Oh, and just to answer a few questions: I have already decided how it's going to end, but I won't tell… But I can definitely say she won't be with both of them… That would be too OOC for me. Hermione with one professor is bad enough, Hermione with two professors is unthinkable if I have to stay somewhat true the Hermione we know. And anonymous reviews should be possible now… But if you're subscribed to the side, I'd prefer a signed one so I have a possibility to see who you are… I think that's about it, on with the story!
Chapter 4Hermione ate her breakfast hurriedly and ran off to the library with the excuse that she had some arithmancy homework to finish. It was not a complete lie, she did have to write an essay, but it was not due in another two weeks, so she had plenty of time to finish it. She started on it anyway though, as she would rather work on that than be around Harry, Ron or Ginny at this point. She was sure that once the red headed girl had had time to comprehend what Hermione had just told her, she would start asking questions, questions Hermione would rather not answer just yet. She did not really fancy Harry or Ron finding out what she had told Ginny either, though she knew they had probably already been informed, evenif she had told Ginny not to tell them. She would bet her right arm that Harry could probably sense that Ginny was hiding something, and then Ginny would not be able to not tell him, and Harry told Ron everything. The secret would not be a secret for long, and she did not know what Harry and Ron would say.
She sighed deeply as she opened the huge arithmancy book, found the page she needed and started writing. It was relatively easy for her so her mind wandered off to what Ginny had said earlier.
"They're in love with me?" she muttered to herself questioningly and shook her head silently.
"Who're in love with you?" Hermione's head flew upwards, her eyes staring into a pair of twinkling black ones, "Care to tell me about those boy problems you admitted to having earlier?" Sirius asked as he sat down opposite Hermione with a couple of defence books.
"I don't think you would want to know, Black," Snape sneered as he walked past, glaring at them both venomously. Hermione closed her eyes and took a deep breath, what had she done to deserve this? She had gone to the library to hide, and none other than the two men of her dream just happened to go there as well, and of course they had to make sure she knew! She counted to ten quickly trying to remain calm before opening her eyes again. The expression on Sirius' face sort of scared her. It was somewhere in between worried and angry. Snape had gone.
"What? You mean to tell me that you've told that greasy bastard, but you won't tell me?" Sirius' voice was dangerously low and Hermione detected a slight anger. She swallowed involuntarily.
"I haven't told him," she said carefully, "But it allcaused me to mess up in potions and he wouldn't let me leave until I told him what was wrong. I wouldn't of course, it's none of his business…" she trailed off.
"But he obviously knew now, didn't he Hermione? And how would he if you haven't told him?" Sirius interrupted impatiently, his sneer resembling that of Snape's.
"Well, he's quite good at legillemency… So he forced it out of me, what could I have done? I never wanted him to know, but he did," she trailed off again, "And I daresay he regretted it later," she chuckled hopelessly.
"What could possibly be so bad it would make old Snivellus regret tormenting a student?" Sirius asked with a slight grin. Then suddenly his face turned serious.
"It's not Malfoy, is it? Surely it can't be 'Mione?" He sounded both scared and disgusted. Hermione laughed, she could not help it.
"NO! Of course not! What kind of girl do you take me for Sirius?" she shook her head, "Ugh! What a gross mental image, I'm gonna kill you for even making me think of it! Horrible!" she muttered to herself while chuckling a bit over Sirius' obviously relieved face.
"Good," he just said, "I got scared for a while there. But seriously though, Hermione, who is it? It's safe to tell me, I only wanna help, you know…" he told her in an earnest voice.
"Yeah, I know," Hermione sighed, "But you wouldn't understand, and probably couldn't help anyway…" She put her head in one hand and continued writing her essay in silence. Sirius had opened one of his books and started reading.
"Hermione?" he said after alittle while.
"Mmhmm?" she didn't look up.
"Look at me," he insisted and Hermione looked up into his friendly black eyes.
"I could help you, if you would just trust me," he stated simply and once again turned his attention to his book.
"But I do trust you Sirius!" Hermione argued, "It's just that… This is so… So complicated, and I don't even know how I feel myself, how could I expect someone else to understand? For one, Snape obviously didn't!" Sirius could not help but chuckle.
"So Snape didn't understand, eh? Wouldn't have expected him to either Hermione, really. I don't know if that man knows what love is!" he shook his head, obviously amused by how Hermione was arguing.
"A couple of years ago I probably wouldn't have been able to understand, much less help, either," he continued, serious once again, "It's been a long time since I last loved anyone, well I mean of course there's Harry, but he's like a son, y'know… But I fell in love again recently, and trust me, if anything's complicated that is. I know what complicated love feels like, Hermione, I'm quite sure I would understand your problem…"
"Who is she?" Hermione asked, she could hear the slightly jealous edge her voice held, and it scared her. She just hoped Sirius had not noticed anything. It did not seem like he had, he was too surprised by what she had asked to worry about how she had asked it.
"Who?" he asked, "Well, she's a lovely woman, smart and bright, but it's not really important," he shrugged indifferently, "What matters now is you," he added, "So, are you gonna tell me?"
Hermione shook her head, and Sirius sighed exasperatedly.
"Well, you won't tell me," Hermione argued, "Then why would I tell you?"
"I won't tell you," Sirius said, "because I can deal with it, but whatever it is in your situation that's so complicated, you are obviously having a hard timecoming to terms withit. If there's anything I don't wanna do, it's adding to the burden by pouring out my own love problems. But I could help you, Hermione, if you told me what it is your problem really is all about. I hate seeing you this freaked out Hermione, especially over a boy! Please let me help you!" His voice was calm, even though it had a slightly frustrated ring to it, and Hermione really loved him at that very moment, but she quickly shook the feeling off and came back to her senses.
She shook her head looking straight at Sirius. Then she gathered her things and went out of the library towards Gryffindor Tower. She could feel Sirius' eyes on her all the way towards the door of the library, and was lost in thought the whole way towards the Tower. She did not watch where she went and half way through the corridors leading to the portrait of the Fat Lady she walked straight into none other than professor Severus Snape.
AN: That's it for chapter 4. Hope you liked it. As always, please leave a review. I hope to be back with the next chapter soon, but don't expect it before the weekend… But until then there're loads of other great fics you could read. I will highly recommend the ones on my favourite list. See you soon. Oh and did I mention I would love to get a review?