I'm so sorry to everyone who has been waiting for this story to be updated! School has been killing me, so I apologize for my long absence. Please, enjoy the chapter!
Disclaimer: Harry Potter is property of JK Rowling and Warner Brother Studios. I have no claim on HP characters whatsoever.
Remus sighed contentedly as he stared up at the patches of starry sky visible behind the dark clouds. Snowflakes drifted lazily to settle around him and all along the grounds of Hogwarts. The crescent moon was hidden behind a cloud, creating a hazy glow in that corner of the night sky.
Remus shivered slightly in the cold but didn't want to move. He could feel his extremities going numb, but he was too comfortable to care.
"Moony?" a voice called out into the silence. "Is that you?"
"Hullo, Padfoot," Remus replied, without moving or looking over at his friend. He continued to stare at the sky as he heard Sirius sit down beside him.
"Remus, aren't you freezing?" Sirius asked worriedly as he noticed tremors traveling though Remus's body.
Remus turned his head slightly so that he was looking at Sirius rather than at the sky. He was immediately struck by Sirius's silver eyes, which seemed to capture the light of the stars.
"I'm fine," Remus said softly as he turned back to look at the sky. He heard Sirius snort softly, disbelieving. He knew Sirius could see right through him – he knew him too well – but he didn't know what else to say.
He heard rustling noises but ignored them until Sirius suddenly lay down so that their sides were melded together. He stiffened for a second, but then relaxed as Sirius conjured a blanket to cover them both.
Sirius was so nice and warm. Unconsciously, Remus snuggled closer to Sirius's warmth, noting how perfectly their bodies fit together. They lay in comfortable silence for a few minutes, watching the snowflakes drift slowly to the earth.
"What are you thinking about?" Sirius finally asked. Remus didn't immediately answer, but Sirius knew he just needed some time to gather his thoughts.
"Life," Remus replied quietly, "life after Hogwarts. School is almost over, Sirius. What are we going to do once we graduate? What will I do?" He continued to stare at the tiny bits of falling sky.
Sirius propped himself up on his elbow so he could better see Remus face. He felt his chest tighten at Remus's wistful and lost expression.
"You'll find something," Sirius said reassuringly, knowing that Remus was thinking about his little 'condition.' "Who knows," Sirius smirked, "maybe you'll become a professor here at Hogwarts. You could secretly teach a whole new generation of pranksters!"
Remus chuckled slightly, eyes crinkling in mirth. Sirius was sure he had never seen anything as beautiful.
"You forget," Remus teased, "I would probably encourage them to be goody-two-shoes like I used to be." He smiled up at Sirius, who was grinning like a maniac.
"But you're such a pushover, Moony" Sirius snickered. "You know you would be secretly rooting for them to prank Peeves or Slughorn."
Remus grinned, but then turned pensive again. Sirius traced the contours of Remus's face with his eyes, wishing he could relieve some of his friend's uncertainty.
"What about us?" Remus asked so softly, Sirius almost missed the question. "What will happen to us, the Marauders?"
"We'll always be friends," Sirius said forcefully. "The four of us, we'll always be together. We'll always be the Marauders." He looked straight into Remus's eyes, trying to make him understand.
Remus looked desperately into Sirius's captivating eyes, trying to take strength from Sirius's conviction. Slowly, he lowered his eyes and turned his head to the side.
"But things change," Remus whispered. "What if we – " He was suddenly cut off as Sirius straddled him, an arm on either side of his head.
"I will always be here for you," Sirius all but growled, "and nothing will ever change that." He stared down at Remus, willing him to believe. Remus looked up at him, framed by the falling snow, trying to rid his uncertainty.
Sirius stretched out a finger and smoothed Remus's wrinkled brow. He gently brushed a strand of hair out of Remus's face, tracing his cheekbone. Finally, his hand stopped on Remus's cheek and didn't move.
Remus stared up at Sirius, eyes flashing with mixed emotions. Their faces were close. Honey colored eyes stared into silver ones. Neither one seemed to breathe.
Slowly, ever so slowly, Sirius lowered his head. Their lips were so close, Remus could feel Sirius warm breath on his lips. He closed his eyes waited breathlessly, feeling his body tingle with icy heat.
Sirius brought his head down a few more inches. Their lips brushed lightly, sending a jolt of pleasure down both their spines.
Cupping Remus's cheek in his hand, Sirius kissed him again. He kept their lips together longer, deepening the kiss, savoring Remus's sweetness
Remus lifted a hand and tangled it in Sirius's silky hair, keeping them locked together. He wrapped his other arm around Sirius's neck. Shivers ran across his body, but they were from pleasure, not cold.
When they finally broke apart, Sirius kept his hand on Remus's cheek. He brushed the pad of his thumb across Remus's lip, holding Remus's hand with his free hand.
"I'll never leave you," Sirius said, "because I love you." Remus looked up into the loving eyes of his best friend. Finally, he believed.
"I love you too."
So what do you all think? I had originally planned to write quite a few more chapters, but I like where the story has gone. I think this will be the last chapter, at least for now. I hope you enjoyed the story, and thank you to everyone who reviewed or read this!
Rin
