Author's Note: This is heavily based on a book of the same name by Brenda Harlen. I've changed quite a bit of the events though. :)
Written for...
Resurrect Romance
MC Mondays
Chapter One
1,015 words
"What's this?" Remus demanded, peering at the small potion bottle Sirius had thrust into his hand without so much as a hello.
"It's a pregnancy test."
Remus stared in horror at the bright pink label that proclaimed 'Philippa's Pregnancy Potions.'
"I don't need this," he said, trying to hand the bottle back. Sirius shook his head.
"I think you do. We slept together, Remus-"
A door slammed further down the hall. Remus quickly stepped back from the door to allow Sirius to enter his flat. The last thing he needed was his neighbours overhearing about his drunken one night stand.
He stalked to the sofa, slamming the potion onto the coffee table with more force than was necessary, hoping the bottle would break. It didn't.
Sirius took the chair across from him, calmly looking between Remus and the bottle. "You need to drink that."
"I'm not pregnant," Remus insisted. "If that's all you're here for, you can go."
"You missed Harry's birthday party."
Remus rolled his eyes. "I had to work. I sent a gift."
"And I stopped by your office yesterday. Murtagh told me you'd been out sick all week."
"It's just the flu. I'm already feeling better."
Sirius looked skeptical. "Well I thought it was better to be safe … it's been a month now."
Remus winced. As if he needed reminders. "I know."
"Are we ever going to talk about what happened? I've been keeping my distance-"
"It was a stupid mistake, Sirius. I'd rather we just forget it ever happened."
Sirius hung his head. "I feel like I should apologize though. I shouldn't have taken advantage of you-"
"You didn't," Remus quickly interjected. "I was drunk, I came onto you. This is my fault."
"But I still should have ended it."
They stared at each other for a long moment and Remus was painfully aware of how awkward the moment was. This was the reason he had avoided all situations where they might've run into each other - much as it pained him to miss Harry's party.
Remus sighed. "Can we just pretend it never happened and go back to how things were? I don't want things to be awkward between us."
Sirius smirked. "It's not going to be easy to forget, but I could try." Remus felt himself relax. "If you drink the potion."
"I'm not pregnant! It's impossible."
"Come on now, I know you remember Pomfrey's lecture from fifth year as well as I do. 'One in thirty wizards are capable of becoming pregnant.'"
"But I'm not one of them. The lycanthropy would cancel it out."
"Have you ever gotten checked out?" Sirius smiled triumphantly, already knowing what Remus' answer would be. He crossed his arms over his chest.
Remus rolled his eyes. "No."
"Then I'm not leaving until you drink that potion."
"This is a waste of time," Remus muttered, reaching for the bottle. Despite his words, he felt a knot forming in his stomach as he downed the overly sweet liquid.
They sat in silence for a long moment as they waited for something to happen. Remus allowed himself a relieved smile after a minute had passed.
And then he started glowing.
The men couldn't take their eyes away from the pure white light surrounding Remus' abdomen until the light faded and they were left processing what it meant.
"We're having a baby," Sirius said quietly.
Remus nodded. He felt like throwing up - and not for the same reason that had been bothering him all week. Morning sickness, he realized.
"I'm sorry," Sirius continued.
"Two apologies in one day. This is remarkable."
"This is all my fault, I-"
Remus stopped him. "Stop apologizing, Sirius. I'm not upset."
Sirius blinked in confusion. "Really?"
He shrugged. "I've always wanted a family, I just didn't expect it to happen like this."
Sirius nodded, seemingly trying to come to terms with the news himself. Remus left him to process and went about making them tea, if only to keep his hands busy.
He knew it hadn't hit him fully yet. It would dawn on him later, when he was lying alone in bed. Then he would probably have a panic attack and make a dozen lists about how he wasn't fit to be a father.
He didn't hear Sirius follow him to the kitchen.
"I want you to know, you're not going to have to do this alone."
Remus laughed. "I am alone."
"But you don't have to be. This is my baby too and I have every intention of being there for you both."
"You don't have any obligations here. I'm not going to force you to-"
"I'm not doing this out of obligation, Remus," he insisted sternly. "This is my child."
Remus nodded. He knew how important family was to Sirius and he had no doubts that Sirius would keep his word.
"We should get married," Sirius suggested suddenly.
Remus snorted. "Right, like you want to get married."
"I'm … I'm serious."
"And that's why you're sweating? Sirius, I'm not having a shotgun wedding. But thank you for the offer."
Sirius sighed, probably relieved that his pseudo-proposal had been rejected. "Sorry, automatic response to the M-word. But it really is the best option for us, Remus. I don't want to miss out on anything."
"You won't. We'll make this work somehow, I promise. Marriage isn't the solution to our problem."
Sirius frowned. For a moment, Remus thought he was upset, but he knew Sirius too well for that. He hadn't had a relationship last longer than a couple of months in close to two years. Marriage was out of the question.
"Look. I appreciate you checking on me and, honestly, I'm relieved that we're talking again, but I could use a little while to process everything. Could we talk later?"
"Yeah, of course. I'll … I'll see you tomorrow?"
"Sure."
Remus walked Sirius to the door, mindful of any nosy neighbours.
"If you need anything - and I mean anything - please let me know?" Sirius begged, blocking the door.
Remus smiled and nodded. "I will. Goodbye, Sirius."
