February
Lonely at detention
Prompt: Chocolate
No warnings
Major tags: Established relationship, fluff, Hogwarts
Remus held back a sigh as he began a new page of parchment. Professor Binns was correcting essays at the catheter while Remus was to write five hundred “I will not flood the bathrooms” for his detention after a prank gone wrong. He, usually better at not getting caught, had taken all the blame this time. He, working on the supposed trap with Sirius, had been distracted. He had unarguably been distracted in Sirius' company before, but after their recent confession, when Sirius could just casually stroke his hair or plant a kiss on his cheek and then go on as if nothing happened, it had been impossible.
Remus jolted and almost let out a scream as something touched his thigh. A familiar suppressed laugh beside him immediately eased his mind. His quill seemed to dance by itself in the air writing “Guess who borrowed James’ cloak to come keep you company?”
He took the quill back and answered “You are crazy.”
A huff from the invisible shape beside him and he added “I love you.”
His quill got stolen again only to write “That’s better.”
Remus scoffed somewhere to his right, harder than you’d imagine when not having a visible target, until a hand appeared in the air with a piece of chocolate, gently putting it in Remus' mouth.
Sirius settled in with his head in Remus' lap and body outstretched on the bench beside him. Remus began to write his lines again, with his free hand idly playing with Sirius' hair. Now and then Sirius held up a piece of chocolate that Remus grabbed with his mouth. Suddenly he was not in a hurry to finish his lines anymore.
❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️
Gryffindor wins
Prompt: Admirer
No warnings
Major tags: Hogwarts, teenagers, established relationship, jealous Remus
They had argued about it as soon as yesterday. Sirius wanted to show the world. Remus wasn't ready to even hold hands outside closed doors. He just knew people were going to give them grief over it, however confident Sirius was.
What Remus hadn't taken into account was Gryffindor winning today's quidditch match and Sirius, with the rest of the team, being swarmed by admirers. Why the need to congratulate him so close? Unbelievable how many found a kiss on the cheek necessary. Remus stood motionless at the end of the room, unable to take his eyes off the spectacle, even though it made his gut wrench. He couldn’t blame anyone but himself now, could he?
Then came Melissa Clearweather. Tall, blond, used to get what she wanted. She had the decency to not kiss him. But the way her fingers trailed up his arm while she talked and just never stopped made Remus grit his teeth. That was it. As he elbowed his way through the room, he saw Sirius brush off her hand just to have it land on his chest and start playing with his collar.
Sirius took a step towards Remus and whispered. "Hide me."
"Hide you? How about showing everyone?" Remus let his lips, close from the whisper, slip even closer and kiss Sirius' cheek at the same time as he wrapped his arm around Sirius' waist. Sirius sighed happily and immediately melted into him. Their lips met and Remus heard the room go silent before cheers and laughter broke out around them.
He kept holding Sirius close as it was now his turn to tell him how great he was and – why not? – how great he looked in his uniform. Remus couldn't help sending the sour-looking Melissa a triumphant smile.
❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️
A nudge from James
Prompt: Heart
No warnings
Major tags: First kiss, teenagers, Hogwarts
Remus came in the door to their dorm. “James, I need that Potions book you borrowed.”
“It’s over there, by your stuff.”
Sirius and Remus both looked puzzledly at him. That pile of things was Sirius'. James knew that.
Sirius saw it just as Remus went to grab his book. On top of the pile was a bunch of parchments he was sure he had buried at the bottom of his trunk.
“No, wait!”
It was too late. Remus was already staring at the pages.
“You fucker!” Sirius threw a book after James who was already halfway out the door.
Sirius didn’t like to call himself talented. But the sketches were good enough that anyone could see who they portrayed. Remus. Remus in all kinds of cute poses. There was even one with the two of them kissing, the supposed-to-be him could pass for someone else, but that hardly made any difference as almost every page was scattered with silly hearts.
Still staring, Remus put one hand to his mouth, loosening his grip on his returned Potions book resulting in some handwritten parchments falling out and landing on the floor. Sirius caught a glimpse of his own name before Remus began hurriedly gathering the pages.
“Don’t read that!”
Of course not. He must be too creeped out to want anything to do with Sirius now.
“I’m sorry, Remus. I didn’t mean for you to see that. I know it’s weird. I…”
“Sirius, stop.”
“Because you’re too creeped out to listen to me?”
He gave a short burst of laughter. “I could listen to you all day. But I’d rather kiss you if that’s an option.”
“I… What?”
“You know what, do read this. I don't know how James found it, but after I've seen your drawings it's only fair.”
He held out one of the earlier dropped pages.
There is one star in the sky that outshines the moon, and its name is Sirius.
Sirius felt his jaw drop. It all continued in the same style. Poetry. About him.
When he looked up Remus' cheeks were bright pink and his eyes intently studying Sirius' response. Sirius did not wait for another invitation. With a gasp, he threw himself around the neck of Remus and kissed him right on the mouth. Strong arms grabbed him and drew him closer. Remus kissed him back with an eagerness and a passion that made the world stop spinning.
Half an hour later when James cautiously opened the door, Sirius hit him in the head with a pillow. “You did that on purpose!”
Seeing Sirius and Remus with their arms around each other, his face relaxed.
“You think?” James rolled his eyes. “I was tired of seeing you two dance around each other.”
Sirius looked at Remus who huffed at James with pretended irritation and then smiled lovingly right back at him. Yeah, maybe they had needed a little nudge.
❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️
Worse at flirting than ever
Prompt: Flirt
No warnings
Major tags: Mutual pining, flirting, teenagers, Hogwarts
Sirius sighed at himself in the mirror trying to fix his hair. To messy. To flat. Maybe if he put a little water in it? No, that just looked stupid.
What happened to the ever-charming Sirius Black who could win anyone’s heart with a smile and a little sweet talk? Well, since one of his own closest friends had gone and become so attractive it was ridiculous, and he for once really needed to know how to flirt, he seemed to have lost the ability altogether.
Still horribly self-conscious, Sirius went back to his friends in the corridor, waiting for Transfigurations to start. Remus smiled at him before continuing the conversation. Sirius loved that smile. He needed more of that smile. But all he managed to do was pull at the hem of his robe, tousle his hair, and sigh wistfully.
Students began moving into the classroom. In an attempt at something he leaned at the wall just in front of Remus, stopping him. “Ehm… Hi.”
“Hi,” Remus smiled, “did you want to say something?”
He had tried to say something all week, but with those eyes looking at him it was just impossible. He shifted the weight on his feet and somehow dropped his Transfigurations book to the floor with a bang loud enough for the last students pouring into class to turn their heads.
Had he worried about forgetting how to flirt? Apparently, he’d lost the ability to hold an unmoving object and form a coherent sentence as well. He felt his cheeks heat as he bent down and retrieved his book. Too embarrassed to lift his eyes from the floor he was totally unprepared for what happened next.
Remus quickly leaned in, kissed him on the cheek, and said: "You're cute when you're nervous.”
❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️
Just asking
Prompt: Passion
No warnings
Major tags: Secret relationship, teenagers, Hogwarts
Remus was lying on his stomach and reading. Sirius was sitting on his bed and waxing his broom. Peter was idly watching before asking "How come we don't see girl-magnet Padfoot with any girls anymore?"
Sirius looked up, without an answer ready.
"Did you actually fall in love with someone? Why not ask her out, if that's the case? Do you need a helping hand? A plan to woo her?" Peter continued in Sirius silence.
"I don't lack passion in my life, if that's what you're asking."
"I know quidditch is your big passion and all, but that's not what I'm talking about."
"Me neither."
"So you actually are seeing someone? But you won't tell me who it is?"
Sirius glanced at Remus, who lay unmoving in his bed, red all the way down his neck. For a moment Peter looked back and forth between them.
"He knows, then?"
Sirius chuckled "Oh, yes. He knows."
"Why not me?"
"If it was up to me the world would know."
He risked a new glance at Remus who was burying his nose even deeper into the book.
"But it's not", Sirius concluded, "It's sweet of you to worry about me. But I'm good, I promise."
❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️
A shitty morning
Prompt: Sentimental
Warnings: Threats of violence
Major tags: Feelings awakening, mentally struggling Sirius, Hogwarts, teenagers
Sirius noticed the scornful smiles from the Slytherin table as soon as he entered the great hall. By the time he sat down and saw himself to a glass of pumpkin juice, he had realized that the increased interest was not limited to one table. People seemed to be staring and whispering all around the room. He buttered his toast while he carefully arranged his face in a nonchalant look. When a group of Ravenclaws passed by, he asked:
“I know I’m nice to look at, but what did I do to win the audience today?
The girls giggled, but he didn’t get any answer. Not until Frank spread The Daily Prophet out in front of him.
There was a moving picture of his father, stern and proper as always. The interview was mostly about finances and how he’d managed to be so successful (Sirius didn’t read it but imagined his father conveniently left out all the people he’d screwed over in the process). Under the question about the future, a quote was highlighted. “As far as I’m concerned, I only have one son. Naturally, Regulus will be head of the house of Black one day.”
Sirius closed his eyes. After running away to stay with the Potters he hadn’t expected anything else. But the whole school gossiping about it? What a nightmare.
He forced himself to smile sweetly again and roll his eyes. “Like I care.”
He gave the paper back without reading more and avoided the surrounding eyes eager for a reaction completely.
“Did you sleep well?” he asked James who had been reading over his shoulder.
“Sirius, this must be horrible.“
He sighed and turned away. Obviously, James wouldn’t understand the need to not share one's feelings with the world. Luckily Remus immediately caught on.
“Splendidly. Did you? Have you heard they are planning to rearrange the greenhouses, by the way?”
Sirius smiled meekly as he half-listened to the rest of the monologue. He always found comfort in listening to Remus' voice.
In Transfigurations, today’s task was transforming a wooden stick into a rose.
Sirius' first attempts just became puffs of smoke. He heard the Slytherins snicker behind him and gritted his teeth. He had to concentrate if they were not to think he cared what his father thought of him.
On the next try, Sirius' stick turned into a deformed cactus with giant spikes and Sirius immediately pricked himself. Gritting his teeth even harder, he clutched the bloody thumb in his other hand and didn’t make a sound. The pain forced tears to his eyes nevertheless. Remus grabbed his arm and muttered a basic healing spell and the pain disappeared just as Zabini leaned forward from his seat behind them.
“Sentimental tears, Black? Wish mommy and daddy hadn’t kicked you out?”
“I’ll kick your face out, see how sentimental you get!”
“Anger issues as well? Poor thing.” Zabini mocked as he leaned back and shared a laugh with his fellow Slytherins.
Sirius felt James' hands on his shoulders as he turned in his chair. “Easy, mate. He’s not worth it.”
“Don’t worry,” he said through clenched jaws, “I’m good.”
He tried to reassure James he wasn't going to do anything stupid. Slow his breathing. Relax his fists. He was going to be the better person James always expected him to be. Who he himself wanted to be, true, but that didn't make it less exhausting.
With all his willpower he cleared his head and focused on the task. Finally, a beautiful rose appeared. Despite all, he was among the first to do it and it earned him an approving nod from Professor McGonagall.
After the lesson, more than one of the boys behind them hit Sirius with their bags or bumped into his chair, supposedly by accident, on their way out. Sirius paced back and forward, ready to snap at anything. He was just about to ask Remus why he was taking so long collecting his things when he turned to Peter and James and suggested: “You go on, we'll catch up soon.”
Peter got the hint and dragged James with him.
“What are you doing?” Sirius demanded.
“Just making sure you get a pause to breathe if you need one.”
Sirius shrugged. “I’ve had a shitty morning. I'll get over it.”
“I'm sure you will.”
Remus' face was honest. No smile he had to live up to, no pity he had to deflect, just a concerned furrow between his brows. Like he understood.
Actually, being alone with Remus made it easier to breathe.
The sob coming out of Sirius' mouth startled even himself.
Remus opened his arms. Sirius let himself fall into the embrace. Let Remus' strong arms be his anchor as he cried for just a few moments. Then he stayed still. Rested his forehead on Remus' shoulder. Breathed in the comforting scent in his neck.
When did Remus become his go-to comfort? And what did that mean?
He straightened himself and cleared his throat.
“I'm so glad I have you. Don’t know how I’d get through this day any other way.”
“I’m glad I have you, too. You’re doing great.”
The smile Remus gave him was so warm and caring that his stomach flipped. He smiled back and saw it become even warmer. What did that mean? That he was glad he’d been able to help a friend? Or something else entirely?
❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️💕❄️
Poppies
Prompt: Woo
No warnings
Major tags: Mutual pining, teenagers, Hogwarts
It was at bedtime on a Sunday when Remus made the mistake of admitting to the others that he had a crush. All his arguments about having to sleep before class tomorrow fell on deaf ears.
“Why don’t you just ask her out?”, James asked for the tenth or so time.
“It’s not that easy.”
“We’ll make a plan to woo her. Maybe if you started with telling us who it is this would be easier.”
“Why should I take advice from you? As far as I know Lily hasn’t said yes yet.”
“Oh, she will. It’s just a matter of time.”
“Right.”
“Ask Padfoot, then.” He poked Sirius who had been unusually quiet and grumpy since this whole conversation began.
Sirius shrugged. “I don’t know. Give her flowers or something.”
The almost angry look Sirius gave him made him pause. Maybe it was just wishful thinking. But maybe it meant the last weeks' closeness actually meant something to him as well.
“Flowers, hm…” he mused, observing Sirius, “what is your favourite flower?”
A flicker of curiosity crossed Sirius' face before a nonchalant mask reappeared.
“Poppies.”
He smiled at Sirius. “I’ll get Poppies, then.”
Sirius looked wonderingly at him.
With a definite tone, Remus closed the bed curtains. “Now let me sleep.”
When he was pretty confident the others were sleeping, he got to work. They had practised roses; Poppies should be just as easy. When he finally found the spell, it only took him a few tries to get it right.
Remus crept up to Sirius' bed, paused a moment to admire the sleeping beauty, and wedged the flower stems in between Sirius' mattress and bedframe. Then made a futile attempt to fall asleep.
Sirius would understand, wouldn’t he?