Chapter Text
February 14, 1979
It had started out small, as things normally do. Peter left a single balloon on Marlene McKinnon’s bed at Hogwarts on Valentine’s Day (they never did find out who he bribed to put it there).
It spiralled out of control from there.
Soon it became a Marauder tradition. Give muggle balloons to the object of your current affection. Everyone knew it was them, but could never actually prove it. There was always a much more elaborate prank that would overshadow any balloons.
Lily Evans always suffered the most, of course. Muggle balloons didn’t take well to being poked at with wands, and once one popped, it usually sent everything off in a chain reaction.
Second year and beyond, Remus always woke up to a bed full of balloons. Big ones, small ones, pink ones, vaguely heart shaped ones. Being a light sleeper, he had no idea how the perpetrator managed to slip through his defences. He never took it entirely seriously.
Sirius Black remembered quite clearly one instance in sixth year. Sure, he always got balloons from his fellow Marauders (although they would never admit to it), but sixth year was quite special. It was only two months after the Whomping Willow Incident, and quite frankly, Sirius didn’t expect anyone to bother including him in their tradition.
Instead, he was surprised to find a black balloon twisted into the shape of a dog sitting at the end of his bed. He would never admit to anyone how much he cried when he saw it. He carried it around every day until it finally deflated. Even then, he still kept it, tucked away in his charms book.
For whatever reason, Sirius assumed that this tradition wouldn’t carry over past their Hogwarts years. However, as he forced his eyes open at the ungodly hour of seven thirty a.m., he was pleasantly surprised to find his bed and floor covered in balloons.
There were even more gently floating along the floor in the hallway outside his door.
Resisting the urge to take his Animagus form and prance through them, Sirius wandered out into the living room. The whole flat was covered in balloons.
“Morning Padfoot. Happy Valentine’s Day.”
Remus was at the stove, cooking bacon and eggs, looking a little suspicious and terribly smug.
“How are you still breathing after all this?” Sirius laughed, giving his boyfriend a back hug and a kiss on the neck.
“After what? I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“You’re a shite liar.”
“Am not! Got out of more detentions than you did.”
“Stop your sexy smirking, I can’t handle it. Make my breakfast. Where’s my tea?”
Remus laughed.
7:52 a.m.
“I will say this. I wouldn’t recommend wearing a wool jumper to set all this up.”
“So you’re finally admitting it was you?”
“No, I’m merely pointing out a fact that really should have been obvious, but obviously wasn’t so obvious to the obvious person who set all this shite up.”
Sirius flicked Remus’s nose. He shifted into Snuffles, and the dog barked happily, rolling around in the layer of balloons. They stuck to his fur, and continued to stick to Sirius himself as he stood back up.
Remus practically howled with laughter, even though his ribs were still considerably sore.
“Moony! It’s the power of eleckticity!”
“Padfoot, have you been doing after work drinks with Arthur Weasley again?”
“How did you know?”
“Just a guess.”
“Oh! Wait here.” Sirius bounced out of the room. He accidentally popped a few balloons in his haste. He swore violently every time.
Remus was still shaking his head, before a large, interestingly wrapped present was chucked at his face.
“Why is this package so large and lumpy? And why are the balloons attracted to it?!”
Sirius grinned. “Open it! It’s for me too.”
A little concerned, but incredibly curious, Remus tore open the wrapping. He burst out laughing.
“The first one’s to replace the one I kind of sorta ruined with chocolate. The other two are for us.”
The first one was quite normal looking. Big, green and very comfortable looking.
The other two were definitely matching. Large, red, with white paw prints strutting into a heart shape (well, basically a heart shape).
“Those things took me bloody AGES to knit. Sarah helped me with the pattern. She’s like the aunt I’ve never had.”
“I love them.” Remus kissed Sirius. Long and sweet.
“Your happiness makes me happy. And these balloons, they make me very happy too.”
Remus pulled a small pot from the side table. “This is for you.”
Sirius carefully took the pot in his hand. “Oh! The carnivorous plant that won’t actually eat me!”
“It’s a Venus flytrap, or Dionaea muscipula if you want.”
“I think it’s safe to say we’ve definitely got the best boyfriends in all of England.”
“I concur.”
Sirius glanced at the clock and groaned. “Bugger, I don’t want to go to training. Mad-eye has it out for me, seriously.”
“My shift starts in an hour anyway. You have anything ridiculous planned for us tonight?”
Sirius’s smirk grew. “Our deer friend Prongs may have let it slip that he and Evans are going to some sort of ballroom dancing thing tonight.”
“Are we going too?”
“My dear Moony, of course we are.”
“You know I can’t dance.”
“No worries, love, neither can Prongs.”