"Feelings, I need feelings," Sirius talked in a staccato monotone.
The animagus had on two antennae that George perfected to receive other's emotions. He called it an Emp-tennae. Thanks to Hermione's stories about barmy people and aliens, George was obsessed for a near year. He made them as a nice party gag.
George glanced at Fred, who was glancing at the different notes. "I'm impressed, brother."
"I'm so glad to see you, Freddy," George sighed and patted his shoulder.
Hermione appeared and rubbed her eyes. "George, what are you doing here so early?" She asked through a sleepy tone.
"It's only eight o'clock. We've been up since six," Freddy declared.
Sirius jumped up and touched Hermione. "Oh, someone needs tea," he snickered.
Hermione winced and blinked sleep from her eyes. "It's too early for this, Sir," she paused when her eyes took in his form.
Sirius was in a tank top and some sweat pants. The wriggling prongs on his head were unseen by her acute observation of his body. His fingers kneaded her shoulder as he smiled. "Good morning," he said with a wink.
"Good morning," Hermione responded with wide eyes.
"Want me to make you some tea?" Sirius questioned.
"Oh, you don't have to. I'm going to go get dressed. I have to run to Drom's with Remus. He's going to talk with her while I get Teddy's furniture. I didn't have the heart to get them in the winter when we made the move official."
Her cheeks were rosy as Sirius moved closer. "Would you like my help?" He asked.
"No, er, it's completely fine. Why don't you stay with the twins?" Hermione sputtered.
"Okay," Sirius smirked.
Hermione waved at them and disappeared. Sirius turned to the Weasleys and chuckled. "That little witch wants to shag the shit outta me!" He snorted.
Fred nodded and turned to George. "It's true. I don't think I've seen her this barmy. Between fooling around with Remus and flirting with Sirius, she's had her hands full."
"Remus, huh? Well, that is interesting," George snorted and shrugged.
Fred smirked and laughed. "You really expected any different."
Sirius scowled in the slightest as he thought. What was all of this?
"Wouldn't surprise me, If I'll be honest. I always teased her about choosing us over Ron might have made her happier," He stopped and hemmed. "Of course, that was before I got married."
Fred laughed. "We would have ruined her. She would have lost all logic," He teased with a nod.
"Then again, she might have kept us straight."
"Both of you? Isn't that a bit barmy?" Sirius asked.
George wagged his index finger at Sirius. "It would have been better than half her happiness."
Sirius scratched his chest and hummed. "She wasn't happy with your brother?"
"Are you kidding me? She was miserable. They had their great moments, but when they fought, it lasted eons. Somehow she got it into her head that was going to be it. Her and Ronnie forever. I don't get it, but I allowed the trainwreck to happen. We all did. That's why the bloke is gone. He knows if he came back, she wouldn't be strong enough, and she'd give up."
Sirius climbed onto the table next to the notes and crossed his legs. "Tell me, why did she struggle so hard?"
"Because that's Hermione, Sirius. She's going to try her hardest at something. I told Ron all he had to do was make her laugh. He's just as stubborn. Hermione isn't an easy person to handle at times. She's abrupt, abrasively intelligent, but she wants love and laughter. It's exhaustive, but worth having her light in your life," George explained.
Remus shuffled into the dining room and frowned at the occupants. "Well, good morning. It seems everyone is alive and awake."
Sirius pivoted on the table and gasp. "Moony, look at you. Quite handsome in your grey jumper," he teased.
Remus mended the disarray of his tie under his sweater and hemmed. "Hermione had found me some clothing she set aside in the attic."
George grinned and winked. "Well, Remus, it seems you listened to my recommendation to the letter. How is that going?"
"We're talking at least. She asked me after dinner to escort her to Andromeda's," he huffed.
"Funny how she didn't ask me," Sirius pouted.
Remus chewed the inside of his cheek and breathed. "I asked her not to."
"You had your fun, I want some too," Sirius grumbled.
"I wanted to ask her about my son," Remus clarified.
George nodded. "He's a good boy. Drom will be happy to see you. Probably even happier that Hermione isn't alone in raising him. She's been growing ill due to the whole crisis thing."
Sirius shifted from the table and nodded. "Okay, I'll accept that, but I want a bit of fun too."
He left the room before Remus could respond. Sirius wasn't dim; he knew that the odds of the witch wanting more than to ogle him were slim. That's how it always had been. A face in a photograph worthy of a second look. Sirius never liked that interpretation.
His shoes sounded on the last stair to the master level when Hermione just left the restroom. She a towel in hand and was drying her hair with it when her feet stopped. "Sirius, what are you doing?"
"I want to go out today," Sirius said.
Hermione arched an eyebrow at him. "I have to go get Teddy's things."
"I know, but after. I want to go out today, and I want you to take me," he ordered.
"Sirius," Hermione started.
"No, I won't take an excuse. I want to do this, and I want you to take me," Sirius voiced with a nod.
"Okay."
"Hermione, I mean it, I want to spend time," he stopped when she padded up and kissed his cheek.
"Okay, I understand," she said and moved to the bedroom.
Sirius puffed and followed her. "Hermione, why do I get the feeling you're pacifying me?"
"Because you're Sirius Black and think the world has something against you," Hermione retorted as she hung up the towel on a hook.
Sirius scowled as he put his hands on his hips. "Hermione, I mean it. Moony shouldn't always have all the fun."
Hermione grabbed her wand and pursed her lips. "You're upset because you think I prefer him? See, this is exactly why I didn't want to talk to Remus about what happened."
"No, in fact, I think it's fantastic that he got you to sing a ballad of happy release. Twice over if I do recall his confession," Sirius growled. "But I want to go breath air and do something daring too."
"Okay, then let's," she said with a nod.
Sirius glowered and huffed. "You mean it?"
"Despite the fact that I've agreed with you several times, you're insistent that I'm lying," Hermione mused while flicking at her hair, drying it.
"That means we can go to a damn muggle bar and enjoy an ale with ambiance and music?"
Hermione twitched her nose and shrugged. "It's not my cup of tea, but if that's what will satisfy your need, then yes. I remember how insane you got being cooped up here during the war. If you need to get out, I'll escort you. I know Remus won't want to go, and Severus will decline. Fred is going to George's tonight, so that leaves just us."
"Okay," Sirius nodded.
"Okay," Hermione said with a smile. "I think you should leave the antennae at home. They're a bit much," Hermione giggled.
"You're not just doing this for some weird social experiment? You want to go?"
Hermione set down her wand and marched up to him. "Sirius, I need you to listen. Severus made an incredible observation last night. He told me if I don't make efforts to let you live as if the past is the past, then I will never relinquish the purpose of the potion. I believe him. If this is how Sirius Black is now, then I'll take that journey with you. You're my responsibility to care for. I'll do what I can."
His vision touched the floor, and Hermione saw it. The small amounts of youth still clinging to his very adult form. Insecurities long lived out in a mass of dispute and life lessons. It lessened her annoyance and caused the witch to reach out and touch his arm.
"Not if you don't want to," he huffed. "I know if you had your preferences," he stopped when she touched his face.
"Listen, I know it's hard. I'm not choosing anyone over anyone else. Remus needs my assistance to find closure, and you need my support as well. Fred is family, and he knows of the hardships we lived through. He's the easiest to comfort regarding the past. Severus, well, I'm still working on him. I'm here," Hermione voiced.
"I know that you have your preferences," Sirius repeated. "You'd rather stay in with a book."
"I'd rather be a hero to someone than to seek shelter in no one," Hermione affirmed.
Sirius smirked and tilted his head. "Then you don't mind?"
"If you want to do this, I'll do it. I was reminded how I can't keep running from changes," Hermione sighed.
"Even get bloody sloshed and wobble home with me?" Sirius snickered.
Hermione groaned. "Yes, if that will make your night."
"Why the change of heart?"
The witch twitched her nose as she glanced away. Her cheeks revealed the intensity of the thought. "I shouldn't try to fix this crisis if I don't mend the reasons that it happened. I'm not perfect, and I need to acknowledge that."
"Then we mend it," Sirius replied, touching her cheek. "You're not alone anymore."
"I know," Hermione sighed. "Sirius, you're what keeps me going. I'm not a whirling dervish in the ether with you around."
Sirius bent and kissed her forehead. "Then I'll keep you grounded, love. Let's enjoy the night."
Hermione laughed and patted his chest. "Precisely. Now, I'm going to take the sulking introvert to visit his mother-in-law. You plot a casual plan, please?"
"Why did you play with Moony?" Sirius asked when he pulled away.
"Because something in me just wanted to, Sirius. The covetous part of me that just wanted someone to want me again. He happened to be there at the right moment."
"Is that why you ran?"
Hermione chewed her lips together before shaking her head. "No, that isn't."
"Then, why?" Sirius questioned.
"Because I wanted more. It's a dangerous thing to want more from someone like you both. There will be more questions asked than answered by our family. To say that I want to find solace in your arms might be truly an issue if you both remember your past."
Sirius nodded.
"I'll see you tonight," Hermione declared and turned to reach for her wand.
"You aren't choosing anyone because you can't," he stated.
"Yes," Hermione sighed. "Not that I would. You both would kill each other," she laughed and waved.
Sirius watched her walk from the bedroom, flicking her wand at her attire. It changed to something more appropriate for the morning. The animagus stood there a moment and gathered his thoughts. The realization that she just admitted she didn't shut the door to him was a physical metaphor. She just left him in the room.
Hermione fidgeted with her coat as Remus tugged his tie yet again. She was expelling enough nerves to drive him completely mental. It wasn't until she glanced over at him that it reassured the werewolf that they would be welcome. Were there questions beyond the usual awaiting him?
"She loves you," Hermione said with a nod.
The realization that he was going to meet his mother-in-law struck him. Was Hermione worried about this? Speaking of the past? What was truly going on in the witch's mind? "Are you alright?" Remus asked.
Hermione breathed and nodded. "Yes, it's just, Drom. She has a way of weeding out secrets. Let's not talk about what happened, alright? I don't," she snapped her lips together.
"You don't want her to know? Is this because of my past or yours?" Remus questioned.
Hermione winced and turned back to the door. "Yours, Remus," she voiced before knocking.
The door swung open moments later to reveal an older woman with a cane. "Hermione, I'm so glad you came. I see you brought my son-in-law. Come in my loves, come in," Andromeda declared.
Remus offered Hermione the courtesy of stepping inside first. Hermione nodded and smirked at the older woman after entering. "Drom, I'm sorry I haven't been over. As I wrote, my life has been full of surprises as of late."
"My darling, don't you trouble yourself. I know you can only visit in small doses. Remus, please come inside. We're going to have a wonderful breakfast. Hermione has employed a wonderful little house elf to keep me comfortable. It seems they're the only magical creatures that aren't scared of my illness," Andromeda explained as the werewolf came into the house.
Hermione took her by the arm and nodded. "And Rally has been decent? Rally is under my employment. I pay him in buttons because that's the only form of payment he likes," Hermione told Remus as she glanced back at him following.
"Rally has been miraculous. He even sings to me at night when I'm bored with the telly," Andromeda laughed.
"I remember something," Remus mused. "Didn't you have some opposition to House Elves being treated a certain way?"
Hermione winced and exhaled. "Yes, I called it S.P.E.W., and it was my first taste of activism."
Andromeda laughed as they reached the parlor. "Oh, my dear girl, you always were a spirited one. Dora used to regale me with tales of your wit."
Hermione assisted in Andromeda sitting down at the small table before moving to her chair. Remus rushed forward and pulled it out with a nod. The witch pursed her lips, but sat down and relinquished to courtesy.
Andromeda smirked and waved Remus over. "Before you sit, let me have a look at you?"
"Yes, of course," Remus mumbled.
He stood in front of her, and the woman nodded before taking his hand. "Remus, it is so lovely to have you back. My little Edward looks so much like you."
Remus leveled to the woman's sight and grimaced. "I don't remember anything. I'm sorry."
"You won't have to. You have this girl right here with you. She'll help you as she assisted with Teddy. Hermione is many things, but a wonderful friend and nurturer is top of my list."
He bobbed his head. "Yes, she is quite the witch."
Andromeda smirked and gestured to the empty chair. "Now, let's have breakfast. It brings me life to see you both."
"Sirius sends his regards," Hermione announced as Remus maneuvered to sit down.
"And you be sure to give my cousin a right peck as well. I miss him and would love to see his handsome face," Andromeda laughed.
The small house elf skipped into the room and waved. "Miss Hermione! Miss Hermione, Rally misses you most!"
Hermione bent down to hug the giant-eared elf. "I missed you too, Rally. Did you get my latest button?"
Rally held up his loose tunic and beamed. "It is the prettiest of all the buttons, Miss Hermione. Rally thanks you many times over for the generosity Miss Hermione has," He declared while caressing the bright blue button with embossed designs.
"I love all of them, Rally. They are well suited for your outfit," Remus added.
Rally bowed in his direction. "Miss Hermione's friend is too kind."
"Are you being sure to take your mandatory day off?" Hermione questioned.
"It is hard, but as required, Rally sits and reads with Lady Tonks. Lady Tonks reads the most interesting books."
"Rally, be a dear, and get us breakfast?" Andromeda asked with a curl to her lips.
The elf bowed again and clapped. "Of course, Lady Tonks. It would be Rally's pleasure to serve you." He soon left in a gleeful stride.
"Are you well? I'm worried you get lonely," Hermione sighed as she took Andromeda's hand.
"No, I'm just fine, Hermione. I wish you wouldn't worry about me. Edward writes to me near every day. Rally keeps me company, and I still am working through the vast reading list you gave me. I'm doing well," Andromeda insisted with a smile.
Hermione breathed and rocked her head. "I'm glad. Let me go take care of sorting Teddy's room before breakfast. I want to get things boxed up properly before I put them in my bag."
Andromeda bounced her chin with pursed lips. "I wish you would stop long enough for me to chat with you. You haven't told me how you both have been getting on."
Hermione stood up and patted her shoulder. "I will after breakfast. Let me go do this, so it isn't harder later."
The occupants of the room watched the witch stroll out of the parlor, leaving them to glance at each other. Andromeda watched the werewolf tug at his shirt collar. It was deathly silent for a few seconds as her examination was complete.
"You don't remember her, do you?" She asked.
"Dora?" Remus questioned.
Andromeda shook her head. "No, I am referring to Hermione. You don't remember."
Remus shook his head. "I don't remember anything past my graduation."
"Good. I would like you to make her happy," Andromeda declared.
Remus scowled and swallowed hard before reaching for the pitch of water on the table. "I'm not sure what you mean."
"I'm not dim, Remus. My daughter has been dead for twelve years. Thirteen this May. That young woman, the one you see trying to juggle the world, she's been your son's savior. If you understand my meaning, she deserves to be as loved as you loved my daughter. I also see the way you look at her."
"We shouldn't be talking about this, Andromeda," Remus sighed.
"We should," Andromeda huffed. "I need you to hear this. I know you don't remember my daughter, and that's perfectly fine. Magic is a mystery. However, that girl is real, tangible, and deserving. Don't you dare pull what you had with my daughter. Or so help me, I'll find a way to curse you blind."
Remus gulped his glass of water before scrubbing his face. "She doesn't want me. Of course, she doesn't. That witch is amazing, and anyone would be lucky to have her. The things Hermione did that she claims were my influence baffle me."
Andromeda's gaze turned steely. "She did them because she loved you. Hermione saw the most decent parts of you and how your soul wasn't the sum of a condition. I'm not positive what she's going through, but I know where she's been. Hermione spent years of her life filling your son's mind with memories of you and Sirius. Whatever stories were true, I didn't know, but the fact is, she loved you enough to do it. So you best decide if you're willing to live in her light."
"And if I fall from grace because I don't remember?"
"Then I'm sure Sirius will help with the blow. He's a fantastic addition to investing in a future worthy of your son and her love," Andromeda laughed before reaching for the teapot. "I know it's difficult. It will be for some time. However, you will never be led astray when you follow your heart."
"We've had this conversation before," Remus noted as the familiar tendrils of memory breached the fog in his mind.
Andromeda nodded. "Thirteen years ago. When Dora told you she was pregnant."
"This mixture of time is going to grow convoluted," Remus groaned.
"Only if you allow it. What of Sirius? How is he taking your new interest?"
The werewolf twitched his nose. "He's having difficulty. We have a complex friendship."
"So, he finds her just as intriguing? That poses a complication," Andromeda sighed.
"At the end of the day, neither of us should be engaging," Remus voiced as he dressed his teacup.
Andromeda's smirk held a hint of the classic Black's mischief. "Well, it would be a shame to tap out so soon, Remus. You may find what you seek in complications."
"Or it could be ruined. Severus was explaining the fragility of our resurrection. Hermione doesn't understand the complexity of it yet."
"What's wrong?" Andromeda inquired before sipping her tea.
"She must let the past go in order for us to remain. If she can't, then we cease to live. However, if she's told that, I fear we might propel her into action out of obligation and not because she needs it."
Andromeda's cup fell to the ground. "What?"
Remus scrubbed his face. "Hermione has to identify why she needed us back to complete the purpose of the potion. Our loss of memories, our very existence, is because she had a purpose for each of us. If she doesn't help us find out why then the potion wanes. No one will recover their ability to use magic, we all will disappear, and she will die," he finished with a large exhale.
"We have to tell her!" Andromeda hissed.
Remus shook his head. "No, we can't. If we do, it could cloud her reasoning. She has to come to this conclusion herself. Hermione Granger has to save this world by not knowing she is," Remus sighed.
Andromeda sat back in her chair and scowled. Her eyes were skirting across the wall as she was rampant with thought. "Then we must facilitate her to finding it out. How?" She asked when meeting his gaze.
"I will tell you after breakfast. When she goes to finish the room," Remus replied.
They were silent while absorbing the declaration. It was the first Remus had to make, and he hoped it would get easier. If only he could tell the witch in question. She'd know what to say.
Hermione entered and puffed. "All I have to do is pack the room in my beaded bag now. Drom, did you have an accident?" Hermione gestured to the cup on the floor.
"Oh, yes, darling, slippery fingers," Andromeda laughed.
Hermione bent down and snagged the cup before sitting. "Did you both enjoy your talk?" Hermione asked while smiling over at Remus.
"Very illuminating," Remus chuckled.
Andromeda reached over and caressed her cheek. "Oh, I love you so much. Did you know that?"
"I did," Hermione beamed. "I love you too."
"That's my lovely girl. Now, breakfast should be here at any moment," Andromeda sighed.
Rally bounced in with a large tray, and the conversation turned lighter. Neither Andromeda nor Remus let Hermione in on their troubles. It was a pleasant morning, despite the revelation that Andromeda would have something more to worry about than her grandson's O.W.L.'s.
