Sirius woke up, stretched and rolled out of bed. The soft snores of Fred and George sleeping in their own beds could be heard. Sirius smiled. He had been sharing a room with the two boys since getting to the castle. Professor McGonagall had found the men a room much like any other house dorm, allowing them to relive their school days. Tonks was left in a spare prefect room but whenever she could she found herself hanging around in the guys room, too bored to be left alone for too long.

Ruffling his shaggy head of hair he got dressed quietly. There was no point waking the others, Sirius knew the reason behind his position at the school. It was him who was important, not the others. They were here to have something to do. Sirius knew it. He would have to be the one that did it. The one that finally killed the werewolf.

oOo

Hermione was sitting under the large oak tree on the school grounds later that morning. Quidditch practice was still going on and she was glad of the quietness. Gathering her thoughts and composing herself enough not to burst into tears every ten minutes took some time but after getting a grip of herself she found the cool morning breeze to be a welcome.

She couldn't mope around over Remus for too long. It wasn't her style. She had done enough crying over Ron in their 4th year and really did not care to repeat it. Therefore bottling everything up was the right way to deal with it at this point in time.

But truly, she had no clue what he had been saying about Sirius. The pair flirted and always found it easy to laugh together. But he was Sirius, no more and no less. Leaning her head back against the hard oak wood Hermione listened to the world around her. It was calming to hear the birds singing to one another and the leaves rustling above her head.

The tranquil serenity was broken, however, when the barking of a loud dog close by started. Hermione sighed and looked over in the direction of the noise. Sure enough a large black shaggy haired dog was chasing excitedly after a flock of small birds.

Hermione rubbed her eyes and squinted to see the animal better. The enthusiastic dog didn't stop for quite some time but after making sure no birds were around it started chasing and biting at its tail happily. Hermione laughed as she noticed the resemblance to a man she knew. "Padfoot!" she called giggling loudly. The dogs' ears pricked up and soon a blob of black fur was dashing towards her, ears flapping wildly and tail wagging quickly.

The dog ran right up to the sitting down witch and licked playfully at her face. "S-S-Sirius!" Hermione said through gasps of laughter. "S-s-stop it!"

It took quite some time for the dog to calm down and even longer for Hermione to manage to get him to sit down and remain still for longer than a second. After ten minutes Hermione was back to reading a book, rubbing gently at the spot behind the ears she knew Sirius liked as he lay lazily beside her, his head resting on her legs.

"Mhmm," she sighed placing her book down. Sirius quirked an ear to acknowledge his interest in any conversation that may start up. "Sirius, can I speak honestly with you?" Hermione asked. When the dog flapped his tail Hermione took it as a sign to continue. "I had a really strange conversation with Remus this morning. He seemed to- well he seemed to think- I mean he seems to think you and I have a thing."

Sirius sat up in a fluid motion. His interest peaked. Hermione looked into the dogs eyes and smiled. "Isn't that ridiculous?" she laughed.

Sirius slumped back down nuzzling the book on her lap away so he could rest more comfortably. Hermione began absently stroking his head as she thought over the situation which had made her cry but now made her giggle so.

"He gave this long speech about how he didn't mind if I did want to have something with you. I mean, where is he getting these ideas from?" Hermione said, more to herself than anyone else. "Sirius?" she asked as the large mutt stood up and walked a few paces before transforming into a taller human figure.

Sirius flicked his hair from his face before sitting down opposite the young witch. "So you don't like me then?"

Hermione couldn't help the sharp intake of air she made as Sirius looked strongly into her eyes. His brow furrowed. "Sirius, no!" she said honestly. "I mean I had always liked our time together, flirty or not. But no!"

Sirius broke into a wide grin, "Thank Merlin!"

"What?" Hermione said surprised by his reaction.

"I mean you're great and everything Hermione but this couldn't ever work. I mean ever!" Sirius chuckled. "We laugh and flirt but sooner or later we would end up killing each other."

"Well yeah that's what I thought!" Hermione gasped. "So why did Remus say it then?"

"Beats me," Sirius said shrugging.

"But Sirius, you- you..." Hermione near whispered.

Sirius scratched his head, "Spit it out Granger."

"You kissed me," Hermione replied embarrassed slightly at the admission. "On the cheek."

"I was being nice!" Sirius exclaimed. "I hugged you the other week; did you get all excited about that to?"

Hermione kicked out at the teasing man and was glad when her foot collided with his leg, even if it was slightly painful to herself. "Shut up Sirius! You know what I mean."

"Hey, if I had the chance I wasn't going to miss it was I?" Sirius replied waggling his eyebrows up and down comically.

"Ergh! You're vulgar!" Hermione alleged smiling gladly that the situation was cleared up.

The pair spent the rest of the morning in each other's company. Neither of them moving or leaving at any point. Both quite content to pass part of the day like that. They talked and laughed like old friends did as the time whizzed by.

No one could really blame them for not noticing the unnatural rustle of bushes behind them. Or even the heavy breathing and angry growls emanating from a person standing near to them. Whoever it was did not like the scene playing out before them.

oOo

Hermione caught Ginny up with the strange events that had occurred in the last week before dinner that day in the common room. The flame haired girl was exhausted from the difficult training she had faced that morning at Quidditch but couldn't hide her eagerness to learn more of the situation which had progressed hugely since they last spoke.

Although Hermione was being open and honest with the girl she had closest to a best friend, her lips remained tightly sealed when concerning her own feelings towards the man who begun the confusion.

"But surely Remus must be hiding his own feelings somewhere!" Ginny thought aloud. "Otherwise what was the sense in bringing it up with you in the first place? And you're sure he never mentioned anything he felt?"

"No he didn't," Hermione answered. "All he spoke about was how he was glad for Sirius and I. It was sort of awkward."

Ginny gasped suddenly, dramatically placing a hand to her chest. "But it's so romantic!" she enthused. "He's obviously in some sort of inner turmoil where he was convinced Sirius liked you and you him. Therefore debating whether to allow Sirius to capture you, or have his own passion and sordid way with you," Ginny finished with a wink. The theory had come out at a hundred miles an hour and although it made Hermione's heart melt at the idea of Remus' possible passion she still cringed and reddened.

"Don't be ridiculous!" Hermione whispered sharply worried that any other Gryffindor could overhear the over the top notions her friend was putting forward. "That is the stupidest idea ever!"

"Ahaa! It might be stupid and over the top but don't pretend like you didn't wish it was real!" Ginny laughed teasingly.

Hermione rested her head back on the couch laughing happily, enjoying her chance to speak to another girl about her thoughts. It was subjects like these when she sometimes hated having two male best friends. Not now. Now Ginny could learn every passing thought of hers.

"So where did the good looking mutt go after you and he sorted everything out?" Ginny asked slightly off topic.

"It was strange," Hermione replied thinking back on it. "It was as if he smelt something in the air. He always did have heightened senses after transforming back into his human self. His nose scrunched up and his eyes turned stony cold, then he was off. Mumbled something about Remus then ran back to the castle."

"Unusual," Ginny murmured not really paying attention. Her mind raced too fully with scenarios of her best girl-friend and the sexy Defence Against the Dark Arts professor.

Hermione sighed rolling her eyebrows. "You Weasley's! Can't stay focused for long can you!"

Ginny giggled and leaned forward whispering a thought into Hermione's ear. The witch turned beetroot before batting the ginger minx away. Maybe it was better having male friends.