Hermione woke feeling a dull ache in her arm, grasping her arm to rub away the feeling she noticed the bandage and immediately understood what happened. She couldn't remember much from the night before which only confirmed her theory. Sitting up she heard the shower and found a teacup on the bed side table. She downed the contents so quickly she barely tasted it before getting up and going to join Sirius in the shower.

After she stripped bare she stood in front of the mirror and carefully took off the bandage on her forearm. Her scar was an angry red and felt raw. Shaking her head she stepped into the shower she wound her arms around Sirius's waist.

"You should be in bed Kitten."

"I've slept enough. What happened last night?" She smiled into his back when she felt the his growl radiate into her arms and chest.

"The Weasley boy slipped you a potion because he felt the need to help you."

"Of course he did, he used to do that when my cries would wake him. Then he'd use a silencing charm so he could sleep without interruption."

Picking her arm up off his abdomen, he examined it running his fingertips lightly over it. "It looks much better than last night, Dora fixed you up."

"Everyone saw I take it?"

"I'm sorry Kitten." Turning around he grabbed her and pulled her under the stream of water with him. "They want to come over today. But I'm not letting that boy into this house without your say so."

"When are they going to be here?"

"Molly is actually in the kitchen making breakfast. She showed up an hour ago."

Chuckling she leaned, arching her back in his arms and put her head back into the water. "Of course she is, which means the others will be here shortly."

"Not too soon I hope," he smirked as he bit the sensitive spot on her shoulder earning him a throaty moan. Lightly pushing her against the shower wall Sirius trailed kisses down her body before settling on his knees in front of her. After giving equal attention to her scars he began to focus on her core, lightly swiping his tongue between her delicate folds. In response she raised he leg, setting it on his shoulder giving him better access as he pinned her to the wall with his forearm across her hips. He continued until he felt her start to quake under his hold and swiftly inserted a finger into her. Moaning she threaded her fingers into his hair she ground her pelvis into his face with renewed enthusiasm reveling in the feel of his beard and tongue on her clit. Smirking into her he lightly nibbled on her clit forcing a scream of pleasure from her throat as she came against his tongue. Standing up he kissed her deeply, thrusting his tongue into her mouth so she could taste her herself.

Unable to control herself Hermione snaked her arms around his neck in a vice like grip before lifting a leg and guiding him into her. Groaning at her sudden attack Sirius wasted no time pulling her up completely and rocking into her like a piston over and over again. When she called his name and he felt her tighten around him he could no longer hold out, spilling into her as he let his head fall to her shoulder.

There they stayed for what felt like hours until they caught their breath and he set her on her own feet. Kissing her again he reached for the soap and lathered it into her hair.


Hermione dressed in black leggings and one of Sirius's sweaters that touched the top of her thighs, hastily drying her hair she spun it into a bun and put her wand in it for safe keeping before going down to meet everyone who had congregated in their kitchen. Per her request Sirius went down ahead of her allowing her a moment to pull herself together so she could face her family. Just outside the kitchen doorway she stopped and had to she pull on her Gryffindor courage to bring herself to enter the room.

"Good morning," she said in a light voice. Approaching Molly she gave her a quick hug, "Thank you for making breakfast."

"It's my pleasure dear, you know I love it. How are you feeling?"

"I'm alright. Do you need help with anything?"

"No! You go sit, I'm almost done."

Smiling she gave the woman a quick kiss on the cheek and turned to see only Arthur, Harry, Ginny and George at the table. Sirius passed her a mug with a wink as she sat down next to him. After her first sip she relaxed with a subtle "mhmm" earning her a grin from Sirius, "Where are Remus and Tonks?"

"They're on their way. Moony said they needed to grab something on their way over."

"Mione, why didn't you tell us?"

Turning to Harry she gave him a sad smile. "You wouldn't have been able to do anything and it would have only made you worry."

Harry slammed his fist on the table, "Damn it Hermione!"

"Harry we all had our own problems after the war, I couldn't burden you with mine."

"We have always taken care of one another! You should have told me!"

"It took months for you to start acting like a normal human being again. You were carrying so much guilt, I couldn't forgive myself if I added to it. What could you have done if you'd known? Nothing."

"But Mione, your scars..."

Lifting up her sleeve she showed him her arm, "I'm fine. Just a little tenderness." He reached out and grabbed her forearm, tracing his fingers lightly in the air above the scar tissue.

"I never wanted to hear you scream like that again," he shivered. Hermione paled at his words They heard. "Yes, we could hear you, even from the dungeons. We tried so hard to get to you and we couldn't...seeing you on the floor...I was so terrified we'd lost you, you were barely moving. I have never been able to completely forgive Ron for-"

"Harry don't," she hushed.

"Wait what about Ron? What did he do?" George broke in.

"It's nothing please forget it."

Ginny looked at her husband with growing impatience, "Harry what happened?" Harry looked at her and she shook her head furiously, "Don't."

Ignoring her he turned to his wife, "When we were on the run we all got into a fight and Ron said his name when the taboo was active. Snatchers were on us in seconds. He's the reason we were captured," Harry bit out. The cup Sirius was holding broke and Hermione snatched her hand out of Harry's hold and stood up.

"Harry!"

"What Hermione?"

"We swore!"

"Why should we keep his secret? He should feel guilty. That," he pointed at her arm, "would never have happened if he hadn't said his name!"

Molly came to stand by Hermione, grasping shoulders she turned her to face her. "Hermione...is that true?"

Hermione couldn't look her in the eye so she merely nodded. Molly immediately pulled her into a bone crushing hug. Sirius had heard enough, he abruptly stood from the table and left the room. Sighing Hermione left Molly's hold and looked to Harry, "You shouldn't have said anything." Harry looked downcast at his own mug and shook his head. "It was war, things happened. We all made mistakes. It is not fair to hold it against him. This conversation never happened. Understood?" Accepting nods she started to move from the room, "I'll be right back."


She found him in the old nursery they'd set up for James, sitting by the window with the infant in his arms. Seeing him there made her chest ache but she didn't want to think about that now.

"Sirius."

"How can you stand to be around him, let alone date him for 5 years?" he ground out, voice rough with anger.

"I never blamed him for what happened at the manor."

"You should."

"Maybe but I don't. No more then I blame Harry for getting hit by Dolohov's curse in 5th year or for anything that happened during the war as I followed him."

Standing from his spot at the window, Sirius gently placed James back in his crib. "You could have died."

"We all could have, you did. Sirius, it was war. Let me see your hand."

"It's fine."

"No let me see it," pulling his hand into hers she unwrapped his makeshift bandage and felt around for her wand, forgetting it was in her hair. "Come on, I need to get my wand." Producing his own he offered it to her and she stilled. "Are you sure? Sharing a wand is an...intimate thing?"

"More intimate then what we did earlier?" he chuckled.

"Most married couples don't even share wands," she whispered staring at his wand.

He pressed his wand into her hand and raised her chin to meet his, "Love, you are welcome to my wand anytime you need it." Testing the wand in her hand she felt it yield to her and a smile crept onto her face as she healed his hand. Passing his wand back to him she pulled his now healed hand to her mouth and kissed his palm. "I want to disfigure that boy for what happened to you."

"That's not necessary. He punished himself enough for it after the war."

"I hate that I missed all of this. That I couldn't be there for you."

"You're here now, that's all that matters."

Taking her into his arms his molten grey eyes met golden whiskey orbs, "I will always be here, you don't have to go through anything alone again." Reaching up she briefly closed the distance between them.

"Lets go have breakfast, yeah?" she breathed against his mouth, "I'm starving." Sirius chuckled as he escorted her out of the room.