By the time James Potter reached the Three Broomsticks stars were winking between wisps of stormy cloud. Valentine hearts and wreathes of roses decorated the black paned windows of the pub and the snow outside was washed in shadowy amber light. Hogwarts students were supposed to be back inside the castle but the Marauders knew their way around those rules. James heaved open the door, shoving his hood off his face as the warmth of many fires bathed his face.

"Where've you been, boy!?" someone called from James' left. "You're late."

James pulled off his gloves and grinned broadly. Sirius was lounging in a booth by the window with his arm slung over some girl's shoulder. She was exceptionally pretty, with tousled brown hair and flushed cheeks.

Remus turned over his shoulder and raised a hand in greeting. He was drawn and pale but smiling. James slid into the bench next to him.

"Alright lads," he threw an arm behind Remus. "How long you been here?" he asked.

He slid Sirius' tankard towards himself and took a long drink. It might have looked like butterbeer but it slid down James' throat like firewhiskey.

"Since two I'd guess," Sirius answered. He took his drink from James' hand and brought it to his lips. He held James' gaze over the rim of the mug and James noticed that his eyes were glazed. It was dark now, getting on to be eight o'clock. That was a long time to be drinking.

"How was Quiddich practice, James?" Remus asked.

"It was really good actually." James finally gave Remus his attention. "I reckon we're ready for next week. How was your date? I saw you leaving with her this morning. She was a bit of alright wasn't she?" He nudged Remus, sniggering.

"She was nice," Remus replied, smiling. Valentines didn't fall until Wednesday but most students had celebrated it today, when they were allowed to visit Hogsmeade. James had had Quiddich practice all day to his sore luck.

"You seeing her on Wednesday then?" From the corner of his eye James could see Sirius whispering in his own date's ear. She was a seventh year to their fifth and James was always seeing her about with all her pretty friends, although he couldn't remember her name.

Remus stretched and smothered a yawn. "I reckon so."

James motioned at the couple opposite whilst they were preoccupied and mouthed, "Who's that?"

Remus slid them a glance before mouthing back, "I think her name's Emily."

"Emily?" James repeated.

Remus nodded.

James turned back as Sirius withdrew his lips from Emily's ear. Though he was sixteen James reckoned he could have passed for an eighteen year old. He wore his black hair in an artful mess and it fell before his grey eyes so that he had to toss his head intermittently.

Emily wriggled in closer to Sirius' side. "Your date didn't want to stick around?" she asked Remus.

Remus raised a faint eyebrow and James gave him a half glance. Sirius had a knack for picking the snootiest girls in the school. She arched her back in a pretence of boredom and Sirius' fingertips grazed over the curve of her breast. James tilted his head and grinned and Sirius didn't drop his gaze.

Remus was saying something. James slouched his seat and stuck a foot between Sirius' thighs, digging in hard with the toe of his boot.

Sirius let out a sharp bark of laughter, jolting forward. The arm around the girl jerked, his watch got caught in her hair and she shrieked loudly.

"Shit!" Sirius said but when James started to laugh harder so did he.

The girl gave him a nasty look as she pulled her hair free.

Sniggering, Sirius slid from the bench, grabbing James' knee. "Come on, boy," he said. "Your round."

"Someone's a bit squiffy," James said as they leant against the bar. "And a bit stiffy too," he added with a nod at Sirius' stupidly tight jeans.

Sirius ran a palm over his groin and they both started to laugh again.

When they sat back down James saw Sirius' hand disappear briefly under the hem of Emily's skirt.

Remus leant into his ear. "This girls a bitch," he muttered.

James smiled and whispered back. "She's gagging for it though."

Remus wrinkled his nose but smiled despite himself.

James felt Sirius' gaze on them as they sat back.

"We saw Evans earlier, didn't we Em?" he said.

"That ginger Muggle-born?" Emily asked him.

"Why does it matter that she's a Muggle-born," Remus said in that soft, hoarse voice of his.

James objected more to Emily calling her ginger. Lily's hair was auburn, like autumn leaves and the setting sun.

Emily laughed and tossed her hair over her shoulder. James suddenly recalled her vividly, laughing with her other Slytherin friends, pointing at Muggle-borns and cackling.

Sirius' hand was back on her thigh and she crossed her legs, trapping his fingers there. She turned to him, her hair falling over one shoulder.

"You liked the look of her, didn't you sweetheart?"

Sirius tilted his head away from her but leant closer all the same, bearing his throat. She smiled, leaning closer so that her breath lifted the charcoal black strands of his hair.

"I reckon she'd show you a good time," he said.

James scoffed loudly.

"I bet she would," Emily whispered. She leant closer and pressed a kiss into the nape of Sirius' neck.

Remus was looking at Emily with the most stunning look of repulsion. Sirius' hand slid even further up her leg and she giggled into his shoulder.

"I'm gonna ask her out," he said.

James' eyes hardened. Sirius could be insufferable when drunk and was particularly impossible to predict. Yet Sirius knew exactly how James felt about Lily and the smirk on his face said he didn't even care.

"I told you I was going to ask her tomorrow," James said.

Sirius slouched in his seat, letting his thighs fall open. James didn't need to look to know that he was basically hard. Emily was massaging his knee and Sirius kept get distracted.

"I don't give a shit," he said.

James' face fell. It was a befallen look, he knew. James Potter did hurtfully so well.

Sirius' grin widened and Remus looked down into his empty tankard of butterbeer.

"Mate," James said. "You can't do that."

They stared unblinking at one another.

Emily looked between them. For a moment she looked eager but then her gaze softened and she said, "Sirius, come on. Maybe we should get you some water."

Sirius shrugged. "I'm fine."

When she pushed to her feet, however, he followed dutifully.

James watched them go sullenly.

Remus touched his shoulder. "He's just acting up to impress her," he said softly.

James fiddled with an untidy lock of hair. "Mate it's what he… fucking does." He dropped his hand and swivelled in his seat to face Remus. "Everything's a competition to him and he can't ever lose."

Remus drew his eyebrows together doubtfully.

"No, is true." James leant closer. "We both like to win, right. But at least I know what's worth fighting for and what's best left alone."

Remus scrunched up his scarred nose and his brown eyes. "James…"

James sat back fitfully. "Forget it," he muttered. "I just think he takes it too far sometimes."

/ \

Sirius complained that he had a hangover in the morning and climbed into James' bed and buried his face in James' back. James whacked him half-heartedly.

"Get your morning wood away from me, you twat," he muttered.

Sirius burst out laughing and rolled onto his front, shifting his hips into the bed before trying to tug James' pillow out from under him, though he soon gave up.

It was late on Sunday morning and Remus and Peter had got up hours ago, opening the curtains so frosty February light flooded the room.

James sighed and mumbled into the pillow. "How was the rest of your date?"

Sirius and Emily had slipped away without James and Remus noticing. When they'd got back to Gryffindor Tower Sirius' bed was empty and had remained so until they went to bed.

Sirius made some incomprehensible sound.

"Huh?"

"Would have rather spent the time with you," Sirius said quietly.

James smiled. He didn't expect or even want an apology from Sirius – this was a million times better.

James dozed off for another half an hour or so and woke up as Sirius was trying to climb unnoticed out of bed.

"Don't worry," James said as Sirius cringed apologetically. "I need to get up – I'm bloody starving."

"Yeah, me too. I'm gonna grab a shower then we can get lunch – think we've missed breakfast."

James laughed. "As per," he said.

Sirius disappeared into the bathroom whilst James got dressed and headed down to the Common Room.

Remus and Peter were sat on a sofa reading a comic together. They both smiled as he threw himself into an armchair opposite. "How're you?"

"Good," Remus said. He nodded over James' shoulder. "Lily's over there," he teased. "She's on her own…"

James straightened up. "Reckon I should ask her now?" he whispered.

Remus nodded encouragingly.

James' hands jumped to his hair. "How's my hair?" he said hurriedly.

"It's fine. James, go on – before," Remus broke off but James knew what he was going to say. Before Sirius comes down.

Remus smiled sheepishly and James returned it before pushing himself up. His palms were hot but his sweat felt cold. He felt like he was loping as he made his way over to her.

Lily was bent over an essay, brushing the feathery tip of her quill against her neck. She looked up as he approached and made no secret of her disinterest.

"Hey Evans," James said.

"Hi Potter."

"How're you?"

"I'm good, thanks."

"Cool," James said. He cringed. "So… So… what are you doing this Wednesday?"

Lily almost smiled. "For Valentine's Day?" She shrugged. "I don't know. I went to Madame Puddifoots with Niall McGuire yesterday." She shrugged again and colour rushed into her cheeks.

"I was at Quiddich practice all of yesterday," James said.

"Oh… shame." Her gaze drifted back to her essay.

James swallowed. "What I'm trying to say is – what I want to say is…" He ran his hand through his hair and then again and again. He looked over his shoulder and Remus gave him the thumbs up. He turned back and grinned so broadly that Lily laughed.

James' stomach fluttered at the sound. "What I think is this, Lily."

She tucked her hair behind her ear. "Yes?"

"You deserve to be treated on the real Valentine's Day. So I think we should meet here at seven o'clock on Wednesday evening and I'm gonna take you to dinner."

"You're going to take me to dinner… in the Great Hall?"

James laughed. "Nope, but you'll just have to wait and see," he said. He was going to sneak down to the kitchens, he thought, nick some food and have a feast in the astronomy tower – just the two of them, under the stars. "Sound good?"

Lily hesitated for the briefest of moments before she nodded. "Yeah," she said breathlessly. She blushed again. "I mean, yes, see you then."

"Okay," James grinned. He pushed to his feet. "See you Wednesday then."

"Okay," she replied, smiling sweetly. "Bye." She bent over her work again but James could still see her smiling as he returned to his seat.

"She said yes," James whispered excitedly as soon as he sat down.

Peter laughed delightedly and gave him a surreptitious high five.

He told them what he planned on doing and listened to their advice until, five minutes later, as Peter explained the comic he was reading, James noticed Remus' smile drop.

"You alright, Moony?" James asked.

Remus winced at him and nodded over his shoulder. James could see Lily laughing and fiddling with her quill as she spoke to a boy opposite her – Sirius.

James turned back to Remus abruptly. "What does he want?" he snapped.

Remus shrugged weakly. James started to wrap his fingers against his knee, straining his ears to hear their conversation. All he could make out was her occasional laughter and the low rumble of Sirius' voice. Remus was watching them warily.

James glanced back over his shoulder. "I'm going over," he said.

"Prongs, wait-" Remus objected but James was already on his feet.

He stalked closer and said loudly. "Sirius, can I talk to you?"

Sirius looked up at him. He made a face at Lily jokingly. "Okay," he said, climbing his feet.

James drew him into a corner. "What are you doing?"

Sirius shrugged innocently. "Lily invited me a long on your little date this Wednesday."

"Lily invited you?" James scoffed. "Or you invited yourself?"

Sirius raised an eyebrow and folded his arms.

"You know that I like her, you knew I was going to ask her out," James started.

"So – I like her too – this way she can pick."

"You only like her because she's pretty. You only want to take her out because I do," James said. "Because you don't respect me…"

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Don't be ridiculous."

"I'm not being ridiculous! If you were my mate you'd realise that I like Lily a lot more than you do, that it means a lot more to me than it does to you." He swallowed and Sirius looked at him with his steady gaze.

Finally Sirius nodded and said: "Does this mean I'm not invited on your date?" Sirius asked, lips quirking.

James mirrored him reluctantly.

"Mate," Sirius said. He held out his arms, pulling James to him. "Come on. Calm down."

For a moment James let him but then he scowled and pushed him back. "Merlin, Sirius! You can't just – fucking – hug it out."

Sirius rolled his eyes irritably, bored with the situation. "All of this," he said, "over some girl whose name you won't remember in a week's time!"

"Like you care about her either!" James retorted. "The point is – I asked her first."

"You can't shotgun a girl." Sirius sneered. "She's fair game, she-" he broke off and his expression dropped.

James turned abruptly. Lily was behind him, her mouth hanging half open. She snapped it shut and took a step back. "You're both pigs!" she cried before she turned on her heel and fled to the girls dormitories.

/ \

By Wednesday morning Sirius and James had yet to speak to one another. Breakfast that morning found James with his head in Remus' shoulder, whining softly that he had no date on Valentine's Day and it was all Sirius' fault. Yet he knew, and Remus knew as well, that all James really wanted was to make up with Sirius.

Remus reached across the table and sighed exasperatedly. "James… James…." He shrugged his shoulder to dislodge James' head. "Get off, you great oaf." He grabbed the butter and a knife and began to butter his piece of toast.

James pretended to sniff and whimper but Remus ignored him. He rolled his eyes and grabbed the bowl of scrambled eggs – but when Remus smiled at him he smiled back.

He glanced towards the entrance and said quietly and casually, "Sirius is on his way over."

James' stomach dropped.

When Sirius sat down Remus was nosily sticking in his knife in a jar of pumpkin jam. Sirius made eyes at him. Remus rolled his own, stuck his toast in his mouth and said. "Co' on Pe'er," he grabbed the other boy by the elbow and pulled him to his feet. Once they'd left James and Sirius were basically alone at their part of the table.

"So," Sirius said. "I wanna hear you out."

James had practised this part in his head a million times but now that the time came he'd forgotten his lines.

Sirius cocked his head and raised his eyebrows.

He was so infuriating! James snapped, "you push me around."

"No I don't!"

James scoffed. "Whatever."

Sirius scoffed. "Whatever."

They folded their arms but neither could help the small smiles that tugged on their lips at their own childishness.

James tugged on his fringe. "Sometimes it's like we're in competition."

"Yeah." Sirius shrugged.

James frowned. "That's not the way best friends are supposed to work."

Sirius shrugged again. "It's the way we work and it's been working alright I reckon."

James looked down at his scrambled eggs. "Sometimes I feel like you try and lord it over me…"

He felt Sirius sit forward, leaning his elbows on the table. He cocked his head again but it was gentler this time and when he spoke there was concern behind his confusion. "Lord what over you?"

"I dunno… everything."

Sirius thought for a moment. "You think," he said slowly, "that I thinkI'm better than you."

James looked up at him. "Yeah, I guess."

"Well I don't," Sirius said seriously. "I think I'm better than Peter but I don't think I'm better than you. We're the same, we're equal. That why we're best friends – cos we're equal…. And I – and because I love you." A huge smile split Sirius' face and he reached across to shove James' shoulder. "You're blushing, you idiot!" he cried.

James laughed loudly.

Sirius was blushing too, from his neck to his ears. He was embarrassed but James was just pleased. Sirius shook his head and pushed up from his seat. "Come on, or we'll miss Charms."

But James caught his hand before he could move off and held his fingers in an imitation of a man and his lover. "Sirius, will you be my Valentine?" He suppressed a smile as Sirius started to laugh.

The other boy threw himself over the table, wrapping his arms around James' neck and squeezing his head under his chin as he cried, "only if you'll be mine!"

/ \

Remus disappeared in the evening with his date, a fairly pretty Hufflepuff. He'd taken James' suggestion and was surprising her with a picnic in the astronomy tower. James and Sirius had pretended to be each other's valentines all day but by evening had grown rather sullen and bitter as Gryffindor Common Room became a love nest for sickly sweet couples.

James had gone up to bed at eight o'clock and was lying on his duvet when Sirius slouched into the room, his robe thrown over his shoulder and one thumb tucked into the waistband of his sweat pants.

James glanced over at him. "Hey."

"Hey."

A little golden Snitch was hovering a foot above James' face. It darted this was and that. Then James caught it deftly in one fist.

The bed beside him creaked.

Sirius had flopped down onto it, one leg dangling off the side closest to James. One hand lay over his stomach; his red tee shirt was hitched up over one hip.

"Where's Moony?" he asked.

"On his date."

There was a pause. James released the Snitch again, watching it flick back and forth.

"Get out, Peter," Sirius said.

James turned his head, having forgotten Peter was still there. He tried to meet Sirius' eyes but they were closed.

There was a squeak. "Huh?"

"Get out, Wormtail." Sirius always said Peter's nickname like this, like it was a nasty insult.

Peter scuttled from the room, eyes shifting between James and the floor. The door heaved shut behind him.

James returned his gaze to the hanging above his bed. The Snitch hovered at the edge of his peripheral. He lurched to the side, one hand shooting out, closing around cold metal. He grinned and collapsed back onto his bed.

He slid a look at Sirius and saw his deep, stormy eyes shoot to meet his.

James' grin faded. He straightened up on his bed but didn't release the Snitch.

The bed creaked under Sirius again. Then, in a voice that quivered with emotion, he said. "How would you have her?"

James didn't say anything for a moment. "What?"

Sirius shifted. "How would you have her? Evans. How would you do it?"

James looked across at him.

Sirius was staring straight ahead. His chest rose and fell rapidly. One hip bone revealed itself, jutting out sharply from his taut belly. He gave James a half-glance and cleared his throat.

James turned away from him. "I dunno," he said. They'd had this sort of conversation before but it was different this time. There was something more weighted, something more suggestive about it.

Sirius released a shallow exhale. "I'd do her on her back."

James scoffed.

"In her nice, neat Gryffindor robes," Sirius continued, smiling.

James suppressed a broad grin but when he looked across at Sirius he saw that his hand had moved down his stomach. The tips of his long fingers brushed his bare skin.

"Hike her skirt up over her hips," Sirius whispered. His fingers curled, revealing more of his pale naval. "Do you reckon she's a virgin?"

"Yeah," James breathed.

The corner of Sirius' mouth hitched. His eyes closed; James could stare at him unabashed.

"Yeah," Sirius said. "I bet she is." One hand slipped between his thighs, his fingers closing over the swell there.

James stopped breathing.

"Bet she's tight too," Sirius said. The palm of his hand slid up and down. He sighed.

James released the breath he had been holding. His chest heaved. "Sirius..."

The other boy arched, his brow creasing.

James' eyes snapped away from him. His skin was heated, tingling beneath his jumper.

"How do you think she likes it?" Sirius didn't wait for a reply. "I'd go slow at first. Make her beg for more." He caught his breath.

James didn't dare glance over at him. His eyes travelled slowly down his own body. His prick was pressing up against the zip of his jeans. With the hand furthest from Sirius he inched his fingertips over his growing erection.

The bed beside his creaked and James started, his eyes darting towards the other boy.

Sirius had braced one foot against the bed, was rubbing his palm over himself. The tendons in his throat convulsed.

"Bet she's a cat in bed," he hissed.

James glanced back at himself. He had pulled his hand back when he heard Sirius move. Now he tentatively moved it back, massaging his palm over his groin. The relief was instant. He released a tiny moan.

"She's probably noisy too," Sirius continued.

James' eyes widened, his heart racing. A quick glance at Sirius confirmed that he was grinning.

Sirius' eyes fluttered open briefly and they rested between James' thighs. Smiling, he closed them again.

James hadn't even stopped squeezing himself through his jeans as Sirius did this.

"So," Sirius whispered. His mouth hitched again. Beneath his thin, grey sweatpants James could see that he was fully hard. "How would you have her?"

James swallowed. "On top."

"Yeah?" Sirius arched even more, pressing his head back into the pillows. "Mm. That'd be good. All that red hair tumbling over her shoulders, just brushing her nipples."

James suppressed a groan.

Sirius' eyes shot open and his dark gaze was fixed on James. He smiled and swung his legs off his bed.

James made to push himself up, alarmed. But then Sirius was pushing him back down, climbing onto James' bed and throwing one leg over his waist.

"You mean like this?" he said.

James was propped up on his elbows, wanting to recoil… but not. "With one obvious difference," he choked.

Sirius gave him a lazy half-smile. "Oh, it's not so different." He leant close. "We both have somewhere you can put it," he teased. Wisps of his coal black hair fell before his eyes.

James could hear his own laboured breathing. "Stop-"

"And then what would she do?" Sirius asked.

"Sirius, stop it-"

Sirius caught his wrist and pinned it to the pillow beside James' head.

James collapsed, chest heaving.

Sirius released him and arched an eyebrow. "I suppose first she'd lower herselfonto your cock," he said. He spread his knees a little further either side of James' waist. They weren't touching. Yet. Sirius swept a hand through his hair. "But she's a virgin," he said. "So it would hurt a bit." Slowly he sat back and he gasped like he was in pain.

James' eyes widened.

Sirius lowered himself into James' lap, the heat and pressure of his body felt good, there was no denying that. He shifted.

Suddenly, James grabbed a fistful of Sirius' sweatpants, threw his head back and grit his teeth. "Get off, Sirius," he bit out.

The other boy was panting, his mouth hanging open, his little pink tongue caressing the roof of his mouth. Sirius shifted again.

James hit him. "Sirius, I mean it."

Sirius' met his gaze hazily and raised his eyebrows. He had the remarkable talent of making James feel childish no matter the circumstances.

James released the grip he had on Sirius' sweatpants abruptly and dropped his head back against his pillows. He clenched his jaw.

"I don't suppose Evans would know what to do on top," Sirius mused. He leant forwards, bracing one hand on the mattress beside James. His thighs tightened astride James' hips

A little crease appeared between James' brows.

Sirius shifted again. And again. And again. And again and again and again.

James' caught him by the hem of his tee shirt, smothering a moan behind his grit teeth. He had pulled Sirius from his seated position. Now his dick throbbed. Begged for Sirius' return.

James' eyes fluttered open and instantly collided with Sirius.

Half lidded, Sirius blinked idly at him. His bottom lip was swollen and glistening with spit. There was a wet patch on his sweatpants. Sirius followed James' gaze and smirked.

He leant closer, bearing down over James. "And then what," he breathed.

"What?" James murmured.

Sirius smile widened. He leant even closer. "And then what, Potter?" he crooned. "What would she do next?"

James swallowed, finding his throat dry. "She'd bloody get on with it," he said.

Sirius sniggered and shrugged one shoulder. He glanced ahead and gripped the headboard with one hand. He braced the other flat against James' chest. He sat back once more and starting to move more vigorously. His eyes were closed and when his fingers tightened over James' chest they hiked his jumper up.

James screwed his own eyes shut, shook his head side to side. But it wasn't enough. He stopped Sirius yet again, who looked surprised this time. James sat up and pushed Sirius back, who fell back onto James' knees. James worked quickly before he lost his nerve. He popped the button on his jeans, yanked at the zip and tugged his jeans over his hips. Released from the suppression of his trousers, his prick bulged. Like Sirius' sweat pants, his boxers were wet.

Sirius stared, braced back on the palms of his hands, his feet either side of James.

James worried that he'd taken it too far. Well, it was Sirius who started it; he thought angrily, he could bloody well finish it. Sirius didn't get to dictate what was acceptable. James sat up and yanked Sirius back into his lap.

The other boy's eyes were huge. Slowly he resumed his position, knees falling either side of James.

James let go of him and pressed his lips together. He thought he saw Sirius' hands shake as placed them on James' shoulders.

Sirius sat back and caught his breath.

They had only two thin bits of material to separate them. James was sure Sirius wasn't wearing underwear, for he slept in those sweatpants. His erect dick pressed up against Sirius, rubbing over his balls, his arsehole.

Sirius began to move again and this time it was James' hands that shook as he took the other boy by the hips.

Small gasps flew from Sirius' lips. They were both close.

Sirius' hand went back to his own dick, palming it roughly over his sweatpants. He threw his head back, arching his back in a way that made James' pulse quicken. A mass of thick black curls protruded from the top of Sirius' waistband.

James shoved a hand down the back of Sirius' pants and grabbed a fistful of his arse.

Sirius grunted. His hand slammed into the pillow by James' head. His eyes and nose were scrunched up.

James retained the grip he had on Sirius, his nails biting into the meat of Sirius' arse.

A hard moan slipped from between Sirius' lips. "And – then – what?" he gasped.

James took a moment to answer. "What?"

Sirius pressed his lips together. "And… then what?" he said. "Evans. What would… she… do next?"

"She'd kiss me," he said.

Their eyes met.

Sirius' looked like he wasn't sure whether to believe it.

James craned his neck.

Sirius crashed their mouths together, pressing his lips roughly to James'. He released a small, desperate moan, bunched up James' jumper in his fist… and sagged.

James' eyes widened. He arched under Sirius, pulling at him, pressing his mouth harder against Sirius'. One hand tugged at the back of Sirius' shirt, the other, his sweatpants. In a rush of adrenaline and suggestion, he came.

Sirius rolled off him immediately, staggering to the floor. But James reached out and pulled him back. He rolled on to his side, tugging Sirius down behind him.

Sirius let himself be pulled into position and buried his face between James' shoulders, scooting up close behind him and tucking an arm around his waist. He sighed and his breath was like a soft warm kiss on James' back.

"Well that beat even my wildest fantasies," he sniggered.

Please review, it means the world to me, and let me know if you're interested in a sequel!