Disclaimer: If I owned these people, I would not be writing fanfiction.

Warning: boylove.

Sometime in March, when the coolness of winter still hung in the air and only the bravest leaves were showing their faces, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry held a School Ball.

Well, it was more of a wild dance party then a ball. There was loud music, screaming students and a large number of professors with earplugs in their ears as they tried desperately to sleep in their rooms. The night passed in a riot of sound, and it was only when the students began to tire that the slow songs were produced, and couples stole the dance floor.

Soft music played through the hall, and the couples who danced had eyes only for each other. The room was mostly quiet, compared to the storm it had been earlier. Now, the slow songs played, the couples danced, and the single students either left the ball, or sat on the sidelines and watched.

Which was exactly where Remus Lupin could be found – alone on a bench, staring across the dance floor as his friends danced with their partners. James was slowly swaying around in a circle with Lily, who was gazing at him softly (she'd finally given in to his endless pleading only last week, and Remus had never seen her happier); Peter had his arms around a short, blonde Hufflepuff whose name Remus couldn't remember, and didn't care to; and Sirius...

Sirius was dancing with his girlfriend of two months (the longest Sirius had ever stayed with a girl), his hands on her waist, her arms wrapped around his neck. He looked at her, and she looked at him, and Remus looked at them both, realizing that, at times like this, he knew what it felt like to have a broken heart.

"Hey," said a familiar voice, and Remus turned to see Clare, a friend of his, take a seat beside him.

"Hi," he replied, smiling. "Where's your partner?"

She laughed. "No partner for me, tonight. I'm a luckless single."

Remus grimaced. "Me, too." He turned his gaze back to the dance floor, and his eyes were inevitably drawn towards Sirius. To his surprise, Sirius was looking right at him; when their eyes met, he grinned, and Remus smiled in return.

"Do you love her?"

"What?" Remus turned with a start, and stared at Clare.

"Well, you seemed to be watching them a lot – " she gestured towards Sirius and his girlfriend – "and I was wondering if it was because, you know..."

Remus smiled grimly, and shook his head. "No. Not her."

"It's not – you don't – " Clare took a deep breath, and tried again, timidly. "Are you in love with – with Sirius?"

He stared at her for a moment, then groaned. Elbows on his knees, head in his hands, he muttered, "Yes."

There was silence for a moment, then she said softly, "Love sucks."

"Yeah, it does."

"Well, I don't suppose you'll dance with me?"

He looked up at her in surprise.

She offered him a sad smile. "We're both longing for someone we can't have, and sitting here moping about it isn't going to change things. We might as well try and enjoy ourselves while we're here, don't you think?"

"I guess so." They got to their feet, and took to the floor. As they began to dance, Remus asked, "Who are you in love with?"

Again, she smiled sadly. "If you haven't figured it out yet, I'm not going to tell you."

Remus had a sneaking suspicion he knew the answer, but he chose to say nothing, because they were comfortably friends, and he didn't want that to change.

Over her shoulder, he saw Sirius take his girlfriend by the hand and lead her outside. His heart gave a painful thud, and he looked away. There was silence; then a loud, despairing wail echoed from outside. Remus jerked his head up with a start in time to see Sirius' girlfriend storming inside, her eyes streaming tears that smeared thick tracks of make-up down her cheeks.

"I'd better go see what happened," Remus said to Clare, who nodded understandingly as he hurried off. He found Sirius sitting on a stone bench, leaning back and staring at the starry sky. Remus took a seat beside him, and said nothing.

"I ended it," Sirius said softly, answering the unspoken question.

"Why?"

"I'm in love with someone else."

It was a night of longing for what you couldn't have. "I see."

Sirius looked at him, his eyes hidden in shadow. "You're not going to ask who?"

"It's your business. If you want to tell me, I'll listen, but I won't pry." Remus sincerely wished Sirius wouldn't tell him. He didn't want to know. He didn't want to be jealous, he didn't want to hurt anymore.

"Are you in love with anyone?"

Remus sighed softly, and looked down at the ground. "Yes."

"Clare." It wasn't even a question.

"No."

"But – but you were dancing with her!" Sirius sounded surprised, and a little...hopeful?

"As friends."

"Oh. Well, who's the lucky girl, then?" Sirius' voice was a mite too casual.

Remus paused, considered his answer, and said, "He's not a girl, and I'm not telling you."

There was a long, heavy silence, then –

"You're gay?"

"Yes."

"Oh." Sirius shifted, and Remus looked up at him, wishing that he could see his eyes.

"Is that okay with you?" Remus asked hesitantly.

"Yeah, sure. I mean – well...I'm kind of gay, too." Sirius sounded uncomfortable.

"What?" Remus exclaimed. "But you – all those girls – "

"Just an act," Sirius said softly.

"Why didn't you ever tell us?"

"I guess...I don't know. I was scared."

"So...why are you telling me now?"

"Well, you told me, and I...oh, fuck it." Sirius sounded suddenly determined. "Moony – Remus – I'm in love with you. I realised it a few days ago, and now I just can't stop thinking about you, and I'm sorry if it freaks you out or anything but I – "

"I'm in love with you, too," Remus interrupted, a stupid grin spreading on his face. His heart was racing and his mind was whirling, and all he could think was Sirius loves me, Sirius loves me...

"Really?" Sirius was breathless. "I mean, you're not just – you really – Wow. Fuck. I mean – Shit, you really love me?"

"Yeah, I really do." Remus, grinning widely, leaned forward and kissed him, soft and slow. Sirius threw his arms around him and held him tightly, returning the kiss with enthusiasm.

They broke apart after an uncertain amount of time, gasping and grinning at each other.

Gasping, and grinning, and one hundred percent in love.

In case you couldn't tell, Clare's in love with Remus. Not everyone gets their happy ending.

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