Disclaimer: Anything you recognise is property of JK Rowling.

Well, that was a first

I'm not too sure what I'm hoping to achieve from this. I'm not sure why I always manage to convince myself that my friends' ideas are the best. And I'm definitely not sure why all of a sudden it matters so much that my hair is bouncing around madly on my shoulders.

He is smirking at me from across the room, as I bloody well knew he would be. Oh yes, there he is, with his eyes twinkle twinkle twinkling in the firelight. He watches me pat at my hair anxiously and ruffles his own in mockery. No, no, solidarity. No, no, mockery.

'Idiot,' I hiss.

He grins. I square my shoulders and begin to walk towards him. The long, slow, mortifying walk. Everyone watches and yet the only eyes on me are his. Egging me on.

Hands dash to the hair, tongue moistens the lip. I can't help it. This infuriates me more than he does. He knew this day would come, and now, he sits there with them, and he is ready to enjoy the show.

Suddenly, I'm mere feet away. I could poke him in the shoulder if I wanted to. Oh, how I want to poke him. Hard. With a tree-trunk.

He inclines his head towards me. I grimace at him.

'I...' My voice breaks embarrassingly. His smile becomes more pronounced.

'I wondered if you wanted to meet me in Hogsmeade for a drink next Saturday?' I rush the words out, as though hoping if I say them quick enough they might go unnoticed. They don't. James chuckles. I concentrate on not blushing. I'm so focussed on staying nicely pale that I almost miss her answer. Almost.

'Sure! Yes that'd be...!' She coughs nervously. 'I mean – that sounds alright by me. It's not like I have any other plans.' She offers me a flustered smile.

My answering smile is self-assured. 'I look forward to it. See you, Louise.'

'Bye, Sirius,' she simpers.

I turn, and James smirks at me. I can smirk back now. Collapsing into the chair, I examine my fingernails, hoping I look as nonchalant as I'm imagining.

'And that, my boys, is how you do it.'

'Yes, well, it's always much easier to ask a girl out when you've already been assured of her answer by three of her friends and three of yours,' James throws in. He looks over at the freckly redhead over by the bookcase. 'It's more impressive if you put yourself out on a whim.'

'Limb,' Remus corrects him tiredly.

James sticks his tongue out at him and then kicks my feet off the table I'd just draped them on.

'So is your heart rate back to normal now then?'

I wrinkle my nose at him. I'm not sure why I thought this would be such a massive deal. I'm not sure what I got so worked up about. It's my first trip to Hogsmeade and I've already lined up a date. Surely I am actually the coolest person in this common room. James wishes he was like me, mooning as he does over the redhead. My thoughts flicker ahead to a week tomorrow: me and Louise cosied up in a corner of the Three Broomsticks; Louise laughing raucously at my jokes while glancing admiringly at my shirt. And suddenly, I'm not sure what I should wear.