Disclaimer: I'm not JK Rowling, therefore these characters are not mine. Of course, you'll see them doing things they definitely didn't do in her novels, so… well, those ideas are mine!

Chapter 6: Questions and Answers

The firewhiskey shots were going down easier, now. After this third one, Hermione noticed they didn't burn as much on the way down, didn't make her eyes water anymore. She was feeling quite warm. Warm and happy here, just sharing a laugh with her two adorable friends. Just sharing a laugh, and a couple of kisses. Very hot kisses… Right, then: just sharing a laugh, a couple of very hot kisses, and some sexual banter that had lit up her nerve endings like she was a pinball machine. Unless it was the firewhiskey that had done that to her…

Whatever. It didn't matter, because – obviously – this was as far as things would go. Well, wasn't it obvious? They were lovers, they were gay, and they didn't need or want her, did they? Well, did they? They were adorable, but they were rather confusing, these two. Nothing was making too much sense (perhaps that was the firewhiskey, too), but at the moment it just didn't seem to matter much (which may have also been due to the firewhiskey).

It doesn't matter, she told herself again, firmly. As long as it doesn't go any further, there's no urgency in figuring out this situation. Kissing is pretty harmless, right? Anything more than that, and she'd probably want to have her wits about her, but what's a good-hearted snog between friends?

Sirius had put down his glass, and walked around to the back of the couch. He placed one hand on Remus's shoulder, and the other on Hermione's, and gave them both a squeeze. They both turned to look up at him. Hermione remembered with a jolt how Sirius had started the previous night's adventure by giving Remus a shoulder rub, and felt her knees turn to jelly again. Thank Merlin at least she was sitting down this time.

"Well, Moony," he said, "It seems the brightest witch of her age may also have the dirtiest mind of her age. A promising combination! Which leads me to one all-important question."

"Just one?" Remus chuckled. "I'm sure I could come up with at least a dozen very important questions for our lovely guest. I'm quite curious to hear which one question you feel is most critical at this juncture!"

Sirius gave her shoulder another squeeze, and damn it all, it did feel really good. That might make it all the harder to gather her wits about her, and she had a feeling she might need them soon. She had a pretty good idea what Sirius wanted to ask her.

"I'd like to know," he said, his eyes boring into hers, "whether Hermione prefers fantasies to stay fantasies, or whether she prefers to live dangerously."

Deep breath, Hermione, old girl. Stall for time. "I'm, erm…, not sure I'm prepared to answer that right now," Hermione stammered. "I mean, fantasies are lovely. But in real life, things can get messy."

"Hmm… an abstention from the gorgeous brunette on the couch. Maybe we try a different question. How about you, Moony? Want to pick just one of your dozen important questions for right now?"

Remus blushed, but then smiled and met Hermione's eyes. "I'd like to know what Hermione is doing at the next full moon!"

Sirius let out a bark of a laugh, and Hermione let herself grin, too. "I'm not sure," she answered truthfully, "but I'll probably be back at school."

"Too bad, Moony! And you, Miss Dirty-Minded Prefect, do you have any questions for us?"

"Well, yeah…," she said, slowly. "I mean, I guess I just want to know what's going on with you two. Last night, it seemed clear that you were a couple, and I was a bit sad that neither of you was ever likely to be interested in me because… Well, for one thing, you have each other. And for another, I'm a girl! But something was happening here tonight. I felt it in your kisses, and heard it in your voices. I saw it in your eyes, and… well, also in your trousers, Sirius – sorry, but you look like you've got a tent pole in there!"

"Mine!" he laughed. "You were too busy making goo-goo eyes with Moony to notice the big top HE erected in your honor!" Now Remus turned and smacked Sirius, too. Then he smiled sheepishly at Hermione.

"The point is, I really didn't expect you to respond the way you did. I thought I'd tell my stories and we'd laugh about my silly schoolgirl crushes and we'd just move on. But you know, I'm not a silly schoolgirl anymore, and I've noticed we're not exactly laughing off those fantasies. In fact, you're both behaving as if you wouldn't mind acting on them! Unless you're just teasing me, and I'm not getting the joke…"

Sirius released his grip on their shoulders, and came back around to the front of the couch. He sat on Hermione's other side, and took her hand. The two men's eyes met, and Remus gave the slightest nod. Sirius took a deep breath, and said, "Hermione, we're not teasing you or making fun of you. We really do have the utmost respect for you – as a witch, as a person, and as a sexual being. Yes, Remus and I love each other very much, and as you well know, we have a gratifying physical relationship as well. But in our experience, pretty much everyone is bisexual until proven otherwise. Just because you're female doesn't mean we aren't intrigued. You are an incredibly sexy young woman whom we both adore. As long as it's consensual all the way around, we are both absolutely interested in helping you fulfill any and all of your sexual fantasies."

Remus nodded his agreement, and smiled at her encouragingly.

Hermione pressed her fists to her temples. "Guys, this is a lot to take in all at once. I really don't mean to be a tease, but I think things are moving a little too fast for me. Twenty-four hours ago, I was a passive witness to a sexual act. Earlier this evening, with your able help, I created my own imaginary sexual acts. And now you're telling me that if I give the all clear, I could be an active participant in a sexual encounter with either one of you!"

"Or both," interjected Sirius, "unless, Moony, you would object."

"What, do you mean simultaneously?" growled the werewolf, with a hungry look in his eye.

"Oh, definitely," agreed Sirius. "I'm up for it if you are!" They grinned at each other.

"Right: THIS is what I mean when I say things are moving a little too fast for me, gentlemen! And I daresay I'm using that term a bit loosely!"

"No worries, Hermione," Remus said gently, placing a hand on her knee – which had the opposite of the soothing effect he probably intended. Hermione felt she might jump out of her skin. "We were getting a little carried away with the possibilities, love, but we promise to let you set the pace and the parameters of any further exploration that might take place. Look, you've still got a couple of weeks before you return to Hogwarts, don't you? Take a little time and think about what you are ready to try. Personally, I would feel very honored if you would let me be a part of this… well, I guess it could be seen as a new aspect of your education, couldn't it?"

"Oh, listen to you, Moony! Always the teacher. Yes, I agree it would be an honor, but besides that it would just be great fun, and an exciting new way for us to express our deep affection for our dear Hermione! Merlin, the way she protected your secret for months, and how she figured out how to save me from the dementors. I mean, how could anyone not love this girl?"

Hermione blushed again, and in a rush of affection, she kissed first Sirius and then Remus on the cheek.

"Ah, Moony, look what we've done by getting all noble," Sirius mock-groaned. "The spell is broken, and now we're getting pecked on the cheek instead of snogged passionately."

Hermione stood up, and turned to face her dear friends, her eyes glistening with emotion. "Listen guys, I'm going to take myself back up to bed – yes, Sirius, alone. I don't know that I'll be able to sleep at all, but I do think I need a little time to myself to consider everything that has happened here tonight. Thank you, both of you, for everything. For inviting me here to make sure I was okay, for helping me create such enjoyable fantasies, for really listening to me and talking so honestly with me, and… well, of course for leaving the next step in my hands. You could easily have taken advantage of me, but you didn't. I really do love you guys."

"We love you, too, Hermione," they chorused, as she turned and walked out of the library.

She walked slowly up the stairs. With each step, she yearned to turn off her brain, return to the library, and just fulfill her bodily desires. Still, she kept putting one foot in front of the other. Damn that brain of hers that just wouldn't turn off. She knew that brain would keep her up all night considering her possibilities, too, unless she took matters into her own hands and employed her new favorite insomnia cure. Sirius and Remus would also need some release from the sexual tension that the three of them had created that evening, but at least they had each other – and that thought brought her slow progress forward to a halt. Maybe she could sneak back down and just watch for a bit, as they brought out their tent poles and… Dear Merlin, what they might be doing even now! Hermione closed her eyes and breathed deeply, attempting to steady herself and steel her resolve. After a full two minutes of internal debate, Hermione opened her eyes, and returned to climbing the stairs. She knew, of course, even through the effects of three shots of firewhiskey, two incredible kisses, and hours of verbal foreplay, that what she really needed was to cool off and think things through. Damn and double damn. Sometimes that exceptional brain of hers was a real bitch.

A/N: Oh to have such a dilemma! What's a girl to do? Keep up the reviews, please…