Revised: 28 August 2004
The Future Awaits
Chapter 21: He wasn't Ron…
Sirius stared at the brunette in front of him.
"Dream?"
He cursed himself for squeaking.
Hermione continued staring at the man in a way like she had never seen him before.
"Umm… Hermione?"
"Huh?"
"What's the dream about?" asked Sirius, quietly putting back his necklace inside his pocket. Hermione was completely unaware of it since she was in a trance.
"I… I-I…" she sighed. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Riiiight…"
Just then, a small, scrawny owl flew into the windows. Hermione wanted to kiss the bird for breaking the horrible awkwardness.
"Pig!" Hermione darted to the creature and took the envelope from its beak. "Aww… you poor thing. All the way from Florida?"
Sirius decided to cut in saying, "This thing still hasn't changed a bit. Hyperactive as ever! That was how I found it before I gave it to Ron."
Hermione laughed. "Yeah. Ron was delighted to have him as a new pet in our third year."
Sirius gave a small smile.
Hermione eagerly ripped the envelope open. "Oh look! Two letters… though… only addressed to me," looking at Sirius apologetically.
"I don't mind. It probably took the bird at least 4 days to reach its destination. Harry and Ron wouldn't know I'd be here, wouldn't they?" Sirius smirked, proud with himself for being sensible and quicker than 'The Hermione Granger'.
Hermione raised her eyebrows, as if saying 'yeah, that makes sense', before proceeding to read her letters from both Ron and Harry.
"Gits! I told them to call me at my mobile, than owls. It's much more faster and convenient. They won't even need to tire such cute creatures like these," petting Pigwidgeon who was drinking water from a fishbowl.
Sirius shook his head. She's such a caring person. Too caring, indeed.
"What the letters say?" he asked.
"Nothing much. Just how the place is, where they're staying, how much they miss me… and how I should take care of myself and all… Hey wait! There's a 'PS' from Ron's."
She quickly scanned the short note and looked at Pig expectantly.
"Well Pig, you dear master told me you have something to give me. What is it?"
The owl leaped to her as if just remembering something. It quickly pecked Hermione on the cheek.
Hermione's hand flew to the touched spot once the bird flew away. She looked flushed. The only word that came out from the mouth was 'Oh'.
Sirius looked confused, not understanding the situation. Finally, Hermione cleared her throat. "Well, Sirius. I think I'm going to bed now. See you tomorrow."
Then, the most unexpected thing happened. Hermione tiptoed and kissed him on his stubble cheek. Grabbing Crookshanks, she went straight into her bedroom.
Once he was certain she's out of sight, his hand sailed to his cheek, just like Hermione did earlier. He was in a daze. Did she just do what I think she did? He could have sworn her lips lingered there for a moment, though that might be just his imagination.
He finally sighed and assured himself. "What I need is sleep. That just didn't happen. I'll wake up soon."
With that, he walked into Harry's room and went straight to sleep.
Hermione leaned on her closed door.
'Why did I just DO that?!' she screamed in her mind.
And what was that dream about? Sirius would think I'm a… scarlet woman to even think like that about him!
..:: Dream Sequence ::..
Hermione snuggled into the warm figure behind her. She never felt so contented. Together, they watched as the sunset gave a magnificent view, glittering the lake beneath it. She could even see the tentacle of the giant squid from a distance.
Strong arms surrounded her, making her sighed contently.
"Hermione…"
That voice… It wasn't Ron's. But at the same time very… familiar and… contenting.
"I love you…"
Hermione turned her head to look up at the speaker, but was only met with the most intense pair of grey eyes she had ever seen. Those eyes… could bore into your soul easily.
Their faces moved closer to each other. Noses touching and heads tilting. Both their eyes gradually closed as they met with each other's softness of the lips.
The kiss was short, but enough to show their love for each other. Pulling away from the contact, expecting to see Ron's face, as she does always in her dreams, Hermione could only let out a gasp.
Those eyes, that hair, those lips, that face… are not of a Weasley. But who?
She couldn't help noticing how right it was to be with this person. So comforting… so contenting… so… perfect?
"I'll always love you, Hermione Granger. Remember that."
He flicked her nosed lightly with his finger.
Hermione smiled at him. She found her own mouth saying back, "I love you too."
She then went on flicking his nose just like he did to her earlier. It was as if they did that every time with each other.
..:: End of Dream Sequence ::..
Those eyes… Sirius has them too. That voice… though somewhat husky and affectionate, Sirius seemed to own them too. It can't be Sirius.
No! It can't be! Why am I only thinking of Sirius? It's just a coincidence. I just dreamt that because of my stupid crush on him. I love Ron, and only Ron. I have since my first year.
But… those eyes, so intense. Why was being so close with that person feel so right? It was as if they were meant for each other. Who was that man?
Hermione sighed and walked slowly to her bed. She climbed into it and gently placed her cat down who put its head back to sleep. Hermione smiled at her pet and petted him lovingly. She caressed his fur. So soft and so… red. Just like his hair.
She turned to look at her end table beside her bed. Taking the photo frame in hand, Hermione touched the picture-Ron. She smiled as the picture-Ron kissed picture-Hermione on the cheek, hugging her possessively. But soon after that, she found her mind drifted to somewhere else… or rather someone else.
Sirius. What was he doing so close to her just now, anyway?
She snorted. Might have been planning to pull a prank on me while I'm asleep. Blast Marauders! What kind of name is that, anyway?
Suddenly, she found something glowing on her chest. It was her pendant. She had read about these before. She knew it was called an 'Epoch' and its uses.
But when she un-wrapped it during her birthday, the package wasn't named who it was from. It was jumbled up together with all those other birthday presents.
Who would give me an Epoch, and keep the other part of it?
A/N: Ah! 3 chapters for one whole day?! Ha! And yeah! My mistake on chapter 2. Hedwig too would take a long time to reach Mione when Harry send that letter in that airplane.