Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of the characters, I just like to play with them

Return

NC17

After making contact with the Order they waited in Mexico just long enough to thank Juana and Jorge for their hospitality and to say goodbye. They Apparated back to England, making several stops along the way. They returned to number twelve, Grimmauld Place under the cover of darkness with a guard they picked up in Germany.

Hermione tingled with excitement, she was being allowed to attend her first ever Order meeting. She, Harry and Ron had wanted to participate more in the activities that shaped their lives. At long last she was getting to do just that. Sirius had made the case to Dumbledore that with all she had been through she had earned the right. She sat at the dining room table and looked over the notes she would be handing out to the Order.

Dumbledore was well pleased with the way they used their time away. Remus and Molly had raised an eyebrow at the pair who were tanned and looked well rested. It was a stark contrast to the way the rest of the Order looked. Their friends were tired and harried, the only time any of them got any rest was when they retreated to number twelve. Sirius was more than ready to take up his place in the fight, he was fresh and ready to do battle. Dumbledore had sent him out on a mission to create golems with the help of Remus and Minerva McGonagall. Hermione stayed behind to prepare notes for tonight's meeting.

Hermione heard a sound at the door, she turned around and smiled as she saw Molly Weasley walk through. Hermione was grateful for the company, she had been by herself for half the day and hadn't seen Sirius since earlier in the week. Seeing Molly alive and well if a little worn and thin was a very good thing. Hermione launched herself at the older woman, she held onto her, so glad to see her well. Molly helped Hermione to calm down, reassuring her she had not been hurt the day she and Sirius had gone on the run.

"How are you doing dear?" Molly sat the girl down and patted her on the hand.

"Good, worried. You know?" Satisfied that she had her notes in perfect order she tapped them and they began to make copies of themselves. "Can I help?"

Molly gratefully accepted Hermione's help and together the two women set to work on enough food to feed a small army. As they worked Molly filled Hermione in on who she had seen that day, who was injured and who was dead. So far no one Hermione knew had lost their lives. The deaths were all confined to newer members, those who hadn't fought in the first war or who weren't personally trained by Harry.

Hermione asked after Harry and Ron who were still at Hogwarts. She had seen them briefly after her return but they had to go back school. Hogwarts was still a stronghold for the Order and Albus Dumbledore was still in control of his school.

"I saw Sirius as well, earlier. He's at Hogwarts making those moving statues of yours." Molly smiled when she saw Hermione visibly relax. She was hoping to get some information from Hermione on how the pair was doing.

"Oh, thank you! I've been so worried. He left so soon after we arrived and he's only been back once." The tension Molly had noticed across Hermione's brow seemed to melt away.

"The two of you look rather well. I still haven't heard where you were hiding yourselves." Molly didn't really care where they'd been. She wanted to hear how the marriage was progressing.

"Sirius said not to tell, in case we ever had to return." Hermione looked a little guilty. She said it as nicely as she could, she didn't want to offend.

"Well, then at least tell me about your time away with him. Must have been a bit romantic." Molly decided to dive into the heart of the matter. She had a feeling Hermione needed to talk nearly as much as she herself wanted to hear the details.

Hermione stopped for a moment and just looked at Molly. She would really like to talk to Ginny but maybe Mrs. Weasley could help her understand Sirius.

"He's a bit of puzzle, actually." Hermione said the words slowly as she collected her thoughts.

"Oh? How so?" Molly wanted to draw her out to get every detail. It was for the girl's own good she told herself.

"I think he's fallen in love with me, but then he acts so strange. I get this push pull feeling from him. Like one moment he's drawing me in and the next pushing me away." Hermione shook her head slightly in puzzlement, she was chewing her bottom lip.

"How do you feel, dear?" So, she thought to herself, Sirius has fallen in love and is fighting it. Well, that just figures. Molly made a mental note to speak with Sirius alone.

"I'm in love with him." Hermione's tone was soft, she smiled shyly at Molly before turning away. When she spoke again there was a waver in her voice. "You know he told me we were n-not meant to be."

"He said what?" Molly's voice rose a little more quickly than she had inteneded.

Hermione nodded her head. "Utter rubbish," she muttered darkly.

"Have you told him how you felt?" If he knew Hermione was in love with him and still pushed her away…Well, Molly was resolved to remove a few important appendages.

"I just figured it out myself. I knew he was in love with me before I knew I was in love with him." Hermione laughed lightly at herself, it was so obvious and yet it had taken her so long to figure it out.

Molly smiled, "You know its usually the other way around."

"It seems I'm a bit daft when it comes to matters of the heart." Hermione heaved a sigh and shook her head at herself. "I almost think he doesn't want to let himself have this, have love in his life."

"Well, you'll just have to convince him otherwise." Molly lay a comforting hand over the younger woman's and gave it a squeeze.

"Yes, but how?" Hermione was in new territory, it seemed everything to do with Sirius made her stretch as a person.

"I would think telling him would do the trick, don't you?" Molly put all of the vegetables and meat into a large cauldron and lit the fire underneath it. "He'll be back this evening for the Order meeting and I believe that he'll be home for at least one night."

"Just tell him?" Hermione sounded unsure.

"Sometimes we just have to lay our heart on the line for the one's we love."

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Remus, Sirius and Minerva McGonagall were hard at work on creating the armed golems. Minerva was still letting Sirius know what she thought about his evade from detention. It had embarrassed her that she couldn't tell a transfigured Sirius and James from the real thing. If Sirius had mentioned it to her in private she could let it go with a chuckle but he had let it slip while in front of Albus Dumbledore.

"I should require you to make up those detentions!"

"So, twelve years in Azkaban wasn't quite enough, do you think?" Her anger had been amusing at first but she wouldn't let it go. He was nearing his fill of her.

His words had the desired affect, he could still hear her fuming and muttering but she mostly kept her thoughts to herself.

Remus was mildly amused by his friend, he suspected that Sirius and James hadn't served all of their many detentions. He and James always had a few secrets between them, Hermione had uncovered a big one.

"You know I'm surprised you haven't been back to Grimmauld to visit with Hermione. Why are you staying at the castle?" Remus was genuinely surprised by his friends behavior.

"Just trying to make it easier for her." Sirius put the finishing touches on his current creation.

"Make what easier on her?" Remus looked over at Sirius suspiciously, completely unable to fathom his friend.

The three of them were just finishing up the last of their creations when Albus Dumbledore walked out onto the grounds to see them. Dumbledore's face was ashen, he looked older than he had in years. The weight of his many years seemed to be pressing in on him.

"Sirius there is an old friend of yours in my office. Would you mind terribly escorting her to headquarters?"

"Absolutely, password is the same?"

"Yes. Thank you, Sirius."

Sirius bade his friend and former professors goodbye and left immediately for Professor Dumbledore's office.

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Hermione looked closely at the woman walking in with Sirius, she was leaning heavily on him for support. She was rather disheveled looking but there was something familiar about her. It wasn't until the woman looked up and recognized her that she made the connection.

"Well, if it isn't Little Miss Perfect. What are you doing here?" Rita Skeeter's voice had lost its usual snap, she sounded tired and looked just horrible. There were rhinestones missing from her glasses, she had no make up on and her dress was torn.

Sirius stepped away from Rita like he had been burned, the look his wife was giving Rita could have held a Killing Curse. Rita looked at Sirius questioningly, she looked back at Hermione and the truth of the situation hit her.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me. Not her Sirius!" She didn't expect Sirius to go for the bookish type. His usual girl was leggy and blond without much upstairs.

Sirius grinned sheepishly at Rita as he walked over to Hermione, he lay a chaste kiss on her cheek and sat down beside her. "Rita, what have you got against my wife?" He said sternly for Hermione's benefit.

Rita saw through the ruse and rolled her eyes at Sirius. "Your wife tried to ruin my career!"

"Your career tried to ruin my personal life!" Hermione shot her retort with a bite. "You lied about me! I got hate mail for weeks!"

"The truth is subjective, it certainly looked like you were playing two wizards at once."

Sirius wanted to interject that that was the most ridiculous thing he had ever heard but decided he really didn't want to get into the fray. He only knew a little of the disagreement between Hermione and Rita.

"What happened to you anyway? You look dreadful!" Hermione said the last bit with obvious pleasure.

"Ever the concerned and caring witch, I see," taunted Rita.

"I just want to know who to send the thank you card to." Sirius' eyebrows went up in surprise, he'd only heard a little of the fight between these two women. The venom in Hermione's tone surprised him.

"Well, you can thank You-Know-Who for this!" Rita gestured to herself.

"Oh." Rita's words took the wind out of Hermione's sails. It wasn't until she saw the smug grin on Rita's face that she regained her composure.

Hermione stood up and gave Rita a once over. "Well, I better go send off that owl." Hermione left the room with a disdainful look on her face.

Rita knew Hermione was bluffing but the girl's behavior was still shocking.

Sirius looked just as dumbstruck as Rita. "Well, you certainly have an interesting effect on my wife. What exactly was that all about?"

Rita waved her hand impatiently. "Nothing important. The girl is just over reacting."

"Ruined her personal life?" Sirius raised an eyebrow, he knew Rita could have a wicked quill. He loved his celebrity which is why Rita loved him. Her stories about him all had an affectionate 'boys will be boys' overtone. He was a rare exception, though and he knew it.

"So," said Rita lazily. "There are girls that you marry and girls that you don't, I see."

Sirius refused to embarrass Hermione with an explanation to Rita of how they came to be married. He was happy with the outcome and didn't want to be pitied. "Looks that way, doesn't it? She really is a good girl, you two just got off on the wrong foot with each other."

"I thought you made a nice pairing with Lyra Edgecombe. Nice family, beautiful, cultured…" Rita baited to see his reaction. He had dated her longer than many of the others. It was rumored something more lasting was starting between them.

"Lyra was…enthusiastic but I didn't have any long term plans for her." Sirius knew Rita was fishing and that she would use what he gave her to hurt Hermione. "Well, I guess we won't be giving you that interview." Sirius had a sly smile on his face. He was just dying to see Rita's reaction.

"What! Why? I'm a professional, she'll just have to get over it!"

"Hmmm…do you remember what you promised me?"

"No…what?"

"That it would be your most flattering interview ever." Rita mouthed wordlessly, she was turning green and looked as if she would be sick. Sirius chuckled softly, he patted Rita on the back and went in search of his wife.

Sirius realized his mistake as he walked into the library. There was little need to behave as a married couple any longer. The final battle loomed, if they lost Hermione would need to leave the country, if they won the marriage law would be repealed. He was trying to make the transition easier on her but instead had acted on instinct, as usual. Sirius found Hermione in the library still fuming over her confrontation with Rita. She turned sharply when she heard the door to the library open.

Sirius kept to the shadows near the door thinking the less she saw of him the better. "I had no idea you had a best friend outside of Harry and Ron." Sirius grinned, he knew she would be a little embarrassed over her display. He waited for her to say something but apparently she wasn't going to explain or justify her behavior, which was fine with him. He really only wanted her to listen, to hear him out.

"You know, Rita helped us get married." He paused for a reaction, she looked surprised but said nothing. Hermione was puzzled by his mysterious behavior, he was concealed in the shadows and wasn't moving into the room.

"Remember when I told you that the ministry gave me some trouble about getting our marriage license?" She nodded, still listening but not saying anything. Hermione began to move toward him, closing the distance between them.

"Well, she went to the ministry with me that day. She helped convince them to see things my way." Sirius moved along the edge of the room, away from Hermione. He let his hair fall into his face to hide his features. She looked so good to him, he wanted to reach out and grab, take her bent over a chair, on a couch or up against the wall. He knew if she saw his face she would see the raw emotion and sexual hunger displayed across his face.

"She did?" Hermione was surprised Rita did anything out of the goodness of her heart. "Why?" Hermione wondered at the slow chase through the library, if she didn't know better he was hiding from her.

"Well, I've done a number of interviews for her, developed a bit of a working relationship with her." Sirius moved toward the center of the room which was a mistake. He was nearly hemmed in by couches, tables and chairs. He saw it as the quickest route to the door but realized that as close as she was he was nearly trapped.

"You like her?" Hermione looked shocked. "She accused me of playing both Harry and Viktor. I was only fourteen at the time!" Sirius was now backing away from her. It all clicked in her brain, he was pushing her away again. Its why he hadn't been to see her all week.

"Well, I admit that's below the belt. But look at it like this, she's really been through something." The back of Sirius' legs bumped up against a couch and he fell into it with a soft thud.

"What happened to her?" Hermione considered her options as she strode slowly forward.

"Cruciatus curse, mostly. She was beat up a bit as well." Sirius looked about surreptitiously, if he stood up he would walk strait into Hermione.

"Just because she helped you that day?" Hermione stood in front of him, she hadn't seen him in days. His jeans were on tight, his shirt was open and she was horny as hell. She had made up her mind.

"Well, that and the article she ran about our experience that day." Sirius had a few curious side affects associated with his Animagus form. One of them was a keen sense of smell. He was always able to tell when she was aroused by the change in her body chemistry, it was a pungent, pleasing odor. He was never so affected by it as he was at this moment, at this moment it was making his mouth water.

"She's always doing articles on you, what you're up to, who you're dating. I'm surprised she hasn't done one on us. I can just imagine what that headline would like. 'Hogwarts Heartbreaker Bags Sirius Black'" Hermione snorted in derision.

"We won't be giving her an interview. I've already spoken to her." Said Sirius, wondering what she was going to do. Hermione lifted her top over her head and let it drop to the ground. Sirius was rendered speechless.

"I don't want to talk about Rita anymore. I've missed you. I miss having you all to myself." She unsnapped her bra and let it fall to the floor as well.

Sirius found his voice. "You do? I thought you would like a break." Hermione crawled into his lap and began to unbutton his shirt.

"No, I never wanted a break from you." Sirius was startled by the look in her soft, brown eyes. Her eyes were filled with love and desire. Hermione shifted herself to straddled Sirius. She lowered her lips to his, her kiss began soft but quickly turned heated. She had one hand fisted in his soft black hair, the other rested on his chest.

Hermione had so much to say to him but at the moment she only wanted to express herself physically. She kissed away from his mouth, down across his jaw. The rough stubble of a days worth of growth rubbed against the soft skin on her lips. He was just so male and right now all hers.

Sirius ran his hands up her back, pulling her body closer. He had never seen this side of her, it was a huge turn on for him, he was curious to see what she would do. A moan that sounded more like a growl left his lips as she ground herself into his crotch.

Hermione let her lips explore the skin on his neck, he hadn't tried to take over, letting her do as she pleased. She licked, nipped and sucked while listening carefully to see what he liked. She moved her hands to open his shirt, she stared at the tattoos she had seen so many times before. She had always wondered what they meant but had never asked.

"Why have I never asked you about these?" She traced the large design with her finger.

"Probably because I usually don't like to talk about Azkaban." For some reason he didn't think he would mind sharing with her.

She placed tiny, fluttery kisses along his chest, tracing the tattoo with her tongue. Sirius let out a moan of pleasure, he felt like he could tell her anything. Whatever she wanted to know about him, he would tell her, if she asked he would pour out his heart to her.

"Do they mean anything?" She trailed lower along his chest.

"Not really. Its just what you did in there."

"The secrets to Sirius Black aren't written across your chest?" Her fingers found his belt, she loosened and moved to the button on his pants.

"I don't want to have any secrets from you," he whispered. He couldn't help himself, he leaned forward and palmed a breast in each hand.

"No secrets?" She paused to look at him, searching his face for the truth. He pulled her close, her chest pressed against his. His lips claimed hers in a hard searing kiss.

"I'll tell you anything you want to know." The look in his eyes laid bare the raw emotion he felt for her.

Hermione reached between his legs and grabbed a hold of his cock, he pressed it into her hand. She unzipped his pants and reached into his boxers to find his hardened length. She rubbed gently up and down his length, listening to him moan, pleased that she could get such a nice reaction.

Hermione put her feet on the floor, she unbuttoned and unzipped her jeans, wriggling out of them, never breaking eye contact with Sirius. She slipped out of her panties and crawled back into his lap. She lifted her bottom and impaled herself on his long, hard member. Sirius let out a low, guttural moan.

Hermione hadn't done this very often, she started off achingly slow. Once she had corrected her balance she began to ride him faster and faster. She kissed his mouth, his jaw, his neck. She possessed him the way he usually claimed her. He had hoped to avoid this but found himself helpless to stop her.

He knew that this was going to make things harder and for that he was a little angry with her. He took it out on her by grabbing her by the hips and ass and pounding into her without mercy. He had never taken her this hard or this rough. A fleeting thought in the back of his mind said that this was wrong but instead of crying out in shock or pain she moaned his name in ecstacy.

Hermione began the sweet climb to her explosion. He had never made her feel this good, possessed her so completely as he was right now. The ball of tension released, wave after wave of pleasure coursed through her body. She collapsed boneless across his chest. As she listened to his heart and breathing regulate she whispered in his ear.

"Just let me love you, Sirius. Please…please let me love you."

The anger he felt toward her drained off of him, he wrapped his arms around him and held her tightly to his body.

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A/N: Thank you for the reviews!

Boy am I glad we are out of Mexico! I was having trouble getting them home!

Please review!