Valentine's Day, 1976

Remus walked into the Great Hall. Whoever planned this "Valentine's Dance" must have gone full out... Silk hearts were hung everywhere, occasionally sending out shimmering fireworks. The tables had been cleared away, and the ceiling was charmed to be a salmon sunset. Remus sighed. Stoopid James... Getting detention during the dance... Stupid Slughorn... Remus walked though the crowds, waving hi to a Ravenclaw girl he knew, and made for the punch bowl.

Sirius stood in a corner, trying to avoid the screaming hoard of girls who had spent most of the dance so far trying to slip him love potions. He let himself slide down the wall into a sitting position. Dammit, why couldn't they just get it already? He wasn't interested! Jeez....
The door to the Great Hall opened and his heart did a flip. He suddenly decided he needed more punch.

Remus finally made his way over to the punch table, where he first tested the ladle to see if it was a portkey, then grabbed a cup and poured himself some punch. A floating heart flew over his head, cracked open, and sprinkled him with confetti. He laughed, accidentally bumping into a Hufflepuff, and brushed it out of his hair.

Sirius felt the paper in his pocket crinkle as he made his way to the punch bowl. Could he work up the nerve?
"Hey, Moony!"
No, no he could not.
Sirius gestured to the enchanted speakers. "Nice song choice they've got..."
Yeah, I'll~ tell ya somethin'... I think you'll understand~...

Remus practically giggled with glee when he heard Sirius' voice.
"Hai, Padfoot."
Remus chuckled. "Yeah, it is nice... though I thought you were more of a Rolling Stones/The Who kind of person..."
Remus smiled, handing a cup to Sirius. "Punch?"

Sirius took the punch, despite the fact that there was Squirt in it.
He shrugged. "Yeah, well, Andy listens to these guys a lot, so...". He'd been living at his cousin's house for almost two years now, but it was still a bit of a sore subject.

"Oh... Right... Sorry..." Remus sighed. He forgot even the tiniest subject could bring up Sirius' estrangement. He smiled, though, as the song changed. "Hey... um... you wanna dance?" Remus blushed.

OH MERLIN YES YES YES. I DO. I WILL. I'LL DANCE WITH YOU ALL NIGHT IF YOU WANT, AND WALK YOU BACK TO OUR DORM AND KISS YOU GOODNIGHT IF YOU WANT.
"Sure, I guess." He tried to shrug casually. "Maybe those birds'll leave me alone if they see me dancing with a bloke," he added conspiratorially.

Remus grinned like a kid, scratch that, himself in a candy shop. "You might not want to give them the wrong idea, though..." despite that, he tentatively took Sirius' hand, leading him onto the dance floor. Remus stared at his feet. "Uh... I don't know how to dance..."

"It's okay, just follow me. Walburga used to put me through ballroom dancing lessons." He pulled a face. "Well, it's coming in handy now, I suppose." With a wink, he pulled Remus close to his own body sharply. "Its easy."

Remus blushed furiously. "Wh-why am I not surprised? I mean, you did have to take piano lessons... But I think those came in handy, too... you play beautifully..."

Sirius snorted. "I do not. I'm awful at piano. Trust me. Plenty of governesses have informed me." He rolled his eyes, conviently looking away from Remus' face, which was made cuter by the blushing. Sirius thought he might melt.

Remus giggled. "Well, I think it's beautiful. At least what I've heard." Remus frowned slightly, "Are we gonna stand here all day, or are we gonna dance?" Not that he minded standing so close to Sirius...

"Of course we're going to dance," Sirius said, taking one of Remus' hands and placing the other on the werewolf's waist. "Now you put your other hand on my shoulder..."

Remus blushed furiously when Sirius touched him. "Your... shoulder...? Okay..." he mumbled, placing his hand lightly on Sirius' shoulder. "You know, people are going to stare..."

"Let them. It's not like we're doing anything weird. I'm just dancing. It's a dance, not a stand-around-and-feel-sorry-for-ourselves.". He led Remus in slow, wavering circles. Ugh, what have you done?! You'll make a fool out of Remus! He'll hate you!

Remus shook his head. "No! I mean... they're gonna stare at a gay guy dancing with his straight best friend, aren't they?" Despite himself, he moved himself closer to Sirius.

"Yes, I'd assume they would." Except they'd be wrong.
He blushed slightly. "I still don't expect them to stare..."
YOU DID NOT JUST SAY THAT ALOUD! His subconcious raged. Oh give it a rest...

Remus chuckled. "What, you been holding out on me? You been eyin' some Hufflepuff boys?"
He heard the song change, and blushed.
This was a slow song.
Which required a slow dance.

"A Hufflepuff? You think I'd go that low?". Sirius raised a perfect black eyebrow. He moved slightly closer, firmly taking Remus' waist in both hands.
This is nice. I could stay like this, he thought. I don't care who sees.

Remus frowned, "That's not the point. You've been eyein' guys, and you haven't told me?" Remus blushed fiercely when he felt Sirius' hands around his waist, but instinctively wrapped his arms around Sirius' neck. "Sirius, what I'm saying is, if people wee you dancing with me, a gay guy, they're going to assume the worst. I don't want that for you."

Sirius' heart fluttered at the feel of Remus' hands on his neck.
"Well I--". Why was Remus making this so difficult?
He didn't want to tell Remus he loved him. Not now. It'd just make him look like an idiot.
The song ended.

The song ended, and Remus reluctantly stepped away from Sirius. "Er, I think that girl over there is eying you. You should go talk to her..." He needed to find Lily. Now. His straight best friend that he was completely head over heels (feet? shoes?) in love with had just slow danced with him. Needless to say, his emotions were running sky high.

(Pardon the God-mode. However, considering our desperate lack of Lily roleplaying and the fact that we needed someone and Molly isn't being used by anyone... MOLLY PREWETT (WEASLEY) I CHOOSE YOU! *Throws a pokeball on the ground*)
Sirius watched Remus go sadly, then braced himself for whatever awful female was going to throw herself on him this time. However, when he was not glomped after several moments, he opened his eyes to see a short redhaired girl frowning at him. He sighed, relieved. "Hullo, Molly."
The older girl continued frowning up at him.
"So, you like Remus, hm? Decent choice. He's a smart one. Maybe your grades will finally improve, Black."
"Wh-what do you mean?" He blushed.
Molly raised an eyebrow. "Its extremely obvious. Now, why won't you tell him?"
"Wh-... I had a valentine for him," Sirius admitted. He took the crumpled paper out of his pocket and showed her. "But there's no way... I mean, he thinks Im straight and even if he knew, he'd hate me..."
"Just give it to him."
"What? But I--"
"SIRIUS ORION BLACK, GIVE REMUS THE BLOODY VALENTINE! NOW!"
Sirius jumped back. "Y-YES MA'AM!" For someone so short, that Prewett girl was intimidating...

Remus made his way through the crowd, looking for Lily. But, of course, she was no where to be found... Remus sighed. Why did Lily have to be patrolling the corridors TONIGHT?! He sighed, leaning against the wall and slumping to the floor. He felt like crying. Tonight had been wonderful, of course, but it was bittersweet. He had danced with the love of his love, but as 'friends'. It was like seeing what things could be like, only to be reminded they could never be that way. He sniffed, wiping his nose. He told himself to get used to it. He'd had bad luck all his life. He couldn't star pitying himself now.