Chapter 2

A/N: Sorry for the delay on this chapter but I've been ditsy lately and kept forgetting to put this on to my main computer from my laptop which I take every where with me. Anyway thank you all for you reviews you guys rock.

A big thank you to Perennial Outlander for your constructive points. I hope this sounds better.

Remus hurried towards his room to write Annie a letter.

Dear Annie,

You not going to be happy with me, your ex knows that I know where you live and he was not impressed with me at all. He has already commented on how much your daughter looks like you. I doubt it will be long before they talk and figure things out. After all you're ex and your daughter are close, considering her best friend is his godson. I will visit you tonight, so please be ready.

Love always

Remus.

P.S. letting him know I know was not intentional Annie.

Remus folded the parchment up and went in search of an owl to send the letter with. He figured that using Hedwig would be the best idea.

After finding Hedwig in Harry and Ron's room, Remus tied the letter to her leg and opened the window for her. He watched as she flew off into the distance. Remus hoped that he would be able to avoid Sirius until he was able to get Annie into the house.

"Next task is finding Dumbledore," He muttered to himself. Remus set off for the main living room again to use the fireplace.

Meanwhile in the kitchen Mrs Weasley answered Harry's questions reluctantly. She knew that he had to be told at some stage but she still felt that he was to young. Mrs Weasley was not at all happy that Sirius had tried to override her authority with the children. She knew that she was in no way related to Harry but she still considered him a son.

After realising that she had told him enough Mrs Weasley sent everyone upstairs to bed. Thankful that they didn't argue this time Mrs Weasley watched them leave the room, she could tell from the look on Harry and Hermione's faces that they were not going to go straight to bed. Mrs Weasley knew that they'd go looking for Sirius; she just hoped that he had the mind not to tell Harry anymore then she already had.

"I wonder where Sirius went?" Harry said to himself.

"He's probably in his bedroom. Come on this way" Hermione told him, causing Harry to jump. He hadn't realised that he had spoken aloud, nor did he realise that Hermione was still beside him.

"How do you know the way to Sirius's bedroom?" Ron asked curiously. Ron realised this was probably a stupid question, since Hermione seemed to know everything.

"Ginny and I were bored the other day and went looking through the house. We found Sirius in his room going through some boxes of stuff" Hermione explained leading them up a set of stairs and around a corner before stopping front of a large dark oak door. And sure enough when Hermione opened the door they found Sirius sitting on his bed staring at a photo. Sirius didn't look up as the trio entered the room.

Harry walked towards the bed and climbed up onto the bed beside Sirius, looking over Sirius's shoulder, Harry saw that the photo was of Sirius, a woman and Harry's parents. Hermione and Ron climbed up onto the bed on Sirius's other side.

"Is that Annie?" Harry asked softly.

"Yeah, this was taken the summer before seventh year. We were all so happy then," Sirius whispered.

Hermione stared at the photo in shock. The woman standing in Sirius's arms was her mother. She couldn't understand how that was possible. Hermione's mother had told her that Hermione was the first witch in their family, but there was no doubt about it. The woman in the photo was Hermione's mother.

"How long were you together for?" Hermione asked softly.

"Not quite three years, we broke up in July the year you three were born, three months before of third anniversary," Sirius told them sadly.

Hermione did the math and came to the realisation. Hermione had always been plagued by the thought that the man she called dad, was nothing like her. As Hermione grew older she noticed the differences more and more. She had never felt as though the excuses that her parents gave her for the father- daughter differences explained them. The man she had thought was her father couldn't possibly be her father. Hermione was born in November, meaning she would have had to be conceived in May. The realisation sunk in to Hermione and she wasn't sure what to think about it.

Getting up from the bed, Hermione gave the three males the excuse that she was tired before fleeing the room. Instead Hermione headed for the library, Sirius had shown her where it was the day after she had arrived at Grimmauld place.

Once inside the library, Hermione sat on the lounge and stared through the window. Outside the moon was shining high in the sky. Hermione sat not moving, trying to process the information that she had put together. The clues fit together to tell her that her mother had lied to her and that Sirius was really her father. What Hermione couldn't understand was why her mother would lie to her like that. The only reason that Hermione could think of for her mother keeping this from her was that it was an attempt to protect her. Hours went by and Hermione fell asleep on the lounge that she sat on clutching the pendant she wore around her neck.

The next morning Sirius made his way towards the kitchen, detouring past the library to pick up a photo of James and Lily he wanted to show Harry. But what Sirius found in the library however surprised him. Hermione was curled up on the lounge a sleep; her hand wrapped tightly around something.

Sirius stood back for a moment and studied her. He spotted her clutched hand and wondered what it was that she held. Something inside him told him to take a step closer and find out what was in her hand. Listening to this inner voice, Sirius knelt down beside the lounge and gently opened Hermione's hand. What he found was the last thing that expected to find. Inside was a heart shape pendant; on its front were extravagant engravings. Sirius stared at the pendant in shock, memories instantly coming to the surface. Memories of happier times. When he and Annie had been together and when he, James and Remus had been at school. Sirius knew that it was the same pendent that he had given Annie years ago because of the markings on it.

Sirius stood back letting the pendent drop when Hermione began to stir. Hermione slowly opened her eyes and found Sirius standing in front of her with a look of confusion on his face.

"I guess I fell asleep in here," Hermione mumbled not sure how exactly she should treat him. After all she wasn't sure if he knew that he was her father. Hermione doubted that her mother would have told him after what Remus said about Sirius not knowing where she moved. However the thought did pass through her mind that he had known and simply did not care, but this thought was immediately disproved by Sirius's actions towards Harry.

"Where did you get that pendent Hermione?" Sirius asked softly, staring at the pendent hanging from her neck. Hermione looked down in confusion, not realising that the pendent she wore was hanging on the outside of her clothes.

"My mother, my father gave it to her" Hermione answered.

"Have you ever opened it?" He asked sitting down on the coffee table in front of the lounge. When Hermione shook her head, Sirius took out his wand. Tapping the pendent and muttering "I solemnly swear that I will love you forever." Slowly the pendent opened revealing two pictures. One was of Sirius and Annie and the other was of baby Hermione.

"Your mothers opened this before now" Sirius stated. Hermione studied Sirius silently, taking in his features and committing them to memory.

"If your mother gave it to you, then that would make you my ...." Sirius said drifting off at the end as the realisation sunk in. He couldn't believe what he was thinking. 'But how can that be so, Annie would have told me if she was pregnant with my child' he thought to himself.

"Daughter, the timing fits because you and mum broke up in July the year I was born. I was born on November 19th that year, meaning I was conceived in May. While the two of you were still together," Hermione told him in a rush. She was nervous as to what his re action would be. Sirius sat staring at Hermione for several long moments, he was shocked to say the least. Sirius didn't know what to say or what to do, but he did know that he was going to force Remus to tell him where Annie was. He needed to speak with her, to ask her why she hid his daughter from him when she knew that he had escaped Azkaban.

"Say something please!" Hermione exclaimed, the silence was killing her.

"I have no clue what to say Hermione, or what happens now. The one thing I do know is that some time today that I'm going to ask Dumbledore to send for your mother. What do you want to do? Do you want me to be your father? I want to be a father to you though I don't know how to be dad you'll have to tell me how. I will understand if you don't, I mean you've grown up calling another man daddy it'd be confusing for you no doubt-"Sirius rambled

"Sirius shut up for a moment" Hermione laughed interrupting his ramble.

"I want to get to know you. As for being confused I'm not all that confused. I mean for a long time now I've noticed differences between the man thought was my father and myself, but looking at you I can kinda see the similarities. So finding out you're my father instead of the man I thought was my father answers a few questions better then mother ever did. Can we start with trying to get to know one another first?" Hermione asked.

"Of course we can Hermione, what ever you want" Sirius said smiling, he couldn't believe that he had a daughter. Hearing his stomach rumble Hermione laughed and suggested that they go down to breakfast.

Sirius followed his daughter out of the room and put an arm around her shoulders as they walked towards the kitchen. He was thankful that she didn't shrug off his arm.

When they reached they kitchen, everyone was there with the exception of Mr Weasley, Bill and Remus. Sirius moved towards his usual seat greeting people as he went. Mrs Weasley gave them a curious look as they walked in but everyone else was too interested in their meals to notice anything else.

"Have you seen Remus this morning Molly?" asked Sirius. As if on cue Remus walked into the kitchen looking rather tired. When he saw how close Sirius and Hermione were sitting and the look of happiness on his best friends face he knew that they had found out Annie's secret.

"Hermione your mother is in the other room, she wants to speak with you" Remus informed the young witch.

"Well you can tell her I don't want to talk to her" Hermione replied coldly.

"Hermione, that's no way to act towards your mother" Mrs Weasley scolded her gently. Hermione was about to say something back to Mrs Weasley when Sirius placed a hand on her shoulder and gave her a look that clearly said 'don't continue the argument'.

"You need to speak with her, just like I do. Come on we'll talk to her together," Sirius said softly.

"I don't want to talk to her," Hermione stated again looking her father in the eye. Sirius sighed and said "then you can sit beside me while I ask her some questions of my own. But either way you're going to be in the same room with her" Sirius stood up from the table waiting for Hermione to follow him, but she didn't.

"No I'm not going anywhere near her" Hermione said defiantly starring up at him.

"Hermione, that's enough of that act young lady. Your mother wants to speak with you so I suggest you go now" Mrs Weasley told her. She was shocked by Hermione's sudden change in behaviour.

"Aren't you going to say something? Mrs Weasley tried to hold information back from Harry and you practically yell that Harry's your god son but she tries to tell me what to do and you don't do anything!" Hermione exclaimed looking up at Sirius, a mixture of hurt and anger in her eyes.

"Hermione!" Mrs Weasley exclaimed. Sirius sat back down on his chair and pulled it closer so that he was eye level with Hermione. "That's because I was about to tell you the same thing, you need to let your mother explain Hermione. I don't want the two most important women to me to be fighting. Now you have two choices you either walk into that room on your own accord or I'll carry you in there" he told her.

"Then you'll have to carry me," Hermione said defiantly. Sirius chuckled to himself; the Black stubbornness was clearly showing in his daughter. Sirius pushed the chair back and bent down and lifted Hermione off the chair, carrying her like a baby into the other room.

Everyone in the room stared in shock at the interaction between the pair. Remus chuckled at how much the pair were alike.

"Like father like daughter" He said sitting down in the chair that Sirius had vacated.