For a trip that had started out so nice, Hermione found herself regretting ever setting foot outside of London. She had thought before that just having to figure out what to say to her parents whens he went over to see them and introduce Sirius was bad; Hermione had even ventured that nothing could be worse than having to tell Jean and Howard Granger their only baby girl had married a thirty-five year old 'ex-con', but now that she and Sirius were hiding behind an old, ancient really, seeing her parents for that really didn't seem so bad.
The day had started with the feeling people get, like pins and needles- both of them had felt it. Sirius more than Hermione, but due to their bond their feelings were shared enough that she was picking up on it too. The intense dread one gets when you can hear a storm in the distance, feel the electricity crackling in the air long before lightening splits the sky. They'd had a good breakfast, even with Sirius being snappish and on edge, and went out into the streets to explore a bit more when the crowd managed to separate them somehow, which now was incredibly obvious it was by design. It wasn't too scary at first, though Hermione felt the normal anxiety she always felt in crowds. It was when long, bony, cold fingers took a death grip round her wrist that she knew something was wrong. She'd managed to get away, and even silence the entire crowd with the ear piercing scream for her husband, which brought him knocking people over to get to her in time. She and Sirius tried to run through the crowd with all eyes on them, knowing that the International Magical Cooperations board would have a field day if the once notorious and still very famous Sirius Black and his young bride were to have a large magic show in the streets of Rome.
Sirius led Hermione into a seemingly abandoned old alleyway, a cobblestone paved path, one much too skinny for cars to travel but as the Muggles in Rome were very fond of motorbikes it was really no surprise that the alley was so thin. Sirius was panting, but a grin was spread on his face. "What?" she ask, slapping his arm and causing a bark like chuckle to erupt from his chest.
"Nothing. Just realized- Did you even get a look at who grabbed you?" He ask, his panting slowing down now. Hermione felt a bit insulted by the accusation that she panicked over nothing, but she told the truth anyway.
"Sirius, it's not funny. I had to-" but her words were cut off when a flash of orange light shot just over their heads and hit the old stone wall above them, sending small chunks of rock flying. "I told you!" she yelled as Sirius took the same wrist and drug her away from the cloaked figured at the other end of the alleyway, who from the looks of the stature was a man, but hair and face were covered in a black hood and silver mask.
Sirius, who had at some point taken his own wand from inside his jacket and wordless shot a hex of his own over Hermione's head, and would've hit their assailant had they not deflected it so quickly. Sirius let out a profanity and sent another, then before Hermione could blink had her pulled tightly into his chest and dissapperated with her, reappearing in the safety of their hotel room. Sirius took Hermione's face in his hands, turning her in several different angles. "Are you hurt?" He ask, his voice breathless and frantic.
"No." she said, pulling away from his fussing. "But I told you that someone grabbed me!" she scolded. "Do you not remember that I didn't marry you for fun?" Hermione realized too late that her words were too sharp, especially against a man who had saved her life.
"No, Hermione. I remember perfectly well why we're here." He replied, and by his voice alone she knew her statement had cut him, for he was uncharacteristically quiet and calm. He didn't turn back to face her but shrugged his jacket off and flopped down gracelessly onto the couch in the sitting room of their suite.
"Sirius, I didn't-" she started, but the door which separated where she was from him swung shut of its own accord, and she knew he wasn't in the mood to talk. She gave him a few minutes before knocking on the door to the main sitting room. "Sirius?" She called, "Please talk to me." The door clicked and swung open, and Hermione could see Sirius' hand and wand over the back of the couch.
"Yes, love?" He ask, in the same quiet voice. Hermione wasn't sure what to do, but she knew her words, for one reason or another, had hurt him. She could feel it in her chest; his ache, and the overwhelming need to hide it.
"I'm sorry." She said, still unsure of the situation. After all, it shouldn't hurt his feelings to be reminded that their marriage was what it was, a sham.
"You've nothing to apologize for. And I'm sorry I didn't believe you before." Sirius replied. Hermione carefully moved forward, calculating each step as she rounded the couch to face her husband. His face was pale, and his dark grey eyes swam with unbroken emotions Hermione couldn't quite understand.
"We were having such a good time, I think it got pushed back in your mind that people out there really do want me dead, or captured. I'd rather be dead, but still." Hermione said, gently sitting on the edge of the cushion where Sirius' body lay. Sirius reached up and pushed the hair that had fallen down in their haste behind her ear.
"I don't know how anyone could want to hurt you, doll." He said, suddenly sitting up and moving away. Hermione sat in place for a moment, before turning to sit more properly on the couch.
"I'm a means to get to Harry, nothing more." She replied, her voice very sure of her thought. Sirius shook his head.
"No, I don't quite believe that it all there is to it. Why not take me? Or Remus? Or his aunt? We're his family. Then Ron, Ginny, or any other Weasley." Sirius moved quickly across the room and rummaged through a bag, pulling out a mirror. "Remus Lupin" he spoke firmly, and Hermione could hear Remus' voice low in the mirror. Sirius had started to speak too quietly for her to hear, and he returned to the couch and smiled calmly. "Hungry?"
"Sirius, whats going on?" Hermione said, not at all amused with his change in subject.
"Lunch, I was hoping." He replied, casually picking up a call-up menu. Hermione pulled the booklet from his hands and threw it onto the floor next to the couch.
"Sirius. You called Remus. I heard my name. Why?" Hermione pressed, her anger getting away with her.
"I needed to report the attack to the Order, doll. Warn everyone. With Arthur being attacked, and someone coming for you- they needed the alert. Moony's on it." He said, pulling the menu back to him without words or his wand. "Food now, please?" He ask again. Hermione sighed, this time giving in.
Hermione had curled up on the opposite end of the couch from where Sirius was sitting. She was attempting to read a book she'd picked up on one of their shopping trips about the culture of the Romans, while Sirius had found a murder mystery on the tele to engross himself in. Hermione tried several times to go back to her book, but finally had to give in and shut it. "For a pureblood, you're really good with muggle things." Hermione commented. "Aren't most purebloods useless with the muggle world?"
"Lily taught me a lot. And Remus' mum. I honestly think that a mix is better." Sirius replied. "Wizards don't have television, and I'm not one to read- I don't really remember how I wasted all my time before I was introduced to the tele." The confession caused Hermione to giggle.
"I probably don't want to know." Hermione replied. She thought for a moment, picking up a biscuit that had gone uneaten from their ordered-in lunch and nibbling at it. "Sirius- how did you contact Remus?"
"It's a two way mirror." Sirius replied, lowering the volume of the tele and turning to face his wife. "At least, if you were to go purchase one that's what they'd say. I bought two sets, total of four in our second year. I wanted to charm them to work four ways, so that Remus, James, the rat and I could all talk to each other. Remus figured out how to charm them third year right before Easter Holiday." Sirius smiled at the memory, but it faded quickly. "I- I got James' out of his pocket when I went to get Harry that night. Remus kept his all this time, and I have mine and James' both. I'm planning on giving Harry his dad's, in case he was to need me or Moony." Sirius looked down. Hermione scooter closer to the obviously grieving wizard and placed her hand over his.
"I think he'll love that, Sirius." She said, giving him a soft, kind smile. "I'll be a bit disappointed if he uses it to have Remus help with his school work though." Hermione smiled when the suggestion made Sirius smile too.
"That was a huge use for Remus' mirror originally." He said, going back to his movie. Hermione reopened her book, and started to read, but then thought.
"If Remus has the mirror, do you think it would be okay for me to put a call in to Olivia?" Hermione ask, hoping that the request wasn't out of line. Sirius glanced over and shook his head.
"No, just say his name into it, he'll pass it off if she's near by, I'm sure." Sirius said. "It's in the green bag at the foot of the bed." Hermione left the couch and brought the mirror up, looking it over carefully. She took it into the bathroom with her and shut the door behind her.
"Remus Lupin." she said in the same sort of tone she'd heard Sirius use. It took a moment, but Remus appeared where her own face had been.
"Hello, Hermione." Remus greeted. "Glad to see you're alright. I hated to hear you were attacked."
"Honestly whoever it was, they weren't a very skilled wizard. It was a short duel before Sirius got us out of there." Hermione replied. Remus nodded.
"Well, either way. You two are relocating tomorrow, right?" Remus ask. Hermione nodded.
"Yes, we are. I was going to ask if we could stay in Rome one more day but because we've been found-"
"It's not safe." Remus finished. "Were you wanting Olivia?" He ask. Hermione nodded.
"Yes, if she's not busy." Hermione said excitedly. Remus nodded in reply and disappeared, leaving Hermione facing the ceiling in their flat. After a moment Olivia came into sight, and Hermione could hear Remus explaining the function of the mirror to his wife, before walking out of the room to leave them to their 'girl talk'.
"Hello love!" Olivia greeted cheerfully. "I'm so glad to see you in once piece!"
"Remus told you what happened?" Hermione guessed. Olivia smiled.
"He tells me everything now days." Olivia replied. "Another story for another time." she explained when Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Tell me, other than the big of misfortune today; how are things?" Hermione needed no other prompting to know what her friend was asking.
"It's not so bad." Hermione replied, her face blushing deeply, nearing purple. Olivia giggled excitedly.
"It gets better, I promise you. I'd also tell you about how men are all different, but you won't be needing that talk." Olivia said, laughing again at the face Hermione made. "Is he treating you alright?" Hermione looked her friend's face over in the mirror. She noticed how much more well rested and happy she looked.
"Very well. Spending money like it's nothing. We got some things for the baby!" Hermione remembered. "How is the little one?"
"Very well, actually. I had an ultrasound yesterday. Remus cried, it was magical." Olivia said, beaming. Hermione laughed at her friend.
"He went with you? That's wonderful!" Hermione said, remembering the trouble Olivia had been having with Remus and the pregnancy.
"Well, not at first. But the doctor ask some questions and discovered the source of my sadness; therefore rescheduling the appointment for me to convince Remus to come." She said, pausing to look toward the door then back to Hermione. "He didn't go because he thought-" the joy faded a bit from Olivia's face, "He thought I'd be embarrassed. Of him." she explained. Hermione knew a lot of Remus, and this seemed to make sense to her.
"I expect you told him otherwise?" Hermione prompted. Olivia nodded.
"Of course. And a nurse flirted with him, which didn't make me happy, but it did worlds to help him. He's gorgeous, and plenty of women think so. I don't get it." Olivia still looked saddened at the memory.
"Make it your goal to erase that line of thought." Hermione advised.
"I think we can talk about my marriage issues from here until next New Year, but I want to hear about you." Olivia pressed, moving to lay on her bed and get comfortable. Hermione told her many things about their trip, her first night making love to Sirius, how he'd taken all the time she needed and been extremely careful with her, and let her sleep the next day. They talked until Sirius knocked at the door.
"Mione, alright in their?" he called through the door. "It's been over an hour." Hermione looked back to Olivia, but answered Sirius.
"Be right out." she said. "I missed talking to you. Can't wait to see you in a few days!" Hermione told her friend.
"You too love, best not keep him waiting. Just give the mirror a shout if you need me though." she said. Hermione agreed and they both walked away, letting the connection fall. "Sorry," Hermione told her husband, "gossiping with Olivia." Sirius smiled.
"You tell her we got the baby some things?" he ask, holding the door as she walked past him back into the sitting room. Hermione nodded and sat down, picking her book back up. It was a few good minutes before she noticed Sirius still watching her. It made her a bit nervous, the way he watched her.
"Sirius?"
"We've been married a week, love." He said softly. Hermione shut her book and looked up.
"Oh."
"It's been a long, horrible day. I'll pay the fee, if you want." Sirius said, trying to get a feel for what Hermione might be thinking. Without warning she stood and crossed the sitting room, taking his hand.
"No, we should save our allowed misses for emergencies." Hermione replied, pulling on his hand. Sirius could feel her apprehension, and her arms were shaking.
"Mione-"
"Please, Sirius." she replied, tugging once more. Sirius himself suddenly felt more nervous, but followed her, shutting the door to the bedroom behind him.
Hey guys- Sorry it took so long. I loved getting the reviews asking for updates though, they make me feel so good about my story. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. :) As always, blow that review button up! Hearing my alerts for my stories go off makes my heart smile.
Notice- I never liked that just Sirius and James had mirrors. Like I get that their bromance was intense and all... and ways. I know there were not 4 mirrors. I tweaked it. :) Thanks for reading!