Lily and James were at their breaking point. Sirius and Remus had been pining for months, and neither was willing to do anything about it because ‘their friendship was more important’. They were so close to locking them in a broom closet overnight or forging a love letter. Lily almost had Remus’ handwriting nailed.
But Pete had a plan.
“Mistletoe?” Lily scoffed.
“Charmed mistletoe. If two people are under it at the same time, they can’t move until they kiss.” Pete looked far too smug for someone with so much soil in his hair.
“So we just… trap them under it, watch them kiss and bam?” James asked. “Seems too simple.”
“That’s the beauty of it, Prongs! What can go wrong?” Pete grinned at them.
The answer to that question would become evident at the Gryffindor Christmas Party the following evening, where Sirius and Remus were pointedly avoiding each other and most people had spotted the mistletoe and were avoiding that spot like the plague.
Until that was, Remus and Benjy found themselves stuck under the mistletoe while crossing the room.
Remus looked around. Nobody seemed to have spotted them yet. He looked back at Benjy smiling apologetically.
“Sorry Benj, I can’t.” He said quietly, shaking his head.
“No?” Benjy asked, then his face lit up with realisation, his eyes shifting towards Sirius, who was talking animatedly to Marlene. “Oh… still, Remus?” He said sympathetically.
“Oh. Well. No, it’s not…”
Lily grabbed James’ arm across the room. “Oh no! Remus and Benjy. Remus and Benjy!” She hissed. "Abort!"
James’ head snapped around and he groaned. “Oh shit. How did we not foresee this? Wait, why are they just standing there? How long have they been there?”
“About five minutes.” Pete appeared on James’ other side. “Why haven’t they kissed? It’s not like they’ve never kissed before.”
“Maybe that’s why. Too weird?” Lily said. “Where’s Sirius?”
“Talking to Marlene,” James said quietly. “Doesn’t seem to have noticed yet.”
The three of them looked across the common room like they were watching a tennis match before eventually Marlene nudged Sirius and nodded towards Remus and Benjy under the mistletoe.
“The fuck?” Sirius muttered, meeting Remus’ panicked gaze.
“Remus,” Benjy said again. “It’s not like it would be the first time.”
“That was different.” Remus groaned.
“How?” Benjy crossed his arms across his chest. “How exactly was that different? Are you ashamed to kiss me when people can see?”
Remus dragged his hand through his hair. “Merlin, no it’s not that. I swear it’s not.”
“Then what?” He snapped. “What exactly is different?”
“I was single then,” Remus said quietly. “I’m not now.”
“Did he just…” Lily wasn’t sure if she’d heard/read his lips correctly.
“He’s seeing someone?” James looked over at Sirius. “I wonder if Sirius knows. Maybe that’s why they’re avoiding each other.” Lily giggled and Pete looked exasperated.
“You’re seeing someone?” Benjy asked. “Who? Wait!” He looked over to where Sirius was glaring at him. “Really?” Remus nodded. “Finally!”
“Yeah, it’s still fairly new, we haven’t told anyone yet.” Remus could feel his cheeks heating up. “But it’s... pretty fucking great.”
“Aw, Remus, I’m chuffed for you, mate.” Benjy leaned in and pressed a chaste kiss to Remus’ cheek to break the enchantment. It also spurred Sirius to storm across the room towards them and glower at Benjy. “I’m not trying to steal your bloke, Black. Just didn’t fancy being trapped there all night. Plus, I really need a piss.” He shrugged. “Congrats, by the way.”
He patted Sirius on the shoulder and slipped past both of them, away to the bathroom.
Remus shook his head, amused at his boyfriend. “So much for ‘light and breezy, nobody will suspect a thing’, Sirius.”
“His lips were on your face, Moons. His lips. Your face!” Sirius pouted as Remus pulled him closer, wrapping his arms around him.
“Yes, for less than a second, to escape some mistletoe. Which, conveniently, we seem to be stuck under now.” Remus said with a mischievous glint in his eye.
Sirius looked up and laughed, “Well, I suppose people are about to find out about us then, aren't they? You ready for that?”
Remus nodded, “Absolutely. And then we'll have a word with Lily, James and Pete for conveniently putting this mistletoe here.”
“Oh, of course.” Sirius smiled at him, slowly leaning in, not taking his eyes off Remus’.
A collective gasp echoed around the common room within seconds of their lips touching. Remus’ hands were lost in Sirius’ hair, while Sirius clung to him. Kissing in front of people felt so strange after working so hard to keep their relationship private, but Sirius found himself smiling into the kiss and pulling Remus even closer.
They broke apart, breathless and grinning.
“Right,” Remus said, looking over at James, Lily and Pete who looked far too pleased with themselves and holding out a hand to Sirius, while the other clutched his wand, “Together?”
“Yes, I think so.” Sirius laced their fingers together and they left the mistletoe behind, to gently hex their friends.