moments between us
Remus sits in his room, completely absorbed in his books, without a worry in his mind. He’s quietly focused, studying for the potions exam he has the next day.
Suddenly, Sirius bursts in, breaking the peaceful silence.
“Oi! Moony!”
Remus startles, looking up. “Yes? What do you need?”
Sirius, grinning from ear to ear, flops onto the bed next to Remus, clearly up to something.
“You need to come outside, now!” Sirius says, his eyes gleaming with mischief.
Remus sighs, closing his book but leaving his finger between the pages to hold his place. “Sirius, I have a potions exam tomorrow. I really don’t have time for—”
“Exactly why you need a break!” Sirius interrupts, standing back up and practically bouncing on his heels. “Besides, I’ve got something you really need to see.”
Remus raises an eyebrow, both suspicious and intrigued. “What did you do this time?”
Sirius pulls him up from the chair. “You’ll see! But trust me, it’ll be worth it.”
With an exasperated groan, Remus relents, letting himself be dragged out of the room. “If this has anything to do with Dungbombs, I swear…”
Sirius leads Remus through the winding corridors of the castle, moving with such speed and enthusiasm that Remus struggles to keep up. The chilly evening air brushes against them as they descend the steps, finally reaching the courtyard. Remus glances around, trying to figure out what Sirius is so excited about.
“Alright,” Remus says, panting slightly. “What’s all this about?”
Sirius slows down as they near the edge of the Forbidden Forest. He stops, turning to face Remus with that same mischievous gleam in his eyes.
“Just wait for it,” Sirius says with a grin.
Sirius points toward the sky, his excitement palpable. “Up there! That’s my constellation. And over there—that’s Regulus’s. We were both named after stars.”
“Wow. I did not know that,” Remus says honestly.
“Oh! That’s Orion’s belt! It’s by far my favourite.”
“I’ve never known anything about stars.”
“They’re beautiful, aren’t they?” Sirius asks, turning to Remus.
“They really are,” Remus replies without a second thought.
“It’s stunning,” Remus murmurs, stealing a glance at Sirius, who’s grinning from ear to ear.
“The stars—so beautiful, yet distant and untouchable. Their light, a quiet grace, shines from afar. Lovely, but forever out of reach.”
It’s cold. Out of the corner of his eye, Remus notices Sirius shivering. Sirius inhales as if he’s about to speak, but hesitates, the words dying before they form. He looks nervous, almost scared of what he’s about to say. Remus stays quiet, letting him take his time—whatever’s on his mind, it’s clear he’s not ready to share it just yet.
Remus stands there, mesmerised, his gaze locked on the stars as though expecting them to whisper their secrets to him. They shimmer above, distant and mysterious, drawing him in with their quiet beauty. God, it’s beautiful… but his thoughts drift elsewhere. He's beautiful.
Without realising it, Remus begins to lean into Sirius’s shoulder, seeking the warmth and comfort of his presence. The stars may be far away, but the person beside him feels close, grounding him in a way the sky never could.
Remus clenches his jaw, fighting to keep his teeth from chattering as he rubs his bare arms, hoping to smooth away the goosebumps.
Sirius chuckles. “Remus, are you freezing?”
“No,” Remus replies, though his voice shakes slightly.
“Honestly, you’re impossible. Come here.”
“It’s fine, Sirius. This matters to you, yeah?”
Remus feels Sirius shrug beside him. “Yeah, I guess. But so do you, you know. Can’t let you freeze out here. Dying of cold would be a pretty sad way to go—almost as bad as drowning.”
“I guess it is pretty cold out here,” Sirius admits, his voice wavering slightly as he finally acknowledges the chill.
“Come on, let’s head back. Feels like it might start raining any minute,” Remus replies, reaching over and taking Sirius’s hand to pull him along.
Sirius sighs dramatically, dragging out his response as if he’s reluctant. “Fiiine,” he drawls, pretending to be annoyed, though he shivers a bit, clearly grateful for the warmth.
Remus slips an arm around Sirius’s shoulder, pulling him close to keep him warm. Sirius doesn’t say anything, but Remus catches the soft smile beginning to spread across his face. They walk on in comfortable silence, footsteps echoing through the quiet halls.
When they finally reach their shared Gryffindor dorm, Remus feels a twinge of reluctance—he doesn’t want the moment to end. It’s been too long since he’s had this kind of time with Sirius. He misses it all: Sirius’s easy presence, the late-night talks in the empty dorm, their quiet walks around the castle after hours. He just misses Sirius. There’s really no other way to put it.
They step into the empty dorm, enveloped by a peaceful silence. The kind where you can hear the faint hum of the lights and the soft chirping of crickets outside the window. It feels warm, safe even.
Sirius glances at Remus, who looks seconds away from curling up and falling asleep right on the floor. He smiles, nudging him gently. “Come on, let’s get you to bed. You look like you’re about to drop.”
Remus blinks, a little dazed, and chuckles softly. “Guess I’m more tired than I thought.”
Sirius takes him by the arm, guiding him to his bed. Remus sits heavily, stifling a yawn, but before he can even start to lie back, Sirius grabs a spare blanket, draping it around his shoulders. He sits down beside him, leaning close, and there’s a familiar, unspoken warmth in the air between them.
“Thanks,” Remus murmurs, eyes drifting shut as he relaxes, feeling Sirius’s hand resting gently on his shoulder. “Feels good to just… be here.”
Sirius chuckles quietly. “I’m not going anywhere, Moony. Just rest.”
Remus smiles, his breathing already slowing, and soon enough, he’s fast asleep. Sirius watches him for a moment, a soft smile on his face, then lies down next to him. Before long, they’re both dozing off, sharing the warmth and comfort of each other’s presence.