So Contagious

“Remus Lupin!”

Remus inhaled sharply as his name was called, trying not to show how nervous he was as he walked up the few steps to have the Sorting Hat placed on his head. He’d only been inside Hogwarts all of half an hour, but he was already overwhelmed. Out of what seemed a sea of 11 year olds, he was by far the tallest, and no doubt the skinniest. Probably the palest too. Nothing really ever worked in his favour, to be honest. His parents hadn’t even wanted him to go to Hogwarts, weren’t even sure if he could due to his…condition, but Headmaster Dumbledore had somehow persuaded them. Remus wasn’t so sure if he was glad they’d agreed now.

There had already been so many students before him to sit on the Sorting Ceremony stool, most of them looking much more confident than he was. And he doubted any of them held a secret quite like his. So as the musty hold hat was lowered onto his head, Remus held his breath – he honestly had no idea what was going to happen.

“Hmm, I see courage and bravery, as well as self-doubt. Clever too, very clever. But what’s this? Oh this is very interesting…”

“Please don’t,” Remus whispered, interrupting.

The Sorting Hat laughed, confusing the remaining first year students. Remus didn’t dare look at them.

“Very well, I can see why that’s a secret. A half-blood, and a thirst for knowledge – that much is obvious. I see a great strength of loyalty in you too, and the need to protect others – but what from, I wonder?”

Was the Sorting Hat teasing him? Was it even allowed to tease him?

“Better be…Gryffindor!”

Remus smiled shakily, standing up from the stool with weak knees. Gryffindor was a good house, from what he’d read, from what his father had told him. He could fit in there, right? He could blend in, make it look like he was normal. He had to. He didn’t have a choice.

With a nervous smile, Remus sat down next to what looked like another new first year boy, with glasses and messy black hair, and opposite a miserable looking boy with a wild mop of black hair. Wow. When was that last brushed? Wait, that was rude. He didn’t exactly have the right to judge people.

“Hi!” the glasses boy grinned.

“H-Hi,” Remus said hesitantly.

“I’m James. James Potter. And this is Sirius Black – don’t mind him, he’s only grumpy because his family are all in Slytherin,” the boy said cheerfully.

“Remus Lupin,” Remus nodded.

“They’ll kill me. They’ll all kill me,” the boy opposite…Sirius groaned.

Uh…

“It could be worse. You could be in Hufflepuff,” Remus said, offering a smile.

James and Sirius looked at each other, before bursting into laughter.

“I like you. You’re funny,” Sirius mused, cracking a smile in reply.

Funny? That was the first time he’d heard that. And that was definitely the first time a stranger had ever said they’d liked him. If only they knew.

“Thanks. I think,” Remus said.

“We’re going to be good mates, Remus. I can tell already,” James said happily.

Remus could only hope. Friends…friends would be nice.

As James started talking about all the ‘cool’ things he’d been told about Hogwarts, Remus glanced across the table at Sirius. The unruly-haired boy offered him a small grin, a grin just for him, which prompted Remus to send one back. Wow. He’d never seen such an infectious smile before. Properly contagious. Like, he honestly couldn’t resist smiling back. And he didn’t know what that meant.

*

It wasn’t until Remus’ third year at Hogwarts that he realised what the butterflies and sweaty palms and rapidly beating heart every time he was around Sirius meant. Somehow, despite Sirius’ constant hook-ups with overeager girls and Remus’ complete awkwardness in social situations, and despite Sirius being completely oblivious and Remus holding the complete inability to say no to him, and even despite the fact that he turned into a monster once a month, Remus had managed to fall in love with the one person he shouldn’t have. Somehow, by some cruel twist of fate, he’d fallen for his best friend.

Every time Sirius smiled, Remus’ stomach would flip. Every time Sirius smiled solely at him, he would blush on top of that.

Every time Sirius flipped his unruly bird’s nest hair out of his eyes, Remus’ breath hitched in his throat.

Every time Sirius laughed, Remus’ stomach filled with butterflies, an undeniable ache, wanting to be that person who made Sirius laugh.

Every time Sirius got drunk, he also got handsy, loose and pliable, wanting nothing more than to snuggle. And most the time he wanted to snuggle with Remus, which didn’t help.

Every time Sirius bit his bottom lip, tugging the plump skin between his teeth, Remus’ crotch tightened slightly.

It wasn’t fair. But there wasn’t anything he could do about it. He was in too deep now, head over heels, and all he could think of was keeping it hidden. There was no way he was telling Sirius how he felt. No way in hell.

Unfortunately for Remus, it looked like fate had its own plans.

“Sirius? Where’s Sirius Black?” Remus demanded.

“Calm down, Mr Lupin, you’ll wake my patients,” Madame Pomfrey scolded.

“I don’t care. Which bed is Sirius in?” Remus retorted.

She huffed and frowned, but pointed to the first bed on the left. Remus didn’t even stop to thank her and ran straight over, tearing back the curtain around the bed. And straight away, Remus saw what the curtain was for. Sirius looked awful. Deep purple bruises covering the left side of his face, his arm in a sling where it was broken, and his torso bandaged from the armpits down to his waist. Sirius looked awful – and it was all Remus’ fault.

“I’m sorry, Padfoot. I’m so sorry,” Remus choked.

How could he do this to his best friend? How could he do this to the boy he’d fallen in love with? His darkest fears were coming true – he really was a monster.

As tears trickled down Remus’ cheeks, Sirius’ eyes fluttered open, a smile spreading across his lips when he saw Remus standing there.

“Hey Moony, are you okay?” Sirius asked, voice croaky.

“S-Shouldn’t I be asking you that?” Remus choked, trying to wipe his cheeks dry but failing miserably.

“Why are you crying?” Sirius frowned.

“B-Because you’re hurt! And it’s my fault!” Remus whimpered.

Sirius rolled his eyes.

“This isn’t your fault. It was your hairy alter ego, not you,” Sirius shrugged.

“Don’t say shit like that! I did this to you! Me!” Remus spluttered.

Sirius shot his good hand out, gently placing it on Remus’ arm, immediately distracting him from his train of thought. Wow Sirius’ hand was warm. Was it meant to be that warm? Did he have a fever?

“Hey, Moony, look at me,”

Remus swallowed heavily and did so. He could never deny Sirius anything. Ever. Sirius smiled as best as he could, even through the bruising, but it didn’t make Remus feel any better.

“I don’t care that I ended up in the hospital wing after last night,” Sirius said.

“But…”

“No. I don’t care. I don’t care and I’d do it over and over again, landing myself here every month if it means keeping you safe,” Sirius said firmly.

Tears welled in Remus’ eyes, his teeth sinking into his bottom lip to stop it from trembling. Why would Sirius want to put himself in such danger, just for him?

“When we found out about you last year, we all knew what we were getting ourselves into. And it won’t be long until we’ve mastered this Animagi stuff to perfection. We’re your best friends – this is what we do,”

“I can’t lose you. I won’t lose you,” Remus said fiercely, eyes shining.

Damn it. Why did he have to blurt that?!

Something passed over Sirius’ eyes, something that Remus couldn’t put his finger on.

“You won’t lose me, ever,” Sirius replied softly.

As Sirius’ hand squeezed Remus’ arm to prove his point (wow, Sirius’ hand was still on his arm!), Remus’ heart skipped a beat. Damn it.

“But you’re so hurt,” Remus said weakly.

“And it’s worth it,” Sirius replied, “You’re worth it,”

W-What?

As a blush rose on Remus’ cheeks, Sirius seemed to hesitate slightly, before sliding his fingers down Remus’ arm until he was holding his hand. Remus inhaled sharply at the soft grip, eyes widening slightly before looking at Sirius, surprised. Surely Sirius didn’t feel the same?

Sirius’ shy smile gave Remus the answer he wanted. The answer he needed.

*

The rest of third year and all of fourth year passed quickly. Years of shy glances, hopeful smiles and subtle flirting, years of awkward moments, not-quite-there touches, and failed attempts to talk, before Remus gathered enough courage to make a proper move.

It was now their fifth year at Hogwarts, and just about everyone who’d ever met them knew that something was different between Sirius and Remus. Everyone knew that whenever Sirius got injured during Quidditch, that Remus would be the first person by his side. Everyone knew that whenever Remus was ever insulted or teased by a student for the scars on his face, Sirius would send a jinx that student’s way. Everyone knew about how Sirius snuggled up to Remus in the cold, how Remus helped Sirius with most of his homework on top of his own, and how Remus didn’t stop Sirius (and James) bullying Severus Snape, even if he didn’t join in himself.

Sure, James and Sirius were close, brothers almost, even more so now that Sirius had moved into the Potter home, but there was something about Remus and Sirius’ friendship that was just a little bit…more.

And Remus had decided enough was enough. He wanted to get everything out in the open, once and for all.

“Sirius, can we talk?”

Classes had finished for the day, and Remus had just got back to the Gryffindor common room from the library. Sirius was the only Marauder in there, but he was surrounded by 4 girls…no, 5 girls, all giggling and hanging onto his every word. It was sickening.

“We’re talking now, aren’t we?” Sirius drawled, the girls sitting next to him giggling even more.

Remus rolled his eyes. This ‘flirting’ and sleaziness was one of the reasons that prompted Remus to want this talk in the first place. He should be the only one Sirius flirted with. Wow. Now he just needed to say that to Sirius out loud.

“I mean it. We need to talk,” Remus said firmly.

Sirius frowned slightly but nodded, before plastering a smile back on his face.

“Excuse me ladies,” he said smoothly.

Remus fought not to roll his eyes at their whines and protests. Really? How old were they?

“Where do you want to talk?” Sirius asked, standing a little too close for comfort.

It took Remus a couple of seconds to calm his racing heart down. Fuck, Sirius smelled good today.

“In the dorm. I have no idea where Peter is, but I know James is still getting tutored by Lily,” Remus suggested.

Sirius nodded, so they started walking.

“I have no idea how James got Lily to agree to tutor him, to be honest,” Sirius mused.

“Me neither. Especially since he’s actually acing those classes,” Remus chuckled.

Sirius laughed loudly at that, Remus’ skin just buzzing from the noise, laughter spilling from his own lips. Sirius really was so contagious – no matter how much Remus tried to fight it, he was consumed by him, in every possible way.

Soon enough, they were alone in their dorm, Remus wringing his hands nervously. This was a bad idea. This was a really stupid bad idea. Why was he doing this? Why the fuck did he think he could do this?

“Remus?” Sirius frowned.

As soon as Sirius’ hand closed over Remus’ clasped ones, it was like the floodgates opened. Remus couldn’t form words in his mind, the only thought he had prompting him to do what he never thought he’d be able to do – he leant down and pressed his lips softly to Sirius’ in a kiss. Sirius gasped against his mouth, but Remus didn’t dare let himself pull away, just kept kissing him slowly, whimpering as Sirius’ free hand came up to cup his scarred face, kissing him back.

But eventually he needed to breathe, so he had to break the kiss. The most wonderful kiss he ever had.

“Wow,” was all Sirius said.

“I just…I needed to…I…”

Sirius chuckled at Remus’ aborted words, thumb stroking Remus’ cheek where it was still cupping his face.

“I don’t know why we haven’t done this before,” Sirius murmured.

“Because you’re a renowned ladies’ man and I’m a coward?” Remus offered.

“Didn’t seem too much of a coward just then,” Sirius smirked.

Remus blushed heavily, making Sirius laugh again. He honestly couldn’t believe he’d just done that. Kissed Sirius, so out of the blue.

“I couldn’t deal with it any longer. The past two years have been some of the most frustrating years of my life. And that’s coming from me,” Remus admitted.

“Well I’m glad you did. Because I didn’t know how long I could go without telling you how much I’m in love with you,” Sirius grinned.

Woah, w-what?

Sirius’ grin faded to an uncertain smile, making Remus swallow heavily. Sirius really meant it. Sirius really loved him. And he’d said it so easily.

“Y-You love me?” Remus asked, still slightly shocked.

Sirius bit his bottom lip (damn that lip bite) but nodded, making Remus inhale sharply. Please don’t let this be a dream. Please don’t let this be a dream. Please…

“I love you, Remus Lupin,” Sirius murmured.

“How could you love a monster like me?” Remus asked softly.

How could anyone love a monster like him?

“You may be a lycanthrope, but you are the furthest thing from a monster,” Sirius frowned, “You are the kindest, sweetest, most thoughtful person I know. You’re not a monster,”

Remus swallowed heavily, bottom lip trembling. But the hand cupping his face just drew him in again, Sirius kissing his lips once more. Remus whimpered softly but moved his hands to clutch at Sirius’ waist, earning a soft moan in return. Fuck. He’d heard Sirius’ moans on countless occasions, and he’d yearned to be the one causing them. And now he was. Then Sirius’ tongue dragged across his bottom lip, begging entrance, entrance which Remus willingly gave. He’d wanted this for so long, needed this. There was no way he was wasting his opportunity.

As Sirius’ other arm wound around him, Remus drew their bodies closer, closer than they’d ever been before, close enough that their bodies were completely pressed up against each other. Sirius’ hand moved to tangle in Remus’ hair, not letting Remus move, and Remus surrendered himself fully, moulding into his friend’s body. Sirius moaned again as he realised how submissive Remus truly was, kissing him even more eagerly, tongues winding and dancing. Remus couldn’t focus on anything other than how Sirius tasted, how good he smelled, how rough yet gentle his touch was. His blood raced like electricity, his head spinning, his heart pounding, and it was all because of Sirius. It was always because of Sirius.

“Uh, guys?”

Oh fuck.

Remus broke the kiss with a whimper as Peter’s voice, turning his head, horror filling his body as he saw James and Peter standing in the doorway, eyes wide and jaws dropped. Fuck. Fuck it all.

“Hey. How’s it going?” Sirius asked calmly, sliding his arms around Remus’ waist.

Oh wow.

Remus just blushed, looking down at his friend, earning a wink, which only made him blush more.

“Well it’s about bloody time,” James huffed.

W-What?

“You knew?” Peter spluttered.

“You didn’t?” James scoffed.

Oh Merlin’s knickers. Sirius just burst out laughing, Remus following like always, James catching on too. Peter just looked confused.

“I’m happy for you two. Whatever this is. Just remember one thing, Sirius,” James said seriously.

“What?” Sirius asked, cocking his head to the side.

“Use protection!” he yelled.

Before either of them could protest, James grabbed Peter and yanked him out of the room. Like they were actually at that stage yet.

“I love you too, by the way,” Remus said softly, his cheeks only slightly blushing now.

“Oh, I was wondering if you were going to say it back,” Sirius grinned.

Remus rolled his eyes.

“You’re a prat,” he said fondly.

“Maybe, but I’m your prat. Y’know. If you want me to be,” Sirius said hopefully.

“I want,” Remus nodded.

Oh why the bloody hell did he have to blurt that?

But Sirius just laughed, tugging Remus a little closer to him.

“I believe we have a lot of lost time to make up,” Sirius said innocently.

As if Sirius could ever be innocent.

“I like the sound of that,” Remus grinned.

*

In his 6th year, Remus was named a prefect. He’d worked so hard for the honour, trying to prove that he was more than just an abomination, and it had finally paid off. Remus was just glad that Lily Evans had been chosen to be the Gryffindor prefect too. She deserved it, especially now she’d agreed to be James’ girlfriend after all his years of pretty-much-stalking her, so Remus couldn’t be happier. Of course, Sirius dropping to his knees and reaching for Remus’ belt when Remus had told him the news had been the cherry on top of the cake.

Unfortunately, being prefect also meant he couldn’t join in with half of the pranks that Sirius and James pulled anymore. It was frustrating not to be able to gallivant around with his friends like he used to, but he didn’t want to lose his prefect status, not with how proud his parents were. Sirius hadn’t been particularly happy about it, but Remus had reminded him that he wasn’t going to report him, so that smoothed things over a little bit. And now that Lily wasn’t going to report James either, they didn’t have anything to worry about.

That didn’t mean Sirius made Remus’ life any easier.

“Sirius, what are you doing out past curfew? You’ll get me in trouble for not getting you in trouble!” Remus hissed.

One of the Hufflepuff prefects was sick tonight, and one of the Slytherin prefects was in the Hospital Wing, so Remus and Lily had split up to cover more ground during the prefect rounds tonight. Sirius had apparently jumped at his opportunity.

“I couldn’t just leave you alone out here, Remus. Anybody could jump your fine ass,” Sirius smirked.

Remus blushed immediately. How could Sirius affect him so easily still?

“Inappropriate,” Remus muttered.

“Honest,” Sirius shot back, winking dramatically.

Remus couldn’t help but laugh softly, unable to resist as always.

“Fine. But you have to behave,”

“Scouts honour,” Sirius nodded.

“Do you even know what ‘scouts’ are?” Remus asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Nope, but I heard a muggle kid say it once. My intentions are there!” Sirius grinned.

Remus just rolled his eyes. That was better than nothing.

And it only took 15 minutes for Sirius to get bored.

“Is this all you really do? Walk up and down corridors for 2 hours after curfew?” Sirius grumbled.

“Yes, Sirius. Prefects don’t just sneak off to the Come and Go room to get drunk, y’know,” Remus pointed out.

“But it’s so boring!” Sirius whined.

Remus rolled his eyes (it was a bad habit now, okay?), before forcing a smile on his face.

“Entertain yourself then,” Remus said simply.

Sirius went quiet for a couple of seconds (thank fuck) before he grinned. Then he slammed Remus into a wall, earning a yelp.

“What the fuck?” Remus hissed, eyes widening as Sirius bracketed him in.

“I’m entertaining myself,” Sirius smirked.

Remus didn’t have chance to retort before Sirius’ hand snaked down his chest and into his underwear. Woah.

“Sirius, no. We could get into real trouble for this,” Remus gasped.

His eyes rolled back slightly as Sirius squeezed him gently, choking a moan, making Sirius grin even more.

“But that just makes it more fun!” Sirius taunted.

“I’m going to kill you,” Remus groaned softly, eyes fluttering closed as he felt himself hardening.

Fuck, Sirius. Why did he have to realise just how easily he could turn Remus on? It wasn’t fair!

“Sure you are,” Sirius winked, using his other hand to unzip Remus’ trousers for more room.

With that, he kissed Remus deeply, circling his base with his hand.

If they got caught, he was blaming Sirius. Completely and utterly, oh…

*

“This is it, boys. This is our last year at Hogwarts,” James announced, a sad twinge in his voice.

“I can’t actually believe it,” Remus mumbled.

Sirius smiled up at him, where his head was lying in Remus’ lap, the two of them strewn across Sirius’ bed.

“We’ve got the big wide world to look forward to, Moony. It’s going to be awesome,” Sirius said.

“I’ll believe it when I see it, Padfoot,” Remus said dryly.

Sirius rolled his eyes, James and Peter just laughing.

“Alright Mr Grumpy-Pants, enough moping. We have chaos and mayhem to spread,” Sirius said firmly, sitting upright.

Remus fought the urge to whine and pull him back down, and instead sat upright too.

“Damn right we do! It’s our last year – we need to leave our legacy,” James grinned.

As James and Peter high-fived, Sirius turned to face Remus properly.

“Do you know why I can’t wait to leave Hogwarts?” he asked softly.

“To get away from your irritating cousins?” Remus offered.

Sirius laughed but shook his head.

“That’s a nice bonus, but no. The main reason is, that I get to spend the rest of my life with you,” Sirius said simply.

“The rest of your life, huh?” Remus mused.

“Uh huh, the rest of my life. No matter what we go through, no matter what dark times lie ahead, I’m going to be with you through thick and thin,” Sirius nodded.

“Always by my side,” Remus murmured.

He liked the sound of that.

“I don’t know what I’d do without you,” Sirius said, smiling.

Remus blushed slightly, even more so when James and Peter made cooing noises.

“Ignore them, they’re just jealous,” Sirius muttered, blushing as well.

One thing that Remus loved? That Sirius still got embarrassed when their friends teased them. It was so adorable. Remus cracked a smile, before leaning down to press his lips to Sirius’, ignoring James and Peter’s protests, just like Sirius suggested.

“I love you, Sirius,” Remus murmured, once he pulled away.

“Love you too, Remus. Now let’s go have some fun,” Sirius grinned.