Sirius came down the stairs bright and early and found Remus in the kitchen drinking coffee. Grabbing some coffee as well, Sirius sat down beside him.
"What are you doing up this early and dressed?" Remus asked, confused at Sirius's behavior.
"I am going to see Hermione today," Sirius said nervously. "I have to make a trip to the bank beforehand."
"Hermione did ask to see you right? You can't just go over there—" Remus began before Sirius interrupted him.
"Yes, Narcissa spoke to me last night but said it would be better to come today after last night," Sirius explained. "I am only doing what Hermione asks of me."
Remus's lips thinned and he slightly tapped his finger on the table. Sirius knew by the look on his face he wanted to say something, but was refraining from it.
"Say it." Sirius waved his hand. "I know you want to say something."
"You should have done as she asked that night Sirius," Remus barked out, slamming his hand down on the table. "You let these years slip away and did nothing. If I had to say right now, Severus Snape is better for her then you. It was your decision that caused this."
Sirius looked his long time friend in the eyes as he spoke, "Yes, my decision, along with the one that got James and Lily killed." Sirius stood, walking to the door and Apparated.
"Shit," Remus spoke aloud to himself. Waving his wand, he placed the dishes in the sink and left Grimmauld place.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Walking down Diagon Alley, Sirius made his way to Gringotts bank. Even as a free man there were still people who feared him just because of the family he was from. People would stop in their tracks and back away from him or go in a store just to avoid him all together. Not that Sirius was complaining, he hated being bombarded with people now as he enjoyed his privacy.
Entering the bank, Sirius walked to the main desk where the head goblin sat. He continued to work, ignoring Sirius.
"I need to enter my vaults," Sirius demanded getting the goblin's attention.
"Lord Black," the goblin spoke with an unhappy smile seeing Sirius. Goblins never were pleasant creatures. "Please follow me this way to the carts. Will I be taking you to vault seven eleven?"
"No, the Black Family vaults," Sirius said following behind the goblin.
"Of course, Sir." Sirius rolled his eyes seeing the goblin quickly change his attitude at the mention of the high security vaults. Climbing into the cart, Sirius held on tight as he had always hated riding to his family's vault with his father.
The cart shot off, going down the tracks dropping down hills shooting through the thief's down fall. Sirius frowned as he was now completely drenched with water. Sirius could have sworn he saw a smirk on the goblin's face. Coming to a screeching halt the exited the cart.
"You goblins must enjoy soaking us to the bone," Sirius said drying off with his wand.
"Not at all, sir. Just a security measure, although it did not stop some from breaking in and getting out." the goblin snarled out. They were still sore about the break-in during the war.
"Well, without the break in the war wouldn't have been won," Sirius said as they passed the dragon guarding the vaults.
"While that is true, Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, and Miss Malfoy cause quite a lot of damage to the bank for which they paid to repair," he explained running his finger along the line of the door. They heard the locks flipping in the door unlocking.
"How do you know Hermione is a Malfoy? That news was kept from the papers." Sirius asked. He had even wondered how Abraxas Malfoy had kept it from the papers that the girl of the golden trio was really a Malfoy.
"I have known since the moment I saw the girl. In her first year of Hogwarts, Lord Black, Gringotts handles more than just money and valuables. Who do you think over saw her adoption? The Ministry?" The goblin sneered slightly. Sirius was still in shock as the door swung open. He frowned - he had forgot how big this vault really was. There were items of gold, jewelry and very old artifacts lining the vault. This might take a while.
"Shit," Sirius hissed stepping into the vault.
"Might I be of any help to find what you are looking for?"
"It's a ring. Specifically one with magic to-"
"Guard against the sun?" the goblin supplied. Sirius nodded. "Very rare item indeed. Look in the very back in a large wooden ring box."
"Thanks," Sirius said turning around he made his way through the vault. Reaching the back, Sirius found the jewelry of the Black family sitting on display. His eyes instantly found they large wooden ring box. Sirius grabbed it and opened it. Sitting inside was a sparkling, goblin-made silver ring with an oval black diamond. On the sides of the ring rested a small version of the Black family crest. Sirius rolled his eyes, his family place a crest on everything. Sirius closed the box walking back out of the vault.
"That will be all today," Sirius said.
The goblin nodded closing the vault.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Sirius apparated landing on the outside of the gates of Malfoy Manor. He waited for someone to let him in as he knew someone had already been alerted he was there. The gates in front of him became misty before allowing him inside of the manor's grounds. Sirius knocked on the door, praying to anyone that was listening that none of the Malfoy men would open the doors. He gave a sigh of relief when the door opened finding Narcissa on the other side.
"Hello, Sirius, come in," Narcissa spoke opening the door wider, letting Sirius enter the house.
Sirius stepped in placing a kiss on Narcissa's cheek, "Morning, Cissa. How are you?"
Narcissa sighed. "Tired, very tired. The elders did not leave last night until early morning hours. Hermione's emotions were jumping last night back and forth last night. She was in control last night when she left the meeting but she lost it again."
"Is she all right now?" Sirius mentally slapped himself as the words left his mouth.
"As well as can be expected but she hated the way she lost control," Narcissa spoke as if it would be obvious how she was. "She's brooding today, probably in the library."
"Who all is here?" Sirius asked looking around.
"Just Hermione and I," Narcissa said sounding as relieved as he felt. "Hermione told them to stop hovering over her. Severus went to Hogwarts, Abraxas is selling one of our smallest estates today, and Lucius and Draco are out for the day working."
"Would you mind if I went on up?" Sirius asked.
"Not at all," Narcissa smiled before stopping Sirius once more. "Sirius, I know you have questions about Hermione and Severus. I must warn you, be careful how you approach that topic."
Sirius nodded walking down the hall to the library, making his way down the hall he could hear the music of a piano playing. The song slowly ended fading into the next. Coming to the door, Sirius saw the piano charmed playing its self. The curtains over the window were shut not letting in the light. Sirius noticed the room was changed from when the meeting had been held here, the overly large table had been replaced with a small one that had books resting all over it. The piano was sitting over in the corner of room. The room was full of books from the floor to the ceiling with three walk ways lining the room going up.
Sirius heard footsteps above him, looking up he found Hermione leaning against the railing on the top walkway. She was turned away from the room reading. She had on grey sleep pants and a baby blue tank top.
"Well that's bloody unhelpful," Hermione sighed closing the book sliding it back in place. Hermione turned going to the other side for another book.
Sirius cleared his throat catching her attention. Hermione froze before turning to look down over the railing.
"Sirius," Hermione asked a little shocked he was standing there. "What are you doing here?"
"You had asked Narcissa for me to stay last night to talk but she told me to come back today," Sirius explained shuffling his feet. "If you want me to leave, I will." He prayed silently she wouldn't ask him to leave.
"I did," Hermione said walking to the corner spiral stairs; coming down them to the main floor. "I forgot."
"It's all right," Sirius said. Hermione waved her wand stopping the piano from playing and closed the lid.
"How's Ronald?" Hermione asked quietly.
"He'll live," Sirius replied. "I figured you wouldn't be worried about him."
"I'm not but I do not like hurting people not like that," Hermione admitted pulling her hair up. Sirius's eyes locked on to the silvery bite marks that scarred her neck. Looking closer he could see faint smaller ones on her shoulders and arms. "The one on my neck was the first one. The rest he just bit me to hear scream."
"I'm sorry," Sirius spoke.
"Don't be, I am past this," Hermione said motioning to the scars.
"This is my fault," Sirius spoke, his voice thick with pain.
Hermione sighed. "For a long time, I thought it was. I blamed you. I realized your choice set this in motion but you did not do this. Let's sit down, I know we have a lot to talk about and I would prefer to be comfortable."
Hermione walked past Sirius over to the couch. Sitting down, she curled her feet underneath herself. Sirius followed, sitting down beside her with space between them. Silence drew between the pair, and Hermione could tell Sirius was nervous even though he would never let on that he was. She could hear his heart rate increasing.
"Sirius, if your heart rate increases anymore you're going to have a heart attack. At your age, it wouldn't be good for you," Hermione said.
"I'm nervous," Sirius admitted. "And I am not old, thank you."
"I never said you were. I've never thought you were old either," Hermione said. She waited for him to say something but nothing came. "Sirius, are we going to talk or enjoy the silence?" Hermione asked, sounding a little irritated.
"I'm sorry. I don't know how to start," Sirius admitted.
"Well saying anything would be a nice start," Hermione retorted. "Why did you react the way you did that night?" Hermione asked deciding to get the conversation started.
"You knew I hated the Malfoy family for a very long time and no one ever truly knew why. I never told anyone. Never actually had the chance," Sirius began to explain. "It started in the first war, before James and Lily were murdered, and before I went to Azkaban. There was a girl that I cared for. I went out one afternoon to meet up with Remus in Hogsmeade and I found her with your brother begging to be a Death Eater. She had been feeding him information from within the Order. She gave them information on everything, even me. They saw me, which started a duel between the three of us. Lucius began to tire of the duel so he turned his wand on her and killed her in front of me." Sirius paused clenching his jaw as if reliving the memory. "He said, 'you lost her, I promise to take more from you.' The Ministry ruled her death as a random attack. Sitting there that night, when you told us that you were part of the Malfoy family – his sister no less – it's like it was happen all over again. I could hear your brother's voice mocking me. "
Hermione listened to every word Sirius said not showing emotion of how she felt. "I understand why you hate him, I would too, but I'm not my brother. I wasn't like my family Sirius. I was still me, still Hermione." The words, I was still yours, was on the tip of her tongue but she refrained from saying it. She wasn't ready to be that open with him again.
"I know that but that temper I am famous for came through and I made the wrong choice. I made a horrible choice. I regretted it."
"Yet you made no move to fix it," Hermione bit out. "Don't use the excuse you couldn't find me, Sirius. You're an Auror you have enough connections to find me if you wanted to. Actually you wouldn't of had to ask far."
"What do you mean?" Sirius asked confused.
"Someone very close to you Sirius always knew where I was." Sirius's brows furrowed. "Remus knew." Hermione answered his unspoken question.
"You stayed in contact with Remus?" Sirius asked calmly but Hermione could see the anger bubbling within, from Remus holding a secret like that from Sirius.
"Yes, ever notice random owls he got?" Hermione questioned.
"Yes but I thought he was seeing someone," Sirius replied.
"I made him swear to never tell you," Hermione spoke up defending Remus. "I know you hate Lucius but why my father?" Hermione asked.
"He was the one who got your brother off after the first war," Sirius answered truthfully.
"My brother is not the same man he was. He has changed and he is a good man and brother now. I love my family dearly," Hermione said firmly.
Sirius looked down at the ground before he spoke, "And your love for Snape?" Sirius asked looking back up finding Hermione's eyes blood red.
Sirius inwardly cringed. He knew he had asked the wrong question.