Hello my lovelies!
I have just enough time to post this for you fabulous people before I get ready for work.
Adulting is hard!
But once again all your reviews and messages definitely make it worth it!

Much Love
Natstar
XOXO

SHATTER ME

Chapter 13

"Wait! Harry! Where are you going?" Hermione yelled as Harry dashed out of the room. They were in the middle of preparing a surprise for Sirius for his birthday. He was still asleep. Was asleep, being the operative term. Hermione's yells had jerked him awake.

"Harry!" Hermione yelled but it was ineffective, Harry was out the door and she had no idea why, nor how she was going to finish hanging the large banner above the fireplace. She was standing precariously on a ladder holding up the banner. She stupidly left her wand on her bedside table and if she dropped the banner it would fall into the fireplace.

"I'm going to kill him!" Hermione seethed, "I'm Going to-"

Sirius jumped out of bed, thinking something was wrong bolted out of the room, wand in hand straight into the ladder Hermione was standing on. The ladder disappeared from under Hermione. With a shriek she fell and was caught by Sirius. The banner Hermione hadn't let go of tore in half.

"Sirius!" Hermione gasped in his arms, wide eyed.

"Of course. Who else sleeps in that room?" Sirius said, slightly baffled. He looked around the room at the streamers hung around the room, then the torn banner. The half that still hung on the wall said "Happy Sir"; the second half was now draped over his shoulders as Hermione had not let it go.

"I take it I just ruined my own surprise." Sirius mused looking back to the witch in his arms. Hermione was blushed slightly as she let go of the banner in her hands letting it drop. Hermione's blush deepened when she noted that his shoulders and chest was bare.

"Sirius!" Harry's shocked voice cut across between them. He was staring at them. More accurately he was staring at Sirius. Harry's face flushed red and his gaze fixed pointedly on Hermione.

"Ah, Hermione. Don't look down." Harry said quickly.

"Oh. My. God. Sirius are you not wearing any pants?" Hermione squirmed in his arms to be put down.

"You were yelling like you were in trouble. I didn't think I had time to put some pants on." Sirius growled, so far his morning was not panning out very well.

"Put me down!" Hermione cried. He set her down and Hermione turned her back on him.

"Sirius, can you go get dressed or something? It's ah, rather distracting." Harry said, looking extremely embarrassed. Sirius turned on his heel and returned to the bedroom. As soon as Hermione heard the door snap shut she rounded on Harry.

"What the hell Harry? What was so important that you needed to leave me stuck up on a ladder?" Harry had the grace to look ashamed.

"Sorry Hermione. I happened to glance at the map to see Malfoy go past. I wanted to see where he was going." Harry realised it was exactly the wrong thing to say, as soon as he said it.

Hermione began grabbing anything she could throw and hurled the objects at him. "You. Are. An. Absolute. Prat. Harry. James. Potter." She yelled throwing something at him with every word. Harry dodged out of the way of most of them catching the pillow.

"Sorry Hermione. I promise I'll make it up to you." Harry pleaded with her. Hermione had another pillow ready to throw at him.

"You can start by fixing this. Then go and get my crutches." She threw the pillow back onto the sofa and stormed back to her bedroom, slamming the door. Harry looked around and groaned. Pulling out his wand he cleared the strewn objects and righted the fallen ladder. He repaired the banner and hung it. Yet without Hermione it now was skewed, sighing he transfigured the ladder back into the side table it originally was. Heading to the door he opened it to find Ginny carrying Hermione's crutches and a present clearly from her mother.

"Take the present. It's so heavy." Ginny shoved the package into Harry and stepped around him to the sitting room, looking at the decorations.

"Wow. This looks great!" Ginny said, "Has Sirius seen it yet?" She asked still looking at the banner. Harry put the present with the growing pile, his face heating up a little.

"In a way" Harry hedged, "Could you go and give those to Hermione, she is expecting them." He asked making himself look busy straightening pillows. Ginny didn't pay it much mind as she walked to Hermione's door and gave it a token knock and entered.

Hermione lay on the bed with a pillow on her face. Just when she thought that she could get along with Sirius, something extremely embarrassing seemed to happen. What was worse was that she had actually liked feeling his bare skin under her hands.

"Why is everyone suddenly so awkward this morning?" Ginny asked sitting on Hermione's bed. Hermione said something but it was muffled under the pillow.

"Huh?" Ginny pulled the pillow off Hermione, showing her flushed face.
"I said: I am going to kill Harry and then myself, and maybe Sirius." Hermione said sitting up.

"Harry I can understand, Sirius too for that matter. He can be a total ass but what has he done this time?" Ginny asked. Hermione groaned and explained that Harry had come early to set up decorations as planned for Sirius, and what resulted.

"He sleeps in the nude?" Ginny exclaimed, covering her mouth as she fell into a fit of giggles.

"Yes, of course, that is clearly your first point of attention from all of this." Hermione grouched. Ginny's giggles turned to all out laughter.

"Come on Hermione. That thought went through your head too. And more importantly you were caught in the arms of Sirius in his birthday suit!" Ginny's giggles turned into fits of laughter.

"Oh gods! His birthday suit!" Hermione couldn't help but break into giggles as well.

Hermione got her breath back first. "We should go and at least say happy birthday. Remus should be here by now as well. Thanks for bringing my crutches."

Ginny wiped her eyes from laughing so hard. "No problems. By the way, Ron's face is still livid with your handprint. Serves him right, the git."

Hermione shrugged noncommittally. "I really don't want to talk about it." Hermione walked out with her crutches. Ginny sighed and followed.

Remus was in in the room, with Harry and Sirius. Sirius had demolished the pile of presents. Bits of wrapping paper were now strewn across the floor and Sirius was enjoying a coffee staring at the gift in his lap. And the girls both noted properly dressed.

"Happy birthday Sirius, morning Remus" The girls chimed together, taking their own seats on the floor. Hermione still couldn't quite look at Sirius. Ginny glanced at Hermione catching her eye, trying and failing to not smile. Hermione shook her head looking away.

"Morning ladies." Remus gave the girls a tired smile. "Something amusing?" He raised a brow at them. Ginny's amusement shone in her eyes, answered sassily, "Depends on what you are referring to? Ron with Hermione's hand print still fresh on his face or Hermione encountering Sirius in his birthday suit this morning?"

Remus's brow went higher. "And why is Ron wearing a handprint on his face Hermione?"

"I don't want to talk about it." Hermione said, avoiding eye contact with everyone. Ginny rolled her eyes

"Because the swine forced himself on Hermione last night at the after party. She made it clear that she wasn't interested in the only way she could to the drunken baboon." Ginny explained for her. Hermione grimaced remembering the previous evening.

"I am still so pissed at my git of a brother and what he did to you last night." Ginny tore at a piece of wrapping she picked up. "He deserved it. Unfortunately or fortunately you missed Lavender Brown practically falling all over him." Ginny scrunched up her nose.

"I really don't want to talk about it." Hermione snapped. Instead she focused on Remus, and asked "I thought Tonks was coming?"

Remus shifted in his seat. "She couldn't make it. Call from the Auror office, needing her"

Sirius snorted. "I bet." He mumbled under his breath. "Thanks for the drawing set Hermione." He said louder, changing topics; directing a stare at Remus.

"I didn't know you like to draw?" Harry said looking at the box of charcoals and watercolours sitting on the side table.

"Harry, I was sure it was you that said he loved to draw." Hermione frowned at Harry, struggling to find the memory in her head.

"No Hermione, I didn't even know, until now." Harry shook his head. Remus and Sirius exchanged a glance. Hermione was now remembering fragments and becoming confused. Especially when in her head there was also another scruffy black haired boy that looked uncannily like Harry, of course she was going to be confused.

"Perhaps you overheard me talking with Sirius about it Hermione." Remus said casually. Hermione still frowning as it didn't fit with her skewed memory replied softly, "Perhaps."

"Ok enough dwelling on things. It's my birthday and I intend to enjoy it fully." Sirius stood and vanished the wrapping paper. Calling in Dobby, they all enjoyed a private breakfast, after Dobby insisted on giving Sirius his own present in the form of an incredibly brightly coloured poncho featuring what seemed to have been lamas but turned into elongated dogs.

When they had finished eating all of them headed out to the grounds to enjoy the sun while it lasted. Sirius produced a football drawing in a group of senior boys, mostly from muggle backgrounds who knew the game. Several who didn't know the muggle sport picked up the rules quickly and two teams were created. Remus offered to act as referee.

Hermione sat watching with amusement and sadness as she watched them play and scramble after the ball. She had brought out a blanket and a book. Ginny had gone and joined the opposition with Harry and surprised them with her quick knowledge of the game. The crowd around grew and people started cheering for the mixed sides. Even some Slytherins joined the sides. As Hermione watched she realised that this seemed to be one of the only things that houses suddenly didn't matter.

People swapped out so others could have a turn playing on the field. Ginny came off and collapsed next to Hermione, smiling tiredly.

"For a muggle sport with only one ball that is definitely a fun game." The red head puffed. Hermione chuckled.

"I must say that Pansy and Daphne surprised me when they joined the field." Hermione looked out at the makeshift field where Pansy was now arguing with Remus about a foul in play. Ginny looked over, huffing in laughter.

"I'm not, most of the girls from my year and up are here, either on the field or cheering. They want to catch the eye of Witch Weekly's most eligible Wizard in Britain." She scrunched her nose at the title.

"What about you and Dean?" Hermione asked wanting a change of topic that wasn't about Sirius.

"Oh, we are fine, I guess." Ginny said offhandedly, picking at stalks of grass. Hermione raised an eyebrow at her friend waiting on the rest.

"We had a fight; after the game yesterday. He got pissed because I hugged Harry for catching the snitch that won the game." Ginny explained, shredding more grass.

"But, Demelza hugged Harry too. Oh, it's because you hugged Harry before Dean." Hermione rolled her eyes. "Boys."

"Tell me about it. I really didn't know Dean would be so uppity about it. But the worst part was that he didn't say a word to Harry. He just got annoyed at me." Ginny snarled. She threw the blades of grass in the air; hot tears threatening to spill, looking at the boy in question on the field fighting to get the ball from Sirius.

The game broke up shortly after as many were becoming hungry as lunchtime neared. Hermione not feeling like food tried to sit and keep reading. A shadow intruded her sun and she looked up. Sirius stood there and just waited with a brow raised. Hermione muttered under her breath that he should stop taking lessons on mothering from Mrs Weasley. She knew he heard when he snorted.

The afternoon stretched on; Fred and George even stopped by to see Sirius, giving him a small stereo player they had magically enhanced to play without batteries. Settling in the sitting room in their shared rooms, they conversed as Ginny flicked through Hermione's music to play on Sirius's player. Dobby had appeared with a massive cake from the elves for Sirius. They all sang Sirius 'Happy Birthday' and Sirius blew out the candles.

"So what did you wish for Sirius?" George asked, accepting a piece of cake from Dobby.

"It's bad luck to say what you wish for on your birthday, remember?" Hermione huffed, declining the slice offered to her.

"Oh we remember Hermione." Fred smirked at her, "Like you owing someone a birthday kiss."

"To be fair Freddy, Sirius now owes someone a birthday kiss as well." George stated, "And as our dear sister is dating Dean Thomas, that does leave only one choice to Sirius!"

"Who said that we had to kiss the opposite sex?" Hermione challenged through narrowed eyes, as the others around watched on with amusement.

"Boy, girl; Hermione you still owe someone a birthday kiss! Otherwise your wish won't come true!" Ginny said in mock fear.

"My wish won't come true without a birthday kiss?" Sirius cried; following Ginny's lead in the over dramatic, stood with cake in hand, "Then I better make sure the wish comes true!"

With that Sirius stepped forwards and kissed Remus fair on the lips in a chaste kiss. Everyone stared in open mouth shock, as He pulled away. Remus's face reddening a little. Sirius however looked down frowning slightly.

"It could do with some improvement Moony." He stated airily and sat back down as if nothing happened and began to eat his cake. Hermione began to snicker which set the rest of the group off.

"Well Hermione, Sirius has set the bar high." Fred said, waggling his eyebrows.

Hermione huffed and rolled her eyes. "There is no chance that I am doing this. Wish or no wish."

"It's because you don't know who is better looking between us isn't it?" George asked winking at her. Hermione's cheeks dimpled trying hard not to smile or laugh, as the others all laughed.

"Oh if it were down to good looks between you, I am afraid that you are both at a loss there." Hermione said sweetly.

"Oh pray tell, which of us Weasley's is the better looking?" Fred asked eagerly. Ginny still laughing on the floor, stood up before them

"You both are idiots. The best looking Weasley here is me!" She exclaimed, curtseying before them.

Conversation settled back to less outrageous topics, Hermione pulled out a text book she needed to finish, letting the conversation around her wash over her. It was getting late when the twins took their leave, Ginny also decided to head back up to the Gryffindor common room as she still had an assignment to finish. Hermione had since fallen asleep curled up in the armchair, her text book still resting in her lap.

"Not bad for a birthday haul." Remus mused at the small pile of gifts around Sirius. "So do you feel as affable and noble as you did at thirty-five?"

"Hmph. Noble perhaps. Not so much affable. More like beleaguered and careworn." Sirius grumbled. Harry and Remus chuckled.

"Yeah. yeah. Laugh it up boyo. One day you will be my age." Sirius took a sip of his butterbeer.

"Yeah but when I reach the age of thirty-six you are going to be fifty-six." Harry chortled.

"Which is when he will be both senile and miserable" Remus added.

"Ah but Remus, you will be well into fifty-seven by that stage as well so I won't be the only grumpy old man to kick Harry up the ass for remembering my age." Sirius grinned back at them. Their quiet laughter was cut off when the book Hermione in her lap slid off as she sat up abruptly, eyes closed.

"Remy, honey what's going on?" Hermione spoke aloud. All three males' jaws dropped. Harry's head whipped between Remus to Hermione to Sirius and back to Hermione as she spoke again.

"Remy, have I done something wrong?" Her voice was soft and seductive.

"Merlins beard!" Remus groaned, as he remembered the Christmas Eve he found Hermione barely clothed in the snow.

"What? Sirius, what is going on?" Harry asked, now taking in the shocked expression on her face. Both drew their attention to Harry, yet before either could say a word, Hermione smiled.

"You mean Snuffles? Of course he is mine! Now stop growling at the nice men." They watched silently as Hermione's head tilted to one side.

"But Remy, you didn't offer them any tea. That is rude." Her head turned to look at Harry, whose eyes widened in surprise. "Would you like some tea?"
Her dream seemed to have changed and she slumped back down.

"Can someone explain why Hermione was saying Remus's name in her sleep?" Harry asked, now looking between Sirius and Remus.

"Harry, I don't think there would be an explanation that would sufficiently explain it." Remus answered, his face still in a mask of shock, as it was each time he'd heard Hermione talk in her sleep.

Harry crossed his arms. "Try me. Considering all the crazy shit that I have gone through my whole life I think I can handle this."

"Harry, you need to first understand that anything that Hermione dreams she doesn't remember. Or not fully when she wakes." Sirius stood and went over to the cupboard he kept his bottle of Firewhiskey and poured three glasses.

"I need your promise you won't try and ask her anything or speak of this to anyone." He said handing a glass to Remus and putting one in Harry's hands, waiting for him to answer. Harry looked down at the drink; it was considerably less than what Sirius poured Remus and himself. Hermione turned in her sleep mumbling under her breath.

"It's her memories isn't it?" He said quietly. Sirius stood before him watching Harry carefully nodding. Harry looked over to Hermione again, watching has she frowned in her sleep and her hands closing into fists. He still jumped when she spoke again.

"Dear Moony, threatened to spank me if I refused to eat," She growled. Remus groaned and downed his drink in one go. Harry's eyes widened.

"She fell back in time!" He exclaimed. Sirius sat down and took a long sip from his glass.

"Yes, but she doesn't remember any of it" Sirius said quietly, watching her sleep. Harry felt like he had been punched. He looked at the drink and followed Remus's lead downing the whiskey in one go, coughing and gasping as it burned down his throat. Remus patted him on the back and summoned the bottle over topping up his own glass.

"You, you both remember though?" Harry gasped, wiping his watering eyes.

Both nodded at him neither offering anything more.

"But, how far back did she go?" Harry pressed.

"If Hermione remembers that should be up to her to tell you Harry. All I can say is that she has had an extremely long ordeal. Try not to pressure her." Sirius told his godson. Draining the glass, Sirius stood up and moved over to Hermione, carefully picking her up so she wouldn't wake.

"Better head off to bed, Harry." Sirius said softly as he carried Hermione towards her bedroom door. Stopping as she fidgeted in his arms.

"Sirius! We are not doing anything here! I won't" Her voice panicked. Harry dropped his glass staring after them as Sirius put Hermione to bed.

"Come on Harry. I'll walk you to your dormitory." Remus put a hand on Harry's shoulder and guided him out, before he could find his voice to protest.

"Remus, what happened to Hermione? Where did she go?" Harry finally asked as they walked upstairs. The pause extended that Harry stopped walking.

"Remus, she is one of my best friends. Please. I promise I won't say anything to anyone, not even Ron." Harry pleaded with the werewolf. Remus looked at Harry and sighed. The boy who looked too much like one of the best friends he had. He walked up the corridor a little further and opened a door to deserted classroom, stepping aside letting Harry enter.

"Harry, I need you to swear that you will not tell a soul. Because it is not only a risk for Hermione, but also puts her in more danger." Remus said finally as they leaned against the desks in the darkened classroom.

"I realise that." Harry said hotly. "I don't want to cause damage but what happened? Where did she go?"

"She fell into the veil that hung in the archway that night. That is what we saw. But in reality when she fell through she was flung back in time." Remus explained, running his hand through his hair.

"When she fell through she encountered Sirius. He is the only one that knows the full extent of it more intimately than I do. Eventually I encountered her as well and she saved my life in more ways than I care to admit." Harry listened to what Remus was saying and frowned at what was being left out.

"Her falling through time is what had her parents killed isn't it?" Harry asked finally. Remus nodded.

"Why are they all so interested in her time travel? That is what they have time turners for." Harry asked.

"Harry, time turners, like the one Hermione used in her third year are restricted in a sense." Remus began.

"Time turners can only really turn you back as far as the earliest moment you came into the world. To the moment you were born, but no further." Harry nodded understanding that. He actually read up on the topic after third year as that type of magic fascinated him. Not that he ever told Ron or Hermione because he would never hear the end of it – researching a topic that was not curriculum based. One would applaud it and the other tease him.

"One thing both the Ministry and You-know-who have both been very interested in is trying to go back farther than the point of birth." Remus paused letting it sink into Harry's head and process. Remus watched the moment it dawned on him why Voldemort was now also after his best friend and why her parents were murdered. Harry frowned as if there was a piece of information that didn't click into the picture.

"You said Voldemort and the Ministry both have been after the knowledge and ability." Harry finally spoke.

"Yes. Both want what is in Hermione's head: the very thing that she cannot remember. Professor Dumbledore has been making sure that Hermione is not at risk from either party. He seems to fear that both the Ministry and the Dark Lord are an equal threat where Hermione is concerned." Remus explained.

Harry snorted. "Well their record for either side being considerate is not very strong."

"Yes, which is why no one can know the truth of it; Harry if they know anything about what she went through then the risk of actually succeeding to go back into the past so far could be extremely dire for everyone in any time." Remus was now pacing, the stress evident.

"It's ok Remus. I promise I won't say anything, to anyone." Harry reassured his ex-professor.

"Better get up to your dorm Harry. Perhaps put on your cloak, just to be safe." Remus went to the door and checked to make sure it was clear for Harry.

"Night Remus." Harry's voice called. Remus listened to Harry's not-so-quiet sneaking and then headed back to the Rooms with Sirius.

"Harry alright?" Sirius asked as Remus sat down on the couch. Sirius was in his armchair with Hermione's gift, the drawing set and sketch pad out. Remus rested his head back and told Sirius about their conversation.

"He knows I left a great deal out but at least he understands the risk to Hermione regardless." Remus finished.

"He has the advantage to empathise on a level not many others can. He has been through being a constant target for longer." Sirius quipped. He looked up at the exhausted werewolf and set the pad down.

"So what happened with you and my cousin?" Sirius asked. Remus's eyes shot open and glared at Sirius.

"None of your business." He grunted and settled back on the couch.

"Nice try Moony. I either get the story from you or I go play good cousin and hear it from Dora, or worse, Andromeda." Sirius adjusted in his seat and waited. Remus glared at his friends' impassive face.

"We had an argument. She, she wants to take things further. I, I told her – Merlin's Balls! I said I didn't think it wise and she should find someone not tainted." Remus admitted.

"Moony. You're a bloody idiot. You both are good for each other." Sirius said to his friend.

"How do I fix it? I kind of walked out on her after." Remus moaned his hands now covering his face.

"When you go back I would take your weights worth of Honeydukes chocolate. Flowers are out as she is allergic to anything that pollinates." Sirius responded autocratically. He paused then picked up his wand and pointed it towards his room. An envelope slid from under the door and into Sirius's awaiting hands.

"And if that doesn't work, give her this and tell her that they were meant to be a Christmas present from you." He held out the envelope to his friend. Remus frowned at the envelope.

"What's in it?" Taking the envelope dubiously, as Sirius picked up his drink, taking a long sip.

"Tickets to her favourite punk band. Actually it's backstage passes and entry to the after party." Sirius smirked at Remus's surprised look on his face.

"She is not going to believe me that I got them." Remus tucked them into his robes.

"I am sure that you will think of something that will legitimise why I am giving up my intended Christmas present for her." Sirius raised his glass to Remus in luck. Remus checked his watch and stood.

"I better go and start grovelling then. I'll be in touch." Remus exited, running his hand repeatedly through his hair. Sirius sat and stared at the fire, sipping his whiskey slowly. When the glass was empty, he picked up the sketch pad and continued his work, of the armchair opposite and a girl that had fallen asleep with a book in her lap, who was now dreaming in her room.