Hey there Echolynn,
I loved the way that you found the perfect place for Hermione to hide, her bedroom would have been were they looked, so coming up with that room was just a well thought out Idea. I feel so bad for Hermione she tells a guy that she likes him, and he returns an answer of "you should get on with your life." Hermione leaving, what about Harry? Ohh I loved the suspense feeling that you gave the readers when we came to the bit about Sirius looking at Hermione. I like the way that you are just peaking the fact that Sirius is beginning to have feelings for Hermione. I loved the cleverness of the signal very cool Idea. Sirius was very stupid to look into her eyes.
I would agree with the fact, that a death eater would have most likely have used the killing curse right off the bat, but the broken nose, was okay. I liked the curse on Sirius much more like something a death eater would think of. I was happy that he saved her as well. When is this taking place, you must remember that Sirius is being hunted, and would not go to the hospital. Wow Sirius is blind for the rest of his life that was so sad, it made me almost cry.
"No, Remus, I'll stay with him," Hermione said. "You have an important job; you don't want to risk losing it. And Harry and Ron are about to leave for the Auror Academy. I haven't signed up for any further schooling yet, since I'm not sure what I want to do. It will be no problem postponing that decision while I'm helping Sirius. It's an important decision. But Sirius is more important," she said quietly but resolutely.
"But Hermione, Sirius is my godfather. It should be me. I'll do it," Harry replied.
"Harry, I told you I don't need a babysitter! You signed up for the Academy, and that place is hard to get into, even for you! You're going. Hermione, thank you for the offer, but I'll be fine. You need to concentrate on your own future as well," Sirius said adamantly, but he was interrupted by Hermione.
"Sirius Black! I have plenty of time to figure out what I want to do with my life. You are my friend, and out of all of us I'm the best choice to help you adjust. You will accept my help. And stop calling it 'babysitting'! It's just what friends and family do for the people they love in situations like these!" Hermione replied. She quickly got to her feet and headed for the door. "I'll be back; I need to speak to the Healer."
As soon as the door closed Sirius said, "Remus, I know headquarters like the back of my hand. I can do this by myself. You need to convince her to let it go. I'll be fine."
Remus patted Sirius on the shoulder as he replied. "Sirius, I love you like a brother. But you need to face the fact that it will take more than just knowing the layout of the house to adjust to this. Someone needs to be there to help you so you don't hurt yourself. Hermione is the best person for the job, and you know it." He patted Sirius's shoulder again and then said he was going back to headquarters to check on things, and that he would return to help take Sirius home. When he left the room, Sirius turned his head toward the last place he had heard Harry's voice.
"Harry, I'm not worried about myself adjusting as much as I'm worried about being with Hermione twenty-four-seven. I mean, you know what happened the other day. We'll tear each other's heads off! Just the fact that she has feelings for me will make things worse..."
Harry was stunned that this was what his godfather was worried about. "Sirius, tell me, do you like her?" Sirius visibly stiffened at this unexpected question.
"Of course not! How could I? That would be wrong on so many levels, Harry. I mean, the age difference alone is bad enough. It's just not right! Why are you asking this, anyway?" Sirius replied, flustered at where the conversation had turned.
"Sirius, I love you. You're my godfather and one of my best friends. If you did like her, it would be weird to say the least, but if you made each other happy, then you'd have my blessing."
Sirius sat there stunned, trying to form a reply. He had just found out that he would be blind for the rest of his life, and now his godson was giving his blessing for Sirius to date someone half his age. I wonder what everyone else would say if I did like her. Oh SHUT IT, Padfoot. You're being stupid... "Harry, I appreciate your blessing but I don't like Hermione--I can't. It's just not right. Besides, the last thing she needs is to be with a man old enough to be her father, who is now blind, not to mention an ex-convict. Just drop it, okay?" he replied stubbornly. Harry was about to open his mouth to object to Sirius's comments when Sirius spoke again. "Harry, please go see when I can leave this bloody place. I want to go home."
Harry told him he would be right back and left the room to find Hermione and the Healer. He spotted Hermione sitting on a bench in the hallway, a stack of books in her lap. She was staring at the cover of the top book when he approached her. "Hermione, are you okay? Did the Healer happen to say when we could take Sirius home?" She looked up at him as she wiped away the few tears that were leaking from her eyes.
Clearing her throat she said, "Healer Stenvensin said we can take him home in an hour. I sent an owl to Grimmauld Place so Remus could get the house ready. The Healer had a list of preparations for the house for Sirius's safety as he gets used to walking around without being able to see where he's going. The basic cushioning spells and such. He also gave me these books, to help me take care of Sirius." Every word was spoken quietly.
"Hermione, he'll be okay, you know. This is Sirius--he's used to challenges. We'll all help him. He'll be okay, I promise," Harry said as he sat down beside her and put his arm around her.
"Harry, he has to be okay. It's my fault this happened to him. I wasn't watching my surroundings when I was helping Kingsley, and Sirius jumped in front of that spell. He's blind because I was stupid enough to not watch my back! No wonder he doesn't want me to take care of him--he probably hates me for being so stupid! It's all my fault!" Hermione had dropped the books to the floor and was holding onto Harry, sobbing.
"Hermione, he doesn't hate you. And what happened was not your fault or his. He just did what he thought best--what any of us would have done for each other. No one can watch their own back very well in situations like what happened tonight, it's just not possible. I promise you, Sirius holds nothing against you! It's just something bad that happened, and we'll all deal with it, okay?" he said, hoping that he had comforted her some.
When Hermione stopped crying, they both went back into Sirius's room to get him ready to go home as soon as Remus owled that Grimmauld was ready for them.
Remus broke the news to the rest of the Order when he arrived at Grimmauld Place. There were many tears and shocked reactions. Now that the last of the Death Eaters had been caught or killed, there was no reason to have an Order headquarters. When Remus received the owl from Hermione, he read it out to the others. They all decided that it would be best if the house were empty when Sirius got home. Everyone knew Sirius wasn't someone who would want to be fussed over because of what happened. He needed time to adjust, and if the house was empty except for the few who actually lived there, it would be easier for him to get used to being blind.
Everyone helped Remus go through the house to get it ready for Sirius, performing numerous cushioning spells and other precautions. When everything was in order, including the second bed in Sirius's master bedroom for Hermione so she could be close to him at all times, the Order members left Grimmauld Place, hoping they would never need a headquarters again.
Remus arrived back at the hospital and went straight to Sirius's room. When he entered, he found Hermione sitting next to Sirius's bed, reading a book. "Well, the house is ready and everyone's gone home. So it will just be us four again. I promised them that when you were up to it we'd have everyone over to celebrate. Well--let's go home," Remus said, helping Sirius to sit up since he was still weak.
"Remus, you should tell everyone to have the party, maybe over at the Burrow or someplace. I'm not really up for it, though. I don't want to hold everyone else back from enjoying themselves."
Remus frowned, wondering how much his best friend would change now that he was blind. "Okay, Sirius, if you're sure. We can always have a second party later when you're up to it." They helped Sirius leave St. Mungo's. Everyone was quiet as they went to the fireplaces to Floo home.
A/N: I HOPE YOU LIKED THIS CHAPTER, I WAS'NT TOO SURE ABOUT IT MYSELF. PLEASE READ AND REVIEW! HUGS
Chapter Three - Blinded In More Ways Than One
When they arrived at Grimmauld Place, Hermione asked Remus to take the books the Healer had given her up to the room. When Remus and Harry said good night and went to their rooms, she grabbed hold of Sirius's arm and started leading him to the stairs. "Okay, one more step and then you'll be at the stairs--be careful. I've got my wand ready to catch you; just feel for the steps with your feet," she said as she guided him.
"I may be bloody blind, but I'm not stupid, Hermione. I can manage a flight of stairs," he replied grumpily, hating the fact that she was already treating him (in his opinion) like a baby. Hermione frowned at him but didn't say anything. She knew this was going to be rough on him, that it would take time for him to accept advice like this without snapping at people. Sirius got halfway up the stairs before he tripped.
Hermione, having developed fast reflexes over the years, noticed immediately and pointed her wand, saying, "Mobilicorpus," and he was saved from the fall as he started floating off the stairs. "Sirius, would you like me to put you down, or just levitate you to the top?" she asked nervously, hoping he wouldn't snap at her again. But his reply hurt worse than if he had snapped.
With a quiet voice that sounded defeated, he said, "Might as well levitate me to my room; I'm still a little dizzy," and with a pained voice he added, "and weak." Hermione's heart broke for him. It was obvious that the day's events were catching up to him, and the fact that he was blind for the rest of his life was starting to sink in.
"Okay, Sirius," she replied quietly, trying to think of what she could say; anything to help keep him thinking positive. When they reached the room, she levitated him to the bed and swished her wand just so, and Sirius was laid back onto the bed. "Here's your wand; let me get you your pajamas, then you can change. I need to get the rest of my things since I'll be staying in here with you for a while. I'll be right back," she said as she left the room.
Sirius sat up on the edge of the bed, fighting the dizziness that was trying to overtake him. Slowly, he stood up and started to take off his dirty robes. When he reached for his pajamas, he had to feel around the waistband for the tag, to make sure he didn't put anything on backwards. He had dressed himself in the dark before, but this was a new kind of dark. It was starting to scare him, so he shook his head to clear it of fearful thoughts.
When he finished changing he felt for the bed, trying to get his bearings. He turned around and faced the corner to his left, still feeling the mattress behind him to make sure he was facing the right direction. Thank Merlin I'm not one of those people who rearranges their furniture every few months, he thought to himself. He groped behind him for his wand, and then pointed it at the cabinet and said, "Accio Firewhiskey!". The cabinet door opened and the bottle whizzed over to him and slammed into his chest, and he nearly dropped it but managed to hold onto it. He felt the shape of the bottle, trying to remember if this was what the bottle felt like, to make sure he had the right one. He pulled out the cork and sniffed, satisfied that he had his stash of Firewhiskey he always kept in that cabinet.
As soon as Hermione is asleep I'll relax with a glass, he promised himself as he sat on the bed and placed the bottle on the floor between the bed and his nightstand, after feeling for the place he was setting it. He was just lying back onto the pillows when a knock sounded on the door. "Come in," he answered. Hermione opened the door and levitated a wardrobe that was shrunken to half its size to the end of the spare bed that Remus had put into the room. With a loud thunk she set it down and waved her wand to change it back to its normal size. "What was that?" Sirius asked.
"My wardrobe. I just shrank everything and stuck it in there. Figured it would be easier than making several trips." She hesitated before continuing. "Do you mind if we share your bathroom? If you do, then I can just use the one down the hall. I just thought if we shared I could stay closer to you in case you need me," she said.
"Not that I'm in need of someone sticking to me like glue, but it seems rather pointless for you to use the one down the hall when this one is right here. Help yourself," he said, irritation lacing his words. He knew he should be nicer to her; she was just concerned for him, after all. But the more he thought of his new circumstances, the more bitter he felt.
Hermione, of course, didn't notice the bitterness as much. Her mind started scolding herself, blaming herself. She was sure that deep down he blamed her since it was her fault (as she believed) that he was now blinded for life. "I'm sorry ,Sirius, I'm so sorry. I know it's my fault, and I'll try to stay out of your way. I p-promise you I won't be a bother if I can help it. Just let me know if you n-need s-something," she replied, with an obvious sob starting to bubble up out of her as she finished speaking. She slammed her way into the bathroom to take a shower and get ready for bed.
Sirius sat there, stunned and ashamed of himself. She thinks it's all her fault, and here I am treating her badly enough to really make her believe it, he thought to himself. He reached for the Firewhiskey bottle, upset at himself for making her assume that he blamed her. He didn't blame her at all. He sat there, swigging the burning liquid as he remembered how it had happened.
When he had seen that Death Eater advancing on her, her back was turned as she helped Kingsley up, Sirius had panicked. He'd felt a fear that he never knew he could feel when he thought she was about to get hurt, or worse, killed. When the fear nearly overtook him he shook it off and jumped in front of the curse, hoping that it would hit him instead. He remembered the relief that flooded through him when suddenly she appeared above him, asking if hewas okay. Suddenly he heard the door open; he knew he needed to apologise.
"Hermione, can you please come here? I need to say something to you," he said gently. He waited for a reply, hoping she would agree to at least hear him out. He let out a breath he didn't even realise he was holding when he felt the bed dip beside him as she sat down.
He reached out to feel where she was, and when he felt her hand he grabbed hold of it. "Hermione, I need to apologise for the way I've treated you--not only tonight, but for what happened a few days ago." When she didn't say anything, he felt it was okay to continue. "First of all, you need to know that I don't blame you for what happened to me. It was my choice to jump in front of that curse. You were busy doing what any of us would have done, attending to a fallen friend. We can't always watch our own backs. It's not your fault that damned dirty Death Eater targeted you. He's to blame, not you." He squeezed her hand to emphasise his point.
"And as for what happened in the library a few days ago, I'm sorry. I welcomed you into this home, and I'm happy you live here. As your friend, let alone a gentleman, I should not have let that happen; it was rude and lecherous of me. I promise I won't embarrass you or upset you in that way again. I truly am sorry. And you were right, it was wrong of me to treat that girl like that. I've been running wild for a while now, and I'm glad you called me on my behaviour."
She turned toward him and threw her arms around his neck, starting to cry all over again. "Sirius, you don't need to apologise for living your life. You were right, this is your house and it's your life. I had no right to yell at you like that. I-I was just having a bad day, and I took it out on you. I'm the one who needs to apologise for that, and I do, Sirius. I'm sorry." He held her, stunned at her actions. He was so distracted by the feel of her in his arms that he almost missed what she said to him. He couldn't help but breathe in the scent of her hair. Mmm, cinnamon-apple. Merlin, she smells good! Oh SHUT it, Padfoot! he thought to himself before coming to his senses.
"Hermione, you don't need to be sorry. You were right in what you said. Let's just forget about it and start from now, okay? Are we still friends?" he replied, with an audible questioning tone in his voice.
Hermione's heart sank at the word "friends". But she put a small smile on her face as she pulled back to reply, and another sob escaped her throat as she gazed into a face that could not even see the small effort of her smile to cover up her disappointment. She flung her arms back around him. "Of course we're s-still friends, Sirius." He was puzzled as to her new fit of crying, but let it go as he soothed her, rubbing his hand over her back. After several moments, he lightly pushed her away.
He squeezed her hands as he pulled them away from his shoulders. "I need to use the little boys room, and its pretty late, we should get some sleep."
She started to nod her head, but then wanted to smack herself. He wouldn't see a head nod, you moron! she scolded herself, fighting even more tears. "Yes, you're right, we need to get some sleep. Do you need help finding the door to the bathroom?" she asked hesitantly, not daring to ask if he wanted her to help him beyond the door. That is something he's going to have to figure out on his own, she thought with a blush.
"Fortunately for me, I know the layout of this room pretty well. I need to get used to it anyway. I'll be fine, thank you, Hermione." She started to walk away from the bed as he stood up, but he reached out and found her arm, lifting her hand before kissing it. "Goodnight, Hermione," he said, and then let her hand go as he reached his arms out, feeling his way as he walked slowly to the bathroom. When he felt the door, he felt for the handle and opened it, going in and shutting the door firmly behind him.
Hermione was frozen, staring at her hand that felt like it was on fire from where his lips had touched her skin. She finally looked up at the bathroom door and blushed furiously as she heard the obvious sounds of him relieving himself. She hurried to her bed and laid down.
To distract herself, she started thinking of the special equipment she intended to buy first chance she got. She knew that there was no way to magically restore his sight, but there were other ways she could help him not miss out on certain things. She had a plan to help her friend, a man she loved despite all of the odds. I will make it up to him; I'll do whatever it takes to make this easier! was her last thought as she drifted off to sleep.
The next morning Sirius woke slowly. He opened his eyes like he normally would, slowly, to allow them to adjust to the light. But then the realisation of his loss hit him again, and he sighed. That's right, I can't see anything any more. At least I don't have to fight the harsh morning light any more, he thought sadly, even though deep down he knew he would miss never seeing it again. He cleared his throat as he sat up. He had no way of knowing what time it was, so he debated calling out for Hermione. If it's too early, I don't want to wake her, he thought, frustrated. This is going to more difficult than I thought it would be. Suddenly he heard a yawn from the other side of the room.
"Hermione? Are you awake?"
She sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. As she stretched her arms she replied, "Yes, I'm up. I've been hovering awake for a while now, I just didn't want to get up and disturb you. What clothes do you want me to get out for you?" she asked him as she got out of bed and waved her wand to make it. She approached his walk-in closet, gasping as she saw how large it was. Only a fourth of it contained clothes, but even so he had to have around fifty outfits--the place was as large as the bathroom next to it!
"Wow, Sirius, I never knew you had this many clothes. And what a great closet!" she said as she entered and looked around at the clothes and shoes, most of the latter being different types of boots. He even had a few different pairs of the Muggle shoes called Doc Martens. Wow, she thought.
"Just a tee-shirt and some jeans. MiMi, my house elf, put a spell on all the shoes, so whatever socks I need will appear in the shoes when I pick them up. If you could set them on the bathroom counter, that would be great," he replied as he stretched and started for the bathroom, once again feeling his way, his arms out before him to feel for obstacles.
As he reached the door she tapped his shoulder. "Let me go ahead of you, to put these on the counter."
As she brushed past him he inhaled at her closeness. Shaking his head at himself he asked her, "What did you pick out?" He walked in behind her, careful to keep his arms out as he felt for the counter, not wanting to run into her either.
"It's that black tee-shirt with the muddy pawprint on it. And a pair of dark but faded blue jeans. Oh, and your black Doc Martens, which are quite awesome by the way. Why don't you ever wear them?" she asked.
"Well, I wear them--or I did wear them--when I went to clubs in Muggle London. You never went with me or Harry, so I guess that's why you've never seen me in them," he replied quietly, thinking of how he would probably never be able to go dancing again, at least not at clubs like he used to attend. He would bump into everyone if he tried to dance in those kind of crowds. He was startled out of his dismal thoughts when Hermione laid her hand on his arm.
"You okay, Sirius? You look like something is bothering you," she asked him, concerned at the sad look on his face.
"I'll be fine. Just a lot to think about, to get used to," he replied, laying his hand on top of hers to squeeze it in thanks for her concern. He heard a sharp intake of breath and let go of her hand quickly. "I didn't hurt you, did I?" he asked her, afraid he had unknowingly squeezed too hard.
"N-no, you didn't hurt me. I…I just...I, umm…" she stammered, chuckling nervously before making herself stop gibbering long enough to answer him. "I'm just not awake yet; don't mind me. I, umm…I'm going to get breakfast served up here. Let me know if you need anything. You can just Sonorus your voice if I don't come to you right away," she said before quickly leaving the room, flustered at what a simple squeeze of her hand had done to her.
Sirius thought about it too as he shampooed his hair, when it suddenly hit him. My touching her hand affects her the same way her touch affects me. He contemplated that thought as he finished showering, wondering what he really felt for her. Despite the fact that I'm old enough to be her father and I'm now blind, she seems to still feel something for me. But even if I like her, or--love her?--how could I presume to ruin her life? I would hold her back. Oh shut it, Padfoot! he thought to himself. Frustrated with his own feelings, his new situation, and the effect she obviously had on him, he finally agreed it was time to talk to someone else about it all. Certainly not Hermione, though...
Chapter 4 - A Close Shave
Sirius stepped out of the shower and started drying off with the fluffy towel. When he lifted it to his face, he stopped, feeling the stubble. He laid the towel on the counter, and brought his hands back to his face. How the hell am I supposed to shave? he wondered. He still had a nicely grown mustache and goatee, but he wondered how he could keep them that way. He loved his facial hair, took pride in keeping it just right. With a sigh of defeat he dropped his hands and felt for his boxers and jeans. When he finally had them on he went to the door and opened it, intending to swallow the little bit of pride that was poking at him. He hesitated before calling out, "Hermione, you there?"
"I'm here, did you need something?" she asked him kindly, not looking up from the list of supplies she was making.
"Well, yes, I need your help if you're willing. I can't shave. Do you think you could help me?" he asked quietly.
"Of course." Hermione set down her quill and got up off her chair, but stopped dead in her tracks when she finally looked at him. He was bare-footed, wearing his jeans, and nothing else. The steam from the shower made his skin glisten with moisture. Merlin, was the only thought her mind could come up with. Shaking herself, she started forward again and reached for his hand to steer him back into the master bathroom. She tried to ignore the fire that swept through her as he clasped her hand in return. She led him over to the bathroom counter and had him sit on the stool that was there. "How, um, do you shave? Do you use wizard razors or your wand?" she asked him, trying to hide the waver in her voice.
"I use a wizard razor. I keep it and the shaving potion in that box on the counter, the black rectangular one," he replied. Hermione was thanking Merlin that he used a wizard razor. Spelling your skin shaved with a wand was tricky, and she didn't even want to think about Muggle razors that weren''t spelled to prevent nicks. She was shaken out of her reverie when he spoke again. "Can you please grab the trimming scissors? But only if you see any hairs in my mustache or goatee that need trimming."" At that comment, she leaned forward to inspect his face for wild mustache and goatee hairs. She was taking this so seriously (out of a need to help him in any way possible) that she didn't notice his lack of breathing when he sensed her so close to him.
"There are a few. Just hold still," she said as she gripped his chin with her left hand and started to trim his goatee.
Sirius froze when he felt her lean toward him, and his breathing hitched to a stop when she held his face still with her hand as she worked on him. He felt like he was being electrocuted, but it was in no way painful. He gasped in air as quietly as possible when she let go of his face, saying she was done with that part.
"Okay, how much shaving potion do you like to use?" she asked him as she uncorked the bottle.
"Just enough to cover my face," he replied.
Five minutes later she exclaimed, "Well, that's the best I can do. Feel for yourself. I hope I did an okay job of it."
He lifted his hand and felt his face, shocked that for some reason it seemed smoother than when he shaved it himself. "It's great, Hermione, thank you," he answered with a small smile on his face as he got up off the stool. "I'm almost done in here, then. Let me get my shirt and shoes and then you can have dibs on the bathroom," he said as he felt for his shirt and shoes. He walked slowly out of the bathroom, careful not to run into anything, holding his free arm out in front of him to feel for walls and such. "Oh, what did you have planned for today? I was planning to walk all through the house; I need to start remembering how many steps it takes to get to everywhere, and really get a feel for the layout so you won't be stuck with me forever," he said cautiously as he sat on the bed and started to tie his shoes, with only a little bit of difficulty.
"Of course I'll help you. But Sirius, don't rush yourself. I'm not in any way held back. I want to help you." When he thanked her, she went on. "I'll need to leave for a trip to Diagon Alley this afternoon. Remus will be home from work at the Ministry then, so you'll have someone with you. There are some…supplies I need to pick up. I can also get anything you might need as well. I shouldn't be too long getting ready. MiMi brought breakfast to the coffee table while you were in the shower. She set it right in the middle of the table. Do you need help getting over there?" she asked, trying not to sound pushy or "babysitter"-like.
"I remember the general direction. I'll be fine. No hurry getting ready; eating without seeing will take some time to get used to as well," he said as he reached out in front of him, walking slowly in the direction of the small couch and coffee table that were situated in front of the fireplace.
"Oh! I forgot about the Feelers spell. Let me get my wand. The Healer gave me a spell that will give you instant knowledge of all things Braille. MiMi put note cards at the bottom right of everything as instructed, so that you know which food is which without having to stick your finger in it."
Sirius was actually relieved to hear this as he sat down on the couch. He had feared he would make a mess of himself trying to eat his food. He sensed her presence as she walked up to him.
"Okay, here goes," she said as she positioned her wand. She waved it in the pattern that was shown on the paper and said, "Apparere-Datum!" Hermione watched as a dull light engulfed Sirus's head before fading. "Okay, let me see your hand," she said as she reached for his offered right hand. She guided his hand to the card that was at the bottom right of the dish in front of him. He gasped as his fingers touched the card. Not only could he see the words of each of the different foods on the plate, he saw a vision, almost like a picture of where each of item was located. He reached out for a slice of bacon, a smile on his face as he grabbed it just right. The spell had also charmed him, so that when he touched or "read" the card, his body would automatically go for what he wanted to reach, without letting him stick his fingers in anything.
"Wow, this is amazing--it's almost like normal. Thank you, Hermione!" he exclaimed as he started eating his breakfast.
She chuckled and smiled at the rare happiness that such a helpful spell gave him. "You're welcome, but I didn't invent that spell or anything. I was just following the Healer's orders," she said as she silently thanked Merlin that he couldn't see her blush at his praise.
She slipped back into the master bathroom to start getting ready for the day.
Hermione walked and guided Sirius around the Grimmauld Place all day, both of them trying their best to contain any frustrations they had as they worked together. Sirius tripped half a dozen times, cussing like a sailor and getting lectured about his word usage each time. It was one of those times that Remus walked into the billiard room when he arrived home.
"Hermione, just shut it, okay? This is frustrating enough without you yapping about a few words that slip out when I accidentally run into something."
"Well at least do me the courtesy of trying to use less offensive words. Cussing about it won't help. you know!" she replied testily, though there was a marked bit of compassion as she finished speaking.
Remus cleared his throat as he saw Sirius open his mouth to retort. "Well, it seems you two are getting along just fine. And here I was worried that Padfoot would give you a few problems," he said with an obvious chuckle in his voice.
"Remus, I'm glad you're here. We needed a break anyway. Can you stay here with him while I go to Diagon Alley? I can pick up anything you might need as well. I already have Sirius's list of…Firewhiskey," she finished with a glare toward Sirius for the last word.
"Of course, Hermione, take your time. I don't need a thing,"" Remus replied kindly.
"Why are you saying it like that? What's wrong with Firewhisky?" Sirius asked, perturbed that she had an attitude about it.
"Never mind. I'll be back in a few hours," she said as she headed for the door. Turning back to the room she said, "Sorry for snapping at you, by the way. I promise to have more patience from now on."" Sirius sighed at her obviously contrite tone.
When the door closed, Remus turned towards Sirius. "So, Padfoot...""
Hermione was distracted as she went from shop to shop, purchasing the materials she would need to pull off this big surprise in time for Sirius's birthday that was two weeks from now. The biggest problem was finding the special Pensieve she would need. Finally she found one inside of a new shop called Freidrick's Enchanted Wares. She found the perfect Pensieve for him and purchased it right away, despite the fact that it cost a little over five hundred Galleons. She would have to figure out a way to get it into the house without him finding out about it before his party, but she knew she had plenty of time to figure that out. Now, with one last stop at the apothecary to gather the special ingredients for the potion she needed to make, she shook her head so that she could concentrate long enough to gather decent stock.
Hermione shrank the box containing the many ingredients she would need for this difficult potion. She consulted her list one last time to make sure she had everything. Four bottles of Firewhiskey, potion ingredients, Pensieve, 100 empty phials, 'Varius Pensieve'' by Yolanda Peterson--yes, that's everything, she said to herself as she headed for the Leaky Cauldron to Floo home.
"So, Padfoot. I know the tension I just witnessed between you two was more than your frustration over the 'adjusting' that you need to accomplish. Spill it…" Remus said as he sat down.
"I wanted to speak to you about this anyway, but please keep an open mind. I've had enough lecturing today, even as well-intentioned as it all was." Sirius took a breath as he felt for a chair and sat down across from where he had last heard Remus's voice. "Well, it started the day before the ambush. I was in the library fooling around with this witch named Beth when Hermione came in and started yelling at me about how horrible I was. Harry seems to think she freaked out because she has feelings for me, and to tell you the truth, I've been thinking about it, and I'm feeling…something…for her.
"Now before you fly off the handle, I know it's wrong. Believe, me I know this. I'm too old for her and now I'm blind, and she doesn't deserve a life of caring for an old blind man. It's just that even though I'm now blind, on top of the age difference, I keep noticing things when she's near me--something in her tone of voice that makes me believe she really does like me, even now. Maybe she even loves me. What am I to do, Moony? Even if this was all mutual, I know it has to stop. How do I turn her away without hurting her?" he finished with a mixture of pleading, confusion, and hurt in his voice, wishing he was younger and whole again.
Remus sat stunned for a moment as he let Sirius's words soak in, compassion for his best friend overwhelming him. "Sirius, first off I won't even mention the blind part, because if a person really loves you, that doesn't matter. Secondly, yours and Hermione's difference in age is not so great if you guys have a shot at something real, something lasting. If you two have a shot at falling in love, I say go for it. After everything we've all been through, especially you, none of us should let little things like age or blindness stand in the way of real happiness. Besides, you and Hermione would be perfect for each other--you both would compliment each other. So as your friend, I say go for it. You have my full support. Just take a chance."
Now it was Sirius's turn to be stunned. He had expected Remus to be upset at the mere idea, or eve disgusted. "Thank you for your support, but Remus, not everyone will feel like you do. I can just hear what Molly would say, much less the rest of them."
"Well, why should you let what other people may think get in the way of possible happiness? Hermione is a grown witch, you're a grown wizard. Their opinions are irrelevant, really. Even if Molly and Arthur are her legal guardians, they can't stop you two if you decide to pursue this. Just don't worry about any of that. Right now you need to figure this out emotionally." He took a breath before continuing. "And when you realise you're madly in love with her, you need to tell her."
Sirius would have been staring at him stupidly if he could see, but instead he rose form his chair, saying, ""You're getting way ahead of yourself there, Moony, old man. Now come on, I want to make a few more rounds before dinner." With that they both walked the layout of the house, both of them wondering how things between Sirius and Hermione would play out now that Sirius was a little encouraged to see if there was a chance between them.
A/N:WELL, THERE IS CHAPTER FOUR, PEOPLE. I KNOW THIS CHAPTER MAY HAVE BEEN A BIT SLOW, BUT IT WAS NECESSARY TO THE PLOT. PLEASE REMEMBER THAT IF YOU WOULD LIKE PERSONAL UPDATES EMAILED TO YOU EACH TIME I GET A CHAPTER VALIDATED, JUST EMAIL ME AT AND I WILL ADD YOU TO MY GROWING LIST OF PEOPLE WHO RECEIVE MY UPDATES! hugs
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