A/N: Inspired by prompt #14 from the August '07 prompting session on the LJ community 'barefootboys.'
"Remus, Remus wake up! Get your trunks on, mate, we're going swimming! Come on! James and Peter are already downstairs. Come on, come on!" Sirius exclaims.
"Uugh," Remus moans amongst some incoherent mumbles as he is being dragged out of his bed. He reluctantly obeys after a promise of breakfast. He follows Sirius down to the first floor who seems to have made it to the floor below with out as much as a toe on the stairs.
Once in the kitchen, Remus greets the Potters good morning and groggily picks up two pieces of toast from the table.
"Okay, you have food now, let's go!" Sirius grabs Remus at the wrist and begins dragging him out the back door. "Bye, Mr. and Mrs. Potter! We'll be back for dinner!" Remus barely finds time to wave his good-byes before the door closes behind them.
"Shrow down, Shiriush." Remus begs through his toast.
Remus finishes what he would hardly call a breakfast by the time they reach the small lake. James and Peter are already having a splashing fight in the water. Sirius lets go of Remus' wrist and runs over to the pier and jumps off the edge with a great yell of "Cannonball!"
Remus walks warily to the end of the pier. He would like to jump off and into the water, he really would, but a mixture of fear and sleepiness prevents him from doing so.
"Come on! The water's fine! What are you waiting for?" he hears James say from the water below.
The sound of wet footsteps on old wood come up from behind him. "Do you want me to go with you, Remus?" Sirius says as he plants his feet next to his friend. "I promise it's not that bad."
"You also promised breakfast. Eggs. Bacon. Sustenance. Do you remember that?" Remus glares.
Sirius just laughs and smiles at him.
Remus sighs. "Fine." A smile tugs at the edges of his lips.
"On, three, okay?" Remus nods at him. "One, two, three!"
They make a run for the end of the pier. They allow the liberating feeling of their feet leaving solid ground to overpower the feeling of butterflies in their stomachs. A small "Ahh!" escapes Remus' lips before he hits the water.
As they sink to the bottom of the lake, time seems to move slower. Remus opens his eyes to find Sirius staring back at him, smiling wildly. Remus smiles back at him. Sirius' smile has always been quite infections. Sirius closes the foot or two between them and kisses Remus square on the nose, smiles again, and makes his way to the surface. Remus blinks a few times before he too pushes his way to the bright summer air.
The four young marauders make it back to the Potter's just as James' mother is setting the dinner plates on the table.
To be continued...