To Let it All go Down in Flames - jegulus/starchaser

A Flower and a Smile (sirius pov)

Greenhouse 3 had and will always be humid, but it was always worse on nice sunny days like this one. Me and James were walking down the hill to the greenhouse for our first herbology class of the year. James had just made some quip remark about how many people he had to replace on the quidditch team this year, needing to find four new members. I threw my head back in laughter as we passed by a group of 5th year girls who giggled as we passed making a chill run up my spine. I waved to them, they giggled more and waved back.

"I don't know why you lead them on." James said also giving a slight wave.

I smirked beginning to walk back words to face James "I'm not leading them on I'm giving them a taste of what they can't have."

"Please." he scoffed rolling his eyes.

"What I'm off the market Jamise boy."

He rolled his eyes as he kicked a rock down our path "yeah who is it that has stolen your rigged heart Padfoot?"

I let out a dramatic sigh pretending to swoon "our dear moony."

James froze his face turning serious making a knot grow in my stomach "Pads..."

"I'm going to get him back this year."

"Let him stir okay don't make things worse."

"I'm not going to make things worse" I decided with my tone growing in annoyance "it has been months since the willow, I can get him back."

I knew I didn't convince prongs as he said without a hint of amusement "let him work at his own pace."

I scoffed with the greenhouse now coming into sight "says you."

"What does that mean?" He bit back.

"We all remember what you did to Evans."

"And I landed in a permanent friend zone and a gay crisis." he said with a deadpan expression.

"I got the gay crises done in 3rd year and I would kill for friend zone, I've worked my way out of it before haven't I?"

He sighed backing down as he shook his head "be careful that's all I'm trying to say."

I let out a small fit of laughter dissolving the tension that had built "and I am but with my own flair to it."

James rolled his eyes as we crowded into the back of the room with everyone else. Moony was in the row behind us along with Mary, the pair had been spending a lot of time together lately and I would be lying if I said stupid thoughts didn't come to mind about why. I told myself they were wrong, but I couldn't shake the feeling he moved on. I didn't know how he could, I don't know how he could bare it because I couldn't. Sure, it was amazing to have James back in my life along with Lilly and Marline hell, even Peter but without Remus everything seemed less. Not less anything specific but just less.

Remus always added to every moment, every joke, his mere presence seemed to fill a room all on its own. Whether it was the sweaters or books, the ink stains on his hand, or the new red and yellow streaks in his hair, no one else seemed to talk about it for some reason.

All I wanted was to get him back and maybe I could finally fix it and be back to normal, all I wanted was normal.

I thought back to the night we got back from summer break, the sheer force of his fist as it hit my face. I have no idea where moony learned to how a punch but that really fucking hurt. The only reason you couldn't still see the mark is because Marline now does my make-up every morning. He was so angry. So, hateful. So, hurt. He lashed out in the same way he did the night after the prank. But only this time I had a purple mark on my face.