Studying had taken a more interesting turn for Sirius Black and Remus Lupin. No longer sitting on the floor of the boy's dormitory, the two fifth years were horizontal on Sirius' bed, arms wrapped tenderly around one another. Since the full moon was only yesterday and Remus' body was sensitive, Sirius kept his kisses and caresses on Remus's face and neck gentle.

Remus had begun to drift into a pleasurable doze when Sirius subtly undid two of his shirt buttons. Remus opened his eyes and shifted his torso away from Sirius.

"Please don't." Remus muttered his words groggy.

"Why not?" Sirius asked.

When Remus' eyes had closed again and he did not reply, Sirius reached a little farther around his boyfriend and unbuttoned another button.

"Sirius!" said Remus desperately. Sirius paused then withdrew his hand, confused why Remus sounded so scared.

"It's just a shirt, mate." Sirius said, looking at Remus' face. "It's not like I haven't seen you without a shirt on before."

"Oh really?" Remus asked skeptically, wide awake now. "Name once."

"The time when I pushed you into the lake and-"

"That was James, Sirius. I was the one who brought you two dry clothes." Remus interjected dryly.

Sirius' forehead wrinkled in thought. Now that he sat down and thought about it, he had never seen Remus without a shirt, not even during the full moon. When Remus transformed, his clothes just ripped away as the werewolf emerged and when he transformed back into himself, the other three Marauders's always had to leave in case the nurse came back too early and discovered them.

"It hasn't been a coincidence that I don't take my shirt off in front of you or anybody for that matter." Remus said slowly. "I just don't want anyone to see me like that."

Sirius laughed. "Remus, you are the shyest bloke I've ever-"

"It's not because I'm shy," Remus said angrily, sitting up now. "It's because I don't want anyone to see these!"

With that said, Remus took his collar and shoved it slightly off his shoulder. Since Sirius had undone a few buttons, a good bit of his upper torso was showing.

Sirius paled. Crisscrossing Remus' skin were dozens of scars, all at different stages of healing. Some were obviously ancient wounds but a few stood out ragged and bright red against the rest.

"Remus, I-I never knew," Sirius said weakly as Remus buttoned his shirt with shaking fingers.

"I know." Remus said bitterly. "I didn't want you to. I didn't want anyone to; I still don't. They're disgusting."

Remus sat there, emotional tidal waves crashing through his body as he watched Sirius' face out of the corner of his eye. He knew the scars were hideous. He knew he was hideous. As he had watched Sirius' horrified expression, Remus could barely breathe for hoping none of it would matter.

"Remus."

He looked up in surprise and relief at the tender tone of Sirius' voice. Sirius moved closer to him and oh so gently touched his fingers to Remus' chest right above his heart.

"Remus."

This time his name was said in wonderment as Sirius felt his thudding heart.

"Remus."

A whisper this time as Sirius' lips placed an innocent kiss where his hand had been moments before. Remus closed his eyes as Sirius laid his head on his chest.

"It's going to be alright," Remus thought incredulously as the minutes passed. "He doesn't care about the scars."

Meanwhile, Sirius' hand, which had been gently tracing patterns on Remus' stomach, gently slid under Remus shirt. Sirius felt Remus go rigid but continued inching his hand over Remus' chest.

Remus breath became shallower by the second as Sirius' hand ghosted over old and new scars. He winced once when Sirius touched a sensitive one but Sirius seemed to know Remus' torso without having to look at it.

After he could claim he touched every inch of Remus' chest, Sirius withdrew his hand to cup Remus' face and bring it to his own. Sirius kissed Remus simply, hoping to let him know how lovely Sirius thought he was both inside and out.

Remus' head had begun to swirl and he had a very hard time concentrating on anything but kissing Sirius. Between kisses, Remus almost missed Sirius whispering,

"I don't need to see you to know you're beautiful."

Remus opened his eyes and stared at Sirius who was grinning roguishly down at him, unadulterated arousal exuding from every pore. Remus grinned and as he pulled Sirius close to him again, he murmured,

"Close the curtains."

Neither of them did very well on their Herbology test the next morning.