Standing By

Lady Countryrose

Ch. 4

After a week of healing for Hermione. She was given a couple of dark titanium keys through Lucy. Hermione had given her a worried look. "Aren't you the one with spirit keys?"

"Yes," Lucy stuttered. "But these kinds of keys won't work for me. Loke said they aren't made for my use. Only yours, something about only your magic can work them. Let's go to the back of the guild, and show you how to use them."

They were at the guild that day. Enjoying the day, since all the Team Natsu was gone. Leaving Lucy and Hermione there. After learning that Hermione needed time to heal.

Lucy next to Hermione showed her how to open the key. "Imagine yourself in front of a door or gate. Slightly turn the key and call out. I open the gate, VIRGO!"

With the sound of a doorbell, sparkling gold light. Before, a pink-haired maid stood before her in chains. "Punishment, princess," the maid had asked.

If Lucy hadn't told Hermione about her spirits, and how they acted. She would have dished Lucy some punishment.

"Not today, Virgo. Just showing Hermione how to use her keys." Then turned to Hermione with a smile. "Any questions?" Just as Virgo left to go back to Spirit World.

"Do you know who they are?"

Lucy shook her head. "No, sorry, I don't. Once you start the process, the spirit should give you a name, for you to call them." She waved before Hermione. "Go, have a try."

Hermione pulled her shoulders back with a focus look. She did as Lucy had shown. "I call the spirit through the gate, Sirius?!"

Just like before with Virgo. A gold sparkle, stardust, came to be. Only to leave a twenty looking man in black hair and gray stormy eyes before her, smirking. In black leather jacket, white t-shirt, tight blue jeans and biker boots. Looking all to see the heartthrob of Hogwarts.

"Sirius Black?"

"Hey, Kitten." Before coming to her, wrapping his arms around her. Just as she crumbled into his arms crying. "Oh, Kitten. Everything will be alright."

Once, Hermione had her cry fest. She pulled away with a teary smile. "What can you do, now?"

Sirius Black smiled, "Other than having birds crying over me? Well, I am a loyal tracker. Good dueler, to have at your side. But, I can still hold my Grim Hound form."

"Anything you want, Sirius?"

He smirked, "Call me for anything, Kitten, and I'll be there. Just call me for a drink and a party, that's all the payment I ask."

He wrapped his arms around her again. Just as, Hermione heard a distant growl. Making her think a dragon slayer was fighting with another, inside the guild. He pulled away, to kiss her forehead. Then he star dusted away.

After a while, Hermione pulled out another key. Only to see a guy in brown slacks and jacket, with a white button down shirt. Dirty blonde hair, pulled back, and blue eyes. "Professor Lupin?"

"Remus, Hermione," he huffed at her. Before hugging her as well. "Glad to see Sirius and I, together again."

"What do you do, Remus?"

"I remember everything that I learned. Fighter, tracker and protector. My wolf form is deadly, and much more powerful, but only on full moon nights."

"Your payment?"

"A book and night to read by the fire…"

Lucy whimpered softly. "I'm jealous." Soon after, Remus had left. "Who were they to you?"

Hermione heard that Lucy was just curious. Even though her words were a bit off. "They are more like uncles to me. Sirius was my best friend's Godfather. While Remus was our teacher."

Lucy smiled wholeheartedly. "They care about you."

Hermione Granger shrugged her shoulders. "Don't know what to say. But I've kept their best friend's son alive."

Lucy signed, "It may have started that way. But they care for you." She turned to the guild. "Let's go, I thought I had heard a dragon slayer growl. Don't want the guild to burn, if Natsu came back from the mission already."

The two found their back. Only to see Natsu, Gray, Cobra and Gajeel in a four way battle. Lucy shook her head, "Why do I bother caring?" Before making her way in the middle, pulling Gajeel's ear.

"Ou, ou, ou," he grumbled. "No nails, Bunny Girl." Pulling himself away from her, rubbing his ears.

"Hermione, pull Cobra out. Gray will wear out Natsu."

Hermione went in and pulled Cobra's arm behind him. Leading him away from the fight. He pulled away with a growl. The kind she heard earlier, when Sirius Black hugged her.

"What do you want, Avenging Angel?" Causing Hermione to feel her eyes pop out. "What," she asked.

Hermione could not read him. Out of all the people in the guild. She could not fathom him at all. 'It's like facing Professor Snape.'

Gajeel laughed, as he pulled Lucy into his lap. "Snake Breath here has finally found his mate! With our titanium keyholder!"

Lucy gasped after hearing Gajeel, and turned to him. "Really?"

"Well, what about you, Iron Rod? When are you going to tell the Blonde Star Gazer about her being your mate?"

Up until that moment, the build became quiet. Causing everyone to look at them. Hermione didn't know what to do, and she could see that Lucy was the same. Neither of them moved.

"Luce," causing the two to look at Natsu. His eyes showed fear. While his lips had pulled back to a smile. But glared at the two slayers near them. "Mates aren't something that you hold against one another. Not even jokingly. They are treasured, even more so, than our fuel source!"

"I must ask," he looked at the two. "Is what you're saying true?"

Gajeel grumbled darkly. "Yeah, Bunny Girl is my mate." He looked at Lucy with a sad smile. "I was planning to tell you. After I had the courage to ask you on a date."

"Oh, Gaj," she turned with a teary smile and hugged him. "I wouldn't mind a date."

Natsu came and hugged her. After Gajeel had let her go. "I'm happy for you, Luce." He then turned to Cobra. "What about you?"

"Don't know," he shrugged his shoulders. "But if Iron Rod says it is, then it must be true."

Hermione looked from one slayer to the other. "Wait, you know each other's mates?"

Gajeel gruffed, "Just like dragons. We kind of have to, unless we want to kill each other." He looked away. "Our mates are the only thing keeping us from going into true dragon form."

The rest of the guild hall seemed to have gotten bored with the new information. Because they went back to what they were doing. Either it was talking, drinking or eating. Or, in some cases, fighting. Which Cobra was quick to do with Natsu.

"I'll see you at seven," Gajeel asked Lucy. She gave a warm smile, "Seven." Then she led Hermione back out of the guild. Leading back to the cottage.

Once back at the cottage, Hermione turned to Lucy. "Do you have any books?" She shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know…"

Lucy pulled out a silver key. "Grandpa Crux," she smiled at an elderly man-looking-book. "Could you help?"

"Of course, Miss Lucy."

While Lucy was getting ready for her date with Gajeel. Hermione tucked in at the coffee table with crux, with pen and paper in hand. Asking a Hogwarts Library full of questions.

When Lucy came down at 6:55 pm. Only for Hermione to see a simple tight black dress and high-heeled simple shoes. She shook her head at Lucy. Only picturing what Lucy could have worn, before snapping her figures. Where a magical shimmer happened before the clothes change.

The dress became two leather pieces. A bright red top, with tight pencil black leather skirt. Three inch high-heeled leather boots. Along with chain looking accessories and belts.

"Hermione…"

She turned away from her, to hide her surprised look with a smile. "You're welcome," she shrieked out.

Just then the door knocked. Lucy, glaring at her, before opening the door. "Hey Bun.." Whatever he was going to say, was dissolved.

Standing at the door, made Hermione roll her eyes before flickering her fingers again. Gone were the faded, hole jeans to a black leather pants. Gone with the black wife-beater shirt, to a black with gray pinstripe button down shirt. His black and white checkered jacket, to a black-cherry color leather jacket. Leaving the biker boots alone.

"Damn," Lucy purred at the new changes. She turned to Hermione with her sparkling brown eyes. "What else can you do?"

Hermione waved her hand. "Can't make anything happen for you?"

"Damn," purred Gajeel. "I really have to fight myself to be a good boy." Then the door closed, leaving Hermione to her research.

"I never made things happen, just snapping my fingers before."

"Must be that magic is more potent than it was in your world," supplied crux.

Hermione couldn't help but agree. As she started writing for her to research later.