Wow... Lemme just say that I am in awe. I love you guys so much. Right now, I have 104 reviews. I almost cried when I read that. I really do love you guys. When this story first started, I had minimul support. It got to the point where I was ready to just give it up and take the story down. But my faithful reviews who have been with me from the beginning stuck by me, and I gained a few more followers. You guys have been so wonderful to me. Now, on to the sad news. This story will end in three chapters. I'm sorry, but all good things must come to an end, and the end is pretty nice, if I do say so myself. Okay, on to this chapter.

Disclaimer: I own no one and nothing from the Harry Potter books. They all belong to J. K. Rowling. This story is not for profit, only reviews and an ego boost.

Summary: On one hand, we have Remus: the quiet kind, a good boy. Mostly doing what's right. Sure, he's gay. No one knows about it. But now he's in love. On the other hand, Sirius: the troublemaker, gay, in love, much like Remus. The odds keep them apart, but can Fate bring them together?

Chapter 15

Remus's POV

THE QUIDDITCH GAME...

Peter and I take our seats in the Gryffindor box, anxiously awaiting the start of the game. The team marches out onto the field. The game is quick to start.

Everything is fine so far. I'm on the edge of my seat with worry for Sirius. Everything is going to be fine. Everything is going to be fine. Everything is going to be fine. Everything is going to be fine... I hope...

Dear God, I spoke too soon! The main Gryffindor Beater just took a Bludger to the head. He is out of the game, leaving it all up to Sirius. He can do it, though. I know he can.

Hope is an excellent Beater. She flies close to the box in pursuit of a Bludger on it's way to attack one of her teammates and waves at me. Everyone who sees starts making kissy noises. Sometimes I wonder if it's normal for them to be this immature, or if they are all just over-developed fetuses.

Trouble starts when Sirius and Hope go for the same Bludger. They swing at the same time, oblivious to one another. The bats connect. They look at each othre. Through Peter's borrowed omnioculars, I see the look of unbridled bitter anger that passes between them. Hope's lips move in the words "watch yourself" before she flies off. Sirius tears after her. God, it's war now!

A mid-air battle ensues. They take swings at one another, each trying to dislodge the other from their broom. Madame Hooch, red in the face, is yelling at them to stop. But they are just ignoring her, going about their grudge match.

James catches sight of the Snitch. He takes off in pursuit of it as fast as his broom can fly. And here is the tragic mistake. Sirius turns his head to look at James. Hope swings her bat at the Bludger hovering beside Sirius's head. As fate would have it, the bat totally misses the targeted Bludger and whacks Sirius in the side of the head. Scarlet blood starts leaking from his cheek. Screams go up through the stands. My heart is in my throat. His hands release his broom, waving around in the thin air for something to grab. Hope's robes become entangled in Sirius's fingers and as he plummets to the ground, she's drug along with him, screaming the whole while. I watch, feeling as if I'm not even really here, as they hit the Earth. A sickening crack can be heard, followed closely by a scream of pure pain. We all run down to the field.

Sirius got off lucky. He's been unconscious since the bat hit him. Hope, though, wasn't. She us laying under Sirius, her leg contorted at a strange angle. She had tried to catch herself in pure instinct. The bone in her leg is broken in two. It has pierced the skin and everyone has a perfect view of the white bone admist the blood and skin. By now, she's passed out. I vaguely remember Hope saying something to me about fainting at the sight of blood. Even I'm feeling dizzy right now...

They are both placed on stretchers then carted towards the Hospital Wing. It's only when they are back at the castle when James finally lands. He's caught the golden Snitch. The whole incident has gone unnoticed by him.

"What's happened," he asks.

"Crash," Peter says. "Bloody crash." He is white and shaking.

"Oh, God, Sirius!" Realization just hit him. James has always been a bit on the slow side, bless his heart.

After Madame Hooch declares Gryffindor the winner, James rushes up to the Hospital Wing, Peter and I in tow. He runs straight to Sirius's side, Peter right behind him. Sirius is still unconscious. He won't miss me if I go to see Hope first. Besides, I don't think I can stand to listen to James talking to Sirius in those honeyed tones. My heart can't take anymore torture.

Hope's bed is two down from Sirius's. She has already had her leg repaired flawlessly and is now drinking a potion for the after-nauseua. She smiles as I sit in the chair by her bed.

"Nice game," I say. She shrugs.

"We still lost."

"But you put up a good fight."

"Yeah," she says. "Remi, I'm sorry... I don't know what I was thinking. It's just, I saw him and I thought about everything he's put you through, and... I never meant to club him."

"I know."

Silence passes between us. Hope is reflecting on the game in her mind, studying every aspect, deciding where she made her mistakes, planning how she can improve for the next match. My mind wanders back to Sirius. God, I hope he's going to be okay. Even now, I still love him. Will I be cursed to this unrequitted love for the rest of my life?

James slips by me, shaking Hope's hand with a half-hearted comment of "good game". Both she and I know he thinks she hit Sirius puposely. They have never gotten along, Hope and James and Sirius. She was a threat to their status as top troublemakers here in Hogwarts. He leaves quietly with Peter tagging along behind. I look over at Sirius. He's still asleep, now smiling slightly, probably dreaming of James again. The stress catches up to me, and once more I'm crying on Hope's shoulder.

"Ssh, Remus," she soothes. "Just let it all out. It will be all right."

"No, it won't! It won't, Hope! I love him! And it's so much that it hurts! Does he notice? No! Not at all! This isn't puppy love! It's the real thing! I will love Sirius Black for all of my life!"

After that little outburst, I can't speak for the sobs that are shaking my body. Hope continues to hold me close, trying to comfort me. Something wet touches the top of my head and I look up at her. She is crying too.

"Oh, Remus," she sobs. "I wish I could do something for you."

I can tell she means it. Hope has those eyes that let you know just what she is feeling. Her heart is breaking in two for me. It is showing in those eyes. This sets me off into a fresh round of tears.

For two hours, Hope and I sit there and hold one another, offering each other comfort. Madame Pompfrey has left us alone with only a sleeping Sirius for company. She is quick to return when Hope and I are done crying our eyes out. She gave us both a calming potion. A student from Ravenclaw comes to escort Hope back to her dorm. I sit a few more minutes, slowly sipping the potion, staring at Sirius as he sleeps. Maybe he will never know how I feel... Perhaps I will just have to accept that and live with it...

"No mater what," I whisper as I am standing by the door, "I really will love you forever, Sirius."

With that off my chest, I went back to the Gryffindor dorm rooms.