Sirius and Tiger Lily

By: C.Q.

A/N: First I want to thank my very first reviewers for their great feedback! I was all excited about seeing my reviews and I wasn't disappointed. Here is another song-fic that is a partner story to As Lovers Go. The actual song shows up in the last chapter but it'll be there (I'm obsessed with music and like to put it as background to my stories.) This is partly a SB/LE story but you know that in the end it will always be JP/LE forever. (Well, it implies James and Lily getting together in the future because this story takes place before As Lovers Go.) But don't worry! There are no scars left in my stories (if I can help it) so this story should leave only happy feelings.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter because if I did I wouldn't have a problem paying my way through college and I would have an actual car. Oh well.

Chapter One: Setting the Scene

He wasn't quite sure when this had happened except that he was not expecting it at all. Sirius Black was the newly formed Player of Hogwarts and could get any girl he wanted. He usually preferred them blonde, big breasted, and stupid. So his current problem was, indeed, unexpected especially considering who exactly Sirius Black was infatuated with.

A month ago in June, the summer before their sixth year, Sirius ran into Lily Evans in Diagon Alley. He had gone to check out the latest broomstick at Quality Quidditch and had bumped into her on his way out.

Truth be told, Sirius didn't hate Lily. You could hardly tell by the way he teased her, annoyed her, and tried to hit her with bludgers when she was unsuspecting at Quidditch practice. No, he didn't hate her. They were partners, after all, seeing as they were both beaters on Gryffindor's Quidditch team. And Sirius respected her, not only for her fierceness and talent on the Quidditch field, but also for her passion and courage when dealing with the Marauders.

Yes, Sirius respected Lily Evans.

But there was no way he would ever show it or let her know.

So a month ago he had ran, literally, into Lily coming out of Quality Quidditch knocking all of her bags out of her hands and practically sprawling on top of her after completely loosing his footing in the crowd.

"Oh sorr-Evans! Aren't you a sight for sore eyes!" Sirius exclaimed with his charming smile and a hand held out for her to take.

"Black! Can't you even stay out of my hair away from Hogwarts?" Lily sighed, exasperation in her voice but not quite concealing her exhaustion as Sirius helped her up.

"Evans, maybe you should get someone to help you with all those bags. I mean, if you're going to go buy some Quidditch stuff then maybe you should have a couple extra hands. You can't even carry all this without dropping them!" gesturing to all five bags lying on the cobbled stones while irritated people dodged them.

Lily rolled her eyes and said, "I'd like to point out that I was doing quite fine until you ran into me." She bent down to pick up her bags and Sirius, ever the gentleman, assisted her.

"You don't have to help me," Lily grumbled moodily.

Again, Sirius flashed her a smile and said, "On the contrary. I do feel that I am also obliged to escort you through Diagon Alley as there is no one else with you to do so and I have been longing for the company of a beautiful lady, such as yourself."

Lily groaned tiredly and finally relented to Sirius' company.

Since then, a month ago in Diagon Alley, Sirius and Lily had met up at the pub to have a butterbeer and chat almost everyday but only for the reasons of getting out of their respective homes and having company. Lily hated spending time with her sister who was home from college for the summer and Sirius was loathed to even step foot in his house. James, Remus, and Peter went with their parents on vacation and would be back a little into August so Sirius was stuck at home alone, with nothing to do except be terrorized by his family. Sure, James had offered Sirius to come with them but Sirius was beginning to feel like an intrusion no matter how many times James insisted he wasn't.

So Lily and Sirius spent July talking about Quidditch, school, family, and friends. Sirius tried, and always bluntly, to tell Lily what a great guy James was and she actually seemed to listen to some of it. He was absolutely sure that she was starting to fall in love with James despite herself and he couldn't wait until school started again to test his theory.

But while making friends with Lily would be good for James' relationship with her, Sirius was also finding out what a lovely person she could be.

She would light up the room with her smile and she could stop Sirius' heartbeat with her laugh. Lily's sense of humor was rather dry but quite endearing at times and Sirius had finally met someone he could have a heated discussion with. They talked politics and Quidditch and always respected each others views. And despite Sirius' efforts, he found himself quite infatuated with the beautiful red head with the emerald eyes.

TBC…