Behind the Bar

AlwaysPadfoot

AN: For the final of QLFC. Sirius/Remus in a MuggleUniversity!AU.

"I'd like two Kopperberg's and one pint please and can I pay with half the money and a kiss please?"

Remus Lupin's eyes snapped up from where he'd been automatically been reaching for a bottle opener and the smile that spread across his face was instantaneous. Sirius Black was leaning all too casually against the bar, looking the kind of effortlessly sexy that had drawn Remus' eye in the first place. He had a scarf loosely around his neck but as his shirt sleeves folded up his forearms, hair dishevelled in such a way that Remus was sure he'd styled it like that.

"Now really how easy do you think I am? It'll be at least two kisses." Remus winked.

"You drive a hard bargain Mr Lupin but I guess I can go with two," he grinned fishing a ten pound note from his pocket.

"I'll cash them in when you're least expecting." Remus said, the idea of grabbing Sirius by his scarf and pulling him in for those kisses darting through his head as he passed over the ciders and then grabbed a pint glass.

"I'll hold you do that." Sirius replied. "I take it this is one of the many places the Psycho - Bitch makes you work?"

"Draught beer? Anything in particular?" Remus asked, "And yeah, she's got a little empire in her clutches of which she is the evil dictator."

"Just get him anything. He probably won't be able to tell the difference now; he's completely fucked already.'

"You seem to be holding up alright." Remus pulled the closest pint he could, not wanting to go far from Sirius who hadn't stopped smiling the whole time they'd been talking.

"I didn't get ganged up on in Ring of Fire." he smirked. "You look a little damp for someone who's assumedly been working in the pub most of the night."

"I had to run to the shops for lemons, there's this weird trend of g&t's going around right now. I got absolutely soaked from the snow." Remus explained, running a hand through his hair in embarrassment. Here he was in dark jeans and one of his many logo'd black polo shirts that were compulsory wear for front of house, probably looking like a dog's dinner in comparison to Sirius.

"Fuck these millennials." Sirius replied handing over the tenner as Remus placed the drinks on the counter. "Don't worry. All your hair looks cute standing up like that."

Remus felt himself flush as Sirius' grin spread.

"You actually do blush as well!" he laughed and Remus glanced away, trying to think of something witty but failing because Sirius threw his head back when he laughed and it was all too distracting.

"Stay there, actually wait for your change this time." Remus said and he darted over to the till, quickly counting out the coins. It was quietening down slightly in terms of the crush of people around the bar, but now some people were dancing and the general feel of merriment was amping up to what Remus knew would spill out into the streets of Hogsmeade as all too excited freshers on their way to getting wasted.

"Here. Technically you paid full price so the kisses aren't necessary but I've still got my hopes up."

Sirius was drinking one of the bottles of cider, looking around the room when Remus returned. He pocketed the change without even checking what Remus had given him and then looked back to him.

"So they should be. I owe you them now." he explained, grabbing a straw and grinning at Remus' bemused look. "Peter has a strawpedo to do; you should watch it'll be hilarious."

"Which one is Peter?" Remus asked, interested to finally see Sirius' friends.

"He's the small blonde in the corner by the dickhead with the glasses." Sirius said, vaguely pointing to the corner booth.

Remus spotted them immediately, mainly because they stood out somewhat comically. Peter couldn't be any different to the guy who Remus assumed as Sirius' other friend James. They were both sat at the table, James gesticulating wildly as he talked whilst Peter looked bored. As Remus watched Peter glanced over in their direction and then clearly mouthed 'Help' at Sirius.

He ignored his plea and pointed to the half finished drink in front of Peter. Peter seemed reluctant.

Sirius cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled across the pub. "DOWN IT FRESHER!"

"Oh my god give half the pub a heart attack you fucking twat." Remus laughed.

"It worked though didn't it?"

"I think he's going to choke to death but yeah, sure Sirius. It worked."

"Hey? Are you working here or socialising?" Emma, the deputy manager, elbowed Remus in the side.

"My fault," Sirius said quickly, flashing a smile in Emma's direction, "I'm a horrendous flirt."

He turned, sneakily winked at Remus and said goodbye. Remus told himself that his stomach didn't flip, that he was totally unaffected by Sirius' grey eyes and smirk. Then Emma coughed loudly and Remus forced himself to snap out of it. Normally it was easy enough to fall into the rhythm of repetitive orders and music he'd heard twenty thousand times before but Remus couldn't concentrate, his mind going over what he'd said and if he'd sounded like an idiot, how Sirius had laughed and how fucking tight his jeans were.

"Hey, can you get me a drink for free?" Alice hopped up on a barstool and grinned at him.

"You always ask me that and I always have to say no love."

"You and your habit of following by the rules." Alice sighed heavily. "Make me something strong, I'm out with theatre people. Lily looks like death by the way."

"Yeah I know." Remus murmured, spinning a bottle of vodka in his palm before pouring Alice a double and cranberry, one of her favourites. "I'll charge you for a single, don't worry about it." he leant across and whispered to her. Alice giggled at him, popping a straw in the drink.

"You seem to be in an awfully good mood."

"That's because he's been flirting with all the customers Alice." Emma said, sipping on a coke. "Well okay, just one guy which really Remus, isn't like you. There must be something special about that one."

Alice was giving him such a focussed look that Remus pointedly avoided her gaze, shrugging and then glancing at all the glasses on the bar left.

"I'll just tidy these up." he said.

"Tell me who it was!" Alice demanded.

"That guy over there." Emma said it all too casually, and then she pointed right at Sirius who was laughing again, the kind of laugh that Remus would be too embarrassed to do because it was loud but also enviably free. Alice slipped off her chair as Sirius looked over to them and Remus found himself leaping forward, his arm outstretched.

"Don't you fucking dare."

"I'm just going to say hi." Alice side stepped out of reach, waggling her fingers at him before she made her way across, Remus watching in despair. Alice had way too much confidence and way too many stories to tell about him for his liking.

Emma laughed quietly behind Remus and he groaned.

This was going to be a nightmare.