Wintertide Bliss, or The One Where They Go Camping

Author: prostheticballerina
Rating: NC-17
Archiving: All FQF will be archived solely at this site until January 30th, 2005. After that, it's yours to do with as you will.
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. I do not own Harry Potter, its characters, or anything associated with it. I'm not making any money from this story, and I don't intend to.
Challenge & Summary: Challenge #4: It's the middle of winter, their last year at Hogwarts, and the Marauders decide to go camping! In the words of Sirius Black, "It's Bloody Freezing!" but that's nothing that a few Warming Charms and a few warm bodies can't cure.
Author Notes: None given.



“It’s bloody freezing!”

Sirius Black was not happy. In fact, trudging through snow up to his waist, his toes and fingers numb and his face aching with windburn, he could not dredge up a smidgen of the Christmas spirit that had been so prevalent mere hours before. It was all James’ fault – forcing them all into the ridiculous camping trip, citing that it was their last opportunity for mischief and irresponsible fun before they had to rush into the real world, and inducing thorough amounts of guilt in order to get them to agree. Peter, the docile little rat that he was, had agreed with pathetic loyalty, and even Lily Evans, the most sane and logical person Sirius knew (second to Remus, of course) had been coerced into attending as well. Remus had adopted that thoughtful, mature look at the suggestion, and although Christmas Eve would fall on the day after his transformations, he had agreed. After creating a long list of supplies and studying a chart of expected weather conditions borrowed from their Astronomy professor, naturally …

--

. two days prior .

Boring though she knew the current lesson on transfiguring lemons to limes was, Professor McGonagall felt there was really no need for the rather blatant disrespect shown to her during the seventh year Gryffindor lesson. James Potter had leapt from his seat suddenly, knocking little Peter Pettigrew to the ground with a careless swing of his arm, and an excited, nearly insane look plastered on his bespectacled face. He made a sort of repressed sound of delight, before meeting the unhappy eyes of his professor, the Death Glare forcing reality upon him. An almost choked noise escaped from the back of his throat, and he flashed his most charming smile in her direction, slightly crooked and more than a little nervous. He began to slowly sit down, between Sirius and Peter (who was being helped to his feet by Remus), and was trying very hard not to look Lily, who sat near to the front, in the eye. His girlfriend was giggling behind her hand at his shockingly crimson face, an action mirrored by most of the class.
“Well Mr. Potter, would you care to share your epiphany with the rest of the class, then?”
More snickers. James glared at a few students, but his face lost none of its glorious colour.
“Erm, no Professor. My apologies, I, er, forgot where I was for a mo, there.” He looked about ready to pull on his collar, which was no doubt feeling slightly restraining from the frightening gaze his was currently pinned under.
“Clearly,” she spoke crisply. “Although I’m sure you will remember all too well your location tonight, when you serve your detention.”
James seemed to be biting back a groan. Instead, he responded with a meek, “Yes, Professor,” and sat down heavily.
“Now, if I may continue…”
And so continued The Longest Class Known to Wizards. All could see James was itching to spit out his idea, but he kept quiet, although only barely. He seemed bursting to reveal his genius to the world.

He had to wait until the end of class, at which time he pulled Sirius with one hand, and Remus with the other (Peter clung on for dear life in the back) up to the common room. Lily followed in amusement.
Sirius scowled at James, massaging his arm where it had collided with the portrait hole in James’ haste to pull them all through.
“What’s so bloody important then, you ponce?” James’ sigh was long and suffering, as if dealing with comrades so incompetent physically hurt him.
“I’ve had an epiphany,” he offered in all seriousness, a strange gleam in his eye. Sirius muttered to Remus, “Dear lord, let it not be like last time; took me hours to scrub Snape’s blood off that armor.”
James ignored them, and continued on, louder this time.
“We…” a moment of silence, meant to build suspense. Sirius rolled his eyes and kicked James in the shin.
“Ow … bloody Christ, you kick like a nancy boy … now listen: we … are going camping.”

There was a moment of silence, not so much shock, as confusion.
“I’m sorry,” Remus spoke up. “But I thought you said camping. Then I decided I must be going bonkers, you know, but I thought I might check.”
James stared.
“No, really, mates. It’ll be brilliant.”
“No, really, mate, you’re insane.”
“Shut up Sirius, you’re just jealous you didn’t think of it first.”
A snort. “Hardly. If I wanted to freeze my bits off I would at least choose a more creative way.”
“Oh, please, like how? Buggering a –"
Really not wanting to know what James was suggesting that Sirius bugger, Lily cut in.
“Well, I think it’s a wonderful idea. Very romantic.” James’ face heated up a bit, and grabbed Lily around the waist in quite the scene of blatant public affection. Only when Peter coughed, embarrassed, did they let up.
“Well, I’m in.” He said decisively. “Better check if I’ve got some extra warm socks, then.” And with that, he was off to their dormitory in search of any woolly articles of clothing he could get his paws on. Sirius was shaking his head in disbelief.
“You’re mad. Utterly, completely, totally mad. There is no way you could ever get me to go, not in a million years, never.”
Remus was looking thoughtful. “Well, I don’t think it’s such a bad idea, really.”
Sirius gaped at him. Remus caught the expression and frowned.
“We’ll have to check the moon chart, of course, to make sure it doesn’t fall on – you know – and I’ll have to make sure the weather will agree, and –" Remus trailed off, as he walked away distractedly, ticking off on his fingers what potential dangers could impede the plan.
Sirius tried hard to scowl at his back, but gave up.
Fine,” he growled. “I’m in.”
James grinned victoriously.

--

And so that left Sirius, annoyed at the prospect of having to leave behind warm fires and beds and cookies and mistletoe over every doorway to instead suffer the plight of a cruel winter evening in measly tents and snow intent on freezing his most sacred limbs. Worst of all, much worse even then having to listen to Peter’s excited chatter and the very clear view of James and Lily making disgustingly heterosexual faces at each other, was the fact that Remus, his only living form of sanity in this world, was not with them. He was resting after a particularly rough full moon in the hospital wing, but had promised adamantly that he would be joining them later on in the evening, right before Madam Pomphrey had forced a rather foul-smelling potion down his throat and shooed Sirius from the wing. The fact of the matter, more than mere boredom over the hike or the sheer coldness seeping through his bones, was that Sirius missed his lycanthrope friend, much more than he would have liked to admit. Remus added a certain something to any situation; perhaps it was the subtle sarcasm, or the clever but quite useless facts he seemed to always have on hand, or the ridiculous but well-intended jokes so rare and utterly treasured. Sirius and Remus had a peculiar relationship: friends who had become progressively closer over the years, and, when they hit that age where girls seemed to suddenly blossom and interests in co-ed activities other than ponytail pulling had grown, they had turned to each other rather than the ‘normality’ that their contemporaries had chosen. It had been frightening at first, but there had been a casualness and ease about the entire affair that had made the transition from friends to something-more fun and, dare he utter it, natural. Sharing each other’s beds as homesick eleven-years-olds hardly seemed that much different as libido-driven seventeen-year-olds. It was not as if they held hands or whispered sweet nothings in each other’s ears (other than when they were sure the other was quite asleep, of course); it was a relationship born of want and need, passion and familiarity, and neither felt the need to find the same elsewhere. Much to the frustration and disappointment of the females of the school, who would devote long conversations to the gorgeous Black rogue, so distant and devilish, with an undiluted carelessness about him that the young ladies found sexy and mysterious. However, it was not long before they accepted that confirmed bachelor Sirius Black was simply finally buckling down in his schoolwork. Or at least, that was what they assumed he was doing during his long hours spent in the library.

Sirius was lost in contemplation of his own heart-breaking skills and the satisfaction of creeping into Remus’ deliciously warm bed after boring school days and aggravating evenings of giggling masses. So far gone was he, imagining soft, secret caresses under the dinner table, that he practically floated through the rest of the walk. He set up the tent without complaint, much to the surprise of everyone else. He answered questions with either biting annoyance or cool distraction, and kept looking around, as if waiting for something much more exciting then his current companions. Which, unbeknownst to them, he was. It was only when he’d sat down to the task of lighting a fire when he stopped looking around distractedly, completely enthralled with his task, setting the wood up just so, prodding the pile with his wand, eager for warmth as quickly as possible. It was then that a certain werewolf arrived, trudging quietly through the snow, slightly pale cheeks flushed attractively with scarlet, puffing a little from an exhausting night and long walk. Peter noticed him first, yelling brightly and smiling, patting his friend on the back and offering to make him a cup of tea, disappearing into one of the tents. Sirius looked up sharply, and dropped his wand into the snow at the sight. The sun was setting behind Remus, bathing him in warm light, and making his rosy face glow. Such a wondrous, unanticipated sight made Sirius’ breath catch in his throat, his face heat up, and a familiar jolt occur somewhere in the region of his heart.
Unfortunately, the sudden tightening of his chest at the delirium-inducing sight was also the cause of a sudden coughing fit that shook his body, begeted both from the cold and from the ash he was breathing in from sitting so close the fire. Remus was at his side in an instant, patting his back and looking down at him from under heavy lashed with bashful concern. James just laughed at him, and when Sirius looked up from the circle of Remus’ welcomed arms to scowl at him, he noticed that Lily was not sharing her boyfriend’s amusement; she was watching them, a thoughtful expression on her face, mouth turned up into a knowing, slightly smug, expression. Her eyes twinkled and, with a wink at Sirius, tugged James’ mouth down to hers, distracting the bespectacled boy long enough to allow Sirius to do the same to Remus. When they pulled away, slightly flushed, they both looked automatically over to the couple across the fire, wary and nervous, but James had his hands in Lily’s hair and was plundering her eager mouth with complete abandonment. Sirius pulled a mock-disgusted face at the performance, but couldn’t help but grin, shy but unembarrassed, up at Remus. He wanted to tackle the other boy into the snow, which looked much warmer and inviting now, and roll around in perfect childishness … but he didn’t move at all, afraid that mature, older-than-his-years Monsieur Lupin would frown and look down at him for wanting things so far in their past. He knew he ought to leave things like that behind, being so close to a man as he was, but he didn’t want to. It seemed to him that once they left school, leaving certain juvenility behind would mean leaving this strange, indefinable relationship behind as well, the most constant part of his life lately. He just could not, would not, allow it to pass him by. In a fit of unrestrained affection, he wrapped an arm tightly around Remus’ shoulders, who automatically collapsed slightly against him, head falling into the comfortable little nook between shoulder and neck. Sirius was stroking his hair softly, unconsciously, and after some encouragement, Remus was telling him softly about his morning, after they had left him, when Peter sauntered out, a tray of mugs in his arms.
“I could kiss you right now, Petes, mate,” Sirius moaned in satisfaction as he slugged down his hot chocolate, the creamy liquid sliding smoothly down his throat. Peter flushed a little at what he assumed was praise, but sent an odd look Sirius’ way. Something about the way he’d said it made Peter doubt his teasing. He wouldn’t put it past the man, somehow, to make good on his suggestion. Especially after watching Sirius with a certain sandy-haired werewolf, all tender gestures and alarmingly frequent embraces. But no matter, Peter thought as he sat down, surrounded by his closest friends, and he stopped worrying about the boy’s – almost a man, really - homoerotic tendencies.

It wasn’t the biggest surprise when Sirius finally snapped. He generally hated silence and stillness, favouring chaos and whirlwinds of activity instead. He broke the comfortable silence, bored of watching the snow drift across the Hogwarts grounds, because despite how pretty the picture was, his feet were freezing and wet, and it was not entirely pleasant at all. It was not so much the breaking of the moment, where the world seemed to stop and zoom in on this tender instant of nostalgia, but how he took to doing it.

Reaching down behind him, discrete as you please, he began to pat the snow, gathering it under his hands slowly and meticulously. It formed a ball between his gloved fingers easily, while a wide, almost nasty smile blossomed on his lips. Had Sniv – er, Snape been there, he would have recognized it and ran for his life. As it were …

James never saw it coming. One moment he was appreciated the way Lily’s eyes glittered in the last moments of sunlight, and how adorable her nose was all pink, and that satin red hair that simply begged to be stroked – and the next, he was wet and sputtering, an uncomfortable amount of snow running through his hair, down his face and into his eyes, and soaking his neck and chest. And Sirius was howling in laughter, already on his feet in defense, obviously interpreting James’ shocked and appalled face as an immediate threat to his well-being.

He couldn’t have been more right.

James lunged at him, toppling them both into a large snow bank. Remus leapt out of the way, rolling his eyes as he watched the two wizards wrestle, trying to immerse the other in as much snow as possible. Peter was howling in laughter, and Lily had her face screwed up trying not to do the same. James managed to shove a handful down Sirius’ top, which caused him to yelp and squirm, and Remus cringed for him. James took an ill-placed moment to laugh and point, which left his abdomen free for pummeling. Sirius barreled into him, knocking the wind out of James, and shoved some snow into his open mouth. While James was sputtering and spitting, Sirius leaped up, and ran for cover – cover being, apparently, hiding behind Remus and sneaking glances out from behind him every few seconds. James spat out suspiciously coloured snow and glared heavily at the crouching figure.
“Step away from the fugitive, Remus,” he said calmly. Remus gulped, and put his arms out a bit, as if to shield Sirius.
“Sorry mate, no can do.” He flashed an apologetic smile at the unruly mop that was currently hiding what must have been a nasty look. James shook his head to free his hair in an action eerily reminiscent of Padfoot.
“You can’t hide forever, Black!” He yelled, shaking his fist. Remus found it all quite melodramatic. Sirius smirked, and stuck his tongue out.
“My big, strong Remus will protect me!” Sirius’ voice had climbed at least two octaves and sounded suspiciously like Peter’s had until just two years earlier. Remus couldn’t help but smirk a little at the mental image of Sirius in a maiden gown and him in shining white armor, and if his chest puffed up just a little at the words, well, no one but him would know. Of course, Sirius had to ruin his fantasy at that very moment by pinching his buttock.
The yelp that sprung from his lips had to be turned into a quick coughing fit so as not to arouse suspicion. Lily gave them both odd, calculating looks.
Sirius was whacking Remus on the back, and so didn’t notice Peter’s snowball until it had hit him in the back of the head. It caused him to stumble forward and startle a still jumpy Remus so badly they both toppled to the ground. Remus soon found himself crushed between a very solid lump by the name of Sirius Black, and a very solid lump by the name of – rock. Which had just connected with head. His, to be exact.
Sirius wouldn’t have been too mad, had he not ended up squashing Remus. He might not have held Peter’s head under the snow for a little longer than necessary had he not heard the long, unhappy groan from under him. And he really never would have attacked Lily if it hadn’t been so close to the full moon and if the large bruise on Remus’ forehead hadn’t been so terrible, and he hadn’t looked so downright miserable.
As it were, all of these things happened, because Sirius could not stand the thought of hurting Remus more than was strictly necessary in a bedroom environment while Remus was in top health and eager to reciprocate.

It was a vicious attack. Peter found himself suffocated with snow and Lily had sopping hair by the end. James had been too busy helping Remus up - who looked strangely disoriented, but not so much that he didn’t slap the helping hands away and stand up himself – to save Lily. However, the redhead took it upon herself to get back at Sirius, and managed a lump of snow down his pants before she’d escaped. She took refuge behind Peter.
All very soaked, but laughing merrily despite, they entered one of the tents. It smelled suspiciously of potion, and Sirius apologized, saying it was his dear cousin Bella’s, and who really knew what she spent her time doing anyway. Drying off became too much of an issue and all the young men ended up in their underwear, with their clothes draped about the room. Remus had gone a little overboard with his warming charms, waving his wand at everything in site. Lily had declined the invitation to strip down to her underthings, and was wrapped in a large, fluffy robe she had nicked from the prefect’s bathroom. James had wrapped his arms around her, under the pretense of warming her up with his “man heat,” as he so eloquently put it, despite the almost overwhelming heat of the little tent. Sirius had snuggled right up to Remus, teeth chattering, nudging Remus’ shoulder with his nose as he tried to burrow further into their shared blanket. Remus squirmed a little, and pinched his friend’s arm to warn him against outright affection in front of their friends. Sirius just pouted, and stated loudly that he reckoned he might’ve caught pneumonia, and wouldn’t Remus feel guilty if Sirius died because he’d been too mean to share body heat? Remus bit his tongue to keep himself from snapping at Sirius that the only reason he even knew that pneumonia was a lung infection and not an STD – which he’d originally thought, the stereotypical Muggle-ignorant wizard that he was – was because Remus had spent an entire evening explaining it. Instead, Remus allowed what he hoped was a long-suffering sigh and tugged the blankets around them more tightly, to hide the hand he’d playfully placed on Sirius’ thigh. He got a raised eyebrow for that, but the Animagus just placed his own hand on top of Remus’ gently, and smiled fondly at the scene around him. Peter was sitting next to James, eating a chocolate frog (Remus wondered if there were more where that came from, and began inconspicuously searching around) and not paying the least bit of attention. Lily was reading a mystery novel, apparently enthralled, and James was alternately reading over her shoulder and whispering decidedly naughty things in her ear. Whether Lily was giggling quietly over that, or her novel, was a mystery Remus decided should be kept to herself. That was one haunting mental vision he didn’t need.

They discussed everything that night – from the newest Bowie album to the intricate politics of the time (“First female Department of Mystery employed last week, did you know? Cutest arse in the building,” stated Peter, almost perceptively). It was a bonding experience none of them would easily forget, but it was based on early nostalgia and a sadness rooted in fear. It was a big, scary world out there, Sirius decided, staring at Remus, who was giggling around a large bar of chocolate that had appeared out of nowhere. Lily had fallen asleep in the crook of James’ arm, and they seemed to have settled in for the night, from the way James had arranged the pillows and blankets around them like a cocoon. Sirius smiled secretly at the pair, and nudged Peter with his toe. Getting the hint, Peter grinned: a rare, small smile of understanding, and pulled himself up and into one of the free bedrooms. There was another tent, just a few meters away, but Sirius simply couldn’t bring himself to drag Remus out in the cold again, not when those warming charms were licking at his feet pleasantly and Remus was so pliant and soft in his sleepiness. Secretly, as he gently brought Remus up with him, Sirius decided the trip hadn’t been such a dreadful idea after all. Guiding Remus to the other bedroom, he took a moment to bury his face in the messy locks, giving a quick kiss to the delectable neck in front of him. Remus squirmed out of his grasp, determined to walk on his own, and terrified of what he might do to Sirius if the other continued to apply such tender administrations on his body. Sirius had been playing with him all night – little touches of flirtation and foreplay. Remus would be lying if he said he had tried to stop it, or even hadn’t reciprocated, but he was nervous about the others in the tiny tent, who were sure to hear any less-than-appropriate noises they might make. But then, Lily and James looked far too exhausted to wake, and if Peter’s own snoring didn’t even cause him to stir, then …

Sirius had realized, slowly in his tired state, that it was considerably past midnight – more precisely, it was Christmas Day. He had been about to whisper his yuletide greetings to Remus, when he found himself being dragged towards a very warm, very compliant body.
“Mmmmmm,” was all he could manage, immediately bringing a hand up to tangle in the knots of his friend’s hair, eagerly kissing back. Remus’ lips were indescribably soft beneath his, and covered in chocolate. The smell filled his nose and he wanted more, pushing his tongue between flesh and teeth to feel a mouth succulent with delicious flavour. Their tongues twirled around each other, evasive and teasing, while Remus ran his hand slowly down Sirius’ back and to the waistband of his shorts. The warm cover slipped away and despite the charms surrounding them the air still seemed cool against their hot skin. Remus ran his other hand up and down the chest bared to him, the enticing span of skin too much to resist. Goose bumps rose on his arms, his neck, everywhere Sirius chose to touch him. Finally he wrapped both arms tightly around the other boy and pulled him quickly into the little bedroom, with its one single bed, kicking the door shut behind them. Sirius smirked, more than a little naughtily, and yanked the yielding lips back to his own. He couldn’t get enough of Remus tonight (not that he truly ever could, but usually he could control himself) and tugged at his lover’s underclothes with vigor. Remus stepped out of the black pool of cloth and found himself pushed onto the bed. Not to be outdone, he reached for Sirius’ shorts, but found his hand pushed away. He attempted to pout, and Sirius chuckled under his breath at the sight.
“Don’t do that to me, you know I can’t stand seeing that lip stuck out like that. I almost attack you at school when you do that. Imagine what Binns would say if I jumped you during a particularly intense discussion of the Goblin wars?” He nipped at the offending lip to prove his point. Remus pinched his nipple in response.
“You talk too much.”
Breathlessly, “Hmm … mouth shut … understood, captain.”
It didn’t take long for Sirius to decide that keeping his mouth shut was a decidedly better choice than the alternative.
In fact, the moment he felt those soft, kissed-bruised lips on his skin, any thought he might’ve had flew from his mind. He gave a shudder of delight when he felt Remus remove his shorts, and the small graze of fingers over his hipbones left a tingling sensation behind. They lay back on the bed, and Remus straddled Sirius’ body eagerly. Leaning over him, Remus laved a long trail of heat from just below the ear all the way to his collarbone with his tongue. He was careful to balance himself in such away that no part of their lower bodies touched, even when Sirius squirmed beneath him, trying to make the contact he craved. Remus ran a hand down Sirius’ chest, mapping the contours of his waste, the outline of ribs, the path of dark hair under his navel. He touched that beautiful jut of bones again and, fascinated, he shimmied down to where he was eye level with them, kissing and licking them tenderly. While his hipbones were incredibly erotic, he would admit, Sirius was getting rather frustrated with the current course of events. He was quivering slightly under the pressure, and ground upwards, intent on initiating some sort of contact of their lower halves. Remus pushed quickly down on his hipbones, and shook his head, mock-seriously. Without words he propelled himself upwards, taking one of Sirius’ nipples in his mouth for a moment on his way up. He kissed his friend’s mouth, quickly and roughly, and then shook the hands away that were wrapped around his waste. He ignored the question in Sirius’ eyes and dragged the other boy’s arms over his head, to where they were crossed and held them in place for a moment. He had no wand to magically secure them up, but had noticed the long white ribbon lying innocently on the bedside table. It was Lily’s, no doubt a forgotten souvenir from when she had changed earlier and fixed her wet hair. Remus picked it up with a wicked grin, and waved it in front of Sirius’ eyes, a silent question, is this all right?
Sirius paused a moment, then nodded, uncertainty in his eyes. Remus tied his hands over his head and to the bedpost quickly, and then placed a soft kiss on his lips. Then, without further ado, he crept down that lovely body to where his mate’s erection stood wantonly. Realizing suddenly what Remus meant to do, Sirius’ eyes widened, and his pulse sped up further, the blood rushing past his eyes and nearly deafening him. They’d never done that, hadn’t even come close, it had always been hands or arse, but never had either of them gone down on the other. Sirius had always had the nasty image of the Slytherin girls on their knees in the loo when he thought of that, not Remus and him in a cozy little tent on Christmas. He suddenly found the notion more appealing than ever. Especially when Remus gave his head a quick kiss … before engulfing it with his mouth.
Sirius thought he might die. Remus’ mouth was so hot he wondered detachedly whether he would implode, burnt up from the inside out. He was just getting used to the sensation when he was taken deeper into that delicious little inferno, heaven and hell all at once, and then there was tongue and oh, that right there was absolutely perfect. Remus hummed around him, laving in quick, teasing strokes. He pulled away for a moment, and Sirius groaned low in his throat. He opened his eyes finally, and though the image was slightly blurred and hazy, Remus lying over him like that was more than erotic, it was gorgeous. Sirius wanted nothing more at that moment to wrap his arms around his lover, to caress that scarred back, to love him with his mouth as Remus was doing to him. Or to sink into Remus, to plunge into a very different sort of warmth. Or even better, to allow Remus to fill him. Sirius groaned again, grinding his hips into the bed this time, to stop himself from bucking upwards into Remus’ face. Come on, please, come on, he thought desperately, and only when he saw Remus’ eyes widen slightly did he realize it had been out loud. Remus dipped back down, kissed up and down the base of his erection, before drawing it into his mouth once again. He scraped his teeth along it ever so lightly, and didn’t even bother to restrain Sirius when he bucked upwards into his mouth. But the moment he’d deep-throated him, Sirius pulled back suddenly, as if he was trying to take back the movement by retreating completely. Remus looked up curiously, and saw the nervous, almost scared look on Sirius’ face and realized he hadn’t meant to shove his cock down the other man’s throat at all. He looked apologetic, and Remus shook his head in response to the question in his eyes.
“It’s ok,” he muttered, over and over, as he was already preparing to take Sirius in again. A moment later, a slightly abashed Sirius seemed to gain some confidence, and began to move, stiffly at first, with Remus. Encouraged by the moan he felt vibrate from Remus throat and his nod, Sirius started to move more freely, and soon they were both slamming forwards; Remus eager to take in everything he could, and Sirius desiring to enjoy as much of the succulent heat that he could. Unsurprisingly it didn’t take Sirius long to finish, exploding into Remus mouth, the feeling never-ending, his arms straining against their captor. Remus caught every delectable drop, sucking until he was sure there was none left. Then he pulled away to gasp for breath, lying his head down between those revered hipbones for a moment. The gesture had Sirius pulling frantically at the knotted ribbon around his wrists, for he wanted to touch Remus more than ever, to thank him properly for his hard work, as it were. There was one of his very best friends, his lover, prostrated across his own body, after having given him the most amazing pleasure he’d ever experienced. Sirius was aching with the desire to caress him, to honour him, to do that act justice, even if he had no idea how. Still venerating the taste in his mouth, Remus turned his head to place a kiss on the skin beneath him, and finally brought himself up to once again balance above Sirius. He kissed the bruised lips softly, once, twice, then again, and again, until Sirius, rather unexpectedly, shook his head quickly and turned his head to the side. Remus pulled away, confusion burning in his eyes, and began to get up, thinking Sirius had had enough. Sirius didn’t trust himself to speak at that moment, but managed to emit a gurgled sound of indignation at the loss of contact, and began a panicked pulling at his hands. Remus glanced up at the movement, and seemed to realize that his partner was still bound up and unable to do much at all, much to his obvious frustration. The corner of Remus’ lips tugged upwards apologetically, and reached up to undo the knot. A few tries later and Sirius was running his hands all over Remus, pulling him down and meeting his lips with renewed vitality. He plundered that very capable mouth with every talent his tongue possessed, tasting himself and finding it surprisingly erotic. He slid his palms over Remus’ tight arse, down to his thighs were he could get some leverage to pull Remus up slightly. He spread his legs and bent them at the knees, a clear signal to Remus of what he wanted. And by the way Remus’ erection pulsed against his leg, it was evident how much he wanted it as well. Sirius kissed him on the cheek, a rare gesture of romance, and Remus ducked his head under the pretence of ravishing Sirius’ neck to hide his blush. Realizing he didn’t have anything to prepare himself with, he began to look around them. Opening the drawer of the bedside table, he rummaged about for a few minutes, before coming up with a tube of lubricant. Sirius looked mildly disgusted.
“What the hell does Bella use this tent for? Mass orgies?”
Remus chuckled a little.
“I do hope you bought her a Christmas gift for this,” he said mildly as he unscrewed the cap. Sirius rolled his eyes, and plucked it from his fingers. He squirted some out before chucking it back into the drawer. Then he reached down and grasped Remus in his hand. There was a slight hitch in Remus’ breath when he touched him, and Sirius closed his eyes, hearing that slight intake of breath over and over in his mind, knowing it would forever echo there as some bizarre sort of proof that this had actually occurred, was occurring, and was not just a fantasy created within his mind. He moved his hand languidly up and down the shaft, until Remus drew away with a moan. He didn’t want to finish before he’d had a chance to be inside Sirius, have that lovely tight arse surround him completely. He poised himself at the entrance, and, achingly slow, slid into Sirius. Remus’ eyes fell closed, and his mouth opened slightly in utter bliss. Just the look on his face had Sirius half hard in an instance. He leaned up and just touched their lips together, one open mouth under another, not even bothering to kiss properly. Remus relaxed slightly, sinking his mouth onto Sirius’, but neither felt the need to move at that moment. They were completely still for one perfect second, before Remus could not take the tightness around him for another minute, and began to move slowly. He pulled out completely and Sirius moaned, his mouth slipping down to Remus’ chin, where he bit down. In frustration he moved his head until it was beside Remus’, resting cheek to cheek. He gasped, the sound strangled, when Remus entered him once again. Remus’ chest was heaving, he could barely contain himself from just slamming forward over and over, and the effort was costing him his breath. His arms shook, and Sirius wrapped his arms around him to steady him, caressing his back gently. He brought his hips up to meet Remus, forcing their pace to quicken, letting Remus know he was ready to up the ante as Remus so wished. Remus sucked on the tender place between Sirius’ jaw bone and his ear, causing Sirius’ moans to turn to aching little mewls. Remus pulled out, only to slam back in again, over and over, until he was calling Sirius’ name out into the night, almost sobbing in his pleasure. Sirius grasped his own erection, pumping frantically in time with Remus’ thrusts. They came together, gasping and groaning in complete abandon. Remus collapsed onto of Sirius, shaking slightly, trying to take in air as his racing heart strained to return to normal. Sirius kissed his hair, his ear, his cheek, his eyelids – anywhere he could reach. When his limbs didn’t feel like they would defy him any more, Remus slid out of Sirius, eliciting a sigh of loss from them both. He fell to Sirius’ side, their skin still plastered together, trying to get as close as possible. Sirius managed to yank the covers over them without losing contact with Remus, although in his opinion only impossibly close, only as one, would he ever be satisfied. Remus wrapped his free arm around Sirius’ waist, nuzzling his sweaty neck. All of his senses were being invaded by the other’s presence, and yet still he couldn’t get enough. He felt drugged and he loathed the thought that he might ever have to come down from the high.
Sirius stared down at the mop of hair under his chin as well as he could in his sleepy state, and felt an odd sensation in his belly. It wasn’t unusual for him to feel it in Remus’ presence, but he found that only lately he was beginning to understand it. With a lump in his throat he reached out to gently run his fingers up Remus’ spine, feeling every vertebra under his touch. Remus looked up hazily at the unusual action, and Sirius smiled softly down at him. Remus couldn’t help but return it, but his eyes held some curiosity in them. Sirius ducked down to place his parted lips atop Remus’, as he had done earlier, and mouthed what he was feeling as best as he could express in words.
I adore you.
It took him a moment, but Remus understood. His lips tugged up slightly at the corners, but he didn’t move away.
I worship you.
The smile grew wider.
I need you.
Remus pressed his lips to Sirius’, kissing him exuberantly.
But Sirius pulled back a bit, so their lips parted for only the briefest of moments.
I love you.
So soft, it might as well have been silent. And then his lips were on Remus’, crushing any response the other boy might have.
When they pulled away, breathless with eyes shining, Remus tried to glare a bit at Sirius for not allowing a response. It was an impossible task, and he just burst out laughing instead. Sirius stared for a moment, before giving in, chuckling with a mixture of happiness and relief. He couldn’t remember feeling so nervous around Remus as he had in that moment between what was practically a vow and this moment. At least Remus was laughing, and not throwing on his clothes and rushing to get away. It wasn’t exactly a declaration of love, but Sirius had come to find laughter was highly preferable to other forms of responses. Remus seemed to sober almost on cue. He cocked his head a little, and still smiling, leaned in to whisper conspiratorially.
“Love you too.”
He’d barely got it out before he was being ravished again, Sirius’ mouth on his, half kissing and half laughing. When they pulled away Remus kissed Sirius on the cheek.
“Crazed romantic fool,” he said fondly, and Sirius shrugged.
“Can’t help it, when you’re laying there … so delectable after shagging me three ways from Sunday.” Remus snorted and rolled his eyes.
“Next you’ll be asking my parents for my hand in marriage.” Sirius’ eyes widened comically.
“That reminds me! I made an appointment to have your dress fitted for next week – don’t worry, it’ll be off-white, so no one will talk.” Sirius tried in vain to dodge the hand that swatted him upside the head.

It was not a night for sleeping, but for drowsy declarations of love, and gentle teasing, and bouts of irrepressible laughter that hit them without warning.

They held hands, fingers twining and fitting together as if naturally formed to do so. This time, when they whispered sweet nothings in each other’s ears, they didn’t wait for sleep to hide the words.

They got up early to sit outside and watch the sunrise, and this time Sirius didn’t disturb the silence by throwing snowballs. He did, however, distract himself by tackling Remus into the snow, who laughed delightedly and fought back with vivacity. They tumbled in the snow until James interrupted them, bleary-eyed and grumpy, and demanded to know what the hell they were doing up at such an ungodly hour, and why they hadn’t woken him as well. Sirius smirked and flung a handful of snow at his friend, who retreated quickly back inside quickly when he heard Lily’s voice calling out to him. Sirius rolled his eyes and collapsed beside Remus.
“That boy is whipped,” he muttered, and then turned to Remus with suspicious eyes.
“Hey, when we’re married you’re not going to boss me around like some common house elf, are you?” He didn’t even bother trying to evade Remus’ attack that time, because he knew he deserved it. Chuckling happily, and stealing fond glances at the other from time to time, the pair made their way inside where Peter was cooking up something that smelled almost like breakfast. The two young lovers shot looks at each other as often as possible, completely unaware half the time that anyone else was around. Sirius found there was little point in pretending, as Remus and him would obviously be together for quite some time (he’d only been half kidding about the wedding thing), and he didn’t restrain himself too much. Only enough, at any rate, to keep Lily guessing.

The redhead was watching two of her friends with mild uncertainty, and more than a little curiosity. Something had changed between them, it was written all over their faces by the pink cheeks, shy smiles, the way Sirius was looking at Remus as if he had never seen the other boy before. As if he was awakening from a bleary dream and seeing the world clearly for the very first time.

But then, Lily decided, glancing around their cozy little tent that held all the people she adored most, that could just be wintertide bliss.

--

fin.

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