A/N: I am an awful, horrible person and I am really sorry. I know how much it annoys me when people don't update for forever and I'm not sure how long this has been but I know it has been way, way, way too long.

Forgive me? Please?

It's not massively long but I think I'm back on track with this now.

So anyway…

Chapter 4

Sirius groaned and banged his head against the table as Molly Weasley began to explain, for near the thousandth time, why it was a horrifically bad idea for him to be with Harry.

"And another thing, he is far too young. How can you even be sure he knows what he wants?"

"Molly, he's 26, not 5."

He was sorely tempted to stun her, if only to stop her pacing which was really starting to make him dizzy. However, he was fairly sure that Harry would not be overly pleased to come back and find her unconscious, especially considering the mood he was in with all the friends and distant acquaintances coming round to pry and the reporters and members of the general public who wouldn't let either of them leave the house without swamping them.

"This is just so irresponsible Sirius. I knew you can be immature at times but this is just ridiculous."

The door slammed and Sirius looked up to see that Harry had come back. He dumped his bag of shopping on the table and pulled out a chair viciously.

"Harry dear, do you want a drink? You look tired."

Harry nodded and thanked her and Sirius huffed moodily. She had spent the last hour yelling at him and now the second Harry comes back she's the epitome of a caring mother. Typical.

She placed a large mug or tea in front of Harry which he held but didn't drink, still looking annoyed. Molly looked pointedly at Sirius and he knew she was dying to point out that this whole thing wasn't exactly making Harry happy but she couldn't drop her loving mother routine in front of Harry. Sirius was positive she would save it up for another time though. Harry really didn't look happy though so Sirius decided it was best to get rid of Molly as soon as possible so he could vent.

"Look Molly, it was really great of you to come by but I think we're both really tired. We'll see you again soon."

Molly looked at Harry as if expecting him to disagree but he was still glaring at his mug so she hugged Harry and kissed him on the cheek, nodded in Sirius' general direction, and left. Sirius waited for the sound of the front door shutting and pulled up a chair next to Harry.

"Gonna tell me what happened?"

Harry grumbled something looking even grumpier than before so Sirius stood up behind him and started to massage his shoulders, grinning slightly when he felt Harry sigh and lean back against him slightly.

"Don't you just love it when you're trying to buy vegetables and suddenly you're surrounded by people who want to know all about your life?"

Sirius just kept massaging, encouraging Harry to keep talking.

"I mean, I just walk into the supermarket and all these people want confirmation of the next ridiculous string of rumours, most of which I'm pretty sure they make up on the spot."

"What did they say?"

"Crazy stuff. Like, apparently they all think I'm still in love with Hermione and you are forcing me to sleep with you by threatening to kill her or you've given me some kind of love potion."

Sirius huffed.

"I love how everyone seems to think that the only way I can get a boyfriend is by drugging or threatening them."

"They were also saying that you were getting close to me because you thought I was going to be the next Voldemort."

"What part of 'innocent' don't they understand?"

"And one witch asked me if it was true that you force me to polyjuice into my dad when we have sex. Ow!"

Harry pulled away as Sirius accidentally squeezed too hard on his shoulder.

"Sorry, that last one was just really gross."

Harry went back to staring at his mug and swirling a spoon around in the liquid. Sirius could see that this was affecting him badly; he hated the publicity and people sticking their noses into his life. He wrapped his arms around Harry's shoulders from behind and kissed his neck in an attempt to comfort him.

"Don't stress about it. It'll pass. Besides, they had to find out sometime, right?"

Harry just shrugged and stood up.

"I'm just gonna go and sleep for a bit. See you later."

Sirius nodded and watched him leave before sitting on the stool Harry had just departed and burying his head in his hands. He was just beginning to enjoy his train of thought which involved the reporter from the Daily Prophet and a blender when Remus appeared with a 'pop!' in front of him. Sirius groaned.

"Merlin, does no one knock any more? All morning people have been apparating in and out of the kitchen, didn't your mother ever tell you its common courtesy to appear outside the house?"

Remus rolled his eyes.

"Yeah ok I get, 'grr, I'm the ferocious Padfoot, fear me or else'."

Sirius reached out to hit him but he easily dodged out of the way.

"Touchy touchy. Seriously though, how are you doing?"

Sirius ran a tired hand through his hair.

"Ok I guess. Molly was round earlier and a bunch of reporters. Just going through the motions of telling them all to piss off and mind their own business. They'll get over it; it's just a pain in the arse."

Remus nodded.

"And Harry?"

"I'm not sure. He seems to be taking it bad but he's not talking about it much so I don't know how bad."

Remus sighed and headed over to the coffee machine.

"Coffee?"

"I'm alright thanks."

"Ok."

He poured himself a mug and took a sip before continuing.

"It's probably better that they know though right? They were going to have to find out eventually."

"That's what I thought."

They talked for a while longer until Remus had to leave to go back to work. By the time he left Sirius was feeling almost positive about the whole thing. It was definitely a good thing that people knew now, even if it wasn't in the way they would have chosen, and he was pretty sure everything was going to be ok.

Harry appeared in the kitchen doorway and Sirius smiled at him. He tugged at the bottom of his shirt nervously before blurting out:

"Sirius, I think we should break up."

Well, so much for everything was going to be ok.

A/N: I promise the next one will be quicker… review?