"You are my best friend,
and I love you, and I love you.
Yes, I do."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lily wrapped her coat tighter around her body. It was cold today, though it wasn't much of a change from the temperature lately. All of October so far, it had been cold, and thus she hadn't ventured outside as much as she usually did. Except for that Quidditch game. Lily was starting to wonder why she'd evaded the pitch so much, and she had a sneaking suspicion it had more to do with her avoidance of James Potter than with a stray Bludger. She felt bad about that, especially now that she was figuring out her relatively-new feelings for him, but as she climbed out of a carriage with Bell, Marlene, and Persephone, she brushed those thoughts from her mind. 

"Oy! You louts!"

Marlene was waving wildly at four familiar boys as they hopped out of a carriage of their own and Sirius Black started copying her movements dramatically. James Potter soon joined in as the groups approached each other and Remus shook his head, running his hand along his forehead in mock exasperation. Lily noticed how Persephone made a beeline for him and smiled softly, and then saw how James did the same towards her and blushed. He grinned and ran his hand through his hair as he leaned against Sirius' shoulder, posing suavely.

"Has my presence really got you so flustered you're blushing now, Lilyflower?"

Lily growled and pushed him back, causing him to fall on the ground, and then winced as she offered him a hand up. "Sorry. But also, no, it's the cold."

James seemed surprised that she'd helped him get back up, but he smiled at her nonetheless and tipped an imaginary hat at her. "M'lady?" He offered her his elbow for her to hold and she wrinkled up her nose.

"Not today, James." Again, another flash of surprise went across his gaze, but his smile, now to her wonder, only grew. She supposed it must be the phrasing of her refusal and her use of his first name, even after he called her that nickname. The one that he used in nearly every bad poem he'd written to her, and there were a lot of them. And the one that Lily was finally starting to warm to after all this time. 

Sirius stepped up and took James' arm instead, winking at his friend, and cried, "Tallyho!"

Bell laughed and took Sirius' other arm, offering her free one to Lily, who did take it, and the group assembled as such until Marlene was on Lily's arm, Persephone was on hers and Remus', and Peter took James' other arm. They practically made a wall as they started down the streets of Hogsmeade, tugging at each other and laughing, and quickly disbanded when they couldn't seem to keep in step. Lily saw how Bell and Sirius didn't drop their arms at all, but made no mention of it, only grinned at them for a moment before turning back to the street ahead.

Hogsmeade trips were always a treat, even when it was freezing outside like today. Lily reached into her pocket, but didn't find her gloves there like they usually would be. She searched the other side, looking down, but no cigar there either. Frowning, she just tucked her hands in her pockets instead, but then someone nudged her elbow and she looked up. James was holding out a pair of grey gloves, smiling at her in a way that wasn't flirty or teasing, but genuinely kind.

"Here, borrow mine."

Lily didn't even hesitate. "Thanks." She took the gloves and slipped them on, then when she was sure James wasn't looking, she glanced down at her hands, now much warmer, and grinned.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sirius couldn't stop smiling as the group continued down the street. The Three Broomsticks was their first destination for a round of hot butterbeers, they'd decided as a collective before leaving the castle this morning, and so that was where they were making a beeline to. Sirius hardly noticed the cold anymore, though, because of how Bell was still holding his arm, like she belonged there. His hands were tucked in his pockets to ward off the cold, but one of her mittened hands was tucked into the crook of his arm, and he kept glancing at it, then her face, as they walked.

"Is that Remus' scarf?"

"Hmm?" Sirius looked back up from their conjoined arms, then went on, able to tell Bell knew he just needed a moment to register the question, "Oh, yeah, it is." His smile widened. "He saw the goal on my List about collecting a memorial item- I need to think of a better description, that sounds morbid -from each friend before the year's up."

Persephone, who was walking close to Remus beside them, lifted her head swiftly from where she'd been gazing at the ground, and Sirius noticed, looking over at her. She blushed and opened and shut her mouth once as if she'd been about to speak her thoughts, but then decided not to, and he smiled at her.

"Yes, you too, Persephone."

The smile that came onto the Hufflepuff girl's face was radiant, even Sirius, who was smitten with another girl, could see that, and he was glad to have reassured her that she was a firm part of their friend group by now.

"That's really sweet."

Sirius turned back to Bell, his heart warming despite the cold at her smile. "That I'm wearing Remus' old scarf or that Persephone just smiled like sunshine?"

Bell grinned. "Both." She leaned in toward Sirius and his heart stopped. Was she about to- No, she was whispering to him, and his heart resumed its pace, though a bit faster than a minute ago. "That's exactly the description I was thinking for her smile," she said quietly, "and I'm pretty sure Remus noticed, too." Sirius glanced over and, indeed, their friend was blushing and smiling at Persephone, though she didn't seem to notice his staring as she focused her gaze down, kicking a rock along the path before them.

Into The Three Broomsticks the group of eight went and claimed their usual table booth in the corner. Now that Persephone was joining them, though- and not to mention how they'd grown bigger since they initially commandeered it first year -the table was a bit more crowded than they were used to. Sirius was squished up beside James and Bell, not that he minded at all, but Remus seemed a little let down when, in the hustle and bustle of figuring out seating, Persephone ended up across the table from him. Marlene, next to Bell and Lily and practically sitting on her friends' laps, waved to Madam Rosmerta and the well-endowed proprietor of the establishment came sauntering over.

"What can I get for you lovelies?" She winked at James and Sirius. "And the troublemakers, too."

Sirius pretended to be offended and crossed his arms at Madam Rosmerta. "You don't think I'm as pretty as dear Bellamy here, Rosy?"

"Not in the slightest."

Sirius grinned and turned to Bell, who was chuckling at their customary banter. "I'd have to agree on that count." Bell immediately turned pink and swatted Sirius' arm, though he could tell she was the opposite of bothered.

"A round of butterbeers, please," chimed in Remus and Madam Rosmerta raised her eyebrows, scanning the table.

"I hate to spoil your fun, but only six mugs would fit on this table."

Sirius was surprised. They'd fit seven on here before- but then he saw the twinkle in her eye and realized what she was trying to do.

"Six will do, then," replied Remus, catching Sirius' eye and giving a nearly-imperceptible half-wink.

Madam Rosmerta gave a nod and walked off, her ample rear swaying as she went, and Sirius, for once in his life, didn't stare. James did, though, and he nudged his friend, starting to laugh.

"Oy, Prongs, Lily's right here!"

Everyone else joined in the laughter, even Lily after a moment, and Sirius noticed when Bell's hand came to rest on his thigh. He glanced at her, his eyes a little wide, and she blushed.

"I, ah, there's not really anywhere else to put my hands."

Marlene spoke up from her other side and nodded. "She's doing the same over here, Buckaroo." Everyone's laughter started up again. 

"Buckaroo?" asked Lily incredulously and Marlene grinned. "A word Marshall-" One of her two older brothers. "-brought back from his trip to America last summer."

Madam Rosmerta reappeared quite soon with the drinks and placed them on the table as if it really could only fit the six mugs, though a bit of magic, and that would no longer be true. Sirius didn't mention that, though, and the group reached for the butterbeers all at once. Bell took the handle of the same one he was going for and their gazes met. Sirius felt his words disappear for a beat as he stared into those amber-brown eyes, but then he gave a typical charming smile and her own lips curled up in reply.

"Want to share it?"

"Sure."

Sirius grinned and glanced away as she took the first sip to see who else was sharing. To his initial disappointment, it wasn't Lily and James, but then he saw Remus and Persephone both blushing and nudging a mug back and forth between them as if trying to decide who it should go to and his smile grew again.

"Just share it, you two," called Marlene, wiping white froth off her lips with the sleeve of her dark blue sweater, and the pair glanced at each other. They shared a word or two that Sirius couldn't hear over the din in the pub, but clearly they agreed to Marlene's idea and Remus took a sip before handing the mug to Persephone. Sirius noticed Bell was trying to offer him their butterbeer now and took it with a nod of thanks to her, and she smiled softly. Her hand returned to rest on his thigh, and he noticed her other arm was leaning on the table now. 

So it wasn't just her not having anywhere to put her hand, huh?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bell smiled to herself and her gaze flicked back up from her hand on Sirius' leg.

No, she was definitely flirting.