Hi! I'm sorry it took me so long to update, it's been hectic round here! Thanks to Moongirl, Facade1, Courtney, Tara6, DeadAngel, anna may, slytherinsela, mandie/snuffles, padfoot-dreamer, harrypotterfreak, sdfjksdfjklsdf, The Brat Prince and wavey avey. As I don't really wish to receive death threats, here's another chapter :)
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"Moony! Get out of the shower!" bellowed Sirius, banging on the bathroom door. "I'm covered in slime, I need to get clean!" Sirius growled in frustration as the only reply he got was a voice raised loudly in song. "Moony!"
Harry and Tonks giggled as Sirius started to use every swear word he could think of.
"Bit volatile, isn't he?" remarked Tonks casually. Harry snorted.
"Yeah, but then Remus does like to wind him up. It gets really quite loud in here sometimes."
"I can imagine." Sirius came stomping down the stairs, muttering under his breath.
"Tonks! Can't you house train him or something?" he demanded, flinging himself down next to Harry on the sofa.
"You're getting slime all over the sofa," replied Tonks. Sirius shrugged, draping one arm around Harry's shoulders and pulling him in for a hug.
"Sirius! This is disgusting!" muttered Harry, his voice muffled by Sirius' robes. "I really didn't want a face full of ectoplasm!" Sirius shrugged again, planting a kiss on the top of Harry's head.
"I don't think you should tell Remus yet," stated Tonks.
"Why not?" demanded Sirius.
"I just think you two should just take the time to get used to being a couple first. I mean, this is pretty sudden. Not to mention just the slightest bit weird." She sighed as Harry and Sirius glared at her. "All right, just do what you want. I don't think everyone's going to take it as well as me, that's all."
"Why should it matter?" said Harry angrily. "I love him!"
"You do?" asked Sirius. Harry nodded, his throat suddenly dry. Sirius hugged him closer and kissed him tenderly. "Love you too." Tonks sighed again.
"I just don't want you to get hurt. Either of you."
"Tonks, believe me, the last thing I'd ever want to do is hurt Harry." She grinned at him.
"I believe you. I should just be prepared for some unfavourable reactions, is all."
"We can handle it," declared Sirius confidently.
"Handle what?" asked Remus curiously, towelling his hair dry and looking curiously from Sirius to Harry. Tonks blushed crimson, her face clashing horribly with her hair, and looked away.
"Moony, old friend, you shouldn't walk around the house wearing just a towel, there's ladies present. Well, Tonks is present anyway. Hey!" Sirius released Harry and rubbed his arm where Tonks had hit him, glaring at her in mock indignation.
"What's going on here?" demanded Remus. "What have I missed?" Sirius just put his arms back around Harry and grinned. "I see. Can I have a word with you, Padfoot? In the kitchen?" Sirius nodded and followed Remus through into the kitchen. Harry and Tonks strained to hear what was going on, but they could hear nothing until something smashed and Sirius yelled "I know Harry isn't James!"
"Why does everyone keep saying that?" demanded Harry, slumping down and crossing his arms.
"Sirius was rather fond of your father," said Tonks carefully. "From what I've heard about their school days, Sirius always wanted to be much more than friends with your father, and for a while everyone thought that would be the case. Then James fell for Lily, and Sirius took to going after anyone who appeared interested. I reckon if it hadn't been for your mother . . . and, well, you do look just like James . . ."
"Apart from my eyes, I have my mother's eyes," Harry quoted tonelessly. "I know. Everyone says so. But I'm not my dad, and if you think that Sirius sees me as a sort of substitute for him well, I think you're wrong! He loves me, he just said so!"
"All the same, don't you think you'd be better off finding someone your own age? I've heard that Finnegan boy's interested. Or Malfoy, Malfoy's hot!" Harry shook his head.
"I can't. I love him and . . . I don't know if I could ever love anyone else, you know? Voldemort's after me and I thought I just wouldn't get involved with anyone, that way he wouldn't be able to get to me through them, if you know what I mean. But I can't help feeling this way about Sirius. It scares me how much I do love him, sometimes, and I just can't imagine feeling like this about anyone else." Harry paused and an expression of disgust crossed his face. "Wait. Did you just say Malfoy's hot?"
"Well he is, they're a very attractive family. And they're loaded. Exactly the sort of person any young witch or wizard would go for."
"But they're scumbags."
"Well, yeah, there is that, I suppose. Hey, I'm only trying to help you, Harry!" Tonks dodged the cushion that Harry aimed at her, laughing.
The kitchen door opened, and Sirius strode out.
"I'm going to have a shower," he announced shortly, pausing only to plant a brief kiss on Harry's cheek. Remus followed, and sat himself down on the chair opposite Tonks.
"I wish you luck, Harry," Remus said softly. "I'm sure you'll agree that Sirius is an amazing man, and he really does care about you a lot. Just be careful, okay?"
"You're not the first person to tell me that today," laughed Harry. "Don't worry about me. I'll be alright." Remus shifted his position on the chair slightly and grinned.
"I'm sure you will be. You always seem to manage somehow." Tonks squealed, her hands flying to her mouth in an effort to stem her giggles.
"Er, Remus, shouldn't you be getting dressed?" asked Harry.
"Nah, it's too hot for clothes," shrugged Remus.
"No, Remus, I really think you should be getting some clothes on now. Or at least replace the towel . . ."
"What?" Remus glanced down at the towel, which had slipped significantly. "Oh, Merlin," he muttered, flushing as crimson as Tonks. He hoisted the towel up and fled from the room, while Tonks and Harry exploded with laughter.
"You're a lucky woman, Tonks!" Harry laughed, ducking as she threw back the cushion he'd launched at her earlier.
"Oh, shut up! Don't you have owls to send or something?"
"Not really."
"Well, shouldn't you be finding out when your friends can get here then?"
"Next Tuesday."
"Oh, I give up!" Tonks sighed theatrically, throwing her hands up in the air. "You're just as annoying and stubborn as that godfather of yours! You're suited to each other!"
"Don't worry, Tonks, I'm sure you'll get your wolfman soon. Hey!" Harry ducked as all the cushions in the room rose up and flew at him, and decided that now would be a good time to leave.
