FIC: No Denying It for midnitemaraud_r

[mindabbles.livejournal.com]

Title: No Denying It
Author: mindabbles
Written for: midnitemaraud_r--thank you for writing a pinch hit!
Rating: PG
Prompt: Some hijinks and some sweetness.
Summary: Sirius searches for something to lift the mid-winter gloom, finding brightness and warmth in some expected and some not so expected places.
Any other notes, warnings, etc.: midnitemaraud_r, thank you so much for writing a pinch hit despite everything else that was going on. I had even more fluffy sweetness in mind for the end, but time ran out, so I will have to leave it to your imagination. I hope you enjoy! ♥♥
Thanks and cookies to elizassecret for the beta.



There would be no denying who'd done it, and still, Sirius couldn't leave just yet.

It was the entrance hall after all, and it was the end of dinner when a good number of students were making their way back to their dormitories, glum end-of-holiday looks on their faces. There would be no way to wiggle out of whatever consequences might come once a teacher investigated the ruckus, but it would be worth it.

There was a particular dismal feeling to the first day of term after the Christmas Holidays. Several more months of winter, long and dark, stretched ahead of them. The teachers had all promised that preparations for NEWT year would begin in earnest for the sixth year students. And all of this with no prospect of a Holiday visit to the bright, warm home he had finally found.

This was all totally new to Sirius. He had never been anything but completely chuffed to be back at school. Leaving the Potter home was proving to be harder than he'd expected.

Sirius Black was not one to wallow unproductively, so he'd immediately set about to make the first night back at school something special.

Watching Rosier and Avery, and perhaps most especially Snape, fly back from the archway at the far end of the entrance hall as if they'd been flung by an unseen giant was more than enough to take the edge off. Charming the archway over the stairs that lead to the dungeons was an idea they'd bandied about for years—an idea whose time had finally come.

A gratifyingly large circle of students had gathered to watch the spectacle. It hadn't gone on for more than a minute, but it was enough that a roar of laughter rose to the rafters when the glowing letters formed on their backs.

Avery was whirling about like a dog chasing its tail trying to see what was written on his back. Snape cuffed him on the side of the head and snarled, "Stop it."

"Utterly brilliant," James said, beaming at Sirius. "I may never forgive you for not including me."

"Spur of the moment, mate," Sirius chuckled. The glum feeling was replaced with something warm.

"You have to show me that," Peter said. "I never did get McTavish back after that thing with my shoes."

Sirius nodded absently, searching the growing crowd for Remus.

"Sort of thing that loses its bang after one go," James said. "It's as much the timing and style of the thing as the content."

He half-heard Peter rushing to agree and began to join the discussion, adding that he'd show Peter the charm either way. But Remus had come up beside him, one hand covering his mouth, hiding a smile.

"No disapproving looks, Moony?" Sirius asked, although he knew there wouldn't be.

Remus lowered his hand and laughed fondly and the warm feeling was replaced by a sunburst.

"It's inspired, Padfoot," Remus said. He cleared his throat. "However, I think I should point out that they seem to have noticed both their audience and us."

Sirius looked away from Remus and saw Rosier, Avery, and Snape—"kiss me," "lick me," and "bite me" glowing on their respective backs—glaring daggers from across the entrance hall. He shook off his disappointment that Lestrange and Wilkes had been three steps behind their cronies, thereby noticing the prank in time, and leaving "love me" and "make me yours" unclaimed.

"Hmm," Sirius replied, considering the benefits and drawbacks of having it out with them here with all the teachers one room away.

"I think we'll have lost enough points for the prank itself," James said, eyeing Sirius.

"Shall we run?" Peter asked cheerfully.

"I think so," James answered.

"And by “run” you mean draw them away and duel them with less chance of a teacher coming by?" Remus asked, somewhat rhetorically.

"Precisely," Sirius said, at the exact moment that James said the same.

*

Lestrange really could run very fast.

The duel had been poised to begin. And then they'd heard the voices of Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Slughorn wafting up to them from the bottom of the stairs. They had made the impromptu decision that sometimes the better part of valour really is discretion (and preserving their slim chance at the House Cup) and they had run for it.

Sirius and Remus seemed to have lost everyone except Lestrange, including James and Peter who had taken off toward the library. Peter had a theory that most students were actually more afraid of Madam Pince than any other staff member, and so tended to retreat to the library for safety. James had likely followed in case Peter was cornered by murderous Slytherins still flashing amorous requests before he made it to Madam Pince's watchful eye.

Sirius took the corner at speed and nearly skidded into a suit of armour. They were just far enough ahead of Lestrange that Sirius could grab Remus' hand and pull him into an empty classroom. He bet that it was still a storeroom for paintings and tapestries awaiting repair—a tidbit he'd picked up when they had used it to practice Jelly-legs jinxes and Levicorpus last year before the April Fools’ Day of Glory.

Remus pushed the door shut without making a sound and they held their breath. A moment later they heard Lestrange's foot steps thundering past.

Sirius was still holding Remus' hand.

"Hey, Moony," he said. His voice came out a bit rough and he cleared his throat and squared his shoulders.

Remus smiled in a way that made his eyes crinkle and he looked bemused.

"'Lo, Padfoot."

Remus leaned in and Sirius just had time to catch his breath before he realised what was happening. Remus caught the corner of Sirius' mouth with his and Sirius slid to the right, because the corner was not what wanted kissing. He sighed as he felt Remus press more firmly against him and teased Remus' mouth open with his tongue. The kiss was long and slow and tender and Sirius felt the absolute last remnants of his regret at the holidays ending melt away.

"You do realise that we have been back under the same roof for seven hours and you have not even tried to kiss me," Sirius said, his forehead pressed against Remus' after they pulled back from the kiss.

Remus moved to rub their noses together and murmured, "I just did kiss you. Or did you miss that?"

"I certainly did not miss that. It was our eleventh kiss, and as I see it, by now we should be well past two dozen."

"Idiot," Remus laughed. But Sirius was certain that the fact that Remus added nothing about his knowing the number of kisses meant that he was counting as well. "We haven't been alone at all."

"We are now."

"I'd spotted that."

Sirius slid his hand around the nape of Remus' neck and allowed himself a moment to look.

"C'mere," Remus whispered, wrapping his arms around Sirius' waist and tipping his head so their mouths connected.

Sirius was certain he could drown in these kisses. He didn't know what would come next, but he knew he wanted more—more time alone with Remus to see what was next. He trailed his free hand down Remus' back, closer to the swell of his arse, and Remus gasped as the door banged open.

They leapt apart. There in the doorway was Snape, standing frozen with his mouth hanging open. It only took Snape a moment to recover, and he was drawing his wand. Sirius' was in his hand, but Remus must have had a second of lead time because he heard Remus' deep voice shout Expelliarmus as Snape bellowed a hex he didn't recognize. Sirius moved to push Remus out of the way and sent a stunning spell. He felt a searing heat hit his face and heard a thud, realising a second later that it was him landing flat on his back.

*

Whispered voices crept into Sirius' consciousness. The crisp, starched sheets tucked around him like a Full-Body Bind told him he was in the Hospital wing.

Professor McGonagall's voice carried, even when she whispered, and he clearly heard her say, "How long will it take for the swelling to go down?"

"A couple of days at the most," Madam Pomfrey answered. "Minerva, can't you talk some sense into this boy? If I had a sickle for every injury he and his mates have caused over the years, I would be a very wealthy woman."

Sirius kept his eyes closed.

"It wasn't only Sirius, Poppy," McGonagall responded. "And clearly, there is more going on than we knew. Anyway, the Potters are on their way. Maybe they will have some luck."

Sirius wondered just how long he could feign sleep. Obviously Snape would have told the teachers everything. His face was throbbing and he had to restrain himself from reaching to feel what exactly McGonagall had meant by "swelling."

He had no clue if he could be expelled for kissing a boy in an empty classroom. If Remus were expelled he'd never forgive himself. At the very least, they'd be split up, and his parents told. He may have left home, but they were still his legal guardians.

"Is he still asleep?" Mrs. Potter's gentle voice asked from across the room.

"It's a fortunate thing he is," Madam Pomfrey said. "Whatever was in his sinus cavity was no laughing matter."

"I'll leave you to speak to him alone," Professor McGonagall said gravely.

"Thank you, Minerva," Mrs. Potter said, her voice much closer to the bed.

Sirius heard two sets of footsteps retreat and he decided he should open his eyes and face what was coming. She had come all this way and if she were going to tell him he was no longer welcome, tell him that she and Mr. Potter were disappointed in him, well, he would just as soon be finished with it.

"Awake then?" She asked reaching out to pat his hand. Her tone was puzzlingly kind.

"Yes," he muttered miserably.

"That looks fairly unpleasant," she said, gesturing at his face with the hand that was not holding his. "How boys your age know such things, well, I call it a shame."

"They're all up to their eyeballs in dark magic," Sirius said, swallowing when he realised that his tone was probably harsher than he'd meant to speak to Mrs. Potter.

"Mr. Potter wanted to come, but he couldn't get away," she said. "He sends his regards."

"Huh?" Sirius squirmed under her concerned look and the pressure of her hand on his.

"For a speedy recovery," she said, frowning slightly. "Perhaps you're not quite awake yet, dear."

"A speedy recovery?" Sirius stammered. There was no reproach in her tone. They had been alone for several minutes and she had not scolded, told him he was being expelled, told him to find somewhere else to go for the holidays, or told him to stay away from her son. "You're not here because of what I did?"

She laughed lightly. "Well, I suppose that has something to do with it. Really, Sirius," she said, shaking her head. She patted his hand again. "But I am certain that Professor McGonagall will come up with a satisfactory enough punishment that I don't need to concern myself with anything further." She gave him a kind and yet slightly pitying look. "Sirius, I'm here because you're ill, because you were hurt. Professor McGonagall was kind enough to Floo me instead of your parents now that you stay with us. Are you certain you didn't get a look at who did this to you?"

Sirius blinked and quickly shook his head. No one, not once, in six years, had ever come to him when he was ill. He hadn't even known that parents were informed when their children were ill.

"Thank you," he said, his voice shaking, "for coming."

It was not enough. No where near sufficient. He smiled at Mrs. Potter and could only hope she saw what this meant to him.

*

Sirius touched the side of his face. It felt as if it belonged to someone else, puffy and soft. The throbbing pain had eased. Madam Pomfrey was notoriously stingy with pain potions for prank or fight-induced injuries, but soon after Mrs. Potter had gone and said good-bye to her, Pomfrey had come in with a small purple phial and tersely instructed him to take the contents.

"There's a new look for you." Remus appeared at the curtain that surrounded Sirius' bed, smiling. Only the way he shifted from one foot to another gave away his nervousness.

"When I get out of this bed, Snivellus is getting a new look of his own."

Remus walked over to Sirius, frowning. "What did they say? I heard the Potters were here, but my mum and dad haven't come. I only heard that we all have a week's detention and lost twenty points each. Snape has the same—bloody injustice after what he did. What did McGonagall say to you?" Remus asked, a slightly desperate edge to his voice.

"Moony, Snape must not have said anything," Sirius said, still struggling to believe it himself. "Just Mrs. Potter came and she didn't know. They don't even know that it was him who hexed me."

"What? Why wouldn't he tell anyway? You'd think he would be thrilled, even if it meant being caught for the hex."

"I have no idea. Cowardly git probably knows I'd kill him."

"Sirius, I'm not sure we should be relieved that he's decided to hold on to this information," Remus said, sitting down on the edge of the bed. He placed his hand over Sirius' and, with a quick glance over his shoulder, curled their fingers together. Sirius gently squeezed Remus' hand.

"Well, what if he did say something?" Sirius asked. "I don't care what the wanker decides to say. I wouldn't deny it."

Remus smiled then and reached out to brush Sirius' hair back from his face. He had that look like he couldn't quite believe his luck—one that crossed Remus' face far too often for Sirius' liking. "Neither would I."

Sirius looked into those deep brown eyes and they held each others' gaze. A promise that took them well beyond twelve kisses in stolen moments had just passed between them and Sirius started to smile. A sharp pain shot through the side of his face.

"Ah, fuck," he gasped, clutching his face. "Bloody Snivellus."

"Poor old thing," Remus said. He moved closer and leaned toward Sirius. Sirius couldn't believe that Remus would even consider their thirteenth kiss when Sirius looked like this, and he wasn't certain he could manage it.

"Mr. Lupin," Madam Pomfrey barked, flinging back the curtains and making them both jump. She strode to Sirius' bed. "I should think you are in enough trouble already without barging in to bother my patients without permission. Out you go."

"Right," Remus said, leaping to his feet. "Cheers Sirius, see you later."

Madam Pomfrey presented Sirius with another phial of potion, which he recognised as the one for the swelling. He took it absently, staring after Remus—Remus who already had a week of detentions, but had snuck in to see him anyway. Spring suddenly did not seem very far away.