I grimaced and reached up to rub the extremely stiff area between my shoulder blades. I sighed and glared back at the somewhat diminished pile of homework sitting before me. Most teachers understood and sympathised with my condition, and therefore reduced homework at times particularly near to the full moon. My potions teacher, however, seemed to take pleasure in increasing the work we had to accomplish around that particular time of the month. I turned with a groan towards the essay my professor had assigned.

I rotated my head in an attempt to ease the tension building in my neck, and was startled to find the common room completely empty. The fire had burned low and I realised it must be long past midnight. Sighing, I decided my books would be quite safe on the table until morning, I'd finish my work then.

Rising wearily from my seat, I noted how completely exhausted I was, and made my way to the stairs leading to the girls dormitory, when suddenly I collided with something completely invisible and also completely solid.

"What the-"I gasped as I stumbled back and tripped on the hem of my robe.

As I landed rather hard on the floor I was quite dumfounded to find Sirius, Remus, James and Peter all standing before me.

"Are you alright?"Remus asked and Sirius also looked rather concerned, while James glared at Peter for running into me and giving them away.

"Where the hell did you...."I began, but trailed off when I caught sight of the invisibility cloak that James was trying unsucessfully to conceal.

I raised an eyebrow as Remus reached to help me up,"Going somewhere at this hour boys?"I smirked.

Peter grimaced and then narrowed his eyes at me,"You're going to rat on us, aren't you?"

"She won't,"Sirius reassured him, and then turned to me for confirmation,"will you?"

I stared haughtily at him,"I most certainly will,"I replied, enjoying the shocked and betrayed looks on their faces for a moment before I let them out of their misery,"I will,"I repeated,"Unless you let me come with you."

It took less than a moment to sink in and they all grinned.

I crossed my arms,"So, where were you headed tonight then boys?"

Sirius took at step forward,"Well I'd rather thought we'd improve the appearance of the Slytherin banner down in the Great Hall this evening,"he said, grinning at the impressed look on my face.

But I caught Remus glaring at his friend and barely heard when he muttered,"It was my idea,"under his breath.

No one else, however, seemed to pick up on this uncharacterisitic hostility Remus directed at his best friend, so I let it pass as mere irritability following the full moon.

I found myself caught up in the excitement and a chance to rid myself of my own pent up energy and frustration. "Well?"I glanced at each of them,"What are we waiting for?"

There wasn't room for all of us under James' cloak, so Peter, after a considerable amount of grumbling on his part, reluctantly agreed to stay behind. Now we all crept silently through the portrait hole and down the hallway, and through the apprehension I found myself having a wonderful time.

We all froze as Mrs. Norris, the caretakers cat rounded the corner ahead of us and everyone leapt over to press against the wall. I found myself pressed back against Remus, but my balance was thrown off in the small area provided by the cloak. He wrapped an arm around my waist to prevent me from toppling into view of the cat, and all of us held our breath as Mrs. Norris disapeared from sight.

I shivered slightly as the breath Remus had been holding tickled my ear as he let it out in a sigh of relief.

"That was close,"Sirius whispered, and I turned to grin at him.

"All part of the fun,"I replied softly.

Remus dropped his arm from around me and I wondered if in the dim light, whether I had merely imagined the dark look he shot at Sirius.

Finally we pulled the doors silently open, and crept into the Great Hall.

"Now,"James whispered as we approached the Slytherin table,"Who'd like to do the honours?What about you Moony?You came up with the spell."

Remus pulled his wand from his robes and with a wave and a few whispered words the newly improved banner bore the words "Slytherin Stinks".

I bit back a laugh and placed my hand on his arm,"Definately looks better now Remus."

He grinned brightly at me and was about to reply when we heard an all to familiar cackle from through the doors.

"Peeves!"James hissed and grabbing the cloak, managed to whip it over him and Remus. I dove under one of the tables, and was surprised when I felt someone land on top of me.

The doors opened and Peeves, cackling over some new mischief he must have accomplished came and passed above us.

I looked up into the shining dark eyes of Sirius. He had propped himself up on his elbows and I, unable to comment on the unpropriety of the situation, found myself staring into his eyes instead.

I could feel his breath on my cheek and found for the first time since I had met him, that the expression in his eyes was completely serious.

My breath caught in my chest, only this time, I wasn't sure it was from worry of being caught. I swallowed hard as Sirius dropped his head closer to my own. Our faces were inches apart, and Sirius searched my eyes for some warning to stop, but finding none, brushed his lips against my own. He pulled away go gauge my reaction, but I silently raised my hand behind his head and pulled his lips back to my own. This time, Sirius had no inclination of any reason to stop, and I felt myself struggling to keep up with the legendary kissing skills of Sirius Black. He pressed his lips insistantly against my own, and I responded in kind to the soft lips of the boy lying above me.

My eyes snapped open and I pulled back to draw a deep breath. It was with some relief, and also shock that we realised Peeves was gone, but we lay still gazing at each other for a few moments longer.

I watched the sparkle dancing in his eyes, and found myself suddenly smirking,"You do realise,"I whispered,"that we are most likely the first students to be snogging under a table in the Great Hall?"

"In the middle of the night, no less,"he grinned.

"We must have no morals whatsoever,"I declared matter of factly.

"I've been told I lost mine a long time ago,"he replied.

"but a rather brilliant end to a good prank, wouldn't you say Mr. Black?" I asked as he slid out from under the table.

He grabbed my hand and pulled me out and to my feet,"Why Miss Sweet, a smashing end to an exciting night, I would say."

Grinning we decided our partners in crime must have given up on us some time ago, and raced through the shadows back to our common room.

We slipped in, breathless, to find our comrads waiting by the fire.

"What took you so long?"James demanded,"We thought Peeves had given you away to Filch for sure!"

"Sorry,"Sirius replied,not looking the least bit that,"We got a little...preoccupied,"he said, suggestively raising an eyebrow.

James raised his own eyebrows, while Peter merely rolled his eyes and grinned. Remus maintained his stony silence and continued to gaze intently into the fire.

"Snogging inside the hall after a prank?"Peter said,"Sirius I didn't know you were so daring."

"Well, I must say, I wasn't the only one taking part in said activity,"he replied, tossing his arm across my shoulders and grinning.

"Really Sirius? Gee and all this time, we thought that kissing required only one participant,"Remus snapped sarcastically. He stood,"I'm going to bed,"he added, and headed up to the boys dorms.

For the first time all night, the others picked up on the bitterness I'd been noticing.

Sirius watched him leave with confusion written on his face,"What's with Moony?"he asked.

James was also watching with concern,"It's probably nothing..."he trailed off with doubt.

"Maybe he's all moody 'cause it's almost the full moon?"Peter suggested.

"Yea..."Sirius said, and turned to me,"What do you think Natalie?You still tense from that?"

I smirked at him,"Well, not anymore,"I purred trailing my hand down his chest, and suppressing a grin at the way his eyes widened.

"Goodnight boys,"I smiled at James and Peter, who were both hiding smirks at the sight of Sirius not being the one in control for once. I made my way up to my bed, pondering when Remus must have told his friends about the fact that I too was a werewolf, or perhaps whether they'd figured it out on their own. But I pushed my thoughts, and worries of Remus to the back of my mind, and smiling to myself as I remembered my few moments with Sirius I climbed into bed for a couple hours of sleep.