DISCLAIMER: I still don't own Harry Potter.

A/N: Internet is down for a while so updates might be few and far between. I will try to get them posted as much as I can. Sorry bout the inconvenience.

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"Well, there's one good thing," he Harry said savagely. "Snape'll be gone by the end of the year."

"What do you mean?" asked Ron.

"That job's jinxed. No one's lasted more than a year…Quirrel actually died doing it…. Personally, I'm going to keep my fingers crossed for another death…."

"Harry!" said Hermione, shocked and reproachful.

-- Beginning of the Year Feast -- HBP (I laughed at that part….)

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Chapter 6: Coming Back

Sirius did not return that night nor the next morning. After lying awake in bed for three hours listening for the sound of the door opening, Hermione finally gave up and went downstairs to wait on him. But he did not come.

Mechanically, Hermione went about her morning routine. Today she chose a pair of black slacks and a light blue, cotton button-up shirt. She pulled her hair back into a French twist, securing any untamed curls with bobby pins. She picked up her purse, grabbed a muffin, and headed out the door.

At work, she quickly lost herself in her work, pushing all thoughts of Sirius out of her head. He was a distraction she did not need at the moment. So she did what she normally did when she was worried: she worked.

Around lunch time, Hermione smiled happily at the amount of work she had got done. She decided that she deserved a decent lunch break for once.

She picked up the receiver, ready to call and invite Sirius to meet her, then remembered that he probably wouldn't be there.

She determinedly replaced the receiver and grabbed up her purse. She would have her lunch break even if she didn't have anyone to share it with.

Before she could even get up out of her chair, however, a figure blocked her path.

"Hello Hermione," Erik greeted happily, a large smile spreading across his face.

"Hello Erik," Hermione returned, forcing a smile.

Erik glanced down at her purse clutched in her hand then back to her, his eyes filled with unabashed hope as he gazed at her. "Off to lunch?"

"Yes, actually."

"Can I join you?"

Hermione opened her mouth to tell him that she'd rather be alone but then stopped. Why shouldn't she eat lunch with him? It beat being alone.

Genuinely smiling, Hermione answered, "I'd love for you to join me."

Erik smiled joyfully. "Really?"

"Really," Hermione chuckled, "but as friends."

"Sure, whatever you say, friends," Erik bounded off to grab his jacket and returned a minute later. "Ready?" he asked eagerly.

"Yes, let's go," she answered.

They headed to a small café just a short walk away. Erik talked eagerly while Hermione would throw in the necessary "really?" or "hmm." Erik didn't seem to notice her lack of enthusiasm in participating in the conversation though.

Hermione smiled brightly as the waitress arrived, interrupting an intensely boring recount of Erik's last vacation with his mother to the Naples.

"I'll have a deli sandwich and a glass of ice water please."

"I'll have a hamburger with everything, fries, and a coke," Erik added.

The waitress hurried away to fix their orders meaning, once again, Hermione had to listen to Erik and his…er…lovely tales.

"Hermione?"

Hermione froze. She knew that voice, she had dreamed about that voice. Ignoring Erik, she spun around in her seat to come face to face with….

"Sirius."

Erik looked curiously between the two of them as the man drew up a seat beside his Hermione. "I'm Erik," he proclaimed, sticking out a hand pompously, "Erik Brannon."

Sirius did not take the outstretched hand, instead choosing to lean back in his chair. "Sirius Black," he said with a dangerous grin and a glint in his dark eyes.

Hermione glared at Sirius, wondering what he was up too. Her suspicious were clear with his next words.

"When I got home this morning, I found that you had already left for work," Sirius commented. He smiled at her briefly, not backing down from the her 'death' glare.

"You….you….how do you know Hermione?" Erik stuttered.

Sirius grinned mischievously at the dork in glasses and placed his arm possessively over Hermione's shoulders, ignoring her heated glare. "We live together."

Hermione opened her mouth to explain the situation but quickly shut it again. This might be exactly what she needed to get Erik off her back.

"But as I was saying," Sirius said, once again turning to look at Hermione, "I paid a visit to our old school and I didn't realize how late it was. I was afraid that I'd wake you if I came home."

Hermione looked away from his intense gaze, afraid he'd see the blatant truth in her eyes. She never slept much these days, hadn't for a long time now.

She looked at Erik who had an expression of hurt on his face. "Uh…Erik? I'm afraid I'm going to have to run. Sirius and I need to talk about some things. It's been lovely and…," she hesitated to finish but went on, "and maybe we can do this again sometime."

Erik's face lit up. "Sure, whenever you want."

Hermione smiled and rose from her seat, pulling Sirius up with her. She threw down some pounds to cover her uneaten sandwich, looks like no lunch today.

"Goodbye Erik. I'll see you at work."

Hermione grabbed a hold of Sirius' arm and roughly dragged him away. She was miffed at him still, even though he had a valid excuse. He could of called or owled or something.

"Hey, hey," Sirius protested and tried to pull her to a stop. "Why the rush?"

"I need to get back to work soon so we'll have to talk fast."

Sirius grinned. "Relax. I'll walk you back to work."

Hermione gave him a piercing look. "I don't think so."

Sirius stuck out his lower lip in a pout. "Why not?"

Hermione looked skeptically at him. "Why do you want to?"

He shrugged. "I just thought that I could walk you there and we could talk on the way."

"You want to know where I work," she said evenly and Sirius grinned.

"You're right," he answered with the cockiness that he was known for.

Hermione rolled her eyes and chuckled softly. "Fine, but we are going to talk."

"Yes, sweetheart, I promise we will talk."

"But first," Hermione muttered, pausing and looking around, "coffee."

Sirius pointed. "Over there then and make sure you get something to eat. You skipped lunch," he paused in thought, "or are skipping lunch rather."

Hermione smiled. "It's your fault, you know," she teased.

She turned and began to make her way to the little place that had some coffee and scones.

"Which is why I'm telling you to get something to eat," he called after her.

Hermione raised a hand in acknowledgement as she continued towards the stand to get two coffees and lots of scones. A very healthy lunch, Hermione mused.

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A/N: Please review…even though I can't really read them for a while…PLEASE!