Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.

Written for;

MultiShip - SiriusRemus - Prompt - Dare.

Favourite Character - SiriusRemus.

Easter Egg Hunt - SiriusRemus.

Marauder Fan - Vague Prompt - Summer

Harry Potter Day - Marauder Era, and Not A Bad Word Count

TV Quote Bucket - You Know you were dreaming about me. Explains the drool.

Word Count Without AN - 1,205

Just You Wait

He could feel the sun burning at the back of his neck as he walked around the grounds at a leisurely pace, enjoying the freedom of a weekend out in the bright summer weather. The week seemed to have gone by at a snails pace, the heatwave taunting them while they slaved away behind desks in classrooms that had never even heard of a cooling spell.

Sirius was looking forward to the end of the school year, yet, he knew he would miss the castle. It had been his first real home in a way, a place far more accepting of him than his parents house. This was the first place he'd ever felt love, the first time he'd ever felt true friendship, the first place he'd been able to be himself.

His eyes strayed to the Whomping Willow, a harsh reminder of an incident that could have cost him everything.

He'd never felt as bad as he had following that night. He'd almost cost the life of his best friend. Remus, as James had explained in a very hard tone, could have been put down had he actually bitten Snape that night. The way James had phrased it had gotten Sirius' back up, but as James told him right before he landed a punch on Sirius' nose, Sirius had no right to be mad about anything in regard to Remus any more.

The weeks following the incident had been the worst Sirius had ever spent at Hogwarts. The guilt and the loneliness had raged a war inside him, each trying to outdo the other in making Sirius miserable. Remus had felt betrayed, and the hurt look on his face stung Sirius every time he saw him, be it in the dorm, in class, at meals, even in the corridors. James had been angry, angrier than Sirius had ever seen him. Peter had been disappointed. Disappointed that a boy, a young man now, that he'd always looked up to could be so cruel to one of his best friends.

Sirius had thought more than once about leaving the school. There was nothing there for him without his friends, after all. What good was doing the newts if he had no one to celebrate with at the end of them? Who would test him on obscure charms, or complex Transfiguration before the exams? He'd stayed thought. Stayed because he knew he would never have a harsher punishment than having the three people he cared about more than anything in the world hate him.

Of course, the curiosity of the other students was almost as bad. Everyone wanted to know why the four best friends Hogwarts had ever seen were suddenly not talking. What had happened to break such a strong bond? The rumours ranged from ridiculous to somewhat closer to the truth, though of course, nobody ever guessed the real reason, and Snape had been forbidden from saying a word.

Shaking himself free of such miserable thoughts, Sirius took a seat by his favourite tree, relaxing in the comfort of the shade it offered. Things were much better now. Remus had been the one to reach out the olive branch, and Sirius, surprised and overwhelmed by the compassion of his friends, had taken it with heartfelt apologies and perhaps even a tear or two.

Sirius dozed off with a smile on his face, the memory of a smiling Remus fresh in his mind.

xxxx

Sirius woke up suddenly, just as the foot that had woken him nudged at his leg again. He blinked blearily, momentarily confused that it was darker then it should have been before he caught sight of Remus standing by his side, an amused look on his face.

"How long have you been sleeping out here?" he asked, dropping to the grass to sit beside Sirius. "It's almost dinnertime."

"Urgh," Sirius complained, sitting up and resting against the bark of the tree.

"What were you dreaming about?" Remus asked suddenly. "You were smiling before I woke you up."

"Umm..."

"You know you were dreaming about me. Explains the drool," Remus joked then, missing the way Sirius' face flushed with an embarrassed tinge.

"Course I wasn't," he replied with a snort, hiding his mortification. "You said I was smiling."

"Jackass," Remus muttered. "Oh, Peter finally convinced Mary to go on a date with him."

"Really? Wonders will never cease. I thought he'd have given up on her by now."

"We're not all dogs, Padfoot."

"You wound me," Sirius complained. "I haven't been on a date since the beginning of the school year!"

Remus nodded looking thoughtful. "So you haven't. Anyway, it'll just be us in Hogsmead tomorrow. Peter is bouncing off the walls about taking Mary, and James will go with Lily of course."

"So, can we go together?"

"That's what I just said," Remus said, wrinkling his nose at Sirius.

"No... I mean together-together."

Remus frowned. "Are you being purposefully slow? I just said -"

"Remus, will you go to Hogsmead with me on a date?" Sirius asked, interrupting what ever Remus was about to say.

"Oh."

Chuckling, Sirius shoved Remus lightly. "Who's being slow now, Moony?"

"Are you trying to be funny?" Remus demanded suddenly, glaring at Sirius. "I don't know how you found out I had a little crush but -"

"Remus! Stop! Merlin, but I've bollocks this up. Moony, I like you. In a, I'd-like-to-snog-you, kind of way. I didn't know you had a crush on me, but that is interesting, but I... I'm not playing with you, Remus. I wouldn't do that."

Remus settled down slightly. "I know you wouldn't. I'm sorry. After Mark, well, you know. I guess I'm still a little sore about it."

Sirius growled at the mention of the Ravenclaw. Mark Jacobs had graduated in the summer, but before that, he'd played around with Remus like a toy, stringing him along, only to break his heart.

"I wonder if he ever got rid of the warts," Sirius muttered snidely, watching Remus out of the corner of his eye.

"I bloody knew that was you!"

"He deserved it," Sirius retorted. "Besides, James already had me on a dare to use that spell. He just presented himself as a good target."

Remus shook his head. "Never change, Padfoot."

They sat in silence for a minute before Sirius spoke again.

"So... Hogsmead? Date?"

Remus smiled, and Sirius felt his heart melt a little further for the wolf. "I'd really like that, Sirius."

Leaning over, Sirius pressed his lips to Remus' in a faint, chaste kiss, sealing the date with a promise of more. "I'll show you a good time, Moony, just you wait."

As the two stood, Remus rose one eyebrow at Sirius. "That really doesn't reassure me, you know? Your idea of a good time is usually something that could get us arrested."

Sirius laughed. "I promise I won't get you arrested. Well, not intentionally, anyway."

"Stop talking," Remus ordered, leading the way to the castle with a still laughing Sirius following behind him.