"For a birthday girl, you sure seem unhappy," James announced as he followed the girl through the hall. "You could at least fake a smile."

Val plastered on a grin, "Better?"

He narrowed his eyes, "Why are you in such a bad mood?"

She scowled, "Because it's my birthday."

"But it's your birthday," he countered as though the celebration of the last seventeen years of her life was a good thing. "You get cake and presents and cake."

"I've got neither of those," she replied and he frowned.

"You actually have one of those," he countered and she raised an eyebrow. He pulled a package out from his jacket and she shook her head immediately.

"No," she protested.

"Yes," he countered, handing it over to her.

She pushed it back to him, "No."

"Yes."

"James-"

"I'm stubborn and a fantastic gift giver," he informed her. "Take the bloody present." She narrowed her eyes before taking the present. They sat down at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall and he watched her. "You're not going to open it?"

"No, I'm going to get rid of it," she explained. "I only took it from you to get you to shut up."

"Just open it," he requested.

"I told you not to get me anything."

"Did you really expect me to listen?"

"Well I thought you would listen when I threatened to rip your head off."

"You haven't done that yet."

She scowled, "Don't tempt me."

"What's going on here?" Sirius inquired as he and Remus sat down across from the pair. "Trouble in paradise?"

"It's her birthday," James explained and Val wanted to slap him. "And she's refusing to open my present."

"Oh, presents," he exclaimed before taking the package from the girl.

"Be my guest," she replied as James narrowed his eyes at the boy. "You can keep whatever's inside too."

"You don't even know what it is," James pointed out and she looked up at him. She could see the hurt in his expression and frowned.

"I don't like my birthday."

"Who doesn't like their birthday?" Remus asked in confusion.

"Someone whose parents were never there to celebrate it," she informed them and they all fell silent. "Like I said, I don't like my birthday and I don't like presents."

"Even if you did, this one sucks," Sirius announced as he placed whatever it was in the middle of the table. "It's just an old book."

Val grew confused at this. She turned to look at it and her eyes widened. She looked up at James, "You didn't."

"Well apparently it doesn't matter because you don't like presents," he pointed out. He reached across the table to grab the book but her hand stopped him.

She pulled the book toward herself and he raised an eyebrow, "I can make an exception."

He grinned, "I figured as much."

Val turned the book over in her hands, "It's-"

"Old," Sirius interjected.

"Perfect," she countered. She placed it down on the table. "It's perfect." She leaned forward and pressed her lips to his. His hands moved to her hips and she pulled him closer, deepening the kiss.

"Not again," Sirius groaned.

"They're just trying to dispose of the sexual tension without actually having sex," Remus pointed out and this grabbed Val and James's attention.

Sirius raised an eyebrow, "You're telling me those two haven't done it yet?" James choked at this and Val rubbed his back to try and help. He coughed as he raised the cup of water to his mouth. "I take it, that's a confirmation."

"It's so obvious," Remus stated.

"Sorry not all of us have a radar for whether someone's a virgin or not," Sirius grumbled. He looked up at the couple before addressing James, "That's what you should give her for her birthday."

"Well, I-" James began but he had grown flustered.

"I'm waiting for marriage," Val interjected and all three boys were taken aback.

"You are?" James asked in surprise at the same time as Sirius. Val shot him a look and he cleared his throat, "I mean...you are."

"Why on earth would you do that?" Sirius gaped.

"It's a choice," Val informed him. "And it's not that hard to decide to save yourself. I want my first time to be with the person I'm going to spend the rest of my life with."

"That would be sweet if it also wasn't incredibly stupid," he replied. "But it explains why you two are always attached at the lips. You're compensating."

"I vote we move on from this conversation," James requested and Val looked over at him to see that he was blushing profusely.

"Agreed," Val added.

"Are you having a party?" Sirius asked and Val grimaced.

"I don't like parties," she answered honestly.

"Wow, you're a real hoot," he replied nonchalantly. "No wonder James fell for you." Val narrowed her eyes at the boy. "I vote we have a party."

"Go for it," Val replied. "But I will not be attending."

"What if we keep it small?"

"How small is small?"

"Like fifteen people," he replied. "Not including us."

Val grew wary, "I feel like you aren't grasping the whole I hate my birthday and parties thing."

"Think about it as your unbirthday then," James suggested.

"Ha, ha," Val replied but James merely grinned.

"Yeah, I don't get it," Sirius frowned.

Remus gestured to the book, "He got her an original copy of Alice's Adventure in Wonderland."

"Okay?" he replied in confusion.

"Never mind," Remus shook his head.

"So?" Sirius asked, "Can we do it?"

"Something tells me you're going to do it either way so sure," Val replied with a huff. "But there better be lots and lots of firewhiskey."

"That's more like it."

Val stood outside where the Room of Requirement was and stared at the empty wall. This was a very bad idea. She turned to leave but as she did so, James appeared.

"I thought you were going to change your mind," he confessed as he opened the door.

"Why would I ever do that?" she replied as she followed him into the room and he rolled his eyes at her. She stopped walking as she looked up at the banner. 'Happy Birthday, Floozy.' "I take it this is Sirius's work?" she inquired.

"I'll take care of it," he informed her and he moved to walk away but she placed her hand on his chest.

"Don't," she replied. "At least he understands the concept of a joke."

James narrowed his eyes, "I know what a joke is."

She rolled her eyes before grabbing his hand and pulling him through the room, "Sure you do."

"I'm going to choose not to take offense to that."

"Good for you," she nodded approvingly.

"Oh, there's something else I've been meaning to talk to you about," he announced and she turned to him in confusion. "You need to come to a Quidditch game."

She shook her head, "Or not."

"I'm captain, it's weird that my girlfriend doesn't come."

"I don't like Quidditch."

His face dropped, "You don't like Quidditch."

"Allow me to rephrase," she suggested. "I don't like Quidditch matches for the same reason I don't like parties."

"Can you at least try?"

"I'll think about it."

"I had dinner with your parents," he reminded her and she grimaced. "Your parents."

"Yeah, alright," she huffed. "But only one."

The party honestly could have been a lot worse. Sirius, as promised, only invited about fifteen other people. And per James' request on Val's behalf, the room was big enough that she didn't have to be bothered by anyone who may make her uncomfortable. However, she came to realize that when she had enough firewhiskey in her system, no one made her uncomfortable.

Val wasn't sure what number drink she was on but she knew that she felt like she could do virtually anything. She looked around the room until her eyes landed on James who sat by himself. She crossed the room to him immediately but he was too engrossed in whatever was in his cup to see her coming.

She grabbed a hold of his collar and pushed him down onto the couch. She straddled his waist with her legs and pressed her lips to his, barely giving him a moment to react.

"Wait," he tried as they parted for a moment. She kissed alongside his jaw, "What are you doing?"

"Making out with my boyfriend," she replied simply before pressing her lips back to his. She nibbled on his bottom lip and his mouth opened with a faint gasp. She ran her tongue along his upper lip and he seemed to snap out of it, pulling away.

"As much as I would love to continue this," he began, doing his best to push her away. "You've had a lot to drink."

"Think of it as a thank you for the present," she shrugged before moving her hands down to his waist and untucking his shirt. He got a hold of her hands and she narrowed her eyes slightly before she managed to slip her hands away from him. She placed them on either side of his face and pulled him toward her, pressing her lips to his once more.

"Val, I need you to stop," James requested with a groan and she rolled her eyes. She kissed right under his jaw and pulled away for the briefest moment.

"And here I was thinking I was the boring one," she replied. She nibbled gently at the nape of his neck and he groaned leaning his head back slightly.

"I really, really need you to stop."

"Live a little," she suggested.

"For one, you're drunk," he reminded her as he tried to push her away. "And two...I'm finding it really hard to think of a number two hence why I need you to stop."

"I'm not that drunk," she countered, running her hands under his shirt. He tensed up at her touch and she grinned. "Come on."

"Not right now," he shook his head. "If you feel the same after you've gotten some actual substance into you then we can talk."

"Ugh," she groaned, leaning her head back in disappointment. She hopped off the boys lap, "I won't forget this."

"For your sake, I hope you're wrong."