Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

Sorry for the delay everyone! Life has been hectic. I've only just had time to upload this chapter. I promise to continue so never fear… I will be finishing all of my fanfics. Enjoy and don't forget to review.

Chapter 11.

Martha

Sore feet are the curse of a barmaid! Should have stuck with the damn potions! Wouldn't be pouring drinks for imbeciles if I worked in a freaking potions lab!… Wouldn't have time to paint either Marty! In the mirror behind the bar I see another wizard leaning too far over. He falls from his barstool. Imbeciles! With that thought I turn back to the bar and come face to face with none other than the 'Boy Who Lived'.

"Merlin! Really Potter? Once in one day wasn't enough? You've got to harass me at this place too?!"

"I'll have a firewhisky. Double." He orders.

That I can deal with. Just another customer. Placing it on the counter in front of him I go to move onto the next in line. However, before I can he grasps my arm. Not tightly… but not exactly loose either. I stare down at it with an obvious glare. "I'm calling a truce" he says. My eyebrows raise. "I'm over whatever it is that's been going on here." he goes on, gesturing with his hand between the two of us.

Pulling my hand from his I take a step back. "There isn't anything going on between us… and I don't do-"

"That's what I'm talking about! Right there! Whatever cutting remark you're about to make, it's inevitable that I'm going to snap back and then we'll be back to square one. So… truce Martha."

His used of my actual name shocked me more than anything else he had to say. I don't do truces. "Whatever Potter. I'm working." With that I move on to the other end of the bar where my patrons are a lot less willing to make small chat, and a lot more willing to order a drink.

The night begins to wind down at about midnight. The booze has run dry, the clientele are too drunk to care and the voices have dropped to the bare minimum. The bar empties and by 1am I am ready to go home and get a few hours of sleep in before starting all over again tomorrow. Potter is still here though. For goodness sake! Go home already. He's staring into his pint deep in thought. Every now and then I can feel his eyes on me and it makes me bloody uncomfortable. I'm really not your type and you know it! The bell on the door jangles and I'm yell out "We're closing in five."

"Good to hear Beautiful!" His voice is smooth and rich… reeking of class… and a little too much confidence. My head tilts up as he walks towards me. "Ready to go then?" Do I want to? Do you really want to Martha? He's not my boyfriend. Definitely not! But I'm pretty sure he's looking to head that way… and I'm just… not interested. Not in the slightest in fact. My eyes shift past his shoulders to where I can see Potter staring daggers at us. What's with that?

"Yeah I'm off now. Rosie's closing up." I grab my coat and throw my apron into my bag. The whole time all I can feel are Potter's bloody glares! Once outside I realise how tired I actually am.

"So your place or mine?" Malfoy.

"Thanks for walking me out, but I'm heading home Draco. I need some sleep. A decent amount of it." I take out my wand to apparate and call a quick "See you round." before I'm back at my front door. My bed is calling my name. Not bothering to take off more than my shoes I fall into it, letting sleep take me away from drunks and men and glaring bloody truce Harry Potter!

~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~

Hermione

Why are first days so hard? First day of school, first day of work… it never gets easier. Well the social part never gets easier. Sometimes I swear I'm still that frizzy haired, buck toothed little girl. Oh get a hold of yourself Granger! I've been appointed head of the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office. Being part of the Magical Law Enforcement Office I knew I was bound to run into at least a dozen or so people that knew me years ago. What I didn't expect was that it would take the better part of a day dealing with them all. The dozen or so raid reports sitting on my desk are calling my name and instead I'm standing here trying to coax Kingsley Shacklebolt from my office.

"Great Hermione. So I can let Ginny know that you'll be there. She must have reminded me three times over breakfast to ask you. Both she and Molly were cut up about how lunch went the other day-"

That's where I cut him off. "-Sure Kingsley. I'll put it in the calendar. Now if you'll excuse me I have a lot of work to do. First day and all that." The smile plastered across my face is strained and obviously lets him know that I'm more than ready for him to get out. I shut the door behind him once he's left. Leaning against the heavy wood, I let my head fall back with a thump. Effing baby shower! Fuck. The door reverberates against my poor head as someone knocks against the other side. "Oh what now?! For goodness sake I do have to get something done on my first day!" I say swinging the door open. "Ron!"

"Hey Mione." His voice is soft and low. He's nervous. I really shouldn't be surprised that I've run into him. The Auror department is close to ours since we're all part of the same office. I stand there silently staring at the man that was once the boy that was closer to me than I ever thought anyone could be… until he just wasn't anymore. He coughs. "I'm sorry about what happened at Mum and Dad's the other day. Really sorry Hermione. I was still angry… for all the wrong reasons. Don't get me wrong, I'm still angry but for all the right reasons… but that's for me to get over and isn't your problem."

I'm standing so still. "I won't apologise again. What's done is done."

"I know that. I didn't come here looking for an apology. I know you had your reasons." He gulps and looks to the ceiling. I can tell he's blinking back tears. When he speaks it's almost a whisper. "I thought you were dead and I loved you so much." He levels his head once more, his voice stronger now. "You can't imagine how that felt. You'll never imagine what that's like… and I can't explain the joy, the relief when I saw you in Diagon Alley. The pure relief Hermione."

A tear runs down my cheek. "For that I am sorry Ron. Truly sorry."

"I realised when you ran out Mum's door the other day that it could so easily happen again, and this time it would be my fault. Guess I realised it was better to have you in my life than live without you again. I couldn't go through that."

I step towards him and give him the fiercest hug I can manage. "It'll always be you, me and Harry. You two are my brothers. Always have been."

He hugs me back and let's me go with a chuckle. "So has my sister wrangled you into her baby shower or what? I saw KIngsley walk out of here. I swear she has him wrapped around her little finger."

"Heh. Yeah she has. I have to say that I was surprised by that match."

"Weren't we all. You know Ginny. Once she sees something she wants, she has to have it! And she saw Shacklebolt." At that we both smirk and have a good laugh.

"Alright Ronald, get out so I can get at least one of these done before I head back to my flat, which has no doubt been set on fire by my five year old and her not much more mature father." I say gesturing to the files behind me.

~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~

By the time I get home my head is beginning to pound. A bath… I would love a bath right now. My baby girl is fast asleep on Sirius' chest. He's passed out on the sofa. God what time is it?! After ten… shit! He shifts at the sound of the door and those grey eyes stare back at me. "How was the first day?" His words are slurred with sleep.

I lift Lyra from his arms and into my own. "It was long. Really long." I walk down the hall to tuck her in. I can hear Sirius shuffle behind me. "She should be in her PJs, but I'm too damn exhausted to change her." I say pulling the covers up over her little shoulders.

"She wanted to wait up for you."

"Well she should have been in bed!" My voice is stern and I can feel the tension in my voice. It's not his fault you're tired. "I'm sorry. That just came out. I'm really tired and… shouldn't be taking it out on you."

He shakes his head and walks over. I fold into his arms so easily. "Come to bed with me."

I smile up at him. "I was serious when I said I was tired."

"Oh I know darling. Just spooning… no forking." he says with a smirk.

"Let's get to it then." The next thing I know he's flinging me over his shoulder and tucking me into bed. "Guess we're all sleeping in our clothes tonight."

"Think again sweetheart. You know I sleep naked." I'm asleep before his pants hit the floor.

~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~

"I love waking up next to you."

"I think you love waking up to breakfast Mr. Black." He's snuggled against my back, his arms wrapped tight around me. "Speaking of which, Lyra will be up any minute wanting cereal, eggs, pancakes… or all three. I'm going to get in the shower." I turn over giving him a slow kiss on mouth. "I've got to get up."

"No you don't. You want to stay here in bed with me… all day." He says trying to pull me back down to bed.

"Mmm I would love to do that, but I start work in less than two hours." Slipping from his grasp I strip off yesterday's clothes and make my way to the bathroom.

As the hot water begins to pour down my back I hear Sirius enter the bathroom. His voice echoes against the tiles. "Yeah about that… What are our long term plans with Lyra during the day? I love having her during the day but she's missing you of an evening Mi."

"It's only for a couple more weeks. Then she starts school." I reply, shampooing my hair.

"That's another thing. Where is she being enrolled?" Through the curtain I can see him leaning against the sink.

The water continues to rush over me, waking me up completely. "Well I've been looking at the academy two blocks away. It's close, safe and already has a handful of wizarding children in attendance. It's the standout choice. Part of the reason I picked this apartment."

"Well that's not what I was thinking. We're making decisions together now right? I was thinking more a private tutor at Grimmauld." His voice is dry.

I turn off the taps and stand naked under the dripping shower head. "Grimmauld?"

"Well yeah. It's the more practical solution. It's larger. Lyra can have ten times the space. There's a yard. She can have whatever she wants Hermione… and there'll be more space if we decide to have more children… which I personally would like to discuss at some point."

I realise that my mouth is hanging slightly open. Getting hold of my shock I step out from the tub. "This isn't a conversation that we should have right now. This is a much bigger conversation than that."

"It is Mi, and I'm saying that I want to have it. Maybe not this morning, but at some point. I missed out on so much with Lyra." My breath hitches. "I want us to have that again. I want the three of us to experience it all again. Make four of us, five, six. I want everything with you and Lyra. Everything. Let me give it to you."

"Okay Sirius." There are so many things that you don't know Sirius… so many things. "We'll discuss it, I promise." Then I wrap a towel around myself and get the hell out of that bathroom before I say too much.

~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~