Lupin Cottage stood desolate in the middle of the clearing in front of Remus Lupin and all he could do was stare at the worn front door as he let out a weary sigh. After the past year of the soft bed and warm meals at Hogwarts, returning to his abandoned family home was going to be difficult although it had been years since he could truly call this place home.

Reaching into his breast pocket he pulled out what was left of his Honeydukes stash and took a large bite of chocolate.

"No use putting off the inevitable," the werewolf grumbled as he pushed open the old oak front door and entered the cottage.

Remus let the feeling of the old house wash over him and he closed his eyes at the memories. His parents setting up the Christmas tree in the main room. His friends visiting over the break. His mother reading a book in front of the fire as his father put a blanket around her shoulders.

Unable to allow himself to sit in her chair, Remus made his way to the old couch and laid down upon it. He fluffed the small couch pillow before casting engorgio in an effort to get more comfortable. Remus's heart clenched as the pillow brought up another memory. Sirius smirking at him from this very couch whispering dirty words in his ear while the werewolf tried to hide his arousal behind the pillow in his lap.

Suddenly, a sound pulled Remus from his thoughts and he realized he wasn't alone in the cottage. Unsure as he was if it was a harmless squatter or a rogue Deatheater, Remus didn't want to take any chances.

The former professor stood silently and took light steps as he walked further into the cottage. His werewolf senses picked up the faint smell of soap and the soft sound of water turning off in the bathroom.

He crouched down low outside the door. His fight or flight instincts kicking in as the person behind the door began drying off. Remus could hear the sound of the towel moving over skin, of wet hair being slung back, and a soft sigh of relief.

The sigh caused Remus to freeze, all of his plans gone in an instant as his heart began beating wildly. He knew that sigh. He had heard it a million times in his life. He never thought he would hear that sigh again.

Suddenly, the bathroom door was pulled open by a man too skinny for his own good, a man with long raven hair that dripped water on the floor, a man Remus had not stopped thinking of for the last twelve years.

"Sirius," he whispered.

Sirius jumped causing the towel to slip down his waist and reveal a jutting hip bone.

"Fuck Moony!" he cried as he dashed to grabbed the towel back. "You scared the shit out of me!"

Remus couldn't breathe as he stared at the animagus in front of him, desperate to believe that he was actually here. He wanted to run to him, to hold him, to apologize again and again to him for leaving him to rot.

Instead he asked, "What are you doing here?"

Sirius chuckled sheepishly and ran one hand through his dripping hair causing Remus to swallow audibly.

"Well, you see, I thought I could lay low at yours for awhile before I went back into hiding. That's alright, yeah?" he asked with apprehension.

Remus smiled softly and gave a slight nod causing the worry to leave Sirius's face and he didn't hesitate further. In a second he was in Sirius's arms and their lips crashed together in a moment of forgiveness. In each other's arms, grasping body parts like nifflers in a jewelry store, Remus's clothing was pulled away to join Sirius's towel on the floor.

The last thought Remus had before the two fell in a crumpled heap of naked limbs on the floor was home. He was finally home.