A/N: I own neither the characters of Harry Potter (sadly), nor the song. This is a fic based on Hozier's song "Like Real People Do". The pairing is Sirius/Hermione. Hope you like it! (Oh yeah, this is also cross-posted on AO3.)

Like Real People Do

"I had a thought, dear," Hermione said. Sirius looked up.

"However scary…," she stumbled, (deep breath) "However scary it might be, we should talk." His eyebrows shot up.

She took a deep breath, "About that night…" "With the bugs and the dirt..?" She nodded. Sirius pursed his lips, looking away.

"Come on, Sirius. Why were you digging?", she whispered. Sirius looked her in the eye. "Tell me something, Hermione. What did you bury?"

The question sent her reeling. Sirius took the opening, "Go on. Tell me, you know…. Before those hands pulled me from the earth." She stared at him, shell-shocked. She stumbled, "But – but that's…. that's not – anything.…."

Sirius smiled gently, taking her hand in his, "I would not ask you where you came from. I will not ask you, neither will you." She nodded, biting her lip. Sirius narrowed his eyes, "Spit it out, darlin'."

"But don't you think –"

"Shh… Honey, just put your sweet lips on my lips, we could just kiss like real people do." (She acquiesced.)

Hermione sat on the couch, curled up, staring into nothingness. Memories upon memories upon memories…..

Sirius looked at her, concerned, "I knew that look, dear, eyes always seeking." She looked up, startled. He was surprised to see tears framing her eyes. She leaned into him, whispering, "Sometimes it's just difficult, you know, keeping the idle mind away from the graveyard."

Sirius nodded, stroking her hair gently. He didn't look at her. Hermione shook her head, "Out with it." Sirius sighed (worried), "Sweetheart, I can't help but ask… Was there in someone, that dug long ago?"

She shut her eyes (her lips trembled, her hands trembled) and buried her face in his chest. He held her (as close as he could), letting her cry. Eventually, her breathing slowed, her tear-streaked face was calm. She was asleep. He whispered, "(So) I will not ask you why were you creeping; in some sad way I already know." He kissed her hair, before submitting to Morpheus. (His arms held her close as they could the whole night.)

Sirius looked at her blankly as she stepped into their home. His head was buzzing. He couldn't process anything. (One look at his face and she knew.) She smiled sadly.

She stood in front of him. Gently cradling his face, she murmured, "I not ask you where you came from. I would not ask you, neither would you. But I'm here for you, by your side, whenever, however you need me." She kissed his forehead and held him against her (his troubled, weary head resting against her stomach). She did not know how long she held him.

Finally he looked up. His tear-stained face broke her heart. She placed feather kisses on his eyelids, wishing she could take his pain away. He murmured, "I am so….."

She cut him off with a murmured, "Stop talking, honey. Just put your sweet lips on my lips, we should just kiss like real people do." (The corners of his lips had raised. She was glad for it.)

She looked ethereal, dressed in white. (But maybe he was biased.) He looked handsome as ever in the black dress robes, with a few wisps of grey in his dark mane. (But maybe she was biased.)

He pulled her into his arms, as they swayed on the dance floor. He whispered in her ear, "I could not ask you where you came from."

Her answering smile was blinding, "I could not ask you, neither could you."

"Honey, just put you sweet lips on my lips." (She complied.)

"We could just kiss like real people do." (They did.)

A/N: So, that's it! Hope you liked it. I don't mind reviews ;)