Title: Sirius' Choice
Rating: T
Pairing(s)/Character(s): Hermione/Sirius/Remus, James
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: Don't own 'em - not making any money off 'em. Dern it.
Word Count: 1,680
Summary: Sirius is happy with Remus and Hermione, but something threatens that happiness.
Notes: AU where Hermione is in Marauder's Era. Also somehow, I managed to set this during their sixth year. It wasn't planned, but that's what happened.
For Liza in the July Monthly One-Shot Exchange: Pairing Used - Remus/Hermione/Sirius, Prompt Used - Cardigan. Thank you Liza for giving me the opportunity to try a pairing I've wanted to for a while.
Getting Around Challenge
Ultimate Battle Competition: Matching Accessory Pack
Non-Traditional Pairing Bootcamp: Pairing Used - Journey
LIFE Game Challenge: Prompt Used - herbs, hoof
Writerverse Livejournal Community: Prompts Used - Possibility, I Think I'll Be Evil Today. Bonus points for past tense.
365 Days of Drabbles Challenge: Prompt Used - Happy
Sirius fingered Remus' cardigan, thinking about the possibility of tricking the other boy into taking it off.
Sirius bit his lip indecisively but when Remus' tilted his lips up to him, Sirius lost all thought.
Sirius moaned as Remus pulled on his hair, urging their mouths closer.
Footsteps interrupted their lusty haste and both of them reluctantly pulled apart. They looked at the upset muggle-born who was trying to get grass out of her hair.
Ideas of how that could have happened ran unbridled through Sirius' head, making him scowl. "Is there a reason that it looks like you were rolling in the grass?" he demanded, crossing his arms.
Hermione stared at him as if he had grown two heads and Remus slapped him upside the head. "What are you accusing Prance of Padfoot?"
"Really?!,"she exclaimed, "I was collecting herbs for Potions and tripped. Hence the grass in my hair. And why would I need to sneak around? Don't you think two boyfriends is enough for a girl? How much energy do you think I have? Keeping you two out of trouble is a 24 hour job."
"Sorry." Sirius gave his best puppy dog eyes, but Hermione wasn't fooled.
She came over to the two of them and crawled in next to Remus. She rested her head on the werewolf's shoulder. "I love you two. Stop thinking that I'm going to change my mind." She tilted her head up as Remus tilted down, and their lips met in a soft touch. Sirius reached over and rested his hand on the gentle swell of her breast, giving it an experimental squeeze.
She moaned, breaking the kiss and claiming Sirius' mouth in a kiss of passion. Remus' hands worked on Sirius' shirt, and the kiss broke so they could lift it up. Sirius and Remus shared a kiss before helping Hermione with her own shirt. Both of them worked on getting Remus to an equal state of undress, but they were forestalled when James and Peter walked in.
"My eyes! My eyes! I'm blind!" James dramatically whined.
Hermione dived for the covers, and Remus helped keep her modesty. Thankfully, they had only removed shirts so they didn't have to work too hard to cover anything.
"Prongs, leave," Sirius commanded. Usually he wasn't shy, but he hated the thought of anyone seeing his girlfriend in this way, especially when he knew how shy she was about her body. It took everything in both Sirius and Remus to convince her that she was beautiful and they didn't need to make love with darkness shrouding them.
"It's my dorm, too. Why can't you guys go to Hermione's dorm to do that?"
"Because we were here," Remus mildly stated, his arm holding Hermione protectively to his body.
"Can you at least turn around so I can get my shirt on?"
"Sure." James and Peter turned away, but Sirius saw Peter trying to look over his shoulder.
"Wormtail," Sirius growled and with an 'eep' Peter didn't look back.
When she had her shirt back on, the boys faced them again. Then they sat on the beds and starting talking to the trio like it was nothing.
Although Sirius was annoyed about their time being interrupted, he was glad that James and Peter treated Hermione like part of the group. He knew that she didn't really fit in with the girls of their year. She was a Ravenclaw in a Gryffindor's robes, a lot like Remus in that way. Even Lily had trouble connecting with her, so it meant a lot to both Sirius and Remus that the other two accepted her as one of them.
Sirius was alone. It was a rare occurrence, but it happened sometimes. He was near the Forbidden Forest, but not actually in it. If he listened carefully, he could swear that he could hear the sound of hoofs from centaurs. Sirius wasn't sure if he was imagining it or not, but either way, he ignored the rhythmic noise.
He had been so happy; he had thought his journey was over. Or at least his journey to happiness. He should have known better. When you were a Black, you were not allowed to be happy, at least not unless it involved sticking superior noses up in the air.
He heard footsteps and prayed that it wasn't Hermione or Remus. He didn't think he could face the two of them right then. It was almost worse.
"Go away, Prongs."
"What's wrong? I haven't seen you this upset since Regulus was sorted into Slytherin. That's how I know it's serious."
"It's my parents. They found out that not only am I with a half-blood wizard, but I'm in a triad with him and a muggle-born. They might have been able to accept the half-blood because with potions there could still be a baby, although I doubt even that. They'll never accept a muggle-born, though. Just look at what happened to my older cousin Andy."
"So what did they say?"
"What do you think? They woke up and thought, 'I think I'll be evil today.' They also made sure I know that I could never see Hermione or Remus again in that way, that I had to put the two of them out of my mind. They might have not thrown Remus into the mix if they hadn't been so furious about me soiling myself with a mudblood. I really hate that word. Hermione is the smartest witch in our year. She's as good as any of the purebloods in our year and that's with only knowing about magic since she was eleven. Who cares that her parents weren't born with magic. That's not Hermione's fault. And can you imagine if my parents found out the truth about Moony. They'd never shut up."
"I've seen you with Remus and Hermione. Are you willing to give them up?"
Sirius looked at his best friend with such hurt. "Of course not. I love them. I never thought I'd love anyone as much as I loved Remus, but somehow, Hermione managed to wiggle her way into my heart, and now I love her just as much as I do Remus. But what can I do? If I don't give in, I'll be homeless."
James clapped a hand on Sirius' shoulder. "No you won't. If you're serious about doing anything to be with them, then that means you'll leave that house for good. My mum and dad would take you in without even thinking about it. It will probably be even quicker if they know the reason you need a new home. Come live with me, and you won't have to give up either of them."
"Really?" Sirius asked hopefully.
"Of course. So, are Moony and Prance worth it?"
Sirius smiled. "So worth it."
They stood up.
James grinned. "No more wallowing in self-pity then. Let's go find Prance and Moony for you, and I have to find the lovely Lily to romance."
"I think she would rather you go jump into the Black Lake."
James shrugged. "Sooner or later she'll fall for me. I guarantee it."
Hermione was resting with her head on Remus' lap while Remus had a book on the arm rest, his eyes glued to the pages, when James and Sirius entered the Gryffindor common room. Shouted greetings had Hermione sitting up and Remus looking up from his book.
Sirius sat between the two of them, causing Hermione to playfully push him onto the floor since he had been partly on her lap.
He pouted from where he landed in an unceremonious heap. "Is that how one of my favorite people greets me? Now make up for it with a kiss."
She rolled her eyes but offered her lips. The kiss started out gentle but soon turned in a blaze like it always did. When there were catcalls, Hermione quickly pulled away, hiding her blushing cheeks in Remus' beloved cardigan.
"Your turn, Moony," Sirius said, eyes dancing with affection at the embarrassed girl.
Remus looked at him closely and with a warning tone, he said, "Keep it PG."
"Yeah, Black. No one wants to see more than PG from you," Lily shouted, causing guffaws all around the room.
Remus leaned down and the kiss started innocent enough, but as Remus attempted to pull way, Sirius grabbed Remus' head and deepened it. Remus let out a helpless moan and gave in to the sensation.
At least he did until Hermione's small but strong hands pushed them away from each other. "PG!" she shouted, cheeks still red from her own Padfoot kiss.
"Couldn't help myself." He shrugged as he stood up, sitting on Hermione's other side.
He put his arm around her and she leaned into his touch, closing her eyes in contentment. "Is there a reason you're in such a good mood?"
"I'm going to be living with Prongs starting this summer."
Hermione opened her eyes and looked at him. Remus watched him closely. They both knew him too well to know something must have went wrong with his parents, and Sirius knew them just as well to know they were questioning whether he'd talk if they asked him.
Hermione and Remus shared a glance and silently decided to let it go for now. If Sirius wanted to tell them why, he wouldn't need any encouragement from them to talk.
"Moony, Prance, you'll be visiting, right?"
They both nodded. Remus leaned over, his chest pressed against Hermione's side, and kissed Sirius' cheek. His lips also traveled to the corner of Hermione's mouth as he sat back up.
Hermione snuggled into Sirius' side, safe between her two lovers.
Similarly, Sirius closed his eyes, basking in the presences of Hermione and Remus as the arm that was around Hermione stretched out, his hand reaching Remus' shoulder. He knew they had a hard road ahead of them; he wasn't sure his parents would just let him go. Even so, as long as he had Remus and Hermione, not to mention James and Peter, Sirius was sure everything would be okay.