She didn't have to wait long for someone to come in the door. However, it wasn't Remus, it wasn't even Sirius, it was James.

"James, you just missed Lily, she left two minutes ago."

"I know, I saw her, but I need to talk to you."

"Can it wait until tomorrow. Lily's freaked out, I really think you should be with her."

"I know, I'll only be a seconded. This won't take long."

"What's going on?"

'I'm supposed to give you this." he said handing her a piece of paper.

"Who's it from."

"Read it and you'll find out." his eyes were twinkling with amusement. Holly knew immediately who it was from.

"Ok, well, got to be going. Got a wife to take care of."

"Your not married yet."

"Soon enough though." A huge grin spread over his face.

"James get out of here."

"Alright, alright." and he was gone. She dropped the paper as a loud clap of thunder erupted. The window burst open and the candles lighting the room blew out. Holly walked over and carefully shut the window and locked it. She took out her wand and relit the candles.

"Ah!" she shrieked turning around to see a man standing next to her table. "Sirius Black, I'm going to kill you!" he was laughing, she was holding her hand to her heart.

"I'm sorry lovely, but you know me got to make an entrance."

"What's going on?" she said picking back up the paper, which was at his feet.

"I was making sure you didn't escape again."

"Escape? Again? What are you talking about?" She knew exactly what he was talking about, as her breathing returned to normal.

"Why are you avoiding me? You know you can only make up so many excuses before I come over here and get you myself."

"I'm sorry, it's just I've been so swamped with work. I think I took on too much. And they have me working out four times a week for three hours at a time. I'm just so exhausted by Sunday all I want to do is sleep." In all actuality, that was exactly what was happening. The Ministry apparently didn't want her to become over weight, or her reflexes to become dull while sitting at a desk. When her boss told her this, she knew there was no avoiding what was going to happen in a while. She was going back into the field wither she liked it or not.

"I don't' understand why you have to do so much work-out stuff. You don't need to lose weight or anything, I like you the way you are, not to skinny, but not enough to be considered fat."

"I'll tell you eventually. But not now."

"This has something to do with your old job doesn't it?" Man he was quick tonight. She hoped that's all he knew.

"Yeah. And then theirs all the nightmares I've been having. Sirius, I haven't been sleeping." She moved over to the couch and sat down putting her head in her hands, she wanted to cry at the thought of those dreams they had gotten steadily worse and more vivid as the weeks went on. He came over and put his arm around her shoulder moving her into his arms. He rubbed her back and spoke quietly to her.

"Remus said you hadn't been sleeping well. What are you dreaming about?"

"They've been getting worse."

"If you tell me, you'll feel better." he tried to comfort her.

"It's all the paper work I've been dealing with. All this Death Eater stuff, Sirius, I don't want to admit it, but I'm….I'm scared." he was silent for a moment pulling her closer.

"I won't let anything happen to you."

"Sirius, you can't promise that. I know you'd do anything in your power, but there is only so much you can do. I've seen some awful things, and done, since I've been away. Oh God. Sirius, I don't know what I'd do if any of you were in trouble." she began to shake and she couldn't stop the tears coming out.

"Holly. It'll be ok. I'm here for you now. Whatever happened in the past, let it stay there. It can't hurt you now. Whatever it was." He paused for a moment as a thought struck him "Your not a Dea…"

"Oh God no!" she said looking up into his eyes. A look of relief flooded them.

"I knew it."

"How?"

"Because I know you. Now. Mr. Lupin doesn't seem to be home, so how about we do something special. I know just the thing."

"Sirius, where are going?" Holly asked after a half hour of walking. At least it stopped raining.

"We're almost there lovely." he said looking around for something.

"You said that twenty minutes ago." she stopped, Sirius had almost been dragging her by the hand, stopped and looked at her with a pleading expression.

"I promise it's like three more steps." She followed him into the woods. After way more than three steps they found themselves in a beautiful clearing.

"This is wonderful Siri."

"I know." he wasn't looking at the clearing.

"Where are we?" Holly asked sitting down on the damp grass.

"The woods that surround my parents' summer home." He said quietly sitting next to her, handing her a daisy that he picked. The words came out almost painfully. Sirius never spoke about his family, unless it was to insult them, and someone else brought it up first. He didn't like talking about his past. He knew he didn't fit in. But there was something behind his eyes that almost wanted to be accepted into that world. He had always looked for security in his life, he had it with James and his family during their time at school, but now that he was an adult, it was like he didn't know where to turn.

Holly leaned against him and put her arm around his waist and just held him there.

"It's no big deal. It's not like they ever come hear anymore. I think Reguls uses it more than they do. And he's out of the country or something right now." He said laughing. A twinge of guild flooded her. She sat up, moved her legs up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. Everything got really uncomfortable all of a sudden.

"What's wrong? Was it something I said?" He asked concerned. He really didn't know. Holly thought for a moment trying to form the right words in her mind. As much as he didn't like his family, she wasn't sure how he'd take this. It was his unpredictability that she loved and hated the most about him. She took a deep breath and finally spoke.

"Reguls isn't out of the country Sirius." she said quietly. Holly concentrated very hard on her arms, so she wouldn't have to look at him.

"What do you mean?" Oh God, he didn't know.

"He's in Azkaban." she said choking back the tears. This is not a conversation she wanted to have with him. Sirius didn't say anything for a while. She didn't she the flash of pity and pain that suddenly went to anger and faded to fake amusement in his eyes.

"How do you know this?"

"He's a Death Eater Siri. He was caught last week after supposedly killing someone. I did the paper work last week. His trial's on Wednesday." She did, however, see him stand up and stare intensely at the trees ahead of him.

His hands were shoved in the pockets of his jeans and he slumped over a little bit like he was in deep thought. Maybe he did care after all. Holly wanted to make him feel better, she knew it was hard for him to display certain emotions in front of people.

"Siri, he'll probably get off. There's no real proof he did it. He'll be fine." She stood up and walked behind him. They didn't touch. Once again he didn't say anything. She should have just kept her mouth shut. Somehow she felt that if anything was going to happen between them, those chances just broke into a million pieces. She waited several minutes, but still he remained silent. She looked down at the ground in defeat and she began to leave quietly. All Holly wanted was to go home, crawl into bed, cry, and forget that she messed up everything.

"Why are you leaving?" he called out to her suddenly.

"I figured you'd like to be alone." he came over to her and looked down into her watery eyes and shook his head, making a few strands of raven hair fall into his face.

"No." he said softly taking her hands into his. The moon shone brightly on them. "I'd like to say this is a shock, but it isn't. I knew he'd be one of them in the end, but I guess the reality is just kind of weird. To think someone that has the same blood running though your veins can be someone like them." his eyes were so intense her breath seem to leave her. "I would have found out sooner or later, but I'm glad it was you who told me."

"Why?"

"Because your so honest and sweet. I know that you'd never do anything to hurt anyone intentionally. And…"

"Sirius don't." she looked away. A huge wave of guilt filled her. She thought to herself that now if he knew about her past he'd never want her this way again.

"No, really. Holly I…"

"No. You only think you do. You wouldn't if…" she broke away and she ran all the way back to the main road. Every step killing her inside. When she got to the main road she could hear him coming behind her. She gave him a pain filled look, and apperated home. When Sirius got to the road all he found of her was a daisy lying on the ground.