I dont own any of the Harry Potter characters

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Two Lovers Stop For Kisses On A Wall

She Asked Him 'Never Leave Me'

He Tells Her That He Won't

Two Lovers - The Twang

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Severus saw the couple wrapped together, so close that their limbs were indistinguishable from each other, their heads beside each other, eyes closed, as the debris and clutter began to fall and crumble from the cieling, hailing around the unmoving couple like rain in a storm. He waved his wand and transfigured the falling clusters of rock and wood into sand, watching as it drifted down and settled in the folds of their clothing, unnoticed to them. He thought about moving them, leading them from the room with magic and placing them in the safety of the grounds, yet he could not be sure that it would not put them in danger, interfere with the potion and spell being enacted, and end up killing the couple, just as they were so close... even as he thought it, his gut clenched and his eyes fell on the unmoving bodies before him. He could not be sure they were not already dead. And what if they were? Had he really done everything he could? A nagging voice told him yes, but another part argued, telling him it could not be controlled, that the outcome was beyond him, that he could do nothing more... yet still he felt the insistent need to do something more, to make sure there was nothing left to chance, that he had given his all, that he had not let another woman he adored die and been helpless to stop her.

And he did adore her. Even as he looked on at her, wrapped so closely, lovingly and intimately around another man, he knew. Yet his whole self settled into a state of confusion. Was it adoration of the opposite sex? Or adoration of a friend, a colleague, a companion? Was it perhaps, merely adoration of a brilliant mind, his own intellectual equal? For looking at her, he could see the beauty of her physical appearance, knew how incredibly beautiful her soul was, and yet he could not imagine himself with her in any way other than near to her, holding her, not in sexual situations, but in situations where he reassured her, like a friend or older brother... It confused him blissfully, yet terribly. He had never seen love so pure and obvious between two people, never witnessed its true power before, and looking at the two, he knew that there was no likelihood of any other replacing them in eachothers hearts. He adored her, yes, but what good was that when she was so consumed? And, in what way did he adore her? It was unlike anything he had known before; he had known he loved Lily, almost from the moment he met her. Was it only her qualities shining through Hermione that confused him into thinking he might also love her? Of course, she was attractive in her own right too, but Severus had been in love with Lily for many years; her qualities in another were bound to arouse feelings of great confusion. But did he love Hermione? His eyes fell on Sirius, whose arms were wrapped protectively around her, who had risked his life and soul to save her, who had given up everything, even the chance of one last kiss, to protect her. No, Severus thought, he did not love Hermione. Not to that extent at least. He was fascinated by her mind and personality, her thought processes and her interests, yet his love for her - and he was certain it was most definitely a degree of love - was different. It was not sexual, it was not lustful or emotional to that degree. It was almost... brotherly... or fatherly, given the age difference. And, as his dark onyx eyes watched the two, he found himself delightfully pleased with this newfound revelation; if the two survived, he would not have to watch her leave with Sirius with a broken heart, as he had done when Lily left with Potter.

Incredible, really, he thought, that it took witnessing a love so raw and unrivalled to decipher his own jumbled emotions. Incredible, yet comforting. Carefully, he walked across the room, bending down to touch Hermione's wrist with his two fingers, searching for a pulse, a beating under his fingers, the soft rhythm of her heart... He felt nothing. He held his fingers in place, for several long moments, before pulling them back, emotion welling behind his obsidian eyes, emotion that pricked pain and mourning, emotion that they could not see. He touched Sirius' wrist in turn, feeling the cold, clamminess of his skin, searching again for that small sign of life. It seemed to be in vain. In desperation, he drew his wand and pointed it at both Hermione and Sirius' chests, muttering the word 'ennervate', before quickly seeking another beat. It did not come. He had not expected it to. He could still feel the Dark Magic enveloping the room, enclosing the occupants in a blanket of mystery and danger, of blood and lives that were not deemed important by the makers of the spells, but that had given a strange warmth to the room before. Severus felt cold and shivered, watching a single tear trickle down his long hooked nose, watching its progress to the floor, splashing into the dust and grime, leaving a small circular patch that seemed to spread out. He blinked and breathed deeply, then turned away from the couple, unsure of what to do. He had to let Potter know, of course; that would be eventful on it's own. He felt a pang in his chest as he realized what the boy was sure to think; that he had killed them, for whatever silly reason he believed to be true, that Severus would be no more welcome in his house than fireworks in a simmering potion. Perhaps he should return them to Hogwarts, leave them in the care of Madam Pomfrey - she could ready them for their funerals after all. He clenched his slender fingers into a fist and shook himself inwardly. He could not be sure they were dead. He had witnessed enough Dark Magic in his time to know that things were not always as they appeared. If they were not dead, then of course, Madam Pomfrey would be able to look after them... but how could they tell? He thought carefully, sighing, then turning back to the couple, still unmoving and motionless.

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Harry rested his head on Ginny's, his arm wrapped around her shoulders, his eyes fixed on the Snitch zooming around the room, before he looked down at the redheaded girl in his arms and spoke the thought that had been nagging at him for days.

"I'm worried about them." He had expected her to ask who, to question what he meant. He was not expecting her to sigh and sit up, stroking his cheek and smiling slightly.

"You're always worried about them. It's natural. They're your godfather and best friend," she kissed his nose lightly. "But I am sure that you have nothing to worry about, at all. They're most likely wrapped in a big blanket in Hermione's rooms, with lots of sugar mice and sex toys for company." Her hand played through his hair. "They hadn't seen each other in a month after all."

"But they didn't come back in!" Harry argued. "They wouldn't have left without saying so Gin, I know they wouldn't. There's something not right about it and I don't get it... we didn't get an owl or anything today... I thought he'd write at least, and if he didn't, then Hermione would."

"Maybe it'll come later," Ginny replied, quite easily, clearly unworried.

"But..."

"Harry, Sirius was a ladies man for years, he was used to plenty of sex, and if I'm not mistaken, he's rubbed his appetite off on Hermione. I'll eat my own wand if they don't write tomorrow, full of apologies, saying that they were 'distracted'."

Harry sighed and gritted his teeth. "It's still not right."

She kissed the corner of his mouth lightly. "It's perfectly normal. Now shut up, and lets go upstairs, it's Christmas after all."

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Sirius felt as though he were floating, in a place he did not recognise, but yet somehow still felt familiar with. It was a white expanse of light, unbordered, unending, a vast distance of untouched perpetual white light, disappearing into a dot in the distance, yet still it was not completed. He looked down and around, finding himself to be the only inhabitant, still dressed in his clothing, his jacket coated in dirt and dust, indecently so, given the pure surroundings he occupied. He brushed a hand through his hair, closing his eyes briefly and counting to ten, before opening them again with confusion and worry. Hermione was not here with him. Wherever 'here' was, he was not with her. Had he broken his promise? Had she woken up elsewhere, without him? No. Perhaps she was here somewhere too... His eyes scoured the perfectly white landscape, wishing desperately, searching in vain, for a dark shadowy figure, lying nearby, with curly ringlets cascading down her back. Nothing, except white. Never before had he so hated the colour. And yet... he did not hate this place. There something unspeakably reassuring about it. He was waiting for something. He was sure of it. Any minute now, something would happen. Perhaps he would see a gigantic explosion, or fight a deathly duel with Slytherin... his hand gripped his hand tight. Yes, that seemed incredibly likely. It would not surprise him in the least.

Yet there was something about the place itself that told him differently. He did not feel threatened, in danger, or even scared. On the contrary, he felt at peace, protected, safe, as though a guardian was standing over him. He turned around, sensing something behind him, and stopped in his tracks, his eyes taking in the familiar brown-eyed figure before him, and the even more familiar hair. He stared for several moments, then broke into a grin.

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She must have been floating on a cloud, if the white expanse surrounding her was anything to go by. Of course, she might well be dreaming; logic could tell her that she couldn't possibly float on a cloud... yet here she was, and there was no other sign or indication of where she happened to be. She was alone, in a wide, seemingly endless landscape of white, yet shockingly, she felt no twinge of unease or discomfort. It was almost as though this was the most delightful thing she had ever done, as if it was a happy passer of time. It was odd, yet she settled herself gently on the floor, waiting for something. She was not sure what, but she was positive that she had to wait, and when she waited, it would come.

A slight ache inside her told her that Sirius should be here too, yet that worry and unease seemed to be driven from her mind, and she settled herself instead on wondering how far she could walk before she came to anything worth seeing. Brushing her hair from her eyes and tucking it behind her ear, she sighed. A soft echoing of feet on stone made her stand and slowly turn around, not in fear, no, but out of curiousity. She saw familiar eyes and felt her stomach churn.

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"Hello Pads."

James Potter was exactly as Sirius remembered, with his dark hair messed in a similar way to Harry's, his glasses sat crookedly on his nose, his Quidditch arms clearly defined and well muscled, and his hazel eyes throwing mischief, understanding and delight all at once. He wore the same clothes that Sirius had found him in on that fateful night, but they were crisp and clean, as if they had been washed and ironed several times over.

"Prongs?" His voice cracked slightly as Sirius accepted, in utter desperation, that his best friend was once again standing before him. He wondered vaguely if he was dreaming, if he would wake up in a few minutes and be lying on a dirty floor. For some reason the idea gave him hope, yet not because he would be leaving James.

"It's been a long time," James said with a grin, his teeth showing and seeming almost yellow compared to the glimmering white of the landscape they were in. "More than twenty years in fact, and I don't even get a hug." He sighed and shrugged, a small smirk playing across his lips as he watched the incredulous look on his best friends face.

Sirius stared, disbelieving, then walked forward and hesitantly held out a hand, looking for clarity in his handshake before embracing him. The hand that clasped his was as calloused and rough as that of his best friend, bearing the blisters of hard duelling and years of Quidditch. Tears pricked at Sirius eyes and he did not hesitate in letting them cascade down his cheeks as he pulled James in for a long, manly hug, clapping him on the back and gripping him firmly, with a sure need for reassurance, comfort, familiarity.

"That's more like it!" James laughed, clapping Sirius back, smiling as he pulled slowly backwards. "I must say, you've been surprising me a little too much recently."

"How so?" Sirius asked, choked up and voice cracking.

"Snivellus?" He smirked. "When did you two become bosom buddies?"

"We're not bosom buddies!" Sirius said distastefully. "I needed his help to find Hermione and..."

"Ahhh," James smiled. "Hermione. Surprised me there too... I always pictured you with a tall blonde in kinky heels..."

Sirius smiled slightly. "Sorry to disappoint you."

James shook his head. "Not at all disappointed. Glad you saw past the outer-figure..."

"That's pretty good too though," Sirius reasoned defensively.

The grin on James' face was so familiar it sent a horrible pang coursing through Sirius' chest. "I'd have expected nothing less from you Pad's. Always knew you'd pull a blinder."

Sirius nodded slowly, looking down at his feet and shoving his hands into the pockets of his jeans. "I love her." He stated bluntly, his eyes fixated on the toes of his boots.

James snorted. "Don't think I don't know it."

There was a silence, in which Sirius wondered why he could think of so little to say, when after twenty years he was finally with his best friend again. Why was it that silence stretched over them like strangers, when once this man had been the most important thing in his world? "Where are we?" He asked finally, breaking the heart-rendering silence that consumed him, though James seemed not to notice the discomfort.

"Well... we're halfway there..."

"Halfway where?" Sirius asked irritably and incredulously.

Smiling, James shook his head. "I can't tell you that Pad's. You can go back, or you can go on. It's that simple."

"Simple?" Sirius gasped. "How is it simple? I don't even know what you mean! Where am I? What do you mean? Am I dead?"

James sighed. "You're not dead, but you're not exactly alive right now either... you're... well... halfway between."

A chill went through his body, and Sirius met James' eyes meaningfully. "You're not dead either?"

His friend shook his head. "No Pads, you're not dead. I am. I've been dead for a very long time. It's different for me though. I was killed. You weren't..."

"Well I wasn't exactly a ripe old age." Sirius said bitterly, clenching his fist in his pocket in an attempt to stem his anger and worry. "What happened to Hermione? Is she ok?"

Incredulity slid across James' face. "Pads, I can't tell you that! This is your decision. You go on with me, or you stay there and hope she's still alive. I can't tell you anymore. It's not that I don't want to. I really wish I could, but there are somethings we've got no control over."

Sirius gritted his teeth. "What if she's dead?"

"It's for you to decide Pads," James clasped Sirius shoulder. "You should trust your judgement. You've got to ask yourself whether it's worth going back on the offchance she'll be there with you, or whether you should go on and, if she's still there, watch her fall in love with someone else and marry them and have little babies."

James cast a sidelong look at his friend, smirking when he saw the intense annoyance etched into his features. "I assume then, that you wouldn't like that at all?" He asked sweetly.

Shaking his head slowly, Sirius spoke. "You know I don't. I love her. It's like... you know when you got your wand?"

"Vaguely..." James said carefully, confused as to how his wand had anything to do with this.

"You know when you walked in, and you tried so many, and none of them fitted, or worked, and there was just a huge pile beside you that you didn't want or like or care about?"

"Yeah... course I do. I was in there for about two hours."

Sirius smiled, then continued. "And then you found the one that fitted, the one that worked, that gave you tingles and shot sparks out of the end and gave this... this... silent promise of companionship and protection and everything else?" The childish recollection eased into his voice, and he did not attempt to push it away.

"Yes," James nodded, understanding what he meant - his hair had stood on end, and warmth had spread to his fingertips.

"It's like that, but it's a person... it's... I feel that way about Hermione. The first time I held her I knew there was something...It was like when I went into Ollivanders that time. I held her and she fit, she made me feel... different... good about myself... she was like this promise of happiness in a world I could never have coped with, just like my wand was a promise of escape from the hellhole I'd grown up in - it meant I was going away from their, getting away from my spoilt brother and my parents with pureblood mania and..." he sighed quietly, "she was like the ray of hope I never thought I could have..."

He lapsed into silence, lost in his own wonderments as he walked without thinking beside James, falling into step as easily as they always had, all those years ago at Hogwarts.

Eventually, as they walked on into the unending blanket of white, James spoke again. "So what are you going to do?"

Sirius looked at him, and knew he would understand, saw in those hazel depths the reality of how obvious his decision really was. He wondered if he already knew, if he had already guessed that Sirius had made up his mind so easily. No answer was neccesary.

James grinned. "I thought so."

Another silence, not uncomfortable, but easy, carefree. And then Sirius spoke. "I'm sorry."

James stopped and raised an eyebrow. "What for?"

"For Peter... I shouldn't have convinced you to change your mind... it was stupid... I thought you'd be safe... I'll never forgive myself!"

Rolling his eyes, James adjusted his glasses on his nose. "You know, I think it's about time you do. You don't deserve to beat yourself up over it. You did what you thought was best. You made a mistake, but you more than made up for it looking after Harry and keeping him out of trouble."

Sirius frowned. "I have never kept Harry out of trouble. I've never had the chance to look after him... maybe if Dumbledore hadn't ordered Hagrid to take Harry to the Muggles I would've but..." His voice was bitter as he looked around for something to kick and found nothing. He vented his frustration in a loud growl of irritation, then looked at the floor.

James sighed. "You're determined to blame yourself Pads. Has it ever occured to you that maybe, even if we hadn't had Peter as our Keeper, he'd still have found us? You know what I was like. After a couple of months I wanted to bust out of the place and come see you. I wouldn't have held out very long. He'd have found us sometime, and you know it deep down."

Sirius felt a hot burning behind his eyelids and blinked rapidly in an attempt to stop them. "You wouldn't have gone so soon. Harry wouldn't have gone and lived with Muggles, and you'd have helped him grow up. And you'd have taught him to prank people, instead of him learning it for himself."

The bespectacled man looked at the other with a sad expression he had never before shown. "I missed you too Pads," he said softly.

Sirius was not quite sure how it happened, only that seconds later he was clasping his best friend in a strong hug and letting tears stream down his face without so much as a care of how he must look. After all, he reasoned, who was there to see him.

They slackened their grips and grasped each others shoulders.

"She's something special, ey Pads?"

Sirius grinned and nodded. "More than special Prongs. Much more."

"Less of the guilt alright. I think you've done more than enough to earn a little bit of... reconciliation..."

Smiling, Sirius nodded. "I'll do my best."

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Hermione looked into the green eyes that she recognised so easily with an odd combination of fear and comfort. It was not that she was scared of the eyes, or the woman that looked through them, but of the prospect of truly being dead; after all, Lily Potter could not be here if she was not. But the familiarity of those green depths, so alike to her sons, sent a warmth throughout her body, ousting the cold fear of death from her with a gentle smile.

"Am I..?" Her voice trailed off, echoing inside her head but seeming to emerge so quietly from her lips that she was surprised Lily heard.

"No. You're not." A sweet smile graced her lips as she reached out a hand for Hermione's. "Not yet."

"Not... yet?" Hermione's voice cracked and she cleared her throat. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, that it's a choice you're going to have to make."

Hermione stared at Lily's green eyes, welcoming the comfort of another hand at her fingertips, the warmth telling her that there was still hope... she wasn't dead. "What's there to decide?"

"You could go back," Lily murmured, holding Hermione's hand as though she were her best friend and they were walking down the street together, not at all as though she were her son's best friend or her sons godfathers girlfriend... "or you could go on..."

"Where? What do you mean go on?"

"Well... this is like... the roundabout I suppose, you can cross over it and take the next road, or you can drive round it and go back the way you came..." She smiled again, showing perfect white teeth. "It's your choice to make."

"But... how am I supposed to? I don't know anything about where I'm going!"

"On." The word was ominous and sent chills down Hermione's spine. "I can't tell you about it. It's part of the magic... you can't know about it until you're there. If you go back, then you go back to everything you've known. Your family, Hogwarts, your friends, Harry..."

"Sirius?" Hermione asked hopefully. "What about Sirius?"

Lily smiled sympathetically. "I can't promise anything. He's got to make the same choice. He could go on. He could go back."

Hermione blinked back tears. "He'll go on," she said softly. "He'll go on to be with you and James. He... won't go back." She felt a cracking in her chest as she said it. He had said it himself, after all, so many times, after his nightmares.

"I'd do anything to be with them again Hermione. Anything." And he had held her while he said it, tears streaming down his face still at his loss. She knew he would go on, was certain that nothing would come between his decision to be with them again and yet... He loves you, she thought to herself, he almost died for you... maybe it's not such a stupid idea to think he'd go back... His last words echoed in her head, 'You won't have to', 'I love you'. He had promised her that she would never have to live without him. She felt a warmth in her chest and she hugged herself, trying to hold it in, compress it back into herself. Maybe she could go back after all... or maybe he'd known... known she would follow him onwards, known that this would happen, that they would both be here, made to choose; knew that she knew him well enough to follow him. But then, what if she were wrong? What if he went back, thinking she would wish to stay with Harry, Ginny, Ron, her parents... how could she know that by walking onwards she wasn't leaving behind the thing she went on for?

"Do you know that?" Lily asked softly. "For certain?"

"I... yes... no... I don't... I thought..." tears spilled down Hermione's face. "He wanted to be with you... he told me so many times but... he said I wouldn't ever have to live without him and..." she wiped her eyes impatiently, "can't I know where he's going?"

Lily smiled, but shook her head slowly, her hair flicking over her shoulder gracefully as she did so. "I can't. I'm here to give you the choice. Sirius has to make his, you have to make yours."

"James is with Sirius... isn't he?"

Lily nodded slowly. "Yes. And if I know Sirius, he'll already have made his mind up."

Hermione sighed and sank to the floor without really thinking about it. "What if I make the wrong choice, and he goes the other way?" The heartache and worry dripped form each syllable, twisting cold and chilling vines around her heart and squeezing it with a horrible vice-like grip. "What if we go the wrong way and one of us ends up... marrying someone else and... and having kids with them... and..."

"Where do you think he'll go?" Lily asked quietly.

"On." Hermione answered after a long silence.

"In that case..." Lily said softly, "I'd go back."

"What?" Hermione asked, her head shooting up, losing the shaking of her voice with the shock of Lily's suggestion.

Lily sighed and began to explain. "Sirius tends to do things that nobody else would expect. I wouldn't have expected him to go to the lengths he did to rescue you; to rescue James or Remus maybe, but never in my lifetime did he express any undying love for anyone. I wouldn't have expected him to risk his life for anyone but his best friends, and I wouldn't have expected him to fall in love with my sons best friend." A small smile, and Lily squeezed Hermione's shoulder reassuringly. "If you expect him to go on, I think it's in your best interest to go back. He knows you'll want to go back to be with your parents, to have your own life... and he's got his own life to live now too."

Hermione looked at the older woman, though she did not look older in the slightest, with respect shining through her glistening eyes. She understood, without knowing how, what Lily meant. "The prophecy," Hermione voiced suddenly. "Do you know what it meant?"

Smiling, Lily nodded. "It's fulfilled itself until now. The last sentence is the only bit you have to prove."

Hermione racked her brains, which was surprisingly easy, despite having had no food for several days. "Truth shall reign?" Hermione said quietly. "What does it mean?"

"He who's guilt is strongest will set out to repay his debt to those he loved; well that was about Sirius going to the department of mysteries for Harry. His blood will betray him and time will rewind; well that was about Bellatrix fighting against him - ancient magic is said to curse those who duel their bloodkin with intent to kill, thought it's not certain anymore. Time will rewind is obvious, because his whole life was rewinded to the age he was before Azkaban, when his life served very little purpose and he was forced to spend a wrong imprisonment of time behind bars." Lily smiled, then continued, "his guilt will be cleansed and his blood spilt before him, well thats about how he went after you, spilling his own blood to carry out the spell, and killing Bellatrix at the same time, making sure you were safe so that he didn't have to feel guilty anymore and..." Lily took a breath and frowned thoughtfully. "Those whose love he has gained - you, obviously - shall be flayed in his name... well that was more of a metaphorical meaning... I mean, you weren't physically flayed, I think it was more of the idea that was meant to make Sirius do something... I suppose being tied up wasn't particularly nice, and niether was having nothing to eat but.." she smiled and shrugged, as if this was unimportant. "And truth shall reign." The last phrase was left to hang in the air around them, and Hermione was brought of her reverie, having just witnessed for the first time in her memory, what Ron and Harry had been witnessing since first year - someone who knew everything and elaborated exageratedly on each detail. Familiarity set a small smile on her face, though she still had no idea what the last line meant.

"I want to go back," she said softly, not really sure when or how she had decided it, but certain that it was the right thing to do. And, if she was wrong - if Lily was wrong - she would simply have to live on... the thought sent a small shiver down her spine, but it was quickly dispelled by a warm feeling in her chest at the thought of life, of love, of her parents, of Harry, of Ron, of Ginny... of Sirius. "Which way do I go?"

Taking her hand, Lily lead Hermione along the vast white canvas that surrounded them, smiling. "I'm positive your making the right decision." Lily voiced softly. Around them, formerly invisible clouds seemed to disperse, and just in the distance, Hermione was sure she could see Harry, waving at something in the distance. Her heart leapt, only briefly, before she remembered where she was.

"Is that..?"

"James." Lily said, smiling. "So Sirius has made his choice too." Although she had given no clue as to what the choice might have been, Hermione felt a small lift of hope and happiness in her chest as they approached the dark haired, bespectacled man, who turned around with a beaming smile across his handsome features.

"Hermione Granger," James said, grinning and casting a quick glance over Hermione with a small wink at his wife. "Didn't he do well?"

Blushing, Hermione hid her mouth behind her hand to stop her smile. At the same time, an odd unexpected wave of longing washed over her, longing for Sirius to have the company of his two best friends, for the two of them to be able to go to dinner round the other couples house, to tease each other... this small glimpse of what it might have been like if they were alive, the friendly, casual flirtiness of a boyfriends friend, comfortable with each others partners to a degree that sly winks were acceptable, made her heart ache for Sirius, and made her realize, for the first time ever, just how deep his loss had run.

"Doors there." James said, indicating a golden door which had just materialised from the misty white air before them. "Time for you to go home and..."

A warning look from Lily told him to be quiet, and he walked to his wife, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "Take care of Harry Mione," James requested solemnly.

"I'll... I'll try..."

"We know you will." Lily said warmly. Smiling, she rested her head on James' shoulder. "We'll see you in fifty or so years I suppose."

"When truth is abounding joy and happiness!" James said merrily. Hermione and Lily looked at him with similar expressions of confusion, before Hermione reached for the door.

"Thank you," Hermione said softly, meeting Lily's green eyes.

The two smiled and nodded. "Do a good job." James' solemn voice said seriously.

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Sirius stood at the golden door with James, his hand on the warm doorknob, which emanated warmth. "You think I'm doing the right thing?"

"Positive." James said, grinning.

"And you don't think less of me for it?"

"Definitely not."

Smiling, Sirius clasped James' shoulder. "I love you Prongs," he said seriously.

"I love you too Pads," he grinned, "but save it for the bedroom."

Laughing, Sirius twisted the door handle and looked into the bright light ahead of him. "Here goes I guess.." he smiled back at his friends. "See you in fifty years?"

"Fifty? You're kidding right? I got twenty three and you get about a hundred?" James grinned.

Sirius stared, then smiled back.

"Don't worry Pads, go out there and have little pups for me."

"Not just for you."

"Of course not."

A hug, a grin and a wave later, and Sirius disappeared into the swirling white light, away from the unknown midpoint of life and death.

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He could only be certain of a violent pain in his back, a burning agony in his arm, and a searing headache which threatened to split his forehead in two. His arms were stiff and his body immoveable, but even as he lay there with his eyes closed tight, he realized he did not feel the neccessity to move, or to open his eyes. A warm body in his arms gave comfort he didn't realize he needed, and yet he found it was the only thing he really required to feel the strange surge of happiness in his stomach. A small smile graced his lips, and although the pain of moving his muscles was intense to the degree of torture, he did not let it fade, contentment settling in his chest as he held her, knowing it was her, that she was with him, that she was alive, that she was... His eyes snapped open in his need to know, to see the reassurance for himself, to see her eyes flicker open and her head stir against him. Head spinning, eyes attempting to focus against the flaring light, he fought to stay conscious, to keep his eyes open and find the features of his lover. As his vision came into focus, the blur lessening, and the soft golden locks of Hermione came into sight, obscuring his view. He reached out a tentative hand, running his hand across the top of her head, smoothing her curls lovingly, uncaring about the dust, dirt and grease that had collected there. His other hand moved from beneath her waist to press to her cheek. Chills rand through him as he felt the cool skin of her cheek, his hands seeking the pulse in her neck out of desperation. He found nothing, and panic gripped him, his breath stopping in his throat and his head swimming with worry and horror. What if she'd gone on? And then, suddenly, as though the thought itself had made it happen, a small flicker of a beat pulsed beneath his fingers. He froze and looked at his fingers in shock, wondering if he had imagined it, or whether she really was alive. And then, there it was again, stronger this time, a reassurance in itself. With each breath, Sirius felt his clenched heart relax, the knot in his chest loosening as he revelled in the simplicity of the simple pulsing beneath his fingers. He let his breath leave him in one large exhale, running a hand through her hair and smiling to himself as he watched the eyes flicker open, as he imagined the blurring she was seeing as her eyes adjusted to the lights. He looked into the caramel brown depths, feeling his soul dance for joy at the sight of the light reflecting off their moist surfaces, sighing with relief as a small nervous smile graced her lips, before her arms slid around his neck and her face rested on her shoulder as she held him close, sighing with relief, letting tears fall silently onto his shirt. Yet he knew they fell, and just as hers did, so did his own, sliding down the contours of his face and landing in the mass of curly hair that he delighted in. "Thank Merlin." He murmured into her ear. And in a moment of locked eyes and burning unspoken confessions, their heads bent towards one another, mouths locking in a gently kiss, a dance of tongues and rejoicing love that drove all doubts and worries from their minds. Somewhere in the room, an anguished cry of a tortured, splitting soul, echoed off the walls, unheard by the embracing couple, lying uncaring in the dust covered floors of the house, dirt and cobwebs in their hair, debris in the creases of their clothing. Even as they lay there and pulled apart their locked mouths, they did not care.

Sirius eyes met hers with a warmth that burnt from the centre of his soul.

"I didn't know you'd come..." he said softly. "For a moment there I thought you'd gone on..."

Hermione stroked his cheek gently. "I thought you were going to... Lily though differently..."

Sirius smiled and kissed her forehead, before meeting her glowing orb-like eyes once more. "Do I need to say it?" He asked quietly, his forehead resting on hers, noses rubbing.

She shook her head. "I don't think so. I think you proved it already. I know already."

He nodded and pressed his lips to the corner of her mouth. "Good." He held her close and sighed. "I'm sorry about everything... I just..."

Hermione shook her head. "Don't. Not now. Please... we'll talk later just... let me hold you.."

He smiled weakly and nuzzled her cheek with his nose. "Thank you." His hand interlinked with hers and he felt a sudden burst of need and affection. "Never leave me again." He said softly. "I don't think I think straight without you."

She smiled. "I promise, I'm not leaving."

A soft smile graced his lips, and then, before he realized what he was saying, words slipped past his lips, words that had been held at the back of his throat for months, words he was desperate to speak. "I want to be with you forever." He said gripping her hand in his, holding it to his chest.

"I know, I do too."

"So, will you...?"

"Yes. Of course I will."

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I'm an awful writer. I never have the guts to kill them off. One day I will. I Swear. Someday in some story, they're all going to DIE. in a less violent manner than that suggestion.

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Mage of the Heart