Hermione woke up, and the room around her was dark. She felt disoriented as she glanced around and saw she was in bed. She lit her wand and touched that Remus brought her up to her room. Hermione needed to relieve herself and got out of bed to head to the restroom. Opening the door, she saw Sirius in the bathtub reading a book and drinking an ale or beer.
She was about to shut the door, but he caught sight of her. "Hermione, you can come in," he told her, and she frowned.
"I can come back, Sirius. I need to go to the bathroom," Her voice was raspy still from sleeping so hard.
"Did you know that this Da Vinci Code is pretty thrilling?" He asked her as he shut the curtains. "You can go to the bathroom now."
Hermione blushed and shook her head, "I read it and thought it was very well done." She replied as she sat on the toilet.
She did her business, and after she had flushed, Sirius pulled back the curtain again. "Pretty good book so far." He declared with a smile.
He swigged his glass and waggled his eyebrows. "Want to join me?" he inquired with a crooked grin.
She scowled and turned on her heels. "Good night, Sirius," the witch snapped and left the room.
Hermione glanced back at the door a moment and felt a loneliness that wasn't her own, or at least she didn't think she felt remotely lonely. She knocked on the door again, and Sirius cleared his throat. "Come in," he told her, and she reentered.
Sirius was still sitting in the tub, but he didn't seem as engaged in his book. She took a few paces more into the bathroom, and his eyes found hers. His eyes were glinting with emotions, and Hermione felt shocked and a little dismayed by it. Taking great care to not ogle at the exposed man, she crouched down next to the tub.
"Sirius, what's wrong?" She whispered, and he groaned.
"I am alright; I just don't want to sleep alone." He told her, and she tilted her head.
"What happened to the after party?" She inquired, her eyes still searching his grey orbs.
He chuckled and raised an eyebrow, "Already happened, kitten. I don't bring slags home." He teased and winked.
She rolled her eyes and stood up, "I was just about to offer to cure your loneliness, but I don't think I will now." She finished and moved to the door.
Sirius maneuvered from the tub with swift agility and shut the door. She glared up at him, but he smiled and was dripping on her shirt. His hair dangled close to her face as she had turned to him entirely. He caressed her cheek, and her face still was hard, full of scrutiny, but her eyes were softer.
"Why do we always need to fight like cats and dogs?" he asked her, and she shook her head.
The witch couldn't hide the small smile on her full lips, "Because, Sirius, we see the world two different ways."
He never took his eyes off hers and chuckled again. "Stay with me?" he asked Hermione, and she nodded.
"I will sleep next to you if you would like that." She caved, and he leaned closer to her face.
Hermione wanted to deny any feelings she had for him, but the reasons were slipping, and so was her resolve. The man in front of her tested the waters and leaned in farther, but stopped close enough to her lips to hear her breath hitch in her throat. "Sirius," she whispered, and he caught her lips gently against his.
The kiss was sweet and chaste which was not something Hermione was expecting the nude man in front of her to be. He let out a low moan from his throat and she wrapped her arms around his neck. She was expecting more reaction than she received from him as he stood his ground and did not move from his position. She pulled away from his lips and almost shook herself from the moment. "I am sorry," she muttered and looked away from him.
Sirius leaned his forehead against hers and chuckled. "I don't want you to feel like I just want in your knickers. Not you," he declared, and she frowned.
"I don't feel-"
"It works both ways, kitten." He interrupted her and acknowledged their unusual connection.
She sighed, and he pulled away from her, turning his back to her. Hermione took a small glance at his backside and blushed brightly. Sirius Black was a glorious man, no one would deny that and neither could she. He reached for his towel and turned to her with an arched eyebrow.
"I really don't know if I can say that I don't want to shag you and mean it if you don't stop looking at me like that." He grumbled with a smirk.
Hermione cleared her throat and nodded once. "I am going to change, and I will see you in your room." She said quickly and then disappeared from the bathroom.
The witch rushed to her room and pulled her hair from her face. Suddenly, she felt warm and distracted which defied her protests. Hermione wanted nothing more than to ignore the feelings of bubbling yearning for a man she knew was wrong for her in many ways. She told herself that with a nod and willed herself to get dressed in proper pajamas. A simple pair of comfy pants and a t-shirt was the hallmark of nonthreatening or temptation.
Hermione stood at her bedroom door for a few moments and reflected what just happened in the bathroom. He kissed her, and she liked it. Too much. Shaking her head, she reminded herself of the million reasons she couldn't and wouldn't sleep with Sirius Black. She told herself a few more times before it set in and she felt decided on it.
Creeping to Sirius's new bedroom, she tiptoed and opened the door. Sirius had a candle lit and was in bed already. He smiled at her as she came into his room, but did not move to greet her or act. Hermione climbed into bed and under the sheets where it was surprisingly comfortable to be next to him. The animagus kissed her forehead gently before letting her rest next to him.
"Thank you, Hermione." He whispered and cautiously encased his arms around her.
It felt so pleasant to be in his arms she did not object or grow rigid and ended up snuggling closer to Sirius. They both seemed to wait a few moments to see how the other was going to react before concluding they were comfortable enough for sleep. She was about half asleep when Sirius' breathing steadied, and she knew he was sleeping. A smile curved her lips, and for the first time in quite a long while, Hermione Granger slept soundly.
In an empty house a man was sitting in a silent kitchen with a half-empty bottle of firewhiskey. The clock read it was almost three o'clock in the morning, with that the man grimaced. The fireplace sounded in the other room and there was a momentarily anger that sparked in him. She clumsily stumbled into the kitchen and saw him sitting at the table.
"Remus- ya scared me," his wife slurred with a starry gaze.
The werewolf stood up and looked at his drunken partner. "Nymphadora, it is three in the morning." He stated, and she snorted.
"I know, I am not stupid, Remus. But you treat me that way, don't you? I am not Hermione after all." She spat, and the look of surprise on her face lessened Remus' anger.
"What does Hermione have to do with this?" He asked her, and she slumped in a chair at the table.
"Everything! I never realized how different we were until I saw how unhappy we both are. Every time she would come around you were happier than me. I was jealous that she made you smile like you used to with me." Tonks admitted and let a small hiccup out.
Remus felt like a chump, but his pride was prodded. "That isn't true, and you know that. She has been a dear friend to us and taken good care of Teddy when we used to go on holidays. Hermione has nothing to do with our unhappiness. Your lack of regard to our life was the main contributor. You never said that we were enough for you, Nymphadora. You told me I ruined your life."
She wrinkled her face up in a frown, "I told you I was sorry about that. I would have never traded you and Teddy for anything else in the world!" She growled and slammed her fist on the table.
"Sorry? How can you apologize for saying that I ruined your life and went back to things like normal? I cannot even fathom it. You told me exactly what you knew would destroy us. The only thing keeping me from disappearing is our son." Remus bit back, and Tonks gasped.
"You wouldn't… Remus, I told you it was a fling. I am sorry to have messed up so much. We love you; you know that. I couldn't do this without you." She told him and his face contorted.
"Nymphadora, I cannot do this anymore. You lie and cheat while I am here lying to our son to keep him happy. You can keep the bedroom. I will find somewhere else to sleep." He finished and tried to leave the kitchen, but she dashed in front of him.
"Remus, I will do anything. I will go to counseling, or we can all go on a holiday together. Please just come back to me. I promise you that I won't screw this up again." She begged him, and his heart pounded.
"You promise to work for our family?" He asked her, and she nodded.
He released the tension on his face and kissed her forehead. "That's all I wanted," he whispered, and she sighed.
"All I wanted was you and Teddy, Remus." She replied and for a split second everything seemed to come together really. "There is one thing I have to ask." She murmured and glanced up at him.
He gazed down at her in befuddlement. "What is it?" he asked gently, and her face hardened.
"You haven't shagged her, have you, Remus?" She asked him, and he turned scarlet.
"That is a ludicrous assumption, and I refuse to answer it." He growled and let her go.
Now Tonks was seething, but her inebriation was blurring her logic. "You did! You slept with her to get back at me. That's why you made up this crazy situation for her to stay here!" She howled, and Remus shook his head.
"You are drunk and guilty. Go to sleep and take a hot shower when you wake up. Maybe we can be civil when you are sober." He spat and firmly removed her from the doorway.
"Where are you going?" she growled at him from the kitchen.
"To the only place that feels like home in this house right now. I am going to sleep in the library." He told her and walked away.
The drunken woman shook her head as tears still welled in her eyes. She knew she was being jealous and it was uncalled for, but she couldn't help it. There was just something that she had that Tonks did not. The only thing she had over the other witch was her brilliant husband and lovely child. Tonks was secure about herself and how much she loved her family, but wasn't sure about much else these days. She grabbed the almost empty bottle on the table and took it to bed with her; what a cold partner indeed.
