(A/N: I had a lemon attack here. Since this chapter - and a day out with some friends - my motto is: "If life gives you lemons, don't complain - Hey, at least you got free lemons!"

That's kind of what happened to me. My muses started throwing them.)

Valentines Day is the day when I celebrate another year of being single. Aren't I lonely, I hear you ask? Am I hell! It's FUN! I can write slop like this instead! Or maybe you don't care after all that. So, anyway.

Chapter 7 - 15th February

Sirius slid his arms around Remus' waist and leant his head on his shoulder. "Happy Valentine's day."

"You said that yesterday. You're a day late, now."

"I know."

"Sirius, I'm trying to get dressed. It's kind of hard with you hold of me like this."

Sirius grinned. "How would you prefer I held you, then, love?"

Remus looked sideways at his mate, shaking his head. "Just get off."

"I don't want to let you go. You're too gorgeous. You know what? There should be a law. A law against people looking as good as you always do."

Remus smiled, turning so that he faced Sirius. "Flattery might possibly get you everywhere you know …"

Sirius grinned and kissed the end of Remus' nose. "You are the most wonderful person I have ever met and I must have done something really good in a past life to deserve you, because I've not done anything good enough for you in this one. Maybe I saved the Pope's life …"

"I can't think of an instance when the Pope's life's needed saving," Remus said as he linked his hands around Sirius' neck. He smiled, leaning forwards to rest his forehead on Sirius'. "Why do you love me?"

Sirius shrugged slightly. "You're you."

"But I'm a - "

"Haven't we been through this? I only see that as an advantage because it means neither of us can suddenly decide to run off with someone and we can talk without anyone knowing what we're saying."

/But - /

/Remus, do we have to have this conversation again? I've told you a thousand times - I love you and I always will, no matter what happens, and if there was a way for me to officially marry you and legally prevent you from being anyone else's eye-candy, I would./

Remus swallowed, shutting his eyes. Sirius pressed his lips to his mate's. Remus snuggled closer as Sirius tightened his arms. When they parted, Sirius whispered, "It's Lupercalia today, isn't it."

Remus froze. "How do you know about that?"

"Never mind how I know. Why didn't you tell me?"

"I don't know. It … reminds me of what I am …"

"If you don't want me to mention it again - "

"No! No, it's OK, I just … wasn't expecting you to say that then. I guess it caught me off guard," Remus replied, relaxing again and leaning against the taller man. Sirius started to apologise softly, but Remus cut him off, telling him, "Sirius, stop it, I suppose I should respect it since it applies to me …"

Sirius smiled. "Will you explain it properly? When I heard about it, I looked it up and the books I looked in were a bit vague."

Remus smiled. "Not exactly surprising. They're generally all wrong anyway."

"So … what is it?"

"It was a Roman festival. Historians now think it was a festival of fertility … maybe that's how it ended, but it began with the shepherds. Werewolves were their biggest enemy. They're infinitely more dangerous than wolves, after all. The festival was a way of … placating the werewolves. The goats they sacrificed were left at the top of one of the nearby hills - the one where Remus was killed by Romulus, I think - for the wolves and … I suppose the men who ran down the hill to whip the women with goatskin were there to purify the women somehow. You see, Lupercalia only truly applies to werewolves with mates, and … they didn't want any of the women to actually be mated to a werewolf …"

"How do you mean, only applies to werewolves with mates?"

"Once a werewolf has a mate, on the festival of Lupercalia the wolf is free to take over the human body. Then it can do what it likes."

Sirius frowned. "So it's fighting you now?"

Remus nodded. Sirius smiled gently. "Ironic, isn't it, that you and your brother are named after the two brothers raised by wolves at the site of Rome and you're a werewolf."

Remus shrugged. "My grandmother was a fanatic of Roman civilisation. I'm not particularly pleased, though. I'm named after the one who was killed."

"If your brother ever showed the slightest intention of doing something like that, he would be dead before he knew what hit him."

"Don't be daft."

"I'm not. I won't ever let anyone or anything hurt you. Never ever."

Sirius kissed him hard on the lips and Remus bit down on his bottom lip. Sirius made the kiss harder, massaging Remus' shoulders. Remus pushed Sirius back until his knees collided with the foot of the bed. Sirius pulled back and Remus started to kiss down his neck.

"I though you were getting dressed," he gasped. Remus growled. Sirius groaned as his werewolf pushed him backwards, placing gentle touches all over his body, until they were both lying on the bed. "Not anymore I'm not. I'm considering letting the wolf at you …"

Remus brushed Sirius' hair off his face, licking his lips in anticipation. Sirius tried to keep his voice calm, while Remus was slowly moving his ministering fingers further and further down his body. "If you do that … oh, Jesus … won't - won't you regret it?"

Remus ignored his question. Sirius forgot he had even asked it as Remus' hands moved quickly from his stomach to somewhere far more pleasing, becoming rougher. Sirius' physical desire mounted as Remus kissed down his breastbone, still gently stroking and affecting Sirius in ways that made him shiver with delight. Suddenly, Remus' fingers tightened. "Ah! Oh, God - Oh, love - Oh, mate!"

Sirius fumbled with Remus' jeans, knowing what pleasure it would bring if Remus made love to him - he wondered vaguely if he would let the wolf have the control it wanted. Remus kissed him hard and forced his tongue into his mouth. Sirius groaned, arching his back as pleasure shot through his body. Remus moved back long enough to tear off his clothes and then lay back down on top of Sirius' body.

Sirius whimpered. Remus smiled, gently kissing Sirius' lips. Sirius gasped as Remus thrust forwards and he felt his cock brush Remus'. He yelped as Remus thrust again, running cool fingers through his jet-black hair. Sirius was begging now, his voice broken by yelps and exclamations of pleasure as Remus' fingers and lips played over his body. Finally, he whispered, "Jesus, Remus! Stop fucking around and bugger me!"

Remus grinned. "I'd rather see you squirm," he whispered seductively. Sirius groaned. He couldn't take much more of this. Remus knew just how far he could push Sirius before he came, and he was employing this knowledge without mercy, sending him to the brink then forcing him back. Sirius whined.

That one noise did it. Remus knew then how much his mate wanted him - how much he needed him. Both the wolf and the man recognised that. He moved his hands up to either side of the animagus' head and kissed him gently. "But I can't stand it when you make that noise …"

Sirius gasped, whimpering again. Remus moaned, resting his forehead on his lover's shoulder. Sirius changed position to allow Remus to thrust into him. Remus did so. Sirius' body arched involuntarily, as he groaned. It had been a while since he had wanted Remus so much - and he wanted all of Remus. Wolf included.

Remus didn't want to hurt his mate; Sirius was tense all over. This wasn't going to be easy. He scrabbled for his wand and cast a hasty lubrication charm. Sirius was begging again with every panting breath he took. Remus whispered breathlessly, "I don't want to hurt you …"

Sirius made a decision. He couldn't relax, and Remus wouldn't ever hurt him - and it would hurt if he were so tense. He rolled Remus over onto his back and pressed down, hard. His face contorted in pain for a second, then he relaxed slightly and the pain subsided. They both knew that movement would break the moment of pure unstoppable pleasure, but the impulse soon became too strong. Sirius moved first, rocking his hips. Heat flooded through both their bodies, causing an intense reaction for both of them and making them both cry out. The wolf clawed its way to the surface of Remus' personality; he howled. However, the simple movement soon became too much for Sirius, despite his lover's obvious bliss. "Please … I can't …"

Remus suddenly realised how selfish he had been, lying there enjoying the feeling of Sirius' body around his cock while his mate did all the work. He rolled Sirius over onto his back and thrush into him. Sirius arched his back, taking short breaths that barely satisfied him. Remus leant down to kiss him and the kiss became deeper and harder until both their lips were bruised and burned with friction.

Remus' fingers found their way to Sirius' cock, making him cry out harder as he began to stroke him. "Remus … my mate, so good, so good for me, just for me … Oh God, oh so hot, so sweet, oh Rem … love - can't stand this … make me come … please, mate … ah! Ahh!"

Remus shook his head, running his thumb over Sirius' tip. Sirius whined, shutting his eyes. Remus knew just how that made Sirius feel. Remus thrust forwards and hit the point that sent intense pleasure through Sirius' body harder than before. His head snapped back without conscious involvement of his brain. A scream bubbled up Sirius throat from the point of contact and snapped his eyes open as it burst from his mouth. He couldn't breathe properly. With every thrust Remus hit the spot that sent electricity burning up his spine hard. Remus' fingers were moving over his cock and everywhere they touched he felt fire. Tears welled in his eyes and spilled through his lashes as he fought to control the intense passion zinging through every fibre of his body.

Remus gently bit his earlobe and whispered, "Come for me, Sirius …"

Sirius obeyed. Even without Remus' order he would have done. He felt Remus come at the same moment, a feeling of heat entering his body. His yell of pure pleasure turned to racking sobs as he leant against his mate. Remus pulled back from his body, still holding him tightly in his arms. Sirius sobbed harder. He would never enjoy that moment when Remus left him, though the pain that came with it was gone. He snuggled close to him until his sobs became frantic gasps for air that eventually resolved to his normal breathing pattern.

Remus murmured, "Did I hurt you?"

Sirius looked up into his mate's face and saw the concern in Remus' eyes. He shook his head, licking his lips so he could reply, "No. No, you never hurt me. I … I don't know why I'm crying. You were amazing … I just … I couldn't take it, feeling so good."

Remus kissed his forehead. "I don't ever want to hurt you."

"You don't … not ever…"

They lay in silence for a while, every cell in their bodies aware of the contact with the other. Sirius thought of something after a while. He asked quietly, "Was that you or the wolf?"

Remus thought for a long moment. "It … it was me. Just me."

"I thought you said …"

"The wolf can have control if it wants. And right then I wanted you all to myself, without any lupine idiot poking his snout in and trying to get his grubby paws on my beautiful mate."

Sirius shut his eyes and snuggled close to Remus. Much as he was loath to admit it, when Remus started to talk like that a shiver ran through his body, heating his cheeks and melting his heart. But the shiver this time was partly to do with the cool of the room. /Cold?/

Sirius shrugged. Remus grabbed a handful of the duvet and pulled it over them both. Sirius sighed, thinking how much Remus cared. /Better, mate?/

Sirius nodded. /Thanks, Remus. I just realised something./

/What's that?/

/I never got a Valentine for you./

/I didn't get one for you./

/What would you have put in it?/

/Like you care,/ Remus laughed, finding it amusing that Sirius Black was upset that he hadn't got a cheesy card to tell him how much he was loved. Sirius looked up at him with those stunning blue eyes. Remus smiled. /Roses are red; Violets are blue. God made me gorgeous, What happened to you?/

Sirius gave him a reproving look. Remus smiled. /No, really, I wouldn't put that. Anyway, God made you the gorgeous one, not me,/ Remus told him, kissing him gently. /I'd say this: My heart was broken, But you restored it, Because every day you say to me, You will be mine. Forever./

Sirius smiled. Remus really was a hopeless romantic. Then again, he couldn't really talk … /Where'd you get that?/

/Romans made it up … kind of. Only the original's more depressing because whoever wrote it still had a broken heart. What would you have put in mine?/

"I'd leave it blank: single red rose on the front but no words, nothing inside - just your name, because you're the only thing that matters. No distractions from you, nothing to take my mind off you, nothing but you. Because that's how I want to be with you. Just the two of us, with nothing else."

Remus smiled. "For a person who says that sort of thing makes you ill, you certainly know how to be really romantic, Siri."

Sirius blushed, burying his head in Remus' chest. Remus hugged him for a moment, then stroked his hair and asked, "Should we get a really sloppy, romantic film out tonight, buy some chocolate liqueurs and champagne, snuggle up on the sofa and … well … you tell me what happens next …"

Sirius smiled. "So long as we can go out for dinner somewhere expensive first and I can pay."

"Sirius, we can't afford it," Remus said, though he was only saying it on principal. Sirius grinned. "Actually, we can. You see … well, you know how that guy from the Department of Magical Games and Sports came to watch us play the other week because it's the world cup next year?"

Remus swallowed. "You're kidding. They chose … You've got to be … They didn't …"

Sirius smiled. "Oh yes they did."

"So you're playing? In the World Cup? You're on the National Team?"

"James is too. And I'm only on the team from the year after next onwards - since it's another three years 'till the World Cup. I'm sticking with the Cannons 'till then. And it all depends on if we get through to the final if we play for the actual Cup - and if you don't mind, love …"

"Mind! Why the hell should I mind? And you will get through - 'specially with you on the team!" Remus laughed, pulling Sirius into a tight hug. Sirius wrapped his arms around him, leaning his head on his shoulder, and hugged him back. "Thank you."

"What for?"

"For encouraging me to try out for Quidditch in the first place. Unless I'm very much mistaken it was you who dragged me to the Hogwarts trials too."

"Yeah. As I remember it you were in tears in a corner gibbering that you wished you were good enough."

Sirius blushed again, leaning on his lover. He sighed. "So we can go out tonight?"

"It means getting out of bed, you know."

"I know."

"But not straight away," Remus said firmly, cuddling Sirius tighter for a moment. Sirius grinned and kissed Remus' chin - the only part he could reach at the time. "And you say I'm bad for saying stuff like that."

(A/N: OK, not so short, but hands up who says it's sweet? Oh. Right. No hands. Fine! The World Cup thing was spur of the moment. Don't ask. My muses begged me.

Warning: Boring information alert … BTW, Lupercalia? It was an ancient Roman festival, celebrated on their equivalent of February 15th, and it was a festival of fertility. Apparently:

1) Not even the Romans knew which God they were supposed to worship.

2) There were two young men who wore only goat skins who took strips of the skins of sacrificed goats and ran down into the streets and whipped the women with the strips to promote fertility (or something like that).

3) It was originally a shepherd's festival.

4) I think - as far as I remember - that the sacrificed goats WERE left on the hill where Remus was killed, but that I'm not sure about.

Everything else was made up c/o me. Please review and complain of I got it really wrong. Done about Lupercalia now. Happy belated Valentine's Day and Lupercalia! PLEASE review now. Please? PLEASE?

Also: Sorry for the LONG delay on updates! Sorry! I've been getting ready to move house! Woo! Next couple of weeks and we'll be moved in! And when we move I GET BROADBAND!! Yes! Anyways, sorry - I'll try to update more often!)