Disclaimer: Don't own HP characters. More Zeppelin for Prongs.

Dedication: This is for Prongs. I hope you feel better and I want to help you feel better, so I write more Zeppelin fluff for you! gurgles happily

Bedtime Story

"If the sun refused to shine,
I would still be loving you.
When mountains crumble to the sea,
There will still be you and me." -Zeppelin

"Daddy, tell me a story." Natasha said as James tucked her in one evening.

"What kind of story, sweetheart?" James asked, kissing the seven-year-old's forehead. "A fairy story?" He got up and started walking toward the bookcase.

"No, not a book." Natasha said, getting the same look on her face Sirius did when he was annoyed. "Tell me the story about Prongs and Padfoot when they were in school."

James smiled. "That story again?" he asked, sitting down in the chair next to her bed. "I don't know if I remember all of it."

"Sure you do, Daddy." Natasha said. "Now tell me."

James smiled. "Okay. Once upon a time there were two boys who went to school together. Their names were Prongs and Padfoot. Padfoot was the most beautiful boy in the school and his best friend was Prongs. Prongs didn't know it, but Padfoot was secretly in love with him. And Padfoot didn't know it, but Prongs was secretly in love with him."

"Why didn't they just tell each other, Daddy, if they were best friends?" Natasha asked.

James shook his head and his eyes softened. "Padfoot dated a lot of girls. He didn't know how people would feel if he said he liked boys instead. Back then it wasn't as 'normal' as it is now, Natasha. So, since Padfoot dated a lot of girls, Prongs tried to date girls too. He even pretended he had a mad crush on one girl, until their other friend started dating her.

"Then, one day Prongs and Padfoot went up to the Astronomy Tower to do some homework. Prongs wanted it to last forever. He loved being so close to his friend with no one else nearby. Padfoot had said he had a date, but they stayed in the Astronomy Tower for an hour before he remembered it. By then it was too late, so they decided to stay up there a while longer.

"It turns out their friend had decided to lock the Astronomy Tower door shut. He thought it was time the two friends told each other the truth about how they felt. For awhile Prongs and Padfoot just sat there and told jokes like they normally did, but eventually Padfoot got bored." James eyes twinkled. "He had a tendency to do that. So he decided to lay by the window and try and get a tan, which Prongs that was ridiculous because Padfoot looked much better with white skin."

James blushed softly and continued. "And Padfoot lay in front of the window and Prongs sort of sat across the room from him. He thought Padfoot was so beautiful and he didn't trust himself not to kiss the boy he had a crush on."

"But would Padfoot have cared, Daddy?" Natasha asked.

"Remember, honey, that Prongs though Padfoot liked girls. Prongs liked boys, but sometimes if a boy who likes boys kisses a boy who likes girls, the second boy gets mad." James tried not to roll his eyes, not at his daughter but at the men like that. "Prongs loved Padfoot very much, but he would have rather been friends than nothing.

"Finally, Padfoot got bored with sunbathing alone, so he told Prongs to come over and give him a backrub. Prongs was scared, but very happy. He would have looked silly if he had said no, so he rolled up his sleeves and did what Padfoot asked.

"Padfoot told Prongs something then, something he'd never told anyone. 'I only feel like this when boys touch me.' he said. Prongs was surprised. He didn't know his friend liked boys like that."

James smiled and pushed his glasses up on his nose. "And then Padfoot sat up and turned around and looked at Prongs. He said 'I only feel this happy when I'm with you.' And he put his arms around his best friend and kissed him square on the mouth."

Natasha giggled. "What happened to them after that?"

"Well," James said, laughing, "their friend decided to unlock the door. When he opened it he was very surprised to see his two friends kissing, so he shut it quickly. Padfoot and Prongs dated for three more years, got engaged, got married, had a beautiful baby, and lived happily after."

"Daddy?" Natasha asked. "Did Prongs and Padfoot go to Hogwarts?"

James paused, then nodded slowly. "Yeah, sweetie, I think they did."

Natasha's eyes danced wickedly. "Did you know them?"

Sirius stepped into the doorway at that moment and held his finger to his lips. Natasha noticed him, but James didn't.

James coughed. "I don't know. Why, honey?"

Natasha giggled. "No reason. They just sounded like people you and Dad would have gotten along with is all."

"It's time for bed, doll." Sirius said, sweeping into the room. "And then I have to tell your father HIS bedtime story." He kissed Natasha on the cheek. "'Night, sweetie."

"'Night, Dad. 'Night, Daddy."

After James shut the door, Sirius grabbed him and pushed him against the wall. "And then," he said in a narrative voice, "Padfoot took Prongs upstairs and ravished him in ways no one believed possible until he--"

"Ssshhh!" James hissed. "Natasha will hear you."