fic: No More After [Remus/Sirius G Valentine Challenge]
Title: No More After
Author: txilar
Rating: G
Word Count: 615
Characters: Remus/Sirius
Challenge: hp_literotica’s Valentine Challenge
Once more and no more after,
Whatever comes with years
-Swinburne
///
Remus jerked his hand back at the slithery touch and rubbed his fingers to stop the shivery feel. Heart racing, he drew his wand and peered behind the small chest. He frowned and pulled out a scrap of material, staring at it blankly.
“Are you mad?”
“It was just a joke.” Sirius looked down. His sombre expression belied the lightness of his words as he stared at Remus from under a dark messy fringe.
“Well, that-that was my best tie!” Remus's heart was pounding and constricting.
Sirius looked up and smiled broadly. “Remus, I’m sorry, I’ll clean it for you, promise.”
Remus, feeling foolish, smiled back. Sirius shoulders relaxed as he sighed and undid the knot. Remus shivered as Sirius pulled the tie from his neck.
“I’ll work on my cleaning charms all weekend.”
Remus rolled his eyes.
Remus was still staring at the tie-he kept my tie-when Harry and Ron walked in. He scrambled to his feet, swallowing against the sudden dryness in his throat. “Ah, Sirius’s, I suppose.”
Ron made a face. “Not what you’d expect from the House of Black, eh Harry? Looks like a good hex would finish it off.” Ron poked Harry’s arm as he laughed.
Harry looked at Remus who was still looking at the tie. “Remus?”
“I-need to go,” he said, between heavy breaths. “They’re waiting on me.” Remus turned and fled the room.
“But you didn’t-” Harry stopped as Remus disappeared down the steps.
“Wasn’t he supposed to help us?” Ron stood at the door with his hands on his hips. “What’s wrong with him? No one’s waiting. We’re the only one’s here!”
Harry shook his head. “I don’t know.”
///
Remus skipped dinner despite both Molly and Tonks’s insistence that he eat something.
“It’s nearly a full moon, Remus, you need your strength.” Tonks’s voice was gentle, but Harry thought Remus looked a million miles away. He nodded but his eyes stared far beyond her.
“I can bring you something, Profes-Remus.” Remus looked at Harry and smiled vaguely, the corner of his mouth lifting and stretching out slightly. He nodded. Harry smiled back nervously and fingered the tie in his pocket.
///
When Harry entered the room, Remus was on the bed. He looked around the room. He’d not been in this room since they’d cleaned the place out. He felt a little embarrassed as he placed the food on a nightstand next to the bed. Remus’s eyes were closed so he tried to be quiet. He thought of Tonks trying to do the same and grinned as he imagined her crashing onto the bed.
“What’s so funny?”
“Oh. I thought you were asleep.”
Remus sat up and leaned against the tall carved headboard. He motioned for Harry to sit down. Harry pulled out the tie as he did and handed it to Remus. Remus stared at it.
“I thought you… you should have this.”
Remus opened his mouth as he took the tie. He smiled wryly as he folded and unfolded it. “He said it was a prank. That James and Peter were watching.”
“What happened?” Harry asked.
“They weren’t watching. I asked. I just couldn’t… I didn’t… I thought he was mad.” Remus looked away, biting his lip. “And then everything happened,” he whispered, “Everything since then happened.” Remus shifted the tie in his hands, fingers rubbing over the stiff ink-stained spots.
Harry shifted uncomfortably. “I’m sorry.”
Remus smiled and laughed, “It’s hardly your fault, Harry.” He sat up and looked speculatively at Harry. “Perceptive, aren’t you?”
Harry grinned.
///
Remus fell asleep that evening, stained tie wrapped around his hands, and dreamt of a kiss he’d only ever tasted once.
///
end
Author: txilar
Rating: G
Word Count: 615
Characters: Remus/Sirius
Challenge: hp_literotica’s Valentine Challenge
Once more and no more after,
Whatever comes with years
-Swinburne
///
Remus jerked his hand back at the slithery touch and rubbed his fingers to stop the shivery feel. Heart racing, he drew his wand and peered behind the small chest. He frowned and pulled out a scrap of material, staring at it blankly.
“Are you mad?”
“It was just a joke.” Sirius looked down. His sombre expression belied the lightness of his words as he stared at Remus from under a dark messy fringe.
“Well, that-that was my best tie!” Remus's heart was pounding and constricting.
Sirius looked up and smiled broadly. “Remus, I’m sorry, I’ll clean it for you, promise.”
Remus, feeling foolish, smiled back. Sirius shoulders relaxed as he sighed and undid the knot. Remus shivered as Sirius pulled the tie from his neck.
“I’ll work on my cleaning charms all weekend.”
Remus rolled his eyes.
Remus was still staring at the tie-he kept my tie-when Harry and Ron walked in. He scrambled to his feet, swallowing against the sudden dryness in his throat. “Ah, Sirius’s, I suppose.”
Ron made a face. “Not what you’d expect from the House of Black, eh Harry? Looks like a good hex would finish it off.” Ron poked Harry’s arm as he laughed.
Harry looked at Remus who was still looking at the tie. “Remus?”
“I-need to go,” he said, between heavy breaths. “They’re waiting on me.” Remus turned and fled the room.
“But you didn’t-” Harry stopped as Remus disappeared down the steps.
“Wasn’t he supposed to help us?” Ron stood at the door with his hands on his hips. “What’s wrong with him? No one’s waiting. We’re the only one’s here!”
Harry shook his head. “I don’t know.”
///
Remus skipped dinner despite both Molly and Tonks’s insistence that he eat something.
“It’s nearly a full moon, Remus, you need your strength.” Tonks’s voice was gentle, but Harry thought Remus looked a million miles away. He nodded but his eyes stared far beyond her.
“I can bring you something, Profes-Remus.” Remus looked at Harry and smiled vaguely, the corner of his mouth lifting and stretching out slightly. He nodded. Harry smiled back nervously and fingered the tie in his pocket.
///
When Harry entered the room, Remus was on the bed. He looked around the room. He’d not been in this room since they’d cleaned the place out. He felt a little embarrassed as he placed the food on a nightstand next to the bed. Remus’s eyes were closed so he tried to be quiet. He thought of Tonks trying to do the same and grinned as he imagined her crashing onto the bed.
“What’s so funny?”
“Oh. I thought you were asleep.”
Remus sat up and leaned against the tall carved headboard. He motioned for Harry to sit down. Harry pulled out the tie as he did and handed it to Remus. Remus stared at it.
“I thought you… you should have this.”
Remus opened his mouth as he took the tie. He smiled wryly as he folded and unfolded it. “He said it was a prank. That James and Peter were watching.”
“What happened?” Harry asked.
“They weren’t watching. I asked. I just couldn’t… I didn’t… I thought he was mad.” Remus looked away, biting his lip. “And then everything happened,” he whispered, “Everything since then happened.” Remus shifted the tie in his hands, fingers rubbing over the stiff ink-stained spots.
Harry shifted uncomfortably. “I’m sorry.”
Remus smiled and laughed, “It’s hardly your fault, Harry.” He sat up and looked speculatively at Harry. “Perceptive, aren’t you?”
Harry grinned.
///
Remus fell asleep that evening, stained tie wrapped around his hands, and dreamt of a kiss he’d only ever tasted once.
///
end