"Oh

Author's Note: Sorry this took long (not half as long as some authors take, but still way too long I think), so here it is. Chapter four. It kinda ends abruptly, but no worries, not a cliffie this time.

Many many thanks to those people that listened to me bitch and moan about how much this was bugging me when they really didn't have to put up with any of it. They would be: Zarya (*strange_charm*~Go check out Amare Draconis, it's wunderbar), Tessie, anyone and everyone at both the Beneath the Hate and Amare Draconis message groups, and those I work with, most of whom have never picked up an HP book, much less have any idea whom I'm talking of when I complain.

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"Oh. My. God," Mione stammered out as she looked at the body of her favorite professor.

"Someone, quick! Get Madame Pomfrey!" Sirius cried, frantically trying to stop the bleeding erupting from his best friend's forearm. Ron dashed out of the room, Harry close behind him.

"Oh, my god. Sirius, what happened?" Hermione questioned.

"I…I don't know! I went in his study to grab something for him when I heard a crash. It wasn't very loud, and his door was shut, so you three wouldn't have heard it."

He ripped off a length of fabric from the base of his robe and tied it firmly around the gash on Lupin's wrist. Hermione took his lead and started tearing her robe as well, bandaging up the professor's legs. It seemed like ages before they once again heard footsteps in the hallway. Fearing exposure, Sirius turned into Padfoot and sat, nuzzling Remus' cheek with his nose. The professor didn't move.

"Oh my!" Madame Pomfrey cried when she saw Remus. She quickly conjured up a stretcher and loaded him onto it.

"Miss Granger, go now and tell the Headmaster of this. The password to his office is 'Fizzing Whizbees'." She then broke into a run with the professor at her side on the stretcher, headed for the hospital wing. Hermione ran as well, rushing for the headmaster's office, with Padfoot close behind her, Ron and Harry following him.

They reached the gargoyle in record time, and Mione told it the password. It came alive and waved, leaping aside, allowing them entry. Padfoot led the way while the trio of sixteen-year-olds hung back a few feet behind him. They went up the rotating staircase, and were surprised to find Dumbledore waiting for them, obviously with his undies in a bundle.

"What happened? I heard the noise!" He asked frantically.

"Sir…" began Harry, but Sirius regained form and cut him off.

"Death eaters." Dumbledore's face fell.

"You can't be serious. Which one? Was he recognizable?"

"I didn't see anything at all. Nothing of the person that did this." Sirius looked positively miserable, with good reason.

Harry, Ron and Hermione exchanged frightened glances, and Mione stepped forward.

"Professor, if you don't mind, I think right now it would be best to go see Professor Lupin and care for him. He saw everything."

"Good idea, Hermione," Dumbledore answered. "Let's go down to the Hospital wing, here, this is a secret passage that I doubt even you found, Sirius." He bent down and stroked one of the cats embroidered in his carpet. It got up, purring, and led him over to the bookshelf. It then rubbed against it, opening a passageway, which the group descended into. In no time they were in Madame Pomfrey's office.

Sirius, not really caring either way if Madam Pomfrey saw him, ran to Lupin's side.

"Aaah! Sirius Black!" she screamed, but quickly resumed the role of caretaker, bustling over to the opposite side of the bed from Sirius. Leaning over the professor, Madam Pomfrey quickly healed most of his wounds and gave him an immune booster to take care of any possible infections.

Sidling over to the bed, Hermione gasped when she saw Professor Lupin. Though most of his wounds were healed, he was still bloody and bruised. A few deep cuts still remained, and the healer put a purple gel on them which steamed at contact, healing them in a matter of seconds.

She sat down next to Sirius, her eyes brimming with tears. He wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulder, needing the contact as much as she did. After what seemed like an eternity, Lupin opened his eyes, which were at different stages of dilation, and looked around for his friend.

"Sirius…" he whispered, and Sirius bent forward to listen.

"Moony…who did this?" he replied, completely bewildered. Lupin just looked at him, so Sirius tried prompting him.

"Was it a student?" he asked, hoping for everything that he was wrong.

"No…Death eater…" Lupin stammered.

"A Death eater?" Sirius was lost, and looked around for help.

"Was it Malfoy?" Harry asked, but Lupin shook his head no.

"Worm…tail," Lupin struggled to say, trying to keep awake long enough to say what he wanted to. Upon hearing this, Sirius stood up, furious, and strode over to the door. Despite the horrific events that had happened, Hermione caught herself staring at him, marveling at his beauty.

"Sirius, wait!" she cried, and he spun around.

"What is it, Mione?" he snapped.

"Sirius, what's the chance you can find him? In this state, you'll be caught by the ministry in two seconds flat, when you know that he's probably long gone anyway. We'll catch him later."

Sirius sighed, realizing the truth, and walked back beside her. She smiled at him and continued.

"Anyway, Sirius, your friend needs you here. Once he's better, has had a chance to rest, I'm sure he'll be more than happy to help you. Now sit down!" Harry and Ron exchanged glances that clearly said, "What was up with that?" but both brushed it aside. No one noticed that Professor Lupin was still awake, watching them through drooping eyelids.

Finally, Professor Dumbledore quit lurking and stood at the foot of the bed. "Now, if what Remus says is correct, a supposedly-dead death eater has just managed to break into the school and beat up our defense teacher. That is not good. Sirius, if possible, I'd like you to stay here and watch out for him or others that might have the same motives. We can't have that happening again. Now Harry, I heard you have a map that shows where people are. Does Sirius know how to use it?"

"Um, yes, sir, he does. He actually helped make it," Harry replied, taking the map out of his pocket. "I keep it with me, just in case I need to avoid someone. Here you go, Sirius."

Sirius took the map and activated it, showing it to the headmaster, who was quite impressed.

"All right, then, Sirius. You take this, and when you're not patrolling, keep an eye on it, always look out for him or other suspicious happenings. Even when you're in dog form, carry it with you, check it periodically. Well, now that I know my professor is safe, I must be going. Have a good day, everyone!" Dumbledore swooshed out of the hospital wing, his blue-gray robes flying behind him.

Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Sirius all sat near Lupin in a vigil, waiting for him to awaken from his enchanted slumber. Hours passed with no improvement, and Harry, Ron, and Hermione went down to lunch.

"Want me to bring you something?" she asked Sirius as the boys left without her.

"Yes, please, love, if there's chicken that would be wonderful. I'd join you, but Moony desperately needs to get cleaned up," he replied, grasping her hand. She smiled at him and turned, peeking once over her shoulder, waving good-bye.

"Wow!" she thought. "He called me 'love'! He must really like me! I can't believe it!"

She grinned to herself and went down to the great hall to get food.

Meanwhile, back up in the hospital wing, Sirius had conjured some warm towels and started sponging the blood off of his battered friend's arms and torso. Looking up, he noticed Remus watching him, and grinned up.

"So, Moony, you're awake, are you?"

"Yes, Padfoot, it was a nice nap. Great waking up to a sponge bath, but it would've been much better had it been Gretchen MacLaren from our class doing it." Sirius grinned, remembering his old fling (one of many).

"The pathetic little rat did this to you? How?"

"I had my back turned and he was under an invisibility spell…I think it was the "Unsichtbar" one, you know, the one that only lasts until you say another incantation. Anyway, he used the Cruciatus curse on me, the crash you probably heard was him destroying my window so he could fly out."

Sirius looked positively livid, but Remus just sat back, glad it was over. He propped himself up on one arm and looked at Sirius.

"So, Padfoot, what's up with you and my student?" he inquired with a grin.

"What? I don't know what you're talking about, Moony," Sirius replied, trying to cover his tracks.

"Sirius, I've known you since you were what? Ten years old? Almost thirty years? Well, make it fifteen, if you take away the Azkaban years. But getting to the point, you never let anyone tell you what to do!"

"I've changed."

"Sirius, you've only listened to a few people ever that I know of. Myself, James, Lily, Dumbledore, and a few random girls you saw for more than a week in school. No one else."

"So she's cute. Nothing…serious has happened."

"How far have you gone, Sirius?" Remus tried his hardest to put on a stern voice, but he kept laughing.

"Well…she kissed me last night…and this morning we had a lot of fun in a spare classroom."

"What kind of fun?"

"She sat in my lap and played with my tongue…" Sirius squirmed uncomfortably, knowing he shouldn't be telling anyone of this, but desperately wanting to scream it from rooftops.

"SIRIUS! Why do you keep saying that it's all her? 'She kissed me…she sat in my lap…' I know you, you must've done something!"

"Nope. Just hunted her down."

Just then, Hermione returned with a tray full of food.

"Here you go, Sirius, plenty of chicken, but I also grabbed you some potatoes and a roll."

"Ooh, thanks, Mione, that looks delicious. Ha ha, Moony, you can only eat clear liquids!"

Hermione sat next to Sirius, prompting stifled laughter from Lupin.

"Professor? Are you okay?" she asked, wondering if he had drank a little too much of that potion. Sirius, on the other hand, looked as if he were about to die of embarrassment.

"Mione, can I talk to you?" he asked, pulling her aside, making his friend laugh more. Hermione rolled her eyes and went with him, melting at the eye contact.

"Mione, you don't have to worry about anything. He knows."
"Knows?"

"Yes, knows. About you, me, us." Her eyes grew round with surprise and she punched him none-too-lightly on the arm.

"Why'd you tell him?" she demanded.

"He guessed! He saw me listen to you when you told me to calm down!" She looked at him, confused.

"I only listen to few people…you'll hear it all in good time." He proceeded to tell her the whole conversation that took place between him and the professor. Hermione periodically looked over at Lupin who (to no one's knowledge but his own) was listening in using his canine hearing. He'd grin back and continue eating Sirius' chicken, completely ignoring Madam Pomfrey's prepared lunch of broth and jell-o.

When Sirius finally finished the lengthy story, they returned to the professor's side.

"So, how is everything?" he inquired innocently enough, though he had a smile playing about his mouth.

"Remus, I told her you know, isn't that enough?" Sirius, though he enjoyed telling Remus about them, didn't like the embarrassment that sprung from the fact that he was seeing someone twenty years his junior. Lupin sensed this, so he turned to Hermione.

"Hermione, I remember back in your third year when you wanted to kill him. What changed? Besides the fact that you found out he's on our side," he asked her as if she would be writing an essay.

"Nothing really. Back then he was Harry's godfather and savior, so I put up with him. Now, he's the same, but a huge flirt and great kisser to boot." Hermione was almost surprised at her bravery, but Sirius brought something out in her. Both guys laughed, and she just smiled, wringing her hands nervously.

"So, Padfoot, nothing's changed then, I see," Lupin joked.

"Well, Sirius, professor, I have to get going. Due to meeting someone last night, I now have homework to do. See you later!" Hermione rose and hugged her professor and Sirius in turn, and left the room again, still wringing her hands.

"Sirius?" Remus asked when Hermione was well out of hearing distance.

"Yeah, Remus?"

"Don't you think you should follow her? She was terribly anxious. I would, but I think Madam Pomfrey coated my ass in something sticky…I can't move."

Sirius laughed. "Hmm, Moony, sounds familiar…Yeah, I'll talk to you later, okay?" Remus just grinned and waved him away.

Further down the hall, Hermione had collapsed into a heap, crying.

"Why did he tell Lupin? Why? I thought this was perfect, and he has to go telling him…"

Sirius crept up beside her, and sat, incomprehensible feelings welling up out of the deepest corners of his soul. He cared for this girl, more than any girl before her. All the others, when crying, he'd wave it off, thinking, "She'll get over it." Same with the guys he had been with. All but one. Remus held his heart for years, but now he was thinking of snatching it back and handing it to Hermione. He transformed, not wanting anyone to see him as himself, and put his head on her shoulder.

Upon seeing him, however, Hermione was outraged. She stood up and ran off, only to have him jump up and race beside her. She was no match for his four legs, so gave up shortly and huffed off into an unused classroom. Padfoot was right on her heels, panting slightly. He pushed the door shut and transformed again.

"What do you want, Black?" she spat at him.

"Mione, what's wrong?" He tried to put on a soothing voice, but it came out sounding sarcastic.

"Sirius, you're what's wrong! You blab about us to one of my teachers, yes my TEACHER, and expect to go off scot-free, just because he's your friend. Well, I have to face him on Monday, and I don't know if I can do that." She fell into a pile again, sobbing, and Sirius ran to her side.

"Hermione, do you think I would have followed you if I didn't care about you? No, I wouldn't have. And it was very, very hard talking to Remus about it…I wouldn't have, not in a million years, had he not insisted upon it. You have no idea...how close we are…were." He choked out his words, causing Hermione to look up at him in confusion.

"What do you mean, Sirius?"

"I shouldn't be telling you this…"

"Go on, Sirius, it's all right. I won't judge you."

"Remus was my first, and only love. We were together for years…I was the wild one in school…I'd sleep with anyone, male, female, it didn't matter. He showed me that there was more to a relationship than sex. I was sent to Azkaban while we were together…you're the first person I've even been with since him."

Needless to say, Hermione was in shock. "But then…why me?"

"Hermione, most of my girlfriends and boyfriends were preppy, self-centered assholes that wanted me because I was hot, or because they wanted to get laid. They got that, but Remus was the first one to love me for being Sirius Black, not for being the sexy Quidditch player that was good in bed." He paused, continuing, "You're the second."

"So you chose me. I don't know if I love you though. I really like you, and I could love you someday, but I don't now. Not yet."

"Mione, there's no need, none at all, to rush things. I'd love to be more than a fling, and I hope that it becomes more than that, but really, all we've got now is a glorified crush." He scooped her up in his arms and held her tightly. "I think we can be more. I want to be more. We both need this alliance, the trust we'd gain."

Hermione looked into the steely-blue of his eyes and nodded. "Me too, Sirius, but not yet. I need someone to hold me when I'm scared, someone that will kiss my tears away."

"Let me be that someone," Sirius said gently, bringing one hand up off her back to stroke her hair.

"I was planning on it, Sirius," she replied, kissing him on the chin. The hand that was stroking her hair came to rest on her cheek, and Hermione bent her head up to his, gently touching their lips together.

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Okay, okay. I know that was an odd place to end, but everything I wrote following that was absolutely stupid…stuff about Sirius swinging every which way, gender not mattering to him…don't even ask.

Once again, I thank everyone who's read up to this point (and hopefully farther, since I'm planning on eventually having at least 16 chapters).

And review, review, review! Flames are fine by me, they make me laugh when this story is bugging me.