Hermione pushed open the door to Grimmauld Place and hurried inside to escape the snow. The young woman paused in the entry and set down her trunk, loosening her knit scarf and shrugging off her thick coat.
"Hermione," several voices exclaimed at once as Hermione's friends besieged the atrium, clamoring for hugs. Hermione laughed as she was overwhelmed with embraces from her second family. Harry picked up her trunk, gentlemanly as always, and immediately gaped at her, muttering something about women and their luggage.
"I've got so much to tell you," Ginny whispering conspiratorially as she eagerly pulled Hermione into a tight hug.
"It'd better not be anything about you and Harry's sex life," Hermione muttered back, grimacing as she thought back upon those "girl talks" that Ginny insisted were a requirement of Hermione's role as Ginny's confidante. Ginny simply giggled, neither confirming nor denying Hermione's fears.
"What's this? Hermione is asking about your sex life not two minutes after getting here? Luv, you need to get some action yourself and not live vicariously through Ginevra here. And I just so happen to know just the bloke to satisfy you…" Sirius strode over, causing both girls to scowl at him.
"Oh alright, I'll just tell Percy you're not interested," Sirius joked and pulled Hermione against his chest. He chuckled as he felt Hermione's growls vibrate through his body. Sirius elicited bright laughter from Ginny, however, and Hermione hissed, "Traitor" at the petite red head.
"Ah, now don't be nasty, Hermione. Ginny just recognizes true comedic genius when she sees it," Sirius relinquished his hold on the bushy haired bookworm.
"Well, you're still as full of it as I remember. Nice to know that some things never change," Hermione parried her aristocratic opponent. She paused and smiled, "Merry Christmas, Sirius." She turned and walked up the stairs to the room she would be sharing with Ginny, missing the genuine smile that graced his lips as he watched her walk away.
Once safely in the confines of her room, Hermione collapsed on the cot and placed a hand on her breast. Her heart pounded with the adrenaline of arousal and simultaneous despair. She savored those moments when he would crush her to his chest, where she could feel his stubble on her cheek and be enveloped in his intoxicating scent. However, the friendly banter about her nonexistent sex life hurt Hermione more than she cared to admit.
The last man Hermione had slept with was also her first and only: Ron Weasley. They had dated after the final battle for a little less than a year. Their lovemaking had been awkward and she couldn't forget the feeling of his fumbling hands groping her breasts as Ron asked, "How does that feel?" In the end, she had to come to terms with not only the lack of chemistry, but her own growing feelings toward her best friend's godfather. For years, Hermione had been able to dismiss the attraction as a mere schoolgirl crush, but the longer she repressed them, the greater his pull became. So, Hermione left Ron, knowing that it would not be fair to either of them if she led her friend on as she fell in love, even if it was one-sided, with Sirius Black.
"Hermione, hurry up and get ready. Dinner's in twenty minutes," Ginny exclaimed as she bounced into the rooms, dragging Hermione from her thoughts. Hermione sighed and sat up in order to glare at her best friend, who was currently rummaging through Hermione's trunk. Ginny surfaced with a pair of skinny jeans and a tight, black sweater.
"What?" Ginny asked, the very picture of innocence, even as she forced Hermione out of her heavy winter clothes and into those of Ginny's choosing.
"Gin, why are you even trying? It's been two years since Ron and I broke up. If Sirius was going to make a move, he would have done so by now. He's not exactly struggled with self-confidence issues or anything," Hermione blinked back tears as Ginny pulled the sweater over her head.
"Babe, listen to me. I really do believe that you two are going to end up together…or at least having some really hot sex in order to get him out of your system. But, if by chance, this is the one time I'm wrong, I know that you're going to find someone else who will appreciate you because they'll see what I see: a beautiful, albeit bushy-haired, lovable and intelligent woman who needs a real lover!" Ginny lectured her friend, before cheekily smiling at her, "Now let's get down there and try to make it through dinner".