Accepting the Truth - Chapter 9
"Have you seen Remus?" Lily asked.
"Nah, he's still asleep I think" replied James.
It was the morning after, and the two were having breakfast in the great hall. They were sitting together, alone, and drawing quite a few eyes and murmurs.
Leaning closer, James began to whisper, aware that most of the people around were trying their best to both listen and remain inconspicuous. "Did you do it." he asked.
"He should have woken up over the night. His symptoms had already started clearing before I left." she whispered back in reply.
"Good. I'll take Remus th-"
James was interrupted as a half dressed Peter Pettigrew sat down.
"Hey James. Morning Lily." he said, bright and cheerily. "Whatcha guys talking about?"
"Nothing important Peter." Lily replied, with a slight hint of frustration in her voice.
Peter heard this tone. "Oh. I'm not interrupting something private am I?" he asked as he made to stand up and move away.
"You're not Wormy. Tell us, is Moony still asleep?" James said, motioning for the boy to sit down again.
"No, he's up and he's showering. He said he's going to go to the hospital wing to see Pad."
James looked at Lily. Lily shook her head back at them.
"Give them some time to themselves." she said
"Sorry?" Peter asked, obviously confused.
Lily assured him it was nothing, before digging into a pile of croissants.
Sirius awoke. The matron was standing over him. It often surprised him how young Madam Pomfrey was. She was staring at him with a look of astonishment.
"Uhh... Hi?" Sirius asked, his voice still somewhat weak and croaky."
"You're awake." She said, obviously dumbfounded by his sudden recovery.
"Yes... Why? What was wrong with me?"
"Where to begin." She sighed, and began testing him.
After a few jabs with different things and some other medical tests Madam Pomfrey sighed. "I don't know how you did it Mr Black, but everything is gone. Now tell me, what do you remember?"
"I remember being dragged to a date in Lulu's Tea Emporium with some chick. I remember," he paused, not wanting to mention duelling, "I slipped on the Ice and hit my head. Remus did too, and he was really shaky, so I took him... where did I take him?"
"And that's the last of what you remember?"
"Yes. I didn't take him here did I?"
"No. Remus brought you here."
"What?"
"He brought you in here during the afternoon. You were, not appropriately dressed let's say and fairly wet."
"What?" Sirius repeated. "Remus, where is he?"
Madam Pomfrey merely shrugged and turned to go tend to a Hufflepuff in another bed, before turning. "He stayed here nearly every hour with you I'll have you know. You're lucky Black, to have such a good friend."
Sirius sat there. Remus had stayed with him. He was truly a good friend then.
At that moment, the door opened. A tired looking Remus Lupin entered, and upon Sirius awake, ran towards him.
"Sirius!" He exclaimed as he reached his bed and embraced the haggard Sirius, who was simply grinning.
"Remus!" He yelled. A 'shh' noise came from somewhere else in the hospital wing.
They lingered there, still embracing, heads on each other's shoulders, before Remus coughed and the two moves away. Sirius moved to one side of his bed to give Remus space to join him.
"Remus..." Sirius asked, his voice suddenly less fun sounding.
"Why so serious Sirius?" Remus asked, the relief of Sirius being okay still bubbling inside him.
The two laughed at the joke that had plagued Sirius since he started before Sirius continued.
"Moony, what happened?" Sirius asked.
Remus looked up at him, and Remus saw something more than mere relief in the werewolf's eyes. "It's a long story."
Sirius patted the bed again, and Remus climbed in. Sirius pulled up the covers.
"Good thing it's a Saturday and I can't go anywhere then."
Sirius was let out in the afternoon. Remus had given him a detailed account of most of the events which had put Sirius in the Hospital Wing. Except the kiss, as he would cross that bridge when he came to it.
"So I was green?"
"No, more of a mixture, but mostly yellow."
"Cool."
"Not cool, you could have not woken up."
Sirius laughed at this. "Then what would you have done with your life. James would have to replace me as you're best man eventually, and you'd have to find someone else to copy all your essays."
Remus smiled. 'I'd have lost the love of my life.' he thought.
"Can we go get some food?" Sirius asked, already back to his old self.
"Sure Pad."
The two made the quick journey to the kitchens. The house-elves, upon the arrival of the two boys, began preparing vast amounts of food for their guests. As they waited for three of the house elves to finish icing cupcakes, Sirius turned to Remus.
"I get the feeling there's something you didn't tell me."
He always knew.
"How do you always know?"
"I didn't but now I do. Come on, spill." Sirius said, laughing.
Pressure hit Remus like a stack of bricks. What could he say? Stood before him was the epitome of men, handsome, kind and caring. How do you tell that you kissed them when they're straight?
The pause had obviously been noted by serious. The god-like face remoulds from one of amusement to one of concern.
"Remus?" He asks his voice smooth as silk yet concerned.
Remus began to fluster, going slightly red.
Suddenly a house elf appeared with a platter of food for them each. Remus used this to retreat from the situation. He headed out of the castle towards the lake.
"Remus, wait!" Sirius yelled after him.
He just kept walking away, trying to muster the courage to say, something. Anything.
Sirius caught up with him. Placing a hand on Remus' shoulder, he turned him so they were face to face.
"Is something wrong? Did I do something wrong?"
"No, no definitely no." Remus murmured.
"You know you can tell me anything. We're best friends, and I trust you with everything."
It was now or never.
"But what if we weren't?" Remus asked.
"Weren't what?" Sirius replied, looking confused.
"Best friends?"
"Then we'd become best friends."
"I mean what if we were, were more than that?"
"Remus... What do you mean?"
"Sirius, I love you."
Silence
"I love you to Remus."
"What?" Remus asked, suddenly confused.
"Of course I love you, you're my best friend." Sirius smiled at him.
That smile put more emotion into Remus than all the days of his feelings for Sirius had combined. They only surfaced as frustration.
"Sirius for god's sake that's not what I mean." Remus blurted out, his voice loud and angry sounding.
"Then tell me what you mean?" Sirius asked, his voice also getting louder and more emotional.
"Are you really this dense. Not to have noticed, after all this time. All these fucking years?!" Remus yelled.
"Notices WHAT exactly?" Sirius countered, his voice now thick with emotion and confusion.
"Sirius. I am, and have been for a very long time, 100% totally, not friendship wise but James to Lily wise, in love with you!" he yelled.
Sirius just stood there.