I dont own any of the Harry Potter characters

------------

Ron merely stared at Sirius for several seconds.

"You know, I'd rather it was just me and Hermione." He said quietly.

Sirius smiled. "I wouldn't. Please go on, complain, feel free to bad mouth me all you want, but don't be offended if I do decide you can't stay in the house anymore." he grinned and nodded. "Talk."

Ron stiffened with rage, then looked directly at Hermione. "I'm not bothered about you talking to him. I'm bothered about you saying how great he is, and how he deserves to be treated right after all that he's been through. I don't care if he went through that veil. I don't care what happened behind it, I'm not interested, and..."

"But it is rather interesting what happened." Sirius pointed out shrewdly, a small smirk on his face. He paused. "Carry on."

Ron glared. "And I don't want to know that when he needed cheering up you started cheering him up! It's not up to you! He's not your responsibility!"

Hermione glared at Ron. "Oh and I suppose you are? I suppose I should always have to sit with you and ignore everyone else around me who's depressed, just because you can't stand the thought of me talking to anyone else!"

"Yes!" Ron roared. "That's exactly what should happen. Let him find someone else to cheer him up. He's young again, he can go and get a girlfriend of his own instead of stealing mine!"

"Oh grow up Ronald!" Hermione snapped. "He's not stealing! We are friends whether you like it or not! I don't see you snapping if I try and cheer Harry up, so why is Sirius so different?"

Ron stared at her for a second. "That's different." He said finally.

"Oh, I know it's different, but why is it?"

Ron looked at Sirius, then Hermione. "Because Harry's in love with Ginny, he'd never even think about anyone else! And I know what you're like! You love the older, famous men. I mean look at Krum!"

Hermione glared. "Ronald, you seriously need to grow up! It was plainly obvious to anyone except you that Viktor and I were never going to have the kind of relationship that you're implying! And even if we had, one case does not make an argument!" She stood staring in anger at Ron, then stormed into the house.

"Mione!" Ron shouted after her back, then he moved to run after her.

"I wouldn't if I was you Ron," Sirius said calmly. "I don't think she's too happy with you at the moment!"

Ron glared at him. "I should have known you'd get in the way!" He walked over and shoved Sirius roughly. "You might look twenty now, but if you try anything with Hermione... it's sick even thinking about it!"

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "Who said I was thinking about it?"

Ron stared at him, then ran after Hermione, slamming the door behind him.

Who said you were thinking about it? Sirius thought. Nobody... but you are thinking about it. Now get upstairs and stop him getting back with her!

-------------------Hermione sat on her bed. The door opened and she looked up, hoping it was Sirius. But it was Ron.

"Go away Ronald!" She snapped.

"Hermione... you can understand why I'm reacting like this! I mean... he's twenty years older than you..."

Hermione stood up. "Nobody ever said anything about me being with Sirius! There's nothing to over react to!"

There was the sound of feet on the stairs, then Sirius appeared on the landing.

"Ron... come on... leave Hermione alone for a while..." He put a hand on Ron's shoulder and tried to steer him away from Hermione's room. Ron, however, had other ideas and twisted to put his wand at Sirius' neck.

"Stop telling me what to do! Stop interfering! Stop having anything to do with Hermione!" he growled.

Sirius sighed. "Ron... we both know I can out-duel you!"

Ron laughed. "Yeah right! You haven't used a wand in six years!"

Sirius smiled. "Lets say it's like riding a broomstick..." he drew his wand from the back pocket of his jeans. "It's one of those things that you never forget..."

"Stop it!" Hermione said. "Stop it both of you!"

Sirius stepped back instantly, but Ron kept his wand pressed to Sirius' neck.

"Ron! Put your wand down right now!" Hermione drew her own wand and held it in her hand, waiting for Ron to lower his wand. He didn't

"Pneumonian phil-" Ron started, but a jet of red light errupted from Hermiones wand, sending his wand flying. Ron turned and looked at Hermione. "What did you do that for?" He snapped.

Hermione merely glared at him. "Just leave me alone Ron!" She turned around and sat with her back to him. Ron stared at her, then Sirius. "

"You go in there and I'll blast you! I swear!"

Sirius smirked. "I'd like to see you try."

Ron left, his face set with anger.

--------------

Sirius thought about leaving Hermione alone, but something told him he should go and comfort her. Hesitantly, he walked over to Hermione, shutting the door so that they were alone, but knowing that if Ron came by he would think something was happening... Let him think that... and if it did happen, it'd be his fault...

"Hermione..?" Sirius said gently. "Do you want a... a... a drink or... anything?"

Hermione shook her head and smiled. "I could do with a friend though..." she whispered. Sirius smiled and sat down next to her, putting his arm around her shoulders.

"Well... I'm here as long as you need me..."

Hermione smiled. "Thanks... and I'm sorry about Ron..."

Sirius shook his head. "It's not your fault... and anyway... I owe you a cheer up.""

Hermione sighed and rested her head on Sirius' shoulder. "I guess you do."

Sirius tilted her head to look at her, and found himself leaning closer... his mouth was inches from Hermiones when there was a knock at the door. Sirius pulled away hurriedly.

"Hermione?" Harry's voice called. "You in there?" There was silence, then he spoke again. "Listen... Ron's downstairs... I think he wants to talk to you..." Another silence. "Well... he's in the kitchen if you want him..."

There was the sound of feet going down the stairs, then Sirius looked down at Hermione.

"You going to talk to him?" He asked quietly.

"No." Hermione said simply. She looked at Sirius. "I don't love him...we're not going to get back together... there's no point..."

"Have you told him that?" Sirius asked.

Hermione shook her head slowly.

"Maybe you should..." Sirius said. "He's your friend... too good a friend to lose."

Hermione looked at him, then leant forward, as if to kiss his lips. She hesitated, then turned her head to kiss his cheek. "Thank you..." she murmured, then stood up and left.

Sirius sighed as the door closed. "No chance, Sirius. No chance."

-----------------Ron was quiet when Sirius entered the kitchen an hour and a half later. Obviously everyone else in the house had heard the argument between Ron and Hermione, and picked up other details from the others.

"Hello all..." Sirius said, raising a hand in greeting to everyone in the room. They all smiled, but none of them seemed to want to talk, they all cast Ron occasional glances, making sure he wasn't going to jump from his seat and throttle Sirius. Sirius avoided the seat beside Hermione with reluctance, and sat down beside Harry. They still had catching up to do, and Sirius was not going to fuel the fire between he and Ron anymore than he had to. Hermione, Sirius soon realized, had different ideas. When Sirius avoided the spare seat beside her, she moved to sit next to him, and, although Ron couldn't see underneath the table, she found Sirius' hand and held on to it. Sirius fought to keep the smile from his face, and avoided Hermione's eye, the only sign that he had realized she gripped his hand to be the reasurring squeeze he first gave her, before forcing himself to become oblivious to it. Ron left the room shortly after Sirius arrived, and, much to Sirius' disappointment, Hermione released his hand and stood up.

"Tea anyone?"

-----------------------

Sirius lay on his bed, looking at the ceiling, puzzling out why Hermione had dropped his hand as soon as Ron left the room. Was it that she wanted to feel safe, in case Ron had another outburst? Or was it that she wanted Sirius to know it wasn't his fault? Or maybe... just possibly... maybe she liked him... he shook his head. She was too intelligent to fall for him. He'd never be in her league... he could only look on as she found another man, married him and had children with him... why couldn't that man be him? He shook his head. "I shouldn't be thinking like this!" He said to himself.

"Thinking like what?" A voice asked from the door. Sirius jumped and looked at Hermione.

"Hermione... err... nothing... doesn't matter... what are you doing here?"

Hermione shrugged. "I was wondering where you were..."

Sirius nodded. "Why were you wondering that?" he asked, covering a yawn.

"I don't know..." Hermione said thoughtfully. "You've been through alot and... today can't have made it any easier for you..."

Sirius shrugged. "It took my mind off the veil for a while..."

"Was that what you were thinking about?" Hermione asked gently.

Sirius shook his head slowly. "No. That wasn't it..."

Hermione sat down next to him and covered his hand with hers. "You know I'm here if you need to talk... don't you?"

Sirius nodded. "I know." he lifted her hand and kissed it lightly. "Thanks 'Mione."

Hermione smiled, then left the room.

------------------

I'm here if you need to talk... Sirius recalled in his head. What if it wasn't talking he wanted? What if he wanted her, in his arms, to hold and kiss when he pleased? Was she there then? Don't be stupid... she just sees you as a friend... you're not getting with her... no chance...