Remus heard footsteps, and he looked up from his book to see Sirius walking towards him, looking slightly ill.

'You ok, Sirius?' asked Remus.

'Bumped into Lily. She said she can't find James anywhere.' he said, gravely.

'Oh,' said Remus softly. 'Bunking duties, huh?'

Sirius nodded. 'She said she's going to go and look for him.'

'Alone?'

'Yeah. She'll be fine.'

'She's not going to go out of the castle, is she?'

'How should I know?'

Remus sighed 'I don't know.' He said, and returned to his book.

Sirius strode over and threw himself on the couch beside Remus, and stared at Peter, who was lying on the floor fast asleep, contemptuously, and snorted.

'Wonder what it's like to be gay.' said Sirius. Remus lifted his eyes up carefully.

'Pardon?'

'I said, wonder what it's like being gay.'

'Do you?' asked Remus, quietly.

'Not, like wonder wonder. Just...wonder. Stupid faggot.' He said, gesturing to Peter and sniggering. Remus sighed, and looked down at his book, his eyebrows creasing his weary face.

'I doubt Peter is a "faggot", as you so tactfully put it.' he said, quietly. 'And you shouldn't use "homosexual" as a derogatory term, Sirius.' he added.

'Why?'

'I hate prejudice for no reason, Sirius. I know a lot about it, and believe me, I hate it.'

'What, are you gay?' Sirius asked mockingly. Remus sighed.

'I'm a werewolf.'

'Yes, I know that.' said Sirius. Remus looked back down at his book, but he had read the same line over and over again and he was just about to give up any attempt of reading at all. He knew any other activities were done in vain when Sirius was around.

'You didn't answer my question.' said Sirius softly, watching Remus carefully.

'Hm?'

'You didn't answer me.'

'What did you ask?'

'I asked if you were gay.'

'Why would you ask that?'

'Why shouldn't I?' said Sirius, almost defensively.

'I never said you shouldn't, Sirius. I just wondered what prompted you to ask that question.'

'Nothing "prompted" me. I was just wondering. And, seeing as you're acting awfully strange and carefully not denying it, I've come to the conclusion that you are.' Sirius said, almost scathingly. Remus sighed deeply.

'There's no reason for me to contemplate my sexuality, because no one wants to go out with a werewolf anyway.' he said, softly, a hint of bitterness in his voice.

Sirius was torn between two replies. "Of course people want to go out with you! Just because you're a werewolf doesn't mean you're not a great person!" and "You have to contemplate your sexuality?!"

'Contemplate?' he muttered, eventually.

'It means to think.'

'I know what it means!' he said, exasperated, his voice hanging heavily in the air. 'I just...' he started off more softly, but wasn't sure how to end the sentence.

'Wanted to know if I liked boys?' said Remus, finishing his sentence for him. Sirius's throat had gone dry, and all he could manage was a small nod. Remus sighed.

'I don't know.' Sirius would have choked if he could have. 'Not I don't know because I have feelings for boys and I am confused,' added Remus, catching the look on Sirius's face, 'But I don't know because in my life I have no time for things like love. My sexuality is...nothing.' He said, looking down at his feet.

Sirius's eyed softened, his heart melted.

'When you walk into a room, Remus, a dozen eyes lift, and move with your body as you walk slowly across to the other side.' he said. Sirius saw a rise of colour on Remus's neck.

'Are you sure that's not because you're beside me?' he asked quietly, daring to look up into Sirius's dark grey eyes. Sirius's heart missed a beat.

'Your modesty is what makes you appealing, Moony.' he said softly.

'It's not modesty, it's truthfulness. Like James's idiocy isn't confidence, it's arrogance.' he said. Sirius laughed softly, and Remus suddenly noticed he was a lot closer than he had thought him to be.

Suddenly, Remus's attentions were brought down to Sirius's lips, which were looking pink and moist, and were, strangely, moving closer by the second. Sirius lifted his hand up and placed it on Remus's cheek, and a million thoughts were running through Remus's head, his heart was beating fast, and he had no idea what was happening, what was going to happen, or if he would let it.

'Yeah, James is an arrogant bugger, huh.' muttered a voice below them, and Remus quickly snapped his head round to see Peter stirring on the ground. Sirius's hand was gone in an instant. Remus gave Peter a small smile.

'Yeah.' Remus murmured.

'He has good reason, though.' mumbled Peter, his eyes still shut.

'Sometimes.' said Remus, not daring to look at Sirius, who he heard sniggering softly.

'Acquired a little crush, have we?' he heard Sirius's voice ask teasingly. Remus was amazed at how fast Sirius could...well, change mood.

'Good...with the Snitch...' Peter mumbled, and then turned over and went back to sleep. Sirius snorted.

'Not sure he's talking about Quidditch.' he muttered. Remus turned and stared at Sirius, who stopped laughing abruptly.

'James is straight.' said Remus, staring at Sirius straight in the eyes, a whole new world of sickening possibilities sneaking its ugly head into Remus's mind.

'Unless Lily is a man.' he said. Remus laughed.

'Yeah.'

'And...well, I don't think she is.'

'No.' agreed Remus, whereupon an uncomfortable silence fell upon them.

'So......?' asked Sirius, and Remus was tempted to say "So what?", but he knew what Sirius meant. He sighed, and opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again, an idea flashing in his head.

'What do you think?' he asked, curious to see Sirius's reaction. Sirius eyed him carefully, and let out a long breath.

'I think you could be persuaded.' he said softly.

'Persuaded to-' but he was cut off as Sirius's lips were suddenly upon his, the gap between their bodies was closed, their fingers entwined, their panting apparent...and a wave of desire came crashing over Remus, he almost drowned.

Almost.