The heat was agreeable without the rocking of a boat. Hermione yawned and could almost detect the snoring of Ron lying next to her. She hadn't opened her eyes as her mind was surfacing from the beautiful dream. The chaotic dream of pirates. Digging her face into the pillows, she groaned. Ron threw his arm over her and his nose nestled into her hair; they hadn't snuggled in bed for weeks.
"Love, do you think you could move your head off my arm?" A voice that was not what she expected had caused her eyes to fling open.
Hermione sprang into a seated position and choked on her gasp. It was still this distorted reality, and Sirius Black was lounging across the bed… naked. "What are you doing here!" she screeched.
He scrubbed his face and yawned. "I wanted to talk to you, but you were already sound asleep when I came in."
"Get out!" she huffed turning from his nude form.
Sirius ignored her and pulled himself to the pillows. "I do miss a lavished mattress. It beats a hammock any day."
Hermione covered her face and groaned. "Why are you here, Sirius?"
"We didn't get a chance for words, poppet. I wanted to make sure you understood why ole Captain Moony was being so generous with you."
Hermione turned her head and eyed him for the corner of her vision. "Why?"
"Because Moony recognizes you can help with Prongs's wife. She's going to have the little tot soon, but she's not well. One of Riddle's pirates attacked her a couple years ago, and she hasn't been the same since. You think Prongs is always that difficult? No, this has been a personal mission of Moony's for a long time. It's only become more so."
"Why has it been so personal?"
Sirius exhaled and crawled near the witch. "He had a wife once. A son too. He was operating his own naval ship, and they were traveling with him to his next station. They were attacked by one of Riddle's men- the savage barbarians he employed. You can connect the dots by seeing that she's not here any longer and he's a pirate."
Hermione winced and exhaled. "He lost them anyway? What a horrible thing to live through."
"Mhm, now he's a gentle beast, but one with a need for a cure. He needs to end this bit with those death eaters before they ruin the sea for good men. We came along because it's the right thing to do. That's why we need your cooperation."
"Sirius, why did you come along? I know you must be part of nobility. Time has a very similar texture even now."
"I came along because it beat being sold off to the highest bidder for my lineage. I'm a free man and will continue to be."
Hermione turned fully to the marauder stretched out on the bed. He had covered his hips with one of the blankets and was staring at his nails. The tattoos she had seen before were far more extravagant and detailed than she remembered. Stories of different parts of his life etched in symbols and runes on the whole of his torso. "You're so familiar," she remarked with a nod.
He smirked, and his grey eyes met hers. "Well, I'm glad you think so because I was starting to feel isolated in all of that."
"What do you mean?"
"You know that moment, right before the gods intervene? That breath caught in your throat? It happened to all of us the night we were on our way back to the ship. Everything was smooth, but they were telling us we needed to be somewhere. Then you showed up, and now things have changed. Divine intervention."
Hermione rolled her eyes and tossed a hand in the air. "There's no such thing, Sirius."
"You may think so, but I know there is. I've seen it. Now, I have to get some pants on, and you need to find something that your tits aren't hanging out of. No wonder Moony didn't want you stomping around here with that shirt on, he's a shite tailor."
Hermione glanced down and saw that admittedly her chest was not as concealed as she would have liked. "Where am I going to find clothing fit for me?"
"The pirate queen will be most generous after last night I'm sure," He snickered with an arched eyebrow.
Hermione grimaced and climbed from the blankets. "Don't you give me any diseases from your proximity."
He strolled into her view and picked up his pants from the floor. "Promise, love. I won't give you anything you don't want," he said with a smirk as he slid up the fabric.
She tossed her frizzy hair from her neck and groaned. "Sirius, don't be so crude."
"You're going to need to grow a thicker skin if you're going to learn to be a pirate. A cat needs claws and thick fur to last in this world."
Hermione snatched his hat off the four-poster arm and sneered at him as she placed it on. "Don't you worry about me, Sirius. I've lived through more than you can imagine."
The pirate smirked and elegantly bowed, splaying one of his arms out. "Of course, m'lady. I could see you being one hell of a pirate if you're willing."
She smiled despite herself. "You're far more jaunty than I remember."
"Well, imagine freedom was harder to come by then," he sighed as he reached for his shirt. "Hermione, tell me something. How did I die?"
Her glee fell from her face as she expelled a heavy breath. "Well, you were protecting Harry. We all protected him."
"Is that why you were whining in your sleep last night?"
"Yes, Sirius. Some scars never dissolve. That's why Ron and I had issues. He wanted to bury them in the deepest reaches and find peace, I wanted to defend the freedoms we all deserved, and with that comes ripping old wounds open over and over," Hermione responded as she fixed her shirt.
"Ron? Your husband?" Sirius spoke with an arched to his eyebrow.
Hermione shook her head. "No, we weren't married. We were separated after a long disagreement. I was trying to find a way back to even ground with him before I ended up here."
"Let's get something to eat before we get back to the ship, alright?"
The woman situated the hat better on her hair with a nod. "Let's, but I'm keeping your hat."
Sirius puffed with a smile. "Only because you look charming, girl. I'm quite possessive of it- it has sentimental value."
Remus watched on as they wandered down the path toward the harbor. The girl was whispering with Sirius and giggling as she wore his feathery hat. Grace was in step next to him and admiring the outfit the little sorceress now donned; she definitely looked far more like a pirate than a little girl.
"She's quite affectionate with your first mate," Grace mused with a lowered brow.
Remus exhaled and tossed a gloved hand at the pair. "Well, I require her to feel less like we are caging her up."
Hermione seemed far less like feminine with the layered vestments and her hair bound tightly in a fluffy mess of braids- very Irish. In fact, there was something a bit strange about the woman's body language as she marched next to the pirate. It was if the new garbs released a wild nature.
"Moony, you assign your first mate to entertain rather than yourself," Grace said, bringing the captain from his thoughts.
"With her?" He asked.
Grace rose an eyebrow and pursed her lips. "Among others."
"Broken souls don't mend on the ocean, Grace. I could bed nameless whores for a price, but the satisfaction of kinship will never be what's to come. There is a reason we are fighting this cause, and that's why I'm in your debt."
She tucked her arm round his and rocked her head. "Moony, I won't hold the requirements of a sailor's heart against you. You are the bravest sea wolf that the ocean has ever left untamed. I love your wild heart, but we are two beings walking the same path to ruin. Careful with the witch, she might leave you lost in the waves if you're severe with her. She's not your standard siren."
The captain nodded his head and exhaled. "Yes, she's quite unique. I won't use her for our cause unless I know she's willing to brave the storm."
"Moony, storm's comin," Prongs called out from behind them.
Moony glanced back at the gangly man trotting down the path with the older white-haired man following. Albus seemed troubled after the report the captain gave him last night- with good reason. If Hermione chose the temptation of what Riddle would offer, they would burn the horizon with his vengeance.
"Sirius, whales!" Hermione shouted and drew everyone's attention.
Hermione was skipping toward the last large ledge before the cove and was waving a gloved hand toward the distance. The first mate handed her the spyglass from his pocket, and she was staring through it. The captain watched with wonder, but the large clouds in the distance framed them. Any wise sailor could see that it was either a message of grave importance; either grave or bountiful. This was going to be a long journey down to Tortola.
The crew was introduced to the spry young man, Henry O'Malley. Obviously, the Pirate Queen of Ireland's cousin was going to have safe passage if needed by an esteemed captain. The wild curls was a distinct similarity to his fiery redhead cousin.
Few conferred signs of uncertainty that the captain was executing a sound judgment when the bounty of fresh supplies and livestock was transported on board. The young man was shown about by Padfoot, and he spoke very little, but the feathered hat motioned as he paid attention.
It wasn't the first day of sailing that things were changing or strange. In fact, the water seemed almost in their favor. Almost. A wicked wind brought forth a new experience for the Marauder's Revenge. Something that none of them had been prepared for at all...