*Lilah POV*

"...and I was like no way is the Giant Squid ever getting its grubby little tentacles on this masterpiece. Like do you know how long I spent on my hair that morning? No? Well, I do! And it was far too long to waste it on Squid hunting, let me tell you that!" Sirius rambled.

"Hey," Someone breathed in my ear, their warm breath sending goose bumps up my neck.

I turned my head slightly, spotting the telltale golden blonde hair.

"Hi," I whispered, a small smile lighting my face.

"You look beautiful," he grinned into my shoulder.

"I know," I joked, flicking my hair over my shoulder.

I turned to face him as he stepped away slightly, putting a comfortable distance between us.

He chuckled, "Ready to go, Love?"

I cringed.

"What? You don't like love?" He laughed, slinging a tanned arm over my shoulders and pulling me into his warm side as we walked down the cobblestone path towards the carriages.

"Anything but Love, I beg of you!" I pleaded dramatically, uncomfortable with him using the term of endearment.

"How about Sweetheart then?"

"Sweetheart is perfect, Nic," I grinned up at him.

"You know what else is perfect?"

"What?"

"You,"

Cue heart melt.

*James POV*

"You know what else is perfect? You," I mocked, pretending to vomit. "This guy needs to get some new lines. As if that shit works!"

"Hate to break it to you mate but it looks like it has," Sirius pointed to the pair not far in front of them.

Great. They were extra cuddled up. Exactly what everyone needs on a warm day – extra body heat and cuddles.

"Fucking twat," I growled lowly, kicking a rock off the path in anger.

"Mate you need to de-stress your breasts, your animal is showing." Sirius joked, attempting to lighten the mood.

"Oh yeah? Are my antlers magically sprouting out of my head? Maybe I can use them to stab Nicholas. Now that would be magical." I grinned, imagining it.

"You need some help. Like professional help. Like ASAP. Because despite me being willing to help hide a body, I'd rather not face Little Lupin's wrath – I mean do you remember how scary she was when we first found her by the Lake? Like holy crackers!" He shivered.

"Holy crackers?" I snorted.

"If priests can bless water, James, I'm sure that they can bless crackers too."

*Lilah POV*

"You're a chocolate fan then, I'm assuming?"

I nodded my head laughing, "How could you assume otherwise?" I mock gasped.

He leant over the table, his honey brown eyes staring into my own as a wide grin split across his lips.

"I'm not sure, Sweetheart." His warm breath hit my lips. It kind of smelt like chocolate too. I like chocolate.

"Shut up and kiss me yeah?"

Shock flew across his features before settling on amusement. "Of course, as my lady wishes."

He leant in closer as did I, our lips on millimetres apart.

"Ahem," Someone cleared their throat.

*James POV*

Sirius and I sat at a table at Honeydukes, sipping on our hot beverages whilst also keeping an eye on Lilah and her pet golden retriever.

"This is stalking," Sirius pointed out.

"It is not stalking, Pads. We've been over this, it's just ke-"

"Keeping an eye on a friend? Bullshit it is. At least come up with a better excuse, would you?" Sirius huffed.

"Look it'll be over soon, they'll get a drink then they'll walk out the door and back towards the castle. We'll be like ten minutes tops." I assured, having already assessed the most likely situation to occur.

"Oh yeah? And what if they kiss?" Sirius questioned smugly, finding amusement in foiling his best friend's plan.

"They won't. Why would they? Lilah is going to realise what a total git this guy is and bam! She is available once again, it's like magic Pads," I grinned, not worried over the proposed possibility as I knew that it wouldn't happen.

"Oh yeah?" Sirius repeated, pointing at the pair seated by the window a few tables over.

They were close. Too close.

What were they doing?

"It looks like they're going to kiss. Oh wait no, that can't happen because you said it wouldn't!" Sirius mocked.

There was no way they were going to kiss.

"Shut up and kiss me, yeah?" Lilah's voice carried over to their table.

"Oh! Look at our girl! So assertive and confident! Is it weird that I'm feeling kind of proud right now?" Sirius scratched the back of his neck in confusion.

I quickly pushed back my seat, hurrying over to their table.

"As my lady wishes," Nicholas replied.

Um no. Not your lady. Not your lady.

"Ahem," I coughed, trying to get their attention.

What for? To interrupt their stupid kiss.

How was going to keep their attention? A completely other matter but I was a Marauder, I persevere.

"So..." I trailed off after receiving their attention. "What a lovely day. Lovely weather, yeah? I mean it wouldn't be so lovely if the lovely town of Hogsmeade didn't have such lovely people, especially in this particularly lovely and fine establishment? Am I right?" I rambled, scratching my head awkwardly as I heard the bellowing laughter of Sirius from behind me.

Lilah sighed in disappointment, tugging at the strings of my heart as I saw how upset she was with me. "Did you need something, James?"

It kind of hurt how she looked at me like I was nothing more than some annoying pest, intruding on some particular monumental moment.

Well, I guess I kind of was.

Oh well, not my problem.

My problem was the moment to begin with, not it's delicately crafted destruction.

Okay so it's destruction wasn't exactly delicately crafted, I may have winged it, but that's not the point! The point is the final destination of this situation, the destination where it was I sitting at the table with Lilah.

So that's exactly what I did.

I casually plopped down beside Lilah, sitting opposite to Golden Boy.

Silence ensued my appearance, immediately awakening a sense of boredom within me.

I thought that this would be more interesting.

I glanced around the table awkwardly, my nose picking up on a delightful smell.

"Is that an orange and choc chip muffin? Don't mind if I do, thanks," I grinned, pulling the plate towards me, ignoring its slight screech as it dragged along the table.

"Did you need something?" Nicholas glared.

"Actually no, not at this precise moment. I'm quite content to sit here, thank you for asking, though." I winked towards the angered boy.

I cut up the muffin with the butter knife provided, "Muffin anyone?"

The two glared at me, not appreciating my intrusion.

"More for me," I shrugged, eating a chunk of the muffin. "This is some good stuff," I mumbled, slight bits of muffin flying out of my mouth.

Shoot and score.

"Are you serious?" Nicholas growled, wiping small chunks of muffin off of his face.

"No, I'm James," I pointed to myself.

"Maybe you should leave," Lilah told me.

"Maybe? That kind of sounds like a suggestion to me, does it sounds like a suggestion to you Golden Boy? Because I'm pretty happy to sit right here and enjoy this lovely muffin,"

"I think you should listen to your friend James," Nicholas huffed, apparently displeased with my presence.

I don't see why he would be, I'm a delight to be around.

"Please just leave, James." Lilah sighed, leaning into the back of her chair.

"I'm fine thanks and I wouldn't really consider us friends. The title usually entails that people actually know things about the other person and they have a bond of mutual affection. There's definitely no affection on this side of the bond. No way. Nope. None at all." I drawled out, hoping to make my point clear.

Lilah stared at me, a light shimmer glinting in her eyes.

Was she- No. Of course, she isn't. That was a stupid thing to even think of.

"You need to leave before I make you," Nicholas threatened, a dark gleam shining in his cold eyes.

"James!" Someone called out angrily.

Another person angry with me? What a surprise.

Lily stormed over in a rage of fury, tugging me up from the seat by my ear.

"What the hell, Evans!" I yelled, desperately trying to free my ear.

She pointedly looked between the two currently watching the scene in amusement, "I so dibs being Godmother!"

"What? No! Sex is bad! Bad!" I grunted out, more desperate to separate the two than my ear.

"Come along," Lily taunted, knowing that I had no other choice but to follow.

"Bloody hell woman," I groaned, attempting to drag my feet to delay the inevitable as she dragged me out of the shop. "Pads! Pads! Save me!"

"Nah, I'm good. Thanks for asking, though," He grinned cheekily.

"No! It wasn't a ques-"

"Hush now," Lily shushed me.

"Bu-"

"Hush,"

"Wai-"

"Hush,"

"No-"

"Hush,"

"Ple-"

"Hush,"

"Ugh."

--