Disclaimer- The only one I own is Serena, the others are to JK Rowling.

Chapter Plot: Is it possible that maybe...just maybe..he's going to pass his classes?

A/N: Aaaaaand here I am, sitting, with back pain, and the want to completely smack myself upside the head. Writers block, pft! No more. Enjoy :) Oh and I'm going to change the "Yule Ball" to the "Holiday Ball" because, as a reviewer pointed out, the Yule Ball was already over by the time James and Lily and everyone else were in school. Okay?

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Never had Sirius had the urge to study. But desparate times cause for desparate measures. And this, dears, was a very desparate time, needing an incredibly desparate measure. He paced his dorm room and raked his hands through his large sum of hair. "Where the hell is it?" he muttered, searching for his Potions book. He kicked over some clothes of James' that were piled on the floor, dropped to his knees to look under beds, and even - dare we think - attempted to look inside the closet.

Jittery due to the unknown location of his book, Sirius had done what he'd become so accustomed to do over the passed three and half weeks since the fight - get Serena. James had so pleasantly nicknamed the tutor "Captain", much thanks to her instant help of keeping Sirius on track in not just school, but his unorganized life as well. If - and if is stated lightly, because it is almost always a "when" - Sirius forgot anything (whether it be an object, date, or what day of the week it was) Serena was the first one he rushed to in order to fix everything. Like a caring secretary, if you will.

The others had taken a notice to the closeness between the two. If they weren't studying, the pair was often found near the lake skipping rocks or having a little chat. The friendship was growing and Serena was soon finding herself comfortable around her new group of friends. She and Lilly would stand side by side at Quidditch games cheering on James and the other teammates of gold and maroon. And every morning, Sirius had a spot saved for her at breakfast with the rest of the gang.

A warm feeling spread over Sirius as he recalled the breakfast that had happened just fifteen minutes ago. He and James sat side by side across from Lily and Remus. They joked and laughed over silly whatnots just as Serena showed up with a stack of seven or eight books. She eased her body down, bending at the knees, to gently set them down.

"Geeze, Serena," James frowned. "What are those for?"

She wobbled a little under the weight and Remus stood up to grab them for her. "Thanks," She muttered shyly before answering her newfound friend. "Finals are soon. I want to prepare."

Sirius' eyes had widened. "Finals?! It's not even Christmas break yet!"

"What kind of over achiever are you?" James piped in.

Serena and Lily laughed. "I was joking, you git. They're sewing books. Lily wanted me to help her pick out a dress style for the Ball." She plopped down next to the red head and the two started flipping through pages.

James rolled his eyes. "Girls."

Reaching reality again, Sirius had made no progress in his hunt for his Potions book. Feeling somewhat between hopeless and useless, he stood, left his room and entered the Gryffindor common room. "Serena!" He shouted.

Heads of younger studies swiveled to face the source of shouting.

"Serena!"

Still no answer. He huffed in aggrivation. She always answered. Always. "SERENA!!"

"I'm right here."

Sirius spun around to see his tutor trying to stifle a chuckle at his two year old behavior.

"You bellowed, your majesty?" She teased.

"I can't find my book."

She held it up. "Potions, correct?"

He grabbed it. "You're a Saint! Where'd you find it?"

She smiled, "You left it in class yesterday."

Greatful that he now had means of studying for the "surprise" test James had tipped him off about, Sirius raced back up the stairs.

"You're welcome!" Serena shouted after him.

"Thank you!" Door slam.

--

Plopped on his bed with every intention to study, Sirius found himself distracted. Again. Thoughts lingering and a smile spread across his face, one could guess that he was doing anything but learning how to mix certain concoctions. How could he not day dream? It was easy to tell that Sirius had become attached to Serena. That he constantly seeked out even the most idiotic of ways to obtain some hint of her attention. Maybe leaving his book behind was, in fact, a mistake. But it lead to another plot to have her within his eye sight.

And a sight for sore eyes she was! She'd finally started to let her hair down. Literally. Lily and Serena and become side by side buddies and found it some sort of fun entertainment to do each others hair and make up while gossiping before dinner almost every night. It was an activity in which James would roll his eyes and mutter "Girls" under his breath. Though, Sirius didn't mind the presentation when both ladies joined the others for a meal. And Sirius couldn't blame Lily for her sudden girlish ways. She was stuck with a bunch of guys after all.

"How's the research goin', mate?" Remus entered the room and tossed his jacket on his bed.

No answer.

Moony's eyebrows furrowed. "Hello? Black?"

Nothing.

"Padfoot!"

"Wha?" Sirius' attention jolted back to reality.

"You're lookin' a little star struck, mate." Remus chuckled, "Everything alright?"

"Perfect." Sirius quickly answered.

Remus sat on the edge of his bed and started pulling off his snowy boots. Casually he said, "So...when yah gonna ask Serena to the Holiday Ball?"

Shock shot through Sirius' body. Moony hadn't even looked up! "What? W-why would I do that?"

Brown met brown as Remus locked eyes with his best friend. "C'mon now, mate...don't be thinkin' I'm the idiot between the two of us."

Padfoot's jaw dropped. He'd thought he was careful and possibly even being foolish about his slight crush on the girl.

"You only have a few days left before she leaves for the Christmas holidays," Remus pointed out. "And just two days until the Ball."

With his nerves on a jumping rampage, Sirius stated one fact he knew to be too true: "I need your help."

--

"I can't see."

Sirius smiled. "That's the point."

"Where are we going?"

"Just hold on."

Serena tightened her grip on his hand. He'd blindfolded her and was now leading her on some wild chase across the world! Or at least that's what it felt like. She let a silly grin spread across her face, "Are we there yet?"

He rolled his eyes. "No."

"How 'bout now?"

Smile. "Noooo."

"Now?"

"Gettin' closer, love."

She grinned from ear to ear, now used to his nick name for her. "Are we there now?"

"Would yah can it already?" He groaned. "You're such a woman."

Serena giggled and nearly plowed into Sirius' backside as he suddenly stopped. She bit her bottom lip, knowing this was problem the moment he wanted her full attention, in an attempt to stop her goofy behavior.

"You ready?" He asked.

"Yes."

Sirius stood behind her, unwrapped the scarf around her eyes, and whispered "Take a look".

She fluttered her eye lids open...and gasped. "W-wha...Sirius!" She turned and faced him. "Yes! Yes! I'll go to the Ball with you!" She leapt into his arms and squeezed him in a hug. "I can't believe this!"

Sirius could only chuckled. Because, any guy who has the help of his three best friends to plan the perfect way of asking the girl he likes to the Holiday Ball by lighting candles and having them levitate in the air to spell out "Serena - Dance with me all night tomorrow? -Sirius", is a damn good reason to be happy that she said yes.

A/N: Did anyone like this one? I hope so. Because things are FINALLY starting to cook :)