Thanks for your reviews of the first chapter. Sorry this one is pretty shitty but I guarantee the next chapter will be more promising. This one is just Sirius gets a small bit suspicious and spills all to his cousin. Anyway hope you enjoy and also please review and give me any ideas of what could/should happen in your opinion. I do have some ideas up my sleeve! Thank you!
Once Michael had left the house to go wherever he went during his days spent away, Hermione apparated from her small flat and landed on the hard pavement outside a row of houses. She really didn't want to be alone and after having the luck to be with her friends for a night, she decided she would like to see them more often. It would let her escape from her personal hell that was her flat. Hermione stared at the large house directly in front of her. Last night Harry had said that he and Ginny would be spending some time at Sirius' and so that was where Hermione had appeared. It was around four in the afternoon. Hermione had had to make sure Michael was gone and that she looked half reasonable, seeing as she hadn't slept, which took some time. Hermione advanced across the road and knocked on the large black door.
Sirius was lying in bed fast asleep when a knock on the door woke him. He rolled over in bed and felt a sharp aching fill his head. Sirius groaned loudly and raised a palm to his forehead, brushing back the hair from his face. Who in gods name is knocking so early? Sirius sighed and slowly rose from his bed, feeling nauseous and shuffled over to the window. He squinted his eyes peering down onto the footpath directly below and he saw a small figure with somewhat bushy hair standing in front of his home. It couldn't be. No, it isn't he assured himself. But all the same Sirius opened the window and called down.
"I'm coming!"
Without another look down he picked up a t-shirt and shuffled out of his room and down the stairs. He opened the front door and winced when the sharp light hit his eyes. When everything came back into focus he noticed Hermione standing on his front step. Sirius blinked.
"Hermione?"
"Uhm..Yes." she replied with a slight smile.
Hermione was glad to see Sirius and even slightly amused at the fact he was wearing nothing but underwear and a t-shirt. But disappointment also set in; if Harry and Ginny had in fact been here visiting he wouldn't likely be dressed as such.
"Harry told me that he was going to come and visit today with Ginny…I thought I'd come say hi as well."
Sirius stomach dropped in realisation. Hermione hadn't come to visit him; she'd come to see her friends. Knowing she would soon be gone he sighed.
"I'm afraid Harry couldn't make it, can't remember why exactly." Sirius smiled gently, an emotional aching filling his body. Hermione nodded and looked away.
"I guess I'll head off then." she muttered absent mindedly.
Sirius felt a strong urge flow through him. He really didn't want her to go.
"Stay." he blurted out.
Hermione spun her head to look at him.
"I mean, stay for some tea or something. Breakfast maybe?"
"Sirius its four o clock." Hermione smiled and Sirius looked taken aback.
"Really…how about dinner? We could go to Harrys? I'm meant to be heading over anyway because he couldn't make it today." Sirius worked to keep the pleading from his voice and conjured a charming smile.
Hermione looked sceptical and then faced away once again, staring unseeingly down the street. Sirius waited patiently, hoping she would stay. Hermione looked back to him and smiled.
"Okay, dinner it is." she said with a warm smile.
Sirius filed with bliss but was suddenly aware of the fact that he was barely dressed.
"Why don't you come in for a moment and I will run upstairs and get dressed."
Sirius opened the door wide and let her in, closing it gently behind her.
"I'll just be a second, make yourself comfortable."
Hermione waited taking in the small hallway before entering the cosy sitting room. It was large enough and surprisingly Hermione quite liked it. She was used to Sirius home at Grimmauld Place, even though he hadn't stayed there very long. Sirius' new home was much more homely and welcoming than the dark dusty home he used to abide. Hermione was glad Sirius was living here now. It seemed so lonely at Grimmauld. She peered around the large room and eventually walked over to a small mantelpiece, above the fireplace, placed on top of it were a few picture frames, some old and some new, familiar faces smiling back at her.
First were pictures of Harry and Sirius and pictures of certain events at the Burrow, along with some old pictures of Sirius and Remus with James and Lily. But it was the last picture that intrigued Hermione the most. It was a simple picture of just James and Lily half laughing and staring into each others eyes. Hermione lifted the frame off of the mantelpiece and stared down at the two lovers. She knew that's what love was meant to look like.
Sirius headed into the sitting room dressed and ready to find Hermione gazing intently at the contents of a small picture frame. James and Lily were moving about inside. Sirius moved over next to Hermione and took in their faces.
"They were totally in love weren't they?" Hermione asked in awe.
Sirius sighed and smiled, a glint of sentiment in his eyes.
"You have no idea."
Sirius averted his gaze to Hermione and sent another charming smile her way.
"Ready?"
Hermione nodded placing the picture back into its place before returning to Sirius. He had always found Hermione extremely pretty but in the half darkness of the sitting room he noticed something that in his earlier daze, he hadn't seen. Underneath one of Hermiones eyes was a small pinkish purple bruise. There were also dominating bags under her eyes, making her usually glowing eyes seem faded. Sirius reflected against this for a moment. He didn't know in what situation lack of sleep and a bruise were at all good news. He knew it wasn't his place to ask her but he couldn't hesitate in wondering.
He held out his arm for her to take and as she took it tightly a warm wave of butterflies flew up his body. Clearing his throat to keep his emotions at bay, Sirius concentrated and then with a loud crack they were gone.
Ginny and Harry greeted them both with warm welcome and sat them down at their kitchen table. Hermione explained why she was accompanying Sirius and that she would have to leave before half six to be told by both Harry and Ginny that she was more than welcome to be there and not to worry. Hermione enjoyed dinner with the three of them. They all seemed to radiate happiness and joy to her. She could feel it rubbing off on her, making her half forget, that this was only part of her life. She was in a different universe here, where nothing seemed too bad to handle. Once dinner was and all reminiscing was finished, Hermione insisted she go home to catch up on some work. She needed to get home before Michael. After convincing each of them she had to be going she eventually walked into the night and left with a crack.
Hermione popped into the small kitchen of her flat and after sighing with relief that Michael had not returned home before her, there was a jingling of keys and a click in the door. Michael walked in with a wave of his wand, the door closing shut behind him.
As he half strutted into the kitchen making his way towards the living room, Hermione could hear him muttering something alng the lines of "Bloody muggles making me use keys."
"Hi." Hermione whispered.
"Hi." Michael walked past her and sat on the couch before casting a gaze at her and after a long moment of deep thought, patted the couch next to him, offering her a seat. Hermione ambled over to him and sat an inch or two away. Michael lifted his arm and wrapped it around her waist, gently pulling her in to his side.
He bent down and kissed her head and Hermione closed her eyes. Tonight she would get some sleep, in her bed, most likely with Michael. There were often nights when he was calm and somewhat remorseful and these werethe nights she slept. He lifted her head to look him in the eyes and kissed her lips softly. Hermione barely kissed him back and once he had pulled away she told him she was going to bed. Michael didn't speak, he simply lifted his arm to the back of the couch and watched her leave, letting Hermione go to bed in peace while he stayed up for a couple of hours longer.
Hermione wanted to cry for her life, her domestic situation, but she was too exhausted emotionally and physically to lie in bed sobbing. When she rested her head on her pillow, sleep was not far behind her.
When Michael did eventually get into bed, Hermione was fast asleep. He lifted the duvet to get in and looked at her peaceful body, her top was raised and along her back he could see dark bruises reflected against her pale skin. He crawled in and didn't touch her but lay soundly next to her. He closed his eyes, he wasn't really bad. He just lost his temper sometimes.
Sirius apparated into his downstairs hallway. The lights were still on and he noticed Tonks, sitting at his kitchen table drinking a cup of tea.
"Ah Sirius, I came to say hi but you weren't around so I thought I'd wait awhile."
"That's fine Tonks. How are you?"
"Oh I'm doing good." Tonks smiled before frowning, noticing Sirius' drawn out expression.
"Everything alright?"
"Yes why wouldn't it be?" Sirius sat in the chair across from Tonks a barely neutral look on his face.
"Just seem a bit down is all."
Sirius gazed up into her eyes, his reflecting a sea of emotions. She knew something was burning him up inside.
"Sirius, tell me what's wrong." She soothed comfortingly.
"Tonks you won't look at me the same." Sirius shook his head.
"Try me."
Sirius hesitated a long moment before hesitantly speaking.
"I – I'm – " Sirius tried to read Tonks' face, hoping to catch a glimpse of her future reaction but of course he couldn't.
He took a deep breath.
"I'm in love Tonks."
Tonks smiled widely.
"Aw Sirius!" but soon her expression turned stern. "But with who? And why is it making you so upset?"
"Because…she's younger than me and would never love me back. She's the most beautiful person I have ever met, but she will never be mine Tonks."
Tonks looked at Sirius intensely for a moment.
"But how do you know she wouldn't return your emotions? Who is it Sirius?"
Sirius gulped and his face was washed of all emotion except for fear of being unaccepted when he whispered
"Hermione."
Tonks sat slightly wide-eyed for a moment, stunned to her chair. Sirius felt frustrated and frowned leaning back in his chair and raising his arms.
"I told you it's just no – "
"Sirius you need to tell her!"
Sirius rolled his eyes and walked away from the kitchen table.
"I'm telling you! You have to Sirius!
"I will not tell her Tonks! She doesn't need her life to be complicated by her best friends godfather telling he loves her just so she can be repulsed and refuse!"
"But Sirius – "
"No Tonks! End of discussion, I will see you soon." Sirius barked through his teeth.
Sirius turned and stormed out of the kitchen, flicking his wand and turning off all the lights. He took to the stairs, two steps at a time and when Tonks heard a door slam and sudden silence filled the house she was gone.
Tonks arrived in her own home, walking from the upstairs hallway into the spacous bedroom her and Remus Lupin shared. He was sitting in the large bed reading, a small lamp placed next to him. He looked up at her arrival and frowned at her frustrated and concerned look.
"What's wrong?" Remus placed the book open and face down onto his lap.
"It's Sirius." Tonks sighed and plonked herself onto the bed and shuffled next to him.
Tonks re-told the event of her small visit to Sirius' home and how he had reacted when she had told him to just tell the truth.
"Well he must be scared. Of course he is Tonks, you have to see that. He is afraid he will be rejected and it will forever haunt him in future meetings with the young woman. Creating more pain than he seems to be suffering from." Remus said, his arm now wrapped around her, her head rested on his chest.
"I know." she whispered.
Remus and Tonks didn't talk about Sirius' situation anymore that night. Neither knew what they could do for their dear friend and cousin. They wanted to ease his pain. Hermione was younger yes but might she return Sirius' feelings? No one knew.
