Disclaimer: I own nothing, the Harry Potter world and characters belong to JKRowling

It must be the Firewhisky, Remus thought. There was no way he would have agreed to this had he been sober. Remus Lupin, the shy bookworm, Remus Lupin the werewolf, Remus Lupin the only sixth year yet to have had his first kiss – was seated cross-legged in a circle of drunk Gryffindors, about to embark on an unforeseen adventure. For when one burly seventh year had proposed they play a little party game, Remus had agreed enthusiastically.

"I'm in!" he had announced, surprised by how bold the alcohol was making him. It wasn't even as if he'd drunk that much, nowhere near what James or Sirius had.

"What game do you have in mind?" Lily had asked from across the room, slightly suspicious. After all, this is a Gryffindor party we're talking about, and reckless behaviour was almost inevitable.

"Oh, nothing too dangerous," the seventh year had replied, "just seven minutes in heaven or something,"

So that was how Remus had ended up sitting on the floor, staring at an empty Butterbeer bottle as it span round and round, slowing gradually. It would stop at him eventually, Remus knew, but please not now, he silently begged it, not yet. His wish was granted, as two fifth year girls were the first to enter the broom cupboard, both giggling frantically. One tripped over her feet in excitement and blushed scarlet as she was hauled through the door by the other girl.

"Your seven minutes start… Now!" the seventh year announced, projecting a countdown into the air with his wand.

"So Sirius, who are you hoping for?" James asked jokingly, scanning the circle, "I hear Marlene has her eye on you,"

"Dear Godric, no," said Sirius, pulling a face in disgust.

"Come on, mate, don't be rude," James teased, "surely you don't find her that ugly,"

Sirius shook his head, and a stray lock of hair from his ponytail fell into his face.

"No, she isn't ugly, she's just…", he searched for an appropriate reason,"… not really my type." A weak excuse, but it would have to do – Marlene was, after all, a very pretty girl.

"I think Sirius has his eye on someone else!" Peter observed, nudging James in the ribs.

James' eyes lit up.

"Ooh, really!" he exclaimed with glee, "come on Pads, tell us!"

Sirius took another swig of Firewhisky and winked dramatically at the other marauders.

"Not likely."

James looked heartily disappointed.

"Don't worry, Prongs," said Remus, putting his arm over his friend's shoulders, "I'm sure we'll wheedle it out of him eventually. Hoping for anyone yourself?" It was a stupid question, but it served its purpose – to distract James from asking him the very same question. Remus never had been a good liar.

"You don't even need to ask him," Peter pointed out, "he's been looking for an excuse to talk about Lily all night,"

"I have not!" James protested indignantly, "I haven't mentioned her once tonight!"

"Yeah, right," said Sirius, "if you don't count ten minutes ago when you compared the colour of her hair to the Firewhisky,"

"Or when you talked all our ears off earlier, yacking on about whether she'd be here," Remus added with a grin. Peter laughed, snorting.

"But will she be there?" he imitated, his round face capturing James' look of pathetic longing perfectly, "I don't think I could take it if she doesn't show up!"

James huffed and folded his arms, annoyed, but he was soon distracted as the timer went off above their heads, showering the room in golden sparks. Someone yanked open the broom cupboard door, and the fifth year girls tumbled out, looking decidedly more bedraggled. They picked themselves up and hurried away together, their faces flushed. It was time to spin the bottle again. Round and round it went, slower and slower until it finally stopped, pointing directly at Sirius.

"Good luck, mate," Peter said, and Sirius nodded in reply, before downing the remainder of the bottle of Firewhisky he was holding. Remus tutted.

"Don't you think you've drunk enough already tonight?" he said, taking the empty bottle from Sirius' hands.

"Not if the bottle lands on this ugly bugger here next," Sirius said, punching James playfully.

James punched him back. "At least Lily thinks I'm lovely," he said as the bottle was set spinning again. Remus and Peter shared a despairing look over James' head, as Sirius focused on the bottle, swaying in circles himself as he watched.

It took Remus a second to register that the bottle had stopped. Why he had assumed it would keep going, just like every other time it had passed him, he didn't know. But there it was, completely still and most definitely pointing at him. James and Peter roared with laughter as Sirius jumped to his feet and treated Remus to an elaborate, if rather wobbly, bow.

"My dearest Moony, what an honour this is!"

Remus rolled his eyes, hoping it was an appropriately ambivalent response. Before he knew it, the cupboard door was closed behind them.

Sirius was close – he could feel his breath in the dark. And he could smell him clearer than ever; under the stench of alcohol there was the bright smell he had grown so used to from six years sharing a dormitory. Sirius smelled golden.

"This is… interesting," said Sirius after a moment.

"No it's not," said Remus, trying to keep his voice level, "we stand in a cupboard for seven minutes, we vacate the cupboard, James and Pete make a few closet jokes. Done." Another painfully slow moment passed, and Remus pretended he was somewhere else, anywhere but here with Sirius so close.

"I can make it interesting," Sirius murmured, "if you like,"

Remus stopped breathing. He listened to the laughter of the party outside. His heart beat loudly once, twice, three times.

"Okay," he whispered.

Sirius moved closer, too quickly, bumping into Remus in the dark.

"There you are," he laughed, one of his hands finding the werewolf's face. Remus was glad he couldn't see how wide his eyes were, couldn't see how much he was shaking. Then Sirius leaned in, bringing their lips together. Objectively, it wasn't a very good kiss, due to Sirius' drunken lack of coordination, but Remus did not register this. Four years he'd been waiting for a moment like right now, yet now it was finally happening, he was terrified. What if he wasn't a good kisser? What if Sirius changed his mind? What if the door opened and the whole common room saw them?

Sirius broke away.

"Guess what, Moony," he said. Remus could hear him grinning.

"What?"

"I like you. A lot." The world started to spin.

"You're drunk, Padfoot." This was dangerous. Sirius would change his mind and then Remus' last, greatest secret would be out there, with no turning back.

"Not that drunk," said Sirius. Remus leant back against the wall and closed his eyes, scrambling to collect his thoughts. After a few seconds, he opened them again.

"Um," he said eloquently.

"Yes..." prompted Sirius, humour evident in his voice.

"I, uh, I think-"

The door flew open, cutting him off and both boys blinked in the sudden light, momentarily blinded.

"What! They're still fully clothed!" Remus heard James' voice exclaim sarcastically, accompanied by Peter's distinctive laugh. Vision returning, he hurried over to the other marauders, resolutely looking anywhere except at Sirius.

A/N: Thanks so much for reading my first ever wolfstar fic! I would really appreciate any reviews, especially as this is my first fanfic and I'm sure I've got a long way to go. Also, this is not a one-shot, there will be many more chapters of wolfstar fluffiness yet to come!

Rhyd

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