A New Year to Remember

It was New Year's Eve in the Gryffindor common room and nearly all the seventh years were celebrating. James, Lily, Peter and Sirius were sitting with each other; James and Lily on the couch together with Sirius lounging next to them and Peter sitting on the floor.

"Another year come and gone. Reckon we need to step up the pranks next year, eh, Padfoot?" James looked over at his friend.

"Sure, mate," Sirius said, distracted. He was looking at something – no, someone – across the room.

"Are you okay, Sirius? You've been out of it all night," Lily touched his knee gently. Sirius clearly saw something he didn't like at all. His jaw clenched and he balled his hands into fists.

"Sirius?" Lily pressed.

"Leave him alone, Evans." James gave a pointed look to the boy Sirius's glare was directed at. "He's just being whiny and protective of Remus."
"Shut the fuck up, Prongs. You don't know shit," Sirius said, pissed off. "I don't have a crush on Remus."

Lily and James shared a look that seemed to say "bullshit". Lily cast her eyes to the tall boy with a maroon sweater in front of a window overlooking the Whomping Willow.

Remus was grinning down at the sixth year who decided to join the party. The sixth year, Brandon, laughed flirtatiously at a joke Remus had just made.

"So…you got anyone to kiss at midnight?" Brandon asked him.

Remus cast a glance at Sirius. He looked mad and Lily seemed to be concerned. He almost started toward them to see if he was okay, but Brandon grabbed his arm and looked at him expectantly. "Well?"
He hesitated slightly, feeling horribly for what he was about to say. "Erm, I'm not so sure. Probably not," Remus looked down at the cup in his hand in defeat. He just wanted to get over Sirius. It'd been years but Sirius had never asked him out or given him a sign of some sort. He's been hung up on someone who didn't love him for far too long and he wanted to move on. Yet whenever he tried, his thoughts always strayed to a boy with tattoos and long hair. "I'm sorry, Brandon, but I don't think I can do this right now." Brandon nodded with understanding, looking at the boy Remus's attention had been focused on most of the night.

"No problem. Good luck with him," he nodded his head to Sirius and walked away.

Back on the couch, Lily set her determined eyes on Sirius.

"You listen here, you stubborn git. We all know you've been in love with Remus since he got sorted into Gryffindor with the lot of us. Everyone knows except for him. Because he, like you, is a blind idiot. And you know what?" She paused as Sirius stared back at her blankly. "Remus loves you too. He told me so himself when he was drunk off his arse in fourth year. The next morning, he was terrified I would tell one of you boys. He doesn't know what to do. Just like you. You think so little of yourself and you're scared that no one will ever love you. And his worst fear is hurting you and hating himself forever. You two are just too damn stubborn to do anything about your feelings. Get over yourself! It's fucking New Years and you're both throwing a pity party. He's just trying to make you jealous. Now go show him that it's working." Fire danced in her eyes as she finished her rant, daring Sirius to challenge her.

Sirius, never having been speechless in his life, just stared at her. He didn't know what to say. His only coherent thought was that Remus loved him. He loved…him? Lily was right; Sirius didn't think anyone could ever love him. All his life, he thought himself to be a dirty, lowlife Black. But whenever he was with Remus, all those thoughts vanished and he was left with a heart that only beat for the boy he loved.

"Shit."
"Yeah, Pads, you really screwed that one up." James took a sip from his butterbeer.

Lily's frustrated groan sounded as she slapped her boyfriend on the back of the head. James spit out his drink and started coughing.

He finally cleared his throat and said, "Merlin, woman, you really know how to turn a man on."
Lily shook her head, disgusted (and slightly amused, though she would never admit it). "It's not too late, you know. You two are made for each other. Anyone with eyes can see it."
Sirius, desperate to light a cigarette, stood up and blew out a sigh. "Looks like I'm going to get him." His expression was torn and nervous, but beneath it was determination.

"Don't say anything too stupid!" James called after him. Sirius could hear the distinct sound of Lily smacking him again.

As he started walking toward Remus, who was now alone, the speakers began thrumming with a deep beat and lyrics that sang of heartache and young love. He rubbed his scruffy jaw as he quickened his confident pace.

He was ten feet away when Remus's piercing grey eyes looked up and melted into affection at the sight of Sirius.

The crowd around them began to count down.

"Twenty…"
Remus's feet began to bring him toward Sirius. They walked to each other until they stood a few feet apart.

"Re…" his hoarse voice nearly destroyed Remus.
"Fifteen…"
"I love you, Remus. Have since I laid eyes on you. I need you."
Remus eyes water as he soaked in the boy's words. He couldn't believe his ears.

"Eight…"
"I've messed up, I know. But you complete me and you make me feel again."

"Five…"

Remus was silent as his fellow students chanted the last seconds of the year. Sirius's vulnerable eyes locked on his. "Please, say something –"

Remus reached out and grasped Sirius's waist.

"Three, two, one…"

He pulled him into him and pressed his soft lips to his.

"Happy New Year!"
They moved against each other as their lips intertwined. Remus couldn't tell whose hands were whose and he didn't care. Sirius's hands made their way to Remus's brown hair and got lost in his touch, his taste, his love.

Anyone who looked over to the window would simply see two boys kissing. But to them, they were two broken boys making each other whole again and making a promise of love.