Disclaimer: Don't own anything
I haven't had time to reread the entire ch. 9 I've written to make changes… it's probably over 5000 words together. I'm tired and have one more midterm on Monday but I'll try to look over the rest. Thanks to Mistic-angel and Tristan for beta reading!
Last Chappie:
"No," he said lifting his hand, "This is not concerning that matter." He paused, "I'm happy to announce that Professor McGonagall and some of my other colleagues out of the school have discovered a way for you to return back."
Hermione's eyes widened in horror as she gulped. 'No. Not now.'
Dumbledore gazed up at her in a serious manner, "Everything has been prepared for your departure tomorrow."
Hermione's POV
"Is it possible to stay a little longer," Hermione asked weakly. Now that she actually has the chance to return, she was more reluctant.
"Any specific reason?" Dumbledore said, his eyes focused on her.
"Well if I leave here then I might be unprepared to meet the demands of the tests of my time due to the difference of education," she explained hurriedly.
"I'm sure that the professors could solve that problem and I doubt that you would have trouble answering the questions."
She shifted uncomfortably in her seat, knowing she was losing the battle. "Please if I could just stay here a little longer."
Dumbledore raised from his seat, making Hermione believe that he didn't like the idea.
"As you wish Ms. Granger," he responded simply
She had never felt so relieved in her life. Without thinking she hugged the headmaster, "Thanks."
"Yes, very well then and don't worry about Mr. Black," he said, receiving more thanks from her.
While heading back to the Gryffindor rooms, she spotted James and Sirius. James handed back her wand that Lucius had taken.
"It's not that bad," said Sirius, "It could be worst."
"He only got two detentions on Tuesdays and Thursdays for two weeks… a record low for him," James informed Hermione.
Hermione nodded, wondering if she should tell them that everything was ready for her to leave. She quickly decided not to.
"Did he hurt you?" Sirius asked her lightly as he brought her closer to him.
She shook her head, "Think I handled the situation pretty well."
James laughed, "There goes your popularity with the Slytherins. Beaten up by a girl. That must really hurt Malfoy's pride."
At nine in the evening, Hermione left the library and decided to pay a visit to Hagrid. Ever since her arrival, she had befriended the younger giant who had just started his job as a gamekeeper at Hogwarts. To her delight, he was the only connection she had to her future. It brought her great joy to visit him at least once a week. However, she wasn't joyful enough to eat his baked goods or trust his sense of amiability towards his creatures. When she landed on the first floor, she heard an argument erupting near Filch's office. Hiding behind a statue, she found James and Sirius in a heated discussion.
"How could you be so stupid?!" James yelled at Sirius.
"He's been trying to find out this whole time. Just giving him a scare," responded Sirius.
"That's enough," Filch said, entering the hallway and interrupting them. He pointed to Sirius and then to a bunch of trophies on the floor. "Start polishing."
James glanced over at Sirius who took a rag in his hands. "You better hope nothing has happened," James said heatedly, running down the hall.
Hermione continued down her path, without the knowledge of Sirius. 'Wonder what that is about?'
Sirius' POV
Two hours later, Sirius was dismissed from Filch's care and he ran to the Gryffindor common room, in hopes of finding James. Remus had already locked himself away at the house in Hogesmeade. Peter was probably keeping him company. If he wasn't so alert while looking around aimlessly for any sign of his friends, he would have nearly bumped into Lily who was walking up to the girls' dormitories.
"Evans, have you seen James?" he asked her hurriedly. She shook her head and was about to leave when he asked where Hermione was coincidentally.
"Well she's gone to Hagrid's place and I haven't seen her since," Lily said shrugging and leaving.
Sirius' mouth became dry at her words. It was ten minutes after eleven and she still hadn't returned. He held onto the wall for support. Hermione would never stay past the curfew hour of eleven for visiting on school grounds. He charged out of the room and nearly jumped off the empty swinging staircases to reach the ground floor. 'Padfoot, get a grip on yourself. She probably is back ...' But he wasn't going to take a chance.
James had learned about his trick on Snape. It hadn't made a big deal with him at the beginning since he instinctively decided to do it after Snivellus told him that he has slept with Hermione. So, he had informed Snivellus about how to stabilize the Whooping Willow purposely. Now that James condemned him for his idiocy, he began to see the irrationality in it especially if it placed Hermione in danger. He cursed himself for his foolishness as the wind whipped across his face and through his hair. If Moony escaped from the tree's entrance… he didn't even want to think about it.
His legs carried him to the castle's grounds without faltering. Sirius squinted his eyes to search for Hermione. 'This is never going to work.' Immediately, he switched to his animagus form and gallivanted across the grounds, searching for her. When he spotted her, she was walking calmly towards the castle, oblivious to the danger. Returning to his human form, he crept up to her. Her wand jetted to his head and her eyes narrowed. Her features softened as she recognized him.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
"You need to get out of here," Sirius said, gasping.
"Why?" she said, looking at him bizarrely. He started pulling her and signaled for her to be quiet.
"If anything happens," he whispered, pressing her hand and gazing at her seriously, "Run to the school." They were three quarters of the way to the castle when they heard a loud roar coming from outside the forbidden forest. Hermione's eyes glowered in fear and her grip on Sirius' arm was nearly cutting off his circulation. He quickened his pace, always staying in front of her in case. Out of the bushes, he saw Moony tattering towards them with James following behind them as Prongs.
"Run," he screamed at her, Her eyes became more alert as Sirius transformed and ran forwards to confront the werewolf. He saw Hermione sprinting towards the castle's door and closing it behind her.
James and Sirius struggled to return Remus back to the house and made Peter guard the tree in case Snape returned.
Nearly fifteen minutes later, the door slowly opened and James and Sirius staggered inside. They found Hermione staring back at them with a ghostly face and a trembling hand holding a wand poised to the door. She lowered her wand and jumped onto Sirius. He didn't seem prepared for her reaction since he had some explanations concerning the werewolf… and being an Animagus.
Hermione's POV
She hugged him tightly, not wanting to lose him a second time after her fifth year. Her tears slid down her cheek even though she tried to keep them back. Sirius groaned in pain, making her retreat from the embrace. His face was contorted in pain. She watched as his hand reached inside his partially torn robes. When his hand came out, his fingers were tainted with blood.
"What happened?" she cried out, touching his hand.
"Sirius let his jealousy get in the way of reason," James said methodically. "Better do something to that before you come."
"Oh great," she said, "What did you do now! Are you mad, getting yourself hurt like that?"
"I'll be fine," Sirius said stubbornly.
James shook his head and turned to Hermione, "We have to talk to you."
"You don't need to explain anything," Hermione said casually, "I know everything."
James and Sirius eyed her suspiciously. " What do you mean everything?" Sirius asked, holding on to his ribs.
"That you're animagi. I knew that before," she answered frankly.
"Why didn't you mention anything that day in the library?" Sirius asked, confused.
"What else do you know?" James asked anxiously.
"The real place Remus goes to instead of his grandmother's house," she whispered, "I know he's a werewolf and that you are animagi, including Peter."
Sirius and James stared at her in astonishment. "How do you know this?" James questioned her.
Hermione hesitated, thinking that she was giving too much information. "Perhaps it's better if I don't say."
They both nodded in comprehension.
"What I don't understand is how he was set free?" Hermione said curiously.
James gave Sirius a dirty look, "Sirius thought it would be interesting to give Snape a sneak peek."
"He deserved it for trying to sleep with her," Sirius said, his voice faltering as he applied pressure on his wound.
Hermione looked horrifyingly at Sirius, remembering the story of how Snape was indebted to James for saving his life. Yet she had never known that the true reason for the enmity between the two of them was all because of her.
"Hermione?" Sirius said, noticing a change in her.
"It's my fault! I really shouldn't be here," she said, shaking her head doubtfully, "I almost got my fucking professor killed."
"What?" James and Sirius said in unison.
"It's not your fault," Sirius said, his face extremely pale.
Her hand cupped his chin as she looked at him gravely, "We need to do something to that injury."
"No, need to help James," he muttered.
"Please make sure he's in good form before he comes out, Mione," James said, patting Sirius on the back before heading back to the grounds.
Hermione pulled a reluctant Sirius into an empty classroom.
"You know I've never felt better," Sirius said, trying to leave but being grabbed by Hermione. "OHHHH, watch the ribs please."
Hermione's hands jumped off him. For a few minutes she shifted in her spot nervously, Sirius realized that she was worried about hurting him.
He said gently, "Can you help take off my robes."
She nodded and removed his robes with a lot of care. Hermione paused when she reached his shirt, seeing the blood stains.
"Are your arms hurting?" she asked quietly.
He shook his head, "What are you going to put on it.
She reflected for a moment before her eyes brightened and she began unbuttoning her shirt. Sirius gulped, trying not to look so nervous. She could sense that he was wondering what she was doing. Underneath, she was wearing a crimson corset which fit her bodice perfectly. Laying her shirt on a table, she started running her wand on the material vertically. With the tap of her wand, the cloth had transformed into bandages.
"Neat," he said, raising his eyebrow at her.
"You're not going to feel better unless you go to Pomfrey," she said, encouraging him to get proper treatment.
"Won't do," he said, probably because it would reveal the other half of the story about the Animagus forms.
"The pain is only going to get worst," she said, pulling his shirt up gently to observe the bruises. She could feel her cheeks reddening when she remembered their 'meeting' in the boys' showers when she had arrived.
His eyes winced whenever she touched his bruises. He saw that all the anxiety had returned to her face. Ignoring the pain, he lowered his head and kissed her. "Relax, I'm feeling much better than I was a few minutes ago."
She smiled and continued to put bandages around his ribs. When she finished, Sirius quickly put his shirt on.
"Please be careful," Hermione told him, cursing him for being so stubborn. Why couldn't he stay behind. 'You like him so much because of his stubbornness. You know it.'
"I will," he said, pausing to look into his robes. He muttered something and handed the sheet to her. "Take this to keep out of Filch's way." She recognized the Marauder's Map in her hands. At the moment, Filch's dot was located near Dumbledore's office along with Mrs. Norris. "Wear my robes back to the common room or some people might think you were up to no good... Good night," he said with a small laugh, kissing her forehead and grinning at her before leaving.
Next morning, Hermione woke up in her bed still wearing Sirius' robes. She pulled the material closer to her nose, inhaling it. Hermione removed Sirius' robes and folded it properly to return it. She went downstairs to the common room and found only the four boys sitting in the corner.
"Hermione!" Remus said, standing up, "Please forgive me… I didn't-."
"Remus, I understand. It's not your fault," she said to Remus, smiling at him and touching his shoulder in reassurance.
"Are you feeling better?" Hermione asked Sirius, sitting near him.
He nodded, "Think I owe you a shirt."
"No need," she said, grinning. She returned Sirius his robes and she removed the
map . At once, a bunch of writing appeared across the surface. All the boys inched closer to the paper.
Mr. Wormtail would like to congratulate Ms. Granger on her choice of clothes.
Hermione blushed, remembering that she was only wearing a silky set of shorts and a tight fitting top which showed quite a lot of cleavage. Pulling her robe around her closer, she covered herself up to the misery of the boys who were enjoying it that moment.
Mr. Moony thinks she's very beautiful and intelligent.
Hermione smiled at Remus, who finally got some color in his face since the full moon.
Mr. Prongs believes that if he had never met Lily Evans, he would have definitely gone for a babe like Hermione.
This time, Hermione's eyes widened at James who attempted to grab the paper from her. "It's not real… please don't tell Lily about this."
She laughed and nodded, waiting impatiently for the last line to appear fully. Hermione kept the paper to herself, so only she could read it.
Hermione's cheeks heated up as she glanced over at Sirius. He looked at her expectantly.
"We better get ready for the trip to Hogesmeade, especially you James. Good luck on the date," she said cheerfully.
"What does it say?" Sirius said, wanting to know what his line said.
"Nothing I would like more, Sirius," she said, suppressing her laughter, "You're such a naughty boy." She threw the paper on his lap.
He took up the map and watched her leave.
Mr. Padfoot knows that Mr. Prongs doesn't stand a chance. He wouldn't like anything more than to have Hermione in bed for a day… make that two… three….
The fact that she agreed to it was a good thing… right? His face brightened as he gave the map to a curious James to read.
Wow, I was so touched my your reviews… I'm so sorry that I didn't have time to reread the second part to this… this chapter was supposed to be longer. Anyhow, I was going to make changes to this (Hermione seems to be getting to soft) but I didn't want to keep people waiting so long. THANKS TO EVERYONE! KISS who has read!! Bless your little hearts hehehe
Oh yes… and if you have ideas about the story… I really do consider them…
Natyslacks: Oh don't faint for me. Cliffies are horrible… luckily I didn't put one in this one. Or at least I think that I didn't.
Mystripedskirt: 'effing' and 'Snook 'ems'… hmm you must teach me this language of yours. And yeah she shouldn't have killed him off! She ruined the whole book…(no not really) but now there's no sunshine to look forward to in the next books, in the form of Sirius.
Cirith of Slytherin: Yes I'm an evil author… and everyone is telling me about my cliffies. Wow. I will take over the world with them.
Artisia: So… yay I'm going to be 18 and you're still a baby! No clubbing hehehe!! Then again you're so tiny that you could make it into a children's movie(if you had to sneak in)
MaisjetadoreSiriusNoir: yes his woody scent… it was based on a description from one of the designer perfumes. Oh and you see about Sirius' (k he might not be dead… hope he isn't cause perhaps you heard about the Green flame-book6) he was hit with a green light…which is the same color as the EVIL curse of them all. So I'm not quite sure. Oh yes, and I tried to break down your name in French(Black and the first part mais is corn)… what does it mean for the first part?
Swissmiss: Yay Poo! She isn't going home!!!
Chaotic Demon: Dudette, actually…unless you're referring to the ummm (joking)
Evilive: After studying matrices, I've become interested in the symmetry of your name. It must be real evil if you can reflect over the letter l. Need some sleep.
Hallie Walker: I haven't sent her back… but you know she can't stay there forever or can she.
Shadowsong11: So she found an excuse, but will she be able to stay very long hmmm… forever and ever amen.
Glitter kitty: I want to see them at the ball too!! Why does it have to take so long?
Captain Oblivious: It's good to overact, just don't kill poor Dumbledore for telling her to go back. Poor old man.
Kili-2: yes yes yes yes yes yes… I will write more… especially since my spring break is approaching.
Purple Spotted Hedwig: I like the idea of purple spots…my fav. Color. No cliffie in this one.
Maeri: Yay Lucius got beaten up… but I like him(anyhow). And yes Sirius/Hermione relationship has just started…
Aleasha: I'm sure we can comprimise…I love you! Yeah…hmmm
Aubey michelle: I wish that Sirius was still alive!!!
Child of a fallen god: OH NO … she's not going back but either way he's dead right…hmmm.