A/N:Hi! Sorry im a bit late, this weekend was busy!

Thank you to my Alphabet, WordsmithMusings!

Hope you enjoy 3

Chapter Six:

The afternoon passed by in a blur of old scribblings and loud fights. Draco and Sirius had trouble coexisting; Sirius couldn't handle sitting idly, and Draco couldn't handle his restlessness.

Hermione had been at her wit's end for the better part of an hour as Sirius' bouncing leg shook the floor.

"Oh, for Merlin's sake," Hermione grumbled. She set the book down, a headache already pounding behind her eyes. So far, she'd found nothing of value about the bond. "I think we need to have a conversation about ground rules."

"Like not bouncing a hole into the floor?" Draco bit, sending a glare towards Sirius.

Sirius' lip curled like a snarling dog. "How about not checking out Hermione when she isn't looking?" The air turned electrified. Draco's jaw clenched, and Sirius gave a victorious grin. "Oh yes. I can see it; the way you stare at her."

Hermione's face flushed. Ignoring the comment, she cleared her throat. "Will you two stop it? We need to figure some things out; we are literally shackled together. If we want any semblance of peace till we figure this out, we need to establish boundaries."

Draco leant back in his chair, his face sour. Sirius did the same, though he looked highly amused and proud of himself.

"What do you propose, kitten?" Sirius asked, his leg draped over the other and thumb skimming his bottom lip.

"You could stop calling her kitten for one thing..." Draco muttered.

"Firstly, you both need to relax on the pissing contest." She looked between Sirius and Draco, feeling very much like a mediator between lovers. "The fights only make things difficult. Stop trying to catch each other out. If we want to get out of this situation, we need to work together."

They both glared at each other, and Hermione cleared her throat. Draco huffed and sat back, sending the glare to her. "Fine."

"Sirius?"

Sirius crossed his arms. "Fine."

"Good," Hermione continued. "Second, I think we should keep that rule from last night about keeping eyes up during showers."

Sirius laughed. "You seemed to break that rule more than us, Hermione."

"Granger likes to break all the rules when it suits her best."

Hermione's face heated again, and Draco chuckled with Sirius.

"Third," Hermione said3, ignoring them. "We do one thing someone else wants to every day. That way, we don't need to deal with any more leg wabbling."

"And we have a house-elf brought in," Draco spoke up. "I can't stand any more of that shit tea Black makes. I can have one sent from the Manor."

Hermione bristled. "Out of the question. We can make our own food."

Draco sat up and turned to her, his arm tugging on the bond to pull her closer. Hermione lurched forward as her face came in front of Draco's, and she sent him a glare.

"Fine. Then I want to teach you to fly." Draco let go of the rope, and Hermione sagged back.

"What?" she asked. "What in Merlin's name would make you think I'd agree to that?"

Draco shrugged. "It's either that or a house-elf. Your pick, Granger."

Hermione glanced at Sirius, who was watching the interaction with an amused smirk. "Don't look at me, kitten. I wouldn't mind either."

With a groan, Hermione snapped her book shut. "If I fall from the broom and die, it'll be on your hands."

Draco grinned and held up his hand, the glowing rope illuminating his face. "With these, I don't think that's possible."

xXxXxXx

Hermione cursed every deity that existed—anyone that could hear it. How she managed to be swindled into learning to fly, she didn't know. But here she was, a hundred feet in the air and heart plummeting. Damn her and her moral high horse.

"We're not even twenty feet off the ground yet," Draco muttered into her ear. "You're so dramatic."

"Me?!"

Draco laughed, his chest vibrating against her back. "Yes, extremely. You insisted we go somewhere remote, so here we are smack-dab in the Scottish countryside." He gestured to the wide green fields that stretched before them. "We're sharing a broom, Granger. You won't fall."

"You have a fail-safe, Hermione," Sirius said on his own broom beside them, both of their arms hung limply in the air, the glowing rope illuminating against the morning fog. "Even if you fall, we'll catch you."

Hermione knew that was true. She knew she was safe between Draco's arms and Sirius beside them. But it still didn't stop her heart from clenching when she looked back down to the ground.

"I'm going to move forward now, so you'll just have to deal with it," Draco said. His hands gripped the broom handle between her knees, and his body leant forward slightly. The broom began to float forward leisurely, like being on a bicycle. Hermione even began to enjoy it, the wind blowing through her curls.

And then Draco's knuckle grazed the inside of her exposed knee, and she jumped. The broom tipped sideways, and in an effort to correct the fall, Hermione shifted to the other side. It began to warble in the air, and Draco gripped her waist tightly to steady her momentum.

"Easy, Granger! You'll tip us both off." His forearm dug into her stomach, and her hands reached to grip it. The broom finally stilled, and Hermione's pulse thrummed beneath her skin.

Sirius reached over and placed a hand on her head. "Are you alright, Hermione?"

Laughter burst from her lips, and tears pricked the corners of her eyes. Sirius' touch brought the relief she needed. Before long, Sirius joined, and even Draco's chest vibrated behind her.

"Please get me off of this death contraption, Malfoy." Hermione chuckled, wiping the wetness from her face.

Draco dropped his grip from her waist, Hermione's laughter stopping as his fingers ghosted down her side. "Alright, fine. We'll find something else to do."

"Don't think that'll be a problem, mate," Sirius said, his voice turning tense.

Hermione and Draco followed his gaze to the figure below. Kingsley stood in the grass, watching them with narrowed eyes and an angry stare.

"Come down," Kingsley called up to them. "We need to talk."

"Well, fuck." Hermione mumbled. She didn't miss the look Sirius and Draco shared over her expletive.

Hermione had explained how they arrived in Scotland—Kingsley looked ready to pass out when she told him they'd Apparated. He thought they had flown all the way there.

"No one was around," Hermione said when they all Apparated back to Grimmauld. "Draco said it was a place he used to go, and there isn't a Muggle around for miles."

The chair beneath Kinglsey squeaked against the stone as he slid into it. Hermione frowned while his chest heaved to catch a breath. Had he been panicking? Over them disappearing?

"There will be no more flying," Kingsley said. "No one can see you."

The room fell silent, and Draco sat across the table from the Minister; Hermione and Sirius followed suit. A tenseness invaded the air. What was Kingsley up to?

"And my hearing next week?" Draco asked, his tone implying he already knew the answer.

"Your hearing will happen if you can figure out a way to break this bond. Otherwise, I can't allow it."

"Funny how the Ministry works until it's something that raises too many questions," Sirius piped up, inspecting his fingernails for dirt. He sprawled in the chair, looking completely at ease. "Didn't think you'd be the type, Shacklebolt."

They all knew what he was insinuating. Sirius' sentencing had been a point of contention since his escape from Azkaban. Kingsley opened and closed his mouth. He was a good man, but Hermione knew what kind of pressures it took to run the Ministry.

"Make them all sign a magical non-disclosure agreement," Hermione said. "Every person has a right to see the Wizengamot. Draco is no different."

"I don't need your help, Granger." Draco bit out. "You don't want part of this."

"Well, I'm going to give it, anyway!" She looked to Kingsley, "If you don't give Draco his hearing, Department of Mystery be damned; I will go to the Ministry right now and show everyone the bond."

Hermione could feel Draco's eyes boring into the side of her face. Sirius chuckled quietly beside her, and Kingsley glared at her across the table. She could see him weighing the options behind his eyes, juggling around the possibilities and what option would be best, if Hermione really meant it.

After a few moments, he finally sighed and rubbed his brow. "Fine. You'll have your hearing in eight days." He stood in a flourish of blue robes. "I only came to check on you all, but I'm very glad to see you've been getting along."

They all continued to sit as he left through the front door, the glass rattling as it shut behind him.

"I didn't even get to ask him how he found us," Sirius muttered sullenly.

Hermione perked up. "Oh, the Minister has a registry of all wizards and witches! The spell is passed down from Minster to Minster, but they can trace certain magical signatures. I'm assuming that's what he did. Interestingly enough, the registry was hidden after the death of Scrimegour..." She began to trail off as twin grins spread across the mens' faces. "And revealed its location when Kingsley took office."

A beat of silence passed. Hermione glanced between the amused faces of Sirius and Draco as a blush spread across her cheeks.

"I'm glad to see not much has changed since school, Granger." Draco chuckled, his cheek leant against his hand.

Sirius tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "I don't think there's much that could change that brilliant mind."

Hermione felt on display, and her skin prickled where Sirius had touched her. She couldn't pinpoint the tremors wracking through her body or the way Draco's eyes set her alight. But then a final emotion passed through her.

Arousal. She felt arousal.

"How about a shower before dinner?" Sirius asked, only furthering the dread Hermione felt. "I feel a bit mangey."

Draco agreed, and they stood. Hermione's wrists raised in the air—she had no choice but to stand. They were sure to know what she was going through if the heat of her face was anything to go by. She couldn't look at them; it only made it worse.

"Alright, kitten?" Sirius asked, his palm resting on her forehead. "You look flushed."

The touch of Sirius' hand caused Hermione to jump in surprise, and she batted his hand away. "I'm fine!" Her arms pulled behind her as she raced towards the stairs. Draco and Sirius trailed behind her, their eyes boring holes into her back—she could feel it.

The bathroom loomed before her, her heart rate only increasing when she remembered she'd have to undress. And see them undress. Hermione wasn't sure she'd ever get used to this part, showering with them.

Sirius started the shower while Hermione and Draco undressed. Hermione kept her eyes skyward and tried her best to cover her chest with her arms while the men were undressing.

"S-Sirius?" Hermione cleared her throat. Her lack of modesty brought forth a question. "How would you feel about transfiguring the shower to a tub? It might make this a bit easier."

He agreed, and Hermione grabbed her wand. The magic thrummed through her, and she forgot about being naked while the shower transformed, bricks restacking and forming to shape a large tub. The final stone slid into place, and Hermione stepped back to see her handiwork. A tub big enough for three or four people now filled the space, a curved bench inside of it against all walls.

Hermione reached forward and turned on the faucet, hot water spilling from the nozzle. Seeing the rope glow brightly around her wrist reminded her of who she was with; she'd been so caught up in the spell. Turning, Hermione looked back to Sirius and Draco, her arms wrapping around her chest. Both men had reddened faces and towels draped around their waists. The room returned to awkward silence.

Once the tub filled, they climbed into it, a much easier task than climbing out would be. The bench provided a comfortable place to sit, and Hermione was glad for the modesty the bubbles atop the water provided.

For a few minutes, she closed her eyes and laid back, her knees brushing Sirius and Draco's on either side of her. Then she washed beneath the sudsy water. Shampooing her hair, however, was easier than rinsing. Hermione crouched down into the water, tipping her head back to scrub out the shampoo.

"Here," Draco reached out, his fingers working to her scalp to gently rub.

Shivers wracked down Hermione's spine, and she jumped slightly. "What—"

"You're taking too long, and I'm starting to prune," Draco said. "Figured I'd be faster."

Hermione didn't reply but allowed his gentle touch to rake through her curls, streaks of shampoo swirling into the water. She could feel Sirius' gaze on them, and when she glanced at him, his grey eyes were dark, like a storm at sea. His arms rested along the back of the tub, forefinger and thumb rubbing together in a steady rhythm. His other hand rested on his face, cradling his chin and mouth against his palm.

His gaze was immobilising, locking her muscles and joints in place.

"He says I stare at you," Draco's voice whispered hotly into her ear. "But he does too."

The arousal returned, bundling between her legs like a fire. Hermione rubbed them together to relieve some friction, but all it did was make it worse. Draco's fingers worked through the bottom of her hair, and his hands skimmed the centre of her back beneath the water. A small gasp emitted from her lips, and Sirius' eyes flashed.

It was too hot. The steam rising from the water made her dizzy, her quickening heart rate making it worse.

"I'd like to get out now," Hermione muttered, only wanting to bolt. But she knew if she tried, her shackles would only pull her back.

The dark look from Sirius disappeared instantly, but the storm in his eyes remained. It remained as they dried off; it remained as they dressed. Finally, as they made their way to the kitchen, his eyes returned to normal.

It was like standing on the edge of a tornado, the dark clouds passing by in a gust of wind. But it was still there, just far off, ready to return should the right breeze blow it back. The only problem was Hermione didn't know what the breeze was. She'd never seen a look like that before, as if he were mad and intrigued. As if he was...

As if he was jealous.

But he couldn't be, Hermione thought, as Sirius made them dinner. That would mean he was attracted to her, and that couldn't possibly be true.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the plates placed before them. Sirius had made...

"What is this?" Draco asked, his voice dripping with disgust. "It looks like something scraped from the bottom of a cauldron."

"I don't know what you mean! It's delicious." For emphasis, Sirius dipped his spoon into the brown mixture. As soon as he placed it in his mouth, Hermione knew it was nowhere near delicious.

Draco shoved the plate away from him, and Hermione tried not to laugh. "How about sandwiches for tonight, then? And tomorrow, I'll cook."

She stood and collected things needed for sandwiches while Sirius deposited his plates into the sink. Draco sat at the table all the while, his arm being pulled around while Hermione manoeuvred the kitchen. A sour expression marred his face until Hermione put edible food in front of him.

They ate in silence, Hermione itching to return to the study and continue reading. Together they stood, cleaning up the kitchen and going back to the other side of the house. It felt odd how natural it was for them to move as one unit—as if the three of them sticking up to Kingsley had unified them.

Hermione contemplated it as she returned to the desk and opened up the book. Unity. Could that be their bond? Was that what was needed to break it? She noted it down on a scrap piece of parchment, listing various other things that could possibly be needed. Some of these could be tested with counter-spells or curse-breakers, but it was a start, a list of things to try.

She looked towards Draco to tell him of her thoughts, and her brow furrowed. Draco was reading An Offer from a Gentleman, the giant pink Q of Julia Quinn's name reflected the lit fireplace.

"What..." Hermione muttered.

Draco looked up from his reading. When he discovered Hermione's eyes on the book, he grinned. "I bought The Duke and I as a laugh—to satisfy my curiosity. But I found myself enjoying it, so I purchased the rest of the series."

"What is it?" Sirius asked, leaning forward to get a better look at the cover.

Draco replaced his mark and handed the book to Sirius. "It's nothing more than Regency-era smut, but with some romantic love story and plot mixed in."

Sirius flipped through the pages, stopping at certain parts to glance over the words. "And you discovered this... how?"

"Our shackle-companion, Granger, loves them."

Hermione's mouth dropped, her lips parting slightly as a blush overtook her face. Embarrassment curled in her stomach, only made worse when both grinning men turned to her. Knowing that Draco had read what happened in those books, that she enjoyed reading them... She figured when he had asked her what her favourite book was; he'd forget it the next moment.

But no, of course, he'd read the damn things.

Hermione clenched her jaw and sent both of them a glare. "Perhaps you could make yourself more useful, Malfoy, instead of reading—that." Hermione grabbed her quill and returned to her notes. "Then we wouldn't have to be 'shackle-companions'."

The room returned to silence, but Hermione swore she saw Draco smiling from the corner of her eye. Sirius took a small knife from his pocket and a wooden figure from the other. He widdled away at it, the sound of scraping filling the room.

The rustle of paper and flip of a page drew Hermione from her reading. She knew that Draco was being dramatic with it, that he wanted her to know. She did wonder what part he was at, what he thought about during the heated moments. She wondered if he felt what she did in the tub earlier—when he had whispered into her ear.

The feeling of eyes watching her crawled over her skin. She glanced up, Draco's gaze on his book and Sirius on his figurine. Slight disappointment radiated from Hermione, but she was sure there had been something, had been some shimmer of movement just as she looked up. Like they had both looked away just before she raised her eyes.

Or perhaps she was crazy. They were toying with her. Sirius and Draco were too similar, too mischievous. Well, if she could handle the twins, Hermione could handle a Black and a Malfoy.

The night passed by in relative comfort; eventually, Hermione hadn't been able to contain herself any longer and told Draco what she hypothesised. They bounced ideas off of each other, Sirius there to referee disagreements and offer support when they got stuck. They were an efficient team and eventually had narrowed it down to only a handful of things that could work.

"This is what we'll work on this week," Hermione said as she organised her papers. "Maybe we'll be able to break it before your hearing, Malfoy. Something has to work."

Draco sighed and settled back into his chair, returning to An Offer from A Gentleman, "One can only hope, Granger."