Disclaimer: My situation hasn't changed since the first two.
Enjoy
After their classes, Lily and Hermione roamed the Hogwarts grounds.
"So what's up with you and Sirius?" Lily asked.
Hermione looked at her, astonished, "Nothing! He's too proud."
Lily nodded in agreement. "I know it's nosy for me to ask… but do you have a boyfriend?"
"Doesn't matter, I had one," Hermione answered bitterly, grateful that she was far away from the two lovebirds.
"Sorry," Lily said. Hermione shrugged. "Anyone special since then?"
Hermione nodded, thinking of Harry. "He's my best friend."
"Ahuhhhhhhhh," Lily said grinning.
"With a girlfriend," Hermione said.
"Ohhhhhh," said Lily, feeling bad for Hermione. "What's his name?"
Hermione couldn't believe she was talking about Harry in front of his future mother. "Harry," she replied, "James reminds me so much of him."
"Really?! You should give James a try, while you're here…," Lily giggled.
"No he likes you!"
Lily blushed, "Wouldn't go out with him if my life depended on it."
"Just give it a try," Hermione said encouragingly.
Lily opened her mouth to protest when she was interrupted by a loud noise. "OHHHHHHHHHH SNIVELLUS," both girls heard James howling.
"Not again!" Lily drawled, turning around the corner of the building.
A boy with shoulder length black hair aimed his wand at James and Sirius while Remus and Peter watched.
"Wingardium Leviosa," Sirius shouted, compelling the boy to float upside down.
"STOP IT," Lily screamed at him, causing James to lower his wand.
The boy was a more cowardly version of her professor. At first, she laughed because it was the same professor who had put Harry and her friends in Gryffindor through hell. She watched Snape spin faster.
Sirius said, "Hope you know how to swim, Snivellus."
'This is going way too far,' Hermione thought as Snape was lowered near the lake.
"Immobilius," Hermione cried, stopping Snape from falling into the water.
"Wingardium Leviosa," she said, setting him softly on the ground.
"YOU IDIOTS!" Hermione barked.
"This is none of your concern," Sirius snapped, pointing his wand at Severus again.
"Expelliarmus," Hermione said, marching towards them.
Sirius soared several meters away. He stood up, "Give me my wand!" Instead he found his wand hovering an inch away from the lakes' surface.
"If I ever see you harassing him again," she warned. She muttered a few words and his wand was under the heel of her boot. Hermione kicked it towards him and left.
"That's it," he said, gritting his teeth, "now I'll really have to do something to her."
Hermione had gotten a small job at the library to pay for some expenses. Although the library was her sanctuary, anything was better than sorting out books in alphabetical order or returning books to their proper places on the shelves. She ceased what she was doing. Correction. Watching Lavender and Seamus snog in every class was worst.
Thinking back to her time only made her feel nauseous… Harry and Ron. She had considered this break to be similar to a summer vacation, but she was wrong. Having no contact with them was excruciating. Hermione wished she could tell them how despicable Sirius was. 'As if you are any better.' She really wanted to get along with him… but all her aggravations with being alienated from her friends only instigated more fights with Sirius. He was as rotten as Draco Malfoy without the Muggle prejudice. 'Just ignore him, that's the best solution or else you'll find yourself killing him before his time.'
She continued her daydreaming and reminded herself that the Winter Ball was approaching quickly. Boys were desperately searching for dates with the fear of being ridiculed if they didn't have one. To her surprise, she had received numerous offers. She had accepted none of them because she didn't want to find herself falling in love. When she returned home, she did not want to have part of her heart stuck in time
A hard object unexpectedly knocked her head, 'What the-.' She glanced up, only to notice a heap of books crashing on her. Diving to the floor, she slowly peeked out from the mountain surrounding her.
A familiar smirk met her eyes, "Thought you'd need some help." She attempted to smack his head with an enormous bookbut it collided with the wall instead. 'Jerk.' She sighed, throwing her head back against the books. 'Okay. Forget about being civil to him.'
She gradually stood up, picking some books off the floor when she heard Lily's frantic voice a few shelves away. Carefully approaching the scene, she discovered Lucius with his wand directed at Lily. A few of his cronies stood behind him, including Severus Snape.
"You dirty mudblood," he mumbled, walking closer to her and removing a book from her hands.
'Where is her wand?' She searched Lucius' friends, finding it tucked in Snape's robes. 'Those idiots need to be taught a lesson.'
Before Lucius could lay a finger on Lily, she strode out of the bookshelves.
"Lucius, right?" she said vehemently, stepping between Lily and Lucius.
"Yes," he said, faintly irritated that she had to interrupt his assault.
"Give back her wand," she asked softly.
"Why should I listen to a mudblood lover? Why are you standing up for her?" Lucius inquired. Snape whispered something in his ear. She was appalled when her future professor licked his lips sensually and winked at her before returning to his previous spot.
"Ah, wish I could have seen your attack on Black," Lucius muttered.
Hermione nodded, "The wand, please? Wouldn't want me to do the same to you."
"I love women who use force," Lucius murmured to me, beckoning to Severus to return it. "Until later." He swept his fingers across Hermione's jaw and left the library with his small fellowship.
"Bastard," she uttered, checking if Lily was alright.
They discussed about Lucius and his friends while Lily helped Hermione to place the books back on the shelf.
"We must do something to them," Hermione suggested, surprised by her own boldness.
Lily nodded, "He's taken a liking to you."
"That's it…," Hermione said, her eyes glowing.
"What?"
"Slytherin's game against Gryffindor is coming up, right?"
Lily nodded. Hermione's lips widened into a devilish grin.
Sirius' POV
Sirius and the Marauders seated themselves at the last table available at the Three Broomsticks.
"Four butterbeers," James signaled to one of the waitresses.
"Heard about the nasty trick you played on Hermione," Remus said plainly to Sirius.
Sirius smirked. " Why don't you let her be," Remus said, infuriated with Sirius' behavior.
"Why do you care?" Sirius asked heatedly. "Sounds like someone likes her."
"Well, she is stunning and incredibly talented," Remus said dreamily.
Sirius rolled his eyes. "Next you'll tell me that you're planning to take her to the ball." He sipped his butterbeer.
"Maybe I will," said Remus decisively.
Sirius spat out his drink, wiping his mouth with his napkin, "What?"
"Unless Padfoot has already asked her?" said James, winking at him.
Sirius glared at his friend, continuing to drink. 'Why is this annoying me so much? I shouldn't even care who Moony invites.' He stamped his mug on the table.
"Look who's here," Peter said, jerking his head to the front of the room.
Lily and Hermione removed their Gryffindor scarves, seeking for empty seats. His eyes fell on Hermione immediately. He loathed how her smile rendered his legs numb or how her face was flushed from the cold winter breeze.
"Just my luck, no seats except for here," James said, bringing Sirius back to reality. Lily and Hermione walked over grudgingly.
"Behave yourself, Padfoot," James warned him.
"Am I not always a gentleman?" Sirius said. Lily sat near Remus while Hermione looked for a place to sit. Sirius slid over and allowed Hermione to sit near him.
"Look, I know things haven't been the greatest between us," Sirius murmured, gazing straight in front of him.
Hermione nodded reluctantly, "Truce?"
He shook her hand and grinned when she added, "Doesn't mean I forgive you for throwing all those books down."
"I'll help you-," he started to say but was interrupted by a pair of arms embracing him around his neck.
Hermione's POV
Hemione watched as a girl with black hair rudely pushed her aside to sit on his lap while purring his name.
"Miriam," Sirius said, his tongue rolling across her lips and engaging into a long deep kiss.
'Reminds me of Seamus and Lavender.' She wondered why she felt sick at the sight. She didn't like him… or did she? Staring down at her butterbeer, she prodded her head up when James whispered to her while he passed her to get some napkins, "It's not his girlfriend… he operates on a flavor of the week basis."
'And how is that better?' She couldn't believe it. 'Is it really that evident that I like him?' She didn't even know herself if she did.
"So Mione, ready for Plan A," Lily said after James returned and noticing the change in Hermione's mood.
The Marauders all stopped what they were doing, including Sirius.
"Can't believe you got me into this," Hermione replied, slumping down in her chair.
"It was your idea," Lily stated.
"What?" James asked anxiously.
"Imagine if he invites you to the ball," Lily laughed.
"Who," Sirius asked, breaking away from his kiss.
"This guy she likes," Lily lied.
"WHAT?!" Hermione spat. Seeing the look she was getting from Lily she said, "OHHHH yeah. Him."
"Him, who?" Remus asked, pretending that the ground was more interesting.
"You know," Hermione said, casually.
"What?" Sirius said.
"Sirius," Miriam droned, "Can't we go somewhere else… the Prefect's room is empty…"
Hermione nearly hit her head in frustration for sitting near Miriam-ancestor-of-Lavender. Her eyes wandered to the windows. "Excuse me, I have some things to do," she muttered, leaving the table abruptly.
Sirius POV
"The girl's clearly jealous that I'm with Sirius," Miriam drawled, observing her nails.
Lily looked at her disgustingly, "Don't see why. I'd think she prefers James."
"Me?" James said, delighted that Lily had mentioned his name.
"JAMES?" Sirius blurted out, "He's the 'him' guy?"
"No, he isn't. That's another bloke. She told me that James reminds her of a boy called Harry from her old school," Lily explained, cautious with her words in Miriam's presence.
"Harry," Remus repeated, "Isn't that the name Hermione called James when she hugged him?"
Lily watched the change of expressions on Sirius and Remus' faces at the thought of this. "I reckon they're pretty close from they way she spoke of him," she exaggerated.
"Face it Moony, you don't stand a chance. Besides, your not her type," Sirius exclaimed.
Remus stood up, "Saying that for me or is that your predicament. He gathered his things and left the others in silence.
This time he had gone too far with his words. 'He's right.' He was jealous that Remus could easily get the girl. It bothered him to know that there was one girl who was immune to his charms… even though he treated her badly (not that she didn't deserve it). He excused himself from the table in hopes of apologizing to Remus for his attitude.
Walking down the street, he wondered about his feelings for Hermione. He couldn't his jealousy when he heard that Hermione fancied another man. If he liked her, he still couldn't figure out why teasing her was such an enjoyment to him. He actually started to look forward to their fights. He took a shortcut through an alley and noticed a couple kissing against the wall. 'Seems to be Hermione', he thought recklessly.
He took a few more steps and stopped. Shaking his head, he tried to convince himself that the girl he saw wasn't Hermione. Turning around, he observed the couple more closely.
Him.
His fists clenched into a small ball, trying to stop himself from reaching for his wand. She was actually kissing him back!
Sirius watched miserably as the guy's hands slithered under Hermione's coat. Before he could control his reaction, Sirius' hand reached for the guy's neck, pushing him on the wall.
"You," he sneered, looking disgustingly at him.
Hope that's a nice cliffhanger… it could be anyone. Yup. Hope you enjoyed it!
Thanks to everyone who has read the story so far and those who have reviewed
Coloremeyellow, Dani Lupin, Vasquez1987(I only do it to know if anyone is reading, sorry for angering you), maeri, athene, Mistic-angel, ShimmeringEvil, SilverKnight7, Raven P0tter Weasley, Avestia, RPG obsessed Book Worm, Tenchy, Kngtzgrl, Ally, StarlightAngeldust, Iris Malfoy
Until next time…