VII: A Little Less Conversation

Most of October went by quickly while the green leaves on the trees turned to brilliant orange, yellow and red. Students fell into study habits (or the habit of not studying as was the case with James and Sirius) and routine ruled.

That being said, James was surprised one evening when he came back from doing rounds as Head boy to finding Sirius with a pretty brunette on his bed. He was so accustomed to Sirius being without a girlfriend that he didn't even think to knock.

"Whoa!" James said, spotting the two of them in deep lip lock. He immediately backed out to the sound of "Knock, will ya?"

"Why didn't you say something?" James demanded as he sat down in the common room opposite Remus.

"It was more amusing this way," Remus replied mildly. "Besides, I've been waiting for them to be done for half an hour now. All I want is my Transfiguration textbook." He looked longingly at the stairs leading to his now-occupied dormitory.

"I doubt they'll be done anytime soon," James said, wistfully regarding the fire and wishing it was him and Lily in the room instead of Sirius and some anonymous brunette.

"Who was that, anyway?" James asked suddenly.

Remus gave a half shrug. "The latest flame."

"I give it a week," James said with a smile.

"I give it..." Remus paused as the brunette stormed out of the room and down the stairs. "Four seconds."

"Sandra!" Sirius called after her, pulling on a shirt.

"You win, mate," James said, getting out of his comfortable armchair.

Sirius scowled at both of them before retreating back up the stairs. Remus folded up his Defense Against the Dark Arts book and motioned for Prongs to follow with a motioning of his head.

Sirius sighed as he heard a polite knock outside the door that could only belong to Remus.

"Come in."

"Alright Padfoot?" James asked as he and Lupin entered the room.

Sirius shrugged and laid back on his bed. Ophelia leapt onto his chest and he stroked her absentmindedly.

"Who's Sandra?" Remus asked, referring to the brunette who had stormed out two minutes earlier.

"Just a girl," Sirius replied. "Another girl. She reminded me why I haven't bothered with girls all year."

"Care to enlighten us?" Remus enquired politely. He retrieved his Transfiguration textbook from his bag and set it beside him on the nightstand.

"Okay, but you're going to think I've lost my mind," Sirius started reluctantly.

"It's too late for that, mate," James said with a grin. Sirius returned it briefly before returning to his point.

"Well, just now with Sandra for example. What happened was I wanted to talk to her. Just talk to her and she...er..."

"Didn't want to talk?" Remus supplied helpfully.

Sirius nodded. "I just am getting tired of always fooling around with girls. I suddenly need something more. Need someone to talk to. I know it sounds weird...," he trailed off and ran his fingers through his hair.

"Aww, our ickle Sirius is growing up," James teased.

"I don't think it sounds weird," Remus said quietly ignoring James' comment. "Well, maybe weird for you who never seemed to have a use for girls except to use them for," he hesitated, "things other than talking."

"You know, Padfoot," James said, suddenly serious, "If you need someone to talk to..." He trailed off, knowing that he didn't need to continue. Sirius understood.

"Yeah," he nodded, "I know. Thanks."

There was a bit of a silence where the three Marauders seemed to be in their own thoughts. Sirius finally broke the silence.

"You know," he said with a pointed look at Moony, "Sandra's free now."

Remus chuckled and threw a pillow across the room at his friend.

"You need a woman, mate," James agreed. Remus gave an aggravated sigh.

"I don't need anything," Remus retorted. "Girls just complicate things. Life is complicated enough for me right now."

"I don't know, Moony," James said suddenly pensive. "Sometimes things with Lily are so simple. Sometimes when we're together everything else just goes away and I end up wondering how I ever got on without her." He paused, suddenly self-conscious. "Sorry, I'm being a sap."

"Naw," Sirius shook his head, causing his black hair to fly across his eyes. "You know we're all envious of what you and Lily have. Things are really falling into place for you two. I bet she's a handful in the sack," he added. James gave him an obligatory dirty look before grinning and throwing a pillow at him.

"Speaking of in the sack," James cut in, "You may want to consider locking the door next time."

"Honestly, I wasn't planning on that happening," Sirius said, reddening.

"It must be so hard for you Padfoot," Remus said with a dry smile. "Anytime you want to talk to a girl she throws herself at you. Perhaps I could give you lessons on how to make girls not attracted to you. I seem to be quite good at it."

"Oh I don't know about that," Sirius said coyly. "I overheard some Gryffindor girls talking in the common room the other night. They seemed to be quite attracted to a certain werewolf I know. I'm sure if you asked them to Winter Formal they'd die of giggling or excitement or something."

"Nice try, but I don't buy it. In any case, there's only one girl I seem to have my eye on at the moment."

"Myra?" James speculated.

Remus shrugged and made a non-committal sound.

"I guess that solves who Moony's asking to Winter Formal."

"No, not Myra," Lupin said softly.

"Why not?" Sirius demanded.

"I just...I'd want to tell her everything and I'm not ready for that. You blokes and Peter are the only ones that know."

"You don't need to tell her anything to get a little action at Winter Formal," Sirius said a bit crudely with body language that does not need to be described here.

Remus laughed. "It really is all about action for you sometimes, isn't it?"

"What can I say?" Sirius held up his hands and gave a charming smile.

"Save that smile for the ladies, action hero," Remus said as turned to his Transfiguration textbook.

Sirius laughed and went back to stroking Ophelia while James reached for his own Transfiguration textbook. Sometimes homework just didn't do itself.