AN: Thank you for all the support! It is very deeply appreciated!
"What do you mean Metatron is with Hermione?" Severus leapt from his place on the couch, knocking over a stack of ten books.
"He just approached her on the street!" Sirius was stark white as he stepped towards the sofa. "He shouted at her, glared at me, and then I realized I needed backup to deal with him."
"And you just left?"
"Only so I could find help."
"Why didn't you confront him and call for the Trinity there?" Severus' glow was intensifying.
"I didn't want a confrontation with Metatron, especially after everything that's happened!"
"Coward," Severus hissed.
"It may have been the wrong thing to leave her alone..."
"It was the wrong thing!"
"Maybe not."
"How could leaving her alone with him ever be considered the right thing?"
"I need to ask the Trinity to help her!"
"How are we supposed to call them?"
"I don't know," Sirius admitted. "Maybe we pray to them or something."
"Because they've been oh so willing to listen to our prayers."
"They sent us here instead of Purgatory, didn't they?"
Severus grumbled something indecipherable.
"They have control over him. Perhaps they'd threaten to damn him or something if he becomes too hostile towards her."
"They could do that, couldn't they?" Severus' glow lessened.
"Yes, and if Dismas is right, he's already on thin ice. It may not take much for them to damn him, or at least take away his authority."
"Very true."
"So she may be fine, assuming the Trinity was listening when I pleaded for them to come."
"They still aren't here."
"Maybe they are and we don't know it."
"Trinity aside, I still don't know why Metatron would seek her out though." Severus scratched his chin.
"I don't know, but he isn't stupid," Sirius' glow became a light yellow. "He likes his job, and he knows he'll lose it if he pulls too much of a stunt."
"True." Severus sat on the couch, his glow now normal.
"He's not going to hurt her, though what he plans to do I'm not sure of."
"That's the only thing I wish I knew; whether or not he has any ill-intent."
"Even if he does have ill-intent." Sirius sat beside him. "She's a strong woman who can handle herself."
"It sounds as if she handled herself well with the psychologist anyway." Severus shook his head. "I cannot believe I did not foresee Potter taking her into one."
"It was a misguided attempt to show how much he cares for her."
"He cares so much for here that he called her crazy!"
"In his defense, it must be difficult to hear his best friend is carrying on a relationship with one of his dead heroes."
"I haven't the foggiest clue why Potter thinks I'm a hero," Severus muttered.
"I don't either."
Severus turned to Sirius. The dog smirked.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Severus frowned.
"Because you're a hero, and you know it."
"I did what needed to be done. That hardly makes me a hero and…" Severus' eyes bulged. "Did you just admit I was a hero?"
"Apparently I did." Sirius raised a hand. "But don't think much of it. You're only a hero because you're helping me leave Purgatory. Other than the risking your life spying every night for years on end, you aren't that special."
"Indeed," the black clad spirit drawled.
Sirius' smile remained.
"Why do you keep looking at me like that? There is little special about me. I committed heinous actions, even in the name of the Light. There is little to admire about me," Severus replied.
"Hermione disagrees."
"Apparently Potter does too." Severus mumbled.
"He does," Sirius answered.
Silence fell between them, for what could have been seconds, or hours. Neither knew how to adequately tell time in circumstances such as this.
"Do you think Metatron is talking Hermione out of loving me?" Severus asked.
Sirius tilted his head.
"I'm at such a loss for what he wants. From what everyone's said, his objections to our relationship are duly noted. What if he's convincing her not to love me?" Severus' voice was barely above a whisper.
"I think Metatron has more important things to worry about than your love life, or at least he should."
"He seems all too happy to interfere with it though."
"There's a difference between paying a Purgatory visit to someone he despises and discussing a complete stranger's love life."
"Not if that mortal understands spiritual things as Hermione does. She'll accept he's an angel, and listen to him. He could very easily convince her that I am unworthy of her affection."
"Let's say he is trying to interfere with your love life." Sirius crossed his legs. "Do you think he'd be able to convince Hermione that you're worthless?"
"I would like to think not."
"He can't," Sirius touched the other spirit's shoulder. "Despite what Metatron says, you and Hermione are soul mates. You two have a connection I could only dream of. You may technically be in Purgatory, but it's clear you've found heaven with her."
"Indeed, heaven," Severus' eyes were distant.
"I wish I had found any peace like the kind you found with Hermione," Sirius's glow brightened. "It would be nice to find that peace, whether in heaven or with someone else."
"You will reach heaven eventually."
"In a few centuries perhaps." Sirius removed his hand from him.
"It will be sooner, I assure you."
"How do you know?"
"Call it intuition."
"Just like my intuition that Metatron can't convince Hermione not to love you."
"Perhaps." Severus cracked a smile.
Sirius gave him a grin in return.
"It is rather unfortunate you have not found peace yet. Perhaps you aren't as undeserving of it as I believed," Severus noted.
"I don't know if I deserve it," Sirius replied. "But I would like to know what heaven is like sooner rather than later."
"You will, unless…" Severus' voice trailed off.
"Unless what?" Sirius went white again.
"Would they penalize you for my falling in love with Hermione?" Severus asked. "Are my actions putting your eternal salvation in jeopardy?"
"You actually care about my eternal salvation now?"
"Believe me, it is far from my main concern, but if the program is determined a failure because of me, what will become of you?"
"Well I'm a smooth talker." Sirius leaned back. "I can talk my way out of more Purgatory time."
"Because you were having so much luck with St. Peter right before the program started."
"If I'd had another hour I would've worn him down. All he needed to hear was a couple more motorcycle stories and he would've been begging me to walk through those pearly gates."
"Sure," Severus drawled.
"I am more persuasive than you'd like to admit." Sirius smirked. "I got you to like me after all."
"Circumstances force me to tolerate you. It is nothing more than that, I assure you."
"You love me and you know it." Sirius bumped Severus' arm.
"Love is a very strong word," Severus paused. "But if love means I care for your well-being, then I suppose that is accurate enough."
"You mean that, don't you?"
"Lying does me no good in my quest for eternal salvation."
"Yes, but to hear those words is still amazing."
"Savor them. This is the last time you'll hear them."
Sirius chuckled.
"In all seriousness," Severus' glow dimmed. "If there is any way to allow you to go to heaven and me remain with Hermione I will take it."
"If there was any way for you to remain with Hermione in a form that wouldn't piss everyone off, I would plead with the Trinity to find that solution."
"As would I." Severus turned blue. "Though I do not wish for her to die to be with me. She has so much life to live. She should be focusing on cherishing every moment of her earthly existence, not waiting for death so everyone can stop opposing our relationship."
"Perhaps the Trinity will allow this program to continue indefinitely."
"Where would that leave you?" Severus asked. "When this ends, will you go back in that room for a few more centuries given that this sentence is only meant to partially remove your time."
"I haven't thought that far ahead." Sirius' glow remained normal. "But I won't dwell on that yet. We still have to bring Hermione eudaimonia, which means we may be here another few centuries."
"Would that bother you?"
"So long as you could tolerate me, no."
"That's a tall order."
Sirius laughed.
"Severus? Sirius?"
The spirits turned to the Good Thief.
"I don't mean to interrupt anything, but given Severus' emotional state concerning today I was wondering if either of you needed someone to talk to," Dismas began.
"I actually would." Severus stood.
Dismas turned to Sirius.
"I'll be fine," Sirius answered. "I don't think I could add anymore than what Severus will have to say."
"Shall we go to the clouds then?" Dismas extended his hand.
"Yes, I believe we should," Severus took it.
They disappeared, leaving Sirius alone, confident Metatron's bosses were keeping him in line.
It was time to survey the damage.
Cormac strolled down the street, a sneer on his face. He had seen how despondent Harry was in the office. When asked about how his lunch break went, he'd said little. The hurt in his eyes had been unmistakable.
Hermione Granger was in a crazy ward! Cormac was sure of it!
He was practically skipping when he turned on to the avenue he sought.
Time to see the wreckage of Hermione's life, starting with her store and that obnoxious cashier.