Title: Ever Dream
Pairings: Sirius Black / Remus Lupin, James / Lily mentioned
Author: lilja rainheart
Beta: Stella
Genre: Romance
Rating: T for now, will go up
Summary: This is what happens when Sirius and Remus realise they care a bit more about each other than they thought. How long will it take them to work it out? Will they be able to let it happen? Another Marauder story from me, set in their 6th year.
Disclaimer: It all belongs to JKR, I own nothing and no one. I don't even own the title, that's stolen from a Nightwish song.

Friendship can survive without love.

Love cannot live without friendship.

Chapter 1

Sunday evening found the four Marauders sitting in the Gryffindor common room. James being very occupied with his girlfriend Lily, Sirius finishing an essay due for Potions the other day, Peter playing wizard chess with some fifth year and Remus sitting in an armchair by the fire, reading a book.

It was rather late already and gradually, the common room started to empty, James being the last one to say good-night to Remus and Sirius.

"You two'd better go to bed, too," he commented, "Double Transfiguration tomorrow morning and I don't think McGonagall would be pleased if you fell asleep in her class."

"Yeah, whatever, Prongs. But I need to finish this." Sirius pointed towards the parchment in front of him. "It wouldn't take that long though if Moony wasn't refusing to let me see his essay."

"You can't always copy my stuff," Remus said without looking up from his book, "You can't rely on me all the time." He grinned.

"You're just being mean." Sirius huffed and continued writing.

"Hmm hmm…" Remus only hummed. The two of them hadn't even noticed that James had left halfway during their banter.

"Yay! Done!" Sirius announced cheerfully half an hour later. Getting no answer from Remus, he looked up to see that the other boy had indeed fallen asleep over his book.

Sirius smiled and shook his head over his friend who would rather fall asleep reading than to lay aside a good book. He packed up all his stuff before he got up and walked over to Remus. For a brief moment, he wondered… was it just the warm glow of the firelight or had he just never realised that Remus was actually rather pretty?

'Wait, where did that come from,' Sirius thought. Since when did he think of other boys, of one of his best friends, as pretty? He dismissed that episode quickly. Gently, he shook Remus' shoulder to wake him up.

"What?" the other boy said a little confused as he stirred.

"I bet your bed is more comfortable than that chair." Sirius smiled.

"Oh… I fell asleep," Remus realised and sat up.

"You obviously did." Sirius went over to the table to pick up his parchment and book. "I just finished my essay and now I'll go and sleep. You coming along?"

"Yeah." Remus nodded and got up, wincing as he stretched.

Sirius brow creased and he looked at Remus worryingly. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing," the other boy dismissed, "Just feeling a bit sore…" He looked out of the window where the waning moon was partly hidden behind clouds. It had only been two days since the full moon.

"Hmmm…" Sirius pondered, thinking for a moment. "Want a massage?" he then offered, grinning playfully.

"What?" Remus retorted and laughed quietly.

"No, I mean it! Come over here." Sirius plopped down on the sofa again and patted the place next to, or rather in front of him. "If you're sore, a massage will help." He nodded to accentuate his words.

"You never fail to amaze me, Sirius Black." Remus shook his head but went to sit in front of his friend anyway, who started kneading the muscles in his shoulders.

"No wonder you feel sore, you're absolutely tense," Sirius commented.

"You'd be tense as well if you'd transformed into a wolf and back again…" Remus said quietly. He had closed his eyes and silently enjoyed the treatment he was getting from the dark haired boy.

Sirius refrained from answering to that, knowing that Remus never liked to talk about his "furry little problem". But he was happy that he could at least help a bit and felt Remus relax under his touch.

"Are you gonna start purring as well?" he leant forward and whispered into Remus' ear.

Remus couldn't stop the shiver that ran down his spine. "Wolf. Not a kitten, Black." He turned around and tried to glare at Sirius who just chuckled.

"Fair enough, I'm not a cat person, anyway." He shrugged.

"Would have thought so," the werewolf replied, "A cat wouldn't go too well with the four of us anyway… Just imagine it would eat poor Peter." He laughed and Sirius joined in.

"Yeah… but thank God he didn't hear that. He'd be scared of us anyway," Sirius explained and then let his hands fall to his side. "Enough pampering you for today," he announced.

"It was just getting nice…" Remus pouted. He leaned back against Sirius and looked up at him.

"Don't try the puppy eyes, that's my trick," Sirius said and then ruffled through Remus' hair. "And I'll really stop now. We don't want you to get spoilt." He winked.

Remus laughed. "Look who's talking. You're the spoilt one, I'd say," he said to which Sirius nodded.

"Exactly and that's why we don't need any more spoilt people around. Now get up, I can't go to bed if you're half lying on top of me."

"I'm not lying on top of you… I'm just leaning against you. Which is actually rather comfortable. I might just sleep here instead of going to bed," Remus mused aloud and then smiled, "But since that would be weird, I'll just get up."

Remus got up from the sofa and went to pick up his book which was still lying on the armchair, leaving Sirius to look after him. Actually, he had felt rather comfortable as well, though he would never admit that. And Remus had only been joking anyway.

Sirius always enjoyed the time that the two of them spent together alone. With all four of them, it was different. There were always lots of jokes and James and him were always making up some plan or another… With him and Remus alone, everything was calmer. Remus alone seemed to have that effect on him and he liked it.

"You coming?" Remus asked, already standing at the staircase to their dormitory.

Sirius snapped out of his thoughts. "Yeah, sure," he answered and followed the other boy up the stairs.

A/N: So how's that :D I can't believe I'm really writing a chapter fic XD Thank my muses for that. And Sonata Arctica because their music seems to be really inspiring. Let's just hope, the inspiration won't leave me ;) Comments, please? *bribes with cookies*