Disclaimers Etc... see part 1

Author's note: Another small update. But seeing as how I get very busy starting tomorrow, I
didn't want to leave off in the middle of a thought. Takes forever to get back on track.

I'll have time to write during the boring classes as usual, but I probably won't be able to post until
next weekend. Sorry folks. But I'm glad that everyone's enjoying it.

I think by now, I've made myself clear on my feelings of feedback. :)

Part 37

Albus Dumbledore studied the tense, frustrated man in front of him for a moment before once
again waving his wand and 'ungagging' his mouth.

"Albus! What in the hell was the meaning of that?!?!"

"One day, Sirius, I hope you find yourself in a place where you do no allow your emotions to rule
your reactions and you can appreciate what I've done for you."

Sirius looked at him like he'd just announced that he and Voldemort were going steady. "And
what have you done for me?"

"Forgetting all other circumstances, you just watched your godson get married. Trust me when I
say, in the long run, you will be much happier for it."

"I don't see how I could be happy at all."

He sighed. This was going to be harder than he had originally planned. "Sirius. You just watched
a momentous event in Harry's life. One, that you should have had some part in."

"There is no way that I could ever support something as... wrong... as what I just witnessed."

He closed his eyes momentarily, contemplating how best to go about smacking some sense into
the man sitting across from him. "Sirius, have you listened to a word that's been said?"

"Of course I have Albus!"

He smacked his hand down on his desk, eyes blazing, "Then why the hell have you been acting
like a 4 year old whose lollipop was stolen!"

"Albus?" Sirius looked confused.

"Do you have any idea what you're doing to him! You're making him the enemy! Your irrational
inability to see past the *past* is making this situation harder on him that it already is!"

"I just can't accept-"

"It doesn't matter what you accept Sirius. What is, is. Do you honestly think that I would allow
something to go on if it were hurting him? I'm old. Not senile, nor am I fool."

"I... I..."

"If you want to blame someone. Blame me. I'm the one that steered them in this direction without
telling them. I'm the one who took a chance with the spell. I'm the one who seized upon an
opportunity."

"Why?"

"Because we are fighting a war. A war, that unless we are willing to make sacrifices, we *will*
lose."

Sirius looked ready to pick up his argument again, but he cut him off.

"I did not force this. I merely gave it the opportunity to flourish. You underestimate me, You
underestimate Harry and you underestimate Severus."

"I don't understand." Sirius said.

"Then you really haven't been listening, this could not have happened, without BOTH of their
consents, whether it was conscious or subconscious is irrelevant, Harry is NOT in a situation that
he doesn't want to be in."

"That doesn't mean that I trust Snape. That still doesn't reassure me that he won't take advantage
of the situation."

He stood up and circled around his desk and kneeled down in front of Sirius, who was still under
the influence of a binding spell. "My dear boy, how do you know you can trust me?"

Sirius' eyes widened. "I... I just do."

"Why? I've already proven exactly how manipulative and conniving I can be. That I'm willing to
go behind people's backs and bend the rules to get my way."

Sirius was starting to look worried. "Because you've never... you've never hurt me..."

He smiled. "How do you know that?"

"I... I just do."

"So sure are you?" He took his wand out once more and waved it lazily in front of Sirius.
For the first time, Sirius looked at him with something akin to fear. He did not relish doing this,
but the problems with Gryffindors was that sometimes they needed reality shoved in their faces,
no matter how ugly it was. He pointed the wand in the direction of the portrait hanging over the
fireplace. A mumbled phrase and it began to change, instead of Hogwarts last headmaster, it now
showed a younger, version of its current headmaster. "That's a portrait that was painted in my
seventh year. Tell me Sirius, is it everything you expected?"

The younger man turned his head and examined the painting. "Its you. In your school uniform... I
always pictured you as a brunette though... But the red suits you. Uniforms different too. Older
looking. That never occurred to me... I mean the house badge is complet..." Sirius faded off.

"Go on. What do you see?" He prompted.

Sirius looked choked up. He obviously couldn't speak for a few moments. Finally he answered. "I
see... Slytherin."

* * *

Ron, Hermione and Draco walked slowly down the steps that led to away from the headmaster's
office.

Without looking up, Draco said, "My place."

"Why your place?" Ron asked.

"Because it's the only one you don't have to go through a common room to get to. Unless you
want me to follow you past an entire room of Gryffindors with big mouths?"

"Oh." Ron answered. "Right. OK then."

"Why are we going to your room?" Hermione interjected.

"Because I want to talk to you about something." Was the only reply he gave.

They walked silently down into the bowls of the castle. Draco obviously knew a back route, one
that was well out of the way of often traveled paths. Hermione idly wondered how often he made
use of it.

Once they were inside Draco's room, they sprawled comfortably on the sofa. Two Gryffindor
bookends surrounding one complex Slytherin book. Though, this time, they were all leaning on
one another.

After a few minuted of silence, Ron spoke up. "I thought we were supposed to be talking."

Draco threw a scathing glare in the red head's direction, "Not everyone finds spitting out intimate
details of their personal life as easy as you do."

She spoke up, "You're doing it again."

Thin shoulders shrugged. "Well its my prerogative. Deal with it."

Hermione laid a gentle hand on his arm. "What's making you so upset?"

Draco didn't look at either of. Instead he studied his hands. "My father's not dead."

"What?" Ron asked, surprised. He leaned forward and touched a shoulder.

Draco continued. "Professor Snape confirmed it. The man that I... killed... was not Lucius."

"Who was it?" Ron inquired lightly massaging the shoulder.

He shrugged it off. "Another death eater."

Hermione studied him for a moment and asked, "What else?" She allowed her hand to slide up
and tangle with the fine blonde hair.

"He wrote a letter to Professor Snape. He wanted to talk to him. Offer explanations."

"Explanations for what?" Hermione pressed.

With a small snort, Draco answered. "Why he's been such an ass all these years."

"Ah." Was all Ron could think of to say.

"Dumbledore is letting him onto school grounds." Draco finally finished.

"He's nutters." Ron commented.

He snorted again. "For once, we agree."

"When is it happening?" She asked.

"Day after tomorrow." He answered.

She moved forward and wrapped her arms around Draco, "You've asked to be there, haven't
you." Hermione stated, not needed to actually ask. He wouldn't have it any other way.

"I can't *not* be there." Draco confirmed.

Ron turned the pale face towards him and said, "We know." and drew him down for a kiss.

Hermione watched them kiss. It was a slow languid kiss. The kind that tried to express whole
paragraphs in between slick movements of swollen lips. She molded herself to the back of Draco
and began to nuzzle his neck.

When Ron finally released Draco they were both panting for air. She renewed her attach on his
neck, the blond closed his eyes and let out a small moan of appreciation.

Ron's voice was husky and low, "Let's say we try this in a bed this time."

Draco tensed up for a moment. "This isn't a pity fuck."

Hermione tightened her arms, "It will never be a pity fuck."

She felt Ron's arms wrap around both of them, "Because Draco Malfoy does not do pity fucks,
right Draco?"

"Right." Came the small voice from between both of them. Then stronger, "what are we waiting
for, the you know where the bed is."

The three of them untangled themselves and made their way to the bedroom, just before the door
closed, Hermione said, "I respect you too much for this to ever be pity."

"Thank you."

TBC...

I don't feel qualified to take that any further whilst I'm high on cold meds. :)