A warm beam of light was reflected off the shining cobblestones as Remus opened the door of the brightly lit candy shop and stepped out into the dusky street. A fine rain was falling and the air smelled fresh and sweet after the dense sugary smell of the was three days before Easter. He had just finished an eight hour shift at Honeydukes packaging jumping jellybeans and bouncing bunnies, and sugar eggs with little pastoral scenes with more bouncing bunnies inside them, and sugar carrots that made a squeaking noise when you bit them, and other sugar carrots you could use to squirt an orange liquid at your unsuspecting siblings. This last item had become extremely popular. Remus had been hired on to help with the extra work over Easter holidays. He was pleased, as he was trying hard to save up enough to pay for a flat of his own when he finished school. He didn't particularly mind missing a quiet Easter break in Wales with his mother's indifferent cooking either. But he was tired and his hands were sticky with sugar and every time he shut his eyes he saw pink and yellow bunnies bouncing about in front of his closed lids.
He pulled his cloak tighter about him against the damp as he walked along the wet street. He was looking forward to the warm fire in the Gryffindor common room, which would be empty as nearly everyone else was away on break. He made an imposing figure as he walked in the twilit street, though he did not realize it, a tall young man in a dark cloak, his stride long and purposeful. The brightly lit storefronts glowed invitingly around him,contrasting with the dark street, but he did not notice. As he walked along he heard footsteps ringing behind him and turned to see his friend, Sirius Black, hurrying to catch up with him.
"Heya Moony," said Sirius, grinning as he fell into step beside him. "Thought I might find you here."
"You're back early," Remus observed. He smelled the familiar scent of Sirius, sharp and clean, with an undertone of wet dog.
"Yeah," said Sirius. "Well." He paused, a note of uncertainty in his tone. Remus looked up at him. "I came back a few days early. Grab a pint with me?"
"All right."
The Three Broomsticks was quiet on this rainy weekday evening, not the crowded noisy place they were used to during their Hogsmeade weekends, but there was a small collection of customers scattered at various tables and at the bar. There was a relaxed hum of quiet conversation. They found a booth at the back and Sirius fetched them two butterbeers which warmed Remus with the first sip of the frothy liquid.
"I thought you were staying with your Uncle Alphard," said Remus.
"I was, but he made me leave."
"Did he? Why?"
"He's got something going on. Something with the resistance. He won't tell me much, but he got called out on some mission and said it would be better for me not to know, and not to stay at his flat." Sirius' grey eyes were dark, angry looking. "Treated me like a bit of child, to tell you the truth."
"He wouldn't tell you?"
"Nope." said Sirius bitterly. "Packed up and went all quiet on me."
'He's really in it," said Remus.
"Wish he'd tell me what it is exactly."
"It'll be us soon," said Remus quietly.
"I wish it was now," said Sirius with feeling. "What's the point of finishing school, NEWTs and all that, stuck here in Hogsmeade when the death eaters are getting stronger every day? And not knowing what's going on with the resistance. I'm ready to join up now."
"Dumbledore won't let you. And it's best to finish school. The war won't last forever."
"Practical Moony."
"Sorry. Can't help it. Cautious by nature." Remus took a sip of his beer.
"It's all right," said Sirius, smiling at his friend."You keep me this side of stupid."
"Didn't you see James?" asked Remus.
"Yeah, I did. I was just there. But…" Sirius shrugged.
"What?" asked Remus looking at his friend sharply, though he thought he knew.
"Well, it's just… Well, Lily was there and, to tell you the truth, I felt a bit of a third wheel."
"Poor Sirius."
"It's all right," said Sirius gruffly. "I'm happy for him really. I'm certainly glad I don't have to listen to him whinging over his great unrequited love for her any more." He sighed into his glass which was nearly empty. "It's just… He's getting all mature all of a sudden. Serious. I miss the old days."
"You'll get a girl of your own soon enough," said Remus, his tone light and even. It cost him a lot to say it, but what could he do? He was Remus Lupin, an expert in the art of self denial. His feelings about Sirius, as he told himself repeatedly, were beside the point.
Sirius looked up at him sharply. His gaze was piercing. "Maybe," he said cautiously. "I don't really know." Outside they heard the storm picking up, the rain beating against the windows.
Remus stared back and swallowed hard, suddenly aware of his breathing. Sirius' gaze did not waver. He grabbed Remus' hand across the table.
"How about you, Moony?" he asked softly. "Aren't you going to get a girl soon?"
Remus felt his face redden. "I don't really think I go in for that sort of thing," he said.
Sirius stroked the inside of his palm with his thumb. "Are you sure Moony?" he asked quietly "Are you sure you don't go in for that sort of thing?"
Remus' mouth had gone dry and he stared back at Sirius, not trusting himself to speak.
"Breathe, Moony." said Sirius with a sudden smile. He dropped Remus' hand, breaking the tension. "Let's go"
"Sirius, it's pouring out."
"Yes it is."
Outside the rain was coming down in sheets. Sirius grabbed Remus' hand again and they ran through the empty streets, breathless and laughing. "In here!" yelled Sirius and he pulled Remus into an alley between two buildings and under a low overhang. The rain poured off the roof beside them but they were out of it. The pounding water echoed loudly in the little alleyway.
They were laughing still, their hair plastered to their heads, water dripping into their eyes. Sirius stood between Remus and cascade of water outside, backing him into the rough brick wall behind them. He was standing close enough that Remus felt the warmth of his body. The wet dog smell was stronger, and Remus saw Sirius' nostrils flare and knew he could smell him, too.
They stood like that for a moment, looking at each other, not speaking, the rain pouring down. Remus was afraid to move. Sirius had a flinty look in his eye, a look he got when he had made up his mind about something. He bumped his forehead against Remus' and it was hard to say who kissed who first but they both wanted it and their lips touched, then parted, and Remus felt the world go absolutely still as Sirius pushed him a bit against the wall and jutted his chin forward, deepening the kiss. After a minute they parted, looking at each other, breathing fast. Sirius was smiling up at him hopefully, as if they were about to embark on their next great maraudering adventure, but Remus knew that this was much more than that to him. He felt a hunger rise in him, a hunger long suppressed, and he put his hand around the nape of Sirius' neck and drew him close and kissed him on the mouth, hard at first and then deeper, softer, in a way that made his bones feel like liquid.
Sirius, who had been watching Remus for months, who had woken that morning from a dream about Remus which was filled with yearning, who had flown through the rain all day to get to Remus, had thought only of the kiss, as if it was just something he had to get out of his system and then move on. He was surprised by how much he liked it. It felt good, it felt better than good and he just wanted to stand there in the rain and keep kissing Remus. He took the other boy's face in his hands and kissed him and kissed him, kissed his mouth and his eyes and the stubbly angle of his jaw, felt Remus' hands move down from his neck, across his shoulders and down his back until they were around his waist. Remus' arms were surprisingly strong and Sirius melted into them as they encircled him. He felt something in his heart crack open and flutter around his chest, like a tiny bird.
Sirius paused and leaned his forehead against Remus' once again. "Moony," he breathed, "You're a really good kisser."
"You're a really good kisser, too," Remus breathed back.
"You don't mind?"
"No," said Remus, kissing his mouth a bit fiercely. "I don't mind."
"I thought maybe you wouldn't."
"I don't mind," said Remus again. "I….I like it."
"I wanted to see you tonight," Sirius said softly,shyly.
"I'm glad you came back," Remus whispered in his ear.
"I wanted to find out," said Sirius and they bent their heads sideways to kiss again.
The rain gradually tapered off to a drizzle, then a fine mist. A half moon had broken through the ragged clouds high in the sky when they finally emerged from the alleyway. They walked side by side, not holding hands, but bumping shoulders occasionally in a friendly gesture, as they made their way along the moonlit road, back to the castle.