Disclaimer: Not mine :(

Weight if the World

Chapter 36

29th January 1978

A few weeks had passed since Lily had seen Severus' Dark Mark and she found it hard to believe that she had seen it so easily and quickly – almost like he'd wanted her to see it. But that was a ridiculous idea, Lily thought, why would he want her to know that he'd betrayed people and she was still struggling with the decision to tell someone. Of course she had to, he was a Death Eater for goods sake and was endangering the students of Hogwarts, but he had once been her close friend and she couldn't see him doing anything to harm anyone – to harm her – She stopped her train of thought as James sat next to her, pressing his lips against her own briefly and smiling sweetly before conversing with Sirius who was sat opposite them at the Gryffindor table.

"We need to cook up another prank, Prongs," Sirius said around a mouthful of Roast beef and Lily raised an eyebrow in slight disgust.

"That we do, Padfoot," James agreed and Lily rolled her Emerald green eyes in exasperation. Where was Hermione when this boys were cooking up trouble?

"Hey, Lils, I was thinking – Tomorrow, for your birthday, how about we go to Hogsmeade? Dumbledore permitted it when I asked and then afterwards we can celebrate it in style," James grinned and Lily couldn't find the smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. James Potter really had grown up, and she couldn't have been any happier with his sudden transformation from obnoxious bully to thoughtful boyfriend.

"Mate, that's pathetic." Sirius said, picking up his golden goblet sitting by his left hand. "I threw Hermione a ball," he said proudly, puffing his chest slightly.

"Hermione threw what now?" Thoma asked, sliding into the seat beside Sirius, grinning manically at her friends, her bright blue eyes tied back into a ponytail.

"Oh, we're going to Hogsmeade for Lily's birthday," James said, settling his hand on Lily's knee under the table, squeezing lightly.

"Oh, cool. Can Matthew come?" She asked, spearing a piece of chicken with a fork.

"Anybody can come – Dumbledore's allowed it to be a Hogsmeade day," James beamed.

"Nice!" Remus said as he took the seat on the other side of Sirius. Sirius stared at him like he was crazy, raising his eyebrows in expectation. "Err…You want me to move, don't you?" Remus asked, scratching the back of his neck.

"Uh-huh."

"Okay then," Remus laughed nervously, scooting over one seat over just as Hermione entered the Great Hall and Lily smiled as Sirius' eyes lit up, his head automatically turning that way as if he just knew that she was there.

They were really were cute together, Lily thought as Hermione went to the place between Remus and Sirius, placing a chaste kiss on Sirius' lips, stealing his dessert of Strawberries and it was a testament to the fact that he didn't yell at her for taking them away that he really liked her – he still smacked James if he tried to take some of his food. The chemistry between them was almost electrifying, even if they were just sat together and they acted as if they shared some big secret between themselves that no-one else was privy to. It as almost too cute.

"You up for it, Hermione?" James asked and Hermione blinked at him in slight confusion. She had no idea what they were talking about, but before she could ask, Sirius jumped in.

"No, Hermione's not feeling to well at the minute, so she won't be able to come with us," he looked somewhat sad as he said it and ran a hand through his black hair, pushing it away from his face.

"Yeah, I'm sorry, but I think it'd be best for me to not go," Lily was saddened to hear that Hermione wouldn't be joining them and regretted it – Hermione was now a dear friend of hers and she wished that she could join her on her birthday.

"Oh, that's a shame…Are you sure? We're going to Hogsmeade and everybody else is going."

"Yeah, I'm sorry Lily, but I really don't feel well," Lily remembered the 'episodes' that Hermione had had recently, putting her into the Hospital Wing for the night and decided to leave it.

"Okay, but you'll be at my party after, right?" She asked, hoping that she'd say yes. Hermione smiled, her brown eyes glinting and she nodded enthusiastically.

"Of course I'll be there, Lils – I have to give you my present!" Lily grinned back and leaned into James' side just as the rest of their friends got there and they were involved in the plan, each chattering excitedly about where they were gonna go and such and Lily smiled at them all – with the Muggles, she had never had so many friends willing to celebrate her birthday before and she couldn't be happier. She reached out a hand to cup the side of James face as he was talking to Peter beside him and turned his head to face her before leaning up and kissing him, her hand sliding in his hair as his slid around her waist and she felt her heart skip a beat like it did every single time when she was with him like this.

"Oi! People are trying to eat here!" Remus said, rather loudly, banging his fist on the table.

"Besides your doing it wrong, mate." Sirius grinned doggedly and wrapped his arm around Hermione's waist and lifted her so she was sat sideways across his lap and he ignored her squeak of surprise as her hands curled into the lapels of his jacket, glaring at him. He bowed his head down and captured her lips with his and Hermione's eyes widened in slight shock before closing and she readily responded, their tongues curled together in a passionate dance and Lily found it hard to look away, even though she knew that there was something wrong with watching your boyfriends best friend make out with his girlfriend, but she was somewhat captivated.

Sirius really did look like he could kiss.

The rest of the Marauders (and other Gryffindor men, of course) were hooting and hollering down the table, pounding on the wood and stomping their feet, but Sirius and Hermione seemed oblivious as Sirius' hand slid up her waist to entangle in Hermione's wild mane of curls.

A cough behind the two was what broke them apart and Lily smirked at seeing Professor Dumbledore stood there, an amused look in his eyes as his fingers steeped together. "I think, Mr. Black, it would be in everyone's best interest if you put Miss. Kinglsey down, don't you agree?"

Sirius looked sheepish, but made no move to let go of Hermione, who was moving, trying to get off his lap, her face red from embarrassment. "I seem to think she fits that rather well, wouldn't you say?" Lily blanched and hid her head in James shoulder as he chuckled. It was funny, Lily would admit, but it was creepy.

"Mr. Black. Now." McGonagall's no nonsense tone was what made Sirius loosen his grip and let Hermione sink back onto her wooden bench seat, but he kept his arm firmly around her waist. "Right, now, off you go." McGonagall gestured with her hands to get them moving and they all stood up, chattering away and smiling – tomorrow they were going on a major shopping trip.

30th January 1978

"Happy Birthday!" The eight Seventh year Gryffindor's chorused as Lily skipped down the stairs, her uniform on and bag slung over her shoulder, humming merrily to herself. Her eyes widened when she saw the posse of friends assembled at the base of the stairs, holding a banner that was covered in red glitter. Hermione smiled at her friends' reaction and hopped off the arm of the chair she was sitting on to hug her new friend.

"Thanks everyone!" Once cheers and thank-you's had been passed around, the Gryffindor's headed to their first lesson of the day, which was charms.

Later, the students entered Defence Against the Dark Arts class slightly weary. Professor Daniels had taken to charming some desks to hold varies curses and effect whoever sat on them, giving them hexes and such, stuff the Gryffindor's and Slytherin's were not looking foreword to on that snowy, January afternoon.

"Oh, don't worry, none of the desks have been tampered with!" Professor Daniel's laughed, tucking her pure-white hair behind her small ears and the students approached with trepidation.

"Revelio!" the cry of the spell that echoed around the stone, cylinder room came from Severus Snape and the rest of the class watched as the chair that Lily was about to sit on glowed a deep vibrant blue.

"Well done, Mr. Snape! 10 points to Slytherin! Now, today, we are going to be discussing the use of logic whilst fighting." She waved her wand over the chairs and more then half of them glowed blue before they sat down in them, hesitantly.

The class passed by in a blur after that, Professor Daniel's was a wonderful teacher, but Hermione was getting anxious that Quinton wasn't returning – she hoped he was okay.

It was the last lesson of the day and most of the students just wanted to go to Hogsmeade and Sirius was staring at the clock on the wall with such focus that Hermione was sure that no even a kiss would distract him. She honestly didn't know what the fuss was about, it wasn't like they never went – they went every Saturday!

When the bell rang signalling the end of the lesson, chairs were pushed back and chatter filled the room as they all practically flew to the door, eager to relax after a hard, long week of studying.

"I hope you have a good time at Hogsmeade," Hermione said as the Gryffindor's headed to the Common Room to change clothes for their outing – nobody wanted to go to Hogsmeade in their school robes and ties.

"It's such a shame that you can't come," Lily said, her bright green eyes downcast, "you don't look that ill today, are you sure that you can't come?"

"I don't want to risk it," Hermione replied and Sirius wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer.

They got to the portrait of the Fat Lady and James said the password, almost skipping into the common room. The girls and guys separated, each going to their own dormitory to gear up for the cold weather outside.

"What're you gonna do while we're at Hogsmeade?" Rayne asked, gathering her thick, curly blonde hair and pulling it into a ponytail at the base of her neck, not bothering to look to see if it was done right.

"Library probably," Hermione replied, removing her tie, lifting the smooth material over her head – she still had a lot of research to do about what (and were) the Horcruxes could be and this time had a lot more books on the subject then in 1997.

"What a surprise!" Thoma mumbled sarcastically, pulling a bright yellow jumper over her head that clashed with her bright blue hair.

"You're always at the library," Kara supplied.

"What else am I supposed to do?" Hermione retorted.

"Very good point," Megara interjected, wrapping a red scarf around her slender neck.

"Have you seen my gloves?" Kara asked, raking through her trunk throwing clothes over her shoulders, looking for her purple, leather gloves.

Megara threw her gloves at her and slid her arms through the sleeves of her knee-length dark brown coat wit fur along the cuffs. "Don't you just despise this weather?" She asked, putting her wand in the front coat pocket, "I miss my denim-mini skirt!"

"Okay, looks like we're just about ready," Thoma said, looking at everybody, "see you later, Hermione," and with that, the four girls left the room and went to Lily's on private room to meet her there, while Hermione went to the boys dormitory to say goodbye to Sirius.

She knocked on the door and briefly wondered why the boy's staircase didn't activate like the girls one, but her train of thought was lost when the door opened and she found herself speechless.

Sirius was leaning against the doorframe with an air of elegance, his hair framing his aristocratic features. He had on a long sleeved burgundy shirt that hugged his muscled body just so, and tight black jeans. Hermione's jaw practically hit the floor and Sirius cocked his eyebrows, showing her that he knew exactly the effect that he had on her.

He stepped closer to her, causing her to automatically step back and he shut the door, blocking off the view of the other two boys in there and Hermione could hear the indignant "Hey!" That sounded as if it came from Remus.

As he took another step closer, Hermione instinctively took one back and bumped into the stone wall behind her – she wasn't threatened, she was actually…turned on? She blushed at the thought and Sirius leaned his palms against the stone wall on either side of her head, leaning his head down so their lips aligned, but not moving foreword. Puffs of breath escaped his mouth and brushed against her lips and her heartbeat sped up incredibly, each beat of her heart echoing in her ears like a war drum.

They stayed that way for a few minutes, lost in each other, waiting for the kiss that was surely to come, the tension building between them getting more and more tangible that Hermione could cut it with a knife. Before she could lean up on her toes and kiss him, like she was dying to do, Sirius moved his head to the side and trailed kisses down the column of her neck, nipping at her skin, sucking on her pulse point and Hermione moaned and leaned her head to the side granting him more access. She felt him grin wolfishly against her skin as he continued with his ministrations, but Hermione was to caught up in what he was doing to her to really pay attention. Her hands wound into his fine black hair and pulled his head back and up, letting their lips meet for an explosive kiss.

He responded readily, his hands wandering down her sides to the back of her thighs and he lifted her clear of the ground and, for both their benefits, Hermione wrapped her slim legs around his hips and he pushed his body closer to her in the heat of the moment, their breathing picking up and their hearts hammering so hard that the other could feel it. Hermione moaned when Sirius' tongue slid into her mouth and she responded in kind, partaking in a maddening chase and follow that made her skin heat up furiously.

None of her other boyfriends (well, Viktor or Cormac) could kiss like this – like they made her feel that she was the only person that mattered to him, like she was his!

They were pulled apart by a flash out their corner of their eyes and they both turned their heads in their direction to see a sniggering Remus holding a camera before running full pelt down the stairs. Sirius sighed and let Hermione slid down his body until her feet hit the stone floor; she leaned into his chest and he wrapped his arms around her shoulders, one hand drifting to cup the back of her head, holding her close.

"Come on, Sirius!" James' voice floated up the stairs and Sirius sighed again, the air ruffling Hermione's curls. He laid his cheek on top of her head, breathing in her scent before reluctantly pulling away. She smiled sadly and unwound her arms from his neck, letting his hands rest on his pectoral muscles and she looked up into his grey eyes that had darkened to an almost black.

"Have fun," she breathed and leaned up to plant a chaste kiss on his lips and he groaned lightly.

"Urgh, I can skip out on this and stay with you," he said staring intently into her eyes and she grinned.

"Nah, go with Lils – don't worry, I'll be safe in the impregnable castle. Be safe," she said and he smiled sadly, leaning down and pressing a lingering kiss on her forehead before taking her hand and walking down the stairs to join the others and they sat off for Hogsmeade, leaving Hermione stood in the common room, the others waving cheerily at her before the portrait slammed shut.

"Well, guess it's just you and me, eh Aaylah?" She asked her grey cat, who was curled up on the burgundy couch and she blinked lazily at her owner who laughed and ruffled her fur. "Right, I'm off to the library," she said almost happily and the cat meowed in understand, her tail flicking lightly before her amber eyes closed again and she entered the land of sweet oblivion once again. Hermione chuckled and grabbed her bag, throwing it over her head and shoulder.

Severus snapped his head up when Hermione opened the doors and his coal black eyes narrowed once he saw it was her before shooting out of his seat and stalking towards her, taking her arm and dragging her back out again, ignoring her squeal of protest.

"What the Hell are you doing here?" He hissed, pushing her into a hidden alcove that Hermione didn't even know was there, framing her body with his arms, trapping her escape.

"Well I was trying to go to the Library!" She retorted, crossing her arms over her chest and turning her head to the side.

"You're joking right?" He asked, slightly frantically and Hermione let her gaze flicker to the Slytherin.

"Obviously not."

"Why aren't you in Hogsmeade?" He asked, running a hand through his black hair.

"Because, Snape, I don't feel like it." She said simply, not divulging the real reason why she couldn't go and enjoy her afternoon with her boyfriend and their friends.

"But…You have to be there! Hermione, you're the best dueller in the whole year!" He grasped the top of her arms and shook her lightly.

"What does that have to do with anything? Snape, that isn't making sense—"

"The Death Eater's are going to attack Hogsmeade, Hermione."

Sirius was leaning against the wall of Honeydukes, rifling through a bag of Bertie Botts every flavour beans, trying to find some decent coloured ones that looked plausible to eat and he settled for a bubblegum pink one hoping it would be strawberry. Biting into the bean, he was pleased to taste the strawberry-ness flood over his taste-buds.

"What'd you get?" Sirius' grey eyes flickered, watching as Peter rocked backwards and forewords on the balls of his feet, looking slightly pre-occupied.

"Strawberry flavoured. Want one?" He offered the bag to Peter just as he saw Lily and James come out of the Three Broomsticks, with Remus and a girl from Ravenclaw called Carrie Green, who had been close friends with Olivia and Thoma and Matthew behind them, each chatting happily, lost in their own little world.

"Hmmm…Yeah," he decided, reaching out for the bag and dipping his hand inside, raking through them blindly. He pulled out a grey coloured one and looked at it disapprovingly before popping into his mouth and blanching at the warm and spicy taste of pepper that he didn't appreciate.

"No good?" Sirius asked, pushing off the wall and shioving his hands, and the bag, into the pockets of his leather jacket, walking in the direction of James, Peter following eagerly behind.

"Not really," he answered and they were almost level with James and Lily. James saw them and waved, and Lily turned in his grasp, peeking through her vibrant red hair to see them before she and James were thrown foreword with force as the wall beside them blew up, sending bits of brick and debris everywhere. Instinctively, Sirius turned and pushed Peter down, following and he ignored the cold snow as it seeped into his clothes. Once he felt it was clear, he scrambled up, running full pelt to the pile of bricks, hastily throwing bricks over his shoulder, digging in it, trying to find his best friend. He felt his heart quicken in fear as he thought of his best friend underneath the rubble, possibly dead and he swore he felt his heart stop.

Hermione stared blankly at Snape, trying to process his information. "You're joking right?" She unknowingly repeated his own question back to him and he laughed maniacally. Hermione was shocked to see her normally calm and collected Potions master basically fall apart.

"Do I look like I'm joking? Kingsley, I don't have time for stupid questions, Lily doesn't have time for them!" He said and Hermione raised her eyebrows.

"Lily? What about Lily?" Snape let out a breath of frustration and almost made a grab for his hair, but stopped himself from pulling it out.

"Why do you think I'm going to do all this?" He asked, gesturing to his forearm, just because Lily knew doesn't mean that Hermione did, and he'd prefer to keep it that way, "for kicks? Because I believe in it? Pfft, please," he said, shaking his head, "I have an ulterior motive for joining these deluded wannabe's," he wrung his hands and his eyes flickered to the right. "Can we please go now?"

"You can't be that worried about Lily, Snape, if you were you would be there already," she said, but she was already walking briskly down the hallway.

"Because I thought you'd be there! I don't like you, but you sure can duel. Hermione, I'm not about to go hanging around somebody who despises me, so I have to look after her in a different way." Hermione stopped and turned her aghast eyes to Snape, who stopped with a frustrated huff.

"What is it now, Kingsley?" He spat impatiently.

"You're gonna join the Death Eaters to protect Lily." She said slowly, like she couldn't quite believe it. He made a noncommittal noise in the back of his throat and pushed past her, almost running to the entrance. "Wait! Shouldn't we get Professor Dumbledore?"

"He's already there. I suggested earlier that him and some other respected teachers should go 'for a stroll' and they did." He threw the doors open and literally ran down the steps, Hermione close behind him, fear taking over as the situation presented itself – Sirius was there. She felt her heart beat strangely and it almost stopped at the thought.

"Why are you getting me when Dumbledore's already there?" Despite this fact, she knew she'd go anyways, Sirius needed her.

"Because I know you'll protect Lily and Co. You're from the future – how come you didn't know about this?" He asked, panting.

"I don't know!" She couldn't recall the incident, and she was starting panic – how could she not remember this?

James looked deathly white against the blood red colour of the bricks and he dug James from the wreckage, noting that Carrie and Remus were working on digging out Lily while Peter made sure that the bricks they were moving didn't cause an avalanche of more bricks with his wand – in Sirius' haste he didn't even bother to use his wand.

"James, James mate, come on, wake up," he knew his voice was shaking but he did nothing to hide it, instead he felt his stomach tighten the more that he was quiet. He reached out with a shaking hand and was relieved to feel the steady beat of a pulse beneath his fingertips just as a window at Honeydukes blew up, spreading glass in the streets. He covered James without a second thought and looked down the street to see a group of three, black cloaked clad men with black hoods and silver masks walking towards them, wands raised, ready to attack.

"Expel—"

"Expelliarmus!" The Death Eater's wand flew from his grip and Sirius let his gaze move to Carrie, who was holding her wand aloft, a fire in her hazel coloured eyes, her hat askew on her head.

"Thanks," Sirius said, grunting as he lifted James onto his shoulder in a fireman carry, smiling at the Ravenclaw.

"No problem," She smiled back and Sirius took out his own wand from the inside pocket of his leather jacket, aiming it at the Death Eater on the far right. "Impedimenta!" Sirius watched with some satisfaction as the Death Eater was knocked back and his mask flew off his face revealing a man with crooked yellow teeth and lots of facial hair.

"Incendio!" The remaining Death Eater said angrily and flames erupted from his wand, surrounding the students in a circle of fire, trapping them within the confines of the burning flickering flames.

"Oh, we're doomed! This is actually happening! Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no—"

"Thoma, shut up and get your wand out, for Merlin's sake!" Remus snapped, and Thoma stared at him incredulously as Matthew picked up Lily, cradling her to his chest.

"Aguamenti!" Peter yelled and water gushed out of the end of his wand, dousing the flames before and Remus aimed a stinging hexat the last Death Eater, who had been cackling maniacally.

"Nice going, Peter!" Matthew said, grunting as he lifted Lily more securely into his arms.

"Come on, lets go!" Sirius urged, his knees buckling with the weight of his best friend, but a weight he would gladly carry.

"What is going on?" Professor Dumbledore boomed, McGonagall and Slughorn following close behind.

"Oh, we're saved!" Thoma practically cried, clinging to the robes of the round professor, crying into the velvet fabric.

"Death Eaters, sir!" Matthew panted and Dumbledore and the rest of the professors didn't wait for a further explanation, drawing their wands and heading in that direction, stern looks on their slightly weathered faces.

"This is ridiculous!" Remus said, wiping his face from the dust and ash that was on his face and Sirius knew that he didn't fair much better.

"You think? Come on, let's get back to the castle before –"

"Reducto!" Sirius and James were thrown foreword, cutting off what he was going to say as he found himself airborne and landed onto the floor solidly, feeling his arm crack beneath his body weight. He groaned and turned over, ignoring the blinding pain and screams as he searched for his wand, his fingers moving fractically through the dirt before a foot stomped on them, making then immobile and he felt the bones shift. "Ah, the Black who betrayed his family. What a nice…surprise." A wand was in his face and he let his grey eyes stare into the dark brown ones that he could see through the holes in the mask thinking 'If he's gonna kill me, he'll have to look into my eyes as he does it.'

"Relashio!" The Death Eater was thrown back and Sirius breathed a sigh of relief before his stomach tightened into knots again at the sound of the voice who had, essentially saved him – he would recognize it anywhere.

"Hermione!" He gasped and struggled upright, cradling his broken arm to his chest, "you shouldn't be here, Hermione, you have to go-"

"Sirius, shush. I'm the best duellist in the year. I can do this." She said, holding a palm to his face. He closed his eyes at the touch, but opened them again when the roof to Zonko's joke shop caved in, the sound almost deafing mixed with the screams of the other students.

"Okay," Hermione smiled and moved away, bending over James and pressing the tip of her wand to his chest.

"Ennervate," she whispered and James coughed, his hazel eyes opening.

"What-?" He gasped and Sirius moved into his eye sight.

"Nice of you to finally join us,"

"James!" Lily called and Sirius looked to see Severus Snape sat beside her, his head buried in his hands.

"What's he doing here?" He said, anger taking over his senses at the sight of the Slytherin boy.

"Sirius, leave him be," Hermione said, ducking as a purple spell flew over her head.

"I found the Mudblood!" Sirius froze at both the words and the voice – he knew who that was.

"Hermione, I take it back, you have to go!" He effectively stood in front of her, blocking any attempt to get at her as the Death Eater stopped and moved their hand, taking the mask off –

"Sirius Black – we meet again,"

"Bellatrix." He growled, watching as his sadistic cousin smirked before moving her wand in a slashing motion, whipping through the air as she hissed her spell.

"Crucio!" Before the red spell could make contact, he was pushed forcibly out the way and a scream penetrated the air that made the hairs on the back of his neck raise and a chill to go down his spine. His horrified eyes met James' who was hugging Lily closely and he shook his head.

Time seemed to slow down for Sirius and he felt like he was moving through thick water. Thoma screamed in surprise, but it wasn't enough to cut off the dreaded scream coming from behind him.

He turned and saw Hermione withering on the floor, her eyes tightly closed as the spell reeked havoc on her abused body and before he could blink, his vision went red and he growled low in his throat and ran towards his girlfriend, to the woman that he loved and threw himself on top of her, taking the remainder of the curse.

It felt as if his skin was being burned from his bones and that as thousand knifes were stabbing him all at once – the pain was unbelievable and he couldn't stop his own screams from crawling up his vocal chords until the spell suddenly stopped.

"I'm not going to hurt you, baby cousin," Bellatrix almost sang before whimpering and giving him the puppy dog eyes under her heavily made up eyelids. "Her, on the other hand – hand her over, Sirius, and I'll let you and your stupid friends go." He looked over to see that more Death Eaters had appeared, each one having his friends in their grasp.

"I don't think so, Bella. You won't take any of us," he rasped out, his hand frantically going to Hermione's chest, resting a hand over her heat, relishing in the beating that he could feel.

"Oh, really?" she said mockingly and rolled up the sleeve of her black gown and Sirius watched in horrific fascination as the snake carved into her forearm slithered and she pressed the tip of her finger to it. It burned red before settling down and she cackled, dancing like a mad woman. "He's coming! He's coming!"

A jet of silver light appeared from the side of his vision and he watched as Bella was thrown, looking comical as she did a cartwheel through the air.

"You're welcome," Sirius grinned as Megara jumped into his vision, bowing as Professor Dumbledore arrived, looking exhausted and worn out.

The old wizard raised his wand and pointed it at the Death Eater holding Thoma, who was whimpering. "Tarantallegra!" The Death Eater's legs started moving uncontrollably and he danced off, his curses and yells following after him the further away he got.

The other Death Eater's seeing that Dumbledore was there, quickly disapparated just as Hermione stirred beneath Sirius.

"Oh, Hermione, love," he said, brushing her hair back out of her brown eyes, "I thought you were good at this duelling thing," he cheekily said and Hermione hit him weakly on the bicep. Sirius laughed lightly and helped her sit up before wrapping his arms tenderly around her shoulders, holding her close – he hated this helpless feeling and he longed to make it better. Just as that thought entered his head, a jet of yellow light skimmed his left ear and he groaned into Hermione's hair. He was not in the mood for this.

"Waddiwasi!" Hermione cried and a small, smooth stone sailed threw the air and hit the Death Eater between the eyes as she cast a protego charm at the rest of them to save them from a red spell that Sirius hoped was not the Cruciatus curse and rolled them over, avoiding a jet of blue light (that Sirius knew was Agumenti) and fired a knee-reversing spell, causing the knee's of the Death Eater to move to the other side of his legs with a sickening crunch and he toppled to the floor.

"Alright, no need to show off," he grumbled good naturally.

"Well done, Miss Kingsley! Now, we have to go, the auror's have it all under control,"

"Sir, Voldemort's coming," James said, pushing his glasses up his nose even though they were clearly broken.

"I know, and so do they – don't worry, he won't harm you," as he said this he let his gaze linger on Hermione as he said this, his blues twinkling. She nodded before she groaned in pain the muscles in her neck pulling painfully.

Sirius pulled her close, tucking her head into the crux of his shoulder and looked out over Hogsmeade – smoke was curling from the tops of houses and fire erupted across the small town – he could hear women screaming and children crying and it broke his heart to be living in such times.

He saw Professor McGonagall rushing towards them, other students in her wake, her hair dishevelled, and a look of horror and sadness on her old face.

"Professor, Miss Humes has seriously hurt herself and must be taken to the hospital wing immediately!" She said urgently and Sirius felt sadness for his dreamy, out of this world friend.

"What happened?" Dumbledore said calmly and said a spell that had ropes flying out of the tip of his wand, tying the Death Eaters hands and feet together, so that they could not move.

"She tried to repel a Death Eater sir, with her own spell and well, this happened," Kara supplied, moving to the side to see Rayne who looked like a puppet with no strings and was hovering a few inches off the ground, her ponytail shoved to one side and blood dripping down her face.

"Oh, Rayne," Hermione said sadly, leaning back into Sirius' hold.

"She repelled the Death Eater though!" Kara said excitedly, "then Kingsley, not you Hermione, obviously, came and tackled him, slamming him into the ground. I swear, if I wasn't a lesbian, I would so have him." Sirius chuckled at Kara's words and he could honestly say that it felt strange to laugh after what he had just gone through and witnessed – his muscles still ached terribly.

"Let's go back to Hogwarts now," Snape said, rubbing his bicep where a Death Eater had him in a vice grip and he nodded, for once agreeing with the Slytherin and turning, with Hermione still in his arms, and following the trail of students to the castle, hurrying. They were all in for a trip to the hospital wing.

The moonlight cut across the marble floor through the gap in the curtains, falling across Hermione's bed, making her white skin glow even more and her brown eyes seem almost golden. She was wide awake, staring at the bed beside her where Sirius lay, his arm in bandages across the wrinkled sheets of his bed, his eyes closed peacefully in sleep and she let out a breath of hurt – not physical hurt, mental hurt. She was sick of seeing the people that she loved so much get hurt.

Wait…Loved?

The door to the Hospital Wing creaked open slowly and Hermione slowly rolled her head on her pillow, looking over Lily's bed to see a shadow creep across the wall, the caster unseen until he stepped into the shaft of light the moon created and she saw who it was.

"What do you want?" She asked and he jumped – he obviously didn't know that she was awake.

"I came to see my brother," he said and sunk onto Sirius bed, sighing as his own grey eyes landed on the bandaged arm. "Who?" He asked, gesturing to Sirius arm that had been heavily broken and Hermione sighed.

"Don't know, but your darling cousin cast Crucio on us," she said harshly, "where you there, under a silver mask?" She said hatefully and Regulus gulped.

"No. I wasn't permitted to go seeing as it was me who set out the hit."

"Why you stupid-" Hermione began, but was cut off.

"I don't want to do this anymore," he said, letting his grey eyes wonder to each bed in the Hospital Wing, everyone occupied by a student. "Hermione, I need your help and I know you can help me. I don't want to be an evil Death Eater, it just isn't in my nature. I never intended any of this, none of this."

"Right," she said dubiously, keeping her voice quiet so as not to disturb the people around her, "and what do you expect me to do?"

"You're from the future, you know how to beat him. I know you know about the Horcruxes – So does Voldemort, he's moved them all. Well, he hasn't told the Death Eaters, except I think Bellatrix might know what they actually are – he's moved a ring, Hufflepuff's cup and Slytherin's necklace and I know where they are." Hermione stared at him incredulously, not sure if she should believe the Death Eater but he looked at her, his grey eyes shimmering and she knew that he was being sincere.

"How do you know I'm from the future?" She asked, picking at her sheets, she was getting slightly annoyed that her secret wasn't a secret anymore.

"All the Death Eater's know. Hailey, remember?" She blinked after hearing her former professor's name and sighed in realisation.

"Okay, Regulus. Help me get the Horcruxes." She said and Regulus bowed his head before glancing at Sirius one last time and standing.

"I'll contact you within the next week." He said and slid out of the room silently, the door closing with a small resounding click.

"Hermione? Who're you talking to?" Sirius asked groggily, leaning up on an elbow, looking at her through his eyelashes.

"No-one," she said quietly and smiled when he collapsed back onto the mattress and his breathing evened out. She quietly moved her legs from between the sheets and padded the small distance between their beds, the need to touch him almost overwhelming to her. She crept into his bed, resting her head against his chest and her arms wrapped around his torso, his automatically coming up to cradle her and she felt safe. She allowed herself to drift off with the thought that she could actually beat this and Sirius' heart beat echoing in her ear rhythmically, the sound lulling her into a dreamless sleep.

A:N – Okay, it's been about…a week? Since I posted last and that is because of two reasons. 1) I've been out everyday this week, so I haven't had time to write properly until the day before yesterday, in which I wrote 8 pages in one sitting (love it when that happens!) and 2) I've been going over and over it to make sure that it's right and reads right and stuff – I'm not brilliant at fighting scenes, so cut me some slack, yeah?

Anyways, thanks for reading and I hope you like it!

Kelly

xxx