A Little Note;

Right, well this is NOT the sequel to Take Me Away, it is a nice short fluffy little thing I wrote to help with my writers block. While we're on the subject of the sequel, I have writers block on that still so…do you guys want me to post what I have and you can help me out, or get over it on my own and post it all when it's finished? The getting-over-it-on-my-own may take a while though!

And just for the record, I am on a WEEK-LONG HALF TERM so I will post this quite fast and it will all be over in a week sigh. I also have some ideas for some songfics, so if you want to see them posted just say so.

I hate starting things. So I'm gonna dive straight into this one.

Also, you should know; this is a meaningless piece of fluff. It professes to be nothing more. It makes no attempt at being anything other than totally unrealistic and happy. Think blue sky, sunshine and rainbows without the rain. JJJ.

Oh yeah, and it's shamelessly Mary Sue. But I meant it to be, which makes it ok, right?

"Hey, Sirius!"

Sirius Black; school heart-throb (AN; is that supposed to be hyphenated?) and prankster, looked up from his Potions essay impatiently. "What is it this time, James?"

His best friend, who had finished his work and - for want of anything better to do - was scanning the library where they were sitting for potential dates to that month's senior ball, pointed to the girl in question. "Check out the redhead." Sirius followed his finger wearily. "Have you seen her before?" James inquired.

"Couple of times, she hangs around with Kat Moore," Sirius reeled off expertly, meaning the girl seated just across from James' target. She was on the Gryffindor Quidditch team with them; they knew her from there, although she had also dated Sirius briefly three years ago.

This was hardly surprising - he'd reached five foot eleven at the end of third year, and had kept growing until the giddy heights of six two. His hair was black, longer than most, and flopped over his eyes occasionally – though always with the casual elegance that assured you he'd done it on purpose. His eyes were grey-blue, piercing, and somewhat unsettling until you got used to them. He was blessed with unfailing charm and not-quite-so-unfailing wit, which only better secured his place in the hearts of over half of Hogwarts' female population.

James on the other hand was an inch shorter than Sirius at six one; also black-haired but in a very different way; it was always windswept and stuck up persistently at the back. James, however, preferred it like that and had spent years perfecting the art of pushing it out of his hazel eyes…and catching the attention of the nearest girl while he was at it. Charismatic and intelligent, he was the mastermind behind the pranks he, Sirius and their two friends Remus and Peter were famous for playing.

All of the Marauders, as the four called themselves, were popular, athletic and the darlings of their year – and Sirius and James were the pick of the bunch.

"Got a name for the redhead?" James asked languidly.

"Uh…Li-something…Li…Lindsay…no, Lizzie…no…ah, got it, Lily. Lily Evans."

"Hm. Anything else?"

"Got your eye on her, then?"

James nodded.

"I'd watch out," Sirius warned him. "She's Kat's best friend…you don't want to be hurting her."

James laughed. "I just need a date for the ball Padfoot."

"She might get attached, you know?"

"Padfoot. It's one date. Ok, so I might ask her to Hogsmeade or something first, but I mean…"

"I know what you mean, but you know these shy types. She's pretty naïve, from what Kat told me in Quidditch practice. She might take it too seriously."

James snorted. "I'll just date her then cut it off. It'll be fine." He softened. "Besides, she's cute."

Now it was Sirius' turn to snort. "You're a sucker for a pretty face Prongsie," he chuckled.

James looked up at Sirius through his hair, which had fallen all over his face as usual; grinning, refusing to deny it. Sirius went back to his books, shaking his head in mock despair.

"Go on, I dare you!"

"No!"

Lily squirmed in her seat, eyeing James Potter longingly across the library floor.

"Just go over and say hi," Katrina, her best friend, instructed firmly. "It's not like you're asking him out or anything."

"But I don't even know him," Lily agonised. Katrina looked despairingly at Lily, who had always been the shy one when it came to boys. It had been that way ever since third year, when Katrina had first noticed the existence of the male species. Lily, quieter and more reserved, had stayed in her room - finishing her extra credit charms assignments or writing to her grandparents, whom she lived with in the school holidays – while Katrina worked her way through half of Hogwarts.

They were an unlikely pair, but they had bonded in first year - as the only two students ever to miss the Hogwarts Express - and been best friends ever since. They were both slim and green-eyed, although the likeness ended there; Lily was petite at 5'4", red-haired and striking rather than traditionally beautiful, whereas Katrina was a more respectable 5'8", dark-haired, with a year-round tan, full lips and quite possibly the longest eyelashes in the known universe.

She played Quidditch regularly, changed boyfriends once a week and wore clothes that were the envy of all the girls in her house.

Lily went to charms club. She had only ever dated once (and that had been outside school), and would have worn the same shirt three weeks in a row if Katrina hadn't kicked up a fuss…but still they stuck together, to the exclusion of the rest of their year.

Katrina sighed and tried once more to explain. "Lils, listen. Trust me. The guy has been eyeing you up for the last half-hour, ok? I'm gonna go back to the common room and leave you on your own unless you get your arse in gear and say hi to him!" She accompanied her words with a dig in Lily's ribs that had her tumbling half out of her chair - straight into a certain messy-haired Quidditch Captain who was standing conveniently beside her.

"Woah!" He deposited her neatly back on the chair and flashed her his famous dazzling smile. "You ok there?" Lily nodded silently, gawping. Katrina kicked her hard under the table.

"What can we do for you?" she asked James, noting the flirtatious glint in his eye with interest.

"Uh, my friends and I noticed you're looking up Levitating Charms? We have some good books, if you want to come take a look."

Katrina accepted with a smile. "Anything for my favourite Quidditch captain," she winked.

"Likewise for my favourite keeper," James returned solemnly, leading the way to the table where the rest of the Marauders were sat. Sirius greeted them with a courteous nod. "Ladies," he acknowledged.

Katrina dimpled prettily – since she knew Sirius and James from Quidditch, she was used to their ways. Lily, on the other hand, looked confused and out of her depth.

Remus, the third Marauder, smiled at her as she sat down before returning to his work, scratching his chin absently with his quill. Although neither Lily nor Katrina noticed that the final member of the group was missing, he was in fact at and extra Transfiguration lesson in order that the author might be spared writing about him for another few pages.

Lily buried herself in the nearest book, a habit of hers when confronted with new people, leaving Katrina to do the talking.

Soon Katrina, Sirius and Remus were deep in an involved discussion of the England v Poland match; the latest in the World Cup.

James tore himself reluctantly from the heated debate and turned his attention to Lily. "Looking for anything specific?" he inquired coolly, leaning over to read the title of her book. "Advanced Charm Work for the Skilled Wizard…good book, but I thought it was a little vague on the wand movements for some of the complex charms." Lily looked up in surprise.

"You've read it?"

James, smiling, flipped the cover open so she could read the flyleaf;

James Potter

Sixth Year

Gryffindor

"It's mine," he clarified. Lily, shocked, snapped it shut and pushed it hurriedly towards him.

"Sorry," she muttered embarrassedly, reaching for Ye Manye ande Varyed Uses of Murtlap instead. James took it gently from her and set it on the table. "Can we talk first?"

Lily blinked. "Sure."

"Oh, and you can borrow Advanced Charm Work if you like," James added.

(A/N; God…just re-reading this…I made him kinda slimy didn't I! Oops. Oh well. He'll improve.)

"Thanks," said Lily dazedly, thinking ::Why are you talking to me?::

"So," he continued bluntly, "You're the only Gryffindor in my charms class with a higher Grade point average than me, you're best friends with Katrina Moore; possibly the most desirable girl in the year-"

"Aww Jamie," cooed Katrina, who had been earwigging frantically along with Sirius and Remus. "I didn't know you cared."

"Don't get a big head now, Moore," Sirius cautioned, grinning.

"-and yet I swear, I've only ever seen you about twice before," James carried on, shooting Sirius a warning look. "You intrigue me," he admitted, watching her blush pink. ::Cute::

Lily struggled for an answer. She wondered what you were supposed to say in situations like this. ::Kat would know:: she thought wistfully, shooting her friend a hopeful glance. Katrina stared deliberately in another direction.

"Well…I stay upstairs a lot," Lily hazarded, thinking she might as well explain her absence from school life in general while she was at it. "Working and stuff…"

Katrina let out an exasperated sound. "I can't hold it in," she said impatiently, much to Sirius' amusement. "Lily, for God's sake, James is not going to eat you!" she informed her, fixing James with a 'you-just-better-not' stare.

James raised an eyebrow, smiling at Lily. "So…amI trustworthy?" he asked, after a heartbeat's silence.

Lily hesitated, then smiled back with a mischievous sparkle in her eye. "All depends really."

"On what?"

"You."

"Ahh…don't I match up to your exacting standards?"

Lily looked at him appraisingly. "You'll do for the moment," she told him cheerfully, smiling to show she was joking.

"I knew she could do it," Katrina muttered to Sirius, watching proudly while Lily gave as good as she got.

"Hmm…she's a late starter," Sirius laughed quietly. "Unlike some people I know," he added, referring to the brief period in third year when they had dated. It had turned into a 'who can dump who first' competition, and they had given up after two weeks of it. Katrina knew Sirius had the hots for her at the moment; she was beginning to think she felt the same way. ::But god, all the baggage that goes with being Sirius Black's girlfriend…I couldn't put up with that again.::

"How've you been then?" Sirius asked, leaning back in his chair and breaking the silence that stretched between them.

"When you, Alex and James aren't knocking bludgers at me or making me show for practices at 6am, I'm good."

Alex was Sirius' fellow beater.

"How's whatsisname?"

"Sorry?"

Sirius waved his hands expressively. "Y'know…thingie...shit, who was it this week? I can never keep track…"

Katrina, realising he was talking about boyfriends, replied helpfully, "It was Sam Drayman, and we split up last night."

"Single then?"

"Not for long I hope, but yeah."

Sirius decided to be blunt. "Want to meet up tonight?"

Katrina raised her eyebrows, cool as ever. "Firstly, you know I hate relationships; secondly, you know I never date Gryffindor team members; thirdly, it may surprise you to know that I value your friendship, on and off. And I'll only break your heart," she added candidly, "so I'm afraid that's a no…"

"I don't want a relationship," Sirius said quickly, ignoring the rest of her self-possessed assertions. "Just one night…go on, Kat…I want to add you to my list."

Katrina let out a peal of delighted laughter at his audacity and relented, letting her carefully presented argument slip aside; she was quite interested in knowing what it was like to shag the famous Sirius Black, and since he was offering so wholeheartedly...

"I get to add you to my list as well," she insisted. Sirius nodded, giving way to a grin of triumph. "No strings attached," Katrina stressed carefully, trying to stop her anticipation showing.

"None at all, I swear. Just a quickie between friends."

"Meet you in the astronomy tower at eleven, then." Katrina smiled and stood up to leave, flicking her hair back over her shoulder in a way guaranteed to catch Sirius' attention. "I'll see you there," he replied hoarsely.

"See you Lils," Katrina called, winking at Sirius and walking out.

Lily waved absently, realised she was alone with James, and paled. James stood up and took her arm. "Come on, I'll see you back to Gryffindor."

Lily let him lead her off, hardly able to believe her luck, and Sirius sat back in his chair to bask in the rays of victory.

Well? What d'you think? Nice and fluffy and cliché, you know you love it. Well, even if you don't, review. I need that nice fluffy feeling inside.