Warnings: Written pre-Order of the Phoenix, so a lot of the characterizations are rather different from current cannon.

Mistletoe Madness

"All right, I've had it!" Sirius Black stormed into the Gryffindor common room, distracting James and Peter from their game of wizard chess. In the corner by the fire, Remus looked up from the book he'd been absorbed in, surprised by the vehement tone in Sirius' voice. "I've had it with girls," Sirius declared, pacing the room before them as though too worked up to sit down. "I'm sick of the lot of them!"

Remus blinked up at his friend, and couldn't resist teasing him a bit. "Don't tell me the suavest ladies man in the castle is having girl trouble, Padfoot?"

Sirius spun on his heel and snarled back at him. "Mr. Padfoot cordially invites Mr. Moony to stuff it!"

Remus made a small sound of shock, and heard it echoed by his other friends. "Mr. Prongs chastises Mr. Padfoot for his foul mood," James commented mildly. "Mr. Moony didn't deserve that."

"Ah, hell." Sirius raked a hand through his long black hair and sank down onto the couch, slumping in defeat. "I'm sorry, Moony, I didn't mean it. I'm just... fed up, that's all! I'm tired of this whole ball thing, anyway. Maybe I'll just give it up and spend the night in bed with a good book!"

Remus felt his eyebrows shoot up towards his hairline, and he could see similar looks on James' and Peter's faces. "That's usually my line, isn't it?"

"Don't tell me you're having trouble getting a date for the Yule ball!" Peter blurted out, incredulous. Sirius turned a scowl on him that would have melted steel, but the smaller boy was undaunted. "I don't believe it! There isn't a girl in the school who wouldn't jump at a chance to go with you!"

James protested that. "I'd like to think there's a least one girl who wouldn't!"

Peter gave him an apologetic look. "Well, not Lily, no. But just about any other girl would..."

"And that's just the problem!" Sirius exclaimed, jumping up to pace again, gesturing expansively. "Damn it, I can't poke my nose out of our dorm room without half a dozen girls fluttering around me, trying to get me to ask them to the ball. It's getting ridiculous!"

"Since when do you object to having girls fluttering around you, Sirius?" Remus wanted to know. This whole conversation seemed a bit out of character for his friend, and he was a little concerned.

Sirius heaved a deep sigh and tugged at his hair again. "I don't, I mean, I am at the moment, but I don't... it's just... argh! They're driving me crazy! I swear, if one more girl swoons at me and asks me to the ball, I'm going to do something drastic!"

Remus would have teased his friend further, but something in those stormy silver eyes promised that Sirius meant it. The werewolf got an odd feeling in the pit of his stomach, and shivered a bit despite the warmth of the fire. Before anyone could respond to Sirius' promise - or was it a threat? - the portrait door swung open to emit a crowd of giggling fifth year Gryffindor girls.

As if on cue, two of the six sidled up to Sirius with coy looks on their faces. The rest of the Marauders watched in mingled fascination and fear as they batted their eyes at the tall black-haired boy.

"Sirius, we were wondering if you could help us with something," Opal cooed, resting her hand lightly on his arm. Remus saw Sirius twitch slightly, as though flinching from the touch, but the girls didn't notice.

Opal's best friend Rose crowded in on the other side, pinning Sirius agaisnt the couch. "You see, we just haven't been able to find a date for the ball..."

"And we can't stand the thought of going on our own, so we thought..."

"Maybe you might have a... friend... who would be willing to partner us..."

"We'd even be willing to go..."

"Together," they finished on one breath, leaning in even closer to their prey. Remus watched wide-eyed, beginning to understand why his friend was currently frustrated with the very girls he usually pursued so avidly. He was struck with the irresistible mental image of two cats stalking a plump bird for their dinner - the girls had that kind of look on their faces.

Sirius seemed to feel the same way. His eyes hardened with resolve, and at the same time lit from within with the same manic glee he got when he was about to pull off one of his more shocking pranks. His gaze settled firmly on Remus, and the werewolf made a small sound and huddled behind his book in his chair for shelter.

"Ladies," Sirius bowed with a flourish, and the two looked triumphant, thinking they had snared him. "Ladies, I heartily apologize, but I'm afraid you caught me just as I was asking my date to the ball."

They glanced around, clearly confused, as there had quite obviously been no other females in the vicinity as they approached. Sirius pushed gently past them, strode right up to Remus, grabbed him by the hand and hauled him unceremoniously out of the chair. Remus yelped as he was dragged mercilessly upwards, dropping his book in the process. "Siri..." he started to protest, but was hushed by the half desperate look in his friend's eyes.

"Just play along," Sirius muttered into his ear, before turning to beam at the girls, still holding Remus' hand. He raised his voice, making it drip with saccharine sweetness, as he continued, "As you can see, girls, Remus has just agreed to be my date for the ball, and Lily of course has first claim on James. Perhaps Peter..." he trailed off as the girls shook their heads and backed off, staring at the boys' clasped hands as though they might transfigure themselves into a snake at any moment.

"No, that's quite all right..."

"We've just remembered a prior commitment after all..."

"Foolish of us to have forgotten it..."

"Goodbye!" they finished in a rush, scurrying out of the common room and up the stairs after their dorm mates.

Remus stood there, wide-eyed and trying hard not to tremble, feeling the shocking warmth of Sirius' hand curled around his own. James and Peter were both gaping at them open-mouthed, startled beyond speech by their friend's actions.

The black-haired boy stared back at them with a perfectly straight face for a long moment, then collapsed onto the couch in laughter, releasing Remus' hand in the process. "Oh, Merlin... did you see their faces?" he crowed, slapping his knees in an excess of mirth.

Remus clutched his hand to his chest, blushing hard and trying to hide it behind his thick hair. He missed the sensation of Sirius' skin against his own, and it flustered him. "Padfoot!" he exclaimed sharply, "What on Earth was that all about? Couldn't you have just told them you were going with another girl? Why did you have to convince them you'd asked me?" He realized his voice was rising hysterically, and he quelled it with an effort.

Sirius wiped tears of laughter from his eyes and grinned up at his friend, unrepentant. "Don't worry, Moony, I'll pay you back, I promise. I did warn you all that I was going to do something extreme." He chuckled again. "It was worth it to see the look in their eyes, though! It wouldn't have been half as interesting if I'd just said I was going with another girl. Besides, then they'd have wanted to know who it was, and they'd have gone straight to her. And it wouldn't even have stopped all of them from accosting me in the hallways - you heard the two of them, do you really think they'd have hesitated if they thought their competition was just another girl?"

Remus had to admit the two Gryffindors had seemed quite... determined... to get Sirius to pair them to the ball. Still, Sirius had basically trapped him into agreeing to go to the ball with him! "Padfoot, you know I hate the balls, and you know I had no intention of going to this one! More than that, you know how much I hate standing out. How could you do this to me?"

Sirius shrugged. "C'mon, Moony, it's not like you actually have to go to the ball with me. Just pretend until the night of, and then we'll tell everyone it was a joke. You can stay here with your book if you really want to, and I won't be besieged with hopeful females for the next week! Please? Pretty please, with snitches on top?" He gave Remus his most pathetic expression, the wide-eyed puppy-dog look that generally melted any heart he turned it on.

The werewolf was hardly immune to the effect. "All right, all right," he conceded ungraciously. "I'll pretend to be going to the ball with you. But you are going to owe me for this, Padfoot. Big time!"

"I'll pay you back, I swear!" Sirius promised fervently, laying a hand over his heart. "Marauder's Honour!"

"Why do I know I'm going to regret this?" Remus muttered to himself as he sank back into his chair, picking up his book with slightly trembling hands. Sirius apparently heard him anyway.

"You won't regret it, Remus, I promise!" The taller boy leaned back in his seat, silver eyes sparkling with mischief. "This is going to be so much fun!"

Remus groaned and buried his head in his arms, completely ignoring the breakfast spread out on the tables of the Great Hall. It wasn't as if he had any appetite, not after the last five days of torture.

"Do you really think they're going to do it?" he heard a whisper from the Ravenclaw table behind him.

"Who'd have thought Hogwarts' most eligible boy would turn out like that?" a Hufflepuff exclaimed from the other side. Remus moaned again and tried to shut his too-sensitive werewolf ears to the myriad of similar comments all around the room. He'd been inundated with them ever since word of Sirius' shocking declaration had made the rounds of the school - which was to say, about five minutes after it had happened. Everyone knew that they were supposed to go to the ball together, and everyone... or at least, every girl... was in a state of shock.

What was more, they all seemed convinced that Remus was somehow the one to blame. He was constantly finding nasty little notes slipped into his books and pockets, and not a class went by that he wasn't tripped, poked, or otherwise mauled by someone who thought they had been cheated out of the chance of a date with Sirius.

And that was just the girls. There were several boys - mostly, but not all, Slytherin - who seemed to take it as a personal insult of some kind that Remus was 'gay'. They were all too ready to believe it of him, and Remus supposed he couldn't really blame them. After all, he was shy, quiet, wore his hair long, had the grace of the werewolf - and most damning of all, he'd never been on a date with a girl. These boys were determined to torment him at every turn - he was still aching from their last little 'chat' in the back halls, a fact he was working very hard to conceal from his hotheaded 'date'. Sirius would never forgive himself if he knew his 'harmless prank' had gotten Remus into real difficulty, and Remus didn't want his friend running off to get into trouble.

Truly told, it wasn't as if they hadn't had their suspicions about him long before Sirius' stunt in the common room. And... hell, he might as well admit it... it wasn't as if they weren't right about him. With a deep sigh, Remus sat up and pushed his bangs out of his eyes, deliberately avoiding looking at Sirius next to him. He had a distressing tendency to blush if he so much as glanced at the other boy these days, which only fed the comments and whispers.

The expression on his face must have been truly desolate, because Sirius reached over and patted him gently on the back. Remus gave him a dirty look from under his bangs. " 'You're not going to regret this,' he says. 'This is going to be so much fun,' he says."

Sirius had the grace to look abashed. "God, Remus, believe me, if I'd had any idea it would be like this..."

Two Hufflepuff girls passing by glanced at Sirius' hand on Remus' shoulder and started giggling, whispering to each other behind their hands. Sirius snatched his hand back as though burned by the heat of the blush that sprang to Remus' cheeks. Remus groaned and buried his face in his hands again.

"Maybe you should just give it up now, guys," Peter suggested from across the table.

"He's got a point," James agreed, settling his glasses more firmly on his nose. "I mean, you've accomplished your objective, Sirius. There's only two days to the ball, and most of the girls have already got dates now. They won't swamp you again."

Lily snorted, stabbing a fork at her eggs. "James, dear, while I respect your opinion in many things, of which Quidditch is not the least, you don't know the first thing about girls. If they let it be known now that they're not going together, they'll both be drowning in girls determined to sway them back to the side of heterosexuality." She paused thoughtfully, then added, "Or girls who want them together, as long as they can watch."

Sirius choked on his pumpkin juice. "Lily! You can't be serious! They wouldn't really, would they?"

Lily gave him an impish smile. "Everyone knows that watching two girls together is the number one male fantasy. Well, the same is true in reverse. There's something about two cute guys together that makes a lot of girls drool."

James shifted uncomfortably. "I'm not sure whether to be jealous that you're calling my friends 'cute', or disturbed that you think they're cute together." Lily laughed.

"What do you think, Remus? Maybe we should just call it off now?" Sirius asked.

Lifting his head from his hands, Remus considered it. Granted, telling everyone it had all been a prank would stop most of the teasing and taunting, but probably not all of it. There had already been too many suspicions about him, though thankfully his friends had seemed unaware of most of it. If there was one good thing this whole farce had accomplished, it was that his friends would brush off any future aspersions on his sexuality as the result of this miserable prank of Sirius'.

On the other hand, if Lily's prediction was true, ending the charade would only cause more problems, at least in the short term - and meanwhile, he would lose the pleasure of Sirius occasionally holding his hand in public, just to spur the rumours. He'd never have another chance like this, that much was certain.

"Don't tell me there's trouble in paradise," a dark voice sneered from behind him before he could make up his mind. His eyes narrowed, and he turned to see Snape looming over the Gryffindor table. The greasy Slytherin was smirking at them in that annoyingly superior way of his, and Remus felt Sirius bristle beside him. "I wouldn't have expected you two love birds to break up so quickly," Snape continued in his supercilious drawl. "After such a public display of the beginning of your sordid little relationship and the way you've been flaunting it, you're going to give up just two days before the ball?"

Sirius growled, but for once it was Remus who was moved to answer. He stood from his seat and gave the Slytherin boy a nasty look, actually surprising Snape into momentary silence. "What's 'sordid' about it?" Remus demanded, hands on his hips. "And since when does holding hands occasionally in the halls constitute 'flaunting' a relationship? For that matter, what business is it of yours if we choose to go to the ball together or not?" He swept a glance around the room, embarrassingly aware of the silence that had descended around them. Everyone was listening in fascination, and he felt his face flush once more. Still, he'd gotten himself into this, and he might as well make the best of it now.

Snape all but snarled at him. "I think this whole thing is a ploy on Black's part to get attention," he muttered, and Sirius winced as he hit far too close to the mark. Snape's sharp eyes didn't miss that, and he smirked again. "There is no doubt in my mind that you'll declare it was all a prank. Black is likely using this as a way to keep himself from having to actually take a date to the ball, so that he can flirt with every girl present, as usual." Narrowing his eyes, Snape finished with a contemptuous snort, "Not that I would be at all surprised to discover either of you were that perverted, Lupin."

Red-faced, Remus raised his voice to be certain everyone could hear him. "There is nothing perverted about love, regardless of the participants in it. So long as the feeling is real, it cannot by its very nature be less than pure in any way. And there's nothing 'unnatural' about it either - there are plenty of species that sometimes have males pair off." Including wolves, though he devoutly hoped his friends wouldn't remember that particular bit of trivia. "Just because you're too bitter and cynical to allow yourself to fall in love, Snape, don't degrade the emotion between others." Reaching down, he caught Sirius' hand, which was limp with shock. Staring firmly into Snape's eyes, he concluded, "And it so happens that we will be going to the ball together, thank you for your concern."

As Snape stood there gaping at him, dumbfounded at his uncharacteristic audacity, the sound of clapping came from the head table. Wide-eyed, Remus jerked around to see Dumbledore applauding loudly, beaming back at him with his trademark smile. Slowly, other members of the staff stood and began to clap as well, followed by student after student after student. Within moments the Great Hall rang with the sound of cheers and whoops, and Snape stormed off in a furious huff. Remus stood at the centre of the noise, feeling as though a petrificus totalus had been cast on him. Finally Sirius jerked on the hand he was still holding, and he collapsed bonelessly back into his seat, still staring in shock at the cheering throngs.

Lily leaned over and gave him a resounding kiss on the cheek, exclaiming, "Good for you, Remus! It's about time someone told them all off."

"What in Merlin's name was that all about?" Peter demanded, wide-eyed. "You... I mean... you're not really... are you?"

Remus gulped and thought fast. This was exactly the situation he'd been trying to avoid! The last thing he needed was to have his three best friends nervous to be around him because they were afraid he might be lusting after them. Even if they were right in at least one case... he deliberately did not glance at Sirius.

"I, uh... well, you all know how I feel about prejudice, for any reason," he finally defended himself. "There isn't anything wrong with it, and there are probably half a dozen guys here at the school who would welcome the chance to be a bit more open about their preferences." Sirius was staring at him as though he'd never seen him before, and Remus squirmed internally.

"You realize you've just backed yourself into a corner, don't you?" the black-haired boy asked him. Remus blinked at him, and he explained, "You actually have to go to the ball now, Remy. With me. Or that little speech of yours will have been for nothing." His eyes began to gleam as Remus once again buried his flaming face in his hands. "Oh, well," he chuckled, "I did want to shock everybody. And who knows, Remus? You might even enjoy yourself."

Remus punched him. Hard. And reflected, as Sirius laughingly ducked his swing, that he had just let himself in for what would undoubtedly be one of the best and the worst nights of his life.

Remus hovered outside the door to the girls' dorm, feeling distinctly out of place. He'd come this far, but he couldn't quite bring himself to knock on the door. He was crazy, he had to be out of his mind to even be thinking about this. It was only an hour before the ball began, and he could hear the flurry of frantic activity in the halls beyond, even through the thick wood of the door. None of them would welcome an interruption, that was certain.

He lifted his hand to knock, then shook his head and dropped it, turning to walk away. He hadn't gone three feet before he swung around again and headed for the door, but he stopped just short of it with a frustrated look on his face. "Damn it, Lupin, stop being such a wuss and either knock or leave!" he muttered to himself.

"Remus? Are you all right?" Lily's concerned voice came from behind him, startling him so badly he whirled and put his back to the door. He saw Lily looking at him curiously, and groaned as he realized she must have been watching him pace back and forth for a few minutes. Her hair was swept up in an elegant style and she was wearing full makeup, though she was still dressed in her school robes and carrying a swath of emerald velvet that was presumably her dress robe.

"Lily..." Remus nearly croaked the word, his throat seizing with a mixture of apprehension and fear. She blinked at him, clearly amazed to see him in such a distraught state of mind. He was usually the cool-headed member of the Marauders, not at all prone to panic. "Lily, I need your help... that is, if you have a minute... I mean, of course you don't have a minute, you're getting ready for the ball, and I'm babbling, so I'll just get out of your way and you can continue doing whatever it was you were doing, don't mind me, I'm just..."

Lily slapped a firm hand over his mouth, her eyes sparkling with laughter as she silenced him. "Remus! Enough! Of course I'm willing to help you. I'm almost ready for the ball anyway - a bunch of us spent the afternoon charming each other's hair and makeup into place, so I'm done earlier than I thought I'd be. What did you need me for?"

Remus took a deep breath, trying not to wring his hands together. "I... I... I don't have anything to wear to the ball," he finally blurted out, feeling like the greatest ninny on the face of the planet. "I haven't let James and Sirius drag me to one of these damn balls since second year," he explained miserably, hanging his head and hoping she wouldn't laugh at him, "and I've outgrown my old dress robes. I tried to transfigure some of my other clothes, but everything I did came out looking horrible. I have no idea how to dress so that I actually look good!" That last sentence came out in the next thing to a wail, and he clapped his own hand over his mouth to shut himself up before he could become completely hysterical. Take deep breaths, he reminded himself, and stay calm. "I knew if I asked the guys, they'd just tease me about acting like a girl," he said when he had himself under better control.

Lily rolled her eyes. "As if they didn't spend hours in the shops, making sure they looked as good as possible in their own robes. They're probably all standing around in front of their mirrors right now, in fact."

He had to laugh. "Well, yes," he admitted, feeling some of the tension seep out of his shoulders. "At least, James and Peter were. Sirius disappeared this afternoon - just said he'd meet me in the common room before the ball. Does that mean you'll help me?" Don't beg, he reminded himself sharply, not even with your eyes. Just act as if looking good for this particular ball isn't the most important thing in the world to you - as if you haven't been daydreaming all week about looking so sexy tonight that Sirius will finally notice you.

Lily's too-knowing green gaze seemed to see right through his mental deceptions, however, and her expression softened. "Of course I'll help you, Remus," she murmured. "Just a moment." She stuck her head in through the door, and shouted, "I'm bringing a guy in here, so anyone who's not dressed had better get out of the hallway!" Then she counted to five amid the shrieks of dismay from within and dragged a blushing Remus by the hand into the girl's wing.

"Oh, it's just Remus," one of the girls sighed, clutching a towel to her to preserve her modesty. Remus hastily fastened his eyes on Lily's heels, mortified. "Why didn't you say so, Lily?"

"It's not like he's got eyes for us, if the rumours are true," another girl giggled as they passed, and Remus blushed hotter. "Good luck with Black tonight! You'll need it, to keep his attention!" she added, sounding as though she were speaking from experience.

Lily towed him to what was evidently her room, and once more poked her head inside. "Good, there's no one there. I thought I saw my roommates heading down to get their hair and faces done, so they won't be back for a while. C'mon in."

Admittedly fascinated, Remus let himself be led inside, raising his eyes to glance around the room. He'd expected something unremittingly feminine, and was surprised to see a room that was almost identical to his own except for the lack of one bed. Granted, there were dresses and frilly things spread out all over the beds, magazines and cosmetics on the dressers, and other hints of the nature of the room's occupants, but for the most part it really wasn't all that different. Lily's cat was sprawled out on one pillow, and it opened one eye to blink lazily at him before going back to sleep.

"Sit," she commanded, pushing him down onto the bed. He sat obediently, watching as she hung up her armful of fabric. It proved to be an elegant off the shoulder evening gown in the muggle style, and he looked at it, confused.

"Not dress robes?" he wanted to know, and she chuckled.

"You really weren't planning to go to this ball, were you?" she asked, and he shook his head. "Well, Dumbledore told us all two weeks ago that we're allowed to wear muggle clothes to this ball, within reason. Which is just as well, because if you'll forgive me, wizarding dress robes do not suit you, Remus."

She picked up one of the magazines on the bed, and flipped through it rapidly. Finding what she wanted, she turned the book and pointed at one of the full-page pictures, grinning triumphantly. "That is what you should be wearing, if you really want to knock his socks off."

Remus was so fascinated by the picture that he almost missed the import of what she'd said. It was a muggle magazine, so the photo wasn't moving, of course, but the man on the page managed to look vibrantly alive and sexy despite that limitation. He was dressed in a black suit, sharply tailored, with dark blue accents in the form of a cummerbund and bowtie. He looked gorgeous and sexy, and there was no way in hell Remus could ever come close to looking like that...

"Knock whose socks off?" he blurted out, catching up with what Lily had said. She laughed and ruffled his hair, grinning at him.

"Give me credit for a little sensitivity, Remus. I've seen the way you've been looking at Sirius, this past week, and you wouldn't be in such a panic over your clothes if you didn't have someone you wanted to impress. Don't worry, none of the others have realized anything, or at least, I don't think so." She shrugged. "It doesn't bother me - I agree with your speech in the Great Hall the other day. Love is love, and it's wonderful no matter what form it takes, as long as it's real."

Remus sighed. "Merlin, I don't know what to do. I don't think I can keep him from realizing how I feel if I have to dance with him all bloody night, and then he's going to hate me. Maybe I should just give up and forget about going after all."

"Don't you dare!" Lily whacked him on the arm. "You're going to go out there, and you're going to look smashing, and you're going to have the time of your life, Remus Lupin. Now sit still and stop complaining, and let me concentrate."

She pulled out her wand and aimed it at him, and he squeaked and sat obediently still. It was never wise to argue with a determined witch who had her wand pointed at you. Slowly his school robes twisted and writhed beneath the force of her magic, transfiguring themselves into a fair approximation of the clothes in the picture. Remus glanced up into her mirror, and was disappointed to see the result. "It still looks silly on me," he muttered in despair. "Maybe I just can't look good in formal clothes!"

"Don't be ridiculous," Lily chided him, eyeing him critically. "It's just not done yet." Murmuring a few more words, she changed the blue to a warm gold that brought out the fire in his amber eyes and enhanced the paler streaks in his wheat-coloured hair. Remus continued to stare at his reflection as the fit of the suit changed subtly, playing up the lean strength of his body. "There, that's better," Lily declared, setting her wand down and picking something up from her desk. She reached for his face, and he flinched back and eyed her nervously.

"No. Absolutely not. You are not putting makeup on me, Lily Evans! Just because I have a crush on Sirius does not mean I am willing to wear makeup!"

"Oh, hush," she giggled. "It's just eyeliner, no one will even know it's there. Trust me." When he continued to look skeptical, she gestured at the picture she'd been working from. "He's wearing it."

"He's not!" Remus exclaimed in disbelief, grabbing the picture and studying it more closely. He certainly couldn't see any sign of enhancement, though he didn't actually know what 'eyeliner' was supposed to look like.

"He is," Lily replied firmly. "Now sit still so I don't mess this up." She held his face in her hand and carefully ran a little stick around the lids of his eyes, then smudged it with her finger. When he glanced in the mirror again, he couldn't tell that it was there, but his eyes did seem to stand out more. He had to admit, it was an appealing effect.

She stood back with her hands on her hips, studying him. "Not bad," she declared, smiling at him. "Your eyelashes are so long and dark I wouldn't put mascara on you even if you were a girl - I think I'm jealous. Now we just need to tidy your hair..." she pulled off the leather thong that kept his hair back out of his eyes, and a quick charm left it sleek and smooth. Then she tied it back again with a gold velvet ribbon.

She studied him again, shaking her head. "There's still something missing... I know!" Turning, she rummaged in a small box on the top of her dresser, and returned with something gold glinting in the palm of her hand. "Mother's friend gave this to me when I was twelve, but topaz really isn't my colour. I lost the other one years ago, so you're welcome to keep this if you like it."

Remus studied it without touching it, having learned early in his life to be wary of jewellery. It was a beautifully cut topaz stud earring, set in what looked like gold. "There isn't any silver in it, is there?" he asked.

"It's pure gold, electroplated over steel," she told him, then giggled when he looked at her blankly. "It's a muggle process to put a very thin layer of gold on a base metal. So no, there's no silver in it. Now, I can charm it so it will stay on by itself, or I can do a quick ear piercing charm if you think you'd want to keep it."

He looked at it, glittering there in her palm, and made a quick decision. "I'll keep it, if you're sure you don't mind." He braced himself, and felt a quick, sharp pain in his left ear. It faded momentarily, and he glanced in the mirror to see the result. His eyes widened, and he caught his breath at the sight. "I... I look..."

" 'Sexy' is the word you're looking for," Lily interjected gleefully, "though please don't tell James I said so. He can be so jealous sometimes. Now go on, get out of here so I can get dressed as well."

He obediently left the room, grateful that the few girls left in the halls were all fully dressed. He was surprised to be the recipient of more than a few catcalls and whistles, as well as a giggled question or two about whether he was sure he wanted to go with Sirius?

He escaped into the hall, just in time to hear his dorm mates discussing him in the common room. Curious, and a little hesitant about showing himself in his new clothes, he peered around the corner of the stairs.

"Are you sure you haven't seen Remus?" James was asking Sirius, who was standing just out of sight. James was dressed in a flowing dress robe in a shade of blue that both highlighted his eyes and would compliment Lily's green dress. Peter stood beside him in a slightly too large powder-blue robe, with frothy white lace at the sleeves and throat. He looked more than a bit ridiculous, but Remus only felt sorry for him. Peter's dress sense was as bad as his own, and he hadn't thought to go to Lily for help.

"I haven't seen him all afternoon," Sirius replied, stepping into view. Remus caught his breath, heart thumping hard inside his chest. Sirius looked.... magnificent. There was just no other word for it. His dress robes were stark black, of course, but they were open down the front. They were fastened at the throat by an onyx and pewter cloak pin, and the edges overlapped, but as he moved they swirled open to reveal tantalizing glimpses of skin-tight leather pants and a crisp white silk shirt beneath. Knee-high boots hugged his calves, and his silky hair hung loose to his shoulders. It was all Remus could do to resist the urge to run his hands through that gorgeous hair and tug the robes back for a better look at the form fitting clothes beneath.

"Well, he wasn't in the dorm room with us while we were getting ready," James said, glancing around as if expecting to find Remus hiding in a corner. "You don't suppose he chickened out, do you?"

"I'm right here, James," Remus said, taking the last set of stairs down into the common room. Sirius was staring at him, wide-eyed, but then so was everyone else. Feeling more than a little self conscious, he moved forward to stand beside his friends. Sirius was even more gorgeous up close, and Remus felt just a bit light headed. Then again, that might have been from the sudden restriction a bit lower down... damn these tight muggle pants anyway. Maybe letting Lily choose his clothes hadn't been such a good idea after all.

"Remus..." Sirius was still gaping at him, dumbfounded. "Remus, you look..." he trailed off, and swallowed. Glancing around, his cheeks reddened as he realized they had an avid audience. "Uh... you look really good."

Remus blushed to match him. "Thanks. You, too," he replied softly. Sirius bowed gravely to him and presented his arm, and Remus took it, trying not to feel too much like a fool.

"Now we're just waiting for Lily," James said. As if on cue, the fire-haired witch appeared at the top, looking positively stunning in her emerald velvet gown. Remus chuckled softly at the poleaxed look on James' face.

"Shall we, gentlemen?" Lily asked, taking James' arm and allowing him to lead her from the room. Peter had managed to find a date despite his complaining, a pale girl one year behind them in Gryffindor, and they followed James and Lily out the door, leaving Sirius and Remus to take up the rear.

"You really do look stunning, Moony," Sirius murmured to him, an odd gleam in his silver eyes. Remus didn't think it was amusement, but he couldn't imagine what else would have put that light in his friend's gaze. "I'm going to have to watch out, or half the school's going to be trying to steal you from me."

Remus cursed his quick blush reflex. Damn his pale skin, anyway! "Thank you," he whispered back, feeling strangely shy. Despite their many years together as friends, he found he was awkward in Sirius' presence now. Sparing a moment for another quick prayer that he wouldn't make a total fool of himself tonight, he tightened his grip on Sirius' arm.

Curious couples stared at them as they made their way to the entrance to the Great Hall, whispering and giggling at the sight of the two Gryffindor boys arm in arm. Sirius lifted his free hand to cover Remus' on his arm, squeezing his fingers in return, and Remus straightened his back and lifted his head proudly. Damn it, Lily was right. There was no reason on earth why he shouldn't enjoy himself to the utmost tonight, and be damned to what anyone else thought about it.

At the entrance, James and Lily crossed the threshold and halted abruptly. Remus was just about to ask if there was anything wrong when James leaned down and kissed Lily briefly on the lips before leading her forward into the Hall. "Watch out for the mistletoe, guys!" James called back at his friends, laughing.

Remus stared at the lintel, feeling his stomach drop. Sure enough, the entire stretch was bedecked with bright green and red mistletoe, making it impossible to cross the doorway without being caught under it. As if that weren't enough, this particular strand of mistletoe had apparently been enchanted - Peter and his date likewise were stopped on the threshold, until Peter gathered his courage and gave his giggling date a quick peck on the cheek, and they were released to move into the Hall.

Trying not to panic, Remus glanced up at Sirius. The black-haired boy was eyeing the festive plant with a combination of devilment and that same odd gleam that had been in his eyes before. "Well, Remy?" Sirius drawled, glancing down at him with a wicked smile. "Shall we give them what they've all been waiting for?"

Before Remus could protest or suggest that they go through separately, Sirius had pulled him forward into the doorway. He felt resistance before him, the air seeming to solidify to prevent him from going any further. He jerked backwards, and found that he was well and truly caught. They were not leaving this spot until they fulfilled the requirements of the spell.

He looked up and saw that Sirius had leaned down towards him, but was hesitating to close the final gap. "You don't have to do this, Moony," Sirius whispered, low enough that only Remus would be able to hear him. "I can just kiss you on the cheek, and we'll be out of here."

Remus gulped, and fought with himself. On the one hand, he was a private person by nature, and didn't particularly want his first kiss to be witnessed by the entire school. On the other, how many opportunities like this was he likely to have again? Telling his heart firmly to behave itself, he closed his eyes and tilted his face up in a clear invitation.

He expected to feel Sirius' lips brush quickly over his, perhaps lingering a moment or two at most. Instead he was surprised to feel himself pulled firmly against his friend's broad chest, warm lips descending to seal against his with a heat that was totally unexpected. Remus made a surprised sound in the back of his throat, and he felt Sirius' lips curve in a grin against his own.

Heaven could not be any sweeter than this, Remus thought to himself in a daze as heat stole over his body and made him melt into those supporting arms. Sirius held him tighter and opened his mouth, his tongue stealing out to swipe lazily against the seam of his lips. Remus moaned and responded, lips parting to allow entrance. Sirius was quick to take advantage, exploring the shape of his teeth and teasing Remus into responding with a few tentative thrusts of his own tongue.

Slowly Remus became aware that the roaring in his ears was not solely due to the pounding of his unruly heartbeat, but was also the mixed sounds of people cheering, catcalling, and booing the display in the doorway. Coming back to himself in a rush, he jerked away from Sirius, only then realizing he'd raised his arms to twine around Sirius' neck for support. Hastily he stepped aside to allow the people behind them entrance to the Hall, trying hard to analyze what had just happened.

He saw the shocked and bemused looks on Peter and James' faces, respectively, and Lily grinned and gave them the thumbs up behind James' back. He glanced up at Sirius, and found his friend looking back at him with that same odd expression. Remus shivered at the heat contained in those silver-grey eyes. Why was Sirius looking at him like that? Surely that expression couldn't be what it seemed...

"C'mon, Remus, let's dance," Sirius suggested as the band started a slow song. Remus allowed himself to be pulled out onto the dance floor with the other couples. Sirius wrapped strong arms around his waist and shoulders, and he slid his own arms under the black-haired boy's loose outer robe, settling them around his waist and feeling silk and leather against his skin.

They swayed together for long moments, both silent but for the sound of their breathing and shifting clothing. Remus was afraid to say anything to break the spell that seemed to have settled over them. Had those mistletoe clusters been enchanted to do more than just force couples to kiss briefly? Surely Dumbledore wouldn't allow anything beyond that. But what else could explain Sirius' strange behaviour? If Remus hadn't known better, he would have sworn that kiss had been deadly earnest.

The song finished, and another started, so alike they might as well have been the same song. With each turn around the dance floor they drifted closer together, until their chests brushed with each breath they took. Remus finally worked up his courage and glanced up at his friend. "Sirius?" he whispered, hardly loud enough to be heard over the music.

Sirius gave him an oddly lopsided grin, not at all like his usual rakehell smile. "If we're gonna convince them all that we're really together, we'll have to give them a show, right?" he replied easily. Remus felt a rush a disappointment. Was that all it was? That wonderful, melting kiss, the way Sirius held him tightly as they danced, was it all just for show?

"Of course," he nodded, trying to keep the keen edge of his dismay from showing in his voice. Hesitantly he closed the last of the gap between them, laying his head on Sirius' shoulder and letting his eyes slide closed. Sighing, he inhaled deeply, figuring he might as well enjoy it while he had it. Sirius' spicy scent swept over him, dizzying in its intensity. A strong hand was stroking slowly along the length of his back, making him shudder slightly in reaction.

"Siri?" he murmured, and felt more than heard an inquiring noise rumble through the chest he was leaning against. He smiled slightly, keeping his eyes closed, and continued, "Why did you really start this whole thing? The girls weren't chasing you any worse than usual, and ordinarily you're bragging to us the whole time, not complaining."

Sirius was silent for a long moment, and Remus wondered if perhaps he wasn't planning to answer. Finally the other boy sighed and lowered his head until his chin rested against Remus' hair. "Honestly, it's been getting to me for a while now," Sirius answered him slowly. "At first I did like having the girls swoon over me like that. It made me feel... I don't know, special, I guess. And I won't deny that I've encouraged it all, with the way I'm dating a different girl every week. I know what they say about me behind my back, but none of it's true. No matter what they claim, I haven't slept with a single one of them." Remus stiffened in shock, and heard Sirius chuckle above him. "I know, unbelievable, huh? But it's the truth."

He paused, and Remus held his breath, counting the heartbeats in the chest beneath his cheek. "The fact is, I'm tired of being treated like a thing. Those girls don't really want me, they want the prestige of being able to say that they had a date with me. I'm not a person to them, just a trophy." His voice waxed passionate as he spoke, his arms tightening on Remus as if to convey the depth of his feelings. "It's all so... empty, Moony. It doesn't mean anything. I've never felt for even one of those girls a fraction of the emotion that's been in my relationship with you, James, Lily and Peter all along." Remus finally opened his eyes and looked up, to see Sirius staring back at him intently. "Maybe I've been looking in the wrong place," the black-haired boy concluded slowly, lifting one hand to brush along Remus' cheek.

Remus stared back at him wildly, feeling his heart pounding in his chest and certain that Sirius would be able to feel it too. He tried to tell himself not to get his hopes up, that this was surely only a passing phase on his friend's part, but he felt as if he was drowning in the silver of those passionate eyes. "Siri..."

"Am I wrong, Remus?" Sirius murmured, pulling Remus closer yet. "Do you have feelings for me, Moony, or did I imagine those looks you've been giving me?"

The werewolf could only sputter helplessly. "I... I..." He needed to think. He needed space, desperately needed to be away from the overpowering musk of his friend's undeniable arousal so that his brain could function again. "I think... I think I need a glass of punch," he finally managed to gasp, pulling away from Sirius with a beet-red face. He felt horribly overheated and out of breath, as if there just wasn't enough oxygen in the room. "And some fresh air. Please?"

Sighing, Sirius raked a hand through his long hair. "Of course. I'll get it for you, if you like."

"Thank you," Remus nodded, gesturing at the doors. "I'll just wait for you in the garden, shall I?"

He made his escape while he had the chance, feeling like a coward but utterly unable to think with Sirius so close to him. The air was crisp and cool, like a slap to the face, but it was surprisingly warm for the time of year. His sharp werewolf ears caught the sounds of several groping sessions going on behind the bushes, but the teachers weren't patrolling - it was still far too cold and snowy for even the most besotted students to cross the boundaries of acceptable behaviour.

Not that the teachers could stop a really determined pair from going at it, Remus reflected as he wandered away from the occupied bushes into a more deserted area of the garden. Where there was a will, there was a way, and there was little that could compare to the willpower of a hormone-driven teenager. There were plenty of ways around the teachers' vigilance; why, just look at Sirius and his numerous conquests...

Remus stopped there, remembering that Sirius had said he'd never slept with any of his myriad girlfriends. Unbelievable, and yet Sirius would certainly never lie to him. What did it all mean? He stared at a silent fountain, his eyes sightless as his mind turned inwards. This night was like one of his wildest fantasies come to life - so much so that it was difficult to believe it was real. What if this really was just a phase for Sirius? Remus had read that many otherwise straight boys sometimes went through a period where they flirted with homosexuality, just out of curiosity. What if that was all this meant to Sirius? Remus certainly couldn't deny that his friend was attracted to him - his own senses had told him that much when Sirius held him close. And Merlin knew they cared for each other, beyond the bounds of ordinary friendship. But was there anything more to it than that? If he gave in to the pull of a romance with his best friend, would there be anything left of their friendship when it was over?

Would there be anything left of his heart, once Sirius tired of him and moved on to his next conquest?

He shivered and wrapped his arms around himself, feeling suddenly cold in the wintry air. A soft crunch in the snow, silent to anyone who didn't have his sharp senses, brought his head up and around to the right. His eyes widened as he recognized the massive form of Edward Nott, the leader of the gang that had ambushed him in the halls the week before. Inhaling deeply, he caught the scent of several other warm bodies against the sharp tang of the snow, and heard shuffling from all sides. He was surrounded, and he cursed his inattentiveness that had allowed them to creep up on him.

"Cold?" Nott sneered, leering at him. "Where's your pretty boyfriend, Lupin? Or were you on your way to meet him for a little session in the bushes?" His friends chuckled nastily, making the hair rise on the back of Remus' neck. He backed up until the fountain was squarely behind him, and they formed a semicircle around him, closing in slowly.

"Perhaps Black wasn't enough man for him after all," Geoffrey Mannings, a seventh year Ravenclaw, speculated. "Maybe he came out here looking for something better?" Remus saw the malicious glint in his eyes, and shuddered. Something told him they weren't going to stop at a mere beating this time. The wolf stirred within him, sensing the possibility of upcoming bloodshed, and he fought it down.

"You pansy-assed little freak, you make me sick." Nott spat at him, and Remus wiped the saliva from his cheek with a shaking hand. "With your prissy manners and your pretty face, you're no better than any other slut. When you spread your legs for Black, do you pretend you're a girl?"

Remus growled in the back of his throat, fists clenching at his sides. He kept his eyes fastened on Nott's face, refusing to look away in submission. He sensed two of the others edging towards him along the rim of the fountain, trying to come at him from behind, and his legs tensed with fight or flight instinct. He fought with himself, refusing to give in to the demands of the wolf. If he let himself fight back, he might get caught up in the bloodlust of the darker side of his soul, and he would never forgive himself.

"How about it, girlie boy?" Nott gestured, and the two boys on either side of Remus seized his arms, driving him to his knees in the snow. Remus forced himself not to struggle, hanging his head and focussing on taking slow, deep breaths in order to keep control of himself. The wolf fought back, raging against this confinement, demanding blood for satisfaction. Sweating with the struggle, Remus grunted, and the boys around him laughed.

The first blow came from the left, a hard kick into his side that drove the breath from his lungs and left him hanging limp from the support of his captors. The second was a punch to his upper back, followed swiftly by another kick to his right side. After that he lost track, the pain coming in sharp starbursts against the black of his eyelids.

"Enough!" Nott finally declared, and Remus gratefully took the opportunity to catch his breath at last. The Slytherin crouched down before him and grabbed a handful of hair at the back of his head, tilting his face up. Remus squinted up at him, tasting the sharp copper of his own blood in his mouth. Nott had a smug leer on his face, a look that made Remus shudder again. "I think it's about time you had a real man, pretty boy. Someone obviously needs to teach you what it's all about." Laughing nastily, he stood, keeping his painful grip on Remus' hair as his free hand hiked up the hem of his robes and went to the fly of his trousers. Remus swallowed hard, severely tempted to let the wolf free rather than face this.

A heavy black form hurtled into Nott, knocking him flat on his back in surprise. Sirius immediately spun to land a kick squarely in Mannings' stomach, sending the Ravenclaw flying into one of the other boys in the circle. "Come and get it, you sons of bitches," Sirius snarled, planting his feet and raising his fists before him. "Let's see how you real men do against someone your own damn size!"

"Sirius!" Remus gasped. He wanted to kiss his friend for his timely rescue, but at the same time he burned with the shame of having the other boy see him this way. What if Sirius changed his mind about wanting him after seeing how weak he was?

Nott was back on his feet, and he came at Sirius swinging. Several of his friends charged into the fray as well, and the sheer number of them quickly overwhelmed the black-haired Gryffindor.

Seeing that, Remus growled again and twisted free of his captors. He might sit passively by and allow himself to be beaten, but there was no way in hell was going to let these goons beat Sirius up in front of him. The boys holding him looked down on him in surprise, stunned for that crucial moment that allowed him to swing his fists up into their groins. They both doubled over, retching, and he bounded to his feet. Eyes burning with wild fire, he leapt into the fray around Sirius, hands outstretched like claws before him. One of them turned in time to see him coming, and something in his expression made the blood drain from the boy's face.

"Imobilus!" a deep voice shouted from behind them, and Remus found himself frozen in place, a feral snarl locked on his face and his hands an inch from the throat of the frightened boy before him. The wolf in his soul howled with frustrated bloodlust and struggled to close the gap, but the spell was too powerful to overcome.

Snape strode into view, wand held firmly before him, dress robes fluttering around him. The scowl on his face was truly fearsome to behold as he stalked over to Nott and stood glaring at him. "You're disgusting," he said, eyes snapping with fury. "Lupin and Black go to a dance together, and share one kiss in public. You lot ambush Lupin, beat him, and then threaten to rape him. Exactly how does this make you better than them?"

Remus felt the pull of the wolf fading, buried in shame that Snape of all people had apparently witnessed his humiliation. Snape tapped Sirius sharply with his wand, then did the same to Remus, and they were free to move again. Sirius immediately pulled Remus into a tight hug, making him wince at the pressure against new and old bruises. "God, Moony, don't you ever scare me like that again!" the taller boy whispered into his ear. His voice sounded choked, as though he were about to cry, and his arms were trembling. "When I saw you hanging there, when I realized what he was about to do to you... I could have killed him! Don't wander off like that again without me!"

Remus could only nod, stunned at the emotion in his friend's words, further stunned by the way Snape had deliberately turned his back to give them a moment of privacy. The Slytherin was studying his Housemate, apparently trying to decide what to do with him and his friends.

"I think I shall just leave you all there for Dumbledore to find," Snape finally decided, grinning nastily at the panic in Nott's eyes. "I'll make sure he knows to look for you before you freeze - but not too much before." Brushing his hands as if to clear them of the matter, he turned back to Remus and Sirius. "Shall we leave them to their fun?"

Sirius eyed his nemesis sharply, not quite certain what to make of this apparent truce. Snape sensed their understandable hesitation, and smiled thinly at them. "While I bear no love for either of you, and have no particular desire to be witness to the... details... of your relationship together..." he shuddered slightly, "I also have no respect for filth of this sort. Nott and his ilk make me sick, frankly."

Sirius nodded, and released Remus from his death grip. "Fair enough. To spare you from having to witness any more of those details you so loathe, I think we'll skip the rest of the ball and head back to the common rooms. I want to see how badly you're hurt, love," he added to Remus, who nodded mutely.

Snape straightened his robes and began to walk back towards the Great Hall. "I'll tell Evans where you've gone, then," he tossed over his shoulder in parting. "She at least won't immediately assume that I've kidnapped the two of you for some nefarious plot of my own." He vanished into the bushes, leaving Remus giggling softly into Sirius' shirt. The sound was a bit hysterical, and Remus controlled himself with an effort.

"Let's go," he murmured, pulling away and tugging at his friend's hand. His first step in the direction of the castle turned into a stagger as injuries made themselves felt, and Sirius wrapped a supporting arm around his waist. He accepted the offered help silently, revelling in the feel of his friend's hard, warm body against his own. Glancing up, he caught Sirius looking back at him with the same strange expression that had been in his eyes all night - an expression, Remus was beginning to realize, that signified attraction.

"Why did you let them hurt you?" Sirius wanted to know as they made their way to the Gryffindor tower. "You got away from them easily enough when they attacked me. You were amazing!"

"I almost killed someone, Sirius!" Remus protested, wincing at the memory of how badly he'd wanted to feel his hands against that boy's throat. "If Snape hadn't come... I lost my temper, and the wolf took over." He hung his head in shame, eyes burning.

Sirius rapped him sharply on the head with his free hand, making him look up again. "You were brilliant," the taller boy murmured softly, awe and something perilously close to love shining in his silver eyes. "Don't you dare feel guilty for trying to rescue me. They'd have done the same or worse to you, or have you forgotten they were trying to rape you?"

Remus flushed darkly, biting his lip to keep from submitting to the indignity of crying in front of Sirius. He felt dirty and used, though they hadn't even touched him. What if Sirius felt the same, despite his kind words?

His friend seemed to read some of what he was thinking in his expression, and the stormy silver eyes turned angry. "Remus, if you think for one moment that what happened was somehow your fault, or that it made you less desirable, you're crazy." They had reached the portrait of the Fat Lady, and Sirius absently muttered the password before pulling Remus through and up the stairs to their dorm room. "You are beautiful, and amazing, and nothing could make me lose respect for you, you silly twit," he continued, shoving the werewolf gently down onto his bed and tugging his jacket off his shoulders.

Remus stared up at him, allowing him to pull the jacket off, trying to process that. "Beautiful? But... Sirius, I thought... I mean... this was all a prank, wasn't it? You only went with me because of that damn speech of mine in the Great Hall..."

Sirius, amazingly, blushed to the roots of his hair, and Remus gaped at the astonishing - and rather fetching - sight. "It started out as a prank," Sirius admitted, moving to tug at the bowtie around Remus' neck. "But when you told Snape off that day... you were so passionate, and the way you talked about it... well, I couldn't stop looking at you after that. It was all I could think about. You were all I could think about. I... oh my God! Remus, what the hell?"

Snapped abruptly from the daze Sirius' words had put him in, Remus realized his friend had unbuttoned his dress shirt and pulled it back to reveal his bare chest. The bruises from that night were just beginning to form, but those from the earlier beating were in full glory, stunningly black and blue against his pale skin, just beginning to fade into green and yellow around the edges. There was no question but that the marks were some days old, and fairly nasty.

Sirius was staring at them in horror, his eyes sick with realization. "They've done this before, haven't they?" he whispered, voice strained. "Oh god, Moony, this is all my fault. Please tell me they didn't... that you weren't..." he choked on the words, eyes brimming with tears. Remus realized the direction his thoughts were taking and hastened to reassure him.

"No, Sirius! No, they didn't rape me. They've never done more than knock me around a bit before tonight. And it's not your fault," he added fiercely. "That lot has always suspected me, and they were just looking for an excuse. It would have happened eventually, with or without you pulling that prank."

Closing his eyes, Sirius took a deep breath before opening them again and staring intently at his friend. "They'll never touch you again. Even if they don't learn their lesson tonight, they'll have to go through me first. I promise - Marauder's Honour." He paused, then continued somewhat shyly, "Moony... Remus... were they wrong? Have I been misreading the looks you've been giving me the last few days?" He lifted one hand to touch Remus' cheek gently, and the werewolf was startled to feel that hand tremble against his skin.

Suddenly all the questions and doubts that had plagued him vanished, and Remus made his decision. He laughed, his own voice somewhat breathy with surprise and burgeoning desire. Greatly daring, he replied, "Just the last few days? For such an intelligent person, Sirius, you're remarkably unobservant sometimes. I've had a crush on you since I was first old enough to know what hormones were all about."

Those beautiful silver eyes caught fire, and Remus felt his breath desert him as the taller boy leaned slowly towards him. Warm lips brushed his, and his eyes fluttered closed of their own volition. This kiss was nothing like the passionate embrace they'd shared under the enchanted mistletoe, and yet Remus felt almost giddy with the rush of emotion that sweet touch evoked. This was real, not a show put on for public consumption. Sirius pulled away, leaving him breathless, but before he could think to protest he was kissed again, more firmly.

Passion blazed through him, and he clung to the other boy for support as he kissed back with all the pent up longing that was in him. Tongues duelled hotly for domination, and years of harshly repressed hormones swept through Remus as he fell back onto the bed, pulling Sirius after him. Sirius didn't resist, pinning him to the mattress with his weight, one leg sliding between Remus' thighs, edging dangerously close to his throbbing groin.

Almost immediately, however, a sharp stabbing pain from his complaining ribs made him gasp and break away from the kiss, turning his face to one side and struggling for breath. Sirius pushed himself up on his arms, lifting his weight from Remus' body and allowing him freer access to air. Remus winced, one hand going to his ribs, the other still clinging to Sirius' robes as though afraid he would lose him if he let go.

"What's wrong?" Sirius asked, panting a bit himself. "Are you all right? Did I go too fast?"

Remus couldn't help but laugh at that, though the movement made his ribs hurt more. Was there such a thing as 'too fast' to a hormone-ridden teenage boy? He groaned as Sirius shifted, that invading leg rubbing against his and making him breathless again. "No," he gasped, firmly telling his hips to stay still and behave themselves. They were trying to arch upward though he had given them no such instructions. "It's just... my ribs... I think they may be cracked..."

He groaned again, in frustration this time, as Sirius rolled away entirely. "I'm so sorry, love, I wasn't thinking," the black-haired boy murmured as he reached for his wand. "Here, let me..."

He waved his wand over Remus' ribs, brow furrowing in concentration as he murmured a healing charm. The Marauders had all healed each other of so many scrapes and bruises over the years that Remus had no qualms about entrusting this task to the other boy. Besides which, he had absolutely no desire to make a trip to the medical wing, not when it would mean leaving the utterly intriguing possibilities the night had presented him with. Sirius had called him 'love' no less than twice now, and Remus felt as though he were flying higher than any broomstick could possibly take him.

He felt a single moment of sharp pain, then soothing warmth spread over his ribs as they healed. Sirius leaned down and kissed his chest over the area of the injury, making Remus gasp again beneath him. Smirking, Sirius pulled away long enough to murmur another charm over the worst of the bruises, before laving the spot with his tongue, bringing whole new meaning to the idea of 'kissing it better'. Remus squirmed beneath him, tingling at the sensation of that hot mouth dragging across his sensitive skin. Each bruise received the same treatment until there were none left in sight, making him absurdly wish that his tormentors had injured him further.

"You're so gorgeous, Remy," Sirius breathed against his now wet skin, and he shivered in reaction. "I could just kiss you like this forever, and be happy. God, you taste so good."

Some wicked impulse moved Remus to speak. "There are more bruises in other places," he offered, and Sirius jerked his head up to meet his eyes in surprise at his forwardness. Remus smiled at him with a combination of shyness and slyness, knowing his eyes were probably burning golden with his emotion. Sirius laughed breathlessly and pulled him up to a sitting position to rid him of the rest of his shirt.

Remus sat obediently, content to allow Sirius to bathe every inch of his torso with his tongue, curing his injuries as he went. He arched his back like a cat as Sirius trailed down his spine, shuddering with sensation as bold fingers slid under the waist of his pants. Sirius finished curing his back and slid back up to bite gently at his neck, cradling Remus back against his chest. Remus tilted his head back to encourage him and allow freer access, feeling silk rub against his back.

There was a tug on his earlobe as Sirius closed his teeth over the new earring. "This is just about the hottest thing I've ever seen," the other boy murmured, tongue darting out to lave the tiny wound. "You look devastating with an earring, Remus." He murmured the healing charm again, taking away even that tiny pain. "Anywhere else?"

"My... my legs..." Remus managed, feeling bold and somewhat wanton. Sirius made a half-choked sound that could have been a laugh or a groan or both, and slid his hands around to the front of Remus' pants. Remus fought not to thrust his hips up as the other boy fumbled with the button there, then slowly slid the zipper downward. Sirius deliberately avoided any contact with his erection, instead urging him to lie down so he could raise his hips enough to get the pants off.

Remus closed his eyes as he felt Sirius slide off the bed to kneel before him, the cool wood of his wand sliding over the sensitive skin of his thighs, followed by the warm wetness of his mouth. Sirius worked his way steadily down the outside of Remus' legs, pulling his shoes and socks off as he reached them, and making him cry out with surprise and arousal when Sirius briefly sucked his toes into his mouth. Then he slid up the inside of his legs with excruciating slowness, tormenting him with tongue and fingers until Remus wanted to scream at the pressure building within him.

Finally Sirius had kissed every last inch of his legs, and Remus opened dazed eyes to see him poised over his erection, licking his lips and eyeing the hard shaft in a way that made Remus shudder uncontrollably. Sirius was still fully dressed, kneeling there with Remus' legs draped over his shoulders, and the sight struck Remus as unbearably erotic. "Sirius..." he begged, feeling as though he would surely die if Sirius didn't take him into his mouth.

"Well, I don't see any bruises here," Sirius said teasingly, and Remus groaned deeply. Sirius laughed in delight at his reaction. "I suppose, just to be sure..." he murmured, and lowered his mouth to that straining flesh. Remus shouted and surged up beneath him, trying to get more of that captivating wet warmth.

Sirius obliged, his hands pinning Remus' hips flat to the mattress as his mouth sank down over his cock, enveloping him. "Oh... God..." Remus panted as Sirius pulled back and plunged down again, sending sparks shooting straight from his groin to the tight knot in his stomach. He rocked his hips against the confining grip of his friend's hands, desperately wanting to thrust himself fully into that incredible mouth. Sirius choked a bit, his inexperience telling as he tried to take too much. Remus felt the head of his cock hit the back of his friend's throat, and Sirius gagged and pulled away abruptly.

Remus nearly screamed, feeling as though his skin was too tight to contain him. Sirius pulled himself up onto the bed, cradling Remus against his chest as the werewolf clutched at his shirt and moaned.

"God... I'm sorry, love..." Sirius muttered into his hair, blushing with embarrassment. "I couldn't... I mean, I wanted to, but... I just... ah, shit..."

Remus had to laugh to see his normally suave friend so disconcerted. "I'll forgive you... but only if you stop making me feel so damned underdressed," he replied, nuzzling into Sirius' neck and inhaling deeply of the enticing scent there. The black-haired boy moaned at the contact, arching his neck to offer better access, and Remus bit down gently, marking his territory for all the world to see.

"That's... ah God, Moony... that's going to be a bit difficult if you... God, don't stop... if you keep that up, love..." Sirius answered, squirming beneath him. Remus grinned against his skin, glad to have turned the tables. He thought he would never get enough of hearing Sirius call him 'love', though he wasn't entirely certain his friend was consciously aware of doing it.

"You're a bright boy," he responded, licking the spot he'd nipped with a gentle tongue. "I'm sure you'll figure something out." Sirius all but tore the buttons on his silk shirt in his haste to remove it, and Remus helped him shrug it off. His fingers went next to the clasp of his robes, but Remus stopped him. "Leave it," he commanded, drinking in the sight of Sirius' shirtless chest framed by the heavy black fabric of the robes. Sirius nodded and kicked his pants off instead, leaving him lying naked with the robes spread around him like a cloak. Remus simply stared for a long moment, mesmerized by the sight he had dreamed of so very many times. He'd seen Sirius naked before, of course, when they were changing in the room or sometimes sneaking a forbidden peek in the showers. Seeing him aroused and wanting, sprawled out for Remus' eyes alone, was so far beyond those stolen glimpses that it left the werewolf utterly breathless.

"Sirius... you're so gorgeous... God, I love you so much..." There, it was out, he'd said it. The words he'd hidden for so many years, now spoken freely for the first time. The rest was up to Sirius.

He didn't disappoint, molten silver eyes locking with Remus' golden gaze and conveying a depth of sincerity that was almost unbelievable. "I love you, too, Remus. I've always loved you... I just didn't realize how very attractive you were until this week." He groaned and swiped a hand over his eyes, laughing. "How I could have missed it, I'll never know. Everything I've ever looked for in a girl, I already had right here in you."

Remus hushed him by the simple expedient of kissing him silent. The words were wonderful, but now was a time for more than words. They pressed together, naked skin sliding with delicious friction, legs tangling together and hips rocking with too-long-denied urgency. Sirius slid his hands up Remus' back, making him shudder, and Remus retaliated by sliding his down until his fingers brushed against the cleft of his ass. Sirius moaned and pressed harder against him, grinding their erections together in a way that made them both gasp.

Jerking his hips in maddening little circles, Remus felt empty and somehow incomplete. There was an ache deep within him, a hollow feeling that cried out for Sirius to fill him and make him whole. Not knowing how to put words to the desire, not even entirely certain just what it was that he needed, he rolled over onto his back, pulling Sirius on top of him. The dress robe fell around them, sealing them away from the rest of the world, narrowing their focus down to the two of them. Remus wrapped his legs around the other boy's supple waist, straining upwards with all his strength. That helped, allowing them to get even closer, but it still wasn't enough somehow. Desperate and needy, he begged Sirius with his eyes to make the ache go away, to do whatever it was that needed doing to allow him freedom from this driving ache.

Sirius seemed to understand, or at least to feel the same way, because he pressed even closer as though he were trying to get inside Remus' very skin. He squirmed, the hard shaft of his desire slipped downward to nudge intrusively at the circle of puckered muscle that ringed his ass, and Remus realized what it was that he needed. Remembered bits of lewd conversations that he hadn't understood at the time suddenly made sense to him, and he gasped with the epiphany. "Sirius... Siri... God, I need you inside me. Please," he begged shamelessly, and Sirius groaned and buried his forehead against Remus' shoulder.

"Are... are you sure?" Sirius asked, and Remus nearly clawed his back in frustration. Of course he was sure! Would he be begging like this if he wasn't sure? "I... I don't think I can stop if we start," Sirius added, still rubbing his cock teasingly against Remus' ass.

"Yes," Remus hissed, thrusting up against him in a futile effort to force him inside where he needed him. "Yes, I'm sure, just fuck me Sirius!"

He was amazed to realize that Sirius had retained the presence of mind to hang onto his wand, as the other boy aimed it at his hand and murmured a charm Remus had never heard before. Slick liquid coated Sirius' hand, and he brought it down to rub it over his own cock, lubricating it thoroughly. Remus watched, breathless, wondering vaguely if Sirius would ever consent to allow him to watch him jerk off. Then he nearly yelled as Sirius smoothed the last of the liquid into his ass, two fingers sliding in and out of him in a teasing mockery of what was to come.

Remus could hardly stand it, and he tightened his grip with his legs. "Now," he insisted, tilting his hips to grant Sirius the best angle of penetration. Sirius used his hand to position himself, thrusting forward inch by torturous inch into Remus' body. Remus bit his lip until it bled, torn between the twin sensations of pain and pleasure at the way he was being stretched. It was unbelievable, it was erotic as all fucking hell, it was...

He did shout as Sirius brushed against something inside of him that made everything go white and hot, and he felt his friend chuckle into his neck. Before he could gather his wandering wits enough to figure out what had just happened, Sirius pulled back and thrust forcefully into him, driving every thought from his mind. All he could do was cling to the hard body above him and thrust back against the rhythm, cock trapped between their stomachs, feeling the waves of blinding sensation sweep over him. Sirius leaned down and kissed away the trickle of blood that had escaped the corner of his mouth, his thrusts ragged and frenzied. Remus felt the waves of pleasure crashing over him with increasing frequency and intensity, until they were a nearly continuous stream of burning ecstasy that flung him higher and higher, rushing toward something that was beautiful and wonderful and just... out... of... reach...

He exploded, screaming into Sirius' mouth, his muscles contracting all at once as his essence pulsed out of his cock to coat their stomachs. Deep within him he felt Sirius convulse as well, hot streams of sticky warmth pouring into his body. Sirius collapsed on top of him, and Remus felt as though they must surely be hovering several feet above the bed. They were connected in a way he had never dreamed possible, far beyond the merely physical connection that was even now slipping away from them as Sirius rolled to the side to allow him to breathe.

"God, love... you are so... incredible," Sirius panted, gathering him close and holding him against his chest. Remus could feel his heart pounding in his chest, matching the still frantic pace of the heart beneath his ear.

He mustered all of his remaining strength to stroke a hand slowly along Sirius' back, making him shiver. "I love you," he murmured sleepily, feeling replete and sated as never before. "Don't ever leave me, Sirius. Promise?"

"I promise," Sirius sighed into his hair, sounding as sleepy and contented as Remus felt. "I'll always be with you, Moony. Nothing and no one could ever tear us apart."

They lay there like that for what could have been minutes or hours, happy just to be together. Remus was drowsing, half asleep and too exhausted to move, when he heard footsteps and voices in the hall. His mind was too dazed and his reflexes too muddled to allow him to react quickly.

"...don't know what she's trying to imply," James was saying as Peter flung open the door to the room. "So what if Remus and Sirius are already in here? It's their room too. I mean, it's not like we're going to walk in... on... something..." He trailed off in horror, staring at Remus' bed as Peter squeaked and covered his eyes with his hands.

Remus came abruptly awake as he realized he and Sirius were lying entangled on the bed with nothing more than Sirius' dress robes covering them. Peter muttered something about sleeping on the couch and fled the room, looking like all the wraiths in the Forbidden Forest were on his heels. James gaped open-mouthed, completely flabbergasted as his two friends scrambled madly for covers, blushing furiously. "What... what are you two... no, on second thought, don't answer that," James hastily backpedalled when Sirius actually started to reply. The bespectacled boy turned his back on them and addressed the walls, though his red ears betrayed the fact that he was blushing at least as badly as they. "I'm going to the bathroom to clean up. I expect I'll be back in five minutes." He paused, then added awkwardly, "Err... I don't actually care if you're in separate beds, so long as you're both decently clothed. And for Merlin's sake, in the future, have a little consideration for Peter and I!" He marched out of the room, closing the door firmly behind him. Sirius and Remus were left staring at each other in mingled mortification and amazement.

They both started snickering at the same moment, and soon were laughing so hard they had to lean against each other for support. When they finally wound down, Remus wiped tears from his eyes and smiled at his new lover. "Well, that went remarkably well. At least we don't have to worry about how we're going to tell them."

Sirius snorted, reaching for his wand once more to clean them both. "I'll say. Poor Peter. Poor James! Well, they can't say Lily didn't try to warn them." They quickly changed into their pyjamas, snuggling back into the bed together just as a loud knock sounded on the door.

"We're coming in!" James announced, waiting another moment before hesitantly opening the door. Seeing that they were both covered and clothed, albeit still in the same bed, he entered the room and hauled Peter in behind him. "Good. Well. I'm... very happy for the two of you," he muttered, still blushing brightly. "But that had better not happen ever again. And don't even think about doing anything while we're actually in the room!"

Remus buried his face in his pillow as Sirius chuckled. "Don't worry, Prongs, we'll keep your delicate sensibilities in mind," the black-haired boy retorted. Remus punched his lover before he could say anything more to tease their friends, and Sirius subsided. James and Peter quickly changed into their own pyjamas and climbed into their beds, both boys pointedly drawing the drapes around their beds firmly closed. Sirius did the same, then settled down into the mattress, pulling Remus back against his chest once more.

"I love you," he whispered. "No matter what, I'll always be with you." Remus smiled back at him and sighed contentedly, drifting back to sleep to the soothing sound of Sirius' steady heartbeat.

"Happy Yule," he murmured in reply, and reflected that there could be no better Yuletide gift than having his most cherished dream come true.

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