A/N: So this story is obviously more than three chapters, funny how they end up like that, huh? I hope you guys are enjoying this story. It is a different style than I usually write, but I am enjoying the new pace!
"Hermione, what in Merlins' name is going on? It's the middle of the night!" Ginny looked scared and exasperated as she came to the door of her small cottage in Godric's Hollow. She was only wearing a night shirt, not having bothered to put on pyjama pants after she had performed a quick spell to reveal who was at the door. Her long white shirt looked to be one of Harry's old undershirts, and it skimmed her pale, freckled thighs as she let Hermione inside. Ginny illuminated some of the lights in the living room, just enough to see by.
"It is so bad…Gin, so bad…" Hermione was at a loss of anything articulate to say, and she gave in and broke down; succumbing to a flurry of emotions on her best girl friends' couch. She sank into the overly fluffy cushions and cried and Ginny curled up next to her and held her there.
"Shhh, 'Mione, tell me what's wrong…I'm so worried about you, please…" Ginny had never seen her cry like this save for Harry's funeral. And even then, the brunette had been reserved; trying to keep her calm for the very same witch that was now reversely comforting her.
"I left George for good, and Sirius and I…I think it's time. I think it's over, for real," she sobbed quietly into the red-head's shoulder, turning the sleeve of her shirt translucent with her tears.
"Don't say that, you are a bloody Gryffindor, we don't give up…" Ginny whispered into Hermione's unruly curls.
"I just can't take it anymore…" she cried harder and it woke up baby James. Ginny cursed and got up from her friends' side quickly, as Hermione looked at her apologetically. She walked down the hall to the baby's room and returned holding him, rocking him back and forth in her arms and cooing softly.
"There, there, it's just Auntie 'Mione," she said softly to the one and a half year old little boy. He looked so much like Harry already and the sight of her 'nephew' made Hermione abruptly stop her self-pity. Ginny relinquished baby James into Hermione's arms and she held him to her chest, bouncing him softly as he slowly started to quiet.
"He loves you, I wish you would visit more," it wasn't said in anger, it was said from loneliness. Ginny really missed her best friend but she knew that taking care of Sirius had spiraled into an emotional full time job as of late.
"I wish I did too, and I will," Hermione promised, kissing the baby's head softly.
"His middle name is Sirius for a reason. Harry loved Sirius like a father and he would hate to know that this is happening to you two right now. He would want Sirius to move on and be happy with you. He supported your marriage more than anyone…"
"I know. I've tried to tell Sirius that but he just won't listen. He's so different," she choked, trying to hold back another round of sobs as she gently gave back the now sleeping James to Ginny. She took the little boy back to bed and returned looking exhausted. Her pretty face had slight bags and her hair was messy in the loose bun she had thrown it up into.
"Has he hurt you?" Ginny asked, sitting on the couch besides Hermione.
"No…I hope he never would, but he has become more violent at times. But tonight he was just cold. I begged him to just kiss me. Just one bloody kiss and he wouldn't!"
"He's the most stubborn man…" Ginny half-smiled. Although she had rallied for George, she always felt a bit awful that she had condoned Hermione's cheating. She had just always been afraid that Sirius might lash out on her, and she would need an exit plan.
"I just want my life back. I want happiness," Hermione searched her friends' eyes and found a flicker of happiness there—she had her family and James. Hermione had nothing but a longing for her dead relationship.
"If leaving him will make you happy, then by all means…but let me get you some blankets, you need to sleep and we can talk about it in the morning," Ginny said, in a very mothering way and moved to get the supplies.
Once Hermione was all set in her makeshift bed on the couch, she drifted off into a sleep filled with dreams of Sirius.
00000
"Fucking hell…" Sirius groaned as he opened the door to number twelve at nine in the morning to see Remus Lupin and his son, Teddy, standing on the other side.
"Not in front of Teddy, please," Remus scolded his friend and walked inside the place. Sirius followed them around like a lost puppy, apologizing for the broken chandelier that was now on the floor and the other various messes he had made after Hermione had left the previous night. Remus set Teddy up in the kitchen, giving him some things to color and dragged Sirius to the library, barricading the door and staring at his friend with purpose.
"Why are you here?"
"Because you need someone to give you a kick in the arse and wake you up, and I guess that someone has to be me," Remus sighed. Sirius groaned once again, his head throbbing from a mild hangover.
"I don't want to talk about her…" he grimaced.
"Well, I took the day off of work, and I brought my son here to see his Uncle, and he wants to spend time with you badly…but I will not let him until I deem you can handle yourself again, understood?" Remus asked. Sirius sank into his favorite armchair and nodded solemnly. This threat got his attention. He hadn't seen Teddy in five months, and the little boy had looked at him with reproach upon entering the house. He loved the kid, and had neglected him terribly.
"Have you talked to her?" Sirius' voice was a hoarse whisper now.
"She sent me an owl in the middle of the night. She's left George for good. And I can only assume she's staying with Ginny. I doubt she wanted you to know any of that, but I'm your best mate—so full disclosure here," he gave the animagus a half-smile. Sirius looked more than relieved at the news.
"She really left him?"
"She really did," Lupin smiled. It was the first time he had seen Sirius even crack a grin in months, so he didn't mind repeating himself.
"Why she would cheat on me is…."
"Beyond comprehension?" Remus finished, "Not really, Pads. No offense, but you've been quite the shitty husband. And she told me she wasn't the only one who committed a betrayal.."
Sirius sighed, guessing she had found the panties on the floor that he had left there for her.
"Shit Moony, I didn't cheat. I transfigured some of her knickers into slutty ones and planted them so she would find them and only think I cheated. It was the night I put two and two together about George," Sirius admitted.
"Always fighting fire with fire…" Remus smirked, shaking his head at his friend, "Well…although I've been telling Hermione that I did not approve of George, I can see why she went to him. And I know you can see it too."
"I just want her back. And I fucked up last night. Big time. She invited George over for dinner to goad me and then begged me to start loving her again and I didn't…and she left…"
"Stupid man…"
"No need to rub it in mate," Sirius growled, "But I just don't know how I can give her love when I am so empty inside."
"We all miss Harry," Remus reminded him gently, "But he would have wanted you to move on, love Hermione, and start a family…"
"She'll never want to touch me again after what I pulled," he reminded the werewolf, who just laughed.
"Do you even know your wife?"
"Course I do…I…"
"You don't anymore. You haven't tried to know her in half a year. So you couldn't possibly know the pain she feels from all of this fighting. It's ripping her to shreds. She's on the verge of losing her job because of it. She's slowly going crazy."
Sirius felt so sick to his stomach. He was slowly realizing that his selfish actions had affected more than one person. Everyone had suffered Harry's death. Had he ever even offered to comfort his own wife? When was the last time he asked her about her day?
"I miss her so badly…"
"I know. And you need to start showing it and growing up and acting like a full grown adult Sirius. For Merlin's sakes you trashed your own house after a little fight! This place is a disaster. You used to be an amazing man, and you have deteriorated into a violent drunk with an unhappy wife and no friends. Think about that," Remus stated harshly. He hated being so cold to his friend, but it was a truth that had to be heard.
"Fuck," Sirius groaned.
"You need to quit drinking. And it's going to be bloody hard. And you need to let Harry go, you need to let it go man," Remus ordered, and his friend nodded. Remus stood up abruptly.
"I honestly thought you'd deck me, with me trying to come in here and say all this to you…"
"I would if I wasn't so damn exhausted from destroying nearly every room in this house…" Sirius grinned a bit.
"Well, first thing's first…" Remus accio-ed all the liquor in the house and destroyed it to a cringing Sirius. Remus then put his rather extensive knowledge of cleaning and repairing spells to use so that the place looked at least a bit decent. He then led Black to the kitchen where Teddy was sitting.
The boy looked just like Remus, and even though he was a little metamorphagus, he was keeping his appearance his normal one today. Short, sandy hair and light amber eyes looked up at Sirius nervously. He was five years old.
"I made you something," Teddy spoke shyly, holding up a piece of paper for Sirius who took it and held it for Remus to see. It was a very basic drawing of two stick figures. One was small and was obviously Teddy, the other taller and with long black hair. They were both smiling.
Sirius blinked back a tear and leaned over to ruffle the little boys' hair. Remus looked on approvingly before saying "C'mon, get your coat; we are going on a little errand…"
Teddy hopped up and ran to the hallway, retrieving his small pea coat from the hook and putting it on, waiting by the door anxiously. He had obviously warmed to his Uncle again, even after the long absence from his life.
The two older men and the little boy walked down the street to the apparition point where Lupin had knowingly set up a portkey for them all to take. He didn't like making Teddy travel like this, but for what he had planned, it was an absolute necessity. They all held on tightly, Teddy in Remus' arms and they jerked forward in suspended time before landing in the middle of a street somewhere.
Sirius looked around and recognized it as Godric's Hollow. The Potters' house could be seen at the edge of town, but they were currently standing in front of the cemetery where James, Lily, and Harry Potter were all buried.
"Time to make peace with this, Sirius," Remus looked at his friend encouragingly as Sirius approached the wrought-iron gate with hesitation.
A/N: Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Any feedback is appreciated, and reviews are loved and cherished of course!