FicWad

Disclaimer: I own nothing. JK rules all the universe.

A/N: Set at the beginning of OotP, starts just before Harry arrives at Grimmauld Place. Pairings could end up anywhere I don't really know yet all I know is that Ginny has a crush on someone sirius-ly out of her league (oh I know, one of the stupidest ways imaginable of using one of the most cliche'd jokes known to hp fanfiction but I couldn't resist) and also that I have a slight obsession with jazz music at the moment, hence the title of the fic and all the chapter titles. And hey who knows, I might actually update this one.

Warnings: Only a few naughty words here and there. Well quite afew naughty words with reasonable frequency, (mainly because Sirius is prone to drunken rambling), but ja, that's all.

Summertime

Chapter One: Softly As In A Morning Sunrise

Ginny's opinion on her own appearance varied significantly from day to day. In her own eyes she was either a red-headed beauty from a windswept romance novel or a red-headed disaster. Today she was in a good mood though, and she happily admired the effect of a strategically placed junk jewellery bracelet against her jeans and black t-shirt. Black high heels to match. Definitely. And red lipstick to coincide with the red bracelet, a dab more mascara ... just perfect.

"Where are you going Ginny?"

Ginny regarded Hermione with a quizzical look "Nowhere. What do you mean where am I going?" Hermione had come in to wake Ginny up to find her already applying the finishing touches to her make-up "You look like you're getting ready to go out" she explained. Ginny shrugged "No. Just felt like putting a bit of lippy on is all."

"You know Harry isn't coming for a few days yet right?"

"And you know I'm totally over that."

"Just checking." Hermione teased "So who are you dressing to impress? I mean, it can't be Kreacher." Ginny put her hand to her heart with a dramatic sigh "Oh, how did you know? I thought I had hid it better, but I suppose such flaming passion cannot be kept secret for long. I admit it! I'm in love the house elf!" and she threw herself in mock-feint upon the bed. Hermione was unfazed by Ginny's melodramatic antics and began out of the room "Well are you coming to breakfast?"

"Yeah a'right, don't get ye' knickers in a twist. Just let me put on my shoes."

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A noise pierced the solid dark of sleep, pulling Sirius into a confused semi-wakeful state. Someone was banging on the inside of his skull. Why would they do that? He took a moment to assemble the world around him, and he quickly realised the physical impossibility of someone touching the inside of his skull. And in a moment he had separated the sensation of his brain seemingly throwing itself repeatedly against the cage of his skull and the sound of someone knocking on his bedroom "In Merlin's name what the bloody hell do you want!?" he yelled at the offender, the door opened and Remus Lupin walked in "Padfoot my dear man you real should learn some manners one day."

"Thanks for the advice, I shall take it to dearest heart."

"And I just wanted to tell you that Molly's cooked breakfast."

"Ugh food." the concept of eating just did not appeal to Sirius at that particular moment in time "Damn you Moony. You and your uncanny ability to drink"

"Well lycanthropy has got to have some perks right?"

"How does lycanthropy take away hangovers?"

"All round tougher body. It's got to be to withstand transformations, and it comes in handy to drink you under the table too. But we've had this conversation before."

"Yes and I believe that last time my reaction was the same as it is this. Not fucking fair."

He was going to continue to explain to his fellow marauder all the evils of the world and how he, Sirius Black, was the target of most of them (the ministry for a start), but Remus had already disappeared again. He rolled out of bed and pulled on a pair of pants. He'd better give an appearance at breakfast or Molly might begin to get all concerned again. He stumbled out of his room and headed for the bathroom, meeting Ginny and Hermione on their way downstairs.

"Morning Sirius!" Hermione said in a voice that was far too bright for this time in the morning, he mumbled an indistinct greeting back. Ginny however seemed taken aback by his sudden appearance and stared blankly at him for a moment, before apparently kicking back into gear and smiling at him "You don't seem so good this morning, not sick are you?"

"I seem sick?"

"Well something in the way you winced when Hermione said good morning seemed to imply you ain't feeling your best." she said with a little grin "That, my dear girl," said Sirius "is known as a hangover." and with that he walked past them into the bathroom.

"He had no shirt on." stated Ginny. Hermione raised her eyebrows "This is true," she said "and your point is?"

"Oh come on like you didn't notice too."

"That he had no shirt on?"

"And that he looks good with no shirt on!"

Hermione just rolled her eyes "Honestly, Ginny."

"What?"

"Nothing."

On the other side of the door Sirius could hear the two girls' chatter quite clearly, and he grinned at himself in the bathroom mirror. Damn, it's been a while since I've been the subject of schoolgirl chatter. It almost made him feel like a marauder again, back then he and James had been quite the talk of the school. And they knew it too, perhaps sometimes Sirius had known it a bit too much, but then they could afford to be cocky as hell back then. Ah, why waste your time dwelling on the memories. In the end it always just reminds you of how much everything went wrong. And then you end up with another hangover. He chucked water over his face, he thought perhaps it would clear his head. It didn't. But never mind, the bathroom cabinet held much better hangover solutions surely ... there it was, his own homebrew hangover cure, he and James were never that interested in potions, but this particular one they had perfected. He took a swig from the blue glass bottle and instantly felt the pounding in his head recede to a dull ache. It'd be gone in a couple of minutes. Worked every time that potion did, he'd have to teach it to Harry at some point, he'd soon be getting old enough to need to use it. He was starting fifth year this year after all. Well I could try and teach him all the wisdom my years of experience have given me instead, but somehow I doubt that the life-advice of a convict is going to help the boy who has to save the world very much. So a hangover cure is the next best alternative.

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"But really Hermione, are you saying he isn't hot?"

"I'm saying he's old enough to be your dad, Ginny, and I don't even begin to understand why you would even look at him that way"

"Well because, my dear, he's rather nice to look at - ow!" Ginny threw the little silver box that had bitten her across the room, it scuttled away on its tiny ornate legs to hide behind the thick velvet curtains at the end of the hall "Careful!" warned Ron "It'll get away!"

Tonks, who had just walked in from the kitchen, cast an immobilisation charm on the object and brought it back to sit on the shelf again with another flick of her wand "Who's nice to look at?" she asked cheerfully. Ginny wondered whether Tonks could be trusted not to laugh at her if she said ... or worse ... tell Sirius they'd been talking about him.

"Come on!" whined Tonks "I want in on the gossip!"

"Oh, it's no one." Ginny covered. Probably not worth the risk.

"Well let me see. Someone considerably older then you. Or so I deduce from Hermione's comments. A teacher?"

"No."

Tonks was obviously enjoying this guessing game "Ooh! I know, an ex-teacher, Remus!"

"No! Are you kidding me?"

"Well I'd say he's fairly fanciable."

"Oh would you?" Ginny gave Tonks a Meaningful Raised Eyebrow Look, which Tonks batted away "This is guess Ginny's crush not guess Tonks' crush, don't try to change the subject!"

"Can we play guess Tonks's crush later then?"

"If you tell me who's been catching your eye sure."

"Fine ... it's..." Ginny let the rest of her sentence die away into an incomprehensible murmer. Tonks wasn't going to give up that easily however, she threatened Ginny with a small but viciously hissing glass snake "Spit it out properly or I'll let the snake loose!"

"I was talking about your bloody cousin if you must know! Just immobilise the snake!"

Tonks complied and put the now lifeless ornament into the box they were filling with dangerous and suspicious things from the hall cabinet before clapping her hands with glee and giving a childish "Oooh! Ginny likes Sirius!"

"I just said he's hot that's all! Now, you. Lupin. Tell."

"Nothing to tell."

"Oh, whatever!"

"You know I've just remembered I have somewhere very important to be. Can't say where, top secret Auror stuff y'know..." Tonks backed quickly out of the door, closing it just as Ginny yelled "You better tell me when you get back!"