The fire was casting a warm glow over the common room. Halloween was in the air, and whilst everyone was reluctant to admit it, the weather was now well and truly too nippy to still be considered summer.

Lily and Sirius were by the aforementioned fireplace, which was strung with smiling pumpkins. Lily was seated on the couch, and the marauder on the floor in front of her. Their laughter echoed off the stone walls; the two of them had always had an unexpected, but wholly enjoyable friendship.

In the middle of their gossip session about James' new girlfriend (they both agreed that she was all boobs and no brains), Lily began toying with Sirius' hair. It had gotten very long recently…

Lily grabbed his shoulder and turned him so that he was facing away from her.

"Lily flower, what are you doing?"

"Plaiting your hair."

"Oh, okay. So as I was saying, I don't know what's going through the bloke's head! "

"Fucking barmy if you ask me."

The strands were thick and smooth in her fingers. Starting near his forehead, Lily parted his hair into three even strands and began to french plait it down to his neck.

"It's his choice though, I suppose," Lily added in.

"Still stupid. You know this feels quite nice," Sirius trailed off, closing his eyes and leaning into her touch with contentment. "I understand why you girls do this."

Lily continued her plaiting, trying to hold back the latest comment about 'her'.

"Okay. I know it's mean, and she can't really help it, but her teeth annoy me so much!"

"That not-so-little gap between the front two?"

"Yes! How could James possibly find that attractive?"

"I wonder if she can drink through it? Would you say she can fit a straw through it?"

"Sirius!" Lily tugged at a strand, scandalized. They looked at each other for a second, both biting back their laughter, and then collapsing into hopeless giggles.

Just then the portrait swung open and in walked a very wind blown James Potter. Spotting his friends by the fire, he sauntered over, and collapsed onto the couch next to Lily.

"I hate Quidditch," he informed them when their laughter had ebbed.

Lily and Sirius shot him identical unamused looks.

"Oh that's why you're always talking about it! I've wondered," Lily exclaimed in amazement.

"You really should stop if it makes you so unhappy," Sirius played along.

"Oh yes! An hour of playing a sport that you hate four times a week? James, you can't let them keep bullying you into that!"

"Be strong mate."

Lily and Sirius clutched their hands together dramatically. Lily's eyes shone with emotion, and Sirius looked like he was viciously biting back tears.

"If not for yourself then-"

"Oh would you two shut it?" James exploded, he tried to looks angry but there was a smile lurking.

They laughed and Lily restarted on Sirius' hair. It had come undone during their performance.

"Evans, what are you doing?" James asked, equal parts amused and concerned.

"Making me pretty!" Sirius crooned in a high pitched voice, looking over his shoulder to bat his eyelashes at James.

"Gonna take more than a fancy hairdo to make that happen, mate!" the bespectacled one insisted with a smirk.

"Oh, I don't know Potter. The girls seem to have a very different opinion of Black's looks, and I think they are a better judge than your newly girlfriended self," Lily teased, but a hint of bitterness crept in towards the end.

"Lily is officially my best friend," Sirius announced.

James rolled his eyes. "The girls only think that because he's shagged most of them."

"Exactly! They've seen all of this," he made a swooping gesture up and down his body, "up close and personal, and still come back for more."

"Enough talk about Sirius' sex life. I do not need those mental images!" Lily pulled a face which resulted in Sirius looking even more smug than usual. "What were you laughing about before?" James asked, hoping for a distraction.

"Nothing!"