CHAPTER 16

Sirius was exhausted, but he had to pull his eyes open to look at her. She was beautiful. The last time he had seen her, she was just sixteen years old. He had fallen in love with her when she was eighteen, and now, she was laying before him, a woman. Her eyes swam with tears.

"Sirius?" she whispered.

"Hello, love," he croaked.

He felt her soft, warm hand caress him, running her fingers over her jaw, his nose, his collar bone, like she was trying to memorize him.

"You've grown up," said Sirius, bringing his hand up to cup her cheek.

"You have no idea," she whispered.

"How long has it been since you went . . . since you traveled . . ." he began slowly.

"Since I went back in time and fell in love with you?" she offered.

"Yes," he replied, closing his eyes and smiling.

"Three years," she answered.

He opened his eyes and kept looking at her. Her face was beautiful: more angular than it was, more mature. She was absolutely stunning. Not the teenager he fell in love with, not the child he befriended years later.

"And now here I am in front of you, not the handsome, charming eighteen-year-old, but the old, broken man," he said sadly. "Would you even want me anymore?"

"Sirius," she replied harshly, and brought her lips to his.

She kissed him gently. Her kiss was full of love and tenderness, and he responded slowly at first, unsure and unwilling to open himself up to her. It had been years, over a decade, since he'd kissed her, but when she let out a soft moan against his mouth, he began to truly kiss her back. She rolled on top of him, his hands tangling in her hair as she kissed him. She began fumbling with his tattered shirt, trying to get it over his head, and when she succeeded, she paused, staring at him. He was covered in tattoos now. Though his chest still bore faint remnants of the scars he had gotten while protecting her so many years ago, the scars mingled with dark figures inked into his skin, partially masked by a dusting of coarse black hair. She kissed his chest softly, and he moaned.

"Sirius?" she whispered. "What tattoo did you get that day? The day before I left."

He smiled and rolled over underneath her. She traced the outline of the familiar dog on his shoulder blade and gasped when she saw it. A calligraphy letter "H" surrounded by a black heart, with vines and thorns surrounding it. He felt her trace it with her finger. When he twisted back onto his back beneath her, she reached into her shirt, pulling out the golden chain of the necklace he'd given her years before. The very same "H" that he'd had tattooed on his body.

"Hermione," he whispered, his hands gripping her tightly. "I can't even believe it's you. I can't believe I can finally talk to you about what happened. I've… I've missed you…"

His voice had broken, choked with a cry that threatened to escape his throat, and Hermione wrapped herself around him. His arms pulled her against him, one hand in her mop of brown curly hair and the other around her back, his face in her hair breathing deeply and willing himself not to cry.

"Sirius," she said softly.

Hermione lifted her face to his and their lips met. Sirius felt all the darkness of the last twenty years of his life beginning to melt away as she kissed him. It was like he was back at Hogwarts, cuddled against her in the four-poster bed in his dormitory, before she left him and his entire life began to crumble beneath him. Her body was the same but different: her hips were curvy in a way they hadn't been when she was eighteen, but her delicate, passionate kisses were the same.

She began tugging at his trousers, stoking the embers of a fire that he'd long thought gone out. His fingers found the soft skin of her lower back, at first grazing lightly and then gripping her, their kiss breaking apart for just a moment as she began to tug his trousers off his body.

"Hermione," he said. "I don't know if-"

"I'm sorry," said Hermione, aghast, her hands moving away from his trousers in an instant. "I'm sorry, I know you might not want me anymore-"

"Oh, love," said Sirius with a chuckle. "I was thinking you might not want me."'

Hermione's face split into a devious grin.

"Sirius," she said in a husky voice. "I've thought about you every night for the last three years."

"You have?" he said, arching one eyebrow. "Every night?"

"Every night, while I reach down between my legs and-"

Sirius interrupted her with a searing kiss, their mouths attacking each other, only pausing while he yanked her shirt up over her head. He fumbled with the clasp on her bra, pulling it off her body and bringing her breast into his mouth.

"Sirius," she whined.

Their clothes were tossed to the side, and he relished in the feeling of her naked body against his. His cock was erect and aching, desperate to be inside of her. They rolled over so that she was beneath him, gazing up at him with lustful brown eyes. She bit her lip.

"Are you sure?" said Sirius, positioned at her entrance but waiting for her permission.

"Please," she whispered, pulling his mouth to hers in another kiss.

Sirius thrust forward, burying himself to the hilt in her warm wetness. A loud, strangled cry left his lips, and he heard her mewling into his ear. He hadn't felt a woman in so long. He paused, not even moving, just feeling her tight around him. After a moment, her hips rocked insistently, and he chuckled low in his throat. Sirius kissed her again and began to roll his hips, earning another purr from her.

"Merlin, I'm going to last about thirty seconds, Hermione," he said with a grin.

She laughed, a beautiful sound that he'd missed desperately. He was kissing her mouth, her jaw, her neck, and thrusting in and out of her. Her nails dug into his skin as she arched her back underneath him, panting into his ear. The sounds she was making, the movement of her body, the feel of her hot and slick around his erection… he felt climax building in him already.

"Fuck," he groaned.

He pistoned in and out erratically, Hermione urging him into her feverishly. Once, twice, three more thrusts, and he spent himself inside of her. He froze for a moment, breathing heavily and holding himself up on his elbows on top of her. Sirius glanced down at Hermione's beautiful face and saw her grinning madly at him. He chuckled and slowly pulled himself from her body, rolling over next to her and pulling her against him.

"I haven't had that in so long," she whispered, her breath tickling his ear.

"Nor have I," he replied, stroking her back gently, and he craned his neck to look at her. "Next time I promise to last long enough to give you some enjoyment, too."

He winked at her, and she laughed again. Sirius let out a contented sigh, wrapping his arms around her.

"Merlin, I missed you, Sirius. I cried for months when I came back," said Hermione softly.

Sirius squeezed her tightly, kissing the side of her face, and they lay still together for a long time, both lost in thought. After a while, he stretched his limbs and climbed out of bed, grabbing his boxer shorts off the floor and pulling them up over his hips. He was about to pick up his shirt and trousers to finish getting dressed when he saw that she was still naked in bed, staring at him invitingly. He immediately climbed back into bed with her, and she wrapped her body around his. He tucked her head into the crook of his neck so that he could feel her breath against his skin. She was pressing light kisses on his collarbone.

"Thank you for coming back to me," she whispered.

(())

"It's been two bloody hours since Ginny left," Hermione heard a voice say outside the door. It sounded like Ron.

"She told us not to disturb him," replied a muffled voice that certainly belonged to Harry.

"Harry, mate, that's your godfather in there. Don't you want to make sure he's alive?" Ron replied.

Hermione's eyes widened, and she looked up at Sirius, whose eyes were as big as saucers as well. She hoped desperately that Harry would heed his girlfriend's advice, but when she heard the door creak open, they both reached for the blankets in panic, trying to cover themselves. Hermione's eyes were shut as she braced herself, Sirius's arms around her reassuringly, protectively.

"What the bloody hell . . ." said Ron's voice.

There was complete silence. Hermione could not open her eyes. She could hear Sirius's heart racing beneath his ribs. He sighed.

"Hello, Harry," said Sirius, his voice deep and rumbling in his chest next to Hermione's ear.

More silence.

"Hermione?" Ron squeaked.

She opened one eye gingerly and saw Harry and Ron gaping at her. She could understand why. Hermione was completely nude in the arms of Sirius Black, Harry's godfather, who had been thought dead until mere hours ago.

"Found a way to wake him up, then?" Ron said accusingly, his ears beginning to turn red.

"Ron-" Hermione began.

"No, I see how it is. You won't sleep with me anymore but as soon as Harry's forty-year-old godfather walks in the room, you'll open your legs right up, eh?" Ron said angrily.

Sirius, wearing nothing but boxer shorts, flew from the bed, grabbing his wand from the nightstand and pointing it at Ron.

"Stop!" cried Hermione.

Harry had stepped in front of Ron, his hands stretched out in front of him placatingly. Hermione could hear footsteps and voices in the hallway, and she drew the covers up to her neck. Molly Weasley appeared in the doorway, and she took one look at Hermione in Sirius's bed and gave a loud yelp. Suddenly everyone was talking at once. Harry demanding answers, Mrs. Weasley shrieking, Ron ranting about Sirius, and Sirius hotly trying to explain. Hermione was looking from one face to the next. When she saw Remus's face in the fray, she looked at him imploringly. He took a long look from her to Sirius to Harry and the Weasleys, and then Remus shoved himself into the room, pushing Harry and the rest out into the hall.

"Well, that's one way to tell them!" shouted Remus, a hand threaded in his sandy blonde hair. There were still muffled voices from outside the door.

Sirius, Remus, and Hermione looked at each other for a moment, and then they all three burst into laughter.

"Sirius," Remus said, stepping over to his old friend and embracing him warmly. "I never thought I'd see you again."

Sirius returned the tight hug and then started grabbing Hermione's clothes from the floor so she could get dressed. There was knocking and pounding at the door. Remus sighed, his cheeks puffing out with his exhalation.

"You two couldn't have waited just, like, two more hours?" he asked, but he was grinning mischievously at them.

Sirius barked a laugh, and Hermione felt herself blush as she got dressed under the blanket. Sirius was now digging in drawers and closets searching for fresh clothes to put on. He finally found a faded old Wimborne Wasps shirt and a pair of trousers that threatened to fall off his thin frame. Hermione had a grin on her face she couldn't shake. Sirius was back. Remus had his best friend back. She had the love of her life back. Harry had his godfather back. Suddenly, she blanched.

"Harry!" she cried miserably. "Oh, what must he think?"

"Hey," said Sirius, grasping her shoulders tenderly. "It's going to be alright."

"I'll give you a head start," said Remus. "Give me just one minute."

Hermione nodded resolutely and watched Remus open the door, a cacophony of angry and confused voices filling the air. He pushed out into the throng and shut the door behind him. Sirius turned and grinned brilliantly at her, taking her hands as she stood from the bed and pulling her toward him. He bent his head and kissed her. She ran her fingers through his hair, tugging out the tangles she found there. The feel of his hands at her waist was electrifying, and she couldn't stop herself from giggling into his mouth as he kissed her. He put his forehead against hers and looked at her with those familiar, sparkling grey eyes.

"Ready?" he asked.

She nodded, and they left the room together, heading into the kitchen where a crowd was gathered. Harry was seated at the table with a passive face. Ron and George were in the corner; Ron had his arms crossed in front of his arms and a menacing glare on his face. Remus was standing in front of Mrs. Weasley, his hands raised as though he were blocking her from racing back into Sirius's bedroom to wallop him. She caught sight of them and screwed her face up in anger.

"You're old enough to be her father!" spat Mrs. Weasley scoldingly.

"I'm only thirty-six," he said, cocking his head to one side, and he looked down at Hermione. "How old are you?"

"Twenty-one," she said.

Sirius turned back to Mrs. Weasley.

"Plus the Time Turner," Hermione added.

"Plus the Time Turner!" added Sirius with a rogue grin.

"So probably more like twenty-two or twenty-three!" said Hermione.

"There you have it," said Sirius confidently.

"You're not thirty-six, you're-"

"Mrs. Weasley," said Harry, interrupting her.

Everyone hushed to silence when Harry spoke, even Sirius, whose devilish grin turned sincere.

"Harry, I'm sorry," he said.

"Explain," said Harry.

Ginny had appeared with a new potion for Sirius, and he downed it in one gulp as Hermione began to tell the story. She started from the beginning, when the Time Turner had malfunctioned, and she'd ended up at Hogwarts in the 1970s. Sirius and Hermione told the story in turns. Every time he looked at her with his handsome smile, her insides melted all over again. His eyes were still tired, still sad, but she could see a tiny hint of fire behind them now. A tiny spark that threatened to reach out and explode, bringing back the exuberant, sexy, charming man he was before Azkaban. Hermione had not properly relived her year at Hogwarts, not since she'd come back, and hearing it all from his perspective warmed her heart. Remus jumped in here and there to add to the story.

"They were disgusting," said Remus with a smile. "Couldn't keep them out of Sirius's bed."

Ron let out a scoff.

"But Sirius, when you met her, she was only fourteen!" said Mrs. Weasley. "Surely you didn't-"

"Of course, he didn't," said Remus soothingly.

Although Harry had smiled and laughed in all the right places during their tale, he hadn't said anything and was sitting very still and quiet at the table.

"Hermione, why didn't you tell me?" asked Harry quietly. "I would have loved to know… to hear what they were like…"

His voice broke and he stopped speaking, hanging his head. Hermione thought she might cry. When she came back, she thought it would be too painful to tell Harry about his parents, but now she realized what a precious gift she had denied him.

"I'm so sorry, Harry. I thought it would be too hard," said Hermione.

She felt Sirius's hand on her shoulder, lending her what strength he had.

"Sirius, I'm still confused on how you got here," said Remus. "We saw you fall behind the Veil."

"I don't know," he said, scratching his head and running his fingers through his shaggy, black hair.

Everyone gazed at him, waiting for him to give them some clue as to how he returned to them alive.

"I'm not sure what happened, to be honest. It's like I fell through the Veil and the lights switched off. The next thing I knew, the lights were on, and I was tumbling out of it," said Sirius. "I thought I'd be jumping right back into the fight against Bellatrix, but the room was empty. I tried to get moving, to run on out of the room, but I realized I was weak and tired. At the time, I had no idea it had been years. To me, it was just a moment."

"Sirius, when you . . . fell, it wasn't the last time we saw the Veil," Hermione said, looking up at Harry.

Harry took a deep breath.

"Our last fight, the last of the Death Eaters… it was last night. Hermione and I were in that room," Harry began, "I . . . I pushed a Death Eater through the Veil. I killed him and sent him past the curtain."

Realization crossed Sirius's face.

"I saw… a sliver of light. Like someone had parted a curtain for me," he continued.

"We left right then. I didn't want to see the Veil anymore. It was too . . ." Harry said, trailing off at the end.

"You gave me my chance at life, Harry," Sirius said, wrapping a fatherly arm around Harry's shoulder and looking at him very seriously. "You left that door open for me."

They talked for hours that day, relaying to Sirius much of what he had missed since falling behind the Veil. The hardest was hearing about Dumbledore's death. Harry had never told anyone the full story, everything he had witnessed in that tower, but with Sirius's gentle prodding and comfort, he revealed it all, struggling to hold back tears at times. They had all nearly cried, including Sirius himself. The grief and melancholy for Dumbledore was still strong. But even with the sad tale, Hermione was wrapped in Sirius's arms again. Nothing could pull her away from him.

That night, ignoring the glares coming from Ron and Mrs. Weasley, Hermione and Sirius went to bed together. They lay next to each other, mostly naked and staring at each other, hands roving each other's bodies.

"Tell me everything," said Hermione quietly, fingering the tattoos on his chest. "Tell me everything about your life since I left you in 1978."

Sirius smiled. He looked reluctant at first, but he took a breath and began speaking.

"Remus and I moved in together after school. We lived in my Uncle Alphard's flat," he said.

"Did you have a girlfriend?" asked Hermione with a sly grin.

"Remus did," said Sirius.

"Not you?" she asked.

Sirius shook his head. He was running his hand through her curly hair, just as he always had at Hogwarts. He began telling her everything about his life. He began with Hogwarts graduation and James and Lily's wedding, and Hermione's heart ached when he told her what Lily had said.

I wish she was here for you, Sirius.

He told her about the Order of the Phoenix and how frightening the first war against Voldemort had been, but how the Marauders had been young and far too brave. It was familiar to her, the story he told. Clandestine meetings, formidable enemies, impossible tasks, dark times.

"I remember when I found out my brother died," said Sirius. "I… I couldn't help but think about that party. Him and Avery. What kind of man had my brother become? That he'd fallen in with that kind of crowd? Friends with a man who could do that to you?"

"But Sirius!" said Hermione suddenly. "Regulus betrayed Voldemort! Regulus wasn't friends with that sort of man!"

Sirius sat up in bed and stared at her.

"Merlin, there's just so much to tell you," said Hermione, shaking her head. "But the short of it is that your brother found out about what Voldemort was doing and tried to stop him. He wasn't so bad. Not in the end."

Sirius was gazing at her with an open mouth. He sat back against the pillows and stared straight ahead for a long moment. Hermione wiped a lone tear that was falling down Sirius's cheek.

"What else?" she prompted softly.

He told her about the day Harry was born, about Sunday dinners at Godric's Hollow, and of course, about James and Lily's deaths. Hermione felt her breath was stolen from her lungs to hear him talk about it, about arriving at their home to find them dead. Beautiful, fiery Lily and James, who'd opened his heart and home to her and treated her like a sister. Sirius was closing his eyes, his brow resting against his hand, as he told her the events of that fateful week. She gripped him tighter to her. He had been through so much. He skipped over his years in Azkaban, his grey eyes turning dark and stormy when he mentioned it, which brought his story to the day they'd met.

"When I saw you with Harry that night in the Shrieking Shack, I couldn't believe my eyes. How was Hermione Granger, the love of my life, standing in front of me as a young girl? Standing shoulder to shoulder with my best friend's son?" said Sirius. "Hermione, when you left me in 1978…"

He broke off suddenly, as though the memory still pained him decades later, and she kissed him softly to encourage him to go on.

"When you left so suddenly at the end of the school year, I was frantic. I marched into Dumbledore's office demanding to know where you'd gone. I was in a rage," said Sirius. "And Dumbledore said something so cryptic at the time. He said that I'd see you again, but I'd have to know you for years before I could have you back."

They paused, letting Dumbledore's words hang in the air for a moment.

"I don't know how you managed," she said, and he gave a watery chuckle.

"It was torment," he admitted. "I half felt like a degenerate, because you were a child, and I was an adult. I never thought about you that way, of course… I mean, I thought about past you. I mean… future you?"

Hermione giggled.

"And I could see you growing into the young woman you'd become, but I had to keep a barrier up in my mind. It was like a had a wall in my brain that kept those thoughts from escaping, and a countdown calendar until you made it to your seventh year," said Sirius. "And I didn't even know if you'd want me anymore. You'd be a beautiful, intelligent eighteen-year-old, and I'd be an Azkaban escapee pushing forty."

"Stop," she whispered. "Of course, I'd have wanted you."

"Who knows?" he said. "I was prepared for the possibility that you wouldn't."

"When I came back…" said Hermione, and her voice wavered. "I walked through a time portal in Dumbledore's office and came back to find Remus sitting there waiting for me. Adult Remus. And for one second, I hoped and prayed that the future had changed somehow. That you weren't gone."

Sirius pulled her close and kissed her lips.

"I'm sorry I wasn't here for you," he said in a husky voice.

They stared at each other for a long moment. He was holding her hands, his eyes closed as though he were trying to will himself to speak the words that were in his mind.

"Are you sure you still want me?" whispered Sirius. "You heard Molly. Hermione, I'm thirty-six years old. I'm a convicted felon. I-"

But she cut him off with a kiss, threading her fingers in his silky black hair, finally tamed of tangles, and pressing every inch of her body against him. She didn't care about his age, about his history, about what everyone else had to say. Her heart could belong to no one else.

(())

Author's Note: One more chapter and the epilogue to go!