(A/N: The Chloë timeline is a little bit tricky, you'll get it after you read, and I will include a timeline for you at the end of the chapter in another a/n)
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The next morning dawned exceptionally bright as Hermione poured over an obscure spells book trying desperately to find the spell that had rendered so many of her friends unconscious. She lifted her chin and snickered to hear Neville and Sirius' groans coming from the kitchen. She shook her head and returned to her reading only to be interrupted a few minutes later by a set of timid and very hung over men. Hermione looked up and raised and eyebrow at the set, stifling a giggle.
"'Mione?" Neville began softly, rubbing his temples. "Um, do you have any of your hangover potion left?"
She shook her head slowly. "No, I don't Neville. But I could give you the muggle method. Sit down, the both of you." Hermione grinned inwardly as she hurried up the stairs to the supply room to gather up the supplies to start two IV's. She came back down, practically flying down the stairs and approached Sirius first. "Give me your arm." She instructed. Sirius gave her a confused look but extended his arm to her. In a flash she tied the tourniquet around his arm and was palpating for his vein.
"What in the bloody hell are you doing, woman?" Sirius chuckled.
"Nothing." Hermione said swiping his arm quickly with rubbing alcohol. She picked up her needle, uncapped it, and turned toward him.
"What the hell?!" Sirius cried, scrambling back so fast he tipped his chair over. Without missing a beat Hermione crawled after him, sitting upon his waist.
"Sit still, ya big baby." She laughed. Sirius squirmed underneath her flailing his bound arm about violently. "NO NO NO!" he yelped. Hermione pulled out her wand, immobilized Sirius and jammed the large needle into his vein. He squealed like a dying pig. Hermione hooked the rest of the tubing and bag up to him before she released the spell off of him and helped him settle back in his chair. He furrowed his brow and glared at her while he gingerly caressed his wounded arm.
"Stop touching it." Hermione snapped going toward Neville. Without hesitation Neville rolled his sleeve up and Hermione stuck him without so much as a flinch from him. He laughed looking over at Sirius who was still gently poking at his puncture. Hermione taped down Neville's lines and smiled sweetly at him. She finished, threw Sirius an annoyed glance, and settled back into her book. They sat quietly for a few moments before the house was violated by a shrill screech.
"HERMIONE!"
Hermione rocketed herself out of her chair and ran at full sped toward the sitting room where the scream had erupted from. The scene in the room was complete chaos. Katie and Luna were rushing from bed to bed where all of the occupants were violently seizing. Katie and Luna were using every medical spell they could think of to stop the seizing. Hermione, who had recently taken to muggle medical standards, rushed to grab a tray off one of the shelves in the room. Just then, Sirius and Neville managed to awkwardly run into the room with their tubing wrapped about themselves. Upon seeing the scene before them, Sirius didn't hesitate to reach down and rip out the catheter threaded into his vein with vengeance. He grabbed a nearby roll of gauze, sloppily wrapped his profusely bleeding wound, and rushed to help. Neville followed suit.
"Hold him down!" Hermione yelled to Sirius, motioning at Harry. Sirius rushed forward and practically laid himself atop Harry to control some of the violent quaking while Hermione found a vein and plunged a syringe deep into Harry's arm. The seizing stopped almost immediately. Hermione moved onto Ron, Sirius following. Luna, Katie, and Neville took some syringes from Hermione and began administering the medicine. Hermione moved to Ginny last. Sirius held her tiny body down as gently and eloquently as he could, so Hermione could find a vein and plunge the drug into her bloodstream. Almost at the exact moment Hermione pulled the needle out of Ginny's arm, Ginny's eyes flew open. No one noticed though, as they slumped on the bench in the corner facing the other way. They were shaken and exhausted both physically and mentally. Hermione held her face in her hands and her shoulders began to shake in a quiet sob. Sirius quietly draped a casual arm around her shoulders and rested his cheek on the top of her head. Her hair smelled wonderful, he thought guiltily. He inhaled the milk and honey scent greedily finding solace in the peaceful moment.
Sirius had never seen anything like that, and it had scared him to death and back – again. He'd almost lost his lunch when he walked into that room to see his god son's body being thrown about by the invisible perpetrator. The sheer terror on Katie and Luna's face had led him to rip that needle he'd been so afraid of moments before out without a second thought. But Hermione had remained calm under the serious pressure, and he found that attractive. Acting the way she had, may very well have saved the lives of those he cared so much about. She was a complete package, he thought, as he inhaled deeply. Smart, sexy, assertive, witty. Hermione had grown into a woman that Sirius would have fallen head over heels for in his hay day. But that wasn't right, was it? This woman in his arms, the women he recalled only as a child, his god son's best friend – was she the woman for Sirius? He smiled inwardly at his silliness. Of course not. This was Hermione Granger and he was Sirius Black. No two people more opposite existed in this small world and Hermione would never go for a man like him. Though, she had been the one to kiss him…
His thoughts were interrupted by a small sigh behind him. He slowly lifted his head, and turned to look back towards the bed. No one else had heard it. Ginny Weasley's head was turned toward him, her eyes wide and glassy. She squinted at him for a moment before smiling.
"Ginny…?" He breathed.
Hermione's head snapped around. "Ginny! Oh, Ginny!" she cried leaping to her feet and lunging toward her friend.
"Hey, Herm," Ginny breathed as Hermione enveloped her into her shaking arms. "Is that Sirius? He's quite the dish now, hmmm?"
Hermione giggled softly and pressed her lips against Ginny's forehead, then cradled her freckled face softly in her hands. "Are you ok?"
Ginny nodded slowly. "I think so."
Sirius strode over to the tiny red head, ruffled her already snarled hair and grinned. "Why hello there, mon petite pixie. It's been some time. Can you walk? I bet you're ravenous."
Ginny looked up at the ruggedly handsome man before her and gave him a lopsided grin. "I probably can walk, yeah. And I am starving, but only if they're serving you for dessert." She laughed sitting up and swinging her feet to the ground. "Because God Damn, Sirius Black, death did you well!"
Sirius roared with laughter and offered her his arm as she stood up shakily. She took it and he began leading her slowly past the laughing faces of Luna, Katie, Neville, and Hermione. "My dear, you can eat me until dawn if that is your heart's desire. You won't hear one complaint out of this old man."
"So," Hermione began as she watched Ginny hungrily gobble down the plate of food in front of her. "Can you tell me anything about the curse that hit you? Did you hear the incantation? Did you feel anything strange for a hex?"
Ginny looked up thoughtfully, and nodded. "I didn't hear the words, but it was definitely strange."
Hermione leaned forward, silently encouraging her to continue. Sirius tilted his head gently.
"Well, it's going to sound strange." Ginny began slowly as she pushed her plate away. "It wasn't half bad, the hex I mean. I remember standing there and then there was the power that just slammed into my chest. It knocked the wind out of me, and I fell down, trying to catch my breath. But then I started feel warm. Not hot, but warm, and safe – almost. And the warmth just kept growing sort of and then it got kind of soft," Ginny trailed off, struggling to find the correct words.
Luna sat forward a bit. "Soft?" she trilled dreamily.
Ginny nodded and thought for a moment. She smiled suddenly. "You know when you do a bit of laundry,"
Sirius raised an eyebrow, cutting her off. "Laundry?"
Ginny sighed. "Shut up, Cookie."
"Cookie?" Sirius asked, then laughed. "Ah, yes, dessert. Go on mon petite pixie." He finished with an elaborate wave of his hand.
"Anyway," Ginny picked up again. "You know when you take the clothes out of the tumbler and they're warm and soft? Well it was sort of like that. Like a giant fuzzy blanket was wrapping you up. It was actually quite pleasant. And there is no real sense of time. It was like I always felt like I was just about to drop off to sleep. Honestly, I began to forget who I was and what had happened and I was just so content in my warm little cocoon. Sometimes I could hear you all talking to me, but you sounded so far away, and I was so warm and comfortable, I just sort of tuned you out. But then today I heard Luna talking to me, and I decided to try and listen just for a bit and I wanted to open my eyes. I began to remember everything and I struggled and fought with that warmth and it began to almost suffocate me. Then something jabbed me in the arm and I got really scared and flailed against the warmth, and finally it just sort of let me go and I opened my eyes. It was like, I dunno, it lulls you into a false sense of security. And as long as you're satisfied in its embrace it'll keep you warm and happy. I think that you really need to WANT to leave it. And let me tell you – its case is pretty convincing to keep you there."
Hermione sat back flabbergasted. What in the hell was the curse, and how could they snap everyone out of it? No one else had responded like Ginny to the needles.
"I think I've heard of this curse in passing." Sirius said slowly. "If I'm not mistaken, it's a very old curse, used by the ancients, and it's a psychological curse. I can't remember the exact name, but it had something to do with wrapping, or swaddling, or something. And if it is the one that I am thinking of, it can't be broken except by making the comatose WANT to fight against it. This, as we have obviously discovered, is not walk in the park."
"And if we can't?" Katie asked quietly.
"Then I believe, their mind will shut down and take their body with it." Sirius finished in almost a whisper.
Hermione shuddered and turned away slightly. Ginny stood.
"Well alright, let's go, Cookie."
Sirius gazed up at her.
"We've got some people to wake up, and Harry's gonna respond to you a whole lot faster than me."
The crew, now plus Ginny, spent the next two days begging each and every sleeping form to wake up. Near the end of the second day, everyone was running low on energy and faith. Ginny let out and exasperated sigh and wandered over to Ron's bedside. She cupped his cheek gently and smiled down at his peaceful form. "I'm going to try something now, please don't be alarmed, or try and stop me. I have not lost it, nor and I losing it." She announced suddenly. And as if she were playing baseball, her being the bat and Ron being the ball, she lifted her arm and slapped Ron's face with a fury that stunned the room.
"WAKE UP!" she screamed at his form. She seized his shoulders and violently shook him. "Wake the fuck up, you bloody asshole!" she hissed into his ear. "I'm so fucking tired of being alone! Get your ass up, you good for nothing glob! God damnit, Ronald Fucking Weasley, WAAAAAAKE UP!" she screeched angrily, continuing to shake his shoulders brutally.
Sirius moved to step forward, but Hermione stopped him softly as she watched.
"Blood...y…he…ll…would..y…ou…kno..ck…it…off!" came Ron's voice, interrupted each time his head slammed into his pillow.
Ginny's mouth dropped and she collapsed in a sobbing heap atop Ron. With a very confused look plastered to his face he gently hugged his sister and patted her back softly. When Ginny drew back Hermione snaked her body up his from the bottom of his bed and rained kisses down all over his face. Her tears soaked his face as she kissed him over and over, her lips meeting his more than once. Sirius averted his eyes.
"Oh, Ronald," she sobbed freely.
"What the bloody hell is going on?" Ron asked as Hermione nestled her face into the crook of his neck and he wrapped his arms around her waist protectively. "Where am I? What's happened? Where's Harry? Is Voldemort dead? Is that fucking Sirius Black?"
Neville boomed with laughter and stepped forward to peel Hermione off Ron. He lifted her off and settled her back onto her feet. "No, mate, you're not dead. And neither is Sirius anymore. Voldemort's dead though, yeah. Harry's alive but he's stuck in a coma."
After Ron had hugged everyone properly, some more than once, he was hustled off to the kitchen to be filled in and fed. Sirius excused himself quietly as Ron was explaining the warm blanket he'd been so wrapped up in during the curse. He stepped out the back door into the gardens he'd grown up in as a child and lit a cigarette eloquently before settling down beneath a large weeping willow. So, Hermione and Ron he thought. He chuckled to himself with his ignorance of not seeing it earlier. He drew deeply on his cigarette and blew small circles of smoke into the arm. An old man like him had no business of even entertaining the idea of a lovely woman like Hermione. You're only forty, his illogical side argued. Yes, but I should be fifty, you old cod, the logical side chastised. Sirius chuckled again to himself and drew on his cigarette deeply. It doesn't matter, Sirius thought with a sight. She already has a man in her life. Ronald, a boy no more, had been here through her hardest and most trying times. He hadn't hid in a veil during the bloodiest war the world had ever seen. He'd fought by her side. He deserves her. But she looks like quite the minx is those lacy knickers, Sirius thought wickedly. He allowed himself, with a secret smile, to fall gently into his memories of Hermione – including the time she kissed him with everything she had in her.
"Looking like quite the Cheshire, aren't we?"
Sirius was startled back into the here and now by the voice of Hermione. He looked up at her and softly smiled. "May I?" she asked indicating the ground next to him.
"But of course, mon amour."
Hermione smiled and settled down next to him. "Do you speak French to all the women you meet?"
Sirius shrugged and tossed his cigarette away. "Only the beautiful ones."
Hermione's cheeks tinged the palest pink.
"Tell me about the veil." Hermione requested quietly. She shifted her body to lean into Sirius and he automatically draped an arm over her. "Your lover is not going to like this scene should he stumble upon it." He commented casually.
"My lover?" Hermione laughed lightly. "I have no lover. I'm flying solo."
Sirius raised an eyebrow. "Really? You looked rather romantic with Ron."
Hermione smiled. "Ron's really a very good friend. And I'll even admit we had a bit of a fling some years ago, but we're really better off as friends. Besides Ron's married. Well he was. I mean he is, still, technically, I guess. "
Sirius cocked his head.
"Four years ago we came into contact with a witch from America named Chloë. She was an avid fighter and had come to London to be at the epicenter. She was a lovely girl and Ron was quite taken with her immediately and she with him. They danced around it for almost a year with the war going on and all, but finally they were married here at Grimmauld three years ago, almost to the day. A year and a half later they found out she was just about month pregnant. It was sort of a mixed emotion pregnancy. No one wanted to bring a baby into this. But what was done was done and Grimmauld was safe, so as the months began to pass they became more and more excited. Chloë stopped fighting on the front lines and started holding down everything here behind the scenes. We all left on a small mission right at the beginning of her seventh month. It was only a couple of days, but when we came back she was gone. No one knows anything it's like she just vanished. It was really very strange and sad. So if she is alive somewhere, Ron's got a baby who's turning one sometime this month."
Sirius was speechless. How tragic. He tried to wrap his mind around the pain Ron was suffering but he just couldn't fathom it. He'd take life in Azkaban before he'd ever take Ron's path.
"So, the veil?" Hermione cut into his thoughts.
"Oh yes, well, it was…odd. I guess that would be the best way to describe it. It was very dark, but I couldn't see. And very quiet, though I couldn't hear. It was thick and thin at the same time and I was just sort of floating along. I don't know how long I was in there; it seemed forever and just a moment. And then I felt this pulling sensation, like I was being sucked down a drain almost. I opened my eyes and I was here."
It was Hermione's turn to contemplate. She was having a bit of difficulty wrapping her understanding around Sirius' explanations. It was this but not entirely because it was also that. Frankly it gave her a headache. She gave up her quest for understanding and turned her chin slightly upwards to take in the face of Sirius Black. He was handsome beyond words, Hermione decided. The way his dark locks would fall over his stormy gray eyes to make him look dangerous and sexy. The way his jaw muscles would flex and twinge lightly when he was concentrating as he was now. The way his brow would furrow every so slightly when he was surprised or amused. The faint crinkles around his eyes that told the story of his laughter and joy. The shallow lines that creased his brow from the many years of pain, worry, and sorrow. The childish way his full bottom lip would shift forward ever so slightly when he didn't get what he wanted. Hermione laughed inwardly at her flirtatious observations. She did, however, allow he eyes to slide down from his face to his broad shoulders, over his toned chest, to his muscular stomach where she forced her eyes to roam no lower. Sirius pulled his arm from around her softly, stretched lazily, and flopped roguishly back on to the grass, giving her an inviting smile. Hermione flipped onto her stomach and lay net to him, one arm gently splayed across his powerful chest. Sirius wound a finger into her long tresses and twirled it absently as his other hand grazed up and down Hermione's bare arm. He shifted his body to his hip and propped himself up with one arm, his face inches from hers. They laid like that for a long moment; Sirius' storm colored eyes basking in the warmth of her honey colored iris'. Very slowly he reached to cup her face in his free hand and stroke her cheek lightly with his thumb. Hermione reveled in the coarse feeling his thumb made across his soft skin.
"Sirius," she breathed softly.
Getting the conformation he needed, he leaned in and brushed his lips against hers in a feathery soft kiss. Hermione closed her eyes and moaned ever so gently in the back of her throat when the contact broke. That soft moan nearly killed Sirius, he was moments from taking her on the grass then and there. Hermione extended her neck, her eyes closed, her lips looking for their mate, that had so briefly tickled them, once more. Sirius smiled and gave in a bit pressing his lips against hers again a touch more firmly. He could tell Hermione was going mad with desire. He pulled back quickly with a smile. Again a low growl came from Hermione at the loss of contact, and again Sirius had to stop himself from ripping her clothes off and having his way with her in his garden. He leaned forward again and very gently nipped at the Hermione's bottom lip before sitting back. Hermione let out a long contented sigh, and blindly brought her hand to his cheek lovingly.
"If you don't kiss me, and I mean really kiss me, Sirius Black, I'm going to be forced to rape you." Hermione whispered without opening her eyes.
Sirius chuckled quietly. "If you insist." He leaned in again and just as he was about to press his lips to hers with fervor, he heard Ginny.
"COOKIE!" she called from the back door. He heard the door slam and the sound of tiny bare feet in search for him. He laughed and leaned back a bit, Hermione growled, balled her hands into fists, and let out a long breath.
"Cookie! There you…" Ginny cried coming around the bend in the garden and stopping upon seeing Hermione. Ginny looked between the two for a moment before breaking into a wide smile. "Hermione Jean Granger," Ginny laughed. "Have you been dipping into my dessert?"
Sirius howled with laughter and Hermione rolled her eyes.
"What can I do for you, mon petite pixie?" Sirius drawled.
"Both of you," Ginny laughed. "Come with me, I want you to see something."
Ginny led them back to the house, teasing them the entire way. Sirius laughed and Hermione huffed all the way up the back steps and into the kitchen where they abruptly froze.
At the kitchen table, settled between Ron and Luna, sat a very bleary eyed Harry James Potter.
Harry cocked his head to the side. "Sirius?"
(A/N Time line: Sirius fell into the veil in 2005. In August 2011 Chloë arrives. July 2012 Ron and Chloë are married. December 2013 Chloë is pregnant. January 2014 they officially find out and announce the impending baby. In June 2014 Chloë disappears. It is currently August 2015. I hope that helps!)
