AN: So I realized when I was trying to figure out when Fred and George were born that I made a mistake and made Percy a year older than he was supposed to be. A small error, but it really bothers me now. I just wanted to point it out in case a hardcore fan calls me out on it lol. I also know that Walkmans won't be invented for a couple more years also but I had to.

DISCLAIMER: Don't own anything!


Chapter Twenty-Nine: I'll Wait

Sirius woke up to multiple voices surrounding his bed. That was odd.

He groaned and pulled Hermione closer to him.

Hermione.

Closer.

To him.

His eyes flew open, and he blinked guiltily up at everyone. There were seven people squeezed into the small space around her bed.

"Good morning," he tried with a timid but cheeky smile. Someone made a noise at the back of their throat that might be interpreted as disapproval.

By some miracle, Hermione was still breathing deeply in his arms. Sirius lifted his head up and said gently, "Rise and shine, Hermione."

She squeezed his hand and slowly but surely, her big brown eyes blinked open owlishly. "Sirius?" She asked groggily. She shut her eyes when the bright light from the windows caused a flash of pain to go right to her head.

"Still here, kitten," he whispered.

She gave a small smile and said, "You didn't leave."

"I won't. I promised." He looked back up at the people around them and added, "But I have to right now because we have company."

Her cheeks suddenly turned very red, and she asked nervously, "Will someone shut the curtains, so I can open my eyes?"

Almost immediately the curtains were charmed shut, and Hermione opened her eyes timidly. They widened when she took stock of everyone staring at her and Sirius.

Lily. Remus. Peter. James. Dorea. Charlus. McGonagall.

Sirius was very careful not to jostle her as he pulled his arms out from under her to get up. He kissed her temple lightly before sitting up on the edge of the bed.

Hermione was saved the lecture when Pomfrey came over and gasped.

"Out! Everyone out! Honestly, the girl needs rest. She hasn't healed."

Hermione rolled onto her back. The pain was just as bad as it had been the night before, so when Pomfrey started holding potions to her lips, she gladly took them.

"I imagine you saved a lot of students yesterday, Miss Granger."

Hermione closed her eyes and let the pain in her chest slowly distinguish to light tingles. She didn't respond to Pomfrey. She wanted to say that she didn't do enough. That she hadn't saved Dumbledore. That there were still three families that were going to be told their child died at school. She should've done more.

Pomfrey laid a hand on her shoulder and said with no room for argument. "You did everything you could. You did more than you should've."

Hermione thought that maybe Madame Pomfrey was referencing the new battle scar Hermione was sure to have from her waist to her left collarbone.

"That's the one thing I don't regret."

It was true. Maybe she wished she had done more than silence Dolohov, but jumping in front of that curse saved Sirius. She couldn't regret that.

Pomfrey simply gave her a sad smile and patted her elbow.

"Can I see everyone now?"

"All of them?" Pomfrey asked disapprovingly.

"Yes, please."

Hermione was more numb now, so when everyone came in, she allowed Dorea and Lily to help sit her up and fluff her pillows. Normally the hovering would have bothered her, but today she found she didn't mind too much.

"How are you feeling, dear?"

Hermione didn't waste a second in saying she was fine and then asking, "Who are the three students?"

Everyone looked distinctly uncomfortable, but Professor McGonagall stepped forward and said sadly, "Celia Stark, Ruth Smith, and Finn Abram."

Hermione shut her eyes. She hated how relieved she was that she didn't know them.

"Who's going to be Headmaster?"

McGonagall nodded grimly, "That would be me, Miss Granger."

Hermione nodded. She expected that.

"Have they figured out what curse Dolohov used?"

Hermione suspected no. If they had, then they wouldn't have had to stitch her up like this. Dorea confirmed when she said, "No."

Hermione's lips thinned. A long recovery then. She looked up and Sirius was staring at the wall with a guilty and angry expression.

"I don't regret it," she said strongly. Her voice was raspy and flat.

His head swung up and stared at her and everyone else in the room's eyes darted between the two. Sirius's eyes watered, and he took Lily's place beside her. "You shouldn't have jumped in front of me like that, Hermione."

She shook her head and her short curls sprung out around her. "I don't regret it."

"You could've died! I could've taken it!"

Hermione raised a questioning brow, "Oh and I couldn't have?"

Sirius glared and said, "You know that's not what I meant."

She crossed her arms and masked her flinch when her arms landed on her torso. He must've seen it in her eyes though because his expression softened. "I would do it again." He looked like he wanted to say something else, but she turned her look on everyone else in the room. "I would do it again for any of you."

"How comforting," James groaned.

His face dropped into a sad expression, and he pushed his way over to her.

Before she could protest he was climbing into bed and pulling her face to his chest. He took in a shaky breath which turned into a sob and everyone save Sirius, Remus, and Lily, excused themselves and shut the privacy curtain.

"I thought you were dying, Hermione"

She wrapped her arms around him and dropped her forehead to his shoulder. "I'm fine now, James."

"It's like you want to die," he choked out and pressed his chin into the top of her head.

Her fingers tightened on his shirt. She would die for the people in this room, but she didn't want to. "I don't." She said it like a revelation. "I don't want to die."

James pulled back and shoved his foggy glasses up his nose. "Good because you have to be the best man at me and Lily's wedding."

Hermione giggled.

Sirius yelled, "Oi! I'm best man!"

At the same time Lily snorted and said, "Oh, please. She'll be my maid of honor."

Everyone turned and looked at Lily with a mixture of shock and amusement.

"What?" She asked. Then what she said must have dawned on her, and she blushed and pointed at James, "But it's not happening, Potter!"

Sirius guffawed, and James wiped his cheeks and gave her a smile that Hermione was sure would be pictured under the textbook definition of puppy-love.

Remus smirked at Lily and said, "So… getting married to James now are we?"

Lily's hands went to her cheeks, and she screeched, "Shut up!" Before flying out of the room.

Hermione beamed at James and said happily, "I'd say you actually stand a chance, James!"


Hermione crashed a bit after that and fell asleep. The four of them took turns sitting in her room with her while Dorea and Charlus flooed home after being promised that Hermione was stable and just needed rest and a very strict potion regimine.

That night, after they'd all been dismissed to Gryffindor tower, and Pomfrey had gone to sleep, Hermione was woken by the thin Hospital Wing blanket being pulled up and someone sliding in behind her.

She panicked for a moment before she heard Sirius's voice in her ear, "I think we have James's blessing. I didn't even have to nick the cloak this time, it was waiting for me on my bed."

Hermione smiled at the idea and felt an eruption of butterflies in her stomach.

"Blessing for what?"

She hadn't meant to say that out loud, but once it was out she gathered her courage and slowly rolled over to face him. Their noses were inches from each other, and Sirius was looking at her with unadulterated affection. He reached forward and gently pulled on one of her curls.

"What do you want it to be a blessing for, kitten?"

She didn't know. She didn't want him to figure out where she was from and take it all back. She squeezed her eyes shut, and he leaned forward and kissed her right at the corner of her mouth.

"I'll wait."

She wanted to tell him. "I'll answer when you learn Occlumency."

He tugged her until her cheek was against his chest, and she melted into him. "We got work to do as soon as your healthy then."

She smiled against his skin.


One week later, Hermione had downed an invigoration drought and pain potions to put on a black dress and go to the lawn for a memorial for Dumbledore and the three students.

The air was heavy and grim, and the grounds were covered in snow.

It was the most magical beings Hermione had ever seen in one place. She spent the whole memorial hanging on tightly to Sirius, and trying to avoid any familiar faces. She couldn't look at the faces of the Order members, and she couldn't face the devastated faces of the three students' families. As soon as the service was over Hermione asked Sirius to take her back to the Hospital Wing where Pomfrey had to transfigure her dress into the simple clothes she gave to patients because Hermione was too exhausted to stand for much longer.

Work was brought to her for the remainder of the semester and on the morning before the train to take them home, Hermione was standing with her privacy curtain closed in the Hospital Wing in a pair of loose trousers and bra with a transfigured mirror.

The new scar was rather gruesome. It was nearly fourteen inches running jaggedly across her torso. She found it didn't even bother her too much. She was looking at it and running her fingertips down the puckered skin when her curtain was gently pulled open and a nervous Remus stood there.

His eyes landed on the scar before he looked towards the ceiling to avert his eyes. She thought that action was rather silly considering he'd already seen every bit of her.

"Lily packed your trunk, and everyone is waiting down by the Great Hall," he said carefully.

Hermione removed her hand from her skin and winced when she picked up her shirt. The slicing hex down her arm made it difficult to stretch her arms above her head.

Remus, still in tune to her, quickly came over and pulled her shirt on for. His fingers paused on the jumper she'd borrowed from him at the Quidditch match. A small smile appeared on his face.

"You can take that back," she whispered.

He turned his smile towards her and shook his head. "It looks better on you, love."

He picked it up and pulled it over her head before pulling her curls out from where they got trapped under the fabric. She studied him for a moment as he stood in front of her.

"Are you mad at me, Remus?"

His eyes widened and he shook his head quickly. "Of course not."

Hermione fidgeted with the sleeves of the jumper. "Not about, Sirius?"

He reached up and tucked a curl behind her ear. "Not about anything, Hermione."

She felt so relieved that she reached out and crushed him in a hug. He laughed and wrapped his arms around her, "A famous bone-crushing hug?" He teased.

She smiled and pulled back to wag a finger in front of his face, "You can't escape me, Remus Lupin."

He grinned, "Merlin, I hope not."


Christmas came quickly, and after she'd finished opening presents with her family she flooed over to the Burrow with gifts for the three Weasley boys.

Hermione, Sirius, and James stepped through, and she was almost immediately tackled by two growing boys. The boxes flew out of her arms, and she landed hard on the ground with Bill and Charlie on top of her. There was a twinge of pain in her abdomen, but she ignored it in favor of bursting out laughing.

"Auntie Minnie!" Charlie screamed.

She laughed even harder when Bill looked up at James and said, "Charlie, James is here too!" Charlie jumped off of Hermione and started climbing up James like he was a tree.

When both boys were off of her, Sirius reached down and pulled her to her feet. "Auntie Minnie?" He asked with humor in his voice.

She shrugged and gave him a timid grin.

"Oh dear! Boys, get off of James!"

Molly came bustling in then with a little Percy toddling after her. Hermione sat down on the ground as the little boy waddled over to her and threw his arms around her neck before collapsing in her lap.

"Min!" He yelled.

Hermione looked up at Molly and grinned. "He's talking now!"

Molly Weasley gave a tired smile and said, "Yes, little Perce is doing his best."

Hermione kissed his forehead and giggled, "I bet he is!" She leaned in and jokingly whispered, "I have a present for you, Percy."

The little boy's eyes lit up at the word present. Hermione looked over her shoulder and started asking Sirius to hand her the small box with Percy's name on it, but he was already holding it out to her with a grin.

She whispered a thanks and let go of Percy to place the small box in front of him. He settled into her lap with his back to her, and she lifted the lid for him. Inside was a small book of stories that had the illustrations pop off the pages and act out the story as you read it out loud.

Even though Percy definitely couldn't read yet his chubby fingers reached down and touched the book. He started babbling some nonsense and clapping his hands together.

Arthur came in then with a pot of tea and set it on the small table in the middle of the couch.

Molly gave Hermione an embarrassed smile and said, "You didn't have to get them presents, Hermione."

Hermione studied her flushed cheeks and wringing hands and said, "I love gift-giving. It's the least I could for you, Molly. Really."

"Molly-wobbles, let Hermione spoil the kids all she wants. Would you three like some tea? I'm afraid it's about to turn into a mad-house here. Fabian and Gideon are on their way."

Hermione nodded her affirmative and moved on to Charlie's and Bill's presents.

For Charlie she got him a dragon plush that flew around and blew out puffs of fire that felt like soft wind, so it was totally safe. She grinned when he immediately declared its name to be Minnie.

For Bill, she got him a book on famous curse breakers. Little seven year old Bill grinned and said, "Wicked."

After all of the kids disappeared to play with their new presents, Hermione, Sirius, and James took seats around the living area. Hermione gave her last two boxes to Arthur and Molly who both looked extremely surprised to be receiving anything at all.

Arthur opened his box first and laughed joyously at it even though he had no clue what it was. He pulled a muggle walkman out of the box with a large pair of headphones.

"What does it do?" He asked Hermione excitedly.

"It's a portable muggle music player." Hermione stood and helped him put on the headphones before pressing play. Everyone watched as Arthur grinned and started bopping his head along.

"Oh this is good!" He yelled.

She grinned and said, "The Beatles."

Once Molly had forced the headphones off of Arthur, she sat down to open her own present.

Hermione had done her best to knit Molly her own sweater since that was her go-to gift, but she'd never knitted one for herself. The hem was slightly crooked and one side of the large violet M was shorter than the other.

"I did my best," Hermione said sheepishly.

She immediately panicked when the woman burst into tears and stood to give Hermione a hug tight enough to rival her own.

The twins chose that moment to pop in through the front door. She grinned when Fabian threw his arms out and yelled, "You broke, Molly!"

The three of them spent a couple hours there laughing and eating so much food that Hermione thought she might burst. It was wonderful and happy and exactly what Hermione needed.

When they went back to Potter Manor Sirius pulled her outside to go for a walk. He'd helped her into her jacket and boots, and once they were tromping through the snow, he grabbed her hand and refused to let go.

They made it to the line of the trees just outside the wards, and Sirius paused and spun her around.

"I have another present for you," he said with his smug smirk in place.

Hermione tucked a curl behind her ear and gave him a coy smile, "Oh yeah?"

He took a step back so that there was about a foot between them, and held his arms out challengingly. "Use legilimency on me."

Her smile dropped, and she gave him a confused look. "We haven't been practicing, Sirius."

He smiled and said, "Just do it, kitten."

Hermione twisted her lips and said, "Alright."

Then wandlessly and nonverbally, she entered his mind.

Almost immediately it was like there was a large wall blocking her. She poked and prodded and tried to break it down for a couple minutes before she pulled out and stared up at him with awe-filled eyes.

"How on earth did you go from where you were a month ago to that without practicing?"

Sirius smirked and looked her up and down, "I'll have you know, your mum is an excellent teacher. Super tough. Super high learning curve."

Hermione grinned, but then she remembered her promises. He could join the Order, she would tell him where she's from, and she would answer the question of what she wanted James's blessing to be for. Her smile slowly turned into a bit of nauseous look.

Sirius noticed this and stepped forward to put his hands on her cheeks.

"What is it?"

She looked up at him and whispered, "I'm about to tell you a lot of things, and you can't interrupt me or tell anyone."

His thumbs ran up and down her cheekbones and he gave her his cheekiest grin, "Oh, I'm excited."

She pulled away and slapped his arm, "Be serious for a moment, will you!"

Sirius didn't even take the opportunity to make his normal Sirius-Serious joke when he saw the look on her face. She looked scared. More scared than he'd seen her look in a long time.

"Hermione, whatever it is, I won't leave you. I promised. I'm a man of my word."

Hermione was nodding and mumbling to herself for a couple moments before she turned to him with a determined expression. Before he could say anything she latched onto his elbow, and he felt the familiar pull of side-apparition.

As soon as he landed on his feet he stumbled and said, "Bloody hell, Hermione! Little warning next time would be nice!"

But Hermione wasn't listening to him. She was walking purposely down what appeared to be a middle class muggle street, and Sirius jogged to catch up with her.

"Not that I don't love a little mystery, but mind telling me where you've whisked us off to?"

She froze in her quick stride, and Sirius cursed as he slid to stop from running her over. She was standing in front of a completely ordinary brick home. There was a large wreath on the door and through the large glass panes, Sirius could see a brightly decorated tree.

She slowly lifted her hand and pointed. She sounded nearly disengaged when she said quietly, "I grew up here."

Sirius looked at her in surprise before turning back to the house with a new outlook. It was modest, but comfortable.

Just then the door popped open and a young couple came bustling out. Hermione gasped and tangled her fingers with his to start pulling him back down the street, but not before he got a good look at them. The woman had Hermione's hair. He would recognize it anywhere, and even from the street he could see that the grinning man had her smile. That couldn't be right though. Hermione's parents were supposed to be gone, and this couple looked to be in their mid-twenties.

Hermione didn't speak to him as she pulled him down the street and to what looked to be a small park. He tugged her to a stop and nearly growled when he said, "Tell me what's going on because that couple looked an awful lot like that picture you keep by your nightstand, but that can't be possible because you said they were dead."

Hermione pulled her hand from his and whispered, "I never said that."

She tried to stay calm as Sirius started to look more and more like he was about to fly off the handle and start pummeling something.

"I said they were gone, not dead."

Sirius yelled, "They don't look gone to me!"

Hermione held her hands out like she was approaching a wild animal and said, "I never lied to you, Sirius." She pointed in the direction they'd come from. "They aren't my parents. Not really."

He didn't know what to say. None of what she was saying was making sense. He ran a hand through his hair, and looked up at the sky for a moment, "Start talking, Hermione."

She sighed and walked over to the stone park bench. She collapsed on it. "I'm not from here." She ran a hand down her face and said, "I mean I am, but not this universe."

"What are you saying?"

She gave him a sharp look and said, "This is the part where you sit down and don't interrupt."

He wanted to yell at her, but he wanted answers more.

"In 1994, I was in the Malfoy Manor dungeons when Severus Snape opened my cell door. He wrapped some kind of time turner around my neck, and he told me that everyone was dead. He told me that I was the last hope, and he had to fulfill Dumbledore's orders. Next thing I know, I am in the middle of an Order of the Pheonix meeting in 1975. They destroyed my timeline by sending me here. Those people you saw, they're different versions of my parents. They're never going to have me now." Hermione paused and gave him a devastated look, "The war doesn't end anytime soon, Sirius. Not without me. Not without my information."

The word Order triggered a memory of the attack in Hogsmeade. Hermione summoning a corporeal patronus and telling it to go to the Order.

Hermione was crying when she looked back up at him again. "I haven't been lying to you. I haven't lied about anything I've told you."

"Can I talk now?" He asked flatly.

She nodded, "Of course."

He carefully took a seat beside her. He had so many questions, and he wasn't quite sure how he was feeling about any of this.

"I don't know how to process this. I don't know how to believe you," he said quietly.

Hermione felt pain blossom in her chest at that. How could he not believe her?

Hermione flinched but then shifted until she was facing him.

"Use legilimency," she whispered.

He looked at her out of the corner of his eye and turned to face her. She didn't know what memory she planned on showing him until the wand was pointed at her and he was saying the incantation. She dropped her walls for him and the first thing he saw was Grimmauld Place. He was in the library.

There was a soft fire crackling, but that was the only light in the room. He walking into the memory and in the soft glow he first saw a small Hermione sitting primly on the sofa. She had a book resting on her lap, and she looked like she was maybe thirteen or fourteen. She was reading out loud under her breath, and Sirius couldn't take his eyes off of her. There was no way she could have fabricated this. Everything was the same. The shelves, the furniture, the books.

His eyes darted around the room and that's when they landed on a man sitting in an armchair next to the fire. The man lifted his face and Sirius sucked in a breath. Moony.

An older and more scarred Moony, but definitely him.

"You should go to bed, Hermione. It's late, and Harry arrives tomorrow."

The little Hermione didn't even lift her head as she said, "Just one more chapter, Professor Lupin." Sirius gaped at how she addressed him.

The werewolf smiled fondly and turned back to his own book, "Well, alright then."

Sirius was smiling when Hermione pushed another memory to the front.

They were in the shrieking shack this time. Hermione was the same age she'd been in the last memory, and she was standing in the corner with two boys. Sirius didn't get a good look at the boys before there was a scuffle and he saw himself in Animagus form.

The grim then transformed, and Sirius got confused. This couldn't be him. This man was ghastly. He looked like a skeleton, and his hair was to his elbows. He looked like he hadn't showered in years, let alone had anything to eat.

He pulled out of the memory and stared at Hermione.

"Who was that man?" He asked shakily.

She reached over and placed a gentle hand on his cheek. "That was you, Sirius."

He shook his head. "No. You're wrong. That couldn't be me."

Hermione began to sob, and he finally believed her.

"What happened to me?" He choked on the words. Hermione threw her arms around him, and he tangled his fists into her jacket to stop their trembling.

"You went to Azkaban," she whispered. "You were innocent though, and it's not going to happen again. You were wrongly accused, Sirius."

He shook his head and pulled back.

"More. Show me more." She wiped her eyes and sat back again.

"Legilimens!"

This time it was Sirius and Remus sitting together in Grimmauld's small breakfast nook. Sirius looked distinctly better, and the two were both nursing glasses of firewhiskey when Sirius heard a recognizable indignant yell, "Ronald Bilius Weasley!" She was standing just outside the doorway to the kitchen. She looked slightly older this time.

Remus sighed and said, "What's he done now, Hermione?"

Hermione plopped down in the seat next to Sirius. "He ate all the Chocolate Frogs I got for Harry." She grew an adorable pout.

Just then a red head came running in with a smudge of chocolate on his mouth. Sirius watched the older version of him give this Ronald fellow an appraising look before saying, "You stealing from my Godson then, boy?"

Sirius pulled out again and stared at Hermione with a hopeful expression.

"I have a godson?" He felt tears in his eyes, and Hermione seemed to contemplate something before smiling at him.

"His name was Harry."

"You're Harry?" He asked in shock.

She nodded. "Do you want to see him?"

Instead of answering, he jumped back into her memories.

They were in some kind of tent. There was quiet music playing from a muggle wireless. Hermione's soft cries were coming from around the corner, so Sirius stepped around and saw her sitting on the edge of a cot.

Sirius unknowingly reached for her, but he stopped when someone stepped through the entrance to the tent and sighed.

He couldn't see their face, but he watched with rapt attention as he stepped forward and held his hand out to Hermione.

"What is it, Harry?" She asked shakily.

"Dance with me?"

Sirius watched Hermione's face as the corners of her lips twitched up, and she gently took his hand. Pretty soon they were twirling around the room, and Hermione's tinkling laugh was floating through the air. It wasn't until they slowed down, and Harry pulled her close that Sirius saw his face.

He couldn't believe it.

"Who knew you could dance, Harry James Potter!" Hermione giggled out.

Harry grinned and said, "Parvati."

This time Hermione pushed him out, and Sirius was left gasping like the very first time she had ever used Legilimency on him.

"Harry was…"

"James's son," Hermione finished for him. Sirius face split into a huge grin, and he laughed merrily. "My godson!"

Hermione laughed with him, but he trailed off. He was suddenly having revelation after revelation as his own memories with Hermione assaulted him.

"He dies."

Hermione took his face in her hands roughly and said with determination, "Use it again."

Sirius didn't use his wand or words this time as he jumped in. His intent was there.

He was in a cell, and it was filthy.

He jumped when the door creaked open. He glared when he immediately recognized Severus Snape. Sirius watched as he pulled some kind of device from his robes. This must be the time-turner she was talking about. But if Snape was here with the device that meant…

Sirius turned and stared at the small form curled into a ball on the ground. Hermione. He couldn't take his eyes off of her as Snape wrapped the chain around her matted hair to rest on her neck. He pulled something that looked like a letter out and was reaching for Hermione when she sprang up and wrapped her hands around the older man.

She looked absolutely mad, but the first thing that ran through Sirius's mind was that's my witch.

"Don't be stupid, girl!" Snape hissed at her.

Sirius watched with thinly veiled anger directed towards Snape as she studied him carefully.

"I'm here on orders from Dumbledore," said Snape.

"But he's…"

"Yes I'm aware!" He cut her off. "Now release me!"

She gave him one last look before sagging back down against the wall. He gave her a scathing look before holding out the thin yellowing envelope.

She snatched it and blinked a few times before reading the back.

"The Order… the boy… they're all dead. You are the last hope for the Wizarding World."

Before she could say anything, he pointed his wand at her and stunned her.

Another memory flashed before his eyes.

Hermione standing on her knees on a long table. This was the first time Sirius got a really good look at her in the state she was in. His anger towards Snape was nothing compared to how he felt seeing this. She had shackles and chains, and she looked like she'd been through absolute hell.

And on the other end of her wand was Dumbledore. This must be the Order meeting then.

"What have you done to me!" She screeched.

There was a moment of silence and then she actually growled. She was like a wild animal.

"He said your orders! Yours!"

He watched, completely enraptured, as she looked down at the time-turner before looking around her. Sirius vaguely noticed Dorea and Charlus, but his eyes were otherwise glued to Hermione.

He flinched when the chains rattled from her whipping back to Dumbledore.

She was completely calm when she said, "Send me back."

Sirius felt physically thrown. How could she want to go back to that place? Then the soft scene with Harry popped in his mind. The scene in the library with Remus. Her screeching at Ron. Everyone she loved was back in that time.

"I'm afraid, Miss Granger, that that has been made wholly impossible."

She closed her eyes for a few moments and when she reopened them, she was crying.

"You want me to kill him."

Sirius's mind was whirring as everyone around the room started yelling. He wasn't even listening as he tried to imagine who she was talking about, but then the answer hit him like a slap to the face. Kill him. Kill Voldemort.

"I'll do it."

Coming out of that memory was like jumping into a lake in the middle of January.

"That's why," he whispered. "You're going to save him. Harry… you're going to save him."

She gave him an imploring look, "I'm going to save all of them, Sirius."

Sirius stood and started pacing in front of her. When he turned back to her he asked something that made her actually laugh out loud.

"So you and James's son, huh?"

When she finally stopped laughing, she shook her head vehemently. "No. Absolutely not. He was my best friend. That's gross."

Sirius quirked a smile at her. It dropped when he fell to his knees in front of her in the snow. He latched onto her hands and whispered, "You're here for good, right?"

"Yes. That device destroyed the timeline."

He sighed in relief and pressed multiple kisses along her knuckles.

"This doesn't change anything," he said against her skin there.

"It doesn't?" She asked nervously.

He smiled at her. They were at even heights from this position. "It doesn't," he reassured. Then he leaned forward, "What do you want James's blessing to be for, kitten?"

Hermione bit her lip and looked deep into his eyes. "What do you want it to be for?"

Instead of answering, he leaned forward and kissed her.

One of her hands went to his shoulder and the other tangled in his hair.

Sirius couldn't believe it. Somehow this kiss was even better than their kiss a year ago under the mistletoe. He nipped at her bottom lip before soothing it was his tongue and pulling away from her gently.

Her cheeks were bright red from both the cold and Sirius when she smiled and whispered, "I hoped you'd say that."


AN: FINALLY Sirius knows. I am relieved.

Thanks as always for the follows, favorites, and reviews! No seriously!