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Sirius watches as Harry and Hermione dance at the Yule Ball during their fourth year.

Sirius stood with James and Remus, leaning against a wall in the Great Hall. The Yule Ball was going on, as was the Triwizard Tournament. Harry and Hermione were in their fourth year yet Harry somehow got entered into the Tournament. If Lily were still alive, James would have been a dead man. They believed that Karaoff had something to do with it. Currently, they were watching Harry and Hermione dancing together in the center of the Great Hall. Harry had stolen her from Victor Krum. Krum was glaring at Harry, but neither seemed too noticed. James and Remus stood watching Sirius, who was watching his daughter fall in love with his best friend's son and his best friend's son falling in love with his daughter. Sirius felt tears forming in his eyes and tried in vain to blink them away.

Look at the two of you dancing that way
Lost in the moment and each other's face
So much in love your alone in this place
Like there's nobody else in the world

Sirius watched as Harry spun Hermione around and then pull her close, both of them looking into each other's eyes with smiles in place. The love they felt for each other had obviously changed. It was different from the way they always acted around each other, and everyone noticed. But tonight, they seemed not to notice anyone else in the room. They didn't notice Ron and Krum's glares at Harry, or Ginny and Cho's glares at Hermione; all they saw was each other. Sirius watched as his daughter smiled bigger than ever before.

I was enough for her not long ago
I was her number one
She told me so
And she still means the world to me
Just so you know
So be careful when you hold my girl

Sirius remembered a time when he was the only man in Hermione's life. Sure James, Harry, and Remus lived with them, but they didn't count. James and Remus were just uncles. Harry was just a brother, until tonight. Sirius was her number one, she told him that just last week. Hermione was Sirius' world, everyone knew that. She was his anchor, the reason he didn't completely fallen apart after his wife left. He knew James made sure Harry knew that. Though, at the time, it was only to make sure Harry would be able to chase off any inappropriate suitors. Now, though, Sirius felt as though he would have to explain that to Harry in depth, that way Harry would know to be careful with Hermione, with Sirius' baby girl.

Time changes everything
Life must go on
And I'm not gonna stand in your way
But I loved her first and I held her first
And a place in my heart will always be hers
From the first breath she breathed
When she first smiled at me
I knew the love of a father runs deep
And I prayed that she'd find you someday
But it still hard to give her away
I loved her first

Hermione was fourteen, and soon she would be old enough to make her own decisions, even if Sirius didn't like what those decisions were. He wasn't going to stand in her way when the time came. In the end, he knew she would face Voldemort with Harry and there was nothing Sirius could do to change her mind. He realized tonight, though, that she would be by Harry's side forever. But Sirius couldn't help but feel slightly upstaged. He was going to have to remind Harry who loved her and held her in his arms first. He hadn't ever remarried because of his daughter, she had his whole heart. He had tried dating, but the women wanted his to spend more time with them instead of Hermione. He gave up relationships after a year. She had Sirius wrapped around her finger from her first breath, he had cried when she smiled up at him for the first time. His love for her was one that no one could replicate. Sirius had hoped that she would find the right guy; he had just hoped she wouldn't have found him so soon. He planned on reminded Harry during class on Monday just who loved Hermione first.

How could that beautiful women with you
Be the same freckle face kid that I knew
The one that I read all those fairy tales to
And tucked into bed all those nights
And I knew the first time I saw you with her
It was only a matter of time
But I loved her first and I held her first
And a place in my heart will always be hers
From the first breath she breathed
When she first smiled at me
I knew the love of a father runs deep
And I prayed that she'd find you someday
But it's still hard to give her away
I loved her first

Sirius had been in shock when he saw Hermione walk into the Hall on Krum's arm. It appeared that Lavender and Parvati finally got to give the make-over they had wanted to give her since first year. She looked beautiful. There was barely a trace of the little girl that was his daughter; the only trace of her mother was the freckles dusting her cheeks. She looked like one of the princess from the stories he read her when she was little, before tucking her in for the night. Sirius knew the first time he saw Harry with Hermione that they would eventually fall for each other; he just wasn't ready for that day to come so soon. But Sirius loved her first and that was all that mattered. As long as Harry understood that, everything would be okay.

From the first breath she breathed
When she first smiled at me
I knew the love of a father runs deep
Someday you might know what I'm going through
When a miracle smiles up at you
I loved her first

Hermione was his little girl, no matter what. James and Remus placed comforting hands on his shoulders. Sirius knew that Harry would know what he was going through someday. He would know when his daughter smiled up at him for the first time. Harry would learn just how deep a father's love runs. With a nod from Harry, Sirius knew that he was acknowledging that Sirius loved Hermione first. Sirius nodded back, a sad smile on his face. His little girl had a new man in her life, he had to accept that. But she would always be his number one.