Lupin sighed inside as he allowed himself to be propped up by Hermione. He really hoped they would all be alright, but he had a terrible feeling that they were just a little too late to save Sirius.

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They looked like quite an odd group, dragging each other out into the spinning entry room to the Department of Mysteries, Draco carrying a limp Sirius and Lupin leaning heavily on Hermione. They waited in silence for the walls to quit their spinning, but when they finally stopped and Hermione began, with difficulty, checking the doors for their exit, Draco inhaled sharply.

"What?" Hermione and Lupin demanded at the same time.

"He… stopped breathing."

Hermione heard Lupin swear softly, and throw himself from her shoulder, going over to check Sirius's pulse quickly. Hermione, close to tears the entire night, finally felt one slide down her cheek. It was embarrassing, but she hardly cared. Sirius was dying… possibly already dead. She shut her eyes, and a memory she had hidden from herself long ago reemerged….

"Mister Weasley, Miss Granger!" A voice called from behind Ron and Hermione. They both turned their heads.

Albus Dumbledore stood there, smiling at them.

"May I have a word?" He asked kindly.

Ron shrugged and nodded; Hermione checked Ron's watch quickly, then said, "Alright, Professor."

Together, the three of them walked off the main hallway to a deserted one. Dumbledore was silent all the way; Ron and Hermione exchanged lost looks.

"Hermione first, I think." He said, and beckoned for her to follow him around the corner.

Hermione shifted from foot to foot in apprehension.

"Miss Granger," Dumbledore asked, completely serious. "Are you aware of what love really is?"

There was a long silence, after which Hermione said hesitantly, "I'm really not sure I understand the question, sir."

Dumbledore laughed. "Of course not. The one question Hermione Granger cannot answer, and yet the one bit of knowledge she is going to need the most. Ah, irony."

"Professor?"

"Love is a medicine, Miss Granger. It can truly heal physical wounds. But the love in one human's heart is never enough to really save someone. You need remarkable amounts of love, and, if the need is great enough, the magic of love in your own heart will clear the path for you. Do you follow?"

"I think so." Hermione lied. She had no idea what Dumbledore was saying.

"Also," Dumbledore continued, "do not look to the answer right in front of your face, for circumstances beyond your control have decreed that this will pass. Look instead for something else, deeper in your heart… in a short while that which causes you grief will cause you unadulterated joy." He smiled at her lost expression. "That is all. Mister Weasley, now, if you please."

That was the last time Hermione had ever spoken with Dumbledore. He was killed the next day.

Hermione opened her eyes. She knew what he meant now… or half of it, at least.

"Hand him over." She said, holding out her arm and beginning to swiftly check the doors with her wand hand.

"But…" Draco stammered.

"Just hand him over." Hermione insisted, and soon felt the comfortable weight of a completely inert Sirius pressed into her side.

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A/N: Alright, here's something that ought to make some of you happy enough not to kill me for the lame update... I'm going to write a series! This one is like the middle one, there are 3 one-shots that come before, a sequel and a one-shot after. So go ahead and vote on which of the following you'd like me to write first.

-Don't Leave Home... the story about Sirius kissing Hermione from Sirius's POV
-My Lover's Gone... Hermione lamenting over Ron's death (little to no Hr/S in there, sorry)
-Honestly OK... Companion to My Lover's Gone from Harry's POV
-All You Want... SEQUEL TIME!

Again, thank you for the lovely reviews!