Hermione was resting on his chest, and he felt her in his sleep, but there was a dream that was keeping him in a deep daze.
He opened his eyes in his dream and saw that he was in a familiar chamber. He could smell a gross metallic scent as he tried to focus his vision. "Sirius, my goodness… I am relieved." A voice chimed into his ears.
His eyes traced her form, and she was choking on a sob. Hermione was crying and shivering in front of him, completely naked. Her body was marred with slices and cuts which seemed deliberate.
His mind couldn't grasp how to speak, and he felt his heart slow… an icy feeling swept over him. "Oh, no, Sirius, please stay with me. I only had one shot at this…" she whimpered, and he arched in suffocation.
Her mouth was over him as she was giving him her breath. "Sirius, stay with me." She ordered as she started pressing roughly against his chest in a rhythm. "Padfoot… Padfoot!" she screamed and breathed into his mouth again. "You cannot do this to my heart again, Sirius!" Her screaming echoed in his head.
Sirius sat up and was gasping roughly. "Oh!" he cried, and Hermione shuddered and gazed at him.
The male animagus was still roughly panting as she ran a hand over his chest. "Sirius, what's wrong? Your heart is thumping out of your chest." She said with alarm.
"I was dying… you- me- what?" He asked in a sporadic haze as his stomach churned.
Hermione blanched and pulled away; he could read the fear on her face. "Sirius," she murmured, and he inhaled deeply.
"Hermione, what happened?" he asked after catching his breath.
Her face contorted as her eyes shimmered. "Sirius, you have to understand before I tell you. There were so many people that needed you. I needed you too…" She murmured and tears splattered the sheets that covered her legs.
Sirius grew alarmed and ran his fingers over her shoulder. "Sweetheart, I am not going to judge you."
She took his hand in hers and ran her fingertips over his. "Sirius, I tried to bring you back five years ago. I found an old blood magic book in the Black library, and I thought I could alter it not to need your bloodline's blood. It wasn't hard to change, or so I thought…" she trailed off and tilted her head back with a gulp.
"It didn't work?" he asked, and she shook her head, tears now snaking down her cheeks.
"No, it didn't. Before I lost you completely I put you back into the veil," she whimpered, and he scowled.
"Hermione, you didn't talk to anyone about it? You didn't say a word?"
She shook her head, and he enveloped her in an embrace. "I am so sorry, Pads. I tried, but I couldn't do it. I wasn't strong enough." Her voice was small.
He made comforting sounds and shook his head against her. "It isn't your fault. I am sorry that you did that on your own. You could have killed yourself in the process, and I would have hated myself for the rest of my life if you died for me." Sirius murmured, and she sobbed harder.
"What if that is why you hear voices of the dead, Sirius? What if that is why you have dreams of the past. I could have ruined what life you could have by a silly binding."
It hadn't occurred to him that could be the reason, but it did not disturb him.
See, I told you, there are reasons that things like this happen. Lily said smugly.
Oh, you think this bodes well? James snapped, and Sirius thinned his lips.
Yes. If she didn't try to bring him back, he wouldn't have remembered her. I am almost sure of it. Lily replied sharply, and Sirius nodded against the weeping woman.
"There are reasons things happen, lovely. If you didn't bring me back the first time, who's to say I wouldn't have remembered you?" He asked her, and she gazed up at him with wide eyes.
"You aren't angry with me?"
"Why would I be angry with you? I am alive, and for the first time in years, I feel like myself."
Hermione's face contorted and she grabbed his cheeks. "Sirius, what if I am the reason you feel this way? Yell at me. Tell me I had almost ruined your life a second time… anything but being sweet to me for what I had done."
It was out in the open now. Sirius could see that this was troubling her for longer than she expressed. He could see her torment of what his next question was going to be. "What kind of spell did you use, Hermione?"
"A binding spell. Initially, it was made for bloodlines, but I tried to manipulate it. Remus and Harry missed you so much that I thought if I brought you back without their knowledge…" she paused and pursed her lips. "That I could make sure you wouldn't know what it meant when I brought you back."
Sirius stopped and gazed at her eyes. "Is that why you were so surprised to see me?"
She nodded slowly, and his thumbs glided over her cheeks. "I was so relieved to see you, but it saddened me. I had failed you and my dread for causing a permanent injury was my biggest concern."
His fingers trailed down her bare chest and ran them over the silvery scars. He knew they once bled for him. This little witch loved him and those that loved him so much that she was willing to die for him. She was ready to throw away everything for him.
"I love you, you know." He told her, and her eyes grew. "I cannot say if I am in love with you- I don't recognize those feelings well, but I know that I love you. I love that you love my family so much that you risked everything for them. I love that you try so deeply to make everyone happy. I love that you are so much like… me." He whispered, and her lips parted.
She closed the distance between them and kissed him deeply. It was a wild display of her feelings he knew she couldn't express in words. It evolved into heated need shortly, and he had slipped between her legs, pulling her to straddle him as they met. Her gasping was audible in his mouth as she rolled her hips.
"Sirius," she groaned as they parted and he nipped at her neck.
Hermione pressed her forehead against his and huffed. "Merlin, witch. You are fucking spectacular." Sirius breathed and buried his face into the crook of her neck.
She whimpered and curled her arms around him as he growled against her skin. "Sirius, you are astounding."
He felt like he was in school again learning how to shag with passion and desire. So many feelings he had ignored for years before the war. The connection his female partners had claimed, but he had scoffed at plainly. A thread of desire and deeper understand that connected them as they panted and cried in ecstasy.
"Sirius," Hermione whimpered, and he felt her shudder as she climbed to her peak.
"Hermione, love… I won't last much longer," He hissed, and she gasped with a shiver before clinging tightly to him.
It was an amalgam of passion and reprieve. Their souls laid vulnerable and bare for each other. Last night may have been heady with lust, but this morning was full of truth. She may have thought it was just for those she loved that she had tried to bring him back and mourned him a second time… but she had loved him as well.
Her smaller form collapsed against his after the apex of their desires. Her nose ran gently against his substantial tattoo mingling with his chest hair. "Sirius Black, you do indeed live up to your reputation." She murmured as she clung to him.
"No, darling, that was a higher elevation of shagging I believe." He grumbled and pressed his chin to her hair. "I love you."
"Twice in one hour? I am a lucky girl indeed." She moved to climb from him, but he held her still.
"Hermione, even if we get their memories back… is this going to change?" he questioned, and she glanced up at him.
"I would prefer not to talk about this with your appendage still inside of me, Padfoot." She replied, and he chuckled, letting her go. "I want to take things step by step. Harry is going to have many unpleasant questions today. Some of which will make you squirm. Let's worry about today before we tackle the concept of a very confused werewolf…" Hermione sighed as she lounged on the bed and Sirius glanced back at her.
Sirius frowned slightly and scratched his beard before laying back against her chest. "You love us both, don't you?"
Hermione's face turned into a twisted mess. "Sirius. If I said yes it wouldn't make a difference. At the end of it all, I will have to walk over hot coals. The truth is never easy nor is it cut and dry. It isn't Black or Lupin, to put a play on words…" she finished with a smile.
He snorted and tugged a bit of her hair. "Alright, Granger. I will fly by the seat of my pants with you. Shaking you isn't feasible."
"Why is this so easy for you to understand?" She questioned crossly.
"I told you, love. We are similar. Opposites in every way but in love… we share the same feelings. To love the people we are loyal to, until death takes us and even then, we love them."
"Unreasonably so," she added, and he nodded. "Does it bother you that I am in love with Remus still?" she asked quietly, and he chuckled.
Sirius ran a hand over her chest and sighed. "Not in the least bit. Just as long as you make room for me in that large heart."
She rolled her eyes and pushed him off of her. "Sirius, you are not making sense. I am going to get dressed and send Harry a letter on when we shall meet up. Do try to shake the crazy notion from your mind."
Sirius watched her get back into her clothes and wondered. He conjectured if it was either or, who would she choose? There were many things he knew he wasn't sure about the woman in front of him struggling with her dress. How did the story add up? Why did she desire to perpetuate his love for her? What was going on? These things drummed in his mind as she leaned over and kissed him.
"You coming, handsome? We have to make an appearance soon."
"I will be down in a bit, lovely. I need to bask in the morning afterglow." He snickered, and she caressed his cheek.
"My silly dog."
He replicated her action and smirked. "My sly vixen."
0o0o
They had chosen Harry's house to meet at, and Hermione brought a box with her. Sirius awkwardly sat next to Harry as Hermione started pulling out things from the worn box. It was diaries, tickets, and different trinkets from her traveling. Harry waited patiently, and Ginny sat there holding her tongue at the odd woman that was once their best friend.
"Tell me, what happened that Lucius decided to use this potion…" Harry murmured finally as Hermione sat, looking at her lap.
"This article answers his goal," Hermione handed him a paper clipping.
The headline read, 'Love knows no bounds,' and it was a picture of Remus kissing her on the cheek as she signed the papers to adopt Teddy. Harry remembered reading it and sending her a horribly terse letter about how her friends deserved to know about their relationship before the rest of the world.
"You adopted Teddy? He is technically your son?" Sirius questioned, and Ginny squealed.
"This was a few weeks after I had met with Lucius the first time. He must have been plotting to erase me for some time and now had more than enough reason to; I had found my happy ending." Hermione sighed and handed Sirius another picture.
It was of her and Teddy holding his stuffed gray dog that he said he always had. The caption at the bottom was clear and in her handwriting. Me and my son. Sirius turned pink, and Harry sighed.
"I remember Molly throwing things at Remus the first dinner you both came to after the article," Harry said, and Hermione laughed with a nod.
"She was quite upset with him."
Ginny pouted and touched the news clipping. "Hermione, I wish I could remember these things too."
"I have been working on that, Gin. I promise you," Hermione responded.
Harry glared over at Sirius. "Now you see why I am so upset at you two?" he asked sternly and Sirius groaned.
"Harry, I told you that I already knew about them. It isn't like I got her pissed and slept with her." Sirius retorted and set the picture back on the table.
"Harry," Hermione murmured, and the Potter shook his head.
"No, Hermione."
"Harry," she repeated, and he waved his hand.
"No, I am not going to hear you logically talk your way out of this."
Hermione scowled and tossed her hair back. "Harry, there is more to the story."
"Harry! Listen to her," Ginny retorted, and Sirius chewed his lip.
Hermione exhaled heavily and pulled an item out of her bag, setting in front of him on the table. "Harry, this is why I was at St Mungo's for two weeks."
Harry took the small book off the table and started to read it. His expression evolved into shock and his mouth fell agape. "You- Hermione- what… why?"
"Because I love you. Because I love Remus… because I love him." Hermione said, and Ginny glared at her.
"What did you do?"
Harry exhaled slowly and shook his head. "She tried to bring Sirius back five years ago. When she had mourned his death a second time, she left the book she used with Andromeda and made her promise that she would hide it."
"Well, I am glad that is over with," Sirius grumbled and Ginny gave him a sympathetic expression.
"Do you think that is why you feel the way you do, Sirius?" she asked him and he shrugged his shoulders.
"I don't mind. The last two years haven't been the greatest, but it may come in handy that the dead still announces their presence. Snape had offered to overlook the calculations for a cure," Sirius declared and reached for his cup.
Hermione froze, and her face turned ghostly. "Sirius, you didn't tell me that!" she gasped, and he smirked at her.
"We had a bit going on, and I did not want to ruin the mood."
Harry frowned and scratched his chin. "We could use his expertise."
"I found a book that mentions the poison," Hermione muttered, and Sirius glared.
"Now who isn't talking about discoveries…" he trailed off with an arched eyebrow.
Hermione shot him a sarcastic smirk. "Well, I didn't want to ruin the mood."
"I think this is the first time I have seen Sirius act like himself since his return," Ginny remarked, and Harry groaned.
"Don't provoke this, Ginny. If we end up curing it, how are we supposed to tell Remus that his would-be fiancé is shagging his best mate?" Harry questioned and realized he had said too much.
"Fiancé, Harry? He was going- oh Merlin," Hermione spoke as she covered her face to hide her nausea.
"Listen, witch; this poison isn't your fault. You didn't steal anything away from him," Sirius growled, and Ginny rubbed Hermione's back.
"Look at this way, Hermione. If this didn't happen to you, Sirius wouldn't be here." Ginny comforted her and Harry choked.
"Ginny! That is the first real logical thing that makes sense today," Harry mumbled after he recovered.
The redhead grinned over at him. "I am always logical, Harry."
"First thing is first… we need to figure out how to cure this. I don't want to have to show Ginny my memories every few days to explain why I am going to visit a strange girl." Harry huffed, and Hermione gazed over at him.
"Yes, we have to sort this out, or I am going to most certainly get killed because Ginny thinks I am trying to steal him away," Hermione said and Ginny giggled with a nod.
"I wish I could remember our friendship from my view, Hermione. I have a feeling I was the voice of deviousness for you." She teased, and Hermione laughed with a bob of her head.
"You were. You told me to sleep with Remus," Hermione snickered, and Ginny gave her a toothy smile.
"I am sure I would have told you to sleep with Sirius too," Ginny said with a wink and Harry expelled another groan.
"You are just lucky I love you, Ginerva."
Sirius nodded furiously with a bright beam. "Me too, Gin!" he winked at the Potter, and she blushed.
"I have Wednesday night off. Plan on having me come over to Andromeda's with Sirius." Harry told Hermione, and she gave him a look of hesitation.
"Do we have to use Severus? What if he and Sirius don't get along…" Hermione trailed off, and Sirius laughed loudly.
"We don't, but we have an understanding. If I help him with some unfinished business, he promised to help." Sirius declared, and Harry patted the male animagus's shoulder.
"Good, that is a start. Severus wasn't exactly the jolliest, but he understood love more than anyone."
Ginny leaned forward and glanced at Sirius. "Harry and I never doubted you talked to them, Sirius. We always knew they were real, but we didn't know how to react. We were worried the more accepting we were of them, the more you would spend time with them instead of living. It is relieving that they are going to serve more of a purpose than company for you."
Sirius exhaled and gave her a genuine smile. "Me too, Ginny. I spent two years wondering why and now that I know that things happen for reasons unexplained at first, I am thrilled."
Hermione caressed a few seashells on the table and cleared her throat. "I am nervous. What if we cannot fix this?"
"We can and we will. Your son needs you, twit," Harry teased with a smirk.
She took Ginny's hand and motioned agreement. "You are right. We can do this together."
"Together," Sirius echoed with a smile.
"Okay, then we shall start Wednesday." Harry declared, and they agreed… they would work together.