Yet another contest entry for the Hideaway...the rules for this one: a lightfic about a misfired cheering charm, must include a kiss. 1000 words or more. I believe I have fulfilled all those requirements--leave a review and tell me what you think. This is my first time ever to write Remus/Sirius so don't flame...constructive criticism, however is welcome.
I dedicate this fic to Casira (formerly Cresentina). She gave me some perfectly wonderful ideas for this contest, but did I use any of them? No. I did however write a Remus/Sirius fic, so that should make up for it.
Disclaimer: I don't own them...they all belong to JKR.
"That woman is driving me bloody mad!" Ron Weasley growled as he and Hermione Granger sat in the kitchen of number twelve, Grimmauld Place. "She's been harping at us to get this place free of all it's monsters and jumps down my throat every time I tell her we're doing the best we can!"
"But Ron," said Hermione is a placating voice, "you mum is just having a hard time right now, what with Percy and the Order, I'm sure she doesn't mean to take it out on you."
"Sure, whatever," Ron grumbled. Then he brightened. "You know what would help? A good Cheering Charm. That would get her off our backs for awhile!"
"But Ron!" exclaimed Hermione, looking shocked. "The school term hasn't started yet; we're not supposed to use magic! Besides, it would be wrong to use that charm on your mum."
"Why?" he asked. "It would make her feel better too!"
Just then, the two friends heard the voice of Molly Weasley coming towards the kitchen.
"Oh Sirius, stop moping!" Mrs. Weasley snapped. "Help me get this place fit to live in-that will take your mind off your own troubles."
Ron reached for his wand as his mother's voice grew closer.
"Ron don't," Hermione hissed. Ron ignored her.
"Molly I doubt that housework will make me feel the least bit better about being forced to stay in this miserable prison while everyone else gets to go out and do useful things for the Order."
Sirius Black and Molly Weasley entered the kitchen just as Sirius had finished speaking. Mrs. Weasley looked frazzled. She was highly upset over the separation with her son Percy, the house she currently lived in gave her the creeps, and she had been put in charge of keeping Sirius Black from becoming utterly depressed. It was almost more than a mother of seven could handle.
To prevent herself from turning on Sirius and strangling him, Mrs. Weasley fixed her eyes upon her son.
"Ronald!" she snapped. "Get up and help me change the sheets in Remus's rooms; they tried to strangle him again last night."
Ron glared at his mother mutinously and lifted his wand; Hermione gasped and tried to grab his arm, but Ron jerked away, causing the Cheering Charm to fly off course and hit Sirius rather than Mrs. Weasley.
"Ron! What did you do!" Mrs. Weasley shrieked.
Sirius had been knocked to the floor by the force of the spell, but he sat up quickly.
"Don't worry Molly," said Sirius jovially as he jumped up from the floor. "No harm done. Now why don't you just fix yourself some tea and relax a bit with these two. I'll take care of those sheets myself."
Mrs. Weasley could only stutter and stare as Sirius gave her a quick hug around the shoulders and strode out of the kitchen with a smile. Finally, she rounded on her son.
"What did you do?" she demanded.
Ron looked frightened.
"Uh…sorry?"
Suddenly, Molly Weasley smiled.
"Never mind, whatever you did got him out of the sulks, for a time anyway."
With those words Molly Weasley prepared herself a cup of tea, just as Sirius had suggested.
Upstairs in Remus Lupin's bedroom, Sirius Black was whistling and grinning to himself as he wrestled with the malicious bed coverings that had been trying to kill his friend.
Remus Lupin appeared in the doorway of his room just in time to see Sirius dancing a jig around the conquered sheets now crumpled on the floor. Remus coughed to alert Sirius of his presence and smiled quizzically.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
Sirius beamed at Remus.
"Hey there, Moony," he said happily. "I was just teaching these wicked sheets some manners."
"Were you," said Remus lightly. "And have they learned their lesson?"
Sirius ignored his friend's teasing.
"They have indeed," he said, "I—arghhhh!"
The bed linens had returned to life and had wrapped themselves around Sirius's legs before pulling him down to the floor. Remus let his mouth fall open in surprise before he came to his senses and leapt forward to help Sirius. Soon, Remus was just as tangled in the sheets as his friend.
"Damn it Sirius!" he yelled as he fought to keep the fabric away from his neck. "How do you always manage to get us into some kind of trouble?"
Next to him on the floor, Sirius laughed-a sound muffled by the dark red fabric covering his face.
Still swearing, Remus fumbled for his wand and finally managed to pull it from his jacket pocket. He muttered a quick spell and the red sheets were suddenly transfigured into a huge cloud of bubbles.
"Bubbles!" Sirius cried out in excitement, popping then with his fingertips, nose and tongue.
Remus sighed as he watched Sirius's antics.
"You're crazy, you know that right?"
Both men were flushed from their battle with the evil fabric and both were grinning.
"Come on Remus, you know you love that about me," said Sirius, giving Remus a wink.
"Yes," said Remus softly, almost to himself, "I do."
Sirius stopped popping the bubbles and flipped onto his side to face Remus.
"What was that?" he demanded.
Remus shook his head.
"Please Sirius," he whispered, "don't."
"No, you said it," said Sirius, "and now you have to explain yourself."
Remus lay flat on his back and closed his eyes with a resigned sigh.
"I love you Sirius," he said softly. "God help me, but I love you."
Opening his eyes, Remus found Sirius's face mere inches from his own.
"I was hoping that was what you meant," said Sirius lightly.
Neither man moved, each considering the other.
"Well?" said Sirius after a moment's pause.
"Well what?" asked Remus.
"Well, aren't you going to kiss me?"
'Why should I kiss you?" Remus asked. "You're the one on top."
Sirius grinned.
"Very true."
Lowering his head, Sirius captured Remus's lips with his own and kissed him hungrily. When they broke apart, Sirius laid his head down onto Remus's chest with a contented smile.
"Remus?"
"Yeah?"
"I love you too."
Remus chuckled. "I'm glad to hear that.
With his head still on Remus's chest, Sirius reached up and popped one of the bubbles still floating above them.
Remus sighed.
"What am I going to do with you?"
The End.
