The four boys lounged around their dorm, pleasantly full after their dinner but with no motivation to start any of the homework they had due. Instead they were swapping silly stories and brainstorming potential pranks they could pull in the upcoming weeks. A lull had come over the conversation when Peter perked his head up and addressed the room.

'Have any of you kissed a girl yet? I saw Meadowes staring at you in potions Moony'

Remus scoffed and threw a pair of balled up socks at Peter. 'You know I haven't Pete and Dorcas wasn't staring'

'I have' James piped up from his side of the room. All three boys trained their eyes on him.

'Who have you been snogging?' Sirius questioned, slightly hurt that his best mate hadn't told him about it.

'I haven't been regularly snogging someone if that's what you mean. Wanted to get it out of the way and so did Marlene. Marls is cool I knew she wouldn't make a big deal out of it' he said with nonchalance.

The rest of the boys looked at each other and shrugged. Before the subject could be further discussed Sirius brought up the upcoming Gryffindor VS Ravenclaw quidditch match and the topic was quickly dropped.

Sirius hadn't yet had his first kiss, he knew there was interested parties but being so caught up with the marauders and his ghastly family life he just hadn't gotten around to it. Now he was almost fourteen and he still hadn't kissed a girl and in all honestly he wasn't feeling very confident about it. He had a reputation for being a flirt and he figured this meant there'd be expectations from anybody did kiss and he wasn't sure his kissing would live up to them.

It was this thought, two days later, which prompted him to plop down next to Marlene McKinnon when he spotted her sitting reading on the grounds. He and McKinnon hadn't been fond of each other in the beginning but now they had a tentative friendship. She smiled at him as he sat down.

'I need to talk to you about something and I want you to just… not be Marlene about it' he started before she could say anything.

She tilted her head. 'If you don't want me to be Marlene about it then why did you come to a Marlene?' she raised a blonde eyebrow at him.

'You know what I mean Marlene, I just-' he cut himself off with a sigh, trying to think how to word his request.

She took notice of his wringing hands and groove between his eyebrows as he struggled for words. 'I won't be Marlene about it Sirius, what's up Buttercup?'

The silly nickname got a half smile from him and he finally raised his eyes to meet hers. 'I was talking to the lads the last day and James said that you were his first kiss' He paused and she nodded to continue. 'I haven't… I don't want to just-' he shut his mouth with an audible snap and he looked at her with a sudden confidence. 'Merlin this is so stupid. Will you kiss me McKinnon, I haven't done it and it'd be easier if it was you'

Her eyebrows shot up in surprise. 'You want me to kiss you.' He nodded, stubbornly trying to quell the blush he could feel creeping over his cheeks. 'Uh… why me?'

'You've already kissed someone so you know how to do it, I know you probably won't be a dick about it. I don't know Marley we're mates aren't we?' He avoided her eyes but heard her little laugh.

'Yeah we're mates, but you're mates with Mary too.' She was smiling at him but her eyebrows were still puckered in confusion.

'I can't kiss Mary, she's like my sister' he wrinkled his nose at the thought.

'And I'm not' she said so softly he wasn't sure he was supposed to hear it. She sat up straighter. 'Course I'll kiss you Sirius, you'll be a pro in no time.'

His head shot up in surprise. He'd taken a chance asking her but he hadn't really planned for her agreeing. 'What like right now?'

She nodded. 'No time like the present'. She scooted along the bench for a better angle, he could see all the little freckles dotting her nose up close.

'What… uh what do I do with my hands?' he felt pretty stupid about the whole situation but Marlene just smiled at him.

'Wherever feels comfortable, I'm gonna put mine here.' She wrapped her arms around his neck, playing with the ends of his hair.

He slipped an arm around her waist and hesitantly put the other in her hair. She smiled at him again before pulling him closer. 'Close your eyes, staring at someone when they're kissing you is weird.'

He shut his eyes obediently. 'Just follow my lead' she said right before her lips descended on his.

It was…nice, he thought absently as he followed the movement of her mouth against his. It felt natural, not at all as scary as it had seemed. He tightened his hand in her hair and she parted her lips slightly in response. In for a penny, in for a pound he thought as he tentatively touched his tongue against hers. She opened her mouth to give him better access and he used the hand in her hair to angle her head better. It was a sloppier experience than he had anticipated but still rather nice.

She pulled away slowly and he was proud to notice her flushed cheeks and slightly startled expression. She dropped her hands from his neck and folded them on her lap.

'Well that was… yep that was good Sirius. Quick study, well done.' she cleared her throat awkwardly. 'I think you're good to go in that department'

He grinned widely at her. 'Thanks Marls, you're the best.' he stood up.

'Any time' she said absently, then blushed a deep red when she realised what she had said.

'I'll remember that' he winked at her and dropped a kiss to the top of her head.

He made his way back inside to leave her return to her book in peace, touching a hand to his lips as he walked away with a beaming smile on his face.