A wonderful chapter before things get more interesting? You all will just have to find out. Thank you again, my fine readers. I always appreciate your time and my gratitude is never ending. Enjoy

0o0o

The hot water felt so nice after such a long day and Hermione was humming to herself in the shower. She was thinking about today and how cute Teddy was with her Marauders. Hers? No, not hers. Shaking that thought away she finished washing her hair and turned the water off.

Bundling her hair in a towel, she stepped out and into a larger towel for her body. There was a knock and Remus came in timidly, his eyes averted to the floor. "Mione, you just got a letter, I think you want to see it promptly."

She approached the werewolf with a smile and took the note from him and opened it gingerly.

Miss Granger,

I have made some headway and am certain I think I have tracked down the muggles in question. Give me another week to be certain they are who we have been looking for. I am feeling optimistic so cross your fingers!

Jason Fidler, P.E.M.I

Hermione gasped and hugged the werewolf in joy. "Oh my, Remus! He might have found my parents!"

Remus wanted to be ecstatic for her, but her body felt distractingly pleasurable against him. He could smell her fresh skin from the shower and how she was mouthwatering. He wasn't sure what he was doing as reason took a back seat and he leaned down and kissed her. Hermione grew rigid and was shocked by the contact, but shortly recovered.

Her hands ran cautiously against his chest and he gained entry to her mouth as he explored it with vim. She was tempted to stop him as he backed her to the wall, but her brain had short circuited with how wonderful he kissed her. Ron's snogging had always been sloppy, but this man knew what buttons to press as his hands cradled her face.

The werewolf pulled away, inhaling and Hermione gazed up at his flecked eyes; she could see the golden sparkles of his primal side surfacing through his calm demeanor. "Moony, are you with me?" She asked and he met her lips again with a bruising attack, but she gently pushed him away.

"Remus, take a breath," she whispered and he put his forehead on her shoulder.

"I am sorry," he murmured and she ran a hand through his hair.

"Couple of days yet, I know it can be hard. Just breathe, I will too," she replied and he pulled away to look at her.

"You aren't at all disgusted?" He asked and she giggled.

Hermione shook her head and smiled, "why would you disgust me? What you are doesn't make you who you are, Remus. Not that lycanthropy isn't a hurdle for you, but it doesn't make you horrible, in fact, you are a great man."

He kissed her sweetly and she returned it, his tongue tracing her lips with a soft nip. Hermione had thought the young werewolf was attractive, but he made her heart race. She enjoyed his hands on her and her abdomen grew knotted. "I really need to get out of this room, Hermione. Not to offend, but if you keep smelling like you want to take me to bed I might not want to leave." He declared and Hermione blushed deeply.

"I will see you down the stairs," she voiced and he beamed and left the bathroom.

Remus inhaled deeply to take the last of her scent on the air to his mind to remember. She had wanted him and that was so delicious for him to smell. There was a bite to it and it declared plainly she was his, if only for a moment. The werewolf shuffled down to the living room to find his best mate reading a book.

"Sirius, I need a drink," he told him and Sirius saw it in his eyes.

The animagus jumped up and went to retrieve the bottle and a few glasses, "what happened? I know that look, Moony."

Remus took the glass of liquid from him and downed it in one gulp. "I damn near broke the rest of my resolve. She smelled delicious." He said and rolled his neck.

"I told you not to go in there, Remus," Sirius chided him and grinned, "was she naked? Does she have any hidden tattoos?"

Remus groaned and sat down in a chair, "she had on a towel, but..." The werewolf trailed off and shook his head. "I overstepped and snogged her, several times."

"Did she kiss you back?"

Remus nodded and ran a hand through his hair. "I am going to go in my room. I don't think I should be around her tonight with how potent I feel."

Sirius was not going to argue with him as he saw the werewolf was anxious from his actions. He wasn't sure if the woman had reacted positivity, but Remus was frazzled. The werewolf nodded and patted his fellow marauder on the shoulder as he stood. "Tell her I wasn't feeling well?" He asked and Sirius nodded.

"Alright Moony, try to sleep it off. Remember, deep breaths." The animagus reminded him and the werewolf gave him a nod before disappearing from the room.

Sirius grunted and ran a hand through his wavy mane. He figured she had fancied the werewolf, but it still struck his pride. She enjoyed his intelligence and the way he was soft spoken but playful. All the things that Sirius Black just wasn't. The animagus shook his head and grabbed the bottle. "Looks like it is me and you, baby." He told the bottle of liquor and grimaced.

"Sirius?" Hermione's soft voice entered the room.

Her hair was still damp and curly and she was wearing a purple t-shirt and shorts. "Hello, kitten. Moony felt ill so he was going to rest up."

The witch frowned and sighed, "Well, I suppose that is expected around this time of the month."

"Or from kissing a beautiful witch, he does have a very endearing self-deprecating nature."

She smiled and walked fully into the room, "so you are just going to make a habit of taking a bottle to bed, Padfoot?" She asked with a playful smile and he raised an eyebrow to her.

"Either that or go to the pub to find a nice witch to bury myself in." He replied and she made a face.

She walked the room and glanced at the paintings, "that is a fairly grotesque thought, Sirius." She said simply and he watched her. "well, do you want to play a game with me?" She inquired and he tilted his head.

"What type of game?" He asked and she shrugged.

"I figure it is better than you running off to shag some tart." She shot him a grimace and he smiled.

"What if I want to shag a tart and have her scream my name a bit? It has been awhile."

Hermione rolled her eyes and strolled up and took the bottle from him. "Probably not your most intelligent move, Sirius." She swigged it and sighed, "we both know you really don't want to do that." Her eyes were sweet and he could swear she could read minds.

He smirked and raised his eyebrows, "Well, I do survive off of the satisfaction of screaming witches. It would be nice to test out this decade's delicacies."

"We both know you aren't inherently a wanker, Sirius." She said and gazed away from him.

The animagus frowned and took her chin in his fingers to make her look at him. "you shouldn't know that much about me." He muttered with a suspicious tone.

She giggled and took his hand in hers, "when you were in hiding after I saved you, I saw a side of you. The side where you just wanted Harry to be alright. The side that regarded Moony with dignity. This side." She stopped and pressed her hand to his heart. "You are a twit, but you are a beautiful, kind man. That is why you take care of Moony and why he loves you for it."

He chuckled and rolled his eyes, "of course you would have the cheat sheet, kitten."

She pulled away from him and turned around and walked the room again, "we are similar, Sirius. Taking care of others we love deeply and never demanding much from them. Falling into old actions so that we may hide it at times. I may bait into your snarky attitude, but underlined you are a very gentle man."

He was bedazzled by the woman before him, "and so you won't let me go shag some witch's brains out because?" He needed to change it to something lighter.

She glanced back at him and smiled, "because I don't want you to." She waved at him with a smile, "come on, I have an idea."

Hermione had transfigured her pajamas into something more fitting to go outside Grimmauld Place. She led him out and they disapparated to a busy London. She still held his hand as she led him through the streets and he was gazing around in awe at the differences of the busy city. The night life was loud and noisy, but he watched her smiling.

"How are you so beautiful?" Sirius inquired as a few women walked by giggling; they ogled the man.

Hermione glared at them sharply before glancing up at him. "Timing? I turn into an ogre in the morning. You are pretty handsome yourself, Sirius Black."

Sirius noted the small hint of possessiveness she flared at the snickering girls, "It is a gift. Truly a gift I like to share."

"Would you like to see a film?" She asked him and he grinned.

"That spy movie over there?" He pointed at the poster and Hermione groaned.

"Sirius, that movie is a big joke!" Hermione replied and he chuckled.

Sirius leaned down and kissed her cheek, "I promise I will keep my hands to myself in the dark." He breathed and she pulled away and shook her head.

"Alright, but you are buying me sweets," she declared and he gave her a nod.

Sirius pondered the poster and nodded, "if it has shagged in the title it is going to be grand."

Hermione beamed up at him and squeezed his hand, "alright then, you are just lucky I am not fighting for that girly movie that muggle women go crazy for."

He bent and kissed her cheek, "I know, let's go catch the last showing."

They went to the theaters and Sirius was secretly dancing in victory; he was taking her out on a date.

0o0o

They had strolled back into 12 Grimmauld Place hours later and they both were laughing. Hermione was shaking her head at him as he held his hands up like a gun and raised an eyebrow. "Do I make you horny, baby?" He asked in a silly voice.

"Not on your life, Sirius Powers," Hermione retorted and he grinned.

"Ivana? Ivanna Humpalot? Are you sure, baby?" Sirius persisted and Hermione went into the kitchen.

She grabbed a glass of water and Sirius leaned on the counter in front of her. "I had so much fun, thank you." He declared and she smirked.

"No ploy to get me to crawl into bed with you now? You have lost your touch, Pads." Hermione remarked and he scrunched his face.

"If I need a ploy it isn't worth just one shag, kitten. You are not a tart." He responded and she felt taken back.

"Why don't you give me your best play and see if I can outsmart you?" She baited him and he raised an eyebrow.

"It would be too difficult to outsmart you just for a shag. I have tried, you know." Sirius smirked and she shrugged her shoulders.

"Not even a drunken late-night shag that neither of us planned? I remember that night clearer now, Sirius. You told me no when I asked to go to bed with you."

He pointed a finger at her and glowered, "you stop that. I cannot be smooth and seductive if you always point out when I am honorable."

She hopped on the counter and slid over to him, "you can still be both, Sirius."

Hermione pulled him to her, her legs centering him as he rumbled in his throat, "look who is being smooth and seductive now..." He leaned in to kiss her, but at the last moment pulled away from her. "I am sorry, I can't." He whispered and grimaced.

"Sirius?" She whispered, her face was unnaturally skewed and he hated it.

He pressed his forehead to hers, "I cannot even tell you how sorry I am to say any of this..."

"Sirius, please?" She asked gently and the animagus' blood started to boil under his skin.

The animagus pursed his lips and nodded, "Moony fancies you and I am not that kind of man, Hermione."

"Sirius, I am all but throwing myself at you," she reminded him.

He growled and ran a hand through his hair, "I know! You don't think I have fantasized about having you naked and wanting for days now?"

"But-"

"No, no buts. Moony rarely finds interest in anyone. If he isn't going to do anything about it that is his business, but I watch how he looks at you. Even one night isn't worth breaking him. One, glorious, sweat dripping, sighs of satisfaction, type of night." Sirius spat and pulled away from her body.

She glared at him and hopped off the counter, "you are a bloody wanker, Sirius Black!" She snapped and stomped out of the kitchen.

"Don't I fucking know it," he grumbled and sat at the table and seethed for a few moments.

"I love you too, Pads," Remus' voice entered the room. "I was in the library and didn't want to interrupt you making your move." The werewolf finished and sat down at the table with his mate.

"So much for a move. She takes me out to London, leads me along the street like a lover and we go see a film I wanted to see. Of course, the moment I am going to seal the deal I think of you." Sirius snickered and Remus patted his shoulder.

Remus shook his head, "it is alright, you know? You can go patch things up if you like. Not like I can be much use to her anyway. Even if by an extraordinary chance we can stay, I would not be well matched for such a beautiful witch."

Sirius shrugged his friend's hand off of him, "come off it, Remus! She is crazy about you. I don't need a pity fuck!"

Remus was quiet and watched his friend calm down from his outburst. "I am quite sure her shagging me would be a pity shag, Sirius. Like you said before, you get her blood boiling."

Sirius put his hands over his face and groaned, "why do we have to want the same witch?"

Remus chuckled and shrugged his shoulders, "because we are marauders and we like to covet treasure."

"It's not like we can stand there and ask, 'Hermione, which of us wankers do you want to shag more?' That would go over like a mandrake musical." Sirius paused and glanced over at the werewolf. "You need to go check on her."

Remus shook his head, "she's already upset. No point in disturbing her and causing her any more confusion. She really wanted to go to bed with you, Sirius."

Sirius frowned and scratched his chin, "how about we both go up there?"

Remus snorted and rolled his eyes, "now I know you are bloody insane. She would throw curses at us for even walking in together."

"Just to spend the night with her, Moony, not shagging."

"Padfoot, are you suffering from poisoning?"

Sirius shook his head and pointed a finger at the werewolf. "She is Hermione."

"Yes?" Remus wasn't sure what he was getting at.

"She is Hermione Granger, Moony."

"Yes, and I am Remus Lupin and you are Sirius Black."

"Exactly."

Remus rolled his eyes and shook his head, "sometimes I don't understand you."

"I will spell it out for you because I can see you are clearly confused," Sirius said with a raised eyebrow. "She wouldn't be staying here if she didn't want to spend time with us; both of us. Let's just do that, together."

Remus sighed and stood up, "alright, well, lead the way. That way if she is throwing curses they won't hit me first."

Sirius stood up and turned to his best mate, "did you come down earlier after kissing her because you felt guilty or to brag?"

"A bit of both," Remus mumbled and Sirius nodded.

"Good," Sirius declared with a grin and nodded toward the doorway.

The Marauders ascended the staircase and Sirius glanced back at Remus before he opened the door. "What do you want?" She spat as she only saw Sirius' frame.

"We want to talk," Remus told her over Sirius' shoulder.

She glared and folded her arms, "come in and talk then."

The Marauders stood in front of her and glanced at each other before Sirius cleared his throat. "Can we sleep with you tonight? No shagging, just spending time with you."

Hermione felt shocked and dropped her defensive posture. "What is he on about, Remus?"

The werewolf shrugged and spoke gently, "both of us have feelings of guilt about you. There has been a whole mess of developments tonight and neither of us wants to take measures to tell the other to sod off."

"Both?" She asked and they nodded at each other.

Hermione pursed her lips and gazed at each of the marauders. "Alright, but my bed is too small. Last time I felt like I was the cream filling in a cake."

"Wait, what?" Remus asked not sure he heard her correctly.

Sirius grinned and patted his friend, "she said she would join us, stop asking like a twit and enjoy the victory."

"I am not shagging either one of you, both of you have lost that opportunity." She said cooly and Remus gave her a nod.

"Well, for now," Sirius finished and Hermione snorted.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, Padfoot." She retorted and raised an eyebrow, "which room?"

"Mine, oh definitely mine!" Sirius was practically skipping as he went out the door. "Moony, are you going in the buff too? I do miss seeing that nice arse stretched out on sheets." Sirius teased and Remus rubbed his face.

"I did not know you two were that close," Hermione said, stifling a giggle.

"Oh, he has been trying to get me to shag him for years," Remus replied and Sirius glared.

"Don't tell her that, then she might think I am a puff, you wanker." Sirius feigned annoyance with a small smile back at them.

Hermione sincerely laughed and followed the Marauders up to the third floor. "You see, Hermione, Moony has quite the-" Before Sirius could finish, Remus shoved him and the animagus almost tripped.

Hermione blushed and was thankful that she was behind them, "might be why he told you not to embarrass yourself the other day by walking around naked."

Remus looked back at her and grinned brightly, "Precisely," he said and they got to Sirius' bedroom.

"I am wounded," Sirius grumbled and opened the door.

Hermione gasped because the marauder made great efforts to restore the room to its former glory. Sirius must have swiped some of Hermione's pictures because they were on his walls instead of old posters of bikini models. Instead of being upset at him for it she walked over and saw all the ones he took.

There was the picture of Harry and Ginny kissing and her showing the ring to the camera. Another picture was the one of Hermione and Ginny at Christmas cooking in the kitchen before the Weasley party. The photo of Hermione blowing rose petals and smiling after. Harry and her embracing before he purposed. So much more that he must have pocketed when they went over to grab some of her clothes.

"You kept them?" She asked and he smiled.

"I don't need shifty women on my walls, I have my family now." He said with a shrug and Hermione frowned.

"Most of these are of me."

Remus cleared his throat and nodded, "Well, yes. We both have an affliction."

Hermione walked up to Sirius and hugged him, "You are so much more than you give yourself credit for." She whispered and kissed his cheek.

Hermione pulled away and Sirius raised an eyebrow, "this won't do, Miss Granger," he declared about her pajamas and she frowned.

Sirius flicked his wand at her and her clothes transfigured into one of his large t-shirts and a cute pair of black knickers.

"Sirius Black!" She growled and Remus nodded.

"Always great tastes, mate," the werewolf responded and started to unbutton his shirt.

Sirius threw his shirt unceremoniously on the floor and Remus tossed his shirt down as well. Hermione was trying very hard not to blush at the handsome wizards in front of her. She stood up straighter and tried not to ogle as they disrobed. Remus arched an eyebrow and flicked his belt off as Sirius yanked his pants off.

Hermione could not watch the rest and crawled up in the soft bed with a smile. "Sometimes I do wish I did not have a sensitive nose. It takes away the element of surprise," Remus said and inhaled.

"Don't you dare!" Hermione snapped and did not chance a look at the marauders.

"What did you say, Moony? She randy for us?" Sirius teased and the werewolf chuckled.

"I am going to change my mind and leave," she spat and the Marauders crawled under the covers next to her.

"Not a chance, love. You are stuck with us all night." Sirius told her and she rolled her eyes.

"I am the big spoon," Remus ordered and Sirius nodded and chuckled.

"Very big spoon, I suppose." Sirius retorted with a smirk.

"You, Marauders are horrible," the witch grumbled.

"We know, but you fancy it," Remus whispered with a smile as she rested between them.

They had talked until the early morning hours and Hermione realized how much she didn't want them to leave her.