Disclaimer: Don't own anything but Anna.

A/N: For some unknown to me reason, asterisks don't come up when I upload chapters so unless any of my wonderful, beautiful, lovely, gorgeous readers know why that happens &&& is my new symbol for chapter breaks.

Chapter Thirty-Three: Trouble in Paradise.

You cannot love a thing without wanting to fight for it.

-Gilbert K. Chesterton

Several days later Sirius sat gloomily at the kitchen, sending reproachful glances out the window.

"Alright, out with it, Black."

Sirius looked up to see Hermione and Remus standing before him, both wearing stern 'Professor' looks on their faces.

"Out with what?" he asked sullenly.

Remus sighed as he and Hermione took seats opposite him. "Please, Padfoot, you've been acting like somebody ran over your puppy dog for the last two days. What on Earth are you waiting for? Apologise to Anna!"

Sirius grimaced. "You heard us fight?"

Remus raised an eyebrow. "Are you kidding?"

"Sirius," Hermione cut in, "This house is big, but not that big. I don't even think Hogwarts would've been big enough for us to have not heard you. You were loud. It was about Harry, wasn't it?"

He nodded meekly.

"Yes, I gathered as much," she replied mordantly. "Taking a wild guess, I'm going to presume it was about the fact Harry wasn't expelled? That you wanted him to stay here and got your hopes up? I'm right, aren't I?"

Sirius gave the tiniest of nods.

"Oh, Sirius," Remus sighed, sinking into a chair. "You really shouldn't of let yourself get your hopes up. I know it's hard, being back here and having Harry at Hogwarts. He's so much like Lily and James; it's almost like having them back again, I learnt that when I taught at Hogwarts. It's particularly unnerving having James stare at you with Lily's eyes. But Harry is not James and you have to learn to accept that.

"I know," came the muffled reply.

Hermione walked round to Sirius, dropping a hand to his head in a comforting pat. "I think you need to talk to Harry before we go back to Hogwarts next week. I'm not sure you realise just how much he loves being here." She smiled thoughtfully for a moment. "Well, perhaps not here but he certainly does enjoy being around you, regardless of the surroundings. And I know that he misses you terribly when we're at school. But right now you need to patch things up with Anna."

Sirius groaned, dropping his head into his hands. "I don't know what happened!" he cried, his voice somewhat muffled. "It just... erupted out of nothing!"

"Yes, well, most fights do erupt out of nothing," Hermione answered wisely. "But I think you two need to sort it out between yourselves and Prof-Remus agrees with me. This is not the time to be fighting with people that we love," she added sadly.

"You're right, Hermione," Sirius said, standing up with new resolve. "You're both right. I'm going to go and find her. Thanks." He paused for a moment at the door. "You know Hermione, you really are one of the most cleverest witches I've ever met. Perhaps sometimes just a little bit too smart for your own good," he added with a wry grin.

"I don't know whether or not to take that as a compliment or an insult."

"We rarely do," Remus remarked dryly.

They chuckled, Hermione taking Sirius' vacant seat.

Sirius pushed the kitchen door open and just as he walked out the doorway, he heard Remus echo his words; "He's right, Hermione. You really are a very intelligent young woman."

"Thankyou, Remus."

&&&

Sirius knocked softly on the hard wood door.

"Come in," came Anna's voice.

He opened the door and stepped into her room. Anna was lying on her back, facing away from the door. Her hand was propped up on her hip and she was reading a Muggle book Sirius identified to be Wuthering Heights; one of her favourites.

"Sirius," she said calmly, without taking her eyes from the book.

"Hi, Anna," he replied somewhat nervously as he sat on the bed beside her. "Look, I wanted to apologise. I said some things that – "

"It's alright, Sirius," Anna cut in, setting down her book. "I know. I'm sorry too. I attacked you about Harry, I should've understood how you were feeling –"

"No! It was entirely my fault, you were right; I was being selfish – "

"No! You weren't – "

Sirius raised his eyebrows.

"Okay, maybe you were just a little..."

"Just a little? Anna, stop being nice, I was acting like a selfish prick! Admit it!"

"Okay," she snapped irritably. "I admit it, you were acting like a selfish prick!"

"And I'm sorry," he muttered sombrely. "I really am."

She sighed, leaning back into the pillows. He hand came to rest atop Sirius'. She gave him a small smile. "Okay. Apology accepted."

He grinned and pulled her onto his lap. "You just couldn't resist my impeccable charm."

"Arrogant bastard."

He chuckled, smacking a loud kiss against Anna's cheek. "But you love me all the same."

"Yes, I suppose I do," she said with a dramatic sigh, before grinning slyly. "Unfortunately."

"Hey!" he shouted in mock-outrage. "I resent that!"

"Resent it, do you? Hey, you should count yourself lucky that I love you at all. You do smell like an old dog."

"Remind me why I'm lying in bed with a woman who insists on insulting me?"

"Oh, I don't know, maybe because you 'can't resist my impeccable charm'?"

"Touché."

A/N: Hi everybody, I'm back! Ugh, Brisbane was fair boring; you know how families are. Heh. And yes, for all the people who asked, I am Australian. The land down under, or so to speak. Hehe. People always seem to be so excited when they find out I live down here. Like Australia is some sort of other-worldy, barbaric land where they don't have any technology and still live in huts.... But enough of my bitterness on the ignorance of some countries (cough cough). Bad news! Or good news. Not to sure which one. On the airplane to Brizzy I was bitten by a rabid plot-bunny!!! I know! It's horrible. I'm not going to start writing that story until I have at least finished half of this one, but I'll try and sustain myself until Complexities is finished. In case you were wondering, it's a MWPP/Lily/OC fic set in their last year and focusing on the lovely Mr. Black. Should be interesting, look out for it. Anyway, please review; holidays are almost here so I'll be able to get heaps up then. About that, a lot of you asked why I'm going on holiday now and at the risk of sounding like Professor Snape I'll give you an explanation; us Aussies live in the Southern Hemisphere, meaning that our winter is your summer, etc etc, which means that where you guys have just come out of Summer, it's still mighty cold down here (or at least in some parts) and summer isn't till Christmas. Thus, I am now ending Term 3 and will have a two-week break before starting Term 4 along with my final exams. There you go, the oddities of the other side of the world.

Until next time,

Kate.