Disclaimer: I don't own ANY Harry Potter stuff, it's all J.K. Rowling's!
(AN: Yay, my first piece of writing in MANY months!)
Clichés. Over-used sayings, yes. But useless? Not necessarily.
Silver-grey eyes scanned the textbook in Remus Lupin's hands, but his mind wasn't focusing on the words.
"The early bird gets the worm, eh?" Sirius laughed, sneaking up behind Remus and poking him in the ribs. With his other arm he stretched and snatched the last cupcake off the table.
"Yeah, but the second mouse gets the cheese." Remus poked him back, grabbing the last custard tart off the table.
"What are you two doing?" A deep, joking voice echoed behind the two of them. Both boys spun around to see James Potter smirking at them.
"Errrr… nothing, good old Prongsies." Sirius raised an eyebrow.
"Sirius was stuffing his face, as usual." Remus filled in. "The human vacuum, remember?"
"Vacuum?" Both Sirius and James looked puzzled. Remus shook his head, smiling wryly.
"Honestly James, don't you ever listen in Muggle Studies?"
"I..." He trailed off.
"Stare dreamily at Lily Evans." Sirius finished his sentence, making goldfish motions. "Just like now. James, stop drooling." Remus turned to see a stunning, willowy red-head on the far side of the hall chatting to some young Ravenclaw students.
"Yeah, your jaw is going to shatter on the stones if you're not careful." Remus added.
"Oh, shut up." James affectionately cuffed Sirius over the back of the head. Rumpling his hair, he then strode off in the direction of his dreamy stares' target.
"Well… what're we going to do now?" Remus asked plaintively, shaking his head at James' swaggering walk.
"No idea, since Prongs just bailed on us. Obsessive git." He smirked.
"We could… go for a walk." Remus shrugged. "No hexing the first years anymore, McGonagall doesn't appreciate it, and besides, they're only tiny." Sirius rolled his chocolate-brown eyes.
"Fiiiiiiine then." He mockingly looked offended. "Race you to the Lake!" With that he took off tearing through the hall, Remus sprinting only a few meters behind.
-----
"Nearly – there – going to – WIN!" Sirius yelled, falling the last few meters and sprawling in the mud.
"Nuh – uh!" Remus countered, slipping and falling beside him.
"Ha ha ha ha! Moony, you cad, look at yourself! You're covered in mud!" Sirius laughed, water dripping off locks of ebony hair.
"Look at me? What about you?! It looks like you and the Squid have been doing naughty, naughty things out here!" Sirius snorted, cackling like mad. Looking down, Remus could see his robes were streaked in mud, little pebbles, and tiny sticks. He raised a quizzical eyebrow as Sirius stretched out of his back, resting his head on his hands.
"Eh. Got to do something to pass the time. It's after curfew, so there's no point in going back anytime soon. We're already out, so why not stay out late." Remus poked him. "Ah!" Sirius squirmed like a bug, trying to get away from his friend's tickling fingers. "R-Remus, stop-p!" He protested. "That – tickles!" The werewolf smiled wryly.
"Fine, fine. I win though." He raised his hands in a submissive gesture.
"Oh no you don't!" Sirius tackled his friend, rolling over to face him.
For a split second, their faces were only centimeters apart.
Silver-grey met chocolate as they paused, eyeing each other.
"Got you!" James suddenly jumped out from behind a tree, startling the pair. They jumped, smacking their heads together. James beamed broadly.
"Prongs!" Sirius said joyfully, clambering to his feet. "You old git!" He stumbled up the shore to the Potter, and slung an arm around his shoulders.
"Scared you two so bad!" He doubled over laughing. "You had no idea I was out here, did you!?"
"Nah." Remus smiled, giving Sirius a 'look.'
"Now, into – the – lake!" Sirius yelled. Remus jumped up and helped him hustle James into the icy water, dunking him under. James spluttered to the surface.
"Augh! COLD!" He screeched, scrambling out of the lake. "Cold cold cold!" Remus and Sirius hi-fived.
"Serves you right, ditching us for Evans!" Sirius grinned.
"Yeah, ignoring your bestest friends ever for a scary Lily, whom won't date you!" Remus said mockingly.
"Right, into the lake with you!" James playfully lunged at Remus, grabbing hold of his arm before falling backwards. As he flailed, he latched into Sirius, causing all three of them to tumble into the silvery water.
"Brrrrrrr." Remus shivered in his thin robes, crawling up on to the grass. Behind him, Sirius and James hauled themselves out of the lake, Sirius rubbing his hands together briskly.
"Righto chaps." He laughed. "Now we've all been bathed, off to bed with you laddie-kins." James pushed him back into the water.
"Ah, it's bloody freezing!" He trembled. "I'm going back to the Common Room, where it's warm." He poked his tongue out at his friends. "Coming? I've got the Cloak, so otherwise fend for yourselves." Wet, almost frosting over, and quivering uncontrollably, Remus and Sirius dived under the cloak.
-----
"Group hug for warmth!" Sirius announced 1/2 way back to the Castle. James could clearly be seen to roll his eyes, but he joined in the hugging.
"C-can't this wait until - until we're toasty?!" He argued.
"Nah, coz then they'd think we're pansies." Sirius retorted.
"Augh!" Remus yelped. "Sirius!"
"Sorry, I meant to poke James."
"Moony, you're not ticklish, why did you gasp?" James pointed out.
There was an awkward silence.
"Remus, where did I just poke you!?!" More silence. James coughed, trying to break the quiet.
"Remus…" Sirius continued.
"Sirius, just – watch where you put your hands."
"Ooookay…"
You poked my butt!" Remus doubled over in hysterics, although his thin frame was wracked with shivers. Sirius and James bellowed with laughter, only stopping to smother occasional giggles after they realized Filch would hear them. Finally, the group reached the Gryffindor Common Room, still cackling at odd moments.
"I finally know," Remus whispered. "that the cliché fits." A small smile played around his lips. "That elusive, barely believable saying." He closed his eyes.
"And for a single, dizzying moment, we were close enough to kiss."