FicWad

Sirius and Peter sat on the grass by the lake, staring at nothing.

Sirius was first to break the silence, as always. "I'm /bored/," he said. "Where's Moony?"

"Library," Peter said. He added, "I think James has Quidditch." He picked at blades of grass without really thinking about it.

"You should know James has Quidditch. We've got that match against. Slytherin coming up." Sirius turned over, stretched himself on the grass and propped himself on one elbow. A group of girls looked and tittered.

Peter frowned. "I wasn't sure," he said.

"Yeah, we know your memory's shocking, Wormtail," Sirius said, turning to face Peter. He reached out to ruffle Peter's hair, but forgot that his own arm propped him up. Sirius fell back ion the grass, and Peter laughed.

Sirius scowled back, but Peter ignored it. They fell back into a comfortable silence.

"Where's what's-her-name?" Peter asked, as a thought occurred to him. "You know... the one with all the blonde curls?"

Sirius let out a groan into the grass. "Didn't take her to Hogsmeade," he said, "And now she's spreading the word that I'm a selfish git."

"You didn't take her to Hogsmeade?" Peter said, eyes wide. He looked almost offended. "Why?"

"I forgot, and anyway, it was full moon," he said. Peter's reaction annoyed him, and he couldn't resist saying, "It's not like you've ever had a girlfriend, Wormtail."

Peter flushed bright red. "No, I never have," he mumbled.

Sirius rolled his eyes. "You could, you know," he said. "You're best friends with James Potter." He grinned at Peter, who had started to look curious, and sat up. "I bet I could get Anthea to find someone who'd like you."

"Who's she?" Peter asked.

"Class partner one year. Terrible at classes, but she was okay." He frowned, and changed the subject again. "Is there anyone you like in particular? One of those girls?" He pointed to a group of girls sitting along the lakeside a bit.

Peter wrinkled his nose. "Helen's got a squint," he said, "and that redhead's going out with Renaldo."

"So that's her," Sirius said, and grinned. "What about Susan?"

"Not my type," said Peter quickly. Sirius looked at the way Peter hadn't met his eyes and was staring somewhere else.

"You've got your eye on someone, haven't you?"

Peter protested, but he looked away again.

"You have. Who is she?" Sirius felt triumphant. He'd gotten Peter to admit something important to him, for once.

Peter gave up. "Verbena-Vector-but-don't-tell-anyone..." he mumbled.

"I think I know her," Sirius said, noticing Peter's increasing worry, "Ravenclaw, year below us? Whole lot of freckles?"

Peter nodded, waiting for gales of laughter. They didn't happen.

"You've got good taste, Wormtail," Sirius said. He noticed the others approaching from opposite sides, and waved them over.

The two boys never did get to have that sort of conversation again.