A/N: Hello fellow Sirius/Hermione shippers. Pleased to know that so many of you are enjoying this story. The more comments I get on it, the more it encourages me to continue this quickly. I've added some "fluff"cringe just to satisfy a few of you. I, personally, don'tcare for"bow tie perfect" fluff, but thought a little wouldn't hurt too much.Those that have "constructive" comments, thank you as well. However, for those that are missing some details that you call me on, you might want to think about what you're saying, before you type it.
Just to clear a couple of things up, in case it's not clear enough for everyone: Hermione is the only one that this law effects. She is the only eligible muggleborn that we know of in the Order. If I'm wrong, let me know. Tonks is excluded from the law, because her mother was a witch. I'm not sure exactly if Remus is a pureblood, but threw in the "tainted" blood comment to save that. Also, Ron can't marry Hermione, because as stated in the first chapter, he was back with Lavender and she "won't let him go".
I've been dabbling in some photo manips for the couple in general and you can view them on my website (my LJ) for the last 5 entries or so.
Also, this chapter, I'm not too proud of. It doesn't read too well for me, but I wanted to post something to keep it active and not allow myself to put it down for another MONTH before I pick it up again ;)
Enjoy!
Chapter 5
For the next few days, Hermione tried to avoid Sirius as much as she could. She managed to get up and out of the flat before he even rose for the day and quietly snuck back in, if she saw his motorcycle parked outside. For the most part, she was lucky, for he had stayed out late those few nights they weren't talking and it gave Hermione some time in her own flat to relax and make a quick dinner for herself.
By the fourth night that Sirius was staying out late, probably at a pub or cruising around on his motorcycle gawking at the women he wasn't allowed to have, Hermione found herself in her little kitchen, cleaning some dishes after making dinner. She'd gone to the grocery on her way home from work and picked up a few things to make. She realized that she had more than enough chicken to make the casserole, so she decided that she would wrap the leftovers up and leave it for Sirius to eat for lunch.
Leaving him dinner.
Hermione froze in mid thought, her hands still clutching the muggle Ziploc containers. She stared down upon them, as if they represented the single epiphany of this entire situation. Instead, she realized it wasn't as drastic as that, but instead her maternal instinct had kicked in already was starting to think of Sirius's well-being.
She smiled to herself, shaking her head out of her funk. He had won – this time.
The front door to their flat slammed shut and she heard Sirius come in and drop his keys on the coffee table, like he always did. It bugged the hell out of Hermione to hear the keys drop on the glass so casually; she was petrified that the beautiful table would get scratched. It was her grandmother's and she really didn't want to fix anything with magic that was originally muggle made. Just an heirloom that should get a little beaten up, but not intentionally if one can help it. It just meant a lot to her to preserve at least one thing, without having to use magic, if she could help it.
Hermione felt her insides begin to churn as the fleeting idea came to mind that Sirius's unexpected early return might provoke them into talking for the first time in four days. She was worried about what she might say, or worse, what they didn't and if they went ahead and said nothing at all. What if she didn't and he thought she was just being rude?
"Hello," he cooed, interested in what Hermione was cooking as he walked into the kitchen and over to the refrigerator. "What are you making?"
She opened her mouth, but hesitated to say anything when he casually brushed up against her to get to the ice box. She set down the containers she was still holding, ready to finish up her preparations.
"I made a chicken casserole and I'm going to leave the leftovers in the fridge for you to have for lunch tomorrow." She replied with an air in her voice that indicated she wasn't concerned.
"Thanks," he said, a bit taken aback, but opened his beer without batting an eyelash. He passed her again, brushing up against her like the way he did before, placing a hand lightly on her shoulder in order to pass her. "Oh, by the way," he added, turning at the doorway, "Are you trying to avoid me by any chance?"
Hermione accidentally dropped the empty container and spun around to answer quickly, "No! Why would you think that?"
He smiled, "I was worried that I made you nervous the other night. Thought about it later, and thought I may have come on too strong for you."
She played it off well as she shook her head and calmly picked up her discarded container from the floor.
"Good," he nodded, turning to go into the living room "I just wanted to know my boundaries, before I break past them."
She stood back up and watched how he arrogantly sashayed to the couch to watch television. Still clutching her containers, she slowly turned to go back to her casserole, trying not to think what he truly was capable of.
The following Friday night, Hermione came home to the flat and gently placed her keys on the coffee table, next to Sirius's pair. Maybe her quiet example would be noticed and would cease slamming the keys down. She started to make her way to her bedroom at the end of the hall, when Sirius jumped out of his to get her attention.
Hermione screamed and clutched her heart, "Don't do that! You could have been anyone!"
"Sorry, love, hey, did you get my owl in time?" he asked, pulling on his leather jacket and looking anxious.
She shook her head, trying to catch her breath from her start.
"Well, damn, go change." Sirius winked and pushed past her to go to the mirror in the living room by the front door. He started to fix his unruly, unkempt, perfect hair and watched her through the mirror, "Harry managed to get tickets for the quidditch match against the Cannons tonight and he wants us all to go." He spun around and faced her again, just standing there. "You're so concerned people are going to figure it out, so it'll be good to go out somewhere public together."
She hadn't answered him yet, but she was secretly elated with the idea of attending a quidditch match with her friends. It had been almost a year since she'd gone to a match and the idea was refreshing to hear. The only thing that still weighed heavy on her was the fact that she had to keep up the façade and might not be able to enjoy herself.
No matter, she and Sirius had proved enough so far, what's a night out amongst friends? It'll be good to get out and get this whole "war" out of their minds for a little while. The air was thick enough, having to worry about who might sneak up behind you to hex you, attack you, hurt you…and that was just at home!
Hermione emerged from her bedroom ten minutes later, refreshed, and excited and now wearing jeans and a white t-shirt. She had her jean jacket in her arms and she was tying her hair back up in a pony tail and mumbling under her breath. Sirius waited by the front door, arms crossed and watched as she fought with her hair. He couldn't help but grin as he heard her swear under her breath about how unruly her hair was.
Never satisfied.
He held out his hand for her to take hold of it, after she had surrendered to a messy pony tail and apparated them both to the Three Broomsticks where the quidditch portkey was placed. The two "popped" into Hogsmeade in the middle of several quidditch hooligans with green and white painted faces pushing past them to get into the pub.
Hermione went to drop her hand from Sirius's grip once they arrived and was nearly pulled away by the undertow of the crowd. She had shoulders pushing up against her, causing her to nearly lose her balance and track of where Sirius was standing. She stood still for a moment, allowing about fifteen hooligans to pass in front her, and then dodged out of the way so she wouldn't get trampled. Through the grunts and chants, she heard Sirius's voice bellowing over them like an angry bull.
"Move!" he shouted, shoving a few hooligans that had forced their way past him. Even though they were quite larger in size then he was, it didn't stop Sirius any. His slender build plowed through the people, ready to pick a fight with anyone that stopped him. The fact that everyone just seemed to be focused on getting to the match seemed to be his saving grace. With Hermione back in his sightlines, he kept yelling and finally was able to reach out a hand to her.
Pushing himself to her, he stood close by holding her hand and keeping an arm around her to keep her safe.
"Are you okay?" he asked, noticing the relieved look she gave him.
"Yes, thank you. That was the worst place to apparate in!" she recovered, thankful he stood taller than her and was able to keep an eye out for more herding hooligans.
"Well, you know me," he grinned, nodding his head and looking around the crowd for familiar faces, "I always like to be in the middle of the action."
"I hadn't forgotten." She nervously chuckled, quite overwhelmed with the crowd in such close quarters.
The past matches she attended usually had a portkey much further away than the middle of Hogsmeade, so this was all new to Hermione. Sensing her uneasiness, Sirius moved the two of them out of the middle of the street, keeping her close and feeling her wrap and arm around his waist as they maneuvered their way through the people. They managed to make their way to a spot against the wall of Honey Dukes and waited as they scanned the crowd.
"I think it's best if you just held onto me. At least until we take our spots, safely, at the match." He reassured, patting her shoulder with the hand that was draped around her. "Unless, of course, you think I'm seducing you."
She looked away, keeping her lip stiff, not wanting to get into an argument. He was taking the piss out of her and she wasn't going to let him win. Although, the way it so casually rolled off his tongue dripping with the sweet sarcasm he performed so well, she couldn't help but fight the small grin that was beginning to tease her lips.
"Because, there's nothing more sensual then sweaty hooligans outside a pub at a quidditch match." He continued, seeing that she was trying to avoid him and not show that she was about to crack. "All the sweaty burly men, the smell of spilled butterbeer in the air, drunks relieving themselves in the corners-"
"Sirius! That's enough. I get it." He recited everything as it were some morbid nursery rhyme and couldn't help but giggle, at least, a little.
He smiled down at her, finally meeting her eyes and enjoying the friendly sound, "You need to do that more around me."
"What's that?" she smiled friendly.
"Laugh." He sweetly added, tilting his head to the side to get the fallen wisps out of his eyes.
"Mommy is that Sirius Black?" a child asked, clutching onto his mother's hand.
Their sincere moment was broken by the curiosity and when Sirius averted his attention to the little boy just in time to see the mother's eyes widened and scurry the boy off, not allowing him to look back. As Hermione followed his gaze, he saw two girls in their early twenties hear the little boy's inquiry and look over in their direction.
Sirius was still looking back at the little boy, sadden that the mother still had a poor opinion of him, that he never saw the two girls gawking at him. They smiled their flirtatious smiles and flipped their hair over their shoulders, ready for him to look back at them. Hermione looked on obviously appearing invisible to the women, since they hadn't noticed Sirius's arm draped around her shoulder. Fake marriage or not, she was not about to let a couple of girls ruin her cover! She looked up at Sirius who was now scanning the crowd for any sign of Remus, Harry or whoever and totally missed the two young women vying for his attention.
All Hermione could hear were the subtle hisses and giggles women make when trying to get a guy's attention when not impressed with the woman he was with. Was she jealous? Not really thinking it out, she reached her arm over and snaked it around his waist to claim him.
Sirius didn't even blink and eye and continued to look amongst the new hooligans that were vastly approaching the small area. Instead, he reached his other arm up, and as if it were mechanical when a woman, any woman, did that to him, that he should embrace them back. Without even realizing it, Hermione was taking in the alluring scent of Sirius's cologne and they were wrapped around each other like a proper couple.
Eat your heart out, ladies…and be sure to tell the Ministry while you're at it.
The two must have been a sight, for when she noticed Harry and Ron coming through the crowd she saw Harry stop in his tracks for a couple of seconds, before walking again. Ron raised an eyebrow as they approached and hit Harry on the arm, to see if noticed it.
Hermione's face lightened up when she saw Harry and Ron coming, with Fred, George, Ginny and Remus behind them. She broke away from Sirius and went to her friends for hugs. Through the crowded haze of hooligans, it was refreshing to see familiar, friendly faces even though all the boys had face paint on.
The group made their greetings and Sirius ushered everyone into the pub for a "before quidditch pint" tradition he insisted on starting at that very moment. The Three Broomsticks was pretty crowded, but nowhere near as crowded as to be expected with the amount of fans coming in through the door. Most of them had gone right to the portkey that was a pool table in the back of the pub, leaving a few spare tables available.
Halfway through their pints, the girls excused themselves to the ladies room to freshen up. After using the loo, Ginny and Hermione gossiped a little on what they knew, making small talk as they reapplied their lipstick. Near a stall, one of the two girls that were outside was waiting for her friend that must have been in the stall she was guarding. She gave Hermione a proper "once over", glaring at her through the mirror acting the perfect Slytherin role.
How immature.
"So, if you're his type," the girl provoked, slightly tilting her head to look down at what appeared to be a boring girl, "what is it you've got that keeps him with you?"
Hermione closed her eyes for a moment, hating female confrontation like this and just simply turned around to face her. She thought for a moment, admitting that the bitchy girl was quite pretty compared to what Hermione thought of herself and just grinned. She held out her left hand, wiggled her fingers and politely answered, "I've got his ring."
Ginny, who barely noticed the girl sizing them up, couldn't help but let out a great laugh that just said, "So, mind your own business, bitches," and followed Hermione, and her shiny silver wedding ring, out the door and back to the guys.
Without saying a word, Hermione felt an incredibly powerful sensation that she hadn't felt since the day she punched Draco in the face. Something in her desperately needed to be released and whether it was intended to be taken out on that girl, was beyond her and at that moment, she just felt relieved. She'd always hated girls like that, and hated ever crossing paths with them. She'd always been the one left behind, or looked over and for the first time in her life; she had bragging rights to something they couldn't have – even if she technically didn't have it herself. What they didn't know couldn't hurt her. Quite taken with herself, she giggled a little as she passed Remus and Sirius standing by the bar, ordering more drinks.
When Hermione and Ginny excused themselves to go to the loo, Remus accompanied Sirius to the bar to get a little alone time with his friend as Ron started to make bets with his brothers over the anticipated winning score.
Remus came up behind Sirius, patting him on the back of his rough leather jacket and asked, "Everything okay? You've not killed each other yet?"
Sirius leaned on his elbows to better look down the bar and see what Madam Rosmerta was wearing that day. He grinned from the corner of his mouth, shaking his head slightly as he admitted to himself that she was always going to be his first crush.
Ever since the day he could first see over the counter, he always remembered the young girl, now woman, always winking at him and telling him he was going to be a looker when he grew up. How did she know this truth?
"No, not yet. I'm fine. I make her mad from time to time, but it's to be expected." He added, winking at Rosmerta as she took his money for another round.
"Why am I not surprised?" Remus smiled, watching his pathetic friend pining for the barmaid.
Sirius's attentions caught his left side as he saw the two very pretty girls going towards the ladies room. He watched the way their skirts floated around their thighs, teasing him with soft milky flesh. He nudged Remus to check the women out, trying to restrain a howl that might stir their attention, so instead just let out an exaggerated pant.
Remus quickly nudged him back, averting his attention to something else, "Sirius, control yourself mate."
Sirius snapped his neck back at his friend, who never used to tell him to calm down. Before Tonks, Sirius was always able to hook a pretty girl with a pretty friend. What had come over him was beyond his thinking.
"Don't act surprised, you know you can't do that anymore." Remus explained, quietly concerned for his friend's behavior. He glanced around to make sure no one had seen him oogling the women.
"What? It's fine. I'm not going to touch them, Remus." He looked up at Rosmerta for a moment as she put down a few pints before the men, "Unless, Rosmerta will finally let me have a go?" he baited, flashing a dashing smile her way.
"Find me, when you're older, Sirius." She joked, as it seemed to be the running gag she always had with him. "Besides, you've got that pretty young wife now that probably wouldn't leave much for me, anyway." She gave him his change back and left him with a wink.
"But, someone might be watching. Plus, what if Hermione came out and saw you doing that? I'm sorry, mate, but you've got to adjust a little bit better." Remus added, warning his friend like a misbehaved puppy.
"Oh, lay off, Remus. It's been at least three weeks since I've had a good shag; you can't blame me for just lookin. I'm not hurting anyone. Besides," he added offering a smile to Hermione as she walked past them from the bathroom, "She doesn't even pay attention to me enough to worry about it."
"Fine, but for the sake of this mission, please try and behave yourself. You two aren't convincing anyone if you're off hitting on women." Remus added, taking out his wand to levitate the pints back to the table.
Sirius glowered at his friend and then quickly added, "What about you? If I get hard up enough, would you give me a good wank?"
Remus immediately broke into laughter, nearly dropping the pints on Harry's lap as he lost his concentration, "No, Sirius. I'm not getting a mile of that thing."
They all finished their drinks and made their way to the match, via the portkey pool table. They ended up in a vacant field next to the quidditch pitch, where "pops" were heard all around them as people arrived for the match. The small crew started to head for the big open dome, following several other spectators that had broken into a jog next to them eager to get to their spots. Hermione looked around for Sirius, hoping to at least stand near them, should anyone see them. They were there for a good time, but they were also there in case anyone recognized them. Should anyone from the papers, the Ministry, or any Death Eaters in disguise see them, they had to be believable.
She caught up with Sirius, who was casually walking down the side of the hill next to Harry with his hands in his jeans pockets. He looked over at her and asked her if she was alright.
"I'm fine. Just still nervous," she added, trying to sound more confident then she really was.
Sirius stopped and told Harry and the rest to go ahead of them. He wanted a few moments with Hermione alone, before they ventured out into their first official outing together. As the others went ahead, he put his hands on Hermione's shoulders and forced her to face him. She dropped her eyes to a few people behind him that were walking past and heard him sigh.
"Hermione, we're going to do fine. I understand how you must feel, because you've got so much riding on this. I can't begin to think how I'd feel if this didn't work." He dropped his hands from her shoulders and she looked up at him, her eyes full of doubt. "I won't lie to you and say this is easy, because I've got plenty of issues about it, too."
"No, kidding." She interjected, almost chuckling sarcastically under her voice.
"You're not going to make this easy on me, are you?" he smiled, "You play the role of the concerned, sarcastic wife rather well." He raised an eyebrow for her, when she averted her eyes from his, "You mean a lot to Harry and it means a lot to me that I was able to do this; something meaningful for the sake of the Order."
A moment passed between them where she felt like she needed to say something sincere, since it sound a little like he was fishing. She looked back up at him, offering him a friendly grin and raised her hand to gently place it on his chest, "Sirius, you've done a lot-"
"You know what I mean." He looked away to focus on someone making a funny noise as he jogged by and then returned his attention back to her. Just like a child of A.D.D., he quickly changed interests and then back to her, "The good thing about it is if we get in a fight, you're not going to throw me into an empty dark void."
Hermione looked up at him through hidden eyes as her bangs fell into her face from the breeze around her; she did what she could to stifle a giggle. True, it wasn't something to take in fun, but she couldn't help but feel a warm sensation that he was trying to be nice. Throw all his arrogance aside, the fact that he was extremely stubborn, unwrap the packaging and you might find someone you wouldn't guess was hiding under that rough exterior with dark eyes, straight silky black hair, a constant five o'clock stubble and the aroma of leather.
"I'm sorry for the way I made you feel the other day. It just felt right to do, for that moment." He finished, glancing down at the hand she still held against his chest.
"No, it was fine." She replied, shaking her head and quickly removing her hand that had overstayed its position. "I just overreacted because I'd never expect that coming from you. Well, I would, but not coming from you coming on me," she stopped, biting her lip and putting her hand up to cover her face extremely embarrassed for her slip. Sirius didn't say anything, but grin and wait to listen how she was going to get herself out of her moment, "I mean coming onto me."
He let out a low chuckle and kindly offered her hand to take hold of it, initiating the role playing for the night. She watched his hand outstretch for her and with a deep breath she took his hand in hers, and quietly, but graciously accepted.
The first couple of steps down the hill, Sirius glanced over and commented, "You see me as your best friend's godfather, don't you? I bet that weirds you out."
She kept her focus on the bumpy terrain in front of her and replied, "No, I don't actually see you like that, at all."
She couldn't help but laugh at the situation that the two of them were finding the time to talk about this now, of all times, right before they went to a quidditch match with their friends. It must have been the quick pace of the evening that threw them both off a little. That and the fact that they'd already had a couple of drinks and were on more comfortable speaking terms.
"Then how, pray tell, does Hermione Granger see me? I'm curious." He nearly sung, his voice sounding as lyrical as an old rhyme.
"It's Hermione Black!" she joked, definitely feeling the effects of the pints she had before they arrived. "And I just think of you as a friend of Harry's, not really his godfather, per say."
Sirius just nodded; pleased with himself that he had achieved the image he'd wanted in the eyes of Harry and his friends. He never saw himself as much of a father figure until he was dubbed a godfather and James was no longer living. The moment he laid eyes on Harry that night on Privet Drive in his animagus form, he knew that once the truth was out he was going to do all he could to make up for lost time. He, alone, would be the tie to Harry's real father for him and somewhere inside of him, in a place he never visited much, he found something called responsibility.
Funny as fate would have it, he thought to himself, that years later when the Order was formed once again, he found himself putting his life on the line for a friend of Harry's. For the sole reason his family shamed him, being a bigoted pureblood, Sirius used his bloodline to protect one of his own. Sure he never thought that he'd be married to someone twenty years his junior, but then again, he never thought he'd live this long to see the rays of forty vastly approaching. As he felt the other's palm in his hand, he looked over at the young girl, his wife by paper only, and how much she meant to so many. She was kind, pretty, smart, and most importantly, special his godson. For her to not be in his life would tear him apart, and he knew now, how proud he was allowed to be to take on this role.
Lost in his thoughts, he almost forgot that they were still holding a conversation and heard Hermione say, "You're more like," she hesitated, smiling so much that her cheeks warmed with embarrassment, "No, never mind."
He pushed her a bit further with subtle questions of what she actually saw him as, playfully pushing her to walk funny as he veered into her path.
She shook her head, knowing that she was going to regret mentioning this, but she didn't care as the light headed sensation filled her senses, "You're more like the," she hesitated again, but finished anyway, biting her lip, "like the handsome uncle."
"Really?" he inquired, lifting his chin and feeling quite pleased with himself. Adding to the character, Sirius playfully took on a more arrogant walk for Hermione, making sure she caught him strutting next to her, giving her hand a light squeeze.
She rolled her eyes at him, wishing that she hadn't opened her mouth. "Yes," she confirmed, "Ginny thinks so, as well." She knew Ginny would kill her if she found out she let it slip about the gossip that they used to have all those years growing up while staying at Grimmauld Place, but there were many nights spent up late, using the Extendable Ears to listen down in the kitchen when Sirius, Remus and Tonks got together for a few drinks.
"Really, Ginny thinks so?" Sirius made a face like he was thinking of the possibilities, but then added, "Hmm, no, she's too close to being related to me. I couldn't do that."
Hermione let out a sweet, flirtatious laugh that she didn't know she was capable of and glanced down at their adjoining hands, "You couldn't do that? Listen to you. Like she was an option?"
"Right, right, the Harry thing." He teased.
The two were beginning to near the front of the dome and saw the group waiting for them up ahead. He gently squeezed her hand and asked, "So, you really think that?"
"Well, I used to," she casually answered, waving to the group ahead, "But, now I'm married to you and I can't think that way, anymore."
Sirius let out an infectious bark of laughter, quite pleased that Hermione had finally started to come around again, ready to throw him the sarcasm he deserved. However, with this new chip on his shoulder, he was sure to rub it in now and then, on more sober days at the flat.
The match was incredibly exciting and by the end of it, and several pints later, Hermione had taken some of Harry's face paint off and put some markings on herself to show her new pride. She yelled over Fred and George when they made their cat calls to the apposing seeker, hoping to distract him, as well as joining in the chants with Sirius and Harry whenever they drunkenly erupted into song. The masking couple played their parts rather well, too. Several times, Sirius would put his arm around her, nuzzling her ear occasionally or just hold her hand. Now that he knew this valuable information, he was going to use it against her, not Ginny, just her and see how far he could push her, without upsetting her. For the time being, and as long as Hermione consumed the copious amounts of alcohol, he was able to get away with practically anything, but he knew better.
After the match, the crew made their way back up to the portkey to go back to the Three Broomsticks. They walked straight across, creating a wall for others to pass them by and sang the final notes of the last chant. Between obnoxious calls and cries, Hermione swapped places with Ginny and took hold of Sirius's hand when she saw someone she remembered from the Ministry office the day they got their license.
"And you two! I thought I was going to retch a few times with the show you were giving." Harry yelled, pushing into Sirius along the way, causing him to lose his footing.
Remus chuckled lightly, upon hearing Harry's whining. He had taken a mental note to the pair and wondered if their display was discussed beforehand, since it appeared to be so natural between them. Since the proposal was made that he was going to have to marry Hermione, he did nothing but complain, then bitch about her, to finally resigning to the new lifestyle. Aside from the hand holding and the arm around the shoulders, they were extremely mild and tame for a couple that supposedly had just gotten married three weeks earlier. "I think it's just exaggerated to you, Harry, because of who they are."
"Yeah! Grow up!" Sirius barked, playfully pushing Harry away and running a hand through his godson's extremely untidy hair. The sweet irony of his words caused a light tickle of snickers across the line of friends, quietly erupting into a much stronger fit of giggles. Never, in all their days knowing the rebellious Sirius Black, would they expect him to tease Harry about being mature.
They returned to the pub and a few stronger ones stayed behind to have one more pint, before calling it a night. Hermione politely excused herself, stifling a yawn that overcame her after glancing at the clock on the wall. She feared also, that after one more pint she was sure to really feel the effects in the morning and last she checked, didn't have more special hang over medicine in her bathroom cabinet. She said good-bye and made her way, alone, to the front doors to apparate outside.
"Sirius, you're staying for another, right?" Ron asked, already making his way to the bar to flirt with Madam Rosmerta.
Sirius watched Hermione leaving out the door of the pub, ducking under the shrunken heads that hung over the doorway. He glanced at the clock, wondering if one more pint would alright. He mulled it over for a few seconds before finally grinning to himself that he should just go home.
Yes, go home.
"No, I'm actually going to go ahead and go home, too. Just going to make sure she gets back alright." Sirius called back, already halfway out the door, bumping the shrunken heads with his shoulder, "Rain check, mate." And before any of them could close their mouths that now hung open like fish, he was out in a flash and catching up to Hermione who was standing alongside the same wall they waited by before the quidditch match.