CHAPTER 10
"He's just been so distant, Remus," said Hermione.
They were at the front counter of the bookshop, Remus was leaning over the counter. It was a slow afternoon and Hermione had somehow got onto the topic of Sirius. "Awkward" was not a strong enough word.
"I mean," she began, and lowered her voice to a whisper, "we haven't even had sex in two weeks!"
Remus closed his eyes and shooed the mental picture from his brain.
"Sorry," said Hermione bashfully.
"It's alright," Remus replied.
He straightened up and considered her for a moment.
"You know Sirius dated Lily once?" said Remus.
"He did?" asked Hermione, astonished.
"For about five minutes," Remus laughed. "James never knew, but it was before he even had a chance with her anyway."
"What happened?" Hermione said.
"It was just like this," said Remus with a shrug. "Lily came to me one day telling me how distant Sirius was acting. She dumped him a few days later."
"Did you ever find out why Sirius was acting distant?" asked Hermione hopefully, wanting to try and understand what Sirius was thinking.
Remus sighed and swallowed hard. He didn't know what to tell her. Sirius had been distant. Remus noticed it. He wasn't cooking dinner for them anymore. When Remus got home from work, Hermione was usually sitting in the living room alone, instead of cuddled into his arms as she used to be. Part of Remus was heartbroken for her, for the hurt was apparent in her eyes, but another part of him appreciated that Sirius at least felt some sense of guilt for the awful thing he had done.
"He never told me why," Remus said. "But Sirius was never really the 'relationship' sort. I half reckoned he was getting antsy having to stick with one girl, even for just the three days he and Lily were a couple."
"Do you think that's why he's acting distant now?" asked Hermione, very softly.
"I don't know," answered Remus, not meeting her eyes.
They were silent as an older couple meandered in the store, browsed around for a few minutes, and left. Then, Remus stood and put his hand on top of hers.
"I know he cares about you, Hermione," said Remus finally. "I do know that."
Hermione was biting her lip and blushing furiously, looking quite like she wanted to say something but was far too embarrassed to do so.
"Out with it," said Remus with a gentle smile.
"You'll laugh at me!" cried Hermione.
"When have I ever laughed at you?" he said calmly.
Hermione took a deep breath.
"I was wondering . . . I don't know if you remember . . . that time . . . it may be silly, but I was thinking . . ."
"Hermione," Remus said with a smile, putting a hand on her shoulder.
Her chocolate eyes met his amber ones. She swallowed hard and opened her mouth to speak.
"That time when we . . . all three . . . you know," said Hermione quietly, blushing and not meeting his eyes. "Sirius seemed to really enjoy it. Maybe . . . maybe we could do that again? It might, you know, get his . . . er . . . spirits up again?"
Remus's heart was frozen in his chest, though he fought hard to keep the gently smiling facade up for her. He didn't know whether to be thrilled or heartbroken. Here was Hermione Granger, the witch he was totally mad about, and she was asking him to come to bed with her. The only problem was that Sirius would be there, too, and Sirius was the only reason Hermione was asking him to join her. He strained slightly.
"Oh, I knew you'd think I was awful!" shrieked Hermione, throwing her hands in the air. "You're doing that thing!"
"Thing?" he asked.
"The thing! The one where you act all polite and nice, but inside you're completely appalled!" she cried.
Now, Remus laughed, a low chuckle that rumbled past his lips. Hermione stood facing him, her hands on her hips, and desperately trying to keep her mouth from twitching into a grin.
"I'm not appalled," said Remus. "And if you think that would . . . help the two of you, then of course I'm all for it."
Hermione's eyes widened slightly in surprise. She hadn't been expecting him to agree!
"Why?" she asked quietly. "Why are you all for it?"
Remus came closer to her and gently brought her into a friendly embrace. He didn't want Hermione to see his eyes when he spoke.
"I'd do anything for my best friends," lied Remus.
"Thanks," she whispered against his chest.
"Besides," he said, pulling away from her and looking playfully into her eyes. "It isn't often a bloke gets invited into the bed of a gorgeous, sexy witch."
Hermione giggled shyly.
"Alright then," said Hermione, nodding her head resolutely. "It's settled. You can be my knight in shining armor."
She grinned and left the front counter to arrange some books on one of the shelves. Remus watched her forlornly.
"Your knight in shining armor," he whispered to himself. "Depositing you right in front of your prince."
That night, when Remus got home from the bookshop, Hermione was dressed in a negligee, thigh high stockings, and a garter belt. She was sitting in the kitchen alone nibbling on dinner. Remus's eyes nearly popped out of his head.
"Tell me he's ravaged you already," said Remus.
Hermione shook her head sadly as she stood from her chair.
"Merlin, I wouldn't have been able to help myself," gulped Remus.
"Well obviously he's not interested," said Hermione with a shrug.
Remus stepped close to her and placed his hands gently on her tiny waist, staring at her with his lonely amber eyes, deciding whether he should do as she asked and get Sirius involved, or whether he should just pick her up and carry her to his bedroom, keep her for himself. The disheartened look in her eyes as she gazed up at him made up his mind.
"Sirius!" called Remus.
A few moments later Sirius traipsed into the kitchen to find Remus looking down at Hermione as he held her close to him with gentle hands on her waist. A monster of jealousy roared up inside him.
"Yes?" asked Sirius coolly.
Remus turned to look at his friend.
"I've heard that you haven't been paying the attention to Hermione that you should," said Remus.
Sirius dropped his gaze to the floor.
"Sirius, if you can't keep her satisfied, she's going to start looking elsewhere," Remus said.
Hermione's eyes widened nervously when Sirius's head snapped back up to the pair of them. Remus was giving him a very serious look. Hermione looked so nervous, but she had a longing stare in her eyes.
"Has she started looking elsewhere already?" asked Sirius dejectedly, speaking as though Hermione wasn't even there.
"No," said Remus, shaking his head and looking down at Hermione. "She's only asked me to help push you in the right direction."
Hermione looked up at Remus, a flash of hope and excitement obvious in her dark eyes. Sirius stepped over to the pair in two long strides, pushing Remus to the side and taking Hermione's waist himself. He looked into her eyes and sighed before leaning down to capture her lips with his own. Remus stood still, watching Hermione and Sirius kiss passionately before he began to walk away. A hand grasping the back of his shirt stopped him. Remus turned back.
It was Hermione, looking at him with an excited smile.
"Stay," she whispered.
Remus looked at Sirius, but could not read his expression. Perhaps Sirius wanted Remus to stay, to guide him and Hermione back to where they had been. Perhaps Sirius wanted Remus to go, in fear that Hermione would discover which man's heart truly belonged to her. Hermione's insistent hand on his shirt kept him from leaving. He took a step closer to her and kissed her, very softly, on her neck. Hermione moaned in approval and resumed her mouth's occupation with Sirius's while Remus gently and lovingly stroked her long hair and grazed her with quiet kisses. He tried to convey his feelings with each press of his lips against her soft skin.
Sirius was pressed close to her now, his cock already hard. He hadn't experienced release of any kind since . . . the night. Hermione's whimpers brought the fire back into his abdomen as his body screamed for him to take her. He was even willing to let Remus continue his work on her neck if it meant he could have her again. She consumed his mind. He pushed his hips against her.
Remus half tried to leave them be when the started madly pulling at each other's clothes, but Hermione paused from her kiss with Sirius to pull Remus's own shirt over his head. She kissed him, her tongue darting feverishly into his mouth, as she fumbled with the buckle on his trousers. Remus groaned when his obvious erection sprang free. He diligently avoided his best friend's grey gaze as Hermione dropped down and gently moistened the tip with her tongue. She didn't do much more than that, however, for then she returned her attention to Sirius, who was completely undressed as well.
The frantic passion continued with Hermione leaning onto Remus, his arms wrapped around her holding her up as her knees threatened to buckle, her head buried against his chest, kissing and licking and moaning as Sirius entered her from behind. Remus kissed Hermione's neck, her ear, her shoulder. Her hand snaked down to his erection to stroke it firmly. Sirius grasped her arse and closed his eyes, practically howling as he neared climax. Hermione was whimpering against Remus's firm, lean chest as she pleasured both men. Remus was panting into Hermione's ear.
"I love you," whispered Remus against her ear, almost silently, so that he didn't even know if she had heard.
Hermione climaxed just then, moaning loudly against him. He held her close, his arms wrapped protectively around her. Remus groaned and felt his own orgasm wash over him, his come coating Hermione's fingertips. And finally, with a last, hard thrust, Sirius spilled himself into her, his head falling down onto Hermione's back as he panted.
They were all breathing hard. Hermione stirred first, slipping out from between the two of them to wash her hands at the sink. The men pulled on their boxers. There was an uncomfortable silence. When Hermione had dried her hands and pulled her knickers up her legs, her dark chocolate eyes met Remus's very seriously. He still didn't know whether she'd heard him or not. Half of him wished she had. Half of him prayed she hadn't.
