Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter

Stupid Grins and Dirty Socks

"Remus, are you okay?" Remus was sitting at one of the desks in the Gryffindor common room with books about curses covering every surface of the table. Remus was assigned extra homework from all his teachers as a result of not paying attention in class. He wasn't in the mood to put up with Peter.

"Of course I am, now shut up, Peter, I'm trying to do my homework," Remus said, he glanced up and looked at the clock, it was nearly midnight. He sighed; he still had a lot of Defense Against the Dark Arts homework to do.

"Well, you didn't pay attention in any classes today after Charms and why the hell have you got such a stupid grin on your face?" Remus didn't answer right away. Did he really have a stupid grin on his face? He tried hard to keep his face straight, but it didn't work. He lifted his hand and touched his cheek, he could've sworn that the exact spot that Lily had kissed him was still burning. His smile was more apparent than ever, but he quickly hid it and put on an annoyed face.

"Don't you have homework to do, Peter?" Remus asked irritably.

"I finished a while ago. The defense homework only took me about an hour. You've been working on it since nine o' clock."

"Oh, right," Remus said absentmindedly. His mind began to wander and he replayed the scene after Charms over and over again.

"So, why are you smiling?"

"I was remembering that prank we did last year on Snape," Remus lied. Severus Snape, otherwise known as Snivellus was the sworn enemy of the Marauders.

"Really? I don't believe you, Moony. Why are you smiling?"

"Don't I have a right to just be happy for no reason?"

"You? The right to be happy? Don't be stupid." Peter laughed out loud.

"Gee, thanks. You've made me feel special, Wormtail."

"Anytime, Moony." Peter paused. "So, really, what are you so happy about?"

"I'm not telling you." Remus began to blush.

"Aw, come on, we're supposed to be best friends!"

"No, I can't, you'll just go off and scream it to the world."

"No I won't," Peter said defensively.

"Promise? Swear on your mother's grave?" Remus pressed. Although Peter looked terrified at the very thought, he nodded his head in agreement. Remus glanced around and whispered, "I asked Lily to go to Hogsmeade with me and she said yes." There was a long pause.

"James is going to kill you Moony."

"That's why he can't know about this. Don't tell him, okay?"

"Sure, I won't. But, Moony, you should," Peter said.

"I can't."

"He's going to find out anyway, he's asking Lily to go with him, right now as we speak." Peter pointed over to the couches by the fire, and Remus could see James trying to win Lily over. Remus could feel a wave of jealousy wash over him. He clenched his fists.

"Remus," Peter warned.

"Let's just go, Peter. Let's get some food from the kitchens. I'm starved," Remus said quickly as he tore himself away from the scene before him.

"Alright then," Peter said, looking a little bit relieved. "Should we go ask Sirius if he wants to come along?" He looked around the room and found Sirius trying to charm a group of third-year girls. "Or maybe not, he seems to be enjoying himself." Peter nodded in Sirius' direction, and Remus let out a snort of laughter.

"You're right. I'll just go get the map."

"Get the cloak too; I don't fancy getting detention on the second night back."

"Alright."

When the two Marauders came back from their midnight excursion, their arms laden with cakes and breads, they saw Sirius looking over at a dejected looking James sitting on the couch, staring at the fire in the deserted common room.

"What's wrong with James?" Remus asked, already knowing the answer.

"Lily," Sirius replied simply.

"She turned him down again?" Remus asked and Sirius only nodded in response.

"Oh." Peter flashed a look at Remus.

"We should go talk to him." Sirius began to walk over to James, with a hesitant Remus and Peter following him.

"Hey, Prongs. What's up?" Sirius asked easily taking his usual seat on the other side of the couch. Remus sat down in his favorite chair, while Peter seemed extremely anxious and remained standing.

"Lily. Turned me down flat. Said she already had a date," James replied sadly.

"Oh?" Remus asked nervously.

"Yeah, I'm gonna find out however that guy is, and I'm going to hex him into the next century," James said angrily going suddenly from depressed to pissed off. Remus was both relieved and scared.

"I'll help you. I hope it isn't a stinking Slytherin," Sirius agreed.

"No way, Lily is way to smart to go with a Slytherin," James said, disgusted at the very thought.

"Don't worry, mate. She'll come around one of these days," Sirius reassured him.

"I've loved her since the first day I saw her on the Hogwarts Express. Why does she hate me so much?" James looked miserable and Remus felt a pang of guilt, but also anger and got to his feet.

"Well what can you expect? You're always acting like a big headed ass around her. You're too wrapped up in that huge ego of yours to notice that Lily is always rolling her eyes when you show off. Remember that time in fifth year after we took the O.W.L's?" Everybody looked stunned at Remus' outburst. Remus reddened with both anger and embarrassment. "Well, it's true!" He sat back down.

"He's right, Prongs," Sirius agreed although he looked over at Remus curiously.

"Yeah, what they said." Peter always agreed with majority. They sat there with nothing but the crackling of the dying fire to break the eerie silence.

"It's late, I'm going to bed," James said suddenly. He got off the couch and ran up the stairs. The door slammed and echoed throughout the empty common room.

"I better go too." Peter got up and went up the stairs.

"What was that, Remus?" Sirius asked when the dormitory door was closed again.

"What was what?" Remus replied innocently, trying to play stupid.

"That little outburst back there. What you said about Lily and James, I know its true, but I couldn't help but wonder if there was more to it than friendly advice." Sirius looked sharply at Remus, as though he were trying to read his thoughts. Remus just sighed.

"You're right. I'm Lily's date for Hogsmeade."

"You're what? I can't believe you, Remus. You know how James feels about her!" Sirius said angrily.

"Yeah? Well does he know how I feel about her? Does he know that I love her too? And have loved her since the first day? I mean, when she smiles the whole world turns upside down... or is it right side up? I don't know. But when she smiles, I know that everything is going to be okay. Does James know that too? Can he even begin to understand that?" Remus countered. Sirius' expression softened.

"You should've said something, Moony."

"How could I ever say anything? With James always plotting ways to win her heart? I didn't say anything because I couldn't." There was silence while Remus fumed and Sirius was at a loss of words.

"Look, Remus. You're right. I'm happy for you and Lily. But is she worth the friendship you have with James?"

"I don't know, Sirius. I just don't know."

When the four Gryffindor boys got up the next morning, the mood was much cheerier than it had been the night before.

"Where are my socks?"

"Find your own damn socks! I can't find my any of my robes!"

"Don't be stupid, they're all right over there."

"Those are yours."

"So? Wear them anyway."

"You're half my height!"

"Hey, I resent that!"

"Oy, your robes are over there."

"Oh yeah, thanks Padfoot."

"Yeah, well, I wouldn't have let you go down to breakfast wearing nothing would I?"

"Guys? Has anyone seen my wand?"

"Geez, Peter! You've lost your wand?"

"Yeah, can you help me look for it?"

"Accio Wand!" An eleven inch mahogany wand flew into Remus' outstretched hand.

"That's my wand, you prat!"

"Fine, here." The wand was returned to its rightful owner.

"I still can't find my wand!"

"Okay, I'll try being more specific. Accio Peter's wand!" A nine inch oak wand zoomed out from under the covers of Peter's bed.

"Thanks, Remus."

"How come you'll help Peter but not me?"

"You can do a Summoning Spell on your own, can't you?"

"Oh, good point. Accio Socks." More than a dozen pairs of socks hit Sirius in the face causing James, Remus and Peter to double up in laughter. This resulted in everyone being pelted with socks using the Banishing Spell.

They all emerged from their dormitory twenty minutes later, all of them cheerful and smelling slightly of dirty socks. As they walked through the halls on their way to breakfast, several people held their nose.

"We don't smell that bad, do we?" Peter joked as a group of fourth year girls past them.

"Nah, of course not," Sirius replied smiling, obviously liking the attention.

But no one would even sit next to them at breakfast. "Okay, this is getting ridiculous. I'm the most dashing man in this school."

"Sure you are Padfoot," Peter said sarcastically.

"Hey, be careful there, Peter. Don't enlarge his head even more than already is."

"I was being sarcastic!"

"Yeah, well big-headed Sirius might not be able to tell the difference."

"My head's not as big as our friend Prongsie here anyway."

"Don't call me Prongsie! And my head isn't that big."

"Yes it is."

"It's not!"

"Shut up you guys. You're making too much damn noise."

"Hey look over there," Sirius called. "It's Snivelus."

"Betcha can't hex him from over here," James challenged.

"I think I can." Sirius took careful aim, and hit Snape in the back with the Jelly Legs curse, which he didn't notice until he stood up. Sirius and James both roared with laughter and didn't notice Professor McGonagall come up behind them.

"Ten points from Gryffindor, Mr. Black and you too, Mr. Potter. You two will not be allowed to go to Hogsmeade this Saturday. Instead, you will be cleaning up the Great Hall without magic." Professor McGonagall turned away and headed back to the teachers table. Both Sirius and James groaned loudly.

"Without magic, she gets more evil every year!" Sirius complained.

"We can't go to Hogsmeade either! I won't see who Lily is going with!" James moaned. Sirius, Peter and Remus glanced at each other. Sirius changed the subject.

"This has got to be a record. Detention the first week of school, I don't think we've even done that before."

"Well, it's our last year. We might as well go out with a bang, right?" James looked around at his fellow Marauders.

"Right." They all agreed at the same time.

A/N: Here's another chapter for you. -Jezy.