We're here to entertain.

And anesthetise your pain.

--Evermore 'Hey Boys and Girls'

Melody was glad that she had the Marauders. She would never have thought that she would actually be friends with them, of all people. Sure, she had talked to them before, in fact, she had been out with Sirius a few times, but it had never amounted to more than a kiss. But anyway, she found herself spending a lot of time with them. Especially Sirius. She decided he would be perfect, to make her forget about that thing that happened over the holidays. Because although the Marauders did make it easier, and usually successfully distracted her with their neverending pranking, late at night, she found herself reliving 'it' again and again. She decided that to forget, she needed to have sex with someone else. Because, that time had been her first and only time. She had nothing else to compare it with. So, if she had sex with someone, obviously she would forget about 'it' and move on with her life.

So she decided on Sirius Black. Not just because he was, obviously, available (if a girl was even just averagely attractive, he would bed her, no question), but because she would have to follow through, or he would spread it around the whole school - 'Melody Ryan is a cock-tease!' - or something along those lines. She didn't want to even have the option of backing out, because deep down, she didn't actually want to do it at all.

It was late on Saturday night and they were the only people in the common room. They were curled up on the couch together watching the fire when she built up the courage to do it. She grabbed his hands and straddled him, kissing him deeply.

*

The next morning, she couldn't look him in the eyes. She was too embarrassed. He spent the whole of breakfast giving her strange looks from across the table, and occasionally whispering to his friends. She managed to avoid him the rest of the time, but that night, as she was sitting alone on the couch, tracing the lines in the red upholstery, someone sat down next to her. She refused to look at this person, guessing who it would be. They sat in silence for a while.

"Melody." She turned in surprise. It wasn't who she thought it would be.

"Remus?"

"Um.. Sirius told me what happened last night." She flushed a deep scarlet. Remus stuttered. "I just.." He broke off. "Are you okay?"

She scratched at the ribbing on the armrest, making a slightly irritating noise."Yeah. Course." Her voice broke slightly. She didn't think he would notice. But he did.

He looked at her awkwardly. He would have put his arm around her, but she had her feet on the couch between them, so he couldn't. Also, to be honest, he would have been too shy, but it was good to have an excuse. After a long silence he stood up. "Just.. You can talk to me. If you want. Anytime."

Melody shrugged.

When the weekend was over, Melody braced herself for the taunts, the teasing. But it never came. She was confused. Why wasn't he telling the world? She thought that he would have found it hilarious. A girl crying after sex. How cliched. And she didn't know how to respond when, trying to comfort her, he asked her, so kindly, if it was her first time. So she just got up and sprinted out of the room. Probably looking like even more of a loser. She groaned.

She saw Sirius approach her. She groaned again. He smiled warily at her. Probably expecting her to burst into tears again.

"Why didn't you tell anyone?" She said quietly, looking at the floor.

"Tell anyone what?" He asked, ever so lightly.

"You know."

"Well.." He shrugged. "I just didn't think.. It wouldn't be right."

She almost laughed. "Sirius Black.. Has morals?"

He laughed. It didn't matter if a joke was at his own expense, he would still find it funny.

We lapsed into silence. "Well.. Thanks." She said.

"Are you gonna tell me what was wrong?" He smiled at me endearingly.

"No." She said bluntly.

He gave me his best puppy dog eyes.

"No." She said again.

"Fine," he whined, "but I will find out." He said it jokingly, but she could tell he was serious.

She went to walk away, but turned back. "Sirius. It's actually nothing." She shrugged. "It's kinda.. Too embarrassing to say. 'Cause it really isn't a big deal. At all." She smiled lightly. "So you don't even have to worry about it."

He was intrigued. "You have to tell me now!"

She made a big show of deliberating. "I don't know if I should..."

He could sense her weakening. "Pleease?" He begged.

"Fine. Well.. The truth is... It's because..." It all came out in a rush. "I'm just so madly in love with you and I didn't want you to dump me and I was so jealous of all those other girls and I love you!"

He stood in front of her, his mouth hanging open.

"Soo yeah.." She said. "Um. Gotta go. Bye!"

That probably wasn't the best idea, she berated herself. But better than him knowing about.. That other thing. He'd forget about this in a few days. Attention span of an two year old, that boy.

"Uh-oh," she said to herself as she walked into the Gryffindor common room. Somehow, she just knew that Sirius had told. All eyes were on her as she scrambled through the portrait hole. All the boys wolf-whistled and yelled out immature comments about a certain Sirius Black, and all the girls were staring at her, either with jealousy or anger - she couldn't tell. She ducked her head in shame, and crashed into a tall, handsome, dark-haired boy. "Sirius." She growled under her breath.

"Hey baby," he said, oblivious to her anger. "So, I was wondering," he said arrogantly. "We should go out some time."

She looked at him with shock. "I – um. Well." She stuttered. Everyone in the room was still watching. "I don't think... That's not such a good idea." She shrugged apologetically. "We're better as friends." She could see Remus out of the corner of her eye. She could have sworn he was smiling, although she could only see half of his face.

Sirius' face was disbelieving. "But you – you just confessed your love for me!" He practically yelled.

She shrugged again. "Um. I have to go."