A/N: There's conflict in this chapter. It wouldn't be interesting if they were always lovey-dovey, would it? You've been warned.

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What Hermione had expected to be a small party marking Kia's official entrance into the secret of the magical world had gotten completely out of control by the time Hermione and Sirius had arrived at the Burrow. George, who hadn't been in such high spirits for months, had invited all sorts of former Gryffindor students as well as a few current, plus various Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, so there were at least fifty people running around the outside of the Burrow. Someone had managed to set up an impromptu bar, and Rosmerta herself was pouring drinks.

"Not what I expected," Hermione said, eying the crowd.

"My kind of party," Sirius winked before taking her hand and leading her in. She made them go straight towards Kia, who had just had a glass of Firewhiskey shoved into her hand and was looking at it apprehensively.

"I'm not that big of a drinker, guys," she said, trying to hand the glass back to George.

"I am," Sirius said, snatching the glass and downing it.

"I remember you," Kia smiled. "Sirius Black, right? Ron's told me some fun stories."

"Don't believe half of what you've heard, love," he smiled, then looked around. "I need some more bloody firewhiskey. Any takers?"

"Get me some butterbeer?" Hermione asked.

"Anything for you, dear lady," he kissed her hand before disappearing towards the bar.

"How are you enjoying this?" she asked Kia, who was staring across the field at a couple people who were taking flight on brooms.

"This is so exciting!" she smiled, eyes darting around. "I've been here for a few hours, Ron introduced me to his family before people starting coming over. This whole thing is like out of a movie. I love magic."

"Make sure you keep it all hush-hush," she smiled.

"Mums the word," she pretended to zip her lips. "I don't want to be on the wrong side of those wands."

"Here you go, love," Sirius reappeared with a glass of butterbeer and a rather tall pour of Firewhiskey for himself.

"Have one at the bar, did you?" Hermione asked as he gave her a sloppy kiss on the cheek.

"Two," he smirked. "But no worries, love. If there's one thing being cooped up in Grimmauld Place by myself taught me, it's how to hold my liquor."

"Black!" George called from the open field, holding a broom. "We need another beater for Quidditch. You in?"

"Coming!" Sirius called. He gave Hermione another kiss on her cheek and downed his Firewhiskey before running towards the pitch.

"Aren't you going to play?" Kia asked Hermione.

"If we feel like having an accident, I'll play. I've never been good on a broom," she replied, watching Sirius mount the broom George was holding and taking off. His face had lit up as the broom raised into the air. She watched him as he took a few laps, a wide grin on his face. Freedom suited him.

"How are things between you and Ron?" she asked Kia as Arthur released the balls into the air to start the game.

"They're good. He's a really nice guy. Fumbling at times, but that's just nerves being around a pretty girl like me," she smiled.

She chuckled. "Good thing you're confident. Many Muggles who marry witches and wizards get a bit of a complex when the secret comes out. Something about not feeling like they're needed or they're the lesser person in the relationship."

"Not me. I may be a Muggle, but I can do things without a wand that Ron couldn't do with. Like cook, for instance."

"Cook for him often?"

"You know as well as I do how much he loves food. So I get to be the wizard in the kitchen, and he gets to brandish the stick and make the mess disappear," she made an exaggerated motion with her hands and Hermione laughed.

"It's not every Muggle woman who could handle a Weasley man."

"I'm not every Muggle woman. Is it true wizards and witches tend to get married early?"

"Many do. Not all. I doubt it's something Ron is going to push you into too quickly."

"I know he wants a big family, lots of kids. I want to have fun, see places before I start something like that."

"It doesn't seem like that odd of a request," she gazed back up at the Quidditch match. Sirius shot a bludger at Seamus Finnegan, who nearly fell off his broom trying to get out of the way.

"Is Sirius wanting a family?" Kia asked, following her gaze. She gasped as Ron made a dive for the Quaffle, knocking it to a speeding Ginny.

"The subject hasn't come up. I think he's just enjoying life right now. I don't think I'm ready to be a mother quite yet, though. I need to finish school and start a job. I'm not one of those girls who thinks that being a mother should be my only job."

Kia accepted a butterbeer from Molly, who was wandering around with a platter of them. "It's weird, don't you think?"

"What is?"

"Mrs. Weasley told me all sorts of stories. She seems to like me enough, but from the way she tells it, she seems to have thought you were a shoo-in for her daughter in law." She took a sip of the butterbeer.

"Does that disturb you?" she asked, looking at her own drink.

"I would have thought, but then I see you and Sirius, and I don't think you're going to be trying to steal Ron from me anytime soon. I think it's just Mrs. Weasley loving you like a daughter, and just wanting you to be an official part of the family."

"You're stuck with him," Hermione smiled. At that moment Harry went into a dive. Luna, who was playing Seeker on the other team, dove after him, but she couldn't catch up. Harry pulled out of the dive ten feet from the ground, the Snitch clutched in his hand. Hermione and Kia cheered, Ron and Sirius had been on Harry's team.

Sirius dove towards the ground, touching down right in front of the bar, taking another shot of Firewhiskey, then carried the broom through the crowd to Hermione.

"Watch the game?" he asked, sitting next to her.

"Bits and pieces," she replied.

"Pity. I need to get you up on a broom."

"Just because I prefer not to fly doesn't mean I can't," she said.

"Put your Galleons where your mouth is," he said, holding the broom out towards her. She stared at him in shock. "If you want, I can get you Harry's Firebolt. I'll teach you."

"Not tonight. You've been drinking. What would I do if you crashed your broom into a tree and messed up your pretty face? I can't be seen with a disfigured man-toy," she smiled, draining her butterbeer and standing up in search of another.

"Man-toy?" he growled, following her towards the bar. "All those times you said you loved me..."

"Are true," she said, spinning around and kissing him before he could finish his sentence. "But you have to admit, you're a pretty face."

"I knew that. I was one of Witch Weekly's Hottest Wizards the year I graduated Hogwarts."

"Which one were you?"

"Two," he said proudly.

"Only two?"

"Bloody Lockhart," he grumbled.

"I bet your mother loved that title," she smirked, looking at him apprehensively as he grabbed another shot from Molly's tray and downed it on one gulp.

"She cancelled her subscription the moment she saw it. Got a bunch of her manic pure-blood friends to do so as well. Said they didn't want to read filth that considered blood-traitors better looking than pure-blood wizards."

"I can't believe she actually read it. That seems almost human of her."

"Pure bloods are humans, too. Her blood was as black and icy as the rest of the family's. They never considered folks like the Weasleys and the Potters pure-bloods. Said they were too Muggle-loving to be true pure bloods, which is why our families didn't intersect much."

"Who knew generations of inbreeding could lead to someone as handsome and charming as you, Sirius?" she smirked.

"You, my little Muggle-born princess, are going to get in trouble with that mouth of yours. You are speaking to hope of the survival of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black."

"They're in trouble," she giggled.

He strode forward and pressed his lips to hers urgently. She could taste the Firewhiskey on his tongue, and the amount he had consumed made him either not notice the crowd cheering them on, or not care about the audience. But she felt her face going flush and she pushed away from him.

"Cheeky little witch," he growled at her.

"You love it," she replied.

"I do," he said, stealing another quick kiss. "More butterbeer?"

She groaned. "Please, Sirius, tone it down a little bit. There's no rule saying you have to drink yourself stupid at a party."

"There should be," he replied before disappearing into the crowd.

"Having fun?" Ginny and Harry were suddenly right next to her.

"Good party. Didn't expect it, but it's fun nevertheless," she replied.

"Kia is having a ball," Ginny nodded towards her. Ron had his arm around her, she was laughing as Seamus and Dean were having a transfiguration duel with a gnome they had caught.

"That's good. They seem really good together," she nodded.

"And goodness knows it's about time for one of us to live up to our Blood-Traitor title and marry a Muggle," George appeared next to them.

"You could do the honors," Harry pointed out.

"Nah. I've got a witch. Angelina!" he called, reaching out and pulling her towards him.

"Never got over that schoolgirl crush, did you?" Hermione beamed.

"Says the girl dating Sirius Black," Angelina shot back with a grin to match George's.

"What can I say? Older ex-convicts are sexy."

"You forget ex-corpse," she pointed out. "How did he get out of that Veil, anyways?"

"Not a clue, and whenever I try to bring it up he changes the subject."

"Where is the old dog, anyways?" George looked around. "I need to have a word with my employee."

"I wouldn't call him that to his face," she raised an eyebrow.

"I don't. He's my 'Chief Investor'. But he works for me, and I need to tell him off for something. We open at nine, not when he bloody feels like rolling out of bed."

She laughed. "I'll go get him." She wandered through the party, but couldn't find Sirius. She was about to give up when she heard words trailing from inside the kitchen.

"... but it's going well?" Bill's voice asked.

"Yeah. A real firecracker, that one," Sirius chuckled.

"How long?"

"Few months. I give it a few more. It'll grow old soon."

"Have you ever considered marrying her?"

"Right. Like that's ever going to happen," Sirius replied darkly.

"Well, it would guarantee..."

"I'm having fun," Sirius interrupted. "While it lasts, at least. But it's not going to last. It's just me, after all."

Her stomach dropped. She flung open the door to the kitchen to see a surprised Sirius and Bill looking at her.

"Is that how it's going to be, then?" she asked, now aware of the tears streaming down her face.

"Hermione, it's not what you..." Sirius slurred, dropping his glass of Firewhiskey.

"It's exactly what I think. Mudbloods for fun, right?" She didn't wait for a reply. She turned and the spot and Disapperated.