Thanks so much for the Reviews! As for the whole concept of this story, I really just came up with it lying in bed one night. I knew I wanted to do a fanfiction focused on Sirius, I just thought of a bunch of ways to bring him back from beyond the veil. I hope you're all enjoying the story so far! Please continue to review and tell me your thoughts. I apologize before hand for any grammar/spelling mistakes.
'Hello? Hello? Hello?
is there anybody in there?
just nod if you can hear me'
-Pink Floyd
Chapter 2: Fool's Paradise.
She was petrified to step out of the cabinet. Questions fluttered around her head like a group of rowdy canary's. They pecked away at the small amount of courage she'd built up. What if she could never get back? What if once she set foot in limbo she was stuck there forever? Had anyone ever gone there and come back? Surely not or else she would have read about it. She'd raked through every book and article about limbo over the last few days and none of them had been much help. Limbo was often compared to when people died briefly on the operating table. When they woke up they had no idea they had died. Or any recollection of Heaven, Hell or wherever else their conscious had been transported too.
Hermione stepped back and forth in the small box, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. Her heart was slamming against her chest and her breathing was uneven. She contemplated going back. But then what use would that be? All her hard work would be in vain. She pulled a photo out of her pocket but with no light it was useless.
'Lumos' she called, still holding her wand in her free hand. The second the light hit the photo two bright faces shone back at her. Harry's laughing baby face ogled her, and so did that of his Godfather. Both seemed to be overjoyed just to be in each others presence. Hermione sighed, folded up the photo and shoved it back in her pocket. There was no way out of but through the cabinet door and into limbo.
She had made her decision. That was that.
When she opened the door she was hit with a burst of cool air. There was no breeze but the air felt stiff and cold, like walking down the dairy isle of a grocery store. Hermione pulled her cardigan tightly around her body and rubbed her forearms then step out into the icebox. There was nothing but mist for miles and no way to see through it. Quickly she turned on her heels, suddenly fearful that the vanishing cabinet had actually vanished. She held a hand to her chest and sighed-it was still there. The mist licked at the side of the cabinet but it was still very visible.
Now what? she thought. How was she suppose to find Sirius in a cloud of mist? Or better yet, how was she suppose to find her way back to the cabinet? Hermione had been used to planning out missions with Harry and Ron for weeks before actually going through with them. Munching on her bottom lip, she perched down, sitting on the edge of the cabinet. Sirius had believed that she was the brightest witch of her age so surely she could come a solution to these problems.
Hermione went through the problem in her head like a tricky question in a school exam. She needed to find Sirius, thus walking away from the cabinet but she also needed to find her way back and that was going to be ridiculous with all this mist. What she needed was a trail, something to lead her back to the cabinet.
Then it came to her, and she had to laugh. It was so dumb, so childish, but at the same time it was so perfect. Since Hermione was a muggle-born she had grown up with muggle fairy tales. One of which being Hansel and Gretal. In the story the children use bread crumbs to find their way back home. Due to Gamp's law she wouldn't be able to create bread out of thin air but what she could create was pebbles.
Hermione stood up and begin walking through the mist, every few steps she held out her wand. Small pebbles emitted from the end of it and hit the ground. Soon she had a line of pebbles trailing behind her. She felt like a slug leaving a line of slime behind. However, no matter how far she walked she was met with nothing but mist. She had assumed she would have at least met someone by now.
Or perhaps this was what limbo was? To be alone for eternity. Hermione knew she wouldn't be able to cope with that, the utter boredom would drive her up the wall. She wasn't exactly the most outgoing person in the world but she was still capable of becoming lonely. She realized that after Ron moved out. She had loved just having someone around. Even if they were sitting in the same room saying nothing but reading-she enjoyed his presence. Her time together with Ron hadn't been all that bad, he fulfilled all her needs. Needs that were no longer met and lay hidden behind walls of thoughts and problems.
The longer she walked the more she thought of Grimmauld place and everything that had happened there. What would happen when she found Sirius? Would he still allow her to stay in his house? Surely it wouldn't be that much of a problem, she would be away at Hogwarts most of the year anyway.
After strolling around for what seemed like eternity, Hermione looked down and realized that her pebble trail was starting to cross over itself. She was walking in circles, and then back on herself. In reality...she was getting nowhere. There was no one around, no one to direct her. In a last plea of help she started calling out like a child.
"Sirius!" she yelled, "Sirius Black!" a little voice in her head told her there were no other Sirius's in limbo. Holding up her wand, she pointed it at her throat as if she was about to execute herself. "Sonorus!" she pronounce clearly. She'd seen Dumbledore use the spell numerous times.
"Sirius Black!" her voice boomed like it was on a huge speaker and the volume turned up full blast. It echoed back to her instantly like she was in a small cave yelling his name over and over. She waited a few minutes, her ears perked up in hope that he would call back. Unfortunately there was no such reply. Taking this as a sign of defeat, she cast the counter spell and lowered her wand. Hermione looked down at her feet and began tracking the pebbles, one by one as they appeared out of the mist.
A small voice called back.
"Hello?" it said, it was drowned out and hard to hear at first, "Hello? Who's there?" Hermione's heart stopped, it slid and crashed against her chest. A man's husky voice was calling back to her.
"S-Sirius?" Hermione's skin crawled with goosebumps. A fear like she'd never felt before took over her body. There was no way to know if it was really him. At the moment it was just a bodiless voice calling out to her through the thick mist.
"Who's there? huh?" his voice was louder now and accusing as if she'd stepped over a line that wasn't suppose to be crossed. Hermione eye's searched aimlessly through the mist, she spun on the spot trying to soak in every inch of the icebox. Still there was nothing.
"Sirius!" now it was plea, a plea with real emotion. She was frantic to find him-it wasn't fair to hear him but not see him. She had always hated Muggle phones. There was just something about hearing someone's voice but not being able to see them that bothered her beyond belief.
Just when she was about to give up and cry the mist began to dissolve. Where the mist had been color started to appear, it flooded the place like a broken vein. A dark muggy sky began to fill in from every angle and twinkling stars started swarm the place like locusts. Within seconds a full moon popped into the sky, the light from it fell on Hermione and lit her up like a candle in a dark cellar. A landscape started to form, a lush green hillside and a long wall of forest beneath it. Shadows fell over almost everything and suddenly she knew where she was. A large tree burst out from beneath her and she had to step back to allow it to spread out to it's full capacity. Huge vicious branches swooped in and it creaked and groaned as it moved around. She was standing beneath the whomping willow. As she looked up she caught a glimpse of Hogwarts in the background.
Had she actual been transported to Hogwarts? No way, it was a mind game. Everything in Limbo was a mind game. If limbo could transport you to Hogwarts then Sirius would be out and about not stuck behind a veil. Hermione was still terribly confused about how she was surrounded by her former school but decided not to think about it and instead focus on the voice that had been calling out to her.
"Hey, who's there?" The ruff voice shouted, anger taking hold. The voice came from the gaping hole in the tree trunk, and if Hermione knew anything it was that the whomping willow would starting whomping her if she didn't get a move on. Which brought another thought to mind, could anything hurt her in limbo? Just as Hermione stopped to think a branch came down, smoked her in the gut and sent her flying. With a hard thud she landed in the grass a few feet away from where she'd been standing. The tree had just answered her question.
Quickly she pulled herself to her feet and started running, with determination she dodged another few swinging branches and threw herself into the hole. Unfortunately it wasn't the smoothest landing, and after tumbling down and over some roots she landed on the cold dirt floor. Groaning she rolled onto her back and looked her body over. She was defiantly going to have some bruises in the morning. Actually she was thoroughly impressed she hadn't snapped her wand, it was still lodged in her back pocket.
For the second time, she picked herself of the ground and trudged forward. She felt like she'd been thrown back in time and was about to go up to the shrieking shack to find a maniac Sirius raving at the top of his lungs about Ron's pet rat. Step by step Hermione went over the night in her head. It had been one of the most terrifying nights of her life, and she had already been forced to relive it once.
Finally she came to a staircase. She hoped onto the first step and a series of sounds met her ears. The first was off rapid foot steps, uncoordinated and smashing around the shack. Then there was grunting, the sound of teeth ripping and gnashing. Hermione's heart beat thickened, she had suddenly remembered why the shack had been built in the first place. It wasn't built to keep people out, but to keep something in. That thing was her former professor Remus Lupin. And if she was correct-which according to the full moon outside she was, he was currently tearing up the place in his werewolf form. After being chased by him in her third year, and being terrorized by Greyback she had a overwhelming fear of werewolf's.
"no,no...no" she considered backing out down the passageway, but instead the small amount of courage she had left took over and she slowly and silently crept up the staircase. Once she was on the first landing she was relieved to find no one there. The noises were coming from the floor above. There was no way the voice she had heard had been Remus's, he would have already been in his werewolf form and unable to speak. Hermione stood still, considering if it was really such a wise choice to be going any further when she knew what she would find. The shack shook and dust fell from the ceiling, floor boards creaked and she felt like she was stuck in a haunted carnival ride.
Suddenly there was a yelping sound and something came rolling down the staircase and onto the landing. It was huge, black and covered in thick fur. Instantly Hermione froze, her breath caught in her lungs. The creature fell in a heap of limbs on the floor, slowly in reared it's head and looked up at her. It's eyes shone in the moonlight and no matter how inconspicuous she tried to look its eye's remained locked on hers. Like a lion stalking its prey it got up and started to crawl towards her. Hermione had been expecting it to get up on it's hind legs and walk over, much like she'd seen Remus do in his werewolf form.
Once it reached her, she could see the creature more clearly; it was no more than a scruffy black dog. A very familiar scruffy dog. Snuffles slowed down and instead of bearing his sharp teeth just licked her hand softly. Hermione let out a short laugh, it was the first breath she'd taken since he started towards her. Crouching down she petted him, stroking him behind the ears. Snuffles leaned forward and licked her face.
"Sirius!" she yelped with laughter and fell back onto her butt. Within a second his scruffy fur dissolved and Sirius Black was standing before her. However he was nothing like she had expected. Instead of a beaten looking man with an aging body and a heavy dosage of wrinkles, he was young and handsome. His scruffy hair hung just below his ears and a smirk was plastered on his face. Dark, mesmerizing eyes bore into hers and she could tell he was shocked by her presence. He wore a simple black t-shirt and jeans, his forearms looked toned and strong and his body wasn't littered with tattoos like it had been before. Sirius Black was back in his young self, and Hermione was at a loss for words.
"So it was you calling out for me, huh?" Sirius looked her up and down like she was a piece of meat he was about to pounce at. He held out a hand, and she latched on to it. In a second she was back on her feet and looking up into his bewildered eyes. Hermione had been told numerous times how handsome Sirius had been, but kind words didn't give him justice.
"That's funny because you don't seem to have much to say now," he cooed and ran a hand through his tousled locks, "don't worry I seem to have that effect on most girls..."
Hermione didn't understand, didn't he know who she was? Sirius would never talk to her this way, he would never hit on her. A whole series of worries started to float around in her head. What if he'd been in limbo too long? What if this Sirius like the castle and whomping willow wasn't actually the real thing?
"Sirius...do you know who I am?" her voice came out strained, panic hidden in her eyes. His face dropped and he began rubbing the back of his neck anxiously.
"Uh...Courtney?" he cringed, "Susan? Beatrix?" Sirius clearly thought that she was one of his many conquests and was shooting aimlessly at a name. He was loosing color in his face and he knew at any second she was about to flip her lid. Hermione's heart felt like it was going to break, how was she suppose to bring Harry's Godfather back to him if he didn't even know who his Godson was. Surely if he didn't know her, he wasn't going to recognize Harry. Sirius might have well been a Alzheimer's victim, feeding of the few memories he had off his past and forgetting everyone who was every close to him.
Suddenly there was a loud crash from the floor above and something began to descend the stairs. They're short question and answers period was brought to an end.
"Crap, you really shouldn't be here," Sirius grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her towards the passageway. Something in his brain clicked, and he remembered where they were and what else was roaming the house with them.
"This place is dangerous, how did you even find the way in?" his voice was husky and low, he directed her down the staircase.
"How did I know my way in? Sirius don't...don't you remember anything?" but her voice was muffled by the sounds above. When they were a fair bit down the passageway and hidden in the darkness, Sirius pressed Hermione against the wall and covered her body with his, hoping to conceal her from what was standing above. The long gangly body of Remus crouched at the head of the staircase. Sharp breathes emitted from his nostrils and his head swung around, searching for a smell in the air.
The only thing Hermione could smell was the ruff scent of Sirius, his chest was an inch from her face and it was all she could breath in. Her heart was thumping loudly, fearing that the long gruesome body of the beast was about to descend the stairs. For a few seconds it seemed like it was staring straight through Sirius and at her. Then, it looked away and slowly limbered off into the room beside the staircase, disappearing from view.
"Man that was close," young Sirius said in one breath, his chest falling. He grabbed Hermione's hand and began dragging her down the passageway, "How did you know I was here?"
Hermione felt cold, she couldn't help but wonder if perhaps she had lost Sirius forever, that Limbo had pushed him over the edge and he was...gone. Should she just forget the whole mission and save herself the pain now? Hermione didn't answer Sirius's question but instead waited until they had walked the length of the passageway and were outside. Sirius dropped her hand, pulled out his wand and poked a knot in the tree which stopped the branches from sailing around their heads.
"Who are you?" Sirius studied her, curious to why she didn't answer his previous question, "You're not a.." Hermione knew exactly what he was thinking.
"No, I'm not a death eater!" she retorted angrily, but he had already grabbed her wrist and pulled back her cardigan to reveal her forearm. It was pale and unmarked.
"Sorry I have to check, you know how it is these days," Sirius seemed shifty, a little on edge. He wasn't able to wrap his head around the girl, "weird, I feel like I've seen you somewhere before. How did you find me?" Hermione didn't even know where to begin, at least she felt familiar to him, that was a plus. She sighed and took a seat on the hard ground. Sirius glared down at her questionably then sat down next to her.
"That's because you have seen me before," she explained, "You actually know me pretty well...or you used to at least. And as for me finding you, it's only because you called back."
Sirius played with a few pieces of grass between his fingers, his shaggy hair falling gracefully across his face.
"So...why were you looking for me?" Sirius looked up from behind the curtain of hair, disregarding her first statement. Something about the girl he was gazing at felt all too familiar too him, he just couldn't put his finger on it. It was like trying to remember a famous person's name. It was on the tip of his tongue.
"To bring you home," Hermione coughed out, "This isn't real. The whomping willow, Hogwarts, Lupin in the shrieking shack-"
Sirus straightened up, "Bring me ho-hold up, how do you know about Mooney's condition?" his voice was hot with accusations. Hermione realized that talking to Sirius was like riding a roller coaster, his emotions shot up and down without warning.
"Because I know you, I know Lupin too...and that isn't Lupin, not the real Lupin at least!" she wished she could look inside his brain and figure out what had gone wrong up there. It was like someone had cut out the section where his memory had been. They had cut it out and replaced it with new fake memories. Hermione looked back up at the Whomping Willow. Why was Sirius here? at the tree? on Hogwarts grounds? Why would limbo take him here?
"Look-" he waited for her name.
"Hermione."
"Hermione, I don't know how you know Mooney or me for that matter, but believe me, he's the real thing," Sirius held up his arm where blood was seeping from it, "How else would he do that?" he smiled as he said it, almost proud of the battle wound.
It suddenly made sense. He was here at Hogwarts, at the shrieking shack, he was here because he wanted to be. He was reliving what would have been the best moments of his life. Running around recklessly with his friends, getting up to no good. Sirius was seeing what he wanted to see, he had created a world for himself.
Hermione needed some solid proof something to convince him beyond belief that none of this was real. That he was really just swimming around in Limbo, seeing what he wanted to see. She lay back on the grass and looked up at the fake stars, would it be so bad to just leave him with his friends? To live out his life surrounded by those he loved the most. No, no that would be wrong, besides he also loved Harry. Hermione knew what she had to do. Slowly she sat back up and stared at the young man who was gazing at her, trying to figure her out. Hermione pulled the folded photo out of her pocket and looked down at it.
"Sirius, how old are you?" she asked, looking down at Harry's animated baby face.
"Just turned twenty, why?" he raised his eyebrows. Twenty, Hermione thought, that meant that Harry hadn't been born yet and James and Lily were still very much alive. This photograph then would be perfect, it would show the future, and would prove to him that this place was all a charade.
"So Lily is still pregnant..." she said to no one really.
"Yeah, but how did you-"
"Take a look at this," Hermione moved over so she was sitting side by side with him. She pushed the creases out of the photograph and thrust it into his hand. With the help of the moonlight he looked down at the photo. Baby Harry smirked up at his Godfather.
"But that's me-woah that baby looks just like my friend James, has the scruffy hair and everything," Sirius voice was becoming hoarse, "but his eyes-"
"...are just like Lily's," Hermione said softly.
Sirius didn't speak but just continued to gaze at the photo, he couldn't believe his eyes. For once in his life Sirius Black was speechless, he had no witty comment or snarly thing to say. Hermione didn't interrupt his thoughts but instead just watched him stare in wonder.
"That can't be.." Sirius put a hand to his mouth.
"He is. That's James and Lily's son," Hermione gave a weak smile. Maybe, hopefully she was finally getting through to him. Perhaps the photo might trigger some memory, bring him back to where he belonged.
"No, no this must be some weird messed up magic," Sirius swished the photograph around, "Why-How did you do this?" he looked sickened by her.
Hermione was about to tear up, "How did I do this? I didn't make that photo Sirius! That's you ...you and your Godson." The possibility of Sirius not remembering hadn't even crossed her mind when she went into the cabinet. She'd expected him to be the same old Sirius Black, cocky and witty, but also older and missing his Godson.
"Okay I think you're off your rocker, and I don't know what type of sick joke-"
Now she was livid, she wanted to slap him in the face, rip the photo from his hands and leave.
"Sick Joke? Sick Joke? Do you want to know why this photo is discolored and torn? Huh?" Hermione prodded, tears forming in her tearducts "I found this under your pillow in your room, it's so ruffed up because you love it so much. He-this boy," she pointed to Harry, "He is the only family you have left! And you ended up in this place because you were willing to put your life on the line for him. This isn't real Sirius, this place you've created in here. You're just seeing what you want to see." Sirius studied Hermione's face, listening closely and taking in what she was saying, "But that boy; your Godson. He's real." They both sat in silence for a moment, looking as Harry bumped up and down on Sirius's knee and Sirius laughed, showing all his pearly whites. Tears streamed down Hermione's face, her whole body was shaking.
"Harry," Sirius stated, his voice sounding years older than he was, "That's Harry."
Maybe it was Hermione's words, or maybe the photograph. But something was bringing Sirius back to his senses.
Sirius looked distraught, his head was in his hands, his fingers grasping at unruly locks of hair. Once he'd remembered Harry's name it was like a earthquake had gone off in his mind.
"How could I have forget?" He questioned, feeling bitter towards himself for forgetting his friends, his Godson and everything else that had happen. Slowly all his memories were pouring back, spreading out like a oil leak in his mind. Each one took a tug at his heart strings and forced his breathing to stop short.
He was getting dragged to Azkaban, hatred for peter swarmed him instantly and he wanted to reach out and murder the rat. They held him back with handcuffs and photographed him as a lunatic; screaming and raving. Really he was just screaming about his betrayal, about the death of two of his best friends, his misery coming out in nothing but incoherent noises. For years the grief ate away at him, breaking him down and turning him raw.
Then he escaped, he was watching Harry as he boarded the Knight bus. Trying to convince himself that it wasn't James he was looking at. Oh, but they were so alike and how he so wished that Harry was his James.
Another flash and he was pulling a screaming boy into the shrieking shack. Mangling his leg just so he could get to Peter, that traitorous bastard. Then there was a girl, standing in front of her best friend and screaming, 'If you want to kill Harry, then you'll have to kill us too." She had the trait that he himself valued the most; loyalty. Because of that he easily gained respect for her. Intelligent and quick she figured out the Remus's condition, his hidden identity. Snivellus had screamed at her when he arrived, calling her a stupid girl. Sirius knew better, he knew that she really was the brightest witch of her age, a witch he would be forever grateful to for helping save his life.
"Her-Hermione!" he looked up from his hands at once. Of course she felt familiar, of course he knew her, how could he not? Without so much as a warning he wrestled her into a hug. Laughter escaped her lips, and she hugged him back, her head resting against his shoulder. Before he could stop himself he was crying, he didn't know if it was tears of happiness or sadness but he didn't care. They broke from the embrace and Sirius's face was lit up like a fall fair.
"How did you find me? When I fell through the veil I thought-" then his face turned pale, "No, no you can't be, please don't say you also-"
"Sirius I'm fine," she laughed, then rubbed a tear from her face, "I didn't fall through the veil."He couldn't stop looking at her, her infectious smile, hazel brown eyes. Hermione had grown up since he'd last seen her, she wasn't a self-conscious teenage girl anymore. But she was just as smart, just as strongly spoken and he'd missed that.
"But then how?"
"Oh come on Sirius, someone had to find a way to bring you back, and who did you really think was going to be able to do it?" Hermione shook her head, her curly hair shaking too and fro.
"I stand by my previous statement, you really are the brightest witch of your age," he gave her a handsome smirk, "but honestly, how did you-"
"Just follow me," Hermione knew where the conversation was going to go so she picked herself off the grassy floor. Sirius flicked some grass of his shirt and pants then stood up. For a moment Hermione was utterly lost, looking for the pebbles that she'd lay down then something bizarre started to happen.
"So none of this is real? Everything that's happened-all these new memories...it's just an illusion," Sirius looked back at the whomping willow and the forbidden forest stretched out in the distance. Just as the realization came to him the place started to dissolve. It was like watching its creation backwards. The stars fell out of the sky, the moon popped away in a mini explosion and mist started to take over. They both watched in awe as the destruction of Sirius's world took place. It was like realizing you're in a dream, once that happens the dream disappears and you're back in your bed, staring at the ceiling.
"I've been living a lie," he said bitterly, "the worst part is that I was actually enjoying it."
Hermione felt bad, she was pulling Sirius out of a wonderful fantasy where he could be young and carefree, running around with his best friends. Even when Sirius had been staying at Grimmauld place Hermione knew he was wishing he was back with his friends at Hogwarts. As the last of the scenery disappeared the small pebbles that Hermione had laid down appeared at her feet. She drew a sigh of relief, she had no idea what she was going to do if she couldn't find her way back.
"I'm sorry Sirius," it was as though he'd died, gone to heaven and she'd brought his back to earth. Sirius gave her one of his classic smiles, the one which meant 'forgot about it'.
"Hey don't apologize I should be thanking you! Without you I'd be still be a living in a fool's paradise," he rubbed the back of his neck, "So where to now?" Hermione didn't need to answer, Sirius looked down and saw the trail of small pebbles leading away from where they were standing.
"Hansel and Gretal style, nice," Sirius nodded in approval, there was still a sad tone to his voice, still the sound of longing.
"You know that story?" Hermione asked, completely shocked. Most of the time wizards had no idea about muggle fairy tales. They started the long walk down the pebble path that had formed.
"Of course I do, you seem to forget my family hated all things muggle, so naturally-"
"-You read muggle fairy tales," Hermione laughed and rolled her eyes.
"Anything Muggle I love, especially muggle rock," Sirius sighed, beginning to hum to himself the beginning of 'like a rolling stone' by Bob Dylan. For a while they walked, Sirius humming and glancing around at the mist, Hermione following her pebble road.
"Hermione?" he began.
"Yes?"
"How long have I been here for?" Hermione should have know this question would come up sooner and later. She didn't even know if time in limbo run parallel to time of the living.
"Well I'm Nineteen now, so... three years?" she concluded, he'd been living under his own spell for so long, she was amazed he hadn't completely lost his marbles. Sirius stopped dead in his tracks, Hermione stopped with him.
"Three years? I-But-so much must have changed," Sirius's cool composure was once again lost, "tell me, tell me everything that has happened, what about the ministry? Is everyone okay? Harry? " he demanded, eager to know. Hermione sighed, it was going to be difficult to tell him how many people had died. How everything had indeed changed. Changed for the good and the bad.
"Harry's fine, just wait until we get out of here. I promise I'll tell you everything," said Hermione reassuringly. Sirius nodded but still looked anxious and worried. They walked for another few minutes then finally came to the vanishing cabinet. It was just how she'd left it. empty and open, waiting for her to return.
"You came here in a cabinet?" Sirius raised an eyebrow and looked down at the girl, his anxiety lifting a little.
"Hey! At least I got here somehow!" she spat back.
"Oh I'm not poking fun, I just think...well it's ridiculous," he pushed his hands in his pocket. Hermione observed him for a moment, looking him up and down. She had expected him to turn back into his older form once his illusion of a world had disappeared. Instead he was still the young, roughly handsome Sirius. There was even a spring in his step when he walked and a airy carefree tone in his voice.
"What? Do I have something on my face?" Sirius began rubbing at the stubble around his lips.
"No, it's just..." she scowled, "Why aren't you changing back?"
Sirius didn't understand what she meant, he looked down at his hands, pulled at his clothing and then met her bemused stare. Hermione had to admit, young Sirius was rather nice to stare at.
"Changing back? I'm not exactly a chameleon Hermione. what are you talking about?" Sirius half laughed at her. Hermione rolled her eyes in the way she used to do when Ron poked fun at her. She had almost forgotten that Sirius Black had peter pan syndrome and always, even as a middle-aged man spoke and acted like a teenager.
"What I mean is, why do you still look twenty? You're suppose to be in at least your forty's," Hermione wasn't really complaining, she kind of enjoyed this new Sirius.
He looked like he was about to choke on his own spit, "Forty's? I'll have you know I'm only thirty-six...or I guess thirty-nine now if you count the three years."
Apparently age was a touchy subject for the man who never wanted to grow-up. Hermione still didn't consider him a grown-up. Sirius looked down at his own body checking himself out with a smug smile.
"Hey I'm not complaining, only in my wildest dreams could I be twenty again," he smirked then walked past her to the closet, "Let's go, I want to show off my new-uh-old bod." Sirius took a flying leap and jumped up into the cabinet, he twisted around and gave a crooked smirk. Hermione rolled his eyes, Sirius Black was the worst type of guy, he was handsome, he knew it, and he used it to his advantage.
"It's cute how you do that," he commented, helping her up into the cabinet. They were suddenly a little too close for Hermione's liking.
"Do what?" she tilted her head like a confused puppy.
"Roll your eyes," he snickered, "Is that how you reflect dumb thoughts from going in your brain?" Hermione didn't answer but closed the door to the cabinet. Everything went pitch black and their shoulders were squished up against each other. Hermione reach around and pulled out her wand.
"You just rolled your eyes again didn't you?"
Thanks for reading! This is my first Harry Potter fanfiction so please review and tell me what you think! keep posted for a new chapter coming soon :)