She had woken before dawn that morning. To much on her mind to sleep she got up and shrugged on a robe.
After a quick look at her daughter she made her way down the stairs and to the kitchen. Making tea she sat down trying to find back the memories that battered at her mind in the silence.
"I didn't think anyone would be up." A low voice entered the room followed by its black haired owner.
"Couldn't sleep." Was all she said as she sipped her tea. He proceeded to make himself a cup and sat across from her.
Neither knew what to say to the other as silence interrupted them and held its grip firm. Sirius looked to squirm at the silence before he spoke breaking it.
"So what is it you do now?" He asked.
"I had been an Auror, and had thought about going on to healing after the war but…" Her sentence trailed off at the mention of the war. He only nodded as if to understand.
"And now?" He asked, feeling his grey eyes bore into her, she looked away.
"I take care of my daughter." She said making her words sound distinguished and full of pride.
"So you stopped the Auror work then?" She nodded wishing he would stop asking questions, but also knowing that she felt compelled to answer them. She felt she owed him that much.
"Yes, I have a good amount of money from different…inheritances." This was definitely a subject she did not want to approach and it seemed he saw this and moved on.
"Lizzie seems to like it here." He drank his tea after speaking then looked to her waiting for an answer.
"She does. She finds it all too interesting I'm afraid. She likes to explore, but I am leery of her doing so."
"Awe yes, the dark magic that had been contained inside these walls." Sirius smirked although she did not see the humor in the statement. "She seems smart for her age. She will be fine." She nodded once more and finished off her tea preparing to make breakfast.
Light crept into the house slowly and with it its last occupant awoke. "Mum?" She asked wiping her eyes as she walked into the room a large wolf in her arms.
"Morning Liz." She spoke as she readied the eggs. "Breakfast will be ready in a moment." Liz smiled and made her way to the side of the table where Sirius sat. She climbed up next to him and smiled.
"Did you sleep well uncle Sirius?" She asked her green eyes sparkling.
"I did and how about you?" He asked she nodded enthusiastically.
"Mum, uncle Sirius told me the bestest story." She spoke swinging her legs and waiting rather impatiently for breakfast.
"Best, there is no such word as bestest." Hermione corrected. "What was it about?"
"A werewolf, that he was friends with!" Liz said excitedly. "They went on adventures." Hermione smiled at her daughter as she placed a plate of eggs and sausage down before her.
"And what kind of adventures did they go on?" Hermione asked a faint smile on her lips at not having heard these stories.
"They went to a place called the…the…"
"Shrieking Shack." Offered Sirius as she placed a plate in front of him. "Thank you." He said smiling before digging in vigorously.
"Yes, yes that was it, and it's funny cause uncle Sirius and is friends used to turn into animals so his werewolf friend wouldn't have to be alone. This one time they were chasing a unicorn right?" She turned to Sirius as Hermione sat down to listen to her daughter's story.
"Yes." Sirius spoke after swallowing.
"Yes, and they chased it around, but that's not all. There was a half…giant?" Sirius nodded to confirm as he smiled at the girl. "And he, he tired to save the unicorn, but he wasn't in danger, so uncle Sirius and the werewolf played a prank on him…" Liz went on speaking and swinging her legs as she spoke, but Hermione was forced to turn her head as she felt eyes on her.
Sure enough a blond man stood in the doorway. His own gray eyes on her.
"Draco." She said standing to ready him a plate. She turned to see her daughter scowling.
"Liz, why don't you go get dressed, I think aunt Tonks said something about Diagon Alley today." The girl's features brightened at this and she ran from the room.
"Hermione? Who is this?" Asked Draco sounding a bit suspicious.
"Draco, you remember Sirius Black." If possible the blond man's face became paler.
"The murderer?"
"No, he was cleared if you remember." She spoke taking her daughter's dishes away and placing a plate on the table for Draco.
"But I thought he was dead?" Hermione now looked to Sirius to see a scowl on his face.
"And I thought you would be a death eater."
"Sirius, Draco has made a few mistakes, but has made up for them. He fought on the side of the light in the war." Sirius's scowl did not leave his face and she could have sworn she heard a low growl come from him.
"I had hoped to speak to you in private." Draco said an annoyed look now on his face.
"Sirius, could you?" She asked politely. He seemed to stand reluctantly and after sending, once more, a glare at the blond man he left.
Draco moved around the table and stood by Hermione. She had turned to do the dishes, but was caught off guard by his arms encircling her waist. She gasped and turned to him.
"Draco, Liz could walk in."
"She is dressing remember." He whispered into her ear before kissing it lightly. "Have you thought about what I've asked?"
She pried herself from his arms and turned away. "Draco, you know I…" She let herself trail off uncertain of what to say.
"Liz will need a father and we-"
"Are not good for each other. I know you mean well and you love her, but this, us, it can't work." He scowled for a moment at her words, but then sighed.
"You don't know that." He said placing his hands on her shoulders. "We have been good in the past." He placed a smirk on his lips and she shoved away from in annoyance. "Please, just think about it. I have a mission to go on, but when I get back I'd like your answer." He said turning her gently to see her face. She looked down trying to avoid his caring eyes.
He lifted her head up with one light finger placed under her chin. "Please?" She nodded and sighed.
"I-I will think about it." He gave her a soft lingering kiss, before saying a quick goodbye. She leaned against the counter with her head in her hands.
There was no way in heaven or earth that the two of them would ever work out, yet every time he kissed her it made her question that thought.
"You alright?" She gasped and turned quickly at the voice. Sirius stood in the doorway a concerned expression on his face. She nodded.
"Yes…I just need to see Liz off. Tonks is coming to pick her up today. She's bringing James and Anna along if you'd like to meet them?" He nodded and followed her out of the kitchen into the sitting room.
"Liz! Hurry up I am sure they will be here soon." She called up the stairs and then turned to see Sirius watching her. She felt her cheeks flush as she unconsciously pulled her robe tighter around herself.
"So what did he want?" Sirius asked referring to Draco who had just left.
"None of your business, but I suppose you'll be glad to know he won't be around for a few days."
"Rounding up death eaters with his father?" Sirius spoke raising his eyebrows. She looked at him for a moment studying his face to see he truly did not trust Draco.
"No he is an Auror now. He has been gone a lot trying to help bring in his father." Sirius scoffed and turned to the stairs. Hermione turned around to see her daughter bounding down them.
"I didn't miss them did I?" She asked worried. But her answer came in the form of the door opening.
A bright blue haired witch entered scolded two children.
"I can't believe you put exploding snaps in your father's breakfast! James, stop laughing you are in for it when he gets home tonight and you won't be allowed to get anything while we are in Diagon alley." Tonks stumbled into the room with a smiling shy girl and a scowling boy.
Hermione hugged her and gave a small smile to James.
"Been causing trouble again have you?"
"It wasn't that bad and you should have seen his face!" James grinned at this as Hermione ruffled his hair.
"Yes, yes well you see how funny it is when your father comes home." Tonks said as any typical mother would.
"If I remember correctly, you father was behind a few jokes and pranks in his days at Hogwarts." Sirius spoke. The children's eyes went to him and Liz took it upon herself to make the introductions.
"This, is uncle Sirius. He was gone, but now he's back." She said smiling as he picked her up.
"Uncle Sirius? The girl who bore the uncanny resemblance to Tonks spoke. "But Dad said you were…I mean…." Anna looked horror struck as Hermione bet down to her.
"He's back Anna. And it is a wonderful thing." Anna nodded still looking frightened.
"Well, where'd you go then?" James asked curiously. Hermione sent him a look that said sugar coat it. He smiled at first, but then nodded when he read her face.
"Well, I was away on great adventures. Flying on dragons, finding treasure, you know your typical adventures." He said shrugging. Hermione shook her head and smiled. James's eyes were wide in disbelief.
"Really? Dragons? No one can ride a dragon?" He questioned eyeing the dark haired man.
"You are looking at the first." He said standing proud at his fictional tale.
"Well, I think it is time for you lot to go. Maybe uncle Sirius can tell you his "extraordinary" adventures another time." Hermione grabbed Liz's light jacket and helped her on with it.
"Thank you Tonks." Hermione said hugging the still blue haired woman.
"Yes, well we all know you don't like to…" She stopped and looked at Sirius and then back to Hermione. "It is no problem." Hermione nodded and watched them leave.
"That was an interesting tale." She said after closing the door.
"Yes, well I have had an interesting life you know. Why I hunted for treasure with pirates and such." He sarcastically bragged. She rolled her eyes, but became serious soon.
"Where exactly have you been?" She asked not having heard earlier. Sirius sat and she joined him. He then told her the same story he had told Remus.
"You died then?" She asked gulping trying to grasp this reality. He nodded.
"That's what I assume. They told me I'd return one day…" She nodded and pondered what he had told her. She wished to research it, but knew she didn't have the resources within the house.
"What is this I hear about my name being cleared?" He asked a smile in his eyes.
"Well, Harry had captured Pettigrew confirming your innocence. Pettigrew still owed a life debt to Harry and so he confessed. He spent a few months in Azkaban before he got the kiss. Harry had your name officially cleared not long after. I believe the letter is here somewhere." She spoke thinking of where it could be.
"You mean I don't have to hide?" He asked a smile coming to his features.
"Well, no, but the wizarding world thinks you are dead so…"
"So what? I will show them I'm alive!" He said standing.
"Sirius, perhaps you should wait for Remus to show the world that you are…alive." She watched as Sirius pondered her words and then a smile came to his lips.
"Yes, yes, fantastic idea. You have an owl?" She nodded yes she had Harry's old owl Hedwig. "Great! Where is it?"
After she had shown Sirius the owl and led him to a bit of parchment and a quill she made her way to her room and bathroom to take a bath.
Filling the tub she added her most favorite scents in. Lavender and vanilla. The bubbles formed as she stripped herself from her night clothes and slipped into the, just tolerable, hot water.
Leaning her head back in the silence of the bathroom her thoughts went to many years ago.
"'Mione?" she turned to see Ron standing there. His eyes showed extreme hurt.
"I'm sorry, I never meant to hurt you. We never meant to hurt you." She spoke as tears came to her eyes. He nodded at her words.
"But you did along with Ginny…how could you 'Mione, I thought you loved me?"
"I do Ron, I do more than you can know. But I was afraid, you hadn't come back and…they were all beginning to believe you dead. We were both hurt by the news and…it didn't mean anything."
He shook his head. "How can you say that? You have hurt me farther than I ever thought you would be capable of."
Hermione gasped as she pulled herself up out of the water she had sunken into. Breathing hard she choked on the sobs that now made their way from her throat.
Sirius's return had brought back too many memories. Ones she had learned over the years to block out and become numb to, but now, it was as though they were torn fresh open.