Notes: Amazing, guys. I actually pumped out another chapter. I decided against picking on Snape in this chapter, but I have something better. ^_^ I think…
Page Two: Winter
"Who is that?" James craned his neck and squinted behind his glasses, laying his book down beside him. Then, rather rudely, he pointed at a dark haired man who was chatting rather easily with Madam Pince. The man was very attractive and beautifully dressed, but something about him made Remus squirm uncomfortably. Perhaps he was just a bit too well dressed. Or too well oiled…
"I've seen him around," Sirius offered. "He's a friend of that slimy ass Malfoy." He made a face. "Or a fuck puppet." He rolled his eyes. "All I have to say is that I'm glad Weasley got scent of that bloody git's insatiable libido before he left."
Remus blinked. "What?"
A smile from Peter lit up the area. "Oh, you didn't know? It was kind of a scandal in our first year. Remember Arthur Weasley?"
Remus nodded.
"Well, supposedly he and Lucius Malfoy had a little affair going on during Weasley's seventh year and Malfoy's second. Of course, that in and of itself was bad enough for a scandal, but then it came out that Weasley was forcing Malfoy to sleep with him. Of course, Weasley denied it and Malfoy refused to comment. One of the professors ended up hushing the whole thing up, but not before it got around the school. And just last year, Snape spilled the beans that Malfoy had spread the rumor to get himself out of trouble with his parents."
"Wait wait," the little werewolf held up his hand. "Okay, let me get this straight. Malfoy spread a rumor that he was being pressured into sleeping with Weasley so that his parents wouldn't think he's a slut?"
"Basically," James laughed shortly. "He's such an ass. Poor Arthur was heartbroken. He didn't even stay around for graduation- though technically he did graduate."
"But isn't he married to Miss Molly now?" Remus asked, curious.
"Yup. She had always been his best friend, and then she was around to comfort him when Malfoy pulled his nasty little trick. Arthur fell in love and they were married."
Peter wriggled his nose in a decidedly mouse-like way. "Malfoy wasn't broken up about it at all. He moved right on to Mason Boot- that Slytherin who graduated last year. He always had a thing for older men. And apparently… this one, too." He gestured towards the dark haired man, who had moved over to Lucius Malfoy's table and was now sitting very close to him. The two of them had their heads together, cheeks nearly touching, and Malfoy was clearly blushing brightly.
"This one's been coming around for a while, though. I think Malfoy really is taken with him. Or he's really taken with Malfoy. Either way…" Sirius mused, his fingers caressing his quill mindlessly.
"Isn't it kind of illegal?" Remus squeaked, his face now quite red. "I mean, didn't anyone get in trouble?"
"You can't punish anyone for rumors." Sirius shrugged. "No one would admit to doing anything, and the headmaster was not willing to put up surveillance- said it was intruding on privacy."
"But… that's… pedophilia!"
James sighed. "Yeah, it is, Remus. But just think- people like Weasley who really thought they were in love would get punished, but Malfoy would get off without so much as a bruise on his record."
Peter shook his head. "It's a messy business- love."
"And that's why I'm going to be a monk," Sirius stated, and then grinned at the expressions on his companions' faces. "Just kidding! Merlin's beard, you take things too seriously." He cast a strange look at Remus and then slouched back in his chair. "Aw, you know I'd never give you up, James."
"You just love me too much," the dark haired boy replied, teasingly, and then bent over his book.
"Nah, I'm just in it for the sex," Sirius chirruped and winked.
Remus turned even redder and bent his head lower over his book. But in front of him, the words began to swim together. He tried to focus, but it was rather useless. Slamming the book shut, he gave his friends half a smile and then announced, "I can't study any more."
"Me neither," Peter sighed, his cheek squashed against one of the open pages of his notes. "Can we go get some food?" he asked hopefully, his one open eye focused on James.
James nodded and folded up the star chart he was looking at. Remus stood up, but was suddenly bumped on the left by someone in passing. Looking up, he found himself face to face with Lucius' dark haired "friend." The taller man's eyes widened for a moment and then he smiled and bowed. "I have never seen one so beautiful as you before. And so healthy… usually it saps all the strength out of them." His voice was low and almost purring. "Keep up the good work, boys," and then, with Lucius in tow, he swept out of the library.
"I don't like him," Remus announced suddenly. "I don't like him and I'm afraid of him."
"So am I," agreed Peter.
Sirius snorted. "Silly twats, both of you. He's just a man."
"He knows," Remus said softly. "I know he knows."
"About the wolf?" James looked startled. "How could he?"
"I don't know. But he…"
Sirius grabbed Remus into a fierce embrace. "Shut up, Remmie. Don't worry about it." His hands were on the other boy's shoulders, tight and yet comforting. "He's just a stupid man."
All Remus' thoughts were driven away by the musky scent that clung to Sirius' robes.
~ * ~
"For Merlin's sake, Peter, stop bugging me about it! I'll hang up the damned mistletoe when I want to!" James stamped his foot on the stool he was standing on. His glasses glinted dangerously in the firelight. "I know you're eager to snog the next beautiful creature that comes in the room, but hold in your dumbstick until I get this holly up, okay?" And with that lovely bit of information, he turned back to his work.
Peter looked insulted, but then went placidly back to throwing glitter on the common room Christmas tree.
"James, that was kind of rude," Remus said, not looking up from his book. He and Sirius had finished their half of decorating (animating the little animal-shaped ornaments) and they were now curled up on the couch reading some of their Divination homework for the break.
"He's been bugging me about it for the past half hour!" James protested.
"That doesn't give you the excuse to be mean," Remus replied, finally glancing up. Then he gave a little gasp. "James! Stop that!"
"What?" was the impish response.
"You will not make the holly say 'James is God' again! We had enough of that last year, Mr. Potter."
"Bastard," James sighed, and then removed the spell. "What if I made it say 'Remus is God'?"
"Well, then at least it would be true," Sirius said, his head still ducked behind his book. The other three turned to look at him, but he acted as if he had not spoken at all. After a while, they lost interest in watching the Gemini on his book cover doing a little dance, and went back to work.
The rest of the day seemed to go smoothly, but in the back of Remus' mind, he couldn't forget that silly little sentence. That evening, Remus found his friend sitting alone and decided to ask him about it.
"Hey, Siri?"
"Mmm?"
"Can I talk to you?"
"Talk away, my good wolfbaby."
Remus made a face. "I prefer that you wouldn't call me that." He plopped down next to the dark haired boy and crossed his legs comfortably. "Um… I… wanted to talk to you."
"You said that." Sirius grinned widely.
"Um… earlier today…" Remus scratched at his neck in a rather doglike manner "earlier today you said… well… um…" He nibbled on his lip. "Um…. Um… you said about the me being a god thing… um…"
Sirius's cheeks were red. "Uh… right. Well, in comparison to James, anyone's a god," he said, stumbling over his words. Then he glanced at Remus under his dark lashes. "Um.. but… you're … well, you're a little more godlike than most people I've ever met," he said softly. "You're- you're strong, smart, beautiful… You're like a pink backed novel heroine, Remus."
"Are you saying I'm a woman?" Remus blinked, completely missing the compliments.
"I'm saying you're too perfect. It's not fair. You don't lose your temper like me, you're not a pompous ass like James, and you don't cower behind books like Peter."
"Have you forgotten what I am?! I don't need any more flaws than one!" Remus cried, tears springing to his eyes. "I'm a werewolf, Sirius! That's a flaw big enough to cover everything else!"
"You bastard! It's not!" Sirius frowned at his companion. "It's not a flaw! It's just… just a mistake. You can't help it, Remus. You're… well, you're you. And the wolf is not."
"You don't understand, do you?" Remus' eyes overflowed. "There is no difference between us. We are the same, Sirius. I am the wolf and the wolf is me. My DNA is altered because of that one bite."
The other boy sat back, his face contorted into a concentrated glare. He was silent for so long that Remus was afraid he had made his friend hate him. Then, suddenly, he broke the silence. "Look, if you are who you are as the wolf and you combined… then you're one damned good werewolf, okay?"
This time it was Remus who bridged the gap between them, his arms winding around Sirius' neck. He buried his face in the other boy's shoulder and sobbed a bit more before managing to squeeze out, "And you're one damned good friend."
"Remmie, don't ever hate yourself." Sirius' voice was muffled as his mouth was pressed against the side of his friend's head. His hands tightened around Remus' waist. "Don't… don't ever hate yourself."
"How can I? With you there to make me feel better?" Remus' voice was constricted with tears. Then, suddenly, he pulled away. "Sirius?"
"Yeah?"
"Did you say I was beautiful?"
"Um… I-I guess so." Sirius' face flushed deeply. "I-um… yeah." He looked off to the side and chewed on his lower lip.
Remus smiled and snuggled back up to his companion. "Sirius?"
"Yeah?"
"You can tell me that again any time you want."
"What if I want to now?" Sirius leaned in close to Remus, touching his nose to the young werewolf's. "What if I want to tell you that you are the most beautiful thing I've ever seen?"
"S-Siri?"
"What if I want to kiss you?"
Remus could feel Sirius' breath warm on his own lips and his heart began to beat faster. He had never kissed anyone other than his parents before, and he was extremely nervous. Plus, kissing your parents doesn't nearly compare with a dark haired, blue eyed, smooth skinned fourteen year old boy bending over you breathing that he thought you were beautiful. Remus closed his eyes.
Softly, Sirius touched his lips to Remus'. It wasn't a sloppy, slobbery kiss, nor was it a smooth, passionate kiss. It was gentle and very tentative, with both feeling their way along the other's mouth with all the care of a dear friend and beloved companion. Pink lips moved and dark lashes fluttered, and Remus felt Sirius' hands on his waist.
As they pulled away, both blinking shyly at each other, Remus said quietly (and without really thinking), "I love you."
At that, Sirius sat up sharply. His brow furrowed and his mouth narrowed into a slim red line. "I-I'm not ready for that, Remus." And, not saying anything further, he got up and left.
Needless to say, that Christmas was one of the quietest and most tense that any of the Marauders had ever had.
To be continued
Notes: I meant to spell it "pear"… not "peer". I'm kind of warping expressions… don't ask. I have no brain. I proooomise Quidditch and Snape in the next chapter. Hopefully I can write that before I go back to SCAD.