A week had gone by and James and Benjy Fenwick were in the heads common room, having the first guitar lesson. Lily was away at a gathering for the Slug Club, so James figured this was the best location for the clandestine meeting. He didn't want Lily to know about it yet, and he definitely didn't want the rest of the school's population to know.

Getting people into the common room without them hearing the password had proven quite difficult. He'd ended up just giving Fenwick instructions on how to get to the portrait, and then opening it for him when he knocked. He was a lot less trouble than Sirius and the lads, if still baffled.

He glanced over at Fenwick. They'd always gotten along quite well, but James couldn't bring himself to exactly like any bloke Lily seemed so fond of.

Fenwick was holding out the guitar to James, explaining how to grip it. As James settled in, he looked up in surprise when the other boy asked a question.

"So, is this about Lily then?" Fenwick inquired.

James glared at him. "What makes you think that?"

"Well," Fenwick started carefully, "she likes music – especially acoustic stuff – and I honestly can't think of any other reason you'd be after taking lessons."

"Listen, if you aren't wanting to help, I'm sure I can find – " James started.

Fenwick shook his head. "No, I'm happy to help," he said, smiling. "I was just curious." When James continued to look irritated with him, Fenwick scrubbed a hand through his hair. "Listen, there's nothing like that between me and Lily. We're just friends. Really. I'm pulling for you. She's a great girl, and you're obviously serious about her if you're willing to go to these lengths," he said, indicating the guitar. When James look slightly mollified, he smiled brightly. "Right, well, let's get started on the first cord."

After an hour or so, James could successfully play a song. He was actually quite pleased. He thought it would take more than one lesson to master.

Fenwick glanced down at his watch. "Well, I should probably be getting back to the common room. That was good though. You did well. Most people don't pick it up this easily."

James smiled and clapped him on the shoulder. "I had a good teacher."

Fenwick nodded, looking surprised. "Anyway, let me know when you'd like to meet again. As long as it doesn't interfere with charms club, I'll try to work it into my schedule."

James nodded dismissively, and Fenwick headed out through the portrait.

When Lily got back a short while later, James was still fiddling with the guitar he had transfigured to match Fenwick's. She looked surprised to see the instrument in his hands.

"You play the guitar?" she asked.

James shrugged. "A bit," he answered nonchalantly.

"Really?" she pressed, suspicion clear in her voice. "Let's hear some then."

James looked a little taken aback, but quickly settled. He shrugged again, and started playing. He decided to go for the gusto and sing the words Fenwick had told him went along with the music.

Frère Jacques, frère Jacques,
Dormez-vous? Dormez-vous?
Sonnez les matines! Sonnez les matines!
Din, dan, don. Din, dan, don.

As he was singing, James got the sinking feeling that he'd made a huge mistake. Lily looked distinctly like she was trying very hard not to laugh. He finished the song anyway, and then stared at the ground, waiting for the inevitable shoe to drop.

Lily cleared her throat. "That was . . ." she trailed off, not entirely sure what it exactly it had been.

"I'm missing something, aren't I? Were the lyrics dirty or something? Only, Fenwick just taught me this tonight, and I didn't think to ask, since he didn't seem like the type to try something like that –" he broke off when Lily snorted out a laugh. She tried valiantly to turn it into a cough, but failed.

"They're not dirty, no," she shook her head, grinning widely.

"What, then?" James asked, not sure he really wanted to know the answer.

"Well," said Lily, trying to decide how best to explain. "It's just that it's sort of children's song. You know, the sort you might learn in nursery school."

James' eyes widened, and he actually managed to blush more than he had been, which was quite an achievement.

"Right, then," he nodded, "Fenwick dies tomorrow." He rose from his chair and started toward his room.

"James, wait," Lily grabbed his arm, laughing softly, "I don't think he was trying to make a prat of you." When James raised his eyebrows, she shook her head, still grinning. "It is the type of song you'd start with when you were first learning an instrument. I can't imagine he realized you'd try to, you know, serenade me with it."

James pulled away. "I wasn't trying to 'serenade'you with it. You asked me to play, so I did."

Lily laughed again. "We both know you wanted me to ask. I'll bet it's never taken you more than a few hours to learn anything, and you probably thought, 'well, this is easy,' And wondered what all the fuss was about."

"He said I did well!" James shouted. "What else was I supposed to think?"

Lily shook her head. "I dunno," she said, rolling her eye up to the ceiling, "maybe that you did well for you first lesson." She smiled at him. "Thank you for the song, though. Really, it was far more entertaining than the Slug Club tonight." And with that, she wished him goodnight and headed off to bed.

The next morning at breakfast, James found Fenwick first thing. "Oi, Fenwick. What are you playing at? You didn't tell me that was a nursery song" he said with disgust.

Fenwick's eyebrows shot up so high they hid under his hair. "Oh, no, James. Tell me you didn't play it for her."

James glared, but refused to answer. He tossed himself into his seat, daring McKinnon, who happened to be up early, to say a word.

McKinnon, always up for a dare, turned to Fenwick. "Played what?" she asked. She had already surmised that the who referred to Lily.

"Frère Jacques," James responded, banging his head against the table. "He didn't tell me it was a bloody children's song."

As McKinnon dissolved into laughter, Fenwick turned to James. "Right, well, is that it for the lessons then?" he asked.

James shook his head. "I'd like to keep going, if you don't mind. I know it won't do any good, but if it's something she likes," he shrugged, "I might as well try, right? I haven't really got any other options anyway, have I?"

Even McKinnon looked sympathetic at this. "Well," she said, selecting an apple, "you could always try football, yeah?" She looked undecided for a moment, but eventually chose to continue. "I know she dated a footballer last summer, and she's always been quite keen on the sport." She shook her head. "I have absolutely no idea why. They almost never score. And you can actually tie. At zero."

Pleasantly surprised that James hadn't shown any overt reaction to the idea of Lily's summer boyfriend, Marlene continued, smiling at his incredulous expression. "Yeah, it's not even all that uncommon. When the time is up, if no one has scored, they just call it a draw."

"But then who wins?" James asked, clearly shocked.

Marlene just shrugged. "I guess that's something you could ask Lily. Or, even better, you could find out on your own and dazzle her with your knowledge of her muggle interests." Her tone made it clear that she didn't really think this would help him win Lily over, but James was still heartened by the idea that any of Lily's friends were willing to give him even the mildest sort of encouragement.