December

Up, up, up. It seemed like the winding stairs to the North tower never ended. The last time she took them she was actually storming out of Divination class while being chased by a rogue crystal ball. She was the one who knocked the blasted thing off of the tiny tea table in the first place but that was beside the point. Harriette was on her way to the Divination classroom to visit with Luna Longbottom for tea. She still had to get used to the change in her old friend's last name but at least the alliteration was still the same, which made it easier. She finally made it to the top of the stairs but before she could even raise her hand to knock, the door swung open revealing an effervescent woman in the archway wearing periwinkle colored robes.

"Come in!" Luna said with an airy tone. "I am so delighted you are here. To be honest I didn't think you would come. Most people tend to stand me up or ignore me in the first place, but I just had a feeling you would be here." Same old Luna. Even after more than a decade, she still didn't lose her bubbly and rather odd personality, but Harriette was glad for it. Otherwise she wouldn't be, well, Luna. The seer stepped aside and her dangly earrings swayed back and forth against her bright blonde hair. They were of a strange fish she had never seen before.

"Hello, Luna. It's good to see you." She paused before saying, "I think your earrings are very interesting."

"Thanks. I made them myself. They are Plimpies. Specifically Deep Water Plimpies. They differ from Fresh Water Plimpies by pattern, or lack of I should say." Harriette remained silent; she didn't know how to respond. They made their way to one of the tables and sat down. There were two cups and a kettle already waiting for them beside what Harriette assumed was a crystal ball under a velvet cloth. Looking around the room, she noticed that not much had changed from when Sybill Trelawney was the Divination instructor. The room still had the same layout and furniture as well as the same thick curtains that blocked most of the sunlight from the room, creating a rather ominous atmosphere.

"My Nev is so proud of the plants you got him, by the way. He got them into pots and they are growing well. He is most excited about them. He says that they should be able to be planted around the castle grounds in the Spring." Luna beamed while talking about Neville. It was clear that they adored each other. And knowing the Snakewood trees were doing great lifted her spirits. She and Naos had been a bit estranged since she told him the truth of her past and it had her feeling down.

"What is bothering you?" Harriette looked up from her fidgeting hands into Luna's whimsical stare. The question and the look in her eyes didn't quite match up which unnerved Harriette. Not to mention the fact that she so easily picked up on her feelings.

"Oh, it's complicated." She had to force herself to not bite the inside of her cheek and instead her lips formed into a tight smile.

"Would you mind if I did a reading? Perhaps it could enlighten you with your troubling thoughts. I always feel better after I have tea leaves, tarot, and crystal ball readings. Oh and I mustn't forget charting my stars. Astromancy never lies."

"Uh, sure?" She placed her hands into Luna's who immediately pulled a small crystal decanter from the table and spritzed Harriette's hands. The smell of lavender filled the air as she watched as the seer traced the lines in her palms. Luna's eyebrows pinched together ever-so-slightly and pursed her lips together. After a long moment of having her both sides of each hand being studied, the witch across from her finally released them and sat back in her chair.

"Very strange." Luna finally said.

"What is?"

"I could not get a stable read on your lines. One moment the lines were deep and either straight or curved in a very readable way, the next they were light and broken. I don't think I have ever seen that before." None of this made any sense to Harriette. Divination was the one subject she had no ability in, aside from flying on a broom, but that had more to do with fear than ability.

"Would you mind if I took a different approach?"

Harriette shook her head, "No, not at all."

Luna shifted the teacups out of the way and lifted the purple velvet cloth from the crystal ball in the center of the table. It sat on a gold halo stand, and the dim light gently bounced off the glass sphere creating soft, rainbow reflections around the room. She looked into the breathtaking orb but was still unable to see anything aside from her own upside-down reflection and a few soft cracks winding their way throughout the ball.

Luna suddenly had a small bundle of what appeared to be some sort of paper wrapped in twine. Where did that come from? Harriette hadn't seen her fetch it from anywhere. She watched Luna swirl the smoking bundle in the air around both of them before tracing around the crystal ball. The strands of smoke dancing around them gave off a very earthy aroma with a hint of floral elements. It was rather calming and made her feel...renewed somehow?

"Okay, close your eyes and just breathe. Think about what is troubling you and I will do the rest."

"Alright." Harriette leaned back in her seat and let her eyes close. She felt rather silly but decided to trust her friend and commit to the reading. It was hard at first, to relax and focus only on what was troubling her. She kept hearing random annoyances that were breaking her concentration; the echoes of school children from the bottom of the stairs, a mysterious humming from somewhere in the room, and what sounded like a high pitched static buzzing in her ears. Luna would know doubt say she had a severe infestation of wrackspurts. But slowly, she found herself forming more stable thoughts of her troubles.

She let her mind fill with the memory of seeing Bellatrix in the alley, of how scared she was for her and her son that maybe Bellatrix knew of him and was coming after him. Her mind drifted to her own relationships with Harry, Ron, and Ginny. How could they possibly forgive her for her extended absence? Could they go back to normal? She thought of Naos and Sirius' relationship. Would they ever be able to be father and son? Would Sirius accept him? Would Naos resent her? Would Sirius? Sirius. What did her dreams mean? Why was she dreaming of being a family with him and then him dying again? And why was there so much intensity between them? The way his touch made her feel; exhilarating, naughty, and like an actual woman. Not just some know-it-all, book-crazed loon. What could all this mean?

Luna cleared her throat, snapping Harriette out of her trance. She opened her eyes to see her friend sitting back against her chair with her chin clutched between her fingers. Her questionable look worried Harriette. What did she see?

"What is it?"

"For some reason I am just unable to read you. Neither palmistry nor scrying worked. I couldn't make out your past at all and your future was obscured." Luna paused before a moment, and then her eyes lit up.

"I am wondering if you are skilled in occlumency and are preventing me from reading you?" Harriette shook her head, dismissing the notion. But her eyes widened as she remembered her own identity disillusionment charms. The magic in the spell prevents anyone from knowing her true identity so they could possibly be keeping Luna from reading her properly. She wouldn't tell Luna of her spells of course.

"Ah, well. Perhaps it's because I am skeptical of Divination." She placed her hand on the crystal ball and patted it nonchalantly when suddenly Luna's eyes grew wide and she brought her face closer to the glass orb. Harriette watched as her eyes darted back and forth. Her lips formed into a small "oh" and then she slowly turned her face to Harriette's.

"Why would Bellatrix LeStrange want to kill you?"

Harriette brought her favorite cup of tea to her lips and blew the steam away from the surface of the hot liquid before taking a small sip. She was definitely enjoying the assortment of tea leaves that Neville had gifted to her, although chamomile and lavender was still her favorite combination. She sat in the overstuffed chair by the hearth wrapped in Gryffindor quilt listening to the crackles and pops from the blazing fire. It was Christmas Eve and most students had left the castle for winter break. She managed to get Naos to talk his friends into staying at the castle for Christmas so she wouldn't have to worry about him being away in London. Tomorrow they would all wake to a few presents each from her. Tonight however, they were having a small party that she helped Naos plan. It was the least she could do.

While the remaining Gryffindor's gorged themselves on treats and pumpkin juice she graded her intern's midterm exams. Both Maisie and Nellie were doing amazing despite their hindrances. Maisie was overcoming her shyness, though sometimes under pressure she would freeze up. Nellie, on the other hand, had no trouble keeping up with the excessive workload. She was basically taking on two years of internship studies in one term since she is a seventh year student in a very new internship program. Harriette remained confident that both students would excel as healers, and their perfect scores on their exams proved it. The floral aromas filled her nose as she took another sip of her tea. She smiled over the brim of her cup as the gentle steam against her face relaxed her. Suddenly, there was a knock on her door.

She glanced at the old clock on her shelf. Eleven-fifteen. Who could it be at this time of night? She set the midterms and tea on the small table next to her chair and she fastened the belt around her plain grey housecoat as she walked to the door. Another knock. She opened the door to Sirius Black standing under a dimly lit sconce. He wore a deep red button down shirt and it seems he forgot to affix the first few buttons. She could just barely make out the beginnings of hair beneath the familiar runic tattoo on his chest. She felt her nipples harden beneath her top and she was starting to rethink her evening's wardrobe choices.

"Hello." She said as she quickly crossed her arms over her front. The light from the sconce danced in his darkened eyes.

"Good evening." His voice sounded pleasant but the intensity in his gaze confused her. She couldn't tell if he was upset or something else. He stepped into the room and slowly closed the door behind him, forcing her to take a couple steps back. The light from the fire illuminated his slightly furrowed eyebrows and tightened jaw; she didn't see kindness upon his face. She took another step backwards toward her bed.

"I hear you are the reason for the chaos in the Gryffindor common room tonight." He said plainly. Was he really upset over a Christmas party? He took another step towards her.

"I suppose I am." Harriette lifted her chin with faux defiance. So what if the students were being a little loud and obnoxious? He may be intimidating but she wouldn't back down, especially over something so menial. He stepped forward again and her confidence wavered. She withdrew some more but the backs of her knees hit the edge of her bed. She steadied herself as to not fall onto the mattress by grasping the footboard with either hand. Her heart began to race as heat ignited in her belly. He stood barely a foot away from her and she felt small in his towering presence. Her body's reaction confused her even further than she already was. How could she be finding his intimidation so... attractive?

He slowly dipped his head, bringing his lips to her ear and asked with a gruff whisper, "Who are you really?" He leaned back slightly, his eyes level with her widened gaze. The question caught her completely off guard and suddenly her lips were very dry. She could feel the blood in her veins turn ice cold. Did he know who she was? How could this be? Did Naos tell one of his friends who then told Sirius? Or did Naos go and talk to him? Oh no, this was not good. She wracked her brain trying to figure out how he could know she was hiding her true identity but his closeness was distracting.

The warmth from his small breaths tickled the flesh of her neck causing a shiver to trickle down the length of her body, making her weak in the knees. If she weren't holding onto the bed, she would have surely slipped. His proximity suffocated her yet the disorienting zing ripping throughout her body made her feel like lightning in a bottle. It took everything in her not to react to her arousal but the taunting glare from his eyes made it increasingly difficult and her blushing cheeks defied her.

The only sounds in the room aside from the cackling fire were their thudding heartbeats, echoing each other in the thick silence between them. He licked his lips; the motion catching her eye. A blurred memory of his kiss from a month ago swirled in her mind but it felt surreal somehow. She wondered what it would be like to taste him once again; to feel the softness of his lips against hers and know for sure just how real it was.

Before she knew what was happening, she found herself slowly drawing closer to him. Her lips parted as she started to close her eyes but he jerked back, his own eyes wide with surprise. She pushed herself away from him, appalled at what she was just about to do. She could hear the bump, bump, bump in her inflamed ears grow louder as her heart raced. How could she think he would want her after he was just expressing his doubts about her?

"I… I am so sorry! I just-" Sirius' hands came out of nowhere as he snaked his fingers through her hair. His lips crashed down onto hers and she tasted vanilla. She didn't have to remember anymore. She didn't have to think at all. She couldn't; she could only react. His tongue flicked her bottom lip and she opened her mouth, devouring his kiss. She was barely aware of his right hand making its way down her body leaving goosebumps in its wake. She moaned.

A coldness made her nipples harden and she realized that her robe was undone. She opened her eyes, pulling away from him slightly to see him drop the tie to the floor. He smirked. What a sneak. He pulled her back towards him, kissing her again as her robe hit the floor. Both of his hands were on her bottom, cupping her curves. He squeezed. She sighed against his mouth. His crafty fingers traced the band of her knickers and she tossed her head back. His mouth found her throat and she grabbed fistfuls of his hair, willing for this moment not to end. He licked, nibbled, and sucked on her neck. She couldn't take it anymore. The heat between her legs was unbearable. She needed him.

"Sirius." Her breathy whisper sounded so foreign to her but his guttural growl only intensified her arousal and suddenly they were ripping each other's clothes off. His body crashed against hers as he pushed her against one of the bedposts. He held onto the post above their heads with his left hand as he cupped her thigh with his right, bracing himself as he entered her.

Their bodies moved together so fluidly as he rocked into her. She grabbed his shoulders to steady herself and he thrust harder. The bed shook with the rhythm of their passion and she could feel a pressure building inside of her. He began to rock faster. Her breaths quickened. The desire in her belly burned and she yearned for release. She grew frantic and dug her nails into his skin.

"Sirius…" She said through gritted teeth while looking into his eyes. The dancing flames reflected in his grey orbs matched her own fire. "Sirius, please." She searched his gaze for something, she didn't know what.

"Come for me, kitten." Kitten. Her brows furrowed and her lips softened as she lost her control. Her climax spilled from her center as she quivered around his hardness but he didn't stop. He filled her, pressing into her over and over. The titillating sensation fluttered between pain and pleasure as she cried out over and over. He thrust once more, sheathing himself deep inside her and emptied his pleasure into her.

As soon as it had started, it was over. He didn't even give her time for her breathing to slow before he let her go. He bent down, picking up his discarded clothes, scrambling to put on every item as he came across them. She stood there watching in bewilderment that he couldn't even utter a single word to her. One moment they are lost in the throws of passion, the next he is cold and distant. He handed her the gray robe she had tossed to the floor earlier and hurried through the chamber door leaving her without so much as a goodbye. What in Merlin's beard just happened?

AN: I just wanted to let you all know that I am sorry for the inconvenience that the site had caused when it wouldn't allow you to read my last chapter. If something like this should ever happen again, my story does exist on Archive of Our Own and is updated at the same time as this site. Again, I am so sorry.

Some other things I would like to clarify that I am sorry was misconstrued in the story is that Hermione/Harriette went to school with the Goldstein's, so no, they are not strangers. While us as readers in the Harry Potter universe did not see or read much about Anthony Goldstein or Mandy Brocklehurst, I tend to think Hermione and the gang still knew them very well. Also, this story is AU, so yes, while Ron and Hermione had children later than Remus/Tonks, in this story, Ron has never been with Hermione and the timeline has been slightly altered to allow such inconsistencies with the canon story. Same goes for her and Naos having a Thanksgiving Holiday. They came from America so McGonagall allowed them the time to celebrate their American tradition I know Hermione is not American, but as far as Naos and everyone else is concerned, that is all they have known for the past decade. I hope this helps! Thank you so much for your reviews! I hope you like this chapter!