Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling. However, I do own OC, non-canon magic, etc.

Wow, all I can say is my apologies for the delay. Real life and figuring a lot of stuff out on my end that removed my creative juices for a bit. I hope y'all like it, and continue your currency of reviews. I confess, I'm delaying the plotline a bit so I can flesh out the relationships more between S/S and H/Hr. Keep me posted! –JHS.

Ch. XLVI: Promises Part II

It took too long to fall asleep between the witch and wizard. Eventually, Séraphine did before Sirius.

Sirius held onto the witch. My wife. He thought grimacing as he recalled his botched proposal to her. I am going to make it up to her somehow…His eyes widened. Perhaps, I'll have Pup help me with creating a Black 'Ravenclaw,' Diadem for her on her birthday?

When Sirius rummaged through the Estate papers at the junction of his floor safe he found Séraphine's original records from his several greats-grandmother and rediscovered her birthday was in April. She did mention it when she was the House-Witch. He admitted, rolling his eyes.

It should be enough time to enlist Pup since it's September.

The truth was Sirius wanted to do something nice for Séraphine. In her day, she would only have been permitted to gaze at fine things and never have them.

He blinked owlishly, before hesitantly snuggling into her brunette curls. She's sacrificed so much for me. For the House. She can't even look like herself, ever again. He closed his grey eyes against her floral scented hair.

The wizard vaguely wondered what if together they would be like with Harry. Would we look related?

Sighing internally, the wizard finally fell asleep.

The witch awoke a few hours later with something warm and heavy all around her. Her sleep-deprived brain eventually summed up last night's events and an overall blush permeated her being.

Mentally swearing in French, she carefully extricated herself from the wizard's embrace. She could not help looking at him over her shoulder before silently heading out. Sirius grimaced and clutched her pillow, rolling into her warmth. Séraphine swallowed thickly as she left the Master Suite, still clad in her pajamas.

I need air. She thought as she made her way thinking she would walk in the courtyard. She glanced at the Training Room. Or a good fight…

Changing her mind, the witch turned to the right and shut the door with a snap. No one was up in the household and she wanted to keep it that way.

Séraphine expelled a breath she did not realize she held before asking the House for her wand. Appearing out of thin air, the witch transfigured her clothing to feminine battle mage robes of black-and-pink.

The House summoned dummies as Séraphine smiled grimly.

She raised her wand in a salute before getting into position as she slashed the air with a purple flame.*

Sirius started.

"Séraphine?" He queried. Nothing. The wizard took a few deep breaths. The House quickly informed him of her location and he sighed in relief.

Thank Merlin no one knows I'm a girl's petticoat* early in the morning. He thought dryly. Stretching, the man's bones popped into place and he decided a bath is definitely in order.

The witch breathed heavily, sinking to the floor with 56 dummies in ruins before her. Swearing under her breath as the door behind her opened revealing her husband.

They stared at one another as the witch blushed deeply, cursing herself again. With as much dignity as she could muster she rose to her feet just as Sirius offered her a hand.

"Thank you," she said, her voice catching.

"You're welcome." He answered uncertainly, lowering his hand to his side.

There was an awkward pause.

"I'll freshen up then," Séraphine announced unnecessarily. "We must plan on what to tell Harry, we can't just summon him via House-Elves every time we need to speak with him." The witch eyed Sirius beneath her eyelashes. "That'd be suspicious. Plus, we really should convene with the Goblins and plan on the next point of attack on this Madame Jocelyne."

Sirius nodded, grateful he had something to do and she offered him a graceful way out. "I think I'll write to Ragnok to be sure."

Séraphine sidestepped Sirius, cursing herself again. I'm turning into a besotted ninny. She scowled. It's not like I can just escape the man. It's not my fault I bloody bonded with him. She stamped upstairs in a huff. As soon as the doors closed, the witch sniffed and covered her face with her hands. He doesn't even…want me, for me.

The witch wept.

This did not go unnoticed by the Black House-Elf as he listened outside the bedroom door. He wondered why the House went into Lockdown when there were no threats, merely the Servants.

It did something funny to the House-Elf as he glared in the direction of the Training Room of his Master.

Nothing I can do except bring the Young Master back. He thought determinedly. Much to his surprise the House warmed around him in approval.

Grinning, the House-Elf finished his duties and Apparated.

Harry wanted to remain with Hermione in the Room of Requirement for as long as he could. He closed his eyes as he reluctantly pulled away from the young witch.

He stared her with such intensity, making her blush deepen. Realizing what he did, he immediately stepped away from her and gave her a sheepish grin.

Hermione smiled back.

I wish he could wear his real eyes without the glasses. She thought wistfully.

"We should head back," She mumbled. Harry grunted in agreement. When she tried to sidestep him, Harry stopped her and gave her a little shake of his head.

"Wait a minute, My." He commanded quietly.

Hermione's eyebrows rose despite the pleased, warm feeling she had. She did not like it when Ron called her 'Mione.* It was so irritating. However, she did not mind Harry's nickname.

The boy paced three times thinking of a door a corridor away from Gryffindor Tower. As it was, they would have five minutes before their House left for dinner together, none the wiser as to where the duo had been.

They walked together before running smack into Ron Weasley.

Except, of course, things could never be that easy. Harry thought dryly and Hermione on a similar plane.

"Where have you been?" Ron demanded scathingly. His posture threatening and he took a half-step toward Hermione.

Harry was having none of that.

"The library," Harry retorted sarcastically. "Where else?"

"Already studying?" The redhead scowled.

"You bet," The green-eyed boy answered coolly.

As the boys were gearing up to spar, Gryffindor Tower opened, revealing several students who exchanged worried and interested looks at the clear animosity between the Golden Trio.

Ron's face turned an eerily similar shade of puce much like Uncle Vernon's did before he started hitting or ranting at Harry. He angrily brushed past Harry's shoulder, in a huff toward the Great Hall.

A low whistle made Harry sharply turn as the Twins stared at the young wizard and witch. Fred gestured the pair toward the empty corridor away from the crowding Lions.

"What's gotten into him?" Fred quietly asked as George looked to Hermione for an explanation.

"Ron's being a git to Hermione and I don't like it." Harry answered succinctly. "It's getting out of hand and I honestly don't know what's gotten into him. He just gets mad at the stupidest things—like us studying in the library." Harry practically spat. "And, really, Sirius is going to have my hide if I don't improve my grades."

Hermione frowned. "I didn't know Sirius said that to you." She muttered before shaking her head at the Twins. "Ron's getting meaner…and, I think he's just being jealous." The brunette finally admitted shamefaced at Ron's brothers, who exchanged a look.

"Well, ickle Ronnikins, has a greenness to him that's uniquely his." George said diplomatically with a shrug.

"We'll write to Mum about him." Fred promised. "We noticed something off about you lot and wondered if it was something stupid or actually real."

"Definitely stupid." The four students said simultaneously as they chuckled.

"Best be off then," The Twins chorused as the Harry and Hermione followed them to get to dinner.

Harry paused as he watched a blonde Ravenclaw witch try levitating a pair of shoes from the ceiling.

"Luna?" The Twins asked, worriedly.

"Oh hello Fred and George Weasley," the blonde dreamily greeted. "Hello Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. How do you fare today?"

Together they arrived to the young girl.

"Who did this?" Harry asked sincerely. He knew the signs, and exchanged a dark look with the Weasleys.

Hermione stared at the odd girl before her wearing butterbear caps as a necklace.

"Oh, I don't know actually, Harry Potter." Luna answered, giving a delicate shrug. "People always like to borrow my things and put them in the strangest places."

Harry's eyes narrowed dangerously.

Fred and George made quick work of helping Luna retrieve her shoes.

"Well, if you find out—." Fred started.

"We'll gladly prank them—." George stated.

"On your behalf." The Twins practically growled.

"Would you like to join us?" Harry offered the girl, who looked at him with wonder-filled silvery eyes. She hesitantly smiled and nodded. Harry smiled gently at her and immediately placed himself between the girls. He noted Hermione's standoffishness to the bullied girl and decided he did not like it one bit.

Hermione just continued to look at Luna warily, but kept a decent pace as Harry struck up polite conversation with the young Ravenclaw.

References:

Donohov's Curse: no incantation. Deadly purple flame after slashing your wand in the air.

Girl's petticoat: totally from the BBC series Merlin.

Luna: I happen to love Luna. If Harry could never be with Hermione then she was my second choice. They're definitely kindred spirits. And, I didn't like how mean Hermione was to her at first since it made Hermione look like a hypocrite. Here, I hope to correct that sooner.

'Mione: it only bugged me when Ron called her that. If Harry had, I'd be OK with it. That said, I thought it would be cuter and quicker to simply say 'My Mione,' as Dobby does
;-).