Author's Note:

Do we think that Sirius made the right choice? He chose Harry over his own happiness. I guess we shall see.

Reviews and Comments: To Silverstargirl: Yes, he did make a big mistake. He shouldn't have broken up with her like that and I suppose she was around a little too much. But in her defence, Sirius has been talking about Harry like mad and she was so excited to meet him. To alix33: I agree, Sirius caving to Harry wasn't good and Harry demanding Sirius to breakup with Zee was bad as well. They both made terrible choices here. To WarMunger98: You don't really like Zee so a part of you is happy to see her go, but you also think Sirius deserves a girlfriend, interesting. Yes, Harry does need to grow up a little, but he's still a kid and that makes it hard for both of them to accept change. To The Goode Ravenclaw: Harry definitely acted like a spoiled little brat and Sirius let him. But yes, Harry knows Remus and Tonks belong together. I'm happy you're sad about Zee though! Not very many people seem to like her. To ninaz08: Thank you, I agree! Sirius and Zee are perfect for each other! Sirius definitely acted like a complete douchebag, but Harry is also to blame.

To Sleepyhawk502: Sirius should have explained it to Zee, but I think he knew that if he did, she would talk him out of it. He still went about it the wrong way. Thanks. To Guest: Sirius definitely should have known better, but he part of him is still a bit of that child, isn't he? He's worried he will do something to lose Harry, who he doesn't really think he deserves. Harry was acting his age and yes, Zee should have realized Harry was acting jealous, but Sirius didn't give her a chance to make the connection. Now she's just pissed at him.

Thank you very much for reading and please, please review!

Your reviews give me life! They give me inspiration! And they make me want to keep writing for more than just myself! Thank you!

CHAPTER SEVENTY-SIX:

The One Where Sirius Eats Crow

Harry stayed in bed a little later the next morning, wondering if Sirius had gotten any more sleep. He had heard him go outside and into the workshop — the workshop that was so perfectly suited to him, he thought. Sirius had posted all of his Muggle motorbike posters with the naked girls on the walls and some of his rock posters along with his old Gryffindor banner. He had hooked up the record player to blare through the workshop. He knew that Sirius was spending an extra amount of time out there since he and Zee weren't seeing each other any more.

He felt a little guilty for that, but he also really liked having Sirius around all of the time again and having him to himself. Sirius didn't need her, Harry thought, not really.

He made his way downstairs and helped himself to some breakfast. He was in the process of making scrambled eggs when Sirius came inside in faded blue jeans and his hair pulled back.

"Good morning, Harry," he said, wiping sweat from his brow. "Sleep well?"

Harry nodded, adding more eggs to the pan. "Yeah. You?"

He shrugged. "Of course. Eggs look great, thanks. I'm going to go clean up."

Harry watched him head upstairs and he sighed. The smile hadn't quite reached Sirius' eyes in the last two weeks and he knew that it was completely his fault. He looked up at the owl who flew into the kitchen, taking the letter. He finished scrambling the eggs and put them on two plates with toast before he opened the letter, grinning when he recognized Hermione's neat writing.

Dear Harry,

I can't believe that you actually made your godfather break up with his girlfriend! What a terrible thing to do! The only way that I find this to be justified is if she was a terrible person and was hurting him or you, but by the sounds of her, she's great, and you're just acting like a spoiled child. I am very disappointed in you and a bit in your godfather. Why did he listen to a sullen eleven-year-old about his love life? However, I can't believe that he never even told you about her! If she was so important to him, how come you never even knew she existed? I don't know, Harry. I don't agree with what you did, but I don't think your dad acted very mature either. It sounds like there's a communication problem there.

How are you doing since everything happened? On top of the end of the school year, I imagine coming home to that bombshell wasn't quite what you expected. Are you all right?

As for me, my summer has been quite exciting. Dad took me on a trip to Amsterdam and we went to museums and libraries and rare book stores. It was the best! Plus, we tried some great food and I told him all about my first year — and we had a serious talk about how this year I can't let you two idiots con me into breaking so many school rules. Mum was particularly annoyed with me for that one and I played down the whole you almost dying bit, but I think Dad was a little pleased. He always tells me that I'm too high strung — which is ridiculous and completely insulting. Dad and I leave Amsterdam today and we're meeting Mum in Paris on the way home to stay a day or so. She was visiting her best friend from school, which is why she didn't come with us. I should be home in the next three days.

Maybe we can plan to meet up soon; get our school supplies together or something? Maybe by then you will have had a more exciting summer and stopped causing such mischief at home.

With love,

Hermione

Harry sighed as he read the letter. He knew that Hermione was quite right, he had acted like a child in asking Sirius to choose him over Zee. But he had been incredibly thrilled that Sirius had chosen him. It didn't matter. It was over with now and nothing he did was going to fix it.

"Prongslet, forgot to mention," Sirius said as he came back into the kitchen. "I got us a few tickets to see Manchester United next week, it's three days before your birthday. I got six tickets so, I figured you could bring Ron, Neville, and Ginny, then you, me, and Remus can go. You said Ron was the one who didn't understand the game, right?"

Harry nodded, grinning at his father as he closed the letter in his hand. "Yeah, that sounds perfect!"

"Who's the letter from?" Sirius asked as he took a seat at the table and immediately dug into the eggs.

"Hermione. She's in Amsterdam with her dad."

Sirius' eyebrow rose at the name. "Hermione, right... I've been meaning to talk to you about her."

Harry gave him a puzzled look. "Why?"

"Well, you did lose all of those house points because you were sneaking around with that witch in the Astronomy Tower no less, which I'll have you know, was the prime snogging spot when I was in school."

Harry blushed. "Uncle Sirius! I don't — I mean, Hermione and I… I wasn't snogging her!"

Sirius grinned at him, winking now. "No? Not even a quick peck?"

Harry blushed further. "No! I told you! We were getting rid of Hagrid's dragon!"

Sirius watched him for a moment in amusement. "She's not your type or what?"

If possible, Harry turned even redder and slid down in his chair. "We're just friends!"

Sirius grinned, chuckling to himself. Harry wasn't ready for the talk yet, he thought. Not yet. But he had a feeling that by next summer, that talk would be something that he'd have to have with his godson. "All right, all right. Just wanted to check, you know. When you start thinking about snogging, I want to know. We have important things to discuss about it."

Harry frowned, his forehead still burning. "Ugh."

Sirius only laughed. "Why don't you Floo over to Uncle Rem's and tell him about the tickets and then you can owl your friends and invite them? You can send owls out for your birthday, too. We'll have the party the Saturday after the game, okay? I know it will be August then, but Saturday is the best day for the party."

Harry grinned and nodded, relieved that the subject of snogging seemed to have changed. "Okay!"

After breakfast, Harry headed over to Remus' to tell him about the football game and he was surprised when Remus told him that Ron, Neville, and Ginny were not allowed to attend the game with them.

Harry simply frowned at him. "Why not, Uncle Rem? I told Uncle Siri that Ron had to come because he doesn't really get the whole Muggle football thing and he already bought the tickets."

Remus simply shook his head as he leaned against the doorjamb to his living room. "Why should you get to hang out with your friends when you made Sirius stop seeing his?"

Harry stared at him in surprise. "I didn't." At Remus' look, he shifted uncomfortably. "He doesn't care, Uncle Rem."

But Harry knew that was a lie.

The last two weeks, Sirius had been incredibly attentive to Harry. They spent almost every waking moment together; talking and laughing, working on the motorbikes (the Ducati was completely finished and they had moved onto the Adler now), listening to music, flying in the garden, going to local Quidditch games, and hanging out with Remus or with Tonks. But as much fun as he had been having with Sirius, he could see that he did indeed care.

How often had he caught his father staring off in the direction of Zee's cottage?

How often had he seen his father looking sad only to mask it?

How often had he watched his father transform into Padfoot and wander next door just to 'go for a run' he claimed?

And the one thing that Harry had noticed the most was how often his father was having nightmares again.

Harry wanted to protect Sirius from his bad dreams; to be there for him the way that he was always there for him. He tried to be there when he woke up and give him a hug, but he could see that he needed something else. He didn't know if having Zee in his life helped the nightmares, but he certainly saw what not having her made his father feel.

Harry looked at Remus now, his eyes full of guilt.

Remus simply crossed his arms across his chest. "I asked you to talk to him, Harry, to tell him how you were feeling and you did the complete opposite of what I asked of you."

"No," Harry insisted. "I did talk to him!"

Remus sighed. "Asking him to break up with her wasn't fair. He misses her. She made him happy in ways that I don't think he realized he was unhappy."

Harry shifted uncomfortably. He knew that Remus was right. He had known Remus was right the moment that Sirius had told him that he would stop talking to Zee, but he hadn't stopped him. He had just let his father go next door and end things between them. He couldn't count the number of times that Sirius had mentioned Zee in passing and then stopped himself whether in terms of the engines or the motorbikes, in terms of something they ate, or even when it came to movies or music and when he did, he would catch himself, and quickly change the subject.

And Harry had let him.

"I don't want him to be unhappy," Harry said, staring at his feet.

Remus gently lifted his chin so that he could look into his eyes. "You're going to be twelve next week. You're not a little boy anymore, Harry, and you don't need mine or Sirius' undivided attention twenty-four/seven anymore. We are always here for you, both of us, whenever you need or want anything, but we have our own lives too. I think that you owe both Sirius and Zee an apology, little Prongs."

Harry sighed, guilt swimming in his gut and making him feel nauseous. He knew that Remus was right. He had been selfish and inconsiderate and petty.

"If I apologize can Ron and Neville and Ginny come watch Manchester United play with me? I haven't seen them all summer, not since the train station?"

Remus shrugged. "You apologize, Harry, and then we'll talk about it."

~ ASC ~

The day before the football game, Harry made his way down the street with Marauder. Marauder was so good and so well behaved that he walked alongside him, never making an attempt to run or to scamper off. That was until he saw Zee's cottage, then he booked it across the lawn, barking happily in greeting and jumping at the woman wearing a large wide brimmed gardening hat and kneeling in the dirt.

Harry hung back as he watched her greet Marauder enthusiastically, scratching his belly and laughing as he stared at her adoringly for giving him attention. He liked that she loved his dog, he thought.

Her eyes briefly scanned the street and despite the rainbow lenses she wore hiding her eyes, he saw her jolt in surprise at the sight of him before she lifted her hand and waved at him. He waved back, making his way towards her.

"Hi, Zee," he said, laughing when Marauder came over and jumped up to lick his face.

"Hi, Harry. Where are you off to?"

He shrugged. "Nowhere." At her raised eyebrow, he grinned. "Uncle Sirius thinks I'm in my treehouse.

"That's the coolest treehouse that I've ever seen. Do you know how jealous I was when I saw that?"

He grinned widely. "Yeah, it's pretty brilliant."

She stared at him for a moment before she spoke. "Your father is going to flip when he sees that you're not in that treehouse, you know that, right? Do you have any idea how worried he was when he found out that you were in the hospital?"

Harry nodded. He remembered the worry in Sirius' eyes when he had woken up in the hospital wing so he did have some idea.

"I know. I'll be back before he even realizes I'm gone. I just… Zee… I just wanted to say that I'm sorry. I… I didn't mean to make you think that I don't like you."

She smiled kindly at him. "Nah, I get it. It's just been you and him for a long time. It's hard to share. When my mum died, it was just me and my dad for a bit. It's hard to get used to someone else. But you don't have to worry, Harry, Sirius doesn't want anything to do with me. He made that pretty clear."

"No!" Harry protested, his eyes wide. "No, that's… he only said that because of me!"

Zee stared at him in confusion. "Sweetie, it had nothing to do with you!"

"I was jealous of you!" he blurted out quickly.

"I know, sweetie," Zee said, kindly. "But this isn't your fault."

"It is. It was different. When I came home again," he said quickly. "I thought it was going to be like before I went to Hogwarts, but Uncle Siri was always too busy with you to make time for me. I thought… I thought it meant that he didn't care about me anymore and when I told him, I said… I said that it was because of you and that I didn't want him to see you anymore. So, he came over here and… I'm sorry."

Zee stared at him for a long moment and then she started to laugh. "You told him that he shouldn't see me anymore and he just agreed? Like that? Foolish, stupid man!"

Harry sighed. "He misses you, I can tell. And he's sad now and it's all my fault. Can't you please forgive him? You can hate me, it's okay, but please don't be cross with him! I promise I won't complain, not once! Even if you get married and have babies and forget all about me!"

"Harry, that would never happen, sweetie!" Zee exclaimed, tugging her sunglasses off and hanging them in the neck of her shirt. "First of all, Sirius and I like spending time together. We enjoy each other's company, but I'm not ready to get married. Hell, I'm not even remotely thinking about it — and I know that he isn't! I'm definitely not ready to have any babies! Second of all, even if I did marry Sirius, I would never for one second even consider replacing you in any way because part of the reason that I like Sirius so much is because of how much he obviously loves and adores you. You are his entire world, Harry, and nothing and no one will ever change that. I can promise you that."

Harry smiled at her. Hearing the words from her mouth about Sirius' affection for him, made his heart burst in happiness and made him feel that much more guilty about what he had done. "So, you'll forgive him then?"

Zee sighed and pushed her sunglasses back on her face. "I didn't say that either."

Harry grinned at her. "Do you like football?"

Zee smiled at him. "What a strange question. Yes, I like football."

"I like football. Uncle Sirius, Uncle Remus, and I used to kick the ball around all of the time. My friend Ron has no idea what football is because he doesn't know any Muggles and Dean loves West Ham and talks about it all the time. It drives Ron bonkers. He can't understand how a sport would be interesting when there's only one ball. It's my birthday next week and part of my present is to go to the game tomorrow. We're going to see Manchester United play tomorrow afternoon. Ron, Neville, Uncle Sirius, Ginny, Uncle Remus, and I — but you should come too. I know Uncle Rem will give you his ticket. And it would make Uncle Siri so happy if you came and me too!" he said very quickly.

She laughed. "And why would Uncle Rem give me his ticket?"

"Because he says that Sirius misses you too," he responded simply.

Zee was quiet for a long moment. She looked out towards the trees in the general direction of their home as if she was lost in thought and then she sighed, biting her bottom lip.

"What time is the game?"

Harry just beamed at her.

~ ASC ~

Harry managed to get back to the cottage without Sirius noticing that he had been absent. At least he thought he had, until he found his godfather lying in the hammock in the treehouse waiting for him.

"Er, hi, Uncle Sirius."

Sirius merely raised a brow at him. "Sneaking off again? What did I do this time?"

Harry shook his head and crawled into the hammock with his godfather. "It was what I did."

Sirius didn't say anything and Harry sighed.

"I'm so sorry, Uncle Siri. I made you push Zee away. I was being selfish, I know that now. Uncle Remus told me. He said that I was selfish and that I should know better. That just because you liked spending time with her didn't change how you felt about me," he said softly.

Sirius opened his arms up so that Harry's head was on his shoulder. "I never want you to feel like you are not the most important person in my life, Harry, never! After what happened in June, I want you to know that even more. I love you, Prongslet. There is nothing and no one in this world that will ever change my mind about that."

Harry hugged him back. "I love you too, Uncle Sirius."

Sirius kissed his forehead. "And don't worry about me and Zee. I fucked up. You did nothing wrong! I should have told you about her from the first, or at least over Christmas, after we'd been hanging out for a few weeks. But I didn't and that's on me. But it's over between us now. I said some pretty terrible things to her. She's just going to be our neighbour from now on and that will have to be enough."

"You don't want her to just be our neighbour. If you did, you wouldn't keep wandering over as Padfoot to see her."

Sirius' mouth opened in surprise. He hadn't realized that he had been caught. As Padfoot he had wandered to her house quite often, loving the feeling of her showering him in attention while knowing that he didn't deserve it after the way that he had treated her — but he just wanted to see her. The sight of her calmed him and Zee had no idea that Padfoot was Sirius in Animagus form. The fact that Harry had noticed his little visits annoyed him. He had felt like he was being rather discreet.

"Listen, wise guy, I took your advice already and I was a bloody arse to her. Trust me, she's not going to come around again any time soon."

"She might," Harry said with a grin. "If you stopped being a bloody arse."

Sirius smirked at him. "Oh yeah? And how do you suppose I do that?"

"You could bring her flowers," Harry said with a grin. "Mrs Weasley always get googly-eyed when Mr Weasley brings her some."

"Women do like flowers, that's true," Sirius said with a smile, amused by his son's advice. "But I think I hurt her a lot and that flowers aren't quite going to cut it."

"Well, you also have to say you're sorry. She's coming to the football game with us tomorrow so, you can tell her then."

Sirius stared at him in surprise. "She's — what?"

Harry nodded. "I gave her Uncle Remus' ticket, with his permission of course. Maybe you could apologize to her. Tell her that it's all my fault."

"It's not your fault, Prongslet. I'm the idiot that broke it off with her and pushed her away. I'm the idiot that never even mentioned her to you, my son, and the most important person in my life. We both made mistakes, Harry."

"Do you love her?"

Sirius' eyes widened. "What?"

"Do you love her?" Harry repeated, watching his godfather's face closely.

"I… I like her a lot," he said, carefully.

Harry nodded and crawled out of the hammock. "Don't be an arse then."

Sirius' mouth dropped open as Harry slid down the fireman's pole. "Hey! Get back here, you little twerp!"

~ ASC ~

The football game entertained Ron to no end. Neville was equally as intrigued by it, but he had been excited to go in the first place whereas Ron had adamantly refused at first. But as the first few goals were scored, Ron was getting into the spirit of the game, cheering and shouting at the refs and making Harry laugh.

He turned to grin at Ginny, who had a big smile on her face. "I think he's enjoying himself."

Ginny nodded eagerly, smiling back at him, "Me too. Thanks for inviting us, Harry!"

"Of course," he said with a smile.

He had written to her a few times over the school year, but seeing her again felt kind of strange. He didn't feel like they were as close friends as they had been before and he thought maybe she felt it too. He had missed her though. She had hugged him tight when she saw him and he realized how much he had missed having her around.

He had grown a bit, he realized because she seemed even smaller than before, the top of her head barely reaching his shoulders. He ran his fingers through his messy hair, his eyes on her as she watched the football game with interest. She would be coming to Hogwarts this year. That would be a change. Ron had already made a comment about hoping she didn't want to hang around with them all year. Harry wasn't sure what he thought about it. He liked Ginny and he did want to see her at school, but it wasn't like she was going to be in any of his classes or anything.

He pushed his thoughts aside, still unsure on what to think of that and let his eyes shift back to the game.

Sirius was sitting back from the kids with Zee, he kept sneaking glances at her, but she was ignoring him and watching the football game. He had an urge to wrap an arm around her waist, pull her back against him and nibble on her neck. But he had a feeling that it wasn't going to be accepted.

He figured he'd take a chance and he reached a hand out, brushing his fingers with hers. Her gaze moved to his, but he couldn't see her eyes as she was wearing those rainbow lenses.

"Have I told you how happy I am that you came today?"

"No, you haven't," she said.

Sirius linked his fingers with hers, pleased when she didn't tug her hand away. "I'm so happy you're here. I've missed you."

"Well, when you lose such a convenient and easily accessible shag, it is a struggle to do better. Oh wait, you said you could do better than me."

He winced and when she tugged her hand away, he understood. "Have I told you that I suffer from idiotitis?" At her raised brow, he grinned and moved closer to her. "I don't let my brain catch up with my mouth. I let my son dictate my life and the thought of losing my son made me question all of my own personal choices?"

Zee sighed and fully turned to look at him now. "I understand why you decided to chuck me. You were terrified in June after what happened with Harry and I can't blame you. Harry threw a tantrum and you caved because like I've said before, you're a big softie."

Sirius smirked at her. "I'm also an idiot."

"Noted. Sirius, you never even told him about us. Did you really think that he would just be fine with it?"

"Have I mentioned that I'm an idiot?"

She smiled softly. "The first moment I saw you — I wanted you. You looked so damn sexy with those jeans sitting low on your hips, shirtless, sweaty, and covered in tats. The sexual pull surprised me and I lashed out more harshly than I should have over you jinxing Lady G, when obviously you reacted perfectly normal to a fully grown panther running towards you. Then you told me about your son and your eyes just lit up, your body relaxed and I could practically feel the love you felt just pouring off of you in waves. It only made you that much more attractive."

"I've missed you, Zahira. More than you know," he told her honestly. "I didn't mean anything I said… I just… I just wanted to make you hate me so that you wouldn't question why I was breaking it off. I'm so sorry. You didn't deserve that."

"Harry told me that you missed me," she said with a small smile. "Padfoot keeps getting loose too, Sirius. I've found him in my garden quite often. He's a big softie too and he likes to cuddle with me. It makes Lady G rather jealous herself which just goes to show that even animals don't like change. Harry had every right to be angry with you and with me. I shouldn't have imposed myself on his life so quickly. I'll be around still, but you spend the summer with him, enjoy having him home with you while you can. He's what's important and I'm being assigned out of country again in a few weeks."

"It sounds like Harry was just full of information, wasn't he?"

Zee smiled. "Harry also told me that even if we get married and have lots of babies he wouldn't interfere in our relationship."

Sirius paled. "W-w-what?"

Zee laughed and stood on her toes to kiss him softly. "Don't worry. The thought scares me too."

Sirius chuckled nervously, but then her arms were around him and her lips were on his. When she pulled away to smile at him, he grinned back. "Am I forgiven?"

Zee shrugged. "Let's call it a path to redemption."

His eyebrow lifted. "I'm going to be working it off for a while, aren't I?"

She just smiled and leaned over to nip at his earlobe. "You have no idea."