A/N: Alas another chapter and as always, the reviews encourage me to go on, thanks so much. This chapter is rated PG-13/M. This is the original, and nothing was taken out. The same version reads on my LJ.
To some of you that are picking out little details, I thank you. However, I have done some research. Some of you may know that I'm American, but what you may not know is that I travel to London (and surrounding areas Oxford, Didcott, Reading, Poole, South Hampton…) quite frequently. I may not know all the details regarding the areas, but I know enough to own an Oyster card ;)
As for the "age of consent" concerns: This is fan fiction and the warnings have been made. As for the discussion of whether it's legal, it's not up for discussion. To be more "PC" about it, it was author's choice to make the legal age of consent 18, solely for the purpose of both sides of the pond reading this.
Now again, I'm not coming down on anyone, and you have the right to any opinion! I encourage it. I'm very thankful you've read my story thus far, and hope everyone leaves reviews that will help. Thank so much! J
This chapter may not be the best (as I may have teased on LJ), but it's been written for specific reasons that you'll learn later.
Chapter 12 – Resisting Charms
The way Hermione's pulse throbbed in her ears, it sounded like a dozen gongs going off in her head. Her breath was ragged, her body was physically exhausted and she forced her legs to move faster then they ever could. She was practically swallowing the air as it filled her lungs, as she ran for her life. With her wand lost and broken, she felt defenseless, naked, and unknowing.
Where was Sirius?
She lost him far behind her, when he yelled at her to run as fast as she could while he stayed behind to deal with his own cousin, Bellatrix.
They'd been cornered down one of the darkened streets of Knockturn Alley. Thanks to tip from Tonks, the Order followed Narcissa and Bellatrix to this location. They heard of a meeting of the minds, where several of the more unknown, better disguised Death Eaters were going to be. It was in the name of good, that these faces were to be exposed and dealt with.
Once discovered hiding about in the shadows, disguised as inanimate objects, Bellatrix and her followers scoured the dark streets to find them.
One good hex by Narcissa when Hermione had lost sight of her and she fell backwards on her rear end. Sirius had yelled for her, darting out and dodging hexes from both Draco and Bellatrix as he went for his wife. Bellatrix cackled in the alleyway, throwing another hex at his cousin's wife when Sirius threw himself in front of her to save her from whatever pain was now to be his.
Hermione's wand had snapped in her hands when she tried to catch herself from flipping upside down, leaving her with nothing. She saw the illustrious Bellatrix cry out, "Crucio!" and Sirius fell to the ground in front of her in a heavy heap.
Hermione screamed, frightfully fearful for his life and watched him writhe on the ground in agony like his entire body was receiving an electric shock.
"Fucking run, Hermione!" he yelled, his voice cracking between cries of mental pressure and pain. "Go now! Run!" he coughed, clutching onto his wand and trying to fight the invisible power over him.
Hermione's insides were dying with him and she couldn't leave him. Not in this alleyway, not on the rain soaked street, not again! The more she yelled in protest wanting to pull him away, the more he yelled at her. She saw Bellatrix nearing them, her wand fixed on her cousin. The sound of a repulsive cackle filled Hermione's ears and she knew that Sirius would be gravely pissed if she stayed any longer to try and save him. Sirius slurred his words with curses for her to run like hell away from her.
"I swear to God, Hermione-" he howled and cried as his muscles contracted against his control, "I'll fucking kill you myself if she doesn't get to you first! Get the hell out of here!" he screamed, concentrating on forming words to make her leave.
Watching the darkened death of a woman approach them with a brisk step, Hermione took another look down at her husband, her love, the man she had learned to need more than anything in her life, dying before her, she quickly scurried backwards on all four arms and legs like a spider trying to run. She turned around and took off running, not looking back, but hearing Bellatrix cackle again, letting it bounce off the cruel crumbling walls of the buildings around her.
Her heart was racing, her eyes watered and as if a dam was holding back her tears, and her emotions erupted with loss and hatred. She cursed Sirius under her breath for making her leave him. She didn't want to live without him, not like this. She didn't want Bellatrix to take him away from her, for the second time!
After what felt like miles of running, her ears were filled with the familiar cackling of the evil witch. She glanced back to see Bellatrix after her, throwing hexes just like before. Hermione tried to dodge them as they ricochet off the brick walls.
"Mudblood! How dare you taint my pureblood family!" Bellatrix screamed, running behind her at full speed, you'd think she was flying.
Hermione felt herself being pulled back, her shoulders feeling like they were being shaken and through the fog she started to hear another voice calling her name. She turned her head right and left, swearing that it was Sirius saying her name over and over.
"Hermione!" he called. It was him. "Wake up, love!" His natural voice fell on her ears like warm soothing water.
She jolted awake, her eyes forced to open and there before her was her shirtless knight, holding her shoulders, and deeply concerned. She panted as she woke up out of her dream, her hands reaching for him and pulling herself up to press against him.
"Darling, calm down. It's okay. It was just a nightmare." He soothed, wrapping his arms around her slender body as she threw hers around his neck in desperation, calming herself that she had him in her grasp.
She did what she could to hold it together long enough before erupting into a fit of tears. With hardly any sound, her tear ducts let out a constant stream while the rest of her body just shivered. She never sobbed, she never hiccupped, she just held onto Sirius's bare flesh as tight as she could, until he had to pull her away from him, trying to get answers.
She just shook her head, not wanting to think about it any further. Right now, she just wanted him close.
"Please stay with me, tonight. I just want to know that you're close." She quietly requested with no objections from him. He was already gently caressing her moistened cheek, nodding to whatever she said. "But first, I'm going to write work and tell them I'll be out for the rest of the week. I don't want to be away from you, until we think of a better plan."
He nodded, not saying anything, but just happy that she was finally calming down. Her state when he first rushed in, following her crying yells, frightened him beyond words. He thought her mind was being extracted from her head, the way she was writhing around on the bed, like a fish out of water. He'd tried to calm her for at least three minutes, before she woke up in his arms; his hands gripping her shoulders tight.
They both were extremely stressed over the night's discussion at the Order meeting. The news of finding out that Hermione was being bartered for, resulting in a possible assassination of Sirius. But, the later of that seemed to be a bit farfetched, knowing that there were still good people somewhere in the Ministry that knew of this plan, so it's not like it was going to go unnoticed. They would only be able to cover up so much, before the right people, probably the Order, would step in and rectify it.
For now, the plan for Sirius and Hermione was to go along like normal. Lead normal lives, no more interviews, attend outings, go to the pubs, go to dinner, go shopping, be normal and to make absolute asses of themselves in public over their displays of affection. Granted, by this point, both Harry and Ron were slightly turned off with the notion that their closet friend was to act like she was "making it" with someone their dad's age, well, Harry's dad, anyway. Not that it was completely repulsive, being that Sirius was technically Harry's guardian; the Order looked at it like nothing abnormal.
The pairing was a pretty couple; Sirius looking at least ten years younger than he actually was, and Hermione growing into the graceful woman that harbored inside of her once lanky body. They acted like any other couple, as it seemed that two months together had somehow, calmed them as individuals. Neither one of them seemed to bicker at the meetings the way they used to, neither one seemed unhappy, and they both seemed to have learned how to be concerned for the other, even if they were only faking the fact they were a couple.
Or, so the Order believed.
When the discussion came about on their displays in public, it was suggested that they go out to dinner in wizarding places more often. They should be seen strolling together, or shopping and Sirius should make more frequent trips to Hermione's work, forcibly rubbing it in the Ministry's faces that he knew who was who.
Sirius did everything he could, not to stare at Hermione during this entire conversation, knowing that he would probably give it away. Had they already been spying on them? Had they seen how they looked at each other? Surely, they weren't spotted in Hogsmeade the night before, but Sirius knew that it wasn't going to be a stretch for any of the things they suggested.
The business at the meeting moved on to the topic of using the Weasley twin's back storeroom as another rendezvous point when it came to more frequent meetings, making them more subtle. Molly said she'd speak to them and knew that they'd be up for the idea. They loved seeing familiar faces in their shop, and it was good to know that they'd have extra security with Order members loitering about, that the "bad sort" might not frequent their business as often, allowing a possible scandal with any of their products ending up in the wrong hands.
Sirius smiled to Hermione as she returned to her bedroom, after sending an owl to her boss at the Ministry. She just made it quick and simple that she was feeling under the weather and for the rest of the week, she'd be home recuperating. She crawled back into her bed, in the bedroom that showed no personality, and waited for Sirius to settle next to her, before moving closer to him.
He adjusted himself in her bed, noticing that she seemed to inch closer and closer to him. With no reservations, she wrapped her hands around him, making sure he was really there. As they both stilled, Sirius began to close his eyes when he felt her lean up and leave a kiss on his lips, whispering to him that she was glad he was there.
Sirius sighed, forcing himself not to make a move on her, swearing that he wasn't going to take advantage of her like this. He felt himself practicing the strongest strength of willpower he could muster, even when her leg moved over his, wrapping it securely around his body. Her hand smoothed over his stomach, lightly grazing his shadowed trail leading down under the waistband of his pants. When her hand finally stilled, his pulse began to subside, listening to the sound of her quiet breathing and feeling the light tickle of her curls dressed over his chest. She slowly drifted herself to sleep, completely wrapped around him as he lay on his back with one arm protecting her.
The following day, Hermione still wasn't in the best of moods to do much. Not that she was paranoid; it was just that she wasn't ready to venture outside of the flat without at least letting one more day settle in.
The two lounged around the flat, making lunch, doing chores and just generally enjoying each other's company. They enjoyed a peaceful nap together with the windows opened, listening to the city sounds and fresh air fill their room. Like the night prior, Hermione curled against the warm security that Sirius provided and left stray kisses around his neck as she nuzzled her nose against him, bewitching him to drift off to sleep with her.
In the evening, Sirius lay at the end of the couch, his head resting on his hand and his legs stretched out watching a popular television show. During the commercial break, he glanced down at the other end to the pretty young witch, thoroughly engrossed in a thousand page novel. Hermione sat on her end, her arm propping up her head as well, and her bare legs tucked underneath her. Her hair fell down the side of her cheeks like a pair of wispy curtains. Sirius watched how she furrowed her brow when she read; contemplating the story she was divulging herself into. She fascinated him with her insatiable thirst for knowledge and intrigue that it had dawned on him that she was indeed, a rare jewel completely preparing for him.
Sirius smiled to himself, admiring her angelic appearance, thinking that even wearing a cotton tank top and yoga shorts, she still looked radiant. He sighed contently, accepting that beyond all the rules of their arrangement, he was actually happier than he'd been in a long time. After all the bickering, the rows they'd had back at Grimmauld Place, and the "grow up" arguments, he never would have predicted the fondness he had for her. Through new eyes, he thought she was one of the most beautiful creatures he'd ever met and it was so sad that he didn't realize this sooner. Otherwise, they might not have started out so resentful in their beginning.
His eyes returned to the television and a few moments later, he heard Hermione closing her book. She laid the leather bound piece on the coffee table and turned towards Sirius. Without saying a word, she moved her legs from under her and crawled the short distance to the other side of the couch. He turned to see her coming closer, hovering over him and leaving a chaste kiss on his lips, before stretching out her legs and laying on top of him, resting her head on his chest.
Sirius cherished the way she draped her body over his, cuddling against him, knowing that she felt safe. She knew that he'd let nothing hurt her, touch her, or even attempt to take her away from him. He just rested his hand on her head, caressing the dark curls that made her wild mane, tangling into their soft debts. He felt her sigh and knew that she was drifting off into a slumber.
The following couple of days, Sirius paid all his attention on her. He had to make her feel safe again, had to let her know that he was serious about her, and wasn't setting her up for a terrible fall, if she were to push forward and accept him. He made her feel pretty, but that didn't take much out of him, for she was. He had no problem offering her the affection she so needed, in her weakened state that even after a long ride out into the country on his motorcycle she still just wanted him to hold her when they laid down in a bed of grass, staring up at the clouds.
She never would have put it past him that he was a romantic, because it seemed to come so easy for him. He was still Sirius with his crude comments, his stubbly chin, his leather pants and his silly flying motorcycle. But, he knew that his mission just got tougher. Not only was he sworn to protect her, he had to now protect them as a unit and himself from harms way. He was a bit unsure about what these "Ministry Fucks" had planned, but he knew it was shady.
For now, he had to convince Hermione that he was there. He wasn't going to run away, and he was going to do the responsible thing and listen to what others say this time, rather than risk his own neck when he was responsible for other people. He still couldn't forget the Veil, he never could, it left a mental scar, but the bigger scar was how he left Harry so abruptly. The past can never be forgotten, but it can be redeemed.
Now with Hermione, who presently sat straddling his lap on their couch while his legs were propped up on the coffee table, he had a new task. She was his responsibility and, like with Harry, wasn't going to just think of defending her without knowing everything. He couldn't. He wouldn't risk it. Not when he was so close to something really wonderful and real. Not when she was sitting on his crotch in a most alluring fashion, letting him kiss her anytime he wanted, anyway he wanted. Not when they had practically spent most of the afternoon feeling each other up like teenagers.
Sirius's fingers were sneaking under Hermione's shirt, touching her bare stomach and tickling her ribs, when he closed his eyes at the way she was practically purring into his ear. Her hands snaked their way around his neck, straying up and into his long unruly hair. She nibbled on his jaw, listening to him chuckle deep from his throat.
With the sound of two "pops" of people apparating into their living room, the tender couple looked over to see Remus and Tonks standing there.
"Oh god, we're sorry!" Tonks blurted out, hiding her face in Remus's arm, as if shielding her eyes would reverse their rude interruption.
Remus chuckled and pointed, "I knew it! I knew there was something more."
Sirius tipped his head back, chuckling at his longtime friend and cousin with the scene they had walked in on. Hermione just turned her head away, smiling and biting her lip that they had been found out.
"You knew, Remus?" Tonks asked, looking back at the couple sitting on the couch and then back up to Remus.
Sirius lowered his hands to rest them on Hermione's thighs and not so obviously up under her shirt. "Mooney, you're so clever."
Hermione finally peeked over to their guests and added, "Would you mind not mentioning it to Harry? We're not quite sure how to break it to him."
"We call it, method acting." Sirius teased.
Remus smiled at the familiar state of his friend, rekindling old memories of him with other women in this past. Of course, now was not the time to bring those up. Instead, he put his arm around Tonks to console her from her surprise, reassuring her that it was all right.
"Well, whatever you call it, just make it convincing to everyone else. If you look like this where everyone can see you, then we already should have less to worry about." Remus cheerfully added.
Hermione slid off of Sirius's lap and onto the couch next to him, to make it feel less awkward when Sirius asked them why they deserved their company that evening.
"Well, we were sort of in the neighborhood and wanted to know if you wanted to join us to this Indian restaurant. We thought we'd help you with your outings, but I can see that maybe you're doing fine without our help." Tonks finally built the courage to look them both in the eye. It's not that they were caught doing anything wrong, but the sudden shock of her cousin with Hermione struck her odd. They were such polar opposites and Tonks had never even noticed any kind of attraction between them, before.
Sirius looked over at Hermione, whose cheeks were still blushing and inquired on her will to join them. Regrettably, she agreed to the invitation, secretly wishing that their evening remained just the two of them, but for Remus's sake, she joined them.
The double date did them well, and it helped relieve Hermione of some of her more stressful concerns. In a very vague sort of way, the foursome discussed mild business regarding their society, trying to soften the blow of the new developments Tonks had discovered while at work out in the field. She was still following a tip she'd learned on Bellatrix and Narcissa, and Hermione couldn't help but revert back to the horrible nightmare she'd had the few nights ago.
It must have been just a coincidence and thought nothing of it, still wishing not to revisit that dream. The only good thing about it was that when she awoke, she had someone there holding her. Unlike waking up from horrible dark dreams growing up, she needn't face them alone anymore.
Sirius was becoming something of a godsend to Hermione and it frightened her to believe that she may, indeed, need him. Maybe she wasn't ready to admit that altogether, but she was, at least, willing to admit that they worked well together as a couple. Out in public, they knew their boundaries, they knew their job. The fact that they fancied each other only made it easier.
Come Friday morning, Hermione awoke in her own bed, alone. She saw that the sun had snuck into her room and was washing the walls of their fresh bright sunlight. Finally starting to feel refreshed and well rested, she paused to hear any tinkering sounds coming from the kitchen.
Silence.
Realizing that it was still before nine a.m., Hermione quietly threw on a pair of jeans, a t-shirt and light jacket, slipped on her shoes and tiptoed out of her room and down the hallway. As she passed Sirius's open door, she looked inside to see him spread out in the bed, one leg on top of the sheets and the rest of his body lying on his back, completely in a sedated state. Smiling to herself and passing his doorway, she quietly slipped outside and down to the street to pick up a few things she wanted to make him for breakfast.
About ten minutes after she left, Sirius started to stir as he heard those damn birds chirping outside his window now. He shifted a little, pressing his face into a pillow and letting out a light growl. A roaming hand reached out to the vacant spot next to him, to see if any of his dreams were answered and he wasn't alone.
Like a petulant child, he huffed his disappointment and forced his body to wake up. Like a zombie beginning his new day, he emerged from his cave and slowly slugged down the hallway to Hermione's room. Half asleep and barely able to focus, he pushed her door open to see that her bed was empty. Growling once again, he slowly turned and staggered down the hallway, aiming for the kitchen. He saw her messenger bag by the doorway, so he knew she didn't go to work and he ran his hands over his face to wake himself up.
As he stretched his arms up into the air to stretch out his back from his heavy sleep, there was a knock on the door. He dropped his arms and smiled, thinking that it was Hermione.
"Did you forget your keys, love?" he called, swinging the door open to reveal a rather attractive blonde woman standing there with a notebook.
The professional looking blonde scanned her eyes over his half naked body, wearing only a pair of plaid pajama bottoms. His hair was ruffled, his chest was toned and his pants hung low on his hips, creating quite a fantasy to the stranger at the door.
"Well, no, because I never received any." She grinned, narrowing her eyes on his chest art, trying to step in and get a better look.
Upon seeing that it wasn't Hermione he quickly shook himself awake, "I'm sorry. Who are you?"
The blonde smiled and extended her hand, her other arm clutching the notebook she hugged close, "I'm Maria Abeworthy, your new caseworker."
"Caseworker? Oh, yes, because Shortbook kicked it." Sirius added, still fighting to wake up as this woman looked him over.
She nodded at the crude way he had explained it, but it didn't stop her from her job. She looked him over once again, and saw him as a challenge. "I'm here for your monthly inspection. So, may I come in?"
She stepped up to Sirius who remained still, practically pushing her body up against his to better get his attention towards her more personal assets. Losing himself in the advance for a few seconds, he remembered who she was.
"Yes, sure." He offered, moving out of the way to let her in. "My, ah…ah…" the word escaped him as he was still slightly groggy and approached by a beautiful woman, no doubt she had Veela in her, with the way he was suddenly reacting to her.
"Your wife?" she suggested, opening up her notebook to begin her notes.
"Yes, my wife. She's stepped out for a bit and will be back soon."
"Oh, she will be?" the blonde inquired, pouting out her lower lip that they weren't going to speak alone, just the two of them. "I was rather hoping that I could have some time with just you, Mr. Black."
She advanced closer, but Sirius knew better than to fall into her trap, let alone someone from the Ministry. He could smell "set up" all over this chick.
"Well, you can start until she gets back. Go ahead, be my guest." He offered his flat; opening his arms and ushering her to go wherever she felt, suggesting he had nothing to hide. After all, that's why they insisted on doing these stupid inspections of their homes.
She pursed her lips and walked past him slowly, lowering her eyes on him, starting down the hallway and giving him a quick glance. Sirius excused himself from her, going into the kitchen to start their morning coffee. When he approached the pot to prepare it, he saw that it was already finished. Thinking of the small thoughtful gesture Hermione had made for him, he couldn't help but smile to himself.
"Sirius?" she called from down the hallway.
Sirius picked up his coffee cup, not impressed that this woman was keeping him from the second most important thing in his life, and went back into the living room to see her standing in front of Hermione's bedroom.
"It's Mr. Black."
"Who's room is this?" she asked, casually pulling her hair down from the bun it was pinned up in, allowing her long blonde locks to fall down her back.
"No ones, it's the guest room." Sirius answered, sipping his coffee and resting a hand on his hip.
"But, it looks slept in." she tested, posing the pen tip to her lips.
Oh, this one is good.
"My godson slept here last night. We had a few pints and he crashed in there."
"So, this room is yours and your wife's?" she pointed, standing at the doorway and looking inside.
"Yes, you're a quick one." He sarcastically added, sipping his coffee, savoring its taste and finding far more interest in the loose coffee ground floating at the top of his cup then the short skirt the Ministry rep had worn to this interview. It had occurred to him that she had probably hoped he was alone.
"And, ah, that's the room where you two," she swiveled her hips as she walked towards him, "do it?" she baited.
"If you mean where we fuck, yes, then that's it. I rather prefer the term 'making love', but call me old fashioned." He smiled, raising his cup between them to sip it loudly.
She had done all but close the gap between them. If it wasn't for the fact that he trained himself a long time ago to never give into a Veela's charm, he would have been a much easier target for her. But, Sirius wasn't about to botch up a good thing he had going.
Hermione came through the door to see them standing extremely close and the strange blonde woman begging to be noticed.
"Who the hell is this?" Hermione insisted, throwing her keys on the coffee table and her purse and groceries on the couch.
She quickly looked over at Sirius, raging with jealousy; before she quickly caught on that he wasn't the least bit interested in her. Ashamed at herself for overreacting, she realized that jealousy was obviously something she didn't deal well with, and was glad to see that he had already convinced her that it was all this other woman's doing and not his.
"Darling, this is the new Ministry tramp, er, rep." he corrected. Upon hearing this, the blonde made an offended sound and crossed her arms over her chest. "Sorry love, just call them as I see them. No hard feelings." He sipped, wrapping an arm around Hermione who stood next to him like a prized piece compared to how cheap this woman made herself. "Have you met my wife?"
"Hello, Mrs. Black. I'm here for your monthly inspection." The blonde woman adjusted herself before continuing.
"We never received an owl about it." Hermione inquired, calling the woman out.
The representative smiled fake, tilted her head and added, "I'm sure it just got lost."
Hermione fake nodded and asked, "And, have you seen everything you needed?"
Maria glanced back at Sirius, realizing that her mission to seduce him had failed and she would need to report back to her superiors that he'd past this test – even from a Veela.
"I've seen enough, until next month." She finished, tossing her hair over her shoulder as she turned to leave. Without another word, she was out the door and out of their flat in the blink of an eye.
Hermione stared at the door, not quite gripping what had just happened. She felt her fists beginning to ball and her heart beginning to pound. She hated the emotions she was beginning to feel, not too familiar with the experience of being predatorial over a man. It wasn't in her. It was extremely out of character for Hermione Granger. But, as she felt Sirius hug her closer and leave a kiss on her temple, she realized that she'd never been in the position to be so open for a man before. And Sirius was the rare case. She felt him leave her and go back into the kitchen, acting like what had just transpired in their flat, really didn't even cause him to blink an eye.
Hermione shook her head and turned to see Sirius taking down a coffee mug to prepare another cup for her, as if this was the routine. Like nothing else mattered, except for preparing that cup of coffee for her, and only her. The fact that a Veela had just entered their home, pulled out a few tricks, and still left him unmoved, over the feelings he had for her.
"She was a piece of work." Sirius told her, busy with making her coffee.
"She was part Veela!"
Sirius glanced over his shoulder at her and nodded, "Yeah, I know."
Hermione carried her bag of breakfast foods to the counter, setting them down and still looking over at Sirius completely stunned, "And you were able to resist her?"
Sirius just nodded, "It's a gift."
Trying to suppress a smile, she bit her lip instead and stood up on her toes to kiss his cheek, completely smitten with him. For the first time, she was seen as the prize and not another. She had been chosen over a typical beautiful stereotype, and best of all, over a Veela. It warmed her heart to no end, that she immediately started to make him breakfast, feeling that a good omelet might show a pinch of her appreciation.
"Besides," Sirius added, turning around and leaning against the sink as he watched her put a few groceries away into the refrigerator. "She had to have been at least twenty-two, or twenty-three. Far too old for my standards." He grinned mischievously.