Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of the wonderful characters in JKR's books, because if I did, Sirius would be alive. SIRIUS LIVES ON IN OUR HEARTS!

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Previously:

Despite missing his friends and his former life a great deal, Sirius couldn't help but be a bit excited about this chance to make his life better this time. He couldn't change the past, and the loss of James was almost more than he could bear, but having Harry there made it so much easier, and Sirius found he had never been so comfortable around someone new so quickly in his life.

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Sirius was released from the Hospital Wing the next day. Professor McGonagall placed him back into Gryffindor, saying he needed to be with friends. She set up another bed in Harry's dorm and had a trunk with robes and books arranged for him. She also put him on Harry's schedule, including the additional training (because he asked to join), because she could tell it made Harry happy to spend time with Sirius, and no one had seen him that happy in a long time.

When McGonagall introduced him to the school as an "exchange student" who had been sorted into Gryffindor, he noticed just how, well – not full – Hogwarts seemed now. He asked Harry about it over lunch.

"Since Dumbledore died, things have really changed. It seems all the students whose parents are Death Eaters (or who want to hide from the fight) are forcing their children to stay home instead of coming here. There are a lot of people who are afraid, Sirius. They don't know that McGonagall can protect us as well as Dumbledore did," Harry answered him truthfully.

Hermione and Ron came up to the table just then. Sirius had met them when he returned that morning to Gryffindor Tower with Harry, when they practically pounced on him, demanding to know where he had been the past two days.

Hermione, who reminded Sirius of Remus (although slightly more bookish then old Moony) and Lily combined, almost had a heart attack when she saw Sirius. Ron (who Sirius had already learned he like immensely – the boy was a great deal like himself), had taken it in relative stride (too much had happened to faze him now), and both had immediately welcomed Sirius with open arms after they had learned his story.

"So Sirius, are you planning to do any marauding now that you are back on a regular school schedule?" Ron asked as he piled food onto his plate.

"Of course, and Prongslet here is going to help me," replied Sirius with an isn't-it-obvious look on his face, while wrapping his arm around Harry's shoulders.

Hermione looked shocked at Harry who immediately laughed and said, "Come on Hermione, when's the last time we had a good laugh around here."

"Really Harry your Head Boy, you must be a role model to the younger students," Hermione replied mock-seriously, trying to stop a grin.

Unfortunately Ron failed to pick up on her subtlety, "Hermione, he's Head Boy, not Head Stick in the Mud. He knows how to have some fun, unlike you."

Hermione immediately became cross, "Excuse me, Ronald…"

It was at this point Harry rolled his eyes and Sirius tuned them out as they launched into yet another ridiculous argument. He didn't know what kind of relationship the two friends had going on, and apparently neither did they. Sirius had never seen a more clueless pair in his life. Harry agreed.

"You don't know the half of it. I've been putting up with their 'do I or don't I' attitude for years. I'm sorely tempted to bash them over the heads with a troll's club and lock them in a room until they resolve this one way or the other."

Sirius could only laugh and agree to help if it came to that.

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A week into Sirius' new life he noticed something else. For the first time in his school life he wasn't the center of attention. It seemed Harry had his own fan club. Hordes of giggling girls would follow them around in the corridors, and while Sirius got his share of the attention and admiring looks, nearly the entire school seemed entranced by Harry. The young man seemed to have more popularity than Sirius and James combined.

The craziest part was Harry usually either didn't notice or completely ignored the attention. Sirius didn't understand why Harry didn't have a different girl hanging off his arm every day. He was clearly very good looking, and he had the same lean figure and height of James, as well as the trademark messy black hair, which always looked like he'd just been on a broom ride (which joyfully they did whenever they could), or had come from a quick tumble in the broom closet (which he never was). Sirius decided on Friday to ask him about it.

"Hey Harry, why do you ignore all the attention, anyway?" Sirius casually brought up as they played wizard chess while Ron and Hermione watched.

The three friends looked at each other, and Harry turned back to the game with a slight frown. He responded after making his next move, "Remember what I told you about Voldemort?" When Sirius nodded, Harry continued, "Most of the attention I get is from that, which kind of pisses me off to tell the truth, because I didn't do anything to merit this hero worship. I'm just me, but they (here he waved his arm out, indicating the world in general) don't seem to understand that most of the time. There are of course, a few exceptions." Harry looked at Hermione and Ron and grinned. "And now, you too."

When Harry said this he smiled and looked at Sirius in the eyes, cocking his head to the side as if asking Sirius if that were true. 'He is so cute' thought Sirius, who blushed a little and nodded. Harry found his reaction a bit odd, but merely ginned wider and turned back to the game. It was Sirius' move.

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One night Harry came up to the dorms to find Sirius already asleep. He looked at his 'newest' friend, who already understood Harry the same way he previously had, without trying to father him or tell him what to do. Harry greatly admired Sirius for his efforts to deal with this overwhelming circumstance and try to grab hold of his new life with no regrets.

That wasn't all Harry admired though.

Harry had always appreciated the male body, and though he had never dated blokes, he occasionally fantasized about them. And Sirius was so beautiful. Harry didn't think he'd ever seen such a beautiful man in all his life. He had smooth pale skin, silky dark hair and bottomless gray eyes that pulled you in. Harry could see Sirius' long eyelashes dusting his lovely high cheekbones in the moonlight, and he watched his friend's muscular bare chest rise and fall rhythmically as he slept.

Harry didn't really know what to make of his attraction to the man who was – sort of – his godfather. He remembered the old Sirius, gaunt and worn from twelve years in Azkaban and a year on the run, and he remembered how Sirius had returned to relative health, but his eyes always held a shadow from his life in prison. And still, even then Harry had considered him a handsome man. But he had never thought of that Sirius the way he was thinking of this one. Shaking his head, Harry got dressed for bed and fell to sleep; tired from all the homework and research they had been doing, and looking forward to a (hopefully) dreamless sleep.

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Sirius was wrapped up in a wonderful dream. He and James were walking by the lake with only the light of the crescent moon to guide them. They were talking and joking like old times, thinking up new pranks to play and making fun of each other's love lives. The talk turned more serious, maybe more mature is a better word, as they talked about what they wanted to do in their lives and other such topics.

James turned to Sirius and took his hand. "I've got to go now, Padfoot."

"What do you mean?" asked Sirius.

"I've got to get back to Lily, and you need to let me go and find someone to love you. I know how you felt about me Sirius - "

Sirius turned away blushing, but James brought a hand up to his chin and gently pulled him back to face him. "I know that you wanted to be with me, but didn't want to say anything because I loved Lily. I know. And I'm okay with it. I love you too, Padfoot, but I wasn't meant for you. You need to find someone truly meant for you. Someone who fills your heart with joy."

James turned to leave and Sirius cried, "No, please don't leave me alone."

A cloud passed over the moon as 'James' turned back. He leaned into Sirius and kissed him gently. Sirius immediately returned the kiss, pulling him closer, not wanting to let go. As the moon reappeared, they pulled apart, still holding each other, and 'James' opened his eyes.

"All right, Sirius. I'll stay with you, I promise."

Sirius did not fail to notice that his eyes were now a beautiful green as he pulled the other boy in for another kiss.

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Sirius woke with a start. 'Damn, just when my dream was getting good.'

He heard someone calling him in the dark.

"No Sirius - get away from the veil – got to save him – no – no…."

Sirius looked around the room and discovered the sounds were coming from Harry's bed. He crept over and pulled back the hangings just enough to slip in. He cast a silencing charm on the hangings to prevent Harry waking up the other boys, and went to wake him from his nightmare.

"No – no, I can save him! – He's just on the other side! – Remus let me go -." Harry continued ranting. He had this dream fairly regularly, although this was the first time Sirius had ever been witness to one of Harry's nightmares.

He reached out and gently shook Harry's shoulder. Surprisingly Harry shot upright, staring wildly around the room, taking in only his hangings and finally resting on Sirius himself. Harry immediately embraced him.

"Oh, it's you. I'm so glad to see you. I still can't believe you're here, and that you are here to stay. I know you're not him, but I don't want you to be, you know? I just need you to stay with me. Please don't leave me alone." Harry rambled on and on, whispering half-desperate words into Sirius' ear, making the other boy shiver.

Harry and Sirius held each other like this for a long time, neither really saying anything. Harry continued to mumble words of gratitude, while Sirius simply made comforting sounds and rubbed Harry's back. Finally, after what seemed like ages, Harry pulled back and looked into Sirius' eyes.

"This may sound stupid, but could you stay with me tonight? I don't want to sleep alone."

Sirius immediately agreed and they both laid down on Harry's bed facing each other, Sirius rubbing Harry's back in soothing circles again. Before long Harry was asleep again, but Sirius couldn't sleep. He keep replaying Harry's words over and over in his mind: 'Please don't leave me alone … I know you're not him, but I don't want you to be … I just need you to stay …'

Sirius looked down at the sleeping boy in his arms. Harry looked so much like James, but there were little differences. Harry's eyes were almond shaped, and his nose was smaller. He had more prominent cheekbones and paler skin. He was so incredibly beautiful. Sirius doubted whether he had ever seen a more beautiful man in his life. His skin looked so soft, and his lips were pouty and full. And his eyes. When Harry looked at him with those amazing eyes, it was like he opened him up and read him like a book. He was totally exposed, and he wasn't afraid of it.

Sirius swallowed. He wondered what it would really be like to kiss those perfect lips. 'Harry's asleep, he'll never know' he reasoned with himself. Sirius lowered his head and brought his lips to Harry's in a gentle kiss. 'So soft' he thought as he unintentionally deepened the kiss.

He nearly yelped when Harry returned the kiss, but then he melted into it, allowing their lips to caress each other softly. It was like he was on fire; he had never felt like this before. Sirius was in heaven, and when he pulled away and realized Harry was still asleep, he breathed a sign of relief.

'Now if I can just get him to do that when he's awake' he thought ruefully, before succumbing to sleep himself.