A/N: So here's my Christmas present for you guys! I hope you like it ^^ I'll try to post another chapter for New Year's.

Merry Christmas! ^^

That night Hermione slept well, even though she had expected otherwise. It was only a few days later that she couldn't sleep, everything starting to sink in, all her worries coming back to the front of her mind, escaping from the box she had put them in.

She went downstairs, the common room empty. Good, she needed time to think. She needed a moment for herself where people wouldn't be able to see the worry and stress on her face.

She sat there, staring straight ahead of her, still. Her mind was a different story entirely. She wasn't able to process a thought or think it through or another was already coming to mind. One question followed after the other. One worry was being stacked up another and piled with the rest. Her mind was racing, she felt like she might get dizzy.

Someone was coming down the stairs but she didn't hear anything, still absorbed in her own mind, still in a world of her own.

"Mione?" It was Sirius. He didn't get an answer. "Mione?" he asked again, slightly concerned now. Again no answer. He grabbed her shoulder and gave her a little shake, his voice a little louder. "Hermione?"

She looked up, finally noticing him. "Sirius?"

"Hey, you okay?" he asked as he took a seat next to her.

"Uhm, yeah. Just thinking."

"About?"

She couldn't tell him. She couldn't tell anyone. No one knew what was going on inside her head. She herself hardly managed to get a grip on things. But she couldn't not say anything. She would implode if she kept everything inside. But then what could she tell?

Apparently she had been lost in thought once again because he gave her a nudge. "So?"

"I just have a lot on my mind. It's complicated," she tried to brush it off.

"Such as?"

"Hmm?"

"You said you have a lot on your mind? What?"

"Exams for starters."

"What else? There is no way you'd be like this just because you're worried about the exams coming up."

She let out a sigh. She had become too close to the people here. They could read her like an open book. Just like Harry and Ron could read her back home. And it was the same for her. She knew every mannerism, every twitch, every habit of the people here. She had been here for too long and maybe she would have to stay forever. At this point she didn't even know whether she was happy or sad about that fact.

She leant her head on his shoulder, taking in a breath. "I received some news this week from home. A few things happened and I'm trying to figure things out." She couldn't say anything more than that or she would have to explain everything. She couldn't do that.

"Do you wanna talk about it?"

She shook her head. "I don't even think I would be able to talk about it even if I wanted to. It's complicated."

They sat there in silence. If she didn't want to talk about it he wouldn't push her. He leant his head on top of hers. He was surprised. This felt so good, to just sit like this, no need for words. It wasn't uncomfortable. It felt nice, normal. It felt new. He only ever experienced such a silence with the guys.

Neither of the two knew how much time had passed but eventually the silence was broken. "Why are you still awake? The game is tomorrow." Her voice was soft.

"Couldn't sleep."

"How come?"

"I've no idea."

"Nervous?"

"No, never really been nervous for a game actually."

"Then what?"

"I don't know. I just couldn't sleep." The quietness returned. Both back in their own headspace. Sirius asked once, "Do you want to go to bed?" But she only shook her head. She wouldn't be able to sleep anyway so why even try?

"Shouldn't you get some rest though?"

"I'm fine."

Eventually Hermione did fall asleep, using Sirius' shoulder as a pillow. He let her, not minding it one bit.

When the sun started to rise the brunette started stirring, as if she knew morning had come. She blinked a few times, taking in her surroundings. Right, she had gone to the common room and then Sirius had come.

"Awake?" he asked.

"Yeah. Did you sleep?"

"No, but I'm fine."

"Will you be okay for the game?"

"Of course I will. Have had a lot of tougher days after having no sleep." They both knew what he meant. The nights he was out with the others to keep Remus company during a full moon.

"What time is it?"

"A little past six."

She let out a yawn, stretching. "I'm going to go get ready. What about you? Will you try to get a little bit of sleep in?"

"Nah, I'm up anyway. I'll join you for breakfast in a bit." She gave him a nod, both heading to their respective rooms to get dressed.

The Great Hall was practically empty as they sat down to eat. It may be the day of the final quidditch match of the year but it was also a Saturday, which meant that most would take advantage of it not being a school day and sleep in for as long as they could.

They finished eating, just staying seated, talking. No important things, just everyday topics. Eventually they were joined by Lily and the marauders. The group eyeing the pair for a moment before joining them.

"We were wondering where you disappeared to," James told his best friend.

"Was up early so I decided to just get ready," he shrugged.

An hour before the game was supposed to start the boys went to get ready, making sure everything was in order, making sure that everyone knew what they had to do. They would win this.

And win they did.

Both teams were evenly matched: when Gryffindor would score, so would Ravenclaw and vice versa. The chasers were flying form one end of the pitch to the other, the beaters never stopping in batting away the quaffles, and the seekers were so fast it was unbelievable. It was almost like watching Harry. Almost.

Even though both teams were evenly matched, it was Gryffindor who had managed to catch the snitch, sealing their victory.

They were celebrating their victory in the common room. It was almost midnight but no one seemed to mind, it would probably be the last party they would throw this year. Professor McGonagall hadn't come to tell them to put an end to things yet either, probably too happy that she got the school's quidditch cup in her office for another year.

"Attention, everyone!" came James' voice suddenly, only the older students still present. "We did it. We won!" This was met with cheers. "Unfortunately, it was the last game for the seventh years on the team. But we managed to let them leave Hogwarts with this victory in mind. So I would like to thank them. To the seventh years!"

"To the seventh years!" everyone chorused as they started clapping.

"And I'd like to thank one other person." He searched for Hermione, finding her in the crowd next to Lily and the girls. She saw him looking and she knew that face. His eyes were shining in mirth and a grin was spread across his face. He was planning something.

"She was there for the team when we came back from practice. She was there when we were sweaty, drenched, undercooled, you name it. And every time she took care of us. Well, she told us more what to do than anything else, but it's almost the same so…" This was met with laughter. "To Hermione, the team's bossy mom!"

"To Hermione, the team's bossy mom!" everyone followed, roaring with laughter. Hermione just groaned, but couldn't help let out a chuckle of her own. The girls were clutching each other, trying to keep upright.

"What did you think of my speech?" James asked as he and the boys joined them.

"It was gold," Marlene said before anyone else had a chance to react.

"I do my best," he said with a flourish.

"I assume I should take that as a compliment?" she asked him. She couldn't deny she was amused and it was hardly the first time someone referred to her as a mom.

"You assumed right."

As it got later and later, more and more students started going to bed, not wanting to go through the next day as a complete zombie. But not the marauders and not the girls. The girls had tried several times to go upstairs but the marauders always just dragged them back to their spot on the sofas.

It was around three in the morning, their group the only one crazy enough to still be awake. The festive mood had vanished, instead they just sat there and talked. Sometimes they just sat there in silence for a few moments, just enjoying the moment before the stress for the exams would come rushing back to them.

"Can you believe we'll be seventh years next year?" James asked.

"It almost seems like yesterday that I got my Hogwarts letter," Lily says.

"Yeah," Hermione said. Maybe it was because they were tired or relaxed or a combination of the two, but no one seemed to notice the slip up. And if they had, they didn't let it show.

Marlene and Alice had fallen asleep together on one of the love seats. Peter was lying on a few pillows in front of the fire, not far behind the girls on his way to dreamland. James and Remus were sitting on one of the other loveseats. Hermione was sitting on a sofa next to Lily. And Sirius was sitting on the floor next to Hermione's legs, his back against the sofa.

"Will you be here next year?" Sirius' voice was soft, small, maybe a little tired.

"Hmm?" Hermione asked.

He looked up then, locking their eyes. "Will you be here next year? At Hogwarts?"

With the way things were going now, she had to be prepared to stay here forever. Yet, there was still that small chance that Dumbledore might find a way, no matter how slim that chance was.

"Maybe," she told him. "Probably."