RUB A DUB

Chapter 7

The next few days were spent in the library looking for spells they could use, then in the green house trying them out. On Saturday morning everything was ready. The girls had done their job, it was all in Sirius' hands now.
The feast was amazing but Sirius didn't touch half of it, so James asked "What is it Black? You're sad you haven't got a date? I mean you could have easily if you just opened that pile of letters on your bedside table."
"Oh but I have a date James." He said grinning with all his teeth.
"Yeah? Who is it?"
"T's a surprise." He smirked.
They had settled their differences a few days ago, after James swore on his broom that nothing had ever happened with Regulus, and it was truly a big relief for everyone. The always present tension was just too much to bear.
Remus was still mute, and he headed straight to the library after the feast just as predicted.

About an hour later, deep in the reading of a book, he noticed a red petal falling on his table. He looked up, to see where it had come from, when he saw another one appear in front of him. Then a third one, and a fourth one. A fortnight of petal later it started to indicate a path, through the doors of the library. Remus stared, wondering what that could possibly be. Was it for him? Curiosity hitting him he rose from his chair and decided to follow the odd petals. He walked for a good five minutes and arrived before the entrance of the astronomy tower. Had a girl organized him a date? Who could it possibly be? He hadn't flirted with a girl since weeks. Maybe it was Emmeline, that Ravenclaw girl he was seeing in December? God he should have slept with her, it would have been so much easier. He started climbing the stairs and heard music coming from the top. Bowie. He stopped in his track. No. It couldn't possibly be... or could it? Still following the petals he arrived at the top and was faced by a record player, a bouquet of flowers, and a literal mountain of toasts in the biggest plate he had ever seen. He noticed some movement on his left and turned his head. Sirius was standing there, in an unusual anxious stance that looked weird on him.
"Hi Moony!" He said with a forced smile.
"Sirius." He breathed.
"Hi"
A long silence followed. Uncomfortable. Then Sirius started.
"Look, hum... I'm sorry, I should have asked you first but I couldn't bring myself to it. I was scared you'd turn me down and I thought 'at least if you don't ask him he can't say no' eh? But hum... Remus, I- I have a crush on you since this summer - or, I mean I realised it this summer but it could have been there for longer than that that wouldn't surprise me. Uh, anyway." He scratched his head. "I know that was a shitty idea, everything was a bad idea. I'm sorry for- for Christmas I shouldn't have done that. I was so lost. And I was trying to forget you, I swear, but now the girls are saying you like me too and that made me hope again and now I really hope they were right cause other way I'm really looking like a fucking idiot right now." Out of breath, Sirius looked up again and saw Remus staring at him with a blank face. "Please say something." He pleaded.
A few seconds passed then Remus asked "You like me?" He couldn't believe it. His brain was playing him the meanest joke ever. Sirius the lady-man Black liked him? Pfff. How stupid.
"Yeah."
That didn't make any sense.
"You mean, you like me... more than a friend?"
Sirius hang his head down. "Yeah..." He closed his eyes. "Sorry."
Remus heart was beating faster than it ever had, faster than when he saw Sirius naked, splayed out on his bed, breath hitching. "Why are you sorry?" He asked, still stunned.
"Cause you obviously don't feel the same." Sirius turned, stopping the record player and starting to pack up his things, when Remus finally spoke again.
"What makes you think that?" He felt like the words had to fight their way out, his throat sore and his lungs tight. The air was too hot and he felt as on the verge of tears or collapsing. He was biting his inner cheek so hard it hurt, but it helped him keep a sense of reality.
"Well, you don't seem very pleased by anything I just said, and you're obviously too polite to say so anyway. And, I guess if you'd liked me too you'd-" He was cut by Remus' lips crashing on his owns, both of his hands on Sirius' cheeks. Sirius responded immediately, without even understanding what was happening, just by instinct. As if it was the most natural thing he had ever done. Kissing Remus. He grabbed him by the waist, pulling him in. They stumbled on the record player and were pulled apart trying not to fall on it. Remus caught Sirius just before he hit the ground. Steadying him he looked him in the eyes. "I like you too."
Sirius was looking at his mouth in amazement, and nodded. He kissed him again, more slowly, more softly, more like they were sharing a secret. Remus held him tight, Sirius' arms around his neck. It felt like a dream.
When they parted Sirius looked him in the eyes and asked "So, you wanna come on a date with me?", a smile growing on his lips.
Remus looked at him with a shy smile and nodded.
"Great! Cause everything's ready." He turned and grabbed the flowers on the ground. "Here." He bit on his lip.
"Thanks." Remus said, blushing.
"Annnnd, enough toasts to feed a regiment, or a Moony, either way."
Remus snorted "Thank you, that's really sweet."
They sat down and the record player started playing again.

An hour or so later they were still sitting in the same place, the toast plate halved, a Queen record on. They were laughing their heart out, and everything was perfect. Sirius was Remus' best friend again, and the fact he wanted to kiss him wasn't an issue anymore, because he could just do it now.
They were arguing over who was best between The Rolling Stones and Queen, when they heard the door down the stairs open. They stopped the music at once and Sirius got up in a hurry.
"Where are you going?" Remus asked, panicked.
"Just grabbing this." Sirius held the invisibility cloak over their head and squatted near Remus, bringing the toast plate closer and threw the end of the cloak on the record player.
The steps came closer and Peter appeared at the top of the stairs. Alone. Crying. He headed for the opposite side of the room and sat down, looking at the sky sadly. Sirius and Remus looked at each other perplex. They argued silently about what to do, then trying not to get caught they packed their things. Sirius carrying the record player and Remus the plate of toast in one hand and the bouquet in the other, they started going down the stairs. They got back to the Gryffindor tower in silence under the invisibility cloak. Back in their dorm Sirius dropped the cloak and sighed. "That was a close one." He put the record player back in its place, then turned to Remus who stood awkwardly in the middle of the room with both his items still in hands.
"What do we do now?"
"Well, we should finish the toasts?" Sirius shrugged, sitting on his bed.
Remus joined him and the evening went on like that.

When James came back in the dorm it was late and Remus was back in his bed, a book on his laps, while Sirius was smoking by the windowsill.
"Hey, have you seen Peter?" He asked with a worried look.
"No sorry, why?" Remus lied.
"He left the party crying and I've been looking for him for half an hour but I still can't find him." he said pacing the room.
"Oh. What happened? Why was he crying?" Sirius asked, feeling a bit guilty now.
"Well... You know how he was dating Dorcas a few weeks ago? And he was hoping to get her back?"
"Yeah?"
"Well, she showed up with someone else. Someone she's dating."
"Oh, poor Peter." Remus said.
"Who's she dating?" Sirius inquired.
"That's the thing. She's dating Marlene."
"Marlene?!" Remus shouted, a bit too enthusiast. He looked at Sirius, who was smirking. "You knew??"
"Well, I kind of figured it out myself."
"How??"
"Not your problem." He grinned. "Don't worry for Peter, he'll come back at some point. Maybe he just needs some time alone."
"Yeah, probably." James sat down on his bed, his head in his hands, not less worried.
"You could get a look at the map if you want?" Remus offered.
"Oh yeah! You got it?" James looked up.
"Of course."
So he looked, and he found him in the corridors, coming back from the kitchen.
"See? He'll be here soon." Sirius said.
So they went to bed and soon enough fell asleep.

Remus slept well for the first time in months and woke up to Sirius crawling in his bed at dawn.
"Hey, what you doing here?" He rubbed his eyes sleepily.
"Sorry, didn't wanna intrude but I wanted to see you before the others wake up." He said laying down next to Remus.
"What's up?"
"Well..." Sirius looked Remus in the eyes while biting his lip. "We didn't discuss what... what we are? And what we tell or not the others?"
"Oh. Well, what do you want us to be?" Remus asked, a bit apprehensive.
"I mean, you're my best friend but I- I like you a lot and I wouldn't want to push anything on you but-"
"Sirius, what do you want?" Remus cut him, smiling.
Sirius took a few breaths in, then gathered to courage to ask "Remus Lupin, will you be my boyfriend?"
Remus gasped and felt himself blush. He wasn't expecting Sirius to be so solemn about this. Still in disbelief Remus nodded and kissed him softly on the lips, and felt Sirius smiling into it. When he pulled away he looked at his face and thought: Sirius was truly the most beautiful human he had ever seen.
Suddenly he looked down and frowned "But I- I don't want the others to know, yet. I don't think I'm ready. If it's okay with you?"
Sirius touched his cheek with the tip of his fingers, lightly, and smiled. "Whatever you want my love."
Remus looked at him fondly and kissed him fiercely this time. And that's when he knew he was gone for good for this boy.