17 March 1977

"Do you think she hates me?" asked James, over a glass of Irish whiskey, pulling his cousin away from his best friend's moist, needy lips. He held a whimpering Sirius at bay with his outstretched hand. "You're disgusting. All over each other in public. Now about Lily, do you think she hates me?"

Roseberry wiped her mouth on the back of her hand and exchanged a look across the table with Alice Prewett, "She doesn't hate you, exactly…."

Alice giggled and pulled back from the very insistent hands and strong arms of Frank Longbottom to lean forward and join in the conversation, "Truth be told, she thinks you're rather handsome."

"And she knows that you're intelligent and talented. She respects that. But…." The girls exchanged glances again. Rose bit her lip and contemplated the most delicate way to phrase things, "Well, she thinks you're conceited. I don't think that's a secret, is it?"

James sighed and took sip of whiskey, "Some St. Paddy's day. Sneaking into Hogsmeade on a school night to watch couples snog while I drown my heartbreak in alcohol."

"You're a sweet guy. A real catch. I know this. Your friends know this. But look at it from her point of view. The only time she has ever seen you or interacted with you, it's been when you're tormenting some poor unsuspecting underclassman or when you are bending over backwards trying to act überconceited in some misguided effort to look cool for her." Rose raised an eyebrow questioningly.

James slouched back in his chair, "I suppose."

"But I know you. I know you do nice things for people. Like the time you stuck up for that first year Hufflepuff whom Avery and his gang were torturing. And you're very patient with our Gryffindor underclassmen when they come to you for D.A.D.A. help." Rose smiled encouragingly and squeezed his hand. "I'll tell you what. You try being yourself for the next month or so. No, really. No more trying to act cool. Just be yourself and cut down on the hexing of random students, okay? And I will attempt to open Lily's eyes to the good in you."

"So will I!" Alice chimed in, excitedly.

"Do you think I have a chance at taking her to the May Day Ball?" asked James hesitantly.

Roseberry looked squarely at him, "Just do what I say for the next month and I promise Lily will go with you to the ball. Gladly."

Sirius and Frank exchanged looks. "Good," declared Sirius. "Now that you've got that worked out, can we have our girlfriends back?"

1 May 1977

The Marauders spent the good part of the afternoon preening themselves in preparation for the night's festivities before making their way down to the common room to nervously wait for the girls to emerge. James looked especially pale and twitchy. Sirius and Remus tried in vain to loosen him with jokes.

The sound of high heels made the boys turn. Roseberry glided down the stairs and took Sirius's hand, twirling to give him the full effect. She was dressed in an off-the-shoulder lavender dress that complemented her creamy golden complexion. The girls had enchanted her hair with soft golden lights so that it looked like her silky dark hair was hung with hundreds of stars. Sirius pulled her to him and kissed her lightly.

Remus stepped out to offer arms to Mary MacDonald and Alice Prewett. A large pink peony was tucked into Mary's dark blonde French chignon. She wore a pink halter dress with strappy high-heeled sandals. Alice wore a strapless baby blue sheath dress with a long translucent scarf draped about her neck. Alice and Mary leaned up to kiss Remus's cheeks and giggled as he turned bright red.

James stepped forward and stumbled a bit on a rug. Sirius and Peter caught him by the shoulders and he made his way to the girls' dormitory entrance, proudly holding out his hand to Lily Evans. "You look…you look stunning," he gasped. And she did. Lily's auburn hair flowed around her shoulders and her light green eyes smiled down at him. She wore a simple light green boat neck dress with a crisp white sash.

"Come on," urged Peter, "I still have to meet my date."

The Gryffindors trooped down to the entrance to the Great Hall where Frank Longbottom was waiting for Alice. Peter skittered around until he found his date, a sweet-faced hazel-eyed Hufflepuff.

"Well, let's head in! I hear Dumbledore's lined up an excellent band this year," urged Sirius, leading the way.

.~*~.~*~.~*~.~*~.~*~.

Sirius held Roseberry to him, looking down at her. "Do you want to get some fresh air? You look flushed."

"Yes," agreed Roseberry. "And I could use to rest my feet as well." She held her sandals in one hand as she followed him out of the Great Hall. He led her up the stairs. "Feet," she whined. "Feet. Hurt. Rest. Soon."

Sirius grinned back at her, "Sorry." He paused and picked her up. She gasped and gripped his shoulders tightly. "Better?"

"Yes. Much." Roseberry kissed him appreciatively and nestled her head on his shoulder. "Where are you taking me, anyway?" she asked as Sirius passed by the entrance to the Gryffindor common room and continued his ascent, albeit slower and with more effort.

"Astronomy. Tower," answered Sirius, panting.

Roseberry swung out of his arms. "Oh, darling, I didn't know that's where you were headed! I can't have you carry me all that way," she laughed, taking his hand and pulling him up the stairs.

A few minutes later, Sirius pushed a door open and pulled Roseberry out onto the breezy promontory. Roseberry walked to the parapet and looked out over the Hogwarts grounds, "I never tire of this view. I miss home, but Hogwarts has become a second home for me."

Sirius stood behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and nuzzling the nape of her neck. Turning her to face him, Sirius kissed Roseberry, feeling her soft lips part beneath his. His hands moved from around her waist. One travelled lower, gripping her round bottom. The other moved up, his fingertips tracing the neckline of her dress before dipping lower along the fabric of her dress. "You look so amazingly, enchantingly beautiful tonight," he murmured, nuzzling the sensitive skin behind her ear.

"And you, so dashing," she whispered back. She let the dark silk of his hair shimmer through her fingers. Rose leaned in and nipped at the patch of neck he'd left exposed when he had loosened his tie and unbuttoned his shirt earlier.

Sirius let his head fall back as Rose's tongue licked over his chest, following the movement of her nimble fingers as she unbuttoned his shirt. Roseberry pushed his shirt off his body and stepped back from him, letting her eyes flick over his broad shoulders, muscular arms, and the silky black trail that disappeared beneath his waistband. Sirius looked at her, eyes smoldering, but grinning, "Like what you see?"

"I always do," she replied, reaching out to rub a hand across one of his nipples. Roseberry smiled mischievously as she leaned forward to nibble at his nipple. Sirius hissed as her teeth grazed the sensitive skin. His hands grasped her waist, but Rose grabbed his wrists and pushed his hands away. "No, tonight we're doing things my way," she said, all hint of a smile having left her lips.

Sirius nodded and let his hands fall to his sides. He watched her with anticipation as she ran her fingertips lightly over his chest. Roseberry circled Sirius predatorily, never letting her fingers leave his body. Stepping behind him, Roseberry licked a thin line between his shoulder blades and blew over it, causing him to gasp. Her fingertips grazed lightly down his spine and he shuddered. Her arms snaked around his waist to meet at his bellybutton. She thumbed at the silkiness of the black hairs on his lower abdomen. Sirius's breathing became more labored as her fingers pulled at the front of his trousers and unfastened them, letting them fall around his ankles.

"Wha—what are you doing?" asked Sirius shakily.

Roseberry moved back around to stand in front of him. She held a finger up to his lips, "Shh…you'll just have to wait and see. Now stand still and shut up." She gave him one last searing kiss on the lips before dropping to her knees. She pulled his boxers down and gasped a little when she saw the glistening drop of his desire resting on his swollen tip. She looked up at him and met with eyes filled with desire and longing. His lips were parted and his face was concentrated on hers. She smiled up at him rather smugly and licked the saltiness off of him with a moist tongue, inciting a guttural moan.

Sirius closed his eyes and groaned as she took the full length of him in her mouth. He reached down and tangled his hand in her soft silky hair. His thumb ran the length of her jaw, feeling her mouth working on him. It wasn't long before he collapsed, holding himself steady against the parapet and pinning her between his body and the tower wall. He looked down and pulled her up into his arms for a kiss. "You didn't have to, you know," he whispered into her neck. "I mean, thank you for that. I enjoyed it immensely. I just—have I been pressuring you too much? I don't want you to think that you have to do anything like that for me."

"I know," she said smiling. "I wanted to. Now get your pants back on, Sirius Black, before someone catches us out here."