AN- Thank you so much for reviews! I love you.

CHAPTER 2

'Sirius!' Hermione squealed.

The minute she said that, she clamped a hand over her mouth. Of course it wasn't him- that really wasn't possible. But still- that voice-.

'Hermione?' his voice was doubtful, and gruff. She took a deep breath,

'Lumos.' Her wand lit up, and she pointed it at him. The next moment, she dropped it in shock.

'My god!' she yelped. 'It's you! It really is you!'

'Um,' said Sirius, fumbling to pick up the wand. 'Yes, it is me. Why am I in your bed?'

Hermione cursed, and wriggled out from under him. She got to her feet.

'I don't know,' she said, 'I don't- wait- don't you remember anything?'

She took his wand from her hand, and flicked on the bedroom light,

Now that the light was on, she saw that he was dressed in the same robes he had been in when he died. He looked almost drunk, with bloodshot eyes, and messy hair. The expression on his face was one of utmost confusion.

'Remember what?' he said, apprehensively. 'Why am I here? Actually- what is here? What's going on?'

Hermione took a deep breath, staring at him. She couldn't believe it. Automatically, her eyes searched the bed for the ring. Sirius saw her eyes rake the sheets.

'What are you looking for?' he asked.

'Get off the bed,' she said calmly. 'It should be- there!'

As Sirius moved his arm, the ring came into view and she pounced on it.

'This is what I was looking for,' she opened her hand, and the ring glittered in her palm.

'Hey,' Sirius said, 'I know that- it belongs to my cousin. How did you get it?'

'You gave it to me.' Hermione told him. She sat down on the bed beside him, and kept her hand on his forearm. 'Don't you remember?'

Sirius frowned for a moment, and then his brow cleared. 'Of course!' he said. 'I gave it to you the day before Harry came back, didn't I? Where is he now?'

He looked around wildly, and Hermione felt her heart sink to her knees.

'Sirius,' she said, quietly. 'Calm down for a moment, and try to remember everything. I think- if you tried, you might…'

He looked at her again, his eyes filled with puzzlement. 'I'm not getting you,' he said, 'What do you mean? Was I drunk? Did I- did I pass out here.'

Hermione sat down and gently touched his arm.

'Harry came back,' she said, quietly.

Sirius paused for a moment, and then his eyes lit up. 'Yes,' he said, 'I know, he came back, and then all of you went to Hogwarts.'

Hermione nodded, as he continued talking.

'Why didn't I remember all this? And then- then Umbridge was there, she gave you hell didn't she?'

'More than you'll ever know,' Hermione said, rolling her eyes.

'She almost caught me in the fire,' Sirius said, musingly. Hermione could tell that the memories were slowly coming back to him, sequentially. 'And then- Hagrid- he got into some trouble- they- you went to the Ministry!'

He stared up at her in horror. 'All of you, Harry, Ron- you- you all went to the Ministry! When we found out, I came there, with Remus and Tonks and Kinglsey.'

'Yes,' Hermione urged, stroking his hand. 'And then?'

His face darkened a little. 'I was fighting with Bella,' he said, slowly, and his voice trailed off.

He glanced at Hermione, and then down to his dusty robes and then back at her again.

'I died, didn't it?' he said, calmly. 'I fell through the Veil.'

'That's right.'

'But- I came back?'

Hermione frowned. 'Yes,' she said, 'Just now.'

'How?'

'I don't know, Sirius.'

He leapt off the bed, and brought his hands to his face, touching it and feeling his stubble. 'Have I changed?' he asked, desperately. 'Do I look any different.'

Hermione pulled a small shell mirror out of her drawer, and handed to him. Grabbing it, Sirius pulled it up to face level and eyed himself thoughtfully.

'A little dirtier,' he said, opening his mouth and shutting it again, turning his head to get a better look. 'But not very different. How much time has- you know-.'

'Four years,' Hermione said, breathlessly. 'It's been four years.'

Sirius stared at her.

'I should have realized,' he said, finally, 'You've grown.'

'So have the others,' Hermione said, softly.

'But- but-.' He flung the mirror onto the bed, and paced the room with frustration. 'How did it happen? How did all this-?'

'It had something to do with this,' Hermione said, holding up the ring.

Sirius looked at it doubtfully.

'I didn't have a chance to give it back to you,' Hermione explained. 'I haven't looked at it for years, I simply couldn't. I just threw it back into my make up back, and it's been lying over there since- you know, since you died.'

Sirius nodded. He seemed to be slowly taking everything in. 'Why did you take it out today- night,' he quickly amended, glancing out of the window and seeing the darkness.

'Because I've been having dreams,' Hermione explained. 'The same dream, actually, again and again- about the day you gave it to me.'

'Did you put a spell on it, or something?' Sirius asked, frowning at the ring.

Hermione shook her head. 'No, I just held it, and-.' She hesitated.

'Well?' Sirius prodded.

Hermione flushed. 'Well, I kissed it, and I said your name. And the next thing I knew, you were in my bed!'

Sirius drew a hand through his hair, and flung himself back onto the bed beside her. 'Show it to me,' he said, holding out his hand. Hermione gave it to him.

He turned it around in his hand a few times, and then frowned. 'It seems like just- well, an ordinary ring,'

'I know,' Hermione said, 'But-.'

He interrupted her. 'What all has been happening since I was gone? I want to know everything,'

Hermione touched his arm. 'Drink that tea,' she said, pointing to the mug on her drawer. 'And take a shower. You'll feel better then.'

Sirius looked like he was going to protest, but then he took the cold tea and drank it down in a gulp.

'Bathroom's that way,' Hermione said, pointing. 'There are towels on the rack.'

Sirius nodded and stomped off. Hermione watched him go, her mind a complete mess.

oOo

'I don't have clothes,' Sirius said.

Hermione had been lying down on her bed, staring at the ceiling. At these words, she sat up quickly, and saw a very wet Sirius with a towel wrapped around his waist. For a minute, she couldn't answer. For some reason, the water that was dripping down his hair and puddling by his feet distracted her immensely.

'Uh-.' She cleared her throat. 'No worries, I have some here.'

She got out of bed, but Sirius continued to eye her skeptically.

'I won't fit into any of yours, you know,' he said, dryly.

Hermione snorted. 'Relax, I have some male clothes here,'

She dug about in her closet and pulled out of a pair of jeans and a white tee shirt. 'These should fit you.'

He gave her a strange look. 'You wear men's clothes?'

'Of course not! Well-.' She hesitated. 'The tee shirt, sometimes, but that's not the point.'

He took them, nodding. 'So these belong to Ron?'

'What? No, why would you think that?' she asked, confused.

He simply shook his head. 'Turn around.'

'Why?'

He smiled ironically. 'I was assuming you didn't want to watch me change, but if you're that keen…'

Hermione huffed and turned around. Evidently, plunging into her bed from behind the Veil had done nothing to curb his sarcastic sense of humor.

'Okay, done,' he said, and Hermione turned around. He came and sat on the bed beside her. 'Fill me, in I want to know everything.'

Hermione began talking.

It was difficult for her, to tell him about everything, because she was desciribing the most painful years of her life. As she spoke, Sirius's eyes darkened, and he took her hand, gently holding it within his own. When she told him about Snape, his eyes remained stony.

'I never would have expected it,' he said.

Hermione shook her head, a little sadly.

'What are Harry and Ron doing now?' Sirius demanded. 'How's Harry?'

'He's really good.' Hermione said. 'He and Ginny have been going strong for years now! Harry's in Auror training, with Ron.'

'Really? Is he good?' Sirius was practically bouncing with excitement.

'Very,' Hermione said, honestly. 'He's been staying with the Weasley's.'

'And what about you?' Sirius asked.

'I'm in training for the Wizengamot,' she told him. 'But I'm a librarian, to pay for rent and stuff as well. I go every morning to the Library.'

'That must be heaven for you,' Sirius said, with a smile.

'It pays,' Hermione replied. 'I was staying with the Weasley's earlier, but after I broke up with Ron I shifted out.'

Sirius nodded, but didn't question her further. Instead, he said, 'I want to go there.'

'What?'

'I want to go there now,' Sirius said, again, 'I need to see Harry.'

'Sirius-.' Hermione grabbed his hand as he made to get up. 'Harry and Ron aren't in town, they're in Asia. They travel a lot because of their training.'

'When will they be back?' he demanded.

She shrugged. 'Possibly next week, maybe even later. Anyway, you can't go to the Weasley's now, it's the middle of the night! Sleep here for now- you can take the guest room. I'll write to Mrs. Weasley and explain what happened, we can go there in the morning.'

'Okay,' Sirius said, nodding. Hermione smiled and got up. As she walked out of the door, to show him where the guest room was, he smirked and said,

'So, you kissed the ring did you?'

Hermione flushed, but didn't reply.