Welcome readers! This is just a special something before the year's over, meant to wish you all the best and all the rest. It is a little bit of slash, to be happy, and it is still unbetaed, so pardon me for all the mistakes.
A special dedication to SlashyKitty, my wonderful beta to whom I haven't talked to in a couple of months (sorry for not sending this to you before, but I had to upload it today!) Loads of hugs, Kitty! Another dedication for dear old Di, who's been feeling down since October. Cheer up, here's the fic you've been requesting! A final dedication to you, readers, for reading this, another for liking it and a final for reviewing it. Loads of hugs, kisses and champagne to ya all! And now, sit back and enjoy!
Sirius was currently laughing his head off, little tears springing out from his eyes. Remus, who had his arms crossed and a moody expression, was just waiting for him to recover his breath. The lonely and dimly lighted Common room was presently covered with all kind of tinkling things. Christmas spirit invaded the place, guarding two young gentlemen sitting in the large and comfortable couch.
"Really, Sirius, you swear you haven't been drinking?" asked Remus in a hard tone. The black haired boy just took a deep breath and kept giggling, earning himself a glare.
"Sorry mate, you just…have a very wild imagination!" and with that, he laughed harder.
"I'm telling you, it's no lie! That is an actual tradition! You are just too…"
"Morbidly raised as a wizard?" finished Sirius, in a less mocking tone. The werewolf raised his shoulders in apology.
To the confused late sleepers, it might come in handy to know what tradition the amber eyed teen was referring to. For you see, it is not known for some people – such as wizards- the old grape tradition. It has been long done, from hundreds of generations before our own. At the first twelve seconds of New Year, it is used to eat twelve—
"—grapes by second, making a wish. That is, if you manage to fill your mouth quickly enough"
"And, like, does this wishes come true?" asked Sirius, who was watching the werewolf quite attentively. Remus shrugged and nodded, looking into the fireplace.
"Do you believe in that, Moony?" he inquired, a wicked smile spreding through his face. The brown haired teen looked up and frowned.
"Well Padfoot, that depends, really. I don't believe you are particularly smart and yet you always get top grades" he said, a grin plastered all over his face.
"Oh, I get it. It's like, I don't believe you are particularly clever, and yet you love me!" he received a glare, followed by a growl.
"Very funny, Black, but you think too highly of my feelings towards you. Actually I only talk to you because of your family heirloom" he said, staring at Sirius with disgust. Then they both laughed good-heartedly.
"Whatever Moony, I know you love me. I can read it in your tea leaves" he took Remus' empty cup, reading it with interest. The werewolf muttered a spell and refilled both cups.
"Black, you really shouldn't believe in all that divination crap. If it were true, then you're dying at 36"
"And how would you know that?" inquired Sirius, his face getting slightly close to Remus'.
"I just saw it in your hand" he said, drawing away from the black haired teen, who smiled and dramatically raised his cup.
"Alas! Seeing as I'll die so young, let's make a toast!"
"On tea" said Moony, laughing.
"Doesn't matter! Let's pretend it's Firewhisky and get wasted all the same! For the New Year!" he yelled, standing on the couch.
"For the New Year!" repeated Remus, who was currently being pulled up by his mate. The drank and laughed some more, commenting on their highly sober state. After a while though, when both had laughed and complaint enough on their lack of alcohol, Sirius (who was now laying outstretched in the couch, next to Remus) had a brilliant idea.
"I have a brilliant idea" he said, resting his head on his hand. Moony turned to watch him, curious. "I like the grape tradition, you know? I like the idea of stuffing your mouth the first seconds of the year"
Remus raised an eyebrow, sighing. "Well Pads, it's exactly –" he turned to see his clock "-ten minutes to twelve, so you better start thinking on a spell for bringing up grapes"
"Well, we can summon up an elf-" Remus gave him a glare "-but, of course, Mr. I-have-a-sick-obsession-over-house-elves doesn't want to. So I'll come up with the spell, hold on"
Needless to say, it took Sirius exactly 9 minutes 38 seconds to come up with a spell for it, which turned theirs cups into grapes (and something that strikingly resembled marshmallows, but that's beyond the point) which left them few seconds to stand up and raise their grapes up in the air.
Remus beamed at Sirius exactly before the first –TONG- from the clock, which indicated the New Year's arrival
"To spell making" said Sirius, getting a grape into his mouth.
TONG"To Firewhisky and tea" said Remus, getting a grape into his mouth
TONG"To long days of Quidditch practice" said Sirius, a dreamy look on his face.
TONG"To Shakespeare and Butler Yates" said Remus, earning a glare from Sirius.
TONG"For never going back home again" said Sirius, eating his grape feverishly.
TONG"For those nights" he gave Sirius a you-know-what look "to stop being so painful"
TONG
"For my life to last longer than 36 years" begged Sirius, throwing a grape in the air and into his mouth.
TONG"For you to live long enough to see James and Lily get together" said Remus, and laughed goodheartedly.
TONG"For Snivellus to finally drop dead this year" he said, mocking some tears.
TONG"For The Marauders" said Remus, winking at Sirius.
TONG"For you to finally fall for me, this year" whispered Sirius, kissing the grape and stuffing it into his mouth.
TONG"For more New Years like this" whispered Remus, blushing slightly, and eating the final grape.
Sirius started to laugh, patting Moony on the back. "Well, this tradition has proven to be an interesting piece of work" he said, jumping on the couch "We should do it more often"
"You know, this lasted slighly longer than twelve seconds…" Remus commented, laying on the couch.
"Do you think that'll prevent our wishes from coming true?" Sirius inquired, preoccupied. Moony snorted.
"Nah, I think they will come true…" he half sighed, staring fixedly into Sirius' eyes, who smiled sweetly in return "Well…maybe yours won't..."
Hope you enjoyed it! Make my year and review, please! Happy New Year!
Charlie