Trust

Sirius rolled over in the pre-dawn light and knew he shouldn't be there. How he'd gotten there was still something of a mystery and how he was going to leave, even more so.

But he had to go.

Sliding his arm out from under her body, he quietly rolled the sheets back and grabbed his robes up off the floor, pausing to survey the room as he stood back up. There were only two other girls in the room, a bit of a surprise, and both were breathing quietly, heads tucked beneath their blankets to block the eventual dawn.

Sirius looked back down at her and was startled to find her awake, grey eyes staring up at him, still struggling out of a thin layer of dreams.

"Off already?" she whispered.

He bent down and kissed her, "Don't want your roommates talking, awful things they'll say."

"Like what? That I was snogging sexiest man in my year?" she smiled sleepily.

He pulled back a bit, "Only your year? I thought it was the whole school."

She snorted, and one of the girls in the far bed moved. "You and your fat head'd better go."

"Changing your tune already?" He began to pull on his robes.

"Get out of here Mr.Black, before I feel the need to tell a professor of this untoward behavior." She smirked a bit as he lowered his head again, holding his wand slightly aloft in a mockingly threatening pose.

"Well then, I may feel the need to jinx you, Miss. Lupin."

"Is that a promise?" He smiled and kissed her again.

"See you at breakfast, Coco." He pulled on the last of his robes and exited the dormitory as quietly as he could.

He had to change into a dog in order to descend from the girl's dormitory without it becoming a slide, and padded quietly across the Ravenclaw common room. There was a small group of older students, still asleep in their Yule Ball outfits, crowded around the dead embers of the fire. He knew in Gryffindor half the house would have passed out in the common room. He'd have to be careful not to step on anyone.

He changed forms again in the niche of the door before exiting, so as not to be seen. It surprised him a bit that, after all the rumored prudishness of Ravenclaw girls, only three of the six sixth-years had come back last night. The other three were probably in his dorm room at this moment.

He walked the halls confidently, there was no need to hide, it was perfectly acceptable for students to be out and about at this hour, and not even the suspicions of Filch could ruin his mood at this moment. The great arched windows of the hallway let in the cool mist and small flakes of snow that melted at the threshold of the sills. It was going to be a glorious day.

He wondered, though, about Remus' reaction when he returned this morning. He had last seen the hollow-eyed boy sometime last night, dancing with Lucille Rosenbaum, a sixth-year fellow Gryffindor. He also seemed rather upset.

Sirius didn't like to think of the reason for this attitude, and so ignored it. James and Lily had either ended up kissing each other goodnight, or wouldn't talk to each other for a week. Neither of these events would have been new, and Sirius didn't much mind either way. All he could think about was the warm feeling of Godiva's skin under his fingers.

He rounded the corner and descended the staircase to the large portrait of the Fat Lady who was, thankfully, coherent this morning. Apparently wine was not as plentiful since they'd gotten rid of the wine cellar painting on the third floor.

"Mistle."

"It would seem so," she responded with a wink and swung to reveal the tower's entrance.

Just as he had expected, the common room was strewn with inebriated and unconscious partygoers. He picked his way around them carefully, so as to avoid stepping on any unkempt fingers. It was quiet except for the shallow breathing of sleepers and a stirring from a chair in the far corner.

"Good morning."

Sirius turned slowly like a man caught in the act, and essentially, that's what he was.

"Morning, Remus."

Remus's eyes were bloodshot and dark-rimmed, a certain sign of insomnia, and he still wore his robes from the night before. "Back a little late, aren't you?"

"Well, I'd say I'm pretty early," Sirius said, trying to muster up some nonchalance. It didn't work.

"You were out with Godiva, weren't you?" Remus' tone was more one of unhopeful questioning than accusation, and Sirius couldn't lie to him.

"Yes."

Remus nodded, not meeting Sirius' eye. "I let you slide with a lot of things Sirius, a lot of things I shouldn't. But you've got to promise me," he looked up suddenly, his eyes harsh, boring into Sirius' so that he had the notion to take a step back. "You've got to promise me you're not going to hurt her."

It wasn't exactly what Sirius had expected to hear. He'd expected some sort of outburst of anger, or maybe silent treatment, but somehow this confrontation was better.

"I promise."

"I trust her," Remus said, "I'd like to trust you too."

Sirius bristled, "You don't?"

"Not around witches." He sighed, "I don't want her to get hurt."

"She's a big girl, Remus, she can take care of hersel-"

"I know!" Remus shouted, erupting out of his chair with a shout loud enough to stir some of the nearby sleepers. "She's always been able to take care of herself! Especially when I couldn't!" He hung his head again.

"You trust her?" Sirius said after an awkward moment of silence.

"Yes," Remus whispered.

"You trust her to chose me?" Sirius' said quietly.

"I don't know."

Sirius had no satisfactory response to this, he could only stand in uncomfortable silence like a man on trial. "C'mon," he said at length, "we'll get a shower before breakfast." Remus nodded and together they walked up to the silent dormitory, all the while Sirius hoping someday Remus might trust him too.