Chapter 21: Closure

Hermione brought her fist back and hit the older Sirius's face with more power than she realised she had. Her fist hit the man's cold hard face.

"Now love, that's no way to greet your husband" he drawled out as sexy as he could manage.

The younger Sirius sat in shock unable to piece together what he was just witnessing before his very eyes. What in ruddy fuck was this?

"You should thank Merlin for the fact that you're already dead or I would kill you right now" the brunette forced out of her clamped jaw. Hermione might have been a witch since she was eleven, but there was much more satisfaction feeling pain through her knuckles.

She curled her fist, ready to hit him again when he caught her fist in his hand and spun her to pull her against his chest. Everything about him was cold now, including his attempt at affection.

"Let me go, Sirius"

"Not until you calm down and gimme a kiss" he whispered in her ear.

"Let me go and I'll give you a kiss" she replied, feeling more aggressive than she had since her battles when Sirius first died. She broke his hold and had him pinned to the ground with her legs straddling his hips and each of his arms pinned to the ground above his head. She accidentally dropped the ring and he disappeared before her.

Hermione lost it at that and fell flat against the floor with so much pain in her heart. She sobbed and she sobbed with tears falling like rain on the cold, hard ground. No magic in the world could bring his heart back to beat for her.

Finally after many long minutes did she pick herself up. She stood shakily and made her way over to a chair. Once she had composed herself completely, she turned the ring three times in her hand before slipping the ring on.

Sirius appeared again, all smiles and saw Hermione take her seat. Sirius had assumed this was for a serious talk, so he took seat on an opposite desk.

"I'm sorry for my outburst" she finally croaked out. The crying had blotched her eyes till they were puffy and pink.

"That's fine, love. I know what you've been through" Sirius said softly. He said it with so much love and devotion, the younger Sirius was sure this was just a doppelganger.

"S'no excuse. I'm sorry for hitting you" Hermione said as she wiped the last of her tears away. She tied her hair up into a messy bun above her head.

"You look so beautiful like that" Sirius said as if he had never seen her do that before.

"Okay, I apologised. You don't have to lay it on so thick, alright?" Hermione said firmly, crossing her arms annoyed at the animagus.

"Can't I tell my wife she's the most beautiful woman I've ever had the pleasure of seeing?" he said with the same amount of sincerity that had the younger man convinced this was an imposter. There is no way this was Sirius Black.

"I summoned you because I wanted to talk about our marriage" she said coldly.

"What of it, love?"

"You binded our souls, didn't you?" she asked with anger very apparent under the surface.

The older Sirius paused and thought carefully how to reply. "Love, you need to understa-"

"Fuck" Hermione uttered before covering her face and trying to accept the fate that she was handed. Lifetimes of Sirius Black.

The older man knew his physical touch might provoke another fight. So he sat in his seat, itching to get up and comfort the younger witch, but knowing his place.

Hermione, with her face still covered, prompted with her hand the end of this explanation.

"You need to understand, we were losing the war. I knew it. The more people I saw defecting to his side, the more I was convinced we were fighting a losing war. I knew there was a way we could be together and our love was strong enough for the bind to happen so-"

"MY love was strong enough for it to happen" Hermione corrected him "If not, you would be here too Sirius"

Sirius was silent, his face contorting into what could only be pain.

"That's not why..." he said softly.

"That is the ONLY explanation" Hermione continued "The soul-bind requires -"

"The soul bind requires a soul to bind, love. The very first requirement that I failed to realise I may not meet" Sirius said quietly. "Twelve years in Azkaban does come with consequences. The dementors took parts of my soul that I didn't know I had missing".

Hermione's heart clenched as she listened closer to the man she loved more than anything.

"I was too happy and too full of a life with you that I didn't realise a part of my soul was missing. You made me whole again and I am sorry that you had to suffer the way you did. I was selfish, I admit it" Sirius sat feeling very apologetic to this very brave woman. "Your soul was binded to a broken one and that is why you were sent back to a time when my soul was whole. It was very random, you could have been sent back when I was just born. I can't explain why this very moment in time, my sweet" he took a deep breath "I know you must be going bonkers wondering why".

The brunette sat there with tears pouring from her face and her arms holding herself. She felt very cold all of a sudden. She had never felt so lonely before.

They sat in a long silence as Sirius watched his young wife take in all this information. She thought an explanation on why these things had happened would give her some sense of closure and relief but it still made her feel cold and alone. Yes, he loved her but that didn't bring him back, that didn't make him sitting before her real and it definitely didn't bring the real life Sirius any closer to being the man she loved. It was a hard truth that she felt settle into her gut.

After a long while when the tears on her face dried, Hermione broke the silence. "So younger you is a complete prick".

The couple burst out into laughter, warming the room up a bit. Younger Sirius just looked on like he was watching a movie. He was too gobsmacked to even react to what Hermione was saying with all the thoughts racing in his mind.

"Oh, I know, love. he's still got a lotta growing to do" Sirius said in a warm tone. "Even before I died I don't think I was fully grown".

"You don't have to tell me that" Hermione said laughing at all the times she caught him trying to pull a prank on her, he was supposed to be a fully grown man by then.

He seemed pretty nervous about the question that he wanted to follow with.

"So how are my younger self's chances of being with you?"

"Slim to none" she smiled. "I'm very certain that he hates my guts and I am not very fond of him either".

He looked deflated "Oh". She could tell he was disappointed that she wasn't trying to be with him again in this time. She thought about this carefully before she continued.

"Sirius, you know that I love you. But much of what made you the man I love is the pain you've been through, the sacrifices you had to make and all that end of the world shit we went through and how you overcame all of that. Younger you will never reach an Azkaban cell, he will never lose any loved one and he will live a long and happy life, if I have anything to do about it" she ended with such a strong conviction. It made younger Sirius tremble at the serious and almost frightening certainty she had in her voice.

"And even if you were you, I am still me. I'm still an unattractive bookworm with no friends and-"

"Love, you are not-"

"I know YOU don't think that. I'm completely fine with how I look and who I keep in my company. It's what younger Sirius thinks right now as he is. You took years of maturity before coming to appreciate other things than physical beauty in a woman" Hermione said. Younger Sirius flushed as she was completely correct in his assessment of him. Now that he had heard it from her, he could admit that he sounded very immature.

The older Sirius looked down and knew he couldn't fight that assessment, it was very fair.

"But there are more happy things to report such as Lily and James finding their way back together as they did before" she continued to a better topic.

The night went quickly as they talked. It was as if they were in their hideaway kitchen and it was an normal night. In a couple of hours time, younger Sirius had taken a seat on the ground leaning against the wall completely fascinated and not wanting to miss a second of this dialogue. Hermione and older Sirius had reshuffled so that they both sat on chairs facing each other, with Hermione's legs on his lap and his arm slung over a nearby desk.

"-so now I'm friends with Severus Snape, the most vile teacher I've ever had. It's such a weird experience" she continued on "He's honestly not that bad". She never would have thought these words could come out of her mouth but they did.

Older Sirius made a face that showed his displeasure at the fact. "I don't know how you ended up trying to save all the Slytherins but I'm telling you now, that one's not worth it".

"I am not listening to you after you tried to set Remus on him. Younger you did that to me, and I'm telling you it is NOT funny" Hermione said trying to put on a serious face, but she couldn't muster up all the anger. This was such a nice conversation, she didn't want to ruin it.

Sirius turned serious though "I'm sorry, my love" he said while rubbing her feet. They remained silent as Sirius continued his massage.

"I've talked enough about my time here. How's the after life? All that you were expecting?" she asked with a smile.

"I don't know how to explain it. But we're just floating around and I get pulled closer to my loved ones, we talk in passing, we can see things from up there, but it doesn't register as a full thought. I miss you very much, it probably drives Ron crazy the amount of times I pull you into focus because it makes them miss you too. There's no concept of time up there, so for me, it seems like yesterday could have been the day we had just gotten married or the day I first met you with Harry".

"When I'm down here though I feel as if I can put it in order, but when I'm up there it's a different feeling. The bad memories are easier to forget and the good ones are easier to remember".

She smiled at him with her heart full. No wonder Cadmus Peverell committed suicide to be with the one he loved. That looked like the better place to be right now. She twisted the ring on her finger and Sirius caught the motion.

"Tired of me already?"

"I could never be tired of you, Sirius" she said looking at him again. Even though his touch was gentle, it was ice cold and she could still feel the barrier between their worlds though his touch.

"But I need to focus on my mission. I need to keep younger you and everyone here safe" she said quietly "I can't do that while holding onto the thought of seeing you like this anymore". They had spent the past several hours talking away as if it were another day, she could see herself getting used to this.

"I understand, love…." he paused briefly and seemed conflicted about saying something before he continued "... Just know that I love you so much and will continue to do so forever. But I can't be with you here in this life, younger me may not be the one you want to be with-"

"Sirius, plea-"

"Just let me finish ok?" he continued on "I just want you to know that I understand that you might need to be with someone-"

"I'm not getting with anyo-"

"Merlin, woman! Just let me finish my damn speech alright?" he said exasperated by how many tries this was taking to come out. "I want you to know that I am alright with anyone…. except for Severus Snape"

Hermione broke out into laughter so hard, she pulled her legs out of his grasp so she could keel over.

"You think this is hilarious, but it won't be so hilarious when you see his ugly nose and greasy hair on what could be your very beautiful children"

"STOP!" she screamed as she laughed so hard, her sides hurt.

"I mean it, Hermione. I won't stand for it. Go anywhere near him and I'll haunt the both of you from now till Kingdom come" Sirius said crossing his arms and looking like a very petulant child.

It took Hermione awhile to bring herself out of that laughing fit. She wiped the tears from her eyes somehow feeling much better about this farewell. She smiled so brightly at the man she was proud to call her husband.

"I promise that I will never, ever, ever, ever get with Severus Snape in any shape or form, for as long as I shall live" she said with her hand on her heart and as much sincerity as she could put into that stupid sentence.

"Good" was his short reply looking sated.

"I love you so much, you pillock" she said getting her last few laughs in as she leaned forward to caress his cold, hard face.

"I love you too, Hermione" he leaned in and got his kiss he had been waiting for. It was not a hard or passionate kiss. It was a familiar gesture missing of all it's warmth but full of intent.

"I am so proud to call you my wife" he said gently.

She smiled as she took hold of the ring "Goodbye, my love" and pulled it off.

Once he disappeared she looked up at the ceiling and took a few calming breaths. Laughter is always good for the soul she thought as she vanished the ring with a wave of her wand. Hermione took a good half hour to collect herself before she transfigured a forgotten quill into some slippers for her trek back up to Gryffindor tower. She looked outside and the sun was beginning to rise. Great timing.

Young Sirius had gotten up from his spot on the ground after Hermione left and clicked his back. He took off the cloak and slung it on his arm as he made to sit by the window having a lot to think about this fine morning.

He had listened and learned a lot about Hermione and his future self that night. It all made some weird sense that she cared so much for the people around him even when she pretended not to. She cared so much about him that she is going through this hellish time again just to keep him and those around him safe.

Looking back to his first encounter with her, he was really a dick. She couldn't deal with a boggart and he chastised her for it. Had she been a bombshell, or what he considered to be absolutely beautiful, that actually would not have been his first reaction. He flushed again thinking about how juvenile he had been acting from the very beginning. She loved so fiercely and had sacrificed her life so many times. To think he had turned his nose up at all her effort.

He scoffed and truly wanted to go back in time now to smack himself up the head.

To think that she was going to do all of this and not tell him or anyone else about it, he couldn't imagine that type of sacrifice. For the past year, he had been denying feelings for her. Always trying to explain it away with an excuse. He took a deep breath as he realised how fucking stupid he was to do that. There were so many questions he wanted to ask her about his future self, but he was too scared too know how he ended up in Azkaban.

In his mind, the only and most important thing was to stop this stupid feud with Hermione and make her his.

Tom Riddle looked up and saw his mark clearly emblazoned in the night sky. He could smell muggle scum blood in the air. He looked from a distance at the havoc and heard their useless screams piercing the sky. Behind him a lone death eater stood.

"Regulus"

"Yes, my Lord"

"Come here" he held his hand out. Regulus Black stepped up with his death eater mask firmly in place next to the Dark Lord. Since he was young and his wand could warn the Ministry of magic use, he was the only death eater left out of the raids.

It was the first time he had seen the Dark Lord's plan in action here in a muggle suburb.

"Brilliant, isn't it?" the Dark Lord gestured to the terrorised neighbourhood.

"Yes, my Lord" he said feeling terrified. He had listened to updates during meetings and usually they were about control of other countries. Here where in a muggle English suburb, he realised it was different. It was one thing to have an ideal of being better than muggles, it was another to torture and kill them. He loathed to even think it, but Hermione was right. This was absolute madness.

He could feel the Dark Lord's mind caress his in such a way that he would not have been able to know what he was doing if Hermione didn't familiarise him with what this felt like. Regulus steeled the steady thought of nothing to keep the defences in his mind up.

"I will require the services of your house elf at a later date" Lord Voldemort said not feeling anything out of place with his youngest Death Eater. "Make sure he is available to my call".

"Yes, my Lord. Kreacher will attend to anything you need" he quickly summoned his house elf and gave him such instructions.

Regulus stayed watching the scene with who he promised to serve for the rest of his life and wondered if like these muggle houses, he would go up in flames.

Two days later, Sirius found Hermione in the library. He tried cornering her before but she proved very evasive. He looked at her from a distance and wondered how she could be sitting so peacefully, writing what seemed to be a charms essay like she was a regular student. He felt a guilt and gratitude settle so deep in his chest.

Before he could step closer into her little nook she said loudly "What do you want, Black?". Her eyes turned to steel before looking up at him.

He put his hands up in a mock surrender as he walked forward "A truce". She narrowed her eyes at him as he sat in a chair across her.

After a few moments of her evaluation she seemed to lower her guard a bit as she nodded and spoke "I agree, this childishness has gone on for far too long".

"I'm sorry for all that I did to you" he said sincerely. "I was wondering if there was anything I could do to make it up to you".

"Not necessary. I did some pretty horrible things to you too" she stated matter-of-factly.

She gave a forced smile as if she thought that was the end of the conversation, yet he continued to sit and watch her. He thought back to what they were fighting about before he overheard all that he did. It felt distant and petty now that he thought about it. It was just three days ago that they were feuding quite openly.

"So there's a Hogsmeade weekend coming up soon. Going with anyone?" he asked casually rocking back in his chair.

She paused in her writing, but continued saying "No, Black. I'm not going".

"Maybe I wasn't clear enough. Would you like to go with me to Hogsmeade?"

She had now turned her head up to look at him. "And why would I do that?"

"Because I like you" he said clearly without hesitation making his intention very clear. He had known it for awhile, but like the stupid young boy he was, he didn't know how to express it. It would have been very straight forward had she been a girl as physically beautiful as Lily. Fuck, he felt like a 5 year old. "That's what a bloke does when he likes someone, he asks them on a date".

Hermione's eyes turned cold "That's not funny, Black". She turned back to her essay. "I thought you were serious when you wanted a truce".

"I am Sirius" he said playfully not understanding how hurt she had just become.

"Fuck off" she said quietly.

"Hermione, I was on-" he started.

"I SAID FUCK OFF, BLACK" she all but screamed.

Madam Pince came about quickly with her pinched mouth poised to tell off the owner of that scream when Hermione held her hand up.

"I apologise, Madam Pince. I will remove myself from the library" she quickly shoved all her paper, quill and inkwell in her bag.

"That is no way for a young lady to speak" Madam Pince still took points for her foul language.

She stormed out of the library and Sirius followed her.

They made it a fair distance away from the library before she turned on him.

"I don't know what sick game you're playing, Black. But I assure you, it is not funny"

He put on the most sincere face he could muster "I am not joking, Hermione. I want to take you out on a date".

"Why is that?" she said scathingly. "Is it my good looks? Is it the fact that I'm close with your brother? Or did you like it when I took you along to get tortured?"

"Hermione, I've been really childish in the way I've tried to express my feelings" he said sincerely. "I've just come to realise why I just want to keep you safe. It's not just because I hurt you, it's because I like you"

"I would never like someone as selfish or childish as you" she said meaning every single word she said.

"I know exactly how you feel about me. I'm not stupid to think that you like me too" he itched to hold her hand or even be close to her but she kept a very good distance every time he tried to get closer. "I just want the opportunity to get to know you".

"I've said it a few times now, but I think that ship has sailed. Goodbye, Black"

He tried to grab her hand to turn her around and she swung around to hold him with her magic against the wall. "I've told you time and time again to stop touching me. I am NOT one of your silly little girlfriends and you CANNOT touch me whenever you feel like it" she said in a low, menacing tone.

"Fine then!" he replied harshly, since this seemed to be the only tone she heard and understood. He had to change his tactics if he was going to get any closer to her "Don't come to Hogsmeade with me! But you owe me, Hermione"

"How do you figure that?" she said dropping him from her hold. He didn't anticipate that and fell into a heap on the ground.

"You left me unprotected when all I wanted to do was protect you" he said trying to raise himself "You know, as well as I that I am not ready to face whatever's coming. I need training".

She softened a bit at his words. He wanted to smirk but he kept a straight face.

"That madman is coming for us, Hermione. You need to help me"

Hermione thought about this request and realised that in all her plans to protect him, she had never once thought about training him. How stupid could she have been?

"Fi- Fine" she eventually said, biting her lip, deep in thought. "I'll talk to you later to sort something out". She turned around and hurried down the corridor out of sight silently cursing herself for that huge oversight.

Sirius smiled, counting that as a success.

A/N: Sorry for not updating in awhile. What can I say? Life gets in the way.

I'm sorry if the writing still hasn't improved and gotten shittier. I just like this idea and wanna finish it.

Leave a review to tell me what you think.