A/N: Just so you know, I've actually been working on this story for a while, which is why you've gotten massive updates in a very short period. It actually takes me a while to write these chapters because they're a little more intense, a little less fluffy and fun than some other fanfics. That and I keep having these insane ideas that occur to me that I have to try and figure out how to squish in here so that we can have the most fun.

Fifth Year, Part 1 of 4

Summer 1975

Things were getting a little darker, a little more dangerous. There were whispers that unnerved Hermione because she knew what the little rumors and the half-remembered snippets of gossip truly meant. He was gaining power. He already had Malfoy. He wouldn't get Severus for another year, and he wouldn't get Regulus for another year after that. Hermione was running out of time. She'd tried to plant doubt in Malfoy, but his loyalty to his family made him impervious to her arguments. Severus…she really hoped that their blood sibling bond had changed everything. He seemed happier, more open when he was around Lily and herself. Regulus garnered her sympathy. He was just a pawn—everyone was shoving him around the chess board and he hated it.

It was quiet that summer at the Potter Mansion…a little too quiet. She knew that James, Sirius and Peter were all working on the animagus spell. She knew it happened sometime in their fifth year. It would be this year, but it wasn't like she could go up to them and say "excuse me, are you all animagi, yet, or what?" She sighed. Hermione had considered becoming an animagus. Merlin knew that she had the time for it, and the experience for it. Would it be useful? Would it serve any sort of purpose? She had eventually decided that it might indeed be worth it—especially in the coming war. She'd be unregistered, of course. She certainly didn't want the ministry nosing about where it didn't belong. The only problem had been that her form turned out to be a lioness. Not exactly the most subtle of animagus forms. She had been hoping for something small, something that would be sneaky. Perhaps a type of smallish bird. Wizards and witches kept an eye out for owls, but they tended to ignore others. She sighed heavily. She couldn't even frolic in the woods really. Not without some idiot freaking out about the fact that there was a LION loose. Maybe when she got back to Hogwarts, she could take a nice run through the Forbidden Forest.

"Hey Hermione," Sirius drawled from the doorway of the library. She glanced up at the handsome boy leaning idly against the doorframe. He'd started to grow his hair out longer and it just brushed his shoulders. He really was too handsome for his own good. His grey eyes were hooded, watching her. He'd started doing that lately, and she wasn't sure what it meant, exactly.

"Hello, Sirius. Can I help you?" She asked curiously. He shrugged.

"Just waiting on James. Your dad wanted to talk to him," Sirius explained. Hermione nodded. She had a sneaking suspicion that father was giving James the cloak. Sure, he'd snuck it out of Daddy's study for clandestine trips through the house with Sirius, but this would be an official passing down of a family heirloom to the eldest son. Stupid tradition.

"I know," she said coldly, her hazel eyes narrowing in irritation. Sirius blinked at her in surprise. Hermione usually treated him with a sort of casually friendly regard, but she'd never been rude or snotty with him. He had always figured that he was sort of covered under the James umbrella, and lately he had hoped that maybe Hermione sort of liked him just for himself.

"Sirius!" James' excited voice called from the hall. "Sirius, where are you?"

"I'll just go then," Sirius muttered uncomfortably.

"You just do that" Hermione said coldly.

"Hermione," Sirius said hesitantly, concern in his grey eyes. "Have I done something?"

"No," Hermione said with an angry sigh. "No, it's not you. I'm sorry. I just…it's not fair!"

"What's not fair?" James asked from the doorway, looking from Sirius to Hermione. She growled at her brother, and pushed passed him. She stomped all the way up the stairs, which her mother would have a fit about because ladies did not stomp. That only served to make Hermione even angrier because no one cared if boys stomped. The boys looked at one another and then shrugged.

"What's that then, James?" Sirius pointed to the package in the other boy's arms. James gave a blinding smile and dragged Sirius off to his room.

HP/HG/HP

"Hermione, darling, is there something wrong?" Dorea Black stood uncertainly in her daughter's room. The teenager glared at her mother and scrubbed at her tear-stained cheeks.

"No." Hermione said quietly.

"Dear, I think we both know that something is wrong," Dorea chided gently.

"Well, I'm not a boy" Hermione said bitterly, refusing to look at her mother. Dorea started slightly.

"Why on earth would you want to be a boy?" Dorea asked in surprise. Hermione hiccupped.

"They get the family heirlooms. They get all the power and control," she said bitterness still lacing her voice. "And…and maybe then James would like me better. And maybe father, too."

"Oh, Hermione. Your father and brother think that you hung the moon. They love you more than almost anything. Just because James got the cloak doesn't mean your father doesn't love you," Dorea said firmly.

"Hmph," Hermione said, a scowl on her pretty face.

"What if I told you that there is a special heirloom that only the girls receive?" Her mother asked gently, a hand on her daughter's wild hair. Hermione looked up at her mother, surprise evident on her features.

"Really?" Hermione asked skeptically. Dorea smiled.

"Really." Her mother said firmly. She reached up and unclasped a pendant that Hermione Potter remembered her mother had always worn. Always. She settled it around Hermione's neck and clasped it in place. Hermione reached up and touched the pendant with reverent fingers.

"It's beautiful," Hermione said softly, examining the pendant. It was a delicate gold filigree pendant with a large ruby in the center. Hermione realized that there was a rampant lion carved into the ruby. She gasped softly and stared up at her mother.

"Family legend says that this was a gift given to one of your earliest ancestresses. It is said that she was an amazing woman, the brightest witch of her age." Dorea said softly. Hermione blushed a little, she was so used to hearing that phrase used to describe herself.

"It looks like a Gryffindor heirloom," Hermione said slowly, examining the tiny lion.

"That's because it is," Dorea said with a light laugh. "We are true Gryffindors, after all."

"But," Hermione bit her lip. Dorea stroked her daughter's hair and pressed a light kiss to her brow.

"You remember your lessons with Tremble, don't you dear? We're all inbred to one degree or another. One of Godric's granddaughters married a Peverell. This pendant was a marriage gift from Horatio Peverell to Gloswinda Gryffindor. It's said to have certain properties that protect the bearer." Dorea explained. Hermione stared at the pendant and then looked up at her mother.

"Thank you," she whispered, awe in her voice. Her mother smiled.

"Remember, never take it off. You must always wear it," Dorea said firmly, smoothing her daughter's curls.

HP/HG/HP

September 1975

"Sev! Lils!" Hermione shrieked and took off, leaving her brother James frowning after her.

"Does she have to be friends with the greasy git, too?" James muttered under his breath.

"James Potter!" Dorea's voice was shocked and a little angry. Sirius and James turned to her in surprise.

"Mum?" James was confused. What had he done?

"You know, I'd like to think you could be even slightly caring about your sister," her voice was scathing in its condemnation. "Do you even think about how hard it is for her to be ignored all summer, and every Christmas vacation? I think it's wonderful that she has some friends. Perhaps he's not someone you care to associate with, and that's fine—for you. You have plenty of friends. The least you could do for Hermione is be gracious to those she cares about."

"But, mum," James couldn't think of anything to say. He'd never really thought about how Hermione might feel when he and Sirius went tearing off to the lake or the woods. Judging from the slightly stricken expression on Sirius' face, neither had he. His mother gave him a firm look and then moved off to join Hermione.

"Hermione, dear?" Dorea called lightly, Hermione turned and smiled at her mother. "Can you please introduce me to your friends?"

"Of course, mother. This is Lily Evans, she's in Gryffindor with me. This is Severus Snape, he's in Slytherin." Hermione gestured to each of her friends. "This is my mother, Dorea Potter."

"Pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Potter," Lily said politely with a sweet smile. Severus looked very nervous and he gave a jerky sort of bow.

"It's so nice to meet you both," Dorea said warmly smiling gently at both teenagers. "I hope to see you at Potter Manor soon."

"Okay, we have to go, mum. I love you," Hermione kissed her mother on the cheek and then dragged her friends onto the train with her.

"Good bye, sweetheart! I love you!" Dorea called after her daughter who blushed in mortification and ducked into a compartment, dragging her friends.

"Merlin's tonsils!" Hermione moaned in embarrassment, putting her head in her hands.

"I think it's sort of sweet," Lily said with a sly smile.

"I wish my mother would treat me like that," Severus said sadly, looking out the window. Then he seemed to realize what he'd said and flushed an unattractive red color. Both Hermione and Lily went and sat on either side of him and cuddled next to him on the bench seat in their compartment.

"So I'm supposed to ask if you would like to come to Potter Manor for Christmas," Hermione asked carefully, not daring to look at Severus. He was very touchy about his home life, almost as bad as Sirius, so she usually tried to avoid talking about it, or making him uncomfortable.

"Oh, I'd love too," Lily said with a grin. "I'll have to ask mum and dad, but I don't think they'll mind. Potter Manor? Your parents—are they like lords or ladies or something?"

"Er, not quite the way you're thinking. Technically, I am a member of the ancient and noble house of Potter, but they don't mean noble like muggle nobility. We live in a manor, and our family is really old and well-respected by most of the wizarding world, but there are no Kings or Queens to bestow titles," Hermione said matter-of-factly. Lily nodded, her gaze straying to the silk of Hermione's traveling robes.

"I'd like to as well, my mother will no doubt thank the heavens that I won't be there," Severus said darkly. Hermione's hand clenched momentarily on his arm.

"Hey, you know what Sev and I did this summer?" Lily asked brightly in an obvious attempt to change the subject. Severus' jaw unclenched slightly and his eyes softened. Hermione bounced in her seat.

"No, what?"

HP/HG/HP

"Do you really suppose it bothers her that much?" James asked quietly in their train compartment.

"What bothers whom?" Remus asked curiously, looking up from his book.

"Hermione," Sirius muttered to Remus.

"You did something to upset Hermione?" Remus asked in a shocked voice. James loved Hermione very much. It was obvious how much he cared for her, but no one had the courage to tease him about how he doted on his sister. Remus would have sworn that his friend would have walked on his own lips before doing anything that would hurt Hermione.

"No! Maybe. Well, yeah, I guess," James said uncertainly.

"Mrs. P chewed us both out for complaining about Severus," Sirius said in a low voice, avoiding James' eyes.

"Mum said that because Sirius and I basically ignored her it was nice that she had someone to be her friend," James said sadly.

"Well, I've actually been over for a little during the summers, and I guess I would have to agree," Remus said gently. "You guys are up and out the door and you don't come back till it's dark. You took me with you, and all that, but I could tell that Hermione seemed sort of sad."

"I'm a terrible brother," James muttered putting his head into his hands.

HP/HG/HP

The moon was new, so the grounds of Hogwarts were covered in a velvety blackness. Hermione ran and ran, the pads of her paws hitting the ground at intervals that made her feel almost as though she were flying. She loved this feeling of freedom, of power and she purred as she ran. The boys were not animagi yet, she was fairly certain. They hadn't gone around calling each other by ridiculous nicknames, or she hadn't heard them do so anyway. She knew they had the map already, so how exactly did that work? Maybe they already knew their future forms. The vision quest revealed your form to you, she could attest to that. She certainly didn't need some stupid nickname to throw about in the common area to prove that she was special. She snorted, which sounded sort of like a lion—sneezing. She shook her head and kept running. No one was going to ruin this for her, no one.

HP/HG/HP

"Hermione?"

Hermione sat up abruptly, her wild curls looking even more wild, her hazel eyes blinking rapidly, her full lips parting. Her shirt was slightly unbuttoned, and her tie was loose about her neck. Her skirt had ridden up slightly, exposing a creamy expanse of thigh. She stared sleepily up at the person who'd woken her.

"Sirius?" She stretched like a cat and then yawned delicately. She didn't notice Sirius' eyes darken as he watched her breasts strain against her shirt, or the subtle flush to his cheeks.

"What are you doing here?" He asked with a look of concern on his handsome face. Hermione looked around the commons room and then looked back up at Sirius.

"Why can't I be in the commons room?" she asked curiously.

"You can, of course, it's just that it's 4 a.m.," he explained gently.

Hermione frowned at him, her hazel eyes narrowed. He was in his robes, but they looked sort of thrown on, kind of mussed. His normally perfect hair looked mussed, and his lips looked sort of bruised and full…OH! Bad pictures! Oh, bad, bad, BAD pictures were in her head! Hermione jumped up with a squeak and ran up the stairs of the girl's dormitory almost silently. He stared after her retreating form with a thoughtful frown, shrugged and then headed to his own bed.

Sleep refused to come that night. She laid there staring at the darkness because she could not close her eyes. Every time she did she could see him…doing things…with girls. Her past knowledge handily filled in all the gaps and she was horrified by all the possible permutations. Great Merlin's Mother, how was some of that even possible?

Trust me, sweetheart, with the right partner or partners and a little magic, almost anything is possible.

Partners?

Yes, partners. You remember the Weasley twins, I know you do. Merlin bless them.

Oh…Circe. Those are the red headed boys? Oh…oh, my.

Anyway, wouldn't that be a funny story to tell Harry? 'I remember the night your godfather lost his virginity'. Hee hee. He'd probably spit his pumpkin juice across the Great Hall and then die right there.

Oh, no. I don't think I should have any sort of conversation even remotely like that with anyone ever. Least of all, my future nephew.

He is, isn't he? I keep forgetting that. Sorry, sweetie, he was my very best friend in the world. It's the sort of thing I probably would tease him about. Well, once we were old enough for that sort of ribbing.

Not fifteen then?

Er, no. Sorry, I keep forgetting about that as well. It all sort of blends together sometimes, you know.

I wish some of it would blur together. Right now.

You know, I suppose that makes his animagus make a lot more sense. He was a dog before he was a dog.

It's weird that you can snicker like that inside my head.

Sorry. I just keep thinking about Sirius…

Please, stop. Please. I'm going to need to have the inside of my head scourgified.

HP/HG/HP

As the weeks passed, Hermione found herself darkly contemplating the truth of the Old Hermione's perverted ramblings. Sirius Black was a dog, a disgusting, smarmy, too-full-of-himself-and-his-charm sort of dog that flirted with every single female in the school, except her. He flirted with Madame Pomfrey and Professor McGonagal for Merlin's sake! He flirted with Slytherin girls! He even flirted wildly with Lily who was the object of Jamie's affection. But not her. Never her. That hurt. It really, really did. Some of those Slytherin girls made trolls look dainty and delicate. No, with her, the horrible, horrible boy was nothing but sweet, kind and respectful. She wanted to punch him.

Hermione Potter was dainty and delicate. She was petite, curvy, and had excellent bones. If you were an adult, it was easy to see that in just a year, or two, she was going to blossom into an incredible beauty. She was rather pretty now. Not only was she pretty, but she was cultured as well. She could play the piano, sing, dance, speak several languages, paint landscapes, do needlepoint work, run an estate like the Potter Estate with the help of house elves, she knew quite a few spells she'd learned at home from her parent's knees. She was the epitome of the cultured, refined, pureblood witch. Well, not the Slytherin sort of pureblood. However, the point was that she had been raised to be a lady. Her parents were older, they'd had children late in life. They had been so happy, so overjoyed to have twins because it had been their last chance to have children period. They had very firm views on how a young lady should comport herself in public. Apparently, Sirius Black didn't want to have anything to do with someone like her, or maybe just her because he flirted and teased plenty of girls who had the same background she did. Sirius Black made her positively itch to plant one in his beautiful, smirking face.

As a result, Hermione spent a lot of time under her tree, until the weather forced her indoors. Regulus would come and sit with her sometimes. They would talk about anything and everything. He had a brilliant mind, and she could see why Severus had made a tentative friendship (with Slytherins it was more like a friendly acquaintance/possible ally sort of thing) with the younger boy. She was trying desperately to cultivate him. He would eventually betray Voldemort. He would realize what Voldemort was really doing, and he would try to stop him. That made him a sort of hero to Hermione. Unconsciously, she treated him with a great deal of respect and politeness. She always listened to him and considered his opinion.

"Why do you do that?" He asked curiously one day. Hermione looked up and frowned in confusion. Her black curls were spilling over one shoulder and Regulus thought she looked adorable.

"Why do I do what?" she asked him.

"Whenever I offer my opinion, you accept it. No matter the subject. You argue with everyone. Remember, I eat in the Great Hall, too. I saw you dump a pitcher of pumpkin juice on your brother and tell him he was a gormless idiot." Regulus teased her. Hermione huffed.

"Well, he was."

"Yes, but you never do that to me. Why?" Regulus pressed her. Hermione closed her eyes to think. Suddenly, there were lips pressing tentatively against hers. She pulled back with a yelp of surprise and Regulus was blushing furiously. Worse and worse, James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter were walking by the lake and judging by the look on her brother's face he had definitely seen the kiss.

"Oh, no," she whispered. Regulus face became stiff and pale.

"I'm sorry," he began, but Hermione rolled her eyes at him.

"No, you stupid boy, it's my brother, and your brother, and Remus," she hissed at him. She didn't include Peter. It still bothered her to say his name aloud. His eyes grew wide.

"Oh, no," he muttered, flushing.

"That's what I said," she hissed at him.

"Hermione," James' voice was silky-soft and dangerously calm. She smiled nervously and placed herself between her brother and Regulus.

"Jamie," she began warningly. "You didn't see anything. You leave Regulus alone."

"I didn't see anything? So I suppose his lips weren't smashed against yours then?" James snapped in irritation. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Of course not, Regulus has far more finesse than that," she snapped angrily. James goggled at her. Sirius looked as though he'd swallowed a live toad.

"Finesse?" James growled. "He's got finesse?"

"Yes, Jamie. It means skill or talent," Hermione snapped. Her eyes widened and she clapped a hand over her mouth. Old Hermione needed to shut up before she, Hermione Potter, was sent to live in a witch's nunnery.

"Oh, really," James practically purred at the younger boy who looked uncomfortable under the glares he was receiving from Hermione's brother and his own brother.

"Sirius Black you wipe that look off your face right now," hissed Hermione, her face contorting in rage. He glared at her and she glared back.

"I don't prance into the commons at 4 in the morning looking like…well…mother would wash my mouth out, but you know exactly what I mean," she growled at him. His friends looked at him with interest and he turned red.

"Hermione, we're not talking about Sirius, we're talking about you," James frowned. This wasn't going the way he'd planned at all.

"Ha!" Hermione shrieked, trembling with anger. "You make me sick with your double standards. Are you a virgin, Jamie? Are you?"

"Hermione, I don't think that we need to talk about this," James muttered in horror his face flushing in embarrassment.

"I have dated one stupid boy at this school. One. And he was a bloody gentleman," Hermione hissed into her brother's face. She pointed fiercely at Regulus. "One teensy-weensy stolen kiss does not make me or him depraved perverts. If you want to point out the perverts at this school, or the people whose morals could do with industrial strength tightening then go to the bloody bath room and look in the bloody mirror! Come, Regulus."

Hermione grabbed the Slytherin boy by the hand and practically dragged him up to the castle. She waved her wand angrily over her shoulder and all her school books neatly packed themselves and obediently floated behind her.

"Was that nonverbal?" James asked with awe in his voice. Remus frowned.

"I think maybe it was," he murmured softly.

HP/HG/HP

Hermione laid on her bed staring at the wall. Lily sat down next to her and nudged her.

"Want to talk about it?" Her friend and blood sister asked quietly. Hermione grunted in a very unladylike manner.

"The part where I'm some sort of depraved nymphomaniac who's shagging anything that walks? Or the part where now I've got a very sweet 4th year who thinks he's in love with me?" Hermione asked with a sigh. Lily snorted.

"I think I would have noticed the depraved nymphomaniac part," Lily got out without giggling, and she was quite proud of herself.

"You would think," Hermione muttered acerbically. "It would be sort of difficult to hide, wouldn't it? You girls would keep tripping over my whips and furry manacles and slipping in the lubricant I'd accidentally leave out."

"The…the what?" Lily asked with wide eyes. Hermione closed her eyes. Sometimes it sucked to know way more than you should.

"Never mind. What am I going to do about Regulus?" Hermione whined. Lily started in surprise. Hermione never whined. This situation was worse than she had realized.

"I'm not sure. Maybe we should ask Severus?"

"Oh swell, let's add him to my ever-growing list of men I've undoubtedly shagged," Hermione grumbled.

"Right. I'll talk to him and we can meet somewhere," Lily promised. "As soon as possible, I think."

"Whatever," Hermione muttered, closing her eyes.