"I've never seen him look so angry," Peter whispered in potions the next day.

"At least he has no proof it was us," Remus offered, though even he looked uncertain.

Slughorn reacted even more poorly than expected and had forced the entire class to make a potion so advanced it wasn't even in the curriculum.

"This backfired completely," Sirius groaned as a puff of smoke rose from his cauldron and the contents became charred. Remus had long ago given up, he was terrible at potions anyway. Lily and Snape were the only two making any reasonable progress, but if the glares they were sending the Marauders were any sign they were struggling too.

"We need to lay low for a bit," James mumbled.

As he added another ingredient he superstitiously backed up and clenched his eyes shut. He opened one eye and let out a sigh of relief at the potion that was just sitting there, not blowing up. The bell couldn't rings soon enough and when it did the Marauders were out the door before anyone had the chance to pack up.

"You know that projects due in a week," Remus reminded everyone as they sprinted back to the Gryffindor common room.

"Is now the best time to bring this up?" Peter panted as they ran.

"I'm just saying you and James should probably get started on it," Remus sighed. The four pulled up at the portrait and quickly muttered the password.

"Thank you mother, oh I mean Moony," James said and then proceeded to laugh at his own joke.

Sirius found himself rolling his eyes along with Remus.

"We all know you're the mother hen James," Remus teased as he sat down in an armchair, discarding his school bag.

"Padfoot, you can not wear that jacket outside you'll freeze!" Sirius mocked in a high pitched voice.

"Wormtail, if you don't study for this test you'll fail, I don't care that it's in two weeks!" Peter squeaked.

"Moony, eat your peas! You look skinny! You need muscles like mine!" Remus chimed in with a marvelous impression of James.

James looked affronted at all three of his friends ganging up on him. Like a petulant child he crossed his arms and sat not the couch not saying a word.

"Let him sulk," Remus said, distracted by his book already.

Sirius and Peter sat down as well, not attempting to speak to James like they planned. James fidgeted in the silence, his resolve breaking. Remus turned a page for effect, he hadn't finished reading it.

"Anyone want to play exploding snap?" Peter ventured, breaking the silence.

James immediately perked up and sprang off the couch, grabbing the game. He and Peter played on the floor, Sirius lay on his stomach, stretching across the entire couch, facing Remus.

"Are you bored, Sirius?" Remus asked after what must have been five minutes of solid staring on Sirius' part.

He had come to realize that as he did find Remus attractive he had a different kind of beauty. His nose was a bit to long, his scars a few too numerous, his arms and legs a bit too lanky. Yet his eyes were so amazingly gorgeous, his hair fell in all the correct ways, and all is features worked very well together. He was by no means perfect, girls may turn their nose up at him, but that almost made him more ethereal. Had Remus asked him a question?

"Yes!" he's announced confidently, not entirely sure what he was agreeing to.

"Do you want to stop staring at me and go to the kitchens?"

"Yes!" Well he may continue staring...

"Prongs, Wormatail, we're going to the kitchens," Remus called. They hummed their acknowledgement, not even looking up from their game. Shrugging, Remus and Sirius left for the kitchens, Remus' book discarded.

"Any particular reason you were staring at me? I know I don't have enticing radiant beauty and I'm not that interesting just reading a book. What were you thinking?" Remus said as they exited the portrait hole.

"Don't say things like that!" Sirius reprimanded.

"Like what? Why were you staring?"

"No! Stop being difficult."

"Physically impossible."

Sirius sent him a sharp glare.

"What I mean is stop being so unconfident in yourself!"

"Instead I should be like you? Think I'm better than everyone else?"

"I'm not better than everyone, just most everyone."

"Yes, there is such a distinction."

"What I'm saying," Sirius gave Remus a printed look for being evasive, "is that you should be nice to yourself. You don't have to go around congratulating yourself but at least don't be all self deprecating."

"Have you considered becoming a motivational speaker?"

Sirius knew this was another evasion tactic, that there was something more Remus did not want to talk about, but he let it go. Maybe he'd get it out of Remus next time he got high.

RL/SN

The smell of chocolate hung in the air like cigarette smoke outside a pub. Just how Remus liked it, pure 70% dark chocolate, no pointless fillings of any sort. Sirius watched him savor the bite of chocolate, his eyes closed, head tipped back, tongue licking any remnants off his lips. Well, they had made it to the kitchens but Sirius was still staring. Sirius deftly picked up a chocolate filled pastry and took a bite, hardly conscious of what he was doing. A moment later and Remus' eyes were open. Sirius thought that his chocolate eating seemed much more erotic than normal, but why would Remus do that on purpose?

Sirius realized all too late he looked like an idiot with his mouth open full of eclair. He snapped it shut and chewed. Remus seemed satisfied about something, probably the chocolate... probably.

"Do you want to go into the forbidden forest?"

"Why on Earth would I want to do that?"

Sirius mulled it over in his head, he wanted to go to spend time with Remus and because it would be awesome if they could get away with it. What could he say to convince Remus?

On second thought Remus had that perfectly innocent smile on that meant he was about to break all the rules so maybe he wouldn't need convincing.

"You can spend more time with me and on a lesser note we will be breaking a lot of rules in broad day light risking major punishment."

"Why Sirius, what would make you think I would want to spend time with you?"

The innocent smile was replaced by a mischievous smile that meant rules would be made after the shenanigans they were about to get up to, to prevent repeats of said trysts.

They thanked the house elves and left, making sure to walk casually as to not call any attention to themselves. Outside the sun was a beacon, a great white mass amongst the endless blue sky. Trees rustled pleasantly in the wind, as they got closer to the edge of the forest it became more of an ominous whistle. Every once in a while they would look over their shoulders but no one was out, it was slightly to cold to be comfortable.

At the edge of the forest both boys stood and looked up at the trees looming over them.

"We could get killed," Remus said as much as a reminder for Sirius as for himself.

"Or worse, expelled," Sirius added faintly.

"This was a bad idea."

"All my ideas are bad ideas."

They'd been in the forest before, just as animals. It was much different seeing the sharp contrast of its darkness to the lightness outside during daytime. They walked in anyway. Sticks crunched below their feet and distant animal noises could be heard, Sirius needed to fill the silence.

"So..."

"Great conversation starter."

"Shut up."

"Even better conversation starter."

"I don't know why I hang around you, this is an abusive relationship."

Oh dear, there was Remus' patented innocent look, a mix of big eyes and pouty lips, whatever came out of his mouth next was going to be dreadful.

"I thought you liked it rough," Remus, Perfect Remus (capitals and no capitals in Sirius' mind), cooed.

Sirius gaped, stopped walking and gaped, as Remus swaggered on ahead without a care in the world. Coming back into himself Sirius followed, Remus had the strange tendency to be a complete blushing virgin sometimes and a flirtatious Casanova others.

"You have to warn me before you do those things," Sirius breathed, finally caught up to Remus.

"Do what things?"

"You know, be all sexy and cocky," he realized he shouldn't have said cocky too late, "It throws me off."

"You think I'm sexy?" Remus asked teasingly, though something else slipped through the cracks, was it hope?

"Well someone as sexy as myself has to affiliate with other almost as attractive people, Peter not withstanding."

"Poor Peter isn't sexy enough for the great Sirius Black."

"Few are, you should feel honored."

"Oh, but I do. I feel so honored that you find me less attractive than yourself."

Sirius scoffed and kicked a branch, so self deprecating it's awesome, used in the proper sense of amazing and horrifying.

"Oh look!" Remus almost squealed and kneeled down. A small little creature ran towards him and into his outstretched palms.

Long ago in Care of Magical Creatures they had discovered animals loved Remus. It was the one good thing that came out of his affliction, because Remus liked cute animals. So then it was no surprise when animals started coming up to Remus in the forest, all small and adorable, looking for praise.

"I don't know how these little ones survive here," Remus mused, petting the puffball in his hand.

Sirius nodded and reached a tentative finger out to the furry guy only to have the beast reveal his fangs.

"Oh, that explains it," Remus hummed, placating the animal with more petting. He placed the animal on the ground and they kept walking aimlessly. The only sound was their feet connecting with twigs for the longest time. More animals approached but nothing as exciting as Sirius was hoping for. He was also not pleased with all the attention those little animals were getting from Remus and not him. Deciding he had enough of this Sirius turned into Padfoot.

Remus was taken aback at first, not expecting the change, but quickly realized what happened and smiled down at the big dog. He crouched down and rubbed Sirius' head. Sirius replied by nuzzling his face into his lap. Remus sat down completely, his legs folded beneath him, and stroked Sirius' fur.

A twig snapped in the distance, both their heads shot up. Padfoot turned back into Sirius. With baited breath they waited, but no other noise came.

"Don't change back," Remus whispered.

Sirius wanted to ask questions but a finger was placed on his lips. Sirius lowered his head to Remus' lap, lips tingling. It came as surprise when Remus continued to stroke Sirius' hair in silence. Sirius found it odd to be laying on the forest floor but he really did not want to move.

Remus smiled down on Sirius, fingers running through black tresses, gently scraping the scalp. Sirius pillowed his head in the dip between Remus' thighs, feeling contentment. The forest swayed gently around them, as if keeping at bay because it knew they needed this moment.

He could've stayed there forever, the smell of the forest, the feel of Remus all around him.

Sirius' eyes fluttered closed, he was teetering on the edge of sleep, when Remus' calloused fingers ventured beyond his hair, again to the lips. The finger remained for a few seconds and then leisurely pulled away. Then something changed, Remus became rigid.

"I can hear footsteps," Remus whispered.

Sirius was alert right away, sitting up. They both stood and Sirius followed as Remus edged over to a tree.

"We should head back, quickly."

Something in Remus' tone made Sirius believe this was urgent. They moved fast but silent through the the forest, Remus leading. Remus would stop every once in a while and listen, then continue. They were out of the forest in minutes. Remus did not stop moving there, he dashed through the open fields until they reached a path students normally walked on.

"Who was it?" Sirius breathed, his heart rate still skittering faster than normal.

"I think... I think it was Snape, but I'm not sure. The person just smelled familiar. I think he was spying on us. I felt a presence halfway through," Remus admitted.

"Do you think he saw me transform?"

"No, I think that twig we heard was him coming in closer so he could see us. It's a good thing you transformed back, he may have seen. That's why I asked you to stay human and be quiet, I tried to hear more. He moved closer and I decided we should go, now he can't rat on us because that would mean he would have to admit he was in the forest too. I think he may have wanted to confront us."

Sirius nodded taking in all the information, "Slimy git."

"Like I said, I'm not entirely sure it was him."

Remus grabbed Sirius' shoulder, stopping him in his tracks. He made sure to sustain eye contact.

"Don't do anything stupid, it might not have been him."

Sirius could never disagree when Remus had a death grip on his shoulder, like he did now, and was looking at him so intently.

"Fine."

Remus nodded and they kept walking on the path in silence for a ways. Sirius got distracted by a pair of what looked to be first years chasing something hidden to him in the grass. So engrossed was he that Remus' hand grabbing his wrist actually made him jump.

Sirius was about to ask what was going on but he didn't have to, Severus Snape was walking towards them.

"How'd he get ahead of us?" Sirius whispered as they kept walking, Remus' hand still firmly around his wrist. Whether for his own comfort, to stop Sirius from doing something stupid, or another reason entirely was unclear.

"Lupin, Black," Snape growled as he passed.

"Been to the forbidden forest recently?" Sirius asked casually.

The question genuinely seemed to throw Snape off guard, he stopped in his tracks.

"What are you playing at Black?"

"We just think you would fit in better there," Remus supplied and tugged Sirius away.

When they were out of earshot Sirius burst with excitement.

"That was such a good comeback!" Sirius praised.

"I don't think it was him in the forest, he would've made a snide remark or at least not have been so thrown off," Remus said, ignoring Sirius' comment.

Sirius realized Remus was still holding his wrist, probably just forgot to let go. Sirius didn't want to push this new dynamic in their relationship, but their hands were so close. Timidly he moved his wrist from Remus' grip and replaced it with his hand. Remus made no move to stop things so Sirius interlocked their fingers. Remus looked over at him and smiled gently, his eyes shone.

"For warmth?" Remus questioned quietly.

"For warmth," Sirius confirmed.

The day had taken an unexpected turn to the warm because of the wind that ceased to blow. Neither commented on that fact. They moved closer so their robes covered their linked hands when a group of students passed them by, they did not let go. Only when the entered the common room did they release each other. Sirius knew his face was beet red, but he couldn't bring himself to care. He was so carefree he ignored the looks James was sending them, sitting side by side on the couch, when he arrived back in the common room from heaven knows where.

RL/SB

It was almost comical how Sirius drooled over Remus. It was a testament to his affections when he would carry his bag before and after the full moon or kiss his forehead after his transformation, but it was a testament to his attraction when he had fantasies in class so wonderful he actually drooled or when just staring at Remus could cause his salvation to triple. Sirius blamed it on the dog in him. However interested he was though, he did not want to push Remus.

Remus had taken a few years to become even slightly physically affectionate and was always hesitant to share his emotions. That's why Sirius didn't mind playing this dancing game of sorts, he could wait until Remus was comfortable. Ideally it would be Remus who made the first move, when he was ready.

That's also why Sirius wanted to spend more time alone with Remus, to give the boy ample time and opportunity to touch him, however faintly. The two times that had held hands had been wonderful, but Sirius was waiting for Remus to initiate contact.

Sirius was particularly disappointed when he realized they would only need at most two more sessions alone together to work on the project. Even more disappointing was that next session was that day, Monday.

James had been acting strange all weekend and insisting that they spend every waking minute together when he wasn't at Quidditch. Monday was a gift and a curse.

"Do you think they've even started the project?" Remus asked as they headed towards the library.

"No, I haven't seen them go work on it," Sirius said.

Remus gave a long sigh that made him sound like a father who had been faced with disappointment from his son for years.

"I swear, sometimes he just needs to grow up. He's been ridiculous lately. I think he wants everything between us to stay the same, to just live our lives as the four Marauders, never growing up."

"He isn't used to change, he's like a spoiled child, he can't stand when something doesn't go his way."

They both stewed in their thoughts for a few minutes, their feet taking them where they needed to go without help from the brain.

Sirius knew he was in some ways like James, a child who felt entitled to what he wanted, but in others he was not. He wasn't as grown up as Remus, who was too grown up for his own good, but he knew he was maturing. It scared him.

"Ah!"

Sirius whipped his head around just in time to see Remus fall face first to the ground. Sirius was not able to catch him, merely watch helplessly as Remus impacted with the ground in slow motion.

"Are you okay?!" Sirius questioned frantically, immediately crouching next to Remus laying flat on the floor.

Remus groaned and rolled over on his back, slowly he sat up. Sirius placed his hand on Remus' forehead and checked for bumps. He took Remus' chin it two fingers and turned his face from side to side inspecting every detail, making sure there was no bruising.

"I'm fine Pads," Remus muttered, tired of sitting on the floor.

"If you think so..."

Sirius stood and offered his hand which Remus gladly took.

"What tripped you?" Sirius asked once both were perpendicular to the floor.

"I just tripped on my own feet," Remus told him looking back on the completely smooth floor where he fell.

"Clumsy," Sirius mused fondly, "Let's head to the library then."

Remus stepped, then wobbled, so Sirius grabbed his wrist to stabilize him. For his efforts he was given a grateful smile. Sirius did not retract his hand the rest of the way to the library.

RL/SB

"Are we done?" Sirius asked, almost in awe.

They had spent a tireless hour on the last of the long report and it looked like things were finally paying off.

"Yes," Remus affirmed.

Papers covered the table, all with scribbles and ink spots and scratches, but in Remus' hands there was the essay. Foot upon foot of tireless notes put into articulate sentences written painstakingly in neat rows of cursive. If they didn't get an O no one would, it was pure gold.

"I'm done with everything," Sirius announced and leaned back in his chair across from Remus.

"I want to take a nap."

Sirius cracked an eye open, oh yes the full moon was in two days.

"You should take one," Sirius said yawning.

Remus smiled and leaned across the table, resting his weight on his forearms.

"Have you ever done this much school work in your life?"

"Nope."

He leaned forward as well, his eyes deeply focused on Remus'.

"Staring contes!" Sirius announced. Both scrunched their eyes closed and counted down to three, on three, their eyes opened and it began.

They were already close but Remus leaned even closer, not even sitting in his chair any more, his entire weight resting on his forearms. Sirius was always a sucker for Remus' amber eyes, Remus harbored a secret affection for Sirius' grey ones. One minute in and both their eyes were stinging.

Something in Remus' expression changed, from tense determination to... fondness? Then the staring contest was unofficially over as Remus leaned his face closer to Sirius', his head tilting ever so slightly. Sirius didn't dare breath as Remus came closer and both their eyes fluttered shut. Remus came no closer, instead Sirius heard a bang. Sirius opened his eyes to see Remus lifting his face from the table, holding his forehead.

"Paper slipped," Remus explained. He removed his hand from his forehead and held his elbow, which presumably slipped.

Sirius brushed his fingers across Remus' forehead, the boy flinched.

"I think it may bruise," Sirius said sadly, not only for the bruise but for the interrupted kiss.

"Ow."

Sirius pouted, poor Remus probably really needs a nap now, maybe even some hot chocolate.

"Is your elbow hurt?"

Remus held it up and indeed there was already a purple bruise blossoming.

"It's strange but now I kind of want a bath," Remus mused. For a moment Sirius thought he may be concussed.

"Remus, how many fingers am I holding up?" Sirius held up five and then four and then five, back and forth and back and forth.

"I don't have a concussion!"

"That's just a strange thing to say, I just wanted to make sure!" Sirius defended holding his hands up in surrender.

"Let's pack all this up before I manage to hurt myself more."

With in minutes the table was cleared and the essay placed like a gantlet at the top of Remus' bag.

"Do you want hot chocolate?" Remus asked, it was his go to question when he thought someone needed cheering up.

"No, I need hot chocolate," Sirius stressed.

With a roll of the eyes Remus was walking stride for stride with Sirius.

"Remus, I've figured you out," Sirius proclaimed once Remus had caught up.

"Oh?" Cue the arched brow.

"You break a lot of tiny rules, and usually, when you can, you blame it on us."

"Is that so? You're saying you never break any rules, it's all me."

"No, we break tons of rules, but with you it's different. On a daily basis I'd wager you break more small rules than us."

"I somehow doubt I break more rules than the illegal animangus on a daily basis, I'll need more proof."

"You have the mouth of a sailor and yet whenever you curse in class you reprimand James or me and the teacher blames us."

Remus smiled, he couldn't deny that.

"Is that all your proof? Every once in a while I say a bad word and blame it on you two, who, may I remind you, aren't foreign to swearing."

"You're more fowl than you seem at first glance, but no that's not it. Those obscene little doodles that you leave laying about James or I always get blamed for."

"I say nothing on those matters, people just naturally assume it was you two. Also my drawings are genius."

"I can't dispute that, I especially love the one of the loony divination teacher holding a crystal ball to her crotch and making a very explicit face."

"One of my finer works, I like Slughorn licking a cauldron clean and giving an absolutely seductive look."

"A gem to be sure, but I'm not done. Sometimes you wear comfortable shoes to class and no one comments on it but when my shirt is unbuttoned too much or tie too loose then I'm getting detentions."

"Are you done?"

"You also take food from the great hall and eat in class, now I'm done."

"You and James are so ostentatious every looks at you anyway but I fly below the radar. No one pays attention to me or suspects me, that's how I get away with things."

"You also smoke weed, you would think someone would have noticed by now."

"I'm careful with that."

"Still, I'm just saying you're a lot more rebellious than people give you credit for."

"Why thank you my dear Padfoot, for finally catching on." There was that innocent smile, that twinkle of the eye, only Remus could look so innocent and yet so mischievous at the same time.

"You also can walk while reading and not fall and run into things but without a book with all your attention you trip and run into walls."

"One of my many gifts."

"You're an ox moron or no that's not right, what's that ridiculous word you keep shoving down our throats?"

"Oxymoron, how am I an oxymoron?"

"You reprimand us for breaking rules but you break loads too, your walk fine reading a book but trip when you're not distracted, and you are the most calm and nice person I've ever met and yet once a month, you know..."

Remus looked at him, he wasn't sure how to take that. Sirius wasn't sure how he wanted Remus to take that.

"That's funny, I'm also pretty good at cooking but terrible at potions, I have the utmost respect for authority but am constantly disrespecting it, and I have heightened senses but yet I get startled really easily."

"That's adorable by the way."

"So I'm adorable and I'm sexy, I don't think that works."

"Just makes you more of an oxymoron."

"I suppose," Remus hummed. They arrived at the kitchens and that was the end of the conversation, for now. Moments later they sat with cups of hot chocolate and plenty of marshmallows. They were almost done with their coco when it dawned on him.

"That's another thing! You love chocolate and sweet things but you take your coffee black."

"I like my coffee like I like my men."

Sirius was confused for all of two seconds and then he was combusting in his chair, making all sorts of unintelligible noises.

"Well I'm going to go take a bath then, try not to think about that to hard," Remus leered and got up. Oh, Sirius would think about it alright.

Remus was almost at the door when he turned and walked back over to Sirius. Remus leaned down and placed a lingering kiss to his cheek. His hand somehow drifted to Sirius' thigh for stability, alarmingly close to another, less friendly, region.

When his lips left he stayed close and whispered, "Or maybe do."