Wow, so many people were oh so happy at Sirius finally asking Hermione out! I am so glad everyone liked that.
I remembered that my amazing beta NetsirkElocin, had sent me some more chapters so everyone is in luck. :)
In case anyone has missed it, M1sch1efManaged has a wonderful story called Going Back, that I am a tad obsessed with and there for you all should be too. ;)
As always I do not own Harry Potter.
A couple of days before the Hogsmeade visit, the Marauders were sitting at breakfast.
James was excited to be going to the village because there was a new broom he wanted to check out.
"Sirius, are you ready for Hogsmeade? I figure while Moony and Boots are salivating over their books we can see the newest broom that just came out the FIRSTAR. It is supposed to be the fastest broom yet," James asked as he picked at his eggs on his plate.
Sirius caught Hermione's glance out of the corner of his eye and smirked.
"Sorry. No can do, Prongsie. I have a hot date this visit."
"What? Since when? And why did you not tell us?" James asked worriedly. He and Remus had both been betting on when Sirius and Hermione would start going out. Even the girls were in on it.
"I didn't tell you because I didn't want to make a big deal of it."
"But you have not gone on a date since… what fourth year?" Remus asked.
"Yeah. Well, now I am."
"Fine! See if I ever tell you anything again. Guess it will just be Moony, Boots, and I having all the fun," James said.
Hermione stopped a giggle as she looked up from her plate and at James.
"Sorry, James. I meant to tell you guys. I got asked out. Between classes and my extra lessons with the Headmaster, I must have forgotten."
James and Remus were shocked. Not only were both of their friends going out with someone, but neither seemed to care.
"I'm sure you can ask Lily to go with you," Hermione said still holding in the laughter at the boys' faces.
"Who are you going out with, Boots?" Remus asked.
"I would rather not say and jinx it," Hermione said smiling. Teasing the boys was, in her opinion, the best thing ever.
"But you like him, right?" Remus asked in a worried tone.
Hermione smirked and looked at all the boys trying not to lose it as Sirius waggled his eyebrows at her.
"Yeah, I really do."
James and Remus looked at each other, missing the look exchanged between their two friends.
Hermione pushed back her empty plate and stood up.
"I'm finished. I think I'm going to stop by the library to double check something for Potions."
"Is it for that essay on the properties of Dogwood that Slughorn gave us?" Sirius asked.
"Yes, I think I got all six, but I wanted to be sure."
Sirius pushed his plate away. "Do you think I could come too and you can help me? I only have four out of the six," Sirius said nonchalantly.
"Sure. Do you have the essay with you?"
"Yup, in my bag,"
"Alright then, let's go. We better hurry though if we want to get to the library and still have time to get to Transfiguration on time. See you guys later," Hermione said as Sirius joined her.
They made it out the doors and up the stairs before they started laughing at their friends' faces.
Back in the Great Hall, Remus and James were still staring at the doors trying to figure out what had just happened.
The day of the Hogsmeade visit came. Hermione was nervous for some unknown reason. 'It's just Sirius,' she kept telling herself as she got ready. She was wearing a pair of bell bottom jeans that Molly had given her for her birthday along with her lovely new gold sweater. She brushed her curly red hair and pulled half of it up into a ponytail. She looked in the mirror and applied a small coat of light pink lip gloss.
Sirius and Hermione had each told their friends that their dates were going to meet them after everyone left for the village and that they would meet back up with the group later.
Hermione made her way out of the common room and down to the courtyard where she was meeting Sirius.
She saw him standing next to a column waiting for her ringing his hands together. He turned around and saw her, and he smiled.
"Wow. Boots, you look beautiful," Sirius said as Hermione reached him.
"Thank you, Sirius. You look good, too."
"Ready to go?" Sirius asked as he held out his arm for Hermione.
Hermione nodded and took his arm and allowed him to lead her to the village.
They walked in silence. For Hermione, it was almost painful.
Sirius turned and looked at her and asked nervously "Did you want to go to Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop for a cup of tea?" it was clear Sirius was trying not to cringe.
Hermione thought that was the last straw. "Sirius. We have known each other since we were 11. What on earth makes you think I would EVER enter that place willingly. I swear, if you drag me in there next full moon I will bite you! Why are we both nervous? It's not like we have not gone to Hogsmeade together before."
"I don't know. Maybe this is the first time I think I have to act differently with you," Sirius said.
"Well, you don't. I know who you really are Sirius, and I still said yes. You don't need to pretend to be anyone other than yourself with me. I say we go to Honeydukes and grab some treats, then hang out at the shack until we told everyone we would meet up with them."
"I still can't believe they asked us to show up for lunch," Sirius said laughing.
"I can. I wonder how long it will take them to figure out we are each other's dates when we walk in together?" Hermione wondered with a laugh.
The couple made their way around the village careful to avoid being seen by their friends. They went into Honeydukes where Sirius bought Hermione some pumpkin pastries.
"Can I tell you a secret?" he asked as they walked out the sweet shop.
Hermione cocked her head to look at him. "Yes…"
"I really don't like pumpkin pastries. I have always bought them though because you do."
Hermione laughed. "So when you got mad at me for eating them…"
"Yeah, that's what they were there for. I always had a stock for you if you needed them," Sirius said as he laughed at Hermione's face of shock.
Hermione thought back to all the times when she was stressed or upset and how he would always give her some of her favorite treats.
"Well, thank you. And in my defense, I really did need those treats when I snuck them out of your trunk."
"No, you didn't. I heard you shared them with Lily. But that's okay. If they made you happy, then they did what they were supposed to do."
The pair made their way to the shack where they ate their treats and talked about their classes.
They talked until Hermione noticed it was time to meet their friends at the Three Broomsticks for lunch.
"Ready to face the jury?" she asked Sirius.
"Yup. Who do you think will figure it out first?"
"Well, the girls are going to be there and Frank with the boys. So I say, Lily or Remus. I think James will be the last to get it, though."
Sirius laughed. "You're probably right."
And together they made their way to the tavern.
"Hey guys," Sirius said as he made his way to the table with his friends. Hermione was following right behind him.
"Hey Pads, where is your date?" James asked. "And Boots, where is yours? He didn't hurt you, did he?"
Lily looked from Hermione to Sirius before she let out a squeal. Remus was chuckling as he too put it together. Lily jumped up from her seat and rushed to Hermione pulling the witch into a huge hug.
"Oh my goodness! I am so happy for you!" she squealed.
"Wait, what am I missing?" James asked confused.
"A great deal, my friend," Remus said as he smiled at the new couple.
"James," Lily said as if speaking to a child. "Think about it. Hermione and Sirius both had dates today. They both met their dates after everyone left for the village. They came in together…" she said as she lifted her voice, hoping that James would understand.
"Did you crash Hermione's date again, Padfoot?" James asked, still confused, as everyone laughed.
"Oh Merlin, give me strength," Lily said as she rolled her eyes to the ceiling. "They were each other's dates, moron!"
James looked from Sirius to Hermione and back again as they nodded, confirming what Lily said.
"About damn time!" James exclaimed as he raised his mug of butterbeer to toast his friends. "You know what that means, darling Lily. It means that you will have to say yes to me soon."
Lily looked like she wanted to hit James but instead quickly changed her expression to a sweet smile. "No, it doesn't. I could always ask Remus out."
Remus' face became as red as Hermione's hair and held his hands in surrender as James turned sharply to him.
Everyone laughed and soon the subject of Sirius and Hermione was quickly forgotten.
Oh, sweet James. He cracks me up.
Until next time Lots of love from the Bookworm
