As he walked into the cell, still cautious of the dementor outside the door, a horrible smell of filled his nose. Remus thought for a moment that it might just be his heightened sense of smell (a gift or curse of being a werewolf, depending on how you looked at it), but then noticed the untouched tray of food at his feet. It seemed like it was decaying.

He tried not to think about how long it had been sitting there and instead looked at the man sitting, curled up in the corner. He barely recognized him. In those few months he had been freed he'd gotten so much healthier, losing a lot of the marks Azkaban had given him. He hadn't known at the time, but he guessed a lot of credit for that could go to Harry and their relationship.

Now, after about nine months or so back in a cell, he looked almost as bad as when he had first broken out.

"Oh Sirius, we always said your exhibitionistic ways would get you in trouble, but when you started stripping in the common room, I had no idea it would lead to this." He shook his head and Sirius looked up at him, his eyes hollow. "If only you and Harry had waited a few more months. Or at least stuck to the house instead of the bloody garden." He had sat down next to him before Sirius replied.

"I thought you weren't allowed to visit…"

"I wasn't, but Harry pulled a few strings." Sirius's eyes sparkled with hope for a moment.

"Is he here?"

"Yeah, but only because he was worried about what the Dementors could do if I came alone. He's so much like James sometimes…" Sirius nodded slowly and smiled. "I don't think he's up for anything today." The spark disappeared, replaced by confusion and disappointment.

"Why not?"

"He's been extremely upset."

"And he thinks I haven't been?" Remus sighed.

"Of course he knows you're upset too, but I think there's a slight difference." His eyes narrowed angrily.

"And how do you figure that one?"

"Well, for one, I think he blames himself, even if there's was nothing he could do to stop it. Secondly, it's also a matter or betrayal, I take it you remember how that feels?" Sirius raised an eyebrow and Remus sighed.

"Betrayal?"

"How much exactly do you know?"

"That he miscarried the baby."

"It wasn't exactly miscarriage, that's accidental…." As Sirius listened, he could hardly believe his ears. Apparently someone had discovered his pregnancy but instead of informing a teacher, had decided to take matters into their own hands. They had guessed that the potion must have been slipped to Harry at meals for about a week before he'd lost the baby.

"We went to the hearing last week. She thought he didn't know and that it had somehow happened accidentally. Apparently, she was 'protecting him' by doing it."

"What happened?"

"Well, it's something you don't see everyday, her wand was broken and in front of all of us, she was stripped of all her magic. She's nothing more than a muggle now." Sirius was left speechless.

"I just can't believe it… Hermione. She seemed so nice."

"Yeah. I think that she is actually a nice person, but she made a mistake that's cost her her entire future in the Wizarding world." Remus shook his head.

"It wasn't even born yet, I mean, I'd only known about it for a few weeks, but it feels like I've lost a piece of me. I can't eat, I can't sleep…"

"That's understandable, you've just lost a baby, even if you weren't carrying it…" Remus put a hand on his knee and patted it comfortingly. "But you have to admit, the plan was… flawed."

"Flawed? How so?"

"Well, before you got him pregnant, before you even got into a relationship with Harry… Did you stop to think about James?" Sirius looked at him solemnly.

"Do you think I don't? Do you think I don't see James every time I look at him?"

"So what about him then? You're having it with his son. Do you think he'd approve? Do you think he'd want you to father his grandchild?" Sirius thought for a moment before looking down and shrugging.

"I really don't know anymore, Remus." Remus pushed away the pang of guilt and carried on, knowing he needed to be brutal to get through to Sirius.

"And what are you going to do when he gets pregnant? Leave him to have a baby by himself?" Sirius looked at him, clearly insulted.

"First I have to get out of here… But once I do, of course I won't abandon him. I still have the family funds and I'll use that to buy everything the baby will need and I'll make sure I get the best room in St Mungos for the birth and I'll be with him and…" Remus stopped Sirius's babbling.

"But what about after? After he told me what exactly he was doing taking the bloody pregnancy potion and why, I looked up that law in detail. He's okay with the 'fine print' and consequences now, but what's he going to feel like when he has to comply with them?"

"If it's marriage they want, I'll do it!" Remus stood up and shook his head.

"We'll find another way to get you out of here. This one's not worth it in the long run." He started towards the door.

"Remus…" He turned his head to look at him and Sirius could barely handle the disappointment in his eyes. "I just….I just want him to be happy."

"And you think…" He turned around and waved his arms around the room." You think all of this makes him happy? He already has to worry about Voldemort and school and his future and what has being with you accomplished? He's dropped out and refused to go back, he's had a miscarriage and he's a depressed unsleeping uneating wreck of a teenager!"

He walked out and Sirius was left alone with his thoughts. A few minutes later, the door opened again and he thought Remus had come to apologise. He looked up as the door closed again and got the fright of his life when he saw Harry.

Not the happy, glowing and laughing Harry of two months ago. In fact, he looked similar to when he'd first turned up almost six months ago. Sickly, haggard and bags under his eyes. Sirius could not explain how horrible it made him to feel to see Harry like this.

Sirius was immediately on his feet and instead of just lying against him like last time, Harry was in tears soon after. He was babbling and it took a while before Sirius realized what he was saying? Why was he apologizing? He hadn't been able to help losing the baby.

Sirius lost track of time and all he knew was by the time Harry had calmed down, his legs were aching and if they could talk, would have screamed with relief as the two sank down to the floor. There was a weird silence and he didn't know what did it. Maybe the conversation with Remus had been playing round his head once too many times….

Whatever it was, the words came out before he could stop them.

"Marry me?" Harry seemed in shock for a moment before shaking his head and laughing.

"You're just saying that. Once you're out of here, you'd regret it." He didn't say another word on the subject and Sirius, though he said nothing, felt relieved about it. Even if the baby had survived, neither of them were ready for marriage...

----

"Remus told me you weren't feeling up to a visit…"

Things had progressed and Sirius once again found himself catching his breath as his orgasm passed. Not even pulling out, he lay with Harry in his arms, both of them naked and wrapped up in his blanket.

"Yeah, but he said you had something important to tell me. I guess I know what that was…" Sirius missed the look on Harry's face. If he had known what Harry was thinking, or even just seen the smile, things might have gone differently from there onwards…

But no, he got caught up in his own head once again. Moony said he needed to talk to him. It wasn't about proposing, it was the complete opposite…

----

To put it mildly, Harry had not taken it well. He turned slowly at first, clearly shocked at the hastened out words

'Wecan'tkeepdoingthisweneedtoenditnow.'

He'd struggled away, despite how much it clearly hurt his bottom.

"You just proposed and now you're breaking up with me? Make up your mind." Sirius had looked away, too ashamed to meet his eyes.

"I'm sorry."

He'd gotten dressed quickly and Sirius couldn't even speak. He couldn't find anything to say that would help the situation. He had finally seen Harry's face right before he walked out. He could see that he was struggling to hold back his emotions.

"And to think, I actually wanted to say yes."

Those words only hit Sirius an hour later and as he understood what Harry was would have said 'yes to, he couldn't breathe and he felt like his world was closing in around his head. He'd talk to Harry about it next time, explain why he did it. He'd understand. Yes… that would work. It would work well.

----

There was a flaw in his perfect plan.

Harry didn't come back to see him.

----

As mentioned in the 'still the one' chapter, it won't make line breaks, so --- are used instead

Thanks for the reviews. Clearly angst gets to you people... eighteen reviews over-night. woo hoo!

(Mwahahaha)