"Sirius! Did you see that we have a Hogsmeade's trip next week-end?" asked suavely Marlene McKinnon.

"Yeah, I saw."

"Do you have any plans? Because I thought, you and me..."

"That's a great idea!" interrupted James. "Maybe you could ask Lily if she want to go too, so the four of us can go together!"

Marlene stared at James like he was the most disgusting thing she had ever seen, something between an adult Mandrake and an exploded Dungbomb. She then turned back at Sirius, and a smile reappeared on her face like no one had interrupted her.

"Actually, I was thinking we could spend some time alone", she said with an unambiguous wink, brushing her fingers on Sirius' forearm.

"I think I'll pass. I can't let this idiot alone anyways, or he'll ridicules himself even more in front on Evans. Sorry, McKinnon."

It was pretty obvious from the tone of his voice that he wasn't sorry at all, and McKinnon probably sensed it because she said goodbye with the coldest smile possible and stormed out more than just leaved the common room.

"Merlin, why can't McKinnon leave me alone ? S'not like I showed her any sign of attention since we kissed at this Gryffindor party back in fourth year... It was practically two years ago, you'd think she'd take the hint. She could ask Wormtail out for a change."

"Or Moony", said James slowly.

Sirius raised his head to look at James, who was doing his potions essay in an armchair next to the fire. What the hell did he mean by that ? He probably meant nothing Sirius, nothing at all.

"Yeah, or Moony... Speaking of him, actually, I wish I could arrive soon. I'm starting to worry, why is he taking so long?"

"It's only four in the afternoon. You know Madam Pomfrey, she won't let him go until at least six, like every month."

"Still, I think I'll go check on him..."

"Padfoot, no. We agreed the three of us couldn't go see him every month, or it will look suspicious. Peter already went check on him, he's fine."

"Why would us acting like good friends look suspicious, exactly?"

"Come on, Padfoot! We're not even supposed to know that he's – what he's got."

He had stopped hastily mid-sentence and checked around him for wandering ears, even though the common room had been empty for hours, excluding the McKinnon episode. Sirius knew he was right, but he couldn't help but feel angry. He had thought of borrowing James' cape but now it seemed out of question. Instead, he mumbled : "Yeah, whatever".

They spent the following minutes in silence, Sirius, laying on the sofa, quietly sulking, and James trying to focus on his essay but not succeeding to write more than a few words. He was obviously preoccupied by something else, but Sirius couldn't figure out what, and it was starting to stress him out too. He was about to crack a stupid joke to break the tense silence when James suddenly asked:

"Padfoot?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you – um – do you like Remus?"

The weirdness of the question startled Sirius, but he decided not to let it show.

"Did Evans hit you on the head harder than usual? Do you want me to take you to the hospital wing to check your brain? Of course I like Remus, don't you?"

"Yeah – I mean, no. That's not what I meant. I meant – are you in love with Remus?"

"… what?"

Sirius was hoping he'd heard wrong. There was no way James had said what he thought he'd said. His heart was thumping loudly in his chest, menacing to break out his ribcage with each pump.

"Why would you even say something like that ?" he asked again, trying to conceal his trouble with a voice as cold and steady as possible.

"Um – I don't know – because you just turned out Marlene McKinnon, who is pretty much the most good looking girl in our year except Lily, even though you haven't had a date in ages? And that you complain a lot when Remus' not here, even though his absence is perfectly normal? I don't know mate, it's just you've been acting weird for weeks."

"Sure, I'm acting weird. So what if I find precious little Marlene annoying ? By the way, me dating her won't get you into Evans' pants any faster, you know. And so what if I want Moony to be come here quickly? You're boring me, I was hoping he'd be more fun. Doesn't mean I'm in love with him."

Sirius laid again on the sofa where he was half napping before James' interruption. He acted as laid back as he could but his heart was still jumping maniacally. He took long deep breaths, trying to calm down its erratic thumping.

"I don't know mate – it's just, you're – acting weird around him, you know?"

"No James, I really don't."

His heart wasn't steadying, on the contrary, but he answered to James in the coldest voice possible.

"Well, I mean, the way you pick him up and carry him after the full moon -"

"So WHAT? You want me to let him lying there for all Hogsmeade to see just because you or Peter aren't able to carry him?"

Without realising, he had jumped up, now sitting very still on the edge, shoulders shaking with anger. From his armchair, James looked at him over his barely started potions essay.

"First of all, I'm very capable to carry -"

"NO – YOU'RE – NOT! Last time you dropped him, remember, because you insisted on carrying him on your back while transformed and stags DON'T HAVE BLOODY HANDS TO CATCH HIM UP!"

"Wow. Wow. Why are you screaming, now? I wasn't attacking you. I'm just saying, when you do, the way you look at him, it's just – it's how I look at Evans, I guess."

"No Potter, it's not. First of all, because you never SAW the look on your stupid face when you lust over Evans. And also because I'm positive I never looked this bloody lovestruck."

"Yeah – you kinda do, actually."

"Shut up!"

Panting, Sirius realised that he had screamed, even if he hadn't meant to – luckily, the common room was still empty. He also didn't know how the hell he had ended standing up. He felt distinctly his blood pumping loudly through his veins and rushing to his brain. He couldn't think straight, didn't know what to say anymore, so without another word he turned around and climbed the stairs up to their empty dorm. As soon as he arrived, he let himself fall into his bed, not even bothering to remove his shoes. He realised he was shaking from head to toes. It was all James' fault, he thought. Him, in love with Moony?

It was – it was – it was in fact perfectly true.

And Sirius was afraid of how easily James had figured it out. Sure, it's been a while since he stopped pretending to be interested in girls – poor Marlene didn't seem to want to take the hint. But he also didn't show any kind of interest in guys. Not that his friends would care if he suddenly started dating Gideon Prewett – God bless his gorgeous little Quidditch player ass. But if they knew, then it would only be a matter of time before they realised that he was in fact madly in love with their very own personal werewolf.

But it turned out he had been wrong hiding the truth from his friends, because this sneaky annoying little brat of James Potter had found out by himself anyways. At this moment, the door of the dorm opened slowly. Speaking of the stag …

"Padfoot, are you okay?"

"Go away Prongs!"

But if there was something James Potter wasn't good at, it was following orders.

"Come on Sirius, talk to me, he said as he was sitting on the edge of the bed."

As only answer, Sirius turned around and buried his face in his pillow. He already knew it wouldn't be enough to get rid of James though, and sadly, he was right. His friends begun to poke his arm while repeating "Padfoot, Padfoot, Padfoot, Padfoot, Padfoot, Padfoot, Padfoot, Padfoot, Padfoot, Padfoot, Pad -"

"WHAT?"

"Ah, finally!"

Sirius raised to sit in the middle of the bed, but still very careful not to look at James.

"Okay, you're right, I'm in lo- I like Moony. Happy now?"

"Well – yeah! That's great!"

"Great? GREAT? James Potter, are you a bloody MORON?"

He had planned not to look at him, but he instinctively turned his head to face his incredibly stupid best friend.

"Wow, you really need to do something about your anger issues. Listen, I just meant -"

"James. Remus can never know about this", said Sirius through gritted teeth. "In fact, no onecan know about about this, not even Peter, you hear me?"

"But... why? I mean, what's the worst that could happen?"

"I don't know James, he could reject me?"

"So what? It won't kill you. Look at me, you could say I'm the king of being rejected, but I'm still breathing!"

Sirius sighed. He loved James, he really did. He was much more of a brother to him than Regulus had ever been. But sometimes, he could be very, very stupid. No wonder Evans couldn't stand him.

"Prongs, no offence, but you and Evans were never friends. Sure, each time you ask her out, she probably hates you a little more..."

"Hey!"

"… but that's okay, because she never liked you in the first place. But Moony... Moony's my best friend, along with you and Peter. I just don't want to make things awkward between us. I don't – I don't want to lose you all."

James looked at him, all trace of laughter or even indignation vanished from his face, and Sirius could tell that he finally understood.

"Okay, I promise I won't tell anyone. But you really – you should – I mean, if you don't try, you'll never know... you know?"

"I know Prongs, I really do. Thanks anyway."