A/N: Inspired by a pond one afternoon. 'Tis vaguely slashy; Remus has a crush on Sirius, as you can probably tell. Please r/r and I will love you forever.
Disclaimer: All characters belong to J.K. Rowling. I make no profit from this.
On to the drabble.
He stands poised at the edge of the rock, arms crossed, one toe sticking just barely under the lukewarm, sunny water. He can see down right through it, the wavering green, all the way down to the sandy pond bottom, little black twigs drifting in the water with the wind. A small fish swims dreamily by the rock, moving to merge with the rest of the school to his left. He takes a deep breath. It's not like he's never swam before, of course he has, and he's pretty good, too, but it's been four years since the last time, and that was only for twenty minutes before he had had to go—
Just get in already, Moony, Sirius yells, splashing him.
Come on, adds James, rising from the clear green-brown water, dashing the smooth waves around him into outward-moving ripples.
He looks around for escape, though of course he doesn't require any. Mr. Potter is sitting on the small, sandy beach, smiling at Mrs. Potter, his arm around her waist. The afternoon sun hits their heads, turning them brilliant shades of gold and chestnut. She looks up at him, and gently smoothes the untidy hair Remus has seen many times before, the image of loving bliss, and a wave of jealousy swamps him until he turns back to the boys in the water, mouth wobbling at the edges in the sad way only those who know him really well can recognize.
He looks at Sirius's grinning face, then James. They are waiting, waiting for him to move, putting off their own game to help him. Of all people. A shy, serious, closed book-lover with a wry smile, who never went out of his way to help them. He secretly thinks of them as his rescuers, easygoing, proud, athletic James of the untidy hair and even Peter, sometimes. Then there is Sirius, Sirius who was the first to talk to Remus, Sirius the charmer, the flirt, Sirius who watches him study late at night with those beautiful eyes of his, Sirius who never fails to make him laugh, oh God. Do it for them, if for anyone.
He takes another breath, grins a daredevil smile that he doesn't really mean, and slides from the rock into the water. Dappled light shines down through the trees, casting a greenish-tawny-brown sheen over the pond and the boys. The water was warmer than he thought and sends shock waves shuddering through his thin shoulders. It's shallower too, only reaching up to his chest, the pond's little waves tickling him.
Knew you could do it, Sirius is saying now.
Of course I could, he smiles. I was only testing you.
And the afternoon is glorious and sunny, the golden country landscape like some pastoral painting. He's always wanted to visit James' house, and now he is here. With two of his best friends. (Peter being away for the summer.) He knows Heaven must be some faint reminder of this, something very close indeed.
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