While the fall days grew cool and crisp moving into October and November, things in Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place continued to heat up considerably between the two people sharing quarters there. Remus was absent more often now as he gave his friends some space and moved ahead with his own relationship with Tonks. Maddy and Sirius were now frequently left by themselves and were thriving as a couple, despite their dismal accomodations.

Their new status had never been officially confirmed by them to other order members, but it was becoming increasingly obvious during meetings and random visits by other wizards that the affection between the two people had risen to a new level. Molly Weasley noticed quite a bit with her keen eye, even though she had always been somewhat disapproving of Sirius. She took Maddy aside at one point early on following a meeting, asking her if Sirius had been making unwelcome advances on her. Maddy assured Molly succinctly that Sirius' advances were anything but unwelcome. The other witch was shocked into silence by this pronouncement and said nothing further, at least for the moment. Maddy never repeated anything to Sirius about that conversation, not wishing to increase any tension between him and Mrs. Weasley, though she personally found it amusing.

The differences in their manner to each other were subtle, though, to anyone watching. Maddy had begun a habit of sitting next to Sirius during order meetings, and his eyes were always trained intently on her whenever she spoke in the course of a meeting. When she rose from her seat, she made a point to touch him gently on his shoulder as she walked past. If he were getting up for something to drink, he automatically took her glass to refill it along with his. They weren't interested in calling undue attention to themselves, but neither seemed to mind if anyone noticed these little ministrations.

Curiously, Maddy's visions had dropped off quite a bit after she and Sirius began sleeping together. Once their intimacy had been established, it seemed almost as though she had no further need of them. She was happier than she could ever remember being as the things she had seen for years were coming to fruition, and even the thought of her detestable brother no longer bothered her at the moment. She was still very careful, however, and never left Grimmauld Place alone. The house made a very convenient and safe refuge for the time being, and as long as she and Sirius, or sometimes herself and Tonks, went elsewhere frequently, the atmosphere wasn't quite so oppressive.

Though she couldn't bring herself to say it to him, she was also very much in love with Sirius by now. He hadn't uttered the words himself, and she was too afraid of a lack of response to tell him just yet. But he had to know it, she thought. On an intellectual level, the conversations and debates between them were enjoyable. In addition, they had developed a very affectionate and witty manner with each other, and the sexual aspect of their relationship was beyond satisfying. Remus had encountered them on more than a few occasions locked in passionate embraces, and had taken to loudly announcing his presence prior to entering any room in the house when he was there. He understood, though, as his own romance with Tonks grew stronger.

Sirius himself seemed to be thriving exceptionally well that season, considering the place he was living had been such a source of unhappiness for him as a child. He rarely paid any attention to the hateful image of his mother behind the curtain in the hall portrait and all but ignored Kreacher whenever possible. He and Maddy went out of doors frequently, though they tended to avoid places in London, preferring obscure locations in other parts of the country. Sirius began to feel bold enough to stay overnight in some places, though always in muggle establishments where it was highly unlikely that anyone unsavory might find them. He was enjoying himself immensely in all aspects of his relationship with his new girlfriend and, though he said nothing at the time, began to think of her as someone he could love deeply. His only real model of a good relationship had been that of James and Lily, and he thought of them often now, comparing their romance to himself and Maddy. The idea of marriage was still fairly intimidating, however, and he didn't allow himself to think about it very much, especially considering how fulfilling their current living arrangements already were. In the back of his mind, he felt that particular dilemma would take care of itself someday.

Sirius still went off by himself occasionally, though. While normally content to take Maddy with him to various places, once in a while a bit of melancholy crept up on him and he left for a while, preferring to be alone. On these occasions, he mostly visited James and Lily's graves and looked over the ruins of their cottage, and doing so in pensive solitude made the most sense. Relaying his thoughts to the memory of James while leaning against a headstone in the graveyard still comforted him when he was haunted by memories of Azkaban and his friends' deaths. Usually, though, he would feel a twinge of guilt at leaving Maddy. She never interrogated him about where he had been, even though she was curious, and she seemed to realize that his well-being was refreshed by these excursions. He always found something to bring back to her from Godric's Hollow, almost in apology. He would visit one of the quaint shops on the High Street and find a piece of jewelry or some other tiny memento, presenting it to her on his return.

An overcast day in late November was one such occasion. Sirius had woken up that morning with a feeling of gloom sweeping over him, and realized sleepily that he had just been dreaming of James. His friend's face had moved frustratingly in and out of focus, and though Sirius had called out to him, James slowly faded away. Sirius awoke to see Maddy leaning over him with concern. She didn't say anything, but kissed him gently, then laid her head back down on the pillow as she watched him. He turned over to face her, and put a hand on her waist.

"Did I wake you? I'm sorry."

She shrugged. "You seemed a little distressed. It's alright. You okay?"

"Yeah, of course," he answered, and rubbed his eyes. "I may go out in a bit, though, if you don't mind. Then maybe we can do something together later today."

Maddy nodded. "Sure." She was disappointed, but didn't want him to know it. Though Sirius seemed happy with her and reasonably well-adjusted, she felt he would probably never completely rid himself of guilt and regret over past events. Staying in Grimmauld Place certainly couldn't help matters, either. So she figured that her best course of action was to let him go when he felt he needed it.

Sirius leaned over and kissed her quickly, then pulled the covers back and swung his long legs over the side of the bed, yawning as he did. Maddy sat up and looked at the time. Almost eight. She decided to get out of bed herself and make some coffee. As Sirius walked, naked, over to the ornate wardrobe to find some clothes, she sat on the edge of the bed watching him appreciatively. He felt her eyes on him and turned to face her.

"What is it?" he asked, and despite his somber mood, he smiled knowingly at her.

"Just looking," Maddy answered innocently. She knew he probably wasn't in any mood for sex.

He walked back over to her. "Later, perhaps?" he asked softly, giving her a longer kiss this time.

"Please," she said, smiling back at him.

They both dressed and went downstairs. Remus was out of the house, so Kreacher's usual "cleaning" noises and Mrs. Black's snores were the only other sounds besides themselves. They made some toast and munched on it as they drank coffee while leaning against the counter.

After breakfast, Sirius said goodbye to Maddy and kissed her, promising to return before too long. Then he apparated away, straight from the kitchen. She stood watching him quickly fade out of view, then picked up their dishes, putting them in the sink. She sighed, feeling bored already, and wished that he would have let her go with him. Sirius wasn't the only person who thought this house was depressing. She finally settled herself in the drawing room with Pride and Prejudice, one of her favorite novels, and read for a while.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

Sirius wandered around Godric's Hollow, now so familiar with its winding lanes that he could easily have done it blindfolded. And he had actually considered living here, back before Maddy's arrival. In fact, some of the muggle villagers assumed he was a resident, having seen him on numerous occasions. They wondered where the tall, mysterious dark-haired man lived, having never seen him emerge from any of the cottages lining their streets. The wizarding families knew better, however, recognizing Sirius from any number of pictures over the years. By now, they left him alone, assuming correctly that he was paying his respects to his old friends.

Today, though, he felt guilty for leaving Madeleine behind. He knew she must feel as oppressed by Grimmauld Place as he did at times. He had thought about bringing her here anyway, but feared she might think his little ritual was silly. In a peculiar way, though, he wanted her to 'meet' James and Lily, so to speak, since she couldn't ever see them in person.

Sirius walked slowly through the old graveyard until he reached his friends. James, Lily, he thought in greeting. I'm back again. I know it sounds ridiculous, even as I'm thinking this. But there's someone I want you to meet.

Your girlfriend, the imaginary James replied smugly. About time you had one of those.

Sirius snorted. Haven't exactly had many dating opportunities since you've been gone, mate. Until the last year or so, anyway.

Well, I certainly understand. At least your taste has improved from years past. This one really cares about you, James continued.

You've no idea, Sirius thought back. She's the one who saved my miserable arse for me a few times. James-

Yeah?

Should I tell her I'm in love with her?

Good for you, Pads! You need ask? I bravely told Lily, didn't I?

Oh, yes. You bravely proclaimed your love six or seven years straight at Hogwarts, as I recall. I also remember her many and varied responses to your passionate declarations. Most of which were rather scathing, hence my own reluctance to say anything.

But she eventually fell for me. That's the important thing.

What if Madeleine – that's her name – doesn't tell me that in return?

You've told me her name. Many times, in fact. Oh, come on, Padfoot. Women can't resist your wiles. I happen to know she loves you. She's told you when you're sleeping. She thought you couldn't hear.

Really? Sirius mulled this over in his mind, wondering when she had said it.

Going to ask for her hand someday?

Oh please, dear Merlin, no. I don't want to think about that.

It's not so scary, mate. Sex whenever you want it. Well, he corrected himself, most of the time.

I've already got that. What's the difference? Were you happier married?

Absolutely. It could be a bit boring at times, but mostly it was very fulfilling. The most exquisite thing two people could do for each other, he added, a touch pompously. I would venture that your Madeleine is every bit as sweet and beautiful as Lily was to me. She could have died, right? But she was determined to take care of you.

Not sure I was worth that.

Well, young man, you are. Very much. You'd do well to remember that. Is that why you're hesitating?

Oh! Well, no, it's just ... we've only been together for a few months now. Hardly enough time to be thinking of proposing. Suddenly the image of presenting her with a ring nudged itself into his mind. Jesus, could he really ever do that? He had never given a thought to being married after his freedom had been granted. He had only wanted to be left alone to deal with his memories; the dates he had been on seemed to be only good for filling tiny cracks in his life, and nothing more.

Sirius recalled a memory from last year, when he had left England and gone far away. He had visited Amsterdam, among many other places, but stayed in nearby Haarlem. He spent the entire time barely speaking to anyone, only wandering around. Some lively carnival rides had been set up in the Grote Markt, and he recalled roaming among them aimlessly, observing what seemed like multitudes of happy couples enjoying themselves as colors swirled around them. No woman would look at him, he had thought sardonically to himself. Once he had seen himself in a mirror after his name had been cleared, he had been disgusted. Any vestige of good looks had completely disappeared, at least in his mind, and all he was left with was a face that looked much older than his actual years.

But then he had returned to England, and set foot back in wizarding London. Suddenly women came up to him boldly, asking him out wherever he was. They seemed so interested, and the attention was intoxicating, at least initially. After a few encounters, sexual and otherwise, however, he began to feel that he wasn't what they were attracted to. Questions were constantly posed to him over dates ... what had Azkaban been like? What were all the tattoos for? Had he (and this one still mortified him) had sex with other men? Fuck, no, he wanted to say. They were too afraid of me. Not only that, but nobody could so much as wank off in that place, unless they wanted a dementor in their face. Out of these women, he had yet to find anyone who seemed interested in accepting him for who he really was: a damaged, lonely thirty-four year old man who desperately missed human company, yet was frightened of it at the same time. Who was currently skimming the fringe of life, merely existing only for his godson. But then he had rejoined the Order and subsequently met one woman who, amazingly, cared for him more than anyone, even Remus, and seemed to take him just as he was. Of course, he had nearly ruined that.

But he had finally gotten over his initial fear of Madeleine, and had allowed himself happiness; a lovely feeling of warmth in his heart, which he had never expected. He suddenly recalled that as he had wandered around Europe and London, Madeleine was slowly recovering from the horror of being attacked by dementors on his behalf. He felt a renewed rush of love for her.

Could he really love her enough to marry her, though? Or did he even have a choice, considering her prophesies, of sorts, about the two of them? That gave him a niggling feeling of doubt and latent fear, and he brushed the topic quickly aside.

Talk to you later, Prongs. I may be back.

I'm always right here, James answered drolly.

Sirius looked around the deserted graveyard for signs of other humans, but saw none. He took his wand out and apparated back home.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

Later, bored with Grimmauld Place and Jane Austen, Maddy wandered around a large room, looking casually Sirius' ancestors on display. She had already explored the substantial and sparcely decorated room on more than a few occasions, but it was one place she always found intriguing. Surrounded by a rich tapestry which flowed from ceiling to floor on all walls and an extremely dusty chandelier with cobwebs dripping from its candleholders, the room must have been quite something at one time. She peered over the enormous family tree, fascinated.

Walking around looking at each ancient member of the Black family, Maddy wondered what they had been like in life. Once she got to Sirius' branch, the most recent design, she noticed the name Regulus first. Sirius' brother. Reg, she suddenly realized with surprise, wondering if the son in her vision might be named after this Black. She vaguely remembered the name Regulus Black from school, now that she thought about it, though he was several years older. Then she looked once more at Sirius above it. Where Regulus Arcturus had a handsome likeness just above his name and looked rather like his older brother, the image above Sirius Black, 1959- , on the other hand, was only a charred black spot. Some other names on the tapestry had been given the same treatment, and Maddy wondered if this had anything to do with Sirius leaving the household as a teenager. She remembered that he had been sixteen when he had left. That would have made her ... ten. She thought about this for a minute. She'd had her first vision about him at the age of ten. Her next one was at fifteen, just a few days before he was sent to Azkaban. Which would have been the day Harry's parents had been murdered. The other visions ... well, she couldn't remember dates, but they were spread out through the twelve years he had spent in prison, then more frequent after his escape. She began to think of a connection with these events. Perhaps, whenever something traumatic was going on in Sirius' life, she would see what appeared to be his future. Interesting thought. Maybe during his time in Azkaban, when she was having a vision, it meant that he had been abused in some way, or was ill. She shrugged to herself, thinking it would be a good idea to write these thoughts down and organize them. Anything which might help the sight make more sense.

She turned to leave the room and jumped when she saw Sirius in the doorway, watching her. He smiled at her now. "Exploring, love?" he asked. "Didn't mean to frighten you."

"Oh, well, I hope you don't mind. I hadn't been in this room in a while. It's interesting. You weren't gone very long."

"I had a very good reason for wanting to return," he replied flirtatiously. Then he grimaced. "The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black," he said mockingly, nodding toward the wall. "What a bunch of nutters ... all thought they were most special. I'm the last one standing with the name Black. And I love the irony in that."

"Well, you can start a whole new line of nice Blacks," Maddy replied with a glint of humor. "Seeing as how you're the first nice one in quite some time. You could always get rid of this silly thing and start sewing your own tapestry." She grinned at him, amused by the image of Sirius doing embroidery.

"Oh, good idea," Sirius said, laughing and walking over to her. He hugged her hard and gave her a sweet, lingering kiss.

"What exactly happened to your brother?" Maddy asked eventually, pointing to Regulus. She realized she had never posed that question to him.

"Oh. He was a Death Eater. Went and got himself killed on Voldemort's orders several years ago. Did you know him at school?"

"No," she replied. "I've seen his name somewhere or other at Hogwarts, though. He was a bit older than myself."

"Yeah, we were less than two years apart. Dear old mum thought he was the good one."

"Well, she was wrong, wasn't she?" Maddy said, leaning against him as he put an arm around her. "You, my dear, are the good one." She smiled mischievously up at him, and he felt another intense wave of affection for her.

"Madeleine." He stated her name, then drew her even closer.

"Yes?" She sounded muffled, pressed against Sirius' chest.

"I want to take you somewhere."

"Oh! Where?"

"It's a surprise."

"Ah. And if I figure out where we are, do I get points for that?"

"You get a special pressie. In fact, I believe you can have that before we leave. Go up to our room?" He looked down and kissed her once more.

"Mmmm. Absolutely," she replied, and they quickly apparated to his bedroom.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

Quite some time later, they lay in the huge bed, exhausted from making love, and drowsily kissed each other.

"There's something I wanted to tell you," Sirius said softly, and felt his heart beat faster suddenly.

She lifted her head. "What's that?"

"I -" he began, but stopped abruptly.

Maddy raised her eyebrows in question. "You what?" She ran her fingers lightly across his jawbone, enjoying the rough feel of his short beard.

He looked desperately at her. "I love you. I – you make me so happy. You are beautiful, and sweet, and I am madly in love with you." He felt a sense of relief, but now was afraid he had said too much.

She gazed back at him in astonishment, then gave him a beautiful smile and leaned her mouth to his ear.

"I love you, Sirius."

"You do?"

"Yes. Do you want to know why?" She kissed his ear.

"I would really like to know that," he whispered fervently, transfixed by her.

I love the sound of your voice," she whispered back. "I love the way you decorate this bed, all sprawled out on it. I love ... hmm, what else? Your dark beautiful eyes." She pulled away from his ear and looked over his body. "Really love the tattoos," Maddy continued, touching a few. "I love to hear you laugh ... I love the way you look at me when you want me. I love your wicked sense of humor. I love that you still think of your friend James and have never forgotten him. Sirius – " she stopped for a moment.

"What?" he asked, feeling ridiculously close to tears at her words.

"I can't believe you haven't been snapped up before now. I must be the luckiest woman in England."

He laughed suddenly, in spite of himself. "Well, I'm the lucky one. But you have ... no idea how much it means for me to hear you say those things." He pulled her down on him and kissed her hungrily. It was quite some time before they left the room.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

Later that day, they stood in gently falling snow. A huge gate swung open in front of them, and Sirius took Maddy's gloved hand, guiding her through it. "C'mon, darling. We should hurry before it gets dark," he said, nodding back to the guard, who closed the gate back behind them.

"We're at Hogwarts! Why? How on earth did you get us in? Surely Umbridge wouldn't allow it." She felt suddenly frightened, though not of Dolores Umbridge.

"Dumbledore's in charge, not Umbridge. And he gave me permission a long time ago for this."

They walked down the main path to the castle quickly, but then Sirius took a sudden detour through a smaller trail leading into the woods.

"Why are we out here, though?"

He took his time answering and pulled his own wand out for light in the dim forest. Then he stopped and turned to her. "We're going to look for your wand. I believe you dropped it one night. I want you to have it back." Then he leaned over and kissed her gently.