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It was another two weeks before Sirius Black was finally making his way back home.

After his miraculous return from the veil, falling through the stone archway to the bafflement of the Unspeakables, Sirius was taken for tests and medical exams before being presented with his pardon and within the day walking out of the Ministry of Magic.

His hasty release more than concerned the Order and the majority of opinion seemed to believe it a plot to obtain Harry's location.

Sirius was, for this reason, decided to be kept away from Harry and Grimmauld Place for as long as it took them to figure out by whom and how Sirius was being tracked. Hermione could only imagine the tantrums that would ensue at the Burrow, where Sirius was staying in the interim. If they were any worse than the fits Harry was giving them she truly felt sorry for Mrs Weasley.

Remus was barely seen during this time, only returning well after midnight when Mrs Weasley was forced to send him home.

The glimpses that Hermione did see of him however were clearly showing a younger man. He sprung down the stairs each morning like a child running to greet Christmas morning. A smile was never absent his bounding presence and although the expression caused the wrinkles around his eyes to deepen she thought he had never looked more like the man she had fell in love with.

She woke up on the Tuesday Sirius was due to arrive and vented her frustration on her wardrobe sending the tight fitting clothes flying across her room.

She was nervous ... excited ... thrilled ... scared. She didn't know how she would react when she could finally see him before her.

She settled on a dark purple skivvie. It was tight and without anything else on the round curve of her stomach was unmistakable to her condition. She truly adored the swelling of her stomach and wished she could show it off, but she couldn't so she reluctantly pulled on some loose fitting pants and threw over a too-large grey jumper.

She was glad her hair was manageable now as she probably would never feel the energy to sit and detangle the mess that it had once been but now she found herself with nothing left to do but wait.

She wondered down to the front lounge room and set herself in an armchair with a view of the entrance hall.

She didn't have to wait long.

She barely heard the opening of the door before Harry's deafening shout of "SIRIUS" had her jumping from her chair.

Escorted by Harry, like a puppy dog bounding at his heels, and Ron more elegantly clapping Sirius on the back they slowly made their way to the lounge room where Hermione stood frozen.

Hermione really couldn't blame Harry though, a large side of her wanting to do just the same and push Harry away, fighting for the man's attention.

Sirius looked just the same as the day he had left; devilishly handsome in a pair of worn denim jeans and a leather jacket thrown carelessly over a white shirt. His dark hair fell into his eyes as his smiled down at his jumping entourage.

"Why don't you go get dressed first?" He answered humorously to something Harry had asked.

Harry blushed as he looked down at his pajamas and Hermione would have bet (quite safely) that Harry had slept in that entrance hall.

"Right," Harry laughed. "I'll be down in ten minutes then. Come on Ron," he added as he bounded up the stairs eager to return.

It is not until they are completely left alone in the room when their eyes finally meet.

Hermione cannot stop the wide smile that blooms on her face or the tears gathering in the corner of her eyes as she finally surrenders to her the urge she has had since he entered the room and launches herself at him.

Not missing a beat he opens his arms out wide and she jumps into his embrace her legs wrapping easily around his waist.

"Mione," he breaths into her hair inhaling her missed familiar scent...

"Don't - Don't you ever EVER leave me again Sirius Black! Do you hear me? NEVER!" she manages to berate as her voice shakes.

He laughs softly but as her small fists pound into his chest he sobers. "I promise."

"I'll never leave you, I promise."

She sobs and holds him tighter.

Her arms wrap round his shoulders as she attempts to meld her body with his, some corner of her mind rationalizing that he cannot leave her if she just never lets go.

But pressing herself so close to him, her belly is pressed into his stomach and his eyes widen as he feels the hard curve of her stomach. His arms hold hers tight as he lengthens her grip around his shoulders and pulls her upper body out in front of him so that he can look at her face.

"Mione?" he questions uncertainly.

Emotions cross her face like the faced paced flickering of the slides of an old-time movie. Happiness. Fear. Guilt. And finally she looks back at him uncertainly.

"My?" he asks and finally giving in she wraps her arms back around him, crushing him firmly into her and confirming his query.

He returns the embrace if possible even stronger than her and they remain that way. Hours could have passed as they listen to each other's breaths neither giving any indication of ever wanting to let go.

Inevitably, as is the way in a house that constantly flows with people, they are interrupted by the sounds of someone walking down the stairs that will lead them to their room. Not wanting to share their moment with any one else they slowly pull apart. Sirius gently placing the small witch upon her feat, his eyes swim with tears and hers are no better but for the first time in a long while she can say that they are tears of pure happiness.

His fingers remain intertwined with one of his hands as his other lowers to her hidden abdomen.

"It is his isn't it?" He asks hesitantly, "Remus I mean."

She nods with the same hesitancy but knowing that she can't lie to Sirius, that she doesn't want to lie to him; appreciating the realization that she could now have someone that she didn't have to lie to.

"But -"

"Someone talking about me?"

Hermione jumps back from Sirius, letting his hand fall from her stomach. Fear grips her heart as she tries to catch Sirius' eye to plead for his silence but its too late, he has let go of her hand and is walking towards his friend.

Sirius claps a hand around his friends shoulder and engulfs him in a manly type hug.

"Congratulations mate, why didn't you tell me before?"

"Didn't want to ruin the moment you know? Sirius Black's great return. Didn't want to steal you spotlight"

Sirius scoffs but grins mischievously "Well, thanks but honestly - this is BIG. A guy needs to know these things about his best friend."

Remus' eyes are soft and warm... so happy.

"So when is the bundle of joy due?" Sirius looks back to Hermione.

She isn't breathing; surely her heart must have stopped. It was like a nightmare she couldn't stop; she couldn't wake up.

Unbelievably, at that same moment a crash signaling the upheaval of an umbrella stand is heard from the entrance hall and all three sets of eyes snap towards the open doorway to see Tonks stumble into the room.

"Well that would be her now!" Remus grins as Tonks makes her way over to the small party.

"Wotcher Black, Hermione," she nods to both before draping an arm across Remus' shoulders. "Whatcha doin'?" she asks more to Remus than the others.

"Sirius was just congratulating us on our marriage," Remus replied turning back to Sirius whose face seems to have turned an ashen white in a matter of seconds.

"You alright mate?"

"Um ... um yeah. Sure."

"Do you want to see the ring?" Tonks asked excitedly removing her arm from Remus' shoulder and thrusting it forwards to Sirius.

He ignores her hand completely. "Maybe another time," he says his brow furrowing in confusion as he tries to make sense of this weird scene. "You know what? I'm not actually alright. I think I'm going to just ... um ... I'll see you later okay? Congratulations Tonks." He adds as Remus looks at him in bewilderment.

"Well actually, technically, it's Lupin now." She giggles.

"Oh sure, yeah..." and he turns, the tips of his fingers trapping Hermione's wrist lightly and pulling her from the room.

He says nothing until they have descended the stairs and shut the door of the kitchen and even then he allows the deafening silence to lengthen between them until he speaks.

"What - the fuck - happened here?"

"When exactly did you come back? It couldn't have been that long ago, your not that far along" he mutters to himself.

"WHEN My?" he practically shouts when she still doesn't answer.

"HIS WEDDING DAY!" she screeches her voice cracking as she flails her arms. Tears streak unchecked down her face, rivers flowing to gather in the material at her neck.

"His wedding day," she said much more softly, slowly sinking to the ground as her knees became weak.

Sirius eyes soften and he rushes to hold her; bending down he wraps her in his arms. The position was uncomfortable for him and he began to worry about the small life inside of her, knowing that the stress was neither good for her nor the baby. He scooped her up and flicked his wand at a chair pushing it back against the wall and then transfiguring it into a long day lounge.

He sat down upon it placing her next to him, he lifted her bare feat onto the cushioned surface and let her rest her head against his chest as her tears wet his shirt and her arms crushed his torso.

"They were all dead. Dead." She muttered into his chest. "and I had no-one. No-one was left. And he - he - he was getting married."

She suddenly pulled back form him, her hands reaching up to cup his face and forcing him to look at her swollen eyes.

"Please! Please believe me Sirius! I didn't plan this! I didn't want to come back, I didn't think I was coming back, and I was going to save you, save them, everyone! But I didn't, and I didn't know, and I thought I would have at least changed something but I didn't and now everything is so screwed up... No one knew, no one knows, and no one knows me anymore."

"Shhh... I don't blame you. By the sounds of it you wouldn't have been able to change anything. Time is a complicated thing Hermione and it's not your fault." His voice hardened when she still shook her head. "Do you understand me? It. Is. Not. Your. Fault."

She sobbed. Great heaving sobs and his arms reached out to cup her face likewise.

"I'm here now. It's okay. I won't leave you. I promised you, remember?"

He held her and she cried, she cried for James for Lily for Severus for him and for Remus...

"No one else knows, do they?" he asked her stroking her hair and already knowing the answer.

He felt her shake her head against his chest and he sighed as he pulled her tighter against him.

"It's okay," he whispered soothingly as he rocked her back and forth lightly. "I'm here now, it will all be okay."

And no matter what her head told her she wanted to believe him.

It was all going to be okay.