Disclaimer: Sinistra, Quirrell and Gudgeon belong to JKR. Tony Parkis belongs to me. And the songs mentioned belong to the writers and/or performers. God Bless Frank Sinatra and the gift he gave to the world.
A/N: Oh boy. Quite possibly the fluffiest thing I've ever written. A rather blatant Ian Hart ref in there for anyone who can catch it. Ah well. Hope you like it...don't forget to review. Oh, I should say that karaoke only became big in 70's Japan, it wasn't popular anywhere else until recently....let's just say it found its way to Hogwarts by a Japanese exchange student, ok? ;-)

Somethin' Stupid

Ravenclaw Commonroom, 7:38 pm, 25th December, 1977

"Oh I....I will survive...ooohhh as long as I know how to love I know I'll stay alive..."

Wilton Linus Quirrell groaned as 14 year old Davy Gudgeon warbled away, voice breaking ever 2 or so seconds. Thank God, he thought to himself, that I discovered karaoke long after my voice broke. Actually it wasn't that long....only three years ago, but all the same...

He turned to his Yule Ball date, Celestina Sinistra, who was sitting opposite him, Butterbeer in hand. She looked particularly pretty tonight, wearing robes of teal blue, hair swept up elegantly. She was wearing an identical expression to his: mingled disgust and sympathy for the boy singing in front of them. And he was sure she was thinking the exact same thing as him.
"Merlin's Beard, Celly! Is there such a thing as *good* karaoke these days?"
Celly giggled. "Karaoke is *supposed* to be bad, Willy. That's why it's so entertaining, friend."
Wilton raised an eyebrow at his companion and was about to hit with a comeback when he heard his name being called.
Just a seat or two away from them, Tony Parkis, Celestina's cousin (their mothers were sisters) was waving at the two of them.
"You say that there's no such thing as good karaoke, I believe my dearest cousin could argue that."
Wilton turned to Celly with a questioning look.
"Gods Tony, I wish you wouldn't bring that up."
"Bring what up?" Wilton asked, now hungry for information.
Celly sighed. "I might've done a bit of singing in the choir when I was in primary school..."
Wilton couldn't help himself and a torrent of laughter exploded from him and he steadied himself on the table they were sitting at. He was rewarded with Celly's fist coming down on his hand. All the same, he could not control his sniggering.
"Were you a little choir girl, were you? Oh I bet those white robes were fetching..."
"Oh, shut up." she muttered. "*really*...small things amuse small minds."
"Alright, alright you two...." Tony intervened on the bickering. "I have a proposition. You two, up there, karaoke duet. A song of my choice."
Wilton began to protest, but was cut short.
"There's four galleons in it for both of you if you win the bet."
Four galleons for singing a song was well made money for Wilton, but what if the bet was lost?
"And what if you win?" he asked, crossing his arms.
"You and my dear cousin here give me help on my Ancient Runes assignment."
Wilton groaned. The assignment was easy, he'd started and finished it in a matter of hours. "Tony, that assignment is simple, and besides, I'll be needing a couple of chocolate frog cards for it."
"Maybe the assignment was easy because you're so damn smart, Will...had that ever occured to you?" then, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a card. Wilton nearly blanched when he saw it.
"The Holo Merlin? Rowena's Raven, I've been searching for that one ever since-"
"You began collecting the cards when you were 10." Tony finished. "Help me with runes and it'll be yours. Hmm, I might even throw it in if you win the bet..."
"Who said we were taking up the bet?" asked Celly stoutly, but Wilton just grabbed her hand and began to pull her towards the singing area.
"What song d'you want to hear?" he called back to Tony.
Tony pondered this for a moment and called back "Somethin' Stupid!"
"Coming right up!" Wilton called back, before Celly wrenched him behind a nearby curtain.
"Willy, are you mad?" she whispered loudly.
"Four galleons and the Holo Merlin, Celly! I'd be mad *not* to take up the offer."
Celly began to shake her head, but Wilton took her face in his hands and looked at her pleadingly. Finally, the seriousness melted and was replaced by the familiar smile.
"Alright, alright...but first, if we're going to do this properly..."
She reached into a pocket in her robes and pulled out a container of Sleekeazy's. Dipping her fingers into it, she ran her hands through Wilton's hair and slicked it back.
"Oooohhhh, ergh....it's cold!"
"Stop complaining.." she muttered and with a few flicks of her wand, she'd transfigured the Sleekeazy's into a fedora, jammed it on his head and was now rolling up a small slip of paper.
"What are you doing?" he asked, as she slipped the rolled up paper just into the corner of his mouth.
"It's a muggle thing. And it might just win Tony over." she murmured, letting her hair down, and tucking a rose from her corsage behind her ear. Then, without much ceremony, she took his hand and led him out.
The Ravenclaw students in the commonroom reacted with rather blatant amusement. Tony burst out laughing and Wilton couldn't help but feel unbelievably embarrassed.
"Ignore them." she said haughtily and grabbed a shot glass from a seventh year, filling it up with Gillywater.
"Hold this and try to look suave while we sing."
Wilton looked at her strangely. "You really want to win this bet, don't you?"
"If it makes you happy." she replied, and promptly signalled to Tony to start the music.
Nervously, Wilton began. "er....I know I stand in line until you think you have the time to spend an evening with me.....And if we go some place to dance I know that there's a chance you won't be leaving with me."
Celly joined in. "Then afterwards we drop into a quiet little place and have a drink or two.....And then I go and spoil it all by saying something stupid like "I love you""
She smiled at Wilton as he sang, giving him the confidence to keep going. "I can see it in your eyes that you despise the same old lies you heard the night before......And though it's just a line to you, for me it's true and never felt so right before." he said, winking at her.
Celly continued on:" I practice every day to find some clever lines to say to make the meaning come true....But then I think I'll wait until the evening gets late and I'm alone with you."
Wilton felt this strange feeling in his stomach, and suddenly found that Celly had snaked her arms around his waist and her head was on his chest. It felt good.
"The time is right, your perfume fills my head, the stars get red and oh the night so blue.....And then I go and spoil it all by saying something stupid like 'I love you'" he joined in with her, his own arms encircling her waist.
In the short musical interlude he found himself partaking in an impromptou dance. Downing the gillywater, and sending it sliding down a table, he and Celly resumed their singing.
"The time is right, your perfume fills my head, the stars get red and oh the night so blue.....And then I go and spoil it all by saying something stupid like 'I love you'."
"I love you" he sang, looking her in the eye and feeling that unsettling, funny feeling again.
"I love you" she sang back.
"I love you" they finished together.
The commonroom erupted in applause and catcalls.
Celly moved to curtsy and motioned for Wilton to bow with her.
Tony came forward.
"I stand corrected. You two have proved the theory that there is such a thing as good karaoke. Congratulations." he said, reaching into his pocket and producing the money for them. Wilton looked at him hopefully.
"Did you really think that I'm letting go of this that easily?" he asked, waving the card. "Let me borrow your runes book and we'll seal the deal."
"Alright, alright." he murmured and shook hands with Tony, gratefully accepting the card.
As Tony wandered back to his seat, Wilton realized he was still holding Celly's hand.
"Thanks Celly....you're...um, really good at singing."
Celly's cheeks turned a pale pink. "W-Well thanks, Wilton." she said, and before he could stop her, she'd kissed his cheek. Before he could react properly, a blinding purple flash went off.
He looked up and saw Tony, smirking like mad and brandishing a camera.
"10 Galleons for it or it's up all over the school!"
"Argh! That's it Parkis! You're dead!" Wilton cried and promptly sprinted off after the boy clutching the camera.

18 years later....
Wilton looked down at the album that Celly had given him for perusal. He opened it and one, certain picture evoked a torrent of memories....