Chapter 3

It was a warm, lazy afternoon. Remus and Severus were sitting side by side beneath a tall tree next to the Forbidden Forest, with lots of open books surrounding them as well as scrolls and quills. It was fast approaching twilight but they didn't feel hurried. No, they were actually having fun. Studying peacefully without James or Sirius interrupting at any moment was magnificent. Being able to study with someone who also gets the concepts as quickly as he does was even better. Studying with Severus was a brilliant idea.

"What is so amusing?" Severus asked.

"What?"

"The grin, on your face."

Remus blushed and smiled even more.

"It's nothing, it's just… It's hard to study with the boys sometimes and with you it's… different,"

"Oh. Shall I take that as a compliment?" Severus questioned without taking his eyes off the book he was reading.

"You sure can," Remus smiled.

He closed his book – already it was getting late to be reading without any lights on – and rolled the scrolls, cleaning his mess and stopped to admire the bright changes of colours in the sky. The formerly blue expanse was flushed with pinks and oranges.

"Thanks for inviting me to do this with you, I finished it all pretty quickly," Snape suddenly said.

"It was nice. We should do it more often. I mean… if you'd like."

Severus stood quiet for a moment then nodded.

"Yeah, alright."

His black eyes meet those light brown ones and for a while they didn't say anything. Until Snape spoke again.

"You're different from your friends."

"We're not that different, really. We behave differently, that's all."

Remus' eyes dropped to the other's lips.

"Of course… I wouldn't say dirty things about you."

They locked eyes again.

The sunset and the birds, and even the giant squid in the lake worked favorably for that moment to occur. It was a turn of events that had happened with Snape but, surprisingly, a good turn of events. Something that Remus had never expected to occur. Actually being able to call him Severus and hang out with him one-on-one? That was amazing enough in and of itself, but Remus couldn't help himself. He had to know, and the only thing left to know was the most crucial of them all: could this actually happen? Remus was curious about it and he decided he would take the chance. He closed his eyes and moved a little closer – they were already close enough.

Severus looked to Remus' lips but jerked back suddenly, liking his lips and staring aghast at the other boy.

"What are you doing?"

Remus opened his eyes but continued closer.

"I'm sorry, I thought… We could…" He sighed. "I've never… With a bloke before…"

The werewolf stuttered, completely embarrassed, moving back a step, blushing a little and looking at the grass. The other didn't move.

"No, it's okay," Snape said, decided and serious. "Don't tell your friends."

"I won't," he whispered.

The brown haired boy moved closer again and gently pressed his lips onto Severus's' inviting pink lips, closing his eyes. Severus put one hand on Remus' cheek, resting his fingers there as he as he pressed his lips back. It was a slow but precise kiss. Most of all it was new, for both of them.

For Snape it was completely new, since he didn't have eyes for anyone other than Lily Evans. She was the one who appeared in his dreams, not Remus. But this boy… there was something about him. He was intellectual, brave, charming... Just like Lily. Snape was impressed. He had thought that snogging a boy would be much more different than kissing a girl. It wasn't really, except for the lack of boobs. Besides, the Gryffindor had the sweetest lips he ever tasted.

Remus' arms moved to hug Snape, resting his arms on his lower back, beneath his cloak. He moved closer so their chests were touching. Snape moved just a little but enough to gently press Remus against the tree, leaning forward. Remus' tongue gently probed at the Slytherin's lips, and Severus slowly open his lips to receive it, French kissing him back.

They stayed under that tree for minutes, just kissing, until it was nightfall. They both had boners by now and the kissing were more urgent but they didn't move too fast. It was nice just the way it was.

"We should go…" Snape interrupted.

"I suppose…" Lupin kissed him again, a bit longer than he intended. Putting his arms around Snape's neck. "With it being the beginning of the night and all…" his kisses moved to the other's neck, making Severus laugh lightly and open his eyes.

"You're really something, you know that?" he put his hands on Remus' checks, making the Gryffindor look at him.

"You too," he said back.

They kissed again, just for a little while, before moving to get their things from the grass and go back inside to the castle, each smiling about their new secret.