Notes:

Hello lovelies!This chapter isn't as long as the previous ones, but I didn't want to leave you without a chapter this weekend.

For the coming weeks, I can't promise the updates will be coming on time. I've got some stuff going on that's taking more of my time than I'd like but it is what it is.

Apologies for any and all mistakes made!

I hope this chapter clarifies some stuff but if you do end up with any questions, don't hesitate to ask them!

Enjoy!

Chapter 39: The Bond

"You took your time," Sirius said with a pointed look as the two teens entered the kitchen. With a quick wave it looked like he heated the cooled down tea back up. "Got it all out of your system for the time being?"

"Oh for the love of.. Sirius, could you please stop it?" Hermione groaned.

"You weren't exactly quiet, love. Just calling it as I see it."

Hermione in response hid her face in her hands, causing the older man to smirk. She flushed easily, he had found. He liked the look in her, making it all the more fun for him to find out the ways to make her blush. Kakashi wasn't blushing at his comment though, he was more annoyed than anything.

"The way I see it, you had no business listening in either way," the silver-haired teen stated. Kakashi wasn't an idiot and hadn't let his guard down that much. He'd heard the man coming towards the room. Yet, he was confident the man wouldn't come inside, instead focusing his attention on the woman under him.

"I'll decide that for myself, thanks." Sirius replied, not losing his smirk.

"Not in my house." Kakashi said, crossing his arms, giving the man a pointed look as well.

"Alright, look. Let's just sit down and drink our tea and finish our conversation. Okay?" Hermione suggested. Kakashi shrugged in response.

"Okay, okay." Sirius said, holding up his hands in mock defense. "Just one question." A smirk made its way to his lips.

"Ugh, what?" Hermione groaned. Kakashi wasn't sure if he wanted to know what that man was going to ask.

"How do you guys make out? I mean, the mask looks kinky and all, didn't think you were into that, actually. But it doesn't seem all that comfortable. Do you-"

"Stop! Enough. I swear, Sirius. One more word about this and I'll make you wish you've never said anything about it. I will throw a Bat Bogey Hex at you." Hermione threatened and Kakashi wasn't going to admit it did something to him, hearing her threaten Sirius. It was effective, though. Sirius held his hands up in actual defence this time.

"Calm down, love. I was just curious."

"Bullshit." Kakashi shared Hermione's feelings in this case. Besides, the man was just toying with them. He'd already seen Kakashi pull up his mask before, so he knew how they kissed. He rolled his eye at the thought. The man was just trying to get under their skin.

Kakashi looked at the pair in front of him and released a sigh. "How about we get back to the matter at hand? The mirror?"

"Right. So. Actually, Sirius, you know more about it." Hermione started as she sat down and picked up her cup to take a sip. Kakashi clenched his fists before sitting down as well. He didn't hate the mirror, there was no use hating an object. That didn't mean, however, he liked hearing about it. But, he reasoned with himself, he could at least hear what it did that was so special. If anything, it would help him. After all, information was good to have. He can make decisions based on the information he gathers and see what to do with it afterwards.

"Hm, where to start?" Sirius rested his head in his palm as he looked at the piece on the table.

"What is it?" Kakashi spoke up, feeling out of the loop.

"A mirror." Sirius deadpanned, causing Kakashi to roll his eye, again. "It's a means of communication. My best friend and I," Sirius started. "We had a pair of matching mirrors and we charmed it so that we could communicate through them. Quite handy for when we were in detention in separate rooms."

"And this piece comes from one of them?" Kakashi pointed at the object on his kitchen table.

"Yes."

"This is Harry's piece." Hermione supplied. "He had smashed his mirror when he found out that he couldn't contact you after you-" She stopped herself as she looked at her folded hands on the table. "Aberforth Dumbledore had acquired yours during the war. But I don't know if he still has it. So I have no idea who will be on the other end of it." She continued. "For now, I think we should assume it's Aberforth."

Kakashi looked at the mirror in interest. He'd never thought something like this would be possible. A way to communicate an unknown distance? Through a mirror? He barely noticed Sirius saying that they should just give it a try and see what would happen. He watched as Hermione gingerly took the piece in her hands and focused on it. "Aberforth Dumbledore." She said with a clear voice and with bated breath they waited.

The seconds ticked by as they waited, Kakashi silently counted them in his head. It was close to two minutes when she put the mirror back down with a soft sigh, looking dejected. He felt her disappointment, she had truly hoped something would happen.

"Chin up, love." Sirius said, placing his hand over one of hers. "This doesn't mean anything. We'll just try again later." Maybe it wouldn't work at all. Well, a guy can hope, right?

"Yeah, you're right." She said with a nod. "Maybe we can, uh, talk about something else in the meantime."

Kakashi stayed quiet as he stood up. He figured all of them would enjoy another cup of tea. Other than the sound of him rummaging around, everyone was quiet. A few minutes later, Kakashi took his seat again, a fresh cup of tea in front of him. "Hermione says you're able to give us some more information about our bond?" He said, getting straight to the point.

"Ah yes, your bond." Sirius responded, blowing his tea before taking a sip. "I told Hermione this too," he said with a nod to her. "This bond of yours… Frankly, it's extremely rare. It's not often a bond is formed between a wizard or witch and a Muggle. But you're not even a Muggle."

"What's a Muggle?" Kakashi asked, confused.

"A Muggle is someone who can't use magic and isn't from a magical family." Hermione explained. "I suppose it's kind of like a civilian, here. Only, well, Muggles don't know about wizards and witches. While the civilians here obviously do."

"Right. Okay, so I'm not a Muggle, because I'm able to use chakra."

"Exactly." Sirius replied. "So, you see, a bond between a wizard or witch and a Muggle in itself is rare. Usually, when a bond occurs, if one occurs, it's between a witch and a wizard."

"If?"

"Well, bonds in itself aren't common, mate." Sirius said with a shrug. "One between one of us and a Muggle is rare. One between a Muggle-born witch and a shinobi?" Sirius shook his head. "It's unheard of. Literally unheard of. To my knowledge, this has never happened before. Then again, before I came here, shinobi were nothing more than a myth."

As Kakashi listened to his explanation, his eyes shifted to Hermione. He noticed she avoided looking at him while Sirius spoke, making him frown. Was she… Embarrassed? Why?

"What I do know about bonds, is that they're protected."

"Protected? By whom?"

"By what." Sirius corrected. "The Old Magick. A soulbond like yours is essentially one of the purest and most prestigious forms of magic."

"Come on, Sirius. Be real. Nothing like this was mentioned in the books." Hermione said, looking put out. She was getting annoyed, Kakashi could tell. He was getting quite annoyed as well with the vague responses. "If it really is as prestigious as you say, something would've been mentioned."

"Books aren't everything, 'Mione. Trust me when I say, this is some ancient stuff. Not to mention, there's a difference between a bond and a soulbond."

"But-"

"No, Hermione. You don't understand." Sirius said as he reached out for her hand. "There are actual laws about this back home. Ancient laws that are barely being used, sure, but they exist. People have been sent to Azkaban before for trying to get between a couple with a soulbond. They've gotten a Dementor's kiss for it."

Kakashi tried to make sense of everything that was being said. 'Old Magick', 'Azkaban' and what the fuck was a 'Dementor' and why was its kiss something to be feared? From the sounds of it, Azkaban seemed like a prison, but what an odd name for one.

"And before that," Sirius continued, unaware of Kakashi's thoughts. "Anyone who dared try to go against the Old Magick's will...well, it never ended well for them." He finished.

The fact that Sirius didn't specify what had happened to anyone trying to break up a bond said enough, really. He wasn't interested in what it would mean for someone else, anyway. "What about us? What will it mean for us if someone were to try and break it?"

"Hmm," Sirius sat back as he crossed his arms. He tilted his head towards the ceiling as he seemed to think of an answer. "I suppose that would depend on how much the bond has grown between the two of you."


"Are there different... stages?" Kakashi asked. Hermione silently followed the conversation between the two men in front of her. She was still stuck on how rare their bond turned out to be. She hadn't known that it was usually something to happen between Purebloods. Honestly, she thought that while it was rare, it happened between Muggleborns as well. For her to bond with someone not even from their world- that thought alone was mind blowing.

"Of course there are different stages." Sirius responded in a tone that almost said 'are you an idiot?' "You didn't want to jump her bones from the moment the bond formed, now did you?"

This man. He needed to work on his wording, for sure. Hermione chanced a look at Kakashi and saw him looking at Sirius with a wide eye. She could even see a small blush appear from under his mask, making her smile. At least she wasn't the only one affected by the comments made by Sirius.

"So, yes. First, the connection is made. Everyone experiences this differently. It could be a fluttering in your stomach, an electric shock running through your body or you feel warm all over."

Kakashi turned his gaze to Hermione and their eyes met. She knew what it was for her, for them. The exact moment their bond had formed was fresh in her mind. He had grabbed her to take her to T&I and while he pretended nothing had happened, she knew that hadn't been the case.

"After that it gradually grows into something stronger, something more firm, in a way. Normally, you'll slowly get a feel for each other's emotions. Getting a vague idea of what the other is feeling."

Hermione didn't miss the fact that Sirius said "normally". Now, she understood why he was so surprised to learn she knew Kakashi was upset. Apparently it wasn't normal for them to already feel like that. To make it worse, it wasn't a vague idea either. They knew what the other was feeling. While she hadn't learned to focus on his emotions to discern every single one of them, she knew that if she knew how, they were already at that stage.

"Right." Kakashi said, not saying anymore than that. It would seem Kakashi had come to the same conclusion as her. They were way past that stage. "And then?"

"Well, that depends." Hermione did not like the way he said that. Sirius smirked at the both of them.

"On what?" Kakashi asked with a flat voice. He apparently didn't like the way Sirius looked at them either.

"The more you touch, the higher the need you'll feel for each other. It'll start with wanting to be near each other, until you can't help yourself and you just need to touch. So you start with holding each other's hand. But then, even that won't be enough. With every touch, your body yearns for more. Until your mind can't take it anymore and you'll have no other choice but to give in. And the longer you fight it… it would only get worse with every passing day."

"Stop being so vague. Just say what you mean." Hermione completely agreed with Kakashi and felt the same annoyance course through her. Sirius had a way of not saying what he meant just to annoy the people he was speaking to.

"Wait long enough to give in to the bond and well… you'll be like a bitch in heat. Because the bond yearns for one thing and one thing only and that is to be complete. And the only way to get to that point is to shag each other." He said as he looked at Kakashi, smirk still in place.

Hermione froze at his words. She had assumed it would have to be something like that, seeing as their bond seemed to fuel whatever feelings they had for each other, but hearing it said like that… She wasn't sure it was something she would be ready for. Even with Ron, someone she'd known for years, she had been reluctant to try anything other than kissing. If she was being honest, she hadn't even gone as far as she just had with Kakashi. At the thought, Hermione's face flushed. Kakashi's response wasn't quite like hera, she noticed. Kakashi's gaze hardened as he looked at Sirius before it smoothed over.

"So we need have sex. In order for the bond to settle? You're saying there's no other way? Can't the bond be broken? It sure as hell would save us a lot of trouble."

Hurt paired with anxiety filled Hermione. How stupid was she? While not even half an hour ago he was telling her he wanted her to stay. And now this? She should've known, though. He probably said those things because he assumed the bond couldn't be broken. After all, she was hardly attractive, so no wonder he'd rather not shag her. He'd rather give himself to someone much better suited for him. Prettier, stronger. A shinobi. Of course he didn't-

Kakashi's hand landed on hers, bringing her back to the present, at the kitchen table. "Don't." He said, switching to English. "Don't assume you know why I say what I say."

"Then what are you saying? And why?" She bit back. She could feel the tears gathering in her eyes. Once again she was being rejected. Once again, she wasn't enough for someone...

Kakashi looked at her, his eye staring at hers. He stayed silent for a while, as he kept his gaze on hers. "I'm trying to figure out if we can save you from this. From being forced to do something you're not willing to do."

He was right. She had been wrong to assume, because she hadn't thought it'd be this he was thinking. Save her from this? Hermione frowned at him. She still didn't understand what he meant but wasn't sure how to ask him to clarify. Did this mean he was willing?

His eye softened and he looked down at their hands. "I meant what I said before, Hermione. While I have no previous experience with something quite like this, I'm no stranger to having intercourse with someone."

Hermione's eyes widened at that. He'd had sex before? Well, of course, it's his life. Who's she to say what he should and shouldn't do in his spare time. Still, she didn't know what to think of this. Did this mean there was someone else? Had he actually been seeing someone, in one way or another? "Is there someone-"

"No." He interrupted her before she could even ask if she ruined his chance with someone else by just being here.

"And have you- I mean, after we've met?" The words escaped her lips before she knew what she was asking.

"No." His response was immediate. "This was before we met." His answers did little to ease her mind. Suddenly she felt like a first year again, thrown into a N.E.W.T exam. She had no idea what to do or what to expect when it came to sex and anything to do with it. And Kakashi, he was apparently familiar enough with everything to speak about it in such a calm manner.

"You two need to talk this through as I'm sure you need to do about a lot of other stuff." Sirius said, causing her to jump up. She had totally forgotten he was still here. "Before I leave you to talk, again, I'll answer your questions."

Kakashi turned to the older man, to show he was listening, but didn't remove his hand from where it lay on top of Hermione's. There were no words to describe how much she appreciated the sentiment.

There was no smirk on his face as he looked at the both of them. "Simply put… No. There's no other way. This bond that has formed between the two of you cannot be broken," he stressed. "If you try, it's only going to hurt."

Hermione knew she didn't want anything to do with that pain. She'd felt it before, when Kakashi had forcefully pushed her out. She'd do anything not to feel pain like that again. "I'm not going to lie, I am a bit concerned about the pace at which it's progressing between the two of you." Sirius said. "This is not at all going at the pace as it's supposed to."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"Not necessarily. But it does bring me to the question you asked earlier. What would happen if someone would try to break your bond?" Sirius took a sip of the tea that had cooled down considerably. "The two of you would be fine, in this case. Because it wouldn't be the two of you fighting the bond. The one trying to break it, however… They'd be driven mad. And there's little anyone here can do about that. Hell, back home barely anyone could do something about it."

It was shocking to hear the severity of what would happen to whoever would want to break them apart, but it also relieved her to know both her and Kakashi would be fine in that case. With that being said, Sirius cleared his cup and placed it on the counter. "I'm going to give you some time and space. I'll take Teddy back to the Yamanaka's."

"You'll be okay getting there?" Kakashi asked.

"Of course I will. No need to worry. You too, Hermione. I'll protect the boy with my life."

Hermione smiled at him. "I know you will. Thank you." She hoped he knew what she was thanking him for. With a wink and a small nod he left the room. A quiet pop was heard and both Sirius and Teddy were gone, leaving Kakashi and Hermione alone. The air around them was heavy, but not in a bad way, necessarily. She was nervous. This was going a lot faster than she had imagined and she was a little scared to discuss things that were so personal for her. She was way out of her comfort zone.


Sirius appeared in front of the house he had visited only a few hours before, Teddy curled up in his arms. He knocked on the door and shifted the boy to be more comfortable.

"Black-san?" He was glad it was Inoichi that opened the door, it would save him a bit of explaining and lying through his teeth.

"Yamanaka-san," he greeted. "I know you probably weren't expecting me but both Hermione and Kakashi needed to talk things through. As it so happens, I have to go meet someone too. I assume you'll be okay with Teddy? I'd rather not take him."

"And I'm correct to assume you're not going to tell me about your meeting?"

Sirius grinned at the younger man, "you're absolutely right with that assumption. Don't worry. The Hokage is aware of this meeting." He really wasn't, but Inoichi didn't need to know that. He would be informed soon enough, one way or another. The blonde man didn't show it, but he did seem more relaxed. Good. He didn't want to have to worry about someone else following him.

He knew, the moment he left the house, he was being followed. It was a feeling he had learned to trust the moment he'd escaped Azkaban and it hadn't let him down yet. His Apparation had been fast, but it would seem these individuals were quite fast too. No matter. He'd shake them off.

Giving the small boy a cuddle and a soft whispered promise to play with him soon, he handed him to Inoichi and with a nod he left. After two paces, he Apparated away, appearing in an alley he'd seen before and quickly turned into his Animagus form.

"Shit. Where'd he go?" He heard a soft whisper above him.

He was glad that his animal form had a heightened sense of hearing as well as smell. Ignoring the shinobi above him, he made his way down the street. While Sirius wasn't at all familiar with his surroundings, it wouldn't matter. He'd find the right district soon enough. There was always a certain smell, always loud noise due to the intoxicated people. It was the perfect place to meet. People let their guard down when intoxicated. They'd go unnoticed, without a doubt.

Sirius padded through the streets, sticking mostly to the shadows. He wasn't sure how the people here would react to a seemingly stray dog. Luckily he'd learned to act like a dog after being on the run and becoming invisible.

It didn't take him long at all, to find the correct place to go. Soon he was in a brightly lit district, surrounded by loud drunkards. Sirius skillfully avoided every single patron with the grace more linked to a cat than a dog. He kept walking until he passed all the open bars. None of them were his intended destination. No, the person he was meeting wouldn't appear in such a public place. It took a little while longer until he found the place he had been looking for. Sirius sped into the alley next to his destination and turned back into his human form.

Straightening his clothes, he walked towards the front of the building. A small teahouse. Glancing inside, he noticed the person he was meeting sitting down at the back of the shop. With a smile, he headed inside.

"Welcome to Chado! How may I help you?" An old woman, possibly the owner greeted him as soon as he stepped inside.

With a nod he gave his order. "Chamomile tea please. A pot. For the table in the back."

"Of course, it'll be right out." With a nod to the woman he made his way towards the table.

"Hi. It's been a while." He said with a smile as he sat down. He leaned back as he took in their appearance.

"Took you long enough. I'm just about done with tea." The person sitting before him scoffed.

"Well, that's too bad. I ordered another pot for us." He said with a grin.

With a groan, the person sat back. "You and your tea. I'd rather have that Fire Whiskey of yours. Will you ever tell me how you make that?"

Sirius let out a laugh at that. "All in due time, love. And of course I'll never tell you how to make it. You'll just take it and I'll never see you again. I need to have something for you to come back to me. First, however, I'd like a nice cup of tea while you tell me all about what you've been up to, Tsunade."

Brown eyes met light grey as she smirked at him. "I might as well. After that, you're going to tell me how you ended up in Konoha, Sirius. It's about damn time you told me more about yourself. After everything."

"About damn time, indeed." He said with a matching smirk.

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