FIC: The Wee Small Hours
Title: The Wee Small Hours
Fandom: Harry Potter
Pairing: Remus/Sirius, James/Lily
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I own nothing you might recognize.
Summary: A quiet Christmas Eve.
Author's Notes/Warnings: No warnings, really. Written for moony for the 2006 R/S Small Gift Fic Exchange. (The prompt was 1. Post-Hogwarts/Pre-Azkaban; 2. Remus and Lily; 3. Midnight Mass.)
They were walking home from Midnight Mass, snow falling gently above, down and around them, gracefully setting onto the cold street and house steps around them. James and Sirius were walking a bit ahead, the sound of their laughter drifting back down the street. Remus and Lily were walking arm in arm behind them, Remus making a game of trying to fit his feet into the footprints Sirius had just left in the newly fallen snow.
"I thought you said you'd take care of him tonight," Lily said, and Remus blinked, awakened out of his quiet concentration.
Lily's hair was down, and snowflakes were alighting on the red strands one by one, covering her head like dew. Remus smiled.
"I did! I checked all his pockets - pants, jacket, coat. I even confiscated his wand." Remus dug into his own coat pocket and produced Sirius' wand. "We had a very long conversation about mass. I thought he was prepared."
"Right," Lily said, though she was smiling.
"Once we got inside, he was fine," Remus protested, putting Sirius' wand back in his pocket.
"Except that before we got inside he turned into a dog and terrorized the old people before trying to go into the church, leaving muddy paw prints all over the narthex," Lily expertly summed up.
"There was no way I could control that," Remus said. Lily looked at him. "I couldn't! And it was your husband who was laughing so hysterically I thought the priest would throw us out."
"Poor Father Michael," Lily agreed. Remus followed her gaze to where she was watching Sirius and James scuffle a bit in a mock fight ahead of them.
"Besides, it was James who nearly set the church on fire," Remus added.
Lily rolled her eyes. "Pureblood wizard who has been around candles as his main source of light his entire life. Bring him to one candlelight service and he sets the sleeve of his suit jacket on fire."
"Good thing you were pretty quick with that wandless extinguishing spell."
"When you live with James, you learn to be prepared for all possibilities," Lily said.
"Are you sure this is the man you want to be the father of your child?" Remus asked.
Lily smiled. "It's a little late for that now, don't you think, Remus?"
Remus grinned in answer. Too late indeed, considering Lily was due to deliver a baby boy in late July.
Lily and Remus shared happy smiles before Remus shook his head. "I still can't believe -"
"What?"
"That James is reproducing," Remus finished.
"Oh ye of little faith, Remus," Lily said.
"I have all the faith in the world in you, Lily," Remus said, causing Lily to blush. "It's the idea of Prongs being a dad . . ."
Lily laughed. "James'll be a great dad," she said.
Remus pretended to think about it. "True. And you'll be a fantastic mum."
Lily blushed again, the flush in her face visible even by the light of the lamp posts around them.
They were silent for a few minutes, the sound of James and Sirius' voices and the crunch of their footsteps the only sounds around them.
"Do you think it's too soon?" Lily asked suddenly.
Remus frowned. "Too soon?"
"For a baby, I mean. We're so young, and everything's so . . . uncertain."
Remus heard the slight fear in Lily's voice, and though he understood it, somehow he knew this was the perfect thing, and the perfect time, for Lily and James. "Lily, I. Let's just say that on a day when we celebrate the birth of one special little boy, I think there's every reason that we should celebrate the impending arrival of another." He used the arm already linked with Lily's to pull her closer to his side in a wee embrace. Lily smiled and rested her head on his shoulder for a moment.
"Thank you, Remus," she said.
Remus smiled. "Any time."
They walked on for a few minutes until they reached the steps of James and Lily's building. James was waiting on the top step, a hand held out for Lily, Sirius beside him. Lily gave Remus' arm one last squeeze before going up the steps and taking James' hand.
James kissed Lily quickly before turning to Sirius and Remus. "We'll see you lot tomorrow," James said, wagging his finger in Sirius' general direction.
"Right, captain," Sirius said. "Our flat, ten o'clock."
"Ten, Sirius, not two," James replied.
"Oi! You're not my dad," Sirius protested, but he was grinning.
"Just practicing," Remus said. Lily giggled.
"While I'm at it, do clean up first, too," James said. "That place smells like a dog lives there."
"A dog does live there," Remus said.
"I mean metaphorically," James replied.
"Oh. I meant literally," Remus clarified, earning himself a slight push from Sirius. He skidded a bit on the slippery step, but easily kept himself upright.
"Alright, enough you lot," Lily said, coming forward to kiss both Remus and Sirius on the cheek. "Good night."
"Good night, Lily," Remus said easily. "'Night, Prongs."
"Moony," James inclined his head. "Padfoot," James added, raising an eyebrow.
"Lily. Dad," Sirius said, ducking back down the steps before James could exact retribution. Remus sighed and followed, waving goodnight to James and Lily as they stepped into the foyer of their building.
Sirius was already walking toward their flat, and Remus caught up, shaking his head. "Enjoying taking the piss out of James, aren't you?" he asked.
Sirius grinned, a flash of white teeth and all mischief, and Remus' heart skidded along for a few beats. "Aw, Moony, I'm only winding him up. Only because I think it's fantastic."
Remus smiled back. "I know."
"I'm to be godfather, you know."
"You've only told me about a hundred and eight times already."
"Oh." Sirius paused. "Are you disappointed?"
"About what?"
"That it's not to be you," Sirius said.
Remus shook his head. "You're James' best mate. And with Ministry laws being what they are . . ." Remus trailed off. He could see Sirius' face set into an angry growl just at the mention of the Ministry.
They left it at that, walking along a bit, reaching a more commercial section of wizarding London, with darkened shop windows and Christmas decorations.
As they passed by a shop selling racing brooms and Quidditch gear, Sirius paused to look in the window, the light from a nearby lamp post turning his black hair nearly blue. Remus, used to stopping in front of every broom shop when he was with James or Sirius, stopped too, standing next to Sirius in front of the window.
"The boy's going to need a broom . . . he'll probably be brilliant at Quidditch, if he's anything like James. The Nimbus 500 comes out this summer," Sirius said.
Remus laughed, the sound echoing down the street. Sirius turned at the sound and smiled, causing Remus' heart to skip a few more beats.
"I think he'll be a little too small for a broom next summer," Remus said.
Sirius laughed, too. "Maybe the one after that, then."
"By the time he's ready for a Quidditch standard broom, the Nimbus 500 will probably be an ancient model," Remus said.
Sirius looked thoughtful. "I'll just have to get him whatever is top of the line when he's ready then," he said, before turning to Remus with a look that Remus' couldn't quite identify.
"That's what I love about you, Moony," Sirius said. "Always thinking ahead."
Remus shrugged. "That's what you have me here for, Padfoot," he said lightly.
"Indeed," Sirius said, reaching a hand out to finger the label of Remus' coat, his eyes a bit darker, more intense, than usual.
Remus, feeling suddenly that there was something here that was different, something that was new and electric in the air, backed up a bit, hitting the lamppost with his back by mistake.
Sirius followed, stepping forward, his hand gripping Remus' coat even tighter.
"Sirius -" was all Remus managed before Sirius leaned forward all the way and kissed him, mouth very warm against Remus' in the cold night air.
Later, Remus would swear he had stopped breathing, stopped existing, in those first few moments of Sirius' kiss. By the time Sirius pulled away, eyes searching Remus' face in the soft light, Remus was certainly breathless and shaking.
"What?" Remus asked, unconsciously licking his lips.
Sirius was still studying Remus carefully, snow caught between his neck and the collar of his coat. "I've wanted to do that for the longest time, Moony, you don't even know," he said.
"What?" Remus asked again.
Sirius grinned, and Remus willed his heart to stop beating thunder in his ears. "I've wanted to kiss you for ages, Remus. Years, probably."
"I -" Remus said.
"You really didn't know?"
"Er -"
Sirius leaned forward and kissed Remus again, and this time Remus made a valiant effort to kiss back, pouring all the worry and longing and frustration and hope of the last few years of knowing Sirius into the kiss. When they broke apart, this time it was Sirius who was breathless.
Sirius rested his forehead on Remus' shoulder. "God, Moony."
Remus turned his head a bit, kissing Sirius' ear. "Is this why you always do the washing up?" he asked.
Sirius picked his head up, smiling. "It is a sign of my unshakable devotion. See, you did know," he said.
As they stood there in the middle of the London night, kissing under the light of the lamppost, Remus had to admit that maybe, just maybe, he had.
Fandom: Harry Potter
Pairing: Remus/Sirius, James/Lily
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I own nothing you might recognize.
Summary: A quiet Christmas Eve.
Author's Notes/Warnings: No warnings, really. Written for moony for the 2006 R/S Small Gift Fic Exchange. (The prompt was 1. Post-Hogwarts/Pre-Azkaban; 2. Remus and Lily; 3. Midnight Mass.)
They were walking home from Midnight Mass, snow falling gently above, down and around them, gracefully setting onto the cold street and house steps around them. James and Sirius were walking a bit ahead, the sound of their laughter drifting back down the street. Remus and Lily were walking arm in arm behind them, Remus making a game of trying to fit his feet into the footprints Sirius had just left in the newly fallen snow.
"I thought you said you'd take care of him tonight," Lily said, and Remus blinked, awakened out of his quiet concentration.
Lily's hair was down, and snowflakes were alighting on the red strands one by one, covering her head like dew. Remus smiled.
"I did! I checked all his pockets - pants, jacket, coat. I even confiscated his wand." Remus dug into his own coat pocket and produced Sirius' wand. "We had a very long conversation about mass. I thought he was prepared."
"Right," Lily said, though she was smiling.
"Once we got inside, he was fine," Remus protested, putting Sirius' wand back in his pocket.
"Except that before we got inside he turned into a dog and terrorized the old people before trying to go into the church, leaving muddy paw prints all over the narthex," Lily expertly summed up.
"There was no way I could control that," Remus said. Lily looked at him. "I couldn't! And it was your husband who was laughing so hysterically I thought the priest would throw us out."
"Poor Father Michael," Lily agreed. Remus followed her gaze to where she was watching Sirius and James scuffle a bit in a mock fight ahead of them.
"Besides, it was James who nearly set the church on fire," Remus added.
Lily rolled her eyes. "Pureblood wizard who has been around candles as his main source of light his entire life. Bring him to one candlelight service and he sets the sleeve of his suit jacket on fire."
"Good thing you were pretty quick with that wandless extinguishing spell."
"When you live with James, you learn to be prepared for all possibilities," Lily said.
"Are you sure this is the man you want to be the father of your child?" Remus asked.
Lily smiled. "It's a little late for that now, don't you think, Remus?"
Remus grinned in answer. Too late indeed, considering Lily was due to deliver a baby boy in late July.
Lily and Remus shared happy smiles before Remus shook his head. "I still can't believe -"
"What?"
"That James is reproducing," Remus finished.
"Oh ye of little faith, Remus," Lily said.
"I have all the faith in the world in you, Lily," Remus said, causing Lily to blush. "It's the idea of Prongs being a dad . . ."
Lily laughed. "James'll be a great dad," she said.
Remus pretended to think about it. "True. And you'll be a fantastic mum."
Lily blushed again, the flush in her face visible even by the light of the lamp posts around them.
They were silent for a few minutes, the sound of James and Sirius' voices and the crunch of their footsteps the only sounds around them.
"Do you think it's too soon?" Lily asked suddenly.
Remus frowned. "Too soon?"
"For a baby, I mean. We're so young, and everything's so . . . uncertain."
Remus heard the slight fear in Lily's voice, and though he understood it, somehow he knew this was the perfect thing, and the perfect time, for Lily and James. "Lily, I. Let's just say that on a day when we celebrate the birth of one special little boy, I think there's every reason that we should celebrate the impending arrival of another." He used the arm already linked with Lily's to pull her closer to his side in a wee embrace. Lily smiled and rested her head on his shoulder for a moment.
"Thank you, Remus," she said.
Remus smiled. "Any time."
They walked on for a few minutes until they reached the steps of James and Lily's building. James was waiting on the top step, a hand held out for Lily, Sirius beside him. Lily gave Remus' arm one last squeeze before going up the steps and taking James' hand.
James kissed Lily quickly before turning to Sirius and Remus. "We'll see you lot tomorrow," James said, wagging his finger in Sirius' general direction.
"Right, captain," Sirius said. "Our flat, ten o'clock."
"Ten, Sirius, not two," James replied.
"Oi! You're not my dad," Sirius protested, but he was grinning.
"Just practicing," Remus said. Lily giggled.
"While I'm at it, do clean up first, too," James said. "That place smells like a dog lives there."
"A dog does live there," Remus said.
"I mean metaphorically," James replied.
"Oh. I meant literally," Remus clarified, earning himself a slight push from Sirius. He skidded a bit on the slippery step, but easily kept himself upright.
"Alright, enough you lot," Lily said, coming forward to kiss both Remus and Sirius on the cheek. "Good night."
"Good night, Lily," Remus said easily. "'Night, Prongs."
"Moony," James inclined his head. "Padfoot," James added, raising an eyebrow.
"Lily. Dad," Sirius said, ducking back down the steps before James could exact retribution. Remus sighed and followed, waving goodnight to James and Lily as they stepped into the foyer of their building.
Sirius was already walking toward their flat, and Remus caught up, shaking his head. "Enjoying taking the piss out of James, aren't you?" he asked.
Sirius grinned, a flash of white teeth and all mischief, and Remus' heart skidded along for a few beats. "Aw, Moony, I'm only winding him up. Only because I think it's fantastic."
Remus smiled back. "I know."
"I'm to be godfather, you know."
"You've only told me about a hundred and eight times already."
"Oh." Sirius paused. "Are you disappointed?"
"About what?"
"That it's not to be you," Sirius said.
Remus shook his head. "You're James' best mate. And with Ministry laws being what they are . . ." Remus trailed off. He could see Sirius' face set into an angry growl just at the mention of the Ministry.
They left it at that, walking along a bit, reaching a more commercial section of wizarding London, with darkened shop windows and Christmas decorations.
As they passed by a shop selling racing brooms and Quidditch gear, Sirius paused to look in the window, the light from a nearby lamp post turning his black hair nearly blue. Remus, used to stopping in front of every broom shop when he was with James or Sirius, stopped too, standing next to Sirius in front of the window.
"The boy's going to need a broom . . . he'll probably be brilliant at Quidditch, if he's anything like James. The Nimbus 500 comes out this summer," Sirius said.
Remus laughed, the sound echoing down the street. Sirius turned at the sound and smiled, causing Remus' heart to skip a few more beats.
"I think he'll be a little too small for a broom next summer," Remus said.
Sirius laughed, too. "Maybe the one after that, then."
"By the time he's ready for a Quidditch standard broom, the Nimbus 500 will probably be an ancient model," Remus said.
Sirius looked thoughtful. "I'll just have to get him whatever is top of the line when he's ready then," he said, before turning to Remus with a look that Remus' couldn't quite identify.
"That's what I love about you, Moony," Sirius said. "Always thinking ahead."
Remus shrugged. "That's what you have me here for, Padfoot," he said lightly.
"Indeed," Sirius said, reaching a hand out to finger the label of Remus' coat, his eyes a bit darker, more intense, than usual.
Remus, feeling suddenly that there was something here that was different, something that was new and electric in the air, backed up a bit, hitting the lamppost with his back by mistake.
Sirius followed, stepping forward, his hand gripping Remus' coat even tighter.
"Sirius -" was all Remus managed before Sirius leaned forward all the way and kissed him, mouth very warm against Remus' in the cold night air.
Later, Remus would swear he had stopped breathing, stopped existing, in those first few moments of Sirius' kiss. By the time Sirius pulled away, eyes searching Remus' face in the soft light, Remus was certainly breathless and shaking.
"What?" Remus asked, unconsciously licking his lips.
Sirius was still studying Remus carefully, snow caught between his neck and the collar of his coat. "I've wanted to do that for the longest time, Moony, you don't even know," he said.
"What?" Remus asked again.
Sirius grinned, and Remus willed his heart to stop beating thunder in his ears. "I've wanted to kiss you for ages, Remus. Years, probably."
"I -" Remus said.
"You really didn't know?"
"Er -"
Sirius leaned forward and kissed Remus again, and this time Remus made a valiant effort to kiss back, pouring all the worry and longing and frustration and hope of the last few years of knowing Sirius into the kiss. When they broke apart, this time it was Sirius who was breathless.
Sirius rested his forehead on Remus' shoulder. "God, Moony."
Remus turned his head a bit, kissing Sirius' ear. "Is this why you always do the washing up?" he asked.
Sirius picked his head up, smiling. "It is a sign of my unshakable devotion. See, you did know," he said.
As they stood there in the middle of the London night, kissing under the light of the lamppost, Remus had to admit that maybe, just maybe, he had.