:Chapter Ten:

"Shall we go and have a drink?" Remus suggested after a couple of hours strolling around Diagon Alley. It had become hot and they had taken off their cloaks.
"Maybe it's a better idea if you go fetch your books. I already bought mine last week. In the mean time, I'll go and get a new uniform. I've grown out of it."

"Again!" Remus and James said together.
"How often does that make now?" James blurted out. "Tenth!"

"Fifth, I guess…"
"So you did gain weight?" Peter said hopefully.
"No, you little rat!" Sirius said, pushing Peter playfully aside. "I've grown 5 inches."
"Too bad…" Peter said, prodding Sirius in the tummy.

Sirius, in his turn, wrapped his arm around Peter's neck, locking his head in a firm grip. "What did you say?" He said sweetly.

Peter, who laughed, said: "Too bad!"
Sirius playfully forced Peter's head down. "I'm not letting go, until you admit you're jealous."
"I- I'm jealous!" Peter said begging, still laughing.
Sirius grinned but didn't let go. "Say… Sirius, you're the best."
"You're the best!"
"Say you'd do anything to be me."
"I'd do anything to be you! Please, let go!"

But Sirius was enjoying this way too much to let go yet.

"Say, Sirius, mate, I love you."
"Sirius, mate, I love you!" Peter was shaking with laughter now.
Sirius finally let go, petting Peter on the head.

"Good boy!" He said teasingly.
"When you two are finished with your courting, we can get our stuff." James said.

"EW!" Sirius said disgustingly, "You have a sick mind, Prongs!"
"I know, I know. Anyway, shall we go then?"
The others nodded and they split up.

After a while, they were all sitting around a table on the sunlit terrace of Kelly Bells, drinking tea, talking about the things they'd done in their holiday so far.

After a while Remus went to the toilet. When he came back, he found his glass had been emptied.

"Hey! Who did that?" he said, looking around t his friends' faces, locking his eyes on Sirius' angelic face.
"What?" Sirius said innocently, pointing at James. "He did it!"
"N'oh!" James blurted out. "I didn't do anything!"
"Yes, you did." Sirius said smirking.
"Did not."
"Come on, guys. Who did it?" Remus said, but with an air of patience in his voice.
"Alright, alright…" Sirius said laughing. "Peter did it."
"Hey!" Peter squeaked. "Honestly, Remus. I didn't do it!"
"Don't worry, Peter. I know Sirius did it." Remus said smiling.

Sirius smiled too, still amazed in how Remus was always right.
"I'll buy you something new." He said while he stood up.
"No, Padfoot. You really don't have to-" Remus started. But Sirius interrupted him.
"I won't take no for an answer. Hot chocolate?"
Remus laughed because of the serious look in his friend's face. "Yes, please."
Sirius smiled. "That's better. With whipped cream?"
Remus nodded, looking as if he was on the verge of purring. "You're the best, Sirius."

"You too?" Sirius asked, turning to James and Peter. "'Course you do."

And without waiting for an answer, he walked to the counter.

When Sirius had finished his drink, and putt his glass down, he asked James for the time.

"Can't tell you, mate. Forgot my watch. And besides, why do you always ask me for the time?"
"Why not buy your own watch?..." Remus said softly.

"I've got you guys for that. Come on, what's the time?" Sirius said.

Remus checked his watch. "It's five past two."
Sirius suddenly stood up. "Er- guys, if you could wait here for me, I'll be back in half an hour. I've gotta go somewhere."

"Where to?" James asked, looking puzzled.
"Barber." Sirius said, pulling his bag over his shoulder.
"Barber?" Remus repeated. "Padfoot, dearest, your hair is perfectly in model! Actually, it always is…" he added, suddenly talking more to himself than the others.

"Dead ends, luv." Sirius said, holding a string of hair between his fingers.

"But I really gotta go, now. I had to be there five minutes ago. See ya!"

And he went off.

James watched his go around a corner. Then he said: "Peter. Follow him."
"Why?" Peter said frowning.
"To see what he's up to, of course!"
"The barber. He just told-"

"Oh, come on, Peter! To the barber! For half an hour!"

Peter shrugged.

"And besides," James continued, "he always goes to the barber, when he comes here for his books. Which means he's already been to the barber last week."

Peter looked at the corner where they had seen Sirius disappear out of view.

"Ah… I dunno, Prongs."
"Does he really have to?" Remus interrupted. "Can't we just leave the poor bloke alone for a while? I mean… he's been hanging around with you for a few days now. He's someone who needs his privacy…"
"Hey," James said, "he can tell us the truth. If he's making up things to keep us away from him, he's asking for it. Come on, Worm."
"Okay, okay. I'm off." Peter got out of his chair and followed Sirius' trace around the corner.

Sirius looked around. 'Where is she?' he thought, checking every person's face.

"Hey,"

He heard a familiar voice say behind him, so he turned around and met the eyes of a curly, black haired girl.

"You're late." She said calmly, leaning against the wall behind her.

Sirius swayed his hair out of his face and put his hands casually into his pockets. "Or you're too early…"

"No. I was perfectly on time, unlike you."

Then she suddenly took hold of his arm and led him into a deserted alley.

Peter nervously looked around and caught sight of Sirius just disappearing around another corner. 'James was right,' he thought, 'the barber is the other way. What is he up to...?'

He approached the corner and carefully peeked around it. He saw Sirius had stopped walking. And he also saw that there was a girl with him. Peter had seen her before. She also attended Hogwarts and was a Gryffindor too. He had seen her in the Common room so now and then.

"So," Sirius said, leaning his back against the wall. "How's your holiday so far?"

The girl shrugged. "Same as always, yours?"

Sirius shrugged too. "I haven't been home much. I'm at James' now."

"James?" The girl said, raising her eyebrows.

"Yeah, James. My best friend. The bloke with the messed up hair…?"

"Oh, that guy." the girl replied, clearly uninterested. "Did you miss me?"
"Nah. 'Course not." Sirius said.

The girl raised her eyebrows again.

"Well…" Sirius added, checking the girl over.
"Maybe a little." He finally said, having a lopsided, but all the same, charming smile spreading over his face.
The girl smiled. "That's better," she took a step closer.

Peter peaked again. The girl was standing much closer to Sirius now. He watched as the girl ran her hands over the front of Sirius' shirt, to the back of Sirius' trousers.

He also watched when Sirius ran his hand through the girls' hair, pulled her closer and kissed her. Peter went slightly pink and quickly looked away again.

'I hope James is satisfied with this.' Peter thought. And he ran off.