(NARWHOL! -Rae)

Chapter 4

Hermione's eyes shifted between Remus and Sirius at breakfast the next morning. The two were seated beside each other and across from her and were currently stuffing their faces with some sort of sausage. She, being a vegetarian, cringed at the sight. It was disgusting the way they put away meat.

Fruit was scooped onto her plate along with a bagel. She took a bite and hummed in pleasure, having eaten barely a thing the night before. She'd been too upset.

Lily sat beside her with James on the other side. He too was scarfing down everything in sight, "Have you gotten your schedule yet?" Lily inquired as she scooped some eggs into her mouth.

Hermione nodded and pulled a piece of paper out of her school robes. It listed every class she had in order. Today she had a free period after breakfast and then Potions. After that was Transfiguration, History of Magic, a free period, and then Divinations.

Lily beamed, "Remus and I have all classes with you."

James and Sirius groaned, "How come you two prats get her?" Sirius fussed as he shoveled another heap of bacon in his mouth.

"Ask McGonagall," Lily shrugged nonchalantly and went back to her food.

Hermione caught Sirius' eye, noticing him wink at her. She blushed considerably and jerked her eyes back down to her plate.

Lunch came too quickly as Hermione had wanted Transfiguration to last another hour. She padded down to the Great Hall with Sirius, who shared just that class with her.

"So... Do you have a boyfriend back home?" He asked boldly, blue eyes catching hers for a brief moment.

"Erm... No," she answered in a squeak.

Sirius grinned from ear to ear, stopping in the middle of the corridor. He turned to her, "I think you're adorable. You should be my girlfriend."

Hermione's eyes widened and she let out a nervous laugh, "Is that any way to ask a girl out? I mean... You should like someone for their personality as well as how 'adorable' they are," she kept on walking, leaving Sirius confused. No girl had ever turned him down before.

He finally caught up to her, "Will you at least think about it?"

Hermione sighed, walking a bit faster, "Sirius. I'm sorry but no."

He frowned and watched her head into the Great Hall, wondering why she wasn't interested.

"Oh my gods, Sirius just asked me to be his girlfriend," Hermione announced to Lily. Remus perked up from across the table, his fork dropping to his plate.

"What did you say?" Lily asked in utter disbelief, just knowing Hermione had said yes.

"No! I can't date Sirius!" She muttered back to Lily.

Remus, sighing in relief, went back to his lunch.

"What are you all about, there, Remus?" Lily smirked at the boy across from them.

Remus, like a deer in the headlights, sat perfectly still, frozen in chewing mode, "I.. Uh.. Nothing."

The girls exchanged a confused look before serving themselves sandwiches.

Later on that afternoon, Hermione headed back to the common room to start on homework before dinner. She didn't expect what she'd find as she opened the portrait hole and climbed inside. There, all over the floor, were rose petals. White doves with flying about over her head and the ceiling had been charmed to look like a giant heart.

"What the bloody h-"

"Hermione!" Sirius gave her a charming grin from across the room. He jogged up to her, beaming.

"Sirius, what is all this?" She asked in a bit of a stupor. Gryffindors were staring at the two, some smiling, some shaking their heads in disgust.

"Please, be my girl. You're so smart, and pretty, and, and, and smart."

"You said smart twice."

"Shut up, Remus."

"Sirius. Quit this," Hermione waved her wand twice, sending the mess Sirius had created up to his bed, "I don't want to be your girlfriend. I barely know you." She lied.

Truth be told, Sirius was a very handsome young man. He had a great personality that complimented hers just perfectly. Hermione would have loved to give into all this, but somehow she couldn't.

"Hermione," Sirius looked crushed. James was staring wide eyed. He'd never seen Sirius act this way over a girl. Then again, Sirius always got what he wanted when it came to women.

"I just can't," Hermione pushed past him and jogged up the stairs to the fourth year girl's dorms. She slung the door open and slammed it shut, throwing her books on her bed. She wanted to go home, wanted to be back with her family, she wanted Ron.

Tears began to fall down her cheeks and she let out silent sobs, burying her face in the pillows. Why did this have to happen? Things always went wrong in her life and most often they had to do with Harry Potter. If she hadn't agreed to tag along to the Quidditch Cup none of this would have happened. After all, Hermione detested Quidditch. She found the game meaningless and silly.

"Hermione? Can I come in?" Remus' voice took Hermione off guard. She didn't think boys were allowed in the girls dorms. This confused her.

"I... No," Hermione called, voice watery.

A moment or two passed before Remus knocked again. This time he walked in rather than calling to her. Hermione covered her head with the blanket and tried to stop crying as Remus slowly approached her bed and sat down on the edge. She felt a warm hand slowly run up her back, resting between her shoulder blades.

"Why are you crying?" He asked quietly.

Hermione didn't answer at first, afraid she'd sob out her words, "I don't want to talk about it."

He nodded in understanding, slowly running his hand down her back again, "Well... If you ever do, I'm here to listen."

This made her cry harder. Suddenly, she sat up in bed and wrapped her arms around him, weeping into his shoulder.

Remus, taken aback, patted her back gently with wide eyes. He was obviously not used to having a girl cling to him.

"Shh... It's okay..."

(More to come soon. Please review. -Rae)