...

I kept the right ones out

And let the wrong ones in

Had an angel of mercy to see me through all my sins

There were times in my life

When I was goin' insane

Tryin' to walk through

The pain

Amazing-Aerosmith

...

Hermione didn't say much when they returned to Number 12, besides thanking Sirius for allowing her to stay there until she was able to get a job and find a flat. Sirius replied that it was his pleasure, and Hermione climbed the stairs, locking herself in her bedroom until everyone had gone to sleep.

Or, at least, she'd thought everyone to be asleep.

Sirius jumped awake in his seat at the sound of footsteps on the staircase, the old west cowboy novel he'd been reading falling off of his chest. Looking around, he found he was alone in the library and that he had nearly burned out his candle. With a flick of his wand the candle restored itself and Sirius stood, heading down to the kitchen, where the footsteps had continued to.

There he found Hermione Granger, the girl he'd been wishing to talk to for too long.

"Hey, there, dollface," Sirius said, watching her jump away from her cup of hot chocolate.

She spun around, hand to her heart. "Oh, Sirius!" She gasped. "I-er-thought you were asleep."

Sirius smiled softly and held out his arms as if to prove he was there and awake. "Sadly, it's not so. I haven't been able to sleep through the night recently. Mind if I join you?"

"Not at all," she replied. "Would you like some hot chocolate?"

Sirius shook his head, taking a seat in front of her. "No, thanks. Never did like it much."

Hermione yawned. "I'm not sure I would have made it through the war without hot chocolate. Made just the way mum used to." She sighed, staring down into her mug. "Ronald used to like it as well."

Sirius appraised her for a moment. Then, he decided that he was going to do something he didn't often do. She was opening up to him, he was going to attempt to comfort her. "Why not? I'd love some hot chocolate, dollface."

She gave him a light smile and stood, turning to make a cup for him. Sirius watched her carefully. This wasn't the Hermione he usually got. She must have been doing some very deep thinking before he interrupted her, for she hadn't snapped at him or made a single witty comment since he'd sat down. Heck, she was even being nice to him. That must have meant something.

Hermione finally turned around and set a mug in front of Sirius. He hadn't been lying when he'd said he never cared for hot chocolate. So he was cautious as he brought the mug to his mouth, under careful watch of Hermione. He was surprised to find that he liked it.

"Hey, not bad," Sirius complimented.

Hermione smiled lightly. "Thanks." She looked back into her own mug and sighed.

Sirius was beginning to feel a bit awkward. "Granger?" She didn't look at him. "Dollface?" Her brown eyes flicked up to his face. They were the epitome of broken. "Do you need to talk?"

She sighed again. "I don't know."

His eyes never left her face. "Why don't you give it a shot? I promise I'll be as mature and gentlemanly as is possible. I was raised as a Black, you know."

She smiled lightly. "Alright...but..."

"But?"

"I'm not sure where to begin..."

"Well, let me help you," Sirius said thoughtfully. "What exactly put that sad little speck in your eyes?"

She looked up, a little shocked at the question. "Well, I-" she looked back down. "It's everything. My parents have died, Ronald left me, and to top it all off I've been having the most awful nightmares..."

As he listened to her and offered words of comfort, Sirius realised what he'd been doing wrong with his life all of these years. He'd been thinking only of himself, hadn't he been? He didn't care for Michelle's feelings, just her presence. But it felt right, listening to Hermione and feeling a genuine urge to help her. He truly needed this, needed to help her to make himself feel okay. To make himself feel as if he hadn't wasted all of these years.

"You know, dollface, I think you've got everything going for you."

Hermione's eyebrow rose in question. "What do you mean?"

"You're brilliant, you're halfway to becoming a healer already," Sirius explained, "you're gorgeous and can have any man you want-"

"But Ron-"

Sirius shook his head. "You don't want Ron. You just haven't realised it yet because he's the only one you've been with, the only one you know. You're perfect, you see. You just have yet to realise it."

Hermione watched him for a moment before smiling. She stood. "Thank you, Sirius."

Sirius smiled, standing as well, feeling a strange, warm feeling in his chest. "Come here, dollface."

He had spotted the tears just in time, holding out his arms for her to crash into his chest, sobbing quietly. He allowed her to stand there and let it all out, rubbing her arms, embracing her strong but still so fragile body.

Her tears were slowing and he felt her growing a bit weaker. "Come on, now, dollface. Time for bed."

She nodded sleepily and he half walked, half dragged her to her bedroom, helping her beneath the covers. She was asleep before the lights were out.

...

I'm punishing myself for not updating as fast as I know I'm able to. I'm forcing myself to write at least 3,000 words of this story, two chapters of Are You Doing Okay?, a chapter of White Crystal, and a chapter of Dream Police before I'm allowed to read another fanfiction/manga. Which is quite a motivation, since I'm getting volumes 7-10 of Tsubasa from the library today, and I'm lending them to a friend as soon as I'm finished. Also I have to finish all of my copies of Ouran before my sister returns the volumes she has to the library...

...but you probably don't care. Expect another couple of chapters today! ^^ Please review if you've got a couple of seconds!