Okay so it's been uhm…a while since I updated. Uhh, basic rundown before jumping back in – got a boyfriend, got a $24k scholarship, went to State Thespian Festival and got Superiors in Duet Acting, which means I'll go to International Thespian Festival with my partner and perform on an international level, auditioned (perfectly) for Antigone only to find out that since not enough people auditioned it would then be cancelled, uhh, been on Tumblr, worked on my Simblr (Tumblr Sims 3 blog), cussed at my computer a lot, stressed out a lot, cried a lot...

And now I'm going to use this chapter to apologize for my previous and also impending absence. And also how short this is, as I am very, very drained. Maybe next time.

"I've lost a grip on where I started from/ I wish I'd thought ahead and left a few crumbs/ I'm on the hunt for who I've not yet become/ But I'd settle for a little equilibrium/ There is a war inside my heart gone silent/ Both sides dissatisfied and somewhat violent/ The issue I have now begun to see/ I am the only lonely casualty/ This is not the end though…" – "Hercules," Sara Bareilles

Sirius wondered what else could go wrong today. He hadn't had time to drink a cup of coffee this morning. He'd been yelled at at work over a set of forms that he didn't even receive. He'd been reminded of Kitten's impending departure at least seventeen times that day, and counting. And, to top it all off, Sirius had been tasked with the mission of breaking into and out of Gringotts with Kitten. Well, actually, it was more of just being in the right place at the right time while Kitten did all of the hard work. To be perfectly honest, that wasn't all that bad. The worst bit was that they'd run into Regulus while doing so, and had to take him along while they broke out because some makeup had rubbed off and he'd asked about a scar and they had been very pressed for time.

Now they were sitting in a Muggle café, Kitten dripping wet all over her side of the booth, which was also Sirius's side of the booth, but he didn't really care that much. Regulus was on the other side of the table, staring at them expectantly as the wait staff avoided them and didn't even look at them. Almost as if by magic. He wondered which one of them was doing it.

"So," Regulus began, his hands cupping around a large mug. Sirius wasn't even sure what it was filled with, just that it was warm and steaming. He would've said either coffee or tea, but there was a large spoon sticking out of it. Would they put soup in a mug here? That could've been a thing Muggles did. Kitten did eat things out of a mug rather than a plate sometimes. Perhaps they had certain eating-mugs rather than drinking-mugs, in which case Sirius would need to ask about the next time a proper moment arose. "How do you normally disguise yourself, stranger?"

"Various charms, some you know, some I made," she answered simply, picking at a cinnamon roll and sniffling occasionally. Sirius took off his leather jacket, wrapping it around her protectively and smiling as she gave him a quick smile and leaned into the jacket.

"Who are you, and where have you come from?" Regulus asked, and Sirius half-hopefully listened for a name.

"I'm from the nineteen-nineties, and I'm here to prevent a lot of people being killed," she said after some time, sighing heavily and looking across the table at him. "Including you…and Sirius."

Regulus blinked, staring at her for a long time before looking to his brother. Sirius nodded back, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and tugging her into him, trailing a heating charm up and down her arm and across her back through his fingertips. Regulus was silent for a few minutes, staring at his brother all the while, before he glanced to his mug and sighed before looking back at her.

"And…how can I help prevent that?" he asked, calming considerably. Sirius was surprised to see how much he trusted him, how willing he was to take his word on an inconceivable matter. Which was shocking, considering how few people trusted Sirius after he'd been known to prank them from time to time.

"Don't do it," she stated simply, finally taking a bite out of her pastry. Regulus blinked, then nodded back, stirring the contents of his mug. Sirius felt very lost from this conversation, but wasn't too concerned about it. It was a long day, a lot of bad things had happened, but a lot of good things had taken place as well. He had a dessert before dinner, for instance, as they'd ordered sweets and then food when they'd sat down. Regulus at least knew, so that was one less person in the Black family he had to lie to. A pretty girl that he was very much in love with was by his side, and leaning into him for comfort rather than warmth, as she was just as drained as he was. And, probably one of the best things of the day, was that he had not been burned to death by a blind albino dragon.

Sirius sniffed, running his hands through his wet hair, and grinned as Regulus sneezed, sounding somewhat like a combination between a kitten and a tea kettle whistle.

Hey, it wasn't paradise, but he could definitely live with it.

Hermione groaned as she curled up underneath her bedsheets, bundled up and cursing the winter months and freezing lakes and common colds and an allergy to a needed potion ingredient. She'd quarantined herself in her room in Godric's Hollow, threatening Lily with vague "very bad things" if she tried to help while she was pregnant. Last she heard, James, Lily and Sirius were all talking about her downstairs, and she wondered when or if Sirius would come up and gracefully drop into bed next to her.

It was odd that she was expecting him to do such a thing, and even odder that she was wanting him to. She blamed it on her fever and how freezing she felt, no matter how many warming charms and blankets she had in effect. Sirius was just always warm, that was it. Nothing more.

She was disrupted from her thoughts as she heard footsteps, shutting her eyes in preparation for the hall light and smiling when she heard the door shut lightly.

"Okay, Kitten, change of plans," Sirius announced quietly, giving her a soft smile as he folded up sweaters and pajama pants from her closet, putting them into a small duffel bag before reaching for a few books and stuffing them in there as well. He tossed it over a shoulder, moving to her and smoothing her hair back from her forehead as he spoke. "We're moving you to my flat while you're sick, so that way someone can take care of you without having to worry about the Potter spawn."

She gave a small laugh, "You're gonna take care of me?"

"Yes, ma'am, I am!" he said with a grin, peeling away her blankets and trying to find where bedclothes ended and girl began. "I even took off work."

"Oh, Sirius, you didn't have to do that," she complained softly, as her voice wouldn't get any louder.

"Nonsense," he said as he finally scooped her up into his arms, "Besides, you're taking me off paperwork duty. Did you know that there is a lot of paperwork to do in the event that Gringotts ever gets broken into?"

"No, I did not," she said with a soft smile, curling up against him and finally beginning to feel warm.

"Well, there is," he finished lamely, heading downstairs and disappearing into the Floo. Once they reappeared in his flat, he awkwardly maneuvered and dropped the bag on the floor, moving to his bedroom and carefully depositing her onto the mattress, covering her up and moving her hair away from her face as she dozed in the process.

"Don't go," she said weakly as he moved to leave, his heart breaking in the process as she almost pouted at him, "You're warm."

"Oh," he blinked, standing and scratching his head as he looked over her, "Err…I kind of cocooned you in there, Kitten, I dunno how I'm gonna…."

She gave a small laugh and with one small kick, his whole cocoon fell apart. He pouted as he crawled into bed with her, wrapping his arms around her and grinning as she snuggled into him.

"Hey, maybe you should get sick more often," he chuckled, but she was already asleep, curled up against his chest as he pulled blankets up around her and rubbed her back, humming absentmindedly as he did before he dozed off as well, warm and very, very happy.

Sooo, yeah, life keeps rearing its big ugly head and ruining my…er…life. So I'm sorry that this is short and that the only purpose of it was to tick off a thing on my Howl checklist, but that next chapter should be more of an actual chapter. However, I make no promises for a quick write-up, because hey! I have exams and finals and projects and fucking graduation! Who knows when I'll get time? So, yeah, keep me in your thoughts and send as many hugs as you deem necessary ('cause I definitely need them.) Thank you for your understanding and patience!