Running With Wolves

Chapter 25: An Awkward Date

Chapter 25: An Awkward Date

Sirius woke long before anyone else in the dorm, heart racing, sweat collecting around his collar and the nape of his neck. The nightmare had been another one from childhood. He shook it off. He could hear the gentle snoring from the two beds on either side of him. He shoved the curtains on his four-poster aside and swung his feet out of the bed onto the carpet.

Remus had forgotten to close his curtains all the way; the gentle light from the window fell onto his face. Remus grunted softly and Sirius stiffened, afraid he had been caught, but Remus only pulled his scarlet blanket further up his shoulder and didn't wake up. Sirius chastised himself. He needed a shower.

The hot water beating on his face was a relief. He closed his eyes and let it stream down his body, wet his hair, and wash away the sweat and grime of a restless night. It was blissful moment of escape. He finished his shower quickly, twirling his hair up in a towel, wrapping another around his waist.

From the trunk at the end of his bed he pulled a pair of black skinny jeans, a wrinkled t-shirt from some muggle shop and a leather jacket he'd gotten as a gift. Sirius discarded his towels and dressed quickly, eager to get out of the room before any of the other three woke up too. Sirius retreated back to the bathroom, clearing the fog from the mirror with a murmured incantation and drying his hair with a wave of his wand. He just reached the door when Remus spoke, his voice muffled against his pillow, groggy with sleep.

"Where're you going, Padfood?"

"Oh, er, breakfast," Sirius said.

"Breakfast?" Remus sat up, glancing at the clock in his nightstand. "It's six in the morning. On a Saturday."

Sirius shrugged. "I'm hungry?" Remus frowned at him.

"Is that the jacket I gave you for your birthday?"

Sirius looked down. "Uh, yeah, I suppose it is." His insides seemed to curl in on themselves.

"I haven't seen you wear that in ages. I though it was too small for you by now."

"Oh, um... I used an enlargement charm." Sirius wanted to kick himself for blushing.

"Mm. I didn't know you liked it that much."

"I have to go, Remus." Sirius shut the door quickly behind him and stumbled down the stairs.

In spite of Sirius' intentions to avoid him, Remus showed up twenty minutes later in the Great Hall, hair mussed, stretching out sore limbs. Remus had grown taller than Sirius over the summer. His sleeves were pushed up to his elbows and scars stretched down his lanky arms. There was one scar that started at his jaw and trailed down his collarbone, disappearing into his sweater. Sirius wondered absently how far the scar went. Where it ended. Remus sat down across from him, yawning, and Sirius snapped his gaze back to his breakfast.

"Are you all right, Sirius?" Remus asked, slowly loading sausages onto his plate. Sirius stuffed half a piece of toast in his mouth and only nodded in response. Breakfast proceeded slowly. Each noise Sirius made seemed to echo in the near empty hall. Remus kept tapping his fork against his plate, licking his lips and opening his mouth like he meant to say something. Each time he did, Sirius' breath hitched and he forced himself to stare into his plate.

Slowly, more and more people filtered into the hall. Remus opened his mouth again, and finally spoke.

"So, what are your plans with Daphne?"