Sirius looked down at her in slow confusion.
"Hermione... you're kidding right? I mean you--"
"No," she repeated. "I meant it." Sirius slowly lifted off of her as she looked at him in a knowing apology. He gingerly sat down next to her not really noticing the mud anymore. He sighed resting his elbows on his knees and running his hands through his hair in distress. She looked sad as she turned to him awkwardly. He didn't notice. She knew what she was doing though. This was an impossible relationship... and she couldn't go falling in love with thirty-five year old man who just came back to life! Could she? She sighed again and reached over to gently touch his hand, which was resting on his head still. He pulled it away and turned away from her again. Hermione was taken aback by his fierce gesture. How could she do that to him? Completely lead him on and then just say "no"? That's not right. Didn't his feelings mean anything to her?
"Come on, Sirius," Hermione begged quietly. "You--" "'No'?!" Sirius exclaimed to her in a loud mock tone. She could hear the pain in his voice. "Why?" he then whispered now laying his head in his arms.
"Look... I... we... we just can't," she said. "I still care about you. I don't want you to leave... you... you,"
"You know what that's actually a good idea," Sirius said sounding as though he had just came to his senses.
"What?" Hermione asked in desperation.
"No. I can't stay here... when I- I- I've..." Sirius tried to keep himself from using the word 'love.' "...When I've obtained some really strong feelings for you that you don't return," Sirius finished confidently nodding his head, still not facing her. Hermione looked down and felt terrible for hurting him.
"But Sirius, I- I mean—please don't go," she whispered putting her hand on his face and turning him to face her. He looked at her for a moment but then shook her hand off his cheek. He was hurting but he didn't want it to show anymore. Maybe then he wouldn't feel it as much.
"I'll go to Lupin's," Sirius added now standing up and brushing off some of the mud. He put a hand down towards Hermione to help her up and she accepted as Sirius pulled her up with his strong arms. Sirius, now bravely looking her in the eye said, "I'll apparate for Lupin's as soon I help you find your way back." Hermione felt tears welling up in her eyes but she forced them back. It had only been a few days and it had been so wonderful. Sirius was one of the only guys she knew who she could have a mature conversation with, besides Ron and Harry. Summer would be so lonely without him, but she forced herself to follow him home.
They wandered around for quite a while searching for Hermione's house or for any form of glimmering light. It felt like ages and Hermione and Sirius both felt day fading away, but finally they made it back before Hermione's parents got home and before sunset. Before they walked in the back door, they just looked at each other and breathed. Hermione wanted to embrace him and never let go. She wanted to run to him and apologize for everything she said to him and tell him she would be his. But, no. She just couldn't. It would never work. Plus...
"Hermione," Sirius called as he was turning to walk away. "Thank you for having me. It was fun." Sirius gave her a slight smile and she could see a twinkle in his eye. Then, in the blink of an eye, Sirius vanished. Hermione held her breath and walked in the door and collapsed on her bed. Her heart ached.
Sirius was standing in Lupin's kitchen and Lupin, who was reading the Daily Prophet and sipping some coffee looked up at Sirius, utterly shocked. Sirius was looking at him in a look of pain and heartbreak, but not for the reason Lupin suspected.
"Sirius!" Lupin cried out, setting his paper and coffee down abruptly and standing. Before Sirius could say anything, Lupin embraced him in a strong, intimate hug. Sirius hugged back. He was sure that Lupin was depressed these past few weeks with the thought that Sirius had died, having been his best friend for twenty-five years. Lupin pulled away with his hands on Sirius's shoulders and looked at him in bewilderment and happiness at the same time. "What happened, Sirius?"
"I...." Sirius knew that Lupin had wanted to know about the veil. So Sirius began with that. He explained to Lupin exactly what happened: how he fell into darkness and was the veil touched him he felt revived from the curse Lestrange and used on him. Then he explained how when he got out it seemed as though it had just happened but he looked at an enchanted calendar and he knew it was two weeks ahead of time to his surprise. Lupin was astounded. He could not believe what he heard and he couldn't stop gaping. Sirius kind of laughed, although he felt uneasy.
"We must inform Dumbledore, Harry, and Weasley... Oh and Hermione!" Lupin said not yet realizing that her name had more of an affect on him then he would expect. Suddenly Lupin saw the pain in Sirius's eyes and he looked at him with concern. "Sirius what's wrong? They didn't hurt you did they?"
"Well, THEY didn't..." Sirius said.
"What?" Lupin asked looking at him confused and observing him up and down as though looking for some sort wound, when suddenly Sirius spoke.
"I went to Hermione's house first, Lupin. I got out of the veil about a week ago," Sirius said looking at him with some sort of guilt look on his face.
"Okay..." Lupin said as though he was in the process of solving some sort of mystery. "And what happened there?"
"Well... we- we- I mean, we talked a lot. Her parents said she could take me in. You know, take in Snuffles. And, we got to know each other better. She's, she's really an amazing person." Sirius stuttered and Lupin watched him, eyebrows raised.
"We, okay we saw a stag and she said she sees it a lot and that it's name is James so I thought it might be... you know... James," Lupin was now staring at Sirius as though he was a crazy person. Sirius continued. "...So we went on a walk looking for it, I guess, and we both fell in the mud, and we – we kissed." Lupin opened his mouth as if about to say something when Sirius wanted to get his argument in first. "After I was done, she just said 'no' and things like, 'it will never work.' I decided that it wouldn't be a good idea if I stayed so I came here. She was really lovely! And, we didn't do anything except kiss." Sirius said in one breath. Lupin was shaking his head at Sirius with a small smile on his face.
"Oh.... Sirius." Lupin let out a small laugh. "Oh.... Merlin.... Sirius.... Haha. You. You never have been one to like girls your own age."
"No, Remus you don't understand. It's not like that. It's not like those relationships from when I was still a teenager at Hogwarts. I was young and stupid then. This is - " Lupin cut him off.
"You're still young, Sirius," Lupin stated, not to Sirius's surprise. "I doubt you'll ever grow up completely. Because to be able to grow up, you have to want to." Sirius thought about this and he knew Lupin was right.
"Do you think I could ever make this relationship work?" Sirius asked Lupin, taking a sip of his coffee.
"I don't know, you need to talk to her about it. And we need to talk about this whole James the Stage thing... but first, you'll want to take a look at this." Lupin handed Sirius the Daily Prophet. Sirius looked at the title of the front page and his eyes grew wide:
"House Burnt to the Crisp on Privet Drive. Harry Potter: Dead or Alive?"
"LUPIN!! BUT – YOU...."
"I know, I know," Lupin said calmly. "Frankly, I don't think he is dead." But this was no relief to Sirius. Harry could never be dead. Sirius's mind was going crazy and his head was spinning. How did this happen? Why did this happen? When? Who did it? Sirius was not going to let this pass. He needed to do something. And fast.
Responses to reviews:
Hp-lover-fifi: Thank you! And in answer to your question about how the ministry is still searching for Sirius, they aren't really still searching for him. But if they find out that his is alive, they, being the ministry who hates everyone, will assume that his used dark magic and use anything as an excuse to return him to Azkaban.
Rogue mystique: Thanks!!
Fuzz furry: hehe.. You'll find out! Thanks for all the reviews
Isnani: Lol! Thanks for all the reviews.
"Hermione... you're kidding right? I mean you--"
"No," she repeated. "I meant it." Sirius slowly lifted off of her as she looked at him in a knowing apology. He gingerly sat down next to her not really noticing the mud anymore. He sighed resting his elbows on his knees and running his hands through his hair in distress. She looked sad as she turned to him awkwardly. He didn't notice. She knew what she was doing though. This was an impossible relationship... and she couldn't go falling in love with thirty-five year old man who just came back to life! Could she? She sighed again and reached over to gently touch his hand, which was resting on his head still. He pulled it away and turned away from her again. Hermione was taken aback by his fierce gesture. How could she do that to him? Completely lead him on and then just say "no"? That's not right. Didn't his feelings mean anything to her?
"Come on, Sirius," Hermione begged quietly. "You--" "'No'?!" Sirius exclaimed to her in a loud mock tone. She could hear the pain in his voice. "Why?" he then whispered now laying his head in his arms.
"Look... I... we... we just can't," she said. "I still care about you. I don't want you to leave... you... you,"
"You know what that's actually a good idea," Sirius said sounding as though he had just came to his senses.
"What?" Hermione asked in desperation.
"No. I can't stay here... when I- I- I've..." Sirius tried to keep himself from using the word 'love.' "...When I've obtained some really strong feelings for you that you don't return," Sirius finished confidently nodding his head, still not facing her. Hermione looked down and felt terrible for hurting him.
"But Sirius, I- I mean—please don't go," she whispered putting her hand on his face and turning him to face her. He looked at her for a moment but then shook her hand off his cheek. He was hurting but he didn't want it to show anymore. Maybe then he wouldn't feel it as much.
"I'll go to Lupin's," Sirius added now standing up and brushing off some of the mud. He put a hand down towards Hermione to help her up and she accepted as Sirius pulled her up with his strong arms. Sirius, now bravely looking her in the eye said, "I'll apparate for Lupin's as soon I help you find your way back." Hermione felt tears welling up in her eyes but she forced them back. It had only been a few days and it had been so wonderful. Sirius was one of the only guys she knew who she could have a mature conversation with, besides Ron and Harry. Summer would be so lonely without him, but she forced herself to follow him home.
They wandered around for quite a while searching for Hermione's house or for any form of glimmering light. It felt like ages and Hermione and Sirius both felt day fading away, but finally they made it back before Hermione's parents got home and before sunset. Before they walked in the back door, they just looked at each other and breathed. Hermione wanted to embrace him and never let go. She wanted to run to him and apologize for everything she said to him and tell him she would be his. But, no. She just couldn't. It would never work. Plus...
"Hermione," Sirius called as he was turning to walk away. "Thank you for having me. It was fun." Sirius gave her a slight smile and she could see a twinkle in his eye. Then, in the blink of an eye, Sirius vanished. Hermione held her breath and walked in the door and collapsed on her bed. Her heart ached.
Sirius was standing in Lupin's kitchen and Lupin, who was reading the Daily Prophet and sipping some coffee looked up at Sirius, utterly shocked. Sirius was looking at him in a look of pain and heartbreak, but not for the reason Lupin suspected.
"Sirius!" Lupin cried out, setting his paper and coffee down abruptly and standing. Before Sirius could say anything, Lupin embraced him in a strong, intimate hug. Sirius hugged back. He was sure that Lupin was depressed these past few weeks with the thought that Sirius had died, having been his best friend for twenty-five years. Lupin pulled away with his hands on Sirius's shoulders and looked at him in bewilderment and happiness at the same time. "What happened, Sirius?"
"I...." Sirius knew that Lupin had wanted to know about the veil. So Sirius began with that. He explained to Lupin exactly what happened: how he fell into darkness and was the veil touched him he felt revived from the curse Lestrange and used on him. Then he explained how when he got out it seemed as though it had just happened but he looked at an enchanted calendar and he knew it was two weeks ahead of time to his surprise. Lupin was astounded. He could not believe what he heard and he couldn't stop gaping. Sirius kind of laughed, although he felt uneasy.
"We must inform Dumbledore, Harry, and Weasley... Oh and Hermione!" Lupin said not yet realizing that her name had more of an affect on him then he would expect. Suddenly Lupin saw the pain in Sirius's eyes and he looked at him with concern. "Sirius what's wrong? They didn't hurt you did they?"
"Well, THEY didn't..." Sirius said.
"What?" Lupin asked looking at him confused and observing him up and down as though looking for some sort wound, when suddenly Sirius spoke.
"I went to Hermione's house first, Lupin. I got out of the veil about a week ago," Sirius said looking at him with some sort of guilt look on his face.
"Okay..." Lupin said as though he was in the process of solving some sort of mystery. "And what happened there?"
"Well... we- we- I mean, we talked a lot. Her parents said she could take me in. You know, take in Snuffles. And, we got to know each other better. She's, she's really an amazing person." Sirius stuttered and Lupin watched him, eyebrows raised.
"We, okay we saw a stag and she said she sees it a lot and that it's name is James so I thought it might be... you know... James," Lupin was now staring at Sirius as though he was a crazy person. Sirius continued. "...So we went on a walk looking for it, I guess, and we both fell in the mud, and we – we kissed." Lupin opened his mouth as if about to say something when Sirius wanted to get his argument in first. "After I was done, she just said 'no' and things like, 'it will never work.' I decided that it wouldn't be a good idea if I stayed so I came here. She was really lovely! And, we didn't do anything except kiss." Sirius said in one breath. Lupin was shaking his head at Sirius with a small smile on his face.
"Oh.... Sirius." Lupin let out a small laugh. "Oh.... Merlin.... Sirius.... Haha. You. You never have been one to like girls your own age."
"No, Remus you don't understand. It's not like that. It's not like those relationships from when I was still a teenager at Hogwarts. I was young and stupid then. This is - " Lupin cut him off.
"You're still young, Sirius," Lupin stated, not to Sirius's surprise. "I doubt you'll ever grow up completely. Because to be able to grow up, you have to want to." Sirius thought about this and he knew Lupin was right.
"Do you think I could ever make this relationship work?" Sirius asked Lupin, taking a sip of his coffee.
"I don't know, you need to talk to her about it. And we need to talk about this whole James the Stage thing... but first, you'll want to take a look at this." Lupin handed Sirius the Daily Prophet. Sirius looked at the title of the front page and his eyes grew wide:
"House Burnt to the Crisp on Privet Drive. Harry Potter: Dead or Alive?"
"LUPIN!! BUT – YOU...."
"I know, I know," Lupin said calmly. "Frankly, I don't think he is dead." But this was no relief to Sirius. Harry could never be dead. Sirius's mind was going crazy and his head was spinning. How did this happen? Why did this happen? When? Who did it? Sirius was not going to let this pass. He needed to do something. And fast.
Responses to reviews:
Hp-lover-fifi: Thank you! And in answer to your question about how the ministry is still searching for Sirius, they aren't really still searching for him. But if they find out that his is alive, they, being the ministry who hates everyone, will assume that his used dark magic and use anything as an excuse to return him to Azkaban.
Rogue mystique: Thanks!!
Fuzz furry: hehe.. You'll find out! Thanks for all the reviews
Isnani: Lol! Thanks for all the reviews.