Disclaimer: The last time I checked, I didn't own Harry Potter. I mean, I could check again, but I seriously doubt that that has changed, unfortunately.

In the Light o the Moon

"Your birthday's next week."

Lupin turned to stare at Sirius. They were lying in a grassy clearing in the Forbidden Forest, watching the stars twinkle above. The moon hung half-full directly overhead, bathing the pair in a soft light.

Sighing sleepily, Lupin bid goodbye to the comfortable silence that had previously enveloped them. He really had no desire to talk about his birthday. It was just another excuse for James and Sirius to play some obnoxious and disruptive prank, claiming it was Lupin's 'present.' He really could do without that this year. So it was with some trepidation that he replied, "Yes. And?"

Sirius pouted. "Well, what do you want? For a gift, I mean."

"Not to be blown up."

Sirius laughed softly. He reached out and pulled Lupin closer. "I'm serious. I want to get you something special." His voice was barely above a whisper.

Lupin blushed slightly and turned away. "I don't know. I'm happy with what I have. You don't need to get me anything."

Shaking his head, Sirius tried again. "I know I don't need to, but I want to. Okay, let's try this. What do you think is the most beautiful thing in the world."

"Why?"

A smile. "So I can get it for you."

Lupin rolled onto his back so that he was looking up at the night sky once again. He was silent for a moment, considering Sirius's question. Finally, he came up with an answer. "The moon." Upon seeing Sirius's surprised expression, he continued, "I know it's strange, considering what I have to go through every month. But it is beautiful. Watch the way its light dances through the leaves. Sometimes, I feel like it's calling out to me, beckoning me to come closer and touch it. I wish I could see it when it was full without... you know."

He turned back to see Sirius grinning from ear to ear. Lupin frowned. "I'm not kidding!"

Sirius's smile softened, becoming both more somber and more beautiful. "I know, love. I think it is the perfect answer."

Lupin shifted so his head was resting on Sirius's chest. "What do you think is the most beautiful, Sirius?"

Sirius captured Lupin's hand in his, raised it to his lips, and kissed it lightly. "You."

Blushing, Lupin responded with a light kiss and a smile that rivaled the moon in beauty.