'ello! I am SO going to add another chapter to Hanging Around soon. LoL.

But! Before then. . . I have this. Up Close and Personal.

I found this when someone asked me to send it to them – I have it previously written on the HP Boards, but it got deleted over time, sigh – aaaaaand. . . thought I'd post it on here.

Reviews would be lovely!

Lily's POV

Ugh! This stupid, stupid subject! How was I supposed to know this stuff? It's not as if it's of any use to me anyway. I already know what I plan to do with my life. So why can't I just take Charms all day? That's the only thing that'll get me to where I wanna go.

I absolutely suck at Transfiguration. This is the reason I was sitting cross legged on a chair in my Common Room at 1 o'clock in the morning, trying desperately to finish my homework for class that day.

My friends were there too. Not that they were of much use, but they were there, none the less. Well, two of them were. Tess and Helen, They're my best friends out of our whole little group. We've known each other ever since we first came to Hogwarts. And we're in our sixth year now, so it's been quite awhile.

I glanced up briefly from my parchment as a group of boys from the seventh year entered through the Portrait Hole. I watched them for a few seconds before I felt Tess hit me around the head and nod pointedly at my Transfiguration book, which was laying open in my lap.

Okay, okay, I thought to myself, it wasn't as if she was helping me or anything anyway. Still, better get back to it. Anyway, they were seventh years. I didn't even know them.

Ooh, yes I do!

Okay, so my homework was pretty much history by this point.

But come on! These were the most popular boys in the whole school! Alright, so I didn't quite know all their names. They were still the most popular guys in the school.

"Lily," Helen yawned. "C'mon, will you hurry up? I wanna go to bed..."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm almost done," I sighed, bringing my eyes back to focus on the book and parchment that was spread out before me.

"Really?" Helen stretched, about to stand up.

"Well, no. But I will be soon. I hope. I'm tired too you know." Both Helen and Tess rolled their eyes, while I smiled sweetly at them.

They'd wait for me. They just like to complain every now and again.

Still, I waited a few minutes before I glanced at the boys again. They were around the fire, laughing and pointing at some parchment on a table in front of them.

I knew two of them.

Sirius Black was the one with the one with the longish dark brown hair that had strands falling over his forehead and the dark brown eyes. Not that I could see his eyes from here, but I knew anyway.

And James Potter, the one with the messy black hair and thin, wire rimmed glasses. But everyone knew who they were. They were practically the stars of the Gryffindor Quidditch team.

I didn't know them personally or anything. Everyone just knew them, you know? I suppose that's what you earn from being on the Quidditch team.

Oh well. I suck at flying, too.

Besides, quite a few people knew me as well. Not to brag or anything, but I am quite popular. Does that make me sound really stuck up? 'Cause I'm not. People tend to think that though.

Anyway. The Marauders. That's what they called themselves. James Potter, Sirius Black and the two other boys they were with. Famous for breaking school rules and playing pranks. Especially on Severus Snape, this boy in Slytherin. He's a seventh year too.

I shook my head, getting back to my work. I was tired. So tired my eyes itched. I sighed. Okay. So therefore the spell would not be appropriate in this situation... I took a quick look at my notes. Explain why it would be appropriate or not. Well how was I supposed to know that?

"Tessy..." I whined, in my most pathetic voice. That usually worked. "Help me... please..."

"Sorry Lil. I don't know. I got set different homework to you," she shrugged.

Oh yeah. We were all put into different groups for that lesson to take a look at various spells. And Tess and Helen just happened to be in totally different groups from me.

"Thanks anyway," I murmured, trying to bully my brain into remembering what we had gone over that lesson.

"The spell would not be appropriate in that situation because it is a spell for live things, whilst the quill is not alive," someone said from over my shoulder. I looked up in surprise to see Sirius Black leant over me to see my Transfiguration book.

I swear, my heart skipped a beat. How did I never notice how good looking he was? He smiled when he saw the look on my face. "And that's your answer. Not really hard when you think about it."

No it wasn't hard when you thought about it. It wasn't hard when you didn't think about it, even. I'm so stupid!

Of course, I didn't say that. He probably thought that already anyway. "Oh. Thank you," I smiled. "Thanks a lot."

"No problem," he shrugged. "Transfiguration's easy."

"You think so?" I raised my eyebrow. "I hate it. Prefer Charms myself."

"Charms is okay, I s'pose..." Sirius nodded, and then grinned. "But I like to make my own rather than use the ones they teach us in Charms."

"What d'you mean, make your own?" James Potter joined him, while Tess and Helen watched us with interest. "You don't make your own. We make our own."

"Yeah, yeah. That's what I meant," Sirius brushed him off, smiling and rolling his eyes at the same time. "This is James by the way." Obviously. "Oh! And I'm Sirius." Once again. Obviously.

He turned to his other two friends. "And this is-"I know this, I know this. He had short, light brown hair and deep brown eyes. What was he called again? "-Remus." Yeah, that was it. "And this is-" Nope, not got a clue. I'd seen him before of course; he was one of the Marauders. But it was weird. He was quiet, not outgoing like the rest of them. And seemed sort of... needy. Hmm. I'm sure I'll survive without knowing his name. "-Peter." Oh. Okay!

"Hi," I greeted them, smiling. "I'm Lily. And this is Tess and Helen." I nodded towards my friends, who smiled back and there were various hellos. After that I slammed my Transfiguration book shut and stood up. "Well, thanks for that again. I guess I'll see you around. 'Night!"

I stood up and started to make my way up the stairs towards my dormitory.

"Yeah. 'Night..." Sirius replied.

I could see him out of the corner of my eye watching me as I walked up the stairs, as Tess and Helen tried to quickly catch up with me. And I have to say, I nearly squealed with excitement.

Was it possible that Sirius Black liked me? The Sirius Black? Marauder, star Quidditch player, part of the whole 'James & Sirius' duo and general all around great guy Sirius Black?

Maybe. It was possible anyway.

Still, keep your cool Lily. I pretended I didn't notice and carried on walking. Then I heard James say something.

"Sirius, come on," he said, laughing. I saw him pull at Sirius' arm lightly. Out of the corner of my eye, again. I'm gonna have to stop looking at them like that, or I'll trip any minute now. And that sure wouldn't be graceful. "She's just a lowly sixth year."

My jaw nearly dropped as he said that.

How rude was that?

Well, I've got news for you, James Potter, but it only a couple of months ago you were a 'lowly sixth year' yourself! You think you're so great, with your wonderful friends who are probably all as arrogant and big headed as you a-

"Yeah... but she's a cute sixth year."

Okay. I'm in love.