Promise
Author's Note: This was a request by Bohemian Storm. Interesting little fic. I describe it as Angst/Fluff. :) Enjoy!
Disclaimer: Everything belongs to J.K. Rowling.
Dedication: To Storm. I can't thank her enough for converting me to the ways of R/S. I love you, dahling!
The house was very dark and empty when Remus walked in. He quietly looked around in the hallway, so as not to disturb the portraits, and couldn't see any sign of life. The door down to the kitchen, however, was slightly ajar and Remus began to walk down the stairs. A single gaslight was flickering on the kitchen table and he saw a figure slumped over on the table that he recognized immediately as Sirius.
"Sirius?" Remus stepped toward Sirius, peering at him through the dim light.
Sirius jumped and his head shot up. "Moony!" He relaxed slightly. "You're back."
Remus took off his robes and laid them across a chair and set his briefcase on the floor. He walked over to where Sirius sat. "Are you okay?"
"Sure," Sirius said hoarsely. He rubbed his face with his hands. "I'm fine."
Remus frowned and placed his hand on Sirius's shoulder. "Are you sure? You –"
Sirius stood up suddenly, knocking his chair to the floor, and Remus got a glance of tired eyes and an unshaven face. "I'm fine," Sirius said firmly. He then wrapped an arm around Remus's neck and kissed him fiercely.
Remus suddenly stepped back, breaking the kiss. "You've been drinking."
Sirius frowned and stooped down to pick up the chair. "Only a little." But Remus saw he was avoiding eye contact. He stood back up and they stood there for a moment before Sirius asked, "How did the mission go?"
Remus sighed. "Fine, I suppose. And has anything happened around here?" He bit his lip, knowing he probably shouldn't have asked that.
Sirius scowled. "Of course not." He leaned against the table. "Occasionally, Tonks will come by and update me. That's about it."
"Do you hear much from Dumbledore?" Remus asked, resting his hands on the back of the chair Sirius had been sitting in.
"No," Sirius said shortly. "I suppose he thinks not only do I need to stay cooped up in this place, but I can't hear any information about anything."
"Sirius," Remus said. "You know you can't go outside -"
"Yes, I do know that," Sirius said coolly. "Thank you."
Remus sighed and walked away, rubbing his temple. "Sirius…"
"Moony," Sirius said lightly.
"Sirius," Remus said loudly, turning to face him. "I'm worried about you."
Remus thought he saw a slight flush of guilt on Sirius's face, but it was gone the next second. "I don't know why, Moony. I'm perfectly fine."
Remus walked over and stood right in front of Sirius, looking him dead in the eye. "You're drinking again, Sirius."
"Moony, why won't you call me Padfoot?" Sirius asked, exasperated. "You always call me Sirius when you're upset with me."
"I am upset!" Remus said in a frustrated tone. "You're drinking again."
"Don't worry about it," Sirius mumbled uncomfortably, breaking eye contact again.
Remus put a hand up to Sirius's face and said gently. "Do you really expect me not to worry about you?"
Sirius grinned for the first time today. "No, I suppose not." He kissed Remus on the forehead.
"You promised me you wouldn't start drinking again."
"I know, I know," Sirius said. "And I-I'm sorry. It's just... It's so lonely around here... Kreacher is the only one around here these days, and you know what company he is."
"Christmas is coming up, I'll be here for that," Remus said.
Sirius grinned. "I'm glad. It's been a long time since we've spent Christmas together."
"Yes, it has," Remus agreed. "Hogwarts. Seventh year."
"What about the year after?" Sirius asked, letting go of Remus and leaning back against the table again. "Wasn't it at James and Lily's?"
Remus nodded. "It was, but it was a full moon."
"Oh, I remember," Sirius said, nodding. "When is the next full moon?"
"In four days," Remus sighed.
Sirius looked up sharply. "Do you have a potion?"
He shook his head. "No, and it's too late to make some now."
"Wasn't Molly making it for you?" Sirius asked.
"She was," Remus said. "But she's been busy and I suppose it just slipped her mind – Well, I didn't want to ask her to make it again – I couldn't ask that of her..." He trailed off uncomfortably.
"Moony -"
"Padfoot."
Sirius laughed. "You know Molly. She'll be angry at you for not asking her."
"I know," Remus smiled. "Well, it's too late now."
"I'll put Buckbeak somewhere else and we can use that room," Sirius offered.
Remus raised an eyebrow. "We?"
Sirius nodded. Remus stepped forward and kissed Sirius's temple before pulling him into a strong embrace. "If I ask you to stop drinking again, will you do it?"
"Yes." And Remus knew he was telling the truth.
"I worry about you because I love you so much."
Sirius pulled back and looked at Remus. "I know."