Hermione was sitting with Ginny and Lily as they sipped their glasses and chatted. They had mingled at first, enjoying the holiday atmosphere, but the witches started a huddle. It was in that moment that James had started a game of muggle cards with Remus and Arthur. Sirius was sitting between the twins and eyeing the witches; he had a plan. Fred was smirking and drinking from his glass as George glanced around.
"So, what do you think?" Sirius grumbled, and Fred laughed.
"About the dress? Very sexy," Fred murmured, and George nodded.
"Who is she trying to make jealous? Hermione doesn't usually put out the stops just for fun." George remarked and shrugged his shoulders.
Sirius waved him off and drained his glass. "How much do I have to pay you to help me make her change?"
Fred snorted and grinned. "Oh mate."
"We know," George mumbled and continued with his twin.
"About the bet," they said together.
Sirius made a face and shook his finger, "You do not want me to tongue your mother do you?"
"Better you," George said.
"Than us," Fred finished, grasping the Animagus under his arm.
"Meaning, Moony must have already promised you something."
"Oh, he did." Fred chuckled and smirked.
"What was that?" Sirius asked pointedly.
Fred shifted and tilted his head toward the witches. Remus had gotten up between hands and offered Hermione another drink. The she-wolf giggled and kissed his hand before drinking it deeply. Sirius scratched his beard and smirked at the twins. "He promised you a drunk she-wolf?"
"Oh, yes. We have a plot,"
"Of our own," George ended for his twin.
The animagus glowered and poured himself another drink. "What might that be?"
"You will just have to see," George said and got his brother's attention. "Let's go."
The twins disappeared as Hermione crossed the room to Sirius. She was grinning, and her cheeks were red with merriment. "Pads, what are you pouting about?"
"I am being sabotaged," Sirius grumbled and she drained her glass before leaning toward him.
"Who is impairing you?"
He tucked a strand away from her cheek and sighed. "No one of concern."
She flung her arms around his neck and caused him to embrace her. "Padfoot, come, let me show you something," she murmured, and he smirked at her.
"Are you on your way to being bloody pissed?" he questioned, and she giggled with a nod.
"I haven't been this," she paused and rubbed her cheek against his, "this drunk since we were in the bathroom together." Her voice was a loud whisper.
He couldn't hide his amusement as she swayed against him affectionately. "Do you realize that Moony is trying to get you sloshed?"
Hermione gave him a breathy laugh as she tilted her head back. "Remus wouldn't do that, Sirius. He knows he can feel it through our bond."
That was news to the animagus. Had she admitted something to gain leverage over his husband? "Does he really know this or do you assume so?"
She gave him a very 'Hermione' glare. "Everyone who is a werewolf would know that, Padfoot."
Sirius was in fits of wicked joy as she frowned at him. "Come on, sweetheart… let me refresh your beverage while you tell me more about things Moony knows."
He dragged her away from the busier side of the room with their drinks full and ran his fingers through her curls. "Madness only seeks madness, Sirius." She teased, and he grinned at her.
"What else can my lovely werewolf feel through this bond?" Sirius asked, and she leaned toward him.
"Everything if I let him," she murmured and smirked.
"What about you?"
Hermione swigged her glass and glanced fondly over at the other werewolf. "He lets me in every now and again. Hopes, fears, doubts… desires. They are all there when he opens to me."
"Lust?" Sirius questioned, and her cheeks shaded a deeper red as she glanced back at him.
"Sometimes. Mostly it is affection for you that he sends off unintentionally. It is harder to live with you both than you think," Hermione admitted with a small smile.
Sirius had nearly forgotten the bet as he grew intrigued. "Darling, I have to ponder. Did you play with me all those years ago to tease the old bloke?"
Her brow knitted as she stared at him with an indignant expression. "No, Sirius. I did because I wanted to." Her face softened and her lips curved. "I did because I like you, amenable mutt."
"Oh? How much?" he asked with a playful tone.
"Too much, Sirius Black. I always have. It was only a bonus that Molly chased you around the house with a jiggle jinx when Charlie mentioned the bathroom incident." Hermione giggled, and he ran a thumb over her cheek with a chuckle.
"She always insisted I was terrible for the women of the house."
Hermione finished her drink and sighed. "We had fun. I remember the first few nights you would stay over late with me at Harry's to make certain that I was drinking enough after my break up."
"Why did you truly leave?" he asked her, and her eyes turned cheerless.
"Because Remus was in love with you," Hermione murmured and turned her gaze away from him. "I never had a chance with him, and I surely would never try anything with you."
"So the books really are about him?" Sirius asked, and Hermione pursed her lips as she met his stare.
"Yes, Sirius. They always have been. His whole world encased anything I saw as home. I had to leave, and I had to write it all out of my being. Had I known he had you, I would have slept easier at night." She confessed, and Sirius switched her glasses.
"You need something stronger to get out of your wretched mood if we are going dancing in the snow."
She drained the glass and tugged him off the couch with her. "Come on, Pads. I know you still have some of that pure-blood training left in you."
They left through the back door and entered the garden. Sirius did not notice that the other werewolf was keenly watching them and decided to follow at a distance to see what they were scheming. She took the animagus's hand and led him to the landing. Sirius grasped her in a formal posture and started to sway to the silent music as she smiled up at him.
"You have to tell me something, love," he told her, and she tilted her head.
"Yes, marauder?" she questioned, and he smirked.
"Why didn't you ask him to leave me?" he responded and she gasped.
"Sirius, you know I would never do that. I love you both as one wild heart loves another. It would be a travesty to see either of you in pain."
Sirius chuckled and twirled her before he started to hum gently. He could see she was pretty sloshed, but still in control of her movements as he led her through a simple routine. Hermione stifled a laugh as his humming grew to mumbling.
"You've got your passion, you've got your pride, but don't you know that only fools are satisfied?" Sirius sang, and she rolled her eyes and finished her flourish.
"You are mental, Sirius," she laughed, and he stopped with a nod. "You only sing Billy when you are pining for Moony," she remarked and pulled away from him with a smile.
"That's because my werewolf likes it when I sing him," Sirius retorted, and she glanced back at him with an impish smile. "You will always be Vienna, love." He stated with a simple nod.
Her smile dropped and stopped the werewolf in her tracks. Her face would have been comical if her eyes weren't glittering in the low light. "Oh," was all she said.
He smirked and held his hand out. "Let's get you into the warmth?"
Her cheeks were rosy as she took his hand and they walked back toward the door. Remus was standing there with a smile and folded arms. "I cannot leave you two for two minutes without someone dancing or yelling in pain?" he snickered, and Hermione grinned brightly at him.
"Well, I suppose it is better than me plotting his untimely death, Moony."
"Too true," Remus replied, and Sirius ruffled her hair.
They tucked her between them and Remus beamed down at her. "It was nice to see you smiling. Sirius is always fond of a display of footwork and to be truthful; I am not quite agile on the dance floor."
"He has a flair for dramatics," Hermione said sarcastically, making Sirius sneer at her.
They made their way inside and walked toward the sitting room once again. A loud, audible pop happened overhead, and a Christmas tune started to play. Hermione groaned as her feet remained planted and the twins began hooting.
"Three for the price of two, brother!" George cheered at the mistletoe that captured them.
Remus leered at his husband, "Come here, I have a secret for you." The older werewolf whispered, and they kissed over the shorter witch, releasing them from the binding.
Hermione groaned as they walked into the room, leaving her to stew at the doorway.
"Someone come help me get out of this mess?"
Sirius folded his arms as he turned to her and waggled his eyebrows. "What do I get in return?"
"My undying devotion," she snapped, and he grinned wickedly.
"I want your dress." He said, and Remus dropped his smile.
"My dress, Sirius?" She questioned, and the older werewolf shoved him.
"You are not going to take her dress," he hissed at his husband.
"Yes," Sirius paused and smirked. "I want your dress and I will give you a kiss."
Remus pushed the animagus out of the way and scooped the witch up for a kiss. It was chaste… at first. Hermione melted instantaneously for the man, and soon he fell into the heat of her returning the kiss with vim and delight. She whimpered gently as he cupped her cheeks and put forth the passion he had all those years ago.
"Hello, earth to Moony…" Sirius grumbled.
"I am sure he is making certain she isn't caught under another mistletoe," Dory snickered in the background, making the werewolves part.
Remus stepped away from her, and the young werewolf did not meet anyone's eyes as she pivoted from the room and marched out of view. Sirius shouldered the werewolf in a resentment… he was going to win this damned bet, and Remus stopped it. He followed the young witch toward the stairs where she was gasping in mortification.
"Hermione," Sirius called out as he caught up to her.
"Sirius, I am sorry. Really I am," she murmured as she ran her fingers through her hair.
"Why are you apologizing?" He asked her, and she glared at him.
"I just snogged your husband, and you aren't angry with me?"
Sirius tilted his head and shrugged his shoulders. "Why would I be angry? I know you two have things to work out. I apparently am not a jealous man, or we wouldn't be having this conversation; I would most certainly be yelling at him."
Her face grew pale as her lips parted. "Sirius, I just kissed your husband intimately, and you aren't even batting an eyelash."
The animagus grinned and waggled his eyebrows. "Want to even the score then?"
She moved to answer, and words didn't come out. Her mouth shut and she swallowed before her eyes narrowed. "This is a trick."
Sirius gazed behind him and saw Remus standing there awkwardly. "Come on over, Moony. We were just talking about the mistletoe." He told him and the older werewolf exhaled before joining them.
"Yes, dear…" Remus grumbled and rubbed the back of his neck.
"Was it nice?" Sirius questioned, and Hermione's cheeks bloomed.
"Why are we talking about this?" her voice was contorted with anxiety.
"Because, Padfoot is relentless, Lupa. Unfortunately, we are stuck with him," Remus murmured with a small curve to his lips.
"If it was nice then we can all let this go, then?" Sirius asked, and Hermione's jaw fell open.
"W- what?" Hermione sputtered, and Remus chuckled.
"I told you, dearest, I am not a jealous wizard. If you two want to snog under a mistletoe, I am not going to deny the laughter and jeering that will come after," He declared with a nod. "Now, another drink is overdue. I am losing my buzz. Hermione, you are having two to my one," he ordered and left the werewolves in the hallway.
"He is bloody insane!" she howled in shock as he disappeared.
Remus glanced back at the door before turning to her again and smiling. "Well, it makes up for decent stories. Come on; we still have more Christmas spirit to be had."
He moved to leave, but she hemmed. "Moony…"
His eyes found hers, and he frowned at her pensive expression. "Yes, Lupa?"
"If he had kissed me instead, would you have been upset?"
Remus laughed and sighed before shaking his head. "No, I would have joined the guffawing. I may have a bit of a jealous streak, but there is no need with you, Hermione. We have quite the understanding of our unity in helping you find your happiness. Neither one of us would accuse you or each other of pushing boundaries so long as we all respect each other."
There was a moment that they just stared at each other before she nodded. "Alright, Moony. I think I understand."
He gave her a nod. "Pack is pack, Lupa. You are ours as much as we are yours now."
It made her cheeks tint as she processed what he said. "Remus?" she asked as she approached him.
"Yes?"
"I think I need that drink."
He smirked and bobbed his head. "We all do. Now, let's go join their mocking before it becomes too much to handle."
"Prongs might turn to blows…" she teased, and he groaned.
"Let us hope not. He was quite irritated with me."
She stopped them right before the doorway and frowned. "Why did Pads want my dress?"
Remus leaned to her and whispered gently. "He wants to wear it later."
Hermione broke out in laughter and nodded. "Well, I expected that."
"He always did dress remarkably well," Remus remarked and they rejoined the party once again.