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“She’ll say yes this time, I know it!” Said James, running a hand through his already ruffled hair. He was staring longingly in Lily’s direction, preparing himself to ask her out, once again, on a date to Hogsmeade.
“Dream on, Potter!” She said on her way out of the common room, rolling her eyes. Remus lifted his gaze from the wizard chess game he was playing with Peter and saw her trying to fight a little smile. She was warming up to him despite all her protests.
To his right, on the other end of the sofa, Sirius was laughing at James’ face, who was opening and closing his mouth like an affronted fish.
“Oh, Prongsie, you’re so pathetic, mate. How many more rejections are you willing to face before you move on?” Sirius said between chuckles.
“I don’t think he’s pathetic. At least he has the guts to do something about his crush,” interrupted Peter, moving his knight and effectively putting Remus’ king into checkmate.
Remus stiffened but tried to conceal his reaction as frustration for having lost yet another game. He sent a quick glance in Sirius' direction and saw that he was also uncomfortable and had stopped laughing, avoiding looking his way.
Without noticing the change in the atmosphere, James patted Peter on the back and told him, “thank you, Wormtail, you’re a good supporting friend, unlike others!”
“Oi!” Sirius said, sending a cushion from the sofa in James' direction. After that, all the awkwardness of the situation was forgotten as they started wrestling on the common room floor.
Remus took advantage of the distraction and excused himself to go to study with Lily.
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That night, after James and Peter had fallen asleep, Remus made his way over to Sirius’ bed, as it had been occurring since the start of the year. He found Sirius awake, waiting for him.
“Hi there,” he whispered with a sleepy smile shuffling to the side to make room for Remus.
“Hi,” Remus smiled in return and climbed on the bed. He cuddled into Sirius’ side and buried his face on Sirius’ chest. After a moment of silence, while Sirius was treading his fingers on Remus’ hair, he whispered, “I know you want to tell them, and I want so too, but let’s just give it a bit more time. Please? I want this to be just the two of us for a bit longer.”
Sirius kissed the top of his head and rubbed circles on his back. “Shh, shh, I know, baby. You don’t have to worry about them. I’m sure they will be supportive and happy that all the pining is over now,” he chuckled, and continued, “but we will tell them when you’re ready, OK? No pressure.”
Remus moved his head to place a soft kiss over Sirius’ heart as the silence of the night enveloped them.
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A couple of weeks later, Remus found himself studying with Lily, seated at their usual table in the library. He thought about telling her about Sirius and him, but, after a while, he found himself asking something else instead.
“Why won’t you go on a date with James?”
She looked at him suspiciously and with narrowed eyes asked, “did Potter send you to advocate for him? Rem, you’re better than this.”
“No, it’s just pure curiosity. School will be over in a few months, and with all that’s happening right now, why don’t you give it a go? I know you like him”
“What are you talking about? I don’t like -” she was flushing, and when she saw the look of incredulity on his face, she stopped herself.
“OK, yeah, maybe I kind of like him a teeny tiny bit,” she admitted, “he has matured a lot, hasn’t he? Stupid Potter, it wasn’t enough that he’s good looking and smart, now he had to grow out of his jerk phase and be mature,” she was gesturing with her hands as if she was really upset.
Remus laughed at that. “Yeah, he has. He and Sirius have both matured quite a bit. He really likes you, you know? So, why don’t you go on a date with him, this weekend, Hogsmeade?” He didn’t know why he was so insistent on this. Sure, James was a great friend and he really, really liked Lily. Lily was also one of his best friends, and he knew she liked James too, she was just a bit more subtle in showing it. He was sure they would make each other happy. They were a good match, and he wanted his friends to be happy. And maybe, if they were together, they wouldn’t mind that much that he and Sirius were boyfriends now.
Lily was thinking this over, and was about to accept when something changed in her face.
“I will go to Hogsmeade with Potter IF you go with Black,” she said, “you also deserve to give it a go, Rem, even if it is with Black. Honestly, I don’t know what you see in him.”
He knew she was going to say something like that, and he tried to fight the little smile that was tugging at his lips, pretending to think it over. “Merlin, Lils! Why do you have to do this?” he tried to sound miserable, pretending to groan and burying his face in his hands.
“Honey, the only ones that haven’t caught on how into each other you both are are the two of you, and if you don’t stop all this pining soon enough, someone is going to have to beat some sense into you,” she said, with a roll of her eyes.
“So, if you go to Black and confess your undying love for him and ask him on a date this weekend, I will ask Potter,” she finished, extending a hand, “deal?”
He made a show of thinking it over one more time and looking suspicious, but in the end, he accepted, taking her hand in his. “Deal.”
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They finished later than expected, and when they entered the common room, it was almost empty. James, Peter, and Sirius were there by the fire, playing a game of exploding snap. There were a few other students doing homework and playing chess, but they paid them no mind.
“Moony!” Sirius said from his place on the floor, with badly disguised delight.
The other two lifted their heads, and when James saw Lily walking over to them with Remus, he flushed and started to run a hand through his hair. Why does he keep doing that?
“Hey, Lily!” He said, trying to stand and almost falling over Peter, as his feet were caught on the carpet.
“Potter,” she said, and then promptly pushed Remus in Sirius’ direction, waiting for him to complete his part of the deal.
Remus walked over to where Sirius was sitting and offered him a hand to stand up. Sirius beamed at him and took it. He was so close now, standing just a few inches apart from Remus, grey eyes locked with amber ones, so full of love and tenderness. Those eyes that were now questioning if this was the moment they had been talking about during the last few weeks. Remus thought that now was as good as any other moment. And besides, he had to help James get a date with Lily. He barely nodded.
Remus reached up and put a lock of hair that had fallen over Sirius’ face behind his ear, and without breaking eye contact, he asked, “Hogsmeade this weekend?”
He could feel three pairs of wide and shocked eyes on them, but he didn’t care. He knew his friends would be happy for them, and this wouldn’t change anything.
Sirius cupped his face softly and said, “of course, baby,” bringing his lips to press against Remus’ for a split second.
“Baby?!” three shouts were heard, and when they turned to face his friends, they encountered a gaping Peter, a smiling James, and an affronted Lily.
Before any of them could say or ask anything, Remus addressed Lily.
“That was my part of the deal, now you,” he said, smirking.
“That’s cheating! When did you two get together? Why haven’t you told me?” She said, punching Remus on the arm and then hugging him.
“Deal?” Asked Sirius.
“It’s not cheating!” He told Lily, hugging her back, “and yes, deal,” he said to Sirius. “Lily here has something to ask Prongs.”
James’ eyes were at risk of popping off his face, he was clearly confused and was looking between Sirius and Remus, and Remus and Lily.
“Pot- Erm, James. Do you want to go to Hogsmeade with me this weekend?” she muttered with a sigh.
James couldn’t believe what was happening. “Li- like a date?” he stammered.
“Yes, James, like a date. You, me, Hogsmeade, yes or no?”
James could only nod. With that, Lily said good night to them and retreated to her dormitory.
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After the shock, James and Peter turned to Remus and Sirius.
“You two finally figured things out, then?” Asked Peter.
“Yeah, we’ve been dating since the beginning of the year. We’ve been meaning to tell you, but we just wanted to wait a bit to figure us better as a couple,” Sirius shrugged and put an arm around Remus’ shoulders.
“Well, we’re glad you got together! You’re a cute couple and all that, but everyone was really tired of the pining,” said James. “Now, to the important stuff… Can you believe I have a date with Lily?!”
Everyone groaned and left James alone in the common room.
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That night in bed, Remus was ready to fall asleep when Sirius told him, “I’m glad we told them,” and then kissed him.
“Yeah, me too.”
“How did you manage to get Evans to ask Prongs on a date?” he asked after a while.
“She was as tired of our pining, as was everyone else, and I think she was also tired of her pining, so we made a deal that if I asked you on a date, she would ask James,” he said smiling.
“You are incredible, Mr. Moony, agreeing to do something you’d already done.”
Remus laughed at that, and kissed him.