Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of its characters. Sadly, I'm nowhere near as creative.

HG/RL

Chapter 1: Tonight

"There are two kinds of people in this world, mates," Sirius slurred, a drunken inspiration beaming across his face, "those who go for it and those who don't." James couldn't help but laugh at his friend's bravado, so much so that he choked on his third shot of firewhiskey he tried to take with the rest of the table. Peter couldn't dodge quickly enough, and received a mix of spit and liquor straight to the eye, causing another round of roaring laughter from Prongs. James tried to cough through an apology, but failed miserably. Remus, seeing his friend's distress, motioned for their buxom barmaid, not able to hold a straight face and his friend's foolery.

It was a rather rowdy night at the Three Broomsticks. Hogwarts was out for the Christmas Holiday, so the Inn hosted both regulars and elder students. Since it was their final holiday together in the walls of the school they called home, the Marauders decided that they would all stay and enjoy what time they had left together. Tonight, however was a special occasion, the Three Broomsticks recently invested in a radio that they magnified throughout the Pub. This year, Puddlemere United and the Holyhead Harpies agreed to play a Christmas match for charity; as the first of its kind, it's drawn nearby fans into the Inn to hear the broadcast.

When they first arrived at the Inn, it was their full intention to just enjoy listening to their first broadcasted Quidditch match, but their night quickly turned in another direction when they saw Rosemerta was working; the Marauders were her favorites after all. After one free round, a night of drunken ruckus proved to be more exciting than listening to the game.

"There you go, love. Take it slow, I'm not staying late to clean up your mess you know." Rosemerta leaned down and placed a glass of water in front of James, Remus thanked Rosemerta for the water she brought with her, and along with the rest of his friends, appreciated the view of her ample cleavage without drawing attention. When she sauntered away, their eyes followed her; they appreciated her rear just as much as her front.

Remus drank as much as the rest of his friends, and while they were more boisterous, Remus found himself to be more relaxed. He didn't drink often, but when he did out like this with the rest of the Marauders like tonight, he felt more confident; more self-assured. So much so that he acknowledged a girl across the room that's had his eye on him most of the night, another seventh year. Mona Maddocks was a voluptuous girl for her age; tall, blonde hair, green eyes, with an amazing talent of finding clothing that clung to her in all the right places. She wasn't really his type; more Sirius' really. But he decided to throw her a wink and smirk, because damn it all, why not? She returned with one of her own, and her friends, fellow Hufflepuff's, saw the exchange and giggled amongst themselves.

As luck would have it, his friends caught the interaction as well.

"See!" Sirius shouted, pushing himself from his stool in the process. He threw his arm around Remus and clapped his shoulder, "Moony is one of those people who go for it! And for Mona the Moaner Maddocks, way to go mate!"

Remus laughed, "I don't know, Prongs, she's more your kind than mine.'

Sirius reached for the butterbeer next to his now empty shot glass and took a swig; "My kind or not, who bloody cares! She fancies you, you fancy her, or at the very least fancy what she looks like. Be daring, Moony! I say shoot your shot, what do you have to lose my friend?!"

Remus looked back at Mona, who's eyes caught his own almost instantly. She just finished a shot with her friends as well. He wondered if their table was having a similar conversation to their own. For a moment, his confidence faltered, and he looked away.

Sirius took another gulp of beer and practically shoved it in Remus's hands.

"It's alright, Moony. You're nervous, I get it." Sirius squeezed Remus to his side and turned him slightly, pointing to their left. "Let me teach you something, mate. See her, over there. Watch me take my shot. For I am a man who goes for it."

The other Marauders could feel themselves slowly sobering up at this revelation, and none more so than Remus. Sirius's new target wasn't just anyone, and the boys knew it.

"I don't think that..that's a good idea, Padfoot." Peter stuttered out a warning for his friend, "She's not even a student."

"That's what makes everything more intense, Peter," Sirius gazed at his unsuspecting "victim" with raw, passion in his unfocused eyes, "Our attraction you see, is forbidden."

James shook his head at his friends misplaced confidence, "Attraction isn't necessarily the word I would use."

"You're right, Padfoot." Sirius said quietly. A wave of relieved sighs were released from his audience—too soon. "Our desire for one another, is forbidden."

Both James and Peter emitted loud groans at Sirius's stupidity, but Remus just looked on quietly at the girl, rather, woman in question.

This was her first year at Hogwarts. Dumbledore introduced her at the Welcoming Feast briefly; the new apprentice to the school librarian. An American, with English ancestry. She was quiet and didn't talk much to students. You could always find her with a book and parchment, like tonight. Even in a crowded pub she couldn't separate from her research for long. She was an average sized girl, pale, probably because she stayed indoors so much. But her most distinctive feature was her hair, a mane of chestnut curls. The Inn was humid from the blazing hearth she happened to be the closest to, so she tried to fasten her hair to cool herself, but alas her curls continued to spring from their confines throughout the night.

Remus admitted to himself not long before break that he had a small crush on her. He would only see her in the library, and their exchanges were limited to a polite hello or a nod of acknowledgment. It was more than most people received from her. She was rather pretty, and smelt like lavender and vanilla, with a hint of mint. He was surprised that he did not smell her when he first entered the Inn, but perhaps too many other scents were impairing him.

Sirius stirred Remus from his thoughts with another generous clap to his shoulder, "Keep watching Remus, you're about to witness the master in action." Before Remus had a chance to stop him, Padfoot stumbled away.

She didn't even notice him stagger his way towards her. She was so lost in her book.

'Why would she choose here of all places to be?' Remus thought to himself. As Sirius got closer to her, previous curiosity evolved into a surge of protectiveness. The warmth in Remus's stomach was unfamiliar, and he wanted to defend her from Sirius's mischief. It was as if he was losing his semblance of control, his breathing quickened, he could feel his heart pounding in his chest. Prongs and Wormtail didn't notice, but Remus felt a change in him, and he wasn't fighting it.

He nearly jumped out of his chair once Sirius reached the table, but he stopped, suddenly, and whipped his head around. Someone had touched his arm.

"Did I startle you?" A soft, feminine voice asked him.

'Mona'; Remus could only stare at her as he tried quickly tried to regain his composure. The silence was almost awkward due to its length, but luckily Prongs came to his rescue.

"Remus isn't the best when approached by creatures of the opposite sex, give him a minute." Remus let out a chuckle with everyone else, and shook his head out of his daze.

"Forgive me, Mona, I was…distracted." His friends did not suspect anything about the internal battle he just faced, but he was fighting every urge within him to keep his eyes locked onto Mona.

"By Black?" Remus nodded in affirmative. "Why is he talking to Ms. Simmons?"

Remus took this opportunity to look back to his left at his friend and Ms. Simmons. The look of confusion on her face at Padfoot's inept attempt at wooing her, was almost comical, but to Remus, all he noticed was that Sirius was standing rather close to her.

'Too close.' Remus fell back into his protectiveness, but caught himself. 'What's wrong with me?' He pondered.

"He's trying to seduce her." Mona laughed at Peter's answer. Remus had to remind himself the reality of what was happening. It was ridiculous to hear aloud; Sirius, seducing Ms. Simmons, it's impossible. He too, finally let out a laugh with his friends.

"Well, you have to give the man credit where it's due. But Remus, I came over to ask you if you'd like to grab a drink with me at the bar. We haven't had much chance to talk this holiday, even though we're both decided to stay at Hogwarts. Care to join me?" Remus could smell her faint arousal and her body language called out for his touch. She wore tight denim jeans, and a shirt that tied by the top of her navel, barely covering her midsection. Was he attracted to her? Yes. But he couldn't follow her to the bar, not yet.

"How about I meet you there? I'll buy us a round in a couple? Is that alright?" Mona looked noticeably disappointed that he wouldn't join her immediately. However, the promise of him joining her eventually, maintained her arousal.

"Alright, but you shouldn't keep a girl waiting, Remus." She winked at him once again, and made her way to the bar.

Remus turned his head back to his friends, and was met by disbelieving stares. Remus couldn't help but ask, "What?"

"What?! That's all you've got to say?" James practically yelled at him. "Are you mad?! You just turned down Mona the Moaner Maddocks! What's wrong with you? That was your shot!"

"I didn't turn her down."

"You practically did. She's right, Moony. You don't make a girl like that wait!" James continued to admonish him, but Remus turned his attention back to Sirius and Ms. Simmons.

She tried so hard to be civil, Remus could tell from their exchange. She smiled at him, but looked down awkwardly when he would compliment her. She wasn't looking for his affection, it was written all over her face. But there was something else in her eyes when she looked at him, subtle, but Remus detected a hint of something more; sadness perhaps? He couldn't say.

As if he stood feet away, Remus could barely hear Peter ask, "What's keeping you here?"

Remus ignored Peter, his senses fully focused on the scene before him. Sirius put his elbow on the table, and pushed away several of her parchments and books haphazardly. That was her breaking point. Remus could finally make out her voice, so many meters away.

"Sirius, please that's enough." Her voice was low, but firm.

"Hermione, you can't deny the attra…desire, between us." Sirius brought his face closer to hers.

"Sirius, I think you've had too much to drink, you don't know what you're saying. And it's Ms. Simmons to you." She tried to move back in her chair, but Sirius reached out for her arm.

"There is no formality needed between us, love. You're not a teacher, there are no rules separating us. Let's blow this place; you, me, a match made in history. Our passion would be envied for centuries." Hermione cringed at the smell of his breath. She tried to pull away, but he was stronger than her.

"Let go, Sirius." She didn't look threatened by him, but she seemed wearier of the attention this caused her.

"Hermione, I nee..ow! Watch it, mate!" Sirius shouted at the pressure on his right arm. The grip that held him was so tight, he knew it would bruise. He tried to shake off the hold, but it wouldn't budge.

"Remus?"

It was as if he was woken by her voice. Her eyes, he was never able to look at them so close. They were warm, and concerned. He felt both embarrassed and disgusted with himself. It was the wolf. He knew that now. Something about tonight, about her, unleashed the beast within him. Once Sirius grabbed her arm, all he remembered was a darkness, and a voice like a record yelling out, "Too Close!"

Remus finally noticed Sirius desperately trying to shake free of his hold. Remus let go, and apologized. "Sorry, just didn't want him to look like an arse in front of you, but it looks like I was too late."

He wouldn't normally say "arse" in front of the school staff, but hopefully, since they were close in age, she wouldn't be offended.

"Oi!" Sirius shouted, pouting at the man "ruining" his chances.

Hermione chuckled, and pride swelled within him. Remus never saw her show any sort of amusement in anything, not even her books. He internally accepted the challenge to one day, try to amuse her again.

Hermione began to gather her things, and stood from her seat. "It's alright, Remus. But thank you all the same. It's late, so I'm going to head back the castle. Have a good night boys." They both wished her a goodnight, but Sirius offered himself as her escort.

"I think I can manage on my own, thank you." She turned to leave, but before she did, she looked over her shoulder and said to Remus, "I don't think I need to tell you to make sure he gets back alright." Remus shook his head, and Hermione just smiled. Remus couldn't help but notice that look again, the sadness that reflected from within.

Once she left, he received an earful from Sirius. But it didn't matter. Nothing else really mattered.

Remus lent himself to support Sirius, and helped him stumble back to his stool. James and Peter laughed at Sirius' failed attempt at the seduction of Ms. Simmons.

"You had to see yourself, mate. You looked a right git." James said to his friend. "You're lucky Remus was there to save your arse. That was wicked, Moony. I've never seen you run so fast!"

Remus tried to ignore their comments, and downed the rest of Padfoot's forgotten beer in humiliation. The wolf gave him so much energy. His adrenaline was coursing through him; so much so that he couldn't stop tapping his foot in his seat.

"Well, although we should THANK Remus," Sirius cursed at James's interpretation of events, "for saving his friend from a complete failure, it is my duty to remind you that the beautiful, and very, very available Mona Maddocks, is still waiting at the bar this very moment, for her knight in shining brown fur to buy her a round of drinks."

Even Sirius couldn't help but change his tune and encourage his friend to join Maddocks. Although one woman wouldn't leave the recesses of his conscious, he was riled up and trembling with liveliness. Perhaps it was time to shoot his shot with someone realistic.

His stool slid across the wood beneath him, and as he stood with a cool collectiveness he didn't know he possessed, he looked back at his friends and let them know, "Don't wait up."

The cheers from his friends, and the look he received from his lovely admirer, were enough to momentarily bury his newly awakened revelations about a Ms. Hermione Simmons.

A/N: Welp. It's a start. Let me know what you think. I anticipate this story to have deeper layers. So why not start it with some comedy?