Platform 9 ¾, Fifth Year…

Remus quickly closed the compartment door and pulled down his hood. That was close. To think he'd almost run into Peter on his way. Luckily, Peter had been too occupied with his Cauldron cakes to actually notice. Remus turned around, sighing in relief, and was met with the entire Prefect board staring at him curiously.

He blushed and looked at the Head Girl. 'I hope I'm not late.'

She shook her head. 'No. We were just about to start with the debriefing. Sit down.' She pointed towards the only vacant seat in the compartment: right beside the door and Lily Evans.

Remus gulped and sat down reluctantly, trying his best not to fidget too much. It wasn't that he didn't like Lily Evans but their friendship had fallen out after that fateful night during the Halloween ball. They didn't greet each other in the halls anymore or spend time studying together or even look each other in the eye. Remus had tried to reconcile, he really had, but Lily seemed keen on avoiding him and turned the opposite direction every time she saw him. It hurt every time she did that.

In the end, Sirius had convinced Remus that he was better off this way, since he couldn't get too close to people anyway. Remus had agreed grudgingly but that didn't stop him from missing her. It wasn't that James, Peter and Sirius weren't good company. They were, but at times, he craved a conversation that didn't involve getting someone's underwear stuck up the Whomping Willow.

The world was a crazy place, thought Remus. Here he was - too tall, too pale, too thin, and not even remotely good looking - and Lily Evans - one the prettiest girls in school - wanted to go out with him. And there was James of course, who had been pining after her since god knows when and all he received for his efforts were tight slaps across the face or a string of never ending verbal abuse. Sometimes Remus wondered if she refused to go out with James because she hated Remus and everything to do with him, including his friends. I mean, why else would she refuse to go out with James Potter, the most popular boy in school?

'Er…Remus?'

There was a tap on his shoulder, and Remus realised that he'd drifted off at some point during the meeting. In fact, he hadn't really heard a word that had been said. He turned to look at Lily, who was biting her lip nervously and looking down. 'Lily?' It was the first time they'd actually said anything to each other since third year.

'The meeting's over,' she said to her lap.

'Oh,' replied Remus inanely, noticing that quite a few of the prefects had already left. 'Guess we should be going then, eh?' He got up and walked to the open compartment door but not before pulling his hood over his head.

Lily blinked for a while, confused whether she should be looking at Remus or the floor. 'Remus, what's with the hood?' She paused for a while, frowning. 'No, don't tell me. You're hiding from Potter and Black.'

Remus smiled, glad that the tension between them was finally starting to break. 'I really don't fancy being attacked by those two, at least not on the first day of school. Hopefully, I'll get lucky and actually make it through fifth year alive.'

Lily laughed, shaking her head exasperatedly. 'I still don't understand why you hang out with them, Remus. They're physically exhausting, psychologically depressing, and intellectually demeaning.'

Remus held out a hand to help Lily out of her seat. 'They have good hearts,' he said, like that explained everything. Then again, for Remus, it did.

They walked down the corridor in silence after that, the only sounds being Remus's grunts, as he struggled with his prefect badge. The damn thing simply refused to come off! How was he supposed to go back to the compartment with this monstrosity stuck to his chest? And what was Dumbledore thinking? It wasn't that Remus wasn't proud. A small part of him was, especially when he'd seen his parents' beaming faces but really, what did the Headmaster expect him to do? Soothe James and Sirius and potty train them? Impossible.

'Remus?' asked Lily after a while. She was looking both nervous and amused at Remus's failed attempts to take off his badge.

'Hm?' he asked, not really looking up.

'I-It's-' She seemed to be struggling with words.

'You don't have to say it, Lily,' said Remus, tugging at his robes.

She took a deep breath. 'No, I have to. I'm really sorry, Remus,' she rushed, before losing her nerve. 'This whole thing, it wasn't even your fault, and I-'

Remus looked into her eyes with so much sincerity, that Lily felt, if possible, even guiltier. 'It's okay, Lily, really.' He frowned, looking down at his badge. 'I understand in some ways. You were just angry…' Remus pulled the badge again. 'And I wasn't helping…' Another tug. 'And maybe I was sort of leading you on…I don't know.'

'Oh for God's sake, Remus!' she grabbed him by the shoulders and clipped the badge off in one swift motion. 'It's a wonder you got it on by yourself.'

Remus grinned, stuffing the badge in his jeans pocket and pulling his hood down. 'I didn't. My mum helped me with it.'

Lily shook her head, smiling to herself. Remus hadn't changed one bit and Gods, she'd missed him. It was good to be talking to him again, even if it was just as friends. 'So…er…how's your rabbit?'

Remus stopped, raising an eyebrow. 'My what?'

'I heard it gives you a lot of trouble. Quite a furry little problem or that's what your friends keep saying anyway.'

Realisation dawned onto Remus. I'm going to kill James. 'Yeah, it hasn't gotten any better but it's not that much of a problem really.' She must think I'm such a sap. What kind of idiot keeps a rabbit for a pet anyway?

Lily looked at Remus admiringly. He so sensitive, she thought, before coming to a stop in front of her compartment door. She could hear her friends giggling through the steel. 'I guess I'll see you in school then.'

Remus ran a hand through his hair in an attempt to push it out of his eyes. 'Yeah. I could use a little help with potions if it's not too much to ask.'

Lily smiled. 'Of course.' She leaned over to place a chaste kiss on Remus cheek before she disappeared into the compartment.

XxxxX

'Well, I see his Highness finally decided to grace us with his presence,' said Sirius scathingly once Remus had entered their usual compartment.

James threw Peter's robes at Sirius's head. 'Chill, mate. Let me handle this.' He turned towards Remus, hands crossed over his chest. 'Where have you been, young man? Do you know how worried we were?' He wiped an imaginary tear from his eyes and looked pointedly towards Sirius. 'Your father nearly had a heart attack.'

Sirius was still glaring angrily at Remus but joined the act anyways. 'I hope you have a good explanation for your behaviour or it's bed without dinner for you.'

Remus shrugged off his robes. 'Er…I was late and couldn't find the compartment?'

'We always sit in this one,' piped up Peter before any of his friends could answer. James and Sirius nodded in agreement.

Remus ran a hand through his hair and flopped down beside Sirius. 'Okay, how about, I stopped at the food trolley to buy you chaps some chocolate, but had trouble choosing?'

James tapped his chin. 'Hm…better but needs work.'

Remus frowned, trying to think of a better alibi. 'Er…I bought all of you muggle chocolates in hopes of buying my way out of this lie?'

Sirius grinned, clapping Remus on the shoulder. 'Now you're talking. Hand it over.'

Remus bent down and fished his trunk for the box of chocolates he'd bought before coming to the station. It had actually been a sort of present from his grandmother for becoming a prefect but he figured he'd share it anyway.

Once the box was empty, Remus relaxed, automatically resting his head on Sirius's lap, content with just listening to his friends talk about their summers. He could feel Sirius's warm hand resting on his chest, and he sighed audibly. After some time, when Remus opened his eyes, he noticed that Sirius was staring at him fixedly, not really taking part in the ongoing conversation anymore.

Remus curiously cocked his head to the side. 'Hello.'

Sirius's eyes softened, and he mimicked Remus's movement. 'Hey.' His hair tumbled over his eyes, and he frowned as Remus laughed.

'You've grown,' said Remus off handedly, reaching out a hand to push away Sirius's soft, black hair. It was true; Sirius was hardly an a few inches shorter than Remus now, and he seemed to have filled out more. He'd cut his hair again and unlike Remus's, it actually managed to stay neat but had gained a similar property of constantly falling over his eyes. It was cute, thought Remus, though Sirius wouldn't be very pleased with the statement. Cute just wasn't aristocratic or sexy enough.

Sirius caught Remus's hand just as it was about to move away and kissed the heel of his palm softly. 'How were the full moons?' he asked, his lips brushing over Remus's wrist with every word he spoke.

'Mm…could have been better.' Remus twined his fingers with Sirius's. It seemed his brain had taken a holiday from the moment he'd sat beside Sirius, and he found himself reciprocating and enjoying Sirius's subtle touches. They were inconspicuous to anyone beside themselves and the touches were barely there but with every bit of contact, Remus felt a stream of heat coursing down his spine. 'I missed you guys,' he added, letting his eyes drift to a close.

Sirius chuckled as the fingers that had been toying with the hem of his shirt tickled the skin underneath. 'Yeah? I missed you.'

'When you two are done snogging each other's brains out, I think I found out why our little friend here, was late.'

Remus jerked at the sound of James's voice. Suddenly realising the position he was in, he shot out of his friend's lap and moved to the sit at the farthest end of the seat, a good distance away from Sirius. What the hell were you doing? Stupid, stupid, stupid. But he couldn't suppress the shudder that overtook his body, as he felt the ghost of Sirius's lips on his skin.

Sirius, on the other hand, seemed more peeved than shocked. 'What is it, Potter?' He growled out, running a frustrated hand through his hair. He looked at the empty space on his lap and growled even louder. Damn you, James. He didn't even know what he was so pissed about. Just that he had every intention of pulverising his black haired friend.

James got up, smirking. 'What is it, Sirius? Angry 'cause I interrupted your little love fest?'

Remus broke into a fit of coughs.

Sirius looked like he was about to bite his best friend's head off. He was even more annoyed when he saw Peter sniggering at James's comment. 'Get to the point.'

James laughed and patted Remus on the back till his coughs subsided. 'Well, our little Remus is hiding something from us. Or at least trying to...' His grin got even wider at Remus's startled look. 'But you should know by now, Remy baby,' said James, waggling a parental finger. 'That you can't hide anything from ol' James.' He slid his hand into Remus's jeans pocket.

Sirius immediately sprang up from his seat. 'Hands off, Potter!' he snarled, grabbing James by the shoulders and shoving him into the ground. 'What the hell are you trying to do? Molest him?'

James smiled up from the ground smugly, already clutching something in the ball of his fist. He looked at Remus, eyes sparkling with mischief.

Remus got up frantically. 'James, no!'

James grinned and ignoring Remus's plea, uncurled his fingers, revealing a shiny silver prefect's badge. Sirius stopped mid pounce, Peter mouth clamped shut, and Remus fell heavily to the ground, muttering 'shit, shit, shit' into his hands.

'Being a bit melodramatic, aren't we?' asked James, pushing himself up with his hands and straightening his shirt. He surveyed the prefect's badge. 'Looks like our little baby's finally grown to be a responsible adult, Sirius.'

Sirius snatched the badge from his friend's hand and inspected it warily. A prefect? Remus? There was a small pause, then: 'Think of the possibilities,' whispered Sirius slowly looking up. His anger was long forgotten and there was a conspiratory glint in his eyes as his lips quirked upwards in a sneaky grin.

James chuckled and slung an arm around his friend's shoulders. 'The pranks we could get away with.'

Sirius met James's eyes. 'The detentions we could avoid.'

James squealed like a girl, pulling Remus up and pinching his cheeks in excitement. 'Oh Remy, we're so proud of you! Give Jamie-boy a tight hug, eh?'

Remus didn't really have to give 'Jamie-boy' a hug; James invited himself into it and squished him tight enough to crack his ribs. Remus didn't mind, honestly speaking (apart from the crappy nickname). He was a bit relieved in fact. His friends' reactions were much better than he'd expected. Oh, who was he kidding; their reactions were great. A little unlawful but who cared, right?

'I didn't say you could go back to groping him,' snarled Sirius, trying to pry off James's arms. He didn't understand why James insisted on touching Remus so bloody much.

James looked teasingly at his friend and then winked at Remus. 'Aw…jealous, are we? But Sirius, I love him sooo much,' cooed James flirtatiously, hugging Remus even tighter and giving a quick peck on each of his cheeks.

'You're dead, Potter!'

Remus laughed, as they broke into a play fight, kicking and screaming while each of them tried to get the upper hand. He'd have given up anything, anything in the world, to have this one moment frozen forever. This was life - his life - and it was very near perfect. Now if only he could sort out these feelings he had for Sirius…

XxxxX

Leanna: I love John Lupin too. He's one of my favourite characters, including the pups of course. And I sort of think them being in denial is cute…in a way…but hell, not as cute as when they're together. mad.hot.love.: Lol. Thanks. And don't worry, there will be more than just one kiss…and ahem…a lot more. And very, very soon too…Lady Molko: Yeah, I hate that fact too. It's just that he tries so hard to be the perfect son, that he totally overlooks what he gets himself into. I feel that Sirius's family is sort of like that. They're all pureblood supremacy, but they don't actually want to hurt anyone…not counting the Lestranges or the Malfoys. You have no idea how many toothbrushes I've lost in the toilet. It's one of the worst things that can happen to you in the morning. The only thing worse than that is dropping the toothpaste cap of a brand new tube. It doesn't help that I'm hardly coherent in the mornings. Annieboo92: Unfortunately, my exams will be starting soon, so the updates might get less frequent. Anyway, I think this is a happier chapter, so…enjoy! scarlet locket: Well, I'm glad you like my story. Keep reviewing…and yes, Sirius is that stupid…we all know that. Serpent91: Thanks. Keep reviewing, and hope you enjoy this chapter. moonshine and mustard seed Ahhh! You reviewed! I love John Lupin the most among Remus's parents actually. I have no idea why. And I've not actually thought about a misunderstanding like that, so I don't think I'm going to write it. What do you know? Finger crossing actually works. snape'smistress-in-law: I guess you found this chapter hard to ignore then. It's full of warmth and fuzziness. But you should know, fluff doesn't make a story…well, not my story anyway. XXsavemysoulXx: I love stuck up Sirius. He's just so much sexy than some hyperactive bouncy thing. That way, he gets to be mean, and has an excuse for it at the same time. Also, then it's easier to show that his affection towards Remus is kind of different. Thanks for reviewing! Yurikitsune: (blushes) Thanks…now if only I can find someone who actually kisses like that. Well, not the throwing off the window ledge bit. I live on the 16th floor, and I really treasure my life…I don't think their meeting was very humorous, but not angsty either. The chapter is just more of a reconciliation between Lily and Remus, and I wanted to show that Remus and Sirius just don't jump on each other suddenly once they get to school. Kind of like a relationship building through denial chapter. Hope you like it.