Padfoot's Twelve Days of Christmas
As you can tell, this project has fallen behind schedule, but rest assured that I will have 12 days by Christmas morning. I shall endeavour to make it! As ever, if you like it, favourite it, favourite me – I'm going to put out a fair bit this Christmas – and make sure to leave your quill mark in the Review section. Enjoy!
Day Nine
On The Ninth Day of Christmas, Regulus Gave to Me… Nine Hugs!
Hugs. Sirius loved them. He loved hugging a pretty girl, loved them from his father, loved giving James, Remus and Peter the odd manly display of brotherhood affection. However, when it was his brother Regulus giving him a manly display of brotherhood affection, he positively hated it. Younger brothers were supposed to be there, in the background, a safe distance away from older, far cooler, siblings. Such as himself. It wasn't like he hated Regulus, but Merlin could the boy annoy you. Like a puppy that was vaguely amusing, and then wouldn't leave you alone.
"Hey Sirius, what are you doing?" It was Regulus. Again. Sirius had a bet on with Prongs that he would not get a minute to himself all day. It was worth five hundred galleons. Right now it was a price worth paying for a moments peace.
"I am trying to arrange a study session. You know I have my N.E. this year, don't you Reggie?" Regulus hated being called that. James sniggered behind him.
"Since when have you started studying for anything?" Regulus countered, brushing an invisible piece of lint from his robes. James laughed harder. "Besides, mother says you are to look after me over the holidays." Sirius sighed. He had agreed to take care of his brother. In reality, he was told he had to, and there was no choice in the matter. The fact that he agreed was more for pride if anything. Sirius was still a responsible member of the Black household, even if he was a Gryffindor. The green on his brother's robes had been a marked relief in his family. One mangy lion they could deal with.
"What would you like; dear brother?" Sirius ground out. A feral grin appeared on his brother's face, and he realised far too late what was going to happen. A pair of arms descended around him, and pulled Sirius into another hug. Regulus had done this too many times today. It had gone far beyond a joke now.
"Regulus Arcturus Black you get your filthy Slyther-" He was cut off by a thunderous peal of laughter from behind him, surprisingly from Remus. James looked like he was chewing a particularly nasty Bertie Bott's Every Flavour bean. Regulus let go, marched up to James, and held his hand out.
"Nine times. I told you, I know my brother." James nodded weakly, and Sirius wondered what in Merlin's name was going on. Then when a large bag of Galleons exchanged hands, it all made cold, sneaky, Slytherin sense.