Huzzah for next chapter! AND Huzzah for fantasmilastic betas! Enjoy.
"And then Lavender kissed him! Can you believe it? It's so gross, it really is!" gasped Ginny throwing her arm across her face for dramatic effect.
They were lying on Ginny's bed talking like the teenage girls they were. The wall's were plastered with all the typical girl memorabilia. Pictures of guys and music she liked. There were clothes littered throughout the room. Overall, it was a comfortable place to just sit and talk.
"Eww!" squealed Hermione. The last few hours were filled with juicy gossip, high pitched squeals, huge gasps, and super secrets. Hermione couldn't think of a place that she'd rather be.
"So," started Ginny, flipping onto her back, "what's going on with you and Sirius?"
Hermione rolled her eyes and put her head into her hands. "Nothing. Sometimes he get's so distant. I don't get why but, there it is," she shrugged.
"Really? That's it? I was expecting wild midnight visits or perhaps secret kisses in the coat closet!" she waggled her eyebrows at Hermione.
"You are sadly mistaken!" she exclaimed.
Ginny watched as Hermione's eyes grew wide, something dawning on her that she hadn't remembered to share.
"I forgot to tell you! Oh Merlin, Ginny! Draco Malfoy said that he thought I was 'okay'. As in he thinks that I look better than unattractive!" gasped Hermione.
"You are so lucky! He is, without a doubt, the best looking Malfoy of them all! Although, I do think that Lucius is a bit of a looker when he gets angry," gushed Ginny. It was not the reaction that Hermione was expecting. She was expecting an "eww" or perhaps a "gross", not a positive comment.
"You mean you're not sickened by the fact that it's Malfoy? And you think that Lucius Malfoy is 'a looker'?" questioned Hermione.
Ginny cackled. "Why in the world would I be sickened? He is so delicious looking! And yes, I do think he is pretty decent looking," she said with defiance written all over her face.
Hermione sighed a defeated sigh and a comfortable silence followed. Without warning she asked, "Do you think they know where my parents are?"
"If they did, don't you think that they'd tell us? They have agreed to tell us all that they could. The only things they can't tell are the things that they've sworn to secrecy about," replied Ginny.
"I just miss them so much," sobbed Hermione as a sudden torrent of tears gushed from her. She collapsed onto the bed, her face falling out of her hands. Ginny moved to where Hermione had landed and rested a comforting hand on her back.
"I know," crooned Ginny, "I know."
There was a knock at Ginny's bedroom door that brought Hermione's sobs up short.
"Ladies, I was sent to tell you that dinner is ready," called Sirius from the other side of the door.
"What are you doing here?" shouted Ginny for the door was still closed.
The only reason that Sirius was allowed to leave his home in the first place was because the Burrow was drenched in protective spells. If anyone who wasn't supposed to know he was alive were to catch whiff of him, bad news would definitely follow.
"Well, if you opened the door I could tell you without having to yell," laughed Sirius.
"One minute," said Ginny. "Hermione," she whispered, "wipe your eyes and brighten up. I know it's a tough time but we have to make the best of it, okay?"
Hermione nodded.
"Coming!" called Ginny as she padded to the door. She opened it and there stood Sirius in all his gorgeous glory, even Ginny was taken aback. His hair looked halfway tamed, for once, and he was dressed in a nice shirt that fits him perfectly.
He had gotten an owl from Molly that said he was welcome to dinner if he wanted to come. He graciously accepted and was on his way as soon as he tidied himself up a bit.
Sirius had been neglecting the normal grooming needs that any other man was used to in this day and age. He had quite the beard, and his hair was a bit on the scraggly side when he looked at himself in the mirror that afternoon. He trimmed himself up before he arrived though and he was looking much better when he stepped out of the fireplace. Once he was at the burrow he was sent to tell the girls that it was time for supper.
"Oh," breathed Ginny, not even trying to mask her amazement. He looked fantastic.
"So, are you coming or do I have to haul you both down there?" he grinned. "I'm not afraid to do it!" he exclaimed as he took a step into the room. He stopped short when he saw Hermione with red rings around her puffy eyes.
Sirius looked to Ginny with a cautious look on his face. She nodded and backed out of the room, closing the door with her.
He moved silently to where Hermione was on the bed and sat himself down. He grabbed hold of Hermione's shoulders and pulled her into a tight embrace. That was all it took to open the floodgate again. Tears poured out until Hermione thought she could cry no more. Sirius was patient and whispered soothing words into her ear, comforting her perfectly. She quit her crying after a few more minutes.
"I ruined your shirt," she croaked.
"It's alright. I never liked it much anyway," he whispered, still holding her.
"I miss them," Hermione said into his shoulder.
"I know. We'll find them. I promise you."
He knew that she was talking about her parents. He had thought that her breakdown about her parents would have come much sooner than this. The longer you held it in, the worse it got, that much he knew.
"Do you feel like staying here or would you rather go back to the house?" he asked.
"I'll stay. I wouldn't want to disappoint the Weasley's by leaving before I said I would," she explained.
Hermione heard Sirius' stomach growl.
"I think it's time we get some food in you," said Hermione, gathering her composure. She stood up but wavered a little, causing Sirius to grab her waist.
"Easy," he laughed, trying to lighten to mood.
"Thanks," she breathed. She moved across the room, looked at herself in Ginny's mirror and did a few quick spells so she looked halfway decent again. Then, she took a stab at cleaning Sirius' shirt. It didn't work too well but it looked a little better. They walked with each other down to the dining room where a heated discussion was taking place.
"No!" exclaimed Ron, a roll lodged in his mouth. "It's just not right! He is at least fifteen years older then her. Isn't there something somewhere that says it's just wrong?" He was talking about two people in the Daily Prophet and how wrong their relationship was.
Ginny on the other hand disagreed with the statement. "As long as it's love it shouldn't even matter if there is a gap between ages!" she yelled. Her face was turning bright red.
"Enough," said Mrs. Weasley, exasperated. "For once I'd just like to have a nice dinner. No yelling, fighting or," she looked at Ron fiercely, "talking with your mouth full."
"Sorry," chimed Ron and Ginny.
"Now, Hermione, Sirius, go ahead and sit yourselves down at the table. There's plenty to eat."
Hermione chose a chair across from Ginny. Sirius chose a chair opposite an empty seat.
There was a commotion from the other room. It was almost as if someone was stepping from the Floo.
"That'll be our last guest of the evening!" exclaimed Molly, hopping up from her chair and clapping her hands. She exited the room and quickly re-entered with Draco Malfoy in tow.
"Hope you have room for one more," smirked Draco as he made his way to the last empty chair.
Hermione looked between Sirius and Draco. They both had looks on there face that meant only one thing. There was about to be a war and Hermione was the prize.
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