Disclaimer…You know the drill, I don't own anything…
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Chapter 28: You had me from Hello
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Hermione walked quickly towards the Gryffindor tower. How could she have been so stupid, so stubborn 'Because you were hurting' her inner voice answered, 'because I was stubborn!' she answered back….err stubbornly.
She walked through the portrait hole and saw Peter playing a game of wizarding cards, James and Lily talking quietly, Remus with his nose in a book, but no sign of the raven haired boy she sought. She walked up to Remus and stood next to him till he looked up, with his senses he knew however that she was there as soon as she started to walk over.
"Remus?" she asked quietly.
He gave her a small smile, bidding her to continue.
"Have you seen Sirius?" she asked.
"He went out on his bike," James answered gently from across the room.
"Oh, I'll just wait for him then," she said sitting on the couch and starting at her hands.
Lily stood and walked over to Hermione and sat next to her, Hermione looked at her friend guilt intermingled with the tears shining in her eyes. Lily just gave her a kind smile and pulled her into a hug.
"I was so stupid, I should have trusted him, listened to him," Hermione sobbed into the embrace.
"Its ok, I'm sure he'll listen," Lily soothed. "It'll be ok" she spoke gently rocking the guilt ridden witch in her arms.
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Sirius sat high on the outcrop in his cove and stared at Hogwarts, he wasn't lying when he told Hermione he came here when he was troubled.
Hermione.
She was right, he had hurt her, not intentionally but he had still hurt her and he was finding it difficult to bear.
He sighed and tore his gaze away from the majestic building across the lake; he stared at the ground and picked up a fist sized pebble in his hand, weighing it carefully before screaming and throwing it in the lake.
He stood and picked up another rock, repeating the process.
This was Sirius releasing his anger, releasing his frustration of the whole situation.
He had come to the conclusion that Malfoy had had a part to play in the Slytherins little set up but it was Monique who was the brains behind the whole thing, with no proof however he couldn't convince Hermione….well he could if she would just let him talk to her….'but you hurt her!' Sirius mentally glared at himself
"IT WASN'T MY FAULT" he yelled into the cool night air before sinking to his knees, face in his hands, sobbing uncontrollably.
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Hermione sat alone in the common room, it was late, the others had all dragged themselves off to bed knowing that Hermione would wait up for Sirius.
The flames danced in front of her unaware of her scrutiny as the night wore on. Hermione eventually tore her gaze away from the fire when the portrait swung open quietly.
Across the common room grey met brown for the first time in a week. Sirius stared bleary eyed at the girl on the couch, uncertain what course of action to take.
"Hello Sirius," Hermione greeted quietly from the couch.
A small sigh escaped from his lips as he went and sat on the opposite end of the long sofa watching the girl in front of him.
Hermione looked down at her hands, unsure of where to start. Sirius didn't couldn't trust his own voice in fear he'd say something wrong.
"I…"Hermione started… "Sirius I'm sorry."
Concern grew in the grey eyes. "Hermione," he said gently. "What can you be sorry for? You've done nothing wrong."
Hermione shook her head tears beginning to form in her eyes. "I should have listened to you; I should have let you tell me your side," she said her gaze returning to her clasped hands.
"You know?" Sirius asked. "How?" he inquired when Hermione nodded.
"Someone else saw the whole thing; she approached me earlier and told me."
Sirius was curious now and his brow furrowed. "Who?"
Hermione smiled a little. "Natasha."
Sirius eyes widened at this. "Well, I'll admit that's a little surprising," he confessed.
Hermione nodded. "I'm sorry Sirius," she repeated.
"Oh, Hermione," he said reaching out and placing a hand over her clasped ones, when she didn't pull away he moved closer and bundled the bushy haired witch in his arms. Hermione clung to his shirt as she sobbed into his chest, Sirius holding her as tight as he could, breathing in her scent, tears falling down his own face as he realized how close he had come to losing her.
"It's not your fault" he reassured the girl in his arms.
"You must be so-hic-so angry," she said her tears beginning to slow.
Sirius pulled back slightly to look in her eyes. "No," he said gently. "I was never angry with you, I had no reason to be. Don't worry so much."
"Thank you Sirius, for listening."
"Didn't have to listen," he said stroking her check "You had me from 'Hello'"
