Remus

Sirius was there when I woke up. He was still holding my hand and sitting in the chair, but his head was resting on the bed. I reached my free hand over and ran it through his hair.

He shifted and made a small noise as he sat up. He blinked blearily at me.

"How're you feeling?" He asked me.

I breathed in and out a few times to gauge my lungs and I was a bit wheezy and my lungs ached a bit, but other than that I was feeling okay.

"Let's get some food, yeah?" Sirius asked.

"Breakfast would be good," I said, stretching. Sirius laughed.

"Actually, it's 3:00 pm."

I lowered my arms, surprised. "I slept that long?"

"You needed it."

I unhooked the G-tube and took Sirius's offered hand and we padded into the kitchen. I smiled to myself when I thought of Sirius 'padding'. It seems I picked a good nickname in Padfoot.

I sat down at the counter and pulled on my nasal cannula while Sirius threw together some grilled cheese sandwiches and soup.

We sat and ate our afternoon meal in a comfortable silence.

They babied me for the entire next week.

They were never outright about it because Lily knows how much I hate it. But I could tell by the way they hovered every time I started coughing. Or how at least one of them escorted me to and from all of my classes. I felt like a caged animal, but I knew they were only worried. I just wished they'd chill about it. I'm not made of glass.

By the end of that week, snow was starting to fall and it was time for James's last lacrosse game of the season, so we were all getting bundled up.

I popped my head out of my third jumper and Lily was leaning against the doorframe, grinning at me. She was already dressed in her cozy leggings and Hogwarts sweatshirt.

"Are you ready to go yet?" She asked.

"Almost," I muttered, pulling on a beanie and my oxygen bag. I put on my mask and gave Lily a thumbs up.

We left our apartment and crossed the hall to get Sirius and Peter, then headed out to Lily's car.

When we arrived on campus, there were students and fans everywhere, all streaming towards the field. We joined the crowd and found seats.

The grass on the field was still green, though there was a slight dusting of snow. I snuggled into Sirius's side as we waited for the game to start.

The opposing side's fans started cheering when their team ran onto the field. "Who are we playing again?" Peter asked.

"Beauxbatons. They're a school from France," Lily answered.

But Beauxbatons' cheers had nothing on Hogwarts when our team entered the field. Everyone was on their feet and screaming.

I spotted James, number 28, waving and grinning like a maniac. Frank Longbottom, number 17, elbowed him and they headed over for the lineup.

Headmaster Dumbledore was announcing the starting lineup.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, these are the starters for the last lacrosse game of the season for Hogwarts School of the Arts. First we have our attackmen, number 28, James Potter."

Lots of cheers for James, the loudest coming from the four of us (mainly Sirius).

"Number 9, Alice Prewett, and number 21, Bilius Weasley.

"Next we've got the midfielders, number 34, Amos Diggory, number 11, Ludo Bagman, and number 13, Lucius Malfoy.

"Now for the defensemen, number 12, Evan Rosier, number 23, Bertha Jorkins, and number 27, Dorcas Meadows. And finally, our goalie, number 17, Frank Longbottom."

The Hogwarts fan section was screaming and cheering. James, the team captain, went to shake hands with the other team's captain before he headed to the face off line. He rested his lacrosse stick to the side of the ball and we could see him grin cheekily at Beauxbatons' starting face off player.

Then the whistle was blown and they both attacked it with their sticks, James coming away with the ball and quickly passing it to Alice. Alice tore down the field, dodging opposing players, passing it to Bilius. Bilius spun around behind another player and passed it to James, who had sneaked by and caught in in his stick's net. James swiftly turned around and buried it in the goal.

"Goal for Hogwarts made by James Potter, number 28, assisted by Bilius Weasley, number 21."

The cheers were thunderous as James went to the face off again.

*******

"You were so amazing!" Lily gushed to James as we made our way to Lily's van. James's face was flush from the game and because Lily was complimenting him, and we all knew James has a major crush on Lily.

"Thanks," he mumbled, for once bashful.

"Yeah, mate, we won in a landslide! You were awesome out there!" Sirius added enthusiastically, flinging his arm around James.

Peter nodded in agreement next to me. We got to the car and all piled in. James said he would come back to get his van later with Sirius on the motorbike or something.

"Let's get milkshakes," I suggested.

"It's snowing," James commented incredulously.

"Did I stutter?"

Sirius and Lily laughed. "Alright, we're getting milkshakes, I guess."

And that's how we ended up at The Three Broomsticks, a diner about halfway to the apartments that we'd never been to.

So, turns out it's amazing and we'll be coming here more often.

"So milkshakes, huh?" James asks with a grin, stirring his straw through his drink.

"Milkshakes are like the equivalent of ambrosia, food of the gods!"

Sirius giggled. "Are they now? Well vanilla definitely takes the cake for best milkshake flavor."

I gasped. "It does not! Chocolate wins by far!"

"Um, no," Lily cut in. "Definitely strawberry. What are you two idiots even on about?"

"I personally prefer caramel," James said.

"I am offended!" I said, clutching my chest in mock offense. "Chocolate is by far the best flavor of milkshake. In this essay, I will--"

"I like strawberry, too, Lily," Peter added.

"Thank you!" Lily said, throwing her hands up in exasperation.

"Why are we even arguing about milkshake flavors?" Sirius giggled.

My frustration for the topic melted away at Sirius's laugh. "I have no idea," I admitted.

Leaning over the table, we kissed just long enough for it to get awkward. "Ew, gross, you're slobbering like dogs into my milkshake!" Peter complained and we broke apart laughing.

*******

As November came to a close, so did fall and the snow that fell began to stay there rather than melt right away. It was after one such snowstorm that James suggested we all go ice skating.

Lily was skeptical because the pond in the park hadn't frozen yet, but James assured us that there was a skating rink set up in the park specially for ice skaters. James asked Lily there on a date, and surprisingly enough, she said yes. So we decided to double date, but then we realized that Peter didn't have a date. So we're going to double date plus Peter.

I should clarify that I do not in any way know how to ice skate. Apparently James's Mum and Dad have been taking him here to ice skate every winter since he was little, and Sirius got in on the tradition when they were still in primary school.

All in all, I would consider myself a disaster on ice. Sirius was skating backwards with elegance and holding my hands to steady me. All I could seem to do was stumble while making little steps.

"Hey, Moons, just glide," he suggested, grinning. I stopped trying to walk and let Sirius pull me, but my skates had different ideas and I started going into the splits.

"Oh no!" I groaned, stumbling and pitching forward. Sirius caught me, still gliding along gracefully. He helped me straighten out and showed me how to skate by gliding on one foot then pushing off with the next. I started to get the hang of it so Sirius moved to skate beside me instead, holding my right, non-dominant hand.

I looked around the outdoor skating rink, trying to spot my friends. I saw Peter just as he was skating backwards trying to chat up some girl before he tripped on his own skates and tumbled onto his bottom.

"Oh!" I gave a start. Sirius just snickered. "He'll be fine, he's rather clumsy."

Looking around some more, I spotted Lily and James. Both knew how to skate fairly well, James was spinning around and doing tricks, trying to woo Lily. She was just skating along gracefully but without much glamour. James reached out, skating in front of her, and grabbed her hand, kissing it. She flushed and pushed him away. I grinned. James and Lily together would totally be a power couple, for sure.

"Padfoot--" I started, turning to Sirius to comment on James and Lily. I tripped and fell forward and this time Sirius didn't have enough time to catch me and I bowled him over too. I landed on top of him as we crashed to the ice, Sirius taking the brunt of the fall.

I was stunned momentarily, the breath knocked out of me. Sirius lay there for a minute, letting the fall catch up to him. Then he grinned, pulling me down farther and kissing me.

I slept over at Sirius's that night. (I'm not writing smut because ew)