the curtains shut. He stood a few seconds, looking at the curtains and the shadow of Amber moved around through them. He then sighed and moved over to the wall from where he looked up. The house was nicely built, but there were ‘holes’ in the walls, perfect for a hand to be put in. Perfect for climbing. And that was what Sirius did. He started from the ground and climbed all the way up to the balcony. He had just grabbed the balcony’s floor when he heard the door open. Amber stepped out.
“I figured you’d try something like that,” she said.
“Look, Amber-”
That was all he managed to say when Amber had walked over to where he was hanging from his hands only. Then she stepped on his fingers and he had to let go.
“ARRGH!” he whined; then he hit a bush.
“Lying comfortably, Sirius?” she called.
“NO!” he yelled. “The bush is a rosebush!”
She laughed. “Then don’t climb up here anymore!”
“Amber, please!” he called. She didn’t answer. Sirius slowly got up, rubbing his back, that had several thorns bored into his flesh. “Amber!” he pleaded.
She sighed loudly, leaning over the balustrade. “Why are you doing this to me again, Sirius?” she asked in almost a whisper.
He was about to yell something but found he had no idea what to say. That he was sorry about that prank? Or that if he could, he’d turn time back and not break her heart and instead, he’d stay with her? She’d never believe him.
“Didn’t think so,” she mumbled and turned.
“Amber!”
“Saying my name won’t help,” she said silently and closed the door.
Sirius looked at the door, wondering what to do now. He saw Amber through the curtain walk over to her desk where she sat down. He sighed deeply. It was always worth another try, right?
Amber jumped as the snow once again hit her door. She looked towards it and sighed deeply. Then she moved over to it and opened it. She walked over to the balustrade and stopped, leaning over, looking down at Sirius.
“Is there nothing I can do to make you go away?” she asked.
He shook his head. “No,” he said. “Not in a million years. Not until you’ve listened to me.”
“What if I don’t want to listen to you?”
“But you do!” he said, eagerly.
“Oh, I do, do I?” she asked with raised eyebrows. “Then tell me… Sirius Black, Master of Mischief and Mayhem, King of Chaos, Baron of Broken Hearts… What do you have to say that’s so important I have to stand out here freezing my feet and arse off?”
Sirius’ gaze drifted slightly down and he couldn’t hold a smile back. “You’re cute when you do that,” he mumbled.
“What?” she asked.
“I repeat,” he said, “you’re cute when you do that!”
Amber seemed to blush a little, but otherwise, she didn’t show signs of being affected by what Sirius had just said. Sirius smiled slightly, but it slowly fainted.
“Please…” he said. “Forgive me…”
Amber bit her lower lip. “Sirius…”
“Amber!” he interrupted.
“Good night, Sirius,” she said and turned on her heel.
Sirius watched as Amber turned around and closed her door, looking down at him. Why couldn’t she just forgive him? Most girls would never turn him down if he stood down in their gardens like he did now! Why was she so different?
“God, damn,” he mumbled to himself. “Am I Sirius Black or am I Sirius Black!”
He grabbed a branch of a tree and started to climb. He made it to the balcony and grabbed the balustrade and pulled himself up. He swung his legs over and stepped onto the balcony. He saw Amber look up in there, but continue to write the second after. He looked out over the town before he walked towards the door. He was just about to grab around the doorknob when the door suddenly swung open. Sirius stood way too close to it and it collided violently with his head.
“ARGH!”
He fell backwards into a hard frozen stone ground, and both collisions made his head feel as if it was being split in two and stars were dancing around.
“Sirius!” she exclaimed. “I’m so, so sorry!”
“Ouch…” he moaned and slowly opened his eyes.
Amber was sitting very close to him, looking at him in concern. “I’m sorry, Sirius,” she said and looked truly sorry. “I didn’t know you were there. I just assumed you hadn’t gone and walked out to see-”
“You look beautiful,” he mumbled, dizzily.
“Oh…”
He slowly lifted his hand up to her neck. “Really beautiful.”
“Sirius, stop!” she said firmly and removed his hand.
He grinned slightly. “Still the same Amber as you’ve been the last six years.”
“I really don’t plan to change…”
Sirius rubbed his head. “Why did you have to open the door so hard?”
She shrugged. “Need a hand?” she asked and offered him one.
He blinked a couple of times and took it. She helped him up. “Whoa!” he said and took his hand to his head again as everything around him started spinning.
She grabbed his arm. “Come on,” she mumbled. “You need to lie down.”
“No! I’m fine!”
“Don’t be silly! Come here Sirius!”
He grinned weakly. “You’re taking me into your room. Voluntarily!”
“Shut up or I might change my mind!”
Sirius grinned as he slowly sat down on Amber’s bed. She placed a hand on his chest and pushed him softly backwards on her pillow, while removing his scarf.
“I’m fine, you know,” he mumbled.
“Stop talking,” she said. “I’ll go get some ice for your head.”
Sirius closed his eyes as Amber went out to into a little hall, closing the door behind her. It hurt even more to have his eyes closed, so he quickly opened them again and looked around. Amber had a huge room in beige colors and the ceiling was very high. She had a four-poster double bed that was beautifully decorated with small rosebuds in light pink around the edge, and on the covers it had matching roses. Even the floor matched, with a think beige carpet and roses. He smiled to himself. Amber understood how to do it beautifully without making it too much. But, of course, her parents had the money to give her what she wanted.
“Here’s the ice!”
Sirius looked towards the door from where Amber had just entered. She smiled slightly to him as she walked to his side with the ice in her hand. She sat on the bed and put the ice on his head.
“Uh!” he exclaimed lowly. “It’s cooold!”
“Don’t push it away, Sirius! It’ll help.”
He groaned. “Fine!”
“Why did you even have to climb up here two times tonight?”
“I wanted to see you,” he mumbled.
“You do that every day at school,” she grinned. “You’re actually a bit like James.”
Sirius smiled slightly. “Yes, but unlike the Lily-James situation, you don’t hate me.”
“That’s true,” she said silently. “I just think you’re a pain in the arse.”
“But charming nevertheless…” he smirked. She smiled and pressed the ice a bit harder. “Ouch! Stop that!” he exclaimed. “Please?” he added, sending her one of his smiles that could melt every girl. Every girl but Amber.
“Why do you keep coming here every night?” she asked softly.
He shrugged slightly. “It’s sad to be all alone on Christmas,” he said.
Amber frowned. “And don’t you have a home to be at? A family to have fun with and eat Christmas dinner with?”
“No.”
“What?”
“I ran away,” he said shortly.
“What?” she repeated in disbelief. “You ran away?”
“Two years ago… But it’s nothing…” he mumbled and shrugged yet again. “I never got along with my family and was more welcome at James’.”
“You live there?” she asked softly.
“I did. But after my uncle died, I inherited some money and I have my own house for now,” he said with a proud expression. “It’s number 5 Western Alley. Can you please shift the ice a bit to the left?”
“Sure,” she mumbled and moved the ice slightly to the left. The same second someone knocked on the door.
“Amber?” a female voice called.
“Err… What?” Amber answered and sent Sirius a gaze which told him to shut up.
“Is there someone in there?”
Her eyes widened. “Er, no!” she said. “No one at all!”
“Then who are you talking too?”
Amber stopped with an open mouth. She bit her lips shortly. “William!”
“Isn’t he outside?”
“No, no! He’s in here!”
“Okay…” she said, but didn’t sound very convinced. “Your father and I are going to bed now so don’t make too much noise. Estelle is still here if you need any help! Dustin is up too.”
“Sure,” Amber sighed.
Sirius listened as the steps went away before he spoke again, “Who is Estelle?”
“Our housekeeper,” Amber said shortly.
“Why don’t you have a house elf or something?” he asked. “Most wizard families do.”
“But I’m a muggleborn,” she said.
“Oh,” he said surprised. “Sorry. I just thought that-”
“Don’t apologize,” she said. “How could you know?”
He shrugged. “I couldn’t. You’re not advertising it, I guess.”
She smiled slightly. Sirius suppressed a yawn and slowly sat up, with the ice still on his head. Amber didn’t say anything about it.
“Maybe I should go home,” he said.
“You sure? ‘Cause I’d feel it was my fault if you collapsed halfway home because of this.”
“It is your fault,” he said. “But I’m okay. Don’t think about it.”
She removed the ice from his head and got up, offering him a hand. He grabbed it and she pulled him up.
“You know,” he mumbled, “It’s supposed to be me, helping you up.”
She smiled. “Still a bit dizzy, I see.”
“I just hit my head, you know.”
“Yeah,” she said and grinned. “Come. I’ll follow you downstairs.”
“What? Am I not going to take the balcony?”
“Nope… That’s your way. I’ll show you the real way everyone uses!”
He made a small laugh. “Then show me.”
She placed her hands in his back and softly started to push him out of her room. The hall was white and lit up by a few candle lights. There were three other doors and a staircase, a carpet of white fur and in the corner there was a white chest of drawers. Everything was decorated with glittering festoons and hearts. A perfect Christmas decoration in Sirius’ opinion.
“This way,” Amber’s voice whispered in his ear.
She pushed him towards a staircase and they started to walk down, Sirius in front. When they were halfway down and just in front of a cabinet, steps on the bottom of the staircase were heard.
“Quick!” Amber hissed. “Here!”
She quickly opened the cabinet, grabbed Sirius’ hands and pushed him inside. Sirius thought for a second she’d close the cabinet and leave him alone, but she stepped inside right after him and closed the door.
It was dark in the closet, but Sirius was a hundred percent sure of where Amber was; he could feel her breath against his neck and her body was pressing slightly against his. The steps outside stopped for a second and both of them held their breaths and listened. Luckily, the steps continued and both of them drew a sigh of relief.
“Who was that?” Sirius asked.
“Probably my brother,” Amber answered.
“And we’re hiding because…?”
“Well, I’m not allowed to bring boys home unless my parents have met him, and especially not to my own room. They’re afraid I might… You know.”
“We could just go up and actually give them something to be afraid of,” he said, smirking slightly.
“Sirius!” she grinned, trying to be severe.
She shoved him slightly away, but since he was much stronger than her, she pushed herself a bit away instead. She stopped just in time to allow some light from the hall fall upon her face. Sirius couldn’t help but smile.
“You have very beautiful eyes,” he said.
Amber slowly looked up at him. “Sirius…”
“What?”
She shook her head and looked down. “Nothing…”
“Yeah, seriously, what?” he asked and lifted her head with his fingertips.
She sighed. “Why do you keep doing this to me?”
Sirius faintly recalled she had asked him the same earlier that day. Again, he knew what he wanted to say, but there was just one problem. No one would ever believe it if he, Sirius Black, ever told a girl he was fancying her. It would be laughable.
He looked down at Amber; she stood with her arms crossed on her chest and looked at him. He bit himself in the lower lip, trying to find an answer.
“So?” she asked.
He moved a bit uncomfortably. “Amber, I’m sorry,” he mumbled. “If it wasn’t because of that stupid bet with James I’d never have done that. I know it was just too much fun in the beginning, but in the end I really fancied you, and if I hadn’t been forced to… Everything, I would never have done such thing to you! Really!”
She looked at him, obviously thinking. “I wish I could believe you,” she whispered. “But I really can’t trust you. Not yet.”
He nodded. “I completely understand. I was a jerk.”
“Yes you were,” Amber said. “Now. Did you want to go home?”
“To be honest I’d rather stay. You could offer me one half of your bed?”
She raised an eyebrow. “Sirius, you’re going home. Now.”
She shoved him slightly so he moved out of the closet. They walked the rest of the staircase down and Amber opened the door to the outside soundlessly and pushed him softly out.
“Am I welcome again?” he asked as he was out in the cold.
“Will you stop showing up if I say no?” she asked
“No,” he grinned.
“Didn’t think s-”
She stopped talking in the second Sirius leaned in and kissed her on her cheek. A slightly uncontrolled blush crept up her cheeks.
“See you,” he grinned and was gone before she could answer.

*

Feedback and comments here!

- Vicki

Oh, I'm so sorry. I know I promised to post this chapter yesterday, but my day was suddenly filled and I forgot all about it! Sorry again.

Walking in a Winter Wonderland
Sirius had placed himself on a bench not far away from the Stebbins’ house. He could keep an eye on the house from his place, but couldn’t see Amber’s room. A tree was blocking the view. It probably was for the best, he told himself. Then his gaze wouldn’t keep from going over there. Yet he had leaned against the armrest of the bench so he had a view of the street in front of the house and some of the house itself. Just not Amber’s room.
He wondered if he should go over and pay Amber a visit, just like last night. She’d probably be mad if he began to throw snow at her window again. And even more if he started to climb her wall again. He grinned at the thought of last night. Even though he had fallen down into a rosebush, it had been fun.
Sirius looked around as he heard steps in the snow. They came from behind. He turned around and to his big surprise, he saw Amber. She wore a fine coat with real fur (at least he thought it so) and boots that matched. Even her mittens and hat probably were in real fur. Amber clearly got everything she wanted from her parents, probably more, yet she wasn’t the girl to ask her parents for anything.
She sat down on the bench next to him. “Hi,” she said.
“Hey,” Sirius said and frowned. “How come you come from that way? Your house is there.”
“I thought you’d probably be in the area and I walked out through our garden on the other side of the house,” she said and smiled. “It seems like I was right.”
“Yeah,” Sirius said and gave her a smile and rubbed his hands; he wasn’t wearing any mittens. And his scarf was missing too; he had forgotten it at Amber’s room last night. “I was actually just thinking of going over to your house. Like yesterday.”
Amber studied him for a few seconds. “Good you didn’t. Estelle is cleaning my room at the moment… She’d have gotten a heart attack if snow suddenly started to hit the window.”
Sirius raised an eyebrow. “You don’t clean your own room?”
“Well,” she mumbled. “She just makes my bed and then has a cigarette on my balcony. She’s not allowed to smoke anywhere in the house so I told her she could do it in my room every night at eight.”
“So sweet you are,” Sirius mumbled. “Why aren’t you that way towards me?”
She laughed. “If I was, would you stop bothering me constantly then?”
“Probably not,” he said and shrugged. “I’ll keep trying.” He slowly got up and looked down at Amber. “Wanna go for a walk?”
She studied him for a few seconds. “Alright. But no funny ideas of something behind the bushes!”
“Behind the bushes?” he asked, pretending to be offended. “I’d never do such thing!”
“Yeah right,” she mumbled and got up. “Are we going then?”
Sirius smiled and followed Amber toward the little park. They entered through the arch from which several feet long icicles shone beautifully in the light from the orange streetlamps. In the park, most of the bushes were covered in snow and so was the grass. The little path was the only thing that was not white, but grey and brown from the small stones. It twisted through the trees and bushes in a fairytale-like way.
“You should see it in the summer,” Amber said.
Sirius, who had been busy looking around got snatched back from his thoughts and looked at Amber. “What?” he asked.
“The park,” Amber answered silently. “Now it’s all covered in snow and all… Well, white. But it’s all different in the summer.”
“How’s that?”
“Well… For once, all the bushes are green and most of them have flowers blooming all over. Blue, red, violet, yellow and white. It’s gorgeous! Then the lake is filled with fish and water lilies. Birds fly from tree to tree, tweeting. People go on picnics and play games with their children while others take walks with their dogs. It’s so peaceful.”
At this point, Amber had stopped at a little rise and now looked over the lake, trees and snow-covered landscape, a dreamy expression on her face. Sirius did too, trying to imagine how it’d look in the summer. Amber sighed.
“But it’s beautiful now too,” Sirius noticed.
She nodded. “Yes. In another way. Now it’s just white and glistening. Peaceful and silent. In the summer, it’s colorful and… I can’t explain it. It’s warm and friendly with welcoming noises.”
“I get it,” Sirius said. “I know what you mean. The winter is fine, but the summer is something else. But the problem is that when it’s summer you long for winter again.”
“Yeah,” she said silently. “Exactly.”
They had walked out of the park again and were now going down the street. Suddenly, Sirius stopped, picking up a bit of snow from the ground.
“If that snow touches me,” Amber warned him with her back to him, “I won’t guarantee you’ll get home in one piece.”
Sirius stopped; he really had intended to push it to her back, but on second thoughts… “No,” he said at last. “I wanted to build a snowman. Help me.”
Amber turned, raising an eyebrow, but picked up some snow too and squeezed it into a small uneven lump. Then they started to role their own lump in the snow. Sirius was the first to finish. He placed it on the middle of the sidewalk, smiling satisfied.
“Is that it?” Amber asked, stopping up next to him. “It’s not going to be bigger?”
Sirius looked at her. “Yeah, of course it is,” he said quickly. “I just… Erm…. Wanted to see how big it was now.”
“Right,” Amber said with a smirk. “Then you better get back to work.”
Sirius cursed under his breath. “Stupid little… Thinks she’s-”
“What was that?” Amber called form behind.
“Nothing!” he called back with an extremely friendly voice.
“Didn’t think so either.”
Sirius kept rolling the lump of snow until it was almost a meter wide. He rolled it back to the place it had been before and blew some air out.
“So!” he called. “I think it’s done now.”
Amber pushed her own gigantic snowball up next to him and studied his snowball. “Yes, now we’re talking. Can you lift this up on top of yours?”
Sirius looked down at the one Amber had made. It was a little smaller than his, but not much. He nodded, grabbing the snowball and with a little of Amber’s help placed it on top of his.
“There!” Amber said, smiling.
“Aha,” Sirius said brushing some snow off his hands. “Now we only need the last one.”
“I’ll do that,” she said. “You can go find arms, nose etc.?”
He nodded, turning towards the park. He walked through the arch and into the park. He quickly found a few branches and some stones and walked back. Amber was halfway finished with the snowball. Sirius dropped the branches, a smile playing on his lips. Instead, he picked up a handful of snow and squeezed it into a ball.
Amber jumped a feet into the air as the snow hit her back. “Sirius!” she shouted, turning.
Sirius’ smile faded immediately as he saw the face of Amber. “Oh no,” he mumbled and stormed back towards the park while Amber ran towards him.
He entered the gate as a lump of snow hit the back of his head. Snow ran down his back, sending chills down his spine. As he ran past a tree, he grabbed the snow from its lower branches. He quickly formed it into a ball, turned around and threw it right in Amber’s face. He laughed out loud and continued running. He was quick to run past another tree and form another snowball. He grinned, turning around.
Sirius stopped at once. Amber was gone. He dropped the snow and walked back. Her steps weren’t anywhere so she had not been after him for a long time. He frowned, starting to walk back. He couldn’t understand where she had gone.
Suddenly he fell forwards as something hard landed on his back. “Argh!”
He heard someone laugh. Amber.
“Get off!” he yelled into the snow.
Amber laughed even harder and pushed some snow down his collar. “In your face, Black!”
Sirius shivered and felt behind his back with his hands because he couldn’t see Amber. His hands found her waist and he pushed her off. Then he quickly got up and pushed some snow over her. She grabbed his feet and pulled hard in them so he fell onto his back, arms flying up around his head. His eyes were covered in snow but he could feel Amber’s weight on his stomach; she had sat on him and was now covering all of him in snow.
“Enough!” he yelled.
Again, he found her waist, and in one smooth movement he pushed her off him and rolled over so he was literally lying on top of her now. He held her arms with his own so she couldn’t throw more snow at him, even though she struggled. He shook his head so most of the snow from his hair fell down on Amber’s head instead. She shook it away too.
Sirius studied her for a few seconds. Her cheeks were red from the cold and her long hair lay scattered over the snow and had snow in it too. Her brown eyes were sparkling more than usual.
“No,” he said silently, “in your face.”
Amber grinned. “Okay, you won, Black. Happy?”
He shrugged as much as possible. “Naah.”
She raised an eyebrow, still smiling. For a couple of seconds, they both just lay and studied the other. Sirius could see both his own and Amber’s breaths as they breathed heavily after the hunt in the park. They came out as small clouds of mist, meeting at the middle in between them, then dissolved into the air.
“Good,” he mumbled as the silence started to be awkward.
“Yeah…”
“We should get back,” he said, pushing himself off Amber.
She nodded. He stood up, offering her a hand. She took it, smiling and he pulled her up. They started to walk back, but Sirius stopped.
“Oh, wait. You dropped your mitten,” he said and bent down and picked up the brown fur mitten. “Here you go.”
“Thanks,” she said and took it.
They walked back in silence. Sirius picked up the branches while Amber finished with the snowball. He let them fall next to the half-finished snowman.
“Want to give me a hand with this?” Amber asked, pushing some hair out of her face.
“Sure,” he said and grabbed the snowball and together, they lifted it up.
“And the arms,” Amber said, placing two branches on the middle.
Sirius grabbed the stones and made a face for the snowman. He stepped back, admiring his work, unsatisfied. Amber stood up next to him.
“We need a real nose,” he said.
Amber nodded and picked up an old root which lay in the gutter. Sirius grinned and helped her place it in the middle of the face. They both stepped back and admired their work.
Sirius smiled. “I think we should call him Chuck!”
“Naah,” Amber said, cocking her head. “He’s a Barney!”
“Aha…” Sirius mumbled. “A good name…”
They were silent for a couple of seconds, still looking at the snowman. At last Amber sighed.
“Are we childish?” she asked.
Sirius shrugged. “Maybe a little,” he grinned.
Amber smiled. “Should we get back?”
They both turned and started to walk. Only two minutes later they stood in front of Amber’s house. They looked at the house. There was only light in the hall behind the front door and the living room next to it. Amber’s room was dark. Sirius suddenly remembered something.
“Oh,” he said, “I think I might have forgotten my scarf last night.”
“You did,” Amber said. “It’s up in my room. I can just go get it for you” She pointed back towards the house with her thumb.
“You don’t have to. I can go with you. Then you don’t have to come back.”
“I think I’ll survive. You’re just trying to find an excuse for getting into my room again.”
“Yeah, so?” he said as Amber raised her eyebrows at him and he sent her a smirk back. “Come on,” he added, smirking even wider.
“Forget it, Black.”
Sirius watched as Amber turned and walked towards the house. As soon as the door had closed behind her, he ran over the lawn and began to climb the wall for the third time in 24 hours. The light was turned on inside the room and Sirius knew Amber was in there. He could see her figure move towards her bed. He knocked on the door and made Amber jump up several centimeters.
“What are you doing up here again?” she hissed as she flung the door open.
“Visiting you,” he said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world and pushed her aside so he could come inside. He took off his shoes and fell down onto her bed. “So?”
“So what?” Amber asked, hands on her hips.
“Ain’t you joining me?” he grinned.
Her hands dropped down. “Ain’t I what?”
“You heard me,” he smirked, making room on the bed. “And do you have to say ‘what’ all the time?”
Amber sent Sirius a scowl and walked over to her bed, which made him grin even wider. Then without warning him, she grabbed the blanket and pulled it very hard. Sirius fell onto the floor with a loud thud.
“Ooouch!” he exclaimed, taking a hand to the back of his head.
He couldn’t see anything as the covers were covering his eyes. Suddenly they were pulled away. Amber looked down at him with mild concern. She’d also been the one to make him hit his head last night.
“You know my head had a lump already,” he mumbled. “Now it’s twice its size.”
“Don’t be such a cry baby,” she said. “It doesn’t suit you.”
He smirked. “But you love me nevertheless.”
She raised an eyebrow to him. “No I don’t.”
“We can say that,” he muttered and sat up. “So, where’s my scarf?”
Amber smiled and walked over to her closet. She quickly opened it and pulled the scarf out, then walked back and handed it to Sirius. “Here.”
“Thanks,” he said and slowly got up, heading towards the door, but stopped as Amber looked at him with raised eyebrows. “What?”
“You’re leaving?” she asked stunned. “Already?”
“Ahh… You want me to stay?”
She shook her head. “No I didn’t say that. But last night I had to force you to leave. I was only surprised.”
“I have other things to do that bother you,” he said and shrugged. “Like… Snowball fights.”
Amber raised her eyebrows again. “With yourself?”
“Yeah,” he grinned, “That’s fun. You always win. So which way should I go out?”
“I’ll follow you out,” she said and headed towards the door with Sirius in front of her.
Sirius once again stood in the fine decorated hall. He smiled. The house was so warm and welcoming, a thing he had never felt at home.
“Why are you smiling like that?” Amber whispered.
He sighed. “It’s just so… Homely, your house I mean.”
Amber looked at him, frowning. “Why?”
He shrugged. “It’s all the Christmas decorations. Even though I don’t like Christmas, I like this. It’s so… It’s never been like that where I’ve lived.”
“That’s sad.”
He shrugged. “It’s past. Doesn’t matter. I don’t live there anymore.”
“What about your own house?” she asked. “Haven’t you decorated there?”
“No. I’m all alone so it’s all a waste.”
“You’re celebrating Christmas alone?” she asked.
Sirius looked at her. Could he hear pity and sympathy in her voice? At last he shrugged, saying, “I guess so…”
“Oh…” Amber said and opened the front door. They had already made it there. Sirius quickly walked out through it.
“Don’t think about it,” he said, shrugging.
“So, Sirius, I w-”
She stopped suddenly as Sirius, in less than a second, had leaned forward and touched Amber’s lips with his own. He pulled away before she could even react. “See you,” he whispered and turned around.

*

I'd be happy to see a little more activity in my feedback thread

- Vicki

Hey! So here's the last chapter of Winter Warmth. Thanks to everyone who has been reading and left feedback. And another thanks to those geniuses who wrote the christmas songs I've used. A last thanks to Anita for being a wonderful beta!

Merry Christmas Everyone
Sirius woke up with a start as something like thunder was heard. He sat straight up in his bed and looked around. The noise was heard again and he realized that someone was knocking on his door. He jumped up from the bed, heading towards the hall. When he opened the door, Amber stood on the other side. She was wearing the same coat, mittens, hat and scarf as last night and had a big box standing next to her. She looked cute with red cheeks and her usual warm smile.
“Hey,” he said. “What are you doing here?” He moved a bit uncomfortably; he just realized he wasn’t wearing anything but shorts and he hadn’t even showered yet.
She just smiled. “Well, are you letting me in or what?” she asked, ignoring his question.
“Err,” he just said before she pushed herself past him with the box now under her arm. “Sure… I guess. But please tell me what you’re doing here.”
She dropped the box on the floor in the middle of the hall. “Spreading the joy!”
He closed the door, raising one of his eyebrows. “Err?” he asked, leaning against the wall and crossing his arms. “As in…?”
“I’m glad you’re asking!” she grinned and bent down and opened the box.
Sirius walked over to it and looked down. The box was filled with glittering stuff and red hearts. Amber hung up her coat on a hanger and put it away into a closet. Sirius took a look deeper down into the box.
“Christmas decorations,” he said in a monotone voice.
“Aha!” she smiled and nodded.
“Why?”
She picked up some glitter and looked at him. “It was just after what you told me last night. I began to feel bad for you. You’re not feeling the Christmas joy.”
“Okay…” he said slowly. “Why would you do this?”
“Because I care?” she half said, half asked, him.
He made a small laugh. “You care for me?”
“A little,” she said in a low voice, pulling her shoulders a bit up. It just made her look even cuter. She grabbed the box once more and looked at Sirius.
He raised his eyebrows saying, “What?”
“Where do you want me to decorate?”
“Oh,” he said looking around. “The living room?” He pointed towards a door.
She smiled and walked in there. Sirius quickly ran to his own room and pulled on a t-shirt and a pair of pants. As he entered the living room Amber stood in the back putting up socks on the wall. She turned, smiling at him.
“Helping?” she asked.
He shrugged, smiling. “If you want me to.”
“Your house, not mine.”
He grinned and walked over to the box. He picked up some decorations and started too. Amber turned and gave him one of her smiles. It was such a pretty smile that only she could muster and it made him smile too every time he looked at it.
“Oh and by the way,” she said, and stepped over to him and whacked him in his arm.
“Ouch!” he exclaimed. “What did I do now?”
“That was for kissing me last night!” she hissed, but her eyes were glinting in a way that did not suit her words.
Sirius grinned to himself. “You did enjoy it, didn’t you?”
“It’s not the time for you to play your field that much,” she said simply.
She had her back turned to Sirius, so he couldn’t see her expression. He wished he could though.

It was long past noon when they were finished with decorating, and they both stood in the hall, Amber taking her coat off its hanger. She turned to him, smiling.
“It’s been fun,” she said.
He nodded. “Yeah. Loads.”
“So where’re you going tomorrow?” Amber surprised him by asking.
“Err,” he responded, letting his arms fall. “Nowhere. Why would I?”
“It’s Christmas day!” she said. “Aren’t you going to a dinner party somewhere? Like at James’?”
“Naah… I thought they’d like to have a nice little family dinner for themselves. Besides that; I don’t like Christmas that much.”
Amber dropped her arms as she’d just put on her scarf. “You don’t like Christmas? How is that possible?”
He shrugged. “Christmas was never fun to me. I ran away on Christmas too.”
She bit her lower lip for a second before she suddenly flashed a smile. “Come to dinner at our house tomorrow!”
“What?” Sirius asked, stunned.
“Yeah!” she said. “A lot of my family is coming and I’d love to see you there. Just so I have someone to talk to!”
Sirius leaned against the wall, wondering if it really was worth it. He could spend a whole day in the company of Amber, but people would be singing Christmas carols and it would be all… Christmas.
“Come on!” Amber pleaded, sending him a puppet-gaze.
Sirius sighed. “I don’t think so, Amber.”
She sent him a smile. “Just think about it.”
He nodded. “I might surprise you.”
She smiled even more and turned to walk out the door.

*

Sirius stopped outside the house of the Stebbins’. This was a bad idea. He looked at the door for a few seconds, trying to make himself knock on it. How he would regret that, he was sure of that.
“I can’t believe I’m doing this,” he muttered to the frosty air, mist hanging in front of him a few seconds before dissolving.
Then, before he’d change his mind he groaned out loud and quickly knocked on the door. He only waited two seconds before he turned and took a step away. Then the door flung open.
“Sirius!”
Sirius turned. “Oh, hi Amber!”
She smiled at him, “Were you just about to leave?”
“Would you believe me if I said ‘no’?”
“Probably not,” she said with a shrug. “You’re late,” she noted, but didn’t let him answer. “It’s okay. At least you got here.”
He forced a smile. “For you.”
She laughed. “Then I’m thankful.”
Sirius grunted something and pushed past her inside. “So where can I hang up my coat?”
“In here!” Amber said and showed him the way.
He quickly hung up the coat and turned to Amber. Only then he noticed how pretty she looked. Her hair was curled slightly and gathered with a red silk band and thrown over one of her shoulders and she wore a ruby-red, sparkling dress which only went down to her knees.
“You look pretty,” he said honestly. “No, stunningly amazing.”
“Thanks,” she mumbled and blushed. “You look great too!”
He smirked. “I know.”
She shoved him slightly in the chest. “You’re such an arse!”
“I’m fully aware of that.”
She closed the door into the closet behind her back, giving him one of her special smiles. The ones he loved so much. It was sparkling and made his heart beat a bit faster.
Sirius wasn’t exactly sure what made him do it, but he had suddenly placed his lips on hers. Amber was frozen at first, but then she seemed to gain control and pushed him away.
“Sirius-”
“No please listen.” He inhaled deeply. “Amber, I… For Merlin’s sake.” He looked upwards, blowing the air out. “Amber, I really, really like you! Every day I regret what happened last January, and every day I wish I could have taken the words back. I think of you every day and every time I close my eyes the only thing I see is you. I don’t know how you did it, but you made me fall in love with you or something! Please,” he said at last.
She was biting her lower lip slightly, looking something a lot like sad, yet with a small hint of happiness. She sighed deeply, “Sirius, I really don’t know what to say…”
“Say you forgive me,” he pleaded and took her hands in his. “Say that you’ve come to understand that I’d never do that to you if I got the choice again. Say you can learn to trust me again. Say that you want me too. Say it’s okay. Just say something.”
She looked down, then closed her eyes. She shook her head, but not in denial, it seemed more like surrender. “Come,” she muttered, opening her eyes. She turned towards the staircase and he followed.
“What about the party?” he asked.
“Dinner’s over. They won’t notice I’m not there,” she said shortly.
He followed her silently. They made it to the second floor and Sirius was on the way to her room, but Amber just turned to another set of stairs. Confused, he followed her.
On the third floor, there were only three doors. Without hesitating, she walked to the first door on their right. She pushed the door open and motioned for him to follow. He stopped in the doorway. The room was small, but filled. On the middle of the floor was a large white couch with a little table and a matching leaning chair on the left. In front of it, there was a black carpet of something that looked like fur and then a fireplace. No fire was in it, but Amber fixed it with a quick swish of her wand which she suddenly had in her hands. All the walls were covered by bookshelves filled with books. A little desk with a chair was at the right side of the room.
“I thought you said you parents were Muggles,” he said when finding most of the books magical.
“They are,” she said. “This is my second room. I study magic in here.”
He removed his eyes from the books to see her. “So why did you bring me here?”
“You said I could trust you. Now it’s your time to prove it.”
“How?” he asked with a frown.
She gestured toward the carpet on the floor. “Sit please.”
“Why not the couch?”
“Because that could put ideas into your mind,” she smirked with a glint in her eyes.
“Fur does that too,” he muttered.
“It’s not real,” she said and rolled her eyes. “I’m against that. Just sit.” He did without another word and she sat down a little away from him, “Okay. Gain my trust.”
“How?” he asked.
“Tell me something,” she said with a smile. “Something I don’t know. Something only the Marauders know or a really secret secret of yours.”
“Um okay…” He scratched his chin and looked out into the dark sky outside. “Um. I’m really afraid of birds… Specially black ones.”
He locked eyes with her and she snorted loudly. “Seriously?”
“Yup.”
“Okay, but more personal secrets now, please.”
He looked into the fire. “My middle name is Cygnus, which I’ve gotten from some stupid dead relative.”
“Cygnus?” Amber repeated. He nodded. “That is a… An interesting name.”
He snorted, “Yeah.”
“Okay, tell me more.”
“Um, I really don’t know what you want to know. Why don’t you ask me?”
She smirked at him. “You really shouldn’t have said that.”
“I trust you.”
“But promise to answer honestly.”
“I do,” he said with a hand to his heart.
She raised an eyebrow and turned her gaze to the fire. “Okay… Um. Sexuality?”
He looked at her as if she was crazy. “I’m not in the closet.”
She rolled her eyes. “That’s not what I meant.” She took a deep breath. “You’re not a virgin, are you?”
Turning his gaze to the fire he cleared his throat, “In fact, I am.”
Her jaw dropped. “You’re kidding me, right?”
“Nope,” he said slowly shaking his head.
“Okay… That was a surprise.”
He smiled slightly. “I bet it was. Next question.”
“I’m not finished with this one!” she said. He looked up at her. She was smiling. “Why?”
“Why what?”
“Why are you? Haven’t you ever had a girlfriend who you… You know?”
He shrugged. “No. Not really.”
“Haven’t you ever met anyone you wanted to… With?”
He smiled. “That’s a different question.”
“It is,” she agreed. “But answer me, please.”
“Yes, I have.” He looked away again.
She was silent a few seconds, absorbing what she’d been told. “Okay… Um, how many people would you die for? Truly die for.”
“Everyone,” he answered simply. “The good ones of course.”
She sighed. “Not like that. Who would you sacrifice for even if they maybe weren’t about to die, but… Hmm, if there only was a possibility that they’d die. Who would you die for? Or, whose place would you take? Do you understand?”
“I think so.” Sirius frowned for a few seconds, thinking. “Okay. Seven people, that’ll be.”
“Who?”
“James, Remus and Peter obviously.” He took a breath. “Lily, because she’s a close friend and James likes her; Daisy, because she’s the sister I never had; Regulus because he’s my brother and I care for him no matter what I tell myself.” He stopped.
“The last one?”
He looked at her. “That’s you, Amber. I thought that was too obvious.”
She blushed and removed her gaze from him and placed it on the fire. She seemed speechless. Very slowly, he reached to her hand. He hesitated just before his fingers would touch it, but she opened her hand and welcomed his.
“Next question,” he said gently.
Still looking into the fire she cleared her throat. “So returning to the previous topic… have you ever loved anyone?”
He smiled. “That’s actually a bit of the same as the two previous questions. Yes, I do have. I still do. That’s seven people too. Okay nine. I love James’ parents more than I’ve ever loved my own. I’d die for them as well.”
She nodded. “I guess I could have told myself that,” she said with a smile. “Okay, moving on to a lighter topic. I’ve always wondered how you got your nickname.”
His back stiffened. He didn’t remove his eyes from the fire as he asked her, “What nickname?”
She rolled her eyes. “The one your friends call you. Padfoot.”
“That’s a long story,” he said.
“I want to hear it,” she said, looking at him.
“But…” He looked away. “Amber, can’t we have another question?”
“Sirius, you promised me.”
He bit his lower lip. He wanted to gain her trust, but would it be worth risking? He looked at her. She was looking at him, waiting for an answer. Her eyes shinned in the light from the fire and she looked beautiful as ever. He looked away again.
“Amber, it’s not my secret to tell… It’s… We’re in it together, and if I reveal it, I let down the others. It’s not mine alone… Loyalty, you see.”
She frowned. “But…” She trailed off.
“One day maybe, okay?” He looked at her.
She bit her lower lip for a few seconds, then she slowly nodded. “I trust you.”
He smiled. “Thanks.”
She sighed and with a fast movement she moved from her own space to the empty spot in front of him. With her back to him, she leaned against his chest. He smiled and wrapped his arms around her, one of his hands finding one of hers. She took a deep breath.
“Next question,” she muttered. “What is your greatest wish?”
“Hmm,” he mused. “That must be for you to forgive me.”
He was sure she smiled. “You’re one of a kind, Sirius Black.”
“I know. Special and original to the core.”
She chuckled silently. He waited mutely for her next question. But it didn’t come, and he just sat with her there.
After some time (he had no idea how much) he slowly looked over her shoulder. She’d closed her eyes and was breathing slowly. Like a sleeping person almost. Without moving too much he grabbed her wand, Accio’ed a pillow from the couch and laid it down on the carpet. Then, he slowly moved out from underneath her. Her eyes opened and she moved over and laid her head on the pillow. He was about to get up, but her voice made him stop.
“Don’t go,” she murmured.
“What?”
“Stay with me.”
With a slight smile he moved to lie behind her, but supported his weight on his elbow so he could look into the fire or at her if he wanted. He slowly let his fingers trace the skin of her arms, feeling the softness of it. Slowly, her breathing slowed down.
She didn’t ask questions anymore. And when half an hour had passed in silence, he was sure she was asleep. She was so beautiful. Even from the side she looked like an angel. At least he saw her like that.
With slightly unsteady fingers he very slowly untied the band and let her hair fall loosely around her neck. He let his fingers run through it and then, he brushed the hair away, revealing her bare neck and a simple golden necklace which hung around it. His hand returned to her arm where it lay still. He leaned down, softly inhaling the natural scent of her mixed with the perfume she wore. He stopped only a few centimeters away. Amber wouldn’t let him, not if she was awake at least and he wouldn’t break her trust by doing it. He closed his eyes and breathed once more.
“Just do it, Sirius.” Her voice wasn’t more than a whisper, yet clear as a bell.
He stopped breathing for a second. His eyes flashed to her face. She wasn’t sleeping, but her eyes were fixed on the fire. Looking at some place far, far away, yet present in a way which could no be mistaken.
Very slowly he closed the distance between his lips and her neck, planting a soft kiss on her skin. He then moved a bit up her neck planting another one. And then one more. He stopped with one last kiss just beneath her ear.
She breathed in deeply, and then rolled over so she was lying on her back, close to him. He slowly reached with his hand to her chin, then, with the finest touch traced his fingers along her jaw, stopping at her ear. He leaned closer.
“You know what?” he asked, as his eyes flashed to her lips for a second.
“No, what?” she asked, her gaze neutral.
He was close to her now. “You’re the most beautiful person I’ve ever laid my eyes on.” He nearly spoke the words into her mouth.
“Is that so?”
“Yes.”
Then she lifted her head slightly and touched her lips with his. He moved closer, pushing her down onto the carpet again. Very slowly and softly, he felt her hands around his neck. He smiled into the kiss.
Somehow, he knew then, that from that night on, his view of Christmas would be another. It had changed. Amber had somehow made sure of that. He had more to remember it from, than ugly memories. Now he had good ones too. Good ones which would be remembered for ever.

*
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Merry Christmas!

- Vicki