Disclaimer: Everything belongs to JK Rowling. I own nothing.
AN: All right, new chapters! Just a few notes here...
I've gotten a couple of reviews stating that this fic isn't up to date. So for anyone who has just started reading this fic you need to understand that most of ANFSCD was posted BEFORE OotP came out. Once OotP came out I decided to not take the events of the 5th book into this fic. I'll be incorporating OotP in my next fic.
I have a Live Journal account if anyone cares, I post there fairly regularly. Most of it is personal stuff that no one but me cares about but I do discuss how far along I am with the chapters that I'm writing. I also post snippets of other fics there that I'm tinkering around with. So that might make it a bit more interesting.
For anyone who is interested in finding more Sirius/Hermione fics or would like to discuss the relationship with other, like-minded people please check out the Puppy Love forum (I wish we had a better name) at Fiction Alley. There Sirius/Hermione shippers discuss the relationship, recommend other fics, and participate in challenges. We always need more posters!
I'll put the links to my journal and Fiction Alley in my bio on the main page. They keep breaking my upload! Please check them out!
"He's really very handsome, Hermione, and he's a dentist!"
Hermione took the proffered plate of creamed asparagus before passing it to her father. "I'm sure that he is, Mom, but I'm really not interested in meeting someone right..."
Her mother's smile tightened into that desperate expression that she had taken to wearing after Hermione's attack. She nervously tucked a loose curl back up into her dark brown bun. "I just think that you're letting all these opportunities pass you by."
"I won't be young forever, yes, I know that, Mom."
"I just meant," She paused and looked to her husband. Hermione's father was reading his evening paper as thoroughly as a priest reads the Bible. The older woman bit her lip at the lack of support before continuing on. "Now that you live with Harry and Ron it's even harder for you meet men. You'll never find someone to settle down with if you're with them all the time."
Hermione groaned. They had had this conversation ever since she had started having supper at their house every Sunday, at least a month now. "I'm only nineteen! I'm not looking to settle down. And even if I was it would not be with a muggle dentist!"
"Your father is a muggle dentist!" Her mother's voice was suddenly shrill as her forced calm broke.
Hermione pushed her chair back from the table with a harsh scraping noise. "Thank you for dinner, I will see you next Sunday." She gave her father a peck on the cheek, pulled on her coat, and pointedly ignored her mother as she stormed out into cool evening air.
Harry was waiting for her at the end of the drive. He was dressed causally in old jeans and a sweatshirt advertising Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes. Hermione was wearing a white blouse with little pearl buttons and a pleated navy skirt. Her hair was swept up into a French twist that she had magicked into place. Anyone looking at them as they walked down the street together would have commented on the oddness of the couple.
"You could have come in." Hermione said finally after they had gone a block.
Harry shook his head, jet hair jauntily pointing straight up, "You guys were having a discussion."
"We were fighting." Hermione replied heatedly. "We never use to fight, ever. I can't remember having a single argument with them while I was in Hogwarts. She always used to support me." She broke off abruptly and bowed her head. "I don't like fighting with her."
They walked on silently towards the nearest Underground access. It was safer now. There was heightened security from the muggle government and the Ministry alike. Conspicuous armed guards that looked suspiciously like casually dressed military men prowled the area while virtually unnoticeable Aurors silently apparated in and out of each station every 15 minutes. Harry nodded to one of these men as they passed him while boarding the train.
There was no room to sit so Hermione and Harry stood closely together and held onto the rail above. There was no reason why they couldn't have apparated back to the flat, no reason other than they both found an odd bit of comfort in the decidedly muggle action of riding the Underground.
"She's got some new boy that she wants me to meet." Hermione spoke suddenly.
Harry laughed once before he quickly suppressed it, "Well, why don't you?"
She turned to glare at her friend. "What?" Her voice was dangerously low.
Harry shrugged sheepishly, his glasses catching the fluorescent light from above making it impossible for Hermione to read his expression. "I just think that it would be an easy way to make your mother happy, if you went out to dinner with some dentist friend of hers."
"But he's a muggle, Harry!"
"Since when do you have a problem with muggles?" He asked evenly.
He was goading her.
"You know what I mean, Harry. I'm a witch, if I were to see a muggle I would have to lie." She sighed and tightened her hands on the cool metal rail. "I have enough secrets to worry about as it is."
"Might be nice though," Harry looked away from her and watched the quickly passing graffiti, his voice suddenly very far away, "To have something normal going on in your life. Something that doesn't focus on evil wizards or saving the world."
Hermione found herself nodding in agreement, it would be nice, to be ordinary again. "Well, it can't really hurt things."
"And just think how happy your Mum will be." Harry grinned at her.
The train came to a jerking stop. Hermione would have fallen; she was still a little weak, had Harry not quickly grasped her arm. The doors opened, letting in a rush of chill air; winter was approaching but they hadn't started heating the stations yet. Hermione pushed her hands into the pockets of her coat as they left the train in a throng of people.
"It would be nice," Hermione started again once they were back out on the street, "to not have to listen to her go on and on about how wonderful he is. No one is that perfect."
"If your mother likes him, he's probably very nice."
--
Her mother, who was so ecstatic at the prospect of her daughter dating a dentist, had nearly burst into tears when Hermione had left the house to meet him. She had even gone so far as to orchestrate their first meeting. Her mother had insisted that she leave from the house so that Hermione could be given a thorough once over before meeting what would hopefully be a future son-in-law. After several arguments involving whether she would or would not be wearing the green dress Hermione was finally allowed out of the house wearing her simple tweed skirt, thick stockings, her favorite muggle blouse, and her caramel colored coat. She had fought her mother tooth and nail to avoid that blasted dress that her Aunt June had given her.
Ron was present for the entire thing. He seemed to think it necessary to escort her. Hermione had given up that battle with Ron and Harry a month ago, they followed her everywhere, with or without her consent. It ended up being easier to just allow them to come. He spent the early afternoon watching the telly with her father while Hermione and her mother dueled heatedly over whether or not her hair should be up or down. Ron seemed to find the whole situation rather amusing; he couldn't bring himself to stop laughing in the cab ride over to the small tearoom while Hermione pulled her hair out of the fanciful knot that her mother had forced it into.
Tea was so proper, so appropriate for a casual but-not-to-casual first date. This was the probably the straw that broke the camel's back as far as tea was concerned for Hermione. Draco had been forcing more and more coffee on her and it had been so long since she had been in a place like this that she immediately found it unsettling. There were lacey, white curtains swept along the sides of the windows. The tables were small and private, covered with equally matching tablecloths. Hermione thought it probable that they were made of the same material. She had shuddered as she stood just inside the door, the heady smell of roses leaked from a room deodorizer that she could see plugged in along the far wall. An elderly woman who was trying to hard to appear young materialized in front of her.
"May I help you, dear?" She peered at Hermione through fake blue contacts, sizing up her appearance, and lack of companion.
Hermione had told Ron that he could bloody well sod off. He was not about to come inside in order to hover like a chaperone around her and the poor, unsuspecting dentist. Shocked at her language but not altogether disapproving he had sauntered off promising to keep a more distant eye on her. Hermione realized that she was going to have to have a serious talk with the both Harry and Ron if she ever hoped to have a love life. Not that she agreed to this date in order to have a love life, only to appease her mother. Hermione wasn't lonely. Really, she wasn't.
Hermione offered the woman a smile, "I am supposed to meet someone-"
A man at the table closest to the door stood suddenly, Hermione watched him adjust his coat objectively out of the corner of her eye before turning towards him. He smiled at her as their eyes met. His were green. But not green like Harry's. Not those dark, green eyes of her best friend who had experienced unspeakable tragedy. No, these eyes were light and happy, the eyes of an innocent.
"Hermione Granger?" He asked hopefully.
She smiled warmly at him, "Yes. You must be Daniel."
He took her hand in his. It was strong and smooth. Hands not use to toil, or potions for that matter. But Hermione found herself not minding. His handshake was confident, much like the rest of him she would learn.
"Would you like to sit down?"
"Oh yes," Hermione replied almost nervously. Yes, he was handsome but that was no reason for her to suddenly become all twitter patted by his attention. After all, she hadn't even wanted to be there in the first place.
They talked for a few minutes, the conversation was strained, and he seemed increasingly uncomfortable. Hermione was becoming fidgety, her eyes kept wandering to the lace clad windows, wondering if Ron was near enough to rescue her from what was turning quickly into a rather awkward experience. Although she quite imagined that Ron would be find the whole situation funny. He really had been spending a bit too much time with his older brothers.
"Your mother never told me what you do." He was fishing for a conversation starter.
Hermione shifted nervously in her chair, "Oh, it's nothing exciting. I do a little consulting work here and there."
He smiled half-heartedly at her. His foot began to tap rhythmically against the floor as if he couldn't wait to bolt for the door. Daniel ran one hand through his auburn hair that didn't need fixing. It was already perfect, just like the rest of him. How could her mother have ever thought that she could be compatible with such a proper paragon?
"Here's your tea, loves." A waitress set a paisley teapot soundly in front of them.
Daniel sighed deeply while pouring the Earl Grey. He handed one cup to her then brought his own up to his mouth where he took a hesitant sip. Hermione swirled hers about, thinking of all those wretched tea readings she had once had to do with Trelawney, then she realized a subtle truth that her English nature had been fighting all her life.
Hermione screwed up her face and uttered three little words that her perfectly English mother would have fainted over had she been present. "I hate tea."
Daniel looked up in shock; his own horrendously colored cup just millimeters from his mouth. "You do?"
Hermione nodded, set her cup down forcefully, and folded her arms across her chest waiting for his reaction.
"Christ, so do I!" He exclaimed. His teacup was soon sharing a place in exile right next to hers. He leaned forward and whispered at her. "I would rather be anywhere else than in a place like this."
Hermione leaned forward so that they were only a breath apart and said in a secretively, low voice, "My mother would die if she ever heard me say that."
He laughed, a hearty, toe-warming laugh that made Hermione smile. "The only time I ever drink tea is with my Mum. She still thinks I take it with gobs of sugar, honey, and cream. I can feel my teeth rotting away every time I taste that horrid stuff."
Hermione giggled, an odd reaction from her, but he seemed to like it. His already bright eyes lightened even further and little laugh lines materialized around them as he laughed even harder at their predicament.
He suddenly took her hand in his again. "Tell me, if you hate tea and I hate tea, why are we still here?"
"I have no idea, but I am more than willing to make a hasty exit."
He threw a couple of pounds onto the table. Before helping her into her coat. He tucked her arm easily into the crook of his own and led her from the tearoom.
And just as Harry had predicted Daniel Havers was very nice.
--
Late autumn rain had been falling for days. It was slow but incessant. No matter what they did the flat was always a bit damp and cold.
She sneezed once then coughed. Harry looked up from where he was sitting on the couch across from her and Ron leaned out of the kitchen. They both watched her silently. Hermione rubbed her nose with the back of her hand and sniffled as she tried to ignore them. Ron was drying his hands on a kitchen towel. He had become deliciously domestic now that they had the flat, which was good because Hermione could barely make toast and Harry had burned his fair share of suppers. Harry had been reading the Dailey Prophet, looking for tell tale signs of Death Eater activity.
"Hermione?" Harry prompted.
She pretended that she hadn't heard him. The updated edition of Moste Potent Potions was terribly interesting after all.
"Hermione-" Ron began.
"It was only one cough!" Hermione snapped the book closed.
Harry folded his paper looking concerned. "You know what the doctors said."
Hermione unfolded herself from her most favorite chair. She replaced the book on its spot on the bookshelf. Harry was frowning at her. Hermione never would have guessed that he could be such a mother hen at times. Ron wasn't a whole lot better either. They fussed around her almost as badly as her mother did.
In fact, as she turned her back on Harry, Hermione was completely caught off guard by Ron who had left the kitchen and was now holding a steaming mug out to her. Hermione looked at the mug, at him, and then back at the mug again. A frown tugged at her lips.
"But I don't like it," She muttered.
Ron's frown matched her own. "I am willing to force feed it to you."
"You wouldn't dare."
"Harry." Ron called.
Harry sighed, folded his paper, and then stood up.
"All right," Hermione snatched the mug from Ron's hand, careful not to spill the potion that she herself had spent four hours brewing the day before last. She had forced it on Ron and Harry after they had insisted on playing Quidditch outside in the rain with the twins when they had all gone over to the Burrow. "But someone really ought to make this taste better." Her face screwed up unpleasantly at the flavor.
The ensuing argument having been derailed Harry laughed. "Tell me about it, how much of that stuff have you made us drink?" Harry slouched back onto the sofa contentedly. "Oh Harry," He mimicked her voice, "you're looking a little peaked. Have some Pepper Up potion." He rifled through the paper. "Oh Harry, have you always been that pale? Have some Pepper Up potion!" He was smirking to himself. "Oh Harry-" He looked up, saw her expression, and nervously cleared his throat. "Right then."
Hot steam was beginning to rise from her hair. The moist warmth of it made the already crazy curls thicker and tighter in a matter of seconds.
"When did you start sneezing?"
Hermione looked up into Ron's bright, blue eyes. He was gazing suspiciously at her. Hermione shifted from one foot to the other, turning the mug carefully in her hands while she looked away from him.
"Oh, I am not really sure, yesterday maybe."
"Maybe?" His voice was disbelieving. "C'mon Hermione."
"Three days ago."
"What?!"
Hermione winced at the intensity of his voice. "I feel fine, really. I would have taken it right away if I felt bad at all. But I don't, it's just a little cold."
"A little cold?" Ron was fuming, his face pale, ears pink. "Don't you remember what the doctors at St. Mungo's said about a 'little cold'?"
She stared at the floor like a chastised child. Hermione found herself pitying any offspring that Ron might have in the future.
"You're too weak to have a cold. If you get sick-"
Feeling very contrite, Hermione tried to explain, "I am not sick, I feel fine, I am stronger every day."
He obviously doubted her sincerity.
There was a knock at the front door.
The trio exchanged quick glances as if they could ascertain telepathically whether company was expected. But the spell that seemed to intertwine their souls had not reached that point of power. Ron shrugged, Hermione shook her head, and Harry stood back up. They followed closely on one another's heals as they approached the door. Harry, of course, opened the door cautiously. His wand held easily in his hand in case he needed to defend himself. Hermione and Ron stood a bit further back, each at the ready, but there was no need for wands.
"Sirius!" Harry cried out happily as he pulled his beleaguered godfather into the flat.
The older man stumbled under the onslaught of Harry's affection. But he didn't appear to mind, a large grin was on his face making him look young. Hermione felt that odd excitement stir that she always felt when near him but then he looked up and saw her.
His smile faded.
"What are you doing here?" Harry was talking excitedly, "you should have sent word."
Hermione turned away, not wanting to see that expression on Sirius' face, that expression that whispered of her faults. She drowned the rest of the Pepper Up potion in one quick swig and took the mug into the kitchen to wash. The warm water ran comfortingly over her hands. As always, Hermione could have magicked it clean but she found an odd calmness in the muggle act of cleaning. Her eyes wandered over the dishes in the sink. There were more than was necessary considering that she always washed hers right away and Harry and Ron were both equally capable of charming theirs clean. But at the moment Hermione couldn't work up the gumption to be annoyed, and it gave her something to do while Harry, Ron, and Sirius caught up in the living room.
She had been in St. Mungo's the last time she saw him, that was almost two and half months ago. He had been kind then, hadn't he? Soothing and warm in the darkness. Hermione could have sworn that he held her in his arms. That he had kissed her forehead, but that couldn't possibly be right. There was no way that the man she remembered from the hospital was the same man who couldn't even stand to smile in her presence.
"Hallucinating." She muttered.
"Are you?"
And there he was.
It took a great deal of discipline not to back away from him. She schooled her thoughts towards the dishes in the sink instead. Hermione refused to let him see how much he got under her skin.
"No, I am not hallucinating." Was her curt reply.
He stepped towards her. One hand rose to touch her shoulder but he let that fall. "Ron says that you're sick."
Hermione frowned at a mug from a set that Fred and George had given them as a house warming present, it had a particularly vulgar slogan extolled across it in flashing blue letters. "Ron is overreacting. I feel fine."
"Maybe," he started slowly his words carefully chosen. "If you were home, your mother-"
He broke off hastily as she turned on him.
"Don't you ever talk to me about my mother again, you haven't the right." Her hands were shaking so badly that she feared breaking the dishes so she pushed herself away from the sink and stormed past him out of the kitchen.
Hermione couldn't remember the last time she had been so uncontrollably angry. There was a furious buzzing in her head. What right did he have to even suggest that she go to her mother? Why must he always try and force her away from what she wanted to do, from what she honestly believed to be her calling in life? Hermione had sworn to herself years ago that she would do anything and everything in her power to help Harry and to protect her friends.
"I hadn't meant to offend you." Sirius followed after her.
Hermione stopped in the living room and took a deep breath, trying to calm her temper. "Well, you are just very gifted at it then."
Harry and Ron, who had been sorting out a place for Sirius to sleep, looked warily at them. Hermione did not often lose her temper. Sirius didn't seem to know how to deal with this sort of Hermione.
"I'm worried about you." Sirius said slowly as if the words caused him physical pain, "everyone is, but you try to act stronger than you are."
She turned to glare at him, wishing that she could find it in her to hate him.
"I've tried talking to Harry and Ron. I've tried to make them understand that you shouldn't be allowed to have such dangerous lifestyle."
Hermione swallowed a lump in her throat. "I shouldn't be allowed?" She repeated roughly.
Harry spoke quietly, "We didn't agree with him."
"Is that why you came here?" Her voice stronger, "To try and talk some sense into Harry and Ron?"
Sirius stepped forward coming perilously close to touching her. "No, I came to talk some sense into you."
Hermione smiled then, a cold, false expression. "You can go to hell then."
It was very quiet.
Sirius was taking a few moments to collect his thoughts. His black eyes were angry and upset; they studied Hermione with that intensity that unnerved her so. He hadn't yet showered, a dark smudge ran from the corner of his left eye to the edge of his jaw where a muscle was contracting in time with his hands that were clenching and unclenching at his sides. He finally went to speak but was interrupted by the piercing ring of the telephone.
Ron, who never missed a chance to answer the telephone, answered quickly. "Hullo?" His telephone manners had greatly improved over the years. "Yes, she's here." Ron covered the receiver with his hand and held it out to Hermione. "It's Danny."
Hermione frowned at Ron for the abbreviation of her boyfriend's name, he could be so juvenile sometimes, and took the phone from him. "Daniel, hello."
"I know that's it's late. I'm not disturbing anything, am I?"
She looked at Sirius. "No, you are not disturbing anything at all. In fact, that was really rather perfect timing on your part." Hermione curled her fingers into the phone cord as she spoke.
He laughed lightly, relieved by her answer. "I was hoping that maybe you'd like to come out. There is a sushi bar near my flat that is open late. I know we have plans for Wednesday, but..." He went very quiet; "I'd like to see you tonight."
"That sounds great, Daniel. Can you meet me here though?"
"Sure, I can be over there in fifteen minutes, is that all right?"
Hermione was smiling, her anger just a dim throb in her left temple now, "That should be a sufficient amount of time to get ready."
"You don't need to get ready, Hermione, you're always beautiful."
She was blushing as she hung up the phone.
"W...who was that?" Sirius spoke with a voice that Hermione had never heard before, strained and remote.
There was an unexplainable cruelty in her words, "He's the man I'm seeing." Turning towards Harry and Ron, "He's coming to get me, I want both you to stay here."
"Hermione-" They started together.
"No, I am going to be fine, I do not need bodyguards."
Ron was almost plaintive, "But you have a cold."
"Which I just took a Pepper Up potion for." Speaking softly now, "Please, I need a break tonight."
"Go ahead," Harry spoke up, always the natural leader for the three of them, "I promise we won't follow."
Hermione nodded then went to get ready. She stopped in her doorway, one small hand resting on the white frame, "Don't worry if I don't come back tonight."
Sirius moved suddenly but Hermione wasn't paying enough attention to him to see what he had done. Ron's mouth was ajar and Harry looked rather shocked himself.
"B...but Hermione-"he started but she cut him off.
"Spoken to Professor Nettles recently?" She prodded.
Harry laughed sheepishly; they really couldn't help the protective older brother urges that they had. "Have fun, Hermione."
Hermione shot one last dark look at Sirius who was staring at the floor. "I intend to."
--
Sirius had been staying with them for over a week now. Harry and Ron couldn't be happier. Hermione found herself feeling not quite as joyful over the whole affair though. He generally left her alone, only watched her as she moved about the flat or practiced some new bit of magic in the living room. It was quite concerting, having the older man pay such close attention to every move that she made. Hermione wished he would stop.
She studied her reflection in the mirror. Hermione tilted her head and applied a touch of red lipstick. The lipstick was only a shade darker than her dress. The ruby folds swept back and forth above her knees as she moved around the bathroom.
Daniel was taking her to the theatre that evening. Hermione couldn't even remember what they were going to see. He had been doing marvelous things with his mouth when he asked her if she wanted to go. All Hermione had been able to remember from that conversation, besides how much fun a dentist could be when he wasn't working, well, with patients, was that she would have to look nice. Looking nice had required a new dress.
Even though Hermione really wasn't an enthusiast for the color red, she had to admit that it was a great dress. It formed to her body, showing off curves that she hadn't even known she had. It was a shame that she was probably going to end up wearing her coat most of the evening; it was freezing outside.
Hermione was struggling with the clasp of her necklace as she left her room. Her father had given her the string of pearls the day after she left Hogwarts. It was one of the few pieces of jewelry that she allowed herself to wear. Hermione had a couple of rings that had been given to her over the years but she never wore them. The only bracelet that she owned was the one that Draco had given her.
She stopped in the living room and looked at her wrist. Harry and Ron were murmuring approval over her appearance but she didn't even hear them as she stared in shock at the green and silver braid. The string of peals escaped her careless fingers and fell to the floor. It had completely slipped her mind. Hermione turned her arm, letting the silver catch the light from the lamp. When had she put it on? Hermione frowned, had she ever taken it off? Draco never had told her what it did; she would have to pester him for a more direct answer the next time that she saw him.
"You dropped this."
Her eyes jerked away from the bracelet, not realizing that it was already slipping her mind, to look up at Sirius who was now standing next to her. In his hand was her necklace.
"I..." Hermione was strangely dazed, "I did, thank you."
She reached for it but his fingers curled compulsively around it.
"Do you need help putting it on?" Strands of his dark hair were hanging low in his face, shadowing his eyes.
Hermione nodded and turned, allowing him complete access to her bare neck. He stepped closer to her then lowered the pearls around her head. Her hair was swept up on top of her head, held in place with a silver clasp, leaving the curve of her throat exposed to him. Hermione felt the world slow down as his breath brushed against her skin, making goose bumps rise. There was an almost imperceptible touch of his fingers against her as he clasped the string together. Then he was backing away, turning away from her, like he couldn't feel the electrical charge in the air.
She swallowed hard, fighting back rejected hurt that she shouldn't be feeling. "Thank you."
He was at the window, hands on the sill, back to her. Sirius nodded in reply.
"You look pretty, Hermione." Ron was blushing.
She grinned at him, putting the strangeness with Sirius out of her mind. "Thanks. Now remember, you promised to leave us alone tonight."
"Yeah, yeah," Ron waved his hand at her, "we wouldn't want to interfere" there was a special emphasis that did not go unnoticed. "In any of your plans."
Hermione rolled her eyes, she was not a child anymore, she wasn't about to feel embarrassed about having an adult relationship. "Anyway, I am meeting him downstairs in a few minutes so I'll be on my way."
"He never comes up here to get you." Ron grumbled, "Not proper if you ask me. If he's really serious about things he ought to come in and make his intentions clear."
Hermione laughed, "You sound like your mother."
Ron looked sheepish.
"As for not having him come up," she looked pointedly at the smoking cauldron in the corner, Hedwig and Pig on their perches, and Ron's collection of self-levitating Canons' figurines. "I am not sure that he would understand."
"Good point." Harry said in between bites of a sandwich.
"Have fun, Hermione!" Ron called after her as she waved a hasty goodbye over her shoulder at them.
--
"That was wonderful," Hermione rested her head against his shoulder as they walked. "I never knew something that involved strangely dressed people singing in Italian could be so moving."
"La Traviata is my favorite opera." Daniel's fingers tangled easily with hers as they walked. "Did I mention that it was by Verdi?"
With a smile Hermione poked him gently in the side with her free hand, "Yes, once or twice."
"All right, I'll admit, I did go on about him the entire time, didn't I?" He paused to lightly kiss the crown of her head. "I must have been a right bore."
Hermione teased, "Oh yes, you were absolutely dreadful."
He stopped short and pulled her closer to him, settling a gentle kiss against her lips. "You have my deepest apologies." His breath ruffled her hair.
They started walking again, hand in hand. Hermione hadn't been this happy in quite some time. It was so relaxing, being with Daniel, she hadn't a care in the world with him. He was beyond comforting. If only she didn't have to lie to him.
There was no purpose in their wanderings as they headed back towards Hermione's flat. He had mentioned going back to his place but Hermione was tired. Ron was right, she was beginning to feel a little run down now, even with the help of the Pepper Up potion. She couldn't risk getting sick.
Their flat had been chosen for many reason, one of them being its close proximity to the Leaky Cauldron. It wasn't terribly out of the ordinary for them to be passing by it, they had on several other occasions, but never once had Daniel noticed the weather-beaten sign or noticed anything out of the ordinary about that row of shops in which it was hidden.
But tonight was different. Tonight there was a scream.
He stopped, jerking her behind him as the cry rang out, surprising them both. "Where did that come from?"
A burst of green light shone through the dirty windows of the Leaky Cauldron. Daniel flinched as if he could see it. But then, Hermione knew that even Muggles had an instinctual fear of the killing curse, even when they couldn't see it. It was that sixth sense of theirs that so many wizards liked to discount. Hermione dug in her bag and found her wand, which she shrunk to a more handbag portable size. Her other grabbed his arm and she attempted to pull him back.
"We need to get out of here." Hermione told him.
There was another scream. Her panic rising, Hermione resized her wand, and held it against her leg letting the folds of her coat hide it.
"Where is it coming from?" Daniel cried out. Alarm was apparent in his white face as he held her behind him.
The door to the Leaky Cauldron exploded outward in a shatter of old wood. Daniel could hear it; he was trembling, afraid of what he couldn't see.
Hermione could hear someone sobbing. A lone figure stepped through the doorway. He was tall and draped in a black cloak. The figure looked at them through a pale Death Eater's mask. He thought they were both muggles. He stood, waiting for the enchantments of the Leaky Cauldron to fade so that they could see him as they died. Hermione pushed herself in front of Daniel before he could stop her.
Then suddenly Daniel could see.
"You! Where did you come from?" He was so frightened; still he tried to pull Hermione safely against him.
The figure laughed and raised his wand. "Avada –"
Hermione was quicker.
"Expelliarmus!"
The Death Eater's wand flew from his and clattered against the brick wall of the tavern behind him. He was frozen in shock, not having expected a counter attack. Then tripping over his own feet he lunged for his wand.
"Stupefy!" Hermione screamed, her spell felling the man to the ground where he lay quite still.
Turning back to her lover, Hermione found him collapsed on the ground, staring up at her in horrified shock.
"What did you do?" His voice was hoarse. He was so frightened, of the cloaked man, and of her. Especially of her. "What are you?"
Something went cold inside of her. Tears formed in her eyes then escaped unimpeded down her cheeks. He had never once looked at her like that. "I'm a witch."
"You're insane."
There were several loud popping sounds as Harry, Ron, and Sirius appeared around them. Daniel scrambled to his feet then fell in his fright.
"What's going on?" His voice was high.
"Hermione! Are you all right?" Ron and, oddly enough, Sirius were at her side in an instant while Harry approached the body.
"We are all right." Hermione whispered.
"We?" Ron looked past her and saw Daniel. "Oh..."
Harry looked up from the prone Death Eater. "It's Rockwood."
"There were screams," Hermione told Ron as she tried to ignore the sinking feeling in her chest, "Inside the Leaky Cauldron."
Ron nodded, and entered the Leaky Cauldron with his wand drawn. There were muted cries and the crying grew louder. Hermione could just make out Ron's voice as he tried to soothe whoever the survivor was.
"What could Voldemort gain from making an indiscriminate attack against the Leaky Cauldron?" Sirius asked.
Daniel got to his feet. "What the hell is wrong with you people?!" He yelled, making Hermione wince. "How did you all just appear? Who is this... this... Voldemort?" He turned on Hermione angrily, "And what the hell do you mean when you say you're a witch?"
Sirius surprised them all by stepping forward and pulling Daniel off the ground by the lapels of his coat. "Don't you ever talk to her like that you-"
"Sirius, put him down!" Hermione gasped, rushing forward.
He looked at her, black eyes flaring in anger, he made a sound deep in his throat that sounded suspiciously like a growl and he let Daniel drop.
Hermione kneeled next to him, her hand pushing back his auburn hair as she stroked his face, trying to calm him. It seemed to work.
"I'm sorry, Hermione, but I don't know what's going on."
"That's all right, Daniel." Hermione kissed his cheek, then his mouth, savoring his taste one last time. "This won't hurt."
Daniel pulled back, "What-"
"Obliviate." Hermione breathed just above a whisper as she pressed her wand to his temple.
His hands dropped away from her as she stood up slowly. He looked up at her, blinking those light eyes of his. Then he smiled, that innocent smile that she loved.
"Hello, do I know you?"
Hermione forced a smile as she helped him to his feet. "No, I was in such a rush that I knocked you over, please forgive me."
"Think nothing of it, I'm quite fond of being bowled over by pretty young ladies." He held her hand in his, the thumb running absently over her knuckles as it had so many other times. "I must have been going somewhere, but I can't quite seem to remember. That's a bit odd, isn't it?"
Carefully she pulled her hand away. "You were probably on your way home."
"Yes," He nodded, his eyes distant, "I must have been on my way home. Well, it was nice bumping into you."
Hermione nodded, then he turned away, and walked out of her life.
"Hermione?"
She turned to look at Harry. "It's fine."
But it wasn't.
Hermione tried to smile but felt her knees go weak. She would have tumbled to the ground had Sirius not caught her. She looked up at him, surprised at the sadness she saw there. What did he care?
"Hermione!" Ron and Harry cried out in unison.
Pushing herself out of his arms, Hermione teetered unsteadily. "I'm just tired."
"Sirius," Harry commanded, his voice not allowing any argument, "Take her home, Ron and I will be a long shortly. We need to send for the Aurors."
Sirius nodded.
"But I should be here to explain-"
"If they need to talk to you they can do it tomorrow." Ron agreed with Harry.
Hermione nodded it hardly seemed worth arguing over.
Sirius didn't seem to have a problem with it either, which surprised Hermione. Instead of insisting on staying with Harry he took her arm and held it in much the same way that Daniel had only a short time before. Hermione was tempted to pull away, to say something scathing, but she was too tired. She was too sad.
"I'm sorry," Sirius said after a while.
She almost stopped walking in surprise.
"There's no need to be." Hermione replied.
"But-"
Hermione sighed, "Don't worry, I wasn't in love with him."
He looked at her sharply, dark eyes full of an unreadable emotion. "You weren't?"
For a moment Hermione thought that he sounded relieved.
Hermione shook her head. Tears stung her eyes but she pretended that she wasn't crying. "But it was nice being loved."
They walked back to the flat in silence.