Revised Version – 1

x-x-x-x-x-

WARNING: Rated M for Yaoi and violence. So if that is not your cup of tea, you know which button to click, right?

x-x-x-x-x-

CHAPTER 2

CONSORTING WITH THE ENEMY

-x-x-x-x-x-

"I noticed it when he went out. Now I wasn't sure why, but I knew that he needed some time alone. Lately, he had been very… upset about something. Now you would never know it with Sirius when he was upset about anything. But I wasn't so attached to Sirius to be fooled by him. They say only those very close to you know when you are in trouble. But I know that it really isn't so. You can fool those close to you, but never those who like you but don't share intimacy."

"I think I understand you," said Harry, "there are times when Ron doesn't seem to notice that something is wrong with me, but Hermione does. And Ron, though it's not very fair of me to say so, is a friend closer to me than Hermione."

"When I went back to the dorm after the Ball, Sirius was there. He pretended to be asleep but I knew that he wasn't. He had stayed awake the whole night, I think, because the next morning, he looked very worn and worried – that was before he went to take a bath. But I saw him because he was an early riser. All cool people are. The only reason I can give that James didn't see him was that James wasn't there. He had gone to Prefect's bathroom."

"So… did you get to know where Sirius had been that night?"

"Well, Sirius talked to me that morning. It was a Saturday, you see. We had plenty of time before Peter would wake up and James would return from his bath. Sirius had just taken a hasty shower but he seemed better. He saw me staring at him and he decided that he was going to unburden his heart and talk to me…"

x-x-x-x-x-

x-x-x-x-x-

"Hey, Remus."

"You feeling okay?"

"Not really," said Sirius, dropping on the bed beside him. He looked over to the other bed where Peter was snoring.

"If I tell you something, you won't hate me, right?"

Remus lay down, but kept his eyes on Sirius' face. "No, I can never hate you, Padfoot."

"You are saying that now," said Sirius wryly.

"Try me."

"Okay, I'll try you, Moony, but if you fail, I will obliviate you."

"You will do no such thing. Now talk."

Sirius sighed and lay down beside him. It wasn't unusual for them to lie down together on the narrow bed. In fact, it was very pleasant – for Sirius. That was how he had discovered his interests. Especially what he felt for Moony… when he was near him… when he touched him… Oh Merlin! He just hoped that Moony won't hate him after this.

"You are telling me some time in this century, aren't you?" asked Remus, poking Sirius.

"Yeah. Okay, brace yourself to hear the worst."

"Why should you think that it cannot be good?"

Sirius decided to ignore him. "I am gay."

"That's all?"

"Yeah," said Sirius, slightly bewildered, looking at Moony incredulously.

"I am not shocked and I think its okay. I am fine with it."

"You don't want to break off our friendship and run away screaming?"

"Don't be such an idiot, Padfoot. It is a bit strange, but I am not uncomfortable with it. So what if you aren't like me? I am not like you either," said Remus. "It is tough being a werewolf – tougher than being gay, I can tell you. There's nothing wrong with you except your apprehensions about yourself."

"I… am glad."

Remus smiled and embraced his friend. Sirius felt his heart beat faster.

"We'll always be friends – and best of them, too."

"Thanks a lot, Moony," said Sirius, grinning handsomely now that a great load was off his chest.

"You haven't told James, right?"

Sirius got up to dress for the day. "I am not ready to face him with this."

"You told me."

Sirius turned and stared at him with a strange expression in his eyes. "You are different. I can tell you anything."

"James is your best friend."

Sirius gathered his school dress and robes. "That's why I am so careful around him. I don't want to lose him."

He did not notice the look of pain that passed Remus' face.

-x-x-x-x-x-

-x-x-x-x-x-

Sirius had spent a good day knowing that at least Remus, for whom he had had not-so-platonic feelings, had no problems with him. But it would still be some time before he'd approach him. What if Remus was too damn straight? He wanted to be sure. A miscalculated step could cause him to lose his friend.

As he looked up from his plate, to answer something to James, his eyes met Snivellus' across the Hall. He was disconcerted to find out that Snivellus had been staring at him all the while. He was suddenly glad that people couldn't read thoughts without learning Legilimency. Though with Snivellus… you'd never know…

"So?" asked James.

Sirius hastily removed his eyes from the greasy git and turned to his best friend. "Nah, too old, Prongs. We've got to think of something that will shock McGonagall."

"Yeah," said James, grinning wickedly, "I love to hear her scream and look fuming. Makes me feel worthwhile."

-x-x-x-x-x-

Sirius had managed to slip away from his friends. It was a hard job – especially when it came to James. Remus asked no questions. Peter didn't really bother. But James was different. James unknowingly made some things difficult for him – like finding some time alone. Not that James' company was too much. It wasn't quite that, but sometimes a guy needed to think about things… contrary to popular beliefs, guys did think – well, popular guys who were gay did.

Suddenly, he stopped – shocked at where he had come unconsciously.

It was the room where he had seen Severus and Ian shagging last night. Merlin! What had gotten into him?

"Black," said a very familiar voice.

He turned around to see Snivellus looking at him with an expression that almost scared him in its intensity.

"Snivellus," he managed to fill enough hatred in that word.

"So..," said Snape, coming closer, without acting paranoid, "little Sirius Black, the balloon-head of Gryffindor is confused and so… alone?"

Snape sneered maliciously. Sirius stiffened. How come this git knew this? Surely, he didn't know Legilimency or anything. They didn't teach that until University level, did they?

"You don't know what you are talking about," hissed Sirius angrily.

"So alone and desperate that he has taken to… voyeurism. Pity!"

Sirius pulled out his wand. "Leave, Snape, or I will not be responsible for what happens to you."

Snape came still closer, till the tip of Sirius' wand touched his neck. "HexmeBlack," he whispered in a voice that startled Sirius. Since when had Snivellus' voice gone so goddamn sexy?

His hands trembled slightly. Snape let out a low laugh. He wrapped his fingers around Sirius' wrist and lowered his hand. "You are still an amateur, Black – a babe left in dark woods. You know nothing about the… pleasuresofmaddeningsensuality. You can hex me, Black, but unless you realize who is the better one, you will remain a miserablelittlesod."

Snape's voice was still an octave too low and as he finished his sentence, he pushed Sirius against the wall and captured his lips with his own in a searing kiss.

Sirius was engulfed by a heady feeling. His wand dropped down with a clatter but he heard no more of it as he did of the footsteps coming down the corridor.

His worst enemy filled all his senses. It was a feeling unlike anything ever before. His hands came to rest on Snape's neck of their own volition and he deepened the kiss. He had had the first taste of maddeningsensuality and he wanted more. The tongue playing with his own… exploring his mouth… the small bite on his lower lip… the hand moving down his torso… He wanted it all like he had never wanted anything in his life before. It was the only thing worth having… the lips on his jaw… the fingers stroking him through the fabric of his trousers… the lover's bite on his neck… the wetness below his ear-lobe… the nibble on his ear…

Suddenly, Snape jerked away from him and shrugged off his hands.

"Until tomorrow night, my nemesis," he said, his eyes glinting dangerously. He turned and walked down towards his Common-Room.

Sirius slid down against the wall.

Oh Merlin! Had he just made out with Snape? He couldn't believe it… didn't want to believe it… But it was… So… Arousing, thrilling… for some moments back there he had felt so completely oblivious of everything. Gods! He was damned if he didn't get more of it.

His heart was thumping wildly against his chest. His fringes were wet with a thin sheen of sweat on his Grecian forehead.

Tomorrow night couldn't come soon enough.

x-x-x-x-x-

x-x-x-x-x-

"Remus," said Harry, highly taken aback, "I thought you were telling me why Sirius and Snape hated each other. How could they hate each other if they kissed?"

It was too hard to imagine them kissing, felt Harry. How could anyone kiss that odious man? How could Sirius do this?

"That was just the beginning," said Remus, leaning back against the headboard. "I don't know why Sirius let him kiss him like that but he did and without any protests. In fact, I felt that if Sirius could have his own way there, he won't have let Snape leave."

"Spare me the mental-images, Remus," said Harry, shocked out of his wits.

Remus let out a low laugh. "It wasn't that bad, you know. Snape didn't really seem so nasty up close… he had an exceptionally sexy voice."

"Not you too!" exclaimed Harry. "Tell me that you didn't kiss Snape!"

"No, no, no," said Remus, smiling at the young boy's fluster, "I never kissed Snape – Snape would never have kissed me. Not after I had almost killed him in the Shrieking Shack."

"Thank goodness you had almost killed him there, then."

"If you had seen him kiss, Harry," said Remus quite seriously, "You would have been of a much different opinion."

"Remus!"

"Okay, I won't torture you with that anymore. Sorry," said Remus, laughing.

"So… Did Sirius meet him the next night?"

x-x-x-x-x-