Chapter 3

It was officially Wednesday. The day I, and the tag along mutt, would tutor the beautiful Noah Bletchley.

I snuggled closer to the warmth radiating next to me. I was so comfortable, I didn't even question where the warmth was coming from. I guess my sleepy brain assumed it was Alice. She usually hopped into my bed when thunderstorms came around, but I didn't remember it raining. Strange. I pushed the thoughts aside and snuggled even closer to the cozy warmth and fell back asleep as peacefully as ever.

I finally awoke to sniggering. I heard a click and saw a bright light through my eyelids. I peaked open an eye and realized what was so damn interesting.

I quickly tried to shove the sleeping boy next to me away, but he only tightened the grip of the arm firmly placed around my waist. "Uggghhhaaa... Not againnnn." I groaned.

Our audience was cackling in amusement at this point and had the camera out again. The camera clicked right as Sirius nuzzled into the crook of my neck and I flipped off James and Remus.

What a lovely beginning to the day.

This was unfortunately not an unprecedented event. In fact it was about the fourth or fifth time it's happened. Usually I make the dog sleep on the floor when I crash in the boy's dorms. However, on nights like last night when we both accidentally fall asleep, we always end up snuggling. That's actually how I earned the bloody awful nickname of mine.

Still in the clutches of the sleeping Sirius, I thought quickly and transformed into my kitty cat form. I had foolishly hoped that this would help me wriggle my way out, but it seemed to have the opposite effect. He cuddle closer the fluffy cat version of me and started absentmindedly petting my head. It was actually really nice, and could tell I was about to start purring so I quickly transformed back into human Ellie. Sirius began playing with my hair.

The other two pulled out the camera again and I just gave a sigh of utter defeat.

I eventually wriggled away from my sleeping captors iron grip and bounded past the girlishly giggling James and Remus. I ran up the stairs to the girls dorm and slammed the door a bit too hard.

"Merlin! Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning!" Exclaimed Lily as she took in my disgruntled state. "Or maybe the wrong bed?" She guessed.

I muttered a few oaths under my breath as I grumpily gathered my uniform and made my way toward the bathroom.

"Oh no. Did it happen again?" Asked Alice.

"Yes." I huffed.

Alice and Lily were laughing hysterically as I shuffled into the shower. Some friends they are...

Alice Fortescue, along with Lily, was one of my best girl friends. She had a heart shaped face, short brown hair, and sweet brown eyes that made you made you feel safe enough to tell her all your secrets. But don't let it fool you. She was fierce. She was planning to go on to be an auror with her boyfriend Frank. Frank was a tall boy with short curly brown hair, and a deep love for Herbology and Quiddich. He was in our year, and even shared a dorm with the other Marauders, but he generally stayed out of our schemes and hung out with the other Quidditch team members.

Once showered, I charmed my hair dry (a groovy trick Lily taught me 3rd year), and began to try to tame my golden waves. I was unsuccessful. I was ace at pranks, but absolute rubbish when it came to primping.

"LILLLLYYYYY! I NEEEED YOUUU!" I groaned. Lily was one of the only people who could make my hair look good. The other being Remus, oddly enough.

"Coming!" She said a bit too happily. She leaned against the door frame of the bathroom and took in my pitiful lions mane.

"Help." I say pitifully pointing to my head.

She giggled and pulled up a couple of stools from the row of vanities against the wall. I sat as she started to work her hair magic, literally. She pulled out the bottle of Sleekeazy's Hair Potion (which we received in bulk courtesy of its inventor, James's Dad, Mr. Potter) and somehow de-frizzed my golden tresses to tumble down in sleek natural waves that framed my face. She was quite the Witch.

"There! All done!" She said as she moved a stray bit of hair from my face.

"Erm... Lils, could you.." I gestured to my face and she giggled. I was even more hopeless at makeup than I was at hair. With hair, at least I could French braid, a talent that came in quite handy amongst my fellow female Quidditch players.

"Of course, but I have to ask.. why do you need to get so dolled up on a Wednesday morning?" She asked while dragging me over to her vanity where her stash of make-up was strewn across.

"Um- do I need a reason?" I ask unconvincingly. Lily gave me a scary look that demanded I tell the truth. I felt bad for her future children.

I sighed. "I have that tutoring session with Bletchley this afternoon..." I said as she squealed. "Contain your enthusiasm woman!"

"Sorry," She said grinning.

Lily always did such a good job when she did my make-up. She made it look so natural that you could hardly tell I had any on. I often had her help me with my hair when I was looking particularly rough. However, I only let her do my makeup for family parties and such. Come to think of it, I think this may have been the first time I had worn make up at school.

I looked at the mirror and stared in awe of the masterpiece that was my face.

My usually invisible long blonde eyelashes were now visible and made my blue eyes pop even more than usual. My usually pale skin had some added color thanks to the blush and bronzer. I wasn't wearing as much make up as Marlene McKinnon usually did, but it was enough to make me look like a much prettier version of myself.

"Do you like it?" Lily asked with a knowing smile.

"It's great!" I exclaimed giving my red headed friend a bone crushing hug. Once I was fully dressed for the day, I slung my book bag over my shoulder and sauntered confidently down the stairs smiling to myself.

I heard a wolf whistle as I made it to the common room.

"Someone cleans up nicely!" Said James.

"This is all Lily's doing," I responded with a smirk.

"Ah, Lily-Flower did all this!" He said gesturing to all of me. I laughed and nodded.

"So is there any reason in particular that you got all dressed up for a Wednesday?" Remus asked with a knowing look.

"Maybe.." I said coyly looking around for Sirius. "Where's Paddy?" I asked. The boys pointed toward the stairs where Sirius was walking down, focused on trying to tie his tie. He glanced up, made eye contact with me, and just stood there with a blank look on his stupid handsome face.

He continued to stand there rather stupidly, until Milo McGonagall, a 6th year chaser on the Gryffindor Quidditch team, bumped into him.

"Oh hey! Look at you El! Do you have a hot date?" Milo asked.

"Maybe.." I replied coyly once again.

"Y-you look... good, Snugs." Sirius said finally as he made his way over to where James, Remus, and I were standing. He scratched the back of his neck and ruffled his hair (a habit he picked up from James), "Er- sorry about last night." He said with a sheepish smile.

I laughed and waved it off, "it's fine, now let's get to breakfast I'm starving!"

As we made our way down to the Great Hall, my mind was happily focused on the plate of bacon I would soon be eating. I glanced up to warn Sirius that he should probably grab some before I ate it all, when I saw him looking quite disgruntled.

"What's with you?" I said with a half-hearted smile as I bumped shoulders with him.

"Oh, nothing."

"You're not as good a liar as you think you are." I said trying to give my best Lily truth telling glare.

It didn't work. He just shrugged and kept walking.

Once in the Great Hall I practically skipped to our usual spot at the Gryffindor table. I was in the process of piling the bacon onto my plate when the gorgeous Noah Bletchley waltzed over.

"Good Morning Noah!" I greeted.

"Morning Elizabeth! Did you do something different with your hair?" He asked as he reached out to touch one of my tresses.

I blushed slightly. "Oh, well I had Lily work her magic this morning."

"Any reason in particular?" He asked curiously.

"Not really. The only alternative was to go to class with a lion's mane. I have quite a bit of Gryffindor pride, but not that much." I said chuckling softly.

Noah was about to respond with what was sure to be a compliment by the look in his eyes, but was rudely interrupted.

"Yeah it was a right mess this morning! You should have seen it!" Laughed James. I sent him a playful scowl. "Actually! Wait I can show you!" He said happily while pulling something out of his bag.

'Oh no. He wouldn't.' I thought.

He did.

James proceeded to pull out a stack magical Polaroid photos of me and Sirius snuggled up this morning, my hair a wild mess. There was one with me laying on his chest, legs intertwined, another with him nuzzling into my neck while I flipped off the camera, and the lastly one of him with him absentmindedly petting a rather large cat that James quickly shoved back into his bag.

"I- I didn't realize you and Black were..." said Noah whose regard for me had become considerably colder in the span of a few moments.

I scowled at the James, Remus, and Sirius who were now laughing. "We're not." I said through my teeth.

"Oh don't be like that Snugs!" Sirius said feigning sadness while lopping an arm over my shoulders and playing with my hair. In hindsight, I really should have shrugged his arm away, but I was too busy glaring at him. Stupid mutt.

This was all it took for my once promising day to go up in flames.

Noah cleared his throat and I whipped my head to face him. "Uh- um, I really just came by to let you know I'm going to be busy this afternoon so I won't be able meet up with you anymore."

"But-" I started.

"Sorry." He added before walking hastily out of the Hall.

"You. Jerk. You. Did. That. On. Purpose." I said thwacking Sirius with each word. "You ruined everything!"

"I ruined nothing. He was a git to begin with." He said happily.

"Ughhh!" I said getting up in a huff. I took a couple of steps towards the door in an attempt to exit dramatically before turning back and grabbing a handful of bacon and glaring at my traitorous friends and heading back out of the hall.

We were in Transfiguration and I was forced to sit beside the mutt who had ruined my day. At least my hair still looked good.

I had done a very good job of ignoring him the so far and was currently focusing intently on actually copying the notes McGonagall had written on the board (instead of doodling and getting them from Moony later).

I began to hear a faint "psst" from the seat beside me. I had made it this long without breaking, and I was determined to make it until the end of the day.

"Pssstt... Snugs" he whispered. "Psst.. snugs... Snugs... Snuuuggs... Snuggles... Snuggle bug.. Snugalicuous. Snugy. Snu-"

"What?!" I whisper shouted whipping my head around to the face nuisance. I silently cursed myself for giving in.

He grinned and then gave me his best puppy dog eyes, trying very hard not to smile. "I'm sorry."

"You should be." I said shortly, whipping my head, my hair hitting him in the face.

"How does your hair always smell like roses?" He asked.

"Magic."