Disclaimer: All characters you recognize belong to JK Rowling. No infringement intended.

This contains slash, so if you are not comfortable with two consenting men enjoying each other's company, you probably should not continue. Although this does not contain sex, it does contain some snogging.

Under the Willow Tree

"What am I doing here?" Sirius Black muttered to himself as he trudged through the library stacks. Sunlight didn't reach back to the depths of the library so Sirius held out his wand, its tip alight. He knew exactly what he was doing here, and once he found the book he was looking for it would be well worth it. He would teach Severus Snape to mess with the Marauders. He snickered quietly to himself when he thought of the look that would appear on Snape's face when he realized he was losing his greasy hair rapidly by the handful. Of course the spell wore off and the hair grew back just as rapidly as it had fallen out the day earlier, but Sirius and James just loved to see Snape squirm. They had joked to each other that Snivellus with no hair would be an improvement over that greasy mop on his head.

Sirius found the book he was looking for on hair charms and was making his way out of the dusty depths of the library when something caught his attention. He heard lowered voices in the next row of books. One of the voices belonged to Remus Lupin. Sirius would recognize that voice anywhere. It was quiet, patient and self assured. The other voice he didn't recognize. It was deeper, and more throaty. He crouched down and scanned over the spines of the books into the next stack. Remus was sitting facing Sirius, his back against the stacks of books. The other boy Sirius recognized from Quittich as Colin Nolan. He was captain of the Hufflepuff team.

Remus was pointing something out to Colin from a book he held in his lap and Sirius figured Remus was tutoring him. He was about to stand up when something odd happened. Colin leaned over towards Remus. Not just leaned over to see what Remus was pointing out, but leaned over quite closely. As if he was going to – Sirius watched in shock as Colin kissed Remus softly on his lips. Sirius was about to stand up and rescue his poor friend from the grips of Colin when he witnessed Remus kissing back. Remus' hand went to Colin's blond curls and intertwined them in his fingers. Sirius found himself unable to turn away. He watched as Colin stroked Remus' cheek gently and then kissed down his neck. Remus closed his eyes to savour the sensation of the light, but urgent kisses down his neck. Sirius watched with a strange sense of awe as Remus responded to Colin kissing, sucking, blowing on and biting his neck.

He pulled himself together finally, gathered his book and made his way to Gryffindor Tower. He noticed vaguely that he was walking faster then normal, but his thoughts were going so fast his body had sped up to match them.

Remus gay? How long? With whom else? How did I not notice? Why didn't he tell me?

It was the last question that plagued Sirius most of all. How could Remus tell them about being a werewolf and not about kissing boys? He didn't tell you about being a werewolf. You figured it out, a voice reminded him somewhere in his head. This was true. Remus had only told them when it became apparent that they weren't going to accept any more of his excuses. Sirius wondered how long it would be before Remus was going to tell them about this new development in his sexuality. He felt hurt, betrayed. They shared everything with each other. How could he think that they would accept his lycanthropy but not his choice in partners?

Sirius sighed and went to the previous question. How did he not notice? This one was fairly easy to figure out, as much as Sirius hated to admit it to himself. You weren't looking. You're so damn caught up in pulling pranks and trying to get girls that you didn't notice Remus wasn't joining in. No wait. That wasn't quite true. Remus had had a few girlfriends in fifth year and the beginning of this year he had gone out with a Ravenclaw girl.

Damn it. Why did everything have to be so complicated? Sirius thought to himself.

"Did you get it?" James asked eagerly once Sirius had arrived in their dorm room.

"Yup." Sirius held out the book for James' inspection. James gave a delighted laugh and Sirius joined in, forgetting for the moment about the scene he had witnessed earlier.

"Okay, we need to be in the same room," James was saying as he studied the charm.

"Is that all?"

"Yeah. It should work perfectly." James grinned and closed the book after folding down the corner of the desired page carefully. Remus walked in just as James was putting the book under his bed.

"What's going on?" Remus asked, eyeing the two of them. He had always been perceptive, especially when it came to the Marauders. He could read them like open books. It might have been the werewolf instincts, but it was more likely that Sirius, James and Peter were incredibly predictable.

"What do you mean?" James asked innocently even though he knew it was too late. Remus rolled his eyes before getting down on his hands and knees and fishing under James' bed. He pulled out the book, gave it one look and groaned.

"No, this one is really cool!" James said eagerly, not discouraged by Remus' groan. Remus flipped the book open to the page James had dog-eared.

"Actually, this is interesting." Remus studied the charm pensively, the end of his quill against his lips subconsciously. Sirius stared at his lips. Those lips that had just kissed Colin Nolan and enjoyed it. "It's intended to get rid of hair dye that has gone wrong, but I assume that's not what you had in mind?"

James and Sirius shook their heads, almost sheepishly. Remus gave a light sigh. "Well, it's not like I'm a prefect anymore. So, have fun. Let me know if you need me."

Sirius and James exchanged smiles. Good old dependable Remus. Always there when they needed him. Remus left the room, muttering something about forgotten homework. Sirius glanced at James and considered telling him what he had witnessed earlier. Something inside him told him not to say anything. He felt like he would be betraying Remus by telling James even though Remus hadn't come out and told him anything. He would let it be for now. Perhaps it was a one time thing.

The following days were full of classes and Quittich practice and Sirius didn't have a lot of time to give Remus and Colin much thought. He had started paying more attention to Remus though, and noticed the subtle, secretive smiles he and Colin exchanged during Potions Class. Sirius got the distinct impression that this wasn't a one time thing like he had thought. When Moony told them he was going to the library to tutor Colin, Sirius knew exactly what he was going to do. It didn't bother him that Remus was with a bloke as much as it bothered him that he was being secretive about it. He filled his mind with thoughts of Quittich and pushed thoughts of Colin and Remus out.

This worked until he was lying in bed alone with his thoughts. He held the map in his hand and followed the dots around the castle. This was what he usually did when he had trouble getting to sleep. Eventually after following all the dots around with his eyes he became fatigued and drifted off to sleep. Not too many dots moving around tonight, but two caught his eye. Colin Nolan and Bailey Broadmoor. Sirius felt an uneasy knot rise in his stomach when he saw the two dots almost merge into one in the Transfiguration corridor. He pulled on his robes and slippers in the dark. He slipped out of Gryffindor Tower undetected, as usual. Keeping his eyes on the map, he made his way to the Transfiguration corridor. The knot in his stomach was getting bigger by the second.

The scene that met his eyes was not so unfamiliar after seeing Colin with Remus. This time, however, Colin had Bailey up against the wall. Colin's lips were pressed against Bailey's, not Remus'. Bailey moaned out against Colin's touch which Sirius couldn't see due to the bulkiness of robes. Sirius felt anger flaring inside of him at the sight of them. How dare Colin play Remus like that. Sirius had the urge to run down the hall and give them both bloody noses when he noticed Colin's blond curls and got an idea. He smiled to himself and crept back to Gryffindor Tower, but not before telling Peeves that there were students being naughty in the Transfiguration Corridor. He slid back into bed undetected, a plan forming in his mind.

In two days when Colin Nolan's hair fell out abruptly in one day and grew back the next, two people knew exactly who was to blame. James found Sirius reclining at the lake against a willow tree with the help of a certain Marauder's Map.

"Why Colin?" James demanded, feeling very left out.

"Just wanted to make sure it worked," Sirius shrugged. "He's a prat."

James gave him a questioning glance but when Sirius remained silent, he let it be. At least they knew it worked now.

"I can't wait 'til Snivellus sees it," James chuckled. Sirius joined him but then noticed Remus walking towards him at a fast pace. He told James he had seen Lily Evans across the field and James left like Sirius knew he would.

"Hi Remus," Sirius said cheerfully.

"Why did you do that to Colin?" Remus asked evenly. He studied Sirius with his hazel eyes.

"How do you know I did it?" Sirius said in a poor attempt at denial. Remus didn't even acknowledge it with a response.

"Look, Moony..." Sirius paused, not knowing how to tell his friend what he wanted to say. "I saw you and Colin in the library."

Remus suddenly went white. He sat down beside Sirius on the grass.

"So you did this because you don't approve," Remus said. It came out as a statement, even though he had meant it as a question.

"No, no!" Sirius said quickly. "I – I saw Colin and Bailey kissing in the hall a couple days ago."

"What?" Remus turned his head sharply towards Padfoot, clearly thrown off kilter.

"Yeah, he was making out with another guy and I just...I got so angry at him. No one uses one of my friends and gets away with it."

Remus smiled faintly. "Thank you," he said softly.

Sirius shrugged off his gratitude.

"So, you're not angry about me being... me being with a guy?" Remus asked. He looked up at Sirius apprehensively.

"No, I'm angry because you didn't tell me. We're supposed to be mates. I would have told you."

"Would you have?" Remus asked. Sirius considered the question. He thought back to seeing Remus and Colin kissing and the other reason he couldn't pull himself away. It had aroused him. He hadn't admitted it to himself until now, but it had definitely been there. The intrigue and the arousal had been there. No, he wouldn't have told Remus if their positions had been reversed. He couldn't even imagine telling Remus how much seeing him and Colin together had strangely turned him on.

"No," he finally replied softly.

"Well, it's out there now," Remus said resignedly. "I suppose you've told James?"

"No, I haven't. I didn't want to be the one to tell him."

"Thank you."

Sirius shrugged off his gratitude again. "Hey Moony?"

"Yeah?"

"Why Colin?"

Remus went quiet for a moment while he thought it over. "I don't know. He's pretty smart. He's attractive. He's quite an amazing kisser. I wish I had known he was a complete prat."

Sirius reached his hand over and put it protectively around Remus' shoulders. "I'm sorry," he said finally. Remus gave a sigh.

"It's alright. I've seen worse days."

Remus relaxed his muscles and rested his head on Sirius shoulder. Sirius realized that his arm was still around Moony. Rather, his arm was still around Moony and it felt completely natural. Not awkward or forced, just natural.

Sirius thought about Remus and Colin kissing again in the library. Thought about Remus' lips against another's. Pictured Remus' lips against his own. He started at that mental picture and Remus looked up at him inquisitively. He removed his head from his friend's shoulder, mistaking Sirius' sudden movement for discomfort.

"Remus?"

"Mmhmm?"

"What's it like kissing a bloke?"

Remus looked over at him, startled. "I suppose it's like kissing a girl."

"Oh." Sirius felt his face go uncharacteristically red.

"Why?"

"Jus' curious," Sirius muttered. He ran his hand through his dark hair, something he did when he was nervous. Remus watched him, sensing his nervousness.

"Sirius?"

"Yeah?"

"You want to know why I didn't tell you, James and Peter?"

"Of course," Sirius replied. He sat up a little straighter against the tree he had been leaning on.

"I didn't want you to get nervous around me. I didn't want you to worry about me coming on to you. Because, trust me, that's not going to happen."

"Why not?" Sirius asked, slightly offended although he wasn't sure why.

"Because you're straight," Remus said and shot him a look that clearly said, Are you stupid?

"Right," Sirius nodded as if trying to convince himself.

There was a lapse in the conversation. Remus started to lean against Sirius again, certain that he had got his previous point across.

"What if I wasn't completely straight?"

"Then I suppose it would be a different story," Remus shrugged. He looked into Sirius' grey eyes and for once couldn't read them.

"Oh."

Sirius looked down at Remus, who had started to close his eyes in relaxation. His mouth was open slightly while he breathed the fresh air in deeply. As Sirius stared at Remus' mouth, he got a funny feeling in his stomach and the mental pictures from earlier rushed through his mind. This time though, he didn't jump. He let them play through his mind like a picture show. He entertained the idea of Remus' mouth against his. He wondered what it would be like. It looked soft... Perhaps if he just stole one kiss Remus wouldn't notice. Remus' eyes really were closed now, his breathing steady. Sirius felt that funny lurch in his stomach again as he leaned over, very carefully as to not wake up Moony, and pressed his lips gently to the other boys.

Soft, he thought vaguely as he pulled away. Remus' eyelids fluttered open.

"What are you doing?" he asked. There was no animosity in the question, rather it was full of curiosity.

"I kissed you."

"I spotted that too," Remus said, a slight smile forming. "So?"

"So what?"

"How was it?" Remus asked impatiently, a smile still playing at his lips.

"Soft."

Remus gave a soft chuckle and rested his head of Sirius' shoulder again, seemingly unruffled. Meanwhile, Sirius was reeling. He had just kissed one of his best mates. He had kissed Moony. Moony for Merlin's sake! While his mind continued reeling, one thought stood out. I'd like to try that again.

He leaned over again and brushed his lips lightly against Remus'. This time Remus was ready though, and kissed back. He wrapped an arm around Sirius' neck tentatively. When Sirius didn't pull away, Remus was encouraged. He opened his lips slightly and felt Sirius do the same. They breathed a breath together slowly before their tongues became too anxious and started caressing each other. It is like kissing a girl, Sirius thought as he and Remus kissed slowly and then more anxiously. Except the girl is my best friend.

When they pulled away, Remus looked at Sirius with confusion.

"I take it you're not entirely straight then?"

Sirius ran his hand through his hair. "I don't know. When I saw you and Colin I didn't feel disgusted, I felt –"He paused, embarrassed. "I felt turned on."

"Ah, I see," Remus said softly. "Well, for the record, since you're not entirely straight I will be coming on to you."

Sirius smirked. "Damn right you will."

They sat for a little while, watching the willow branches sway in the breeze. Sirius was waiting for the panic to set in; the panic of having just kissed one of his best friends and enjoyed it, but it never came. Instead of panic, he was filled with a strange sense of calm. Under the willow tree with Remus was where he wanted to be.

"Can we try that again?" Sirius asked, cocking an eyebrow at Remus.

Remus smirked but didn't respond. At least not verbally. He responded by pulling Sirius to him and pressing his lips against the others with a small sigh. The willow tree gave a sigh as well as the wind rushed through its branches. Small leaves flew down gently and landed on the boys below. Somehow they didn't notice though. They were too absorbed in the new strangely comfortable sensation of kissing a boy who happened to be your best friend.