Anything But Mine

Disclaimer: I do not own or claim to own anything in the Harry Potter universe. The only thing that belongs to me is the idea and Brenda. This is for entertainment purposes only.

Summary: SBHG. Sirius has fallen for her. The only problem is that she married someone else. I just don't see how you could ever be anything but mine.

A/N: This chapter is dedicated to RazberryTwist for leaving such sweet reviews! She brings tears to my eyes with her kind words!

Chapter 8 - I Turn To You

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For a shield from the storm,
For a friend, for a love
to keep me safe and warm
I turn to you.
For the strength to be strong,
For the will to carry on
For everything you do,
for everything that's true
I turn to you.
I turn to you...

I Turn To You - Christina Aguliera

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Sirius shifted on his couch again, staring into space. He had come home and tried to find sleep, but found it difficult. All he could think about was how Hermione had felt in his arms. He hadn't changed his t-shirt, although her tears had dried. He didn't know how he would ever be able to take the shirt off.

Shifting again, trying to find a comfortable position, Sirius checked the clock. He had only left Remus' place two hours ago. He wondered if she was okay. Was she still asleep, or wide-awake?

Sirius gave up sleeping. He stood up and went to his restroom, shifting through his various potions, looking for relief from his headache. After downing the nasty liquid, Sirius saw the potion to sober up after drinking. He picked it up and studied it for a moment before slipping it in his pocket.

It wouldn't hurt to check on Hermione, and leave this potion for her when she wakes up tomorrow. Without bothering to put his shoes on, he apparated to Remus' place.

The house was almost dark; the only light coming from the fire left burning in their fireplace. Sirius quickly climbed the stairs, pausing on the landing. The only sounds he heard were the cracking of the fire and a light snoring coming from his best friend's room.

Putting his hand on the doorknob, Sirius quietly opened the door to the guest room. He could make out Hermione's small figure snuggled in the bed. As quietly as he could, he crept up beside her bed. Her eyes were closed and she had her hands tucked up under her chin. She was still wearing the skirt she had come over in, with his black shirt over it. After watching her for a moment Sirius put the small potion on the nightstand and started to leave the room.

"Don't go…" a small voice said, stopping him. With one hand on the doorknob, Sirius turned back to the small bed.

"I'm awake. You don't have to go." she repeated.

Sirius felt his face flame red with embarrassment. He didn't want her to think he had been spying on her. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you." he said. "I just wanted to leave you a potion for in the morning."

"You didn't wake me. I've been up since you and Tonks put me to bed." she sat up then, focusing on Sirius in the dark. "What potion did you bring?"

Finally stepping away from the door, Sirius walked back to the bed and picked up the small bottle, handing it to her. "It's an instant sobering potion."

Hermione uncorked the bottle and quickly took a swig, her face scrunching up. "Yuck.." she muttered, sitting the empty bottle back on the table.

"Thank you." she said softly.

"No problem." Sirius replied, running his hand through his hair, studying her in the dark. Her hair was tousled and fell around her face in unruly curls. His shirt had slipped down on one side, revealing her bare shoulder.

"You couldn't sleep either?" she finally whispered, saving Sirius from his current thoughts.

"No. Not really." he replied.

"I thought about going home, but I didn't want to be alone tonight. I figured I would rather lay awake here then lay awake in that small hotel room." Hermione explained.

"Maybe now you can try to sleep." Sirius said.

"Thanks for earlier." Hermione replied. "I remember you holding me."

"It's okay. I was glad to comfort you." Sirius said. "You needed a friend."

"I need one now. Since you are already awake." she said. "If you don't mind."

Sirius smiled in the dark. "For you, anything."

Hermione stood up then. "Let's go get some hot chocolate." she said, stepping past him and opening up the door. "Sshhh…" she whispered, as they stepped out into the hall.

Sirius followed behind her until they were in the kitchen. She moved to the cupboard, but he put his hand on her arm. "Go sit down by the fire. I'll make it." he said nodding towards the living room.

Hermione smiled and walked away. Sirius quickly began to make the hot chocolate, letting his mind wonder to the way she looked in that skirt as she had left the room. Coco beans went all over the floor as his hand started to shake.

When the chocolate was done, he carried both mugs into the living room, where she was curled up on the couch that was beside the fire.

"Here you go." he said, handing her one of the cups. Sirius sat down in the chair across from her, cradling his own cup between his hands.

"I am not going to drink alcohol anymore." she finally said, her face turned to the fire.

Sirius looked at her. "That's a good idea."

She smiled. "I mean it. I am too strong to hide behind the bottle. I need to quit being weak and start fixing the problem."

Sirius decided not to say anything. He simply watched the fire, waiting for her to continue.

"I shouldn't have married Ron." she finally admitted, looking over at him.

Sirius looked up at her. "Then why did you?"

Upstairs, the sound of Remus snoring got louder. Hermione smiled a small smile before her face fell again.

"I had to. He was the only one there. I didn't want to end up alone some day. I don't believe in true love. I see it with Ginny and Harry, and Remus and Tonks, but I don't see it with myself. I love Ron as my best friend, but nothing more. That's the best I'll ever have." she admitted, small tears making trails down her cheeks.

She sniffed. "I have to make this work. I am in this relationship now, and I need to keep it. I won't let it fail. Maybe I should be doing something. I don't know what, but something. I should…"

"It's not your fault." Sirius interrupted her, his voice harsher than he meant it.

She stopped and looked over at him. "I can repeat hundreds of spells, I can turn goblets into frogs, I helped take down one of the most powerful wizards history has ever known, but I can't make my marriage to my best friend work." she said.

Sirius sat his mug down on the floor and stood up, going over to the couch. He sat down beside her, putting his hand on her shoulder, turning her so she had to look at him.

"Don't you blame yourself or look at this as a failure on your part Hermione." he said, studying her.

Hermione smiled at him gently. The reflection of the fire was dancing in his eyes, the warm lights flickering across his face. "It's not a complete failure yet. I can still fix this somehow." she said, squaring her shoulders.

Sirius let go of her, dropping his hands to his lap. He was aware of her leg pressed against his, the smell of her perfume tickling his nose. "You could fix it by leaving. It's the best thing for the both of you. You could fall in love with someone who loves you just as much as you love him. You could fall in love with someone who would do anything in the world for you. Someone who would pull the stars from the sky just to give to you."

"Didn't you hear me Sirius? I don't believe in true love like that. There won't be anything as romantic as that in my future, even if I did leave Ron. Nobody would love me like that. So I have to try and make this work."

Sirius reached out and tucked a stray curl behind her ear. "There is always true love Hermione. And someone would love you like that, if you just took the time to look for him. He could be right in front of your eyes, but with an attitude like that, you'll never see him." Sirius told her, his voice shaking.

She smiled. "You paint a wonderful picture, but I don't see myself ever in it. I am going to make this work with Ron. I have to. I am going to talk to him, ask him to try. We are best friends, and that is a wonderful start to any marriage."

Hermione returned her eyes to the fire, trying to hide the tears that rolled down her face.

Sirius didn't miss them though, hooking his finger under her chin, he turned her face back to him. "Don't cry. Things will work out. You are the bravest and smartest witch I have ever known, and you'll work your way through this."

Without thinking, Sirius wrapped his arm around her, and she fell into his embrace. Leaning up against the back of the couch, he felt her settle into the crook of his arm. She pulled her feet up behind her and reclined, resting her cheek on his chest. Her small body shook with tears for only a moment before she stopped. "I am not going to cry anymore." she said softly, her words muffled against his body.

Sirius didn't say anything; he just ran his hands through her curls, enjoying the feel of her in his arms at least one more time.

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"Remus, wake up!" Tonks said again, slapping him on the shoulder.

The snores stopped as he rolled over. "Wha?" he mumbled, opening his eyes, the morning sunlight burning them.

Tonks was standing on his side of the bed, her pink hair standing up all over the place. "It's Hermione. I went to check on her and she's not in her room."

Remus sat up. "Maybe she went back to the hotel room."

"But what if she didn't? She was so upset last night. What if she went somewhere else? Or was still to drunk to apparate?"

"Are you sure she's not in the kitchen or the restroom?" he asked, standing up and slipping his feet into slippers.

"I checked the restroom, but I didn't go downstairs yet." she admitted.

Remus slipped his dressing gown on. "Well, let's go see if she's down there before we panic."

Tonks nodded, following Remus out of their room and down the stairs. She turned the kitchen light on. Remus looked around the kitchen. "She's not here. Tonks?"

Tonks was standing in the doorway of the living room, ignoring Remus. "Did you hear me?" he asked again, walking up beside her.

Tonks put her hand on his shoulder, trying to get his attention. "I found her." she whispered.

Remus moved over to look in the living room. Sirius was laying on his side, stretched out on the couch, wearing a white t-shirt and black sweatpants. He had no shoes on. Stretched out in front of him was Hermione, still wearing the black skirt and Sirius' shirt. Her head was buried in Sirius' chest, her legs tucked under his. One of his arms was under his head, while the other one was wrapped around her, holding her close.

"I don't believe it…" Tonks whispered.

"When did he come back?" Remus said, pulling his girlfriend back into the kitchen.

"He must have come back last night." she replied, going to make coffee. "They must have drunk hot chocolate to. They left a mess." she grumbled, quickly cleaning up the spilled coco beans.

Remus sat down at the table. "Do you think we should wake them up?"

"No, I think we should let them sleep for awhile." she replied. "But I do think we need to do what we talked about last night."

They had lain awake for an hour before going to bed, trying to decide what to do for Hermione. "You still think we should tell Harry everything?" Remus asked.

"If there is one person who could do anything about Ron, it's Harry." Tonks said. "That or we tell Molly."

"I think Harry is the safer choice." Remus replied, not wanting to admit he was terrified of Molly when she got mad.

"Once they get up, Sirius and I will go talk to Harry." Remus said, sipping his coffee.

Tonks sat down across from him. "I'll make sure Hermione gets back to the hotel and packed up to go home. Maybe once they get home and are living in the Burrow again, Ron won't risk sneaking out anyways."

"I hope.." Remus trailed off.

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Sirius woke up to the smell of coffee. He shifted slightly and felt a weight beside him. Opening his eyes, he looked down to see Hermione sleeping in his arms. They were stretched out on the couch, and he could feel her legs wrapped around his.

The last thing Sirius had remembered before falling asleep was stroking her hair while they were still sitting up. They must have moved in their sleep. Sirius wasn't complaining through, she felt wonderful stretched up against him.

Hermione's nose wrinkled up and she shifted her head, but didn't wake up. Sirius let out his breath slowly and rested his head against the top of hers. He listened to Remus and Tonks whispering in the kitchen, but made no move to get up. Right now this was right were he wanted to be.