It was the fifth day of the final year back at Hogwarts, and Remus Lupin was rolling up his sleeves to stave off the heat of the greenhouse. He loved Herbology, but summer still clung to the leg of September, and he was well aware of it from the sweat tickling the back of his neck.
He was carefully picking at a leaf with a pair of tweezers when a group of girls bustled past him, knocking him against the table. Remus rubbed at his forehead, irritated, and glared at the girls that were now crowding around the table opposite to where Sirius sat. Sirius looked up at the noise, his eyes flickering to Remus, a tiny smile forming at the corner of his mouth.
“Go ask him” one of the girls giggled as she pushed at another girl.
“No way!”
Remus scowled and tried to concentrate on his work again. Since they came back to school, the Gryffindor girls seemed to have all inhaled some sort of love potion for Sirius. Sirius’s hair had grown longer over the summer, which he now had half tied up out of his face, but there was something else that seemed different about him. Remus couldn’t put his finger on it. All he knew was that it wasn’t good, and he was a continuous headache to be around now.
“I’ll go ask him.” A girl said. The other girl squeaked and grabbed at her arm to stop her, stumbling in the process. She fell into the Professor, busy watering the plants behind them. The hose of water turned as the Professor swivelled, and poured directly all over Sirius.
The girls gasped as Sirius sat there, soaked. His shocked face quickly hardening to anger. Remus looked up at the commotion, still scowling before seeing Sirius opposite. His long hair was messy and dripping wet. White school shirt almost see-through and stuck to his skin. Remus’s eyes traced where the shirt creased into his muscles, and he gulped.
“Sirius I am terribly sorry!” Said the Professor. “Girls you cannot be messing around in here!” She boomed.
Sirius pushed up away from the desk and made his way to the store room. Remus got up to follow, picking up a pile of paper towels on the way. Sirius was squeezing the water from his hair when he walked in.
“Can you just give me a minute, please?” Sirius snapped as he turned around. Remus flinched and turned to leave before Sirius gripped the arm of his shirt. “Wait! I didn’t realise it was you.” He said, pulling Remus into the room and closing the door.
“Need some help?” Remus asked, waving the towels at him. Sirius sighed and smiled, finally letting out a laugh.
“Yes, please.” Sirius took a towel and undid a couple of his shirt buttons, padding at his skin. Remus let out a shuddered breath as he watched awkwardly. Sirius looked at him. “Are you going to help, then?” He smirked.
Remus blinked before moving closer. He lifted the bottom of Sirius’s shirt and began gently padding the water from his skin. He could feel his cheeks flushing, which Remus couldn’t understand. He had been best friends with Sirius for years, it wasn’t like he hadn’t seen him shirtless, hadn’t touched him. So why did this feel so embarrassing now? His thoughts were interrupted when he realised Sirius had stopped moving, and was looking down at him.
Their eyes locked and the warmth of Sirius’s skin, his closeness, the fact Remus had his hand up his shirt, felt suddenly very real. Remus pulled away, hoping the flush wasn’t visible on his cheeks.
His hopes were dashed as Sirius grinned, features handsome in the afternoon sun.
“Don’t tell me you’ve fallen for me, too?” Sirius said.
“Don’t be stupid.” Remus replied, pushing the remainder of the towels at Sirius’s chest before storming off. He felt Sirius grip his wrist and tug him back again, a smile still on his face.
“That’s a shame.”
Remus almost choked at the words, Sirius’s fingers still linked around his skin.
“What?” Remus stammered.
“I said…” Sirius began, walking closer to Remus, “it’s a shame you’ve not fallen for me.” Sirius’s glittering eyes peered through his hair at Remus, searching for something.
“I… why?”
Sirius rolled his eyes playfully and placed a hand on Remus’s waist, pulling him closer. Oh. Remus thought. Sirius raised a brow questioningly.
“Falling, maybe” Remus breathed as he felt Sirius’s wet shirt press against his. Sirius looked almost shocked, for once he was the one lost for words. “Don’t let it get to your head, Pads. You’re hot, but you’re still annoying.” Sirius beamed down at Remus, and Remus’s stomach flipped with butterflies.
“It won’t go to my head. How could it when I have to walk around next to someone as gorgeous as you?”
“Sirius…”
“I mean it. You’re meltingly beautiful.”
Before Remus knew what was happening, Sirius leaned down and pressed his lips on Remus’s. He kissed him softly, mouth hot and gentle as he tasted his bottom lip. Remus felt his face flush furiously as he leaned into the kiss, bodies pressing close together. Encouraged, Sirius moved his other hand to Remus’s waist and pushed him against the store shelves, the pots and tools rattling as Remus backed into them. Sirius’s hands snaked up Remus’s body and into the back of his hair, fingers curled round his mousy locks as he kissed deeply. Remus gasped against Sirius's mouth as their tongues touched, it was like an electric shock that filled every part of him.
Remus’s head swam, he felt dizzy, knees weak. He had to put his hands on Sirius’s shoulders to steady himself. Sirius groaned happily and wrapped his hands around Remus’s waist again, pulling him in as close as possible, wanting, needing.
Remus pushed away for air, panting, he felt like a mess. Sirius was smiling down at him, lips glistening. He looked devilish. Remus couldn’t believe he had just kissed his best friend. That his best friend had kissed him. First.
The door handle rattled and the Professor scuttled in. Remus quickly pushed Sirius away, embarrassment flooding his body.
“Everything alright in here? You need to get back to your work.” The Professor said. Remus saw her eyes flick down to his stomach. He looked down and saw that his shirt was now wet, too. Sticking to his skin where Sirius had been. He winced as he looked back at the Professor.
“Out.” The Professor said, standing aside for them. They skulked out and sat back at their desks. Remus’s head was pounding with a new sort of headache. His mind a concoction of embarrassment, confusion, and the unshakable memory of Sirius’s lips tasting him.
“I’m so sorry!” One of the Gryffindor girls cried as they ran over to Sirius. He waived them off, eyes once again flickering over to Remus. This time, Remus didn’t look away.