Disclaimer: The song is called Valentine by Jim Brickman/Jack Kugell, sung by Martina McBride. These are J.K. Rowling's characters.


***

It was a cool February morning. Valentine's Day morning actually. And, as usual, James Potter had forgotten to get his girlfriend a present. Now, James knew Lily very well and he knew that gifts weren't that important to her. But he also had come to know girls pretty well (too well, in his opinion) and he knew he was in for it.

Looking over at the bed next to him in the dormitory, he saw that his best friend, Sirius Black, was still asleep. And he saw, with a pang of embarrassment, that even Sirius had had enough sense to get a present for his girlfriend, Laura. James look ed enviously at the package on the nightstand and even considered pilfering it...for a second. Certainly that would not go over well with anyone. He decided to use the secret passage and sneak out to get Lily something. Quietly, he got up and dressed. He glanced at the clock, 5:00 a.m. Not much time...he'd better hurry.

He rushed out and down the stairs to the common room.

Sirius Black opened one eye and smirked. He shook the other two marauders awake and they followed their friend.

James was aghast to see that many were up early and exchanging gifts in the common room. He averted his eyes from several couples who were obviously enjoying the "day of love" and was almost at the door when-

"James!"

Shit.

"James!"

He turned, dreading what he was about to see. His lovely girlfriend, Lily, was awake and several steps behind him. And, oh no, she had a present in her hands, not quite hidden behind her back.

He considered running, but braced himself and faced her bravely.

"Lily! You're up...early."

Her emerald eyes sparkled in the faint light from the fire.

"I have something for you, James," she said with a smile.

James returned it rather weakly, "And-and I have something for you too!" he looked around the common room, "But not here." He led her out of the portrait hole and into an empty classroom.

Lily was ecstatic, "Oh, James! You remembered this time! I knew you would!"

James did not want to take that smile away, "Er-" he thought frantically. Lily liked music. He had picked up a few sappy muggle songs when he'd stayed at her house. He closed his eyes and thought hard, "Er- my present to you is -er- a, a song."

Lily looked at him expectantly. He took a deep breath and prayed that word of this would never get out...

He began to sing, badly at first, but he got better.

If there were no words
No way to speak
I would still hear you

"Here they are!"

James could faintly hear one of his friends. Please no!

"My God, kill me quickly, the idiot is trying to sing!"

No doubt about it...that was his "dear" soon-to-be-dead-meat best friend.

If there were no tears
No way to feel inside
I'd still feel for you

Sirius was laughing uncontrollably, "That is the corniest thing I've ever heard!"

"And the worst singer too," Peter added.

"You're no songbird yourself, Peter," Remus informed him.


And even if the sun refused to shine
Even if romance ran out of rhyme
You would still have my heart until the end of time
You're all I need, my love, my Valentine

"When have you heard me sing?" Peter demanded.

"C'mon, Peter! You always sing when you take a shower!"

"If I hear you sing Rubber Ducky one more time I'm going to throw up," Sirius added.

All of my life
I have been waiting for
All you give to me
You've opened my eyes
And showed me how to love unselfishly

"May be I'll throw up right now," Sirius reconsidered.

I've dreamed of this a thousand times before
But in my dreams I couldn't love you more

"That's true," Remus told them, "He always wakes up crying, 'Lily'! It's rather disgusting..."

I will give you my heart
Until the end of time...
You're all I need, my love, my Valentine

Sirius, impersonating James, goes up to him and starts to sing with him.

And even if the sun refused to shine
Even if romance ran out of rhyme

"Shut up, Sirius!"

James breaks off singing, tries to slug Sirius, and misses. He finally performs a silence charm and finishes the song.

You would still have my heart until the end of time
'Cause a ll I need is you, my Valentine
You're all I need, my love, my Valentine

James finishes the song and looks hopefully at Lily who is staring at him, her expression unreadable.

James is frozen in shock. Did she like it? Or…

Sirius took pity on his poor friend. Walking over to James, he pushed the present he had gotten for his girlfriend into James' hand. ANYONE deserved a break after that pitiful display!

"Here, James!" Sirius said, the silencing charm having worn off. He shoved the package at him.

"Here's the present you got for Lily! You- uh- forgot it in the bedroom!"

James' glazed eyes focused on the present, "Uh, yeah, er- right."

His hands fumbled with it and Lily caught it. Looking as if she didn't know quite what to think of her boyfriend-gone-crazy, she carefully removed the pretty paper. Her eyes brightened immediately.

Then she threw herself at him and kissed him passionately.

In the box, laid a bag of sugar quills, decorated delicately with pink hearts.

"Look at that," Peter complained, "I wouldn't have given him anything for that performance."

"It was ALL the sugar quills!" Sirius said smugly, "Do I ever know how to pick 'em. I knew girls went nuts over them."

The door opened and Laura walks in, "There you all are! What...?" she stared at Lily and James.

"James sang Lily a song for a Valentine's Day present," Remus told her, "And he gave her a bag of sugar quills!"

Her eyes filled with happy tears as she eyed the candy, "Oh! That is the sweetest thing!" She turned to Sirius dreamily, "Did you get me a present?"

Sirius grinned and then realization dawned on him and he turned many colors. Silently, he cursed himself for giving away the sugar quills. He weighed his options and decided on plan number two.

Only a faint stirring of dust showed a person had been in his spot. At the moment he was running like hell to get to Honeydukes before he was girlfriendless.

He might even make it.

THE END