Portrait Between the Pages
To Whom You Belong

Leaving the library, Hermione headed back to the dorm despite not wanting to deal with the cacophony which was still going on at the dorms. And sure enough, her sixteenth birthday party continued as if she'd never left. However, Fred sent a wink her way and George a nod, both smirking as if they'd known she'd left while the entire time keeping the first and second years occupied and distracted by dancing around like idiots.

She smiled, still not wanting the party in front of her for her birthday but appreciating what Fred and George were doing for the younger ones in their house, given there was an actual war brewing outside of Hogwarts, one that the Ministry entirely denied. She turned her head, looking for her best friends, first catching sight of Ron next to Neville, nodding his head as he wore a coned party hat and still held onto the two plates of cake, nearly devoured with a chocolate crumb on his face.

Harry found her, making her nearly jump out of her skin. "I thought you'd be longer, closer to curfew."

"That really didn't take long," Ginny said, coming over with her arms crossed. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. Though," Hermione frowned, remembering how the boy in the portrait was closely related to Sirius in some manner to the point of being really close to where Sirius' name on the tapestry would be. "We do need to talk."

"I thought we weren't going to talk about me teaching?" Harry stood there, arms crossed.

Ginny looked at him. "Teaching? Instead of getting what Umbridge is teaching us. That would be…."

"It's not about that. But it is important," Hermione said. She glanced down at her book bag and began to open it up. Her fingers reached for the journal. "It's regarding something I found in the library, something I think you should know about." She paused, looking up at the room. "But not here. How about the room of requirement after class tomorrow? I'll be heading up to my dorm now, where it is quieter. To think."

"Alright, and again, happy birthday Hermione," Harry said.

Hermione nodded her head, glancing over at Ron, who had yet to wish her a happy birthday, before shaking her head and heading up the stairs to her dorm, where she plopped onto her bed, already fully prepared for class tomorrow, but not prepared for OWLs when it came to her D.A.D.A. studies.

She pulled out the journal and found Regulus there, blinking as if he'd just woken up. "Well, hello."

"Hello again," the boy said, smiling at her. He glanced around. "Gryffindor, I see. Surprised."

"Surprised?" Hermione said.

"Well, Blacks are normally sorted into Slytherin."

"May I remind you, Sirius and I aren't related as you were so inclined to guess when I first found your diary."

"Diary?"

Hermione glanced up to see Ginny in the doorway of her dorm, looking concerned. "Ginny."

Ginny frowned. "You remember, Hermione, what happened when I found a diary?"

Hermione sucked in her breath, frowning. "You aren't like that. I should…."

"Like what?" Regulus asked.

"Wait. I can hear him. Let me see," Ginny said, coming over and sitting beside Hermione, her head leaning against her shoulder.

"Oh. Hello. Are you a friend of my companion here?" Regulus said, his facial features breaking out into a smile. "You're pretty as well."

"What a flirt!" Ginny said.

A blush spread across the young man's face, but his gray eyes were mortified. "I am not. Unlike Sirius, I am a perfect gentleman."

"Oh?" Hermione said, lifting an eyebrow.

"Sirius. As in," Ginny frowned. She leaned in closer. "Well, he does bear a resemblance. To…"

"I resent that!" Regulus said. And then he glanced at the side. "Wait? Do I? I think I'm supposed to say I resent that. It always confused me, as I was told by maman not to talk about him after he ran away, to forget about him. But Sirius, he's not someone you forget."

"Who are you?" Hermione said.

"You haven't puzzled that out yet?" Regulus turned to look at her, now frowning, looking disappointed.

"You want her to puzzle it out?" Ginny said, letting out a sigh. "Really?"

"Well, I like puzzles. Sirius never had the patience for them," Regulus said.

Ginny pulled the diary closer to her. "And what is this about Sirius being a flirt and you not? Because I'm sure…."

"I've only ever had one girlfriend, thank you very much," the boy said. His eyes widened. "Actually, who did Sirius eventually settle down and marry?"

"I—what?" Ginny said. "Aren't you an odd one?"

"I thought you were concerned about this being like that?" Hermione said.

Ginny shook her head. "This is different. It feels different. Like a nice sort of magic."

"What are you," the voice paused.

"Anyways, this girlfriend of yours," Ginny said. "What was she like?"

"Ginny!" Hermione said, never thinking her friend from the year below would stoop to gossip.

"I," the boy said, paling. "I can't talk about that. And you didn't answer my question. About Sirius. Who did he eventually marry?"

Ginny frowned. "Silly. Sirius isn't married."

"Then," Regulus frowned. "How?"

"How what?" Hermione asked.

"How to put this?" Regulus said, looking at the side of the frame, then up above, yet Hermione noticed that, unlike other portraits which didn't hesitate to make eye contact, this one didn't, reminding her of something in the back of her head that she couldn't place, but brushed aside.

"But what?" Ginny asked.

"I thought the stork only brought babies to married people."

Hermione and Ginny drew in their breath and looked at each other, completely stunned. And then they looked at the portrait. Hermione frowned. "You mean you don't know?"

"Hasn't anyone told you about the bird and the bees?"

"You mean what Sirius likes to do with girls?" Regulus said, his cheeks blushing up again. His eyes darted around the picture frame, his mouth opening. "What does that have to do with having babies?"

"That's how two people have babies, silly," Ginny said.

"That's," Regulus choked out. "That's how?" He paled. "I thought it was a form of intimacy you're only supposed to have," and then he rolled his eyes. "Of course, it's a form of intimacy you're only supposed to have if you're married. I can't believe I didn't puzzle that together sooner, but it would explain things. Definitely."

"And what about this girlfriend of yours?" Ginny said, causing Regulus to blush.

"I think I'll go now," Regulus said, clearing his voice before disappearing.

"Ginny, really," Hermione said. "He's shy enough as it is.

"Sorry. I couldn't help. He mentioned Sirius, but if that's who I think it is," Ginny sucked in her breath. "Is that why you want to talk to Harry?"

"Yes, actually. He's a relative of Sirius, apparently. Someone who is very close to the tapestry."

Ginny frowned. "Hermione, who exactly have you been talking to."

"He said his name is Regulus."

"Regulus," Ginny looked at the diary, then closed it. She leaned closer. "As in Regulus Black?"

"Well, yes."

"Hermione, that's Sirius' Death Eater younger brother. You're talking to a Death Eater."

"What?" Hermione turned to look at the book. "He seemed so…."

"Yes, well, does he know you're Muggleborn?"

Hermione sighed. "I guess me talking to him isn't a good idea?"

"I don't know. I definitely didn't get the same feeling from him as I did from Riddle's diary," Ginny said. "Can I be there when you talk to Harry?"

"Definitely," Hermione said. She looked down at the diary. "I think it involves you greatly, so yes."