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The common room fire was ablaze, as it was every night. The fire burned bright and the hopes were high. Most people had gone off to bed since the night went on, leaving a select few behind to enjoy the warmth of both the fire and each other’s presence.
If Remus was honest, he’d say that it’s the moments like these he loved the most. Not the silent hours tucked away in the library reading, or the peaceful nights where he was free to stay awake while the other boys slept – tucking into chocolate and watching as footprints walked through the castle, monitoring the footprints. He wondered where those people were going, what they were thinking, where they’d be in the future.
Remus hadn’t thought much about his own future if he was honest. It was a dim and dark train of thought, ending the same way. He tried to put it off, thinking that everything could wait. It was moments like this, sitting in front of the fire, his best friends around him, where he thought that actually, the future could be bearable.
From where Remus was sitting on the old ruby coloured couch, he could lazily look up from his book, seeing James sprawled in front of the fire on his stomach, his eyes following the threads on the carpet, seeing how each one interwove and connected to each other. He was nodding his head gently to the music playing from the record player across the room. Remus was doing his best to concentrate on his book, but Sirius’ continuous natter and movement of the needle on the turntable was putting him off. Remus never complained though. He hardly ever complained about Sirius.
Peter had nodded off on the armchair a while ago, and after a certain someone, (Sirius), got excited over a particular song, jumping about and singing, Peter had woken up and tiredly trudged upstairs to sleep peacefully. Lily had been there earlier too, entertaining James with some muggle stories of her own, exaggerating a few of them in order to get a reaction out of James. For some reason, the concept of an electrical whisk and socket amazed him. Remus wouldn’t be surprised if James was daydreaming about having his own house with Lily, their first purchase being one of these electrical whisks. It would explain why he didn’t seem to notice the constant starting and skipping of songs going on in the room.
“Jamsie-boy!” A brash voice called out, raising a few hands on Remus’ neck, taking him out of his focused gaze, forcing him to roll his eyes and go back to skimming the page for where he was up to.
James snapped out of his own daydream, craning his neck from the carpet, not really wanting to get up.
“What?” He called back, waiting for a response. He sighed heavily when he didn’t get a response. He sat up, able to see Sirius stood by the record player, leaning to the side so that he could see better since Remus’ body was obstructing his view.
Remus saw the movement and wordlessly leant away, leaning his book on the arm of the couch, leaning to his right to let James see over the couch to Sirius. Remus did his best to go back to reading once again, swearing he would finish the chapter if it was the last thing he did. He held back a heavy sigh, turning the page as James stood, chuckling as he walked around the couch. Remus knew that the two were talking between themselves, but about what, he didn’t know.
“Go on then… you know he hates it” James mutters with a chuckle in his voice, shuffling about as the current record came to a stop and a new one was placed down onto the turntable.
“Nobody hates this!” Sirius quickly says back, putting the needle back onto the record, starting it up. He smiled mischievously as he turns and grabs a stray quill that had been left atop a table, his long and loosely tied up hair almost hitting James in the face as he moved. Clearly, Sirius wanted to put on a show.
Immediately, Sirius began singing, taking the quill as a microphone, turning towards James who was already laughing as he could tell how Remus would react. Straight away, Remus did just that.
“I can dim the lights and sing you songs full of sad things
We can do the tango just for two-“
“No-“ He whined, leaning his head back on the couch, hating Queen. Sirius smiled behind the quill, James chuckling and shoving the record casing with the rest of the records, going back towards the fire, knowing the show would be worth it.
“I can serenade and gently play on your heart strings. Be your Valentino just for you”
Sirius had sauntered over to the back of the couch, Remus staring at the ceiling, his thumb keeping record of where he was reading. He may as well give up the reading at this rate. Black hair clouded his vision suddenly, and it took Remus a second to realise the familiar face of Sirius was leaning over his, singing along to the record. Sirius dropped the quill down to dust Remus’ face, causing Remus to scrunch his nose up instantly, moving away and leaning over his book more. He knew Sirius’ charm all too well.
“Ooh, love, ooh, loverboy
What're you doin' tonight, hey, boy?”
As if he was cursed, James started humming along too, tapping his foot to the tune. Sirius never gave up, especially not when it came to flustering and charming his Moony. Remus did his best to clear his face of expression, opening his book again, trying to ignore the painfully addicting song playing all around him. Trying to ignore the painfully addicting sound of Sirius Black’s velvet and honey-like voice.
“Set my alarm, turn on my charm
That's because I'm a good old-fashioned loverboy”
Sirius sauntered around the couch, acting so dramatic and flirtatious, sticking his arms out and posing as he walked, looking like he belonged more on a walkway than the common room. He winked at James, acting as if James would be the real victim of the song. James laughed and shook his head. As much as James loved to mess around with Sirius, the two being as close as brothers, James always knew when Sirius had secret intentions. He knew Sirius better than Sirius knew himself, and although this was playful now, he could see the real reason as to why Sirius chose this song. Sirius liked to think James was oblivious, that he thought he was just a fool to everyone, but James knew his brother inside and out.
“Ooh, let me feel your heartbeat - Grow faster, faster”
With that, Sirius turned his head from where he stood near James, looking at Remus, who was still doing his best to look preoccupied, but it was obviously failing. His eyes kept darting to different parts of the pages, biting his cheek to keep the blush from appearing. He hated this song. He hated Queen. Feelings surfaced at the worst times.
“Ooh, ooh, can you feel my love heat?”
Sirius was moving, quill in hand, sweeping non-existent hair over his shoulder, purposely coming to stand in front of Remus, who was silently staring at the inked paper, smile bitten back as hard as he could muster, trying to resist and hide the urge to smile. His heart rate raising as Sirius approached, his angelic voice taunting him like the devil.
“Come on and sit on my hot-seat of love and tell me how do you feel right after all”
Sirius’ hand pushed the book away, and Remus had no time to complain, as Sirius’ hand went to his mouth, a slender finger going over his lips, silencing Remus wordless. Remus’ eyebrows raised, trying not to show obvious signs of intrigue, his guard dropping without his notice. Sirius leant down slightly, and Remus was half expecting Sirius to sit on his lap with how he was singing. Either that, or Remus wanted that to happen. He still said nothing, gulping very slowly.
“I'd like for you and I to go romancing, say the word, your wish is my command!”
Sirius’ finger left his lips, and Remus felt his body yearning forwards, almost chasing the touch. He scolded himself mentally and looked up at Sirius almost in defiance, feeling hopeless now as he couldn’t hide behind his book. The lyrics were making Remus’ ears turn pink and he could tell his cheeks would follow suit.
“Ooh, love, ooh, loverboy. What're you doin' tonight, hey, boy?”
Sirius turned as he sung, putting his free arm above his head, stretching towards the ceiling. He seemed so carefree, almost drunken. He seemed happy, and Remus couldn’t deny him happiness. He felt his fake cold demeanour slip away as he listened to Sirius sing and dance, watching his smile grow broader and his cheeks grow redder as the room got hotter.
James noticed Remus’s change in expression and body language, seeing how more relaxed and less apprehensive he was to look at Sirius and actually realise that he existed. That it was okay to look at Sirius in front of other people. James knew better, and he knew that Remus and Sirius took him to be oblivious. If anything, James pretended to be oblivious for their sake. James didn’t want to assume, but then again he knew his friends inside and out, and even if the others didn’t believe or see it, James was actually really observant. He saw how the two exchanged glances here and there. He saw the way Remus’ hand would linger over Sirius’ when passing over some parchment or a textbook. He saw how the two would turn away from each other and stop most of their conversations as soon as someone walked into the same room as them.
James knew the way Sirius and Remus looked at each other, in both private and public, because it was the look he had when he looked at Lily Evans.
“Write my letter, feel much better and use my fancy patter on the…”
Sirius trailed off, his confidence in the lyrics faltering a little as he forgot what the word was. His eyes wandered to Remus a little as he tried to remember the word, feeling awkwardness rise in his cheeks.
“Telephone?” Remus asks with a smile. Sirius still wasn’t all too familiar with muggle technology, and the word ‘telephone’ was a little bit complicated to him. He’d often say ‘tel-pho’ or ‘tellyhome’. James gasped audibly, pointing at Remus.
“So you do like Queen!” He says loudly and smirked as Remus’ mouth hung open, searching for an excuse, but Sirius’ voice cut in again. Continuing the song without faltering.
“When I'm not with you, think of you always. I miss you”
Remus folded his arms, knowing he was in it for the long ride now. He looked at Sirius, stealing glances, long ones. He was so tired of pretending Sirius didn’t matter to him. He was so tired of acting like Sirius was just his friend, pushing him away when around others in order to never give the impression that they were anything other than mates. He didn’t want James to think of them any differently. They were all mates, nothing more.
Remus gulped a little, his smile fading a little as he knew the lyrics – despite arguing that he hated Queen. He looked at James, who was leaning back on his elbows, watching the two lazily, but not staring, looking between the boys and the rest of the common room. He smiled, his eyes catching Remus’. There was something in each boys expression, where they communicated the same thing.
Remus’ eyes were full of uncertainty, almost denial, as if to tell James ‘He’s just messing about, none of this is serious.’ But James’ told a different tale. They were easy and confident, a smile on his face, fondness. As if to say, ‘It’s alright mate, love, we all deserve it.’ He gestured his head towards Sirius, as if to tell Remus, ‘Look at him. He is who you need.’
Remus looked up back at Sirius, his heart beating in his ears, his bottom lip tightly clamped between his teeth as he felt his cheeks heat up, holding his breath as if to test the waters, wondering to himself, ‘Is this it?’. The two hadn’t shown affection in front of anyone else. It had only ever been small whispers. Lonely touches and stolen kisses. Never anything for anyone else to see.
“When I'm not with you, think of me always… I Love you, love you.”
Sirius sung with ease, but those who could see his expression in that moment – that only being Remus – could see that his smile was hardly there. All dramatics and exaggerations were long gone, as he held the quill limply by his side, his other hand playing with the material of his black trousers. Remus watched him as he sung that line, his breath hitching a little.
His mouth opened a little, as if to sing with him, the second ‘love you’ tracing his lips as a whisper, practically undetectable. But no, Sirius caught it. He smiled softly, his own cheeks turning pink. Remus was defiantly blushing at this point, and all at once the rest of the world seemed to melt away. James was hardly visible – he didn’t register in either boy’s mind anymore as they stood a metre or two away from each other, one singing to the other.
Remus’ confidence practically grew from there, his heart swelling. If anything, his worries melted away, leaving him with an aching, growing pain in his chest. He felt… proud. Sirius seemed a little embarrassed yet relieved, a few strands of hair falling out of his makeshift ponytail, his wand only just staying in place between his hair from all of the moving.
The song picked up tempo, shifting in its tone, and so did those in the room. The tense and romantic moment faded away, but never left completely. In order to move it along, to return to his theatrics, Sirius came up with a great idea. He held his hand out with little to no resistance, sure that Remus would take it. He knew the curly blonde boy better than anyone and expected the usual ‘But I don’t dance!’ complaint, but it never came. Not this time. Sirius was almost taken aback, seeing that this was taking a different turn. But he was glad, for once, things were working out how he imagined.
Taking Remus’ rough and larger hand in his own, he pulled him to his feet. Remus was taller than Sirius, and their proximity had both of their hearts beating hard – most likely in time with each other. Trying not to think about their proximity, Sirius’ expression shifted back to mischief, smirking a little naughtily as he raised the quill to his mouth once again, his other hand rooted between Remus’ fingers, holding him still.
“Hey, boy, where do you get it from?
Without hesitation, Remus rolled his eyes and snatched the quill.
“Hey-“ Sirius gasped, about to protest the interruption of his grand performance. Remus smiled widely and then did something utterly surprising.
“Hey, boy, where did you go?”
Sirius’ mouth opened in surprise, shocked to hear Remus’ voice. He croaked a little, coughing to clear it, but didn’t let it hold him back. He wasn’t a great singer, but he was good enough, perfect to Sirius. Sirius’ shocked, but adoring expression kept Remus going, somewhat shyly continuing.
“I learned my passion in the good old-fashioned school of loverboys.”
Sirius laughed then, actually amazed that Remus had stood with him and even sung along. His mind forgetting James’ existence entirely, Remus being the same. It was like nothing else mattered. Just the two and their unbridled love. Sirius laughed like nothing else in the world could top this, his laugh being so bubbly and happy, his love pouring out of the sides. He looked up at Remus, who looked back at him with a blush on his face and a sheepish grin.
“Stop laughing at me, Black!” He chuckled and shook his head, his golden curls bouncing ever so slightly as he lifted their hands which were intertwined, pulling him around, Sirius taking the hint and twirling, dancing together. Badly, it was awful ‘dancing’, but it was dancing all the same. Where one pushed, the other pulled.
“You can sing the rest-“ Remus says a little breathlessly, moving in beat to the song, chuckling a little at how Sirius was red in the face, pulling at his tie to give him some air.
“Dining at the Ritz we'll meet at nine precisely. I will pay the bill; you taste the wine.”
At that, Remus smiled again, knowing that it would be exactly like that. Remus wasn’t sure he’d like wine. He was a fan of fire-whiskey, so he was unsure on if wine would be his sort of deal, but he’d try anything. Sirius had much more money than him, his bank at Gringotts practically overflowing. Remus had little to his name. Sirius’ voice was so golden, like smooth treacle. He had a sort of maturity to his voice too, his speech always being well-pronounced and smooth. He had the sort of voice that you could recognise and fall in love with at once.
“Driving back in style in my saloon will do quite nicely. Just take me back to yours that will be fine.”
“As if.” Remus interjected, knowing that Sirius would never learn to drive a car. Sirius was dead set on getting a motorbike. Despite Remus’ apprehension towards the vehicle, he wouldn’t deny Sirius of something he loved and desired. Sirius rolled his eyes before raising an eyebrow, as if to say ‘Really, Remus? Do you want me to sing to you or not?’ Sirius continued with that same knowing look on his face.
“Ooh, love.”
Remus had enough of Sirius’ smug look and finished the line with a smirk on his face.
“Ooh, loverboy. What're you doin' tonight, hey, boy?”
Sirius winked at him, and Remus laughed audibly, doing his best not to step on Sirius’ feet as they turned and jived to the tune and the beating of one another’s hearts. Sirius’ hand wandered to Remus’ tie, pulling it loose, pulling him in and close in time with the tune, knowing it was ending. Their time together, the moment, was coming to a close.
“Everything's all right just hold on tight. That's because I'm a good old-fashioned loverboy”
The two stood panting lightly, both of their cheeks red and flushed as the song came to a stop, the needle continuing to spin as it turned onto the next song. The two looked at each other, smiles plastered across their faces as they both kept their hands intertwined, both leaning in towards each other. You couldn’t tell who moved first, because the two seemed to be reading each other’s mind. They knew exactly what each other needed and desired. The two kissed, ever so softly, quietly, peacefully. Without thinking, their hands squeezed each other, soft kisses being their only other way of communicating.
Remus was the first to pull away, a smile on his face.
“Y’know, you should sing more often.” He says with a chuckle, pushing a bit of Sirius’ hair out of his face.
“Yeah, well you can talk. You actually sur-“
“JAMES!” Remus exclaimed, his hand flying to his mouth as he dropped Sirius’ hands. He’d forgotten their friend had been watching, and James himself had a wide smile on his face.
Remus was speechless, red with embarrassment. He’d never been one for affection – ever. Now, James had seen his affectionate and rather soft side. Sirius looked between the two, holding his breath as he was unsure how James would react. Upon seeing James’ smile though, Sirius burst out laughing at Remus’ embarrassed face. He realised that James didn’t care, he didn’t mind. He seemed absolutely fine about it, and it was calming to know.
“Don’t mind me, loverboys.” James said, waving his hand in the air with a grin as if to dismiss them. Remus slowly took his hand away from his mouth, smiling nervously as the two were laughing and smiling about the whole affair. Remus mostly looked at Sirius, at the way he laughed, throwing his hair back, his wand falling from his hair with a clatter on the floor. Sirius jumped and bent down to pick it up, laughing still, holding his side.
James shook his head and smiled again, looking between the two.
“You two… just be happy.” He says seriously, but still with a smile on his face, being sincere.
“There’s no point in worrying what other’s will say or do. Just… be happy with each other.” He says with a nod, deciding there and then that all that mattered right now was each other’s happiness.
Remus agreed, and so did Sirius. Remus smiled at Sirius, who took his hand back again, glad that James understood them. Accepted them.
They were all sure of it there and then, that they were all going to be happy. Together. For a long, long time yet.