Ain't Love a Kick in the Head?

Hannah walked the halls desperately, trying to find someone to talk to. This fight with Lily greatly reduced the number of people could seriously confide in. She saw a head of dark hair turning the corner into another hall. Hannah recognized the hair immediately. She checked to make sure the hall was empty, and then sped up to catch her companion.

"Excuse me!" Hannah panted, placing a hand on their shoulder.

Hannah's stomach did a flip as the person turned around to reveal the face of Sirius Black.

"Can I help you with something?" he asked, clearly trying to place Hannah.

"Uh, I...Uh...No," said Hannah, looking down at her feet and loosing her nerve.

"You sure?"

"Yes! Yes, I'm sure, thank you," she mumbled, playing with a strand of her hair nervously.

Hannah turned to leave but felt a pull on her hand. Sirius was holding it, smiling gently. He took the hair she was playing with a tucked it behind her ear.

"Take it easy, Hannah," he said quietly, leaving Hannah gaping in his wake.

Hannah immediately felt her face ignite in red and brought her hand to her face, sighing contentedly like a silly schoolgirl.

"Hannah!"

She whipped around immediately at the sound of her name. "I wasn't doing anything!"

"OW!"

"Oh, my god! Remus, I'm so sorry!" Hannah covered her mouth with her hands. When she turned around she had inadvertently hit her boyfriend of almost two weeks in the face. "Are you okay?"

Though he was holding his eye, Remus grinned at her. "Its fine. I saw you were just talking to Sirius."

Hannah hoped her face had calmed down from its tomato red state a few moments before. "Oh yeah. I was just going to ask him where you were, actually! Hahaha! Isn't that funny?"

"Well I'm really glad you're talking to my friends, it means a lot to me."

Remus took one of Hannah's hands and gave it a little squeeze.

Hannah gave Remus a smile that she desperately wanted to look natural. It was Sirius who was the object of her affection, not Remus. Yet by some turn of events, Hannah had ended up with Remus as her boyfriend instead.

"So, Hannah, I've been giving it some thought...And how would you like to go on a group date? With us, and Sirius and everyone?" asked Remus, walking down the hall hand in hand with Hannah.

"That'd be fun," agreed Hannah, not fully listening to Remus. She was still basking in the glow of Sirius's touch and the fact that he had remembered her name.

"Would this weekend work?"

"What? Oh, oh yeah. That should work."

Suddenly Remus pulled Hannah off to the side of the hall just as the bell rang to let out classes and began to kiss her. Hannah could feel people's looks burning into her.

Oh, god. Oh god oh god oh god. Hannah thought in a panic. Why now? Why in front of everyone?

Remus withdrew from Hannah. "I'm really glad you're my girlfriend, Hannah."

He gave her one last kiss and walked off down the hallway. Hannah could hear people giggling and whispering as she passed them. If she thought her face was burning from Sirius, it was as least ten times worse now. By now it was common knowledge that she and Remus were a couple and she never thought she'd hear the end of it.

What Hannah had really wanted to ask Sirius was if he had seen Lily. It had been weeks and she had not seen or talked to Lily. Hannah assured herself she was not missing her and just wanted an excuse to talk to Sirius. Even if it wasn't exactly the best way by reminding him of the only girl who'd turned him down. Still, at least he remembered her name.

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James opened the door to the library. He stuck his head in a peeked around the corner. Luckily for him, he found just who he was looking for.

"Hey, Lil."

James bent over and gave Lily a quick peck on the cheek. "You busy right now?"

"No. Shoot," said Lily, looking up from her books.

"Remus's going to have a group date down in Hogsmeade this weekend," James began, tapping his fingers on the edge of Lily's book. "And I wondered if you wanted to go. With me, that is."

Lily bit her lip. She wasn't sure if she was ready to have it be general knowledge that she and James were an item. They had been enemies for so long she wasn't sure if she was up to dealing with all of the questions and attention that would be suddenly thrust upon her. But, if she really did love James, and if he was really the one, would it matter what anyone else thought or said?

"Yes, I want to go with you," said Lily finally, giving James a swift kiss.

James was practically beaming. "I'm so glad. I'll see you later, okay?"

"All right," Lily watched him go, smiling softly to herself.

On his way out, James stopped at the door and waved goodbye to Lily. But in letting go of the door it swung around and hit him in the back. He rubbed his head and still grinning at Lily, left the library.

Right in the middle of the library she burst out laughing. She knew then she wanted to be with James for a long time.

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"So, you're in this weekend for sure?"

"Huh, what?" Sirius asked, rubbing his eyes.

"Sirius, you weren't sleeping were you? We have a test tomorrow. We're supposed to be studying," sighed Remus, giving Sirius a forlorn look.

"Yeah, yeah. Well you're not doing very much studying yourself. I can see your doodles from over here, Mr. Romance," smirked Sirius, propping his head up against a pillow.

Remus hastily covered up his notebook where he had scrawled "Hannah Underwood" over and over different ways. "That's none of your business. Are you going this weekend to Hogsmeade or not?"

"I'll be there, okay?" Sirius closed his eyes again.

"Do you have a date and everything?"

"All taken care of."

"And you know what time it's at?"

"Yes, Mom, I know when it is!" Sirius said as he threw another pillow at Remus. "Don't worry. I'll be there. And no, I won't bring a stripper or anything so don't ask."

Sirius went back to his nap and Remus closed his mouth and resumed his studying. A few moments of silence passed before Remus tentatively opened his mouth to speak again.

"I didn't think you were still in contact with the stripper."

"That's really not your business, is it?" asked Sirius, opening one of his eyes.

Remus rolled his eyes. Good old Sirius.

---

Lily ran her fingers through her hair nervously. This was it. She took a deep breath and tore herself away from the mirror. She stepped out into the hall and looked around nervously. She spotted James trying to see his reflection in a suit of armor. She smiled and tapped him on the back.

He turned around, surprised, but looked relieved when he saw it was Lily. "I'm glad you didn't have any second thoughts."

"Oh, I had them," teased Lily. "Come on, let's go."

The two walked down hand in hand to The Three Broomsticks and James held open the door for her. "Ladies first."

Lily smiled. "Why thank you."

James waved at Remus, "Hey!"

The person sitting by Remus turned. Lily's face drained. It was Hannah. Since when was she going out with Remus? Lily had been in her own little world the face couple of weeks and has obviously failed to take notice. And to make matters worse, out of the corner of her eye Lily saw a black haired figure walk in. Immediately she felt James tense up alongside her. It was Sirius.

Sirius seemed just as upset to see James. "Remus," he began calmly. "What is James doing here?"

"I wanted you both here to end this silly row of yours," Remus said matter-of-factly. "I can't stand the two of you fighting. And neither of you will leave. We are going to have a nice day out."

To Lily's amazement, James muttered fine and plopped down in chairs opposite of Remus. Lily followed his lead, not looking at Hannah. This had to be the definition of irony.

Sirius mirrored James, not wanting to appear weaker. As Lily sat between James and Sirius, she sighed. It was going to be a long day indeed.