Disclaimer- I own nothing...blah blah blah...I'm pretty sure that lady named JK would kill me if I didn't say this especially after what I've done to her characters!

A/N- Stupid exams, stupid University work...don't worry, one month before I graduate and I can write a whole lot more! I love Remus...he reminds me of an old friend who looks and acts so like him. So I think I'll do my first dedication ever here! For Leon.

Whispers filled the Great Hall and made it seem as if the power of the ocean had been released inside. Gryffindors turned to Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws called past the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tables to see if what everyone was saying was true or just a complete fantasy concocted by some ill-meaning Slytherin with a grudge.

"I heard they meet late at night!"

"Really? A Ravenclaw told me she saw them holding hands in a corridor!"

"No!"

"I'm serious!"

"Well I saw them kissing!"

"You never!"

"I did, I swear it, I swear on my owl's life!"

Suddenly, the whispers and chatter was stifled for the objects of their discussion had walked in, the taller dark haired boy first, his stride bold, arrogant even. Following him came the smaller of the two, less confident in his entrance as he bowed his caramel coloured head and hurried to catch up with the first boy. Staring around as if daring anyone to speak, the dark haired boy sat in the middle of the Gryffindor table, pulled a plate of potatoes closer and began ladling them out onto his plate in liberal amounts. The smaller boy simply sat looking nervous, eating nothing and staying close to the aristocratic youth by his side who was now carefully carving a piece of lamb leg for himself.

"Look at them..."

Sirius's head snapped up and glared at the direction of the whisper, eyes hard and cold in a stare of defiance. He had expected something of the sort but it seemed rumours, particularly those unconfirmed, travelled quickly and interested many. Beside him, Remus fidgeted nervously, tugging at a hangnail on his thumb and trying to delay confrontation. Almost in response to Sirius's bold defiance, a pair of Slytherin seventh years strode past, eyes narrowed in loathing before they purposely came close and, with a vicious elbow, caught Remus off guard sending him sprawling to the floor. Sirius was on his feet immediately, his eyes blazing and his jaw set in anger,

"Oops...sorry...my elbow must have an allergy to...whatever you are," hissed the taller of the two boys. The smaller snickered at his elbow and stood smirking down at Remus who was picking himself up from the floor. Sirius reared and stepped forward, only to be stopped by Peter and James who had gripped both his arms to prevent him leaping at the throat of the Slytherin like his Animagus form.

"Disgusting freaks...as if Gryffindors didn't have enough to be ashamed of in this loser house, now they have to contend with your repulsive preferences, your denial of what is natural and normal...do everyone a favour and hide yourselves away under a rock like the scum you are," said the Slytherin, his voice icy and dripping with malice. Contempt plain in his eyes, he turned taking the smaller boy and stalked away through the gathered crowd, through gawping students and away to the dungeon common room.

Sirius shook where he stood, wild rage and hatred coursing through him like a torrent waiting to break its banks and flow freely. He wanted to run after the boy, punch his stupid smug face, what did he know? What did he know about anything, about love, innocence, souls meeting? Sirius snorted, relaxed and nodded to James who let go of his arm and motioned Peter to follow suit.

"I told you so. What did you expect, a welcoming committee?"

Remus smiled, shook himself off and shrugged sitting down again to eat as he did so. Sirius joined him and together amongst the whispers, they finished their meal then left the Great Hall for the solace of the Room of Requirement.

*

It was just before eight and night had long since fallen but the two boys did not rise from where they lay curled on cushions to light the candles that sat idly nearby. Sirius twirled a lock of Remus's hair around his finger lazily as Remus burrowed closer into his side and sighed contentedly.

"You know I still have to go back to the dorm tonight for that spare quill...you only have until Monday to complete the Potions essay and it's Friday night Sirius,"

"Fine, go and get it, I already have the parchment...and you to keep me happy of course,"

Sirius smiled and stretched before standing up and lighting the candles to give the room a warm flickering glow that easily lit the small battered desk where his homework awaited. Turning, he pulled Remus toward him so that their chests pressed together and a brief but rewarding kiss was exchanged. As soon as the homework was finished, neither of them had any intention of further studying...studying one another's body maybe but that was about it thought Sirius as he smiled into Remus's hair. Releasing one another, the smaller boy reached the door before looking back with a grin,

"If I'm not back in half an hour come get me...you know how Peter gets when he can't figure out the answers to the homework!"

With that he left and Sirius turned back to the window watching the gamekeeper's cabin glow like a tiny beacon in the grounds. He fidgeted with the parchment, the quill, walked around the room several times before kicking a cushion in his boredom and retrieving it from where it had skittered to. Time passed and Sirius checked the mahogany clock realising Remus had been gone nearly forty five minutes. Rising, he strode to the door and left the room, not quite anticipating the velvety darkness of the corridor. He blinked a few times and waited until his eyes adjusted. He was not worried about being caught out of the dormitory at night, after all seventh years were allowed out until nine but a nagging feeling of worry gnawed impatiently at the back of his mind and prodded him with the feeling that something was not right.

Anxiously he strode the length of the corridor and down an adjoining one before he met a staircase he knew would lead him to the common room. He was halfway down the stairs when he spotted a small huddled mass at the bottom and his heart bolted up into his chest like a fleeing Thestral. Stomach rolling over in panic, he hurtled down the last half of the staircase to be confronted with a familiar mop of honey and chocolate hair and a blackberry sweater. Remus lay in a motionless heap, hair covering his face and Sirius stifled a yell with his hand, dropping to his haunches and gently checking Remus over. Faint breath escaped his blood covered lips and relieved Sirius's heart from an iron grip momentarily before he tentatively rolled Remus onto his back and stared in horror at his lover.

"Oh Gods Remus what have they done to you...what have I done to you by being with you? This is all my fault!"

A large bruise ringed Remus's left eye and a cut across the bridge of his nose dripped blood gently onto the white collar of the shirt he wore beneath the purple sweater. Various small cuts etched into the creamy white of Remus's skin which, though usually fair was now a dangerously white shade that sickened Sirius and tore into his heart like a knife. His hands bore marks of trying to fight away someone or many someone's and a ragged cut down the centre of Remus's bottom lip stood out cherry against the pallor of his face. Horror and rage and blind fear gripped Sirius before a surge of love choked his fear away and became a tide of strength he used to gently hoist Remus into his arms so his legs hung limply over one arm and his head lolled over the other, his eyes shut but chest still mercifully rising and falling.

Sirius ran down the last staircase and past two gawping sixth year girls who called after him but Sirius didn't hear their words of concern, he focussed instead on sprinting past the Great Hall and kicking the door of the Hospital Wing open. The Matron, Madame Bottomley came bustling out of her office into the silence of the wing where there was only one other occupant, shouting as she came.

"Sirius Black how DARE you...oh! Oh Goodness!"

Her hands flew to her mouth before she quickly took control and helped Sirius get Remus to a clean bed. Curtains flew up by themselves hiding away Remus's horrific injuries and Madame Bottomley motioned to her apprentice nurse Poppy who came running with a purple potion and a bottle of Skele-Gro.

"Nurse Pomfrey, Mr Lupin has severe injuries which look to be from a physical attack...Mr Black, did you see anything? Where did you find Mr Lupin?"

Sirius stalled, his head full of worry before his tongue unravelled from its stupor and told Madame Bottomley what she needed to know,

"I found him at the bottom of the stairs leading to Gryffindor Tower...I didn't see anyone, will he be alright? I mean...will he...," Sirius's voice trailed away into uncomfortable silence and he felt Nurse Pomfrey's podgy hand comforting his shoulder before he opened his eyes again and Madame Bottomley spoke softly.

"He's taken a real beating young man; I wouldn't be surprised if his internal organs had given up already. He seems to have real spirit and fire in him though, he was lucky you got to him, a few more minutes and this could have been a real mess."

Sirius's legs almost buckled beneath him as he managed to veer towards the chair beside Remus's bed. He watched the two women administer various potions and bandages to Remus's many injuries, not quite listening to their lull of chatter but catching the occasional sentence,

"...broken arm..."

"Pass the Skele-Gro Pomfrey, there's another broken rib on this side..."

"Lucky he was found, I can fix the broken nose no problem...good job too, he's such a lovely looking young man..."

Their chat and bustle lulled Sirius so his head felt full, heavy and as his eyelids closed gently, he felt Pomfrey cover him with a blanket before the lamp was extinguished and he drifted away into sleep listening to the sweet sound of Remus's regular breathing.

A/N- Eep don't hate me for Remus's pain, I love him lots so this is leading up to something glorious! Review please!