A/N: I really appreciate everyone's insight into some of the plot and subplot. Sometimes you guys think about things that I hadn't considered because I was looking at the situation from a different angle. I love seeing what you are all thinking, and I think it helps me think about the storyline from different perspectives, so thank you.
Oh, and by the way, THANK YOU PRADA! Your FW 2012 ad with Gary Oldman…OMFG! I swear to Merlin it looks like you made dress robes for Sirius Black. I was forced to buy Vanity Fair for, um, research purposes. Um, yeah, that's it. Could he be any more perfect? I think not…
Something was wrong. Sirius came awake instantly, Hermione pressed snugly against him, his hand wrapped around one full breast. She was fine, still deeply asleep and that made him relax slightly. That wasn't what was wrong. He shifted slightly and turned his head. Inches from his face was the face of James Potter who was so furious that Sirius wasn't sure that there was an actual name for the current color of his face.
"Prongs?"
"Tell me," James ground out between his teeth, "that you didn't touch my sister."
"I can't exactly do that because I'm touching her right now," Sirius said dryly, as he tried to unobtrusively move his hand from Hermione's breast. James turned several different shades that Sirius had never seen before, and his nostrils flared.
"Wrong answer," James growled. He grabbed Sirius and hauled him out of the bed. Sirius ducked reflexively and avoided James' first swing.
"Look James, it's not what you think," Sirius tried to explain. James was beyond rational thought. His only goal was to kill Sirius, preferably several times over.
"You don't have my naked sister in your bed?" James scoffed. "Because funnily enough, her nightgown is lying on the floor over there, and I believe those are her knickers. At least I hope they are because if they're not, I'm going to kill you."
"Well, yes, she's obviously in my bed, and of course those are her clothes," Sirius snapped in irritation. "Who the hell else would be in here?"
"Wrong answer," James growled again, and this time, his fist connected with flesh. Sirius automatically punched back, and his fist solidly connected with James jaw.
"Stop!" Hermione had woken up, and was sitting in the middle of Sirius' bed with the sheet wrapped around her. James glared at her.
"I don't think so," he growled at her.
"Jamie, nothing happened," she said firmly. He just looked at her, and she blushed. "I asked him, he said no."
"How stupid do you think I am?" James demanded. He waved his hand at his best friend. "This is Sirius-sodding-Black we're talking about! Do you expect me to believe that you offered yourself to him and he said no?"
"I do have some self-control," Sirius said stiffly, his spine straight and his grey eyes dark with anger. James snorted.
"Right, look I've lived with you for seven years now, Sirius. You've had a parade of women through the broom closets of Hogwarts," James snapped. "I don't think you've ever said no to anyone."
"That was before," Sirius muttered stiffly.
"So you've become a gentleman overnight?" James asked sarcastically. Hermione glared at him. She transfigured the sheet into a chiton and crawled out of Sirius' bed to go stand toe-to-toe with her brother.
"Sirius has always been a gentleman," she hissed up at him. "He is polite, cordial and courteous with every woman that comes into his sphere of influence. He is one of the most honorable and chivalrous men I have ever met."
"Hermione," James began tightly, but his sister wasn't done yet. She waved her hand irritably, and silenced him. He stood gaping at her, clutching his throat.
"If you're going to bring up his sex life, we need to get something clear right now. What happened in the past needs to stay in the past. It isn't relevant to us here and now, and we don't need to dwell on it. If you want to be crude James, I can be, too. I would imagine that he made sure that every woman he was with finished—most likely multiple times, and that makes him a gentleman in the bedroom, too. We did not have sex last night. I don't care if you believe it or not because it's the truth. You will not touch him because he is mine. As soon as we graduate, Alphard is going to formally offer for me, and we are going to have the betrothal ceremony this summer. I am going to be Mrs. Sirius Black, and I plan on providing heirs for his House. I am sure that even you, James Potter, can determine how that might be accomplished," Hermione was growling in his face, her hazel eyes flashing in anger. She whirled on her heel and marched out of Sirius' room, another wave of her hand slamming the door behind her. Sirius got dressed stiffly and silently, not looking at James. He waved his wand at James, and muttered something under his breath.
"Mother wanted me to remind you to pack," James said stiffly. "We go back to Hogwarts today, and we're leaving soon."
Sirius nodded with a courteous formality and moved to begin packing. He didn't look at, or talk to James at all. James sighed heavily and turned toward his friend and blood-brother.
"Padfoot," James said softly. "I'm sorry."
Sirius ignored him.
"Sirius," James tried again. Sirius turned to look at him, and his eyes were coldly furious.
"Have I ever done anything to make you think that I was a man without honor?" Sirius asked sharply, and James swallowed miserably. For all of Sirius' desire to distance himself from his upbringing, there were certain things that wriggled and stuck with the tenacity of a permanent sticking charm. Fortunately, the ideals that all purebloods held in common were things that humanity as a whole found admirable: honor, duty, loyalty.
"No, of course not," James admitted. Sirius' jaw tightened and his nostrils flared.
"I told you that it wasn't what you were thinking. You even insinuated that I had had more than just Hermione in my bed last night. You do remember the marks your sister put on me, right? No one can touch me like that, except her. Even if I didn't have the runes, I would never disrespect her like that. What kind of man do you think I am, James?" Sirius' voice was glacially cold, and he held his body rigidly stiff. James' own jaw tightened. He shook his head slightly.
"I know what kind of man you are, Sirius, and I'm sorry. You are honorable, you're everything she said you are," James said quietly. "Hermione is…My Own. Even though we're the same age, she was mine to protect and guard. She was mine and no one else's. She always has been, but now suddenly she isn't. She's yours."
"Prongs," Sirius said with a tired sigh. "I am not taking her away or anything like that. She's your sister. She'll always be your sister. Even when her last name is Black."
"I suppose so," James muttered, rubbing his face. "This is just really difficult."
"You've made it worse you know," Sirius pointed out. "She's going to leave bite marks all over me, hoping you'll say something just so she can hex you."
"Of course she is," James said darkly, glaring at Sirius again. Then he snorted in amusement.
"What?" Sirius asked curiously. James grinned and pointed a finger at him.
"I told you her husband was in for it, and you're him. I feel sorry for you, Padfoot, I really do," James said with satisfaction. Sirius smiled smugly.
"I don't," he said cockily.
HP/HG/HP
"Explain to me, just one more time, why my brother has a black eye," Regulus drawled, one eyebrow quirked in amusement.
"I don't want to talk about it," Hermione said evasively. Regulus snorted.
"You're a terrible liar, Hermione, and my brother has never walked into a door in his life. He's far too aware of his surrounding for anything like that to ever happen," Regulus said firmly. Hermione flushed, and he went in for the kill. "And then there's your brother, who's sporting a fairly livid bruise on his jaw. Did he walk into a door, as well?"
"Regulus," Hermione's voice took on a warning note that he knew fairly well. He grinned wickedly at her and tossed his hair in a manner so similar to Sirius that it gave her pause for just a moment.
"So they fought about you," Regulus continued as though she hadn't spoken. "Interesting. What about, one wonders? Was my brother rude to you? Did he hurt you?"
"Regulus, we have far more pressing matters to discuss," Severus snapped in irritation. Then he turned to Hermione. "He didn't hurt you, did he?"
"NO!" She screeched. "For Merlin's sake, let's talk about the unaffiliated families and the unworthies!"
"Temper, temper," Regulus murmured. He turned slightly toward Snape.
"Mmm. Phillip Greengrass seems open to something similar to our current operation. He likes the idea of working behind the scenes, anonymously," Severus said thoughtfully.
"The Zabini family is ambivalent," Regulus said firmly. "They're really committed to neutrality. I think we should cross them off the list."
"You did nothing that tipped your hand, did you Regulus?" Hermione asked, pinning him with a look. Severus touched her arm lightly, with just his fingertips.
"He was most careful," Severus drawled, turning his dark eyes to look at Regulus. "He sat in the commons area and just listened for days. It wasn't until he overheard several different conversations that he approached either of them."
"Excellent," Hermione said with a satisfied smile. She frowned slightly. "Something troubles me though. Lucius mentioned that Wilkes and Flint were unhappy. Did he mean Gaius?"
Regulus and Severus both snarled at that, and glared at her.
"No," they both said tightly.
"Lucius fantasizes about different ways to kill Gaius Flint on a regular basis," Severus offered dryly as he had been forced to listen to most of them. "He meant his cousin Julian."
"Lucius' cousin or Gaius' cousin," Hermione asked after a moment, a small furrow between her brows.
"Both, actually," Regulus said with a quirked brow. "Weren't you forced to read that stupid pureblood lineage book, what was it again…oh yes, Nature's Nobility: A wizarding genealogy?"
"It was part of our curriculum, of course," Hermione said stiffly, "but I skimmed through a great deal of it."
"Really?" Regulus said in surprise. "I read it cover to cover, and so did Sirius. I believe his reasoning was that he didn't want to accidentally shag someone he was a little too closely related to, er, sorry."
"What happened in the past is the past," Hermione said, a little tightly, "as soon as everyone understands that, we'll be fine."
"I find myself in the abhorrent position of liking James Potter," Severus muttered, his features twisted in displeasure. "Someone make it stop."
"At the moment you are in an elite minority," Hermione said coldly. Both of the Slytherins smirked at one another in amusement.
"Now, Lucius wants to bring in Julian Flint…and Wilkes? Who is this Wilkes?" Regulus asked Severus.
"Albemarle Wilkes," Severus said shortly. "I concur with his assessment."
"Why Severus, don't overwhelm me with information," Hermione said tartly. Her gaze narrowed sharply on her blood-brother's face. "What aren't you telling me?"
"I won't go into details," Severus said firmly, his jaw tightening. "Let me say only that Albemarle has every possible reason to passionately hate the Dark Lord, and all that he stands for."
"Really, Hermione, it is best that you do not know the details of this. You see enough through your visions to guess, I'm sure," Regulus said softly. Hermione stiffened and her face grew pale.
We most likely don't want to know, dear. You have to sleep with Sirius to stop the nightmares half the time anymore.
I haven't slept in his bed since we came back to Hogwarts.
Don't take that stiff tone with me. You also have had nightmares most nights, which Lily would swear to, just so you know.
Very well, we most likely don't want to know.
"I will trust you in this matter, Severus," Hermione said slowly, averting her eyes from both men.
"Domina," Regulus said softly. Hermione turned and frowned at them.
"You used to all call me your lioness," she said after a moment. "I preferred that I think."
"That would be inappropriate," Regulus said with a wry smile.
"Of course it would," Hermione said in sudden realization, her cheeks flushing. "I apologize, I wasn't thinking."
Okay, pretend we're not all purebloods, and explain this to me.
Domina is Latin. It means lady, and it implies a position of authority.
Yes, thank you. I may be muggleborn, but I'm not stupid.
It's a title of respect. 'My lioness', which they were using before implies intimacy and familiarity. In pureblood culture, I'm basically married and any man using those types of endearments with me would be considered incredibly forward. Well, except for Sirius, of course.
Not even Regulus, who's going to be your brother-in-law?
Not really, no. Wizards tend to be exceedingly possessive. I don't know if it's the magic, or something else. It seems to be part of our genetic make-up.
Just one of the many upsides to being part of nature's nobility.
You are one of nature's nobility, you prat.
But I'm muggleborn.
You're a witch. As Lucius is fond of saying, it takes magical blood to create a magical child. You're lineage is just a little foggier than most people's.
What if he's wrong?
Heaven forfend. Thank Merlin you can't say things like that in front of him. He'd most likely have an apoplectic fit.
HP/HG/HP
"How are you, Hermione?" Remus asked gently, as he sat across from her in the library. She bestowed one of her genuine smiles upon him, and he felt himself smile back at her automatically.
"I haven't seen you lately, Remus," Hermione noted politely, but there was a question in her eyes. Remus ducked his head.
"I've been busy," he murmured softly. Hermione's eyes glinted slightly and she cocked her head to the side.
"Have you been discussing your plans after graduation with the Headmaster?" Hermione asked in that same polite voice. His eyes flew to hers, and his mouth opened slightly. She smirked internally, but she kept her face in a polite mask.
Gryffindors, you are so easy it's not sporting.
Um, hello? You ARE a Gryffindor.
True, but I try not to be so obvious about it.
How on earth were you sorted into my House?
I am brave at heart. For what I'm doing, one must be.
"Er, yes," Remus said carefully, his eyes watching her. She nodded as though that were a completely natural thing, and turned back to her book. She paused and looked up at him.
"Try to keep yourself in one piece," she said mildly. "Your wife shall be quite put out if you are delivered to her less than whole."
"You've mentioned her before," Remus said with a slightly bemused look. "Who is she?"
"Mmm. Try to be patient, Remus. She's a bit younger than you are. You'll have to wait a while before she comes to you," Hermione told him, and patted his hand gently. He stared at her in shock. He could tell that everything she told him was the truth.
"Wait, you know exactly what he wants me to do, don't you?" Remus demanded. He didn't bother to say who 'he' was because both of them already knew. Hermione turned the full force of her eyes on Remus and he shuddered slightly, but he still looked into them.
"Yes," she said flatly. "I know what he has asked of a seventeen year-old boy who has not yet graduated school."
"I'm capable," he said mildly. Hermione nodded slightly.
"I know that you are," she said quietly. He frowned at his hands.
"It will be difficult for me to find work," he said at last. "The Ministry has rules in place to keep out my kind."
"I'm aware," she practically growled. He glanced up at her swiftly. She was angry on his behalf, and the thought made him feel warm inside just as it did when James or Sirius stood up for him.
"Will I be successful?" He asked curiously. Hermione's face tightened.
"That I am not sure of," she said uncertainly. "If that changes I will let you know."
"Thank you," he said softly. She shrugged slightly.
"Just try and be safe," she murmured almost inaudibly. He nodded. She frowned for a moment, and then turned and looked at him. Her face was tight, and Remus could smell the fear on her. "If he is recruiting you now…has he performed Legilimens on you?"
"Er, no…not yet? With werewolves it can be fairly tricky, the wolf is a baser animal and he is more tied to emotions, but it provides a natural shield against Legilimens," Remus explained quietly, glancing around to make sure no one was close enough to them to hear anything.
"He is quite skilled," Hermione was muttering to herself, her eyes on him. She finally turned to him, frowning slightly. "Would you do something for me?"
"Anything," Remus said honestly. She nodded.
"We'll need the other Marauders," she said softly.
"Okay," Remus agreed. "Let's go find them."
The other Marauders? He sneered at them through the bookcases. She hadn't meant him, he knew. She had never liked him, no matter what he'd done. He was fairly certain that somehow she had determined that he was a Death Eater and tipped off his friends. It had been fairly easy to blame her for his shunning. He'd never really liked her either. There was something about her that made him edgy and nervous. That he couldn't determine what that something was only made him angry. His watery eyes narrowed on her black curls as she moved out of the library. He was going to keep a very close eye on her. No matter what it took, he would find out what was so odd about her.
HP/HG/HP
It should have been painfully obvious to Hermione that once she'd marked Remus with her lion paw marks that both James and Sirius would insist on taking the same oaths that they'd witnessed Lily administer to Remus and receiving the paw prints on their own chests. Her runes moved slightly out of way to make a place for the paw prints on either side of Sirius' collar bone. James and Sirius had watched Lily administer the oath to Remus with practiced ease, and had watched Hermione calmly set her marks on him. They both came to the same startling conclusion. Sirius turned on his girlfriend with a dark gleam in his eye.
"You've done this before," he accused. Hermione smirked like a born and bred Slytherin.
"Of course I have, Sirius," she drawled. He frowned darkly at her.
"Who," he bit out between clenched teeth.
"Severus, of course," Hermione said firmly. James' face went slack.
"That's why you made us swear not to take revenge," James whispered, staring at her like he'd never seen her before—as though she was a stranger.
"He was under orders," Lily said softly. "He just…got carried away."
"Under orders?" Sirius echoed sharply. "From who?"
"Hermione, of course," Lily said mildly. James turned to his sort-of girlfriend.
"You too?" He asked cautiously. In answer, Lily undid the front of her robes and unbuttoned her shirt enough that he could see the paw print next to her collarbone. He turned back to his sister. "What the hell are you doing, Hermione?"
"I'm fighting, Jamie. I told you I would," she said softly, her eyes begging him to understand. "Join the Order of the Phoenix; go on whatever harebrained missions Dumbledore comes up with, but because of the oaths you've sworn to me, I won't have to worry about anyone inadvertently revealing my secrets."
"And Severus?" Sirius asked with a dark frown.
"He'll know if Voldemort finds out about me, and he can warn me," Hermione explained. Understanding dawned in all of the Marauders faces. Sirius frowned and pulled Hermione to the side.
"Is he in love with you?" Sirius asked tensely, his jaw tight. Hermione shook her head.
"No, Sirius. He loves me and he's my blood-brother, and he knows how important it is to have eyes on the inside," Hermione explained carefully, watching his eyes. He nodded and bit his lip. Then he turned to her as though something had occurred to him.
"Regulus hangs out with Severus constantly," he said uncertainly, watching her face. She nodded.
"He does," she agreed cautiously.
"He doesn't hang out with you anymore at all," he ventured further, as though he'd just realized that. She nibbled on her lower lip.
"That would no longer be prudent on his part," she said softly, putting one hand on his arm. Sirius' eyes closed and his whole body went rigid.
"When?" he whispered, dreading the answer.
"Last summer," she said so softly that only he heard her, despite Remus' cocked head and intense listening stance.
"Stupid prat," he growled under his breath. Hermione's hand tightened on his arm.
"Sirius," she said uncertainly, "there is a reason that he spends most of his time with Severus."
"Is he, did he, you…but why?" Sirius was drowning in emotions at the moment. He felt fear and anger and sadness, and underlying all of it a sense of sadness and loss for his younger brother. He should have protected him. He should have been there for him, but instead—he'd failed him. He thought he understood what Hermione was saying, but what she was saying was hard to believe.
"I had a vision," Hermione whispered, her eyes shifting slightly so that it was as though you were staring into eternity if you looked into them. "He-who-must-not-be-named had requested a favor, to borrow a house elf. Eager to show his family's support, Regulus leant him Kreacher, but he gave Kreacher strict orders to return to his family when he was done. When Kreacher returned, Regulus questioned the house elf, and learned some very disturbing things about his new master. Determined to stop You-know-who, Regulus made Kreacher take him to the place where You-know-who had taken him. Unfortunately, neither Kreacher nor Regulus was aware of all the…safeguards."
"He died," Sirius whispered, his eyes agonized. Hermione shook her head fiercely.
"You must understand, Sirius. This is not Divination. I am not telling you what will happen. It is more like…arithmancy. Anything is possible. However, certain events are more probable than others. Seers usually See events that have a higher level of probability, but they are not certain. I can have visions of any number of possible futures surrounding a single event. The greater impact the event will have, the more possibilities gain a certain level of probability. Do you understand?" Hermione tried to explain what she herself understood, and what Gloswinda had explained in her journal. Lily and Remus were both nodding, and she hid a smile. Both of them excelled in arithmancy and they understood probability vectors quite well. Sirius and James both shook their heads.
"No, kitten, I don't understand at all," Sirius said with a frown. "So…you're trying to change what you saw, you're trying to save Regulus?"
"Yes," Hermione said firmly. The look that Sirius gave her was filled with emotion, and Hermione swallowed nervously. Would he hate her for this?
"Why didn't you tell me?" He asked slowly, and waited for her to explain.
"We only have a couple more months, and then we've graduated. While we're here, in Hogwarts, we're all at a greater risk because there are so many more eyes watching us. It was important that you and James and Remus, too, could treat Severus with genuine dislike. I don't mean to criticize, my love, but a first year Slytherin could read most of your emotions, and they don't even have Remus' talents," Hermione explained carefully. Remus snorted in derision at her description of his affliction as 'talent'. "You've ignored Regulus for most of his school career. If you two suddenly became best friends and hung out together, people would notice and they would inform your mother and You-know-who almost immediately. Then everything would be at risk, and their lives would be endangered. I couldn't risk that. I'm sorry if that makes you angry with me, but I can't apologize—not for trying to protect them."
"I see," Sirius murmured, his brows drawn together. He stood there for several moments, and then turned slightly toward James and Remus who were watching him. He turned back to Hermione, his face inscrutable. Her heart plummeted. "I need time; I need to think about this."
"Of course," she whispered, her eyes wide. The Marauders left Lily and Hermione alone in the room of requirement and Lily held Hermione while she cried.
HP/HG/HP
It was a Hogsmeade weekend, and for the first time in years, Hermione and Lily were alone. The Marauders were trying to process the information dump that they'd received, but it was slow going. True, it had only been a few days, but Hermione's heart ached for every second of it. Remus seemed to understand more than James or Sirius did, and several times he had given Lily and Hermione gentle smiles. They had smiled uncertainly back at him. He still sat with them in the library even if there wasn't a lot of talking that went on among them. Several times, Hermione felt as though she were being watched, but she put that down to the Marauders. Well, that and the fangirls who seemed to be able to scent that there was something wrong between her and Sirius. Hermione tried to shake the feeling that she was being watched as she and Lily made their way to Hogsmeade, but the sensation prickled along her skin. She frowned to herself and grabbed for Lily's hand.
"Are you all right, Hermione?" Lily asked with concern. Hermione sighed.
"I'm not sure," she replied. "I feel odd."
"Do you want to go back?" Lily asked her. Hermione shook her head.
"No, of course not. I want to see if my book is in at Vortiger's. I can't wait to see here," Hermione said excitedly. Lily's laughter pealed out.
"This time, try not to read it in Transfiguration. I thought McGonagall was going to have a litter of kittens right there! If you hadn't been able to perform the spell perfectly, she would have had you!" Lily admonished her, shaking a finger at her blood-sister. Hermione snorted. The day she didn't know exactly what to do in any of the classes hadn't come yet. She was about to sit her NEWTs, about to graduate, and she felt calm about the whole thing.
Spring was always a beautiful season in Hogsmeade, Hermione decided, looking around at the budding leaves and festive flowers. Lily and Hermione were making a bee-line for Vortiger's Used Books when a younger student approached Lily with a question. Lily stopped automatically, and glanced toward Hermione who made shooing motions and turned toward Vortiger's. She opened the door and inhaled deeply. That book smell mixed with wood and incense immediately calmed her. She made her way cheerfully up to the counter and bantered easily with Mr. Vortiger. Her book was in, and her wide smile was returned while he teased her about staying up all night to read her new acquisition. She gave her low, throaty chuckle and assured him that she wouldn't read all night. When Hermione stepped out of Vortiger's, she didn't see Lily, but she wasn't worried. She'd probably gone to the Three Broomsticks so that she could sit and talk to the younger student. Old Hermione recalled that mentoring younger students was an important facet of prefect duty. Hermione Potter was glad to not have to worry about it. She had far too much on her plate right now, anyway. She was near Honeyduke's when she felt the strange sensation that accompanied a vision beginning to descend upon her. No! Not in the middle of Hogsmeade. Hermione frantically looked for somewhere, anywhere to be and ducked into a nearby alley. In her panic, she didn't notice the beady eyes watching her, or hear the scurry of little feet follow her deeper into the alley. She slid down the dirty stone wall, her eyes wide and turning black, her breath coming in uneven pants as the vision came to her.
Hermione recognized the uniforms of Aurors, and the slightly different uniforms of the Aurors-in-training. She started slightly as she realized that the two young Aurors-in-training were James and Sirius. They were hurrying after their supervisors, and both young men looked slightly nervous. They apparated to Diagon Alley, and Hermione raced after them, struggling to keep up as they ran toward the fighting that had broken out in the streets. He was there, and he looked nothing like the Voldemort that Old Hermione knew. He looked as though he might have been handsome at one time, but the dead eyes that watched the carnage around him with mild amusement made her sick. When he saw James' those eyes became covetous. Hermione felt violent rage sweep through her body at that point. He would not have James. He would not! Voldemort moved so that he was only a few feet from her James, and able to converse with him while the Aurors tried to contain the situation. Sirius and James had been instructed to be careful and not do anything too stupid.
"Potter," he said in his cold voice. "Why waste your time with the Ministry? You're a powerful wizard; you should be where your talents will be put to good use."
"You mean where my money will be put to good use?" James countered, a sneer on his lips. "I think not."
"A man of your breeding should be able to understand what I'm trying to offer," Voldemort argued persuasively.
"I'm marrying a muggleborn witch," James said flatly. "I didn't think that was exactly your cup of tea."
"I'm willing to make allowances for talent," Voldemort said with a slight smile.
"The money in the Potter vaults probably soothes the pain a bit, too," James sneered, disgust evident on his face.
"You would be wise to consider the offer," Voldemort said smoothly. "Think about it."
"I have thought about it," James snarled. "And I say: go bugger yourself, you psychotic bastard!"
"Pity," Voldemort said with mock sadness, and cast a hex at James, who blocked it and sent one of his own. Voldemort was toying with James; Hermione could tell that this was some sort of deranged game to him. Her hands itched for her wand, even if she knew it wouldn't work here.
Hermione came out of her vision as she usually did, shuddering slightly. She didn't think she'd said anything out loud this time, which was unusual for her. She blinked several times, but she couldn't see. Her hands came up to her face immediately, or at least they tried to, but she couldn't move her hands, she was magically bound. She whimpered in panic and she realized she couldn't speak either; someone had cast a silencio charm on her. Fear overwhelmed her. Where was she? Who had taken her while she was vulnerable in the middle of a vision? Whoever it was knew exactly what she was, and their kidnapping of her did not bode well for their intentions.
HP/HG/HP
"Are you ever going to forgive her?" Remus asked quietly as he walked through Hogsmeade with Sirius.
"For what? Trying to save my brother? Or trying to make sure that Voldemort doesn't know about her and try to kill her?" Sirius demanded with a sarcastic edge to his voice. Then he sighed heavily. "There's nothing for me to forgive. I just…I'm trying to deal with all of the feelings I have about this. On the one hand, I'm her wizard—I should be the one protecting her, not bloody Snape. On the other hand, I haven't been her wizard as long as he's been a Death Eater, so I can't really complain there, even if I really, really want to. Then there's my brother. I know what she means. I grew up in a Dark House. I know the kind of machinations that go on behind the doors and I'm just not up to it, I never have been. There's no way I could pretend to be disappointed or angry with Regulus when I'm not. I'd give it all away. Not Reg, he's a born actor—a dyed in the wool Slytherin."
"You think you would have failed her, and that she is somehow disappointed in you?" Remus thought he understood why Sirius had been so quiet and withdrawn.
"She knew I would fail her!" Sirius exploded, anger at himself spilling over onto Remus.
"It's not a failure, to love others. To be able to wear your emotions publicly," Remus said firmly. Sirius growled.
"It is when it would kill her," Sirius raged. Remus shook his head.
"She took the precautions she thought were necessary. Think about the oaths Lily oversaw. We swore fealty to her. She can order us to do something and the oath will enforce compliance. She can order you to treat Regulus as you do normally, and you'll be able to do it," Remus pointed out. Sirius frowned.
"Why didn't she do that in the first place, then?" Sirius demanded. Remus frowned.
"Probably her Seer's ability. She must have waited until it was the right time," Remus mused. "It's logical and it sounds like her."
"It does," Sirius muttered, rolling his eyes.
"You know she's worried that you'll end up hating her," Remus said softly. "I can see her watch you, and she's wary."
"You're watching my witch?" Sirius asked coolly, his gaze narrowed on Remus' face. Remus snorted at him.
"She's not my type," Remus said dryly. "So she's still yours, then?"
"Always," Sirius muttered under his breath in irritation.
"Right," Remus acknowledged. Sirius blinked and turned to his friend.
"I miss her," he said softly.
"It's only been four days," Remus pointed out. Sirius frowned.
"Feels like longer," he pouted.
"I know," Remus groaned with feeling. When Sirius growled at him Remus cuffed him on the shoulder. "No, you git. I mean you and James are driving me spare. Go, make up with your girls. For Merlin's sake, if it will give me some peace and quiet in our dorm room I'm willing to do almost anything."
"Maybe I should just talk to her," Sirius suggested. Remus nodded.
"I think that's a brilliant idea. Let's do it now," he said eagerly, and dragged Sirius toward the Three Broomsticks. Lily and James were sitting at a quiet little table tucked in the back corner, snogging each other's brains out. Remus and Sirius looked at one another and sighed. They walked over to the table and cleared their throats. Loudly. Finally, Remus reached out and shook James' arm.
"Prongs!" Sirius practically shouted. The couple burst apart and blushed deeply. Sirius turned to Lily. "Where's Hermione?"
"She…she wanted to check and see if her book order was in at Vortiger's," Lily said in surprise. "You didn't see her in the village?"
"No," Remus said with a shake of his sandy hair.
James stood up immediately and the Marauders headed toward the door. Lily followed after them quickly. At the book shop she questioned Mephistopheles Vortiger who said that, yes, Miss Potter's book had come in, and that Miss Potter had picked it up and paid for it. They searched Hogsmeade from one end to the other, with Sirius ducking behind some bushes and changing into Padfoot so that he could search out her scent. He traced her to an empty alleyway where he found her book, still in its brown-paper wrapping. He changed back and picked up the book in shaking hands. They all stared at it, and Sirius looked to James.
"Where is she?" He whispered, his fingers tightening on the only tangible evidence he had.