Author's Note: Hey all, some thought Junie was moving fast in the last chapter, you'll hate this one. Between now and the end of the year I will only be posting once a week, on Mondays. I need to take a bit of a writing break after NaNoWriMo. Thanks so much, MNF

Chapter 13:

Home

Junie awoke feeling warm and content, which was different from nearly every morning when she woke up feeling cold. She also noticed an unfamiliar weight across her mid-section, although it was not unwelcome. A light fluttering of air hit her neck, and Junie smiled. She was in Sirius' arms. Junie had spent the night in the arms of the man who loved her. Rolling over gently, as to not awaken him, Junie turned to see his face.

In slumber, Sirius Black looked younger, much like he had when they had stood up for James and Lily at their wedding. She'd been the maid-of-honour when Lily's sister refused the position, although Marlene had shared in the duties equally. The happy couple decided Marlene and Sirius arm and arm near the front of the marque would be uncomfortable not only for the pair, but for Remus and her family. Now, as he slept, he looked free of the stress that permeated most of his life. Junie wanted to be an oasis from that stress.

She thought about how she should feel embarrassed to be wearing so few clothes – she was only in her knickers and the dress shirt he'd worn the night before – but she wasn't. Sirius had told her and had shown her how beautiful she was in his eyes, and because of their Bond, she believed him. No one had ever made her feel like he did. She hoped he knew how much she desired and loved him too.

Lying in bed, Junie's mind couldn't avoid going to the other women who had lain here, in his arms and in his bed. She knew she shouldn't be jealous. None of those women were Heart-Bonded with Sirius; she was. She was the woman who would be waking up in this bed, with this man, for the rest of her life. The thought stopped her and surprised her. Junie didn't want to sleep anywhere but where Sirius was. They'd only been together for a month and a half. There was no way she would have ever considered this level of commitment with anyone else, especially not this soon. Yet with this man, and with this bond, it felt right.

Was it even possible? Could she move out of the castle? Other professors came to Hogwarts to teach and then went home at night; could she be one? Would Sirius even want her here, living with him? What about her house? She loved her home in Sunderland?

Junie's thoughts were broken when Sirius stirred, opened his eyes, smiled, and pulled her closer to kiss her senseless.

"Good morning," he said, his voice rough from sleep.

"Good morning," Junie answered. "I like waking up with you."

"I love waking up with you," he said. "I love everything about you, Juniper."

"I love you too, Sirius. I was watching you sleep, and I thought about how I don't want to go back to sleeping alone." She observed his face, worried it was too soon to be talking about living together. She didn't have long to worry as he pulled her onto him and kissed her deeply.

"Thank Merlin," Sirius said. "I wanted to ask you two weeks ago, but I was afraid it was too much too soon. I want you with me. No, I need you with me. I'm a nervous mess when you're at school or your place. We can alternate houses because your home is important to you, but you are my Heart-Bonded love, and I want to share everything with you."

"I'm terrified of how quickly this is happening, but at the same time, I see my future in your eyes, and after feeling like my life was on pause for so long, I want to start it," Junie said before she kissed him. She raked her fingers down his bare chest and felt the evidence of his desire growing beneath her. Junie was waging war inside her mind about moving forward and joining Sirius in the sacred act of love or waiting.

Her mind was made up when Sirius gently slid her away from him.

"As much as I hate discontinuing our embrace," he said, "you have to return to Hogwarts to teach, and I have to be at the High Mages' castle at nine. When do you want to move your things in, or would you rather we live in your house?"

"I'm going to need to Floo or Apparate to Hogwarts regardless of where we live, but you're closer to the Ministry and your, our, friends here. I don't mind spending much of our time in London. I grew up here, remember. Maybe we can spend some weekends, especially in the summer, at my family home."

"That's perfect," he beamed. "You are perfect. How did I not know?"

"Neither of us knew, but it's okay because we know now. I need to Floo to the castle to be there with enough time to shower and get dressed, but I should be back with my things by mid-afternoon. Will that be okay?"

"Okay? You're going to be here when I arrive home from my meetings. That is," he paused, "it's glorious. I love you."

"I love you, too," Junie said before sliding away and out of bed. Sirius' eyes stayed with her.

"By the way, you're sleeping in my shirts from now on," he said huskily. "It's so sexy." Junie smiled but blushed as well. She suddenly felt a rush of lust that could have only come from their Bond. She looked at her lover and did her best to send him her desire. His face registered his reception.

"We can move emotions between each other now," Sirius said. "James couldn't do that with Lily until after they'd had sex."

"We are moving quite quickly," Junie replied while gathering her dress and bra so she could slip into Sirius' walk-in closet and dress. She wasn't quite ready to be mostly naked in broad daylight. "I think our age has something to do with it."

"I plan to find out today." Twenty minutes and numerous kisses later, Junie Flooed back to her quarters at Hogwarts.

An hour and a half later, she was sitting at the head table, enjoying her tea and toast when she'd finally gathered enough courage to speak to Minerva.

"Minerva, I want to move out of the castle. Is that okay?"

Minerva McGonagall's smile grew from nothing to a broad, knowing grin in a matter of seconds. "When what I assume was Sirius' elf showed up last night to tell me you weren't returning, I suspected you'd be asking this of me soon. I must say I didn't expect it today."

Junie nervously moved her hand along her hairline. "It's such a challenge to be away from him," she confessed. "We can share our emotions already, and my life is finally moving in ways I had always hoped for. I was so patient for so long, and now the life I dreamed of is here, and I want to live it. I love him, Minerva."

"I can see that you do in your face, Junie. I'd warn your goddaughter and your nephews that you won't live in the castle, but otherwise, I see no reason you need to live here. Congratulations to you both."

"Thank you," Junie beamed. "I'll move out after lessons today."

"That's fine. I do hope you'll stay late every once in a while, so we can have tea and pudding after supper and talk about whatever comes to mind," Minerva suggested, and Junie nodded.

"Absolutely. Maybe I'll even bring Sirius with me. He holds you in the highest of regards."

"There are students who touch your life in special ways. While he was a rascal and an imp while a student, he also was one of the students I became very protective of. The suffering I knew of, at the hands of his parents, bordered on illegal. The man he has become is someone I take great pride in. You make the perfect counterpoint to him. He needs someone who will put his heart first, and he's never found that with anyone else."

Junie thought about what she said for a moment. "I could no sooner hurt him than I could myself. I feel him in me." Her voice was little more than a whisper, but Minerva heard it all.

"I remember my Bond fondly and how carefully I protected it. I'm pleased it's the same with you." Minerva had placed her hand over her friend's and given it a squeeze. Junie knew the Headmistress didn't talk about her abandoned Heart-Bound love, Dougal MacGregor. Since then, Minerva had been a champion for couples who shared the Bond. Junie turned her hand and gave the older woman's a squeeze.

That afternoon, she was packing her cases when Rosie showed up, her younger brother and cousin in tow.

"You're leaving the castle?" Rosie said. "Is it too cold in here?"

"Well, it is chilly in here, but that isn't why I'm leaving," Junie said with a snort. "I'm moving into Grimmauld Place."

"You're moving in with Uncle Sirius?" Rosie said happily before hugging her godmother. "Did he give you this?" she asked, picking up the pendant from off Junie's predictably white blouse.

"Yes," Junie said. "For Valentine's day."

"That is the way to do romance."

"It was all very romantic," Junie said, looking at the girl's face. "Dinner in his private dining room rose petals strewn across the table, a different wine with each course."

"What did you have for dessert?"

"Chocolate fondue and champagne."

"So much better than Miles," Rosie complained. "Good thing I broke up with him." Junie was reasonably sure it was the other way around, but now wasn't the time to bring it up.

"Ugh," Charlie said. "I always thought Uncle Sirius was cooler than to do girly things like rose petals and jewellery."

"Men can do romantic things too," Rosie remarked. "That's what men do when they're in love." She then turned back to look at her godmother. "You are in love, aren't you?"

"We are very much in love. That's why I'm moving into his house." Rosie sighed, and the boys retched. Junie laughed at the typical reactions of the teens.

Minsey had helped Junie put her things away in the second walk-in wardrobe Sirius had built into the master suite as well as the large loo. Having dropped stuff like bedding and the few tchotchkes she'd taken for her room to her home, Junie was settled into Grimmauld Place within an hour. Small mementos and her books could be moved in when they decided. Junie wasn't so attached to the things that she couldn't be without them. The single exception was the picture of her mother and father, which she put on top of the highboy. Junie then took her work satchel and had settled herself into the informal lounge on the first floor to grade essays. She heard Sirius before she saw him.

"Juniper," he bellowed from the entranceway. "Junie, are you here yet?" His heavy footfalls alerted her to his presence on the first floor. She'd only just stood and begun to make her way to the door when he burst in. "You're really here."

"I told you I would be," she answered gently. She met him halfway, and they fell into an embrace.

"Merlin, I could barely think today," Sirius told her when their kiss was over, and he was holding her so close it felt like he was trying to mould them together. "How was your day?"

"Good," Junie said, pulling away to look at him. "Rosie is over the moon that we're living together. The boys were less impressed with your romantic gestures yesterday."

"They will learn one day," Sirius said with a chuckle.

"I'm sure they will," Junie agreed. "Minerva is our champion. Her only request is that I stay for supper occasionally or even bring you to dine with her. She considers you one of her special students."

"She was more of a mother to me than my own ever was," Sirius admitted. He released her, taking her hand, and pulled her onto the cinnamon coloured leather sofa in the centre grouping of seats.

"I hope you don't mind that I set up my things to grade papers in here. I wasn't sure where to go to do it."

"No, it's fine, but you will need an office. I can add a room upstairs, in the front of the house, so you can overlook the square. How would that be?"

"I'm amazed by magic still. You can just add a room to the house." Junie beamed at Sirius, and he felt calmer than he had all day.

"Are you all moved in? I hope Minsey assisted you."

"She was perfect, Sirius. Was the second wardrobe always there, or did you add it this morning after I left?" She couldn't keep her hands to herself. She needed to be touching Sirius, and he needed the same from her.

"It was always there," Sirius said. "I was hopeful that one day you'd use it."

"But, if you did the rooms when you first rebuilt the house, how did you know it would be for me?"

He brushed the hair away from her forehead and kissed her gently. "The rooms were built out, but I didn't finish them until your name was over my heart. When it appeared, well, after I stopped being in shock, I wanted to create a special place for us in hopes one day we'd live here."

"You created that suite for us," Junie said slowly. "Where were you sleeping before?"

"I had a large bedroom on the third floor, near where my childhood room would have been."

"So, was last night the first night you'd slept there?" She was still in wonderment over this development.

"No, I finished the rooms just before Christmas," he explained. "I started sleeping in there then."

"You had so much more faith in our Bond before I even knew of it."

"I needed to believe, Junie. I wanted to be ready when you learned about our Bond, so I could persuade you we were truly meant for one another." Junie leaned into him and kissed him deeply. Every time she thought she knew how deep Sirius' emotions went; she was surprised again.

"How was the rest of your day?" he asked.

"Well, Marlene was jumping for joy when I Floo-called her to tell her I was moving in. Remus was with her, and they both are so thrilled our relationship is working out well. She and I are going to go to Diagon Alley tomorrow after I'm done teaching to buy some new dress robes."

"Do you need gold?" Sirius asked her, and Junie looked at him blankly.

"No, I have more than enough," she said. "Why did you ask?"

"Do you remember when we were at Remus and Marlene's on Friday, and we were talking about how Harry insisted on paying for Ginny's school fees for her final year? How he needed to take care of her?"

"Yes, but Ginny's family struggled with money. I've been working for over twenty years and have lived frugally in that period," Junie said defensively. "I have plenty of gold, Sirius." He shook his head and lifted her chin.

"I don't doubt that you do," he said gently. "I have an overwhelming urge to take care of you, and that includes taking care of your physical needs. I didn't mean to imply you couldn't manage this on your own. Alright?"

"Yes," she answered, feeling silly. "I'm sorry I was overly sensitive about it. I don't want you to ever think that I'm with you because you're Lord Black."

"Juniper Meadows, I couldn't believe that in my wildest delusions. I love you, and I feel how much you love me."

"I do love you, but I fear you'll need to be patient with me. I've been an independent woman for long while now, and I don't expect you to take care of me; I want us to take care of each other."

"How much wiser you are than me," Sirius said softly into her hair. She fit perfectly under his chin and he could hold her close to him. "I like the sound of that, taking care of each other."

"As do I," Junie said in a dreamy voice. She could get used to being held frequently throughout the day and feel herself awash with love.

"So, will Lily be going shopping with you tomorrow?" Sirius asked after a long moment of considering what Junie had said. It was odd for two of the friends to do much of anything without the third.

"No," Junie said dramatically. "She was rather confrontational about my moving in. She has this idea that you're lying to me about your sexual conquests. I decided I didn't need that sort of negativity right now."

"I'm sorry," he said, moving so he could hold her close to her chest. "I didn't endear Lily to me when we were in our teens and twenties and my round-robin of dating."

"This has nothing to do with you, per se, but rather that Lily isn't feeling like the shiny new toy of the group," Junie explained without malice or anger.

"What do you mean?"

Junie sighed deeply. "Lily has always been a centre of attention – smartest student, prettiest girl in our year, people gravitated toward her and raised her up. Then she was matched with James, and they were the perfect couple. She has brilliant children who are a credit to her. She's created potions that save people's lives. She is Lady Potter, Baroness of Tewkesbury, even if James doesn't use his title. Marlene and I are more comfortable being in the background, and she was used to us being there.

"However, with you and me newly matched, we have a fresh romance, and when we go public, we're going to attract attention, and she's not used to being in anyone's shadow. On top of it, you outrank James, so if we," she looked into his eyes and sheepishly added, "when we marry, I'll outrank her. I'll be Viscountess of Nottingham."

"I like when you say when we marry," Sirius said. "I'd marry you tomorrow if you'd agree."

Junie chuckled lightly. "How about if we put that off for a bit, okay? I plan on doing it once and want more than we could dash together in a few hours."

"I'm holding you to that, Juniper." His tone then changed. "I'm sorry Lily is giving you such difficulties. She has always been a bit of a princess, and James only played into it."

"That is so true. Marley told me that she was jealous of how attentive you were the other night."

"Well, James might be my best mate, but he's also clueless. Remus has to frequently remind him that women like it when we gents do things for no other reason than loving them."

"You excel at that," Junie said, kissing him again. "So, tell me, how did your meetings go today?"

"Well, Dumbledore says hello," he started, and Junie listened raptly as he told of his meeting with the High Mages.