Sirius was sitting on the floor in the staff library looking through some old books, and sipping tea, when the door opened, Snape entered muttering and scowling. Black didn't acknowledge the other man; he'd done his best to stay out of Snape's way since arriving. The two men didn't like each other and Sirius really didn't like the way Snape treated Harry and friends. He knew it was due to some things he and James had done when they were kids, but they weren't children anymore, it was time to let it go. Sirius thought about saying something but decided against it when he saw the look on the other man's face. Instead he picked up another book, took a taste of his tea and proceeded to read "Dark Magic". When he heard the door open again, he hoped that Severus Snape had gone, but his luck wasn't that good. A shadow fell across the pages. He looked up and there was Snape looking down at him.
Sirius gently closed the book and laid it aside, "What can I do for you Professor?"
"I was just wondering why you were sitting on the cold, damp, hard floor when there are perfectly good chairs?" Snape's voice was cruel and mocking. When Black didn't answer or look up; he went on with the teasing. "But then I forgot, you spent all those years in Azkaban didn't you? So the floor is probably where you're most comfortable and happy. Isn't that where all slugs, low life's and murders live?" When Sirius still didn't answer he continued, "What's the matter Black, nothing to say for once? Can't handle the truth? To bad the dementor's didn't give you their kiss years ago, when you escaped. I don't know how you managed to get off, but…" His words were cut off when another voice joined in.
"That's enough Severus!" Both men turned to see Dumbledore standing in the center of the room. Snape closed his mouth looked down at Black, who hadn't moved, and then at the headmaster, before turning on his heals and departing the room.
The older wizard moved with his usual grace to where Sirius continued to sit. Pulling up a chair, he dropped heavily into it. "I don't know what's wrong with him sometimes?" He looked down at Sirius from his seat, only to find the younger man looking at his hands that were clinched into tight fists with the knuckles turning white. Dumbledore saw the tenseness of the muscles in his shoulders. "Sirius, don't let Snape do that to you. If he knows he can set you off, he will."
Black continued to watch his hands, but his muscles had begun to relax, he spoke so faintly the headmaster almost didn't hear him. "That's all I'll ever be, the convicted murder who escaped from Azkaban. I don't know why I thought I could have a normal life."
"Look at me." His voice was soft but stern making the other man look up. Dumbledore could see several emotions on Sirius' face. He also noticed the sparkle had gone out of his eyes to be replaced by something he hadn't seen in Black since the night James and Lily died... loss and defeat. "Sirius, Snape is an ass. No one listens to him and you shouldn't either. You have much to be proud of. You've overcome loss, grief, pain, being separated from everything and everyone you love, even after you were cleared. Not many could have survived that. Snape couldn't have survived it." He could see that his new teacher was listening the wheels in his head turning. He had his full attention. That's one of the things he had always admired about young Mr. Black, no matter whom else he ignored, he always listened intently when the headmaster spoke and usually heeded his counsel.
Sirius sat against the wall turning the words Dumbledore said over in his mind. He knew the old man was right, he'd lived a long time, and his words were words of wisdom. Sirius smiled for the first time since Snape entered the room. He was just getting ready to say something when a cat strolled over to him and laid its head on his knee. Sirius reached down and rubbed its ears. "How did you get in here? You shouldn't wonder around the castle at night on your own. That mean old Mr. Filch might decide to eat you for dinner." Both men laughed, Sirius could have sworn the cat giggled as well. The two men spent the next half hour talking about how the first day had gone. Soon the silence began to over take them and Sirius started to get up when Dumbledore stopped him.
"Sirius, would you sit with me a few more minutes." He shifted in the chair to get a better look at the man sitting in front of him. "You've changed so much in the last few years. Not just physically, but mentally and emotionally. A few years ago, I don't know if I would have endorsed Harry living with you, but after seeing you together this summer and watching the way you care for him, you've reaffirmed my opinion of what a good man you are. I couldn't be prouder if you were my own son."
Shock or something like it was written all over his face. He always thought he had been a disappointment to the headmaster and the school. The only thing Sirius could say was, "Thank you Sir, that mean more to me than you'll ever know."
"I wanted to let you know, I've granted your request to take Miss Granger, Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley to Hogsmeade Saturday." He couldn't resist the urge to tease the younger man again. "Did you say that proper hello, to Miss Granger today?"
"I spoke with her for a few minutes after class. She helped me see how dense I am sometimes, especially about teenage girls and their hormones." He laughed once, and then turned solemn and continued, "We still need to have a real face to face talk. She has questions about the veil and the work I did for the Ministry I need to answer. I figured I'd spend the weekend clearing up several things and making amends with her. I think she has some hurt feelings, she keeps looking at me strange."
"I've been teasing you a lot, but listen my boy, watch yourself. I know you think I'm a foolish old man, but I can see things you can't. That young lady has turned into a beautiful young woman and I think she is experiencing feeling for you. Strong feelings. Feelings I'm sure she may have had for a while." Dumbledore watched as his words penetrated, once he was sure Sirius was taking him seriously, he went on. "I also think deep down, way deep down you may have feeling for her. You may not know or feel it yet, but in time they will surface." Sirius started to protest, but Dumbledore held up his hand to stop him. "When it happens, I'm not telling you not to act on those feeling, I'm telling you if you chose to act, be discreet. I don't want either of you to get hurt. Think long and hard before you act. Protect your heart, but most important protect hers."
Sirius couldn't believe what he was hearing. After several minutes he once again stood to leave, but at the door he turned back to the man who had become important to him, "You've given me a lot to think about and I promise you I will think about it. Maybe we can talk again?"
Dumbledore nodded his agreement. "Yes, Yes, I would like that, and Sirius, I meant everything I said tonight. About Miss Granger and about being proud of you."
"Thank you, sir! That means a lot." He opened the door looked one last time at Dumbledore and then at the cat, "Goodnight sir and pleasant dreams, Professor McGonagall." He was laughing as he stepped across the threshold and closed the door.
When the door had closed Professor McGonagall transformed back into her human form. "I always thought he was a smartass. He was one as a kid and he's still one."
"Oh Minerva, you're just upset you couldn't pull one over on him." Dumbledore laughed. He than sat back down in the chair he'd just vacated.
"Albus," She said as she pulled a chair up to sit across from him.
"Minerva, I don't want to go there right now. I thought we agreed years ago this conversation would stay closed." He was beginning to sound tired.
She took his hand in hers, "Yes we did, but that was when we thought he was going to spend the rest of his life in Azkaban. But he's not there now. He's here and he's free and he's…"
"Happy!" He cut her off. "How can I tell him something that would make him unhappy. He's had so much unpleasantness in his life already. I want what's best for him."
"So you think that would make him unhappy, you think what's best for him is for him to never know. You told him you would be proud to have him as a son. I've been watching him, I'd be proud to have him as a son, however he's not your son, and he's not mine either, but you can tell him who he really is. I've watched you since his escape; I've watched the two of you together, first at Grimmauld Place, and now here. You have a bond, and you very well should. Albus, he's a smart man, someday he may just begin to question that connection. Won't you at least think about it? He has the right to know!" She stood very firm.
Albus Dumbledore sighed. She was right. Sirius Black did have a right to know, but he really wasn't sure now was the time. "I'll think about it, Minerva."
"Good, now what was that you were telling young Mr. Black about feelings and Hermione Granger? Did I really hear what I thought I heard you say?" she looked at the elder man and all he did was smile. They stood and together left the Library.
Hermione woke smiling from pleasant dreams to the sound of rain on the window. She sat up and looked around the dorm room, everyone was still asleep. She decided to go down stairs to the Gryffindor common room to see if Ginny might be there. Ginny Weasley was always one of the first to rise. She was Ron's younger sister and Hermione's closest female friend. She knew she could tell Ginny anything. Stepping off the bottom step she saw her friend sitting in the big chair by the fire reading a book. "Good morning. How did you sleep?" Hermione asked.
"Good thank you. I woke to the rain and decided to come here and see if I could catch upon my reading." She put the book on the table and shifted to look at her girlfriend. "I'm really glad you're up. It was getting a bit lonely."
"We have some time before the others start to filter down. Do you think we could have a real heart to heart? I need to talk to you." Hermione asked sincerely.
Ginny could see in her companion eyes that she really did need to talk. "Sure. What do you want to talk about? "
"Ginny what would you say if I told you I think I'm in love?" Hermione asked fidgeting in her chair.
"You think you're in love? Want to tell me more about it and who it is?" Ginny was completely at a loss for more words. She'd known Hermione for 5 years and she'd never seen her, as she was this morning.
"Well he's handsome, kind, smart you know all the things a girls wants in a man." Hermione leaned closer to her friend and began spilling the whole story. Telling Ginny about the first time she'd met him and how even as scared as she was of him, there was a part of her that trusted him. How when she and Harry helped him escape she knew she liked him, but thought it was only a good girl crush on the bad guy. She talked about how she felt when they stayed at Grimmauld Place, and the rush of excitement she felt every morning, or when he would walk into a room after not being around for a while. She told Ginny how she was devastated when he fell through the veil. How she mourned him and how she thought a part of her had died along with him. The girls talked about how Hermione had come to the realization that she did indeed love him. She told Ginny she understood there was an age difference and that he probably didn't return the feeling, but that didn't mean she should give up on what she felt. She told Ginny everything. Ginny in return agreed with all Sirius good points and even had some reasons for the bad.
"Well it seems to me you have everything figured out. What are you going to do now? Are you going to keep it to yourself or are you going to tell him?" Ginny asked.
"For a while I think I'm going to keep it between you and I, but in time I'm going to tell him. I think I'll want to talk to my parents, and of course him before I come out and let everyone know." Hermione looked around to make sure no one had come into the room before stating a little louder and giggling with Ginny, "I'm in love with Sirius Black." The girls didn't know as they headed back to their dorm rooms, that just beyond the wall sat two young men and they had heard the entire conversation.
Ron and Harry looked at each other in shock and surprise. They stood and quietly made their way back to the dorm. Ron finally broke the silence and whispered, "Hermione's in love? Hermione's in love with Sirius?"
"I guess." Harry said, "You heard what she said she doesn't care about the age difference, and if she's felt this way for a long time, it's not like it's a passing thing. I wonder how he's going to take it when she tells him?" Harry asked sitting on the windowsill across from his best pal.
"You don't think he feels the same do you?" Ron asked turning a pale shade of green.
Harry thought for a few minutes and replied. "I don't think he knows he loves her if he does. I'd also venture to guess he doesn't know she loves him. But you know what Ron, could you blame him if he did fall for her. She's beautiful and very mature for her age. She turns 18 next week, she will be of age to do what she wants." Harry looked out the window at the sun coming up over the hill. "I'm not sure what will happen, when and if it happens, but I'm not going to tell either not to go for it. If they can be happy together then I'm for it, but I won't have her telling me what to do. Only Sirius can do that. I think for right now, we better forget we heard that conversation."
"You're right Harry, we should. I guess we can watch and see how they both act if Sirius gets to take the three of us away this weekend." Ron said slipping off the window and heading for his bed to find his clothes.
"Hogsmeade, I forgot. I wonder if Dumbledore has granted permission and how long we can stay away from school? Let's ask Sirius this morning at breakfast." Nothing else was said about what they heard that morning.
In another part of the castle, a man was lying on his back staring at the ceiling. He'd slept a couple hours but for the biggest part of the night when he closed his eyes, he'd here Headmaster Dumbledore telling him about the teenager in love with him and if it wasn't that going through his head it was dreams of her. Could the old man be right? Did he have feelings for Hermione Granger that were buried so deep even he couldn't feel them? He sat up and swung his feet to the floor, looking into the mirror on the dresser across from the bed he just stared at himself. After a long while he stood and shook his head, "I think Albus is loosing it. There is no way Hermione Granger is in love with me. I'm old enough to be her father." He went into the bathroom to get ready for the day, but in the back of his mind he told himself he would pay closer attention to how she acted and reacted to him.