A/N: This chapter is rated Mature, the content is PG13. I have, however, edited this chapter for and the author's cut can be read at my live journal. Rest assured that even the edited one still reads the same (this is just the beginning of the edited/author's cut as it will probably be for the rest of the story. For this chapter, however, only one paragraph was taken out).
I thank each and every reader for taking the time for this story. The helpful comments (and compliments) definitely help me with loopholes, the pace, the reality of it, and most of all – the plot! I hope I clarified some things for some of you that pointed out my errors and it's given me some great ideas. Thank you!
This chapter is dedicated to: isnani and Melika Elena
Chapter 11
Against her own will, visions of Padfoot danced in her head. For the entire weekend, Hermione found herself fading off to another dimension as she kept replaying Sirius's kiss over and over in her head. The way he touched her check with rough, but gentle hands; the way she felt his chest sigh against her, and the way his breath felt hot on her neck. He was something just short of a fantasy, and she never knew that anyone could feel this way to her. It wasn't love, no, too early. Perhaps it was just lust. Or, maybe it was need and desire. Somehow she felt like the ball wasn't in her court, but exactly in the middle between them.
It'd been so long since she'd felt the affections from another, not as long as him, she was sure, but it was the way he touched her that sent her reeling. The constant attention to detail that he paid, worshiping her lips as if they were a prized possession alone. In the middle of all this hatred, this worry, this war, this necessity of marriage for the sake of staying protected, Sirius had made her feel wanted and beautiful.
Eat your heart out Rita Skeeter.
Finally being back with her parents after two months, she tried to have a nice visit with her family, but every time her mother or father would ask how things were at home, she'd just drift off again. Her parents were concerned for this arrangement, having not gotten to know their son-in-law properly before the expedited marriage. Hermione's father was still getting used to the idea of a man only ten years his junior married to his only daughter. They had attended the ceremony, but it wasn't a proper send off from the family the way that they had hoped. They told close family friends and relatives that Hermione had eloped with a school chum and had wanted it to be small and private. Her parents were explained to about the arrangement in great detail, having no choice but to accept it for the safety of their daughter.
They had welcomed the wizarding world, but they didn't always understand it.
Regardless, Sirius tried to show the utmost respect for her family, knowing that this wasn't their wish. He knew when he shouldn't be around and found no insult if he wasn't invited to certain functions. After all, it was just an arrangement.
Sunday evening, Hermione apparated back home into her living room and expected to find a lounging Sirius on the couch. To her disappointment, he was nowhere to be found in the flat. She dropped her coat and bag on the couch and ventured into the kitchen to start something to eat, in case he was about to walk in at anytime. She enjoyed the idea of cooking for him and wanted to get a head start if nothing else was planned.
When she entered the kitchen she saw a note lying on the counter. Hermione smiled and childishly bit her lip elated that he was thinking of her. She had only hoped that he had spent as much time going over the moment outside her parent's house, as she did.
Hermione,
Welcome home. Hope your weekend was well, but I'll ask you that when I see you. Go and get dressed (preferably in that pretty blue dress I know you have) and meet me at The Forge for dinner at 8pm. If you don't show up, I'll just have to eat dinner all by myself and probably end up at a pub. So, do us both a favor and meet me.
Sirius
Hermione did all she could to conceal a rather girlish squeal. She had to remember that she was still eighteen and was allowed, from time to time, to get away with such immaturity. Regardless, she quickly turned on her heel to run and get ready for dinner.
Five minutes before eight o'clock, she apparated into Hogsmeade a few feet from the front entrance to the classy restaurant. She took out a mirror from her purse and did a once over, making sure her make-up was still in place and her hair still looked all right. She didn't usually go all out like this, but for tonight, she felt like it deserved extra attention. She closed the compact and slid it back into her small purse and nervously smoothed out the skirt of her dress, before taking a deep breath and walking inside.
The host smiled at the pretty young witch that wore the knee's length blue dress with purple accented straps and empire waist. He politely bowed to her, greeting her with a bright smile and welcoming her to the restaurant.
"Good evening, Miss. Will you be joining us for dinner, tonight?" his crisp Irish accent spoke as if he started it.
She smiled, shaking her head and thanking him, "I'm meeting someone here, tonight."
"Your name, Miss?" he asked standing back behind his little podium and looking over a list of reservations.
"Hermione Grang-" She caught herself for a moment and corrected, "Black."
He repeated the last name, looking over his list, furrowing his brow in thought of who she was meeting.
"I'm meeting my husband, Sirius Black."
The host paused and slowly looked up from his list, as if she had just threatened his life. "Sirius Black?" he nearly whispered, "Yes, please, of course, right this way."
She followed him through the dark decorative archway, stepping down to a large cozy room with tables for two lining a small enchanted dance floor of water. Overhead the ceiling was also bewitched with a clear sky and hundreds of stars sparkling about like diamonds. The host took her around the far end of the dance floor, coming upon a candlelit table where a handsome man with dark hair sat with a hand poised at his chin as his elbow rested on the table. Completely unaware that she was coming closer, she could see that he looked quite pensive. Something drew his attention to her direction as the host presented her to Sirius, pulling out her chair. Sirius stood, flashing a dazzling smile and allowed the host to push in her chair. He wasn't sure how to greet her, kiss her or take her hand, so he allowed the host to be the reason for his lack of displayed affection.
"Thanks for meeting me, tonight." He began, picking up his menu to read it over.
"Well, you really left me no choice," she smiled, eyes down into the menu and a small grin starting to spread across her lips. She was going to try and be cheeky, but really her insides were fluttering like butterflies, trying to break from their cages. "It was either meeting you or have you come home drunk."
"Yes, good choice." Sirius nodded, admitting that it was a rather good jab and continued to look over the menu. After the waiter took their order, a bottle of wine was served and Sirius glanced over at the dance floor that was now a gentle current.
"Would you do me the pleasure?" he asked standing up and holding out his hand.
Her eyes scanned the length of his body, until she met his eyes. She smiled wider for him as she admired his black fitted jacket with silver buttons and the slim black pants that wore on him like a model. His hair was perfectly straight and his uneven layers framed his face, just touching his shoulders. To her, he looked like a wicked dark prince and she knew he had done that for her.
He took her arm and linked it through his, patting her hand as he led her out onto the dance floor. She felt herself absolutely beaming, cherishing the kind gentleman that she never knew harbored in him. They passed a few tables and she could already hear the whispers about Sirius and his muggleborn wife, but she didn't let it get to her. Sirius held her hand for as long as he could, before stepping away and taking the proper stance to take her waist.
The two flowed through the music at a slow pace, their eyes catching the blue hue of the cascading waters underneath their feet. The dance floor started to crowd as several onlookers passed them in their waltz, glancing over at the ex-con and young witch.
Thanks to Rita Skeeter, the wizarding world knew all about their courtship and union. Rita had romanticized Sirius, calling him a "wronged prisoner returning to a life of incarceration" regarding his new committed marriage. Several follow-up stories had emerged as they followed the tale of the most notorious Azkaban prisoner and Harry Potter's best friend had married, offering teasers that he still remained Harry's godfather and guardian. Some thought it was scandalous, others thought it to be romantic, several were just bitter about the handsome rebel losing his single status.
As the stories came out, Sirius would cut them out and leave them around entitling them "comedy works" by Rita Skeeter. He knew that Hermione was past it, not really too concerned for what the papers said about her at this point. Unless she wanted to call Luna up and do an interview for the Quibbler, no one was going to get the honest truth. It wasn't worth her time, or her concern and she hardly batted an eyelash anymore.
Still, the constant whispers behind her back were starting to get annoying, but whenever Sirius would flash her kind glance, or a sincere smile, she knew not to worry. Being the center of attention wasn't as attractive to Hermione as Sirius, and like Harry, sometimes wished that it just went away. Sensing her uneasiness as a few dancers made their looks less obvious, Sirius ended their dance and was eager to return Hermione to their table, where their salads had arrived.
"I would never have thought that you would be a great dancer." She smiled, taking a bite of her Caesar salad.
Sirius smiled kindly and started a short nostalgic trip, "When I was ten, my cousin Andromeda and I, Tonk's mom, would pretend to be professional ballroom dancers. We got pretty good for awhile there, until Bellatrix and Narcissa started to hide about and hex us, bewitching our shoes to dance quite erratically. We never seemed to be able to hide from them and just decided that it wasn't worth it, anymore." He got quiet for a moment, as his thoughts started to fall on his favorite cousin. "What I wouldn't do to dance with her, one more time."
Hermione watched how this overconfident being started to falter. He slowed down his eating, beginning to push his lettuce around on his plate and blink his eyes furiously as he thought about his cousin's painful death. Hermione saw this as a good opportunity to reach out to him, showing him that their arranged marriage still had to be a kind of partnership and trust. Allowing him to see how she felt about his family issues, might help him open up.
Hermione laid down her fork and leaned across the table, extending her open palm next to the hand that clutched onto his fork. He looked up from his thoughts and saw how deeply concerned for him, she appeared to be. It'd been a long time since a woman had truly extended sincere thoughts to him, and was greatly appreciative of her support. He put down his fork and took her hand, squeezing it for a few seconds before letting go and silently thanking her.
After dinner, they strolled through the lively streets of Hogsmeade together. Hermione linking her arm through his, only to slowly let it fall into his waiting open hand to hold. She tingled. She felt exhilarated. She felt peace and security all at once, that this was right. As if she was a single puzzle piece waiting to find its match, she felt that way the second her hand affectionately fell into Sirius's grasp to hold. With a swift move, he interlaced their fingers without even batting an eyelash as he commented on something he saw in the window of one of the shops. She pressed her body close to him, wishing he could somehow hold her hand and wrap an arm around her, but the logistics of it weren't possible.
The expectation of the evening was finally granted to her and it was when she least expected it. Their night had come to an end, calling it early due to Hermione working in the morning and Sirius had wrapped an arm around her to apparate them home. Once she was pulled in, he lifted her chin with his finger and finally came in to touch her sweet lips for the first time that evening. She closed her eyes the second they were united and when she felt the twisting and pulling feeling of the location change, she reached up to grip his jacket tighter, fearing that she might be pulled apart from him.
She felt her hair whip around her head, his coarse chin lightly scraped against her cheek and her stomach insides knotted up with the exhilarating feeling of being apparated. Never had she thought her toes could tingle as much as they were, once they were suddenly grounded back in their flat. The wind around them seemed to still, the sounds filling their ears were that of their quiet home, their inhibitions quickly leaving them.
His kiss started out gentle and sincere, but the moment he realized no eyes were on them, he found his inner animal slowly starting to break through. Like the crescendo of an orchestra, he felt his heart beginning to throb within his chest. Her skin felt like silk to him as he tore his lips away from her mouth to leave soft kisses down her jaw and around her neck. His arms wrapped around her, feeling the weak fabric under his fingers, protecting her like a holy sheet. Easy enough to rip from her body, but scandalous to do so. She welcomed his fevered touch over her like a well awaited ceremonial homecoming. She had enough pent up frustration in her from the weekend that her imagination allowed him to do with her what he pleased. Granted, this evening would have to see the end of it soon, or she was sure to lose all sense of responsibility and give herself to him, body, mind and soul, too early.
"I practically counted the seconds you were away." He whispered by her ear as he nipped at her lobe.
Hermione quickly inhaled with the erotic bite that his words were enough to unravel her. "Why did it take you so long to kiss me, tonight?"
He pulled away to look down at her, his eyes narrowed like that of hunter looking upon his prey, a slight mischievous grin met his lips and he whispered, "Anticipation is a turn on for me."
Her lips parted in absolute awe of him. The way his eyes met hers, the way his mouth was so perfect, the way her chin quivered for him, she just shook her head. "Oh, this just won't work, then."
His grin turned into a smile and he went to taste those lips again, carefully committing each lap, each caress and every tease of her tongue to memory. He could taste the remnants of wine on her breath and as he felt her hands open up his jacket, he pulled away to playfully bite her neck. Her hands stilled as they pressed against his chest, finding her breath, once again, escaping her lungs with his very raw touch.
How he loved the way she started to become freer with her touches that he mentally smiled to himself that they were going to be a beautiful union together.
The tiny rapping began to fill Sirius's ears like conga drums and he had no choice but to tear his passion away from this woman and answer it. Completely unaware, she felt Sirius release her and walk into the kitchen to answer the window. She saw a small owl, with his leg sticking out, offering a note for Sirius.
Shaking herself off from the rapture, she adjusted her dress and raised her chin to go into the kitchen and hear what the note had to say. She watched as Sirius shrugged off his coat and laid it over the chair at the table, before reaching for the note the owl offered. Hermione's dark eyes trailed down his backside, envisioning a half naked Sirius who's muscles harbored under the pressed shirt he wore, standing before her in only pants. In a matter of seconds, she thought, this might become a reality if his concentration wasn't broken.
She leaned against the doorway, her head resting against it in a dreamlike trance. She watched him take the note from the owl's leg and offer it a treat. As it flew away, Sirius opened the note and let his eyes scan over the importance of it.
He folded it back up and tossed it back on the counter, "Order meeting tomorrow night."
His raspy voice whispered and returned to his place right in front of her, taking her up in his arms as if there were no interruption and revisited the spot on her neck he had briefly vacated. His hands squeezed her waist under his grasp and then moved to the buttons on his own shirt. With expedited haste, he had half of his shirt undone and his glorified tattooed chest partially exposed before her. Her eyes fell on him, her lips parting, absolutely elated with the idea that her vision was about to come true.
She reached up to run her nails lightly down his chest, feeling the smoothness of his skin interrupted by permanent pen art. His lips were over hers again, tearing at her mouth and quenching his thirst for her. His breathing started to become erratic and the very rawness of him forced her to see them from an outside eye. She felt his arms move as they pulled his shirt from his pants, leaving it to hang open. His hands cupped her face, slowing himself down and savoring her delicate lips. They were quickly entering the point of no return.
She could feel his fingers begin to tangle in her hair, controlling the way her neck moved for him to offer more exposure to her naked long neck. His other hand carefully played with the loose straps of her dress, letting them fall down her shoulders to tease her possible uncovering. Her hands ran over his chest and over the fabric of his discarded shirt. She gripped it as she kissed him and forced herself to tear her lips from his. He occupied himself with the skin under her ear as he listened to her whispers.
"Sirius," she practically panted, "You know I can't sleep with you."
A sound erupted from him that had to have started from the pit of his stomach that could only be explained as a human growl. He nipped at her neck in protest and whispered, "Ever?"
She smiled as his chin tickled her sensitive skin, "No, not ever." She breathed, "Just not, tonight."
He slowed his affections and reluctantly pulled himself to look at her. He raised a hand to cup her chin as if to examine whatever it was she was thinking, but he knew.
"I just don't think I'm ready for you, yet." She whispered, bowing her eyes in guilt. She felt like she needed to be true to herself, and honest with him. He was something she'd never experienced before and knew that as bad as she wanted to feel his hips thrusting against her thighs, that she wasn't ready for the greatness that was him.
He closed his eyes, accepting her answer and left a kiss on her forehead.
Clever witch.
She wasn't teasing him, he was just moving too fast for what she was used to. She'd played the game, up until this point and she had played fairly, but it was Sirius who was trying to put the game into overtime too early. He knew he'd have his chance with her, she had all but vocally said it. Her body wanted him. Her mind wanted him. Her affections had granted him permission and now, he had to play fair, play by new rules, and allow her to be in control.
She would come to him.
Giving into one more slow and sensual kiss, Hermione bid him good night and retired to her own bedroom, alone. She didn't feel it was necessary to draw it out any longer, because as much as she was cheating herself of a good release from him, she wasn't lying when she told him she wasn't ready for him. She took one more glance back at him, before closing her door and smiled. He looked ever so handsome standing there in his thoughts of emotions and hunger, that she felt guilty to lead him on. But, she had to make the responsible decision to let him go for the night, to not egg it on further, creating a snowball of lust and resentment.
She would go to him, but for now, she needed to take it all in. Take him in. He'd been able to reach inside of her and bring out someone she'd always wanted to be, but maybe it was someone she only wanted to be with him. Whatever it was, it needed to simmer. Tomorrow was a new day, another day to move forward with him, another day to let him think, and another day to fantasize about him through the touches of her fingers until she was strong enough to let him do it himself.
Deep in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place, the Order of the Phoenix sat around the table ready to start their meeting. Sirius sat at the head of it, his chair tipped back on the strongest of two legs, with one eye on Snape, incase he quietly murmured anything under his breath to cause the ancient chair to act on it's own accord, again.
Hermione sat two spots away, next to Harry and Ginny, carefully going over her hastily scribbled notes she'd brought with her. They were awaiting a few more members and made small talk over Molly's cooking as the intoxicating smell of simmering vegetables filled the room of witches and wizards.
Hermione glanced over at Sirius for a moment under fallen curls and saw him staring up at the ceiling like an A.D.D. child, completely oblivious to Snape looking at him, absolutely repulsed. She grinned and averted her eyes back to her notes as a warm feeling trickled down her spine. He made her smile. He hadn't done anything and he had made her smile. It was an excellent feeling in the middle of what they were experiencing outside and what they were about to hear.
Remus cleared his throat, catching everyone's attention at the table and those standing around just talking as they waited for the meeting to begin. Nodding to the group and thanking them for coming, he started with old business of what the latest update was regarding their latest positions.
"Kinsley has come to discover that there have been random kidnappings of muggles living around the more wizard neighborhoods outside Oxford. The muggle officials are seeing it as a cult sacrifice and the Prime Minister has been in contact with the Headmistress regarding its cover up. Minimal mind erasing has been needed, but a few wizards that stepped in to help, non Order members, of course, weren't as lucky." Remus bowed his head in thought, "They've had to add a new wing to St. Mungo's after this tragedy."
The room started to murmur in a quiet discussion before Remus began to talk again, "Tonks was lucky to discover that Bellatrix Lestrange-"
"Wicked Bitch." Sirius barked under his breath.
Snape sat next to him and chuckled to himself, amused with Sirius's little outburst.
"Sod off, Snivelous." He growled, casting eyes on him so dark that they would have burned his flesh if he wasn't clothed in heavy black robes. "Everyone knows you have a weak spot for the followers."
"Don't talk out of turn, Black. Especially when you don't have four legs to sit on." He hummed in disgust.
"Sirius, not now." Hermione whispered, trying to quiet him for Remus to continue.
Sirius didn't let up and continued to throw mental hexes in Snape's general direction.
"Sorry, I'm late!" Arthur Weasley announced, coming into the crowded room with stacks of papers, folders and books in his hands, trying to balance them all like a circus act.
"Arthur! Where have you been?" Molly scolded, finally revealing her concern for the whereabouts of her husband. She'd been quiet when she got there, as her clock she carried with her still said "mortal peril" for her husband's location.
"At the Ministry! Making copies." he exclaimed, briefly kissing his wife and throwing a stack of papers in a beaten up folder for everyone to see onto the table.
"What are those?" Harry asked, pulling the folder closer to him as Hermione poked her head over her best friend's shoulder.
"Petitions!" Arthur replied, quickly sifting through his papers to find something else.
"For what?"
"To marry Hermione!" he answered, "They're still taking petitions for her, to find her a suitable mate."
"What? What the fuck for?" Sirius barked, slamming his two lifted legs back on the floor and grabbing the entire room's attention.
"Well, you all already know that this Marriage Law was for purebloods to marry muggleborns to strengthen the breeding due to all the Squibs being born." Arthur repeated the law for those that might not have been clear on it. Also, with Arthur going over it again, it was better for everyone to be on the same page before they started speculating. The room agreed for the most part that it was pretty black and white, "Well, we were lucky enough to marry Hermione off to protect her. She and Sirius married in time before he actually had to petition her. So, they were more or less, grandfathered in, so to say. Well, I've found out some horrible news. You know Felix Shortbook, the man who was handling your case?"
Both Sirius and Hermione nodded as they both stared at Arthur with eager anticipation, that he alone, was going to be their lifeline of knowledge.
"Well, he's dead." He breathed, "They found his body in the Thames."
Hermione quickly clapped a hand to her mouth in shock. She looked over at Sirius who was still staring at Arthur, desiring more information. Harry saw how concerned Hermione was becoming, by the heavy rise and fall of her chest. He reached over for his friend and held her hand lovingly. His heart went out to her, for whatever was about to unfold was going to deeply worry her.
"They found stacks of petitions for Hermione. Wizards, and witches, requesting that she be the muggleborn to marry and the licenses were temporarily granted. They seemed to find it easier to practically give them away at this point, to be ready down the line." Arthur continued his tale.
"It was like pulling bloody teeth to get one for us!" Sirius added, frustrated and slamming his hand hard on the table.
"I know. You weren't the right one. They were bribing the department to get her, Sirius. It seems several of some of the more powerful wizards, good chance that He Who Must Not Be Named had some of his minions in the bidding, applying for her. But, since she was relatively untraceable, they weren't able to act in time. And then you two…sort of just walked in."
By this point, Hermione had started to physically shake with the very idea of her being bought or sold. She didn't ask for this, she didn't even ask to be a witch, but it was just a gift she was born with. She looked over to Harry for support and he quickly leaned over and started to console his friend.
"They couldn't say anything if you offered to marry a particular wizard, Hermione. Had you just walked in to request a license, it would have appeared that you were just trying to get out of it. By you two proving that you had been together for awhile, deemed it more convincing to grant you one."
Sirius nodded, understanding that much.
"Granted, you're not the only one they discuss, Hermione, but you are quite valuable to He Who Must Not Be Named. You're Harry's best friend. You're one of the most intelligent witches of your generation."
"We know this Arthur, continue." Sirius insisted, using hand gestures to hurry it along, waiting for more to unfold.
"They're talking about how you're not pregnant, yet. Some believe it's a sham marriage."
"They're bloody all over each other, all the time!" Ron added from across the table, looking at the married couple.
"It's not enough. They're not doing enough. It's coming across not real. Unless we need to coach them some more, the Ministry is questioning it and are thinking of subjecting you two to physical medical tests."
"What? No!" Hermione yelled.
"What do they want me to do? Fuck her right in front of those pricks?" Sirius yelled. His temples beginning to throb as his blood started to boil within him.
"Could you be any more crude, Black?" Snape chided, embarrassed for his ex-student.
Sirius shook his head, apologizing to Hermione and everyone else for his outburst. He was obviously upset and everyone nodded their acceptance. They all felt the same for the two and knew that something had to be thought up.
"There's more. If the medical tests come out that Sirius is sterile, they'll forfeit their marriage license."
Sirius snorted, "Don't worry about that. I'll pass that with flying colors."
"But, there's a catch." Arthur shamefully added.
"What's the bloody catch, Arthur? Don't dangle it in front of my face, what the hell is it?" Sirius blew up, becoming more and more agitated. He had learned to despise the Ministry more and more and even when he had to walk in there to have the interview with Hermione, it made him shudder with repulsion.
"They're still taking petitions and bribes."
"What the hell for?" Harry asked.
Arthur paused, bowing his head and then peeking up at Hermione and Sirius, "They've found a clause in their contract that Hermione can be married off, in the case of death."