It's been a while, I know, and if I'm being honest it probably would've been longer if a review I got for this story a few days ago hadn't pissed me off. School started up again and I just moved in and started classes Tuesday so I honestly didn't have time to write a long chapter but I do like how this one turned out even if I did write it out of anger. Why am I angry? Actually angry isn't the right word. Disgusted is more like it. I am disgusted because I got a review complaining about the Sirius/Remus pairing in this story. But it wasn't just the complaint (which was stupid to begin with because it's not like it was at the beginning when I was still trying to figure out what pairings I wanted in this story so complaints were understandable and I couldn't get irritated at people for having an opinion that I don't agree with but the Sirius/Remus pairing shows on the summary thing, you don't even have to fucking click the story to see it now), what really pissed me off was how immature the route they took was in addressing the pairing. I can handle cussing, I can handle religious views, I can even handle whatever bullshit "science" some people will try to throw at me and respect it because it is an opinion but what I CANNOT stand is someone saying "eww" multiple times and exactly like that in reference to a same sex pairing especially when that same story has a FATHER raping his DAUGHTER. So here is a warning for my readers who might feel the same way which will be going onto my profile for future readers:

Don't read my stories if you don't like same sex pairings or any other aspects of the LGBTQIA community because I can guarantee you that there will be something in every single one of my stories that will piss you off and I honestly don't need those kind of people reading my work. The same goes for anyone who has issue will biracial pairings because they will also be present in many of my stories. The world is changing, I'm not going to say it has changed because it hasn't, and mindless hating is something that I cannot and will not deal with. Diverse couples are everywhere and I'm not going to ignore that fact just because it makes you uncomfortable.

I'm sorry for the rest of you lovely people who have done nothing but support this story from day one because you guys are absolutely amaxing and I love you very much. There are just some things I can't help but get up on a soap box for. Hopefully I got to all of your reviews and you like this chapter.

Love

Adrien

P.S. Did any of y'all take the Pottermore patronus test? I got a salmon and I'm still not sure why...

P.P.S. And sorry for all the errors last chapter, I did most of it on my phone and it's hard for me to check it on that.

To the lovely anonymous reviewers who don't get enough credit:

RANDOMPERSON-I'm sorry you had to wait so long for a new chapter after just finding this story but I'm so glad you like my story and I hope you continue to read. :o)

Lord Slytherin-It definitely is shaping up to be a dark story but I'm really looking forward to seeing how this story ends so you don't have to worry about whether or not I'll be continuing with it because I definitely will. :o)

Disclaimer: I still don't own this sandbox in which I love to play. The amazing J. K. Rowling is the only one with that right.

Chpt. 21: Stolen Moments

His pup walks away and Sirius can't help but feel like he'd said the wrong thing. Glancing over at the irritated look in his lover's eyes and the disappointed face of his godson (who quickly follows Hermione out of the room), he knows that feeling is right. He just hopes he hadn't shattered their relationship beyond repair.

"I fucked up." It's a statement, not a question, and his eyes stare at the door his pup had left through even though he couldn't see her anymore.

"You did." Sirius's head snaps in Remus's direction, surprised at his lover's answer. Remus had always been an optimist, the fact that those words came out of his mouth instead of the reassurance Sirius had been looking for just showed Sirius how much he had messed up. How he really had hurt their daughter and how their daughter came first for Remus just like she came first for Sirius.

"Will she forgive me?"

"I wouldn't blame her if she didn't." He doesn't elaborate even though Sirius wishes more than anything that he would.

"Do you think she will?" Sirius prods.

Anger and love war in his eyes until he finally growls out, "Yes."

"Why?"

"Because she's a lot like you," is all he says before striding out of the room after their daughter.

Hermione doesn't stop walking after she makes it outside, she keeps walking (running really) down the street and around the corner to the old park that had been her only sanctuary for years. She makes it to the rickety swing set under the old willow tree before her legs give out and she sinks into the closest swing, staring at the hands that rested in her lap. Each of her hands held an object in them and each of those objects were a piece of her future. In her left hand was the ability to finally let go of her past and move on to the future, to actually be a part of her true family. In her right hand was a piece of best friend's past, one of the only pieces of his mother he had left which he'd given to her because he wanted to make sure the two of them had a future together. She'd almost used this wand to cast an Avada tonight. She'd almost disgraced the woman who this wand originally belonged to tonight, the woman who had stepped in front of that very same curse in order to save the love of Hermione's life and her best friend. It was disgusting.

The wands heats up and Hermione jumps, staring down at the piece of wood with wide eyes, and it heats up again like it's trying to tell her that everything is ok because she didn't use the curse.

"Mione." The sound of Harry's voice makes her jump again. "Are you alright, love?" He steps in front of her, squatting down to her eye level.

Her chest warms in sync with the wand in her hand and she gives him a genuine smile. "I really am. I'm finally free, Harry. We're both free."

Harry's emerald eyes widen and a grin stretches across his lips. "We are, aren't we?"

"We are," she laughs, her own smile widening.

"WE'RE FREE!" Harry yells at the top of his lungs as he jumps to his feet and pulls her into his arms, spinning them both around. "I love you," he says, pressing a kiss to her lips as he sets her back on her feet.

"More than anything," she replies when she finally pulls away.

By the time Sirius managed to find his family, Remus is sitting on a park bench watching Harry push Hermione on one of two swings in an old park most people probably didn't know existed considering how hard it was for Sirius to find (he'd actually had to change into his animagus form to find them).

"Higher, Harry!" Hermione laughs as her unruly curls fly behind her, nearly wacking Harry in the face as she goes by him.

"Any higher and you'll fly off!" Harry's laughter joins hers and Sirius's heart breaks a little bit because he wasn't a part of this moment. He wasn't part of their happiness in this moment. He was actually part of the reason they shouldn't have been as happy as they were right now, he had been a complete arse. But they were happy despite that. They were having the types of moments that they should've had their entire lives but didn't because fate had worked against them. Instead of growing bitter and paranoid like Sirius (and Remus to a point) had though, they decided to find joy in each other. They stole moments of happiness to hold them through the sea of darkness they had known their entire lives until they had met one another. They were so much stronger than anyone gave them credit for, than anyone would probably ever know if Sirius was being honest with himself.

He didn't want to break up the moment but they really needed to go. They still needed to get the things Hermione wanted from her old house and turn in the paperwork before the adoption agency office closed for the night.