Disclaimer: Unfortunately I didn't have the imagination to come up with these characters…

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Chapter 36: Just Older

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Sirius suppressed a groan as the small group of Order members entered the large mansion. There were six of them; Moody and Kingsley were with Dumbledore who was talking quietly to Malfoy while they gathered in the large entrance room the Manor provided. Sirius stood to the side keeping a wary eye out as Tonks spoke quietly with Remus.

The place was big, no it was more than big, Malfoy Manor had to be about twice of the size of Hogwarts, which, to Sirius, meant more rooms, more places Hermione could be and ergo more time spent till he had her in his arms again, and for Sirius, twenty years was well and truly long enough.

Alert, in case of any surprises, the group made its way further into the seemingly deserted Manor, Lucius Malfoy may be on the run but it was obvious to every Order member present that the building had plenty of places to hide in.

The young Malfoy started to lead the group in the direction of the west wing, Moody, quietly mumbling something about the whole endeavour being a trap, kept his wand aimed squarely at the blonde in front of him, daring the Slytherin to make a false move.

"Don't listen to him Padfoot," Remus whispered from Sirius left. "We'll find her."

Sirius could do nothing but nod, his steely grey eyes alert for any activity, and more importantly a portrait of a blond wizard with an extremely long nose 'probably distantly related to Snivellus' Sirius thought, cheering his cold mood slightly.

Sirius didn't like the cold feeling he got in his bones while walking down the long corridors. The house had an old feeling to it, its halls dark, six wand tips lighting the blood red walls and golden framed portraits, giving a hint of the once majestic quality of the building now lost to the Dark.

The warmth that waited for him at the end of all this was enough for him to keep the House at a safe distance and he suppressed a chuckle when Tonks gleefully pointed out a portrait of a redheaded wizard who bore and uncanny resemblance to members of the Weasley family.

After about ten minutes of walking Malfoy paused in front of an old statue and studied it for a moment before casting his gaze down the corridor to the left.

Remus and Tonks went ahead, Sirius following while Moody and Kingsley held back a little. The pair stopped in front of a portrait and when Sirius came up beside them he found himself face to uhhh nose with a blonde wizard.

Malfoy ignored the portrait and stood in front of the large wooden door, just staring at it, he had in fact convinced himself long ago that the incident with the bushy haired witch was all a dream and that he'd imagined the whole thing. He reached out cautiously and grasped the door handle, aptly shaped like a snake, proving to himself that it was indeed real and not some delusion of a ten year old boy.

Sirius studied the Slytherin before the blonde reached out to the door and noted the spark of apprehension in the grey eyes of the younger wizard as he seemingly stared at a blank wall.

Suddenly a large door appeared before Sirius' own grey eyes and he slowly stepped up to the teen and gently took his hand off the handle, replacing it with his own.

He stared for a moment, twenty years of not knowing, of searching and the answer stood directly in front of his haunted eyes.

He lightly pulled the door open and focused his gaze on the small room in front of him, or more specifically, on the brown eyed witch staring back at him from the centre of the cubbyhole of a room.

Sirius heart skipped a beat or three and his insides felt like jelly as he took in the witch before him.

Her long curls fell to just below her waist, the weight of them taming her beautifully wild locks. He took in her appearance, she looked just older than when he'd last seen her but she defiantly wasn't the same age as he was.

It was the look in her brown eyes however that prevented the black haired wizard from running into the room and sweeping the woman into his arms.

He saw the flicker of hope and longing disappear and be replaced with doubt and suspicion. Placing his wand into his robes he held up his hands as a sign of assurance.

He took a step into the room, feeling the shield that kept Hermione prisoner crackle around him. As he moved closer however Hermione stepped backwards keeping an even distance between the pair.

"Hermione," Sirius finally rasped out, his voice raw with emotion.

The bushy haired woman shook her head. "You're not Sirius," she accused.

"Yes I am, sweetheart, listen to me, I know you weren't expecting us just yet but time works differently in here," he tried to explain.

"Us?" she asked suspiciously unable to see behind the dark haired wizard.

Sirius smiled and stepped aside hoping, for the time being, that Remus was the only other person present that Hermione could see. "Remus and I," he answered. "We've been looking for you for a long time now."

Hermione tore her gaze off the werewolf who now stood in the doorway and swung it back to Sirius. "How long?" she asked.

"Almost twenty years," he answered her again.

Hermione shook her head, unable to come to a decision. Sirius took another step forward causing her to take another step back.

"Hermione," Sirius pleaded holding up his hands. "I'm not here to hurt you."

He stopped when he saw Hermione's gaze focused on his hand.

"You don't have your ring," she whispered.

Sirius smiled at her. "No, you remember don't you, the morning before you were taken?"

Hermione eyes glazed over slightly as she got lost in her memory.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Sirius smiled at the witch in his arms in the early hours of the morning, he'd been woken up by an uncharacteristically tight feeling around one of his fingers. He reached across with his other hand and gently removed the ring that was slowly cutting off the blood to his digit. Hermione stirred and woke slightly as Sirius unclasped the chain around her neck and slipped his ring down it to join her locket before re-clasping it. When he pulled back he was confronted by two chocolate orbs.

"Just for safe keeping," he murmured and kissed her temple, wooing the witch back to sleep.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Hermione gazed into Sirius' grey eyes her right hand reaching up and grasping the chain that lay hidden in her robes. Gently pulling the gold chain out of her robes she lovingly caressed the valentine's gifts they had given each other.

She looked back up, tears in her eyes. "Sirius," she whispered before he knees gave way. Sirius moved forward quickly and caught the witch in his arms before she hit the ground.

"Sirius," Hermione sobbed clinging to his robes with every ounce of her being wrapping her arms around his neck and holding him tightly.

"Its ok, I'm here, I'm not going anywhere," he replied rocking her gently burying his face in her curls, silent tears falling down his own face as he held the woman he loved in his arms again.

Remus and the others watched, smiling as Sirius whispered into Hermione's ear, calming the witch down.

Sirius felt Remus gaze and turned his head to smile at his fellow Marauder, Hermione felt Sirius shift and she looked up and smiled at the werewolf who came over and crouched next to the couple.

"Hey Hermione," he said quietly.

"Remus," Hermione whispered moving to embrace her old friend. Remus smiled and returned the hug, glad something good had happened for the Animagus; Sirius had been through way too much for him to be prevented this happiness.

Remus pulled out of the embrace to let Hermione return to Sirius' arms. When she did the grey eyed wizard stood and helped Hermione up.

The witch hesitated slightly as they made their way out of the room through the now ineffective barrier, she turned to Remus and gave him a small smile. "You need to tell me about this room," she said, knowing full well that the werewolf would know all about it.

"Gladly," he replied, returning the smile.

Hermione felt safe in Sirius arms and he held her tightly against himself, afraid that some unseen hands would tear her away from him again. She looked around and took in the other Order members before meeting Malfoy's eyes.

It was then she knew how they had found her and she swallowed her gasp of surprise, like Malfoy, she had put that fateful day down to an unusual delusion caused by her lack of food and sleep.

She smiled faintly at the Slytherin. "Thank you."

Malfoy didn't reply but nodded slightly in acknowledgment.

"He's not the only one who deserves some thanks," Sirius told her quietly as the group waited for Dumbledore to create a Portkey that would take them directly back to Hogwarts.

Hermione looked up at Sirius, confusion in her eyes; he smiled and placed his lips on hers for the first time in almost twenty years. Pulling back and ignoring the urge to repeat his actions Sirius grinned. "A certain godson of mine has been working his boy-who-lived little ass off to find you."

Hermione's eyes widened in realization and she let out a small breath.

"Harry."