"We are the champions! We are the champions! No time for loser cause we are the champions!" Sirius and James sung loudly from on top of the table in the Gryffindor common room, as the rest of the house sang around them. They all knew the words now as James had brought down the record player down a half hour ago and played the Queen song nonstop to celebrate another Gryffindor team quidditch win.
Remus couldn't help but laugh as Sirius took a rather dramatic bow at the applause as the song drew to a close. The whole atmosphere of the dormitory was excited, and a little buzzed as there had been a decent amount of fire whiskey going around. Remus was starting to suspect James and Sirius had learned to brew their own since he doubted they had been able to sneak that much in. Sirius and James had been the Center of attention for hours. James had caught the snitch early in the game making it an easy win. The only reason he was able to do so though was a tricky move made my Sirius that had blocked the Ravenclaw seeker from grabbing it first. So as they hoped off the table and walked over to Remus they looked absolutely glowing with joy.
"Another drink Moony?" James said passing him yet another bottle of fire whisky. Which he took gladly. The tone of Hogwarts had been very different that morning, as the Daily Prophet had arrived with news of more Muggle Borns being killed. There had been talk about canceling the game but Dumbledore had stood up and given a speech about continuing on, and not letting the darkness define them. So the game had went on, but the weight of the news was still amongst all of them.
He passed the bottle to Sirius who also took a big gulp. He was looking very glassy eyed the alcohol clearly having an effect on him.
"I can't believe you showed them Queen. I love Queen" Lily said as she wandered over taking the bottle from Sirius and taking a big swig "and now all the incisive singing has really ruined it for me"
Lily's voice was the teasing but caring tone that she seem to reserve for the Mauarders and the smile plastered on her face made it clear she was enjoying the night. Remus had sat next to her during the game and saw how invested she was. As James had swooped to catch the snitch she grabbed Remus' hand in nervous anticipation, and when the ground roared with applause Lily jumped as high as anyone.
"Oh come off it Evans, you know we are amazing" Sirius said and James nodded enthusiastically. "Prongs and I are starting our on Muggle choir. Teach Hogwarts all of These Muggle tunes. Get ready to hear us running around the hallways singing every night."
"I blame this on you" Lily said at Remus.
"Yeah sorry." Remus Said mildly at the same time Sirius leant against him unstable from all the drinks, and Remus had to wrap an arm around him to support him.
"Pete fell asleep" James said pointing over to Peter curled up on a chair by the window "poor guy all the excitement must have tuckered him out. Shall we draw on him?"
"James I'm disappointed in you" Lily said with a grin "drawing on him is way too boring. I thought you were better than that."
"Oh is that a challenge!" James replied with a shit eating grin. "We could shave his head!"
Remus laughed though he knew it was an absolutely a terrible idea. However falling asleep in the common room had lead each Marauder to being vandalized in some way. Sirius once lost an eye brow. James had his glasses stolen, and when they were eventually returned to him they were enchanted so the wear would be reading 'ever tried having good eye sight loser'. Remus had more then once woken up with a large stack of books piled on his head. They had all eventually learned to only fall asleep in their four posters which had unspokenly become off limits to pranks. Since Peter had clearly forgotten, it seemed the others had no choice.
Remus had to help Sirius walk over to the couch supporting most of his weight. He was surprised that Sirius wasn't rushing ahead deliberating with James. However Sirius seemed content. When they reach the chair Peter was sleeping on Sirius pretty much dragged Remus on to the couch next to him. Sirius seemed completely happy pulling Remus' arm around him and cuddling up to him slightly. Sirius watched as James and Lily got ready to shave Peter's head, and Remus watched with awe at how Sirius was pressed into his side.
"All done!" James exclaimed so loud it was a shock Peter didn't wake. Remus looked away from Sirius for the first time and let out a howling laugh. Whatever spell Lily and James had used was not 100% effect and patches of Peter's dirty blonde hair poked up on his now bald head.
"He's going to kill you" Sirius said after they all calmed down a little. The mood of the whole common room had shift a little as time had passed. Though it was certainly still a party, some people had headed to bed, and the others were just talking in groups. This was usually the part of night where James and Sirius rallied everyone and kept the party going for hours. But James looked completely over joyed as him and Lily chatted over Peter's bald head. Sirius also seemed to not mind as he looked up at Remus through his eye lashes and asked "You okay Moony?"
"Yeah I'm grand" Remus said chuckling probably because he was drunk and found everything a little funny "you?"
"I think I'm done with partying" Sirius said and it was a surprise James didn't gasp. In all their years at Hogwarts James and Sirius had always been the last at every party, still laughing, and singing long after everyone else had gone to bed. "I think I'll head to bed."
"I was actually thinking there was a bit too many people in here. Maybe a walk?" James said it like a question directed at Lily, who surprisingly nodded.
"Some fresh air sounds nice. Go grab the map" James was off so quickly Remus was surprised there wasn't a dust cloud left in his track. He headed to the dormitory to get the map, skipping a little as he did so.
"You have him well trained" Remus joked to Lily who just smiled.
"Bed!" Sirius whined drooping more on to Remus' shoulder. And finally Remus' foggy mind realized that Sirius expected him to take him.
"Okay I guess we are going to bed" he said mostly to Lily who waggled her eyebrows.
Remus had a pretty tight grip on Sirius waist as they made their way to the spiral staircase, he seem completely unable to hold himself up. Remus himself was only barely able to stand, so the fact they made it up to the dormitory without toppling down the stairs was a miracle. James passed them as they were about to enter the dormitory, the map clenched in his hand.
"Bye" he yelled over his shoulder rushing down the stairs. Remus realize how much their group had changed in the last couple months. Not all that long ago it would have been Remus, and Lily sneaking off for a walk, while Sirius, James , and maybe Peter would have been making trouble around the castle. But as Remus watch Sirius collapse on the floor, laughing about how funnily James ran, he found he didn't really mind.
"The floor is so comfortable Moony. I bet it's the most comfortable floor in the whole world." Sirius said rolling around slightly and laughing. "Come try the floor!"
Remus didn't need much convincing, and laid carefully next to Sirius. A part of him knew it was just because he was drunk but he also kind of thought the floor was very comfortable.
"I think you're right Padfoot. The most comfortable floor in Britain." Remus said laughing at nothing in particular "why did they even put beds in here."
"If memory serves I suggested we all just sleep in a cuddle pile on the floor in third year, and I got shut down" Sirius said and Remus laughed again remembering how Sirius had tried to pull them all out of bed one night, for 'bonding'.
"Yeah James said that's not what friends do" Remus said. He didn't mention his own reaction which was mostly just him being a nervous bisexual blushing as the guy he was secretly had a huge crush on begged him to cuddle with two other dudes on the floor of their dorm.
"Why does James get to decide what friends do" Sirius huffed rolling over so he was on his side facing Remus, who mirrored his action. They were close together despite having the whole floor to lay on. Neither one moved. "Like why does anyone get to decide what friends do."
"What do you mean" even though no one else was in the room their voices were now at a whispered.
"It's just, we have all these rules" Sirius said looking directly into Remus' eyes "of stuff friends can and can't do, and they are different for everyone."
To Remus' great surprise Sirius reach out one of his hands and interlacing their fingers. He pulled Remus hand up from where it had been and placing their connected hands in between them. Sirius thumb lay over Remus and gently it moved up and down, in an almost rhythmic pattern.
"Like this" Sirius whispered "I see some of the first and second year girls hold hands as friends. So if we are friends, can we hold hands?"
Remus found his head nodding, slightly out of fear that if he didn't Sirius would let go of his hand. "I think friends can hold hands."
They stayed like this for a couple minutes, staring at each other hands clasped together. Remus knew in his mind that the friends who you would see holding hands would never just simply lay and look at each other as they did so. But his drunk mind didn't seem to mind at all, in fact it wanted more contact so he found him self saying "you know when everyone see each other at Platform 9 and 3/4 on the first day of school, friends often hug to greet each other. So if we are friends we could probably do that."
"Yeah" Sirius Said excitedly, scooting his body closer to Remus' and wrapping an arm around his back. Remus was slightly nervous letting his arm, that wasn't trapped under his own weight, hang over Sirius' back. Sirius Head was particularly pressed against his neck, and each breath that escaped his lips fanned over Remus' skin. He had to control him self from shivering at the sensation.
Once again this went on for a couple of minutes, becoming less and less like the justification Remus had provided. For a second he thought maybe Sirius had fallen asleep, his body was so still and calm. But eventually he spoke again.
"You know my family use to go on summer holidays to France" he said now moving from his cuddled position in Remus' arms "it was no fun. I was always locked away in my room, or being scolded for misbehaving. But I did notice that when French friends meet up they'll kiss each other's cheek. So if we are friends-"
"Yeah" Remus said before he even finished and Sirius untucked himself from Remus' neck. He grinned up at him. Sirius craned his neck so he could reach Remus cheek, and placed a lingering kiss there. "Isn't it one on each cheek"
Remus blushed after saying it but didn't regret it as Sirius moved to his other cheek and placed a lingering kiss there.
"See" Sirius said his face now so close that Remus could smell the fire whiskey on his breath and he was sure Sirius could smell the alcohol on his. "Why do other people get to decide what our friendship looks like"
Remus suddenly felt completely sober, though he knew he wasn't. But the energy in the room had been building and now suddenly he just wanted to be able to think clearly, to make sure he said the right words next. However he knew it wasn't the alcohol but the presence of Sirius so close that intoxicated him into what he said next.
"So if we decided in our friendship it is okay for me to kiss you right now. We could do that and still be friends."
He didn't get the chance to kiss Sirius however because before he could Sirius kissed him. Maybe the alcohol was clouding his mind but this was the best kiss the two had shared. Sirius was more sure, and confident, pressing their lips together in an intense but gently manner. Their bodies where completely intertwined legs wrapped together, until Sirius pushed back slightly and Remus turned on to his back pulling Sirius with him. Every other kiss the boys had shared had been masked with nerves, but now, possibly thanks to the fire whiskey, it was mostly desperation. Remus locked his fingers strongly into Sirius head of curls, which caused a slight noise to come out of the dark hair boys mouth. Sirius pulled Remus up, without breaking their lips, into a sitting position, then wrapped his arms and Remus back. The kiss continued to deepen and Remus began to feel completely overwhelmed with everything about the boy in his lap.
"SIRIUS JAMES!" A loud voice shouted from the hallway and Sirius quickly climbed off Remus. Just in time, as seconds later Peter came in looking red in the face and angrier than Remus had ever seen him. Remus smirked a little as he looked at Sirius who was completely dishevelled and a little flustered "what the hell did you do to my hair."