A/N: I hope you enjoy this chapter and thanks for reading!

Ginny,

If it's still alright, can I come with you and the girls to Greece tomorrow? I only have one class in the morning and I can be ready to go by 11 sharp. I've decided I really do need a girls' weekend after all.

-H

Hermione folded up the note and attached it to her owl's foot, sending it off as she gathered her bag and wrapped a scarf around her neck as an afterthought to combat the chill that was starting to lace the September nights. Although she was sad she hadn't seen Remus the rest of the afternoon, she was thankful for it in a way. She didn't know if she could handle facing him after seeing him embracing Tonks like that.

She trudged up to the apparition point and with a deep breath she thought hard of the front door to the penthouse and with a 'pop' she was there seconds later. Flying through the door, she looked around for Sirius. She had never wanted to be in his arms more than she did at that very moment and he came walking out of the living room with a huge smile on his face.

"Kitten, you're home!" he grinned, opening his arms so that she could collide happily with his chest and fold them back around her. She did just that and they stood in the foyer hugging for a few moments. Soon her embrace on him tightened and he began to hear stifled sobs seconds before feeling wetness on his shirt. Sirius pulled back from her, placing a finger under her chin to raise her eyes to his and he found them red and teary.

"'Mione, what happened?"

"It's…it's Remus…"

"Hold on…Remus upset you?" Sirius asked with wide-eyes. He took his loves' hand in his and led her to his bedroom where he gently picked her up in his arms and placed her on the soft bed. He snuggled up there next to her and now she was crying openly.

"Yes, I mean I don't want to jump to conclusions but this thing with Tonks is getting a little out of control. I forgave him for meeting up with her for closure, but this afternoon she was at Hogwarts and they were whispering about something on the grounds and they looked like more than just exes—Sirius they looked together…"

"Love, calm down, it's alright…" he kissed her forehead and her crying ceased for a few seconds before coming back in waves when he pulled away. It hurt him deeply that Remus was falling for his cousin's tricks and of course that Hermione had to suffer through it. But in a small way it also broke his heart that she was so distraught over Remus—he wondered if she would cry over him in the same way…

"No, it's not alright! This whole thing is a mess. I wish I never moved in here!" she cried in an outburst of frustration, but her eyes told Sirius that she really didn't mean it. He tried to hug her closer. Sirius had never been too good with crying girls, but he was trying to learn as fast as he could.

"If Remus wants to be with her then he is a fool for letting you go. I'm so sorry you are upset Hermione, what can I do?" he asked pleadingly. He just wanted her to be okay. And to punch Remus in the face. But mostly for her to be okay.

"I don't know…I don't even know what to do! I didn't anticipate falling in love with both of you…and I know I should talk to him, but I don't even want to. I don't think he wants a future with me Sirius, and I can't compete with Tonks—she's the one that he always wanted…"

"But he wanted to mark you, I mean, doesn't he?"

"He hasn't mentioned it in a while. I know I love him, but am I in love with him anymore?"

"Love, maybe you should just talk to him," Sirius suggested. It was taking all of his strength to tell her to be fair and to give Remus the benefit of the doubt when he wanted her all to himself. The engagement ring nestled in his dresser drawer was proof of that.

"No," Hermione said, sitting up on the bed and leaning over Sirius. She wiped away the remaining tears and sniffled a little, "I've been so blind. Here you are…taking care of me while I cry to you about him and you are being so sweet. And the first person I thought to come to is you. I have to stop being afraid, and I have to tell you that I want you Sirius."

Sirius felt like the bed had gave way out from under him. He didn't know what to do as he looked up at the beautiful witch looking down at him.

"Hermione, I know this is hard…"

"Hard? It's been bloody confusing as hell! But I'm not the only one involved. I feel like he's been stringing me along now while I've been stringing you along…but I love you. And I'm in love with you and I don't want to do this anymore I just want you," Hermione said and leaned down to kiss Sirius hard on the lips. Her heart and her mind were still warring with her and she knew she hadn't really made up her mind but she also knew that she was seriously considering never trusting Remus again and without trust, they could have no future.

Sirius didn't object. They weren't conventionally what he had wanted to hear from her mouth, but the words worked well enough and he kissed her back passionately, bringing her down to lay on his chest. They both broke away for a second and the look that passed between them was intense and emotional. Slowly and almost reverently he stripped off her blouse. It was like he was looking at her with fresh eyes, and he nearly fell apart underneath her, she was just so beautiful. Her pale, creamy skin seemed to glow in the dim light of his bedroom and her soft lips met his again.

They moved in a slow but synchronized rhythm, undressing each other like they had never seen one another before and kissing with a whole new meaning. It was as if Hermione declaring that she only wanted him changed their whole dynamic. He wasn't just flirty, charming, sex-god Sirius—he was a man in love and he wanted to show her that she was precious.

He suddenly, for the first time in a very long time, felt self-conscious. As he moved beneath her he worried he wasn't good enough for her. If his hair was too untidy and if he was just too old. That was usually Remus' arena—self-loathing—but Sirius suddenly felt like no match for the goddess on top of him who was holding him tightly and sighing his name sweetly into his ear. She was perfect. She always had been and she always would be.

This time when he entered her, Sirius felt like he could never again be happier or so fulfilled. He knew he had made love to her before—but now that he felt she was truly and only his, and that in a few days' time he would be slipping a ring on her finger and asking her to be his wife—he felt like all was right in the world, that all of the shit he had gone through was finally worth this one moment in time.

He caressed her skin lovingly as he moved within her and he held her close. The only thing he was concerned about was her, and if she felt good, and if she was happy—and he knew by that, that he was officially a changed man. A man he was proud to be.

They made love for an hour, slow and sweet—as if it was both their first time and last time rolled into one. For the first time since they had been together, Sirius and Hermione came at exactly the same moment and it moved her to tears. She relaxed onto his chest, both of them panting, and her blinking back tears of happiness. They didn't have to say anything for the other to know exactly how they felt.

"Sirius I don't know what to say…" Hermione smiled as she rolled off of his body and curled up next to him on the bed.

"I love you…and if that wasn't perfection, then I don't know what is," he brushed her hair off of her face softly and smiled at her. She giggled and pushed closer to him.

"Ow!"

"What is it love?"

"Fuck…" she whispered to herself as she sat up on the bed with her arm reaching around her back. She found the offending sharp item that was digging into her back and brought it up to her eyes in the dim room to examine it.

It only took two seconds for everything that was perfect in that moment to disappear.

Hermione knew the implications of what she was holding immediately. An earring. She didn't wear earrings. And even if she did, it wouldn't be gaudy like this with a fake stone in it. No. Another woman had been in his bed. Tears of pain instantly replaced her tears of happiness.

Sirius went pale as he saw the offending piece of jewelry between Hermione's small fingers. His heart instantly broke; he knew that no amount of apologizing would ever make him look innocent at this point.

"So, who is she?"

"Hermione…please let me explain…"

"NO. Now I know why you really wanted Remus to move out…so you couldn't have him being the voice of reason when you were bringing home girls to cheat on me with!" her voice rose steadily until she was nearly hysterical. She tried to cover herself up with his sheets, suddenly not wanting to be naked and vulnerable around him at all.

"No, that's not it at all…I didn't even know…the Twins got me drunk and…"

"Not like I already don't have enough problems with Weasley boys," Hermione said, more to herself than anything, "And your drunkenness is no excuse. That almost makes it worse!"

"Nothing happened! I made her leave immediately I swear, I love you Hermione," Sirius reached for her hands but she pulled them way in disgust.

"I honestly feel like I am going to be sick. Everything that I tried not to believe about you…all those stories…all those times I felt insecure…but it's all true. You just can't keep it in your fucking pants can you? And I obviously don't satisfy you sexually…" Hermione sniffed in some tears but her voice was cold and angry.

"You are more than enough for me Hermione, I swear I've been faithful to you since day one," he promised, and he knew it was true…but he also knew she didn't believe him.

"I trusted you! I came here after getting my heart broken by Remus and now come to find out you are shagging other women and this is just too much!" she screamed. Hermione hardly ever lost her temper, but she wanted to throw something at it. She had just admitted her deepest feelings and made a choice that she was proud of because Sirius hadn't hurt her…but she had spoken too soon. She threw on her shirt hastily.

"Hermione, I swear. Give me Veriteserum, you'll find I'm telling the truth, I could never cheat on you!"

"Sirius you are just a sex-addict and a drunk, and I should have believed everyone that warned me about getting involved with you, God fucking dammit Sirius…" Hermione said, shaking her head. She felt like her heart was being ripped out and stomped on. And she wondered how many other woman had seen his bed since they had started seeing each other. She hurriedly buttoned her pants and walked out the door.

Sirius leapt after her, pulling his boxers on and following her out into the apartment. He was on the verge of tears himself. Everything he had ever wanted was walking away from him because of one stupid mistake and a misunderstanding that he knew he shouldn't have even made in the first place. Things had gone from blissfully perfect to destroyed in a matter of seconds.

"I don't ever want to see you again," she said simply before opening the door and closing it quickly behind her.

It wasn't until she was safe in her rooms at Hogwarts that she let herself dissolve into tears. She didn't know how long she had cried, and she hated that she had no one to go to—except maybe Ginny. But Remus and Sirius had been her friends and her lovers and that had all disappeared in a matter of hours.

She hugged her pillow tight to her body and cried herself to sleep.

A/N: I know this is short-ish, but I wanted this chapter to stand alone. It really is a pivotal moment. Do you think Sirius and Hermione are done forever? What do you think will happen next? Only a few more chapters to come! Cheers