Chapter 7: Chemical Reactions and Nicknames

xXx

"I can't believe I'm a Slytherin-lover," said Sirius in jest. "I must be some sort of weird, never seen before hybrid."

"I suppose we both are," said Severus. "We're Slytherindors."

"That's not right."

"And why is that?"

"You used the whole Slytherin name and just tagged on the last bit of Gryffindor. That sounds like there's more Slytherin than Gryffindor, doesn't it?"

"What's wrong with that? Quite an improvement if you ask me. And you could use some civilizing."

Sirius pouted. "I think Gyffindorin sounds much better."

"More like a skin disease. You tower-tenants are always acting like Slytherin is the abyss of all evil. As if Gryffindor shite out pure gold."

"And dungeon-dwellers are all on about Gryffindor being all brawn and no brains."

"I have yet to find any evidence to the contrary. Oh, stop pouting. You really are acting like a big girl's blouse over this. Slythfindor then. Happy?"

"Happy doesn't come close to how I feel right now."

Sirius snuggled closer against Severus' chest. They lay together on a blanket under a beech tree, Severus with his back against the trunk and Sirius wrapped tight around him like an overgrown puppy. The Slytherin had cast several concealment and silencing charms around them, making sure that they would not be disturbed in the few precious moments they could share. He really was an extraordinary wizard, Sirius thought. With talent like that one had no need of invisibility cloaks.

Not everything was going as perfectly for Sirius. He and James were not exactly on speaking terms these days, he couldn't help but flinch every time he saw Remus and he sorely missed Quidditch more than anything. In spite of it all, Sirius was happier than he had ever thought possible. The feel of Severus' hands running through Sirius' hair was more powerful than any magic spell he learned about in class. He turned his head slightly and inhaled Severus' scent. He smelled of sandalwood and cedar and a slight metallic tang that was purely his own. Sirius' animagus senses were going berserk.

"Your leg is shaking," Serverus commented.

"Eh? I hadn't noticed. Well, it feels good when you do that."

"I suppose you are more mutt that man sometimes," Severus chuckled and brushed the long waves again. Sirius shivered and gave a blissful yip. "Your birthday is coming up."

"I suppose it is."

"I'd like to do something, you know, special."

Sirius' eyes fell closed as he enjoyed the sensation. "Me mates are taking me to Hogsmeade for a big bash. I don't think I can get away."

Without warning he was dumped unceremoniously face first into the snow. "Hey, what gives?"

Severus folded his arms across his chest. "So you're seeing your friends but I am not invited to this little party, eh? And you expect me to be pleased by this?"

"What? Oh, come on now, Sev." He tried to reach for the other boy but was rebuked. "You know I can't invite you. My friends wouldn't understand."

"And I don't count as one of your friends, I suppose. Just someone good enough to snog in empty corridors."

"You don't get it. James is still on the warpath ever since Ravenclaw beat Gryffindor by 450 to 10 last week. And Remus is not feeling his best right now. He'd freak out if he even suspected. Remus—"

"Again Remus Lupin!" Severus snapped. "Why do we always end up talking about him? What is it between the two of you? Are you in love with him?"

"What?" Sirius nearly laughed but stopped at the livid expression on Severus' face. "No. Of course not."

"Is he in love with you?"

Sirius couldn't contain his laughter now. Severus scrambled to his feet. "Wait a mo!" He jumped up and pulled Severus back to him. "Is that what you're fussing about? You're jealous?"

"I do not fuss! And I'm not jealous! I simply want to know why what Lupin thinks matters so much."

"It just does, alright? If he knew… it wouldn't be good. Trust me. Besides, I thought we both agreed to keep it on the sly for a while, to avoid all the inter-house tension." He attempted to put his arms around the Slytherin again.

Serverus nudged him away. "It's easier for you. You're housemates won't murder you in your sleep. I just thought we wouldn't have to hide from our closet friends. I hate not telling Lily about this."

"I don't like it any better, but my mates. They just wouldn't understand. Remus… I-I haven't told them because… because…."

Severus was looking deeply into his eyes in that eerie manor of his. Sirius looked down quickly, afraid of what those dark orbs might see.

"You haven't told them that you're a poof," Severus said.

Sirius looked offended at first, but then saw the window of opportunity without having to lie. "No, I haven't. I haven't told anyone yet. And if this got back to my parents, well, disowning is the least they'd do to me. My mum mounts and hangs house-elf heads on the wall. Imagine what part of mine she'd cut off!" Actually that was not far from the truth.

Severus put his arms around Sirius and hugged him firmly. "I didn't realize. It was hard for me, too. My parents were not happy at all with the news, especially my dad, but Lily was there for me and that meant all the world. You take your time and when you're ready, I'll still be here."

Sirius returned the embrace and could not help kissing him deeply.

"I just thought," began Severus, spots of color blooming in his cheeks, "that for your birthday we could be closer."

"You mean you want to join us in the Gryffindor common room?"

Severus' face was beet red now. "I mean, I thought that we could be closer, you know. Let's be more than this now."

"Oh……… OH!" Sirius's mind slowly caught up with the rest of reality. Heart hammering in his chest he caught Severus in a powerful bear hug and spun them around. "You mean… you really want…. Oh, baby!"

"I may have reconsidered, and don't ever call me baby again." Voice heavy with sarcasm, Severus tried to keep a straight face but the slight curl at corners of his mouth gave him away.

"Admit it. You're crazy about me."

"I'm crazy. Period. And I don't mean everything, mind. I don't know if I'm ready for that yet. But there are things we could do, that is if you want to."

The image of a naked Severus lying on a bed of Gryffindor-red, silk sheets left Sirius with very little ability to think, or breathe for that matter. The hand that stroked Severus' hair slid down to caress his shoulder and then slipped down past the collar. Sirius counted the vertebrae along Severus' spine with his fingertips. "Wha-what sort of things?"

Severus no longer hid his wicked smile and arched his back to the touch. "Stuff. Certain touches, things that have proven to be rather… pleasing."

"And how would you know these things?" Sirius stared at him. "Something I should know about?"

"Don't get your knickers in a bunch. I hear things in the Slytherin dorm. We're not a bunch of prudes like you lot. Unlike my housemates, I haven't had anyone I wanted to try them out with, until now."

"Sod my mates!" exclaimed Sirius. "You're coming to my birthday party."

"I wasn't trying to manipulate you into that. I don't want to come in between you and your friends."

"That's different. I'm not in love with any of them."

They both froze. Had Sirius admitted that out loud? He silently cursed himself for sounding so ridiculously besotted.

Severus gasped. "Did you just say…? You couldn't have meant…. It's much too soon. We shouldn't be feeling this way after so short a time. It's stupid."

"We?" he stammered. Could it be possible?

"Do you want me to say that you are my everything? My heart's desire? The man of my dreams whom I have been waiting for my entire life? That when you look at me I can believe that a miserable wretch like me can also find love and love in return?" Severus was speaking very fast and he was trembling. "Well, I won't say it because it's a lie! This is just a crush. Just a silly, hormone-induced, completely insane crush."

Severus tried to draw away but Sirius held him fast. Feelings of lust were eclipsed by something stronger, a far greater intimacy that was unfamiliar to both of them. Yet neither wished to flee. Sirius pressed their brows together. "It's more that this."

"I know," Severus whispered.

xXx

"Sweetheart?"

"No."

"Honey?"

"No."

"Cupcake?"

"No!" said Severus. "And what's with all the sickeningly cute names? I may vomit."

Sirius laughed and hugged Severus tighter, trying to distract the other boy from his potion. They were all alone in the Potions lab, stealing a cuddle before class began. "C'mon. I need something to call my little bunny."

"Keep this up and I'll test my latest curse on you! It's designed to render the enemy's flesh and never heal unless the counter curse is spoken."

"You wouldn't do that to me, would you?" he said teasingly.

"Take care that you do not become my enemy then."

Sirius grew more apprehensive. "Really now. That sounds like some serious dark magic. You shouldn't be playing around with that."

"I am not playing. I am learning how it works to better understand it. Light magic could be just as harmful as dark if used in underhanded ways."

"For example?"

"Say, rearranging all the floating candles in the Great Hall to spell out a big, flaming FUC—"

Sirius grinned. "That was a keen bit of magic, eh? How'd you know it was us?"

"A prank during the ceremony when the Slytherins won the House Cup? An idiot could have figured that one out."

"I mean it. You wouldn't become a Dark wizard, would you?"

Severus gazed at him from the corner of his eye. "I have no deeper wish to cause harm, other than in defense. The spells I create are only for life-threatening emergencies, as it should be."

Sirius smiled and relaxed. He was pleased. "Beauty?"

"Definitely not!"

"Why? You're beautiful, Severus."

"Now you are big, dumb and blind as well." Severus turned his back to Sirius and began to slowly sprinkle chopped fluxweed into the cauldron. The potion turned from a dull bronze to a healthy gold. He seemed encouraged.

"I mean it." Sirius pressed his chest against the other boy's back and circled his waist. "Do you know how beautiful you looked that first night in the courtyard with the moonlight glittering in your hair?"

"Don't be absurd. And you best not be fishing for me to comment on how much better looking you are. As if you need yet another person to praise you."

Sirius made a whining noise and nuzzled closer against Severus' neck. "It only means something if it comes from the right person." He nibbled an earlobe as his hands carefully moved under Severus' robes and made contact with the fabric of his shirt.

"Romance does not come readily for me." Severus continued stirring the cauldron but leaned a bit closer into the caress. "Fine. You're gorgeous. You're the best looking bloke in school. You're the reincarnation of Godric Gryffindor himself."

"Hmm. I can't help but detect a hint of snarkiness in your voice." His fingers popped a button and were now tracing the line of collarbone and down around the pectoral.

"You are handsome," Severus gasped and rested his head against Sirius' shoulder. "So much that it makes me ache. Dammit, now you have me sounding like an idiot."

"You're no idiot. You're brilliant. I'll call you Brain because everyone knows that smart is sexy."

Severus smiled. "Sirius, you're a dog."

Alarmed, Sirius grabbed him by the arms and spun him around. Had Severus guessed his secret? "Why-why would you call me that?"

Severus shrugged. "Because you whine like one, Dog."

Sirius felt relief wash through him and captured Severus' mouth for another kiss.

The classroom door opened and the three Marauders noisily bustled in.

"Sirius," said James.

"Severus," Remus practically sang.

Sirius was hunched over his workstation, chopping roots like there was no tomorrow.

"Remember to cut those evenly," said Severus calmly while he mixed a few drops from a red beaker into his simmering potion. Neither boy looked at the other. "They will work better that way."

James, Peter and Remus made their way to the back of the room. Remus, too busy staring at Severus, tripped and collapsed in between the desks.

Severus kneeled beside him. "Are you alright?"

Remus looked at him sheepishly. "Sorry about that. Pretty dumb, eh?"

"Not at all," said Severus. "I was the one who left my rucksack lying out where anyone could fall over it." He held out a hand and pulled Remus to his feet. "You sure you're okay? You look rather pale."

"I've been ill," Remus said nervously. "Bad cold going around this time of year."

"Have you been to the infirmary?"

"Yes, yes. Madame Pomfrey gave me some Pepper-up Potion. Thanks."

"Lupin."

"Yes?" Remus' breath caught in his throat.

"I need my hand back."

"Oh, right." Embarrassed Remus dropped Severus' hand and took a step back, knocking over a chair.

"Get on with it, Moony," said Sirius. "Slughorn is on the way. Quit messing around."

Remus blinked and then headed to his table.

"What was that all about?" Sirius whispered as he placed the chopped roots in front of Severus.

"I was being nice to your friend," answered Severus. "What's wrong with that?"

An icy chill formed in the pit of Sirius' stomach. "I just don't want them to get suspicious."

"You want me instead to point and laugh at your friend while he's face down on the floor?"

"No. But Remus shouldn't get the wrong idea, is all."

"And what idea would that be?"

Their conversation was interrupted as Slughorn entered the classroom followed by the rest of the class.

"Ah, my little experiment is working out I see," said Slughorn. "Gryffindors and Slytherins working together in harmony. Capital."

Lily smirked and leaned in close to Severus. "My ass! If Big Head Potter makes one more stupid comment to me I'm gonna drown him in his own cauldron. I don't see how you can be so calm."

Severus patted her on the elbow. "Try the Bat Bogey Hex. Works wonders."

"Let's begin, shall we?" Slughorn said and the class found their places. "Now we are continuing out study of chemical reactions. The substance or substances initially involved in a chemical reaction are called reactants. Now, different chemical reactions are created by combinations of chemical synthesis in order to get different results. The reactants could be completely from each other in their individual states but when we combine they may surprise us by producing a unique relationship."

Sirius grinned at Severus and took his hand under the table. Severus gave him a tiny smile and squeezed in return, looping his pinky around Sirius' until they were linked together.

The boys were not aware that someone else noticed the small gesture. And he was not pleased at all.

xXx

A/N: I admit that chemistry was one of my worst subjects. Thank goodness for Wikipedia to help me with the difficult terms. Cirquedunedwol mentioned to me that Sirius' birthday should be on St. Patrick's Day. Padfoot, St. Paddy, get it? I liked it so much that I added it into my story.