She spun around, excitement building up in her stomach, to come face to face with Sirius. He was wearing a cloak bearing the Weasley Wizard Wheezes emblem, though they were blue instead of the normal magenta.

"What are you doing here?" she squealed, unable to conceal her excitement.

"I had to make good on my promise," he smirked, gazing at her longingly.

"Okay, but Zonkos?"

"Weasley Wizard Wheezes," he corrected her. "George told me about their financial limitations, I said I'd front the money to buy out Zonkos if he would hire me as the manager, pay me a salary as well as a certain percentage of the profits until he's paid me back for my investment, with minimal interest of course."

"I never took you for much of a business man, not to mention running a whole branch yourself."

"I have to be the manager. Everyone under the manager has to wear magenta, and you'll never catch me in any form of pink. Not my color, love."

She chuckled, wanting to hug him but taking her cues from him and not doing so. She didn't think George Weasley would have a no-touch policy at work, and she wouldn't expect Sirius to follow it if he did, but maybe the new somewhat responsible Sirius Black would actually follow the rules.

"Hermione," Neville called, coming around the corner, arms laden in the bags he had purchased from all the different stores they had visited that day.. "Oh..." his face fell as he spotted Sirius.

"Are you ready to go back to the school?" she asked, turning reluctantly away from Sirius.

"Oh, well, I can go alone if you want to stay. I saw Hagrid heading into the Three Broomsticks a while back, maybe I can walk with him back," he answered nervously.

"Are you sure? I don't want to ditch you."

"Yeah," he said, bumping into a display as he backed away. "Have fun."

He disappeared around a corner, and the moment his cloak flapped out of sight Hermione felt someone grab her forcefully around her middle and drag her sideways into a small office. Before she could say anything Sirius' lips were pressed, bruising, into hers.

"I had hoped you would have shown up the first weekend. It's been difficult not sneaking into the castle to see you," he muttered as he wrenched her robe off her and started fumbling with the buttons of her shirt.

"If I had known I would have been here after classes the first day," she whimpered as he pulled her shirt off and pressed her body into the wall.

"Absence makes the heart grow fonder," he growled, nipping at her neck, fingers searching for the zipper on her skirt.

She opened her mouth to respond, but could only moan as he started gently sucking at the base of her neck. He finally managed to pull down the zipper and her skirt fell to the floor.

"When were those part of the Hogwarts dress code?" he smiled, looking over her pink polka dot satin bra and panty set.

"I'm just glad I didn't wear the ratty old laundry day panties," she smirked, pulling him to her for another bruising kiss.

He wrestled himself out of his work cloak, revealing a simple jeans and t-shirt.

"Not much for the dress code yourself?" she raised an eyebrow as he quickly unbuckled his belt.

"I don't answer to a Weasley," he growled, letting his pants fall, pushing her panties to the side and entering her roughly as she gasped in pleasure. He lifted her legs and wrapped them around his waist, then held her wrists to the wall as he thrust repeatedly into her. She struggled to free her wrists, to be able to wrap her arms around him, but he wouldn't let her, and it excited her, making her grind her hips into his in time with his thrusts.

Unable to grab at him with her hands she bit at his lip, causing him to growl and press his body weight into her. She moaned, throwing her head back against the wall, her hair flying over her face as her body rocked up and down.

He released one of her arms, and it immediately tangled into his hair, holding his kisses to her neck. He nipped at her jaw line, and she closed her eyes as she began to feel herself becoming closer to climax. She writhed against him, each stroke causing her muscles to tense until, with a loud groan, she released. He hissed into her hair as he finished as well, leaning against the wall, supporting her until he could regain his breath.

She chuckled slightly as he finally let her down off the wall. She felt her hair was messed up in the back, her skirt had been trampled on throughout their lovemaking session, and she wasn't quite sure where her shirt was, but she was happy and as she looked into Sirius' face she could tell he was feeling the same.

"If that was the kind of animal you turn into after two weeks, I'd hate to see you if I stayed away for a month," she smirked.

"I can't promise to stay out of Hogwarts if you try to make me wait for a month," he replied, getting dressed.

"You forget I know every secret passage into the school, so I can make sure they're monitored."

"I don't need a secret passage," he replied with a smirk. "I have a standing invitation for tea with either Hagrid or the Headmistress."

"Oh, please go to tea with McGonagall in her office. And invite me. I would love to hear you argue with Snape."

"Why is Snivellous in the Headmaster's office?" he raised an eyebrow.

"He was a Headmaster for a year," she informed him. By the look on his face no one had told him about Snape's reign at Hogwarts.

"How low are their standards they'd let a greasy git like that become Headmaster?" he sounded shocked.

"Severus Snape is a war hero," she looked at him sternly.

"Snivellous Snape is a cowardly, arrogant prat," he spat back.

"Has Harry told you the whole story?" she asked in anger.

"No, and I don't want to hear any sob stories about his life. So he had it tough. Too damn bad."

"You could have a little more compassion," she hissed.

He scowled as he wrapped his work cloak around himself. "I'll save my compassion for someone who deserves it, thanks."

"I can't believe you won't even listen..." she snapped as she fastened her skirt.

"I don't have to listen. You're awfully willing to forgive, Hermione. Just because he did some good things doesn't mean that negates every horrible thing he did."

She glared at him as she threw her robe around herself, not bothering to find her shirt. As she wrapped it around herself she spat, "Funny, that could be said for a lot of people."

Without another word she rushed from his office, robe clutched tightly around herself with one hand, her bags in the other. He called after her, but she didn't stop. She started back towards the castle, but moments later she heard footsteps behind her.

"I'm not talking about this anymore, Sirius," she growled.

"We're not Sirius," Neville's voice sounded behind her. She spun around, thankful she had gotten her robe fastened securely so he wouldn't be able to see that she had lost her shirt as she saw Hagrid standing right next to the Head Boy.

"Alrigh' Hermione?" Hagrid asked in concern.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she muttered, running her hand absentmindedly through her hair, trying to straighten it out.

Hagrid looked as if he wasn't convinced.

"What are you doing back here so early?" Neville glanced at Hagrid, hoping his words were coded enough. "I thought you said you wanted more time at Zonkos."

"I got into a bit of an argument with one of the workers..." she started.

"You mean Sirius?" Hagrid asked.

"That's the prat," she muttered.

Hagrid laughed. "Hermione, you 'n Sirius are both strong willed people. I'm only surprised it took you two this long ter get into a fight."

"How...?" her mouth opened in surprise.

"All the students are talkin' bout the two o' you kissin' on the train station. I talked ter Harry, 'n he said you have been seein' each other for almos' a month. Why didn' you tell me?" he smiled in almost a fatherly way.

"We're sort of just letting things fall into place," she muttered, looking at the dirt path below her. "Not that I think it much matters now." She gave them a quick play-by-play of the argument between them.

"Of course it matters!" Hagrid let out a booming laugh. "Listen, Hermione. I've known Sirius Black a lot longer 'n you. The fact that he is showin' affection fer ya in front of a crowd, well, he mus' really like ya. Give it a day or so to blow over, he'll be back."

She looked back at Hogsmede and wondered if it was true. When she went into the castle she bid good-bye to Neville, who was going back to the Heads dorm to tend to his plants while she walked up to Gryffindor tower. She gave the Fat Lady the password and climbed in the hole. Ginny was waiting in the chair by the fire, her Transfiguration book open in front of her.

"Here you are, Queen of Cramps," she said, tossing the bag of Honeydukes Fudge on the table in front of her.

"I love you, Hermione," Ginny snatched the bag. "If you weren't seeing Sirius, I'd totally sleep with you right now."

"What about Harry?" Hermione chuckled.

"I'd have to take pictures," she shrugged.

"I think I'll pass."

"I'm not going to offer it every time you go buy me fudge."

"Every time? What makes you think I'm going to go running into the village at your every beck and call?"

"Because I know who is living in the village now," she gave her a knowing look.

"Who?" she said innocently.

"You're kidding, right?" she raised her eyebrow. "George told me who's running the shop in Hogsmeade. I'd be willing to bet he knew you were in town the moment you passed the first shop, and if he did he wouldn't have let you leave without talking to him."

"Oh, him," she smiled, sitting in the chair opposite the redhead. "What makes you think I go running into Black's arms whenever I'm within a half mile of him?"

Ginny sighed and shot her a look.

"How's your charm essay coming?" she quickly changed subject.

"I'm got stuck when it came to the wand movement for healing spells. Could you look it over, see if I'm at least on the right track?"

"What would my life be like without having to check over a Weasley's homework?" she sighed reaching for the parchment.

"Aren't you warm? Why don't you take your robe off, stay a while?" she asked, reaching for a piece of parchment for her Transfiguration essay.

"Um..." Hermione turned beet red. Ginny looked up at her with her eyebrow nearly at her hairline. Hermione pulled the robe aside just enough to show that she wasn't wearing a shirt underneath.

"Merlin, 'Mione," Ginny shook her head, barely concealing a knowing smile.