Watching the Rain

Hermione Granger sat with her forehead against the window, watching the rain fall down. Streams of water rolled down the window, and if you were watching the young witch from the outside, you would not have seen the tears that rolled down her own cheeks. She hardly moved, staying completely still as the rain soaked the grass.

Archway House had not been what it had once been for the Auror Miss Granger. She used to wake up every morning to the smell of black decaffeinated coffee coming from the kitchen, and the sound of the warm water from the shower flowing as she lay in the warmth from the body that had at one point been beside her and watch the steam roll out from under the bathroom door. Now when she woke up in the morning she woke to the cold loneliness that had surrounded her since he had left. She woke every morning praying that the sweet scent of decaffeinated coffee would reach her nose and she could lie in warmth. But every morning reality bit her with loneliness.

Today, Saturday, she woke to the same thing she had for the past two weeks and, with nothing better to do or go, she sat on the bench by the bay window in a white sleeveless the black silk boxers that had been left behind by the one she had once loved. The house was cold, but she couldn't feel anything. She numb.

Flashback

Hermione gasped, shocked from the sudden movement. She didn't know anyone was up here…

"Sirius!" she stared, wide eyed. How did he get there? "How-?"

Sirius put a hand over her mouth. "Shh! No one else knows! I'm…surprising them…" he said, winking. "But I take it you'll want to know how I got back?" Hermione nodded, eyes wide with wonder… "I don't know," he said, amusement in his grin. "But keep quiet, please?" Hermione nodded. Sirius took his hand off of her mouth.

"Oh it's so good to see you!" she whispered. "Harry has been a wreck without you." Her voice dropped. "I've been a wreck without you." She grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him down to her lips.

End Flashback

For the most part that was how Hermione got stuck in the window watching the rain. But there was more, too…

Flashback

Hermione sat in the armchair in front of the fire, shaking out of nervousness. Sirius was taking her out. On a date. She was beyond nervous, really. She was nearing combustion when there was a crack in the fireplace, and Sirius stepped out.

He wore a dark black cloak, not to different from any other time. But it wasn't what he wore that made him special. It was the way he acted.

Hermione stood up and flattened her scarlet red dress, one that had spaghetti straps and complimented her petite frame, hanging low in the back. She licked her lips, then bit her bottom lip. She took in a deep breath and looked Sirius in the eye. He was grinning.

"You look beautiful, Hermione," he said, holding out his arm. Hermione took it and smiled softly back. She whispered her response in a soft voice to match.

Instead of taking her to some fancy restaurant like she had been taken many times, Sirius took her to a country house on the countryside. The giant mansion had once belonged to his mother, and had rarely been used. But the significance of the house was not who it had belonged to or how it was built, but it was instead the breathtaking view.

Sirius had a candle lit dinner set out on a balcony over looking the western countryside. The sun was just setting. There was a violin in the corner, playing itself.

"Sirius…" Hermione gasped, shocked by the beauty of the sunset.

Sirius grinned. "Do you like it, love?" Hermione breathed a slight laugh.

"Like? I love it! It's amazing!"

Sirius pulled out the chair for Hermione, then sat down across from her. They ate a delicious supper to the soft sway of the violin's music. Once it was over, the sun was setting. Hermione got up from her chair and walked over to the balcony, glass of wine in her hand. She leaned forward on rail, elbows holding her up, and took a sip of the crimson red drink, watching the swirl of colour. Sirius stood beside her. He took a sip of his own drink then set his, and Hermione's, empty glasses aside. Hermione had her entire body facing the sunset, but Sirius was leaning on his side, watching Hermione. Hermione looked him up and down, caught his eye, and looked away, blushing.

"Come now, Hermione love. What is there to be embarrassed about?" He reached to her and gently stroked her back along the thin spaghetti strap. Hermione looked up at him, and their gazes met for a moment. Sirius continued to caress her skin as she spoke.

"I've liked you for a long time, Sirius. And true I am a bit embarrassed, but it is because I never could have fathomed that I would be where I am now." She looked back to the sun set.

Sirius put the hand that had been stroking her skin on her lower back. With his other hand, he took her chin in it and forced her to turn to him. She shivered as a cold breeze blew over her. She could feel hairs on the back of her neck raise and goosebumps form on her arms, but the warmth radiating from Sirius towards her distracted her from the nervousness and the cold.

Slowly, the gap between them got gradually smaller. Sirius pressed his lips against Hermione's. He kissed her slowly, but urgently.

When Hermione reluctantly pulled away slightly, her hands were tangled in his soft black hair, and Sirius's hands were staggered on her back; on her lower back and the other just above the back of her dress, both pulling her tightly into him. Hermione's breath was jagged, and Sirius rested his forehead against hers.

"I'd better get home…" she whispered, still struggling to bring her breathing back down.

"You don't have to…" Sirius whispered back, his warm breath tickling Hermione's skin. "You could stay the night. With me." His eyes were closed.

Hermione, eyes also closed, frowned. "I-"

"Listen, Hermione. Ever since that first night of mine back, I've been confused. One part of me is telling me this is so right, but another part is saying that I'm too old for you, and I'm your best friend's godfather. But the first part, my heart, is bigger. I need you. Hermione." He moved his right hand, the one that had on her upper back, and entwined his fingers with hers.

Hermione sighed and kissed him.

When she woke the next morning she woke to the start of many mornings to be the same. She rolled over to reach for her lover, her beautiful, dark lover, but found only the warmth from where he had once lay. She lay on her stomach for some time that morning, watching the steam roll out from under the door, listen to the water hit the porcelain, and taking in the smell of decaf coffee.

End Flashback

Hermione touched her lips. She could still feel the slight burn Sirius's lips caused when they touched hers. They had been happy for quite sometime. But all things come to an end.

Flashback

There were bodies everywhere. Curses were shooting in every direction; Hermione feared being hit; or Sirius being hit. She moved across the battlefield at a run; searching for him. They had been separated when Draco had attacked her, and Bellatrix attacked Sirius.

Bellatrix was heading in her direction. Hermione shot a curse at her, and she hit the ground hard. But from her spot on the ground she was still able to send the Cruciatus at Hermione.

Hermione dropped to her knees, screaming. She managed to point at her wand at Bellatrix, but not long enough to do anything. Right before she was about to pass out the curse was lifted.

"It's not that much fun, is it, Granger?" she asked, hovering over her. "Cru-"

She didn't finish. Hermione had done something she had never wanted to do. Used the killing curse.

She got up and went off again in search of Sirius. When she did find him, she feared the worse. His body was crumpled on the ground dead looking. Upon further inspection, however, she found he was still breathing. She muttered under her breath. It didn't look promising.

End Flashback

Hermione didn't want to go to the hospital to see him. When she had taken him there he had been near death, and Hermione hadn't been back. All she knew was that he was there. No one had came to tell her how he was doing; she was always alone in the giant, now practically empty Archway House, the Black family's country house that she had been living in with Sirius. She didn't want to see Sirius as he was possibly dying.

She had never cried until she was that day as she sat in the bay window watching the rain fall.

She looked away for a moment and wiped her tears before looking back. A figure stood outside, one that hadn't been there before. Hermione whispered to herself: "no…no, it can't be…"

She took off to the main door. She threw the doors open and ran out, still in the black silk boxers and white sleeveless shirt. The rain soaked her clothes and her straight brown hair, making it all stringy. The rain rolled down her face, masking her tears.

She stopped in front of the black haired figure.

"Sirius?"

"Hermione."

That's when Hermione really broke down. She let out sobs and fell to her knees in the wet grass. "I thought you were…dying," she whispered.

"I nearly did." Hermione let out another sob. "Come on, love. Hop up." He held out a hand, and Hermione took it. Sirius pulled her off of the wet ground and into his arms; and kissed her. The rain continued to fall hard, but the two didn't seem to notice or care. They stayed locked at the lips for what seemed like hours before Sirius pulled back and, with a smile, said, "Are those my boxers?"

FINIS

A/N there ya'll go. Remember; review!