DISCLAIMER: Deep in the jungle there lies a mountainous tree with millions upon millions of leaves. Every year, one leaf falls off. By the time the last leaf falls, I will still not own Harry Potter.

Summary: Through the barrier and into…a different time? Hermione finds herself in the Marauder's time. In a story of hate, lies, and hurt, Hermione finds something else….love.

DEDICATION: This chapter is dedicated to those who lost a loved one in the mining accident in the Sago Mines, West Virginia and to the Toler Family. This chapter is for Martin Toler Jr., devoted husband and Christian. I love you Jr.!

Chapter 15:

Toast, bacon, eggs, and pancakes.

Hermione stared at her plate with wide eyes as the food just continued to pile up, forming a large dome on her plate. She, of course, was not doing the piling for she had been about to eat a plain muffin when the food began to grow. The one doing the piling was, in fact, the guy sitting beside of her holding an animated conversation with James.

"Sirius," she said forcibly, gaining her boyfriend's attention, "what are you doing?"

He looked at her with a mask of confusion mixed in with innocence. "Why, I'm helping you. You eat entirely too little, my dear. You need to eat more."

She glared at him, shoving the plate away from her and grabbing up a blueberry muffin. "I think I can manage to feed myself, thanks."

Remus and James chuckled behind their hands as they watched the battle that was about to follow. They went through this at almost every meal, seeing how Sirius felt he should enforce Hermione's eating habits to that of his.

"I'm just saying….," he began.

"That I need to eat more," she finished. "Yeah, I heard you the first ten times you done it, but obviously you didn't here me the numerous times I've told you that I can feed myself."

"I'm just saying that you're thin," he stated, biting into his bacon. "You need to gain some more weight."

"I don't need to gain weight," she stated flatly, "I'm perfectly fine as I am, thank you very much. You, however, need to worry about your own weight. You're not exactly maintaining your previously figure very well anymore, you know…"

Sirius instantly dropped the biscuit that was currently being shoveled in his mouth, looking down at his plate in fear, then down at his stomach. He looked frantically at her. "Am I really gaining weight? Can you tell? Am I fat?"

Hermione shook her head slowly, gathering her stuff and standing to her feet. She planted a kiss onto his lips and smiled. "You'll always be adorable to me, no matter how fat you get."

As she walked away, she heard him asking James, "Am I getting fat, Prongs? You'd tell me the truth, wouldn't you?"

"Want some company?"

Hermione turned and offered Remus a smile. He looked a little worse for the wear and she realized that the full moon would arrive in about two days, the first day of Christmas break. "Sure, I'm heading to the library if you want to come."

He nodded and hitched his bag higher up on his shoulder, matching her stride. She wanted to comfort him, tell him that she knew about his infliction, but she didn't know how to explain the simple fact that she knew. So instead, she chose silence.

As the entered the library, Hermione noticed that two girls sat at their usual table. She turned to look at Remus and saw that he had noticed this too, but there was something else in his eyes.

"Do you want to sit with them or find another seat?" Hermione asked slowly, watching him as he looked intently at one of the girls with reddish-brown hair.

"Let's….let's see if we can sit with them," he said slowly. "Jess won't care, I'm sure."

"And the other girl?"

"Kim?" he asked, still looking at the girl. "I don't know…we've never really talked…."

"Haven't or haven't tried?" Hermione teased, leaving him standing there to join the two Ravenclaws. "Excuse me, do you care if Remus and I sit with you?"

Jessica Kingston and Kim Mathers looked up and smiled. Jess was the one to answer and scooted her stuff over to make room for the newcomers.

Remus sat down slowly beside of Kim, the girl with the reddish-brown hair, and Hermione noticed a faint blush gracing his cheeks. She smiled and looked over at Jess who was also smiling, happily noticing that Kim was, too, sporting a pink stain.

"You're Hermione, right?" Jess asked. "I've heard about you from Remus but I have yet to meet you. It's a pleasure to meet someone who is so knowledgeable in Potions that isn't a Slytherin, let me tell you."

Hermione smiled slightly and glanced down at her text books, embarrassed. "Thank you, but I'm not that good, not as good as Snape anyways."

"Well," Jess said with a laugh, "I doubt anyone could be as good as him as he practically lives in the dungeons, slaving over his cauldron."

Hermione laughed, too, and chanced a glance over at Remus and Kim and happily noted that they were chatting passionately about something.

Jess leaned over. "They've liked each other for a good while now, they've just been skirting around each other. I swear, they're both to chicken to admit how they feel. Kim, though, I'm surprised at seeing how she generally is a 'go get them' type."

"But she probably never felt about them the way she does about Remus," Hermione said softly. "I know I was so scared about admitting how I felt for Sirius."

Jess laughed. "I totally agree there, I'm still trying to work up enough nerve to tell Ryan how I feel and we've known each other for thirteen years now. I think I'll die loving that boy…and he'll never know," she added sadly on an afterthought.

"I'm sure he does," I said, patting her hand softly. "He just needs some encouragement to make that final step. Why don't you send him a little something for Christmas?"

Jess frowned, "But I always send him something… I always get him chocolate."

"Well, why don't you go the extra step this year and get him something more?" Hermione asked. "Get him something that he excuse for friendly feelings.

"And if he doesn't feel the same way?"

Hermione looked over at Remus and Kim then back to Jess. "You won't know till you try, and believe me, it's worth it," she said, thinking of Sirius. "It's well worth it."

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The first day of Christmas break arrived and Hermione was happy that most of the student population had decided to leave for the holiday season. James had invited Hermione to the Potter's for Christmas but she did not want to intrude.

Remus and Lily decided to go with James and Peter went to his own home. Sirius had been torn between going with James to his second family or staying with Hermione. He chose the latter despite her protests for him to leave.

She shoved the covers off of her and climbed out of her bed, deciding to just leave her pajamas on since she was only planning on staying in the common room. She didn't have anyone to impress…well, no one who didn't like her already.

She headed barefoot down the stairs towards the common room. She found Sirius already waiting for her in front of the fire. He turned slowly and smiled at her as she walked towards him, running his eyes over her body.

Hermione smiled at his choice in pajamas. He wore black cotton pants that hung low on his hips. His dark green silk boxers were just visible above the waistline of his pants, making Hermione unconsciously run her tongue over her dry lips as her eyes focused on that spot.

He was shirtless, Hermione finally noticed as she ran her eyes back up, finding that she could not tear her gaze from his muscular chest. (As if any of us could)

He, likewise, smiled in appreciation of her outfit. She wore white pajama pants that had green stripes down them. She also wore a light green spaghetti shirt that showed off a lot of skin. She wore her hair down, the curls wild from sleep.

He grabbed her waist and pulled her down onto his lap. She ran her hands through his hair as he kissed her. He deepened the kiss as she moaned.

Finally, he broke the kiss, pulling back a little, and smiled tenderly at her. "Good morning," he said as he kissed his way down the column of her neck.

"Mmm…good morning to you too," Hermione purred.

"Did you sleep well?" Sirius nipped her earlobe with his teeth.

"Um…," Hermione couldn't concentrate, not with him doing that. "What?"

Sirius chuckled and pulled back to kiss the corner of her lips. "Did you sleep well?" he repeated, his eyes chuckling at her.

"Yes." She leaned back from his distracting yet tempting lips to concentrate on his words, much to his objection. "What do you want to do today?"

"Doesn't matter," Sirius said as he tried to pull her close to kiss her again, growing frustrated as she continued to avoid him. "Come here woman so I can kiss you!"

"I don't think so," Hermione said as she struggled to keep him from pulling her close.

"Why not?" he wined, giving her his best puppy face.

"Because you are too distracting," she explained patiently. "Because I cannot concentrate when you're doing that."

"Is that a bad thing?" Sirius said, putting more "poor beaten puppy" into his look.

"It's a very bad thing," Hermione told him honestly with a sigh. She rose from his lap. "As much as I hate to leave the common room, I'm hungry. I'm going to go up and get dressed then head down to breakfast. Care to join me?"

Sirius contemplated it for a moment. "How about I go nick us something from the kitchens and we eat in here? I'll scare all the others away so we won't be interrupted."

"That would be lovely."

"Great," Sirius exclaimed, jumping from his seat. "I'll go get us some food!" he called as he bolted towards the portrait hole.

"Put on a shirt!" Hermione yelled after him, and chuckled when she saw that he had already rounded the corner. She didn't know what she was going to do with that boy.

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After breakfast, Hermione and Sirius spent the rest of the day just lounging about and cuddling. They sat by the window, with Sirius' arms wrapped tightly around her waist, watching the snow fall gently to the ground. They didn't talk much, words were superfluous. Instead, they just enjoyed each other's company.

Sirius went and got them more food from the kitchens for lunch and supper. The other Gryffindors left them alone, noticing the new couple's need for privacy and some quality one-on-one time.

As they were cuddled on the couch that night in front of the fire, Sirius silently wondered why Hermione was so guarded about her past. He wanted to ask her but he didn't want to ruin the moment. They were having such a good day, he didn't want to upset her.

Hearing her gently breathing, he looked down at her face and saw that she was asleep. There was no worries or troubles on her face then, just bliss.

Sirius smiled and gently pressed his lips to her forehead, letting them linger there for a minute before slowly pulling back. He could ask her about it tomorrow, right now he just wanted to hold her and chase all of her troubles away.

A/N: Sorry that I haven't updated in a while, but last week was utter chaos here, as some of you know. Review please. Much love, Amaya.