Dawn had not yet broken as Melissa woke from a fitful sleep. She took one look at the sky and knew instantly that she would not be able to get back to sleep. She pulled on a camisole over her nightie and padded slowly out of the dorm.
As she got down to the common room, she realized she was not alone. She could see a black haired head over one of the armchairs next to the fire.
"Sirius?" she inquired softly, "What are you doing up this late?"
"I believe the correct question would be; what are you doing up this early?" Sirius shot back lazily. He smirked, but of course she couldn't see it.
"Couldn't sleep."
"Why not? A pretty girl like you shouldn't have any problems getting to sleep," he debated.
She laughed, "You'd be surprised."
"Surprise me."
"Well, for one, Kendra's snoring. You wouldn't believe how loud that girl can snore!" she said jokingly.
He laughed.
"Anyway, why aren't you in bed?" she asked him breezily.
"Transfiguration test tomorrow, or rather, today."
"The great Sirius Black, studying?" she said sarcastically.
"Well, Mel, I'm not fourth top of the class for nothing, you know," he said, sounding a tad hurt for her assumption.
"Sorry," she said quietly, ashamed of her stereotypical labelling.
"S'ok," he said light-heartedly, "Do people really think that about me?"
"Well you are Sirius Black, the hottest guy in school," she answered truthfully.
"That's me," he replied, chuckling.
There was a pause. He stood up from the armchair and moved towards her. She stared into his stormy, gray eyes, seeing what she hoped was his sincerity and honesty. A girl can always hope, right?
"And you are Melissa Anderson, the prettiest girl in school," he murmured softly.
"We match," she said flirtatiously, moving closer to him.
"Melissa, there's something I've been trying to tell you since third year. I-,"
Suddenly, they heard footsteps on the stairs and James' rumpled features came into view. Sirius shook his head and realized he'd been about to tell Mel how much he had liked her since third year! What had he been thinking?
"Sorry, am I interrupting something?" James said smugly, for he had always suspected Sirius liked Melissa.
"No," Sirius replied, "I was just going up to have a shower actually. See you at breakfast, Mel."
"Umm kay," she replied, confused and hurt. She had thought he had been going to tell her what she had been feeling for him ever since she first saw him on the Hogwarts Express in first year. Sure, she had never said anything, and no one knew about her crush on him, but it hurt so much whenever she saw him making out with some blonde Hufflepuff bimbo, or heard rumours about him losing it to the Head Girl in fifth year in her private dorm. She hated the way he treated girls, except her and the rest of her group. He would date a new girl every day, and he didn't care about their feelings and happiness, because he knew that if he didn't like the girl he was currently 'dating,' another would be lining up to take her place. He was just too damn hot, and he knew it!
"I'd better go too," she said to James haltingly, "Wouldn't want to be late for our first day as sixth years at Hogwarts now would we?"
James laughed, "See you at breakfast, Mel. Come early and keep me company! You know how Sirius gets around food, his mouth will be so stuffed full he won't be able to carry a decent conversation."
"That's Sirius for you," she said bitterly, and then turned around and walked back up to her dorm.
xXoXx
Back in the girls dorm, Lily and Chloe were getting ready for their first day as sixth years at Hogwarts.
"Hey Chloe, Lils!" she said happily, "I didn't recognize you with your blonde hair, Lily!"
Lily scowled at her and stuck her tongue out.
"It's all James' fault," she replied pettily, huffing.
"Ooh did you hear that, Chloe? She called him James!" Mel said teasingly.
"Why yes I did, Mel!" Chloe responded, ruffling Lily's hair playfully, "I think our little Lily's getting a wee crush!"
"Guys! I called him James! Big deal! We're allowed to be friends, you know!" Lily protested loudly.
"Friends, she says," Mel bantered back, "just friends."
"Course," Chloe said sarcastically, "we wouldn't think of those two in any other way."
"Course not," Mel added, "Those two are just friends, and Kendra and Remus hate each other. Oh, and McGonagall is lesbian and wears a thong under her robe."
They all burst out laughing.
"Too much information!" Lily yelled, "Bad images!"
"Euwww!" Chloe screamed, "I'll never be able to look at her in the same way again!"
"Did I hear my name being called?" Kendra said, coming out of the bathroom in her Hogwarts robes with a pair of jeans just visible underneath and a towel on her head.
They cracked up again.
"What's so funny?" Kendra asked amusedly, applying mascara using the mirror hanging over her bed.
"McGonagall. Lesbian. Thong," Lily managed to get out, tears of laughter streaming down her face.
"You don't want to know," Chloe explained, her face still scrunched up in a disgusted expression, "or else you'll be scarred for life, like the rest of us."
xXoXx
When the girls had finished getting ready, they made their way down to the Great Hall for breakfast.
When the boys saw them they gaped.
They were all wearing their Hogwarts robes with jeans underneath, but Lily's hair was up in a high ponytail, Melissa's was out, and she had straightened her dark brown hair so that it hung nicely, curving at the bottom. Chloe's, however, was up in a neat ponytail and Kendra's was in a loose French plait with her fringe pinned back. They all looked stunning.
They sat down opposite the Marauders, with Kendra facing Remus, Sirius facing Lily as he didn't want to sit opposite Melissa after what had happened earlier that morning, James facing Melissa and Peter facing Chloe. James looked confused when Sirius pushed into his seat opposite Lily, but didn't question his decision, at least not in front of the others.
"Kay," he whispered bemusedly, wondering what the heck was going on.
Melissa winked at him, "he got up on the wrong side of bed this morning," she said jokingly.
He chuckled, "that would explain the whole shaving backwards thing."
"The what?"
"He was using his razor the wrong way round."
"Ha!" she said, laughing, "shame!"
Sirius heard the last bit of their conversation, and glared moodily at them.
"What's cooked his goose?" James said lightly, raising his eyebrows.
"What the hell?" Mel said inquiringly.
"You know, what's got his boxers in a twist, what's cooked his goose," James replied, "haven't you ever heard those expressions?"
"Umm no, can't say that I have," Mel said confusedly, making a mental note to ask Lily about them later.
"Oh well you've been missing out then."
"Whatever."
xXoXx
Chloe stared at the plate. There was one sausage left! She reached out a hand to grab it-
Yum, Peter thought, looking hungrily at the plate. One sausage left. All for me. He was about to pick it up when he felt another hand on his, groping at the plate, both reaching for the sausage.
"You can have it," Peter said chivalrously, withdrawing his hand back to his side.
"No, I really can't accept it," Chloe replied honourably.
"Take it Chloe."
"But Peter-"
Take it."
"But-"
"Take it."
"But Pe-"
"Take the sausage."
"I want you to have it."
"You reached for it first."
"So? You should have it."
"Why? You're the girl."
"Don't try to be all manly, Pete! It's not gonna work."
"Take. The. Sausage, Chloe."
"No! It's yours! You deserve it!"
"But I could never take something of yours!"
"Yeah, God knows I have enough!" she said, hurt.
"Oh Chloe, I didn't mean it like that," he replied.
"Peter, everyone knows you like me!" she ranted, "but trying to give me the last sausage is not going to make me like you!"
He blushed, and looked down.
"I don't like you because you're a rich pureblood," he mumbled, "I like you because you're funny, pretty, smart, nice and caring."
"Oh Peter."
"I'm sorry Chloe. I can see I've upset your morning. I'll just go now."
"Wait, Pete! There's something I have to tell you!"
"Yes, Chloe?"
"I don't like you, Peter Pettigrew."
"Oh."
"I love you!" She said happily, and threw her arms around his neck enthusiastically.
"You're a good kisser, Chloe"
Thanks Peter."