Moonlight Dance

by X.x.Try.Defying.Gravity.x.X

AU HermioneXSirius - Hermione discovers a way to bring Sirius back from The Other Side, but when she has to move into Grimmauld Place with him and she and Sirius become friends, will either of them be able to avoid the strange new feelings that develop?

Um, well, I'm just now uploading this to FFnet despite the fact that I wrote it about two or so years ago. It's one of the projects I'm most proud of. Obviously I don't own HP or anything like that and the only payment I would like is in the form of crazy fan girlish reviews ;) JK. Anyway, please enjoy :) - Beck

~*~

Hermione Granger slowly ran her fingers along the old, dusty volumes in something akin delight and reverence. She was well aware that some of the manuscripts she was touching just now were probably older than even Hogwarts itself. This knowledge gave her chills all up and down her spine. She couldn't imagine something so steeped in ancient wisdom and magic, both real and supposed. What changes these books must have seen come and pass away again, yet here they sat on their shelf in their place, unaffected by change itself or time even. Yes, books were amazing the knowledge they held, the adventures, the lessons, the life stories of different people in different times.

Hermione picked up a very ragged old copy of a potions books. Perhaps Salazar Slytherin had held this very book in his hands. There were so many ways to get lost within a book. Her fingers found the space for this particular book up on the very top shelf. She stretched until her midriff ached with the effort in order to get the book back to its place. However, this made all of the books in that row cave forward. It was only by very quick action that Hermione managed to stop an avalanche of books falling off the shelves. She only dropped one book from the top, but it clattered down the step stool beside her and landed on the floor with a hollow, Thump.

Hermione froze, "Who's there?" Came the gravelly, low voice of Argus Filch. She couldn't move, not even to step down off of her step stool. Hermione stared through the darkness of the library so hard that it made her cinnamon brown eyes ache with effort. The dark pressed in on her like a thousand pairs of hands. Even the little flame under the hood of her lantern had sputtered and died when the library door had been opened. A rush of cold wind blew into the room scattering papers on a nearby table.

Hermione let out a sigh of relief when the door closed again. She then laughed aloud. This was crazy.. she had a note from Professor Dumbledore himself that she was allowed to be in the Restricted Section should anyone ask. Why then, was she here in the middle of the bloody night during the last week of her 7th year, when she should have been studying for her N.E.? To look for a bloody book.. what was the title Dumbledore had given her again? "Bugger.. I've forgotten the paper." She murmured to herself, stepping off of her footstool.

Suddenly, the book that had fallen to the ground and alerted Filch to her presence, caught her eye again. It was deep red colored and inscripted with fancy gilt script in the front cover. The pages were gilded in gold tips as well. It read, The Ex Cathedra Accredited Unabridged Tomes of Coitus Satisfaction. "What in the world is this?" murmured Hermione. It was her grave mistake to open the soft, leather cover of the book she held in her hands. Or perhaps her greatest fortune, but she was never sure which afterwards.

The Title page read, in even fancier script...

The Ex Cathedra Accredited Unabridged Tomes of Coitus Satisfaction

(Aka The Official, Uncut Book of Sexual Satisfaction one file in four types by Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs.)

Part 1: Moony's Midnight Moanings - a guide for the romantic at heart

Part 2: Wormtail's Wonderful Wanks- what to do when no one else is in sight and you need a fix..

Part 3: Padfoot's Pussy Pleasure- A guide to great oral sex and touching too

Part 4: Prongs' Perfect Positions- 100 best positions for Getting It On

However, what really did it, was on beneath the text were very large photographs... this wouldn't have been so bad if Hermione hadn't been able to instantly identify two of the three figures in them from life.. a third from life that no longer looked like the picture version of himself, and one she'd never met but could tell instantly who it was.. the Marauders. This in itself wasn't so bad as the fact that none of the four of them were wearing clothes.... at all... they were completely starkers and.. "OH bugger! They're Posing!" Hermione choked. There was one large picture of all of them together.. and then... individual shots over the next pages.. She rifled through the picture section with a choke.. she breathed a sigh of relief, after the pictures was actual writing... journal style.. in four distinct different penmanship patterns.. the same as those on the map.. However, something forced her to go back and look at the pictures again.

The first of them was of Peter.. Good Merlin... he'd changed... in his individual shot he was a blonde haired, wide blue eyed boy with pale skin and a scattering of freckles across the bridge of her nose.. to top it off.. he was underwater... the picture itself was obviously taken from someone actually laying on their back with him floating up above them... Hermione turned the page, unable to help herself from it.

The next model practically made her choke.. this one was none other than James Potter. For a moment her eyes did a double take thinking that it was Harry. Of course, it couldn't be.. she knew that. It seemed almost sacrilegious to be looking at Harry's Dad like that.. he was completely starkers and standing up holding onto a broomstick with a quaffle under the other arm. Good Merlin.. I wonder if that's what Harry looks like?! she wondered, looking at his member. It was straight and appeared to be very hard indeed...

She turned the page to come face to face with Remus Lupin... Good Merlin! Professor Lupin doesn't have to be ashamed of what was in his pants! .. Oh Bugger! It's my Professor! Well.... was..." she carried off into a tangent. Lupin was posed outside in the middle of the night under the flooding light of a very nearly full moon. There was only a sliver missing. It was profile from the side and he was kneeling on the top of a rock with his head thrown back, looking as if he was howling. His chest and the scars on it gleamed in the light of the moon... and presently... she turned very red indeed.. being wizard's photographs, these moved. Remus quivered on the rock for a moment before his mouth parted in a silent howl and he came, spurting juices out of his very hard, somewhat thin but absolutely gorgeous and rather large, cock. She shivered and quickly turned the page, face burning red.

The fourth model was no better... in a naughty sense. Sirius... Hermione's breath caught in her throat... Good Merlin he was gorgeous... "No wonder he was the Casanova of Hogwarts!" Hermione thought, her face getting very warm indeed. This was not the Sirius she had known.. this Sirius was young, cocky, didn't know what tragedy would befall him... Young Sirius was tied spread eagle to a four poster bed. He was sheened in sweat and biting on the end of a feather quill so that even the quill was erotic. Someone was standing on the end of the bed, taking the picture down on him.. his cock was very hard and jutting straight up. Hermione giggled, he had been well erm... circumcised.. which gave her an even better view of his very wet tip. There was little hair, though there was a dark trail leading along his lower abdomen... very fine indeed.. His muscles were strong and toned, perhaps he'd been flying a lot in those days... and his hair was slightly long and somewhat wavy. He still had those fathomless gray-silver eyes that the Black family prided themselves on... Her gaze just kept working over his figure.

Hermione had to swallow very hard indeed and force herself to put the book back over onto the footstool and keep looking for what Dumbledore had originally sent her here for. Perhaps later she would reward herself with the chance to look at the book. She knew that there was no way Madam Pince could know that this was in here. She'd never allow a book such as this- Even in the restricted section. Focus Hermione. She told herself. Dumbledore had sent her here because, over the past months, they'd been searching for, and found, a charm that might possibly bring Sirius back... a potion correctly injected beneath a person's skin, and a charm cast would allow their human body to die and go into the spirit world.. if strong enough they could bring a spirit back with them when the body was reinjected with the second set of potion... would come back, bringing the second person with them.

It was extremely excruciating work. Hermione could only handle two goes at the most per night. She'd met Sirius there... seen him... he wanted to come with her... she could tell.. he fought to get to her.. but they were always separated by some sort of mist and she was unable to hang onto him hard enough, long enough. Even one visit to the other side left her on the floor, shaking as if she'd just suffered a dementor attack, broken out in cold sweat and unable to so much as move. However, they were getting closer.. they just had to keep trying... So close. Dumbledore had sent her to the Restricted Section in the middle of the night to research the charms and potions involved, to see if there was something they could possibly missing. She certainly couldn't do that looking at a sex guide written by the seventh year Marauders!

Hermione wondered what Harry would have to say about that book if he knew it existed. She had the feeling she might never tell him. Not only to preserve her own sanity but their memory. She'd never be able to look at Remus again.. she knew that for sure! However, Harry didn't know.. he was upstairs, fast asleep in his four poster. Hermione and Dumbledore had agreed from the beginning not to tell him what they'd been up to when Hermione first discovered the charm in one of her Advanced N.E.W.T text books and took it to Dumbledore. However, if they told Harry and the plan didn't succeed, he would have to go through the grief of losing Sirius all over again, and there was a very real chance that this plan would not work. It was risky and very advanced magic. Even getting into the other side was a real accomplishment, Dumbledore had told her when she came back crying the first time.. and without Sirius. So, Harry was peacefully sleeping upstairs, unaware of what one of his two best friends was attempting to do. "For now... let him sleep.." She recalled the words Dumbledore had spoke that night so long ago, the night Sirius had broken into the castle, and they all thought he was there to murder Harry. Yes.. for now, let him sleep...

Several hours later, Hermione picked up the books she had found on the charm as well as the Marauders' book and tucked them securely under her arms to go upstairs. She yawned exhaustedly. She was bone tired. Hermione couldn't wait for N.E. to be over. She had studied all day in class, then researched all night. Now she would go upstairs, sleep for a few hours, load herself up on black coffee with extra sugar, go to class, sleep an hour in the afternoon - if she was lucky, then start the whole cycle over. Thanks to the appearance charms no one noticed how exhausted and rundown she was getting or knew the hours she kept.. "It will all be over in a few weeks... it will all be done with.. then I can rest." Hermione murmured aloud as she crawled beneath the sheets of her bed and slept like the dead.

~*~*~*~*~

"Are you ready?" he asked, his light blue eyes bearing concern and the look on his face saying he wasn't sure whether he ought to be doing this or not.

"Yes, Professor." Hermione said, her strong gaze meeting Dumbledore's. "I'm ready." She said, bracing herself for the power of the charm that it took to send her to the other side. She didn't hear the words he said because she was so busy concentrating, getting ready. Then she was gone, flying through a world of light and color so that she didn't even recognize anything around her. Pictures flashed by, color and spinning like a ride at an amusement park until she thought there was a good chance she might sick. There was the weight of all life, or lack thereof, pressing against her skin. It felt like she was being compressed to fit inside a tin can. It was apparation times ten.

There he was.. standing in front of her.. he was holding out his hand, she had grabbed it. "Hang on! don't let go!" Her voice was oddly hollow and echoed all around them. He gave a terse nod, grabbing onto her hand with all of his strength. She had never been able to touch him before... he was coming with her.. it was going to work! He was coming back! He was heavy.. and she knew it was not only his physical weight she held, but his entire emotional weight, all of the things that made up Sirius Black that she was bringing with her. His fingers slipped just as she saw the light... "NO! DON'T LET GO!"

He didn't seem to be able to speak to her, so he just gestured and nodded, but his fingers were slipping out of hers and then he fell.. down down down.. out of sight and into the mist, a silent scream frozen on his face, eyes wide in terror.

Hermione landed on the floor, pale, panting, her skin was broken out into a horrible cold sweat and Dumbledore was standing over her, holding the potion syringe and looking even more worried a fixed frown on his face. She was shaking like she'd just been forced to walk the plank of a pirate ship and didn't even have the strength left in her exhausted body to sit up.. She just lay on the floor of his office. "Hermione?.. Hermione.. talk to me.. talk to me!" He said anxiously, though in a low voice, gently shaking her shoulders to draw her attention as he knelt on the floor beside her. The room seemed to spin round and round before her eyes.

Dumbledore reached onto the desk and drew down a flask of some sort of liquid. He helped her to sit up and she weakly took it into her hands, sipping deeply. The warm, burning taste of fire whiskey entered her body and slid down her throat, warming her from the inside out. She soon began to recover some measure of control over her body and stopped shaking quite so much as he held her head in his lap, sitting on the floor beside her. It surely would have looked odd to anyone who entered the room, but the two knew exactly what they were doing...

She sighed a bit, sitting up and leaning back on her hands when she felt strong enough to support her weight. "I almost got him Professor... I want to go back again." She said seriously, eyes burning.. "I touched him... I had him.. then he.. he slipped.." By this point frenzied tears were running down her cheeks as she struggled to explain what had happened on the other side.

"No, Miss Granger." He said simply. "You've already gone twice tonight, more than ever before. There isn't any need to over do it." He said, concern written across his wise, gentle face. The way she looked coming back from these trips to the other side made him wonder how wise it was to have sent her in the first place.

"But..."

"Hermione." He said simply, in a tone that brooked no refusal.

"Yes professor.."

"You may come back in two days if you feel like trying again at that point in time.. go to Madam Pomfrey and get a bit of pepper-up potion." He instructed her.

She sighed in frustration. This was how it always was. He made her wait until he was sure she would be completely strong again before letting her attempt a stab at the other side. However, there was no help for it. Someone had to be there to give her the potion that would call her spirit back into this world. She couldn't do this alone and no one else was, under any circumstances, allowed to know what they had been doing. The Ministry could easily imprison the both of them in Azkaban for this. However, Hermione had decided if Dumbledore was willing to risk it, she certainly was. The liquid and the charm had been developed in greatest secrecy in the Department of Mysteries over the past year and was still being tested. Dumbledore had managed, though he would never say how, to get his hands on the potion.

"How much is left?" she asked nervously.

"There's plenty." He said easily. Hermione wondered if she detected a flicker of fear in those blue eyes. However, there was little she could do until he decided to tell her the truth.

Suddenly, a blast of Scarlet and gold flames erupted into the center of the room, revealing none other than.. "Fawkes!" Hermione exclaimed happily, gently stroking the bird's plumed head at his allowance. Dumbledore smiled and took the roll of parchment his faithful pet had brought for him. However, as he broke the seal and read the contents of the letter, his face went from worried to grave and then downright panic flickered for a moment in his somber blue eyed gaze. He managed to arrange his face into more placid lines.

"Hermione." He said, in a serious voice that let her know he meant business. "How well do you understand this.. the potion, the spell?"

"I know it by heart." She said simply.

"Could you do it without me?"

"Provided there was a way to put a charm on the syringe so that it would deliver the second potion so that I could come back."

Dumbledore considered this for a long moment, resting one of his fingers against his lips in thought, almost like making a quiet sign, but not quite. "There is a way... a time spell, that will make something happen at a given time if certain conditions.." Immediately he began scribbling things onto a piece of paper. Hermione and Fawkes exchanged a long glance. They seemed to both wonder what Dumbledore was muttering on about.

"This incantation.. I want you to learn it.. now.. so I can see." He said simply, handing her a paper.

"This is a time charm." She murmured. "If I'm correct in my guessing, it makes something happen at a given moment."

Dumbledore nodded, "It would cause the syringe to deliver the waking draft at a certain time. However, given that, I can only guess how long to put you under for.. too long and you might not get back, too short and it'll be a wasted trip and you won't get him. Hermione, I want you to wake Harry and Ron. Go and get them now."

Hermione nodded, "Professor, what did that note say.. why are you asking me all of this?" She inquired, a worry line appearing between her temples.

"There's trouble, a clash between the Order and some Ministry Aurors and some Death Eaters. The Death Eaters outnumbered the Aurors in a shack in the countryside where they were staying.. Nymphadora Tonks was among them. They called for back up from the Order, but when they arrived, the Death Eaters shut them off and have now surrounded the house so that fifteen of the members and Aurors are stranded inside the house. It seems they're going to try and wait them out.. or starve the out because they have very few provisions and some are hurt. I need to get the rest of the Order and go to their aid. They won't be expecting more of us. Harry and Ron can help.." He said simply.

"What... what about me? Professor?" Hermione asked softly, her heart dropping, wondering if he didn't find her capable or something to that extent.

"I need you to stay, if you will, and keep trying to get Sirius back.. Hermione.. don't overdo it.. "

She nodded, relief flooding her. "I will bring him back, Professor. I promise."

"Thank you... Now.. Harry.. Ron.. and Harry's cloak, if you don't mind."

"Oh! Right! I'll be right back." She promised, racing down the stairs of his office and off into the silent school. It amazed her that hardly a few floors away, students with no idea of the battle were sleeping, their dreams unworried and unmarked by silent screams and memories of battles and the worry for their families and friends as Hermione's had been.

~*~*~*~

Two days after the Order and Harry and Ron had left Hogwarts, Hermione was alone in Dumbledore's office. The room was sticky with heat because she was using Dumbledore's huge golden cauldron to brew the reviving potion that would be needed to bring her back for another fresh attempt at the Other Side. She brushed a sticky, wet strand of hair out of her eyes as she swirled the wooden spoon around in the garish, green liquid. It was ready.

Hermione took a deep breath as she siphoned some of it into a syringe and positioned it in the right spot for the time release so that it couldn't miss and rolled up her shorts even more.. she was wearing just jean cut offs as opposed to her uniform so that her leg would be bared for the spell to work. She hadn't been sure it would work through her clothes. She pushed her hair out of her eyes again.. it was a bit calmer now than it used to be, mostly because she'd gotten older, but on hot days like this late June one, it was still common for it to go quite haywire.

She knelt down in the center of the floor and cast the charm. There was the familiar dizzying pull and she was falling through the thin mist separating them from the Other Side. Tonight was different.. she could feel it.. he was waiting for her, as if expecting her. There was a tense moment, then they were headed up through the mist and she was clinging to his hands, taking every bit of strength she had to bring him with her.

Suddenly it was done.. she didn't know how it happened.. She couldn't open her eyes and didn't have the strength to move at all. There was another presence with her, heavy, but not too heavy. When she finally opened her eyes the first thing she saw was a mess of hair.. partly hers, partly darker brown hair. She pushed it out of the way as her senses began to come round.. there was a body laying on her.. a human body.. warm.. "Sirius!" She whispered in almost disbelief.. He was laying spread eagled on top of her in the middle of the office floor.

It took Sirius several minutes to gather the strength roll himself off of Hermione. "What.. happened?" He asked softly.

"I just brought you back from the other side.. you remember.." She whispered.

Sirius shook his head, "What do you mean Hermione?" He asked, struggling to sit up. "Where are we? Where are Harry and the others? Did they get out?"

"Get out?" She asked confused.

"Hermione! Answer me!" He demanded, grabbing her shoulders, not in a rough way, but in a way that made her know this was important.. then, she realized. He had no memory of The Other Side. The last thing that Sirius remembered was going through the veil.

"They're out." She said simply, not wanting to overtax him with the knowledge he'd been dead for two years.. "Come on.. you need to rest.. everyone else is already resting.. we're in Dumbledore's office now." She said, helping him to his feet and taking him into Dumbledore's chambers she laid him on the Headmaster's massive four poster bed, pulling the covers over him. "Just rest now, you've been through a lot."

"Harry?"

Hermione swallowed.. she hadn't heard from anyone in two days. A lot could change in two days. No! She wasn't going to think about that. Not now, not with a weakened Sirius in the bed in front of her. She sighed and got a cool wash cloth to wipe off his face because he felt hot and sweaty. "It's going to be ok." She whispered to his sleeping form. "Just rest.. it's going to be ok.. we'll figure this all out.. you're back now.. that's what's important." She said softly.

Over the next two days, Hermione went to class, brought Poppy to see Sirius and enlightened Minerva as to the events of the previous night. Minerva gave Hermione an actual hug and her eyes shined with pride and tears when Hermione admitted how she had done it, and then hurried up to see Sirius for herself. It took the two of them a few hours to explain to Sirius all that had happened since his death and how Hermione and Dumbledore had gotten him back. Over the next week, Sirius stayed in bed recovering from the harrowing journey of coming back to the world. He ate delicious food brought specially up for him by Dobby and Winky.. supposedly for Hermione whom no one had seen since the end of N.E. .. supposedly the Hogwarts Head girl had gotten "sick" and that she was resting up for graduation in a few days. Hermione let the rumor run rampant because it meant she could dedicate her time to helping Sirius.

It was about ten o'clock when Hermione came in to give Sirius another dose of strengthening potion. Sirius had been asleep for quite some time and was feeling rather relaxed under the soft covers and sheets. However, when she came into the room she was without her cloak.. she was wearing her school uniform, but no cloak.. that's when he noticed a few things about her.. for one she was taller. She had a willowy figure but she had hips now.. and breasts.. he could see the roundness of them beneath her white dress shirt. She'd forgone the sweater because it was so hot outside. Sirius swallowed.. he couldn't help it.. he hadn't laid eyes on a young woman for such a long time.. between Azkaban and being hidden away at Twelve Grimmauld Place. He could feel those tuggings in his lower stomach and thanked Merlin for all the covers. "Something wrong Sirius?" Hermione asked him, completely clueless as to his.. troubles..

"No nothing's wrong." He said. Nothing's wrong except I'm getting a bloody hard on looking at you! and it was true. He quickly took a look under the covers when she turned around to go get him a sip of water to swallow after the horrible tasting strengthening potion.. sure enough. Sirius had always been well.. rather proud of his "Anatomy" while he was in Hogwarts. It was somewhat known that he was.. well endowed... and now, down between his legs, his cock was extremely hard and looked like some rocket ready for launch. The thought made his face redden as he slammed the covers back down around him just as Hermione returned. This is bad.. This is bad.. I just got a hard on staring at a girl half my age... Bloody Hell! I just got a hard on because of Harry's best friend! Shite!

Two Months Later

"Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust.. from dust we began and to dust we shall return. Today we have come to mourn the loss of two of our dearest friends. Elizabeth and John Granger. Elizabeth and John were both dentists who ran a clinic in Essex. They were dedicated to their work and to their family and friends as well. Elizabeth and John are survived by one daughter, whom they loved very dearly, named Hermione. Elizabeth and John were both faithful ministers of our congregation for many years. I'm sure that all of us will miss them.. very deeply. The cause of death hasn't yet been discovered by our doctors.. but I am sure soon.. we'll know.. in the mean time... our job is to carry on the memory of such prestigious individuals as Elizabeth and John were.."

Hermione let out a quiet choking sob and suddenly turned around, hiding her head on Sirius' shoulder to stifle the sound of her crying. Sirius slowly, somewhat awkwardly, wrapped his arms around her and held her.. "Shhh shh.." He whispered..

"They d-don't even kn-know my parents were k-killed by unforgiveables." She cried softly against his shoulder. "Died in a w-war that wasn't t-there's to f-fight.. They c-ame for me Sirius.. to our house.. I w-wasn't h-home because I went t-to s-see a m-movie.." She got out between gasps as she hid her face more. "So t-they killed my parents instead!"

"Sshh shh.. it wouldn't've mattered if you were there Hermione. They'd just have killed you too." Sirius whispered, then he tilted her chin up to look right into her cinnamon brown eyes. "Listen to me.. none of this is your fault.. none.. " He said seriously

"But.. N-no one knows where Harry and R-ron are.. they haven't been s-seen since the b-battle ended! They c-could be dead!"

Sirius' throat felt scratchy and dry. "No, Hermione, you've got to think positive now." He said urgently.

"I've been t-trying! But They're g-gone where w-will I go.. I h-have no one!"

"Listen.. Why don't you come back to Grimmauld Place and stay with me.. in September you can start fresh.. go into whatever career you picked. You can spend this next month just resting. You won't have to do anything.. and I mean... it'll be nice not being alone.. for both of us." He offered, still holding her close. He felt her nod, almost imperceptibly against his chest.

"Come on.. let's go.. the service is over.. and... I d-don't want to be here when they l-lower the caskets." She said, wiping off her eyes.

Sirius nodded ,"Alright then.. come on." He said, wrapping his arm around her slender shoulders and wending his way through the small group of people who'd come to Hermione's parents' funeral. "Excuse me.. Excuse us.. coming through... need to get through." He said over and over again to one person after the next until they were free and walking down the street again, but this time together.

~*~*~*~

It didn't take long for Sirius and Hermione to settle into life in 12 Grimmauld Place together. They developed an easy friendship between them. Before Hermione hadn't gotten to know him quite as well as Harry because well.. he was Harry's Godfather, and she couldn't begrudge either of them the chance to have that closeness. However, now their closeness came from just surviving.. the first week Hermione hid in her old room. Sirius brought her meals there and did his best to find someway to comfort her, but it did little good. However, now Hermione was feeling stronger. She met him for breakfast each morning. He'd be up first. "You know... I used to be a late riser as a kid... can't sleep in anymore.." He said that first morning, in his apparent ease, relaxing in one of the chairs at the table in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place with the Daily Prophet spread out on the table in front of him and sipping a cup of morning coffee.

Hermione couldn't help but smile a bit, "C'est la vie." She said.

Sirius looked up, "Good morning.. it's nice to see you up and about." He commented.

Hermione ducked her head in a bit of embarrassment, "Yes, about that. I um, I don't suppose I've.. exactly been the best company this past week."

"Well, I didn't expect you to be." He said with a smile. "It's just nice having someone else in the house, knowing I'm not here alone." He added the last part softly, putting down the paper and looking up at her. Hermione was wearing an extra short sleeve shirt, white with navy blue stripes and a pair of blue jean shorts along with a pair of sandals. Her hair was left in its natural wavy sort of style, but pulled back due to the heat.

Sirius' stomach turned over and he quickly turned his eyes away. The clothes themselves weren't even meant to look seductive and still he could feel that he was getting another hard on. However, this time there weren't covers to rescue him- and he would have to pick that day to be wearing jeans and t-shirt as opposed to robes, which were handy for hiding that sort of thing. He shifted around uncomfortably in his seat, trying to move the paper so that she couldn't see. Luckily for him, Hermione didn't seem to notice as she sat down across the table from him grabbing a banana from the bunch in the center of the table and pouring the cereal into a bowl along with some milk and stirring it up with a spoon. She added in the cut up banana and took a bite.

"It is nice not being alone." She admitted, looking happily around the cheerful kitchen. "So, what do you think of the place? Mrs. Weasley's really been working on it since... you know .. you um.."

Sirius laughed aloud, "You can say it, Hermione. Since I died?"

She blushed a bit and nodded, "Yeah.."

"You know.. I really like it. All the decorating she's done gives this place the cheerful air it's been missing." And it was true. The house hadn't ever looked better. All of the broken windows were replaced and all of the others washed, inside and out. New curtains replaced the old, dusty ones. The curtains in the kitchen itself were lace, but not in a girly sort of way. The entire kitchen had undergone complete renovation since Molly did all of the cooking and preferred to have things up to her standard. There was a huge counter with cabinet space above and below. The floors were all still pinewood, but they'd been mopped and waxed until they gleamed, and some new rugs put down here and there for decorative purposes. The kitchen was painted cheerful yellow and the ceiling white to accentuate the cheerfulness of it. The windows there overlooked the sizeable backyard that meandered off into a woodsy area behind the house. The entry way with the giant staircase had been cleaned and fresh wallpaper put up. The troll umbrella stand was gone, replaced with a normal one. The Library had certainly undergone great changes as well. This room you stepped down into and it was protected from view being under the upstairs hall and situated in behind the stairs in a way. There was carpeting instead of wooden floors here- thick white carpeting. A huge fireplace flanked one wall, as well as a WWN in the corner. A couch sat a ways back from the fireplace and a coffee table as well. There were a couple of big armchairs and a cabinet of records to play in the WWN. There were bookshelves of books all around the room, stretching to the ceiling. And also, there was a window seat with cushions to read in. All the house elf heads were gone. The only thing that remained the same was the portrait of Mrs. Black, which Molly hadn't been able to get down despite her best efforts. The bedrooms were all redone with fresh beds and bedspreads, new paint and wallpaper.

"Listen.." Sirius said, trying to ignore that fact that even sitting there just watching her eat her breakfast was causing him troubles, "I got a letter from the Ministry.. apparently Dumbledore provided for my return before he left." Dumbledore was with the rest of the Order, no one knew where, looking for Harry and Ron. But it seemed, before he left, he'd written a letter to the Ministry telling them he'd discovered a charm that allowed him to bring Sirius back, never admitting how he had stolen the potion to aid the charm from the Department of Mysteries. "They want to give me an Order of the Merlin.. first class and, of course, a full pardon." He said, while looking over the letter with a hint of distaste. Personally, Sirius wasn't happy to accept any favors from the Ministry. He was still upset about the ruination of his life and, well, who wouldn't be for that matter? The pardon he would be glad to take, but he seriously was considering refusing to take their award.. well.. that was before Hermione practically threw herself into his arms.

She wrapped him close in a hug, practically squeezing the life out of him. "You really deserve it." She said happily, even wiping a few little tears out of her eyes.

Sirius practically choked on his coffee in surprise as she hurtled herself into his arms. He wasn't prepared for that and bit the inside of his mouth so hard that the metallic taste of blood filled it and he winced a bit because of the now uncomfortably tight jeans. What he needed was to get out of here and either take a very long, cold shower, or a warm one and deal with this correctly. However, he wasn't sure how he could quite do that with Hermione there. She would find it odd if he just walked away while half through the paper and having not eaten anything yet. However, the fact that she was pressed up against him and hugging him, well, he hadn't accounted for that. By the look on Hermione's face, she hadn't accounted for it either.

"Uhhmm.." Hermione murmured uneasily, pulling back a bit, though not all the way away from him and slowly looking down. Hermione's experience with men had been very theoretical thus far. She'd snogged Viktor Krum during their fourth year, and, yes, it had been nice. Viktor was older and more experienced than she, but in regard to her feelings and age at the time, they hadn't gone past snogging. Hermione had researched the topic thoroughly in books. However, she'd been warned by Lavender and Parvati that books didn't nearly equal the actual act or anything leading up to it. She'd taken their word for it, but she wasn't about to go and get herself shagged just to find out the real truth of the matter. However, in a few months she was going to be nineteen. Having a birthday in September made her practically the oldest in their class and had made her be only a couple of weeks from her twelfth birthday before she entered Hogwarts and put her, luckily, in the same year as Ron and Harry. And now that she was approaching that age, she felt a little bit more confident with herself and her body and perhaps even willing to experiment a little. However, she couldn't understand why Sirius now had this reaction. The idea she could have caused it was completely preposterous to her mind. After all, well, he was... Harry's godfather. He was also twice her age and much more experienced. What in the world would he be interested in an eighteen year old theoretically informed virgin for? Especially one who wasn't gobsmackingly beautiful. Hermione considered herself pretty and nothing more.

So, it was with trepidation and surprise that she looked down to see that, indeed, his jeans were tight and very tented up. It was obvious he had a hard on and from his fidgeting and his slightly red face, she could deduce that it must not be comfortable at all. However, the problem was.. even feeling it for a second pressed up against her lower stomach had made a funny, jolting feeling go through her body and her stomach start doing flip-flops. "Uumm.." she murmured again, for lack of anything better to say. The room was about as awkward and thick as cold custard.

Sirius, for his part, was beyond embarrassed that he'd been discovered. So, still definitely having some Marauder left in him.. he did the only decent thing a true Marauder could do in this situation.. "I... I'm sorry.. I um... didn't mean to." And then he paused, suddenly getting an idea. "It's.. just.. I.... have this... this.. condition you see.. and um... it... um.. makes me.. get a hard on... early.. in the morning." He said, going redder still. He wasn't sure what had turned him into Pinocchio, but he could be sure of one thing... it wasn't his nose doing the growing!

"Oh um... I.. I'm sorry." Hermione said a bit awkwardly. After all, what do you say when finding that out about someone.

"Yeah... It's a pain really.. Literally."

"OH! um... I... could.. you know.. go so.. um.."

"NO!" He wasn't sure what had made him blurt that out, but he didn't want her to go.

"Oh.. um.. ok .. then.." She said, rather nervously, her cinnamon eyes darting up to his silver-gray ones.

"You um.. you see.. it will um.. only go away.. the um.. the condition I mean.. if it's properly- well.. taken care of.. you know by um.. by a woman.. then I could.. you know.. get.. rid of it.. there's um.. no medicine you see." He said, beginning to think he was getting in deeper and deeper. This was like walking into quicksand. Already his excuse sounded feeble to him. Surely a witch as clever as Hermione was going to figure him out. Luckily for Sirius, Hermione counted herself uneducated enough that it didn't matter she'd never heard of such a condition before. It must be true since he was telling her.

"Oh.. I.. um.. I understand. If... if you'd like I could... um.. um.. try to.." Her face was bright red and she just couldn't bring herself to look into his eyes at the moment. "I could do it.. for you.. if it means you'd um.. get well.. if I mean.. if I just have to.. I mean what do I have to do?" She asked, stumbling over her words.

Sirius' conscience prodded him painfully and he shifted that little voice in his head out of the way. Shite! Did Hermione just agree to help me wank?! Oh SHITE!

"Well... Um... I... guess you could if um.. you really wanted to." He said, swallowing. He did feel a little bit guilty about deceiving her, but at the same time he hadn't had any sort of satisfaction of that sort since he was about eighteen years old and that was a really long time! Who could blame him, now being offered help by a pretty, intelligent young witch? And, after all, he reasoned with his conscience, It's not like we're going all the way.. it's just wanking.. Sirius swallowed rather hard, trying not to imagine going farther with her.

"Ok." He finally said, a bit uncertainly. After all, he was only human.

Hermione swallowed nervously. "Ok um... I think maybe we should, go to another room.." She said a bit awkwardly, sliding out of his arms and standing up. Her whole body felt like the silly putty she used to use to copy the comics in the London Times as a kid. Suddenly, her legs weren't connected to her body and she wasn't sure how she walked from the room. All she knew was that somehow she had led him upstairs to the bathroom- because that seemed the obvious place for this venture.

"Um... why... don't you um..." She gestured to his pants.

"Oh! Sorry." Sirius murmured, shaking back his loose hair, which he wore to his collar. He'd definitely cleaned up, cutting his hair a lot so it was shorter and manageable and was now clean shaven- with a little stubble since he hadn't shaved yet that morning- or showered. He also had a little meat on his bones now so he didn't look like a walking skeleton. Plus, his all around joy at being a free man, alive, and not alone made him almost returned to that glowing man in the picture of Harry's parents' wedding.

"It's fine." Hermione murmured, swallowing and wondering why she hadn't listened to the other girls in her dorm when they talked about doing this sort of thing. Why oh why hadn't she paid some attention!? How could she have been so bloody foolish?

Sirius swallowed and unbuttoned and unzipped the jeans, letting them drop to the floor and kicking his feet out of them so that he stood there wearing his shirt and knickers. "Um.. that's.. good." Hermione said. "Why don't you .. sit.." She suggested, indicating the edge of the huge bathtub, that was sunken down like a pool that you stepped over the side and then down into. Sirius took a rather deep breath, while Hermione did the same on the other side of the room. She attempted not to look at him in just the knickers, but she was too curious. Whatever little of his size and shape the jeans had concealed from her view earlier, the knickers certainly didn't. Though, she was relieved they were normal, black boxer style with nothing cute like little flags on the Muggle movies or anything like that. Hermione didn't think she could have managed.

Resolutely she walked over and stepped down into the water so that she was sitting on one step under him. This put her head at about his shoulder height, excellent position for such an activity. Slowly she reached over and felt his hardness through the thin material of the knickers, causing Sirius to shiver and take in a sharp breath. "Are you alright?" She asked, worry creeping into her eyes. "Cause I.. I mean.. if I'm not doing this right..."

He shook his head, "You're doing it right... and I'm alright.. it feels good." He murmured, trying to hide a moan. She had no idea how good!

"Um.. ok.." She said. "So I should.. um..." Slowly she scooted over and reached her hand into his knickers. Slowly, she cupped his hardness in her hand and used the other one to pull his knickers down, releasing him from the confined space. She shivered a bit. Holding well.. that in her hand wasn't really bad. It gave her an odd sort of shiver up her spine and more stomach flip flops. It was harder and straighter than she imagined for some reason.. but she never really got a proper look at what it actually was like, because that moment, there was a familiar voice downstairs.

"Padfoot?! Hermione?! You here? I just got back this morning and heard the news! Dumbledore's still looking for the others that disappeared, but they say no news is good news and I came to..." His voice faded away as he appeared to have gone into the backyard to see if they were out there.

Sirius and Hermione exchanged a terrified look as they both let out expressions of horror, leaping up off the steps to the tub. Sirius smacked his shin against the marble and howled in silent fury, hopping around with his knickers down around his ankles as he staggered forward, nearly tripping over them by that time. It was obvious he was either a klutz while aroused or he was panicked, or there was not much blood in his head at the moment- or all three. Hermione tried not to giggle and gracefully turned her back to give him some privacy before heading out of the bathroom and into her room to look in the mirror there and be sure she didn't look as guilty as she felt at the moment. It was like the time she'd been caught sneaking cookies before dinner when her Mum told her that she wasn't allowed to have any.

Meanwhile, Sirius was in desperate position now. There was no way he could go downstairs and make small talk with Moony- not like this! He groaned as Hermione left and quickly pushed the door to the bathroom shut and knelt down on the floor, obviously intending to finish the job off himself when he heard footsteps in the hall. "Padfoot? Where are you at?" Remus called, beginning to wonder if the two of them were even here as he hadn't seen any signs of life except dirty dishes on the table from breakfast.

Sirius groaned in disbelief and dropped his clothes onto the floor and leaped into the shower, turning on the hot water full blast. He could hardly do anything about his not so little problem, though, because he would make too much noise.. it didn't matter if Hermione heard him.. she knew he was well... but Remus catching him at it- and then inevitably questioning him until he found out the truth, was a little more than Sirius could stomach at the moment. Not when his feelings for Hermione were so confusing and conflicting to him at the moment.

However, Remus went into the downstairs bathroom then, having decided they weren't here that he would simply use the facilities and come back later after getting something to eat for brunch himself as it was now getting later in the morning. However, the beauty of the plumbing that Sirius hadn't been expecting then came to pass. Remus flushed the downstairs toilet and suddenly the water went from steaming down Sirius' body to feeling like ice was being poured over his head as two bathrooms on the same line couldn't both have the hot water.... "AAAAARRRRRRGGGGHHH!!!" Sirius yelled aloud as icy water cascaded down around him, and he jumped to get out of the way of it, finding no where to go to avoid the huge pool, like bathtub with its shower heads spurting the icy water in every direction. A few moments later, when it had ended, Sirius looked down with a sigh.. well, he certainly no longer had one problem anymore- major shrinkage!

Of course, at that moment, Remus pounded on the door. "Sirius!? Are you alright?!! I didn't even know you were here!" A note of panic edged Remus' voice and it was obvious he didn't know what Sirius had been yelling about.

"I'm fine... Moony.. have you ever been told how bloody awful your timing is?!" In more ways than one! Sirius thought to himself.

"Um.. yeah, sorry about the cold water.." Remus said, realizing what had happened and plainly thinking Sirius only meant about flushing the toilet downstairs.

Sirius just sighed resignedly, "I'll be down in a few minutes!"

~*~*~*~

"So, how're doing, Mate?" Remus asked his best friend as the two men sat down at the kitchen table of Grimmauld place, each with a cup of tea. Hermione had mysteriously made herself scarce and Sirius guessed that this was because she wanted to give the two of them time to talk. They'd had precious little of that since his return. Remus had been sorely busy with the Order. Harry and Ron had both been found and taken to St. Mungo's. It appeared that though they were going to need to stay there for awhile- both would be fine. Meanwhile Sirius had had his hands full with recovering and then trying to help Hermione do so.

"I'm doing good.. how 'bout you?" But then he instantly regretted it, for Tonks was one of the missing people since the last battle. "Oh I.."

Remus shook his head and held up a hand, "No... no.. it's ok. They're going to find all of them. Don't worry about it." He said softly.

Sirius just nodded mutely. This hadn't been a very good start to their conversation. "Moony.." Sirius began, unsure where this was coming from, and thinking he might just be the most fool brained idiot around for even going there. "I've got something I need your opinion on."

"Oh, alright, I'll help anyway I can. You know that."

Sirius just nodded, "I um.. well, actually, it's a witch problem."

"Oohh.. what lucky lady has sparked Padfoot's interest?"

"That's just the thing.. it's um.. well.. it's Hermione. It just started when she was taking care of me when I first came back. That night I got the first hard on I'd had since Azkaban.. and I'm not talking about some little.. issue.. no.. I mean a full blown- no pun intended- hard on! And ever since she moved in with me.. I mean.. I know it's wrong and all but I keep getting them! and the other day she caught me with one!" Sirius said with a sigh.

If Remus was surprised by this confession, he didn't show it. "Well, I suppose it's understandable. Hermione is young and beautiful, why shouldn't you find her arousing?" Remus asked, taking a sip of his tea. "What you have to ask yourself now.. is it something more than physical? Can you commit yourself to her in more than a physical way? If not, don't go for it. Sirius, I can tell you, if you're not ready to make a long term mature commitment to Hermione, don't do this. You'll only hurt you and her both. I've seen some pretty immature behavior out of you over the course of the years we've known each other, Padfoot." Remus said warningly. "The poor girl just lost her parents, and we both know that those Death Eaters were looking for her... not her parents. So, you make sure before you go into this that you know what you're doing, what you're risking. You're both important to me, so I don't want to see either of you hurt."

Sirius nodded, "That's the scary part.. I.. I think I might actually.. well.. I think I might actually feel more for her than a physical want. I mean, sure, I want her in my bed, and I want to shag her senseless, but I want to keep her safe and protect her and always love her." He said softly.

"Well, if that's the case, you have nothing to fear. Give it a go, but don't be surprised if she says no. I mean, her parents did just..."

Sirius nodded, "Yeah, I understand. Thanks, Mate." he said, as the two men embraced before Remus took his leave, only having a little bit of time before he needed to return to Dumbledore and the search force. However, he'd certainly given Sirius something to think about.

~*~*~*~

Sirius' decision to "Go for it" in regards to Hermione wasn't without its complications. He needed to find the right moment to reveal his feelings to her and in the right way. He wanted to create a lasting impression and look as if he'd actually put some work into this. Thus, it was that he began to plan for an evening upon which he could take Hermione out and possibly tell her the truth. Sirius couldn't help hoping that when they came home, perhaps the night would continue in the bedroom- but he would certainly never press the point! And now that he'd resolved his issues.. he allowed himself to wank, something he desperately needed to get rid of the nearly continuous hard on he had. He took to hanging around near where she was, even if only to sit and read in the library with her. Hermione, for her part, noted the tell-tale bulge in his pants, but following his cue, did not mention it again after their disastrous last attempt. After all, she could hardly have imagined that she was the cause.

This was how it came to be that one evening Hermione came home from a little bit of grocery shopping- as Grimmauld Place now stocked a good deal of food because there were two people living there full time, one who knew how to cook fairly well. And the other ... well.. Sirius, who nearly burnt the house down on his first attempt, had stuck to cleaning up the dishes. Hermione sighed heavily and put the sack of groceries on the table.

"Sirius?" She called. But there was no answer. Hermione sighed and went hurrying up the stairs into the upper hall of the house towards her room to put away the toiletries she'd gotten while at the store. However, on her way through the room, she spotted something out of the corner of her eye. There was something on her bed that looked like a penguin. On proper glance, it turned out to be a black box with a piece of white parchment laying on top of it. Hermione raised one eyebrow in curiosity and dropped the sack of things on the cedar chest before going back to the bed and sitting down at once and reaching for the note.

Hermione,

Sometimes it's good to get out of the shadows and remember to live again. Do your hair and makeup and all that other ridiculous stuff women have to do to get ready, then put on what's in the box. Someone will be there to get you at 7:30 sharp. And remember, tonight is about having a good time- live a little! - Sirius

She put down the note with a bit of a smile as she reached over and began undoing the clothes box. She slit the tape and opened it, digging through the tissue paper that covered the dress in the box. However, what she saw took her breath away. "Good Merlin.." she whispered, slowly withdrawing the dress from within its protective covering. She now noticed that the dress might possibly have been the most beautiful thing she'd ever laid eyes on. She could hardly believe that it was hers to wear. Surely he had not bought this for her... it had to cost a lot of galleons, and.. sure enough- her size. She looked at the dress in wonder. It was made out of the softest silk-satin mixture of material. The top was ruched and sheered, with a very high waist and a draped bodice that just fitted to her shape. The straps were slender and joined together behind the neck, forming a halter with the back of the dress being low and ruched like the front. The front had a v cut that dipped just low enough in front to give a hint of the shadow of her breasts, but certainly not enough to be considered immodest or distasteful. The dress was covered in beautiful seed pearl and pink opal designs down the full skirt, which ended just below her knees. Hermione felt it would have spun around very well had she wished it to. It was a very pale pink in color and the jewels in the skirt portion caught the light and glimmered beautifully. In the same package she found a new pair of pink, heeled sandals. A tiny little box beside the first revealed a beautiful jewelry set. The first piece was a pink rose of the purest gold- but then painted over in pale pink so the gold didn't show through except on the gilded edges of the rose, and green stem, and tiny leaves. The entire beautiful thing was studded in the tiniest diamonds that looked like water droplets. Next to the necklace was a pair of earrings- simple pink opal droplets. There was also the most beautiful pink rose corsage and a piece to sweep her hair up with. Hermione shook her head in disbelief before going to take a bath.

She spent a good deal of time relaxing in the bubbles and just thinking. She took the time to shave her legs, despite how much she hated this chore, and then actually read part of a book in the bath. She had loved doing that as a little girl. and staying in the tub until her fingers turned wrinkled as grapes and her Mum began to tease about her daughter having turned into a mermaid while having her bath. However, staying in the bath gave her time to think over it all. Something was changing, and she was more aware of it now. She was beginning to, as much as it worried her, have feelings for Sirius. At first it had been merely physical, but that was changing and Hermione worried she might just be falling in love with a man who didn't return her feelings in the least, who wouldn't give a second glance in her direction. Finally, she decided to just shelve it for that evening and not worry about anything but having a good time.

Her car arrived promptly at seven thirty- a wizarding car. This was the sort of car that would fly, she realized. Hermione spent most of the long drive/flight in the backseat of the car behind the blindfold that the driver had insisted she put on. Sirius had thought of even this and the car was equipped with Wizarding Wireless technology so she could listen to music on the trip. Finally, she heard, "We've arrived Miss. Please, stay put and I'll come help you out." The driver said, coming round to her side of the car. Hermione let him help her out feeling warm, delicious air accost her face as the man led her along for a few moments and then up a many flights of stairs, taking great pains that she wouldn't trip and fall. Finally, the both of them a bit breathless, they exited the building onto.. Hermione was confused about how they could be outside until the driver loosened the blindfold and disappeared down the stairs, leaving her to pull it off.

The sight before her eyes were such a surprise she nearly laughed and cried all at once. It was so much that she could barely take all of it in. They were on a rooftop in the middle of Paris. A couple blocks away, the Eiffel Tower shown with its thousands of little lights making it glow beautifully. The moon was huge and bright and very full, deep orange-ish, a harvest moon. She thought of Remus, who, most likely, was holed up somewhere with the Wolfsbane potion that Hermione had made for him, with Snape away fighting he couldn't, and Hermione had attempted it and succeeded. The River Seine sparkled like a jewel with that moon reflected in it and the lights of the city shone bright as well. The stars sparkled up above them and the night was wondrously warm- though not too much. This was perfect weather for.. for what? Hermione wondered. Suddenly, she caught sight of something. It was a table across the rooftop from her in the shadows. There were candles and place settings on the table and it was covered in a white cloth. A bottle of fancy wine sat in a bucket of ice in the center of the table. However, what really took her breath away was.. "Sirius?!" He was standing beside the table. However, that wasn't the astonishing part. He was wearing a suit, a very nice suit! He also had trimmed his hair so that it hung just to his collar or so, and he was clean shaven. He wore a boutonniere in the button hole of the suit, even. "Wow.. what's.. going on?" Hermione asked softly.

Sirius just smiled. "I figured a night where you didn't have anything to worry about might be nice.."

Hermione smiled, "Thank you.. this was.. I mean.. the dress alone. It must have cost."

Sirius had crossed the rooftop in about three strides and silently put a finger over her lips causing sparks to burn through Hermione's stomach. "Don't... it's nothing." Sirius whispered softly. "I'm just glad you like them. You do like them don't you?"

"Like them? Oh.. Sirius.." She murmured, wrapping her arms around him and kissing his cheek. "Yes, they're wonderful!"

Sirius' face burnt rather pink at her soft kiss on his cheek. "Well um.. you're welcome. So, shall we?" He asked, leading her over to the table. He pulled her chair out for her and pushed it in before taking his seat across from her. The dinner consisted mostly of French cuisine and Hermione wondered how Sirius had managed to acquire it. There was bouillabaisse and fish and other meats, fresh fruits and even crepes for desert along with wine. He had a Wizarding Wireless hooked up yet again.

"Do you dance?" Hermione asked.

Sirius shook his head, "Well um...no.."

"Well, I could show you."

"Well... if... if you're sure you want to." He said, a bit nervously. She nodded, standing up. She reached out and grabbed his hand, looking up.. when his silvery-grey eyes stared back into hers, Hermione nearly had a heart attack. At any rate, it felt as if her heart was going to come out of her chest. His hand was much large than hers, and softer skin than she expected, warm too, and he smelled of a scent she'd never smelled before. Perhaps he'd worn a dab of aftershave? She wasn't for sure at any rate. Slowly she guided him to the floor and from the wizarding wireless she'd noticed earlier, music began to play.. a soft tune.

"Wrap your arms around my waist." She murmured, her breath catching as he did this... Merlin that felt extraordinary! Slowly she took one of his hands and held onto it, stepping up against him as she showed him how to count the steps and he began to whirl her about the floor, seeming almost a natural at the art of slow dancing. As they continued, Hermione began to feel at ease, and Sirius led, understanding, now, what he was doing. Slowly she rested her head on his shoulder, listening to the calming words of the song, her eyes slowly beginning to burn with unspent tears. "I remember this song.. I ... danced to it at a wedding reception with my Dad when I was six years old." She murmured softly, carefully. Then, suddenly she was crying much harder and he was holding her.

"Shh... let's go back home.." He whispered, "Supper was delicious and I've had such a good time.. we'll talk, and you'll feel better." He said, a bit desperate to keep this from being the end to such a wonderful night.

She nodded, smiling up at him a bit. "I think that would be good." she said, wiping off her face with one hand. She smeared her makeup and his heart melted.

~*~*~*~

Back at Grimmauld Place, Sirius kindled a fire in the fireplace in the library. He pushed the couch back out of the way and piled the floor with tons of pillows and a cushioning charm so they could sit there and use the coffee table behind them to set their tea on. He smiled to himself, watching the fire leap above the grate as he waited for her to return. He heard the toilet flush and moments later her feet on the stairs as she came down. He sighed a bit.. she wasn't a fairy tale princess anymore- well, she was his fairy tale princess, but she wasn't wearing the dress. Now, she wore her pajamas and house slippers. Sirius grinned at this, stepping out of his own shoes and socks. He went to get out of his tux and returned wearing flannel sweats and a white t-shirt. Though, Hermione noted that his fine, sculpted chest showed through the white shirt really nicely, causing her face to redden just a little bit.

"Would you.. like some tea?" He offered a bit wrong footed.

Hermione nodded, "That'd be nice." she said, sinking into the cushioned floor and finding it very soft and nice indeed.

Sirius took a seat on the cushions and simply conjured the tea for them, holding up a hand to help her sit down. "Hermione.." He began.. now was the time to tell her.. but could he?

"Hm?"

"I... I like your pajamas." He said.

Hermione chuckled, "Um.. thanks." she said.

"Yes?"

"Well.. what if... what if.. I thought.. I ..."

"You?"

"Were..."

"Falling in love with you?" They both said it at the exact same time.

"You love me?" Hermione asked softly.

Slowly, Sirius took her into his arms, pulling her against him. She was warm against him and he lifted her close. "I do... I've been trying to deny it for weeks, since you came to stay with me.. maybe since before that. And I don't have any.." He started chuckling, "Well what I told you about needing to be 'fixed' by a witch... " He murmured, "Not true... well not in that sense of the word anyway."

"I made you?..."

He nodded, feeling his face get rather warm indeed, "Um.. yeah... something like that.." he murmured. Then, before he could respond again Hermione's soft hands were on his cheeks and she had pulled his face close, suddenly her lips were on his. They say first kisses are always awkward, but this one wasn't. It seemed that their lips knew what to do. Both had been lonely for so long... never finding that perfect person, until now. It didn't bother them that he was older, after all, what's twenty years or so when it comes to the wizarding world? What's twenty years or so when you find your one true love?

Slowly she wrapped her arms around him tighter, her lips seeking his once more as she crawled halfway over into his lap, straddling him now as he leaned back into one of the upright cushions that were keeping them propped up. A soft moan escaped him into her mouth and the tip of his tongue gracefully curved her lower lip, causing Hermione to part them gladly and grant him the entrance he'd sought to her mouth. His tongue was a burning lick of fire within her as she felt him touch her tongue and felt him pull her closer still. His arms wrapped around her waist and shoulders, trying to convey to her what she meant to him in that one touch.

It might have been coincidence that the two were both wearing pajamas, but Hermione wondered, typically, whether it was something deeper, something the innermost regions of their minds were trying to tell them. Slowly she enclosed her arms around his neck as his head tipped back, getting a thrill that for a moment she was dominate over him, determined later to experiment with this- but not now.. definitely not now. For now she'd be content to just let things happen as they may. She wondered vaguely if they were going to shag. She wondered if she wanted to, but she knew the answer to that. She most certainly did!

Her tongue played slowly against his, now writhing against his own as she felt a most curious sensation between her legs and swallowed as she opened her eyes and he did too, a bit of an apologetic expression on his face. Hermione blushed a bit and slowly looked down between them. She could see that the soft cloth of the pants was pushed up in a tent like way, showing his growing erection beneath them. She blushed and Sirius grinned a bit, pulling her closer, her forgetting to worry at all when his lips met hers once more.

Sirius knew that this was the time to stop if they were going to. He was horribly hard and could tell that she was getting more turned on with each kiss and his hands were running out of "safe" places to stroke on top of her pajamas, which were their own kind of torture because they were so slim and he could feel more aptly than one could with regular clothes. He also thought that this was, perhaps, the most comfortable he had ever been while aroused. Being in tight jeans or the pants that went beneath robes was hardly comfortable! This, however. "Hermione..." He murmured regretfully against her ear, almost positive she would call a halt.

"Hmm?" She murmured.

"Have ... you ever?" He asked softly.

She pulled away slightly, her cinnamon eyes widening a bit and a certain redness rising to her cheeks. She shook her head, "I always... wanted to wait for the right wizard to come along." She whispered softly. "I know you have though."

Sirius chuckled softly, "How do you know that?"

"Um... I believe it was called...The Ex Cathedra Accredited Unabridged Tomes of Coitus Satisfaction."

A curious expression passed Sirius' face and then he burst out laughing and pulling her closer once more. "You found...?"

"Yes..." She smirked, "I was doing research to figure out how to bring you back."

"Did you um.. did you enjoy it?"

"Well.. I... I didn't get to read any of it. I nearly got caught by Filch and well .. I only got to look at the pictures before I put it back."

Sirius laughed more, "Alright yes.. I've done it, but um... never with someone that was more than a fling. A couple of girls at school- because I wanted to do proper research for the book, and sure it was fun and I might have thought I liked them, heck, I flirted and snogged anyone that would come around me back then. They called me the Casanova of Hogwarts in my day. But um.. there's never been anyone I was honestly in love with. Not until now anyway." He said this last part softly.

Hermione smiled and wrapped her arms around him. "I'm glad there wasn't." She said softly. "So... what will we do with this?" she asked, grinning and nodding down to his lap. Sirius made his own discovery at this point.. her lightweight cotton pajama pants were dark in color between her legs. This seemed to make that monster inside of him roar with satisfaction. She was soaking wet just from his kissing and safe touching. He swallowed.

"Well... what do you want to do about it?"

"I asked you first." She said, holding his gaze.

"Well, we could." He said softly.

"We could." She agreed, a soft smile beginning to slip across her face as she pushed his shirt over his head.

"Are you sure?" He asked. "I don't want you to feel rushed into." At that moment her lips met his muting him firmly and easily. He struggled for just a moment before giving in fully and wrapping her close into his arms. Slowly they slid backward onto the cushions so that now he was on top of her, with her knees up around his hips, their faces close. Both were smiling, for sure now and neither feeling rushed. Only a great well of happiness building between them. Happiness and trust.

Slowly, he reached up and slid his hand along the side of her shirt, unexpectedly meeting the firm fabric beneath of her bra. Hermione smiled apologetically. "I wasn't planning on-." Sirius shook his head silently and brought his lips to hers, tenderly, gently. He slipped his hands beneath her and under her shirt until he found the catch to the bra and undid it, slipping the bra out under the bottom of the shirt and putting it gently aside. He chuckled, "Do you knickers match it?"

Hermione blushed a bit, "Yes.." She murmured. The bra was a demi cup, pale blue in color with darker blue butterflies in lacy covering over the top. Sirius was half sorry he wasn't going to be able to see her in it- perhaps next time. Slowly he turned his face and found that his lips met hers, this kiss being slow and sensual, taking as long as they both wanted. His tongue slowly curled against hers, not too deep, perfectly. His hand slid up along her shirt and slowly he covered one of her breasts with his hand. They were soft beneath the shirt and he could tell that each one, it seemed, would be a perfect handful in size. Slowly he rubbed her nipple through the shirt. Hermione closed her eyes, a soft sound coming from the back of her throat because his actions felt so nice. A burning need was beginning to build down between her legs, but Hermione rather liked the feeling. It felt vaguely as if she had wet her pants because she was completely soaked, but she didn't mind and Sirius certainly seemed rather pleased about it. Every few moments more hot juice trickled out from her centre and down her legs, making her feel that this was going to become a rather messy event- oh well.

He reached in and gripped the edges of her shirt and she lifted her arms so he could slide the shirt off in one fluid motion. Sirius smiled as he looked down in the shadowy light the fire provided for them. She was not large, perfect handfuls, and her dusky rose colored nipples seemed to long for him to close his mouth over them. Slowly he leaned up more and took one of the dusky peaks beneath his thumb, rolling it until it was firm and until she let out the hint of a soft moan, her head going backwards, baring her neck as he began to suck and lick gently at her throat and neck, still gently torturing her creamy mound beneath his fingers. Hermione was floating somewhere along cloud nine at the moment because of his actions and only scraped her fingers deliciously along his slightly sweaty skin as he slowly lowered his mouth to the other peak and sucked it gently, causing her to cry out. He was stoking the delicious fire building in her, threatening to consume her in waves of passion so strong she would never escape them.

He felt her nipple beneath his tongue and pressed it gently, liking the taste of her salty skin as he helped her to discover the joys of making love. Her fingers reached up and slipped along his chest, making ripples of excitement gush through his veins. Her fingers came up and traced over his own nipples causing his chest muscles to tense in a delicious way that said he felt and enjoyed her actions immensely. Hermione grinned and pulled him closer to her, now feeling the hardness in between his legs on one thigh. Casually she started working her hands down his toned stomach. That must have been from all those early morning sit ups and push ups, and those mornings he went running early- before the city awoke. Sirius grinned, almost seeming to see what she was doing. "How hard are you?" She whispered in his ear.

"Hard.." He whispered back, his face slightly red now.

"Can I feel?" She murmured and he could only nod, swallowing hard as he stayed in that position with one knee over her right hip and half on her half, looking down into her eyes as the fingers of one hand curled through her hair. Their lips met for a brief moment, a kiss where their lips didn't quite end up center but neither cared. Her hand dropped lower and stroked the area above the waist line of the pajama pants. "Are you wearing anything under there?" Sirius shook his head, getting more red than ever and causing Hermione to giggle softly as she pressed her fingers against the hardness sticking straight up. A small trail of dark hair led from his lower stomach into his pants and seemed to be a tempting trail, daring her to look. She refrained from this and slowly touched the hardness again, causing him to keep his eyes shut and his lips parted silently. Hermione grinned at this reaction. Slowly she moved to the pants and started to pull them loose around his waist, but torturing him by not pulling them down but enough to see the base where the end of his shaft met his skin. She grinned and slowly rubbed her fingers in that area, causing him to let out an audible gasp. "Like?" She intoned and he nodded quickly.

Sirius groaned softly as her fingers brushed him "Merlin.." He whispered, and saw the smile on Hermione's face. Her fingers worked down and she rubbed his tip through his pajama pants. She shivered delightedly. He was so hard and she couldn't imagine what it felt like, but she could wonder how his stiff shaft would feel inside of her and it gave her delicious shivers and increased the burning need down between her legs. Sirius, however, had other plans. Grinning, he sat up and pulled her up as well, getting a glimpse of those beautiful breasts. He took his mind off of them and hooked his fingers through the waist of her pajama pants and slid them down, leaving her in the matching knicker set. He could smell her distinctive scent and it made him all the more ready. Hermione smiled a bit nervously and Sirius leaned up to whisper in her ear, "You're beautiful.. inside and out.. never let anyone else tell you differently."

"I won't." She whispered. Somehow his fingers got her knickers loose and they ended up on the floor, leaving her naked to his scrutiny. However, he seemed more than pleased by what he saw. Coming down from her waist were slim, curved hips and a scattering of course looking hair. Hermione blushed a bit, but Sirius seemed confident as he slowly parted her legs. Between them he could see all the correct anatomy, looking much more appealing than he'd ever thought a naked female body to be. She was so wet as well. Slowly he slid his finger along her slit, and finally he found that tiny, pulsing ball of nerves and rubbed it, causing Hermione to let out a moan, and draw her legs up in pure pleasure. He leaned in and slowly brushed his tongue against her right there, causing a muffled gasp and her hands to grip around his shoulders tightly, even pulling his hair a bit. He leaned up and used his finger to rub between her legs while he leaned forward and slowly captured one firm nipple in his mouth and sucked at it gently, rolling the sensitive bud beneath his tongue until her eyes closed and she cried out in ecstasy as his finger stroked her soaking wet mound and his tongue lapped at her breast.

Slowly his lips worked down her stomach once more as he kept stroking her, drawing her to the edge, then letting her go again, building her up more than ever. He grinned as his lips reached her apex and he licked at it, tasting the delicious thickness of her and the unique scent. It was like forbidden fruit- Merlin! nothing should be allowed to be that nice! Hermione gasped, slowly sitting up and pushing Sirius over. Now it was her turn. She turned herself over on top of him and began to stroke sensually in long, broad strokes. She let her hands wander across his lower stomach, over his shoulders. "May I?" She whispered, grabbing the edge of his pajama pants and slid them down and off, leaving them both without clothes. She swallowed in surprise, mostly because he was so much larger in life and so beautiful- well if you could call that beautiful.

"Like?" he whispered, a bit nervously.

Hermione nodded shyly, "Mmm hmm. May I?"

Sirius nodded, so she moved her fingers down and slowly ran them along him. He was hard, that she expected, what she hadn't expected was the intense heat that was coming off of it. Slowly she rubbed her fingers across him again, all of him, rather experimentally, causing Sirius to moan her name under his breath. Hermione took his as a sign that he was in enjoying her actions and continued rubbing her fingers along his shaft, then a bit lower, down to his most sensitive places. She smiled shyly, slowly letting his tip into her mouth, just a little bit. Her tongue played gently along the sticky, heat, causing him to writhe and moan in anticipation of what was to come.

Moments later, she felt him turn her back over, slipping between her legs. "Now.." She murmured and he just nodded breathlessly. Slowly he crawled between her legs and wrapped her close in his arms. "I'll try to be gentle." She nodded, wrapping her arms tighter around him and he had a look of complete happiness on his face. He crawled more carefully over her, pressing a tender hand to the inside of her leg, and parted them. The most curious sensations were sweeping through Hermione- something between nervousness and anticipation and desire all wrapped up within her extremely aroused body.

He reached down and felt his fingers across her wet slit, as if reassuring the both of them. He reached for her and pulled her close to him. Her arms wrapped easily around his shoulders and he searched for and found the right spot using only his tip, pushing into her sticky, hotness just a bit, trying to go slow. It didn't feel like she'd expected at all, she couldn't really tell if he was in her or not except for a strange pressure between her legs. Then, there was no doubt as he, with an apologetic, worried expression, pushed forward once more and a wave of pain washed over her, causing tears to well in her eyes. She gripped him harder and hid her face against his shoulder. She didn't want him to stop, but it hurt. "Shh.." He murmured soothingly against her ear, wrapping his arms tight around her. Within a few moments, her body began to adjust to having him in her. She smiled now, beginning to feel the waves of passion that licked along her body. He sensed the change and slowly he began to move within her, tenderly at first, then more.

Hermione let out a first gasp of pleasure as she held him tighter, her fingernails scraping desperately down his back. When he thrust she pushed back against him, causing Sirius to nearly cum right then. He gasped, reminding himself to hold off, he wanted to make this first experience perfect for the witch he had come to love so deeply. As he moved he pressed tender kisses to her lips and along her neck and shoulders as he increased his thrusts against her, causing moans to slip from her unchecked. "Sirius!" She keened as he hit a particularly sensitive spot and he grinned, beginning to make his thrusts very short and quick now. "What're..." She didn't need to continue when he found that particular spot again, full on thrusting and pushing her nearly over the edge, crying his name, her nails running down his back. His fingers slipped down between her legs and he rubbed her clit beneath his thumb. "oooh.. ohhh! Sirius! I... I'm.. I'm going.. to.. I need.." She moaned. She was not loud, in fact her desperation was murmured quietly in his ear, but he understood her urgency and sped up his actions against her. He didn't want it to end, but his body was crying out for his own release.

"Let go.." He whispered. against her ear, he moved his lips to kiss along her breasts and stomach as his finger continued to tenderly pleasure at her clit. Sirius soon began to fear that he wouldn't be able to hold out long enough, but suddenly it seemed that their bodies were in perfect sync. Fire ripped through her and suddenly she was flying, flying so high and through the most wonderful blackness. Suddenly she couldn't see, didn't need to. It was all about this beautiful, desperate realize of the tender touch and the scent of their love and the keening of their tender moans. She could feel, vaguely a flood of burning hot within her that was his release at the same exact moment of hers and they crashed together onto the pillows.

For several moments after it had ended the two of them laid tangled in each other's arms, her shaking and unable to move from the aftershock of their lovemaking. "Are you okay?" He murmured, finally, when he felt that he could place coherent thoughts again. Hermione just nodded, wrapping her arms around him.

"Yes.. I've never felt more wonderful. I love you so much." she whispered, her eyes begging to see the sentiment returned.

She need not have feared for he pulled her close, turning over a bit onto their sides. "I love you too..." He whispered, cradling her against him.

"What does this mean for us?" She whispered.

He smiled and sat up, cuddling her against his chest. "I hope that it means.... we could... be promised?" He murmured.

Hermione's eyes widened in disbelief, "Really?" She asked, completely surprised by his answer. She had never expected such an answer... perhaps they might date, but she'd thought he might never want to settle down.

He nodded, "Yes, I don't want to ever lose you." He whispered.

"You won't." She promised, cuddling even closer to her.

At that moment, a soft song began to play on the Wizarding Wireless in the corner, causing both of them to have a teary eyed sort of smile. This was the song that they had danced to on the rooftop earlier that evening. Earlier that evening? It seemed more like years ago after this. Slowly he ran his hands along her back as they listened to the song.

I was down my dreams were wearing thin
When you're lost where do you begin
My heart always seemed to drift from day to day
Looking for the love than never came my way

Then you smiled and I reached out to you
I could tell you were lonely too
One look then it all began for you and me
The moment that we touched I knew that there would be

Two less lonely people in the world
And it's gonna be fine
Out of all the people in the world
I just can't believe you're mine
In my life where everything was wrong
Something finally went right
Now there's two less lonely people
In the world tonight

Just to think what I might have missed
Looking back how did I exist
I dreamed, still I never thought I'd come this far
But miracles come true, I know 'cause here we are

Two less lonely people in the world
And it's gonna be fine
Out of all the people in the world
I just can't believe you're mine
In my life where everything was wrong
Something finally went right
Now there's two less lonely people
In the world tonight

"It's true." Sirius whispered and Hermione nodded, holding him closer.

"There are two less lonely people in the world tonight." She said, resting her head against his chest. "I never imagined my perfect match would be you.. I never imagined anything this wonderful was going to happen to me."

"Me either... I never thought someone as perfect and sweet as you would want me.. so I guess we're a perfect match." She smiled and cuddled down into his arms, both of them feeling safe, loved, and so happy. Their world might have been in total chaos, but their family, the Order, and those they loved, for the moment, were safe. Together they were going to move on and be happy. Perhaps True Love really does exist... In fact, for Sirius and Hermione, it certainly did exist and they had just found it...