A/N: I AM OFFICIALY FINISHED SECONDARY SCHOOL!!!!! Sorry, just had to get that out of my system ...I handed up my chemistry exam at 5pm Tuesday, and am officially free! I'm so happy, but I don't know if I'll stay this way until August 13th when I'll be getting my results, though … Send happy thoughts out for me, won't you? Leave them in your reviews!! (Hint, hint!!) Anyway, I tried to upload this on Wednesday as promised, but there was something wrong with FF.net. I didn't get a chance to go online, and then I was busy reading OoP! (I read it in 8 hours!!)

DISCLAIMER: JKR, The Beatles, Etc, do not belong to me! I wouldn't need to do exams if I were that lucky!!

Chapter 12: Short but Sweet!!

Lily lay on her bed, holding her throbbing head. She couldn't believe she'd said that to Lena. It had just come out … and she regretted it instantly. She felt terrible, and what Lena said to her was still on her mind.

"… Swallow your pride and admit to him and yourself that you're fucking in love with him…"

Lily couldn't get the words out of her head. They were there constantly, nagging, as ever present as her headache.

"… The real reason you're pissed at the world is because you kissed him last night, you can't remember, and it's killing you…"

Why couldn't she remember? Well … she could, kind of … She could remember bits and pieces, like starting to play the game, and her suggestion …

"Why don't we kiss so we can take lots?"

… And James' reply …

"We won't be able to take lots. That's against the rules. But we can still kiss, if you want to …"

… And the actual kiss. She remembered the actual kiss, but she couldn't remember how it felt …

Well, she could. It felt right, and that scared her. She didn't want to remember. She rolled over and took out a record. She put it on, and winced when it began to play loudly. She turned down the volume.

"Help! I need somebody!"  it played. Lily grimaced.

"No I don't," she said, and moved the needle to the next song.

"You do realize that Paul McCartney isn't in the little box singing, don't you?" Ally said teasingly. Lily grinned.

"How do you know?" she replied.

"We said our goodbyes, ah, the night before …" It was that phrase, 'The night before' that made Lily move on to the next song.

"You don't realize how much I need you …"

And the next … and the next …

"Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away …" That did it. She stopped the record, and furiously jammed it back into the sleeve.

This was not good. She was even angry with the Beatles. She stared at one of her posters, a lovely one, she'd always thought, with Paul looking very bluesy.

"Sorry Paul," she whispered. "You just weren't helping."

"Spot the looney," Lena said from the door, in an uncanny impression of Eric Idle. She made a sound like a buzzer. "Well done to Mrs. White of Wainscotting, who spotted the looney in under 2 seconds. It was, of course, the teenage girl talking to a record player."

"Lena, I'm sorry," Lily said hurriedly. "I didn't mean to say that. It just … came out."

"I know," Lena said. "I crossed the line, too. Friends again?" Lily nodded and the girls hugged. Lena went over to her trunk and rummaged around for her cloak. Adele and Sophie came in, looked at Lena, and giggled, ran over and hopped onto her bed.

"Lena! Lena! Lena!" they squealed.

"What? What? What?" she replied, imitating their voices. They didn't notice the insult.

"Where are you going?" Sophie asked.

"For a walk," she replied.

"Where?" Adele inquired excitedly

"To the moon," Lena replied sarcastically.

"Really?" Adele asked seriously.

"No, I'm going to the lake," Lena said, holding back her laughter.

"With who?" Sophie persisted.

"A big, green, ugly, slimy alien," Lena replied, sarcasm returning.

"So you are going with Sirius then," Lily chimed in, smiling. Lena laughed.

"Are you going out with Sirius?" Sophie pressed.

"Yes," Lena said. Behind her back, Adele glowered at her.

"My ears are burning," Sirius said as he entered the room.

"Sirius, you heard Professor Flitwick. Incendio charms are not toys," Lena chided. He grinned and walked over to her.

"If it isn't my favorite little smart ass," he joked.

"Likewise," she replied sweetly. He laughed.

"You're feisty," he whispered, drawing closer to her.

"Are you complaining?" she asked.

"I don't know," he said. Ally cleared her throat and he suddenly seemed to remember that the girls were in the room. "So what were you saying about me?" he wondered again.

"Nothing important," she said, shrugging. "I'll be ready in a minute."

"What makes you think I'll wait?" he asked, but she merely grinned and went into the bathroom. Sirius glanced around the room. It was so … different than their room. Apart from the colours, it smelled different – like perfume (mostly from the pink, fluffy end) and other sweet-smelling things. Better than the smell of Remus' feet, though. He smiled.

"How's the head, Lily?" he asked, making a very brave stab at conversation.

"By any chance did I get run over by an articulated truck last night?" she asked.

"Big Muggle vehicle, lots of wheels, carries heavy loads?" Sirius checked. Lily nodded. "Not to my knowledge, but we did loose you for a bit, so anything's possible. But I'd say it's just the hangover." Lily nodded. Sirius looked around the room idly. Something caught his eye in the pink region …

"Is that – my boxers?" he exclaimed. Sophie and Adele turned crimson. "And – and they're James'!" he went on, spotting another pair above the other bed. "Lena!" he exclaimed as she came back into the room. "They stole our underwear!!"

"Yeah, that is a bit weird, but I adjusted," she said.

"You? They stole them after the final last year!" he went on in indignation. "We were blaming Remus!" Lena smiled.

"It's only 'cos they like you," she said. "I'd be flattered."

"There's a fine line between liking and stalking," he muttered.

"Oh, let them have their dreams," Lena said.

"Their lust for me doesn't bother me?" he asked, bewildered.

"No, I have the real you to lust after," she said, grinning. She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Let's go for this walk so we can get back and study a bit before Quidditch."

"Study?" Sirius said.

"NEWTs this June," he reminded him. "And we've got all that Magical Languages crap that Dreyfus gave us to do."

"Yeah, I suppose," he said. "I still think it's not right, you know," he said as they walked out onto the grounds. "I mean, what would you say if you found out that I kept a pair of your underwear hung over my bed?"

"Well, they'd be a whole lot nicer than Tornadoes boxers," she said. He raised an eyebrow.

"I'm sure they would," he said, his eyes lingering on the back of her robes. "No, seriously, you'd be really freaked out and you'd think I was some sort of pervert—"

"Would you like a pair of my underwear?" she asked. "Hypothetically, I mean."

"I wouldn't say no," he replied, smiling.

"Maybe someday," she said. Sirius smiled. It was the first cold day they had had since school started, but it was crisp and clear, with a dazzling blue sky.

"Siri," Lena said after a few minutes' silence.

"Yes?" he replied, sitting on a large rock neat the lakes' edge.

"I really didn't want to have this conversation until we were going out for at least 48 hours," she sighed. He looked her in the eye.

"Is it to do with Ritchie?" he asked. She nodded. "You can tell me," he said.

"Ok," she sighed again. "In fifth year, I had a huge crush on him. Worse than Sophie and Adele with you, without the underwear thing, obviously," she went on. Sirius grinned. "I hero-worshipped him. This was before he failed his 6th year exams, so he was in the year ahead aswell." she shook her head impatiently, as if annoyed with herself. "I was so stupid. Anyway, he found out that I liked him, and asked me out. He was so nice to me, gooey and all that. I was young and stupid, and believed that he cared about me. But he was only using me."

"For what?" Sirius asked. Lena's eyes, which had been concentrating on the little waves rippling at the shore of the lake for quite some time, darted upwards and met Sirius' for a split second before looking away again. Sirius shook his head. "No – he didn't – not—"

"He took me into the Ravenclaw common room. To meet his friends, he said. Well, then he invited me to look at his dorm. I didn't cop on until he asked – like a bloody stupid twat. I made a mistake, a huge mistake. When I realized it, I told him I didn't want to do it again. He just looked at me, smirking, and said – 'Again? Why would I want to repeat that? Run along to Gryffindor, little girl.'" Sirius stood up angrily.

"I'll kill him. I'll kill the bloody Ravenclaw bastard—" he ranted.

"No, just leave it, please," Lena said. "I just want to forget about him and if you attack him it'll make that impossible." Sirius took a deep breath and sat back down on the rock.

"Lee, I don't just want—" he started.

"Shhh, Siri, you don't have o do this," she said. "I trust you."

"Well it must be at the back of your mind," he said. "I don't have the best record … but I'd never hurt you."

"I know, Siri," she said, sitting on his knee. "A year ago, I wouldn't have trusted you. I forbade myself from having a crush on anyone for ages after. But it doesn't matter now, or I try to make it matter as little as possible. I don't know how long this'll last, but I just want it to be fun. We can get serious, down the line, if it's what we both want. But for now, I just want to hang out with you. A nice, uncomplicated relationship."

"Then that's what we'll do," he said, kissing her.

*****

James put his pillow over his head. He hated hangovers. This wasn't his first, but he was almost positive that it was his worst yet. But he thought that every time. He groaned. Remus grinned from behind his Transfiguration homework.

"You should really get a start on this," he said. James groaned louder.

"Bugger off, Professor," he said. Remus laughed.

"Don't take it out on me just because you can't hold your drink," Remus said.

"I can too!" James exclaimed with as much indignation he could muster. "Just not as much as I had last night.

"Please James, his friend said, shaking his head. "You'd get drunk on a Wine Gum." James tried to protest, but it hurt his head. Lena and Sirius entered, and he groaned as the door shut.

"Must you be so loud?" he moaned.

"Are you all set for Quidditch?" Lena asked brightly, ignoring James' crankiness.

"No, I've got a crippling headache," he told her. She grinned.

"Why don't you come to my room and I'll give you the potion, then?" she asked. He jumped up.

"Yes, c'mon, hurry," he said, heading straight for the door. She laughed and kissed Sirius on the cheek.

"Grab your Magical Languages and meet me in the common room," she said, smiling. Sirius eyed her suspiciously. "You're up to something," he said. She merely winked and ran to catch up with James, who was heading up the girl's staircase by the time Lena reached him.

"Where is it?" he asked before Lena had even walked through the door.

"On my locker," she said. Help yourself. You too, Lilz. I think you've learned your lesson." Lily and James made a beeline for the flask and poured themselves a glass each. As they drank it (as quick as they could) Kim and Ally hurried out of the room.

Lily's headache dissolved immediately. She sighed happily and turned around to Lena.

"Thanks a mill—" she started, but Lena was gone. So were Ally and Kim. Curious, she went over to the door to see where they had gone.

"No," she said under her breath, tugging at the handle.

"What?" James said. "Is it locked?" He tugged at it. It wouldn't budge.

"Lena!" Lily said. "The door's locked."

"I know," she called from outside. "Maybe now you and James will have a little chat."

"Lena!" Lily exclaimed dangerously. "Let me out!"

"What's the rush?" Lena asked. "Relax."

"Lena!" she shouted. James pushed her aside and took out his wand.

"Alohamora," he tried. Nothing happened.

"It's quite a complicated locking spell," Lena said. "I wouldn't try Alohamora, it probably won't work." James swore.

"Lena, we have Quidditch practice today," he said through gritted teeth. "You'll probably need a captain. And I have a new Chaser to train in."

"Quidditch is scheduled for two hours time," Lena reminded him. "Plenty of time to discuss things. I, for one, are sick of you two fighting. Sort it out." she walked down the stairs.

*****

Lucius Malfoy stood in the owlery, looking out over the lawns. His father had sent him a bizarre letter, asking about Potter and Black. As if it was his job to go around caring what they did. It made him sick to see Black out parading with his mongrel girlfriend. Why did his father care?

And it hit him.

For his Master. He was being asked to spy for Lord Voldemort. He took some parchment and quill and wrote about the little scene he'd just witnessed, and the night last week when he'd almost witnessed them kissing … and how Black stood up for her on the first day of school …

He grinned. He felt powerful. Very powerful.

He enjoyed this, he was proud to be helping Lord Voldemort. Helping rid the world of filth like the girls Potter and black were soiling their blood to be with. He added that the Gryffindor boys and girls were spending more time together.

As his owl flew away, Lucius hoped idly that Voldemort would attack the Mudblood first.

*****

 "My son wrote back," Cephus said shortly. "It is as Master fears. It appears the group is getting stronger." Mulciber nodded, awaiting the next instructions. "You can get some others to do it, if you'd like."

"No, I fancy doing it myself," Mulciber said. Cephus smirked.

"I might just join you," he said. "When?"

"This weekend?"

"Suits me," Cephus said. "See you then." With a curt nod, each of the men Disapparated.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

A/N: It's a bit short … but it's something! It feels absolutely amazing, not having to do anything, just read OoP!!!

Isn't it amazing???? I'm so upset over the death, I won't say much, 'cos some people mightn't have finished it … I cried and cried and cried … ::sniff::

Anyway, I've replaced every chapter, 'cos I had to change a few itty bitty details to make it fit in with OoP. Nothing major, just teeney details. I was so shocked when Mrs. Black turned out to be mean, I only guessed that … anyway, please review!!

And leave your favorite Beatles song!!