A/N: I am a horrible person. I know. My sister left, grabbing my USB with this half-written chapter and the start of my next chapter for This Isn't Happening instead of her own. Imagine my surprise when I get Masters level homework instead of my FF stuff when I went to open it. I thought I'd get it back in a week, it took me three and a half. And I put off writing this until I got it back. But that's really not an excuse, more of a rambling apology.
If you're still reading, thanks for sticking with me. Enjoy, and please review, even if you feel the need to yell at me for being so slow to update.
"I cannot believe you talked me into this," Hermione grumbled, pulling the fluffy bathrobe she was wearing tighter around herself.
"Do it for Sirius," Ginny replied, twisting herself on a hovering broomstick, somehow managing to hold on with her legs as her back arced downward. She was wearing what might pass for a Quidditch uniform, if one squinted hard enough. She was wearing the tiniest pair of workout shorts Hermione had ever seen and an artfully ripped Holyhead Harpies t-shirt that barely covered her breasts. A sultry smile painted her face, and there was a flash as Kia's aunt, Bonnie, snapped a picture.
"Very nice, dear," the woman smiled, still looking overwhelmed at what her niece had told her as she escorted Hermione and Kia to Bonnie's earlier in the day. Hermione was going to wipe her new knowledge of magic and the Wizarding world out of her memory before they left for the day, but she had to know for the time being so she wasn't constantly asking questions about floating broomsticks or hair that curled itself into perfect shapes.
"Sirius gets to see it damn near anytime he wants to," Hermione pointed out.
"But you're never going to be this age again. Don't you want a monument to how hot you are?" Ginny smiled while contorting herself into another position someone without years of Quidditch training wouldn't be able to pull off.
"I don't want to see why I have to do it dressed like a randy fairy."
"'Mione," she sighed, looking frustrated. "The fairy isn't randy. The fairy is to show off your ethereal beauty and sense of innocence..."
She snorted. "It's a babydoll and a pair of panties that barely cover my ass. Not quite screaming 'virginal'."
"Just go with it, before I have to Imperius you," she snapped, sliding off the broom.
"You wouldn't..." she hissed.
"I wouldn't. But think of how much Sirius would love to open this on your wedding night."
"On our wedding night we'll have much more important things to do than to look at a bunch of pictures," she grumbled, but she moved towards the fake forest scene Ginny had set up for her. She pulled the robe off, revealing the fairy-style babydoll Ginny had picked out for her. Steeling herself with a deep breath she leaned back against a fake tree and looked at the camera.
"Oh, that will turn him on, looking like I really did Imperius you," Ginny said, rolling her eyes and standing next to Bonnie. "Try to look erotic."
"I don't know how to look erotic."
"Obviously you do, or Sirius would have never fallen for your charms."
"There's something much different about having him standing right there looking at me like I'm irresistible and thinking that I'm about to leave evidence I'm not sure I want sitting around."
"We'll put a charm on it so it's only you and Sirius who can see it. Stop being so melodramatic and pose."
She took another deep breath and tried to think of Sirius. The thought of him the night of her Hogwarts graduation, coming into the bedroom covering himself with her graduation hat and nothing else. A quick smile played across her face, and the camera flashed.
"Woah, I wasn't ready," she said, looking surprised.
"Oh, I'm sorry," Bonny shrugged. "I just saw that look on your face and thought you were."
"You did look good, 'Mione," Ginny smiled as she wandered towards the dressing room.
"I think we may be onto something. Tell me about your man. Where did you meet him?"
She chuckled. Another flash. "In a dirty shack while he was on the run from the law."
The camera fell a fraction of an inch. "Really?"
"Yes," she laughed, and Bonnie recovered to catch the moment on camera. "To be honest I thought he was somewhat of a bad influence. Well, I thought it with good reason. He was a bit of a bad influence, back then. And then when he..." she trailed off, thinking of the day Sirius died. She didn't feel the overwhelming sense of loss Harry did, in fact she felt like it might not be the worst thing that ever happened. Sirius was finally free, in a way, and Harry wouldn't have someone who was so living vicariously through him by pushing him towards dangerous situations. She bit her lip as she thought about what might have brought Sirius back from the veil, back to her. There was another flash that brought her back to the photo studio.
"That was really pretty," Bonnie smiled.
"What were you thinking about?" Ginny asked, appearing wearing her own robe.
"Just wondering why he came back," she shrugged.
"While it was very cute, but let's leave the over-thinking for dinner afterwards, shall we?"
Hermione chuckled, but threw herself into the pictures. She visualized Sirius standing across the room, and things came easier. Ginny gave her cues, having her stand against the tree, then down on the grass and moss-covered rock. She had to admit, it was a nice bit of magic, everything felt real even...
"Merlin's pants!" she screamed, standing up and shaking the spider that had just crossed her hand.
"Oops," Ginny smiled. "I sort of borrowed the tree, grass, and rocks from the forest behind the Burrow. I guess I brought in a guest."
"Or two," she muttered, pulling a pill bug out of a patch of moss. "I think I'm done with this set," she announced, standing up. They had gotten a good amount of good shots, Sirius would not be disappointed. Ginny and Bonnie started setting up near a black couch as she disappeared into the changing room. It took a few moments of meditation for her to put on the next outfit- a corset, panty, stocking, and high-heel set. A few more moments of working up her courage she walked back onto the set to see Ginny posing on the couch in a red and gold chemise.
"How am I looking, 'Mione?" Ginny smiled.
"I think Harry is going to want you to wear that so he can tear it off you," she replied with a smirk.
"Speak for yourself. If Sirius saw that little getup... Feeling a little braver, are you? "
"Just trying to get into the right mindset for my next batch of pictures," she shrugged as Ginny posed for her last frame.
"Couch is all yours."
"Oh, I don't need the couch. I brought my own prop," she smiled, summoning her bag. She rummaged inside for a moment, then pulled out something small. She placed it on the floor, stepped back, and pointed her wand at it, casting an engorgement charm. Immediately the toy sprung up into a full-sized motorcycle.
"You stole Sirius' bike?" Ginny asked in shock, looking at the shiny machine standing in front of her.
"Borrowed it... perhaps without permission," Hermione replied with a sly smile. "Sirius and George are going over their quarterly reports today, and with the way those two fool around Sirius never gets home before midnight, if he comes home at all. I'm sure I can get it back before it's missed."
"Sweet Merlin, perhaps it's not a good thing that you're marrying a Marauder. He's obviously rubbing off on you."
Hermione laughed as she climbed on top of the bike, leaning back against the handlebars and propping one leg up on the back. Taking pictures while on the bike came much more naturally to her, and she had no problems finding her muse or feeling sexy while sitting atop Sirius' second favorite thing in the world.
"Now I know why he calls you kitten," Ginny chuckled as she worked to get rid of the forest scene. "You seem really comfortable up on that thing."
"Practice makes perfect," she replied.
"You two have done it on the bike? He really is rubbing off on you."
"You guys always said I needed to loosen up at Hogwarts."
"And, once again, you took my advice to the extreme. Way to go. Ready for our final surprise?"
"As I'll ever be," she said, looking nervous.
It was starting to get uncomfortable, how comfortable she felt performing memory charms. There was no problem implanting the false memory into Bonnie's head, as they did want their photographs back eventually. Kia had promised to keep an eye on her aunt and make sure things moved along. She and Ginny had found a little cafe to have dinner at, and neither one was having problems turning heads that night.
"So, it's after graduation. Have you made any thoughts about your wedding now?" Ginny asked as she stirred her bowl of soup around.
"I want it to be a low-key affair," Hermione returned with a sigh. "But it seems to be impossible. The Black family has tendrils in damn near every wizarding family it seems. And according to tradition we're supposed to invite them all."
"To Hell with tradition, you're a bloody Muggle-born, and you have every right to do whatever you want. Have a Muggle wedding if you want to. I think that would be fun to go to."
"I'm trying to convince Sirius to just go to the register and get it done in five minutes, but you know what he's like. Has to make a damn production about everything."
"He's just much more flamboyant about everything. You've calmed him down some, but it's hard to teach old dogs new tricks."
She snorted. "I just don't want every obscure relative from all over the country showing up and being disapproving because I'm tainting the bloodline."
"Hey," she protested. "The Weasleys are related to the Blacks. Some marriage back in the twenties or thirties. No one really talks about it much, it's kind of a shame to both families. But, by rights, we would be there."
"Yeah, you and Millicent Bulstrode, and Marcus Flint..."
"And Draco Malfoy," she giggled. "Don't forget, you'll be family after that ring goes on your finger."
"Don't say that," she groaned. "Or I'm just going to move in and start popping out illegitimate babies. Wouldn't that be great for the Black family honor?"
"The Ferret isn't the worst you an get as an in-law. At least your future husband's cousin is dead."
"Which one?"
"Dear cousin Bellatrix, of course."
She shuddered. "I can just picture the wedding, when they ask if anyone objects. She'd go on for hours, probably go purple in the face and pass out before she gave up."
"Seeing the surviving descendants of the 'Most Noble and Ancient House of Black' there's a good chance she'd have to wait in line to voice her charming opinions."
"I'll invite the Black family, and only that Black family."
"Just Sirius, then? Or should I wheel in dear Mum on a cart?"
"I'd rather have Bellatrix..." she trailed off as realization etched itself onto her face. "I can't believe I didn't see that before!" she groaned, hitting herself on the forehead.
"See what? Or are you having one of those Hermione moments?" Ginny asked, looking confused.
"I'm sorry, I need to..." she said in a hurry, shoving her things into her bag.
"Get to the library? Go. I'll cover your meal this time, but you owe me."
"Thanks!" Hermione shouted as she pelted towards the door.
