Jade Huxley was timid, it was true. She was quiet in all her classes, never speaking out for fear of someone actually taking notice of her. She was pretty, in a quiet way, with soft hazel eyes and brown hair. She was especially afraid of the Marauders. They were so bold, and so daring. They were her opposites.

She was in the library, searching for a book, when she heard a groan from the next shelf over. She peeked around the shelf to see two of the Marauders, the one with sandy hair, and the blonde whose name she thought might be Peter. The sandy haired boy was shaking his head.

"Sorry, Pete, but I promised James I'd meet him. Something about Evans, and you know how he gets about Evans. Both boys made faces.

"S'okay, Remy. I'll manage. I think."

With those words of encouragement, the sandy haired boy left, leaving Peter alone at the table.

She took a deep breath, squeezing her eyes shut as she screwed up enough courage to talk to him.

"I'm sorry," she said, causing Peter to jump.

"Sorry, bout what?" he asked.

"Well, for bothering you when you're studying. But I couldn't help but overhear you and that other boy talking about your homework."

Peter blushed.

"Yeah? Bet you could."

Now it was Jade's turn to blush.

"IthinkIcouldhelpyou."

"Huh?"

Jade took a deep breath.

"I think I could help you."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Okay."

It was the beginning of a friendship. Peter felt proud that he had made a friend, a girl friend, without any of his fellow Marauders around to help. They got along well, laughing and talking about almost everything. They had lots in common, like being hopeless at Quidditch, and hating Care of Magical Creatures.

Jade realized that she liked Peter very quickly. It made her blush a little more, but she would never act on it. He was a Marauder, and she was just a little Hufflepuff fourth year helping him with his homework.

It took Peter significantly longer to realize he liked Jade. It started with little things, like realizing she was shorter then him, a first, and also that she was cute, in a soft way. He began guarding her jealously from his friends, afraid that James or Sirius, or even Remus would catch her attention, and she'd be gone.

It took them almost a year and a half to work it out, but, finally, Peter had decided he couldn't take it. He was going to kiss her, consequences be damned. He picked the very last day of his sixth year, her fifth. They were standing at the train station and he leaned in and did it. A little peck on the lips, but they were both blushing like tomatoes.

Peter whispered, "I really like you."

"I like you too," she whispered back.

Peter got the jeering and catcalls of his friends as a reward, and Jade got attention for kissing a Marauder, but it began something. It began a love story that, though they didn't know it then, would only end in tragedy.