AN/ The long awaited Epilogue has finally arrived! Fireworks shoot out from behind everyone and there is a cry of glee! I'm flattered that so many people have posted. It absolutely flabbergasts me that there could be so many people who actually care. And I thank you, with my soul.

Well, this is not so much an Epilogue, so you guys get a last chapter instead!

Chapter 7: Telling James

The week had passed in a blur of color and stolen kisses. To pass the time, they would walk outside, hand in hand as they watched the clouds float on by. They wouldn't talk about what was going on, they just accepted it.

Sirius had to admit to himself that all he could feel was a numb throb in his chest every time he was near him. Like it wasn't real. And for the first time in his life, he dreaded having to go back to school. He was afraid that the moment that they were immersed in the throng of students that the blanket would lift from them and everything would turn back to normal.

Remus' head hit the quilt next to Sirius' chest as they curled up against each other. He reached up and carded his fingers through his dark hair. He messaged his scalp peacefully, making his toes curl with every stroke. I could die now, he though when his eyes fluttered closed, I could die now and be happy …

The feather wisps of hair on his cheek caused a smile to twist on his lips and he opened his eyes to find Remus' own barely inches away from him. The dark pupils contracted once into small dots and breathed, fanning out wide and make his eyes clouded over. Not being able to help himself, Sirius leaned up and kissed the tip of his nose.

Remus growled playfully, pulling himself fully over Sirius, pinning him down. Sirius struggled, lifting his torso to gain control, but Remus was stronger than he looked and kept him steady.

Sirius threaded his fingers in his hair, bringing him down to kiss him fully, tongue sliding in to meet the wet muscle. He felt Remus' body melt against him and he knew he had the advantage. With one swift push, he flipped and straddled the werewolf, a smug grin spreading across his face.

"Hey," Remus sputtered, giving his chest a hard poke, "That wasn't fair, you distracted me!"

Sirius grinned, leaning down to kiss him again, then dragging his hips across Remus'-

"Boys, you know to keep the door locked. If John walked in here to see you two, he'd die of a coronary attack."

Falling to the side of the bed, missing the edge by centimeters, Sirius sat up straight as far away from Remus as possible. His face flushed brightly in the afternoon sun, and he saw Remus bite his lip from laughing. He shot him a "you are so going to pay for this later" look, and Remus just shrugged.

Ms. Lupin smiled warmly at them as they settled back in place side by side.

"I have a surprise for you two. Follow me into the kitchen."

The boys exchanged a look of confusion before lifting up and walking out of the room. Remus bravely reached out and grabbed Sirius' hand as they made their way to the kitchen. His palm felt warm in Sirius' hand and the slim fingers cradled the back of it perfectly. Smiling at each other, they stepped into the kitchen-

-to find James sitting a the table.

They sprang apart for the second time, moving far away from the other.

It took Sirius a moment to get over the initial shock of things when he finally choked out, "James! When did you get here?"

James stood, walking over to them. He clapped Sirius on the shoulder, greeting him with a huge grin. "About a minute ago, actually. Mrs. Lupin invited me!"

Sirius shot a look at her, who stood in the corner, smiling sweetly.

"I thought it would be nice for James to visit here, for once. I never get to see your friends, Remus. And this would give you time before school to spend time together."

Out of the corner of his eye, Sirius saw Remus slump down in one of the chairs, looking exactly how he was feeling. He was glad to see James, that was for sure, but he was really hoping to spend some more time alone with Remus. That seemed to be non-existent now.

Goodbye to sweet stolen kisses.

Goodbye to naps in the grass with Remus curled around his body.

And, especially, goodbye to midnight excursions to the world of joyful snogs.

"What's wrong, mate?" James asked, "Are you feeling all right?"

Remus nodded, and Sirius could see him put on a content face.

"I'm fine, James. I'm happy to see you. How was the trip to Germany?"

And with that, they all sat down at the table as James went into a full, blow by blow of how he and his cousins would put dung bombs under his Aunt Josephine's chair and the adventure of spiriting his Uncle Nathan's dirty magazines away.

Sirius and Remus put on polite smiles and laughed at the correct times, but they had never been more disappointed to see their bespectacled friend.

Later, as they were getting ready for bed, James turned to them and declared that this was the magic year.

"She'll fall this year. She will be mine, boys." He said, tucking himself in his transformed trunk-now made bed.

"That's great, James," Remus said in a dull voice, turning over to face the wall sullenly.

"Oh … You guys are just jealous. You two don't have yourselves a bird, and you want to drag me down about it." James said sulkily, stretching his arm out.

"Sure, James. Now g'night." Sirius yawned, flipping onto his belly, nestling his face into the pillow he had swapped with Remus. If he wasn't able to sleep next to him, like he had been accustomed to, he took whatever he could.

Sirius felt a tug at his bed sheets and he open his eyes groggily. He could see that it was now approaching dawn, and his body felt sickly heavy with the need for sleep. Wiping his eyes, he peered around him.

Remus sat on the edge of his bed, staring at his features, reaching out hesitantly to stroke his forehead.

"Hmn, Remus. What are you doing up so early?" Sirius whispered with a gruff voice after a moment of incoherency.

Remus smiled slightly, leaning in to plant a soft kiss on his brow. "I missed you." kiss "'S cold in the bed without you …"

"Than how do you think you'll survive when we go to school?" Sirius asked, awakening fully, sitting next to him.

Remus looked down at the blanket, eyes wandering distractedly.

"I dunno." He said quietly.

Sirius brushed his bangs away from his face and kissed his temple. Remus looked up, meeting his eyes in the dark for a moment before he kissed his cheek.

When the fully kissed, it was urgent with meshing mouths and clashing tongues. Their noses pressed softly into the others cheeks as the kiss reached its intensity and Remus leaned Sirius down onto the mattress, straddling atop him. He dragged his body across his, the friction building with every swirl of their tongues.

"I love you, Sirius." He said immediately in a hushed voice, kissing his mouth over and over again. "I don't know how many times I'm going to be able to tell you that, but I do."

Sirius started on his reply, but a noise startled them. James rolled over in his sleep, lifting his sleepy head to face them.

Dread dropped to the pit of Sirius' stomach as his best friend opened his eyes slowly, and he suddenly imagined what they might look like at the very moment. But they sat there, paralyzed in morbid fascination.

James looked up at them, eyes half opened and face scrunched up in concentration. He opened his mouth to speak, and-

"Oogledeflegaldeblah …"

With that, he was out like a light.

They sat there for a moment, breath caught in their throats until their lungs could no longer stand the loose of air.

Remus collapsed on top of Sirius, his forehead resting beside his, gasping slightly.

Sirius, though shaking himself, ran his hands down his back soothingly, contemplating their situation.

"We need to tell him," Remus said finally. His voice was strained and terrified, but he held a strong air about him, bringing his eyes to Sirius.

Swallowing solemnly, Sirius nodded, and kissed him for good measure.

The next few days were full of talks about Lily's voluptuous body, about how her sweet lips would feel, and how huge her breasts were.

"And when she walks down the hall, her hair swishes back and forth."

"Yes, we know, James."

"And her hips are the perfect size. Just right to wrap your arms around."

"That's nice, Prongs."

"God, and I just want to burry me face into her knockers so much that I just-"

"James!" They said together, throwing their quills down.

"What? I'm right, aren't I?" He said smugly.

"Actually, your not." Sirius said distastefully, biting back his distain.

"Think of some one better, then?" James asked curiously. "Who could have better knockers than Lily Evans? Louise Brooks might be a good runner up, but no one has bigger—"

"I don't know, James, and neither do I care." Sirius said haughtily, picking his quill back up and dipping it in his ink well anxiously.

"Oh, come one, guys. I'm sure you have some pair of pillows for yourselves," he laughed abruptly, "Unless you were a pair shirt-lifters!" He laughed again, grinning from ear to ear.

Remus sat there and stared at his friend before looking over to Sirius. Their eyes met in a final decision.

"Oh, that's funny! You guys can stop looking at each other funnily. It was only a joke!"

"Maybe it isn't." Remus said, slowly moving over toward Sirius protectively.

James' laughter broke in his throat, looking between them musingly. He grinned uncomfortably. "No … really?"

Sirius nodded, leaning into Remus from behind, placing a hand on his side supportively.

James looked between them once more before shaking his head and getting up to leave.

"James." Sirius said painfully, reaching his hand out toward him.

"No," he replied bitingly, "I-" His voice shook uneasily. "I need some time alone."

Remus flinched when Sirius recoiled, but stood proudly until James left the room. He then collapsed against Sirius, shaking. Sirius held him tightly, whispering soothing words. But he couldn't believe them himself.

The last few days of summer vacation were uncomfortable, to say the least. All three boys were rushing to finish their homework, Remus and Sirius refrained from even looking at each other while in James' presence, and James avoided them at all coasts.

The distance that had been placed between them was taking a physical toll on both boys. Sirius sulked around the house and Remus read continually. At night, Sirius would worry that he had truly lost his best friend, and it brought him down to the most unrefined of levels that he was getting physically sick.

The three boys sat at the table on the last morning of their vacation. Remus poked at his eggs half-heartedly and Sirius focused his eyes on the lace pattern of tiles on the kitchen floor. James cleared his voice, and stood. This caught the attention of both morose boys and they looked up with distant eyes. James cleared his throat again, eyeing the two of them, weighing them with his mind and finally spoke.

"I don't want to see any kissing, licking, snogging, touching, or groping of the other. And don't you even begin to think that I will tolerate to hear you two wank on each other at night, understand? I will just not have it."

Sirius looked at him disbelievingly, giving Remus a similar look. Smiling cautiously, they both stood, giving James a shaky salute, promising him that he would find nothing of the kind.

James smiled, nodding his head. "Good, lads. Now, let's stop this namby-pamby, walk on egg-shells crap and get back to planning our welcoming prank for old Snivelly."

Sirius grinned, reaching over the table to shake James' hand before throwing his arms around Remus. With the whirlwind of electricity in the air, they got lost in the moment and kissed each other soundly, reveling at the contact again.

"Hey! What did I just say, fairies?" James laughed, cuffing them both over their joined heads, causing Remus to let go of Sirius, laughing breathlessly.

Sirius eyed James evilly. "Now, we were talking about a prank on Snape?"