9 a.m. (still at Sirius' house)
"Unnggh... what time is it? Sirius?"
"Take it easy. I called the Ministry and told them we were both sick. In fact, to make it more belivable, I said whatever it was, we had probably 'given it to eachother'."
"Great... In that voice?"
"Sure. Why not?"
"I'm sorry to say this, love, but I feel hungover. We didn't drink anything last night, did we?"
"No. Is this supposed to be some sort of complaint regarding my lovemaking skills?"
"No, no, not all... is that piercing sound the teapot, by any chance?"
"Yeees... Do you want some? Tea, I mean."
"Please."
Sirius entered the bedroom, and handed Remus a cup of steaming hot tea.
"Here it is, and with a smile to go with it. Hey, what's wrong? You're not..."
Sirius crept back into bed, next to him. Remus was just about to empty the teacup, when it suddenly hit him like someone had punched him in the stomach - maybe Sirius thought he was
having seconds thoughts. "Oh, Sirius, please, I'm sorry, I'm just a little tired -
I'm sorry if you thought I... had any regrets. Last night was truely the best thing that's ever happened to me.
I mean it. If there's one thing I'll never regret, it's coming over here last night.
And I don't regret what you did to me, or what I did to you... In fact, I'd want
to repeat last night here and now, if there wasn't for this one thing..."
"What?"
"Hrm... I hate to bring this up right now, but I'm afraid it's unavoidable.
And I...have to take some responsibility. I owe it to you... and to her."
"Amanda?"
"Yeah." He covered his eyes with his free hand.
"Yes, well, I suppose it's something you're going to have to deal with, sooner or later.
I'll help you. I mean, I'll support you. If I can."
"Of course you can. But I have to go have this talk with her now,
and that will have to be just between the two of us, I'm afraid. I don't know how she'll react.
I suppose we weren't really in love with eachother, after all.
I mean, I know this is my fault, but still, I wonder if this wedding wasn't just a way out for the both of us.
I was running... from you, I think. And she, well, her parents and her friends were waiting for her to get married.
So she will be angry - yes. But at the end of the day, I don't think she will be as much hurt as angry -
mainly because she wont know what to tell her parents and her friends. But that's not the same though, is it?"
"No, it's not. As much as I can understand anyone being in love with you, I don't think she is.
Because I know what it's like, and that's not how I would react if you left me...
It sounds more to me like two friends getting married, because it suited their needs, at the time.
Not that there has to be anything wrong with that. But..."
"But now I'm in love with you. At least now I'm aware of it, and I guess I wasn't before,
because then this thing with Amanda would never have happened in the first place.
I have to go." He put his teacup down on the nightstand, and got dressed, in quite a hurry.
"Bye." Sirius was still sitting in bed, hugging his knees.
"Bye." Remus features softened a little, and he smiled. "I'll try to get hold of her at work, probably.
I'll see you later, if that's okay?"
"Yeah. I'll be waiting." He managed a weak smile. 'They may not be in love, but there's still something there', he thought.
He heard the door slam as Remus left the apartment.