A note from Serade Black: All right! Now the story is moving for you guys. I'm seeing more reviews, getting friendly messages (not that they had never been friendly, just somewhat pushy), and really jazzed to pump these chapters out faster (providing school stuff allows me to).

We see Sirius coming into his own in this chapter, we also see Hermione a little more in her element. I really love the suggestions and comments from the readers, letting me know what they like and don't like about the characterizations. I mean, if you can't see JKR writing them like this (and I don't mean the ship – lol), then let me know what you would or wouldn't expect from the characters. Read on! Enjoy. Review!

See you at Phoenix Rising in New Orleans!

Chapter 10

"The Game is On"

The dry overcast day in London was a refreshing change from the spotted rain showers they were having the last few days. It provided a pleasant afternoon outside, though no sun, to allow people to enjoy nature's fresh air.

Hermione was just settling in back at work, after her hour lunch break. She was lucky to find a quiet spot outdoors that allowed her to clear her head of silly ideas of what could have transpired the night before in the kitchen with Sirius. Had that night been a full moon, had Remus been out for the night, and had Harry never come home for a few days break, she was sure to have made the biggest mistake of her life.

Giving into Sirius Black was much like signing a contract for regret. Sure, he was absolutely heaven to look at with those dark eyes, shoulder length black hair, a perfect jaw and a derrière that looked so good in jeans, you almost didn't want to see him out of them. So, the truth remained to be so, she had to conclude that what occurred between the two of them the night before was fleeting and probably wouldn't happen again. He was too close to the Order, too close to her best friend, and completely out of the question when it came to a stable relationship. He would promise her nothing but heartache and disappointment and they'd have to live in that house platonically, no matter what came up.

Although, the way he looked at her the night before did make her feel that she was the only one in his world. The request of the kiss was due to their passing glances here and there through the house, and that moment in Harry's room after an afternoon of horseplay was so thick you could have cut it with a knife.

Oh, he smelled so good!

The frazzled witch that was desperately trying to collect her thoughts, and get back to work in her cubical, could still smell him on her skin. She distracted herself with replaying the way he kissed her so romantically; she couldn't recall Snape ever performing so passionately on her. There was no comparison with the two.

"Hey, Hermione," Ron startled her.

As if being discovered for having impure thoughts of someone that was totally off-limits, she spun around on her foot to confront the intruder.

"Ronald, don't do that!" She huffed.

He fell into the chair at his desk behind her, throwing his feet up to take a much needed ten minute rest, after his lunch break. He grabbed his Remembrall and started to toss it up in the air as he watched it change colors.

"Sorry to spook you. You all right? You seem, I dunno, discombobulated," he impressed.

She glanced back at him annoyed, "Don't try to use such big words, Ron. You'll choke over them."

Ron grimaced at her sarcastic tone, but soon forgot when he nearly dropped the Remembrall on the floor.

"Just making sure that you're coming out, tonight," he confirmed.

"Why? What's going on?"

"Well, since its official, a bunch are going to the Leaky Cauldron tonight, to celebrate Sirius's return. There's sure to be loads there, people coming out of the woodwork for it. Kingsley was the one to organize it, since it was he who was after him for so long," he ended on a snicker, knowing the truth.

Hermione sighed as she thought about whether she was prepared for another pub outing. Since it was supposed to be a rather quiet revelry last night, she was sure that the one tonight was going to out-do it. It was going to be at the Leaky Cauldron, after all. Perhaps in that kind of environment, she and Sirius might be able to talk it out and things wouldn't be as uncomfortable at home.

She agreed to attend and by six o'clock she was walking in with Ron. She recognized a few Aurors from her department had snuck away early to get a round started with the guest of honor. The pub was packed with many wizards and witches offering a hearty "welcome back" to Sirius, that she wasn't sure if she'd get a chance to speak with him. Making her way through the crowd, she managed to find a spot to sit next to Harry, who was already surrounded by three groupie witches of his own. While Ron went to get her a butterbeer, she had to listen to Harry brag about his favorite quidditch plays.

Staying out of the conversation, she smiled and shook her head at her friend, who never seemed to take a breath as he explained every detail about his own trick plays that usually got him the golden snitch. Loud popping sounds from Exploding Fire Fizzles from the Weasley shop went off periodically, drowning out surrounding voices, causing them to speak louder through the bustling pub.

Ron called her name through the pub, asking for her help in carrying the large steins full of drink. Ron wasn't able to balance the four in his hands and he couldn't muster up the correct spell to levitate them over to the table, so Hermione got up to assist. Immediately, her seat was taken by an on-looking witch with hopeful eyes on Harry, that she didn't waste the energy in fight over the small square of cushion in the booth next to her friend. Instead, she made her way through the throngs of people occupying every stepping space in the pub. She wasn't watching where she was stepping and nearly managed to trip over a goblin that was there for Gringott's.

She retrieved her butterbeer from Ron, but soon found that her company was off to speak to Kingsley about a possible raid on the Malfoys he so desperately wished to be in on. Hermione was left behind, not having taken the opportunity to follow behind him through a parting path that had already closed up.

Finding herself alone, wedged between two rather large smelly wizards fresh from the docks, her eyes glanced up at the clock when she found herself in a meaningless conversation with Colin Creevy. He was still carrying around his camera, his hobby by trade now, since he freelanced with The Daily Prophet's Rita Skeeter; an honor he was certainly proud of.

The clock only posted nine o'clock and she wondered how long she'd have to stay, in order for it not to be rude. There were so many people in the pub, it was hard to see every face that came and went through, and so it wouldn't have made a difference if she'd said she was there much later than she actually was. So many greeters were well-wishing Sirius, that she didn't even get a chance to talk to him, let alone let him know that she was there. He was too incredibly wrapped up in the company around him to notice who was around past the five wizard deep crowd he had circled around him at all times.

The door chimed that another was coming inside the pub. Colin had leaned over to retrieve his butterbeer from another table and when he returned, Hermione had vanished. She was already on her way to greet the dark wizard coming in through the door, extremely pleased to see him coming inside.

"Leave it to Black to lead every single wizard in town to one location. Could he have asked to be a better target?" The shadowed wizard moaned.

"Severus, try not to drop poor thoughts on him, already. You should be proud to see he's back, imagine what he could tell us," Hermione softened, smiling up at him sweetly.

"Doubtful. Black has never been one to meet any of my expectations. Which is why, for him, they remain to be so low."

His sour attitude was not surprising, for any time Snape heard the mere name mentioned he felt the need to bring anyone down. The two found a vacated standing table and kept each other company to pass the time. Snape had only joined the gathering at the Leaky Cauldron, because he knew Hermione was going to be there. As much as it pained him not to be her suitor, it pained him even more to go too long without seeing her.

Amongst the cloudiness of Firewhisky shots being set before him, Sirius was still able to see what all was going on in the pub around him. He had hoped that she would come, having not slept a wink the night before due to sincere thoughts of her. He was haunted by her not-so innocent kiss that he wondered if what she was conveying to him was true. Their thick, intimate moments they conjured between them were enough to intrigue his interest in the once bushy-haired girl.

His animagus identity was true to form as his sixth sense smelled her the moment she entered the pub. He could smell her perfume that lingered on her skin from its application several hours ago in the morning that it was now entered into a secret memory bank in his mind. He would always recognize that scent.

Conversation had kept him from going to seek her out for the evening, so that he might see her smile up at him again. The chances of her greeting him much the same way were slim, but he couldn't help but hunger for a flirt from her. Perhaps with her permission, he'd be able to sneak her away into a shadowed corner so that he might feel her sigh against him, again.

Instead, he managed to catch her enthralled in conversations with the likes of Luna Lovegood, Colin Creevy and now, to his disgust, Snape. His repulsion for her new company that joined her so casually at a tall table, occupied him enough that he didn't take much notice to the two young witches that had accompanied him on either side. His surrounding company took a few steps away to clear out the spots next to Sirius, so that he might be graced with proper female companionship that night. It wasn't until one witch brazenly leaned in to whisper something secretly raunchy in his ear, that his attention was ripped from the scene of the greasy sallow git and his pretty young drinking companion.

Hermione was just glancing away from Snape as it was pointed out how obvious Sirius was being with his new interests. She turned her head just in time to see Sirius crack a deep smile towards the blonde witch under his left arm, who revealed nearly every bit of her assets to him like a Chinese buffet. The second witch on the other side already felt left out and leaned in to compete with her whispering secrets.

Hermione paled with embarrassment, feeling absolutely foolish with his new company. The sincere happiness on his face for what seemed to be nothing more than a one night offer repulsed her and all of a sudden, she felt positively cheapened. She'd practically thrown herself at him the night before, like one of these floozy witches and though he wasn't smiling as much as he was that moment, she was utterly ashamed. Hermione felt her cheeks warm and she quickly turned away from the scene unfolding before her, twenty feet across the pub.

Sirius smiled, chuckled under his breath, that these two pathetic girls were offering such services that any wizard would jump at. However, it was not his style to take up a one night stand from ladies so cheap; he'd rather kiss his own cousin than to bed either one of these girls. He hadn't thought of how it might appear to spying eyes, and he quickly glanced up towards Snape and Hermione, both of whom seemed to be uninterested in his activities. Snape, however, managed to look up in time to catch his eye and sneer at him disappointedly.

Snape shook his head, clucking under his tongue, "He knows what he's doing."

"He looks a right state, doesn't he?" Hermione asked, still looking about the pub to break her concentration.

She should have known better than to believe that Sirius would see her any other way. It appeared that he hadn't changed from his long time reputation. Sweet, innocent, uncorrupted Hermione will stay just like that: untouched by the likes of him. She managed to peek over at Sirius across the bar one more time. With a smirk on his face, amused by the two ladies at his side, he let them lure him out the pub and away from the crowd, up the stairs.

Hermione could feel her upper lip curl with disgust. She felt so hurt and was so upset with herself, she couldn't stay long enough to see the look on his face, once he was finished. He would have his fun, he would "get laid" as he so put it the evening he awoke when she helped him down the stairs.

"I just need to get laid and everything will sort itself out," he said.

The night was taking its toll, after a long day at the Ministry and a heavy night the evening before, she was spent. She hated to rush out on Snape, now that he'd just gotten there, but she really couldn't find it in herself to stay any longer where she didn't feel all that comfortable.

"You sure I cannot convince you to stay, otherwise?" Snape requested. He was always so kind to her.

She smiled and bowed her head, letting her curls fall forward into her face like a veil, "No, I've had a long day. I really am just exhausted, Severus. Safe night," she stood on her toes to reach up and offer him a genuine kiss on his cheek.

He nodded his head slightly and squeezed her hand in his good-bye, "A drink soon?"

"That'd be nice," she nodded and pulled on her coat.

With a sophisticated flair, she tossed her scarf around her neck and disappeared out the door onto the foggy London streets alone. Snape returned to his table and finished his drink in one last sip and quietly slipped out of the pub, unnoticed. The company he sought out to see had retired for the night, and so would he. He had no other business to be in there.

OoOoOoOo

Saturday morning seemed to drag on for the household. Harry had gotten in with Remus and Sirius had gotten in sometime after that. He didn't spend the evening at the Leaky Cauldron, much to the guys' surprise. With that, Sirius took no time in explaining his personal preference against women who were that loose.

Sirius sat on top of the kitchen counter, nursing a cup of morning tea that Remus had just made and carried on about the night before and all the faces he'd not seen in years. He counted on one hand all the wizards whom he'd thought to have died a terrible death, just by the way their paths began back at school.

"…and you know women have changed, as well," he sipped.

A thoughtful look fell over his face as he concentrated all his opinions on that one swallow as the idea of women danced in his head again.

"How do you mean, my friend?" Remus humored, taking toast out of the toaster.

Harry perked up his ears as well, as he sat grinning and listening to his godfather, hanging on his every word like it would change the world. The young James look-a-like watched his every move, savoring the last few hours he had with his forgotten guardian, secretly hoping that he'd receive an owl that the next quidditch match would be canceled and he was allotted more personal time.

"They take care of their bodies differently, now. All perfectly shaved and such. It's not like it used to be, Remus. It's kind of refreshing. I like this day in age, now," Sirius concluded, nodding his head that he had made such a brilliant conclusion.

The kitchen trio was joined by the last member of the house and she came in, wishing everyone a fine morning.

"There she is!" Sirius barked, swinging his legs over the kitchen counter.

Hermione immediately went to the kettle to fix a tea, when Remus stopped her fidgeting hands and offered the fourth cup he had made for her, already. She looked up at him with a thankful, but inquisitive, face.

"I can hear you, when you don't even realize it," he said, smiling like one does a thoughtful friend.

She patted a hand on his back in thanks and leaned over to kiss his cheek in appreciation for his everyday goodness. With the latest copy of the Daily Prophet that lay on the table, she picked it up and took it into the sitting room. She was still embarrassed with what had transpired with Sirius, that she wasn't quite certain how to speak to him.

By the time she had gotten half way through the paper, she heard rustling coming in from the kitchen, indicating that it was time for Harry's departure. He'd said he was staying long enough for Sirius's meeting and his position on the team would be covered for the time being; it was just always sad to see Harry leave. The house needed him.

Remus, Sirius and Hermione stood at the door as they bid him good-bye until Christmas. His bag was slung over his shoulder and his head was down, trying to avoid any emotional moments. The moment was somber, for he just wanted to see Sirius as long as he could. He finally got his godfather back and life just couldn't stop rotating for him. The sun still rose every morning, Voldemort was still gaining followers, the Order was still having secret meetings and quidditch matches still needed their star seeker.

When the time came for Harry to give Sirius a hug, it was hard for both grown man. The godfather held onto Harry not just like a friend, but more like a son. By now, the James copy seemed to be so much of a memory for the wronged prisoner that he wanted to have Harry as close to him as possible for fear that he too, would leave him.

Sirius couldn't have been more honored to receive such a responsibility than to look after his best friend's son. Harry, who always looked upon him as that empty father figure, reminded him that love was worth fighting for, at any cost. James did it for Lily, Lily did it for Harry and Sirius would have done it for anyone he cared for. Sirius needed Harry as much as Harry needed a father and the two had quickly created that bond the first time Sirius came back. It was only foreshadowing the years ahead of them; Sirius Black wasn't going anywhere.

Good-byes were always so hard with anyone, even with the scarred one who tried valiantly not to break into watery eyes. So with a quick nod and a swift wave, Harry turned and set off to his apparating point to return to the world of competitive quidditch, while leaving something behind to brew while he was gone.

Upon Harry's departure, Hermione was quick to leave as well. She was just leaning over to pick up her messenger bag to get ready to go into London to do some shopping. Her mind had gone into overdrive after sorting her thoughts out over Sirius, once she saw how he behaved so passively with those women, and needed some alone time out of the house and away from everyone. It was ridiculous for her to even believe anything meant anything with him at this point of his return. It was quite possible that she was just used to sate himself for the time being.

Once he concluded that she had plans to run off for the afternoon, he was worried about how they never got to talk about the kiss they shared in the kitchen. He stood there silent in the foyer, watching her blatantly avoid him at all costs. She maneuvered around him in ways that weren't necessary, indicating her urgency to leave the house. He checked to see that Remus was completely out of earshot and submerged in the kitchen, before he tried to interact with her.

"Hermione, wait," he insisted, grabbing her arm as she reached for the door handle.

She froze as she was caught sneaking out of the house right in front of him. She hoped that he was just going to let her out of the room without any explanation, but found it doubtful. She really didn't wish to confront him, since the two nights prior had forced her into an absence of slumber as her imagination made her toss and turn through the night. Her lack of sleep had heightened her sensitivity and she wasn't in, nor did she believe she ever would be, the mood to discuss the kiss. The kiss, she dreamed. Even thought his hand was holding onto her arm, she tried with all she could to avoid his eye contact that was so set on her at that moment.

It angered her when she just pictured how submissive he must have been with those two eager witches from the night before; just one night after she asked him to kiss her. Their lingering looks and suggested moments around the house were nothing more than something to pacify him until he was able to fulfill an urge. If he had anything to prove, it was that he still had "it".

Her pathetic moment of weakness, believed that their small talk and flirting eyes might have been sincere. But, she was wrong. She was mistaken. His first night as a free man and he proved the theory that Hermione Granger was not a good match for him. Instead, he had made her feel insignificant and slight, making her out to be no more important than any of his other conquests.

"Save yourself the trouble of explaining, Sirius. It was my fault, I shouldn't have asked you to kiss me the other night," she slowly explained. Her eyes still failed to meet his.

"It wasn't anyone's fault, Hermione. It wasn't even a fault," he expressed, lifting a finger to her chin so that she would face him. "Do you regret me kissing you?"

Finally, she mustered the strength within her to meet his eyes for the first time that morning and tried to remain honest, "No, but I'm not going to set myself up Sirius. I know what you're like and I'm not going to be one of them."

"One of whom?" he smiled, amused. He thought her to be playing a game, but when she didn't meet his grin, he knew it was something more serious, "What did I do?"

She found the moment ridiculous, like he believed her to have been blind the night before to not notice the witches hanging all over him like a cheap suit. Clearly, he was insulting her and she didn't feel like getting into a pointless debate.

She pulled her face out of his grasp, "You know what I mean."

For a moment he faltered. Could she have believed that the women he was briefly with last night be to his liking?

"Please don't judge me, Hermione," he quietly requested.

"Let's just pretend it didn't happen," she whispered, trying to save them the embarrassment.

Sirius was silent for a moment, letting her words sink in like a piercing dagger. He knew he wasn't in the wrong believing he didn't make a mistake the other night. He enjoyed her, he liked her, and he'd go crazy if the thought of never kissing her again was his fate. As dangerous they would be together, they'd already had a taste of that forbidden fruit. You couldn't take it away so easily; not when both parties were secretly fighting the urge to do it again. Although, she was fighting it pretty well, believing him to be the stereotype of what he appeared to be the night before.

He let go of her arm, since she'd tried so hard to remove herself from his grasp, "No, I won't."

His friendly exterior seemed to slowly hibernate into the man before her. His smile fell, a grimace over his lips set and he could feel that she was searching for a reason to deny the chemistry they'd created since he'd returned.

His intent stare was too much for her to take in, knowing that he wanted her to elaborate. Why should she? Shouldn't his actions the night before be enough of an explanation for her lack of affection now? He had dug his whole by ignoring her the entire night, finding that his business with two cheap witches more of a concern for him, rather than teasing a young witch who otherwise would never have considered him for who he was. She felt the hairs on her body beginning to stand on end as he waited patiently for her to continue with an excuse. The room around her started to shrink and she could hear the quiet whispers from the spying portraits. They'd all been properly notified of the intimacy between the original house owner and its fellow occupant. An interaction that had the former misses been alive, she would have Crucio'd them both for performing such a forbidden act between bloodlines.

For a split second, she felt a tinge of guilt for leaving him so empty of actual answers, but knew that it was just his gift of radiating that allure that women found wanting. She felt no desire to justify her negation of their intimate interlude and instead, turned on her heel and left out the front door.

Sirius stood stunned. She'd just left him, with no explanation of why she was acting the way she was. He wanted so badly to have actually spoken to her the day before, hell, the night before, but she was always wrapped up in company with someone else. It wasn't until he noticed the way she and Snape were looking at each other, that he felt a twinge of jealously over his closeness to her. Sirius, though he appeared intrigued with his female cohorts, had his eyes on Hermione the entire night. He knew the moment that she walked into the pub that the air had changed. Her scent traveled deep into his senses, having memorized it the night before when he had her in his arms. She'd been chatted up by various young wizards he could not keep up with and felt a bit inadequate next to wizards fifteen years his junior. He had no idea who she might have been involved with prior to his advancement. Nor, was he even aware that someone else might have had their eye on her for their own obvious reasons.

Nevertheless, Sirius did not wish to make any issues of their interlude, until she was ready to face it. Clearly, as Snape took her into his company, she was willing for any possibilities. He needed to shake off the women that were vying for his attention, so he stepped away with them briefly to allow them to offer themselves in private.

The witches, very close friends, had a room at the Leaky Cauldron and they invited him up for extra activities. Sirius, having promised himself not to rush into any physical contact with another until he knew them to be safe, politely declined any offer of services. Instead, he allowed them to put on a show for him. No harm in watching, he thought. After ten minutes, they completely forgot he was in the room as they began their pleasuring skills on one another, with no help from the handsome wizard. Believing that his time was running away, he quietly slipped out of the room to try and find Hermione, so that they might sit and talk, or just socialize in the pub setting. When he'd returned downstairs, she was gone. And so was Snape.

As the once portrait-shrieking room stilled around him, Sirius watched the door before him, taking in its cruel chiseled carvings. The Black Family crest stared back at him from the heavy dark oak, reminding him of who he was. His name, his reputation, all of which he was unable to change.

Light tinkering sounds drifted into his ears over the quiet whisperings of the family portraits that watched him carefully, ready to duck out of their frames, if a temper erupted. Instead, Sirius just shook his head in denial, not letting this get to him. He fought against following her out, because he wasn't going to forget their kiss. He wouldn't let her, either. She just needed time. She may have been stubborn, but perhaps that's what he liked about her, that's what made her different than the other witches that turned his head. She definitely proved to be a challenge and he wasn't convinced that she was out of the question, just yet. The cards had been dealt. The game was on.