DISCLAIMER: Still don't own any of this….

SUMMARY: The war is over and Hermione is left alone filled with only her grief. But when Ancient Magic comes into play, Hermione finds herself no longer walking alone. SBHG Pre-HBP and staying that way!

WHY ARE YOU WORRYING ABOUT YOU-KNOW-WHO?

YOU SHOULD BE WORRYING ABOUT U-NO-POO--

THE CONSTIPATION SENSATION

THAT'S GRIPPING THE NATION!

-- Sign at WWW, HP and the HBP

Chapter 3: Time Jump

Hermione gave a dry laugh. "If this is your idea of a joke, then you are one sick person!"

The male stared at her in bafflement. "I can assure you that I am not joking. I am Sirius Black."

"Sirius Black is dead," Hermione said in a deadly whisper. "He died during my 5th year at the Ministry of Magic."

Sirius held up his hands. "Then you must be thinking of a different Sirius for as you can clearly see, I am not dead."

Hermione raised her chin defiantly. "There is only one Sirius Black that I know of."

"Clearly, there must be two," Sirius pointed out, then chuckled, "wait till I tell James. He'll think this is a jolly good joke."

Hermione stuttered, "J…James Po…Potter?"

Sirius observed her closely through narrowed eyes. "How do you know James?"

Hermione took a deep breath, trying to calm her unsettled nerves. "He was my best friend's father," she told him quietly.

"Was?" Sirius questioned.

"He's…um….,"Hermione took another shaky breath, "dead."

"Dead?" Sirius asked frantically, his eyes wide with fear. "No, he can't be! He isn't even a father! You have the wrong James. We can't be talking…."

"His nickname was Prongs," Hermione interrupted. "And Remus Lupin is Moony. Sirius Black, you as you claim, was Padfoot and that piece of filth Pettigrew was Wormtail."

"Peter?" Sirius questioned. "Why is he a 'piece of filth'?"

Hermione scowled. "He's the reason James and Lily were killed and why Harry was left with no family."

Sirius stared at her. "How do you know all of this?"

"Because it's already happened. They're all dead, well except Remus and me."

Sirius ran a shaky hand through his hair. He glanced at her after he registered everything she just told him. "If what you say is true, then why was Harry left without any family. Surely I would get legal guardianship of him."

"You were in Azkaban."

"Az…Azkaban?" Sirius gulped, his face stark white with terror. "What did I do?"

"Nothing," Hermione answered truthfully. "You were framed by Peter Pettigrew for the murder of thirteen people and helping Voldemort to kill Lily and James Potter."

Sirius fell back onto the couch, the information washing over him like a tidal wave. He didn't understand how she knew all of this…how she figured out about his friends. But then…

He rose from his position on the couch and strode past Hermione to the front door. A paper had been shoved under it earlier, he dimly remembered hearing it. He picked it up but soon let if fall soundlessly back to the floor.

"1997?" He muttered to himself. "No…it can't be…"

"Can't be what?" Hermione questioned from behind him.

He turned quickly and stared down into her dull brown eyes that portrayed the emptiness inside her. As if sensing his scrutiny, Hermione wrapped her arms protectively around her.

Something clicked inside Sirius as he stared down at her. "Were you the girl crying and screaming out for help last night?"

Hermione hugged her arms tighter against her. "How do you know about that?"

Sirius leaned down close to her. "I heard you. I tried to find you. I searched all over the castle, James thought I was going nutters, but I still searched. I couldn't find you, but then…"

Hermione stared at him. "And then….," she prompted.

"Then it stopped," he said quietly. "And…I felt…different."

"Different?" Hermione asked, bemused. "How so?"

"I can't explain it. But I think…I think that the girl I heard crying was you and somehow I ended up here…20 years later."

"Do you realize how ludicrous that sounds?"

"Yes…but that's the only explanation I can think of."

Hermione looked at her watch. "Look, I do have to get to work. Why don't you stay here and then we can figure this all out when I come home," Hermione suggested.

Sirius looked around, surveying his surroundings. "And what am I supposed to do until you get back from work?"

Hermione shrugged. "Watch the telly, sleep, read," she smiled, "clean. Just don't go and get lost. I really don't have time to look for you."

"What do I do about food?"

Hermione pointed to the tiny kitchen. "There's a fridge. Help yourself."

"Any people that might come for a visit?" Sirius asked teasingly.

A pained look crossed Hermione's features. "There's no one," she muttered.

Sirius knew that now was not the time to press the issue. "Um…can I do magic?"

Hermione paused. Magic was a part of her past, a part she avoided at all cost but he didn't know that. "I…guess," she said slowly.

He raised an eyebrow. "Do you not use magic?"

Hermione shook her head. "I haven't used magic for a long time now. Not since…," she stopped and took a deep, shaky breath.

This was another thing not to press, Sirius acknowledged. "Hey, I'll keep the magic to a minimum. I just need some clothes."

"Oh!" Hermione suddenly became aware of his state of undress and rushed back up the stairs. She pulled out a drawer, one of the ones that mostly remained closed, and withdrew a pair of pants and a sweater. They still smelled like him, she thought as she hugged them close, enjoying his scent that lingered.

She walked back down the stairs and handed the clothes to Sirius. "They should fit," she said dully. "If they don't, just…well…do whatever you need to."

Sirius noticed that something about these ordinary muggle clothes meant something to her. "Are you sure? I could just transfigure something."

"No," Hermione protested, "it's okay. They…er…belonged to a good friend of mine but he's…," she swallowed, "he's gone now."

"I have to go," Hermione said quickly. "Just try not to attract too much attention and any unwanted questions while I'm gone."

Then she rushed out the door leaving Sirius staring after her and wondering who the jeans and sweater with the snitch knitted on the front belonged to.

A/N: Hello all and thanks for reading. Okay, I'll explain this a little bit since I'm getting some questions. This is a Hermione and Sirius fic. Sirius was brought 20 years into the future and is now 18. It is around September after Hermione's 7th year and the war is over. Everyone is dead except Remus and Tonks. It's my first attempt at a M story though not my first story. I also write under the penname RainynDawn where I have wrote one Hermione/Sirius fic (All My Yesterdays) and am currently writing the sequel (Promises of Tomorrow). Hope I've answered some of your questions. The way Sirius was brought forth will be explained later. Can't give it all away too soon now can I?

Please Review and tell me what you think. Thank you!