Note: In this oneshot, house-elves don't exist (sorry Dobby)

House: Gryffindor

 I was crouched in the corner of the room, whimpering as Mrs Black pointed her wand at me threateningly. "How dare you make such a stupid mistake!" She screamed at me. Tears raced down my cheeks as I cowered, her screaming at me simply because a bead came off of one of her dresses as I washed it and I didn't notice. "How dare you defy your masters! You will show us some respect, and learn to do your job properly!"

My 'job' was being a housemaid to the Black family, however I was more of a slave. My parents died when I was only two, so I was taken in by Mr and Mrs Black who were supposedly friends of my parents, however I think they just wanted a slave to boss around and abuse. I was now eight, so this abuse and torture was all I knew. It was a horrid life and I was praying for the day my Hogwarts letter would arrive.

The Blacks had two sons, Sirius who was my age and Regulus who was a year younger. Regulus was a little timid, and I had a feeling he was scared of his parents so he stayed away from me but Sirius was a little kinder. He'd talk to me like I was a normal person and he'd even offer to play with me sometimes. Sirius was the only Black family member I could talk to.

"Now hurry up and clean the dining hall! And get to work on cooking dinner!" Mrs Black screeched and I nodded. She stormed out of the room and I quickly wiped my eyes roughly trying to calm myself down so I could get on with my work and prevent myself from receiving another telling off. It was inevitable however, as Mrs Black claimed I had roasted the potatoes a little longer than I should've, and that it had spoilt her whole dinner. Once I had cleared their plates away I headed back to the kitchen ready to eat my dinner which consisted simply of mashed potatoes and a few beans.

There was a knock at the kitchen door and I quickly stood up straight, but sighed in relief when Sirius stepped in. "Er... I thought dinner was good... thanks, (y/n)," he said politely and I smiled, nodding. The only time I smiled was when I was with Sirius. He waved and quickly left the room, but I felt warmth inside me.

Later that evening, when the rest of the family were in bed, I crept downstairs to the kitchen. It was midnight meaning it was now officially my ninth birthday, and I knew the Blacks wouldn't want to mark the occasion so I decided to do it myself by making myself a small, secret cake.

I dimly lit the kitchen and quietly got together everything I'd need. I smiled to myself as I stirred the batter, thinking of what my birthdays would have been like had my parents of still been alive. I was so lost in thought and happiness that I didn't hear the footsteps down the hall until the door to the kitchen squeaked open.

I let out a small yelp, hiding the bowl behind my back. I expected Mrs Black to come round the corner and start yelling at me, but instead Sirius popped his head round the door. "Hey, what're you doing up so late?"

"I-I- I was just- I'm sorry, I'm really sorry," I bowed, scared he was going to tell on me.

"You don't have to apologise! What you doing up?"

"I-it's my birthday so I... I'm making myself a cake..." I mumbled.

"Really? That's so cool!" Sirius' dark eyes gleamed. I was surprised by his sudden enthusiasm.

"B-but I didn't ask permission... Mrs Black will beat me if she finds out-,"

"Mum won't find out, don't worry about it," he smirked. "Can I help? I wanna help!"

"S-sure," I stuttered, smiling at his kindness. I ended up smiling that night much more than I had done in my life. He made me laugh and we had fun decorating the cake with the icing I made, it ending up looking like a mess but we were proud of it. It tasted surprisingly good and we ended up getting crumbs and icing all over our mouths. It was an amazing night and I didn't want it to end, but to avoid me being sluggish when I was forced to wake up and do my chores I decided it was best of us to get head to bed and get some sleep. The amount of cake we'd consumed however kept me up a little longer so when morning came I was still incredibly tired. It was obvious that Sirius was too, but he didn't have chores to do unlike me.

"Hurry up and take this dirty plate away you good for nothing!" Mrs Black screeched. I ran around the dining table collecting everyone's plates as quickly as I could, then running to the kitchen. To my surprise Sirius came in moments later asking if I needed help.

"Oh, that's okay Sirius, you don't need to worry about me," I said quickly.

"But it's your birthday," he said and I shrugged my shoulders.

"It didn't mean anything last year... but thanks for last night," I smiled at him and he nodded before leaving the kitchen. It being my birthday didn't make a difference to how I was being treated, I was still being hit and yelled at despite having done nothing wrong. Mrs Black would find any excuse to shout and yell at me. What saddened me even more was the fact I didn't see Sirius all morning. I thought he'd be willing to spend some time with me like he did last night, but apparently not.

It had reached mid afternoon and I was busy lighting the fire for when Mrs Black came in to read like she always did around this time. The door opened making me jump out of my skin, terrified as I hadn't finished making the fire and I knew she'd hurt me if it wasn't ready in time but instead Sirius was stood there holding a folded piece of paper. "Here," he said simply with a slight blush on his cheeks.

Carefully I took the piece of paper from him and was shocked when I saw the words 'happy birthday' in bright bold letters. He'd drawn a picture of the birthday cake we made last night underneath the words and emotions hit me hard. I felt like crying with happiness, it being the first birthday card I had received. "Sirius... this is so sweet," I mumbled, unable to tear my eyes away as I opened the card to reveal the more intimate happy birthday he wrote.

"I'm glad you like it, I was nervous you wouldn't," he admitted.

"I love it so much, thank you," I smiled brightly, trying not to let the tears of happiness come to my eyes. This small act of generosity and kindness was enough to make this the best day ever.

- Timeskip -

"(y/n), (y/n)!" Sirius cried desperately as he bolted downstairs, his footsteps echoing through the house. Since my ninth birthday he and I had gotten close, and we were now both eleven. "They've arrived! (y/n), they've arrived!"

I knew immediately what he was talking about and ran away from the piano I was dusting, almost bumping straight into him in the hall. There was an infectious bright smile on his face as he handed me the envelope with the Hogwarts crest stamped on it. I couldn't help but let out a squeal of excitement at the thought of leaving this dreary hell of a house, and we both opened our letters quickly. I sped read mine, adrenaline pumping through my veins.

"What do we have here? Hogwarts letters?" The chilling voice of Mrs Black said from behind me making me jump and tun to her.

"Yeah, they arrived for us a few minutes ago," Sirius said in an irritable tone.

"Congratulations son. Go to Hogwarts and do the Slytherin house proud. You on the other hand," she turned her attention to me making me gulp. "You will remain here."

"W-what?" I stuttered, dread running through my body. She snatched my letter from my hand and tore it to pieces in front of me, my heart sinking in my chest. The freedom I had craved had been taken from me.

"You can't stop her going to Hogwarts!" Sirius cried.

"Watch your tone young man. I can do as I please. She's our housemaid and we need her here. She's not smart enough to attend school anyway," Mrs Black spat.

"How dare you!" Sirius shouted, his fists clenched. Tears pooled in my eyes as I realised I would never be free from her grasp and I looked at the floor feeling defeated.

"It's okay Sirius," I mumbled, refusing to look up at him. "If I'm needed here then... here I'll be."

"Good. Now that that's cleared up I think there's a piano that needs cleaning," Mrs Black said before turning on her heels and walking away.

"You can't let her do this to you (y/n)! You have to come to Hogwarts! She's only keeping you here because she wants someone to boss around, you can't put up with it any longer!" Sirius hissed.

"What do you expect me to do?" I asked desperately.

"I'll talk to Dumbledore when I get to Hogwarts. He'll be able to straighten things out I'm sure!" Sirius said with optimism and I smiled, happy to see him this way. The day he was due to depart for Hogwarts was a hard day for me to go through as I knew I wouldn't see him until Christmas. I was so used to us spending time together daily that not having him around would hurt more and more with each coming day.

I spent the evening crying in my small box bedroom, wondering what it would be like to be with Sirius on my way to Hogwarts. I'd only dreamed about what it would be like to attend, properly learning magic with a wand and making potions in a cauldron.

Sirius kept his promise of writing frequently, as it seemed we tired the Hogwarts owls out by writing to each other every other day. I was scared he was going to forget about me, move on and make new friends but he promised to always be with me even if it couldn't be literal.

Sirius told me in his letters that he'd tried speaking to Dumbledore about my situation and to my surprise Mrs Black received a letter asking after me and why I had not attended Hogwarts. She claimed I was too ill to attend, but a month later and much to our surprise Dumbledore actually turned up on our doorstep.

Mrs Black begrudgingly let him in and took him through to the living room where she demanded I serve tea. I loaded the tray with the finest crockery we had and took it through to them. Dumbledore seemed so calm whilst Mrs Black was glaring at him. "Ah, Miss (l/n). I'm so sorry to hear that you are ill," he said kindly, a twinkle in his blue eyes. I glanced at Mrs Black as I put the tray down on the coffee table. She glared at me as though silently demanding that I play along, but it was there and then that I decided I had had enough.

"No sir, I am not ill. Not even in the slightest," I said, standing up straight.

"Oh?"

"Mrs Black told you I was simply so that she could keep me here to make me do all of her work for her," I spoke the truth and a look of panic swept across her face.

"Is that right?" Dumbledore asked, but something told me he already knew of this fact.

"Of course not! How dare you!" Mrs Black stood up sharply.

"If Miss (l/n) is not ill may I ask why it is you are keeping her here?" Dumbledore asked calmly and she clenched her fists. "May I take her to Hogwarts? I believe an education in the magical arts is exactly what she needs to grow into a fine young witch."

After a while Mrs Black scoffed. "Fine," she muttered in defeat. My eyes widened and my heart skipped a beat as excitement filled me - not only was I finally going to Hogwarts but I was going to see Sirius again.

"Fantastic. Well Miss (l/n), I think a trip to Diagon Alley is in order. May I have the honour of taking you?" Dumbledore asked politely, holding out his arm.

"Absolutely! Thank you so much, professor!" I squealed excitedly. We spent the day getting everything I needed from Diagon Alley and I was incredibly proud of my wand and uniform. We went back to Grimmauld Place to pack what little belongings I had before I bade a satisfying farewell to Mrs Black.

"Have you ever apparated before (y/n)?" Dumbledore asked, nudging my arm.

"No I haven't," I admitted shamefully.

"Then be prepared... this might be a little bit of a bumpy ride," he warned me but his smile made me stay calm. He held out his arm for me to hold and a second later I felt as though I was being suctioned through a tight tube. Suddenly I landed on a hard surface in a heap, my suitcase tumbling over beside me. I felt as though I was going to throw up but I managed to prevent myself from doing so. "Up you come," Dumbledore helped me stand, my legs feeling wobbly.

"W-where are we?" I asked, taking in my surroundings. Wherever we were it was beautiful - it was a circular room with bookshelves lining the walls. There were many paintings hung above those of sleeping people and there was a beautiful glass cabinet with what looked like vials of liquid inside. There was a large oak desk with a golden framed seat behind it. Next to the desk stood a golden perch which held a large red bird.

"We are in my office at Hogwarts," Dumbledore said and my mouth dropped.

"It's beautiful," I whispered before I could stop myself. He walked round to the other side of his desk and I waited nervously, wondering what was going to happen next. A knock on the door caught our attention and I turned to see an older looking lady in dark green robes and a pointed hat enter.

"Professor Dumbledore, you wished to see me?" She asked.

"Ah Minerva, perfect timing. This here is (y/n) (l/n). She's been given permission by her appointed guardians to attend Hogwarts," Dumbledore said and I bowed at the lady.

"Miss (l/n), I've heard a lot about you from Black," the lady said and my eyes widened with surprise. "I am Professor McGonagall, deputy headmaster and head of Gryffindor. I am also the transfigurations teacher."

I recognised the name from a few of the letters Sirius had sent, him saying that despite the fact she looked scary and was quite strict, she was a nice and fair teacher. "Shall we get Miss (l/n) sorted into a house?" Dumbledore suggested and nerves swept through my body. I also remembered Sirius talking about the four houses in his letters, him being proud to be in Gryffindor despite his entire family having been Slytherins. McGonagall nodded and reached for an old looking hat that sat upon one of the bookshelves. She gently placed it on my head and I stood there nervously, jumping when I suddenly heard a voice.

"Oh, a new student? Halfway through the year? Hm... now, where to put you..." the voice mumbled. In my mind I was desperate for Gryffindor simply so I could be in the same house as Sirius. "I see which house you desire but is it really suited for you? Hm... lets see... yes I believe it suits you... Gryffindor!"

I let out a sigh of relief as McGonagall took the hat from my head. "Welcome to Gryffindor Miss (l/n)," she smiled. Excitement burst through me as I realised this was actually happening, and I thanked them both profusely. McGonagall led me from Dumbledore's office and through the castle which I couldn't stop admiring. The corridors were empty however and she informed me that the students were still in their classes, but the school day was almost over.

She took me up the moving staircases that Sirius described perfectly in his letters, then stopping at a portrait and muttering what sounded like latin. The portrait opened up like a door to reveal an opening which led to what I assumed was the Gryffindor common room. McGonagall handed me a few documents she was carrying which ended up being my timetable and a list of school rules. She explained a few things about the common room and the dorms and I listened to every word. After showing me my dorm where I put my suitcase on the empty bed she took me back down to the common room. "Any notices will appear on here," she gestured a large board. "And with that, I welcome you to Hogwarts."

"Thank you professor, thank you so much," I bowed again missing her smile.

"I recommend you wait here. The students will return after their classes which end in approximately ten minutes. You'll be able to make new friends when they come in. I'm sure you'll fit in well," she said, bidding me a farewell before leaving me alone in the common room.

So much had happened today that I was having trouble letting it all sink in. I pulled my wand form my cloak pocket and admired it, admittedly scared to use it. I looked around the room taking it all in, trying my best not to cry form happiness.

It was then that I heard the portrait open and I turned to see a few older looking students pile in. A few of them noticed me and smiled but carried on chatting in their friend groups. I didn't mind, after all I was merely focussed on seeing Sirius. I couldn't help but smile brightly when I heard his distinct laugh and I saw him topple into the common room with three other boys. Without realising it they were approaching me directly but my eyes were glued to Sirius who looked up and stopped in his tracks upon seeing me. "(y/n)?"

"Hi Sirius," I whispered and a bright smile appeared on his face.

"(y/n)!" He ran up to me and pulled me into a strong hug which I happily reciprocated. "This is amazing, you're finally at Hogwarts! But how are you here? When did you get here?" He asked desperately and I chuckled against his chest. We broke apart and I told him the whole story of todays adventures with Dumbledore. We were both so happy that we could finally see each other again but he spent some times introducing me to all his friends along with the girls I'd be sharing my dorm with. Everyone seemed so lovely and I felt like the luckiest girl in the world. It was thanks to Sirius I was now here at Hogwarts - he was my hero.

- Timeskip -

We were now in our sixth year at Hogwarts, and the past six years had been incredible. Sirius and I stayed at Hogwarts over Christmas, enjoying the empty castle together and running around, exploring the various secret passageways however during summer we had to return to Grimmauld Place. When we went back for the first time I expected to be treated exactly as I was before I went to Hogwarts but thankfully I wasn't. Mr and Mrs Black simply ignored me most of the time and I ended up spending most of the nights in Sirius' room.

As the years went on I found myself wanting to spend every second with Sirius. We were already almost joined at the hip, but I wished we could be something more. My feelings for Sirius started as a simple crush when we were in second year, but now they were something more. I felt as though I was in love with him but I was too nervous to say anything. I was scared he saw me as more of a sister rather than anything else.

It was painful seeing him flirt and go out with girls but I had to pretend it didn't bother me. In reality it hurt, and it was getting to the point where I couldn't bare seeing him go after other girls but thankfully that hadn't happened for a few months now.

Together we walked back from our last lesson of the day to the common room. I gripped my books tightly, staring at the floor as we walked when he suddenly elbowed my side. "Why're you so glum? You've been really moody lately," he said simply.

"Wow thanks," I said sarcastically.

"Seriously though, there's something bothering you. I know you better than you know yourself," he chuckled.

"I guess I'm just a little stressed. We've got our NEWTs next year and I want to make sure I do really well," I said.

"You'll do great (y/n), you've got nothing to worry about," he said confidently, slinging his arm around my shoulder. "Fancy coming to quidditch practice?"

"Yeah sure," I smiled. Together we dropped our bags off in our respective dorms before we met up with James, the two of them dressed in their quidditch gear. Together we headed to the pitch, me heading up to the stands whilst Sirius and James headed to the pitch. I had fantasised multiple times about riding on the back of Sirius' broomstick, holding onto him tightly as we flew around the grounds of Hogwarts taking in the beautiful views. I knew that was merely a fantasy though, so decided to simply sit and watch as the team rose into the air, James instructing them as he was now captain. Sirius waved enthusiastically at me making me chuckle and earning him an elbow to the ribs from James. I saw them whisper between them, James laughing and Sirius flying off.

When practice had finished I met Sirius by the side of the pitch, expecting him to follow the team into the changing rooms but instead James patted his back and smirked at him, Sirius shrugging him off and heading over to me. "Hey (y/n), you fancy learning how to properly fly? It's been a while since you've been on a broomstick," he said, holding up his own proudly.

My eyes widened, thinking about my fantasy. "S-sure, yeah, sounds like fun," I stuttered embarrassingly.

"Come on then, the entire pitch will be ours," he said, taking my hand and pulling me into the middle of the stadium. From this point of view it was quite intimidating, but Sirius' smile calmed me down. He mounted his broom and held his hand out towards me.

"Are you sure?" I asked carefully and he nodded.

"'Course I'm sure," he said teasingly. "Just hold on tight." I did as instructed and mounted the back of his broom, immediately wrapping my arms around his waist. "Are you ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," I said, nerves flooding through my body. I kept a tight hold on Sirius as we rose into the air, suddenly zooming off making me yell out in fright. I hid my head against his back as he flew quickly, darting in different directions.

Suddenly all the rapid movements stopped and I felt Sirius' hand rest against mine. "You're missing the views," he whispered and I looked up, gasping at what I saw.

The sun was now setting casting an orange glow over the landscape. We were high in the air but I wasn't worried about that - I was too busy admiring the views. The Black Lake shimmered under the orange sun, the water heading down the valley between the numerous hills that surrounded Hogwarts. The castle itself was beautiful, the light reflecting on the sparkling windows. The thick green trees of the Forbidden Forest spread for miles, and many birds were flying above it. "This is stunning," I whispered without realising it.

"It's amazing isn't it," Sirius agreed as he flew us around the castle, the wind flowing through our hair. I rested my chin against his shoulder, not wanting to pinch myself in case this was just a dream. We flew around the grounds, soaking up the amazing landscape and pointing out various features to each other. It felt perfect, and dare I say romantic.

Before long however the sun was almost completely set, so I knew it was probably best we headed back to the castle. We landed in a small courtyard empty of all students. "That was amazing Sirius, the castle's so beautiful... I'm so thankful to you," I said, bravely taking his hand.

"You are?" He seemed surprised.

"Without you I might've never been able to see this castle," I said and was surprised to his cheeks go red. "Are you okay? Your cheeks are red," I observed, stepping closer and pressing my hand against his forehead to check he wasn't burning up.

"I can't hold back anymore," he said and I furrowed my eyebrows, pulling my hand away.

"Hold back? What from?" I asked, looking up into his hypnotising dark eyes. Suddenly he had his hands on my cheeks and had pulled me towards him, planting his lips upon mine. Shock was the first thing I felt, trying to understand what was happening but when I finally did, a whole whirl of emotions hit. First was bewilderment, then was excitement and then nervousness. I kissed back to the best of my ability, my eyes fluttered closed as our arms wrapped around each other, refusing to let the other go.

His lips were soft and his kissing was surprisingly gentle, but enough to sweep me off my feet. When our lips parted I had to still hold onto him in fear of my legs giving out. "S-Sirius-,"

"I like you (y/n)... more than a friend... in fact I've liked you for a while now but I was scared you'd see me as more of a brother than a... than a boyfriend," he mumbled, looking vulnerable which was a rare look for Sirius.

"Wow... you really like me?" I asked and he nodded. "All this time I've wanted to be with you but I was the one who thought you'd see me as more of a sister than a girlfriend," I said and his eyes widened. We spent a moment laughing at each others doubts before we leant in and shared another passionate kiss. I felt relieved and over the moon that he returned my feelings and that I could finally kiss him. It felt so perfect.

"So does that mean we're together?" Sirius asked in a husky voice when we pulled apart.

"I'd like that, I'd like that a lot," I whispered and we both smiled brightly, sharing a third kiss.

"Come on, lets head back to the dorm so I can show off the fact you're finally my girlfriend," he smirked proudly and I laughed.

"Sure thing, hero."