A/N: Italics in the present tense are dreams, italics in the past tense are flashbacks. Generally the flashbacks are dated.

In Dreams

Chapter Three

Hermione blinked and looked at the man standing before her, "Sirius?" she whispered.

Catherine placed a hand on Hermione's shoulder, causing her to jump, "are you alright dear – you look like you've seen a ghost."

"I fine – yes… thanks." Was she really loosing it now, Heathcliff couldn't be Sirius; if he was surely he'd have contacted Harry. "Unless he doesn't remember…"

"Hermione are you sure you're all right, you're all pale. Maybe you should sit down." Catherine led the visibly shaken up Hermione to a seat, "I know he's very attractive but never thought I'd see someone actually faint over him," Catherine said winking.

Hermione smiled and stared at the flickering flames, dancing in the hearth. "Get a grip girl." When she raised her head, everyone excepting Catherine had left.

"Where did Heathcliff come from?" Hermione asked cautiously.

"Charles found him wondering the woods near the river," replied Catherine.

"So you don't know where he came from."

"No – there was talk in town about sightings of bright light about a year ago and a man aimlessly wandering around, not much later my dear husband found him."

"Isn't from the area," Hermione mumbled to herself.

Catherine thought she was asking another question so replied, "oh no dear, poor man doesn't remember a thing. Hardly speaks."

"Heathcliff isn't his name," Hermione said, trying to veil the anticipation in her voice.

"Oh no, well it might be, but he doesn't appear to remember it. My husband gave him the name, called him after a character in my favourite book. Are you sure your all right, you look frightened," asked Catherine sweetly.

Hermione wasn't listening the cogs in her brain were going into action, "does he ever talk about anyone or anything?"

"Actually yes – the first couple of weeks he was here, he would talk in his sleep to someone called 'Minnie' and a 'Barry', but when we questioned him about it he always had a blank expression. I felt sorry for him, so I offered him a place to stay until he remembers. He works out on the farm with Charles and Mark. Other than that he pretty much keeps to himself.

"He eats his meals with you though?"

"No, we always have a place set for him just in case, but he either eats it standing in the kitchen, or he takes it up to his room. Sneaks silently down at night to clean his dishes. You'd hardly notice he was even in the house."

"Remembers nothing?" questioned Hermione.

"Not even his age," replied Catherine.

"Thirty-six," mumbled Hermione, 'ten years dead, one alive – thirty-five plus one thirty-six. Oh Merlin…'

"Sorry dear?"

"Where does he sleep?"

"In the room at the back of the house, I offered another one but he seems content to be where he is. It's a small, dark room – coldest in the house."

'It's him, he's alive; Sirius Black is alive' Hermione jumped up smiling insanely, "would you mind if I went to speak to him?"

"No go right ahead, here, it's some soup. Would you mind bringing it up to him?"

"I'd be delighted to," Hermione responded taking the tray out of the woman's charge.

Hermione approached the door to his room; she rapped softly on the wood awaiting him to answer. There was none, so she allowed herself in.

"Heathcliff," she cooed softly. Turning she noticed a body slumped in the corner with its head concealed in his hands. She quickly put down the tray she was carrying and approached the man cautiously. Knelling down beside him she placed her hand gently on his forearm.

"Sirius," she whispered to the head hidden under black locks.

The man looked up, his dark eyes widened for a moment; a look of recognition crossed them.

"Sirius – I'm Hermione, do you remember me?" she questioned clearly.

The man looked at her, the name sounded familiar – he could picture a young girl; fourteen maybe fifteen, lots of hair. This girl however was older, much older - her hair was very short. He resumed looking at his hands, they were rough from all the manual labour he had done since he'd arrived here. How long had it been, a month, a year? Had he always lived here? The young person was asking him questions again. Why? Did she think he didn't spend every night trying to figure out who he was?

Hermione bit her lip in concentration and continued, "what about Harry?"

No movement,

"Remus?"

Nothing.

'Ok Hermione, it's definitely him. Think Hermione think…what might jog a memory only need one – Moony? Prongs? Marauders? His mother? She's quite unforgettable"

Hermione inhaled deeply before muttering her next words, "Grimmauld Place?" the body in front of her involuntarily shuddered. She made a mental note to keep off that topic.

She looked at him kindly, "Heathcliff," he looked up, "does Moony, Prongs, Padfoot or Wormtail mean anything to you?"

'Prongs' he knew that name, thinking really hard trying to picture it, an animal of some kind… no… glasses, Prongs wore glasses… a name… Sammie… Jamie… James.

"James," his voice cracked from lack of use.

Hermione smiled, "yes that's right – James, can you tell me about him?"

"No"

Her face fell. "At least it's a start."

Sirius began mumbling again, she couldn't hear what he was saying just odd words, 'glasses', 'messy', 'black'.

Her smile grew again as she threw her arms around his neck, "oh Sirius; your alive," she exclaimed, her eyes watering.

Catherine stood in the doorway. She arrived just to see the young girl who asked a lot of questions, throw her herself at Heathcliff; she looked as though she were crying.

"Hermione?"

The young girl looked up blushing, she didn't notice Catherine standing there, "hello," she wasn't bothering to mask her excitement.

"And you say you know him," Charles asked suspiciously.

"Yes," she replied irritated. 'How many times must I say this?'

"So if you know him, why not come looking for him before?"

"You see… eh…" 'How to phrase this,' "well… he's been missing for years… we thought he was dead."

The three members of the family; Charles, Catherine and Mark, looked at her disbelieving.

"Can you prove it?" John asked.

"Surely if Sirius… Heathcliff wants to come home with me you can't stop him."

Hermione dear, it's not that we don't believe you. Its just he's a very good, strong worker. We are very attached to him; we only want what's best for him."

"Coming with me is that."

"I'm not so sure, from our conversation earlier you sound like you have trouble looking after yourself," added Catherine.

Hermione's jaw dropped in disbelief, a righteous anger bubble inside her. "Look, I can take him home to his family and friends – what could possibly be better for him," she replied through her teeth, holding in the urge to shout after the last comment.

"Yes but-"

"Wait I do have proof," she shrieked as she rushed out of the little white wash cottage towards her car. Grabbing her bag she rummaged through it. There was a photograph in here somewhere, she'd found a pile of them in her old room. So far all she'd found were wizard.

"Aha! Muggle," she cried triumphantly. It was not the best but it would do.

Charles looked at the picture sceptically handing it to his wife, he commented, "this looks like it was taken about ten years ago – it can't be him, look you are what fourteen maybe fifteen in it."

'Sixteen,' she thought, 'come on Hermione you're smart, think of something.'

"It's my sister," she blurted out, "people are always saying we look very alike, her name is Penelope. That is Sirius however. It was taken a few years before he vanished."

Catherine looked towards her son, and then her husband, how would Jane react? She was very fond of Heathcliff. "What about Jane dear?"

"Who's Jane," inquired Hermione.

"Our daughter," replied Charles, turning to his wife taking her hand he continued, "I'm afraid, if Heathcliff wishes to leave we can do very little to prevent him."

There was a loud knock at Hermione's front door, she was quietly thankful Kevin was away on business in Spain. She didn't think he would understand.

"Remus," she screamed excitedly, "have you got the albums?"

"Yes, why did you need them so urgently anyway?"

"You'll see."

Remus stood back, although she had only been gone a week, it had made a lot o f difference. She was looking much better, "Hermione I don't think I've seen you looking so perky since you were made Head Girl."

Hermione looked momentarily glum, before embracing Remus in a giant hug, "I'm so sorry for being such an insufferable git. You deserve an award for putting up with me."

Remus looked at her again, she really was much better, grinning he replied, "Now, this thing you want to show me"

"Yes… come in… come in," she squealed spiritedly. Remus crossed over into her apartment. "Now I must warn you, he's not the same but…"
Remus looked at her like she was crazy, "what are you rambling about Hermione."

There was a light in Hermione's eyes that seemed to have ignited again; it had been extinguished for so long. It was the look she got before she embarked on some crazy amount of research, or when she knew the answer to a question before you had even asked it.

"Heathcliff," she yelled.

There was the sound of a body approaching, their shoes made a squeak as they walked. Remus' mouth dropped in disbelief, "Remus – Heathcliff, Heathcliff – Remus."

'Padfoot?'

"I found him Remus, he's alive." Remus looked dumbfounded; he was unsure how to react. His only instinct was to bring Hermione into a bear hug and twirl her around.

"Remus stop messing and go talk to him," she smiled. 'Now to find Harry.'

Hermione wasn't sure where she could find him. As soon as she arrived home from Yorkshire, she had immediately sent an owl to the Weasley's. She hadn't thought how they might react; she didn't think at all, all she knew was she had to find Harry, quickly.

The message only said that she needed to speak to Harry urgently and did they know where he might be. Just prior to Remus' knock she had heard a familiar tapping at her bedroom window. It was Pig, she opened the window to retrieve the reply, but all it said was they had no idea where he was and that it was nice to hear from her again. Hermione hadn't really spoken to Harry in a year and there was only one place she could think of, and that was as good as any to start. Hermione apparated into Hogsmeade and walked the familiar route to Hogwarts, holding a single white lily. She prayed that he was here, when they were at Hogwarts the three of them had a knack of always knowing where the other was. 'Perhaps that was because of the map' she grinned to herself thinking of some of the nightly activities they had part taken in.

As she approached the lake, she saw the silhouette of a young man leaning against a yew tree. Hermione moved towards the man, slipping her arm in his, linking with him. She softly greeted him, "hello Harry," before resting her heavy head against his shoulder.

She looked down to where Harry was gazing. She stood forward, leaning down she placed the flower on a limestone monument. Engraved onto it was the constellation of the Dog Star – Sirius. Under which was written, 'Fate brought us together, Chance took us apart – In Memory of Sirius Black.'

Hermione spoke softly not looking at Harry, "He's alive Harry, Sirius Black is back."