Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, it is the property of the brilliant J.K Rowling. This story is the product of her marvellous characters and world and my imagination.

Any constructive criticism or reviews are extremely welcome. I adore feedback of any kind. Just remember that whatever happens, this is a Hermione/Bill fic.

For reference, some of this chapter is from Sirius' POV, I won't point the parts out as it will be obvious. Much of it is either Hermione & Sirius' conversation, Sirius & Remus' conversation or Hermione & Bill's conversation.

Mione's Mistake and Forgiveness

The group that remained behind were silent as they watched Hermione and Sirius turn the corner and disappear. They were all deep in thought, trying to process the information about Hermione and Sirius, as well as attempting to come up with a plan to reconcile Hermione with Bill.

The silent thought continued for a few minutes until Remus' head suddenly shot up, panic plain on his features, "shit." The rest of the group looked up in shock at the normally well mannered werewolf swearing, "what's wrong Remus," asked Harry with concern.

Remus looked at them all, "do you realise what we just let happen. Hermione is currently pissed at Bill, her defences are down and she is upset and angry. We all know that a lot of those emotions are the only thing that leads to an unstable Hermione." They all nodded, wondering where he was going with his thinking, "we just let her go off to her dorm, with the only man she has ever slept with, in that state."

Now there were multiple curses, but Ron spoke quietly, "she insisted that Sirius was just a friend though." Ginny nodded, "yeah but that doesn't mean she doesn't find him attractive. There's always been a small amount of sexual tension there, it's just what happens with Sirius and females he is close to." Tonks jumped in there, "yep and with Mione so vulnerable at the moment she might try to initiate something."

Harry concluded, "he slept with her because she asked him to, a favour for a friend. If she asks him again he might try to deny her, but he won't be able to for long because he cares too much."

"Crap," they all chorused, before Remus decided to take control, "ok what we need to do is …" he was cut off when the door to the room of requirement opened and Bill came out. He looked up to see them all with a self-loathing look on his face, "hey guys, where's Mione, I thought about what she said and realised how wrong I was. I wanna say sorry to her."

Whatever reaction he had been expecting it was not the guilty looks that spread all over their faces, "what's happened guys," he asked slowly. Remus took a deep breath, "Bill what you said to Hermione caused a lot of emotions in her, ones that cause her to be unusually irrational. You remember what happened the day her parents died," he explained gently, referring to Hermione's attempt to leave the castle and go looking for Voldemort herself.

Bill nodded and Remus continued, "well she is vulnerable right now and asked Sirius of all people to take her back to her dorm. Now think carefully, she'll want to forget what happened with you two and will be unlike her normal rational self, add the fact that Sirius cares too much about her to deny her anything and you've got a whole load of trouble."

Bill looked worried, "what have I caused," he whispered to himself before muttering a few choice swear words and running down the corridor towards Gryffindor Tower. The rest looked at each other, nodded and ran right after him. They caught up with him just as he was about to enter the Gryffindor Tower common room. Praying that they wouldn't find what they thought they might they followed behind him to be confronted by the sight they most dreaded, Hermione locked in an embrace with Sirius.

Hermione had stormed back to her dorm, anger radiating from her very being and Sirius trying to keep up with her fast stride. "Mione, he doesn't mean it you know, he's just a bit vexed and jealous and needs some time to calm down, it was a bit of a shock for him."

Hermione turned her fiery glare on him, "don't start with me Sirius, he practically called me a whore in front of my closest friends, how do you think that felt for me?" Sirius heaved a sigh, trying to get an angry Hermione Granger to see sense was about as likely as Malfoy junior and Harry coming out of the closet and hooking up - not gonna happen.

He decided that the best course of action would be to follow her and try to make her see reason when she'd managed to calm down a bit. They reached the portrait for Gryffindor Tower and Hermione entered, Sirius close behind her. Hermione threw herself down onto one of the couches and let out a small huff, how dare Bill make such a fool of her, she'd told him because he'd shown trust in her and she just wanted to do the same, was that such a fucking crime.

Sirius stood in front of the fuming girl trying to make her see sense but she just refused to listen, Hermione may be a genius but he knew she had her flaws like everyone else and her temper was possibly her biggest flaw. After a few minutes of failed persuasion he had relegated himself to standing by the fireplace watching as she paced up and down the room. Finally she just stopped abruptly and burst into loud sobs.

He went straight over to her, hugging her close and whispering soothing words in her ear as she clutched him like he was her lifesaver. After a few moments she whispered something, "please Sirius, please help me forget." He knew instantly what she was asking of him and he shook his head sadly, "Mione you know you don't want that, you want Bill and you're just upset and irrational."

Her eyes went cold at his words and he swore he could feel his heart break at her expression, "please Sirius, I need it, I need you," she begged him ardently. He swore under his breath, why was it that with her he could deny no request, he knew he would walk to hell and back for her if need be.

The hurt and sadness in her eyes made the decision for him, he couldn't stand to see her in pain and so he did what she asked, he knew it was wrong and he knew he'd probably end up six feet under later for his actions. But he didn't care, all he wanted was to see her smile again.

So he kissed her.

Sirius sensed a movement in the corner of his eye only moments after the portrait door opened. He broke away from Hermione and turned his head, cringing for what he knew was to come. Bill was right at the head of the group, his face a mix of emotions; hurt, anger, guilt and sadness. The rest of the group had varying looks of concern, anger, worry and shock spread across their faces.

Sirius turned his head away as Hermione turned to see the group of spectators who had witnessed their 'exchange'. Her face turned from shock, to remorse to shame to anger and she shoved past the congregated group and out of the portrait door.

With one last look at Sirius, Bill sprinted out of the tower after Hermione and the rest of those who had been present evidently decided that the common room was not the place to be, for they dispersed out of it soon after Hermione and Bill's abrupt exits.

Sirius waited until he believed everyone had left so he could wallow in his own stupidity, but when he turned to head back to his own quarters he found himself face to face with a rather angry looking Remus Lupin. Just what he needed, a murderous and overprotective werewolf.

Guessing he wouldn't be going anywhere any time soon he plonked himself down onto a couch, "sit down and make yourself at home Remus, I assume this lecture will be long." His friend gave him a glare as he sat himself down next to him.

Sirius had to give it to Remus, he didn't beat round the bush and started ranting almost as soon as he sat down, "what the hell were you thinking Padfoot, she was vulnerable and angry and not thinking. This could put a huge strain on their relationship and if they break up then you will answer for it."

Sirius just remained silent and this seemed to frustrate Remus even more, "don't you have anything to say for yourself Padfoot?" He turned to look Remus in the eye, "of course I have something to say for myself, I just thought I'd let you get your pedantic lecture out of the way first." Remus frowned at him, but said nothing.

"Look Moony, if anything will put a strain on their relationship then its what the stupid prat said to her that started this entire mess. If he has even an ounce of brain in that head of his then he won't let a relationship with Mione escape him because of one mistake."

Whatever self-righteous comment Remus was about to make obviously no longer applied for he didn't speak and rolled his eyes to urge Sirius on. "Me and Mione are complicated Moony, she's got you, Kingsley, Harry and Ron who are all like brothers to her, completely platonic and all. But with me it's different, I can't have close friendships with girls without there being some type of attraction there." He paused for a moment, "unless they were seriously ugly of course." Remus couldn't help but laugh, though he sobered up rather quickly.

"It's in my nature to be flirtatious and I spent a lot of time with Hermione. Anyway, you can't spend the entirety of the summer nights getting drunk with a girl without making a fair few innuendoes and from what I actually remember I made my fair share and so did she."

Remus smiled but his expression grew serious, "honestly though Padfoot, that display will just seem like more proof for Bill that Hermione loves you and you love her. It even seems that may to many of us who just witnessed it," he said with an apologetic shrug.

Sirius contemplated it, "I don't know how to explain it, I love her, not in a platonic way, but not in a completely sexual way. We would never fall in love or get married because we just don't match that way, but if both of us were single and one of us wanted a strings-free shag then the other would oblige in a heartbeat. She's beautiful, sexy and great in bed, though I've only ever been there once. But both of us would be perfectly happy to never touch each other in a sexual way again if we found 'the one.' The kissing and sex was just a part of gaining comfort with each other."

Remus looked like he understood, "so she's just your friend then?" Sirius smiled, "she is more than just a normal friend. There are only three people alive that I would do anything for and they are Mione, Harry and you. That is how important she is to me. But if she and Bill remained together for the rest of their lives then I could guarantee that I wouldn't touch her in that way. The only reason I did today is that the little minx has me so wrapped round her little finger that I can't deny her anything."

Remus smiled brightly, "I think I get it now. And thanks by the way, for rating me up there with Harry and Mione." Sirius grinned back, "no problem Moony, now I'm gonna get back to my quarters. I need a stiff drink after all that, feel free to come drown your worries in firewhiskey later if you fancy."

"Thanks Padfoot, now do you mind me telling Bill what you've just revealed to me, it might help him understand a bit better and then he and Mione could make up quicker. Sirius nodded his approval and headed to his quarters while Remus went in search of Bill.

Hermione had been hiding in the room of requirement for forty five minutes now, shame occupying most of her thoughts. Now she was back in her more rational mind she realised what she had done, she'd kissed Sirius. She felt bad for so many reasons; she'd used emotion to coerce Sirius into kissing her, she'd possibly broken Bill's heart and she guessed the others were disappointed too.

She knew that Bill was also in the wrong, what with his degrading remarks, but what she'd done had been the wrong way to handle it. Sirius would forgive her, neither of them could ever stay mad at the other for long. But Bill was another story and she had no idea how to handle it.

She turned round in shock when she heard the door open and almost fell back when she saw it was Bill who had entered. He saw her and gave a tentative smile before sitting down beside her. "Remus came and found me, he told me that you sometimes went to what was referred to as 'Mione's garden' in order to think. Nice place," he gestured to the trees, flowers and pools surrounding them, as well as the soft patch of grass they were sitting on and the feeling of warmth all around.

She gave him a small smile but didn't speak, she didn't want him to begin shouting at her, which was what she expected. He remained silent for a few moments to admire the garden, before he spoke softly. "Remus also told me he'd spoken to Sirius when we left and he told me what Sirius had said. It's ok Mione, I get it now, I understand the sort of complicated relationship you have. I understand, kind of, after all you did save his life twice."

Her smile grew just a little, "I'm sorry Bill, to kiss Sirius was a bad idea. I was stupid and impulsive and …" "and everything that anyone is entitled to be occasionally, so I forgive you. I'm sorry too, what I said was unforgivable." She grinned at him, "well maybe not unforgivable, I suppose I should have expected a bad reaction, it is rather shocking news. I suppose I'm glad our fight overshadowed it and stopped them all asking too many questions. So thanks for that."

"It was my pleasure, my lady," he spoke in a joking tone. "But I truly am sorry," he said sincerely, "as am I," added Hermione with equal seriousness. The two looked intently at each other for a moment until they burst into laughter.

"So what are we to do now then Bill?" He gave her the secret smile he had just for her, "well I stopped by the kitchens and got some of your favourites; strawberries with dipping chocolate and also an assortment of cakes and éclairs." Hermione squealed with delight and hugged him round the middle as he produced a small wicker basket, planting a soft kiss on his lips.

"Now we eat," she announced with mock flair and followed the statement with another kiss, before digging into the éclairs. The day had just got a whole lot better.

Sorry if you find it difficult to understand Hermione and Sirius' relationship, it is very complicated after all. I can't really explain it but it's a sort of soulmate thing - Hermione and Bill are each other's one true love, but Hermione and Sirius are soulmates, a balance of a platonic and sexual relationship and complementing each other perfectly. Of course Hermione and Sirius won't do anything sexual from now on because Hermione has worked things out with Bill.

Next chapter - the girls take a trip to the spa to relax.