When Hermione arrived back at the burrow everyone was already asleep. She glanced up at the old grandfather clock and saw it was almost two in the morning. She trudged up the stairs and went into the bathroom. She quietly shut the door and clicked the light on. Her face was red and splotchy, smears of black mascara under her eyes. Her head was pounding and the only thing she could think of was the look on Sirius's face when she told him she needed space. What was wrong with her? She wanted to be with him but can't bear to tell anyone the news. Such a stupid reason but it's the only thing holding her back. Was she ashamed of him? A man his age shouldn't be in a relationship with someone her age. How would people react? Hermione splashed cold water on her face and cleaned herself up before heading off to bed. It seemed like hours passed as she laid there awake going over every possible solution but they all lead to her leaving Sirius. She finally just cried herself to sleep.
At breakfast the next morning everyone was in high spirits as the wedding day grew closer and Ginny was beyond ecstatic that they were getting fitted for their bridesmaid dresses tomorrow. Hermione's ears pricked up at this, recalling her dream where she encounters Sirius in the dressing room. It hadn't been a bad encounter but they didn't have the fight before hand in her dream. She let out a deep sigh, grabbing Harry's unwanted attention.
"What's going on with you? You've been off ever since Ron hit you with the quaffle" Harry nudged her at the breakfast table.
"I'm fine, really" she answered back without looking at him. Harry decided not to press the subject but instead enlisted Ginny to do more digging. Later in the afternoon as the boys were outside, Ginny and Hermione huddled up in her bedroom.
"Tell me what's going on. Did Sirius say something?" Ginny asked concerned.
"No, the exact opposite. I said something….something horrible" Hermione whispered, her hands in her head.
Ginny's eyes widened. "What did you say?"
"He said that we were finally going to tell everyone about us and what did I say? I said "I need some space" Light tears trickled down her cheeks.
"Oh don't cry Hermione, you guys will be fine. Why don't you want anyone to know?" Ginny asked rubbing her shoulders.
"Because…because I think I'm ashamed of him" she blurt out. Ginny looked puzzled.
"Ashamed? I don't understand. It's Sirius Black, he's…very respectable" Ginny told her.
"I'm not ashamed of who he is…it's our age difference" Hermione answered, shrugging Ginny off her shoulders.
"Oh well that is a little unconventional but you're eighteen not….twelve or something" Ginny said trying to reassure her. Hermione laughed at this but it was more than a twenty year age gap, eighteen or not.
"I just need some time to think" Hermione said, cuing Ginny to leave the room. The sun slowly set and as the glare caught her eye she finally snapped out of her trance. She had been sitting in Ginny's room almost the entire day. She pushed herself up off the ground and moaned at her sore legs from change of posture. The sounds of plates clinking prompted her to go down to dinner.
"Hey" Ron said as he set the table. "Grab the forks for me". Hermione did without protest and the two finished setting the table in silence. Hermione enjoyed the company and the fact that Ron was so easy to be with. He didn't barrage her with questions about her mood. Dinner went by quickly and by the end of the night, only Ron and Hermione were left awake. Ron sat by the fire playing wizard's chess against himself as Hermione sat on the couch with a book. She glanced over at him now and then and her thoughts were racing. What would it be like to have Ron for boyfriend?
