Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, JKR does. They're just under my spell to do my bidding (author laughs manically).

A/U after OotP, SB has returned from beyond the veil and the HBP and DH haven't occurred. The war is over and the Order has defeated Voldermort and the Death Eaters. Pairings SB/GW

A/N: M/F, romance, angst, graphic sex scenes, adult language. Rated M.

Happy Ever After?

He couldn't settle. He fidgeted restlessly.

Sirius looked at the clock. 9:30pm. He looked out of the front window onto the shabby looking square outside.

Nothing.

Where was she?

She was late!

He flung himself down roughly in the armchair.

He was getting tetchy. He drummed his fingers unconsciously on the arm of the chair and thought about the irony of the situation.

He was in love.

For the first time in his forty years, he was truly, madly and deeply in love.

Sirius Black, the great playboy, Mr Fuck and leave 'em had discovered he was capable of feeling and falling in love after all.

Of course, as with everything in his life, it wasn't straightforward.

Why couldn't it be simple?

Hadn't he deserved it?

He had dedicated over half of his life to fighting the Dark Lord. He had lost his two of his best friends, three if you counted Wormtail and his betrayal.

He didn't.

He had lost over three years of his life; caught between the veil of life and death. Although, he did thank whatever deity or force that was responsible for allowing him to return to corporeal existence, once it had been established that his presence was no longer required.

Sirius had been kept there as a contingent; a buffer between the two worlds in order to prevent the Dark Lord from slipping unoticed into limbo when crossing over into death and thus enabling him a way to return. It would have been nice if he'd have been told about that simple twist of fate. However, it was not needed in the end and he's been allowed to return to his life.

Voldemort was gone; vanquished.

Not even dead; exterminated.

He had been hit by a powerful spell created by none other than Severus Snape. The Obliteratum was now categorised as the fourth unforgivable curse but thankfully no one else knew how to cast it. All Snape would say when asked about it was that it obliterated all trace of existence. Nothing remained, not even to pass over into death.

Snape kept that one to himself.

Snarky bastard.

He looked at the clock again. 9:35pm.

Where was she?

Sirius when to the window again, peering out into the gloom of Grimmauld place.

Empty.

She should have been here by now. He was beginning to worry.

Stupid really, she could take of herself.

But still, he couldn't help but feeling worried.

Why oh why wasn't his life ever straightforward?

He had met Red almost four months ago. He'd been restless, much like he was feeling now and had gone for a walk. He walked through the garden out front, using it as a short cut as he had done for years when he came across her. She was lying on her back on the grass, gazing up at the night sky.

He watched her for a while and suddenly sensing his presence she'd jumped up. They walked together for hours, flirting with each other. As dawn approached, he made his move and she let him. He fucked that night first night and he'd fucked her every night since.

Like him, she was insatiable. They couldn't get enough of each other.

But like all good things, the end was in sight.

He loved her but they couldn't continue as they were.

He had to make a decision and soon, and only he could make it.

He heard a noise. Sirius turned back to the window.

There she stood bold as brass calling out to him. He shouted back. He was coming.

Excitedly he ran through the house, in an effort to reach his lady.

Nobody around the quiet rundown London square saw the tall, rugged looking man running from number 12. They never even saw the house itself.

They never saw him transform from a man to a rather large black shaggy looking lurcher.

All anyone observing them would have seen was a black dog racing across the road to an attractive looking Irish setter, who waited patiently to greet her mate.